RF choke and interface structures for employment with an RF oven

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10912166-B2
Application number	US-201715803882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

An RF choke for an oven having a door movable between an open position and a closed position to interface with an opening defined in a cooking chamber of the oven includes a base portion and a plurality of resonant elements formed in rows. The cooking chamber is defined at least in part by a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The RF choke is disposed at a portion of the door facing the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position. The base portion is a metallic sheet and is disposed in a first plane substantially parallel to a second plane in which the door lies. The resonant elements are folded out of the first plane toward the door to define a top row of resonant elements, a bottom row of resonant elements, a first side row of resonant elements and a second side row of resonant elements, which are proximate to respective ones of the top wall, the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position. At least one of the rows is folded out of the first plane at a different angle relative to the first plane than other ones of the rows.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An oven comprising:
a door movable between an open position and a closed position;
a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, the cooking chamber being defined at least in part by a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the cooking chamber further defining an opening that interfaces with the door;
a radio frequency (RF) energy source configured to apply RF energy to the food product; and
an RF choke disposed at a portion of the door facing the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position,
wherein the RF choke comprises:
a base portion comprising a metallic sheet, the base portion being disposed in a first plane parallel to a second plane in which the door lies; and
a plurality of resonant elements folded out of the first plane toward the door, the resonant elements being formed in rows to define a top row of resonant elements, a bottom row of resonant elements, a first side row of resonant elements and a second side row of resonant elements, which are proximate to respective ones of the top wall, the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position,

wherein at least one of the rows is folded out of the first plane at a different angle relative to the first plane than other ones of the rows,
wherein the base portion has a shape matching a shape of the opening and includes a top edge, a bottom edge and side edges,
wherein the top edge is proximate to the top wall of the cooking chamber, the bottom edge is proximate to the bottom wall of the cooking chamber, and the side edges are proximate to the first and second sidewalls of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position, and
wherein, when the door is in the closed position, a distance between the top edge of the base portion and the top wall of the cooking chamber is larger than a distance between the bottom edge and side edges of the base portion and each of the bottom wall and the first and second sidewalls of the cooking chamber, respectively.

2. The oven of claim 1 , wherein the top row of resonant elements is folded out of the first plane at the different angle relative to the first plane than the bottom row of resonant elements, the first side row of resonant elements and the second side row of resonant elements.

3. The oven of claim 1 , wherein distal ends of resonant elements in each of the top row of resonant elements, the bottom row of resonant elements, the first side row of resonant elements and the second side row of resonant elements are equidistant from respective ones of the top wall, the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position.

4. The oven of claim 1 , wherein an intersection between the top wall and both of the first and second sidewalls forms a right angle, and an intersection between the bottom wall and both of the first and second sidewalls forms a curved corner.

5. The oven of claim 4 , wherein the base portion defines a round corner to correspond to the curved corner at intersections between the bottom row of resonant elements and the first and second side rows of resonant elements.

6. The oven of claim 5 , wherein the base portion defines a right angle corner to correspond to the right angle at intersections between the top wall and the first and second sidewalls.

7. The oven of claim 6 , wherein a tail piece of the bottom row of resonant elements is folded around the round corner to correspond to the curved corner.

8. The oven of claim 7 , wherein at least one resonant element on the tail piece is formed via slots extending linearly away from the base portion, and resonant elements disposed at locations other than the tail piece are formed via slots cut linearly away from the base portion.

9. The oven of claim 1 , wherein distal ends of resonant elements of each of the top row of resonant elements, the bottom row of resonant elements, the first side row of resonant elements and the second side row of resonant elements lie in a plane of the opening.

10. A radio frequency (RF) choke for an oven, the oven having a door movable between an open position and a closed position to interface with an opening defined in a cooking chamber of the oven, the cooking chamber being defined at least in part by a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the RF choke being disposed at a portion of the door facing the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position, the RF choke comprising:
a base portion comprising a metallic sheet, the base portion being disposed in a first plane parallel to a second plane in which the door lies; and
a plurality of resonant elements folded out of the first plane toward the door, the resonant elements being formed in rows to define a top row of resonant elements, a bottom row of resonant elements, a first side row of resonant elements and a second side row of resonant elements, which are proximate to respective ones of the top wall, the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position,
wherein at least one of the rows is folded out of the first plane at a different angle relative to the first plane than other ones of the rows,
wherein the base portion has a shape matching a shape of the opening and includes a top edge, a bottom edge and side edges,
wherein the top edge is proximate to the top wall of the cooking chamber, the bottom edge is proximate to the bottom wall of the cooking chamber, and the side edges are proximate to the first and second sidewalls of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position, and
wherein, when the door is in the closed position, a distance between the top edge of the base portion and the top wall of the cooking chamber is larger than a distance between the bottom edge and side edges of the base portion and each of the bottom wall and the first and second sidewalls of the cooking chamber, respectively.

11. The RF choke of claim 10 , wherein the top row of resonant elements is folded out of the first plane at the different angle relative to the first plane than the bottom row of resonant elements, the first side row of resonant elements and the second side row of resonant elements.

12. The RF choke of claim 10 , wherein distal ends of resonant elements in each of the top row of resonant elements, the bottom row of resonant elements, the first side row of resonant elements and the second side row of resonant elements are equidistant from respective ones of the top wall, the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the cooking chamber when the door is in the closed position.

13. The RF choke of claim 10 ,
wherein an intersection between the top wall and both of the first and second sidewalls forms a right angle, and an intersection between the bottom wall and both of the first and second sidewalls forms a curved corner.

14. The RF choke of claim 13 , wherein the base portion defines a round corner to correspond to the curved corner at intersections between the bottom row of resonant elements and the first and second side rows of resonant elements.

15. The RF choke of claim 14 , wherein the base portion defines a right angle corner to correspond to the right angle at intersections between the top wall and the first and second sidewalls.

16. The RF choke of claim 14 , wherein a tail piece of the bottom row of resonant elements is folded around the round corner to correspond to the curved corner.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Carcano Marco
• Sclocchi Michele
• Gentile Michele

Classifications

• H05B6/763 Primary

  Microwave radiation seals for doors · CPC title