Curved Microwave Trap for Oven Door Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing domestic cooking appliances with magnetrons for generating microwaves face challenges in effectively reducing microwave leakage, particularly in corner areas, due to the limitations of conventional microwave trap designs that do not adapt well to curved door bases.

Innovation Solution

A domestic cooking appliance design featuring a microwave trap that is curved to match the spherical arched door base, allowing for precise alignment and welding, with a comb-shaped structure and deep slits to enhance the trapping effect, improving the uniformity of the door gap and adaptability to curved surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional microwave trap is used with a flat door base, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the trapping effect in corner areas is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrowave trapping effectVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The microwave trap is designed with a curved contour that matches the spherical arched door base, transforming the flat trap design into a curved one. This curvature enables the trap to conform to the door base geometry, significantly improving the trapping effect in corner areas while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through separate component assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The microwave trap and door base are designed as separate components rather than an integrated piece. The microwave trap can be manufactured separately with the required curved contour, then assembled to the door base. This segmentation allows specialized tools for creating the curvature and simplifies the overall manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the microwave trap is bent to match the curved door base, then the trap effect in corner areas is improved, but the manufacturing effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrowave trapping effectVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the microwave trap from the door base as independent components, the patent allows the trap to be manufactured with its required curved contour using specialized tools, while the door base maintains its standard spherical arch design. This segmentation distributes manufacturing complexity to where it is most needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microwave trap is given a curved contour that matches the spherical arched door base. This curvature is essential for achieving effective microwave trapping in corner areas, as it allows the trap to follow the door base geometry and eliminate gaps where microwaves could escape

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If the door base is curved to improve microwave trapping, then the trapping effect is enhanced, but the alignment and assembly precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrowave trapping effectVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The microwave trap is designed with a predetermined curved contour that matches the door base geometry before assembly. This preliminary shaping ensures that when the components are assembled, they align correctly without requiring high-precision adjustment during the assembly process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spherical arch curvature of the door base and the matching curved contour of the microwave trap create a geometric compatibility that simplifies alignment. The curved surfaces naturally guide the components into proper alignment during assembly, reducing the need for high-precision positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution significantly enhances the microwave trapping effect, particularly in corner areas, by allowing the microwave trap to be precisely aligned and welded to the door base, reducing microwave leakage and maintaining effective frequency operation with minimal frequency shift, while simplifying manufacturing and assembly processes.

Implementation Method 1

a microwave trap 11, which is arranged between a muffle flange 6 of the muffle 4 and a door bottom 10 of the door 5

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave radiation blocking: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

the microwave trap 11 is a quarter-wave trap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectQuarter-wave trap effect: Resonance

Implementation Method 3

A domestic cooking appliance has a magnetron 2 for generating microwaves

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave generation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3225079B1Cooking household appliance

Publication Date: 2023.03.08 BOSCH SIEMENS HAUSGERATE GMBH

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AI summary

The invention relates to a cooking household appliance (1) having a magnetron (2) for generating microwaves, a muffle (4) for receiving food to be cooked, a door (5) for closing the muffle (4) and a microwave trap (11) arranged between a flange (6) of the muffle (4) and a bottom (10) of the door (5), wherein the bottom (10) of the door is arched, the microwave trap (11) is flexible, such that its contour follows the arched bottom (10) of the door, and the microwave trap (11) is secured to the arched bottom (10) of the door.