Microwave launchers providing enhanced field uniformity
First Claim
1. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said microwave system comprising:
- a microwave generator for generating microwave energy having a predominant wavelength (λ
);
a pressurized microwave chamber including a chamber sidewall that defines an internal volume, wherein at least a portion of said internal volume of said microwave chamber is configured to receive said articles when said internal volume of said microwave chamber is at a pressure of at least 5 psig;
a conveyance system for conveying said articles through said internal volume of said microwave chamber along a convey axis;
a first microwave launcher for launching at least a portion of said microwave energy into said microwave chamber and toward said articles along a first central launch axis; and
a microwave-transparent window disposed between said first microwave launcher and said internal volume of said microwave chamber for substantially preventing fluid flow between said internal volume of said microwave chamber and said first microwave launcher while permitting at least a portion of said microwave energy to pass therethrough, wherein said window defines a chamber-side surface, and wherein said chamber-side surface of said window defines at least a portion of said sidewall of said microwave chamber,wherein a first launch tilt angle in the range 0°
to 15°
is defined between said first central launch axis and a plane normal to said convey axis,wherein said first microwave launcher comprises at least one dividing septum disposed within the interior region said microwave launcher,wherein said first microwave launcher defines at least one launch opening having a width (W1) and a depth (D1),wherein W1 is greater than D1,wherein D1 is not more than 0.625λ
,wherein said launch opening is elongated in the direction of extension of said convey axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microwave heating system configured to heat a plurality of articles is provided. The microwave heating system can include one or more microwave launchers that define at least one launch opening having a depth of not more than about 0.625λ, wherein λ is the predominant wavelength of the microwave energy passing through the launcher. Additionally, in some embodiments, the launch opening may have a width or depth that is less than the corresponding inlet dimension, such that the microwave launcher has a generally tapered profile. When the microwave launcher includes a single inlet and two or more launch openings, the center points of adjacent outlets may be laterally spaced from one another relative to the direction in which the articles are passed through the heating chamber.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said microwave system comprising:
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a microwave generator for generating microwave energy having a predominant wavelength (λ
);a pressurized microwave chamber including a chamber sidewall that defines an internal volume, wherein at least a portion of said internal volume of said microwave chamber is configured to receive said articles when said internal volume of said microwave chamber is at a pressure of at least 5 psig; a conveyance system for conveying said articles through said internal volume of said microwave chamber along a convey axis; a first microwave launcher for launching at least a portion of said microwave energy into said microwave chamber and toward said articles along a first central launch axis; and a microwave-transparent window disposed between said first microwave launcher and said internal volume of said microwave chamber for substantially preventing fluid flow between said internal volume of said microwave chamber and said first microwave launcher while permitting at least a portion of said microwave energy to pass therethrough, wherein said window defines a chamber-side surface, and wherein said chamber-side surface of said window defines at least a portion of said sidewall of said microwave chamber, wherein a first launch tilt angle in the range 0°
to 15°
is defined between said first central launch axis and a plane normal to said convey axis,wherein said first microwave launcher comprises at least one dividing septum disposed within the interior region said microwave launcher, wherein said first microwave launcher defines at least one launch opening having a width (W1) and a depth (D1), wherein W1 is greater than D1, wherein D1 is not more than 0.625λ
,wherein said launch opening is elongated in the direction of extension of said convey axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said microwave system comprising:
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a microwave generator for generating microwave energy having a predominant wavelength (λ
);a pressurized microwave chamber including a chamber sidewall that defines an internal volume, wherein at least a portion of said internal volume of said microwave chamber is configured to receive said articles when said internal volume of said microwave chamber is at a pressure of at least 5 psig; a conveyance system for conveying said articles through said internal volume of microwave chamber along a convey axis; and a microwave distribution system for directing at least a portion of said microwave energy from said microwave generator to said microwave chamber, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises a first microwave launcher and a microwave-transparent window disposed between said first microwave launcher and said internal volume of said microwave chamber for substantially preventing fluid flow between said internal volume of said microwave chamber and said first microwave launcher while permitting at least a portion of said microwave energy to pass therethrough, wherein said window defines a chamber-side surface, and wherein said chamber-side surface of said window defines at least a portion of said sidewall of said microwave chamber, wherein said first microwave launcher defines a microwave inlet for receiving at least a portion of said microwave energy and at least one launch opening for discharging said microwave energy into said microwave chamber, wherein said microwave inlet has a depth (d0) and said launch opening has a depth (d1), wherein said d0 is greater than d1, wherein said first microwave launcher comprises at least one dividing septum disposed within the interior region said first microwave launcher, wherein said first microwave launcher is configured to launch microwave energy into said microwave chamber and toward said articles along a first central launch axis, wherein a first launch tilt angle in the range 0°
to 15°
is defined between said first central launch axis and a plane normal to said convey axis,wherein said launch opening is elongated in the direction of extension of said convey axis. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said microwave system comprising:
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a pressurized microwave chamber including a chamber sidewall that defines an internal volume, wherein at least a portion of said internal volume of said microwave chamber is configured to receive said articles when said internal volume of said microwave chamber is at a pressure of at least 5 psig; a conveyance system for transporting said articles through said internal volume of said microwave chamber along a convey axis; a first microwave launcher defining a microwave inlet and two or more launch openings configured to discharge microwave energy into said microwave chamber, wherein said first microwave launcher comprises at least one dividing septum disposed within the interior region of said first microwave launcher, wherein said septum at least partially defines at least two microwave pathways through which said microwave energy propagates from said inlet to each of said launch openings; and a microwave-transparent window disposed between said first microwave launcher and said internal volume of said microwave chamber for substantially preventing fluid flow between said internal volume of said microwave chamber and said first microwave launcher while permitting at least a portion of said microwave energy to pass therethrough, permitting at least a portion of said microwave energy to pass therethrough, wherein said window defines a chamber-side surface, and wherein said chamber-side surface of said window defines at least a portion of said sidewall of said microwave chamber, wherein said first microwave launcher is configured such that microwave energy travels from said microwave inlet, through a first one of said launch openings, through said window, and into said microwave chamber along a first central launch axis, wherein a first launch tilt angle in the range 0°
to 15°
is defined between said first central launch axis and a plane normal to said convey axis,wherein said each of said launch openings is elongated in the direction of extension of said convey axis, wherein the center points of adjacent launch openings are laterally spaced from one another relative to said convey axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification