US4886948A — Portable turntable with shielded drive motor for …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 121 words

In a portable turntable for rotating a food product in the cavity of a microwave oven: a base which rests on the floor of the oven cavity, a platform rotatably mounted on the base, a metal housing forming a microwave-tight enclosure mounted on the base, an aperture formed in one wall of the housing and being of a size sufficiently small to prevent propagation of microwave energy into the housing, a metallic drive spring enclosed within the housing, and an output member rotatably driven by the drive spring and extending through the aperture in driving connection with the platform, said base, said platform and said output member each being fabricated of a material having a low loss tangent at microwave frequencies.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 121 words

In a portable turntable for rotating a food product in the cavity of a microwave oven: a base which rests on the floor of the oven cavity, a platform rotatably mounted on the base, a metal housing forming a microwave-tight enclosure mounted on the base, an aperture formed in one wall of the housing and being of a size sufficiently small to prevent propagation of microwave energy into the housing, a metallic drive spring enclosed within the housing, and an output member rotatably driven by the drive spring and extending through the aperture in driving connection with the platform, said base, said platform and said output member each being fabricated of a material having a low loss tangent at microwave frequencies.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven, (a) a base having a flat bottom and a generally upright side wall, (b) a platform disposed in covering position over the base rotatably mounted to the base, (c) a metal housing fixedly connected to the base, (d) a motor enclosed within the housing and having a metallic drive spring with a driving connection with the platform to rotate said platform, (e) said base, platform and driving connection being formed of a dielectric material, (f) means for winding the spring to energize the motor, (g) said metal housing being relatively smooth and unencumbered with sharp edges throughout its entire exterior surface, and (h) an aperture in said metal housing through which the driving connection extends, said aperture being of a size sufficiently small to effectively eliminate microwave energy from the interior of said housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a portable turntable for use in a microwave oven, (a) a base having a flat bottom and a generally upright side wall, (b) a platform disposed in covering position over the base rotatably mounted to the base, (c) a metal housing fixedly connected to the base, (d) a motor enclosed within the housing and having a metallic drive spring with a driving connection with the platform to rotate said platform, (e) said base, platform and driving connection being formed of a dielectric material, (f) means for winding the spring to energize the motor, (g) said metal housing being relatively smooth and unencumbered with sharp edges throughout its entire exterior surface, and (h) an aperture in said metal housing through which the driving connection extends, said aperture being of a size sufficiently small to effectively eliminate microwave energy from the interior of said housing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a portable turntable for use in microwave ovens to rotate a container containing a food product cooked within the oven, (a) a base, (b) a rotatable member disposed over the base rotatably mounted to the base, (c) a metal housing mounted on the base, (d) a motor enclosed within the housing and having a metallic drive spring with a driving connection with the rotatable member to rotate said member, (e) said base, rotatable member and driving connection being formed of a dielectric material, (f) means for winding the spring to energize the motor, (g) said metal housing being relatively smooth and unencumbered with sharp edges throughout its entire exterior surface, and (h) an aperture in said metal housing through which the driving connection extends, said aperture being of a size sufficiently small to effectively eliminate microwave energy from the interior of said housing.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a portable turntable for use in microwave ovens to rotate a container containing a food product cooked within the oven, (a) a base, (b) a rotatable member disposed over the base rotatably mounted to the base, (c) a metal housing mounted on the base, (d) a motor enclosed within the housing and having a metallic drive spring with a driving connection with the rotatable member to rotate said member, (e) said base, rotatable member and driving connection being formed of a dielectric material, (f) means for winding the spring to energize the motor, (g) said metal housing being relatively smooth and unencumbered with sharp edges throughout its entire exterior surface, and (h) an aperture in said metal housing through which the driving connection extends, said aperture being of a size sufficiently small to effectively eliminate microwave energy from the interior of said housing.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 64 words

Apparatus for moving food in a microwave oven, comprising: a drive motor positioned within the oven cavity, a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity, a movable output member mounted within the oven cavity outside the shielding enclosure, and means for transmitting motion from the drive motor to the output member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 64 words

Apparatus for moving food in a microwave oven, comprising: a drive motor positioned within the oven cavity, a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity, a movable output member mounted within the oven cavity outside the shielding enclosure, and means for transmitting motion from the drive motor to the output member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the output member comprises a horizontally extending turntable platform mounted for rotation about a vertical axis.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the drive motor, the shielding enclosure and the output member form a unitary structure which is removably mounted in the oven cavity.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 96 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a rotatively mounted food supporting platform of microwave compatible material, a drive motor operably connected to the platform for rotating the same about an axis, said drive motor being positioned entirely within the oven cavity when the turntable is in use, and a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity, said turntable constituting a complete selfcontained unit which can be inserted into and removed from the oven cavity as a unitary structure.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 96 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a rotatively mounted food supporting platform of microwave compatible material, a drive motor operably connected to the platform for rotating the same about an axis, said drive motor being positioned entirely within the oven cavity when the turntable is in use, and a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity, said turntable constituting a complete selfcontained unit which can be inserted into and removed from the oven cavity as a unitary structure.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 82 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a base which rests on the floor of the oven cavity, a food supporting platform rotatively mounted on the base, a drive motor operably connected to the platform for rotating the same about an axis and being positioned totally within the oven cavity when the turntable is in use, and a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 82 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in a microwave oven, comprising a base which rests on the floor of the oven cavity, a food supporting platform rotatively mounted on the base, a drive motor operably connected to the platform for rotating the same about an axis and being positioned totally within the oven cavity when the turntable is in use, and a shielding enclosure enclosing the drive motor on all sides and shielding the motor from microwave energy in the oven cavity.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

The turntable of claim 8 wherein the base and the platform are each fabricated of a microwave compatible material, and the drive motor and the shielding enclosure are mounted on the base.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 55 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in the cavity of a microwave oven, comprising a rotatively mounted food supporting platform, a drive motor having a metallic drive spring operably connected to the platform, and means reflective to microwave energy enclosing the drive spring and shielding the drive spring from microwave energy in the oven cavity.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 55 words

A portable, self-contained turntable for use in the cavity of a microwave oven, comprising a rotatively mounted food supporting platform, a drive motor having a metallic drive spring operably connected to the platform, and means reflective to microwave energy enclosing the drive spring and shielding the drive spring from microwave energy in the oven cavity.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-12-11	1993-06-12	1993-12-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-12-11	1997-06-12	1997-12-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-12-11	2001-06-12	2001-12-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Portable turntable with shielded drive motor for microwave ovens

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