Microwave heating apparatus and method

In apparatus for heating and cooking a food product with microwave energy:

• a chamber in which the food product is placed formed by a closed outer container fabricated of a material at least partially transparent to microwave energy and an inner container having an open top and bottom and side walls spaced from the corresponding walls of the outer container, the inner container having a bottom wall and being formed at least in part of a material capable of absorbing microwave energy and being heated thereby, means for introducing a portion of the microwave energy into the chamber to heat the food product directly, and means comprising a fan positioned above the open top of the inner container for circulating air rapidly in a circular pattern past the heated portion of the inner container and about the food product to effect a high degree of heat transfer from the heated container to the outer surface of the food product.

In apparatus for heating and cooking a food product with microwave energy:

• a chamber in which the food product is placed including an enclosure positioned within the cooking cavity of a microwave oven, said enclosure having at least one microwave transparent portion through which a portion of the microwave energy can enter the chamber to heat the food product directly, air inlet and outlet openings in the enclosure, an air duct interconnecting the inlet and outlet openings outside the enclosure and inside the oven cavity, said air duct being fabricated at least in part of a microwave absorbant material which is heated by the microwave energy and serves to heat air passing through the duct, and blower means for circulating air through the duct and the chamber.

Apparatus for heating a food product in the cavity of a microwave oven, comprising:

• an outer container fabricated at least in part of a material transparent to microwave energy and having a generally cylindrical side wall, a bottom wall which rests on the floor of the oven cavity, and a removable cover;
• an inner container fabricated of a microwave reflective material positioned coaxially within the outer container and having an open top, a side wall spaced from the side wall of the outer container, and a bottom wall spaced from the bottom wall of the outer container;
• microwave absorbant material on the outer side wall of the inner container for absorbing microwave energy and heating air in the region of the side wall of the inner container, and fan means positioned above the open top of the inner container for circulating the heated air through the inner container whereby a food product placed in the inner container is heated by a combination of microwave energy and heated air.

Apparatus for heating a food product in the cavity of a microwave oven, comprising:

• an enclosure which is partially transparent to microwave energy which rests in the oven cavity and forms a cooking chamber for the food product, air inlet and outlet openings in the enclosure, an air duct interconnecting the inlet and outlet openings outside the enclosure, said air duct being fabricated at least in part of a microwave absorbant material which is heated by the microwave energy and heats air passing through the duct, and blower means for circulating air through the duct and the cooking chamber whereby a food product in the chamber is heated by a combination of microwave energy and the heated air.

In a method of heating a food product with microwave energy, the steps of:

• placing a chamber in a cavity of a microwave oven, placing the food product in the chamber, introducing no more than about 25 percent of the microwave energy generated by the oven into the chamber to heat the food product directly, heating a microwave absorber with a protion of the remainder of the microwave energy, passing air near the absorber to heat the air, and blowing the air through the chamber to further heat the food product.

In apparatus for heating and cooking a food product with microwave energy:

• a chamber in which the food product is placed formed by a closed outer container fabricated of a material at least partially transparent to microwave energy and a closed inner container having a top, bottom and side walls spaced from the corresponding walls of the outer container to define an annulus, the inner container being formed at least in part of a material capable of absorbing microwave energy and being heated thereby, means for introducing a portion of the microwave energy into the inner container to heat the food product directly, and means comprising a fan positioned within the inner container for circulating air past the heated portion of the inner container and about the food product to effect a high degree of heat transfer from the heated portion of the inner container to the outer surface of the food product.

In an apparatus for use with a source of microwave energy for heating and cooking a food product:

• a chamber for receiving the food product, means for introducing a portion of the microwave energy from the source into the chamber to heat the food product directly and preventing the remainder of the microwave energy from entering the chamber, a microwave energy absorber capable of being exposed to the microwave energy for heating air near the absorber, and means for circulating the heated air around the food product to further heat the product.

In a method of heating a food product disposed in a chamber located in the cavity of a microwave oven having a source of microwave energy, the steps of:

• introducing a portion of the microwave energy into the chamber to heat the food product directly while preventing the remainder of the micorwave energy from entering the chamber, exposing a microwave absorber outside of the chamber to at least some of the remainder of the microwave energy preventing from entering the chamber to heat the microwave absorber, passing air near the microwave absorber to heat the air, and circulating the air within the chamber to further heat the food product.