Enhanced microwave system utilizing tilted launchers
First Claim
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1. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said system comprising:
- a microwave chamber configured to receive said articles, wherein said microwave chamber defines a central axis of elongation;
a conveyance system for transporting said articles through said microwave chamber along a convey axis;
a first microwave launcher defining at least one launch opening for discharging microwave energy into said microwave chamber; and
a substantially microwave-transparent window presenting a first lower edge, a second lower edge, and a chamber-side surface extending between said first lower edge and said second lower edge, wherein said window covers said launch opening in order to create an interface between said microwave chamber and said microwave launcher,wherein said microwave chamber includes a first chamber wall segment and a second chamber wall segment at least a portion of which is spaced apart from said first chamber wall segment in the direction of extension of said convey axis thereby forming an opening between said first chamber wall segment and said second chamber wall segment, wherein said window is at least partially disposed in said opening,wherein said first chamber wall segment presents a first internal chamber surface and said second chamber wall segment presents a second internal chamber surface, wherein at least a portion of said chamber-side surface of said window is located at a different vertical elevation than said first and second internal chamber surfaces and wherein at least 50 percent of the total surface area of said chamber-side surface of said window is oriented at a tilt angle of at least 2°
from the central axis of elongation of said microwave chamber.
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Abstract
A microwave heating system configured for heating a plurality of articles is provided. One or more of the microwave launchers can be offset slightly, such that the microwave energy introduced into the heating chamber is discharged at a launch tilt angle of at least 2°. Additionally, each launcher can include a microwave-transparent window disposed between the microwave chamber and the one or more launch openings and at least 50 percent of the chamber-side surface of the window can be oriented at an angle of at least 2° from the horizontal.
106 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A microwave system for heating a plurality of articles, said system comprising:
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a microwave chamber configured to receive said articles, wherein said microwave chamber defines a central axis of elongation; a conveyance system for transporting said articles through said microwave chamber along a convey axis; a first microwave launcher defining at least one launch opening for discharging microwave energy into said microwave chamber; and a substantially microwave-transparent window presenting a first lower edge, a second lower edge, and a chamber-side surface extending between said first lower edge and said second lower edge, wherein said window covers said launch opening in order to create an interface between said microwave chamber and said microwave launcher, wherein said microwave chamber includes a first chamber wall segment and a second chamber wall segment at least a portion of which is spaced apart from said first chamber wall segment in the direction of extension of said convey axis thereby forming an opening between said first chamber wall segment and said second chamber wall segment, wherein said window is at least partially disposed in said opening, wherein said first chamber wall segment presents a first internal chamber surface and said second chamber wall segment presents a second internal chamber surface, wherein at least a portion of said chamber-side surface of said window is located at a different vertical elevation than said first and second internal chamber surfaces and wherein at least 50 percent of the total surface area of said chamber-side surface of said window is oriented at a tilt angle of at least 2°
from the central axis of elongation of said microwave chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification