Browning heater for a microwave oven

An assembly adapted to produce infrared radiation in a microwave oven, comprising:

• a metallic cover sheet having both sides thereof enamelled with a high-emissivity, high-temperature porcelain;
• a heater sheet;
• a thermal insulator sheet;
• and means for binding said sheets proximate each other in the order listed, said means adapted for mounting said sheets in close abutment onto an interior wall of a microwave oven cavity, said means further adapted to shield said heater sheet from microwaves present in said cavity, whereby said assembly intrudes into said cavity only to the extent of its own volume.

A microwave oven having browning means, said oven including a metallic cavity having walls, said browning means mounted on the interior surface of one of said walls, said browing means comprising:

• a thin and substantially planar metallic cover sheet having two sides and at least one edge;
• a high-temperature, high emissivity porcelain enamel affixed to and covering both of said sides;
• an etched foil resistance heater sheet having a substantially planar serpentine circuit path substantially covering an area of substantially the same size and shape as the area circumscribed by said at least one edge of said cover sheet;
• a thin and substantially planar thermal insulator sheet of substantially the same size and shape as the area circumscribed by said at least one edge of said cover sheet;
• first means for providing electrical connection of said heater sheet to a power source through at least one aperture in said one wall;
• and
• second means for:
• i. binding sheets together in the order listed in substantially congruent alignment,
• ii. electrically isolating said heater sheet from microwave radiation, and
• iii. mounting said browning means in abutment to said interior surface such that said browning means intrudes into said cavity only to the extent of its own volume.