Multi-zone microwave heating apparatus
AssigneeInternational Standard Electric Corporation
InventorBernard L. D. Hallier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microwave heating oven has a microwave-shielded loading passage and a first heating zone for containing the material in solid form. A second heating zone maintains the material in its liquid state and provides an exit passage for removing the material while in its liquid state. The oven finds particular application in the processing of materials for photographic emulsions where the emulsion material is placed in the first heating zone in solid form. The second heating zone is located directly under the first and is separated from the first by a perforated partition. Subjecting both heating zones to microwave radiation causes the solid emulsion material in the first zone to melt and to pass through the perforated partition to the second zone where the emulsion material is removed as a liquid.
Claims10
An apparatus for processing materials by means of electromagnetic radiation comprising:
- means for generating electromagnetic radiation;
- a container for holding the material to be processed;
- an external metal casing for housing said container having a removable cover, sides and a bottom, said bottom having a passage therethrough for providing removal of said material from the apparatus;
- and
- an internal metal rim extending from the interior surface of the sides of said casing for at least partially limiting electromagnetic radiation to said container for the portion thereof between the top of said rim and the underside of said cover;
- and
- a plurality of openings through said casing below said rim;
- means for generating electromagnetic radiation comprising:
- a plurality of microwave generators having waveguides associated therewith communicating to the interior of said container below said rim through said openings;
- said container having a porous partition located therein to define a first zone thereabove within said container for processing said materials in a solid form and a second zone therebelow for processing materials in a liquid form;
- and
- said container having a loading passage portion above said rim at least partially protected from said electromagnetic radiation, a solid form processing portion between said rim and said porous partition, a liquid processing portion located intermediate said partition and the bottom of said container and a removing passage portion communicating with the passage through the bottom of said casing.
A two zone microwave oven comprising:
- a metal casing having a hingably mounted cover at one end and an exit port at the opposite end, four waveguide passages equidistantly located around the periphery of said casing, and an inwardly extending microwave deflecting shelf member projecting from the interior surface of said casing;
- a molded polypropylene cylinder removably mounted within said metal casing, said cylinder having a funnel-shaped opening at one end proximate said cover for receiving solid material therethrough, and a tapered opening at the opposite end for passing liquid material therethrough, a polypropylene grid attached to the inner wall of said cylinder intermediate said ends and perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder, for retaining solid material on one side of said grid and for passing liquid material through said grid;
- and
- four magnetron microwave transmitting tubes and antennas equidistantly placed around said casing and communicating with said casing by means of a waveguide whereby said casing provides a microwave cavity in cooperation with said tubes for supplying microwave radiation to material within said cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.