Dielectric cooking apparatus

Abstract

A dielectric heating oven having a set of parallel spaced electrodes alternately grounded and every ungrounded electrode fed by electromagnetic energy from a common source in an ISM band preferably from 13.56 megacycles to 40.68 megacycles. Food is placed on top of the electrodes and the depth of penetration of the electric fields into the food is a function of the phase relationship of the energized electrodes. When all energized electrodes are feed in the same phase, maximum field coupling is to the grounded electrodes between them resulting in high intensity searing electric fields close to the surface of the food. Deeper penetration cooking is accomplished by feeding adjacent energized electrodes 180.degree. out of phase so that maximum field coupling is between them rather to the grounded electrode between them. Still further penetration cooking results from feeding all adjacent energized electrodes 90.degree. out of phase so that maximum field coupling is to alternate energized electrodes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.