Defrosting apparatus with repositionable electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11528926-B2
Application number	US-201916594215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2019
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A thermal increase system may be coupled to a containment structure for containing a load. The system includes a plurality of shelf support structures disposed within a cavity. The plurality of shelf support structures is configured to support a repositionable electrode at a plurality of positions within the cavity. The system includes a first electrode disposed at a first surface of the containment structure, wherein the repositionable electrode is disposed within the containment structure so as to divide the cavity into separate volumes. The system includes a radio frequency signal source electrically connected to one or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode. The radio frequency signal source is configured to provide radio frequency energy to either or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal increase system coupled to a containment structure for containing a load, the thermal increase system comprising:
a plurality of shelf support structures disposed within a cavity of the thermal increase system, wherein the plurality of shelf support structures is configured to support a repositionable electrode at a plurality of positions within the cavity, wherein the plurality of shelf support structures includes a plurality rails disposed on second and third surfaces of the containment structure, wherein the second surface opposes the third surface, and wherein the repositionable electrode is supported by a first rail disposed on the second surface and a second rail disposed on the third surface;
a first electrode disposed at a first surface of the containment structure;
the repositionable electrode disposed within the containment structure so as to divide the cavity into separate volumes; and
a radio frequency signal source electrically connected to one or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode, the radio frequency signal source being configured to provide radio frequency energy to either or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode.

2. The thermal increase system of claim 1 , wherein the repositionable electrode is removable, and the repositionable electrode is configured to define first and second volumes when supported by the first and second rails, and is configured to define third and fourth volumes when supported by third and fourth rails of the plurality of rails, wherein the third volume is different from the first volume.

3. The thermal increase system of claim 1 , wherein the repositionable electrode is at least partially metal, wherein the repositionable electrode comprises an upper surface having a first surface area that is at least as large as a second surface area of the first electrode, and wherein the upper surface of the repositionable electrode opposes the lower surface of the first electrode.

4. The thermal increase system of claim 1 , wherein the repositionable electrode is electrically grounded through the plurality of shelf support structures.

5. The thermal increase system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a repositionable shelf that comprises the repositionable electrode, wherein at least a portion of the repositionable shelf is non-conductive, the repositionable electrode is electrically floating, and the repositionable shelf is supported by a pair of shelf support structures of the plurality of shelf support structures.

6. The thermal increase system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a variable impedance matching network connected between the radio frequency signal source and either or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode and having a variable impedance, wherein the variable impedance matching network is configured to adjust the variable impedance based on one or more parameters of the radio frequency signal source.

7. A system, comprising:
a containment structure forming a cavity;
a first electrode disposed in the cavity;
a plurality of support structures disposed in the cavity at multiple heights; and
a second electrode disposed in the cavity, the second electrode being removable and being configured to divide the cavity into first and second volumes when supported by a first support structure of the plurality of support structures, and being configured to divide the cavity into third and fourth volumes when supported by a second support structure of the plurality of support structures; and
a radio frequency signal source that supplies radio frequency energy to either or both the first electrode or the second electrode.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second electrode is a conductive plate, wherein the second electrode comprises an upper surface having a first surface area that is at least as large as a second surface area of a lower surface the first electrode, and wherein the upper surface of the second electrode opposes the lower surface of the first electrode.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the radio frequency signal source supplies a balanced radio frequency signal to the first electrode and the second electrode, each of the plurality of support structures is at least partially conductive, and the second electrode is coupled to the radio frequency signal source through at least one of the plurality of support structures.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of support structures is at least partially conductive, and the second electrode is electrically grounded through at least one of the plurality of support structures.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the support structures are selected from a plurality of rails, a plurality of channels, a plurality of brackets, and a plurality of bracket receptors.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a repositionable shelf that comprises the second electrode and non-conductive material that electrically insulates the second electrode from the plurality of support structures.

13. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a variable impedance matching network connected between the radio frequency signal source and either or both of the first electrode and the second electrode and having a variable impedance, wherein the variable impedance matching network is configured to adjust the variable impedance based on one or more parameters of the radio frequency signal source.

14. A thermal increase system comprising:
a containment structure that forms a cavity;
an electrode disposed at an upper interior surface of the containment structure;
a repositionable electrode disposed across the cavity so as to divide the cavity into first and second volumes;
a first support structure disposed at a first sidewall of the containment structure;
a second support structure disposed at a second sidewall of the containment structure that opposes the first sidewall, the repositionable electrode being removably engaged with the first and second support structures; and
a radio frequency signal source electrically connected to either or both of the electrode, or the repositionable electrode, the radio frequency signal source being configured to provide radio frequency energy to either or both the electrode or the repositionable electrode.

15. The thermal increase system of claim 14 , wherein the repositionable electrode is electrically floating and the first and second support structures each comprise dielectric material.

16. The thermal increase system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first and second support structures is at least partially conductive, and the repositionable electrode is electrically grounded through at least one of the first and second support structures.

17. The thermal increase system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first and second support structures is at least partially conductive, and the repositionable electrode is electrically connected to the radio frequency signal source through at least one of the first and second support structures.

18. The thermal increase system of claim 14 , wherein the first support structure includes at least one a rail, a channel, a bracket, and a bracket receptor.

19. The thermal increase system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a variable impedance matching network connected between the radio frequency signal source and either or both of the electrode and the repositionable electrode and having a variable impedance, wherein the variable impedance matching n

Assignees

• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Wu Dong
• Hua Qi
• Liu Tonghe
• Deng Yang

Classifications

• H05B6/54

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H05B6/62 Primary

  Apparatus for specific applications · CPC title

• H05B6/6408

  Supports or covers specially adapted for use in microwave heating apparatus · CPC title

• A23L3/365 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23B2/82 Primary

  Thawing subsequent to freezing · CPC title