Automatic lighting control system for a cooking cavity
First Claim
1. A cooking appliance comprising:
- a oven cavity having an open frontal portion to enable access to within the oven cavity;
a door pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein the door extends across the open frontal portion of the oven cavity, and an open position, wherein access to within the oven cavity is permitted, said door including a window portion for viewing the oven cavity without opening the door;
a unit for beating food products placed within the oven cavity, said heating unit being adapted to be activated for an operating time period during a cooking operation;
a lighting source adapted to illuminate the oven cavity when activated;
a control unit, linked to said lighting source, for automatically activating the lighting source during the cooking operation based on the operating time period of the heating unit; and
means for producing signals when the operating time period has expired, said control unit functioning to shut off the lighting source following termination of the signals.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cooking appliance includes an oven cavity having an associated access door provided with a cavity viewing window, a control panel for setting both a desired cooking function and a heat source operating time period, and a light for illuminating the oven cavity of the appliance. The light is controlled so as to be automatically activated prior to the expiration of the set time period for the selected cooking operation in order to bring the attention of the user to viewing the progress of the cooking operation without unnecessarily opening the oven cavity door. If, after viewing the food being cooked, it is determined that further cooking time is warranted, then the process of adding additional cooking time will function to re-set the automatic light activating feature of the invention. In addition, if the user opens the door following activation of the cavity light but prior to the expiration of the established cooking time period, then the light will preferably remain on until after the cooking function is completed. Various provisions are also made for de-activating the light after the cooking operation is completed. Furthermore, if the light is manually activated, the light will automatically be de-activated upon opening and closing of the door.
16 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A cooking appliance comprising:
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a oven cavity having an open frontal portion to enable access to within the oven cavity; a door pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein the door extends across the open frontal portion of the oven cavity, and an open position, wherein access to within the oven cavity is permitted, said door including a window portion for viewing the oven cavity without opening the door; a unit for beating food products placed within the oven cavity, said heating unit being adapted to be activated for an operating time period during a cooking operation; a lighting source adapted to illuminate the oven cavity when activated; a control unit, linked to said lighting source, for automatically activating the lighting source during the cooking operation based on the operating time period of the heating unit; and means for producing signals when the operating time period has expired, said control unit functioning to shut off the lighting source following termination of the signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A cooking appliance comprising:
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a oven cavity having an open frontal portion to enable access to within the oven cavity; a door pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein the door extends across the open frontal portion of the oven cavity, and an open position, wherein access to within the oven cavity is permitted, said door including a window portion for viewing the oven cavity without opening the door; a unit for heating food products placed within the oven cavity, said heating unit being adapted to be activated for an operating time period during a cooking operation; a lighting source for illuminating the oven cavity when activated; means for automatically indicating to a user of the cooking appliance that the operating time period of the cooking operation is nearing completion by activating the lighting source, wherein the indicating means comprises a control unit for automatically illuminating the lighting source during the cooking operation based on the operating time period of the heating unit; and a switch electrically connected to the control unit said switch being interposed between the oven cavity and the door such that opening and closing of the door repositions the switch between first and second positions, wherein the control unit de-activates the lighting source following expiration of both the operating time period and the shifting of the switch between the first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cooking appliance comprising:
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a oven cavity having an open frontal portion to enable access to within the oven cavity; a door pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein the door extends across the open frontal portion of the oven cavity, and an open position, wherein access to within the oven cavity is permitted, said door including a window portion for viewing the oven cavity without opening the door; a unit for heating food products placed within the oven cavity, said heating unit being adapted to be activated for an operating time period during a cooking operation; a lighting source for illuminating the oven cavity when activated; a switch for selectively, manually controlling an illumination status of the lighting source; and means for automatically altering the illumination state of the lighting source in dependence upon both an opening and closing of the door following an activation of the lighting source through the switch and the operating time period of the heating unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A cooking appliance comprising:
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a oven cavity having an open frontal portion to enable access to within the oven cavity; a door pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein the door extends across the open frontal portion of the oven cavity, and an open position, wherein access to within the oven cavity is permitted, said door including a window portion for viewing the oven cavity without opening the door; a unit for heating food products placed within the oven cavity, said heating unit being adapted to be activated for an operating time period during a cooking operation; a lighting source for illuminating the oven cavity when activated; a switch for selectively, manually controlling an illumination status of the lighting source; means for automatically altering the illumination state of the lighting source in dependence upon at least one of an opening and closing of the door following an activation of the lighting, source through the switch and the operating time period of the heating unit, wherein the indicating means comprises a control unit for automatically illuminating the lighting source during the cooking operation based on the operating time period of the heating unit; and means for producing signals when the operating time period has expired, said control unit functioning to shut off the lighting source following termination of the signals.
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19. A method of operating a cooking appliance having an oven cavity, defined at least in part by a openable door and within which food items are adapted to be cooked, and a control panel for inputting desired cooking information comprising:
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selecting a desired cooking operation and operating time period through the control panel; activating a unit for heating the oven cavity for the operating time period; automatically altering an illumination status of a lighting source for the oven cavity based on at least one of the selected operating time period and an opening and closing the door following activation of the lighting source; selectively, manually activating the lighting source; and automatically de-activating the lighting source following opening and closing of the door. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification