Abstract: A microwave oven equipped with a toaster and a method of controlling the same. Particularly, the microwave oven equipped with the toaster is provided with a plurality of heaters and a plurality of buttons each corresponding to one or more heaters to selectively operate the heaters provided in the toaster, thereby minimizing a power consumption resulting from an unnecessary operation of the heaters. Further, the microwave oven equipped with the toaster and the method of controlling the same limits a consumption current by preventing the toaster and the magnetron from simultaneously operating, thereby being applicable to, for example, the wall mounted microwave oven having a limited consumption current.

Abstract: An accelerated cooking feature for use in an appliance having an oven cavity includes a forced air convection system having an electronic control unit, a variable speed, bi-directional fan motor, and a directionally vented cover plate. The appliance operates in at least three modes, constituted by a convection mode, a radiant bake mode and a self-clean mode. In the convection mode, the controller operates the fan motor in a first direction at a speed dependent upon a selected cooking process, with various air streams being directed into distinct regions of the oven cavity. During the radiant bake mode, the controller operates the fan motor in a reverse direction to establish a uniform cooking environment. In the self-clean mode, high speed air currents are directed into the oven cavity and, in combination with a top broil element, perform a pyrolytic cleaning process.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a cooking cavity defined by a rear wall, sidewalls, an upper wall and a bottom wall, and a cooking tray installed on the bottom wall of the cooking cavity. An upper heater is installed at a position adjacent to the upper wall of the cooking cavity, and one or more middle heaters are rotatably installed on the rear wall at positions between the upper heater and the cooking tray. Upper supports are provided between the upper heater and the one or more middle heaters so as to horizontally protrude from each of the sidewalls, and lower supports are provided between the one or more middle heaters and the cooking tray so as to horizontally protrude from each of the sidewalls, so that food holding members are removably seated on the upper and lower supports.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a toaster integrated with the microwave oven to form a single structure. The microwave oven having the toaster, includes a cabinet provided with a cooking cavity and a microwave irradiating unit to irradiate microwaves into the cooking cavity. The microwave oven further includes a toaster body mounted on an upper portion of the cabinet and provided on a front thereof with an opening. A grilling shelf is retractably installed in the toaster body to be taken out of the toaster body through the opening, and is provided with a door to close the opening. A guide unit guides a movement of the grilling shelf. A drive unit moves the grilling shelf in the toaster body. A heater unit is installed in the toaster body to heat bread laid on the grilling shelf.

Abstract: An oven includes both radiant cooking elements and a microwave cooking element that are controlled to reduce cooking time in relation to known radiant ovens. The oven is operable in a speed cooking mode utilizing radiant and microwave cooking elements, a microwave cooking mode utilizing only the magnetron, and a radiant cooking mode utilizing only radiant lamps. In addition, and using a time adjustment algorithm, the total energy into the food is maintained constant for input voltages in a range between about 108 Volts and 132 Volts to suitably cook food even when the input voltage varies.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a cooking cavity defined by a rear wall, sidewalls, an upper wall and a bottom wall, and a cooking tray installed on the bottom wall of the cooking cavity. An upper heater is installed at a position adjacent to the upper wall of the cooking cavity, and one or more middle heaters are rotatably installed on the rear wall at positions between the upper heater and the cooking tray. Upper supports are provided between the upper heater and the one or more middle heaters so as to horizontally protrude from each of the sidewalls, and lower supports are provided between the one or more middle heaters and the cooking tray so as to horizontally protrude from each of the sidewalls, so that food holding members are removably seated on the upper and lower supports.

Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance includes a sheathed resistive electric heating element including an outer portion, an inner portion and a cross-over portion electrically interconnecting the outer and inner portions. The heating element is arranged in a cooking chamber of the microwave cooking appliance in a manner which effects an impedance characteristic of the cooking chamber. The cross-over portion is arranged such that the heating element acts like an RF antenna moving a microwave energy field to portions of the cooking chamber in which low electric fields occur. In this manner, the broil element helps increase the operational efficiency of the cooking applaince by minimizing any hot and cold spots within the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A microwave device includes a cooking space disposed in a housing, at least one microwave source, and at least one further radiation source, as an alternative to the microwave source, which may be protected from microwaves by a protective device. The protective device has a control unit by which it is possible to establish a protective state for the alternative radiation source.

Abstract: A space saving cooking appliance having a shape that conserves counter space and/or room space with either a prism shaped outer case that has an apex in the rear to match a corner, or a flat back that can be pushed up against a wall. The front of the appliance can be curved forming a part of an ellipse or circle. The cooking space inside the appliance can be cylindrical. On the front of the arcuate surface there can be a door that completes the arcuate surface when it closes, and on its inner side is shaped so that it completes the cylindrical cooking space when it is closed. Auxiliary side appliances can be located left and right of the main cooking area. These auxiliary appliances can be stacked and can be of many different types including a toaster, rotisserie, grill, broiler, BBQ, egg cooker, coffee maker.

Abstract: A microwave oven incorporating a toaster includes a toaster door provided on a toaster panel for opening and closing at least one toaster entrance and a tray assembly. The tray assembly includes a tray support inside the toaster and at least one tray on the tray support for holding food items while they are heated. The tray includes at least one elevating bracket for maintaining a predetermined distance between the tray and the tray support. The microwave oven incorporating a toaster further includes a heater generating heat for toasting the food item and at least one connecting link between the toaster door and tray assembly for exerting a force on the tray assembly to move when the toaster door is opened and closed. In the microwave oven incorporating a toaster, each food item is positioned against a heater included therein so as to maximize the toasting performance of the toaster.

Abstract: A convection cooking appliance includes an oven cavity surrounded by an air channel assembly. The appliance includes heating units and a microwave generator arranged in the air channel assembly. A blower assembly is provided to generate a recirculating flow of air through the air channel assembly and the oven cavity. A controller, responsive to operator inputs, as well as signals from both temperature and pressure sensors located in the air channel assembly, regulates the activation/deactivation state of each of the components. One of the heating units in the air channel assembly is preferably constituted by an open coil heating element which is de-activated when the pressure is sensed to be below a specified threshold.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for processing a ceramic material includes placing the ceramic material in a microwave heating apparatus having a microwave cavity; subjecting the ceramic material to a combination of microwave radiation and conventional heat; and controlling the uniformity of the processing of the ceramic material so as to avoid deformations and cracking by applying the microwave radiation to the ceramic material through at least one branched slotted waveguide which substantially uniformly distributes the microwave radiation throughout the microwave cavity.

Abstract: A convection cooking appliance includes an oven cavity surrounded, at least in part, by an air channel assembly. The appliance includes at least first and second heating units arranged in the air channel assembly, as well as an additional heating unit in the oven cavity. A blower assembly is provided to generate a recirculating flow of air through the air channel assembly and the oven cavity. A microwave generator and a catalyst are also arranged in the air channel assembly. A controller, responsive to operator inputs and signals from a temperature sensor extending into the air channel assembly, regulates the activation/deactivation state of each of the components based on a preprogrammed algorithm. One of the heating units in the air channel assembly is constituted by an open coil heating element, defined by a plurality of rows spaced in the direction of air flow downstream of the blower assembly. The arrangement of the coils functions to straighten the air flow for delivery to the oven cavity.

Abstract: A guided heating apparatus and a method for using the same is provided. The apparatus includes a guiding enclosure, a supporting piece, and an absorbing piece. The guiding enclosure guides and keeps energy from an energy source within the guiding enclosure. The guiding enclosure is made of a material reflective of the energy. The energy source is either one of a microwave source and an infrared source. The supporting piece is detachably coupled with the guiding enclosure and is made of a material transparent to the energy. The absorbing piece is coupled to and supported by the supporting piece within the guiding enclosure. The absorbing piece is made of at least one material that absorbs the energy and transfers the energy to an object to be heated. The absorbing piece has a predetermined composition that controls an energy absorption rate of the absorbing piece.

Abstract: A heating apparatus of a microwave oven includes: a heater installed at an upper portion of a cooking chamber into which foodstuff is received; a ventilating fan installed at one side of the heater, for circulating air inside the cooking chamber to pass across the heater; a panel having a suction hole installed at an upper portion of the cooking chamber, through which the air inside the cooking chamber is drawn into the ventilating fan, and a discharge hole, through which the air which has passed across the heater is again supplied to the cooking chamber; and an air guide unit mounted at an upper side of the panel, for guiding air flow from the ventilating fan to the heater.

Abstract: In a heater system for a microwave oven including an air tunnel having an suction portion and a discharge portion, formed at an upper surface of a cooking chamber, a fan assembly installed inside the air tunnel and having a circulation fan forming air flow by sucking air inside the cooking chamber through the suction portion and discharge the sucked air through the air tunnel and the discharge portion, a first heater chamber having a first heater installed inside the air tunnel and heating air discharged into the discharge portion from the air tunnel, and a second heater chamber having a second heater installed inside the air tunnel and emitting radiation heat into the cooking chamber, wherein the suction portion and the discharge portion are formed near opposite side walls of the cooking chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave oven including a cavity having a certain area for cooking comprising a flow path formed between a main body and the cavity so as to be connected from a side of the cavity to the upper surface of the cavity, a heater installed on the side of the flow path corresponding to the outer upper surface of the cavity for emitting heat, a discharge hole installed on the upper surface of the cavity corresponding to the lower portion of the heater for discharging the heat of the heater into the cavity, an inlet installed on the lower portion of the side wall of the cavity for making the air inside of the cavity flow in the flow channel, and a circulating fan installed on a certain portion of the flow channel for circulating the air inside of the cavity flown through the inlet to the heater.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven that includes both radiant cooking elements and a microwave cooking element. The cooking elements are controlled to provide reduced cooking time as compared to known radiant ovens, yet a wide variety of foods can be cooked in the oven. The oven is operable in a speed cooking mode wherein both radiant and microwave cooking elements are utilized, a microwave only cooking mode wherein only the magnetron is utilized, and a radiant only cooking mode wherein only the lamps are utilized.

Abstract: A speed cooking oven includes a combination of radiant cooking units and a microwave cooking unit manually controllable using a rotary dial input selector coupled to a control panel for user selection of desired oven features. An alphanumeric display displays prompts and information to guide users through a feature selection process. A microprocessor executes a cooking algorithm based upon user defined constants entered via the rotary dial according to prompts on the alphanumeric display.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven that includes radiant cooking elements, a microwave cooking element, as well as convection cooking heating elements. The cooking elements are controlled to provide reduced cooking time as compared to known radiant ovens, yet a wide variety of foods can be cooked in the oven. The oven is operable in a speedcooking mode wherein both radiant and microwave cooking elements are utilized, a microwave only cooking mode wherein only the magnetron is utilized, and a convection/bake mode wherein radiant and convection cooking elements are utilized.

Abstract: A heating apparatus of a microwave oven includes: an upper plate installed at an upper portion of a cooking chamber into which a cooking object is to be received, having a suction hole for sucking air inside the cooking chamber and a discharge hole for discharging air; a first heater installed at the discharge hole side of the upper plate, for generating convection heat; a second heater disposed in the same enclosure as that of the first heater, for generating radiant heat; and a ventilating fan installed at an upper portion of a region where the suction hole of the upper plate is formed, for circulating air inside the cooking chamber across the first and the second heaters.

Abstract: A method and a cooking appliance has a pyrolytic cleaning control in which multiple stages permit volatile residue to be incinerated before inducing air current flow that can complete the cleaning process throughout the oven housing. The oven combines cooking energy sources, including convection current heating and preferably, jet impingement heating, whose blowers are disabled during a first stage of pyrolytic cleaning to avoid uncontrolled ignitions within the appliance. The second stage of the pyrolytic cleaning process induces current flow to distribute pyrolytically heated air throughout the housing and complete the cleaning process in the apparatus.

Abstract: A microwave oven for heating foodstuffs, comprising an oven cavity (4), a loading zone for the foodstuffs arranged in the oven cavity, a microwave unit for feeding microwaves to the oven cavity, and a browning device (13) having a radiation means (17) for generating infrared (IR) radiation. The browning device also comprises a reflector (16) adapted to reflect IR radiation essentially towards the loading zone. At least a surface layer of the reflector is made of a non-metallic, reflective and heat-resisting material.

Abstract: A combination convection/microwave oven in which a food product is cooked by microwave energy and by a heated airflow provided by a thermal energy source and a blower. The oven is capable of cooking food in a microwave reflective pan. Microwave energy enters the oven below the pan and is guided to a spacing between the pan and oven sides and then reflected by the sides and top of the oven to the food product in the pan. The heated airflow is laminar with an upper layer and a lower layer. The pan is positioned at about the interface of the two layers so that the upper layer is incident on the food product and the lower layer is incident on the bottom of the pan.

Abstract: A heating apparatus of a microwave oven includes: a heater installed at an upper portion of a cooking chamber into which foodstuff is received, a ventilating fan installed at one side of the heater, for circulating air inside the cooking chamber to pass the heater; a panel having a suction hole installed at an upper portion of the cooking chamber, through which the air inside the cooking chamber is sucked into the ventilating fan, and a discharge hole, through which the air which has passed the heater is again supplied to the cooking chamber, and an air guide unit mounted at an upper side of the panel, for guiding an air flow from the ventilating fan to the heater.

Abstract: In a heater system for a microwave oven including an air tunnel having an suction portion and a discharge portion, formed at an upper surface of a cooking chamber, a fan assembly installed inside the air tunnel and having a circulation fan forming air flow by sucking air inside the cooking chamber through the suction portion and discharge the sucked air through the air tunnel and the discharge portion, a first heater chamber having a first heater installed inside the air tunnel and heating air discharged into the discharge portion from the air tunnel, and a second heater chamber having a second heater installed inside the air tunnel and emitting radiation heat into the cooking chamber, wherein the suction portion and the discharge portion are respectively formed at each end portions of the upper surface of the cooking chamber, said end portions facing each other and positioned toward the side walls of the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A thermal compensation system for an oven including at least one visible light cooking element includes a thermistor in thermal communication with an oven cavity, and a microcomputer coupled to the thermistor and operatively connected to the cooking element from control thereof. When the oven cavity temperature exceeds a minimum threshold prior to cooking operation, the microcomputer reduces a power level of the cooking unit to compensate for latent heat in the oven cavity and avoid overcooking the food.

Abstract: A microwave oven (1) comprises an oven cavity (3) containing a rotatable turntable (4) for supporting one or more items to be heated. A radiant electric heater (5) is arranged for location above the turntable (4) and comprises at least one first heating element (6) and at least one second heating element (7). The at least one first heating element (6) overlies only a proportion of the total upper surface area of the turntable (4) such that, in operation, for each complete rotation of the turntable substantially all parts of the upper surface of the turntable are heated for substantially the same duration of time, the at least one first heating element (6) providing a first power density.

Abstract: Microwave and far infrared heating under reduced pressure is carried out on objects to be dried, concentrated, defrosted, roasted or sterilized by placing the objects in plate-shaped or tray-shaped object-holding jigs arranged on a shelf-type jig which is held motionless in a pressure reducing chamber during heating, wherein the provision of reflector plates, reflective frames, specific object-holding jigs and cutting methods are employed to achieve uniform heating.

Abstract: A halogen heater control apparatus of a microwave oven and a method thereof, comprises a plurality of halogen heaters which are connected to a utility AC power source, and a halogen heater switching unit. The halogen heater and incrementally alters infrared wavelengths from the halogen heater, and a microcomputer controls the operation of the halogen heater switching unit. The present invention is capable of optimum foodstuff heating and cooking by incrementally altering and controlling the infrared wavelengths from the halogen heater by controlling the utility AC power source duty cycle to the halogen heater in accordance with control signals generated by the microcomputer.

Abstract: A convection cooking appliance includes an oven cavity surrounded, at least in part, by an air channel assembly. The appliance includes at least first and second heating units arranged in the air channel assembly, as well as an additional heating unit in the oven cavity. A blower assembly is provided to generate a recirculating flow of air through the air channel assembly and the oven cavity. A microwave generator and a catalyst are also arranged in the air channel assembly. A controller, responsive to operator inputs and signals from a temperature sensor extending into the air channel assembly, regulates the activation/deactivation state of each of the components based on a preprogrammed algorithm. One of the heating units in the air channel assembly is constituted by an open coil heating element, defined by a plurality of rows spaced in the direction of air flow downstream of the blower assembly. The arrangement of the coils functions to straighten the air flow for delivery to the oven cavity.

Abstract: A microwave oven having a cooking chamber and a fan housing, both of which are isolated by a partition is provided. The microwave oven includes a heater housing depressed from the partition toward the fan housing and having at least one air discharge hole formed thereon. The air discharge hole communicates with the fan housing and a convection heater is housed in the heater housing. A fan is installed in the fan housing blowing air from the fan housing into the cooking chamber through the air discharge hole and the convection heater. With this configuration, loss of heat is reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of cooking and reducing the cost of production.

Abstract: A microwave oven with halogen lamps is disclosed. In the microwave oven, two upper halogen lamps are installed on the top wall of a cavity of the microwave oven at a position corresponding to the central portion of a turntable. Two lower halogen lamps are installed on the bottom wall of the cavity so as to be diagonally opposite to the upper lamps and to not overlap with the upper lamps. Therefore, the light, emanating from the upper and lower lamps, is uniformly transmitted to the total area on the turntable. The upper lamps are positioned to overlap with the central portion of the turntable. The lower lamps individually have an output power of lower than that of each upper lamp. The lower lamps are positioned to be radially spaced apart from the central portion of the turntable. The microwave oven of this invention thus uniformly heats and cooks food laid on the turntable while effectively preventing thermal damage of a turntable motor due to heat of the lower lamps.

Abstract: A microwave furnace (10) of the type comprising a microwave source (14), coupled to an enclosure for the confinement of microwaves and for containing an object to be heated (12). An independently controllable alternate heating (20) is disposed in relation to the enclosure (12) to provide at least one of radiant and convective heating within the enclosure. The method comprises the steps of energizing the alternate heater (20) so as to generate heat substantially throughout the heating cycle of the furnace (10) and controlling the quanity of heat generated in the object y one or both of the microwaves and the alternate heater so as to provide a desired thermal profile in the object. A temperature sensor to measure the ambient temperature within the enclosure (12) can be provided and control circuit (54) responsive to the sensed temperature controls the quanity of heat generated in the object by the microwaves and the alternate heat so as to provide a desired thermal profile within the object.

Abstract: A heater cover for microwave ovens using halogen heaters in addition to magnetrons is disclosed. The above heater cover is designed to have an optimal opening ratio while effectively protecting the halogen heaters from microwaves and having a desired structural strength. On the heater cover, a plurality of perforations are formed along a plurality of rows with both the same interval between the perforations and a radius "r" of each perforation being three times or more of the interval. The interval between horizontal phantom lines, passing through the centers of the perforations arranged on the rows, is shorter than the diameter "2r" of each perforation. The relation between the radius "r" of each perforation and the wavelength ".lambda." of microwaves is expressed by the expression, .lambda./64 .ltoreq.2r .ltoreq..lambda./8. The interval between the perforations ranges from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

Abstract: A microwave oven with an oven capacity (3) which is designed so that a part (9) of the cavity is essentially free of microwave radiation, in which part (9) is arranged a grill element which radiated IR radiation. The microwave-free space is obtained by a special dimensioning of the connection opening between the actual oven cavity, in which foodstuffs are heated by means of microwave radiation, and the microwave-free space (9).

Abstract: A cooling device for halogen lamps in microwave ovens is disclosed. In a microwave oven, the halogen lamp is installed on the top wall of a cavity. The lamp is operated by electric power applied thereto through a sealing part provided at each end thereof. The lamp thus radiates heating light waves, having a predetermined wavelength, into the cavity. A light reflection plate surrounds and holds the halogen lamp while forming a lamp chamber on the top wall of the cavity and allows the light waves to be guided from the lamp into the cavity, with the sealing parts of the lamp being positioned outside the light reflection plate. A cooling device generates a cooling air current and guides the cooling air current to the sealing parts positioned outside the light reflection plate.

Abstract: A cooling device for microwave ovens with halogen lamps is disclosed. The cooling device is designed to divide the cooling air current, generated from a cooling fan unit, into two currents, an upper current and a lower current. The upper and lower currents are respectively fed to the passages above and below the top wall of a cavity. The cooling device comprises a halogen lamp installed on the top wall of the cavity and radiates heating light into the cavity. A lamp protection filter is provided on the top wall of the cavity and allows the heating light to be led from the halogen lamp into the cavity. A cooling fan unit generates the cooling air current, which is guided to the passages above and below the top wall of the cavity.

Abstract: A broiler oven has a heating chamber 2, first and second movable heaters 61 and 62 formed out of tubular heaters and rotatably supported by the inner walls of the heating chamber 2 in such a way that their heating portions 61b and 62b and their shaft portions 61a and 62a joined together so as to be parallel to each other by their arm portions 61c and 62c are held at an equal level, a driving mechanism 12 for rotating the shaft portions 61a and 62a, and a control circuit 10 for controlling the first and second movable heaters 61 and 62 and the driving mechanism 12. The control circuit 10 controls the driving mechanism 12 to rotate the first and second movable heaters 61 and 62 between a non-heating position and a heating position, and energizes the first and second movable heaters 61 and 62 when they are in the heating positions.

Abstract: A compact oven assembly has a housing and a high power density, low mass heating element. The housing defines a cooking cavity and a slot which permits access to the cooking cavity. The high power density, low mass heating element is supported by the housing above the cooking cavity. The compact oven assembly may include a food support which is arranged so that, when the food support is inserted into the cooking cavity through the slot, the slot of the housing is substantially closed off. The compact oven may also include a switch operated by the food support when the food support is inserted into the cooking cavity through the slot in order to energize the high power density, low mass heating element. Each high power density heating element has a formed parabolic reflector located above it and opposite to the cooking plane. Accordingly, the energy from the high power density heating elements is directed toward the cooking plane.

Abstract: An automatic heating oven system employs a cabinet containing a heating chamber with radiant heating elements and a turntable rotatable at a fixed slow angular speed. A thermocouple controls the heating elements to maintain the turntable above a minimum elevated temperature at all times. An entry chute with proximity switch extends into the chamber, and passage of a food-laden tray down the chute to the turntable triggers the switch, activating the turntable and an exhaust fan and, if not already on, the heating elements. A guide bar extending across the turntable at an oblique angle to all possible paths of travel of the food item on the turntable directs the food out an exit to a receiving rack outside the oven, before the food item completes a complete revolution on the turntable. A retriggerable timer turns off the heaters, fan and turntable a fixed time period after the most recent activation of the proximity switch.

Abstract: A method of drying objects includes the steps of placing the objects into a pressure reduction tank, placing a metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge into the pressure reduction tank, subjecting the objects to controlled microwave heating and controlled far infrared heating either separately or simultaneously, detecting an electrical discharge at the sharp edge of the metallic element due to microwave energy, stopping or pausing the microwave heating when an electrical discharge is detected at the single or plural number of sharp edge of the metallic element, continuously measuring the change in reduced pressure at prescribed time intervals after the microwave heating has been stopped or paused upon detecting an electrical discharge due to microwave energy, and terminating the drying process when the measured change in reduced pressure reaches a predetermined target reduced pressure change value determined in accordance with the level of dryness selected and the type of the objects be

Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave oven comprising a body divided into a cooking chamber and a device chamber, a heater installed at an upper portion of the cooking chamber, a magnetron installed in the device chamber of the body, a high voltage condenser and a high voltage transformer, and a power supply cord for supplying electric power to the components installed in the cooking chamber and the device chamber. The power supply cord is extracted out of the body through an opening formed at a bottom panel of the body. The power supply cord is extracted through the opening formed at the bottom panel of the body. Thus, the damage of the power supply cord due to the heat of the rear panel of the body which is heated by the heater is prevented.

Abstract: An oven is disclosed for cooking/heating a food product. The oven has a cylindrical sidewall, a top, a microwave magnetron and a hot plate mounted below and across the bottom of the sidewall. There is an access door on the top of the oven and an opening through the hot plate. A sweeper arm is mounted on top of the hot plate for moving and mixing the food product through the oven and out of the opening.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cooling apparatus for a microwave oven using lighting lamps as a heat source other than microwaves. According to this invention, the microwave oven comprises a pair of lighting lamps set on the upside and downside of a cavity and a pair of cooling fans to supply airflow for cooling the lighting lamps. The airflow by the cooling fan goes towards the inner part of the microwave oven from its outer part, thereby primarily cooling the lighting lamps. In addition, part of the airflow cooling the lighting lamps is exhausted from the microwave oven through the inside cavity of the microwave oven inner air of cavity in harmony.

Abstract: A pressure monitoring system in which pressure in a container causes a slide which extends out from the container, to be moved against a group of springs in cascade formation and which are screened from microwave radiation. The extent of such movement, which corresponds to changes in container pressure, is measured by means of a light transmitter and a receiver which cause light to be reflected off a reflective surface of the slide and then analyzed. Also disclosed is a process in which the heating of a container is controlled as a function of the differential quotient of pressure over time.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a central support axle positioned within a heating chamber of the heating apparatus. The heating apparatus provides both hot-air heating and micro-wave heating. A turntable has a central portion supported by the central support axle so that the turntable is rotated around the central support axle. A driving source is positioned at an upper side of the heating chamber for generating a rotating torque, and a connecting shaft for transmitting the rotating torque generated by the driving source to the turntable is provided in the heating chamber. The turntable has an entirely flat shaped section including a plane on which food products to be heated are mounted. A central portion of the flat shaped section is defined at a concave which is downwardly recessed into the plane and arranged to be fixed to and supported by the central support axis.

Abstract: A microwave incinerator is configured to incinerate waste material. The waste material is installed within a microwave absorbing shroud located in a microwave chamber. The combination of low microwave heat input and a vacuum drawn on the chamber vaporizes the water in the garbage. During this first phase there is no combustion because of the relatively low temperature and the lack of oxygen. Once the material is dry, intense microwave energy is applied to the chamber heating the silicon carbide shroud to an elevated temperature in the range of about 500 to 1000 degrees C. Concurrent with the rapid rise in temperature, air containing oxygen is pumped into the chamber. The hot shroud ignites the material, after which heat is provided is a combination of combustion heat and microwave energy. The temperature is monitored and the microwave energy input is controlled to assure a controlled burn of the waste material.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a housing forming a cooking chamber and a compartment next to the cooking chamber for containing various electrical components. A power supply cord extends from the compartment through a cord hole in a back side of the housing to supply power to the electrical components. A heater, fan and fan motor are disposed adjacent a rear portion of the cooking chamber for performing a convection cooking operation, whereby a hot zone on the rear side of the housing located directly behind the cooking chamber may be heated to a temperature capable of damaging the cord if coming into contact therewith. An element is screwed to the back side of the housing below the cord hole to contact a portion of the cord located exteriorly of the housing to physically isolate the cord from the hot zone.

Abstract: An oven using one or more quartz tungsten light bulbs capable of producing 1.5 kW of radiant energy of which a significant portion is light energy in the 0.4 to 0.7 .mu.m wavelength range impinges high intensity visible light wave radiation directly onto a food item. Light sources can be positioned above and below the food item and the inner walls of the oven are preferably highly reflective to reflect light energy onto the food. The intensity of the visible light source is automatically controllable and can be varied throughout the cooking cycle.