Load Condition Sensor Patents (Class 219/704)
  • Patent number: 11721889
    Abstract: Object: A plurality of problems of an electromagnetic wave transmissive cover to be installed in an electromagnetic wave irradiation direction of a sensor using an electromagnetic wave are simultaneously eliminated. Resolution means: An electromagnetic wave transmissive cover 1 is a member to be installed in an electromagnetic wave irradiation direction of a millimeter wave radar 100 using an electromagnetic wave, and includes a colored resin member 3, a transparent resin member 5, and a transparent heater film 7. The transparent resin member 5 is provided on an opposite side to the millimeter wave radar 100 of the colored resin member 3. The transparent heater film 7 is provided on the opposite side to the millimeter wave radar 100 of the colored resin member 3, includes a wiring pattern formed by copper plating or etching, and has electromagnetic wave transmissivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Kawashima, Hiroyuki Konishi, Yasuhide Fukada, Toshitsugu Fujimura, Toru Okada
  • Patent number: 10687395
    Abstract: An apparatus for irradiating a load with UHF or microwave radiation includes a cavity for accepting a load, at least one energy feed for transmitting energy into the cavity at a plurality of UHF or microwave frequencies to irradiate the load, and a controller. The controller sets transmission durations, by setting for each of a plurality of frequencies, a respective transmission duration, repeatedly causes energy to be transmitted into the cavity at the plurality of UHF or microwave frequencies according to a duty cycle, and switches ON or OFF transmission of the energy at different frequencies in different repetitions of the duty cycle, which defines an allotted transmission time for each of the plurality of UHF or microwave frequencies. Over a plurality of repetitions of the duty cycle the energy is transmitted at each of the plurality of frequencies for the respective transmission duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: GOJI LIMITED
    Inventors: Alexander Bilchinsky, Eran Ben-Shmuel
  • Patent number: 10638593
    Abstract: A matchless plasma source is described. The matchless plasma source includes a controller that is coupled to a direct current (DC) voltage source of an agile DC rail to control a shape of an amplified square waveform that is generated at an output of a half-bridge transistor circuit. The matchless plasma source further includes the half-bridge transistor circuit used to generate the amplified square waveform to power an electrode, such as an antenna, of a plasma chamber. The matchless plasma source also includes a reactive circuit between the half-bridge transistor circuit and the electrode. The reactive circuit has a high-quality factor to negate a reactance of the electrode. There is no radio frequency (RF) match and an RF cable that couples the matchless plasma source to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Maolin Long, Yuhou Wang, Ricky Marsh, Alex Paterson
  • Patent number: 10506672
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microwave oven comprising an oven cavity (2), a microwave generator (3) for generating microwaves and a waveguide (4) for guiding the microwaves to the oven cavity (2), wherein the waveguide (4) includes a reflector element (5) comprising a plurality of reflection surfaces (5.2), the reflector element (5) being fixedly arranged within the waveguide (4) or integrated in the waveguide wall in order to reflect the microwaves into the oven cavity (2) in a distributed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Claudio Mazzon
  • Patent number: 10344985
    Abstract: A method and device for computing the heat transferred during the period of time the oven takes to reach a predetermined cooking temperature comprising: at least one processor for estimating a first cooking time; a memory; an input for inputting the first cooking time and the amount of time an oven takes to achieve a series of cooking temperatures; the at least one processor operating to estimate the heat transferred to the food during the time period that the oven takes to reach the predetermined cooking temperature; the at least one processor operating to compute the amount of heat transferred to the food per unit time at the predetermined cooking temperature, and the at least one processor operating to calculate a reduced cooking time needed to cook the food based upon insertion of food into the oven at a temperature other than the predetermined cooking temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Inventor: Lawrence E Anderson
  • Patent number: 10182473
    Abstract: A power converter and a cooking apparatus including the same are disclosed. The power converter includes a switching unit to perform switching using a direct current (DC) voltage and to output an alternating current (AC) voltage, a driving unit to output a high-frequency voltage to a magnetron based on the AC voltage, an output voltage detector to detect an output voltage flowing to the magnetron, and a controller to calculate a frequency command value based on the detected output voltage, to generate a frequency command value by avoiding a resonance frequency when the calculated frequency command value corresponds to the resonance frequency, and to output the generated frequency command value to the switching unit. Therefore, it is possible to stably perform oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Seungkeun Cho
  • Patent number: 10034576
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control, regulation and operating device (1) for a cooking appliance (2), comprising at least one primary unit (3) which can be mounted on the cooking appliance (2) and is designed to communicate wirelessly with a secondary unit (4). The primary unit (3) is designed as a sensor device (5) for detecting at least one parameter that influences the cooking process and for transmitting the same to the secondary unit (4), whereas the secondary unit (4) is designed to evaluate and process the data received from the primary unit (3) and for displaying and/or sending corresponding handling instructions to the primary unit (3), and wherein the secondary unit (4) is configured as a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet PC, a pager or a PC. In this way, monitoring of the cooking process can be achieved in a simple manner using, for example, a smartphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: WMF WUERTTEMBERGISCHE METALLWARENFABRIK AG
    Inventors: Peter Barth, Matthias Doeppe, Martin Neumayer, Reinhold Von Bank
  • Patent number: 9040883
    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: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: GOJI LIMITED
    Inventors: Eran Ben-Shmuel, Alexander Bilchinsky
  • Patent number: 9006627
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a top wall, side walls, and a bottom wall at least partially defining a cavity of the microwave oven, and a table coupled to the bottom wall. The table has a top surface and an opposing bottom surface. The top surface is configured to support an item within the cavity. A light source directs light to the table. The table is configured to diffuse light emitted from the light source into the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Terry Lien Do, Bryan James Beckley, Kyle Robert Eden, Brian Michael Schork
  • Patent number: 8974743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for continuously carrying out chemical reactions. The device comprises a microwave generator, a microwave applicator accommodating a microwave-transparent tube, and an isothermal reaction section which is arranged such that the material to be reacted is guided inside the microwave-transparent tube through a microwave applicator which is used as the heating zone and in which it is heated to reaction temperature by means of microwaves that are emitted from the microwave generator into the microwave applicator. The material to be reacted, which is heated and optionally under pressure, is transferred from the microwave applicator to an isothermal reaction zone once it has left the heating zone, said reaction zone being arranged downstream of the heating zone, and is cooled once it has left the isothermal reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Limited
    Inventors: Matthias Krull, Roman Morschhaeuser
  • Patent number: 8893401
    Abstract: A lamp heater and a drying apparatus including the same, the lamp heater including a plurality of three-phase power source lamps, a dummy load, the dummy load being configured to maintain a phase balance of the three-phase power source lamps, and a controller, the controller controlling the three-phase power source lamps and the dummy load depending on a lighting condition of the three-phase power source lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsund SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su-Hwan Kim, Su-Young Byun, Kyoung-Heon Heo, Sang-Chul Seo, Byoung-Kuk Kim
  • Patent number: 8835821
    Abstract: A cooking oven, particularly a microwave oven, provides for detecting food data and for adjusting food heating and/or cooking process. The oven particularly includes an user interface with at least one socket-shaped seat adapted to receive a removable plug-shaped button which stores the food data and which is adapted to be pressed by the user for starting the heating and/or cooking process or for programming such heating or cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Anders Zeijlon
  • Publication number: 20140232274
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, kits, and systems relating to applying electromagnetic energy to an object located at least partially in an energy application zone are disclosed. Some apparatuses may include a processor configured to determine a preliminary amount of energy to be dissipated in the object and determine a corrected amount of energy based on the preliminary amount of energy and calibration information. The processor may be further configured to cause a source to transfer energy to the energy application zone and determine an amount of delivered energy, based on an amount of energy returned from the energy application zone and an amount of energy supplied to the energy application zone. The processor may also be configured to cause the source to transfer energy to the energy application zone at least until the amount of delivered energy equals the corrected amount of energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: GOJI LTD.
    Inventors: Daniella Atzmony, Eran Ben-Shmuel, Steven Robert Rogers, Amichai Ron, Daniel Selinger, Eyal Torres
  • Publication number: 20140203012
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a cavity arranged to receive a load. At least one microwave generator is configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity. At least one image-capturing device and a control unit is adapted to obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information, determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information and control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ENRIQUE CORONA, FREDRIK HALLGREN, HORACIO POLLI, GIANPIERO SANTACATTERINA
  • Publication number: 20140166642
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for heating plastics material pre-forms, with a movable carrier on which a plurality of heating devices is arranged; wherein the heating devices are controllable independently of one another and have in each case a heating element as well as at least one regulating element for regulating the heating output; and wherein the heating devices have in each case one heating area inside which the plastics material pre-forms are capable of being heated, as well as a movement device which introduces the plastics material pre-forms into this heating area. Each heating device has associated with it in each case one control device for controlling a heating procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Kursawe, Konrad Senn
  • Patent number: 8742306
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, kits, and systems relating to transferring electromagnetic energy to an energy application zone via a source of electromagnetic energy are disclosed. Some apparatuses may include a processor configured to determine a preliminary amount of energy to be dissipated in an object located at least partially in the energy application zone and determine a corrected amount of energy based on the preliminary amount of energy and calibration information. The processor may be further configured to estimate an amount of energy dissipated in the object. The processor may also be configured to cause the source to transfer energy to the energy application zone at least until the energy dissipated in the object as estimated equals the corrected amount of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Goji Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniella Atzmony, Eran Ben-Shmuel, Steven Robert Rogers, Amichai Ron, Daniel Selinger, Eyal Torres
  • Patent number: 8618450
    Abstract: A domestic oven comprises heating means, a gas sensor connected to a central processing and control unit and a user interface connected to the central processing unit by means of which the user can set the type of food placed in the oven compartment. The user interface comprises means for setting the desired degree of cooking of the food and is capable of processing the signal of the gas sensor in such a way as to determine the optimal cooking end time of the food. The central processing unit interrupts the electrical supply to the heating means on the basis either of said cooking end time, modified if necessary on the basis of degree of cooking set by the user, or of the food type set by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore Sanna, Paolo Crosta, Gianpiero Santacatterina, Nicola Bedetti
  • Patent number: 8546735
    Abstract: A microwave oven is provided. A barrier member prevents airflow provided by a fan assembly from being introduced again to the fan assembly. A separation member divides the airflow provided by the fan assembly to cool a first component and a second component. Thus, the components are efficiently cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Choi, Kyu-Young Kim, Jae-Myung Chin, Sang-Ryul Lee, Dong-Han Kim, Si-Young Choi
  • Patent number: 8530806
    Abstract: The electrical power supply to a magnetron (M) is regulated as a function of an instantaneous microwave power setpoint by: predetermining and storing (20) a value (?) for the electrical efficiency of the magnetron; inputting (19) a setpoint mean microwave power value, and converting it into a low frequency setpoint instantaneous power signal that is sampled at high frequency; measuring (8, 9) and sampling the instantaneous values of anode current and of the high voltage fed to the magnetron; calculating (10) the difference at a sampling instant (n) between the setpoint instantaneous microwave power and the product of the current multiplied by the high voltage multiplied by the efficiency; determining an instantaneous microwave power value at the consecutive sampling instant (n+1) that is corrected as a function of a predetermined regulation relationship that is valid at said instant (n+1); and converting it into an analog signal representative of the corrected instantaneous microwave power for powering the ma
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sidel Participations
    Inventors: Ertan Cetinel, Nicolas Chomel
  • Patent number: 8530807
    Abstract: A method of operating a microwave oven and a microwave oven are disclosed. The microwave oven comprises a magnetron for providing microwave power to heat a load placed in the microwave oven, and a solid-state microwave generator for providing microwave power to sense presence and/or determine nature of the load in the microwave oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Olle Niklasson, Ulf Nordh, Fredrik Hallgren, Hakan Carlsson
  • Patent number: 8461500
    Abstract: A microwave oven is provided. A component generating relatively high temperature heat and a component generating a relatively low temperature heat are cooled by airflow divided and provided by a cooling part, thereby improving operation reliability and durability of a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Choi, Kyu-Young Kim, Jae-Myung Chin, Sang-Ryul Lee, Dong-Han Kim, Si-Young Choi
  • Patent number: 8357885
    Abstract: A system for melting a substance may be provided. The system may comprise at least one burner probe. The at least one burner probe may comprise an absorber and a first wave guide configured to transmit microwaves. The absorber may be configured to receive the microwaves from the first wave guide and to convert energy from the microwaves into heat. The system may further comprise a second wave guide and a rotating wave guide. The rotating wave guide may be positioned between the first wave guide and the second wave guide. The rotating wave guide may comprise a plurality of sections configured to rotate about a central axis. The rotating wave guide may be configured to rotate approximately 90 degrees. For example, the rotating wave guide may comprise three sections wherein each one of the three sections may be configured to rotate approximately 30 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Southwire Company
    Inventors: Victor F. Rundquist, William J. Gregory, Kevin S. Gill
  • Publication number: 20130001221
    Abstract: An instrument for performing microwave-assisted reactions and an associated method are disclosed. The instrument typically includes (i) a microwave-radiation source, (ii) a cavity, (iii) a waveguide in microwave communication with the microwave-radiation source and the cavity, (iv) at least one reaction-vessel sensor for determining the number and/or type of reaction vessels positioned within the cavity, (v) an interface, and (vi) a computer controller. The computer controller is typically in communication with the interface, the microwave-radiation source, and the reaction-vessel sensor. The computer controller is typically capable of determining the output of the microwave-radiation source in response to the number and/or type of reaction vessels positioned within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: CEM Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph J. Lambert
  • Patent number: 8324540
    Abstract: A microwave oven and method for heating a load using microwaves are provided. The microwave oven comprises a cavity adapted to receive a load. The cavity is designed to support at least two predefined mode fields. For each predefined mode field, a resonance frequency in the cavity is known. Further, the microwave oven comprises a frequency-controllable microwave source for feeding microwaves into the cavity via at least one feeding port. The method comprises the steps of measuring a signal reflected from the cavity as a function of the operating frequency of the microwave source and identifying resonance frequencies in the cavity based on the measured signal. Further, the method comprises the steps of selecting, for the predefined modes, at least two of the identified resonance frequencies based on the known resonance frequencies and switching the operating frequency of the microwave source using the selected frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ulf Erik Nordh, Olle Sven Niklasson, Fredrik Hallgren, Hakan Kurt Carlsson
  • Patent number: 8299409
    Abstract: A fuzzy logic-based system and method for controlling the drying of material by a microwave applicator. The system includes power output controller that controls applicator output power; material sensor that detects amount of material in the applicator; and fuzzy logic controller that receives a signal from the material sensor indicating the current amount of material in the applicator and adjusts the microwave output power based on the current amount of material in accordance with fuzzy logic rules by sending a control signal to the power output controller. A membership function divides the expected range for the amount of material into multiple regions, each region having precomputed regional output settings. The regional output settings of the regions that include the current amount of material are used to compute the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Parasuram Padmanabhan Harihara, Brett Alan Terwilliger
  • Publication number: 20120168645
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, kits, and systems relating to applying electromagnetic energy to an object located at least partially in an energy application zone are disclosed. Some apparatuses may include a processor configured to determine a preliminary amount of energy to be dissipated in the object and determine a corrected amount of energy based on the preliminary amount of energy and calibration information. The processor may be further configured to cause a source to transfer energy to the energy application zone and determine an amount of delivered energy, based on an amount of energy returned from the energy application zone and an amount of energy supplied to the energy application zone. The processor may also be configured to cause the source to transfer energy to the energy application zone at least until the amount of delivered energy equals the corrected amount of energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Daniella Atzmony, Eran Ben-Shmuel, Steven Robert Rogers, Amichai Ron, Daniel Selinger, Eyal Torres
  • Patent number: 8207478
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid and selective heating of materials using variable frequency RF and microwaves. The apparatus uses variable frequency solid state electronics as a microwave power source, a novel microwave heating head to couple microwave energy to the target materials and a match-up network to tune the frequency and impedance match between the microwave source and the load. An electronic and computer measurement and control system is employed to monitor and control the microwave heating process. The method teaches the use of inductive microwave coupling for thin conductive materials such as metal film and impurity doped silicon wafers. The method also teaches the use of capacitive microwave coupling for dielectric material such as glass and ceramics. The method further teaches the use of rapid and selective heating of heterostructure for bonding and sealing of mems and integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventors: Yonglai Tian, Mark Y. Tian
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120111856
    Abstract: In order to provide a microwave heating device and a microwave heating control method which are capable of uniformly heating a to-be-heated object in a desired state, by employing plural feeding portions provided in a heating chamber on the basis of information about reflected electric power from the respective feeding portions; a control portion controls to supply microwave electric power from plural feeding portions to a heating chamber by operating a microwave generating portion at a heating frequency for heating a to-be-heated object, estimates a heating state for the to-be-heated object on the basis of per-unit-time increase/decrease change states of detected levels of detection signals detected by electric-power detection portions, and controls the heating frequency and the microwave electric power supplied from the feeding portions to the heating chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomotaka Nobue, Yoshiharu Oomori, Kenji Yasui, Makoto Mihara
  • Patent number: 8143560
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity, a door, an input selection device provided on an exterior of the door, and a control panel provided in the door and operably coupled to the input selection device. The input selection device may include buttons which are illuminated by a light source provided with the control panel. A guide may be positioned between the control panel and the input selection device to guide the light generated by the light source to the input selection device and concentrate light on the buttons to illuminate the buttons. In this manner, the cooking apparatus may include a selection device on its door including buttons that are effectively illuminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyoung-jun Park, young-min Lee
  • Publication number: 20120067873
    Abstract: In order to provide a microwave heating device and a microwave heating method, which can surely prevent a microwave generating part from being destroyed by reflected power and which can heat a heating-target portion in a heating chamber with high efficiency, the present invention is configured such that, prior to a control part (1), which receives a reflected power signal and a supply power signal from a power detecting part (4), starting a heating operation to an object (15) to be heated in a heating chamber (7), the control part (1) executes a frequency sweep operation of a prescribed frequency band with frequency sweep power lower than rated supply power supplied to a power feeding part (5) during the heating operation, to thereby set an oscillation frequency at which the minimum reflected power becomes minimum, and to control an oscillation frequency of an oscillator part (2) and an output of a power amplifier part (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Mihara, Kenji Yasui, Tomotaka Nobue, Yoshiharu Oomori
  • Publication number: 20110114633
    Abstract: A method of operating a microwave oven and a microwave oven are disclosed. The microwave oven comprises a magnetron for providing microwave power to heat a load placed in the microwave oven, and a solid-state microwave generator for providing microwave power to sense presence and/or determine nature of the load in the microwave oven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Olle Niklasson, Ulf Erih Nordh, Fredrik Hallgren, Hakan Carlsson
  • Publication number: 20100301039
    Abstract: A cooking device includes a heating chamber, a heating pan, a high-frequency wave supply unit which generates microwaves, an antenna which radiates the microwaves generated by the high-frequency wave supply unit, an operation unit which receives information on heating treatment of an object to be heated, and a control unit which controls the heating treatment of the object to be heated on the basis of the information on the heating treatment obtained from the operation unit. The control unit controls the orientation of the portion of the antenna which has high radiation directivity on the basis of the information, which is received from the operation unit, on the heating treatment of a first object to be heated placed on a placing table used also as a bottom surface of the heating chamber and a second object to be heated placed on the heating pan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satomi Uchiyama, Tomokazu Itou
  • Publication number: 20100107435
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for drying ceramic green bodies include providing one or more ceramic green bodies in a microwave heating chamber operatively connected to a microwave source and a PLC. The total mass of the ceramic green bodies present in the microwave heating chamber is determined. Microwave energy is generated with the microwave source and transmitted from the microwave source to the microwave heating chamber. A transmitted power of the microwave energy transmitted from the microwave source to the microwave heating chamber is measured with power sensors. The reflected power of reflected microwave energy reflected back from the microwave heating chamber is also measured. The power of the microwave energy transmitted from the microwave source to the microwave heating chamber is adjusted based on the total mass of ceramic green bodies present in the microwave heating chamber, the measured transmitted power and the measured reflected power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Jacob George, Parasuram Padmanabhan Harihara, Min Shen
  • Publication number: 20100108667
    Abstract: A fuzzy logic-based system and method for controlling the drying of material by a microwave applicator. The system includes power output controller that controls applicator output power; material sensor that detects amount of material in the applicator; and fuzzy logic controller that receives a signal from the material sensor indicating the current amount of material in the applicator and adjusts the microwave output power based on the current amount of material in accordance with fuzzy logic rules by sending a control signal to the power output controller. A membership function divides the expected range for the amount of material into multiple regions, each region having precomputed regional output settings. The regional output settings of the regions that include the current amount of material are used to compute the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Parasuram Padmanabhan Harihara, Brett Alan Terwilliger
  • Publication number: 20100006565
    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: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: RF Dynamics Ltd.
    Inventors: Eran BEN-SHMUEL, Alexander Bilchinsky
  • Publication number: 20090321429
    Abstract: Generally and not exclusively, a microwave cooking oven to cook food in a microwave chamber (e.g., a cooking chamber) includes a microwave power source, and a microwave control unit. The control unit includes a microwave detector to detect the microwave power in the cooking chamber, and a control circuit to determine the food optical density or food temperature, based on the microwave power being absorbed by the food. The control circuit determines the microwave power being absorbed based on the difference between the power emitted into the cooking chamber and the power detected within the cooking chamber. In one illustrative embodiment, microwave power is emitted by multiple ports from different directions, and the microwave power absorbed by the food along these different directions is measured. The control circuit then determines the optical density or temperature of the food along each direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Edward K.Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 7525074
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for detecting a presence of metal objects placed in a microwave cooking unit. A metal detection unit is activated to scan for the presence of a metal object placed into a cooking area of the microwave cooking unit. In response to receiving an indicator of the presence of a metal object from the metal detection unit, the process generates an alert indicating the presence of the metal object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Edward Bostick, Randolph Michael Forlenza, John Paul Kaemmerer, Raghuraman Kalyanaraman, Courtney Joseph Spooner
  • 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: 20080223854
    Abstract: A cooking oven, particularly a microwave oven, comprises means for detecting food data and for adjusting food heating and/or cooking process accordingly. The oven further comprises an user interface with at least one socket-shaped seat adapted to receive a removable plug-shaped button which stores said food data and which is adapted to be pressed by the user for starting said heating and/or cooking process or for programming such heating or cooking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: ANDERS ZEIJLON
  • Publication number: 20080099472
    Abstract: The electrical power supply to a magnetron (M) is regulated as a function of an instantaneous microwave power setpoint by: predetermining and storing (20) a value (?) for the electrical efficiency of the magnetron; inputting (19) a setpoint mean microwave power value, and converting it into a low frequency setpoint instantaneous power signal that is sampled at high frequency; measuring (8, 9) and sampling the instantaneous values of anode current and of the high voltage fed to the magnetron; calculating (10) the difference at a sampling instant (n) between the setpoint instantaneous microwave power and the product of the current multiplied by the high voltage multiplied by the efficiency; determining an instantaneous microwave power value at the consecutive sampling instant (n+1) that is corrected as a function of a predetermined regulation relationship that is valid at said instant (n+1); and converting it into an analog signal representative of the corrected instantaneous microwave power for powering the ma
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS
    Inventors: Ertan CETINEL, Nicolas CHOMEL
  • Patent number: 7358464
    Abstract: A method for temperature measurement in a household appliance includes generating a high-frequency electromagnetic excitation wave of a predefined transmit frequency. The transmit frequency is selected from a frequency band including temperature-dependent resonant frequencies that occur in a surface wave device incorporated in a temperature measuring probe and which respectively correspond to temperatures expected at the temperature measuring probe during operation of the household appliance. During a first phase, the excitation wave is wirelessly transmitting to the surface wave device. During a second phase following the first phase, an electromagnetic response wave generated by the excitation wave in the surface wave device is wirelessly transmitting to a processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Miele & Cie. KG
    Inventors: Dominic Beier, Wenzel Meierfrankenfeld
  • Patent number: 7326894
    Abstract: A heating element for an inside surface of a front-end module/bumper for a motor vehicle. The heating element is operatively connected to a radar transmitting/receiving unit. The heating element includes a heating film formed of a polymer, an array of conductor strips integrated into the heating film, and an electronic control element that controls the conductor strips. The array of conductor strips is divided into an inner region through which a radar beam from the radar transmitting/receiving unit is transmitted, and an outer region through which the radar beam is not transmitted. The conductor strips in the inner region are inclined by angles of about 45° to about 90° relative to a polarization plane of the radar beam. The conductor strips in the outer region are arranged in a meandering pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Rehau AG & Co.
    Inventors: Matthias Meiler, Edgar Quandt, Marcel Auer, Ernst Opel
  • Patent number: 7256376
    Abstract: A microwave sensor is provided that transmits microwaves toward a detection area, performs an object detecting operation based on reflected waves from an object being present in the detection area, and outputs an object detection signal based on a result of the abject detecting operation, the microwave sensor being provided with a detecting operation controller for controlling the object detecting operation to be performed intermittently at a predetermined detection cycle, a time setting changer for changing time setting of the detection cycle, and a filter for preventing a signal outside of a frequency region of a signal obtained when detecting a human figure from being included in the object detection signal and from being output,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Optex Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7214915
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes an inverter power supply for driving the high frequency generating device, a holding member for holding the inverter power supply and cooling fan for cooling down the inverter power supply. The holding member is provided with a holding portion for holding the inverter power supply and an air guide portion for guiding cooling air from the cooling fan toward the inverter power supply, and the air guide portion covers the inverter power supply and guides the cooling air in a manner that a semiconductor switching device and a high voltage transformer of the inverter power supply are primarily cooled down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahide Yamaguchi, Koji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7141769
    Abstract: The invention is an instrument and method for microwave-assisted chemical synthesis. The instrument includes a source of microwave radiation for applying microwave energy to a sample, a microwave cavity in wave communication with the source for holding the sample during the application of microwave energy, and a substantially monochromatic radiation source in electromagnetic communication with the cavity for applying substantially monochromatic light to the sample. The instrument further includes a detector positioned to detect Raman scattering of light from the monochromatic source by the sample, and a controller in signal communication with the microwave energy source and the Raman scattering detector for moderating the application of microwave energy to the sample based upon the detected Raman scattering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: CEM Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. McManus, Michael J. Collins, Sr., Michael J. Collins, Jr.
  • 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: 6989519
    Abstract: A controlled-flow microwave instrument for chemical synthesis using heterogeneous or highly viscous starting materials includes a microwave source for generating electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequencies, a microwave cavity in wave communication with the source for exposing compositions placed therein to microwave radiation, a microwave-transparent pressure resistant reaction vessel in the cavity, a source reservoir for starting materials and related compositions, a pump in communication with the source reservoir for pumping heterogeneous or highly viscous materials from the source reservoir to the reaction vessel, and a pressure-resistant valve between the pump and the reaction vessel for isolating the reaction vessel from the pump and the source reservoir during application of microwave energy to compositions in the vessel and from any resulting high pressures generated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: CEM Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Collins, Jr., Wyatt Price Hargett, Jr., Edward Earl King, Joseph Joshua Lambert, James Edward Thomas
  • Patent number: 6966226
    Abstract: A pressure-measuring vessel system for microwave assisted chemical processes is disclosed. The vessel system includes a pressure resistant vessel that is otherwise transparent to microwave radiation, a pressure-resistant closure for the mouth of the vessel, with portions of the closure including a pressure resistant synthetic membrane, a pressure transducer external to the vessel, and a tube extending from the transducer, through the membrane and into the vessel for permitting the pressure inside the vessel to be applied against the transducer while the closure and membrane otherwise maintain the pressure resistant characteristics of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: CEM Corporation
    Inventors: William Edward Jennings, Wyatt Price Hargett, Jr., James Edward Thomas
  • Patent number: 6949729
    Abstract: A microwave oven, a relay box communicating with the microwave oven and a personal computer communicating with the relay box are provided in private. The personal computer is connected to a host computer storing home page information, through the public Internet. A home page storing unit of the host computer stores, corresponding to each of a plurality of cooking recipes, recipe data directly recognized by microwave oven including heating control data for heating and cooking the cooking recipe by the microwave oven, a button to be operated for transferring the recipe data through the Internet to personal computer and image display data for displaying information related to the cooking recipe as a home page image display. Therefore, in accordance with the heating control data downloaded and supplied to personal computer, microwave oven is controlled to heat and cook the desired cooking recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ishikawa, Tooru Fujikawa, Tomoko Ota