Method and apparatus for detecting an energized e-field

• US 10,024,899 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Herman, Mark L., Peterman, Garry L., Putnam, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): RHODES-VIVOUR, TEMILADE S
• Application Number:
  US15/444,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/44 Current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/64 Radiation, e.g. microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/62 Stopping or disabling machine operation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/02 having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/266 Microwave heating equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 10/00 Scanning or positioning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for actively controlling the movement or position of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/00 Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00 constructional details particular to electromechanical arrangements for measuring the electric consumption G01R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0857 Dosimetry, i.e. measuring the time integral of radiation intensity; Level warning devices for personal safety use nuclear radiation dosimetry G01T
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/12 Measuring electrostatic fields or voltage-potential
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/00 Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/62 Apparatus for specific applications

Abstract

A method for detecting the presence of an energized e-field in a space, wherein the space includes at least one electrically conductive element disposed in the space and coupled with a controller, the method including receiving in the controller a signal from the at least one electrically conductive element, determining that an energized e-field occupies the space, and sending a signal from the controller indicative of the presence of the energized e-field in the space.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a presence of an energized e-field in a space for heating an article, wherein the space includes an article to be heated and at least one electrically conductive element configured to produce a voltage or current in reaction to an energized e-field in the space and coupled with a controller, the method comprising:

if the at least one electrically conductive element produces a voltage or current in reaction to the e-field apart from the article, receiving in the controller a signal from the at least one electrically conductive element indicative of a value of a parameter associated with voltage or current flow in the at least one electrically conductive element;

determining that the energized e-field occupies the space based on the received signal; and

sending a signal from the controller indicative of the presence of the energized e-field in the space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the signal from the controller relates to the intensity of the voltage or current produced by the at least one electrically conductive element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive element comprises at least one light bulb.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the light bulb further comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb or a fluorescent bulb.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrically conductive element comprises an array of electrically conductive elements.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter includes at least one of voltage or current.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the signal is further indicative of which at least one electrically conductive element in the array of electrically conductive elements is in an energized e-field in the space.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the e-field is energized by a Radio Frequency (RF) generator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the e-field is energized in a faraday cage defining an inside space and an outside space, and which is configured to prevent e-field leakage from the inside space to the outside space.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one electrically conductive element is positioned in at least one of the inside space or the outside space.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the signal indicates e-field leakage from the inside space.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal indicative of e-field leakage is proportional to an amount of e-field leakage.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is represented by at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert, or a warning alert.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one alert is proportional to the signal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the audible alert indicates a proportional presence of the e-field by at least one of increasing a volume of the audible alert or changing an audible alert message.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the visual alert indicates a proportional presence of the e-field by at least one of illuminating brighter, altering a visible color, altering a blinking pattern.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that the energized e-field occupies the space, determining an indication of the current cycle of operation, and sending the signal from the controller indicative of the current cycle of operation.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that the energized e-field occupies the space, determining an efficiency of the current cycle of operation, and altering the energizing of the e-field based on the determined efficiency.

19. A method for detecting a presence of an energized e-field in a space for heating an article, the e-field generated by an anode element and a cathode element, wherein the space includes an article to be heated and at least one electrically conductive element separate from the anode and cathode elements and configured to produce a voltage or current in reaction to an energized e-field in the space and coupled with a controller, the method comprising:

if the at least one electrically conductive element produces a voltage or current in reaction to the e-field apart from the article, receiving in the controller a signal from the at least one electrically conductive element indicative of a value of a parameter associated with voltage or current flow in the at least one electrically conductive element;

determining that the energized e-field occupies the space based on the received signal; and

sending a signal from the controller indicative of the presence of the energized e-field in the space.

20. A method for detecting a presence of an energized e-field in a space for heating an article, wherein the space includes an article to be heated and at least one electrically conductive element configured to produce a voltage or current in reaction to an energized e-field in the space and coupled with a controller, the method comprising:

if the at least one electrically conductive element produces a voltage or current in reaction to the e-field apart from the article, receiving in the controller a signal from the at least one electrically conductive element indicative of a value of a parameter associated with voltage or current flow in the at least one electrically conductive element;

determining that the energized e-field occupies the space based on the received signal;

sending a signal from the controller indicative of the presence of the energized e-field in the space; and

generating a visual alert, by the controller, wherein the visual alert indicates a proportional presence of the e-field by at least one of illuminating brighter, altering a visible color, altering a blinking pattern.