COOKING APPARATUS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application, under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a), of International Application PCT/KR2025/007360, filed May 29, 2025, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0110791, filed Aug. 19, 2024 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0005019, filed Jan. 13, 2025, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a cooking apparatus including an air intake structure with improved performance of drawing in contaminated air.

BACKGROUND ART

A cooking apparatus for cooking food or other objects to be cooked by heating refers to an apparatus capable of providing various functions related to heating, defrosting, drying, and sterilizing the objects to be cooked. Examples of the cooking apparatus may be ovens such as gas ovens or electric ovens, heating devices using microwaves (hereinafter, microwave ovens or microwaves), gas ranges, electric ranges, over the ranges (OTRs), gas grills, or electric grills.

A microwave oven is an apparatus that cooks food by frictional heat generated by disturbing the arrangement of water molecules contained in the food by applying electromagnetic radiation thereto. An oven is an apparatus that cooks food by heating the inside of a cooking chamber by transferring heat to the food using a heat source generating heat such as a heater.

Recently, a microwave oven equipped with an exhaust device (over the range (OTR)) installed on an upper area of a wall and another cooking apparatus such as a gas range, an oven, an induction heater, and a highlight installed below the OTR have been used.

In this case, the exhaust device provided in the microwave oven draws in smoke or odor generated by the other cooking apparatus provided below the microwave oven from the area above the other cooking apparatus, and the drawn-in smoke or odor is exhausted to the outside.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

Provided is a cooking apparatus efficiently exhausting contaminated air generated during a cooking process.

Provided is a cooking apparatus efficiently obtaining a user's line of sight during a cooking process while efficiently exhausting contaminated air.

Provided is a cooking apparatus preventing an inflow of foreign substances into an inlet.

However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

Technical Solution

Aspects of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a cooking apparatus may include: a main body; a cooking chamber inside the main body; a door configured to open and close to respectively open and close the cooking chamber; an inlet at a front of the main body and below the door, and configured to allow a flow of air to be drawn into the main body through the inlet; and a flow guide inclined downward in a forward direction to guide the flow of air into the inlet.

The flow guide may be below the inlet.

The flow guide may include a first surface that is convex upward.

The first surface may have a shape of an upper surface of an airfoil.

The flow guide may include a second surface that is opposite to the first surface and that may be flat.

The flow guide may be pivotably coupled to the main body.

The flow guide may be pivotably coupled to an edge of the main body, and the edge may be between the front and a bottom of the main body.

The cooking apparatus may further include: a hinge configured to support the flow guide and allow the flow guide to pivot relative to the main body.

The cooking apparatus may further include: a driving device configured to pivot the flow guide.

The main body may include a recess in the front of the main body that may be shaped to correspond to a shape of the first surface, and the recess may be configured to accommodate the first surface so that, with the first surface accommodated by the recess, the inlet may be covered by the flow guide.

The driving device may be configured to pivot the flow guide between a first position where the flow guide may be inclined downward in the forward direction and a second position where the first surface may be accommodated in the recess.

The flow guide may be configured so that, with the flow guide in the second position, the second surface may be coplanar with a surface of the front of the main body above the recess.

The driving device may be configured to pivot the flow guide between a first position where the flow guide may be inclined downward in the forward direction and a second position where the second surface of the flow guide contacts the bottom of the main body.

The inlet may be at a portion of the front of the main body that may be shaped as a vertical plane.

A length of the flow guide in a forward-backward direction may be smaller than a height of the front of the main body that may be below the door.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a cooking apparatus includes a main body defining a cooking chamber, a door pivotably coupled to the front of the main body to open and close the cooking chamber, an inlet formed at the front of the main body and below the door to draw in air, and a flow guide pivotably coupled below the inlet to guide an inflow of air into the inlet and having a first surface formed to have a shape of an upper surface of an airfoil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings listed below.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a state where a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment is installed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cooking apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating that a flow guide is located at a first position to guide contaminated air into an inlet in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating that the flow guide is located at a second position to cover the inlet in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating that a flow guide is located at a first position to guide an inflow of air in a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating that the flow guide is located at a second position where a second surface of the flow guide is in contact with the bottom of the main body in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus in which the flow guide shown in FIG. 4 is arranged.

FIG. 9 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a flow guide according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a flow guide according to an embodiment.

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present disclosure and terms used herein are not intended to limit technical features disclosed herein to particular modes of practice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes, equivalents, and substitutes of the embodiments are encompassed in the present disclosure.

Regarding the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for like or related elements throughout the drawings.

The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more items unless the context states otherwise.

Throughout the specification, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “at least one or A, B, or C” may each include any one or all the possible combinations of A, B and C.

The term “and/or” is interpreted to include a combination or any of associated elements.

Terms such as “first” or “second” are used to distinguish one component from other components and, therefore, the components are not limited by the terms in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order).

When an element (e.g., first element) is mentioned as being “coupled” or “connected” to another element (e.g., second element) with or without an adverb “functionally” or “communicatively”, it means that the element may be connected to the other element directly (e.g., by wires), wirelessly, or via a third element.

The terms such as “including” or “having” are intended to indicate the existence of features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or may be added.

When an element is mentioned as being “connected to”, “coupled to”, “supported by”, or “contacting” another element, it includes not only a case that the elements are directly connected to, coupled to, supported by or contact each other but also a case that the elements are connected to, coupled to, supported by or contact each other through a third element.

When an element is mentioned as being located “on” another element, it implies not only that the element is in direct contact with the other element but also that a third element exists between the two elements.

Meanwhile, the terms used herein such as “upward-downward direction”, “below”, and “forward-backward direction” are defined based on the drawings, and the shapes and positions of the components are not limited by these terms.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a direction in which a door 20 of a cooking apparatus 1 is disposed is defined as a forward direction, and backward, leftward, rightward, upward, and downward directions are defined based thereon.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In addition, hereinafter, an over the range (OTR), one of the cooking apparatuses, will be described by way of example for the convenience of description, but the configuration of the present disclosure is not limited to the OTR and may also be applied to other cooking apparatuses or ventilation facilities. For example, the configuration may also be applied to other cooking apparatuses or ventilation facilities other than the cooking apparatuses such as the OTR. Furthermore, the configuration may also be applied to any air conditioning apparatuses including a filter.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a state where a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment is installed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cooking apparatus of FIG. 2.

The cooking apparatus 1 may be disposed in a cooking area CA of a room. The cooking apparatus 1 may be installed adjacent to a wall W of the cooking area CA to be separated from the bottom of the room. The cooking apparatus 1 may be provided in the middle area of the wall W provided in the cooking area CA.

The cooking apparatus 1 may be installed above a cooktop 2. Such a cooking apparatus 1 is called a wall-mounted microwave oven or an over the range OTR. The cooking apparatus 1 may be disposed to be spaced apart from the cooktop 2 by a certain distance.

The cooking apparatus 1 draws in smoke and odor generated while cooking food using the cooktop 2, and exhausts the drawn-in smoke and odor to the outside. Hereinafter, smoke and odor will be referred to as ‘contaminated air’.

The cooking apparatus 1 may draw in contaminated air present below the cooking apparatus 1. The contaminated air present below the cooking apparatus 1 may be air present between the cooking apparatus 1 and the cooktop 2. The contaminated air below the cooking apparatus 1 may be air generated while the cooking chamber 20 operates.

The cooktop 2 may include at least one of a cooking apparatus configured to generate heat for heating food by using electricity, and a cooking apparatus configured to generate heat for heating food by burning gas.

For example, the cooktop 2 may include a gas range, an induction heater, or a highlight.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a main body 10 defining the exterior appearance. The main body 10 may constitute the exterior appearance of a part of the front 11, the bottom 12, the top 13, the back 14, and sides 15 of the cooking apparatus 1. A cooking chamber 16, as a space where an object to be cooked is placed, may be formed in the main body 10.

The main body 10 may have a hexahedral shape. The main body 10 may have a hexahedral shape with one opening on one side.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a door 20. The door 20 may be located in front of the main body 10. The door 20 may form the front of the cooking apparatus 1 together with the main body 10. One side of the door 20 may be pivotably coupled to the main body 10 to open and close the cooking chamber 16. One side wall of the main body 10 may be a left wall, a right wall, or a lower wall of the main body 10. The door 20 may be provided to slide up and down. The door 20 may include a transparent window 21. A user may visually check the inside of the cooking chamber 16 from the outside through the transparent window 21 of the door 20 in a state where the cooking chamber 16 is closed.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a control panel 30 configured to receive a user input and display operation information of the cooking apparatus 1.

The control panel 30 may be provided at an area of the front 11 of the main body 10.

The control panel 30 may be located at one side of the door 20 to be adjacent to the door 20. The control panel 30 may also be located on the left side or right side of the door 20.

The control panel 30 may provide a user interface allowing interaction between the user and the cooking apparatus 1. The user interface may include at least one input device and at least one output device.

The at least one input device may convert sensory information received from the user into an electrical signal.

The at least one input device may include a power button, an operation button, a course select dial (or course select button), a pause button, and a stop button.

The at least one input device may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, a touch switch, a touch pad, a touch screen, a jog dial, and/or a microphone.

The at least one output device may visually or audibly transmit information related to the operation of the cooking apparatus 1 to the user.

For example, the at least one output device may transmit information on a cooking course and an operating time of the cooking apparatus 1 to the user. The information on the operation of the cooking apparatus 1 may be output via a screen, an indicator, a speech, and the like.

The at least one output device may include, for example, a display and a speaker.

The display may be provided as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a digital light processing (DLP) panel, a plasma display penal, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an electro luminescence (EL) panel, an electrophoretic display (EPD) panel, an electrochromic display (ECD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, but is not limited thereto.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a magnetron 40 configured to generate microwaves. The cooking apparatus 1 may cook food by using frictional heat generated by translational motion of water molecules contained in food by irradiating the food with microwaves generated by the magnetron 40. The cooking apparatus 1 may be a microwave oven.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include an inlet 50 to draw in external air.

The inlet 50 may include a first inlet 51 formed at the front 11 of the main body 10 and a second inlet 52 formed at the bottom 12 of the main body 10.

The first inlet 51 may be formed below the door 20 at a region where the front 11 of the main body 10 is formed. In other words, the first inlet 51 may be formed at the front 11 of the main body 10 between the door 20 and the bottom 12 of the main body 10.

The first inlet 51 may be formed in a long shape along the widthwise direction of the main body 10. That is, the first inlet 51 may be formed long in the horizontal direction in the front 11 of the main body 10. The first inlet 51 may be formed in a horizontally extending slit shape. The first inlet 51 may be formed in various shapes. For example, the first inlet 51 may be formed in an oval or polygonal shape.

The first inlet 51 may be formed in the form of a single slit as shown in the drawing or multiple slits. For example, two inlets are arranged in parallel along the widthwise direction that is the lateral direction of the main body 10.

A filter (not shown) or a grill (not shown) for removing foreign substances contained in the air being drawn in may be installed in the first inlet 51.

The second inlet 52 may be formed in a rectangular shape at the bottom 12 of the main body 10. Two second inlets 52 may be arranged in parallel in the lateral direction. A filter 53 for filtering foreign substances contained in the air being drawn in may be installed in the second inlet 53.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include an exhaust port 60. The exhaust port 60 may be located at the top 13 of the main body 10. The exhaust port 60 may be provided to exhaust air drawn in from the inlet 50 to the outside. The exhaust port 60 may be connected to an exhaust duct (not shown) communicating with the outside and may be disposed at a rear region of the top 13 for easy connection to the exhaust duct.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a connecting duct (not shown) connecting the inlet 50 with the exhaust port 60. The connecting duct may be disposed in the main body 10.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a blower (not shown) configured to generate a blowing force to draw in external air from the inlet 50 and exhaust air through the exhaust port 60.

Air may be drawn in through the first inlet 51 and the second inlet 52 by one blower, or separate air intake devices to draw in the air may be provided respectively at the first inlet 51 and the second inlet 52. The blower may be disposed in the connecting duct.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a flow guide 100. The flow guide 100 may be disposed adjacent to the first inlet 51.

The flow guide 100 may be arranged in a long shape along the first inlet 51, and thus the flow guide 100 may be formed in a long shape along the first inlet 51 parallel to the front 11 of the main body 10.

The flow guide 100 may be formed to have a width corresponding to a length of the first inlet 51 in the widthwise direction or a length of the front 11 of the main body 10 in the widthwise direction.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating that a flow guide is located at a first position to guide contaminated air into an inlet in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating that the flow guide is located at a second position to cover the inlet in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, the flow guide 100 may be located below the first inlet 51. Although the flow guide 100 is located below the first inlet 51, the flow guide 100 may be coupled not to the bottom 12 of the main body 10 but to the front 11 or an edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12.

The flow guide 100 may be arranged to be inclined downward in the forward direction in a state of being coupled to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12. For example, the rear end of the flow guide 100 may be coupled to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12, and the front end of the flow guide 100 may be arranged at a lower position than the rear end to be arranged in a downward slope overall.

While contaminated air is drawn in through the first inlet 51 in a state where the flow guide 100 is arranged below the first inlet 51 to be inclined downward in the forward direction, the flow guide 100 may guide the inflow of contaminated air into the first inlet 51. A process of guiding the contaminated air by the flow guide 100 will be described below in detail.

The flow guide 100 may have a first surface 110 arranged at the top and a second surface 120 located at the bottom opposite to the first surface 110 in a state of being arranged to be inclined downward in the forward direction.

In the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward in the forward direction, the first surface 110 may be formed convexly upward. For example, the first surface 110 may be formed to have a shape of the upper surface of an airfoil.

Therefore, the first surface 110 may include a leading edge that is a front portion formed as a rounded surface, a middle portion with a gentler curve than the leading edge, and a tailing edge that is a sharp end portion.

On the contrary, in the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward, the second surface 120 may be formed as a flat surface facing downward.

Therefore, as the first surface 110 as the upper surface meets the second surface 120 as the lower surface, the flow guide 100 may have an overall airfoil shape that is a streamlined shape.

The main body 10 may include a recession 17 recessed to correspond to the convex shape of the first surface 110.

The recession 17 may be formed at the front of the main body 10 around the first inlet 51. In the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward, the recession 17 may constitute the front of the main body 10 in a recessed shape.

The flow guide 100 may be pivotably coupled to the main body 10. For example, the rear end of the flow guide 100 may be pivotably coupled to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12. Therefore, the flow guide 100 may pivot about the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 and pivot between the first position in which the flow guide 100 is inclined downward and the second position in which the flow guide 100 is arranged to cover the first inlet 51.

Referring to FIG. 5, in a state where the flow guide 100 pivots to the second position, the first surface 110 of the flow guide 100 may be completely accommodated in the recession 17 because the recession 17 is formed to correspond to the first surface 110.

Therefore, in the case where the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the first inlet 51 is covered with the first surface 110 not to be exposed to the outside, and the second surface 120 may constitute the exterior appearance of the main body 10.

As such, in the case where the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the second surface 120 may be arranged on the same plane as the front 11 of the main body 10 arranged above the recession 17 without a step and may constitute the front of the main body 10.

In the case where the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the first inlet 51 may be closed by the flow guide 100, and in this case, the inflow of foreign substances into the first inlet 51 may be blocked by the flow guide 100.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating that a flow guide is located at a first position to guide an inflow of air in a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating that the flow guide is located at a second position where the second surface of the flow guide is in contact with the bottom of the main body in the cooking apparatus of FIG. 6.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a first inlet 51 to draw in contaminated air at the front 11 of the main body 10. The first inlet 51 may be formed below the door 20 at a region where the front 11 of the main body 10 is formed. In other words, the first inlet 51 may be formed at the front 11 of the main body 10 between the door 20 and the bottom 12 of the main body 10, and the front 11 of the main body 10 may be formed as a vertical plane without a recessed structure.

The first inlet 51 may be formed in a long shape along the widthwise direction of the main body 10. That is, the first inlet 51 may be formed lone in the horizontal direction. The first inlet 51 may be formed in a horizontally extending slit shape.

A filter (not shown) or a grill (not shown) for removing foreign substances contained in the air being drawn in may be installed at the first inlet 51.

The flow guide 100 may have a first surface 110 arranged at the top and a second surface 120 located at the bottom opposite to the first surface 110 in a state of being inclined downward in the forward direction.

In the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward, the first surface 110 may be formed convexly upward. For example, the first surface 110 may be formed to have a shape of the upper surface of an airfoil.

Therefore, the first surface 110 may include a leading edge that is a front portion formed as a rounded surface, a middle portion with a gentler curve than the leading edge, and a tailing edge that is a sharp end portion.

On the contrary, in the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward, the second surface 120 may be formed as a flat surface facing downward.

Therefore, as the first surface 110 as an upper surface meets the second surface 120 as a lower surface, the flow guide 100 may have an overall airfoil shape that is a streamlined shape.

The flow guide 100 may be pivotably coupled to the main body 10. For example, the rear end of the flow guide 100 may be pivotably coupled to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12.

The flow guide 100 may pivot about the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 to the first position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to be inclined downward. While the contaminated air is drawn in through the first inlet 51 in a state where the flow guide 100 is located at the first position, the flow guide 100 may guide the inflow of contaminated air through the first inlet 51.

In the case where the guiding of the inflow of contaminated air is not required due to cessation of the intake of the contaminated air, the flow guide 100 may pivot to the second position.

In the case where the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the second surface 120 may be arranged to be in contact with the bottom 12 of the main body 10. While the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the second surface 120 may be located to face upward in a state of facing the bottom 12 of the main body 10, and the first surface 110 may be located to face downward.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus in which the flow guide shown in FIG. 4 is arranged.

The flow guide 100 may be pivotably coupled to the main body 10. The cooking apparatus 1 may include a hinge that pivotably supports the flow guide 100 relative to the main body 10.

The hinge 130 may be located at the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 of the main body 10. Accordingly, the flow guide 100 may pivot about the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 while being pivotably supported by the hinge 130 and pivot between the first position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to be inclined downward and the second position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to cover the first inlet 51.

The hinge 130 may consist of a torque hinge to maintain a stationary state at a desired position and an angle hinge to stop at a specific angle. Therefore, the user may move the flow guide 100 to the first position and the second position by pivoting the flow guide 100, and the hinge 130 may maintain the first position in which the flow guide 100 guides the intake of contaminated air.

In the case where the flow guide 100 is located at the first position, the first surface 110 may be arranged to be inclined downward. In this state, in the case where the air intake through the first inlet 51 occurs, an intake of contaminated air around the flow guide 100 may be guided by the first surface 110 into the first inlet 51.

In the state where the flow guide 100 is inclined downward, the first surface 110 may be formed convexly upward, for example, the first surface 110 may be formed to have a shape of the upper surface of an airfoil as described above.

As the first surface 110 is formed as a convex curve, the intake of contaminated air around the flow guide 100 into the first inlet 51 may be guided by the Coanda effect.

The Coanda effect refers to a tendency of a fluid such as air or water flowing along a curved surface to flow in a state of being attached to the curved surface without being separated therefrom. This effect is noticeable, particularly, when a fluid stream is directed to a curved surface, and may be represented as a phenomenon in which the fluid stream flows along the curvature in a state of being attached to the surface.

Therefore, contaminated air around the flow guide 100 is not separated from the convex first surface 110, but the flow thereof is guided along the first surface 110 toward the first inlet 51.

The Coanda effect may be maximized in the shape of an airfoil which is the cross-sectional shape of an airplane wing, and the flow guide 100 may be formed to have an airfoil shape to guide the airflow by the Coanda effect.

At the tip of the flow guide 100, the contaminated air is divided into the first surface 110 and the second surface 120, the air flowing along the first surface 110 is guided to move into the first inlet 51, and contaminated air guided by the second surface 120 may be guided to be drawn in through a second inlet 52 (See FIG. 3).

To maximize the guiding effect by the flow guide 100, the flow guide 100 may be arranged at an appropriate angle. For example, the flow guide 100 may be arranged such that a vertical angle between the second surface 120 and the front 11 of the main body 10 is from 40° to 50°.

A length L of the flow guide 100 in the forward-backward direction may be smaller than a height H of the front 11 of the main body 10. Therefore, the flow guide 100 may move to the second position covering the recession 17 without interfering with the door 20.

FIG. 9 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a driving device 200 configured to drive the flow guide 100.

The driving device 200 may be located adjacent to the hinge 130 pivotably supporting the flow guide 100. The driving device 200 may be arranged adjacent to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 of the main body 10.

The driving device 200 may include a driving motor 210 configured to generate a driving force. The driving motor 210 may include a driving shaft 211 that rotates by the driving force.

Upon operation of the driving motor 210, the driving shaft 211 may transmit the driving force to the outside of the driving motor 210 while rotating.

The driving motor 210 may include a driving pulley 220. The driving pulley 220 may be coupled to the driving shaft 211 to rotate together with the driving shaft 211.

The driving device 200 may include a driven pulley 230. The driven pulley 230 may be coupled to the hinge shaft 131 of the hinge 130. The hinge shaft 131 may serve as a rotation axis of the flow guide 100.

The driving device 200 may include a driving belt 240. The driving belt 240 may be connected between the driving pulley 220 and the driven pulley 230. Therefore, the driving force of the driving motor 210 is transmitted to the hinge shaft 131 through the driving pulley 220, the driving belt 240, and the driven pulley 230, thereby allowing the flow guide 100 to pivot.

The flow guide 100 may pivot between the first position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to be inclined downward and the second position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to cover the first inlet 51, by the driving device 200. In the state where the flow guide 100 is located at the second position, the first surface 110 may be accommodated in the recession 17.

The operation of the driving device 200 may be controlled by a controller (not shown). For example, in the case where the power of the cooking apparatus 1 is turned off, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the second position. In the case where the power of the cooking apparatus 1 is turned on, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the first position where the flow guide 100 guides the inflow of contaminated air.

The flow guide 100 may be controlled by the driving device 200 to move to the first position only when the air intake device (not shown) operates in the cooking apparatus 1. For example, once the air intake device operates, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the first position. Once the air intake device is turned off, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the second position.

Therefore, in the case where an intake of contaminated air by the cooking apparatus 1 is required without a user's direct intervention, the flow guide 100 may automatically move to the first position to guide the air intake. In the case where the intake of contaminated air is not required, the flow guide 100 may automatically move to the second position.

FIG. 10 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a driving motor 200 configured to drive the flow guide 100.

The driving device 200 may be located adjacent to the hinge 130 pivotably supporting the flow guide 100. The driving device 200 may be disposed adjacent to the edge between the front 11 and the bottom 12 of the main body 10.

The driving device 200 may include a driving motor 210 to generate a driving force. The driving motor 210 may include a driving shaft 211 configured to rotate by the driving force.

Upon operation of the driving motor 210, the driving shaft 211 may transmit the driving force to the outside of the driving motor 210 while rotating.

The driving motor 210 may include a driving pulley 220. The driving pulley 220 may be coupled to the driving shaft 211 to rotate with the driving shaft 211.

The driving device 200 may include a driven pulley 230. The driven pulley 230 may be coupled to the hinge shaft 131 of the hinge 130. The hinge shaft 131 may serve as a rotation axis of the flow guide 100.

The driving device 200 may include a driving belt 240. The driving belt 240 may be connected between the driving pulley 220 and the driven pulley 230. Therefore, the driving force of the driving motor 210 may be transmitted to the hinge shaft 131 through the driving pulley 220, the driving belt 240, and the driven pulley 230, thereby allowing the flow guide 100 to pivot.

The flow guide 100 may pivot between the first position where the flow guide 100 is arranged to be inclined downward and the second position where the second surface of the flow guide 100 is in contact with the bottom 12 of the main body 10.

The operation of the driving device 200 may be controlled by a controller (not shown). For example, in the case where the power of the cooking apparatus 1 is switched off, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the second position. In the case where the power of the cooking apparatus 1 is turned on, the controller may control the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the first position where the flow guide 100 guides the inflow of contaminated air.

The flow guide 100 may be controlled by the driving device 200 to move to the first position only when the air intake device (not shown) operates in the cooking apparatus 1. For example, once the air intake device operates, the controller controls the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the first position. Once the air intake device is turned off, the controller controls the driving device 200 to move the flow guide 100 to the second position.

Therefore, in the case where an intake of contaminated air by the cooking apparatus 1 is required without a user's direct intervention, the flow guide 100 may automatically move to the first position to induce the air intake. In the case where the intake of contaminated air is not required, the flow guide 100 may automatically move to the second position.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a flow guide according to an embodiment.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a flow guide 101. The flow guide 101 may be arranged adjacent to the first inlet 51.

The flow guide 101 may be formed in a long shape along the first inlet 51, and thus the flow guide 101 may be arranged at the front 11 of the main body 10 in a long shape along the first inlet 51 parallel to the front 11 of the main body 10.

The flow guide 101 may be formed to have a width corresponding to a length of the first inlet 51 in the widthwise direction or a length of the front 11 of the main body 10 in the widthwise direction.

In a state of being inclined downward, the flow guide 101 may have an upper surface formed convexly upward.

The flow guide 101 may be formed in an overall upwardly bent shape. Thus, the lower surface of the flow guide 101 may be formed in a upwardly concave shape.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a flow guide according to an embodiment.

The cooking apparatus 1 may include a flow guide 102. The flow guide 102 may be arranged adjacent to the first inlet 51.

The flow guide 102 may be formed in a long shape along the first inlet 51, and thus the flow guide 102 may be arranged in a long shape parallel to the front 11 of the main body 10.

The flow guide 102 may be formed to have a width corresponding to a length of the first inlet 51 in the widthwise direction or a length of the front 11 of the main body 10 in the widthwise direction.

The flow guide 102 may be formed in a flat panel shape.

According to the present disclosure, contaminated air generated during a cooking process may be efficiently exhausted.

According to the present disclosure, a user's line of sight may be secured during a cooking process while efficiently exhausting contaminated air.

According to the present disclosure, an inflow of foreign substances into an inlet may be prevented.

However, the effects obtainable by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned effects, and any other effects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been provided for illustrative purposes, the scope of the present disclosure is limited thereto. Various embodiments that may be modified and altered by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims, should be construed as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.