The improved microwave oven comprises modifications to a microwave oven for reducing the noise generated by the microwave oven. The modifications made to the improved microwave oven include: 1) adding a volume control to the control system of the microwave oven to reduce volume of the sounds generated by the microwave oven; 2) adding a pneumatic latch to the microwave oven to reduce the noise generated by the opening and closing of the microwave door; and, 3) providing remote control capability to the microwave oven such that the operation of the microwave oven can be handled remotely from a more noise tolerant environment. The improved microwave oven comprises the microwave oven, a personal data device, and a remote control. The personal data device operates the microwave oven from a remote location. The remote control controls the volume of the sounds generated by the microwave oven from a remote location.

A microwave heating apparatus includes: a body defining a microwave heating chamber therein; a drawer door moveably mounted on the body to open or close the microwave heating chamber; a door switch button disposed on the body or the drawer door and configured to control the drawer door to be opened or closed; a speed adjusting button disposed on the body or the drawer door and configured to control a moving speed of the drawer door; a driving device with a controllable operating speed mounted on one of the body and the drawer door, connected with the other of the body and the drawer door in a transmission way, and configured to drive the drawer door to move; a controller communicated with the door switch button, the speed adjusting button and the driving device respectively.

An interlock switch structure and a microwave oven are disclosed. The interlock switch structure includes a substrate, a sliding latch, a tactile disk member, a door hook, a first elastic member, and multiple micro-switches. The substrate is provided with a chute structure, the sliding latch slidably matches with a chute of the chute structure, the sliding latch is provided with a sliding surface to match with the door hook. The tactile disk member is pivotally communicated with the substrate, the micro-switch is located on a periphery of the tactile disk member, and contact points of the micro-switches are toward the tactile disk member. The tactile disk member is provided with a seesaw to match with the door hook; a circumferential surface of the tactile disk member is provided with a rotating surface to match with the sliding latch.

A heating cooking apparatus includes a housing, a lid portion, a rail member, and a slide member. The housing includes an opening opened toward a first direction, and an outer peripheral portion disposed on an outer periphery of the opening. The lid portion includes a plate-like member that opens and closes the opening. The rail member is disposed in the housing and extends in the first direction. The slide member is disposed on the lid portion and extends from the lid portion in a direction opposite to the first direction. The slide member includes a main body portion that moves relative to the rail member and a protruding portion protruding upward from an end portion of the main body portion in the first direction side. The protruding portion is in contact with a first face of the plate-like member.

A heating cooking apparatus includes a main body, a door, a latch head provided at the door, a holding member provided at the main body and that holds the latch head to cause the door to be in a locked state, a door opening button, a door unlock key, a displacement transmission mechanism that transmits a displacement of the door opening button to cause that displacement to release the locked state of the door by the holding member, a locking cam that is movable between a limiting position at which at least one of the displacement of the door opening button and the transmission by the displacement transmission mechanism is limited, and a non-limiting position at which neither is limited, and a driving unit that causes the locking cam to move to the non-limiting position in response to an operation of the door unlock key.

A lever pushes a latch drawn into a hook accommodating space in a latch holder in a direction where a door opens is installed in the latch holder, and the latch is released from the latch holder using the lever. The door that is opened by an initial opening angle by the latch holder releasing the latch automatically opens by self-weight of the door.

An appliance includes a hinge module between a main body and a pull-down door. The hinge module includes a housing, a rotational axis member disposed in the housing serving as a center of rotation between the pull-down door and the main body, an inner link housing movably disposed in the housing that moves with the opening of the pull-down door in a direction of the rotational axis member, and a damper installed in the inner link housing, the damper including a piston and a cylinder and providing damping force according to a relative movement of the piston and the cylinder. Any one of the piston and the cylinder of the damper moves with the inner link housing and the other of the piston and the cylinder of the damper moves by a predetermined distance as the inner link housing moves and then is interfered by the housing so as not to move further, and the piston and the cylinder of the damper starts damping, wherein the predetermined distance corresponds to an opening angle of the pull-down door in which the damping is started.

A control method includes controlling a lever, a pusher and a motor so as to arrange the same in a correct position when electric power is supplied to the home appliance, or the user turns on the home appliance.

Abnormalities involving an automatic opening of the door through changes in a return/stop switch and an opening sensing switch while the motor operates so as to open the door may be confirmed.

A cooking appliance comprising a base member, an upper member and a cooking chamber defined between the base member and the upper member, wherein the upper member is displaceable between a closed position, in which the upper member is closed on the base member and access to the cooking chamber is prevented, and an open position, in which access to the cooking chamber is permitted. The cooking appliance comprises a locking device displaceable from a locking condition, in which it prevents the upper member from being displaced from the closed position to the open position, and an unlocking condition in which it allows the upper member to be displaced from the closed position to the open position. The cooking appliance comprises an automatic actuating device for automatically taking the locking device in the unlocking condition upon a predetermined condition is reached, and a further manual actuating device for manually taking the locking device in the unlocking condition.

A locking mechanism and a door opening control method are provided for household appliances. The locking mechanism is provided on a front door panel of a door of a cooking machine and used for controlling the opening and closing of the door and includes: a lever which is mounted on the back surface of the front door panel and at least a portion of which protrudes from an opening provided on the front door panel to the front surface of the front door panel; an electromagnet which is mounted on the back surface of the front door panel and may be in a locked or unlocked state with respect to the lever. The locking of the door of the cooking machine may be realized through the cooperation between the electromagnet and the lever. Real-time control of the door may be realized to better ensure safety of the user.