Microwave Generator Power Supply for Fast Door-Open Energy Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microwave ovens using magnetron-based sources for cooking result in non-uniform heating due to single, non-coherent microwave sources, leading to potential microwave leakage when the door is opened during cooking.
Innovation Solution
A microwave oven with a generator power supply unit comprising multiple converters and energy reserves, where a detection circuit disables the power supply when the door is open, allowing the energy reserves to discharge independently of the input voltage, minimizing microwave leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a magnetron-based microwave source is used, then the microwave oven can generate microwave frequency radiation, but the heating becomes non-uniform and microwave leakage occurs when the door is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply unit is divided into multiple independent converters (first converter, second converter, third converter) and energy reserves (first energy reserve, second energy reserve), allowing selective control and discharge of specific components to prevent microwave leakage while maintaining heating uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The detection circuit detects door opening status in advance and triggers the discharge of the second energy reserve through the second converter before significant microwave leakage can occur, preventing the harmful effect rather than reacting to it
2Device complexity
If a single non-coherent magnetron source is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the heating uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply is segmented into multiple converters and energy reserves that can be independently controlled, enabling the system to maintain simple overall structure while achieving complex control functions for uniform heating and leakage prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of different converters and energy reserves based on door status, allowing the power supply to adapt its configuration for optimal heating uniformity while maintaining structural simplicity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the second converter is disabled to discharge the second energy reserve independently, then the microwave leakage is reduced, but the power supply control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection circuit is configured to detect door opening status in advance and automatically trigger the discharge sequence of the second energy reserve through the second converter, performing the protective action before leakage becomes significant and simplifying the overall control logic
Solution Approach 2:
The second converter acts as an intermediary component that can be selectively disabled to control the discharge of the second energy reserve, providing a controlled mechanism to prevent microwave leakage while maintaining manageable system complexity
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 ensures rapid and controlled discharge of energy reserves when the door is opened, reducing microwave leakage and maintaining uniform heating by using tunable, coherent solid-state RF amplifiers.
Implementation Method 1
a first converter for converting a power input to a power output
Implementation Method 2
a first energy reserve electrically coupled to the first converter for receiving the power output
Implementation Method 3
a second converter electrically coupled to the first energy reserve for converting the power output to a low voltage power output
Implementation Method 4
a second energy reserve electrically coupled to the second converter for receiving the low voltage power output
Implementation Method 5
A detection circuit is configured to detect an input voltage
Implementation Method 6
a microwave generator for generating microwaves
Implementation Method 7
A conventional microwave oven cooks food by a process of dielectric heating in which a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic field is distributed throughout an enclosed cavity. Microwave frequencies at or around 2.45 GHz cause dielectric heating primarily by absorption of energy in water.
Data Source
AI summary
A microwave oven and a method of operating the same is provided herein. The method includes the steps of: sensing that a door of the microwave is in an open state; interrupting a power input to a generator power supply unit comprising a first converter, a first energy reserve, a second energy reserve located downstream from the first energy reserve, and a second converter located between the first and second energy reserves; detecting an input voltage; and disabling the second converter if the detected input voltage is less than a threshold voltage that is proportional to the detected input voltage, wherein disabling the second converter triggers the second energy reserve to discharge, and wherein the time necessary to discharge the second energy reserve is free of influence from the first energy reserve and is independent of the detected input voltage.