Microwave heating apparatus

• US 5,180,895 A
• Filed: 05/22/1991
• Issued: 01/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unilever Patent Holdings BV (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Patent Holdings BV (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Freeman, Richard F., Briggs, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US07/671,831
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 219/1055.E, 219/10.55 A, 219/10.55 F, 219/10.55 R, 99/DIG. 14, 99/451, 426/243
• US Class Current: 219/697
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/64 Heating using microwaves containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted to be heated by microwaves B65D81/3446
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6426 Aspects relating to the exterior of the microwave heating apparatus, e.g. metal casing, power cord
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6494 for cooking
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 for thawing
• 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

A microwave heating apparatus comprises a heating chamber with a hemispherical reflecting cover (24). Microwave energy is thereby focussed onto foodstuff (34) contained in the chamber from at least two magnetrons (10 and 12) which feed microwave energy through flared metal waveguides (14 and 16).

Claims

1. Microwave heating apparatus comprising a heating chamber in which a foodstuff is to be heated using microwave energy;

a circular reflecting surface mounted in the chamber by which microwave energy is focussed onto the foodstuff;

two independent microwave sources for supplying microwave energy to the chamber so as to result in a more uniform heating-through of the foodstuff;

a waveguide connected to each said source for directing microwave energy to the chamber, the cross-sections of the waveguides increasing from relatively small cross-sections to at least two outlets which cooperate together to describe a complete annulus whose outer diameter corresponds to the diameter of said reflecting surface and whose inner diameter corresponds to the diameter of said circular platform;

a browning aid located within the chamber; and

means for shielding the browning aid from microwave energy until a particular part of the heating cycle has been reached so as largely to prevent microwave energy from being incident on the browning aid until an appropriate time in the heating cycle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the focussing means are matched to the shape and structure and composition of the foodstuff.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the apparatus is such that microwave energy entering the chamber does not impinge directly on the foodstuff but can only reach the foodstuff after being reflected at least once.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the interior of the chamber is formed at least in part with a concave microwave energy reflecting surface in the form of a dome.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the microwave energy from the two microwave sources is directed towards a perimeter region of said reflecting surface to be reflected therefrom and generally focussed towards the centre of the chamber where the foodstuff is to be located, so that it is first reflected by the perimeter region.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said waveguides direct microwave energy onto two diametrically opposite regions of said reflecting surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the two microwave sources are coupled to said waveguides feeding the chamber.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the two microwave sources and waveguides are located within a base unit, and said reflecting surface forms part of a hinged dome lid which when closed seals the chamber against the egress of RF energy.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the microwave reflecting surfaces and the waveguides are formed from metal.