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An air flow system for a combination microwave and electric convection oven wherein a single motor drives two fans to generate a movement of air in an oven cavity and a movement of air in an electrical component compartment. The fan moving the air in the electrical component compartment is positione

An air flow system for a combination microwave and electric convection oven wherein a single motor drives two fans to generate a movement of air in an oven cavity and a movement of air in an electrical component compartment. The fan moving the air in the electrical component compartment is positioned between the fan moving the air in the oven cavity and the motor to act as a thermal barrier and to protect the motor from the heated air in the oven cavity. A portion of the air in the electrical component compartment may be diverted to the oven cavity and subsequently exhausted from the oven. Simultaneously, an electrical heater may be de-energized with the result that the air in the oven cavity is heated by resistive losses from components in the electrical component compartment. By combining this diverted air flow with a minimum of microwave energy, many types of foods may be effectively dehydrated in a substantially shorter than normal period of time.

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An air flow system for a combination microwave and electric convection oven comprising: a. a cabinet; b. a plurality of wall members joined to divide the cabinet into an oven cavity and an electrical component compartment; c. an electrical heater selectively associated with a wall member; d. a first

An air flow system for a combination microwave and electric convection oven comprising: a. a cabinet; b. a plurality of wall members joined to divide the cabinet into an oven cavity and an electrical component compartment; c. an electrical heater selectively associated with a wall member; d. a first fan selectively associated with the oven cavity to generate a first movement of air in the oven cavity; e. means for directing air from the first fan past the electrical heater before contacting food to be heated; f. a second fan selectively associated with the electrical component compartment to generate a second movement of air in the electrical component compartment; g. means for selectively diverting the first movement of air from the oven cavity outside the oven and simultaneously diverting the second movement of air inside the oven cavity, which means comprises: (1) a conduit coupled to the first fan and selectively associated with the oven cavity whereby air from the oven cavity moves down the conduit and enters the first fan; (2) a movable member associated with the conduit for selectively obstructing the flow of air in the conduit; (3) means for exhausting the air in the oven cavity outside the oven; and (4) a portion of the conduit having an aperture therein that is exposed to the electrical component compartment with the movable member obstructs the flow of air in the conduit thereby replacing the exhausted cavity air with air from the electrical component compartment; and h. means for interconnecting the first fan and the second fan so that both fans are actuated simultaneously from a single motor.