Temperature regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus and methods of making and operating the same

• US 5,618,460 A
• Filed: 09/21/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hart, Lee A., Fowler, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/531,540
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 219/505, 219/501, 219/483-486, 219/507, 219/509, 219/511, 219/488, 219/481, 307/117, 307/119, 307/87, 307/64
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/087 of electric circuits regulating heat
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0263 Ovens

Abstract

A temperature regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus and methods of making and operating the same are provided, the system having a circuit for interconnecting a power source to a load of the apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of the load for the oven, the circuit comprising a microcomputer, external components, and a voltage regulator for providing a regulated voltage from the power source for operating the microcomputer so that the microcomputer can operate the external components, the circuit having a temperature sensing unit to sense the ambient temperature of a portion of the circuit and provide a warning signal to the microcomputer that a first high ambient temperature has been sensed so that the microcomputer can shut down the external components of the system in a controlled manner before a second higher ambient temperature is sensed by the temperature sensing unit.

Claims

1. A temperature cooking apparatus regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

a microcomputer;

an external component;

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component;

temperature sensing means to sense the ambient temperature of a portion of said circuit that is remote from said oven and provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that a first high ambient temperature has been sensed so that said microcomputer can shut down said external component of said system in a controlled manner before a second high ambient temperature is sensed by said temperature sensing means; and

wherein said voltage regulator comprises detection means to provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that said regulated voltage is going out of regulation so that said microcomputer can shut down said external component of said system in a controlled manner before said voltage regulator turns off.

2. A temperature cooking apparatus regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

a microcomputer,

an external component,

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component, and

temperature sensing means to sense the ambient temperature of a portion of said circuit that is remote from said oven and provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that a first high ambient temperature has been sensed so that said microcomputer can initiate corrective action in a controlled manner before a second high ambient temperature is sensed by said temperature sensing means; and

wherein said circuit further comprises a power-on reset means that operates said microcomputer by supplying an active-high and an active-low signal from a single terminal to a reset input of said microcomputer.

3. A temperature cooking apparatus regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

a microcomputer,

an external heat generating component,

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component, and

temperature sensing means to sense the ambient temperature of a portion of said circuit that is remote from said oven and provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that a first high ambient temperature has been sensed so that said microcomputer can shut down said external heat generating component of said system in a controlled manner before a second high ambient temperature is sensed by said temperature sensing means; and

wherein said microcomputer comprises a reset input and a pulsing output means that continuously pulses when said microcomputer has been reset and is then operating properly, and

wherein said circuit further comprising a power-on reset means that toggles between a high state and a low state at said reset input of said microcomputer until said power-on reset means receives said continuous pulses from said pulsing output means of said microcomputer.

4. A temperature regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

a microcomputer,

an external component, and

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component,

wherein said voltage regulator comprises detection means to provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that said regulated voltage is going out of regulation so that said microcomputer can shut down said external component of said system in a controlled manner before said voltage regulator turns off.

5. A temperature regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

microcomputer,

an external component,

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component, and

a power-on reset that operates said microcomputer by supplying high and low state signals from a single terminal to a reset input of said microcomputer.

6. A temperature regulating control system for an oven of a cooking apparatus, comprising:

a circuit interconnecting a power source to a load of said apparatus in a regulated manner so as to tend to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven, said circuit comprising at least;

a microcomputer,

an external component, and

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component,

wherein said microcomputer comprises a reset input and a pulsing output means that continuously pulses when said microcomputer has been reset and is then operating properly, and

wherein said circuit further comprising a power-on reset means that toggles between a high state and a low state at said reset input of said microcomputer means until said power-on reset means receives said continuous pulses from said pulsing output means of said microcomputer.

7. A control system for an oven comprising:

a power source;

a load; and

a circuit connecting said power source to said load in a regulated manner to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven comprising at least;

a microcomputer;

an external component connected to said microcomputer;

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component; and

a temperature sensor to sense the ambient temperature of a portion of said circuit that is remote from said oven and provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that a first high ambient temperature has been sensed so that said microcomputer can shut down said external components of said system in a controlled manner before a second high ambient temperature is sensed by said temperature sensor.

8. A control system for an oven, according to claim 7, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a detector for providing a warning signal to said microcomputer when said regulated voltage is going out of regulation so that said microcomputer can shut down said external component of said system in a controlled manner before said voltage regulator turns off.

9. A control system for an oven, according to claim 7, wherein said circuit further comprises a power-on reset that operates said microcomputer by supplying an active-high and an active-low signal from a single terminal to a reset input of said microcomputer.

10. A control system for an oven, according to claim 7, wherein said microcomputer comprises a reset input and a pulsing output that continuously pulses when said microcomputer has been reset and is then operating properly.

11. A control system for an oven, according to claim 10, wherein said circuit further comprises a power-on reset that toggles between a high state and a low state at said reset input of said microcomputer until said power-on reset receives said continuous pulses from said pulsing output of said microcomputer.

12. A control system for an oven comprising:

a power source;

a load; and

a circuit connecting said power source to said load in a regulated manner to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven comprising at least;

a microcomputer;

an external component connected to said microcomputer; and

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component,

wherein said voltage regulator comprises a detector to provide a warning signal to said microcomputer that said regulated voltage is going out of regulation so that said microcomputer can shut down said external component of said system in a controlled manner before said voltage regulator turns off.

13. A control system for an oven comprising:

a power source;

a load; and

a circuit connecting said power source to said load in a regulated manner to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven comprising at least;

a microcomputer;

an external component connected to said microcomputer;

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component; and

a power-on reset that operates said microcomputer by supplying an active-high and an active-low signal from a single terminal to a reset input of said microcomputer.

14. A control system for an oven comprising:

a power source;

a load; and

a circuit connecting said power source to said load in a regulated manner to provide a selected temperature output of said load for said oven comprising at least;

a microcomputer having a reset input and a pulsing output that continuously pulses when said microcomputer has been reset and is then operating properly;

an external component connected to said microcomputer;

a voltage regulator connected to said power source and said microcomputer so that said microcomputer can operate said external component; and

a power-on reset that toggles between a high state and a low state at said reset input of said microcomputer until said power-on reset receives continuous pulses from said pulsing output of said microcomputer.