Abstract: A microwave oven wherein at least a microwave cooking mode and an electric resistance heater cooking mode can be selected by a user. A tray for supporting foodstuff can be raised and lowered and rotated about a vertical axis. A weight measuring mechanism determines the weight of foodstuff on the tray. During a cooking sequence, an operator selects a cooking mode, and the weight of foodstuff is measured. A controller determines a desired cooking elevation as a function of the cooking mode and weight of the foodstuff. A rotation mechanism begins to rotate the tray, and then the rotating tray is raised to the desired elevation, whereupon a cooking operation is performed while the tray is rotated at the desired elevation. At the end of the cooking operation, the tray is lowered to its initial position while still being rotated.

Abstract: A microwave oven cooks in a microwave cooking mode using a magnetron, or in an oven cooking mode using a convection heater. A passage is provided for conducting outside air to the cooking chamber, and a fan is disposed in the passage for inducing the outside air flow. During the oven cooking mode, the convection heater is activated and the fan is deactivated, while the temperature in the cooking chamber is less than a reference temperature set by a user. When the temperature in the cooking chamber exceeds the reference temperature, the heater is deactivated, and the fan is activated.

Abstract: A microwave oven has a cooking chamber in which a tray is provided for supporting food to be cooked. The tray is rotatable and can be raised and lowered. Cooking can be performed by microwaves and/or an electric resistance heater disposed in the cooking chamber. A sensor disposed in the cooking chamber detects a condition wherein food on the rising tray is at a height corresponding to that of the heater. In response to the sensing of such a condition the heater is turned off, a mechanism for raising the tray is also turned off, and a warning is emitted.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a cooking chamber, a magnetron for performing microwave cooking, and an electric heater element disposed in the cooking chamber for performing convection heat cooking. The heating element is rotatable between vertical and horizontal positions. A heater handling device is connected to the heating element and includes a handle situated outside of the oven for enabling a user to rotate the heating element from outside of the oven.

Abstract: After the initial temperature T0 of a heating chamber is sensed (S34), heating by microwaves is conducted until the sensor output of a humidity sensor exhibits a prescribed humidity change amount of 1.0 V (S35-S39). Then, an additional time period is operated based on initial temperature T0 and a time period passed for the elevation of 1.0 V (S40-S42, S50). Heating by microwaves is conducted for the additional time period (S43, S51), and then heating by a heater is conducted. As a result, the moisture included in the food is evaporated and finished crisp. In other words frozen precooked food may be thawed and cooked into a tasty state.

Abstract: A microwave oven having a heater apparatus has an upper heater installed to an upper portion of a cooking chamber for transmitting heat toward the center of the cooking chamber. A bracket is fixed to a side plate of the cooking chamber and has a pair of lugs spaced apart from each other by roughly 60.degree. along the swinging direction of the upper heater. A bushing is fitted into the bracket to be rotatable therein, and is pierced with the upper heater along the rotating shaft line. A guiding plate formed with a groove is fixed to the bushing. A lower heater is installed to a bottom plate of the cooking chamber to be shaped as an alphabet "U," and a turntable is coated with a ceramic. Thus, the swinging angle of the upper heater is controlled to adjust a distance from food, and the upper plate of the cooking chamber is cleaned by easily swinging the upper heater. The lower heater bakes the lower side of food to consistently cook the food.

Abstract: A microwave oven has a food-receiving cavity and a magnetron for delivering microwave power to the cavity. The magnetron is supplied with a high voltage through a transformer, and a variable impedance is connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer. The resistive heating effect produced by primary current is utilized to heat the air in the oven cavity, and the magnitude of the impedance is variable to vary the output of the magnetron.

Abstract: Disclosed is an operational switch for a microwave oven using a pair of gears and a pair of micro switches in order for a magnetron and a heater of a microwave oven to operate. At the rear surface of a control panel, a first switch for turning on/off the magnetron and a first gear having a pair of pushing pieces for controlling the first switch are installed. At an edge of the first gear a second switch for controlling the heater is provided. A second gear for controlling the second switch is provided while meshing together with a power controlling gear of a timer body. A pair of pushing pieces are protrudingly formed on the surface of second gear. The first gear further includes a stopper and a pair of impeding pieces for limiting the rotation range and a pair of elastic pieces and a ring type guiding member for guiding the rotation.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a cooking chamber to which a high frequency can be supplied. An electric heater is disposed in the cooking chamber for cooking by radiant heat. The heater is vertically movable by a motorized power transfer mechanism between upper and lower positions for regulating the intensity of the radiant heat cooking.

Abstract: A microwave oven comprises a microwave radiation source, a microwave-activable bottom heater (4) on which the food is placed, and optionally an IR-radiating top heater, which all can be controlled via the control unit of the oven. Further, the oven comprises one or more sensors for sensing the temperature of the bottom heater (4) and feeding this information back to the control unit. The feedback temperature information makes it possible to impart the desired temperature to the bottom heater (4) by controlling the microwave radiation source and/or the top heater.

Abstract: A microwave oven having a rotary grill heater 20 to be able to roast a food effectively and to prevent a horizontal rock between the joined grill heater and the cooking room 10 comprises a grill heater 20 in which is connected with the end sides of the grill heater 20, for rotating the grill heater 20 together and the rotary part has a first rotary part 30, 50 which is connected with one side of the grill heater 20 and a second rotary part 40, 60 which is connected with the other side of the grill heater 20 and is rotated with the rotation of the first rotary part 30, 50.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a magnetron for performing a microwave cooking function, and a separate electric heater element for performing a grilling function. A single control knob on a control panel serves to activate the magnetron and heater element, as well as selecting an output power of the magnetron. By actuating that single knob a user can select cooking operations solely by microwaves only, or solely by the heating element, or by a combination of both. A separate knob on the control panel enables a cooking time to be selected.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a cooking chamber, a magnetron for directing microwaves into the chamber, and an electric heater disposed within the cooking chamber. The heater is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis so as to be moved between horizontal and vertical orientations. A fan disposed outside the cooking chamber blows air through apertures formed in a wall of the cooking chamber to cause heat within the cooking chamber to be circulated. The heater is of inverted U-shape when vertically oriented and is rotated by an electric motor between the vertical and horizontal positions.

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.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring heat between temperature controlled air dispensed from a pair of oscillating ducts and a food product in a cabinet having an interior compartment bounded by front, side and rear walls. A foraminous partition, having a central portion and extremities, is mounted to divide the interior of the cabinet into a cooking chamber and an air conditioning chamber. It is configured to encircle a portion of the cooking chamber such that the air conditioning chamber extends around a major part of the periphery of the cooking chamber wherein air is drawn along multiple paths toward side walls and toward the rear wall from the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A microwave oven having a heater and a wall structure, includes a heater cover disposed between the heater and the wall structure and a plurality of protruding portions formed on the heater cover and on a depressed portion of the wall structure, respectively. The heater cover includes a bent portion formed at its peripheral edge, and a hanger, for hanging the heater, is fixed to the heater cover to prevent the heat transfer in every direction from the heater. In addition, the protruding portions are brought into contact with each other and are fixed by rivets. The microwave oven further includes an air conduit for guiding an air flow produced by a fan to a space between the wall structure and the heater cover.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vending a hot food product wherein a sealed container is moved from a protective sleeve and deposited in an oven where heat is transferred to the container for initially melting a protective sealing film and then heating the food product. After the food product has been heated, the container is removed from the oven and reinserted into the protective sleeve prior to dispensing the heated food product.

Abstract: A partitioning plate having a configuration which can be inserted into a double wall vacuum container from an opening of vacuum container divides the space of the vacuum container into two spaces. One of the spaces which serves as a heating chamber, is opened and closed by a door. The other space, which serves as a mechanical chamber, accommodates electrical parts. A method for fixing the partitioning plate, on which parts have been installed, to the double vacuum container is faciliated by the provision of a device for regulating the position of the partitioning plate.

Abstract: A microwave oven has a photosensor to detect an objected in a cooking compartment. The photosensor, including a light emitter and a light receiver, detects whether a turntable is absent or present in the cooking compartment. The light emitter projects a plurality of pulses of light in sequence. A controller counts the number of pulses of light detected by the light receiver and controls the oven based on the number of pulses of light detected as compared to the number of pulses of light emitted.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a heating chamber, a plurality of cooking utensils detachably disposed in the heating chamber selectively in accordance with the cooking contents, a plurality of heat sources heating food placed on or contained in the cooking utensil and including a magnetron, an oven heater and a grill heater, optical sensors determining the cooking utensil disposed in the heating chamber, and a microcomputer. The cooking utensils include a glass dish, thawing gridiron, pot, upper and lower top plates, one-legged top plate, and gridiron. A microwave cooking mode is selected when the determination of the optical sensors indicates that neither upper nor lower top plate is present in the heating chamber. A heater cooking mode is selected when either upper or top plate is present. When the heater cooking mode is selected on the basis of presence of the upper top plate, either an oven mode or a grill mode is selected depending upon presence or absence of the gridiron.

Abstract: A microwave oven with an oven cavity and a microwave feed system which produces a microwave distribution of polarized microwaves with essentially defined field vector orientations relative to one of the walls of the cavity. A zone defining an expansion of volume which opens into the cavity and whose dimensions are tuned to the wavelength and field distribution in the cavity, is disposed in a wall of the cavity. The expansion does not affect the effective field distribution in the cavity and can be used for concealed placement of a grill element or light source.

Abstract: Apparatus for thawing and reheating a deep-frozen food preparation by microwave and infrared radiation comprises a housing enclosing a heating chamber which is delimited by a tubular wall. The chamber is subjected to microwave radiation from two inlets as well as infrared radiation. The inlets of microwave radiation are arranged in two opposed regions of the tubular wall situated on either side of the central region where the food product is positioned, and the infrared heating elements comprise at least two lamps extending axially of the tubular wall and arranged on either side of the central region in two opposed regions distinct from those of the wave guide openings. A heating process performed using this apparatus involves simultaneously producing continuous microwave radiation by alternately feeding two generators branched in anti-parallel, and continuous infrared radiation, throughout a thawing and reheating cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vending a hot food product wherein a sealed container is moved from a protective sleeve and deposited in an oven where heat is transferred to the container for initially melting a protective sealing film and then heating the food product. After the food product has been heated, the container is removed from the oven and reinserted into the protective sleeve prior to dispensing the heated food product.

Abstract: A continuous denitration apparatus by microwave heating comprises an oven into which microwaves are applied and a cylindrical rotary drum disposed horizontally and rotatably disposed inside the oven. The rotary drum has the outer peripheral surface composed of a honeycomb or porous sheet-like microwave dielectric member. Inside the oven are disposed a trough for storing a nitrate solution of a nuclear fuel material below the rotary drum so as to immerse a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum in the solution stored inside the trough, a heater above the rotary drum so as to heat the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum opposing the heater, and a scraper for scraping off a denitrated product formed on the outer peripheral surface of the roatray drum between the heater and the trough.