ELECTROMAGNETIC HEATING

• US 20100006564A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joliet 2010 Limited
• Original Assignee: RF Dynamics Ltd.
• Inventors: Bilchinsky, Alexander, BEN-SHMUEL, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 9,040,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2206/044 Microwave heating devices provided with two or more magnetrons or microwave sources of other kind
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/647 Aspects related to microwave heating combined with other heating techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/666 Safety circuits emergency protective circuits in general H02H
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/705 using microwave tuning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

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.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic heater for heating an irregularly shaped object, comprising:

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.

2. The heater of claim 1, wherein the energy is deposited uniformly in the object within ±

20% over at least 80% of the volume of the object.

3. The heater of claim 1, wherein said uniformity is within ±

10% over at least 80% of the volume of the object.

4. The heater of claim 1, wherein said uniformity is over at least 90% of the volume.

5. The heater of claim 1, wherein the at least one feed comprises a plurality of feeds.

6. The heater of claim 1, wherein the one or more controlled characteristics include a frequency of the energy inputted at one or more feeds.

7. The heater of claim 1, the one or more controlled characteristics include a position or orientation of a field adjusting element inside the cavity.

8. The heater of claim 1, wherein the characteristics are controlled to provide a desired net efficiency of power into the cavity.

9. A method of heating an irregularly shaped object, the method comprising:

placing the object in a cavity of a heater;

feeding UHF or microwave energy into the heater;

controlling one or more of the 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.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein energy is deposited uniformly in the object within ±

20% over at least 80% of the volume of the object.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more controlled characteristics include a position or orientation of a field adjusting element inside the cavity.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristics are controlled to provide a desired net efficiency of power into the cavity.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the object is frozen at the commencement of heating.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the object is heated until thawed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the temperature differential in the object when thawing is complete by said heating throughout the object is less than 50°

C.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the temperature differential in the object when thawing is complete by said heating throughout the object is less than 20°

C.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature differential in the object when thawing is complete by said heating throughout the object is less than 10°

C.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the temperature differential in the object when thawing is complete by said heating throughout the object is less than 5°

C.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the temperature differential in the object when thawing is complete by said heating throughout the object is less than 2°

C.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the frozen object is an animal or human organ.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more controlled characteristics include a frequency of the energy inputted at one or more feeds.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling the frequency comprises feeding energy at a plurality of frequencies covering a band of at least 0.5%.