US 5,628,241 AGranted

Induction heating device for meal trays

AssigneeSociete Cooperative de Production Bourgeois

InventorsJean-Pierre Chavanaz, Laurent Losserand

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Abstract

A device for induction heating of meal trays includes an arrangement for supporting a series of trays one above the other. The foods to be heated are placed on a part of the tray that may include a layer of material that can be heated by magnetic induction and under an insulative dish-cover covered on the inside with a layer of material that can be heated by magnetic induction. Induction shelves are inserted between the trays and comprise groups of induction coils. The groups of induction coils are energized separately with high-frequency electrical energy by a multiplexed electrical generator. A detector detects the presence or the absence of the dish-covers. A control unit disables the energization of groups of induction coils near an area in which there is no dish-cover. The device adapts automatically to the presence or the absence of trays and/or dish-covers, optimizing efficiency and minimizing the generation of electromagnetic interference.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A device for heating foods placed on meal trays, comprising:

means for supporting a series of trays one above the other with an appropriate distance between them, foods to be heated being placed on a tray heating area on a respective tray,
a plurality of induction generators each containing at least one group of induction coils connected to a high-frequency electrical current generator and disposed near said tray heating area of successive trays to produce a high-frequency alternating magnetic field heating members of material that can be heated by magnetic induction placed near said foods, said groups of induction coils of each induction generator being energized with high-frequency electrical power separately from said groups of induction coils of the other induction generators,
detector means associated with at least some groups of controlled induction coils of induction generators to detect the presence or the absence of a corresponding adjacent member of material that can be heated by magnetic induction, and
control and switching means that automatically disable the energization of groups of induction coils for which said detector means have detected the absence of a corresponding adjacent member of material that can be heated by magnetic induction.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.