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US 10,383,183 B2Granted
Microwave oven with oscillating magnetron
AssigneeHall Labs LLC
InventorsDavid R. Hall, Andrew Priddis, Matthew Liddle, Jedediah Knight
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microwave oven is disclosed herein that includes a cooking cavity and a magnetron. The magnetron includes a body portion having an anode, a cathode, one or more magnets, and an antenna extending from the body. The antenna directs microwaves generated by the body to the cooking cavity. The magnetron is movably coupled to a housing surrounding the cooking cavity and the magnetron. For example, in one embodiment, the magnetron oscillates along three perpendicular dimensions of mobility.
Claims19
A microwave oven, comprising:
- a cooking cavity;
- an magnetron comprising:
- a body comprising an anode, a cathode, and one or more magnets;
- and
- an antenna extending from the body that directs microwaves generated by the body to the cooking cavity;
- a housing surrounding the cooking cavity and the magnetron;
- and
- an oscillating mechanism coupling the magnetron to the housing, the oscillating mechanism comprising:
- a motor fixedly coupled to the housing;
- a cylindrical collar having a sloped end and a flat end, the flat end fixedly coupled to the motor;
- a transmission shaft slidably coupled to the motor and passing through the cylindrical collar, the transmission shaft having an angled foot extending at least partially perpendicularly to the transmission shaft, wherein the foot is rotatably coupled to the magnetron, and wherein the foot comprises an angled surface complementary to the sloped end of the cylindrical collar;
- and
- a compression spring disposed in the cylindrical collar around the transmission shaft, the compression spring coupled to the transmission shaft, the collar, or both.
10 more elements
A microwave oven comprising:
- a cooking cavity;
- a magnetron comprising:
- a body comprising an anode, a cathode, and one or more magnets;
- and
- an antenna extending from the body that directs microwaves generated by the body to the cooking cavity;
- a first infrared camera directed towards the cooking cavity and aligned along a first axis across the cooking cavity;
- a second infrared camera directed towards the cooking cavity along a second axis across the cooking cavity and perpendicular to the first axis;
- a controller having one or more hardware processors and hardware memory, the hardware memory having instructions stored therein that, when executed by the hardware processors, perform the steps of:
- detecting a three-dimensional heat profile of an object being heated in the microwave oven using the infrared cameras;
- adjusting a position of the magnetron based on the heat profile.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.