Patents Examined by Tuan Vinh To
  • Patent number: 5189273
    Abstract: A microwave absorbing heater comprising a porous body containing silicon oxide and having a porosity of 40 to 95%.A microwave absorbing heater may be formed of a porous body having a porosity of 40 to 95% and composed of an inorganic electrical insulating material, and a silicon carbide film formed on the surface thereof.Since the microwave absorptivity is high, the dissipation of water from a heated object is easy and the heat dissipation is small, the heating efficiency is great. The thermal shock resistance is also high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Inukai, Kanichi Tachibana, Kazuo Tsukada, Toshitaka Fujikawa, Keiichi Iida, Noboru Kogure
  • Patent number: 5185505
    Abstract: An appliance for preparing freshly brewed iced tea with microwave energy comprising a generally funnel-shaped reservoir of molded plastic construction having an open upper end, closed lower end and an aperture near the closed lower end. The reservoir is dimensioned to hold a predetermined amount of water and tea simultaneously. A valve arrangement controls the flow of liquid from the reservoir through the aperture and to move from a closed position to an open position after water in the reservoir has been heated by microwave energy to a predetermined temperature. A receptacle is dimensioned to hold the hot, brewed tea from the reservoir and a predetermined amount of ice, and includes a barrier to shield ice therein from microwave energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Mr. Coffee, inc.
    Inventor: Stanley E. Grzywana
  • Patent number: 5182425
    Abstract: A microwave susceptor structure includes a first thick metal layer, and a second matching layer coupled to the thick metal layer. The matching layer is chosen to couple a desired amount of power into the thick metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventors: Peter S. Pesheck, Ronald R. Lentz
  • Patent number: 5180896
    Abstract: The heating of blood or other medical fluids supplied to a patient is provided by a system and method of feedback control. The temperature of the blood is sensed by receiving infrared energy from the medical fluid as it flows within a sterile and disposable tube from a fluid source to the patient. Feedback control stabilizes the temperature at a desired value. A second sensor may optionally be used to determine if the fluid is too hot within the microwave device itself. The disposable tube has at least one window or thin membrane portion which allows infrared radiation to pass therethrough in order to be sensed by the sensor. One arrangement of the present invention uses a microprocessor with adaptive control to provide precise and accurate control of the temperature of the medical fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: University of Florida
    Inventors: Gordon L. Gibby, Samsun Lampotang, Daraius Hathiram, Nikolaus Gravenstein
  • Patent number: 5177332
    Abstract: A laminated wrap for packaging articles of food requiring browning and crispening and a degree of shielding during microwave cooking is disclosed. The wrap comprises a layer of flexible, heat resistant, microwave transparent plastic film, a layer of flexible, heat resistant, heat stable, microwave transparent film, and a layer of substantially continuous microwave susceptor material located on an interior surface of a film of the laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Dan S. C. Fong
  • Patent number: 5175406
    Abstract: A resonant high-frequency or micro-wave applicator for the thermal treatment of a flat material is disclosed. This applicator comprises a flat capacitor between the plates of which the material moves and an inductor which is constituted by a metal band extending transversely the plate acting as hot electrode. The inner face of the plate acting as ground electrode is divided into elementary sections by an assembly of longitudinal grooves. Preferably, the same applies to the inner faces of the plate acting as hot electrode and the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Centre Technique Industriel dit: Institut Textile de France
    Inventors: Georges Roussy, Bertrand Meyer, Jean-Francois Rochas, Christophe Debard
  • Patent number: 5173580
    Abstract: An apparatus to provide more uniform heating of a food product in a microwave oven is disclosed. The invention employs a susceptor in combination with a conductive sheet forming a border around the edge of the susceptor and having an opening in the center exposing the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventors: Liza Levin, Peter S. Pesheck
  • Patent number: 5171948
    Abstract: A high frequency heating apparatus includes a casing, an inverter enclosed in the casing, a magnetron supplied with high frequency voltage from the inverter, and three attachment plugs each connected to one of external power supplies of different output voltages. The attachment plugs are connected to the inverter input side via respective power supply selecting switches. The apparatus further includes three display panels one of which is selectively attached to the apparatus. Each display panel has an indicia indicative of one of the power supply voltages used and two projections selectively turning off the other two power supply selecting switches when attached to the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 5170039
    Abstract: The toaster comprises a housing for receiving the pieces of bread to be toasted or to be reheated and on both sides of this housing an electric heating element having an electric resistor (R.sub.1, R.sub.2) wound on an elongated support made of insulating material (10, 11).On both sides of the housing there is provided at least one second electric resistor (R.sub.3, R.sub.4), commutation being provided to connect to the mains, as desired, one or both of the abovementioned resistors.Use: to permit a plurality of heating modes in toasters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: SeB S.A.
    Inventor: Roger Eisenberg
  • Patent number: 5170025
    Abstract: A susceptor structure includes a substrate having a first side and a second side. A first microwave interactive layer is located on the first side of the substrate. A second microwave interactive layer is located on a second side of the substrate. A covering layer is coupled to the first microwave interactive layer. The first microwave interactive layer is coupled to the covering layer more firmly than to the substrate during exposure of the susceptor structure to microwave energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Perry
  • Patent number: 5160829
    Abstract: An electric heat-convection stove, comprising an electric heat-convection control unit having four alloy posts respectively connected thereto at the four corners thereof for mounting three glass side boards, a front panel and a base. The three glass side boards, the front panel and the base are interchangeable so that various alternations can be achieved. A rack is fastened inside the stove for holding foods. Two pawl means and two spring means are respectively connected between the rack and the front panel so that the front panel can be rotated to an open the stove or automatically pulled back to close the stove. A grease collector can be drawn out for cleaning and then pushed back into place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Inventor: Kwei T. Chang
  • Patent number: 5155335
    Abstract: An oven for baking a powdered coating material to an object has an inlet air-shield chamber connected to the inlet side of a horizontal heating chamber. The inlet air-shield chamber is provided therein with a radiation heat source which heats the object and the layer of coating powder to a temperature substantially equal to the baking temperature before the object enters the horizontal heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignees: Shoei Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Onoda Cement Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyota Habaki, Iyuki Watanabe, Tsutomu Itoh, Masakatsu Deguchi, Katsuya Itoh
  • Patent number: 5153402
    Abstract: A microwave cooking tray for microwave ovenable foodstuffs which usually display browned or crisped areas upon conventional oven cooking. The container is formed from a one piece blank of dielectric material, such as paperboard, which is bent and folded to form a trough shaped tray. A microwave interactive component included in the blank provides thermal heating effects such as browning and crisping for foodstuff placed in the tray and heated in a microwave oven. The tray is foldable to a flat configuration to facilitate shipment and storage. In one embodiment, the tray is flat on its entire upper portion when cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: James R. Quick, James W. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5143460
    Abstract: A humidifier including a base defining a boiler cavity; a liquid supply supported on the base and having a discharge opening communicating with the boiler cavity and adapted to maintain a given level of liquid therein; an evaporation unit removably mounted on the base and including an electrically energized heater element projecting into the cavity and adapted to induce evaporation of liquid contained thereby, and a vapor passage defining having a receiving end communicating with the cavity so as to receive vapor therefrom and a discharge end for discharging the vapor received from the cavity; and an electrical supply for supplying electrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Duracraft Corporation
    Inventor: Jui-Shang Wang
  • Patent number: 5142125
    Abstract: An electric oven comprising a housing (100) enclosing a cavity (6) provided on at least one wall with an electrical resistance element (7), there being provided in said cavity (6) a metal box structure (16) defining a cooking chamber (16A) which is open on one side (17) and in which food (50A, 50B) is disposed during its preparation, said box structure (16) being positioned in such a manner as to create an interspace (23, 88) between its walls (18, 19, 20) and the walls (4, 8, 22) of the cavity (6) of the oven (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool International B.V.
    Inventors: Mario Fioroli, Franciscus Kokkeler, Johan H. de Wilde de Ligny, Giovanni Franzetti
  • Patent number: 5138133
    Abstract: A far infrared radiator apparatus which includes a metal wire heating element integrally formed with a radiating device composed of an elastomeric material admixed with a ceramic powder having far infrared radiating properties. The apparatus can be composed of wire fixed to a fabric and coated with the elastomeric material, a heating element coated with far IR radiating elastomeric material to form an integrated body, or wire woven with thread formed of ceramic impregnated material to form a fabric sheet. A radiator apparatus so formed can be made flexible enough to be formed into garments, or various shapes, to heat areas or portions of the body not readily accessible to other heating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignees: Think Corporation, Texon Corporation, Ryoda Sato
    Inventors: Kaichiro Sakurada, Takashi Sato, Ryoda Sato
  • Patent number: 5138138
    Abstract: The heating system for an operating table comprises a multi-layer heating pad (2) having at least one heating segment (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) which is adapted for being electrically heated and which is pervious to X-rays. A control and regulating unit (3) serving to control or regulate the heating current necessary for achieving an adjustable temperature of the heating pad (2) is connected to the heating pad (2). The heating pad (2) is equiped with a heating conductor (16) comprising a resistor (18) having a specific electric resistance and being wound in helical form about a carrier (17) made from an electrically non-conductive material which, regarding its mechanical properties, is rubber-elastic in the temperature range of between T=10.degree. celsius to T=200.degree. celsius. The different layers of the heating pad (2) are intimately bonded to form a composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Stihler Electronic Medizintechnische Gerate Prod. und Vertriebs-GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Theilacker, Hans-Peter Stihler, Axel Stihler, Josef Burkert
  • Patent number: 5134266
    Abstract: Mobile apparatus is described for melting accumulated ice from surfaces such as aircraft, spacecraft, rocket assemblies, etc. The apparatus includes a heating source for heating air, a compressor, an elongated boom with a discharge head for discharging heated air, and controls for controlling the position of the boom. The apparatus avoids the need for chemicals and accordingly reduces pollution problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Inventor: Dennis L. Peppard
  • Patent number: 5132501
    Abstract: A microwave receptive device includes a plurality of trough members defined by arcuate side walls and a floor to receive a potato member therewithin to position and align a potato for a proper baking within a microwave oven. The holder may further include openings or slots directed through the troughs as an alternative construction and may further be positioned upon a rack structure to properly align and mount the holder medially of an oven structure. A further alternative to the device includes the holder rotatably mounted relative to a base housing to permit rotation of the potato holder member to enhance complete cooking of a potato member positioned therewithin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Inventor: William F. Green
  • Patent number: 5132504
    Abstract: An irradiator furnace is connected to a square waveguide for propagation of microwaves and provided through a top wall with a slot. A conveyor bucket conveys sealed containers along the slot with lower portions of the sealed containers being inserted through the slot into the irradiator furnace. The irradiator furnace includes therein a rail which extends from a lower level of the furnace thereof at the inlet thereof to a higher level of the furnace at the outlet so as to support the sealed containers in a vertical direction. A hot air furnace is provided above the irradiator furnace. A narrow passage extending from the outlet of the irradiator furnace is directly followed by a thermostatic station utilizing an IR heater. So the sealed containers are sterilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Eisai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Iijima