Microwave oven equipped with thermopile sensor and thawing method using the same
US6013907A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 11, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B6/6447
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An improved microwave oven equipped with a thermopile sensor and a thawing method using the same which make it possible to detect a food surface temperature by using a thermopile sensor, optimizing the output from the magnetron based on the detected food surface temperature, the size of the food, and the weight of the same, and determining an optimum thawing completion time, thereby obtaining the best thawing condition and significantly reducing the thawing time. The microwave oven includes a thermopile having a light condensing means for condensing an infrared ray from a food, a sensor module (a thermopile sensor) for generating a voltage corresponding to an infrared ray from the light condensing means and an infrared ray from the turntable, an amplifier for amplifying the output voltage from the sensor module to a predetermined level, an analog/digital converter for converting the voltage signal from the amplifier into a digital voltage signal, and a microcomputer for processing a voltage signal from the analog/digital converter, controlling the magnetron on/off switch in accordance with an algorithm with respect to an internally provided thawing program, and controlling an energ…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.