Automated microwave turntable

An independently actuated turntable assembly for use with a microwave cooking device having an access door provided with a planar front edge registered along a front face of the microwave cooking device, said turntable assembly comprising:

• an anchor member nested to a bottom surface of the microwave cooking device and extending upwardly within a cavity thereof;
• an annular drive gear concentrically journaled about said anchor member and freely rotatable along a counter clockwise direction;
• an annular body directly seated on said drive gear and statically coupled thereto, said body being disposed at an initial position prior to operating conditions, wherein said drive gear and said body rotate in sync;
• means for independently rotating said drive gear after a cooking time of the microwave cooking device has lapsed such that said annular body terminates at a position identical to said initial position and thereby insuring that an item placed on said body remains identically oriented at a beginning and an ending of the cooking time;
• wherein said drive gear rotating means comprises
• a mobile first sensor mounted to said drive gear and traveling alone the counter clockwise direction during the cooking time;
• a second sensor directly and statically coupled to the access door and medially positioned along a lateral width thereof, said second sensor being disposed at a fixed position defining said initial and terminal positions respectively;
• a motor directly connected to said drive gear;
• a switch electrically coupled to said motor respectively;
• and
• a logic gate electrically coupled to said first and second sensors and said switch respectively;
• wherein said first and second sensors generate and transmit respective input signals to said logic gate when said first and second sensors become aligned, said logic gate interpreting said input signals and transmitting an output signal to said switch that toggles said switch to an open position and thereby interrupts power to said motor such that said drive near and said body stop at the initial position.

An independently actuated turntable assembly for use with a microwave cooking device having an access door provided with a planar front edge registered along a front face of the microwave cooking device, said turntable assembly comprising:

• an anchor member nested to a bottom surface of the microwave cooking device and extending upwardly within a cavity thereof;
• an annular drive gear concentrically journaled about said anchor member and freely rotatable along a counter clockwise direction;
• an annular body directly seated on said drive gear and statically coupled thereto, said body being disposed at an initial position prior to operating conditions, wherein said drive gear and said body rotate in sync;
• means for independently rotating said drive gear after a cooking time of the microwave cooking device has lapsed such that said annular body terminates at a position identical to said initial position and thereby insuring that an item placed on said body remains identically oriented at a beginning and an ending of the cooking time;
• wherein said drive gear rotating means comprises
• a linear peg protruding upwardly from a top surface of said drive gear and positioned along an outer edge thereof;
• a motor operably coupled to said drive gear;
• a switch electrically coupled to said motor and a power supply source respectively;
• and
• a linear actuating arm operably coupled to said switch in such a manner that said arm intersects a travel path of said peg;
• wherein said peg biases said arm to a lower position when said drive gear completes a full revolution about said anchor member, said biased arm toggling said switch to an open position and thereby interrupting power to said motor such that said drive gear stops rotating when said peg is centrally aligned with said access door;
• wherein said drive gear rotating means comprises
• a mobile first sensor mounted to said drive gear and traveling along the counter clockwise direction during the cooking time;
• a second sensor directly and statically coupled to the access door and medially positioned along a lateral width thereof, said second sensor being disposed at a fixed position defining said initial and terminal positions respectively;
• a motor directly connected to said drive gear;
• a switch electrically coupled to said motor respectively;
• and
• a logic gate electrically coupled to said first and second sensors and said switch respectively;
• wherein said first and second sensors generate and transmit respective input signals to said logic gate when said first and second sensors become aligned, said logic gate interpreting said input signals and transmitting an output signal to said switch that toggles said switch to an open position and thereby interrupts power to said motor such that said drive gear and said body stop at the initial position.