Microwave heating element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016150602-A1
Application number	US-201414550587-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microwave heating element includes a microwave antenna configured to absorb power from a microwave field in a microwave oven, a housing having a first end coupled to the microwave antenna and a second end configured to be inserted into an item to be heated, and a transmission line positioned within the housing, the transmission line having an end coupled to the microwave antenna. The transmission line is configured to spatially distribute the power absorbed from the microwave field into the item to be heated at a location between the first end and the second end of the housing.

First claim

1 . A microwave heating element, comprising:
a microwave antenna configured to absorb power from a microwave field in a microwave oven; a housing having a first end coupled to the microwave antenna and a second end configured to be inserted into an item to be heated; and a transmission line positioned within the housing, the transmission line having an end coupled to the microwave antenna, wherein the transmission line is configured to spatially distribute the power absorbed from the microwave field into the item to be heated at a location between the first end and the second end of the housing.

2 . The microwave heating element of claim 1 , further comprising a heating component coupled to the transmission line, wherein the heating component is configured to transfer power from the microwave field into the item to be heated.

3 . The microwave heating element of claim 2 , wherein the heating component is a radiator configured to reradiate power into the item to be heated.

4 . The microwave heating element of claim 3 , further comprising a frequency shifter coupled to the radiator such that the waves reradiated by the radiator have a frequency that is different than the frequency of the microwave field in the microwave oven.

5 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The microwave heating element of claim 3 , further comprising a frequency multiplier coupled to the radiator.

8 - 9 . (canceled)

10 . The microwave heating element of claim 2 , wherein the heating component is a load configured to dissipate power into the item to be heated as heat.

11 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . The microwave heating element of claim 10 , the load comprising a material having a Curie temperature.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The microwave heating element of claim 10 , further comprising a connector coupling the load to the transmission line.

19 . The microwave heating element of claim 18 , the connector comprising a material having a Curie temperature.

20 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . The microwave heating element of claim 2 , further comprising a thermo sensitive device selectively coupling the heating component to the transmission line.

28 . The microwave heating element of claim 27 , wherein the thermo sensitive device includes at least one of a thermal actuator and a mechanical actuator.

29 . The microwave heating element of claim 28 , wherein the thermo sensitive device includes at least one of bimetallic composition, a memory metal, and a thermal wax.

30 - 35 . (canceled)

36 . The microwave heating element of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical control mechanism moveably coupled to the housing, wherein the mechanical control mechanism includes configured to prevent transfer of power from at least a portion of the length of the housing.

37 . (canceled)

38 . The microwave heating element of claim 36 , wherein the mechanical control mechanism includes a cover slidably coupled to the housing.

39 - 55 . (canceled)

56 . A microwave heating element, comprising:
a microwave antenna configured to absorb power from a microwave field in a microwave oven; a sensor positioned to detect a property of an item to be heated; and a transmission line having an end coupled to the microwave antenna, wherein the transmission line is configured to distribute the power absorbed from the microwave field into the item to be heated based on the property of the item to be heated.

57 . The microwave heating element of claim 56 , further comprising a switch coupling the transmission line to the microwave antenna.

58 . The microwave heating element of claim 57 , wherein the property is a temperature, the sensor comprising a thermostat configured to disengage the switch as the temperature of the item to be heated reaches a threshold value.

59 . The microwave heating element of claim 57 , wherein the sensor is configured to provide a sensor signal relating to the property of the item to be heated.

60 . The microwave heating element of claim 59 , further comprising a processor configured to evaluate the sensor signal and disengage the switch as the property of the item to be heated reaches a threshold value.

61 . The microwave heating element of claim 56 , further comprising a heating component coupled to the transmission line with a switch, wherein the heating component is configured to transfer power from the microwave field into the item to be heated.

62 . The microwave heating element of claim 61 , wherein the property is a temperature, the sensor comprising a thermostat configured to disengage the switch as the temperature of the item to be heated reaches a threshold value.

63 . The microwave heating element of claim 61 , wherein the sensor is configured to provide a sensor signal relating to the property of the item to be heated.

64 . The microwave heating element of claim 63 , further comprising a processor configured to evaluate the sensor signal and disengage the switch as the property of the item to be heated reaches a threshold value.

65 - 73 . (canceled)

74 . A packaging assembly, comprising:
a container having a plurality of sidewalls and configured to receive an item to be heated therein; and a microwave heating element coupled to the container and configured to be positioned at least partially within the item to be heated, the microwave heating element including:
a microwave antenna configured to absorb power from a microwave field in a microwave oven; and
a transmission line having an end coupled to the microwave antenna,
wherein the transmission line is configured to spatially distribute the power from the microwave field into the item to be heated during operation of the microwave oven.

75 . The packaging assembly of claim 74 , further comprising a heating component coupled to the transmission line, wherein the heating component is configured to transfer power from the microwave field into the item to be heated.

76 . The packaging assembly of claim 75 , wherein the heating component is a radiator configured to reradiate power into the item to be heated.

77 . The packaging assembly of claim 76 , further comprising a frequency shifter coupled to the radiator such that the waves reradiated by the radiator have a frequency that is different than the frequency of the microwave field in the microwave oven.

78 - 79 . (canceled)

80 . The packaging assembly of claim 76 , further comprising a frequency multiplier coupled to the radiator.

81 - 82 . (canceled)

83 . The packaging assembly of claim 75 , wherein the heating component is a load configured to dissipate power into the item to be heated as heat.

84 - 88 . (canceled)

89 . The packaging assembly of claim 83 , the load comprising a material having a Curie temperature.

90 . (canceled)

91 . The packaging assembly of claim 83 , further comprising a connector coupling the load to the transmission line.

92 . The packaging assembly of claim 91 , the connector comprising a material having a Curie temperature.

93 - 99 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Bilet Maxime J J
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Peterson Nels R
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H
• Young Christopher C

Classifications

• H05B6/70

  Feed lines · CPC title

• H05B6/6452

  the sensors being in contact with the heated product · CPC title

• B65D2581/3427

  Cooking vegetables · CPC title

• B65D2581/342

  Ham · CPC title

• B65D2581/3416

  Cooking meat products, e.g. hot-dogs, hamburgers · CPC title