Enhanced microwave system employing inductive iris

• US 9,681,500 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microwave Materials Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microwave Materials Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kimrey, Jr., Harold Dail
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuong
• Application Number:
  US13/799,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20130240512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 219700, 219701, 219702, 219709, 219746, 219748, 219750, 219756, 219762
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/01 using microwaves or dielectric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/02 by heating materials in packages which are progressively transported, continuously or stepwise, through the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/04 Heat A61L2/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/12 Microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/21 Pharmaceuticals, e.g. medicaments, artificial body parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/26 Textiles, e.g. towels, beds, cloths
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/06 by heat
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/68 for monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/70 Feed lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/78 Arrangements for continuous movement of material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/782 wherein the material moved is food
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/80 Apparatus for specific applications stoves or ranges F24C7/02

Abstract

A microwave heating system configured to heat a plurality of articles is provided. The microwave heating system includes a microwave splitter, a pair of microwave launchers, and at least one inductive iris disposed between the splitter and the launch opening of one of the launchers. A microwave launcher suitable for use in such a heating system is also provided. The launcher includes an inductive iris disposed within the interior of the launcher, spaced between its inlet and outlet and obstructing at least a portion of the microwave pathway.

Claims

1. A microwave launcher comprising:

a microwave inlet for receiving microwave energy having a wavelength (λ

);

two or more launch openings for discharging at least a portion of said microwave energy;

a pair of opposing launcher end walls, a pair of opposing launcher sidewalls, and at least one dividing septum coupled to and extending between said end walls, wherein said end walls, said sidewalls, and said at least one dividing septum define two or more microwave pathways, wherein each of said microwave pathways is configured to permit the passage of microwave energy from said microwave inlet to one of said launch openings; and

at least two inductive iris panels, wherein each iris panel is coupled to and extends inwardly from one of said end walls such that the iris panels extend partially into at least one of the microwave pathways, wherein said side walls are broader than said end walls,

wherein each of said microwave pathways is at least partially obstructed by a pair of said inductive iris panels such that at least a portion of said microwave energy routed from said microwave inlet to each of said launch openings is configured to pass between the pair of inductive iris panels obstructing that microwave pathway,

wherein said side walls have a width flare angle of at least 2°

,

wherein each of said inductive iris panels is oriented generally transverse to a propagation direction of microwave energy through said microwave pathways.

2. The launcher of claim 1, wherein at least one of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said microwave inlet by at least about 10 percent of the minimum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

3. The launcher of claim 2, wherein at least one of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said launch openings by at least about 10 percent of the maximum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

4. The launcher of claim 2, wherein at least one of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said microwave inlet by at least about 25 percent of the minimum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings and spaced from said launch openings by at least 25 percent of the maximum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

5. The launcher of claim 1, wherein said end walls have a depth flare angle of not more than 0°

.

6. The launcher of claim 1, wherein said launcher incudes n launch openings, wherein each of said n launch openings has a width (w_n) and a depth (d_n), wherein each w_n is greater than each respective d_n, wherein each d_n is less than 0.50λ

.

7. The launcher of claim 1, wherein said microwave launcher defines at least three launch openings and at least three microwave pathways extending from said microwave inlet to one of said launch openings, wherein each of said microwave pathways is at least partially obstructed by said inductive iris panels that extend into the microwave pathways.

8. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the thickness of said dividing septum is less than 0.1λ

.

9. The launcher of claim 1, wherein said end walls have a depth flare angle of at least 2°

.

10. A microwave launcher comprising:

a microwave inlet for receiving microwave energy having a wavelength (λ

);

two or more launch openings for discharging at least a portion of said microwave energy;

a pair of opposing launcher end walls, a pair of opposing launcher sidewalls, and at least one dividing septum coupled to and extending between said end walls, wherein said end walls, said sidewalls, and said at least one dividing septum define at least two microwave pathways, wherein each of said microwave pathways is configured to permit the passage of microwave energy from said microwave inlet to one of said launch openings; and

at least two inductive iris panels, wherein each iris panel is coupled to and extends inwardly from one of said end walls such that the iris panels extend partially into the microwave pathways,

wherein each of said microwave pathways is at least partially obstructed by a pair of said inductive iris panels such that at least a portion of said microwave energy routed from said microwave inlet to each of said launch openings is configured to pass between the pair of inductive iris panels obstructing that microwave pathway,

wherein each of said inductive iris panels is oriented generally transverse to a propagation direction of microwave energy through said microwave pathways,

wherein each of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said microwave inlet by at least 10 percent of the minimum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings and is spaced from said launch openings by at least 10 percent of the maximum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

11. The launcher of claim 10, wherein at least one of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said microwave inlet by at least 25 percent of the minimum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings and from said launch openings by at least at least 25 percent of the maximum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

12. The launcher of claim 10, wherein each of said inductive iris panels is spaced from said microwave inlet by at least 35 percent of the minimum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings and is spaced from said respective launch openings by at least at least 35 percent of the maximum distance between said microwave inlet and said launch openings.

13. The launcher of claim 10, wherein said side walls are broader than said end walls, wherein said side walls have a width flare angle of at least 2°

.

14. The launcher of claim 13, wherein said end walls have a depth flare angle of at least 2°

.

15. The launcher of claim 10, wherein said microwave launcher defines at least three launch openings and at least three microwave pathways extending from said microwave inlet to one of said launch openings.

16. The launcher of claim 10, wherein the thickness of said septum is less than 0.1λ

.

17. The launcher of claim 10, wherein said launcher incudes n launch openings, wherein each of said n launch openings has a width (w_n,) and a depth (d_n), wherein each w_nis greater than each respective d_n, wherein each d_n is less than 0.50λ

.