Back to results
US 12,035,446 B2Granted
Microwave cooking appliance with articulating bottom
AssigneeMidea Group Co., Ltd.
InventorDaniel J. Trice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microwave cooking appliance allowing better access into the cooking cavity. The microwave cooking appliance may include a bottom articulating from the housing. The appliance may include an actuator. The appliance may include one or more linkage members connected to the actuator and bottom. The appliance may include a linkage track guiding the one or more linkage members and/or bottom between positions.
Claims21
A microwave cooking appliance comprising:
- a housing having a cooking cavity, wherein the housing includes a front opening and a bottom opening;
- a door, wherein the door is movable between a closed position closing the front opening to define a portion of the cooking cavity and an open position different from the closed position;
- a bottom, wherein the bottom is movable between a closed position closing the bottom opening to define a portion of the cooking cavity and an open position different from the closed position, wherein the bottom moves from the closed position downwardly away from the bottom opening and outwardly in front of the front opening of the housing to the open position;
- a plurality of linkage members coupling the bottom to an actuator, wherein the actuator articulates the plurality of linkage members from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein when in the stowed position the bottom is in the closed position and when in the deployed position the bottom is in the open position;
- and
- a linkage track guiding the articulation of the plurality of linkage members between the stowed position and the deployed position and the bottom between the closed position and the open position, wherein the linkage track includes a pin and slot engagement with the plurality of linkage members, wherein the pin and slot engagement includes a straight slot and an arcuate slot.
3 more elements
A microwave cooking appliance comprising:
- a housing having a bottom opening and a front opening, wherein the front opening is adjacent a front side of the housing;
- a door positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the front opening;
- a bottom positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the bottom opening;
- an actuator;
- a plurality of linkage members coupling the actuator to the bottom, wherein the actuator articulates the plurality of linkage members from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein when in the stowed position the bottom is in the closed position and when in the deployed position the bottom is in the open position;
- a linkage track guiding the plurality of linkage members between the stowed position and the deployed position to position the bottom from the closed position down and towards the front side of the housing to the open position;
- and
- wherein the linkage track includes a first slot and a second slot, wherein the first slot is substantially linear and the second slot includes an arcuate portion.
5 more elements
A microwave cooking appliance comprising:
- a housing having a bottom opening and a front opening, wherein the front opening is adjacent a front side of the housing;
- a door positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the front opening;
- a bottom positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the bottom opening;
- a first seal positioned between the bottom and the housing when the bottom is in the closed position;
- and
- a second seal positioned between the door and the bottom when the bottom is in the closed position and the door is in the closed position.
3 more elements
A microwave cooking appliance comprising:
- a housing having a cooking cavity, wherein the housing includes a front opening and a bottom opening;
- a door, wherein the door is movable between a closed position closing the front opening to define a portion of the cooking cavity and an open position different from the closed position;
- a bottom, wherein the bottom is movable between a closed position closing the bottom opening to define a portion of the cooking cavity and an open position different from the closed position, wherein the bottom moves from the closed position downwardly away from the bottom opening and outwardly in front of the front opening of the housing to the open position;
- and
- wherein the front opening is defined by an outer periphery, wherein the door seals against the outer periphery, and wherein the bottom includes a portion of the outer periphery, wherein the portion of the outer periphery travels with the bottom between the closed position and the open position.
2 more elements
A microwave cooking appliance comprising:
- a housing having a bottom opening and a front opening, wherein the front opening is adjacent a front side of the housing;
- a door positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the front opening;
- a bottom positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the bottom opening;
- an actuator;
- a plurality of linkage members coupling the actuator to the bottom, wherein the actuator articulates the plurality of linkage members from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein when in the stowed position the bottom is in the closed position and when in the deployed position the bottom is in the open position;
- a linkage track guiding the plurality of linkage members between the stowed position and the deployed position to position the bottom from the closed position down and towards the front side of the housing to the open position;
- and
- wherein the actuator is a track actuator having a pivoting end attached to the housing and an attachment end pivotably attached to a linkage member of the plurality of linkage members, wherein the attachment end linearly moves relative to the pivoting end when the plurality of linkage members articulate between the stowed position and the deployed position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.