Cooking device with demonstration mode

• US 5,932,130 A
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Taino, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): PWU, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US09/002,033
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 219/702, 219/704, 219/708, 219/716, 219/720
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/087 of electric circuits regulating heat
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6435 Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6455 the sensors being infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/666 Safety circuits emergency protective circuits in general H02H

Abstract

A cooking device measures the temperature of an object to be heated by means of an infrared sensor when a user operates a predetermined switch, when placement of the object to be heated in the heating chamber is detected, or when it is detected that the door of the heating chamber has simply been opened in the demonstration mode with a magnetron stopped. The measured temperature is displayed on the display unit, and the temperature measuring is ended when a predetermined time period elapses. This allows actual detection of the temperature of the object to be heated in the demonstration mode and hence a more persuasive demonstration.

Claims

1. A cooking device which can be switched to a demonstration mode for demonstration in front of customers, comprising:

a heating chamber for housing an object to be heated;

heating energy generation means for supplying heating energy into said heating chamber;

an infrared sensor for detecting a temperature of the object to be heated housed in said heating chamber;

display means for displaying a temperature detected;

demonstration mode setting means for entering said demonstration mode while said heating energy generation means is held inactivated; and

temperature-measuring-mode setting means for activating said infrared sensor in said demonstration mode,

wherein said temperature-measuring-mode setting means include means for starting an operation of said infrared sensor by detecting placement of said object to be heated in said heating chamber.

3. The cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising operation stopping means for stopping the operation of said infrared sensor when a predetermined time period elapses after the operation of said infrared sensor is started.

2. A cooking device which can be switched to a demonstration mode for demonstration in front of customers, comprising:

a heating chamber for housing an object to be heated;

heating energy generation means for supplying heating energy into said heating chamber;

an infrared sensor for detecting a temperature of the object to be heated housed in said heating chamber;

display means for displaying a temperature detected;

demonstration mode setting means for entering said demonstration mode while said heating energy generation means is held inactivated; and

temperature-measuring-mode setting means for activating said infrared sensor in said demonstration mode,

wherein said temperature-measuring-mode setting means includes means for starting an operation of said infrared sensor when a user opens a door of said heating chamber.

4. The cooking device according to claim 2, further comprising operation stopping means for stopping the operation of said infrared sensor when a predetermined time period elapses after the operation of said infrared sensor is started.