Over the range microwave oven with improved hood ventilation
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsMark Heimerdinger, Bagawathkumar Chellappan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An over the range (OTR) microwave appliance having a cabinet with improved ventilation includes ventilation ducts at the sides of the cabinet. The side ducts include drop down ducts that extend toward the range and each side duct may include a partition to facilitate optimized flow within the duct. Each side duct comprises an exhaust path from the open bottom end of the side duct to an exhaust.
Claims18
An over the range kitchen appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the over the range kitchen appliance comprising:
- a cabinet having a front panel, a top panel, a back panel, a first external side panel laterally spaced from a second external side panel;
- an appliance enclosure supported within the cabinet, the appliance enclosure comprising:
- a first side wall laterally spaced from the first external side panel, the first external side panel, the first side wall, the top panel, the front panel, and the back panel defining a first duct, and a second side wall laterally spaced from the second external side panel, the second external side panel, the second side wall, the top panel, the front panel, and the back panel defining a second duct, the first duct, the second duct, and an exhaust duct forming an exhaust air path;
- a bottom panel joining the first side wall to the second side wall and defining a cavity, the bottom panel defining a cooling air inlet;
- a mechanical compartment within the cavity, the mechanical compartment in fluid communication with the cooling air inlet and a cooling air outlet, the cooling air inlet, the mechanical compartment, and the cooling air outlet forming a cooling air path;
- wherein, the exhaust air path flows to an exhaust vent and the cooling air path flows to a cooling air vent;
- a partition in the first duct bifurcating the first duct and the first fan inlet;
- and
- a partition in the second duct bifurcating the second duct and the second fan inlet.
An over the range microwave appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the over the range microwave comprising:
- a cabinet having a front panel, a top panel, a back panel, a first external side panel laterally spaced from a second external side panel;
- a microwave oven enclosure supported within the cabinet, the microwave oven enclosure comprising:
- a first side wall laterally spaced from the first external side panel, the first side wall defining a first fan inlet;
- a second side wall laterally spaced from the second external side panel, the second side wall defining a second fan inlet;
- a bottom panel joining the first side wall to the second side wall;
- wherein:
- the first side wall, the first external side panel, the front panel, the back panel, and the top panel define a first duct;
- the second side wall, the second external side panel, the front panel, the back panel, and the top panel define a second duct;
- a first exhaust path defined by the first duct and the first fan inlet, and a second exhaust path defined by the second duct and the second fan inlet;
- a partition in the first duct bifurcating the first duct and the first fan inlet;
- and
- a partition in the second duct bifurcating the second duct and the second fan inlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.