With Detector Patents (Class 219/716)
  • Patent number: 7091459
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus, in which lamps are conveniently and quickly replaced, including a lamp assembly having a lamp casing accommodating lamps and covering an irradiation hole formed in a front panel, and a transparent plate completely covering the irradiation hole. The lamp casing is screwed to the front panel, or is hinged to the front panel to allow rotation of the lamp casing. An open bottom of the lamp casing is covered with a lamp cover screwed or hooked to the lamp casing. A front cover is screwed to the front panel to cover the lamp assembly, or is hinged to the front panel to allow rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung Min Kim
  • Patent number: 7060954
    Abstract: Timing of zero voltage in zero-voltage detector for detecting zero voltage of a commercial power supply 1 is predicted and input from the zero-voltage detector 6 is received only for a given time before and after the predicted timing, whereby overvoltage and overcurrent caused by a zero point shift can be prevented. Thus, it is provided a magnetron drive power supply which is excellent in stability for change in the power supply environment such as noise or instantaneous power interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitaizumi, Haruo Suenaga, Hideaki Moriya, Emiko Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 7026590
    Abstract: A low-output microwave lighting system includes: a rectifier for rectifying general AC power inputted through a power source unit and outputting a DC voltage; a power factor compensator for compensating a power factor of the DC voltage inputted through the rectifier; and an inverter circuit unit for receiving the power factor-compensated DC voltage and outputting an AC voltage through frequency varying. 120 Hz of ripple generated at a low output can be reduce, and it is driven at a frequency of 20 KHz or higher, so that a flicker phenomenon does not occur and a volume and weight in facility can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ji-Young Lee, Yong-Seog Jeon, Hyun-Jung Kim, Joon-Sik Choi, Yun-Chul Jung, Byeong-Ju Park
  • Patent number: 7015440
    Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of controlling the same, in which a cooking unit disposed in a cooking cavity is moved from an initial position to a cooking position. In the microwave oven, a magnetron is operated after heaters are moved to respective cooking positions where a rotating unit to move the heaters and the magnetron are operated. Accordingly, microwaves are radiated into the cooking cavity while the heaters are not being moved by the rotating unit, so a generation of heat and sparks resulting from a concentration of the microwaves into spaces between a moving unit including the rotating unit and the cooking unit and between the moving unit and a wall of the cooking cavity is preventable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-Gyu Ryu
  • Patent number: 7002123
    Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of controlling the same. The microwave oven is capable of using a plurality of input powers with different frequencies. The microwave oven includes input power sources, an interrupt generation unit and a control unit. The interrupt generation unit generates interrupt signals with different periods according to the frequencies of the input powers. The control unit cumulatively counts pulses generated on the basis of the interrupt signals outputted from the interrupt generation unit, compares the cumulatively counted value with a reference value, and discriminates the frequencies of the input powers depending on the number of instances where the cumulatively counted value is equal to or greater than the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-Beom Kim
  • Patent number: 6998591
    Abstract: In a high frequency heating apparatus, a microcomputer inputs the phase signal of a commercial AC power supply and determines whether a timer switch in a mechanical timer apparatus is in ON-state to determine whether the high frequency heating apparatus is in a heating-time set state. If so, the microcomputer turns on a switch that controls the conduction between the commercial AC power supply and a high voltage transformer at such a timing that minimizes the rush current in accordance with the phase of the commercial AC power supply, thereby suppressing the rush current, allowing the user to visually confirm the remaining heating time, and realizing a cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Ito, Koji Ueda
  • Patent number: 6956190
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a water supply controlling method of a high-frequency heating apparatus and the high-frequency heating apparatus wherein water supplied to a heating chamber as steam is controlled in the quantity and the quality and power can be saved. To achieve the object, it is judged whether there is the required quantity of water supplied as steam in cooking in a water tank or not and in case it is judged that the water is short, request for replacing water in the water tank is annunciated. Elapsed time since water in the water tank was last replaced is monitored and in case the elapsed time exceeds predetermined time, request for replacing the water is annunciated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sano, Nobuhiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6936803
    Abstract: An inverter circuit of a microwave oven employs a technique which decreases the unit manufacturing cost of production and controls an output of a magnetron correctly. The invert circuit includes a micom outputting a reference voltage preset by a user; an input current detector converting a current provided from the power source to a voltage level; and comparator comparing an output signal of the input current detector with the reference voltage; an integrator increasing or decreasing a level of an output signal for the comparator a trigger circuit connected to the high voltage transformer, and generating a trigger signal; and a PWM controller receiving an output signal of the integrator and an output al of the trigger circuit, for controlling drive of the magnetron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min Gi I, Sung Jin Han, Dong Myung Shin
  • Patent number: 6900423
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a widely applicable and extensible Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microprocessor, allowing a control panel to be easily included, and which controls various functions using a single microprocessor, reducing a size of the control panel. The microwave oven also includes a control panel in which soft touch switches using electrostatic capacity are substituted for membrane switches, allowing the control panel to be formed in various forms including a curved form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-Bong Chun
  • Patent number: 6891738
    Abstract: A Hall element (H) is arranged at an air gap of a choke coil (30). Power semiconductor elements (P1) and (P2) are attached to a heat radiation fin (61) directly by soldering. A rectangular-hollow-shaped metal core (27) is formed by winding a long metal thin plate multiple turns into a rectangular-hollow-shape and is fitted to a bar shaped ferrite core (26) from outside of the primary winding (21) and the secondary winding (22). The inner diameter of one side of the rectangular-hollow-shape core is larger than both outer diameters of the primary winding (21) and the secondary winding (22) and the inner diameter of the other side of the rectangular-hollow-shape core is larger than the height of the primary winding (21) and the secondary winding (22). The rectangular-hollow-shape (27) core is arranged such that an air gap (G) exists between the rectangular-hollow-shape core (27) and the bar shaped ferrite core (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Mihara, Kenji Yasui, Takeshi Kitaizumi
  • Patent number: 6884977
    Abstract: A variable-frequency inverter microwave oven and a method for controlling the same. The inverter microwave oven comprises a magnetron for generating electromagnetic waves, a direct current (DC) voltage generator for rectifying and smoothing a commercial alternating current (AC) voltage, which is an inverter drive voltage, to generate a DC voltage, and a switching device for performing a switching operation based on the DC voltage from the DC voltage generator to generate an AC voltage for the driving of the magnetron. The switching device includes a plurality of switches turned on/off in response to the DC voltage from the DC voltage generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronic Inc
    Inventors: Sung Jin Han, Dong Myung Shin
  • Patent number: 6875970
    Abstract: A safety apparatus for an output level-adjustable microwave oven includes a fuse disposed in a power supply line that connects a high power relay or a low power relay with a primary coil of a high voltage transformer of the microwave oven. Where a wrong operation occurs due to defects in the relays, such as a melting of any one of the relays, the fuse disposed in the power supply line connected to the primary coil of the high voltage transformer is cut off. Accordingly, a potential fire resulting from the wrong operation is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 6875969
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a control unit which sets sampling intervals to accumulate humidity values measured by a humidity sensor, and controls a cooking end time of food according to an accumulated humidity value obtained by accumulating the humidity values measured during the set sampling intervals. Accordingly, the microwave oven prevents overcooking of the food, for example, that does not require a further cooking after initial generation of steam thereof. The microwave oven may set sampling intervals through several measurements to improve the reliability thereof. Moreover, the microwave oven may learn an operation of setting sampling intervals according to cooking conditions so as to finish a cooking according to the set sampling intervals where a later set cooking condition corresponds to the learned cooking condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 6852959
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit and a method for driving a DC microwave oven. The circuit for driving a DC microwave oven according to the present invention includes: an inverting means to convert DC into AC by a driving pulse; a high voltage transformer to transform the AC from the inverting means, and supply the transformed AC to a magnetron; a pulse driving means to generate the driving pulse; and an over-current detecting means to detect an electric current which is supplied to the inverting means from a DC power source, and output an over-current detect signal if the detected current is determined as an over-current, so as to avoid the generation of the driving pulse by the pulse driving means. According to the present invention, the driving of the magnetron could be stopped when a malfunction of an interlock switch caused by an error or the over-current from the DC power source is detected, and circuit elements can be advantageously prevented from being damaged by the over-current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-woon Han, Seong-deog Jang, Kwang-seok Kang, Han-jun Sung
  • Patent number: 6806449
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of controlling a microwave oven includes performing a first heating until detection values of a humidity sensor reach a reference value, wherein the humidity sensor senses humidity of water vapor discharged from a cooking chamber. A second heating is performed, lower than the first heating, after the detection values reach the reference value using an output power from a magnetron. A surrounding humidity condition of the microwave oven is determined. The reference value of the first heating is reset so as to cook food appropriately according to the determined humidity condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Lee, Young-Won Cho, Han-Seong Kang, Kyung-Hoo Hahm, Too-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 6791070
    Abstract: A method of performing a simmer cooking operation in a microwave oven is based on detected levels of humidity from a sensor and an algorithm automatically calculating a cooking time such that a desired cooking operation is optimally performed. A third heating operation is performed at about 30% of the maximum power level of the microwave oven. The third heating operation is performed for an amount of time equal to a sum of an amount of time during which first and second heating operations are performed adjusted by a predetermined constant. The total heating time is calculated and controlled by adding the amount of time during which the third heating operation is performed to the time during which the first and second heating operations are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang Hwa Kim
  • Patent number: 6777876
    Abstract: In a power-supply unit for a microwave tube, voltage between a helix power supply terminal and a cathode power supply terminal is divided into voltage slightly lower than the voltage of a collector power supply terminal. Uni-directional conductive means is provided between a voltage dividing point and the collector power supply terminal, and when the voltage of the collector power supply terminal is about to be lower than voltage at the voltage dividing point while the voltage approximates the voltage of the cathode power supply terminal, the uni-directional conductive means conducts and clamps the voltage of the collector power supply terminal so that the voltage is substantially equal to the voltage at the voltage dividing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Microwave Tube, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Kobayashi, Takuichi Tsuchiya, Junichi Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20040149744
    Abstract: An inverter circuit of a microwave oven is disclosed, in which it is possible to decrease the unit manufacturing cost of production, and to control an output of a magnetron correctly. The inverter circuit of the microwave oven according to the present invention is provided with a micom outputting a reference voltage preset by a user; an input current detector converting a current provided from the power source to a voltage level; a comparator comparing an output signal of the input current detector with the reference voltage; an integrator increasing or decreasing a level of an output signal of the comparator; a trigger circuit connected to the high voltage transformer, and generating a trigger signal; and a PWM controller receiving an output signal of the integrator and an output signal of the trigger circuit, for controlling drive of the magnetron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min Gi I, Sung Jin Han, Dong Myung Shin
  • Publication number: 20040144776
    Abstract: A variable-frequency inverter microwave oven and a method for controlling the same. The inverter microwave oven comprises a magnetron for generating electromagnetic waves, a direct current (DC) voltage generator for rectifying and smoothing a commercial alternating current (AC) voltage, which is an inverter drive voltage, to generate a DC voltage, and a switching device for performing a switching operation based on the DC voltage from the DC voltage generator to generate an AC voltage for the driving of the magnetron. The switching device includes a plurality of switches turned on/off in response to the DC voltage from the DC voltage generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Jin Han, Dong Myung Shin
  • Publication number: 20040134900
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a widely applicable and extensible Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microprocessor, allowing a control panel to be easily included, and which controls various functions using a single microprocessor, reducing a size of the control panel. The microwave oven also includes a control panel in which soft touch switches using electrostatic capacity are substituted for membrane switches, allowing the control panel to be formed in various forms including a curved form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-Bong Chun
  • Publication number: 20040104224
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method automatically cook food, for example, millet, thus conveniently providing the uniform and optimal cooking quality of food to a user. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity that contains food to be cooked and water therein, and a heating unit that heats the food and the water. The cooking apparatus further includes a control unit operated to heat the food and the water at a preset initial output of the heating unit, to reduce the output of the heating unit to a first reduced output and cook a surface of the food by allowing a heated high temperature water to be absorbed into the food after the water has boiled, and to reduce the output of the heating unit to a second reduced output and cook an inside of the food using the high temperature water absorbed into the food.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chull Shon, Boris V. Rayskiy, Tai Eun Kim
  • Publication number: 20040104222
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a control unit which sets sampling intervals to accumulate humidity values measured by a humidity sensor, and controls a cooking end time of food according to an accumulated humidity value obtained by accumulating the humidity values measured during the set sampling intervals. Accordingly, the microwave oven prevents overcooking of the food, for example, that does not require a further cooking after initial generation of steam thereof. The microwave oven may set sampling intervals through several measurements to improve the reliability thereof. Moreover, the microwave oven may learn an operation of setting sampling intervals according to cooking conditions so as to finish a cooking according to the set sampling intervals where a later set cooking condition corresponds to the learned cooking condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Won-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20040104223
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method implement automatic cooking, which may automatically cook compote, thus conveniently providing the uniform and optimal cooking quality of compote to a user. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity that contains food to be cooked and water therein, and a heating unit that heats the food and the water. The cooking apparatus further includes a control unit operated to heat the food and the water at a preset initial output of the heating unit, to reduce the output of the heating unit to a first reduced output, allow a heated high temperature water to be absorbed into the food after the water is boiled, and to increase and reduce the output of the heating unit in stages to reduce an amount of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chull Shon, Boris V. Rayskiy, Tai Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 6737621
    Abstract: A microwave oven having a high voltage control circuit which prevents an overheating of a high voltage transformer. The high voltage control circuit includes a thermostat which is turned on or off according to a temperature of the high voltage transformer. The thermostat is disposed between a first fixed terminal of a tap formed at a primary coil of the high voltage transformer and a second fixed terminal connected to a power stage, so as to allow the primary coil to have different numbers of turns. According, where the output of a magnetron of the microwave oven becomes high and the temperature of the high voltage transformer reaches a predetermined temperature, the thermostat is turned off, thus enabling the first and second fixed terminals to be disconnected from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventor: Chea-How Lee
  • Publication number: 20040050843
    Abstract: A microwave oven, is designed such that its switches accurately sense whether a door is open or not when opening or closing the door, thus preventing microwaves from leaking out. The microwave oven includes a hook unit, a hook locking unit, a locking step, and a sensing switch. The hook unit is mounted to the door functioning to open or close a cabinet. The hook locking unit is installed in the cabinet to engage with the hook unit. The locking step is provided in the hook locking unit to catch the hook unit when the hook unit enters the hook locking unit. The sensing switch is installed in the hook locking unit to sense whether the hook unit enters the hook locking unit. A screw holding unit is provided on a predetermined portion of the locking step to hold a setscrew which functions to mount the hook locking unit to the cabinet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-Sung Han, Yong-Woon Han, Seong-Deog Jang, Joo-Yong Yeo, Han-Seong Kang
  • Publication number: 20040040955
    Abstract: A temperature-measuring device for a microwave oven, which is capable of easily measuring the temperature of an object outside of a cooking cavity of the microwave oven, as well as the temperature of food inside of the cooking cavity. The microwave oven includes a control unit which controls an entire cooking operation of the microwave oven, and a temperature-measuring device having a variable-length wire which is electrically connected to the control unit at its one end. The temperature measuring device further includes a temperature sensing probe connected to the other end of the variable-length wire, and a rotating member which winds the variable-length wire therearound. The rotating member is electrically connected to the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: SAMGSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ha-Yeong Yang
  • Patent number: 6696676
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd Vincent Graves, Dennis Patrick Kill, Jesse Spalding Head, Charles Ray Smith
  • Patent number: 6677562
    Abstract: This invention provides a high-frequency heating apparatus for heating by using magnetron including an inverter power supply as a magnetron-driving power supply, a cooling fan, and an air guide. The cooling fan is inclined against the vertical direction of the power supply and fitted to the air guide. This structure increases the cooling effect of the power supply. Additionally, the power supply includes temperature sensors provided on semiconductor elements and a controller for controlling the power supply and an operation of the heating apparatus according to the result of the sensors. These sensors avoid breaking down of the power supply caused by overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosho Oshima, Masato Yamauchi, Hiroshi Sumi, Yukio Abe
  • Publication number: 20040004076
    Abstract: A microwave oven having a high voltage control circuit which prevents an overheating of a high voltage transformer. The high voltage control circuit includes a thermostat which is turned on or off according to a temperature of the high voltage transformer. The thermostat is disposed between a first fixed terminal of a tap formed at a primary coil of the high voltage transformer and a second fixed terminal connected to a power stage, so as to allow the primary coil to have different numbers of turns. According, where the output of a magnetron of the microwave oven becomes high and the temperature of the high voltage transformer reaches a predetermined temperature, the thermostat is turned off, thus enabling the first and second fixed terminals to be disconnected from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chea-How Lee
  • Publication number: 20030192885
    Abstract: A microwave oven performs a cooking operation in one of several cooking modes having a first cooking time period and a second cooking time period. The first cooking time period is determined in accordance with an output value of a sensor which senses a state of air in a cooking cavity of the microwave oven. The second cooking time period is determined in accordance with the first cooking time period such that the first and second cooking time periods are expressed by a functional relation. The cooking modes include a standard mode with a standard second cooking time period, a high mode with a longer cooking time than the standard second cooking time period, and a low mode with a shorter cooking time than the standard second cooking time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-Chull Shon, Won-Woo Lee, So-Hyun Lee, Keun-Seuk Oh
  • Publication number: 20030192887
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a microwave oven, including a magnetron generating microwaves and a sensor sensing the state of air in the cooking cavity of the oven. The cooking period is determined by searching one of two data tables in accordance with a determination result after determining whether food to be cooked is included in ascending slope-type foods or descending slope-type foods. The control method and apparatus remarkably reduces a deviation in the cooking periods by distinguishing the ascending slope-type foods from the descending slope-type foods. The control method and apparatus allows the microwave oven to appropriately cook food for a period of time which substantially matches a practically required cooking period, thus providing a good cooking result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Jong-Chull Shon, Won-Woo Lee, So-Hyun Lee, Keun-Seuk Oh
  • Publication number: 20030189040
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of controlling a microwave oven includes performing a first heating until detection values of a humidity sensor reach a reference value, wherein the humidity sensor senses humidity of water vapor discharged from a cooking chamber. A second heating is performed, lower than the first heating, after the detection values reach the reference value using an output power from a magnetron. A surrounding humidity condition of the microwave oven is determined. The reference value of the first heating is reset so as to cook food appropriately according to the determined humidity condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Lee, Young-Won Cho, Hon-Seong Kang, Kyung-Hoo Hahm, Too-Soo Kim
  • Publication number: 20030183624
    Abstract: This invention provides a heating and cooking apparatus in which foods can be accommodated in a heating chamber with good maneuverability and an appropriate finish can be obtained. A temperature detector detects infrared radiation through an opening provided on a wall surface opposed to an opening part for taking in and out foods of a heating chamber. The temperature detector detects the temperature of a plurality of parts on a sealing means (pan) having the substantially same electric wave penetrability as that of the bottom surface of the heating chamber. Accordingly, even when two foods are arranged right and left irrespective of the size of the foods, the temperature of both the foods can be detected. Then, the user does not needs to extend a hand to the interior of the heating chamber and arrange the foods in front and back positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Watanabe, Isao Kasai
  • Patent number: 6624401
    Abstract: Timing of zero voltage in zero-voltage detector for detecting zero voltage of a commercial power supply 1 is predicted and input from the zero-voltage detector 6 is received only for a given time before and after the predicted timing, whereby overvoltage and overcurrent caused by a zero point shift can be prevented. Thus, it is provided a magnetron drive power supply which is excellent in stability for change in the power supply environment such as noise or instantaneous power interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitaizumi, Haruo Suenaga, Hideaki Moriya, Emiko Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 6621226
    Abstract: A microwave oven comprises a magnetron having an anode, a cathode and a filament, and a high voltage transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil for supplying a high voltage to the magnetron. The microwave oven further comprises a capacitor connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the high voltage transformer, forming a resonance circuit with the secondary coil. With this configuration, the performance of the magnetron is maintained by lowering the anode peak voltage applied thereto during the early non-oscillating period, and the circuit elements are protected from damage by removing the surge voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul Kim, Sung-ho Lee, Young-won Cho, Tae-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 6552313
    Abstract: A high-frequency heating apparatus is designed to maximize the input current while securing a uniform margin relative to the cutoff current, thereby enabling maximized and efficient output of high-frequency waves. The high-frequency heating apparatus includes: a power supply unit; an input current detector; a power converting unit for converting the power from the power supply unit into high-frequency waves; an inverter controller for controlling a semiconductor device; a magnetron for radiating electromagnetic waves; and a circuit for implementing negative feedback control, in the inverter control circuit, of the output from the input current detector. The apparatus further includes a control circuit having a microcomputer for outputting signals to the inverter controller so as to control the input current such that the input current characteristic of the high-frequency heating apparatus will approximate the current cutoff characteristic of the overcurrent circuit breaker with respect to the elapsed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Takashige, Shinichi Masuda, Koji Ueda
  • Patent number: 6515265
    Abstract: When power supply to a high voltage transformer starts, the phase &thgr; of the voltage of an AC power source when power supply to the high voltage transformer is stopped last time is referred to. In accordance with the value of the phase &thgr;, the phase of the voltage of the AC power source when power supply to the high voltage transformer starts is determined, so that the peak value of the rush current in the high voltage transformer is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakazu Sano
  • Patent number: 6483243
    Abstract: A traveling wave tube designed to operate as an amplifier within plural frequency bands, which includes a microwave line through which electrons travel and in which a signal is amplified. The microwave line includes, in succession, an input section separated from a succession of gapped output sections, each output section working within one of the operating frequency bands of the traveling wave tube. The input section, connected at one end to an input for injecting the signal to be amplified, works within a frequency band encompassing the operating frequency bands of the traveling wave tube and is intended to preamplify the signal to be amplified. The succession of output sections receives the preamplified signal, each of the output sections being intended to amplify it if the signal is at a frequency lying within its working frequency band and to let it pass through virtually without any interaction if it is at a frequency outside its working frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson Tubes Electroniques
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Kuntzmann, Dominique Henry
  • Patent number: 6472650
    Abstract: A food amount detector for automatically detecting the amount of a food placed in a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a microwave oven employing the food amount detector, and control method thereof. Output voltage of a microwave generator is detected while the microwave oven is driven, and the amount of the food placed in the cooking chamber of the microwave oven is determined based on the output voltage such detected. In accordance with the amount of the food such determined, the food is cooked under the appropriate driving conditions of the microwave oven. Accordingly, the user does not need to determine the amount of the food by himself, or set the driving conditions of the microwave oven such as cooking time, level of microwave energy, etc. As a result, the user finds it convenient when using this microwave oven, and the food is cooked under the exact driving conditions set by the microwave oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul Kim, Tae-soo Park, Kwang-seok Kang, Won-woo Lee
  • Patent number: 6455317
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a microwave heated chemical process is disclosed. Time varying concentrations of some chemical substances within fumes in the microwave oven are monitored to detect concentration variations for which responses are known. Responses to the detected variations are initiated to control the chemical process without terminating the process. Examples of responses include varying microwave radiation energy, initiating safety systems, increased venting of the microwave oven, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Milestone s.r.L.
    Inventor: Werner Lautenschlager
  • Publication number: 20020121515
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a high-frequency heating apparatus which can maximize the input current for the high-frequency heating apparatus while securing a uniform margin relative to the cutoff current, thereby enabling maximized and efficient output of high-frequency waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Yutaka Takashige, Shinichi Masuda, Koji Ueda
  • Patent number: 6433321
    Abstract: A microwave oven comprising a magnetron for generating a high frequency in response to a high voltage, a transformer having primary and secondary coils, the transformer generating the high voltage in a turn ratio of the primary and secondary coils and supplying it to the magnetron, and high-power output switching means for controlling the level of a voltage applied to the primary coil of the transformer. The microwave oven with the high-power output switching means can control its maximum power output level on the basis of an allowable amount of current supplied to a distribution board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Lee, Young-Won Cho, Tae-Soo Kim
  • Publication number: 20020070213
    Abstract: A food amount detector for automatically detecting the amount of a food placed in a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a microwave oven employing the food amount detector, and control method thereof. Output voltage of a microwave generator is detected while the microwave oven is driven, and the amount of the food placed in the cooking chamber of the microwave oven is determined based on the output voltage such detected. In accordance with the amount of the food such determined, the food is cooked under the appropriate driving conditions of the microwave oven. Accordingly, the user does not need to determine the amount of the food by himself, or set the driving conditions of the microwave oven such as cooking time, level of microwave energy, etc. As a result, the user finds it convenient when using this microwave oven, and the food is cooked under the exact driving conditions set by the microwave oven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Chul Kim, Tae-Soo Park, Kwang-Seok Kang, Won-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 6362463
    Abstract: A high frequency heating apparatus including a circuit for driving a magnetron. A circuit comprises a leakage transformer, a second capacitor connected in series to primary coil of said leakage transformer, a second switching device connected in parallel with a series circuit of said primary coil and second capacitor, a first capacitor connected in parallel with said second switching device, and a first switching device connected in series to said second switching device. Under a structure of the present invention, the switching device and the leakage transformer, both being the key components of the circuit, may respectively be used in common either on a circuit of 200V-240V commercial power supply or on a circuit of 100V-120V commercial power supply. This enables volume production of the key components, which leads to a benefit of reduced cost of the components as well as the cost of heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Bessyo, Kenji Yasui, Kazuho Sakamoto, Makoto Mihara, Shinichi Sakai, Haruo Suenaga, Yoshiaki Ishio, Hiokaki Moriya, Hidetomo Nagata, Hideki Omori
  • Patent number: 6350973
    Abstract: There is described a hybrid furnace comprising a microwave source, and an enclosure for the confinement of both microwave and RF energy for containing an object to be heated. The microwave source is coupled to the enclosure. The furnace further includes an RF source coupled to the enclosure, and a controller for controlling the quantity of microwave energy and RF energy to which the object to be heated is exposed. There is also described a method of operating a furnace of the above type to the heat an object. The microwave source is actuated to induce an electric field to heat the object and the RF source is controlled to selectively provide an oscillating electric field within the object to be heated at a location at a temperature where the field strength of the microwave-induced electric field falls below a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: EA Technology Limited
    Inventors: Fiona Catherine Ruth Wroe, Andrew Terence Rowley
  • Patent number: 6335520
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave oven comprising a power supply part supplying a commercial alternating current (AC) power, a rectifying and filtering part rectifying and filtering the commercial AC power, a high voltage transformer generating a high voltage by means of direct current (DC) power from the rectifying and filtering part; and a magnetron generating electromagnetic waves based on the high voltage from the high voltage transformer, further comprising a control signal generator part generating a control signal; an inverter part converting the DC power from the rectifying and filtering part into a high voltage AC power based on the control signal from the control signal generator part, and a control part blocking the control signal converted through the inverter part from being applied to the magnetron if the converted control signal is not within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-hak Lee, Young-won Cho, Sung-ho Lee, Tae-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 6335519
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave oven, including a power supply part supplying a commercial AC power, a rectifier and filter part rectifying and filtering the commercial AC power, a high voltage transformer generating a high voltage with the DC power from said rectifier and filter part, a magnetron generating electromagnetic waves by the high voltage supplied from said high voltage transformer. The microwave oven further includes a control signal generator part generating a control signal; an inverter part converting the DC power supplied from said rectifier and filter part into an AC power with a high voltage; and a control part determining whether said control signal converted by said high voltage transformer is within a predetermined range, and preventing said control signal from being applied to said magnetron where the control signal is determined to be beyond the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-won Cho, Sung-ho Lee, Tae-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 6291809
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wall-mounted type microwave oven including a main body having a suction grill for an air passageway to a cavity, a hood duct for a second air passageway for fumes and smoke generated from a gas range placed below the microwave oven, a hood inlet port and outlet port coupled to the hood duct, a hood fan installed within the hood duct of the main body, and discharging air drawn in through the suction port and the hood inlet port, through the hood outlet port, a louver opening and closing the suction grill, a louver driving motor driving the suction louver, a hood switch turning on over a predetermined temperature, and activating the hood fan, and a hood driving circuit part activating the louver driving motor so as to open the louver depending upon a turn-on state of the hood switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-ki Ha
  • Patent number: 6265830
    Abstract: A power supply for supplying operating voltages to a magnetron of a lamp heating or curing system. The power supply is mounted remotely from the magnetron and includes a filament transformer for providing a regulated filament current to the magnetron to provide a predetermined filament voltage. Current in the primary of the filament transformer is sensed, and the filament current supplied by the secondary of the filament transformer is controlled by a switching device coupled to the primary of the filament transformer. Methods for supplying regulated filament current to a magnetron are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Carl A. Bretmersky, James W. Schmitkons
  • Patent number: 6207940
    Abstract: In a de-icing system for preventing the formation of ice on, or for de-icing, icing-prone areas of an airplane, the icing-prone areas include dielectric composite structural materials, which are highly permeable for electromagnetic waves, and at least two microwave sources are provided and connected to microwave uncoupling areas disposed adjacent the icing-prone areas, and the microwave sources are interconnected by redundant switchable microwave guides permitting bridging of a microwave source in case of failure of such microwave source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
    Inventors: Lambert Feher, Manfred Schnack