Patents Examined by Philip H. Leung
  • Patent number: 7105786
    Abstract: A high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function for supplying at least any one of high frequency and steam to a heating chamber 11 for accommodating an object to be heated and heat-treating the object to be heated, the apparatus has a high frequency generating part 13, a steam generating part 15 for generating steam inside the heating chamber 11, a temperature detecting part 20 for detecting temperature of the steam generating part, and a control part 501 for controlling a heater, wherein the steam generating part is controlled to heat based on temperature information of the temperature detecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Kanzaki, Yuji Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7102109
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes a surface, a heating coil for inductionally-heating a load pan, an inverter for supplying a high-frequency current to the heating coil, an infrared detector which detects infrared radiation emitted from the load pan and is located under a top plate, a first temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the load pan based on an output of the infrared detector, a heating controller for controlling a power output from the inverter, a thermo-sensitive element for receiving heat from the top plate, and a second temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the load pan based on an output of the first thermo-sensitive element. This induction heating cooker detects a temperature change of the load pan accurately by detecting an infrared radiation from the load pan, and detects the temperature of the load pan by the heat conduction from the pan even if ambient light enters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Niiyama, Naoaki Ishimaru, Masayo Haji, Hirofumi Inui
  • Patent number: 7102108
    Abstract: An excitation coil and/or a core member, which has a characteristic frequency other than frequencies used, is employed. Thereby, resonance is prevented between adjacent coils or between a coil and an adjacent component such as a core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Kazushige Morihara, Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7098430
    Abstract: Information on a temperature of a heat generation member at a position which is in the neighborhood of an end portion of a conveyance area of a material, to be heated, having a maximum size and in the neighborhood of a non-conveyance area of a material, to be heated, having a size smaller than the maximum size is detected by temperature information detector, and a changer lowers a target temperature of the heat generation member depending on a detection result of the temperature information detector. Thereafter, when the detection result of the temperature information detector reaches a predetermined temperature, a magnetic flux adjusting member is started to be moved by a moving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kondo, Tokihiko Ogura, Yasuo Nami, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Takahiro Nakase, Hitoshi Suzuki, Yasuhiro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7094998
    Abstract: A heating cooker which evenly heats or cooks food, and is easily cleaned, includes a cabinet to define a cooking cavity therein. The cooking cavity is open at a front thereof. A fan chamber is defined by recessing a rear wall of the cooking cavity at a predetermined area to a predetermined depth. An air circulation fan and a heater are installed in the fan chamber. The air circulation fan circulates air of the cooking cavity. The heater heats the air in the fan chamber. A chamber cover is mounted to the rear wall of the cooking cavity to cover an open front of the fan chamber. The chamber cover has a plurality of air suction ports at a central area thereof, with a plurality of air distribution ports provided along an edge of the chamber cover to guide the air from the fan chamber to the edge of the chamber cover so as to discharge the air to the cooking cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kobayashi Shozo, Jang Jun Lee, Yun Ic Hwang, Pung Yeun Cho, Dong Wok Ko, Hyung Min Kim, Kwang Keun Kim
  • Patent number: 7091457
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating uniform heating of an microwave absorptive target. A microwave housing has a longitudinal axis and propagates a waveguide mode at an operating frequency. The target is located in an axial cross-sectional area relative to the longitudinal axis. First layer conductive strips are layered proximal to an inner wall of the microwave housing, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and being separated from an adjacent first layer conductive strip by a respective first layer gap, the inner wall acting as a ground plane. Second layer conductive strips are layered proximal to the first layer of conductive strips, parallel to the longitudinal axis and being separated from an adjacent second layer conductive strip by a respective second layer gap. Each first layer gap is centered under a respective second layer conductive strip and each second layer gap is centered over a conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Gregoire, Daniel F. Sievenpiper, Weldon S. Williamson
  • Patent number: 7087869
    Abstract: In a transverse induction heating apparatus in which a material to be rolled is heated by inductors to which electric power is supplied from an AC power source, iron core widths of the inductors in a plate width direction of the material to be rolled are smaller than plate width of the material to be rolled, they are disposed on a plate width center line of the material to be rolled, and when a current penetration depth is ?(m), specific resistance of the material to be rolled is ?(?-m), magnetic permeability of the material to be rolled is ?(H/m), heating frequency of the AC power source is f (Hz), and plate thickness of the material to be rolled is tw (m), the heating frequency of the AC power source is set so that ?={?/(?·f·?)}1/2 and (tw/?)<0.95.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Eguchi, Hideo Sakamoto, Norihiro Saijou
  • Patent number: 7087870
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for multi-frequency induction heating of a workpiece. Switching devices are used to selectively add, remove or reconfigure capacitive elements in the circuit to change the circuit's resonant frequency, and consequently, the frequency of induction heating or melting power transfer from the power supply to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventor: Oleg S. Fishman
  • Patent number: 7087872
    Abstract: An oven, is provided that includes multiple heat transfer means, including convection and microwave heat transfer means. The oven includes a cooking chamber, a blower and at least a shelf disposed within the cooking chamber. The shelf is designed to act as a food support as well as a conduit through which heated air passes into the cooking chamber. The microwave heating means comprises a microwave source and wave guide through which microwaves travel. The wave guide includes a plurality of openings through which microwaves can pass into said cooking chamber. In the preferred embodiment, the openings in the wave guide are positioned to correspond with the predetermined minima or maxima for the microwave wavelength propagating within the wave guide. An electric heating element may also be disposed within the cooking chamber to provide an alternative heating source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Enersyst Development Center, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Michael J. Dobie, John Robert Norris, Neal S. Cooper, Carlos Bacigalupe, Robert W. Foreman
  • Patent number: 7087874
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method, for drying ceramic molded articles, are disclosed. A drying apparatus (1) comprises a drying chamber (10) for accommodating ceramic molded articles (8), a plurality of microwave generators (20) for supplying microwave energy into the drying chamber, and a conveyor (30) for charging the ceramic molded articles (8) continuously into the drying chamber (10), conveying the ceramic molded articles through the drying chamber, and delivering the ceramic molded articles from the drying chamber. The drying chamber (10) has arranged therein a plurality of the microwave generators (20) and at least a sensor (40) for detecting the distribution of the ceramic molded articles (8) in the drying chamber (10). Each microwave generator (20) is adapted to change the output thereof in accordance with the distribution of the ceramic molded articles (8) detected by the sensor (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Micro Denshi Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ishikawa, Hiromi Katou, Shoichi Goto, Tomio Minobe
  • 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: 7081603
    Abstract: A composite cooking apparatus having a body, a heating unit, an induction heating unit, and an insulating plate. The heating unit is positioned in the body to generate heat used to heat food. The induction heating unit is positioned adjacent to the heating unit to generate a magnetic field to cook the food by induction heating. The insulating plate is positioned between the heating unit and the induction heating unit to prevent heat generated from the heating unit from being transmitted to the induction heating unit. Further, the insulating plate is provided with at least one heat reflecting layer to reflect the heat generated from the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Eui Hoh, Jun Young Lee, Dong Lyoul Shin, Ha Yeong Yang, Jong Gun Kim, Alexandr Narbut
  • Patent number: 7078662
    Abstract: A drawer-type heat cooker is provided in which a sliding mechanism for drawing out and pushing in a drawer body in a cooker body and a drive mechanism for driving the sliding mechanism are arranged separately from the heat chamber. As a result, these mechanisms can be prevented from being exposed to microwave in the heat chamber and leavings of food. The drawer body can be moved on the outside of the heat chamber with respect to the cooker body via left and right slide rails as a sliding mechanism and a slide rail at a center provided with the drive mechanism. The respective slide rails and the drive mechanism are prevented from being affected by high temperature, microwave, or leavings of food which may cause breakdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Yoshidome
  • Patent number: 7075044
    Abstract: An induction-heating cooking apparatus, operation of which is interrupted by container eccentricity is disclosed. Upon receiving an input signal varying with the degree of eccentricity of a container, the apparatus changes a reference signal for determining the presence or absence of a small load in proportion to a pulse-width control signal controlling the width of an inverter driving pulse. Although the eccentricity of the container occurs in a normal heating operation and completely escapes from a cook zone, the apparatus determines the occurrence of a no-load state, and interrupts an operation of an inverter circuit, resulting in increased stability of a circuit and a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Hee Ryu, Eui Sung Kim, Byeong Wook Park
  • Patent number: 7067777
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined toaster and microwave oven that can obtain uniformly toasted slices of bread even when the slices of the bread are toasted successively several times. The combined toaster and microwave oven includes a key input unit for selecting user's favorite kind of the bread and baking level, a memory for storing heating time of the heaters according to the favorite kind of the bread and the favorite baking level, a temperature sensor for sensing internal temperature of the toaster, a controller for counting an elapsed time for the heaters to operate after the heaters stop and adjusting the heating time of the heaters according to the counted time and the internal temperature of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Byeong Yong Lee, Sung Un Shin, Shin Jae Jeong, Won Kyoung Park
  • Patent number: 7067778
    Abstract: A microwave oven provided with a cooking container arranged in a cooking compartment for both steaming and grilling food. The cooking container includes a main body and a lid heated by high-frequency waves, a supporting member for selectively supporting the lid so as to rest on the upper surface of the main body, a rack selectively arrangable in the main body for supporting food so as to be steamed, and first and second heating members respectively covered on an outer surface of the bottom of the main body and an upper surface of the lid for generating heat by using the high-frequency waves. An inner surface of the bottom of the main body forms a first grill plane and a lower surface of the lid forms a second grill plane so that the food is grilled by the first and second grill planes when disposed so as to contact food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 7067780
    Abstract: A container for cooking pasta in a microwave oven is composed of a body manufactured in a material compatible with microwave ovens, and has therein a compartment to contain the pasta cooking water and a stirrer for the pasta during cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: De'Longhi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe De'Longhi
  • Patent number: 7064305
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an output of a magnetron of a microwave oven is provided. The method includes setting an initial input current to generate an output higher than rated output. Thereafter, the magnetron is driven using initial input current of the setting. The output of the magnetron is varied within a preset time to prevent overheating caused by driving of the magnetron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7060953
    Abstract: A microwave oven and automatic cooking system uses a food package provided with a noncontact IC tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, where the information about the food includes information about a method of heating the food and an amount of heat energy for cooking the food, the information about the amount of heat energy being expressed in a form of an absolute amount of heat energy. The microwave oven receives the food package and cooks the food contained in the food package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Ishikawa, Shigeru Nakano
  • Patent number: 7053345
    Abstract: A heating apparatus has a magnetic flux generator and a rotatable induction heating element for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the action of magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator, and heats a material to be heated by causing the material to be heated to contact the induction heating element. The heating apparatus further includes a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the induction heating element, power supply circuits for controlling power to be supplied to the magnetic flux generator on the basis of signals from the temperature detection, a Curie temperature reaching detector for detecting that the temperature of the induction heating element reaches the Curie temperature, and control circuits for detecting that the material to be heated is wound around the induction heating element on the basis of signals from the thermistor and the Curie temperature reaching detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Fukushi, Manabu Yamauchi, Hiroto Nishihara, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama