Whirlpool Corporation

Jack Xu

James Charles Johncock

Anders B Zeijlon

Winner Wang

Lai Kwok Wah

Rodger An

Vince Huang

Tingting Yu

Power Lee

Andrea Francesco Grassi

A method of popping popcorn in a microwave includes operating an energy source to provide energy to a cooking chamber and detecting, by a microphone sensor, sound waves in the cooking chamber and providing an output signal indicative of the detected sound waves to a control unit. The control unit can determine that the output signal is indicative of a popping sound generated by popcorn kernels popping and control the energy source to stop providing energy to the cooking chamber based on the detected popping sounds.

Method for detecting the status of popcorn in a microwave

A microwave heating apparatus is disclosed. The heating apparatus comprises a cavity comprising a ceiling and a bottom support plate. The cavity is arranged to receive a food load. The apparatus further comprises at least one microwave supply system configured to supply microwaves at the cavity bottom. The at least one microwave supply system comprises at least one microwave source and at least one antenna arranged below the bottom support plate. The apparatus further comprises a heat element and a crisp plate. The heat element is connected proximate the ceiling and extends substantially over a ceiling area formed by the ceiling. The crisp plate is disposed in the cavity and vertically spaced from the bottom support plate by a rack.

Crispness and browning in full flat microwave oven

A method of popping popcorn in a microwave having a cooking chamber, an energy source which provides energy to the cooking chamber, a humidity sensor, and a microphone sensor, includes the steps of placing a plurality of popcorn kernels in the cooking chamber. The energy source is operated during a popcorn popping cycle. Popping sounds generated when the popcorn kernels are popped are detected, as is the humidity level in the cooking chamber. The energy source is directed to stop operating when the popping sound and the humidity level satisfy one or more end status indicators. The current disclosure also includes a microwave for carrying out the above described process.

A domestic microwave oven is provided having an oven cavity, a water reservoir, a piping system coupling the reservoir and the oven cavity, and a pump for pumping a predetermined amount of water into the oven cavity. The pump is a mono-directional positive displacement pump and the piping system includes a by-pass coupled in parallel to the pump and an on/off electro valve configured to allow a drainage of the piping system when the pump is idle.

Growing community of inventors

Guangdong, China

Jack Xu