Microwave oven having a fan motor rotation control function

• US 5,200,589 A
• Filed: 07/01/1991
• Issued: 04/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gold Star Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gold Star Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jung R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, Bruce A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, TUAN
• Application Number:
  US07/723,593
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.55 B, 219/10.55 R, 219/400, 219/486, 323/300, 323/235, 323/319
• US Class Current: 219/707
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/083 for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6458 using humidity or vapor sensors

Abstract

A microwave oven having a fan motor rotation control function comprising an absolute humidity sensor for sensing the humidity inside the microwave oven, a fan motor for discharging water vapor inside the microwave oven externally, a microprocessor and a keyboard. The improved microwave oven further comprises a phototriac connected between said fan motor and a supplying line of AC power source for controlling AC power supplied to the fan motor in accordance with a plurality of control signals from the microprocessor and a zero crossing signal generating circuit for detecting a zero point from AC power voltage during a constant cycle to generate a predetermined width of pulse signal at the zero point and for applying the predetermined width of pulse signal the microprocessor. The microprocessor is adapted for inputting the pulse signal from the zero crossing signal generating circuit and for outputting the plurality of control signals to said phototriac in response to the pulse signal for control of the phototriac in accordance with a plurality of command signals from the keyboard and a output signal from the absolute humidity sensor. Therefore, the microwave oven according to the present invention can freely adjust the number of rotations of the fan motor according to the menu of the dish, thereby enabling the inside humidity to be correctly sensed.

Claims

1. A microwave oven having

a humidity sensor,

a keyboard,

a fan motor, and

a microprocessor, the improvement comprising:

a) switching means connected between said fan motor and said supplying line of AC power source, for controlling AC power supplied to said fan motor;

b) driving means for driving said switching means in accordance with a control signal from said microprocessor;

c) zero crossing signal generating means for detecting a zero point from AC power voltage during a constant cycle to generate a predetermined width of pulse signal at said zero point and for applying the predetermined width of pulse signal to said microprocessor, said zero crossing signal generating means including

a low voltage transformer for stepping down AC power voltage applied to its primary winding up to a set value,

full wave rectifying means for full-wave rectifying the stepped down AC power voltage, and

pulse generating means for generating the pulse signal of a predetermined width at said zero point of the full-wave rectified AC power voltage;

d) said microprocessor adapted for inputting said pulse signal from said zero crossing signal generating means and for outputting the control signal to said driving means in response to said pulse signal to control said switching means in accordance with the command signals from said keyboard and the output signal from said absolute humidity sensor.

2. A microwave oven having a fan motor rotation control function as set forth in claim 1, wherein said switching means includes a phototriac.