Drive motor assembly and turntable utilizable the same

A drive cover assembly for use in a microwave oven, comprising a microwave reflective enclosure, an output member fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy positioned outside the enclosure, and means including a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion in a plane within the microwave reflective enclosure for driving the output member without substantial leakage of microwave energy into the enclosure, and means fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy positioned outside the reflective enclosure in generally the same plane as the spring for regulating the speed at which the output member is driven.

A portable turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a base member, a platform member rotatively mounted on the base member, said base member and said platform member each being fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy, a microwave reflective enclosure mounted on one of said members, means including a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion within the enclosure for rotating the platform member relative to the base member without substantial leakage of microwave energy into the enclosure, and means positioned outside the microwave reflective enclosure and fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy for regulating the speed at which the platform member is rotated.

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven:

• a base member and a platform member each fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy, a microwave reflective enclosure mounted on one of said members, means including a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion within the enclosure for effecting relative rotation of the platform and base members with substantially no leakage of microwave energy into the enclosure, said enclosure being of relatively small dimension and having a cylindrical side wall with a diameter corresponding to the outermost convolution of the spring when the spring is relaxed, and means positioned outside the enclosure and fabricated of material which does not interact with microwave energy for regulating the speed of the relative rotation of the platform and base members.

A portable turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a horizontally extending platform rotatable about a vertically extending axis, a microwave reflective enclosure, means including a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion in a generally horizontal plane within the enclosure for rotating the platform about the axis without substantial leakage of microwave energy into the enclosure, and means fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy coupled to the platform for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated.

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven having a horizontally extending platform rotatable about a vertically extending axis and a drive motor shielded from microwave energy operably connected to the platform with means for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated, the improvement wherein the drive motor includes a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion in a relatively small motor housing which is only large enough to contain the spring, and the means for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated is fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy and is positioned outside the motor housing.

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven:

• a horizontally extending platform rotatable about a vertically extending axis, a drive motor shielded from microwave energy operably connected to the platform, said drive motor comprising a metallic energy storage spring wounded sprial fashion in a relatively small motor housing which is only large enough to contain the spring, and means fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy positioned outside the motor housing for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated.

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven having a horizontally extending platform rotatable about a vertically extending axis and a drive motor shielded from microwave energy operably connected to the platform with means for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated, the improvement wherein the drive motor includes a metallic energy storage spring wound in spiral fashion in a relatively small motor housing which does not extend higher than the platform and is only large enough to contain the spring, and the means for regulating the speed at which the platform is rotated is fabricated of a material which does not interact with microwave energy and is positioned outside the motor housing without extending higher than the platform.