Microwave intensification system for rapid, uniform processing of food items

A microwave intensification system includes a base frame having a plurality of support members, a microwave transparent, central vessel, and at least one dielectric unit positioned within the central vessel. A cooking surface is formed by covering the dielectric unit with a protective covering. In operation, a food item is placed within a processing container and positioned on the cooking surface over the dielectric unit. The processing container is sized such that an overlap exists between the container and the dielectric unit in order to balance the exposure of the food item to a microwave energy field. With this arrangement, the food item can rapidly undergo a cooking process in a manner wherein central and edge portions of the food item are exposed to a uniform cooking process thereby increasing the quality of the final product.

Shielding system for protecting select portions of a food product during processing in a conveyorized microwave oven

A conveyorized microwave oven incorporates a shielding system mounted within an oven cavity of the microwave oven. The shielding system is provided to prevent select portions of a food item traveling through the microwave oven from overheating relative to the remainder of the food item. The present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the tempering, cooking or thawing of parallelepiped or rectangular-shaped food items and includes a frame structure fixedly mounted within and traversing substantially the entire length of the oven cavity, with the frame structure having a generally rectangular cross-section defined by both microwave impermeable portions and microwave transmissive portions on each side.

Microwave intensification system for a conveyorized microwave oven

A microwave oven includes an oven cavity arranged within a housing. The oven includes a door and a motorized conveyor belt for transporting food items through the oven cavity. A microwave energy intensification system is provided below the conveyor belt to concentrate and intensify a microwave energy field directed into the oven cavity in order to minimize temperature deviations within the food item.

Microwave intensification system for rapid, uniform processing of food items

A microwave intensification system includes a base frame having a plurality of support members, a microwave transparent, central vessel, and at least one dielectric unit positioned within the central vessel. A cooking surface is formed by covering the dielectric unit with a protective covering. In operation, a food item is placed within a processing container and positioned on the cooking surface over the dielectric unit. The processing container is sized such that an overlap exists between the container and the dielectric unit in order to balance the exposure of the food item to a microwave energy field. With this arrangement, the food item can rapidly undergo a cooking process in a manner wherein central and edge portions of the food item are exposed to a uniform cooking process thereby increasing the quality of the final product.

Microwave intensification system for a conveyorized microwave oven

A microwave oven includes an oven cavity arranged within a housing. The oven includes a door and a motorized conveyor belt for transporting food items through the oven cavity. A microwave energy intensification system is provided below the conveyor belt to concentrate and intensify a microwave energy field directed into the oven cavity in order to minimize temperature deviations within the food item.

Microwave intensification system for rapid, uniform processing of food items

A microwave intensification system includes a base frame having a plurality of support members, a microwave transparent, central vessel, and at least one dielectric unit positioned within the central vessel. A cooking surface is formed by covering the dielectric unit with a protective covering. In operation, a food item is placed within a processing container and positioned on the cooking surface over the dielectric unit. The processing container is sized such that an overlap exists between the container and the dielectric unit in order to balance the exposure of the food item to a microwave energy field. With this arrangement, the food item can rapidly undergo a cooking process in a manner wherein central and edge portions of the food item are exposed to a uniform cooking process thereby increasing the quality of the final product.

Variable power control microwave oven

A microwave oven control system in which the average microwave power may be selected by selecting different duty cycles of a cyclically closing semiconductor switch controlling the AC power supplied to a microwave magnetron anode power supply which has a saturable high voltage transformer with input current surges to said power supply being minimized by turning on said switch in the region a voltage peak of said AC power and with the cycle time of said switch being greater than the AC power cycle time but being substantially less than the thermal response time of a food body being cooked by microwave energy so that changing the duty cycle can change the power applied to the food body rapidly in the event that undesired results such as boiling over or burning of the food body are observed.

Variable power control microwave oven

VARIABLE POWER CONTROL MICROWAVE OVEN Abstract of the Disclosure A microwave oven control system in which the average microwave power may be selected by selecting different duty cycles of a cyclically closing semiconductor switch controlling the AC power supplied to a microwave magnetron anode power supply which has a saturable high voltage transformer with input current surges to said power supply being minimized by turning on said switch in the region a voltage peak of said AC power and with the cycle time of said switch being greater than the AC power cycle time but being substantially less than the thermal response time of a food body being cooked by microwave energy so that changing the duty cycle can change the power applied to the food body rapidly in the event that undesired results such as boiling over or burning of the food body are observed.

Shielding system for protecting select portions of a food product during processing in a conveyorized microwave oven

A conveyorized microwave oven incorporates a shielding system mounted within an oven cavity of the microwave oven. The shielding system is provided to prevent select portions of a food item traveling through the microwave oven from overheating relative to the remainder of the food item. The present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the tempering, cooking or thawing of parallelepiped or rectangular-shaped food items and includes a frame structure fixedly mounted within and traversing substantially the entire length of the oven cavity, with the frame structure having a generally rectangular cross-section defined by both microwave impermeable portions and microwave transmissive portions on each side.

Control system with hidden reprogramming switch

A commercial microwave oven having a plurality of operator actuable switches each of which is dedicated to activating the microwave oven for a corresponding programmed time period. These operator actuable switches are located on a switchboard, and a front faceplate has graphic keypads indicating where to push to activate the respective switches. Also located on the switchboard are operator actuable switches used to reprogram the time periods, but these reprogramming switches are hidden because they do not have corresponding keypads on the faceplate. Accordingly, access to the reprogramming feature is limited to those who have been appropriately instructed.

Control system with hidden reprogramming switch

Abstract of the Disclosure A commercial microwave oven having a plurality of opera-tor actuable switches each of which is dedicated to activating the microwave oven for a corresponding programmed time period. These operator actuable switches are located on a switchboard, and a front faceplate has graphic keypads indicating where to push to activate the respective switches. Also located on the switchboard are operator actuable switches used to re-program the time periods, but these reprogramming switches are hidden because they do not have corresponding keypads on the faceplate. Accordingly, access to the reprogramming feature is limited to those who have been appropriately in-structed.

High visibility microwave oven door