A biodegradable microwave susceptor and constructs incorporating the susceptor are disclosed for heating a food item in a microwave oven. The biodegradable microwave susceptor includes a patterned susceptor layer of metal on a biodegradable substrate. Selected areas of the susceptor layer may be demetallized to remove susceptor material. The susceptor may be incorporated into a construct for containing or supporting a food item to be heated.

A sous vide assembly for use in a microwave oven includes an outer tank and an inner tank positioned inside the outer tank to define a heating gap therebetween. The inner tank and the outer tank are filled with water and are in fluid communication with each other through one or more apertures. One or more vertical dividers are positioned within the inner tank and extend along the vertical direction to define a plurality of food chambers and a cover is mounted over the one or more vertical dividers and is movable between an open position and a closed position to provide selective access to the plurality of food chambers and keep food submerged during the sous vide cooking process.

A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

A microwave oven cleaning assembly includes a cup that contains a cleaning solution. The cup is comprised of a microwave safe material to facilitate the cup to be heated in a microwave. Moreover, the cleaning solution is vaporized into a steam when the cleaning solution is heated above a boiling temperature of the cleaning solution. In this way the steam cleans an interior of the microwave oven. A disk is positioned on the cup and the disk is foraminous thereby facilitating the steam to pass through the disk. A protective sheet is removably bonded to the disk to inhibit the cleaning solution from evaporating. The protective sheet is removable from the disk when the cleaning solution is heated thereby facilitating the steam to pass through the disk.

Embodiments of substrate supports for use in microwave degas chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support for use in a microwave degas chamber includes a support plate having one or more support features for supporting a substrate; a susceptor comprising a plate disposed on the support plate, wherein the susceptor includes one or more openings, wherein the one or more support features extend through corresponding ones of the one or more openings; and a metal foil disposed beneath a side of the susceptor facing the support plate.

A thermal increase system may be coupled to a containment structure for containing a load. The system includes a plurality of shelf support structures disposed within a cavity. The plurality of shelf support structures is configured to support a repositionable electrode at a plurality of positions within the cavity. The system includes a first electrode disposed at a first surface of the containment structure, wherein the repositionable electrode is disposed within the containment structure so as to divide the cavity into separate volumes. The system includes a radio frequency signal source electrically connected to one or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode. The radio frequency signal source is configured to provide radio frequency energy to either or both of the first electrode and the repositionable electrode.

According to certain aspects, a wrapped green body carrier for a green body includes side supports and moveable supports mounted to the side supports. Each of the moveable supports includes an inner end configured to move relative to the side supports. The green body carrier includes a flexible sheet attached to and suspended from each inner end of the moveable supports. The inner ends of the moveable supports are configured to move inward to wrap the flexible sheet around at least a portion of the green body (e.g., more than 180°). Accordingly, the wrapped green body carrier supports a large circumference of the green body and accommodates large deviations in shape and/or diameter. In certain embodiments, the flexible sheet includes radiation coupling material or radiation blocking material so that wrapping the flexible sheet around the green body improves uniformity during microwave drying.

A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

A cooking apparatus includes an outer housing, an inner housing forming a cooking chamber, a plurality of heaters arranged on an upper side of the cooking chamber, a tray including a plurality of cooking surfaces heated at different temperatures by the plurality of heaters, the tray being arranged to be detachable from the cooking chamber, a turn table rotatably arranged under the tray, and a magnetron arranged outside the cooking chamber at a lower height than the tray to emit high-frequency waves to an area between the tray and the turn table.

A cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber, a first heating source disposed on an upper side of the cooking chamber, a second heating source disposed on a lower side of the cooking chamber, and a shelf. The first heating source includes including a plurality of heaters and the second heating source includes a magnetron configured to generate high-frequency waves. The cooking chamber includes a first cooking area formed above the shelf and a second cooking area formed below the shelf. The first cooking area supporting a first object to be cooked using the first heating source and the second heating source. The second cooking area supporting a second object to be cooked using the second heating source. The shelf includes a cooking surface and a heat generator. The heat generator is configured to generate heat due to the high-frequency waves and transfer the heat to the cooking surface.