Concentrated energy microwave appliance

Apparatus for heating kernals, seeds, nuts, grain and like items by microwave energy a microwave cavity, means for directing microwave energy into said cavity, a substantially conical container formed of material transparent to microwave energy, said container having means at one end for retaining said items in a clump and having a region above the clump which is larger in internal volume than the volume occupied by the clump, and means for concentrating microwave energy upon said first means and clump therein.

A microwave corn popper apparatus comprising a microwave cavity, means for directing microwave energy into said cavity, a bowl of microwave-transparent material, said bowl having a lower region of restricted internal volume for holding kernels to be popped, and further having an upper region of larger internal volume located above said lower region, and a support beneath said bowl, said support being transparent to microwaves and having support means interfitting with said lower region of the bowl for supporting the bowl in an upright position, said support means including means for concentrating microwave energy upon said lower region and kernels therein.

A method of making popcorn comprising disposing a supply of unpopped popcorn kernels in a container which has restraining means for retaining said kernels in a clump and has inclined walls with one end associated with said restraining means, subjecting said clump to microwave energy and concentrating said energy upon said clump for a period of time to cause some of said kernels to abruptly explode and consequently remove themselves from the restraining means and simultaneously causing some of the unexploded kernels to move out of the restraining means onto an inclined wall and thence back into said restraining means, and continuing the application and concentration of microwave energy until at least a major portion of the kernels have exploded and removed themselves from the restraining means.

A method of making popcorn comprising the steps of retaining a supply of unpopped popcorn kernels in a clump, subjecting said clump to microwave energy and concentrating said energy upon said clump for a period of time sufficient to cause some of said kernels to explode with consequent removal from the clump and simultaneous disturbance of unexploded kernels in the clump, and continuing and application and concentration of the microwave energy to the clump while the disturbed unexploded kernels move back into said clump and until at least a major portion of the kernels have exploded and removed themselves from the clump.