US 2018/0302958 A1 · ELECTRONIC OVEN WITH REFLECTIVE ENERGY STEERING

Abstract

Method and systems for heating an item in a chamber comprising applying a first electromagnetic wave to an array of variable reflectance elements and corresponding array of variable impedance devices is disclosed. The corresponding array includes first and second variable impedance devices. The method also comprises reflecting, when the first device has a first impedance value, the first wave from the array to the item. The reflecting places a local maximum of energy at a first location on the item. The method also comprises altering an impedance of the first device. The method also comprises applying a second electromagnetic wave, and reflecting the second wave from the array to the item. The reflecting places the local maximum at a second location on the item. Altering the impedance of the first variable impedance device alters a reflectance of a first variable reflectance element in the array of variable reflectance elements.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An electronic oven with a set of reflective elements for controlling a distribution of microwave energy in the electronic oven, comprising:

a chamber;
a microwave energy source coupled to an injection port in the chamber;
a set of actuators connected to the set of reflective elements;
a controller that controls the set of actuators;
wherein the microwave energy source applies an electromagnetic wave with a dominant wavelength to the chamber;
wherein the set of reflective elements are held above a surface of the chamber by the set of actuators at a distance greater than 0.1 of the dominant wavelength;
wherein the controller repositions the set of reflective elements via the set of actuators;
wherein the controller stores instructions that independently cause a repositioning of each reflective element in the set of reflective elements using the set of actuators;
and
wherein the set of actuators and the set of reflective elements are each sets of at least three units.

7 more elements

A method for applying an electromagnetic wave to an item in a chamber of an electronic oven, comprising:

applying a first electromagnetic wave to the chamber from an energy source to a set of reflective elements in the chamber, wherein the set of reflective elements are held above a surface of the chamber by a set of actuators;
independently repositioning each reflective element in the set of reflective elements using the set of actuators, wherein independently repositioning each reflective element includes repositioning a first reflective element in the set of reflective elements from a first position to a second position;
and
reflecting, when the first reflective element is in the first position, the first electromagnetic wave from the set of reflective elements to the item, wherein the reflecting places a local maximum of energy at a first location on the item;
wherein the first reflective element has a first orientation in the first position and a second orientation in the second position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic oven with reflective energy steering

Life of this patent

Electronic oven with reflective energy steering

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28