Electric heating – Microwave heating – Fluid heater
Patent
1997-05-28
1999-12-28
Leung, Philip H.
Electric heating
Microwave heating
Fluid heater
219601, 219682, 219629, 219667, H05B 610, H05B 680
Patent
active
060084820
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the production of heated fluid medium such as steam of a kind utilizable on an industrial scale or at home for thawing frozen food materials, for creating a highly humid atmosphere during cooking, bread making or any other food processing, for air-conditioning, for performing a steam-assisted ironing or for sterilizing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a steam generating apparatus of an induction heating system for producing the heated fluid medium such as steam of the kind referred to above.
BACKGROUND ART
The steam generating apparatus for producing steam from water by an induction heating system is well known in the art. FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings illustrate a longitudinal sectional view of the prior art steam generator such as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-51487, published in 1992. Referring to FIG. 20, the steam generator 1 includes an iron core 2 around which an electroconductive wire is would to form an induction coil 3. A steam generating tank 5 having its bottom formed by an iron plate 4 capable of creating a magnetic flux circuit is mounted atop the iron core 2 with the iron plate 4 resting on the iron core 2. The prior art steam generator 1 also includes a fluid supply means comprising a water spraying pipe 6 for spraying water onto the iron plate 4 within the steam generating tank 5 and a water supply pump 7, and a steam discharge means comprising a steam discharge pipe 9 having a needle valve 8 disposed thereon. The induction coil 3 referred to above is electrically connected with a commercial AC power source providing an alternating current power of a utility frequency. In this prior art steam generator 1, the iron plate 4 defining the bottom of the steam generating tank 5 serves as a heating element.
Another prior art heating element for heating water or air is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 3-98286, published in 1991, and is shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 of the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22, the heating element comprises a generally cylindrical hollow column 10 of insulating material around which a coil 11 is formed, and a laminated filler 13 accommodated within the hollow of the column 10. The laminated filler 13 is made up of a plurality of generally elongated base members 12 each formed with a number of corrugations 4-1, which base members 12 are laminated together with the corrugations in one base member 12 laid so as to intersect the corrugations in the neighboring base member 12. In this structure, when an alternating current is supplied to the coil 11, eddy currents are produced in the laminated filler 13 to allow the latter to evolve heat. Air or liquid flowing through the column 10 as shown by the arrows is heated in contact with the laminated filler 13 then heated in the manner described above.
According to the prior art steam generator shown in FIG. 20, the heating element used as a bottom of the steam generating tank 5 flat, having its opposite surfaces parallel to each other, and has a relatively small surface area at which heat exchange takes place. Therefore, the amount of heat supplied per unitary surface area, that is, the amount of the fluid medium vaporized, is limited. In order to increase the amount of the fluid medium vaporized, the surface area of the heating element must be increased, resulting in increase of the size of the steam generator as a whole.
Also, the metallic material forming the heat element has a substantial thickness and is bulky in terms of heat capacity, exhibiting a relatively low response to heat. For this reason, the amount of the fluid medium vaporized cannot be controlled accurately.
Moreover, since the heating element is disposed at the bottom of the steam generating tank, not only is the prior art steam generator unable to heat the steam once produced to produce steam of an increased temperature, but also the heating speed at which the steam is heated cannot be controlled.
I
REFERENCES:
patent: 2407562 (1946-09-01), Lofren
patent: 2494716 (1950-01-01), McMahon et al.
patent: 4089176 (1978-05-01), Ashe
patent: 4288674 (1981-09-01), Councell
patent: 4341936 (1982-07-01), Virgin
patent: 4366357 (1982-12-01), Satoh
patent: 4431890 (1984-02-01), Ramer
patent: 4449026 (1984-05-01), Satoh
patent: 4560849 (1985-12-01), Migliori et al.
patent: 5286942 (1994-02-01), McFadden et al.
patent: 5350901 (1994-09-01), Iguchi et al.
patent: 5525782 (1996-06-01), Yoneno et al.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 14, No. 10, Mar. 1, 1992, New York.
Bessyo Daisuke
Kunimoto Keijirou
Tajima Akio
Takahashi Yutaka
Leung Philip H.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Microwave oven with induction steam generating apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Microwave oven with induction steam generating apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Microwave oven with induction steam generating apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2383749