Air filter mounting and demounting apparatus for over-the-range microwave oven

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956514-B2
Application number	US-201514740496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

An air filter mounting/demounting apparatus for a microwave oven having easy mounting and demounting of the air filter is provided. The apparatus includes a base plate having an inlet port through which air is admitted to serve as a hood, an air filter installed at a position corresponding to the inlet port and configured to filter foreign substances being admitted through the inlet port, an air filter bracket coupled to the base plate, an air filter holder at which the air filter is assembled coupled to the air filter bracket to enable a sliding movement along the guide rail, a latch unit configured to be coupled to the base plate to maintain and release engagement of the air filter holder aged, and a spring installed at an inside the latch unit to deliver an elastic force to the air filter holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air filter mounting and demounting apparatus for an apparatus, the air filter mounting and demounting apparatus comprising:
an air filter bracket including a guide rail;
an air filter holder slideably movable along the guide rail of the air filter bracket to be engaged with the air filter bracket and in which an air filter is mountable and dismountable; and
a latch configured to keep the air filter holder engaged with the air filter bracket and including an elastic member within the latch configured to deliver an elastic force to the air filter holder to release the air filter holder from being engaged with the air filter bracket;
wherein when the air filter holder that is engaged with the air filter bracket by the latch is released by an external force, the air filter holder is moved to an outside by the elastic force delivered by the elastic member within the latch and the air filter is mountable or demountable on/from the air filter holder in a state that the air filter holder is moved to the outside.

2. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a light to illuminate a portion of the apparatus, and a coupler to which the latch is coupled.

3. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air filter holder comprises:
an assembly at which the air filter is assembled, and
a press structure formed at a front surface of the assembly such that a user applies the external force to the press structure.

4. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the assembly including a guide at both side surfaces of the assembly so that the air filter holder moves along the guide rail provided at the air filter bracket in a sliding manner, and a hook that is configured to be maintained engaged by the latch and to be released from being engaged is at a central portion of a rear surface of the assembly.

5. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a guide is provided at both side surfaces of the assembly so that the air filter holder moves along the guide rail provided at the air filter bracket in a sliding manner, and a hook that is configured to be maintained engaged by the latch and to be released from being engaged is provided at a central portion of a rear surface of the press structure.

6. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when a user applies an external force at the central portion of the press structure, the air filter holder, which is engaged with the air filter bracket, is released and is moved by the elastic force of the elastic member within the latch in a sliding manner to be moved to the outside.

7. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the latch comprises:
a latch holder, and
a latch cover coupled to the latch holder in a sliding manner to transmit the elastic force from the elastic member within the latch to the air filter holder so that the air filter holder moves in a sliding manner.

8. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the latch cover is provided with a penetrating hole that at least a part of the latch passes through to maintain the air filter holder engaged with the air filter bracket and to release the air filter holder from being engaged with the air filter bracket.

9. The air filter mounting and demounting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a coupling protrusion is provided at each of the latch holder and the latch cover.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a base plate disposed at a lower portion of the apparatus and including an opening;
an air filter bracket couplable to an air filter and rotatively movable to open/close the opening of the base plate, and including an inlet port, through which air is admitted to an inside of the apparatus, to serve as a hood; and
a latch couplable to the base plate to keep the air filter bracket engaged with the apparatus and to release the air filter bracket from being engaged with the apparatus,
wherein when the air filter bracket that is engaged by the latch is released by an external force, the air filter bracket rotates to open the opening of the base plate, and the air filter coupled to the air filter bracket is moved to an outside in a sliding manner.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a light to illuminate a portion of the apparatus; and
a coupler to which the latch is couplable.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a rear surface of the air filter bracket includes a hinge, and an upper surface of the air filter bracket includes a guide rail so that the air filter is movable in a sliding manner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a hinge coupler to which the hinge is couplable, and a rotating angle controlling hole is provided at the hinge coupler to control a rotating angle of the air filter bracket.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , including a hook configured to be maintained engaged by the latch and to be released from being engaged is provided at both sides of an upper portion of a front surface of the air filter bracket.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the latch comprises a latch holder, and a part of the latch coupled to the latch holder to maintain the air filter bracket to be engaged with the apparatus and to release the air filter holder from being engaged.

16. An apparatus comprising:
an air filter bracket having a guide rail formed at an upper portion thereof;
an air filter holder slideably movable along the guide rail of the air filter bracket to be engaged with the air filter bracket and configured to hold an air filter; and
a latch configured to maintain the air filter holder to be engaged with the air filter bracket and including an elastic member within the latch configured to deliver an elastic force to the air filter holder to release the air filter holder from being engaged with the air filter bracket; and
wherein when the air filter holder that is maintained engaged with the air filter bracket by the latch is released by an external force, the air filter holder is moved to an outside in a sliding manner by an elastic force delivered by the elastic member within the latch and the air filter is mountable and/or demountable on/from the air filter holder in a state that the air filter holder is moved to the outside.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a light to illuminate a lower portion, and a coupler to which the latch is couplable.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a withdrawal structure is provided at a front surface of the air filter bracket to enable the air filter holder to be withdrawn to the outside.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the air filter bracket includes a rotatable portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the air filter holder comprises an assembly at which the air filter is assembled, and a press structure formed at a front surface of the assembly while forming an external appearance of the base plate to enable a user to apply an external force to the press structure.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the assembly includes a guide at both side surfaces of the assembly so that the air filter holder moves along the guide rail provided at the air filter bracket in a sliding manner, and a hook configured to be kept engaged by the latch and to be released from being engaged is provided at a central portion of a rear surface of the assembly.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Kwang Keun
• Kang Jeon Hong
• Yun Sang Won
• Lee Se Hun

Classifications

• H05B6/6426

  Aspects relating to the exterior of the microwave heating apparatus, e.g. metal casing, power cord · CPC title

• B01D46/0005

  Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames (B01D46/2422 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D46/10

  Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces · CPC title

• B01D2265/028

  Snap, latch or clip connecting means · CPC title

• B01D46/0006 Primary

  Filter elements or cartridges installed in a drawer-like manner · CPC title