US3767884A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Energy seal for high frequency energy apparatus
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1971-11-30
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1991-11-30
Abstract
Abstract A high frequency oven having a door sealed to the oven by a seal which prevents the escape of high frequency energy between the door and the oven by acting as a choke to energy modes attempting to pass across the seal in which excitation of energy in a band of frequencies including the desired operating frequency range of the oven is controlled along the seal. An energy absorbing gasket surrounds the seal to absorb any energy passing outwardly from the energy seal.
Inventors
- 👤 J Osepchuk
- 👤 J Simpson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:11
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B6/00; H05B6/64; H05B6/76; H05B6/763
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 64
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having at least a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising at least a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members to define an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the propagation of energy at said frequency in one direction and substantiAlly providing for propagation of said energy in a different direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having at least a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising at least a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members to define an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the propagation of energy at said frequency in one direction and substantiAlly providing for propagation of said energy in a different direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said propagating inhibiting and provision means comprise structural variations to provide points of maximum and adjacent points of minimum variation in the energy propagating characteristics along at least a portion of said mode supporting structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the distance between points of maximum variation and adjacent points of minimum variation are less than one effective electrical wavelength of said frequency of energy within said enclosure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein at least some of said structural variations are periodic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein at least some of said structural variations are aperiodic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said structural variations are produced by means comprising slots.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said structural variations have a major dimension extending normal to the direction of energy propagating along said structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least some of said slots have a different length.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of said energy seal wall members is movable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 and means coupled to said mode supporting structure for dissipating energy transmitted therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
107 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having at least a predetermined frequency; means for producing a plurality of energy modes within said enclosure in a cyclically varying manner; said enclosure comprising at least a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members to define an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the propagation of energy at said frequency in one direction and substantially providing for propagation of said energy in a different direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having at least a predetermined frequency; means for producing a plurality of energy modes within said enclosure in a cyclically varying manner; said enclosure comprising at least a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members to define an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the propagation of energy at said frequency in one direction and substantially providing for propagation of said energy in a different direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said propagation inhibiting and provision means comprise structural variations to provide points of maximum and adjacent points of minimum variation in the energy propagation characteristics along at least a portion of said mode supporting structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the distance between points of maximum variation and adjacent points of minimum variation are less than one effective electrical wavelength of said frequency within said enclosure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein at least some of said structural variations are periodic.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein at least some of said structural variations are aperiodic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said structural variations are produced by means comprising slots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said structural variations have a major dimension extending normal to the direction of energy propagating along said mode supporting structure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein at least some of said slots have a different length.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein one of said energy seal wall members is movable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 and means coupled to said mode supporting structure for dissipating energy transmitted therethrough.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
112 words
In combination: a cavity; means for supplying said cavity with electromagnetic wave energy in a frequency range where the dimensions of said cavity are substantially greater than a free space wavelength at said frequency; access means to said cavity comprising a door for closing an opening in a wall of said cavity; and means for providing an energy seal between said door and saId cavity wall comprising an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the excitation of predetermined modes of electromagnetic energy at said frequency peripherally along said structure and substantially providing for the propagation of predetermined modes of said energy across said structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
112 words
In combination: a cavity; means for supplying said cavity with electromagnetic wave energy in a frequency range where the dimensions of said cavity are substantially greater than a free space wavelength at said frequency; access means to said cavity comprising a door for closing an opening in a wall of said cavity; and means for providing an energy seal between said door and saId cavity wall comprising an elongated energy mode supporting structure; said mode supporting structure comprising means for substantially inhibiting the excitation of predetermined modes of electromagnetic energy at said frequency peripherally along said structure and substantially providing for the propagation of predetermined modes of said energy across said structure.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said excitation inhibiting and provision means comprise structural variations to provide alternately a maximum and a minimum point in the energy propagating characteristics of said structure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination in accordance with claim 22 wherein the distance between points of maximum variation and adjacent points of minimum variation are less than one effective electrical wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination in accordance with claim 23 wherein said structure comprises a dielectric medium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination in accordance with claim 24 wherein said structure comprises metallic bounding surfaces.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination in accordance with claim 25 wherein said bounding surfaces defining said mode supporting structure are separated by said dielectric medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination in accordance with claim 26 wherein a medium is provided adjacent said opening for dissipating radiated energy escaping across said structure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
74 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure having an access opening; a member for closing said opening; and elongated energy mode supporting structure comprising a choke disposed adjacent to at least one peripheral wall of said opening; said mode supporting structure comprising structural variations to yield predetermined maximum and minimum points to control the energy propagating characteristics in predetermined directions within said structure.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
74 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure having an access opening; a member for closing said opening; and elongated energy mode supporting structure comprising a choke disposed adjacent to at least one peripheral wall of said opening; said mode supporting structure comprising structural variations to yield predetermined maximum and minimum points to control the energy propagating characteristics in predetermined directions within said structure.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said choke and mode supporting structure are filled with a dielectric medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said choke is disposed along at least portions of the peripheral edges of said closure member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said choke is disposed within at least portions of one peripheral wall of said opening.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein at least some of said structural variations are periodic.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein at least some of said structural variations are aperiodic.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the distance between points of maximum variation and adjacent points of minimum variation are less than one effective electrical wavelength of said frequency of energy within said enclosure.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 and means for producing a plurality of modes within said enclosure in a cyclically varying manner.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 28 and means coupled to said mode supporting structure for dissipating energy escaping from said line.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
164 words
Heating apparatus comprising: a source of microwave energy; means for concentrating energy from said source in a restricted region of space comprising a wall member having an access opening; the maximum linear dimension of said space being at least a plurality of free space wavelengths of the predominant frequency band of said energy and the periphery of said access opening being greater than a plurality of free space wavelengths of said energy; means for substantially preventing the escape of said energy from said region through said opening comprising means for producing substantially standing waves from any portions of said energy which pass through said opening and a plurality of frequency responsive means spaced around at least a major portion of said opening for providing impedance variations to transmission of said energy around the periphery of said opeNing; the average spacing between the maxima and/or minima of said impedance variations at said frequency being less than one-half of a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
164 words
Heating apparatus comprising: a source of microwave energy; means for concentrating energy from said source in a restricted region of space comprising a wall member having an access opening; the maximum linear dimension of said space being at least a plurality of free space wavelengths of the predominant frequency band of said energy and the periphery of said access opening being greater than a plurality of free space wavelengths of said energy; means for substantially preventing the escape of said energy from said region through said opening comprising means for producing substantially standing waves from any portions of said energy which pass through said opening and a plurality of frequency responsive means spaced around at least a major portion of said opening for providing impedance variations to transmission of said energy around the periphery of said opeNing; the average spacing between the maxima and/or minima of said impedance variations at said frequency being less than one-half of a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 wherein said means for preventing the loss of said energy through said opening comprises a member for closing said opening.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 and secondary means for preventing the escape of said energy comprising a lossy energy absorbing material disposed adjacent to said opening.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 wherein said means for providing impedance variations comprises spaced impedance discontinuities.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said impedance discontinuities comprise spaced slots extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the periphery of said opening.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said impedance discontinuities comprise spaced slots extending obliquely to the periphery of said opening.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said impedance discontinuities extend in a direction perpendicular to the periphery of said opening for a distance substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of said standing waves.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 wherein said means for producing said standing waves comprises a substantially short circuit electrically spaced from said wall member by a distance substantially equal to one or more half wavelengths of said standing waves.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said means for providing said standing waves comprises a mode supporting structure made up at least in part of portions of said wall member and portions of said closure member.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 45 wherein said impedance variations extend around at least a major portion of at least one peripheral wall of said mode supporting structure.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 45 wherein said mode supporting structure comprises an input section communicating with said restricted region and having said means for producing said impedance variations and a section outside said input section for reflecting an impedance which is substantially less than the average characteristic impedance of said input section.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
117 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 wherein said wall member is a portion of a conductive enclosure surrounding said region and said means for preventing the escape of said energy through said opening comprises a conductive closure member covering said opening and spaced from said wall member by a dielectric medium forming a mode supporting structure having at least an input section and a choke section and said means for providing impedance variations comprise a plurality of impedance discontinuities in the input section of said mode supporting structure spaced along a major portion of the periphery of said opening with the average of said spacing being less than one-half of a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to claim 48 wherein said input and choke sections are separated by a common wall and said spaced impedance discontinuities are disposed in said common wall.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 48 and secondary means for preventing the escape of said energy comprising a lossy energy absorbing material coupled to the output portion of said mode supporting structure.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
101 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members spaced from one another by a dielectric medium; said energy seal further comprising a plurality of spaced slots extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the periphery of said opening and defining therebetween conductive elements; THE average spacing between said slots being less than one-half of a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
101 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said access opening; and an energy seal comprising at least portions of said wall and closure members spaced from one another by a dielectric medium; said energy seal further comprising a plurality of spaced slots extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the periphery of said opening and defining therebetween conductive elements; THE average spacing between said slots being less than one-half of a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 51 wherein said spaced slots are disposed along at least portions of the peripheral edges of said closure member.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 51 wherein said spaced slots are disposed along at least portions of one peripheral wall of said opening.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
125 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said opening; and an energy seal comprising an input section and a choke section made up of at least portions of said wall and closure members spaced from one another by a dielectric medium; said energy seal further comprising a plurality of spaced slots extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the periphery of said opening and defining therebetween conductive elements; said elements all having one end interconnected and the other ends terminating in a dielectric medium; the average spacing between said slots being less than one-half a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
125 words
Heating apparatus comprising: an enclosure; means for energizing said enclosure with energy having a predetermined frequency; said enclosure comprising a wall member having an access opening and a closure member for said opening; and an energy seal comprising an input section and a choke section made up of at least portions of said wall and closure members spaced from one another by a dielectric medium; said energy seal further comprising a plurality of spaced slots extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the periphery of said opening and defining therebetween conductive elements; said elements all having one end interconnected and the other ends terminating in a dielectric medium; the average spacing between said slots being less than one-half a free space wavelength of said frequency.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said input and choke sections are separated by a common wall and said spaced slots are disposed in said common wall.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said choke section is disposed along at least portions of one peripheral wall of said opening.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said choke section is disposed along at least portions of one peripheral wall of said closure member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |