US3784777A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microwave furnace for the treatment of sheets or plates made of a material absorbing said waves
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-12-22
•
Granted: 1974-01-08
•
Expires: 1991-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A microwave furnace comprises a guide with a slot of a length corresponding to the width of a sheet which is to be treated by being continuously moved through the guide. A microwave generator is electrically connected to said guide and at least one metal plate is placed in front of said slot.
Inventors
- 👤 J Soulier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 15:17
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B6/00; H05B6/64; H05B6/78; H05B6/788
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A microwave furnace for the treatment of sheet-shaped or plate-shaped workpieces whose material is capable of absorbing microwaves, comprising a wave-guide having a wall bounding an interior cavity and provided with a slot having a length corresponding to the width of the workpieces to be treated; conveying means for conveying a workpiece to be treated exteriorly of said cavity across said slot transversely to the elongation thereof; a microwave generator electrically connected with said waveguide for producing in said cavity of the latter an electric field to which the successive increments of the advancing workpiece are to be exposed through said slot, and which tends to be non-uniformly absorbed over the surface area of said slot by the material of the workpiece; and field-equalizing means in said cavity for equalizing said electric field over the entire area of said slot so that the material of the workpiece will uniformly absorb the field during advancement of the workpiece across said slot.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A microwave furnace for the treatment of sheet-shaped or plate-shaped workpieces whose material is capable of absorbing microwaves, comprising a wave-guide having a wall bounding an interior cavity and provided with a slot having a length corresponding to the width of the workpieces to be treated; conveying means for conveying a workpiece to be treated exteriorly of said cavity across said slot transversely to the elongation thereof; a microwave generator electrically connected with said waveguide for producing in said cavity of the latter an electric field to which the successive increments of the advancing workpiece are to be exposed through said slot, and which tends to be non-uniformly absorbed over the surface area of said slot by the material of the workpiece; and field-equalizing means in said cavity for equalizing said electric field over the entire area of said slot so that the material of the workpiece will uniformly absorb the field during advancement of the workpiece across said slot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 1, wherein said field-equalizing means comprises at least one metal plate located in said wave-guide in front of the slot and extending normal to the plane and over the entire length of the same, said plate having a surface facing said slot and inclined in direction toward the same from the region of said microwave generator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A microwAve furnace as defined in claim 2; and further comprising control means associated with said plate for moving the same toward and away from said slot normal to the plane of the latter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2; and further comprising a plurality of additional plates similar to the first-mentioned plate and all aligned in a common plane extending longitudinally of said slot; and control means associated with said plates and operative for individually moving each plate toward and away from said slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2, wherein said surface of said plate has a rectilinear inclination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2, wherein said surface of said plate has a step-shaped inclination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2, wherein said surface of said plate has an exponentially shaped inclination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2, wherein said plate comprises one portion of substantially U-shaped cross-section having an open side facing said slot, and another portion of material sensitive to microwaves arranged in said one portion and having said surface which faces said slot at said open side; and further comprising control means associated with said other portions for moving the same toward and away from said slot normal to the plane of the same.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2, said wave-guide having another wall opposite the first-mentioned wall and provided with an opening through which said plate in part extends to the exterior of said wave-guide; and further comprising a cupped cover fixed to the outer side of said other wall over said opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 2; and further comprising a cupped cover secured to said wall at the outer side thereof and overlying said slot, said cover defining with said wall a guide passage for travel of said workpiece across said slot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
152 words
A microwave furnace for treating a workpiece in the form of an elongated band, comprising a substantially electrically continuous cavity having a longitudinal axis and being bounded by circumferential walls; a source of microwave power to energize the cavity for propagating therein microwave energy along said longitudinal axis; one longitudinally extending slot provided in one of said walls, said slot having a length substantially equal to the width of the elongated band; travelling means for moving said elongated band along its own longitudinal plane and transversally to said longitudinal axis in front of said slot and exteriorly of said cavity; and at least one metal plate inside the resonant cavity in front of said slot perpendicularly to a plane limited thereby and over all the length thereof, said metal plate having one side turned towards the slot and provided with a slope generally decreasing in direction of the source of microwave power.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
152 words
A microwave furnace for treating a workpiece in the form of an elongated band, comprising a substantially electrically continuous cavity having a longitudinal axis and being bounded by circumferential walls; a source of microwave power to energize the cavity for propagating therein microwave energy along said longitudinal axis; one longitudinally extending slot provided in one of said walls, said slot having a length substantially equal to the width of the elongated band; travelling means for moving said elongated band along its own longitudinal plane and transversally to said longitudinal axis in front of said slot and exteriorly of said cavity; and at least one metal plate inside the resonant cavity in front of said slot perpendicularly to a plane limited thereby and over all the length thereof, said metal plate having one side turned towards the slot and provided with a slope generally decreasing in direction of the source of microwave power.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein an aperture is provided in the cavity in a wall thereof opposite the slot, control means being connected to at least one metal plate for supporting and adjusting it through said apreture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one metal plate is composed of a succession of plates, means being provided for supporting and adjusting each plate in position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one metal plate has a rectilinear top inclination.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one metal plate has a step-shaped top inclination.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one metal plate has an exponentially shaped top inclination.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one metal plate has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape and is supported by means for adjusting the position thereof with respect to the slot.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 11, wherEin a first protective cover is fixed outside the cavity on the wall thereof which is provided with a slot, said protective cover forming a passage for the band to be treated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
A microwave furnace as defined in claim 12, wherein a second protective cover is fixed outside the cavity on the wall thereof which is provided with an aperture, said protective cover enclosing said control means of at least one metal plate.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of treating elongated sheet-shaped or plate-shaped workpieces of material capable of absorbing microwaves, with the aid of a microwave furnace, comprising the steps of producing a microwave field in a microwave furnace having a wall provided with a slot; advancing a workpiece over said wall and transversely of said slot outside said microwave furnace for exposing successive increments of the workpiece through said slot to said microwave field; and equalizing the microwave field over the entire surface area of each increment exposed in said slot whereby to assure uniform absorption of the microwave energy of the field by the material of said workpiece.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of treating elongated sheet-shaped or plate-shaped workpieces of material capable of absorbing microwaves, with the aid of a microwave furnace, comprising the steps of producing a microwave field in a microwave furnace having a wall provided with a slot; advancing a workpiece over said wall and transversely of said slot outside said microwave furnace for exposing successive increments of the workpiece through said slot to said microwave field; and equalizing the microwave field over the entire surface area of each increment exposed in said slot whereby to assure uniform absorption of the microwave energy of the field by the material of said workpiece.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the step of equalizing said field comprises varying the field over the surface area of the respective increment exposed in said slot as a function which is the inverse of the exponential function of absorption decrease of the material of the workpiece.
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) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |