Environmental control system for microwave proofer

Claim 2

In a microwave system, an enclosure defining a microwave cavity having entry and exIt ports, a conveyor for transporting products to be exposed to energy in said microwave cavity from a pickup point external to said entry port, through said cavity along an exposure path and to a drop-off point external to said exit port, means within said cavity defining a product treatment zone along said exposure path through which said conveyor passes, means at one of the under and top sides of said treatment zone for introducing air under controlled temperature and relative humidity to said treatment zone, means pervious to microwave energy at the other of the under and top sides of said treatment zone providing an air baffle and baffle means dividing the means for introducing air into said treatment zone into lower and upper sections.

Claim 3

A microwave system according to claim 1 wherein the means for introducing air into said treatment zone includes a plenum at the under side thereof and said air baffle is at the top side thereof.

Claim 4

A microwave system according to claim 2 wherein said conveyor includes a porous belt permitting air flow therethrough.

Claim 5

A microwave system according to claim 3 wherein the means defining said treatment zone includes a belt-supporting system at said under side over which said belt passes, said belt-supporting system including a plurality of spaced and transversely extending supporting bars of microwave transparent material.

Claim 6

A microwave system according to claim 4 wherein the means for introducing air into said treatment zone further includes an air manifold in communication with said plenum and disposed along the longitudinal extent of said treatment zone.

Claim 7

A microwave system according to claim 5 wherein said air manifold includes a portion of said baffle means dividing the same into said lower and upper sections, said lower section communicating with said plenum and said upper section communicating with said treatment zone.

Claim 8

A microwave system according to claim 6 wherein said baffle means is transparent to microwave energy and is disposed in substantially coplanar relation to said belt.

Claim 9

A microwave system according to claim 7 including a manifold inlet communicating with said lower section and a manifold outlet communicating with said upper section.

Claim 10

A microwave system according to claim 8 including respective microwave traps in said manifold inlet and outlet.

Claim 11

A microwave proofer for food products comprising an elongated housing providing a microwave cavity and having an entry port at one end thereof and an aligned exit port at the opposite end thereof, belt-supporting means on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports, said belt-supporting means being pervious to microwave energy and cooperating with said housing to define an air plenum therebeneath, a conveyor for transporting food products through said cavity including an air-pervious belt extending into said entry port, resting upon said belt-supporting means in said microwave cavity and extending out of said exit port, an air baffle on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports and in spaced relation above said belt and cooperating therewith to define a treatment zone extending between said entry and exit ports, said air baffle being impervious to air but pervious to microwave energy such as to direct air to a lateral location along the length of said treatment zone yet permit exposure of food products on said belt to microwave energy in said cavity, means for introducing air at a controlled temperature and humidity into said air plenum for passage into said treatment zone and toward said lateral location, an air manifold along the length of said treatment zone and said air plenum at said lateral location and a manifold baffle to separate said air manifold into sections.

Claim 12

A microwave proofer for food products comprising an elongated housing providing a microwave cavity and having an entry port at one end thereof and an aligned exit port at the opposite end thereof, belt-supporting means on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports, said belt-supporting means being pervious to microwave energy and cooperating with said housing to define an air plenum therebeneath, a conveyor for transporting food products through said cavity including an air-pervious belt extending into said entry port, resting upon said belt-supporting means in said microwave cavity and extending out of said exit port, an air baffle on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports and in spaced relation above said belt and cooperating therewith to define a treatment zone extending between said entry and exit ports, said air baffle being impervious to air but pervious to microwave energy such as to direct air to a lateral location along the length of said treatment zone yet permit exposure of food products on said belt to microwave energy in said cavity, means for introducing air at a controlled temperature and humidity into said air plenum for passage into said treatment zone and toward said lateral location, an air manifold along the length of said treatment zone and said air plenum at said lateral location and a manifold baffle to separate said air manifold into sections.

Claim 13

A microwave proofer according to claim 10 including access means in said elongated housing and wherein said belt-supporting means is in multiple sections sized for removal through said access means.

Claim 14

A microwave proofer according to claim 11 wherein said air baffle is in multiple sections sized for removal through said access means.

Claim 15

A microwave proofer according to claim 10 wherein said belt-supporting means includes an open framework of a width in excess of the width of said belt.

Claim 16

A microwave proofer according to claim 10 wherein said air manifold includes a lower section having a manifold inlet and communicating with said air plenum and an upper section having a manifold outlet and communicating with said treatment zone.

Claim 17

A microwave proofer according to claim 14 including said manifold baffle intermediate said upper and lower sections, said manifold baffle being impervious to air and pervious to microwave energy.

Claim 18

A microwave proofer according to claim 15 including air heating and humidifying means and a blower having its suction side connected to said manifold outlet and its pressure side connected to said manifold inlet.

Claim 19

A microwave proofer according to claim 16 including temperature and humidity sensing means between air manifold outlet and the suction side of said blower and respective means responsive to said sensing means and controlling said air heating and humidifying means respectively for conditioning air at the pressure side of said conveyor in advance of passage thereof to said manifold inlet.

Claim 20

A microwave proofer for food products comprising an elongated housing providing a microwave cavity and having an entry port at one end thereof and an exit port at the opposite end thereof, belt-supporting means on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports, said belt-supporting means being pervious to microwave energy and cooperating with said housing to define an air plenum therebeneath, a conveyor for transporting food products through said cavity including a belt extending into said entry port, overlying and resting upon said belt-supporting means and extending out of said exit port, an air baffle in said housing extending between said entry and exit ports and in spaced relation above said belt and cooperating therewith to define a treatment zone from said entry port to said exit ports, said air baffle being impervious to air but pervious to microwave energy such as to direct air entering said treatment zone to a lateral location along one side of said treatment zone yet permit exposure of food products on said belt to microwave energy in said cavity, means for introducing air at a controlled temperature and humidity into said air plenum for passage into said treatment zone at the other side thereof and toward said lateral location, an air manifold along the length of said treatment zone and said air plenum at said lateral location and a manifold baffle to separate said air manifold into sections.

Claim 21

A microwave proofer for food products comprising an elongated housing providing a microwave cavity and having an entry port at one end thereof and an exit port at the opposite end thereof, belt-supporting means on said housing extending between said entry and exit ports, said belt-supporting means being pervious to microwave energy and cooperating with said housing to define an air plenum therebeneath, a conveyor for transporting food products through said cavity including a belt extending into said entry port, overlying and resting upon said belt-supporting means and extending out of said exit port, an air baffle in said housing extending between said entry and exit ports and in spaced relation above said belt and cooperating therewith to define a treatment zone from said entry port to said exit ports, said air baffle being impervious to air but pervious to microwave energy such as to direct air entering said treatment zone to a lateral location along one side of said treatment zone yet permit exposure of food products on said belt to microwave energy in said cavity, means for introducing air at a controlled temperature and humidity into said air plenum for passage into said treatment zone at the other side thereof and toward said lateral location, an air manifold along the length of said treatment zone and said air plenum at said lateral location and a manifold baffle to separate said air manifold into sections.

Claim 22

A microwave proofer according to claim 18 wherein said belt-supporting means includes an open framework of a width in excess of the width of said belt and a side air baffle overlying said belt-supporting means and adjacent said conveyor along said one side of said treatment zone for directing air toward the other side thereof for passage from said air plenum into said treatment zone.

Claim 23

A microwave proofer according to claim 19 wherein said air manifold includes a lower section having a manifold inlet and communicating with said air plenum, an upper section having a manifold outlet and communicating with said treatment zone and said manifold baffle being intermediate said upper and lower sections and adjacent said side air baffle, said manifold baffle being impervious to air and pervious to microwave energy and cooperating with said side air baffle for directing air toward said other side of said treatment zone.

Claim 24

A microwave proofer according to claim 20 including air heating and humidifying means and a blower having its suction side connected to said manifold outlet and its pressure side connected to said manifold inlet.

Claim 25

A microwave proofer according to claim 21 including temperature and humidity sensing means between air manifold outlet and the suction side of said blower and respective means responsive to said sensing means and controlling said air heating and humidifying means respectively for conditioning air at the pressure side of said conveyor in advance of passage thereof to said manifold inlet.