Mixer (e.g., Rotating Stirrer, Etc.) Patents (Class 219/751)
  • Patent number: 11647769
    Abstract: Problem: To provide a microwave aging device that can shorten the time required for ageing food and can improve a yield rate. Solution: There is provided a microwave aging device including: a microwave aging unit 30, having an aging chamber configured to store food, an irradiation port through which microwave irradiation is performed into the aging chamber, and a blower fan configured to blow air into the aging chamber; a cooling unit 10 having a cooling chamber that is cooled by a cooler; a microwave oscillating unit 20 connected to the irradiation port; and a controller 40, where the aging chamber is arranged in the cooling chamber. There is also provided a microwave aging method using the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SHIKOKU INSTRUMENTATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Soga, Katsuyuki Kunii, Eiji Kagawa, Tsubasa Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10004115
    Abstract: An electronic oven with a set of variable reflectance elements for controlling a distribution of heat in the electronic oven and associated methods are disclosed herein. The electronic oven includes a chamber, an energy source coupled to an injection port in the chamber, and a set of variable reflectance elements located in the chamber. In some of the disclosed approaches the variable reflectance elements are nonradiative. A control system of the electronic oven can be configured to alter the states of the variable reflectance elements to thereby alter and control the distribution of energy within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: The Markov Corporation
    Inventor: Nick C. Leindecker
  • Patent number: 9930732
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus and a method of operating a microwave heating apparatus are provided. The microwave heating apparatus comprises a load receiving cavity, at least one microwave source, a plurality of feeding ports connected to the microwave source and the cavity for feeding microwaves to the cavity, a measuring unit and a control unit. The measuring unit measures, for at least one frequency or within a frequency range, the power of microwaves reflected back to the microwave source for at least part of the plurality of feeding ports. The control unit selects at least one of the feeding ports based on the measured powers of the reflected microwaves in order to feed microwaves to the cavity via the at least one selected feeding port during operation of the microwave heating apparatus at the at least one frequency or within the frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Olle Niklasson, Hakan Carlsson, Ulf Nordh, Fredrik Hallgren
  • Publication number: 20140197163
    Abstract: A mode stirrer apparatus that enables a more effective heating pattern in the food that is to be cooked. Two mode stirrers located in opposite walls of the oven. Each mode stirrer is independently driven by a small gear motor that causes the mode stirrer to rotate in only one direction. The result of this mounting configuration is that the mode stirrers rotate in a counter-rotating fashion in relation to the food being cooked. The mode stirrer in this invention has a combination of radiating slots (which behave like a rod shaped dipole antenna) and large areas of angled/displaced metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Standex International Corporation
    Inventor: Neal Cooper
  • Publication number: 20140103031
    Abstract: A furnace system for thermal processing of products and materials is disclosed which is particularly useful in processing touch screens for computer tablets and silicon wafers employed in fabricating solar cells. The system employs a hybrid of microwave and radiant heating of workpieces to provide controlled heating of the workpieces. A plurality of susceptors are disposed a furnace chamber. A plurality of microwave sources are arranged to provide microwave radiation in the chamber to uniformly heat workpieces in the chamber and to provide uniform heating of the susceptors. The susceptors are effective upon microwave heating by the microwave sources to provide uniform radiant heating of the workpieces in the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: BTU International, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramesh D. Peelamedu
  • Patent number: 8525086
    Abstract: A microwave heating appliance, capable of achieving a locally concentrated heating in answer to the purpose while achieving a uniform heating in the overall heating chamber in a normal mode, is provided. The microwave heating appliance includes a microwave generating unit, a waveguide for transmitting a microwave from the microwave generating unit, a heating chamber for housing a heated subject heated by the microwave, a rotating antenna for radiating the microwave to the heating chamber, a driving unit for rotating and driving the rotating antenna, a temperature distribution detecting unit for detecting a temperature distribution in the heating chamber, and a controlling unit for controlling a direction of the rotating antenna based on a detected result of the temperature distribution detecting unit so that a sharp part of radiation directivity of the rotating antenna in a direction decided based on the detected result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohisa Imai, Koji Yoshino, Masamitsu Kondou, Hiroshi Kawai, Miki Ueda
  • Patent number: 8247752
    Abstract: A microwave cooking appliance includes first and second side mounted microwave systems, each including an associated antenna. Drive structure is provided to establish an oscillating operation for each of the antennae, wherein the angles through which the antennae rotate are configured to assure that the cooking appliance operates in favorable mode patterns. In accordance with the invention, the antenna preferably only oscillates through less than or equal to 180° and, most preferably, approximately 150°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: ACP, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert McNamee, Thomas Miller
  • Publication number: 20120199580
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wave stirrer for a microwave oven. The wave stirrer comprises a holding device (10) rotatable around a rotation axis (18) and at least two stirrer blades (12; 26; 28; 34) arranged at the holding device (10). The holding device (10) is made of at least one dielectric material. The stirrer blades (12; 26; 28; 34) are made of at least one conductive material. The maximum axial extension (A) of the stirrer blade (12; 26; 28; 34) along the rotation axis (18) is equal as or bigger than the maximum radial extension (R) of the stirrer blade (12; 26; 28; 34) orthogonal to the rotation axis (18). Further, the present invention relates to a microwave oven with said wave stirrer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Abdel-Ilah Zbat, Markus Breitschwerdt, Arnd Hofmann, Dagmar Moll
  • Patent number: 8207479
    Abstract: An electromagnetic heater for heating an irregularly shaped object, including: a cavity within which an object is to be placed; at least one feed which feeds UHF or microwave energy into the cavity; and a controller that controls one or more characteristics of the cavity or energy to assure that the UHF or microwave energy is deposited uniformly in the object within ±30% over at least 80% of the volume of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Goji Limited
    Inventors: Eran Ben-Shmuel, Alexander Bilchinsky
  • Patent number: 8178824
    Abstract: A cooking device that cooks food and drink by using heat generation of a heater, or a heat source such as microwaves. A cooking device is provided in which the radiation of microwaves can be varied depending on load, such as cooking objects, when microwaves are used as a heat source. The cooking device includes a stirring shaft provided to rotate within a cooking chamber, a stirring shaft power source to rotate the stirring shaft, and a stirring vane coupled to the stirring shaft through a hinge unit and configured to rotate by a centrifugal force according to a rotation speed of the stirring shaft. The radiation of microwaves can be varied depending on a load such as a cooking object, and a cooking device having an optimized performance can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Heung Shik Choi, Hyun Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 8028439
    Abstract: A clothes dryer bearing structure has an arcuate channel for receiving the open end of a dryer drum. The channel has an inner wall portion, a base wall portion extending radially outward from the inner wall portion and an outer wall portion extending from the base wall portion. A gasket is positioned in the channel in contact with the dryer drum. The outer wall portion has a plurality of spaced apart elongated clips formed on the outer wall portion and curving back into the channel. At least one of the outer wall portion and the base wall portion has a plurality of elongated bumps protruding into the channel. Each of the elongated bumps is interspaced between the elongated clips whereby the gasket lies serpentinely in the channel ascending over bumps and descending below the clips to prevent slippage of the gasket along the channel during dryer drum rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mabe Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel Prajescu
  • Patent number: 7838807
    Abstract: A combination oven that is operable with convection air, impingement air and microwave energy in various combinations thereof. The oven has an oven chamber and a fan box that are located front to back. A fan in the fan box circulates heated air by discharging via openings in a top and a bottom and taking in via an intermediate opening of a baffle plate. Impingement plates are easily installed and removed in the oven chamber to provide impingement air upwardly or downwardly. At least one of the impingement plates is installed and removed by a sliding motion. Microwave energy is provided through the side walls of the oven chamber. Intake ports for cooling air are located in a bevel between the side walls and bottom wall of the oven's outer enclosure so as to allow the oven to be located right next to other structures, such as a wall. An interlock assembly is also provided for the oven door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Enodis Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Claesson, Keith A. Stanger, Nigel Thorneywork, Andrew Brown, Davic Crayfourd, David Harter, William Day
  • Patent number: 7820953
    Abstract: There is provided a microwave oven. In the microwave oven, a screw covering part is protruded toward an inside of a waveguide for an installation of a motor, a convergence preventing part is formed at a portion of a cavity with a shape corresponding to that of the screw covering part and at a location corresponding to that of the screw covering part, and an elevated portion formed by modifying a portion of the cavity in order to uniformly distribute microwave scattered by a stirrer fan. Therefore, the microwave can be distributed more uniformly about the cavity and thereby food can be cooked more evenly and speedily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Ryul Lee
  • Publication number: 20100243646
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes emitting electromagnetic radiation from a magnetron and receiving the electromagnetic radiation in a scatterer. The method also includes varying a radar cross section of the scatterer in response to exposure to the electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Erik Hershey, Michael James Hartman, Kenneth Brakeley Welles, Richard Louis Zinser, John Anderson Fergus Ross
  • Patent number: 7507938
    Abstract: A speed cooking oven (1) has a cooking cavity (2), and a microwave waveguide (20a) with slotted antenna (70) which efficiently emits electromagnetic energy (51a) to assist with the speed cooking of food product (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Turbochef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David McFadden
  • Publication number: 20080264934
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved reactor, which allows microwave-assisted processing of feedstocks or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and the operating system thereof, which operates under high temperatures and pressures of hydrogen or other gases, in continuous of batch mode. The invention relates to modifications in the geometric configuration of the reactor to process diverse hydrocarbon feedstocks, with or without the addition of catalysts, in the presence or absence of hydrogen or other gases, forming a system which includes a reaction vessel and associated devices, so as to to allow better transmittance of the radiation onto the feedstock to be processed and guarantee maximum absorption of the microwaves by the the reaction medium irrespective of the composition thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Elizabeth Marques MOREIRA, Mauri Jose Baldini Cardoso, Sumair Gouveia de Araujo, Jiro Takahashi, Mauricio Souza de Alencar
  • Publication number: 20080185377
    Abstract: Thermal processing apparatus and a method for the defrosting of meat are disclosed. A vessel includes an opening, and a rotation assembly is adapted to rotate the vessel such that the opening is disposed on the axis of rotation. The vessel preferably comprises electrically conductive walls. An RF source is adapted to direct electromagnetic energy into the vessel through the opening. Preferably, the electromagnetic energy is in the microwave spectrum. The apparatus includes a waveguide which couples electromagnetic energy from the RF source to the opening in the vessel. A rotary coupling is used to couple electromagnetic energy from the RF source to the opening in the vessel. The process includes tumbling and radiating the product with microwave energy to bring the product from below the latent heat stage to fully defrosted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: RONALD G. MICKEY, Christopher O. Norman, Bruce M. Gould
  • Patent number: 7199342
    Abstract: The present invention includes a mechanical joint between a die and a substrate that is reflowed by microwave energy and a method of forming such a mechanical joint by printing a solder over a substrate, placing the solder in contact with a bump over a die, reflowing the solder with microwave energy, and forming a mechanical joint from the solder and the bump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn Ratificar, Carlos Gonzalez, Lejun Wang
  • Patent number: 7145119
    Abstract: A microwave cooker includes a body having a cooking chamber therein, a microwave source disposed at the body for generating a microwave, a wave guide for guiding the microwave generated from the microwave source into the cooking chamber, a rotation antenna installed in the body to be rotatable by a driving motor for emitting the microwave guided by the wave guide into the cooking chamber, and a movable stirrer coupled to the rotation antenna so as to be interworked with the rotation antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang-Yong Kim, Eung-Su Kim, Young-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 7105787
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively maintaining the power-frequency spectrum in a reverberation chamber. The invention is thus capable of maintaining a relatively constant power-frequency spectrum in the chamber even when a device under examination is placed into the chamber which exhibits selective frequency absorption and or directional frequency absorption. The object disposed within the chamber need not necessarily be a device under examination. Rather, the present invention can also adaptively maintain a relatively constant power-frequency spectrum when heating any material disposed within a electromagnetic wave chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fiore Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Clemen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7087873
    Abstract: A high-frequency heating apparatus with a steam generating function, which heat-treats a to-be-heated object by supplying at least high-frequency waves or steam to a heating chamber 11 that accommodates the object. This high-frequency heating apparatus has a high frequency wave generating portion 13, a steam generating portion 15 for generating steam in the heating chamber 11, and a circulating fan 17 for agitating air in the heating chamber 11. Moreover, the high-frequency heating apparatus has a chamber air heater 19 for heating air circulating in the heating chamber 11. The steam generating portion 15 generates steam by heating an evaporating dish 35 that has a water storing recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Hayakawa, Kouji Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 7034266
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for tuning a microwave apparatus. The chamber volume of the microwave apparatus can be changed by moving a flexible portion of a flexible wall while a perimeter portion of the flexible wall remains fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. DeGroot, James A. Boldra, Keith R. Haen
  • Patent number: 7030347
    Abstract: A microwave oven, which has a circular polarized wave stirrer for uniformly heating food, is disclosed. The microwave oven includes a magnetron generating electromagnetic waves, a waveguide guiding the electromagnetic waves generated from the magnetron to a cavity, and a stirrer formed to an outlet of the waveguide, receiving electromagnetic waves from the magnetron, and generating two polarized waves having different electric field directions and phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Won Hui Lee, Eung Su Kim
  • Patent number: 7012228
    Abstract: A microwave oven comprises a magnetron for delivering microwave power to a cavity of the oven, a rotatable phase modular (19) an electrical resistance heating element (12) and a rotatable fan (20) for forcing air over the resistance heating element (12) and though the cavity. The phase modulator (19) and the fan (20) are mounted on a common driveshaft (18). A matchplate (9) is mounted in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Microwave Ovens Limited
    Inventors: Kenneth Ian Eke, Graham Christopher Eke
  • Patent number: 6982401
    Abstract: Microwave oven including a cavity for placing food therein, a magnetron for generating a microwave, a waveguide having at least two slots for guiding the microwave from the magnetron to an inside of the cavity, and a stirrer fan rotatably mounted on an inside of the cavity for varying an interfered state of the microwaves periodically, thereby heating the food more uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yul Hu, Kwong Yong Kim, Won Hui Lee, Eung Su Kim
  • Patent number: 6888117
    Abstract: A combination hood and microwave oven, in which the construction of a drive circuit relating to an exhaust device is simplified, reducing its manufacturing cost, and in which the number of user's manipulations required to operate the exhaust device is reduced, providing convenience of use to the user. The combination hood and microwave oven includes a variable suction hole whose suction area is variable, a variable suction hole motor allowing a suction area of the variable suction hole to vary, an exhaust motor allowing air sucked through the variable suction hole to be discharged outside the combination hood and microwave oven, an exhaust motor drive unit controlling a rotational speed of the exhaust motor, and a variable suction hole adjusting unit that controls the variable suction hole motor to allow a suction area of the variable suction hole to vary according to the rotational speed of the exhaust motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ha-Yeong Yang
  • Patent number: 6781102
    Abstract: A microwave delivery system for a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber includes a toroidal-shaped waveguide, a magnetron, a tubular feed member interconnecting the magnetron with the toroidal-shaped wave guide and a field flux generator positioned about the tubular feed member. The flux field generator shifts a microwave energy field produced by the magnetron in the tubular feed member. The shifted microwave field focuses high energy standing waves that are directed into the toroidal-shaped wave guide and, ultimately, the cooking chamber. The field flux generator produces either magnetic or electrical fields and is driven by a pulsed DC current, a rectified AC current or a pure AC signal energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Sondra Denice Proffitt, Robert Z. Whipple, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6770859
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes openings and microwave dispersing apparatuses which are arranged to align with a magnetron in a row below a cooking cavity so as to reduce the overall size of a waveguide and uniformly reflect high-frequency electromagnetic waves to all regions of the cooking cavity. The center of a first opening is disposed at a downstream location away from the magnetron by a distance corresponding to one of odd numbers times a half-wavelength of a standing wave in the waveguide, while the center of a second opening is disposed at an upstream location which is offset from another distance away from the magnetron corresponding to another one of the odd numbers times the half-wavelength of the standing wave in the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeon-Hong Kang
  • Publication number: 20040134906
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a motor for a stirrer and a motor mounting unit. The motor is provided at an outer circumferential surface thereof with a first flange having a hole. The motor mounting unit is provided on an outer surface of a wave guide of the microwave oven, and includes a seat, a mounting piece, and a stopper. The motor is seated on the seat. The mounting piece is provided at an edge of the seat, and has a hole. The stopper is upwardly projected from a first piece which is provided at an edge of the seat adjacent to the mounting piece, and functions to delimit a mounted position of the motor. The motor mounting unit also includes a guide piece. The guide piece is upwardly projected from a second piece which is provided at an edge of the seat opposite to the mounting piece. A slot is longitudinally formed along the guide piece. The motor has a second flange at a position opposite to the first flange so as to be fitted into and guided along the slot of the guide piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Se Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 6686575
    Abstract: A microwave oven effectively and uniformly cooks large-sized food even though the food inhibits a proper rotation of a cooking tray in a cooking cavity of the microwave oven. An upper wave dispersing unit is provided at a top wall of the cooking cavity and primarily disperses microwaves from the top wall into the cooking cavity. A side wave dispersing unit is provided at a second sidewall of the cooking cavity opposite to a first sidewall of the cooking cavity. The first sidewall partitions the cooking cavity from a machine room of the microwave oven. The side wave dispersing unit secondarily disperses the primarily dispersed microwaves in the cooking cavity. The second sidewall of the cooking cavity has a recess which receives a fan of the side wave dispersing unit. A cover is installed in front of the recess to cover the fan of the side wave dispersing unit. The cover is made of a transparent material and allows a user to view a rotational operation of the side wave dispersing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 6657171
    Abstract: A microwave delivery system for a cooking appliance includes a toroidal waveguide having a ring diameter twice that of the wavelength of the microwaves produced by a magnetron, and a cross-sectional diameter equal to one-half of the produced microwaves. The waveguide includes a plurality of cavity excitation ports through which the microwaves enter a cooking cavity. The delivery system further includes a rotating stirrer positioned within the waveguide. The stirrer includes a plurality of openings which become aligned with the cavity excitation ports when the stirrer is rotated to create a uniform, high energy pattern of microwave energy to enter the cooking cavity. Finally, the waveguide includes a plurality of openings along spaced portions thereof to allow a flow of air through the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Trieu Huynh, Sondra Denice Proffitt, Robert Z. Whipple, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6614010
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating a sample, such as chemical reaction mixtures, whose dielectric properties varies during the heating process. In particular, the present invention relates to a microwave heating apparatus comprising a microwave generator, a waveguide for guiding the generated microwaves to an applicator, and a deflector formed by a closed loop defining a plane, said deflector having an inherent resonance frequency and a thickness in a direction normal to said plane, the deflector being rotatable around an axis being at least substantially parallel to said plane, the deflector being positioned in the waveguide so as to form a resonant cavity with the sample and the waveguide applicator. The resonance conditions of the resonant cavity and the coupling factor of radiation from the waveguide to the cavity are easily adjustable by rotation of the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Personal Chemistry I Uppsala AB
    Inventors: Magnus Fagrell, Per Olov G. Risman
  • Patent number: 6614011
    Abstract: An opening is formed in a right side of a heating chamber. The opening is covered by a protection cover. A waveguide is connected to the opening. A magnetron is connected to the waveguide. The magnetron has a magnetron antenna. An emission antenna is arranged around the magnetron antenna. A rotating plate is mounted to the protection cover. A plurality of diffusion antennas are mounted to the rotating plate. The diffusion antennas are arranged from the waveguide to the heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Omori, Ryota Isshiki, Kuniyasu Kubo
  • Publication number: 20030127455
    Abstract: A device and process to roast green coffee beans using a combination of microwave, conduction, convection, infrared, and latent steam heating. The device is a sealed cartridge that is semi porous and is used in a conventional or purpose built microwave oven. The resultant coffee is more flavorful and uses ½ the energy that conventional roasters use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: Mr. Glen T. Poss, GTPgroup
    Inventor: Glen T. Poss
  • Patent number: 6590191
    Abstract: A source provides an electromagnetic wave that has a range of frequencies. The source sweeps the frequency of the electromagnetic wave between a cutoff frequency and double the cutoff frequency. The location, angle, or effective angle of an opening is adjusted by an opening adjuster. A path for an electromagnetic wave has a short for creating a standing wave. The path has a movable surface that can push and pull the peaks and valleys of the standing wave so as to achieve more uniform heating of the material. A dielectric wheel pushes and pulls the peaks and valleys of a standing wave so as to achieve more uniform heating of a material. A dielectric structure has a surface that has a short side and a long side. A motor rotates the dielectric structure to push and pull the peaks and valleys of a standing wave so as to achieve more uniform heating of a material. A path has a first choke flange that has a width w1 and a second choke flange that has a width w2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Microwaves Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Michael Drozd, William T. Joines
  • Patent number: 6576879
    Abstract: A microwave oven having a wave distributing device. A motor-operated rotor is installed inside a cooking cavity to distribute high-frequency electromagnetic waves (“microwaves”) generated by the oscillation of a magnetron. The wave distributing device includes a rotation trace limiter which limits a rotation trace of the rotor within a predetermined range. The rotation trace limiter includes stoppers which limit the rotation of the rotor, or a cam mechanism unit which changes a movement of a motor shaft connecting the rotor to the motor. Accordingly, an optimum energy efficiency is achieved, thereby saving energy required during an operation of the microwave oven under a standard load. In addition, the amount of the microwaves reflected back to the magnetron during an operation under a no-load or a light load is reduced. Therefore, life expectancy of the magnetron and the overall operational reliability of the microwave oven are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Eui Hoh
  • Publication number: 20030102307
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes openings and microwave dispersing apparatuses which are arranged to align with a magnetron in a row below a cooking cavity so as to reduce the overall size of a waveguide and uniformly reflect high-frequency electromagnetic waves to all regions of the cooking cavity. The center of a first opening is disposed at a downstream location away from the magnetron by a distance corresponding to one of odd numbers times a half-wavelength of a standing wave in the waveguide, while the center of a second opening is disposed at an upstream location which is offset from another distance away from the magnetron corresponding to another one of the odd numbers times the half-wavelength of the standing wave in the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jeon-Hong Kang
  • Patent number: 6469286
    Abstract: A compact and highly controllable impedance-varying-unit, a microwave device using the same unit, and a high-frequency-heating appliance using the same unit are provided. The impedance varying unit includes a rectangular waveguide-section as a main body made of metallic material, an open end of waveguide-section working on microwave in a microwave cavity, a terminal end of waveguide-section closed by metallic material, a rotary movable body made of non-metallic material, and a driver for the movable body. A rotating angle or a position of the movable body is controlled, so that an impedance at the open end is varied and transmission status of microwave is changed, thereby variably controlling a standing wave distribution. Controlling the standing wave distribution allows an object in the cavity to be selectively heated or uniformly heated. Further, the standing wave produced in the microwave cavity is sequentially varied, so that the object can be selectively heated or uniformly heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomotaka Nobue, Akemi Fukumoto, Akira Ahagon, Tomoko Tani, Koji Yoshino
  • Patent number: 6469287
    Abstract: A combination microwave ventilated hood cooking system including a microwave oven with a cooking cavity; a magnetron for generating microwaves located adjacent the cooking cavity; and cooling fan outside the cooking cavity. The cooking cavity including at least two trays of different shapes and a stirrer for dispersing microwaves in the cooking cavity. A guide is between the stirrer and the cooling fan such that the guide has a downward slope from the cooling fan to the stirrer. During operation of the microwave, the cooling fan creates an air current, which is directed to the stirrer by the guide and drives the stirrer to disperse microwaves in the cooking cavity and direct an air current to cool the magnetron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Gi Young Kim
  • Patent number: 6268596
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus designed to allow concentration of microwave power to a liquid sample to be processed, by use of a field-perturbing tool disposed within or proximate to the volume of liquid. Uniformity of processing is achieved by circulating the liquid past the tool during processing. The apparatus and method is particularly useful when used to excite a nonlinear process whereby greater overall process efficiency may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Lauf, Zakaryae Fathi, Denise A. Tucker
  • Patent number: 6239416
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating a microwave oven using a deterministic chaotic signal. The microwave oven includes a heating compartment, a magnetron for generating microwaves, a waveguide for directing the microwaves into the heating compartment and a chaotic signal generator for driving the magnetron. The characteristics of the chaotic signal are adjusted to tend to vary the output energy of the magnetron and increase the uniformity of the microwaves in the heating compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Nomura, Noboru Wakami, Kazuyuki Aihara
  • Patent number: 6114677
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a magnetron (6) mounted on a top surface of a wave guide (7). A bottom surface of wave guide (7) is inclined towards the bottom of the wave guide opening. A metal plate (9) is provided with a predetermined clearance above the bottom surface of wave guide (7). The microwaves are irradiated from an antenna (10) of magnetron (6) and travel along the bottom surface of wave guide (7). The microwaves are guided to an opening (8) under regulation by a metal plate (9) dispersion, and thus the microwaves reach the opening without suffering from the loss of energy. An object of heating (1) is irradiated directly by the microwaves with an improved heating efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Idomoto, Kazuho Sakamoto, Hirofumi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 6025580
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Inventor: Shunichi Yagi
  • Patent number: 6013909
    Abstract: A portable microwave oven includes: electrical components for generating microwaves; a heating chamber for food to be heat cooked; and a door for allowing food to be put in and taken out from the heating chamber. The door incorporates a microwave stirrer for agitating microwaves. When food is heated, the user takes the tray out from the heating chamber so as to place food and then can easily put the food together with the tray by holding the handle of the tray. Similarly, when food is taken out, it is taken out together with the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Aramaki, Kiyoto Fushino
  • Patent number: 6008483
    Abstract: A microwave oven excitation system comprising a cylindrical microwave launcher for radiating microwave energy into a heating cavity of a microwave oven which is mounted adjacent to the heating cavity, a quarter-wave matching waveguide secured to the launcher, a rectangular waveguide secured to the quarter-wave matching waveguide, and a source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the rectangular waveguide remotely from the launcher. In addition, a mode stirrer may be optionally installed within the cylindrical microwave launcher. Also, an iris may be optionally mounted between the cylindrical microwave launcher and the heating cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: TurboChef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip R. McKee, Earl R. Winkelmann, John David Gidner
  • Patent number: 5998775
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a main body, a cooking chamber provided in the main body, and an electrical component compartment containing electrical components, including a magnetron for supplying microwaves to the cooking chamber. Disposed in the cooking chamber is a microwave reflecting varying plate continuously reciprocated by a drive motor during a cooking operation, for reflecting microwaves at continuously varying angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-Jun Sung
  • Patent number: 5990466
    Abstract: A microwave oven excitation system comprising a cylindrical microwave launcher for radiating microwave energy into a heating cavity of a microwave oven which is mounted adjacent to the heating cavity in either a substantially vertical position or a substantially horizontal position, a first hollow waveguide secured to the launcher, a first source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the first waveguide, a second hollow waveguide secured to the launcher substantially perpendicular to the first waveguide, and a second source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the second waveguide. Alternatively, a single waveguide is secured to the cylindrical launcher and has only a single source of microwave energy secured thereto. In either case, a mode stirrer can be installed within the cylindrical microwave launcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: TurboChef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip R. McKee, Earl R. Winkelman, John David Gidner
  • Patent number: 5877479
    Abstract: A microwave oven equipped with a microwave stirrer. The oven has a magnetron for generating a microwave, a tray for rotating a foodstuff, a stirrer for uniformly dispersing the microwave into a chamber, and a driving device for simultaneously driving the tray and the stirrer. As a driving device, a motor and a gear section are provided so that the driving device drives both the tray having rollers and stirring plates for stirring the microwave. The oven stirs the microwave so that the microwave is uniformly dispersed in a chamber, thereby uniformly heating the foodstuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hak-Seok Yu
  • Patent number: 5859412
    Abstract: A method of drying objects includes the steps of placing the object into a pressure reduction tank, placing a metallic element having an acute-angled portion into the pressure reduction tank, reducing to the pressure toward a predetermined single reduced pressure value or plurality of reduced pressure values, subjecting the object to controlled microwave heating and controlled far infrared heating either separately or simultaneously, continuously heating the body of the pressure reduction tank to vaporize any water that comes into contact with the inside wall surfaces of the pressure reduction tank, detecting an electrical discharge at the acute-angled portion of the metallic element due to microwave energy, stopping or pausing the microwave heating when an electrical discharge is detected at the acute-angled portion 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 dis
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Shunichi Yagi
  • Patent number: 5828042
    Abstract: A uniform heating apparatus for a microwave oven and a method thereof which are capable of more uniformly heating food by generating various resonant modes based on the kind of food. The apparatus includes an oscillator unit having a wave guide tube for guiding microwaves generated by a magnetron to a lower portion of a heating chamber formed in a microwave oven main body, a resonant mode conversion unit for converting the microwaves guided to the lower portion of the heating chamber to have various resonant modes, a plurality of sensors for detecting the characteristics of food when the microwaves, the resonant mode of which is converted by the resonant mode conversion unit, are supplied to the food in the heating chamber, and a controller for controlling the oscillator unit and the resonant mode conversion unit in accordance with the characteristics of the food detected by the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joon Sik Choi, Yang Kyeong Kim