Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Andrea Baccara

Francesco Gambato

Nicola Lanza

Michele Sclocchi

Fabrizio Dughiero

Marco Bullo

Chiara DeMassari

Benoît Flipot

Christine Rollet

Chiara De Massari

Sheena Madden

Chiara Demassari

A microwave heating device includes at least two radiating portions that are adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and can be operated according to a plurality of operational configurations that differ in frequency and/or in phase shift(s) between the radiated microwaves. Data of energy efficiency, as a function of operational configurations, can be obtained for a product in the heating chamber. For example, energy efficiency data are obtained through a learning procedure. The obtained data can be processed to select one or more operational configurations ranking high in energy efficiency and a heating procedure for the product inside the heating chamber can be executed by operating the at least two radiating portions according to the selected one or more operational configurations.

Microwave heating device and method for operating a microwave heating device

A microwave heating device includes radiating portions adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and is operated according to operational configurations that differ in frequency or in phase shift(s) between the radiated microwaves. A learning procedure is executed by sequentially operating the radiating portions in several operational configurations. Energy efficiency data are calculated for those operational configurations. An operating frequency is selected based on energy efficiency data. An operational configuration with a maximum energy efficiency at the selected operating frequency is taken as a reference. A heating procedure is executed by sequentially operating the radiating portions in operational configurations having the selected operating frequency and respective phase shift(s) chosen around the respective phase shift(s) of the reference operational configuration. The phase shift(s) of each chosen operational configuration may have a phase shift distance from the respective phase shift(s) of the reference operational configuration, such that, in the space of the phase shifts, the reference operational configuration is surrounded by the chosen operational configurations.

Microwave heating device

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a convective heating system configured to provide heated air into the cooking chamber, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components, and control electronics configured to control the convective heating system and the RF heating system. The control electronics may further control a user interface configured to define one or more control consoles. At least one of the control consoles may enable a user to select a cooking program. The user interface may further provide a single indicator showing a graphical representation of current progress relative to a representation of a full commitment of time to complete the selected cooking program. The single indicator may further provide a selectable operator that is operable to control progress toward completing the selected cooking program.

RF oven control and interface

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a convective heating system configured to provide heated air into the cooking chamber, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components, and control electronics configured to control the convective heating system and the RF heating system. The control electronics may further control a user interface configured to define one or more control consoles for providing user inputs to control operation of the oven. The control electronics are configured to enable user selection of a cooking time and a selected RF cooking power, but automatic selection of frequency and phase parameters for application of the RF energy responsive to a learning process.

RF oven energy application control

An apparatus for defrosting or cooking foods, the apparatus including both radio frequency dielectric heating means and an induction heating means. The radio frequency dielectric heating means includes at least two electrodes positioned at a treatment zone, and a device for applying, between the electrodes, a difference in electric potential which is variable with a frequency between 1 MHz and 300 MHz. The induction heating means is electromagnetically coupled to at least one of the electrodes which is at least partly made of ferromagnetic material, such that the electrode transmits heat to the food.

Apparatus and method for defrosting and/or cooking foods

A microwave heating device includes radiating portions that are adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and is operated according to operational configurations that differ in frequency and/or in phase shift. A learning procedure is executed in relation with a product positioned in the heating chamber. The learning procedure is executed by changing frequency and phase shift(s) to sequentially operate the radiating portions in a plurality of operational configurations, in such a way that, for each frequency, the radiating portions are operated in a number of operational configurations that differ in phase shift. An energy efficiency is calculated for each of the operational configurations and the obtained data are saved. A heating procedure is executed after the learning procedure. In the heating procedure, the radiating portions are operated according to at least one operational configuration that is selected on the basis of the data obtained in the learning procedure.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Andrea Baccara