An apparatus includes microwave oven and refrigerator functions. The microwave oven is connected to a source of electrical power and has at least one control circuit for controlling the operation of the microwave oven. A first power supply outlet is provided on the microwave oven. A refrigerator is connected to the source of power by connection to the first power supply outlet. The at least one control circuit is configured to disable the refrigerator compressor, when the microwave oven demands cooking power, and enable the refrigerator compressor when the microwave oven is not drawing cooking power. A safety sensor is provided in the microwave oven and is configured to cause the microwave oven to cease cooking operation upon the safety sensor sensing a dangerous condition.

An apparatus for simultaneously heating a plurality of food products, comprising: a containment structure forming a housing chamber; one or more separating elements mounted in the housing chamber to delimit a plurality of separate housing compartments for receiving the food products; radio frequency dielectric heating means with an operating frequency of between 1 MHz and 300 MHz, mounted in the containment structure and comprising at least one first electrode and one second electrode; wherein the housing compartments are aligned along a row, the first electrode and the second electrode delimiting on two opposite sides the row; and wherein inside the housing chamber, between the first electrode and the second electrode , there is also at least one inductor.

A microwave oven is provided herein having a cooking cavity, a dividing shelf for dividing the cooking cavity into at least two sub-cavities, and a door movable between an open and closed position for selectively providing and preventing access to the sub-cavities respectively. The door is provided with a choke frame configured to communicate with the dividing shelf in the closed position so as to attenuate microwave transmission between the sub-cavities.

An electromagnetic energy delivery system includes a set of radio frequency channels. Each channel includes a radio frequency feed, at least one high-power amplifier and a phase-shifting component. Each high-power radio frequency amplifier includes at least one amplifying component configured to output a periodic signal that is amplified in power with respect to an input radio frequency common reference signal. The phase-shifting component is configured to modulate the phase of the output periodic signal with respect to the input radio frequency signal. A controller coupled to the set of radio frequency channels can be configured to cause the output periodic signals from each of the radio frequency channels is to have a time-varying phase difference relative to the common reference signal and a phase difference relative to the other output periodic signals that is constant when averaged over time.

A microwave appliance provides safe heating of packaged food products at an efficiency greater than 90%. A temperature sensor positioned about a product holder is configured to sense a temperature of the package. A product identification scanner identifies a type of food product, a type of packaging, and/or a size of packaging being inserted into the microwave appliance. The product identification may be used to obtain a dielectric constant and/or electrical conductivity of the product. An electric field detector verifies that a suitable product has been inserted into the microwave appliance and is used to estimate a volume of the packaged food product. Accordingly, even partially full packaged food products may be safely re-heated to a desired temperature. As opposed to a time-based operation with traditional microwave appliances, operation of the microwave appliance may be adjusted based on the product identification scanner, temperature sensor, and electric field detector.

A microwave oven is provided herein having a cooking cavity, a dividing shelf for dividing the cooking cavity into at least two sub-cavities, and a door movable between an open and closed position for selectively providing and preventing access to the sub-cavities respectively. The door is provided with a choke frame configured to communicate with the dividing shelf in the closed position so as to attenuate microwave transmission between the sub-cavities.

The invention is an apparatus comprising an electrically powered appliance with electrically conductive members mounted to the appliance that both support and supply electrical power to the appliance. The electrically conductive members comprise insulative housings with openings that fit over connectors attached to a wall. Both the housings and the connectors comprise electrical conductors. When the connectors are fitted inside the housings, the electrical conductors mate to provide electrical power to the appliance. Furthermore, the appliance is suspended from a wall to which the connectors are mounted. The appliance can be modular or have particular dimensions that allow it to function within an automated storage and retrieval system. Finally, the appliance may be fitted with an outlet to accommodate a detachable power cord.

The invention is an apparatus comprising an electrically powered appliance with electrically conductive members mounted to the appliance that both support and supply electrical power to the appliance. The electrically conductive members comprise insulative housings with openings that fit over connectors attached to a wall. Both the housings and the connectors comprise electrical conductors. When the connectors are fitted inside the housings, the electrical conductors mate to provide electrical power to the appliance. Furthermore, the appliance is suspended from a wall to which the connectors are mounted. The appliance can be modular or have particular dimensions that allow it to function within an automated storage and retrieval system. Finally, the appliance may be fitted with an outlet to accommodate a detachable power cord.

A microwave heating apparatus for heating a load by means of microwaves is provided. The microwave heating apparatus comprises a cavity arranged to receive a piece of food to be heated, a first microwave supply system configured to supply microwaves at the cavity bottom for energizing a browning function in the cavity, a second microwave supply system configured to supply microwaves into the cavity for exciting cavity modes and a control unit configured to control the first and second microwave supply systems based on a food category and/or a cooking program. The first supply system comprises at least one microwave source and at least one antenna arranged in a lower part of the cavity and the second microwave supply system comprises at least one microwave source and at least one feeding port arranged in an upper part of the cavity. The present invention is advantageous in that a microwave heating apparatus with an improved crisp function is provided.

This disclosure relates to a microwave heating device and a method for operating a microwave heating device. The microwave heating device comprises at least two radiating portions that are adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and can be operated according to operational configurations that differ in frequency and/or in phase shift(s) between the radiated microwaves. A learning procedure can be executed in relation with at least one product positioned in the heating chamber. The learning procedure can be executed by changing frequency and phase shift(s) to sequentially operate the at least two radiating portions in a plurality of operational configurations, in such a way that, for each frequency, the at least two radiating portions are operated in a number of operational configurations that differ in phase shift(s) from one another. An energy efficiency can be calculated for each of said plurality of operational configurations and the obtained data are saved. A heating procedure may be executed after the learning procedure. In the heating procedure, the at least two radiating portions are operated according to at least one operational configuration that is selected on the basis of the data obtained in the learning procedure.