Microwave tunnel heating apparatus
AssigneeNestec S.A.
InventorToai Le Viet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus assembly for heating a product has a tunnel and microwave generators positoned for generating a microwave field zone within the tunnel. A conveyor belt extends within the tunnel for passing a product through the tunnel. A plate formed of a material impermeable to microwaves is positioned in the tunnel so that an entire width of the belt passes over the plate in the microwave field zone so that microwave energy is reflected away from the belt. In addition, heating elements for generating an infrared energy zone and a further conveyor belt may be positioned so that a product passed through the tunnel then is passed by the further conveyor belt through the infrared energy zone.
Claims13
An apparatus assembly for heating a product comprising:
- a microwave heating assembly comprising (a) a horizontally extending tunnel having an opposed top and bottom and (b) microwave generators positioned for generating a microwave field zone within the tunnel;
- a conveyor belt which extends horizontally within the tunnel, above the tunnel bottom, for passing a product through the tunnel;
- and
- a plate formed of a material impermeable to microwaves and positioned in the tunnel, extending beneath the entire width of the belt in the microwave field zone, so that, in operation, generated microwave energy below the plate in the microwave field zone is reflected away from the belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.