Microwave Oven Waveguide Movable Stub for Even Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microwave ovens struggle to ensure even distribution of microwaves within the cooking cavity, leading to unsatisfactory cooking results due to fixed magnetron characteristics and inability to adapt to varying dimensions and shapes of the cooking chamber.
Innovation Solution
A microwave oven design featuring a waveguide with a movable stub that changes transmission characteristics, allowing for optimization of microwave distribution based on operating conditions, combined with a rotary stirrer and adjustable antenna for improved microwave distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed waveguide and antenna design is used, then the microwave oven can be manufactured with simple structure, but the microwave distribution becomes uneven when cooking chamber dimensions or shape change
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide includes a movable stub that can be positioned at different locations along the waveguide length. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the waveguide to adapt its transmission characteristics based on the cooking chamber configuration, resolving the contradiction between fixed simple structure and adaptability to chamber variations.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the position of the movable stub along the waveguide, the transmission characteristics of the waveguide are modified. This parameter change enables the system to adapt to different cooking chamber dimensions and shapes, improving microwave distribution without requiring a completely different waveguide design for each configuration.
2Reliability
If the magnetron characteristics are fixed, then the microwave generator is simple and reliable, but the microwave distribution cannot be optimized for different operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The movable stub acts as an intermediary element between the magnetron and the cooking chamber. It modifies the microwave transmission characteristics in the waveguide to compensate for changes in chamber configuration, allowing the fixed magnetron to effectively serve varying operating conditions without requiring changes to the magnetron itself.
3Productivity
If rotary stirrer is added to improve microwave distribution, then the cooking uniformity improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable stub provides a dynamic adjustment mechanism that improves microwave distribution without requiring a rotary stirrer. By positioning the stub at different locations, the system can adapt to various chamber configurations and achieve uniform cooking, offering an alternative solution that avoids the mechanical complexity of rotating components.
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
This solution enhances food heating and cooking efficiency by ensuring optimal microwave distribution within the cooking cavity, even when the chamber dimensions or shapes are modified, thereby improving cooking performance across various operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a waveguide (10) that connects the magnetron (3) to the cavity (2) and is provided with a movable stub (11) for changing the transmission characteristics of the waveguide (10)
Implementation Method 2
The water, fats and carbohydrates contained in the food placed in the cavity of the cooking chamber absorb the energy of the microwaves in the form of heat, during a process called dielectric heating
Implementation Method 3
it is known to use a rotary stirrer inside the cavity, arranged near the waveguide and the antenna, which improves the distribution of the microwaves within the cavity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a microwave oven (1, lb) comprising a cavity (2, 32) adapted to contain food to be cooked, a device (3) for producing microwaves, and a waveguide (10) that connects the device (3) for producing microwaves to the cavity (2, 32). At least one movable stub (11) is further associated with the waveguide (10) for changing the transmission characteristics of the waveguide (10), and the oven further comprises movement means (13) adapted to change the arrangement of said at least one stub (11).