Microwave oven interpose system for control of environmental radiation

Claim 2

Microwave heating apparatus comprising means providing a cooking cavity having a movable door for preventing access to said cavity in one position and permitting access thereto in a second position, means for normally delivering microwave power along one path to a location within said cavity, means for diverting at least some of the power traversing said first path along a second path to a location outside said cavity, means controlled by said door causing said diverting means to divert at least some of the power traversing said first path along said second path to said outside location when said door is moved from its said one position to its said second position, and means outside said cavity for receiving the power diverted along said second path to said location, said receiving means preventing entry of said diverted power into said cavity.

Claim 3

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said diverting means includes a movable deflecting member shiftable from a nondiverting position to a diverting position by said door controlled means.

Claim 4

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said receiving means includes an absorptive member located with respect to said second path for terminating at least a portion of the power traversing said second path.

Claim 5

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, termination means externally of said waveguide and said cavity, a movable door for opening and closing said access opening, means for diverting at least some of the power flowinG through said waveguide to said termination means to reduce the amount of power entering said cavity, and means mechanically interconnecting said door and diverting means so that when said door is opened said diverting means reduces the amount of power flowing through said waveguide and when said door is closed said diverting means allows normal flow of power through said waveguide into said cavity.

Claim 6

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, termination means externally of said waveguide and said cavity, a movable door for opening and closing said access opening, means for diverting at least some of the power flowinG through said waveguide to said termination means to reduce the amount of power entering said cavity, and means mechanically interconnecting said door and diverting means so that when said door is opened said diverting means reduces the amount of power flowing through said waveguide and when said door is closed said diverting means allows normal flow of power through said waveguide into said cavity.

Claim 7

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which said diverting means includes a deflector device.

Claim 8

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which said deflector device includes a shiftable member mounted for movement into and out of said waveguide to reduce the amount of power flowing into said cavity when moved into the waveguide and to permit normal flow of power through said waveguide into said cavity when moved out of the waveguide.

Claim 9

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which said deflecting member constitutes a plate or blade movable into said waveguide through a slot in one wall thereof.

Claim 10

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which said waveguide has a second slot in said one wall longitudinally aligned with said first slot, a section of said one wall extending therebetween to provide a transverse short and thus prevent propagation of the fundamental power through said slots during normal flow of microwave power, said deflecting member having two portions with one of said portions being movable into said waveguide through the first slot and the second portion being movable into said waveguide through said second slot.

Claim 11

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which said termination means includes absorptive material disposed externally of said waveguide in adjacency with said slots.

Claim 12

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 9 in which said absorptive material constitutes a pair of blocks, one block extending along one side of said slots and the other block along the other side thereof.

Claim 13

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including a plate fixedly attached at one edge thereof to the interior of said waveguide, said fixed plate projecting from one side of said waveguide toward the other side thereof and having a slot extending from the free edge thereof in the direction of its said one edge, said slot being aligned with the first slot in said waveguide so that said first portion extends into said slot when said deflecting plate is moved into said waveguide through said slots.

Claim 14

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which said deflecting member is pivotally mounted for rotation, said portions thereof having an arcuate configuration with an arcuate slot therebetween so that said transverse waveguide portion is received in said arcuate slot when said deflecting plate is injected into said waveguide, said second portion residing in a proximal relationship with the free edge of said fixed plate when said deflecting plate is fully injected.

Claim 15

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which said termination means includes a member for absorbing at least some of the power diverted by said diverting means.

Claim 16

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which said deflector device is movable in a direction parallel to the direction of power flow.

Claim 17

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which said slot is longitudinally oriented in a direction parallel to the direction of power flow.

Claim 18

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a metallic cabinet, a housing at least partially contained in said cabinet having a portion thereof spaced from said cabinet so as to provide a void therebetween, said housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, a movable door for opEning and closing said access opening, means for diverting at least some of the power flowing through said waveguide into said void to reduce the amount of power entering said cavity, and means mechanically interconnecting said door and diverting means so that when said door is opened said diverting means reduces the amount of power flowing through said waveguide and when said door is closed said diverting means allows normal flow of power through said waveguide into said cavity, said cabinet joining said housing peripherally of said access opening so as to prevent escape of microwave power from said void in the region of said access door.

Claim 19

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a metallic cabinet, a housing at least partially contained in said cabinet having a portion thereof spaced from said cabinet so as to provide a void therebetween, said housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, a movable door for opEning and closing said access opening, means for diverting at least some of the power flowing through said waveguide into said void to reduce the amount of power entering said cavity, and means mechanically interconnecting said door and diverting means so that when said door is opened said diverting means reduces the amount of power flowing through said waveguide and when said door is closed said diverting means allows normal flow of power through said waveguide into said cavity, said cabinet joining said housing peripherally of said access opening so as to prevent escape of microwave power from said void in the region of said access door.

Claim 20

Microwave apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which said diverting means includes a member movable into said waveguide to reduce the electrical width of said waveguide.

Claim 21

Microwave apparatus in accordance with claim 17 in which said movable member constitutes a blade, said waveguide having a slot in one wall thereof via which said blade is insertable into said waveguide, said blade being movable between a position in which it is substantially contained in said void and withdrawn from the waveguide when said door is closed and a second position in which it is substantially contained in said waveguide when said door is open.

Claim 22

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 18 including absorptive material contained in said void.

Claim 23

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 19 in which said absorptive material constitutes a pair of blocks, one block extending along one side of said slot and the other block along the other side thereof.

Claim 24

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 20 in which said one wall contains a second slot, said slots being longitudinally oriented in the direction of power flow through said waveguide, and said blade being composed of two integral sections thereof so that one section moves through one of said slots and the second section thereof moves through the other of said slots when said blade is inserted into said waveguide.

Claim 25

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a movable door for opening and closing said access opening, a metallic cabinet having a portion thereof joined to said housing periphally of said access opening and having a second portion thereof spaced from said housing to form a void therebetween, said second portion of said cabinet forming said void preventing the escape of microwave power from said void, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, at least a portion of said waveguide residing in said void, means mechanically connected to said door for diverting at least some of the power flowing through said waveguide into said void when said door is open, and termination means outside of said cooking cavity but within said void for absorbing at least some of the power diverted into said void.

Claim 26

Microwave heating apparatus comprising a housing having a cooking cavity therein and an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a movable door for opening and closing said access opening, a metallic cabinet having a portion thereof joined to said housing periphally of said access opening and having a second portion thereof spaced from said housing to form a void therebetween, said second portion of said cabinet forming said void preventing the escape of microwave power from said void, a microwave generator, a waveguide for delivering microwave power from said generator to said cavity, at least a portion of said waveguide residing in said void, means mechanically connected to said door for diverting at least some of the power flowing through said waveguide into said void when said door is open, and termination means outside of said cooking cavity but within said void for absorbing at least some of the power diverted into said void.

Claim 27

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 22 in which the portion of said waveguide residing in said void has a slot oriented in the direction of waveguide power flow via which the diverted power flows, and said diverting means includes a blade member movable into said waveguide through said slot when said access door is open, and said termination means includes absorptive material in said void.

Claim 28

Microwave heating apparatus in accordance with claim 23 in which said waveguide portion includes a second slot oriented in the direction of waveguide power flow and longitudinally spaced from said first slot, said blade member having portions thereof movable through both of said slots into said waveguide, said absorptive material extending along both sides of both slots.

Claim 29

Microwave heating apparatus comprising means providing a heating cavity, means for normally delivering microwave power along one path to a location within said cavity, a mechanical interpose systeM for diverting at least some of the power traversing said first path along a second path to a location electromagnetically isolated from said cavity so that the diverted power does not enter the cavity, said cavity means having an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a movable door for opening and closing said acess opening, means connecting said mechanism interpose system with said door so that said mechanical interpose system is operated to divert at least some of the power traversing said path when said door is opened, and means for preventing said diverted power from entering said cavity and also from flowing in the direction of said access opening and door.

Claim 30

Microwave heating apparatus comprising means providing a heating cavity, means for normally delivering microwave power along one path to a location within said cavity, a mechanical interpose systeM for diverting at least some of the power traversing said first path along a second path to a location electromagnetically isolated from said cavity so that the diverted power does not enter the cavity, said cavity means having an access opening through which an article to be heated is inserted, a movable door for opening and closing said acess opening, means connecting said mechanism interpose system with said door so that said mechanical interpose system is operated to divert at least some of the power traversing said path when said door is opened, and means for preventing said diverted power from entering said cavity and also from flowing in the direction of said access opening and door.