Several embodiments include a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance can include one or more heating elements; a cooking chamber; and a camera attached to the interior of the chamber. In some embodiments, the cooking chamber prevents any visible light from escaping the chamber (e.g., the cooking chamber is windowless). In some embodiments, the heating elements are controlled by a computing device in the cooking appliance. In some embodiments, the output of the camera is used to adjust heating pattern of the heating elements.

A heating cooking apparatus (100) includes a housing (1), a lid portion (21), a moving member (25), at least two connecting members (60), and a pivoting mechanism (30). The housing (1) includes an opening and a first face disposed on an outer periphery of the opening. The lid portion (21) includes a second face (21B) facing the first face, and a fixing member (26) fixed to the second face (2B). The moving member (25) moves along a first direction (D1) with respect to the housing (1). At least two connecting members (60) connect the housing (1) and the lid portion (21) when the lid portion (21) is placed at a position where the lid portion (21) covers the opening. The pivoting mechanism (30) couples the fixing member (26) of the lid portion (21) and the moving member (25) such that the lid portion (21) pivots about a rotation axis extending along a second direction intersecting with the first direction (D1).

A microwave oven appliance may include a cabinet, a magnetron, a control panel, a chamber door, a primary door input, a secondary unlock input, and a controller. The primary door input may be attached to the cabinet in operable communication with the chamber door to release the chamber door from the closed position. The secondary unlock input may be attached to the cabinet to selectively direct the chamber door to an unlocked state. The controller may be in operable communication with the control panel. The controller may be configured to direct a monitoring operation. The monitoring operation may include initiating a lock condition in which the chamber door is held in a locked state, detecting user engagement at the primary door input during the lock condition, determining maintenance of the lock condition, and initiating a warning command at the control panel based on determining maintenance of the lock condition.

An interrupting circuit (44) is configured to monitor for and detect a fault in a device (10) for generating a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) (34) from a radio frequency (RF) generator (24) configured to convert low voltage direct current (DC) into the e-field (34) for application to an article in the e-field (34). If a fault is detected, the interrupting circuit (44) interrupts low voltage DC between an energy reserve (46, 48) and the RF generator (24) within a predetermined time less than the time to dissipate energy stored in the energy reserve (46, 48).

A microwave oven appliance may include a cabinet, a magnetron, a control panel, a chamber door, a primary door input, a secondary unlock input, and a controller. The chamber door may be movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to a cooking chamber in a closed position. The primary door input may be to release the chamber door from the closed position. The secondary unlock input may be to selectively direct the chamber door to an unlocked state. The controller may be configured to direct a door-monitoring operation that includes initiating a lock condition according to a predetermined time period for which the chamber door is to require multi-step opening procedures, determining a cleared-chamber state, and initiating an unlock condition in which the lock condition is halted and the chamber door is held in an unlocked state permitting single-step opening procedures at the primary door input.

An interlocking device for a microwave oven includes a first door hook, an interlocking bracket provided with a plurality of switch components, a first lever mounted at the interlocking bracket and rotatable to trigger at least one of the plurality of switch components, a second lever mounted at the interlocking bracket and located at a rear side of the first lever in a door-closing direction, and a shielding component provided at a avoidance gap formed between the first lever and the interlocking bracket. The shielding component is movable between a first position where the avoidance gap is shielded by the shielding component and a second position where the avoidance gap is exposed. The second lever is rotatable to trigger at least one of the plurality of switch components. The shielding component is positioned at the first position when a door is opened.

A microwave oven includes a housing, a door, and a latch. The housing defines a first internal cavity configured to receive food. The door is rotatably secured to the housing, defines a second internal cavity, and has a handle. The door is configuring to pivot relative to the housing to transition the door between an open position and a closed position. The latch is disposed within the second internal cavity. The latch has a hook and a push button. The hook protrudes outward from second internal cavity and toward the housing. The hook is configured to engage and disengage the housing to lock and unlock the door to and from the housing, respectively. The push button is rigidly interconnected with the hook. The hook is configured to disengage the housing in response to depression of the push button.

An oven door interlock system configured to selectively block a switch based on a position of an oven door may include a switch, a reference hinge attached to the oven door, the door movable between an open position and a closed position, and a locking mechanism connected to the switch via a rod, the locking mechanism including a hinge receiver connected to the reference hinge attached to the oven door, the reference hinge including a cam configured to move along a first axis in response to actuation at the oven door and to affect movement of the rod along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis on a position of the oven door to selectively block access to the switch when the oven door is in the open position.

A latching structure, a household appliance and a control method for the household appliance are provided. The latching structure has a snapping member, a bracket, a limiting member, and a driving assembly. The snapping member is mounted on a door body and has a hook. The bracket is mounted on a housing and has a limiting portion. The hook can penetrate the bracket. The door body is connected to the housing in an openable and closable manner. The limiting member is rotatably mounted to the bracket and can reciprocate between an unlocked position and a locked position. The driving assembly is configured to engage with or disengage from the limiting member. In the unlocked position, the limiting member avoids the hook, and in the locked position, the limiting member is suitable for fitting the hook to limit a position of the hook.

A household appliance includes a compartment, a door for closing the compartment, a non-movable part, and a door monitoring apparatus including a contact pair which has two contact parts. One of the two contact parts is arranged on the door and the other one of the two contact parts is arranged on the non-movable part of the household appliance.