# US 10,873,995 B2 · System for preparing at least one food product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,995 B2 - Document ID: US10873995B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/920,108 - Filed: 2018-03-13 - Published: 2018-09-20 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-14 - Assignees: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH - Applicants: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH - Inventors: Hendrik Koetz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873995B2 ## CPC - H05B 6/647: {Aspects related to microwave heating combined with other heating techniques} - A23L 5/15: {using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat} - A47J 37/0629: {with electric heating elements} - H05B 6/705: {using microwave tuning} - H05B 6/72: Radiators or antennas - H05B 6/725: {Rotatable antennas} - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - H05B 2206/04: Heating using microwaves - Y02B 40/00: Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract The invention relates to a system (100) for preparing at least one food product (1), comprising: a cooking chamber (10), in which at least one preparation area (5) is provided, wherein the at least one food product (1) can be positioned and prepared at the least one preparation area (5), at least one antenna arrangement (30) for supplying energy of electromagnetic energy (80) into the cooking chamber (10), whereby the at least one food product (1) can be heated, one transmission device (40) for operating the antenna arrangement (30), wherein at least one antenna (31) of the antenna arrangement (30) is oriented depending on the preparation area (5) and is operable according to at least one operation mode by the transmission device (40), so that a performance-optimized temperature zone distribution for heating the food product (1) can be generated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for preparing at least one food product, comprising: a cooking chamber in which at least one preparation area is provided, wherein the at least one food product is preparable at the at least one preparation area, at least one antenna for energy supply of electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber, whereby the at least one food product is heated for preparation, and at least one transmitter for operating the antenna, wherein at least one antenna is oriented depending on the at least one preparation area and is operable by the transmitter according to at least one operation mode, so that a performance-optimized temperature zone distribution is generated for heating the food product, wherein the operation of at least two antennas is effected with different operation modes which differ with at least regard to a power or a frequency or a cyclic switching-on and switching-off with which the respective antennas are operated, so that a predetermined temperature zone distribution is generated, and wherein the system comprises at least one first antenna and one second antenna, which are arranged spaced from one another, wherein the respective antenna is configured as at least one of the following antenna structures: as a dipole antenna in which a directional characteristic depends on a current distribution over a length of an electric conductor of the dipole antenna, as a monopole antenna in which a rotation-symmetric field distribution occurs about a vertical axis of the monopole antenna, or as a circularly polarized antenna. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature zone distribution is generated as a dynamic temperature zone distribution by the antenna, so that the temperature zone distribution is at least amendable or is adaptable to the at least one food product at the preparation area, or is adaptable to a predetermined temperature zone distribution. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least two antennas which are arranged spaced from one another, and which are operable through the transmitter or in each case through individual transmitters, wherein the antennas are differently configured, whereby the temperature zone distribution is generated depending on the different configuration of the antennas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is configured as copper antenna. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein at least two different preparation areas are provided in the cooking chamber, and different antennas are at least arranged or are operable in such a way that a different degree of energy is supplied to the different preparation areas so that food products are heated in a controlled manner at the respective preparation areas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of antennas, so that a fine-granular temperature distribution is produced by the antennas, wherein at least 3 antennas are provided. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a ceiling element and a base element, wherein the base element is arranged opposite the ceiling element, and the cooking chamber is at least partially defined through the base element and the ceiling element, and wherein the antenna is arranged in the area of the base element below the base element, wherein the base element is arranged between the antenna and the cooking chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna has a lesser distance to the preparation area than a ceiling element of the system, wherein the distance between the antenna and the preparation area is maximum 1 cm or maximum 4 cm or maximum 6 cm or maximum 10 cm, and the antenna as a first heating device has a lesser distance to the preparation area than further heating devices of the system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein a base element of the system is at least partially formed of a non-metal, or is configured penetrable for the electromagnetic energy, so that the electromagnetic energy reaches the cooking chamber through the base element starting from the antenna arrangement, wherein the base element mainly comprises at least ceramic or glass or is made thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein a further heating device is provided besides the antenna in the area of a ceiling element of the system, wherein the further heating device comprises at least one heating coil or electric heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured as an oven or microwave. ### Claim 12 A method for preparing at least one food product, wherein the at least one food product is prepared in a cooking chamber at at least one preparation area, wherein for the preparation of the at least one food product, at least the following steps are provided: a) Aligning at least one antenna depending on the at least one preparation area, and b) Operating the antenna according to at least one operation mode through at least one transmitter, so that electromagnetic energy is supplied into the cooking chamber, whereby a performance-optimized temperature zone distribution is generated for heating the food product, wherein the operation of at least two antennas is effected with different operation modes which differ with at least regard to a power or a frequency or a cyclic switching-on and switching-off with which the respective antennas are operated, so that a predetermined temperature zone distribution is generated, and wherein the at least two antennas comprise at least one first antenna and one second antenna, which are arranged spaced from one another, wherein the respective antenna is configured as at least one of the following antenna structures: as a dipole antenna in which a directional characteristic depends on a current distribution over a length of an electric conductor of the dipole antenna, as a monopole antenna in which a rotation-symmetric field distribution occurs about a vertical axis of the monopole antenna, or as a circularly polarized antenna. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic energy is a high-frequency electromagnetic radiation at least in the microwave range or in a frequency range which is suitable for heating food products. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein at least two different preparation areas are provided, and different antennas are at least arranged or operated such that in each case a different degree of energy is supplied to the different preparation areas, wherein the respective different degrees of energy are controlled depending on conditions which are specific for the food products at the respective preparation area in such a way that the food products are heated according to a presetting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the operation of the antenna is adjusted through a controller so that a predetermined temperature zone distribution is generated depending on conditions which are evaluated through the controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein for the generation of a predetermined temperature zone distribution, the energy supply for different preparation areas of the cooking chamber is differently performed, so that at least two different temperature zones with different temperatures are effected in the cooking chamber for different preparation areas, or a single temperature zone for a homogeneous temperature distribution in the cooking chamber is effected. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein for the generation of a predetermined temperature zone distribution, a first target temperature value is provided for a first temperature zone of a first preparation area, and a second target temperature value is provided for a second temperature zone of a second preparation area, wherein the antenna is controlled through the at least one transmitter or controller in such a way that the respective temperature zones are controlled individually with respect to the respective target temperature value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein a target temperature value of at least one temperature zone is a predetermined temperature value for the food product, which is compared to at least a measured or estimated reference temperature value of the food product for controlling the at least one temperature zone, so that, in the preparation, the reference temperature value has maximally a predetermined deviation from the target temperature value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein a first target temperature value of a first temperature zone for a first food product deviates from or is identical with a second target temperature value of a second temperature zone for a second food product depending on at least a presetting or an operator input. ### Claim 20 A system for preparing at least one food product, comprising: a cooking chamber in which at least one preparation area is provided, wherein the at least one food product is preparable at the at least one preparation area, at least one antenna for energy supply of electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber, whereby the at least one food product is heated for preparation, and at least one transmitter for operating the antenna, wherein at least one antenna orientation is modified depending on the at least one preparation area and wherein at least one antenna is operable by the transmitter according to at least one operation mode, so that a performance-optimized temperature zone distribution is generated for heating the food product, wherein the operation of at least two antennas is effected with different operation modes which differ with at least regard to a power or a frequency or a cyclic switching-on and switching-off with which the respective antennas are operated, so that a predetermined temperature zone distribution is generated, and wherein the system comprises at least one first antenna and one second antenna, which are arranged spaced from one another, wherein the respective antenna is configured as at least one of the following antenna structures: as a dipole antenna in which a directional characteristic depends on a current distribution over a length of an electric conductor of the dipole antenna, as a monopole antenna in which a rotation-symmetric field distribution occurs about a vertical axis of the monopole antenna, or as a circularly polarized antenna. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the antenna depending on the preparation area is achieved by fixing and aligning the antenna in such a way that radiation of the electromagnetic energy by the antenna is in a specific direction.