COMBINATION MICROWAVE AND HOOD SYSTEM

1 . A combined ventilation and microwave oven system, comprising:

an external enclosure including a top portion that includes a plurality of air passages, the plurality of air passages including a cooling air outlet, at least one recirculation vent outlet, and an outside vent outlet, wherein the cooling air outlet is in fluid communication with a cooling air inlet, the external enclosure further including a first side portion, a second side portion, and a bottom portion that defines at least one vent inlet;

a cooking cavity disposed within the external enclosure;

a cooking component area disposed laterally adjacent the cooking cavity;

a first hood fan disposed on a first lateral side of the cooking cavity within the external enclosure, wherein the first hood fan is in fluid communication with the at least one vent inlet;

a second hood fan disposed on a second lateral side of the cooking cavity within the external enclosure, wherein the second hood fan is in fluid communication with the at least one vent inlet, and wherein the first and second hood fans draw exhaust air through the at least one vent inlet and expel the exhaust air through the at least one recirculation vent outlet when in a recirculation vent mode and through the outside vent outlet when in an outside vent mode; and

a cooling fan disposed in the cooking component area on the second lateral side of the cooking cavity, wherein the cooling fan is configured to direct air along a cooling airflow path through the cooling air inlet, through the cooking cavity, and through the cooling air outlet.

2 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the first hood fan is configured to direct air through a first passageway adjacent to the cooking cavity, and wherein the second hood fan is configured to direct air through a second passageway adjacent to the cooking cavity, and further wherein the first passageway and the second passageway form two portions of a venting airflow path.

3 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a heating component configured to provide non-microwave heat to the cooking cavity.

4 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent inlet includes a first vent inlet and a second vent inlet.

5 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cover configured to close the outside vent outlet.

6 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recirculation vent outlet includes a first recirculation vent outlet and a second recirculation vent outlet, and wherein the first hood fan is configured to direct the air along a first portion of a venting airflow path to the first recirculation vent outlet and the second hood fan is configured to direct the air along a second portion of the venting airflow path to the second recirculation vent outlet in a recirculation mode.

7 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recirculation vent outlet is disposed between the cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet.

8 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling air inlet, the cooling air outlet, and the at least one recirculation vent outlet are proximate a front edge of the top portion.

9 . The combined ventilation and microwave oven system of claim 1 , wherein the top portion is fastened to the first and second side portions.

10 . A microwave hood system, comprising:

an outer wrapper including:

a top portion including a cooling air inlet, a cooling air outlet, an outside vent outlet, and a recirculation vent outlet, wherein the recirculation vent outlet is between the cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet, and wherein the recirculation vent outlet, the cooling air inlet, and the cooling air outlet are proximate a front edge of the top portion;

a first side portion coupled to the top portion; and

a second side portion coupled to the top portion, the second side portion opposing the first side portion;

a bottom portion including a vent inlet, the bottom portion being operably coupled to the outer wrapper;

a cooking cavity disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion;

a cooking component area laterally adjacent one of the first side portion and the second side portion;

a hood assembly including:

a first hood fan disposed between the first side portion and the cooking cavity; and

a second hood fan disposed between the second side portion and the cooking cavity; and

a cooling fan disposed in the cooking component area proximate the second side portion, wherein the cooling fan is in fluid communication with the cooling air inlet.

11 . The microwave hood system of claim 10 , wherein the cooling air inlet is in fluid communication with the cooling air outlet via the cooking cavity.

12 . The microwave hood system of claim 10 , wherein the cooling fan is configured to direct air along a cooling airflow path through the cooking cavity, and wherein the cooling airflow path is separate from a venting airflow path generated by the hood assembly.

13 . The microwave hood system of claim 10 , wherein the second hood fan is disposed proximate the cooking component area between the second side portion and the cooking cavity.

14 . The microwave hood system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a heating component configured to provide non-microwave heat to the cooking cavity.

15 . A microwave oven system, comprising:

an external enclosure including:

a top portion including a plurality of air passages that includes first and second recirculation vent outlets proximate a front edge thereof and an outside vent outlet;

a first side portion coupled to the top portion;

a second side portion coupled to the top portion, the second side portion opposing the first side portion; and

a bottom portion coupled to the first and second side portions, wherein the bottom portion includes a vent inlet;

a cooking cavity disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion;

a cooking component area laterally adjacent one of the first side portion and the second side portion;

a cooling fan disposed in the cooking component area, wherein the cooling fan is configured to direct air along a cooling airflow path through the cooking component area and the cooking cavity; and

a dual hood assembly disposed within the external enclosure, wherein the dual hood assembly includes at least one first side hood fan disposed between the first side portion and the cooking cavity and a second side hood fan disposed between the second side portion and the cooking cavity, and wherein the dual hood assembly is configured to direct air through the vent inlet and through at least one of the first and second recirculation vent outlets and the outside vent outlet.

16 . The microwave oven system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one first side hood fan includes a single vent hood fan motor.

17 . The microwave oven system of claim 15 , wherein the second side hood fan is disposed proximate to the cooking component area, and wherein the cooling fan is disposed proximate to the cooking component area.

18 . The microwave oven system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a cover configured to close the outside vent outlet.

19 . The microwave oven system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of air passages includes a cooling air inlet and a cooling air outlet disposed proximate the front edge of the top portion.

20 . The microwave oven system of claim 19 , wherein the cooking cavity includes a plurality of surfaces including a side surface and a top surface, and wherein the side surface includes a first cooking cavity air passage and the top surface includes a second cooking cavity air passage, and further wherein the cooling air inlet is in fluid communication with the cooling air outlet via the first and second cooking cavity air passages.