Patent Grant
11160145
Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate generally to apparatus and methods of defrosting and heating a load with radio frequency (RF) energy.
Conventional capacitive food defrosting (or thawing) systems include large planar electrodes contained within a heating compartment. After a food load is placed between the electrodes and the electrodes are brought into contact with the food load, low power electromagnetic energy is supplied to the electrodes to provide gentle warming of the food load. In these conventional capacitive food defrosting systems, the electrodes on which the food load rests may require cleaning after defrosting or thawing operations take place. For example, drip and condensation from thawing foods may accumulate in the heating compartment of the system, and may putrefy or create an environment where harmful bacteria can grow if left unattended. However, it may be difficult or inconvenient to clean the electrodes or the heating compartment of conventional systems.
Additionally, conventional capacitive food defrosting systems include a heating compartment having a fixed size and shape. Defrosting a food load in a heating compartment that is significantly larger than the food load may be inefficient with respect to the amount of power used to perform the defrosting. Conversely, some food loads may be too large for a given heating compartment to accommodate.
A more complete understanding of the subject matter may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the figures.
The following detailed description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the subject matter or the application and uses of such embodiments. As used herein, the words “exemplary” and “example” mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as exemplary or an example is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, or the following detailed description.
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter include apparatus and methods for defrosting and/or heating food loads (or other types of loads) with heating compartments or electrodes that can be removed for cleaning and/or that have modular resonance cavities to accommodate loads of different sizes and/or shapes. Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate to a solid-state defrosting or heating apparatus that may be incorporated into stand-alone appliances or into other systems. As described in greater detail below, exemplary defrosting/heating systems are realized using a first electrode disposed in a cavity, an amplifier arrangement (including one or more transistors), an impedance matching network coupled between an output of the amplifier arrangement and the first electrode, and a measurement and control system that can detect progress of a defrosting operation of the defrosting apparatus. In an embodiment, the impedance matching network is a variable impedance matching network that can be adjusted during the defrosting operation to improve matching between the amplifier arrangement and the cavity.
Generally, the term “defrosting” means to elevate the temperature of a frozen load (e.g., a food load or other type of load) to a temperature at which the load is no longer frozen (e.g., a temperature at or near 0 degrees Celsius). Note that in the present disclosure references to a “food load” are made as an example of a load for the defrosting system and it should be understood that references to a food load may also refer to other types of loads (e.g., liquids, non-consumable materials) that may be heated by the defrosting system.
As used herein, the term “defrosting” more broadly means a process by which the thermal energy or temperature of a load (e.g., a food load or other type of load) is increased through provision of RF power to the load. Accordingly, in various embodiments, a “defrosting operation” may be performed on a food load with any initial temperature (e.g., any initial temperature above or below 0 degrees Celsius), and the defrosting operation may be ceased at any final temperature that is higher than the initial temperature (e.g., including final temperatures that are above or below 0 degrees Celsius). That said, the “defrosting operations” and “defrosting systems” described herein alternatively may be referred to as “thermal increase operations” and “thermal increase systems.” The term “defrosting” should not be construed to limit application of the invention to methods or systems that are only capable of raising the temperature of a frozen load to a temperature at or near 0 degrees Celsius.
During the defrosting of a load, liquid may accumulate in the containment structure of a defrosting system as a result of condensation or leaking. This liquid may undesirably putrefy if left unattended for too long, which can create a need for cleaning the containment structure of the defrosting system. It therefore may be advantageous for defrosting systems to include removable containment structures (e.g., drawers or platforms) for easier cleaning compared to defrosting systems without removable containment structures. For example, some defrosting systems may be disposed in locations that are difficult for a consumer to reach for the length of time associated with thorough cleaning, such as on a tall shelf or close to the ground. In contrast, removable containment structures, such as the drawers discussed herein, may be moved to a location where cleaning may be performed more easily and effectively, such as a sink.
Furthermore, conventional defrosting systems generally include electrodes and containment structures having fixed sizes and shapes. However, an electrode or a containment structure having a given size and shape may not be ideal for defrosting loads having a variety of shapes and/or sizes. For example, defrosting a load in a containment structure that is significantly larger than the load may be inefficient with respect to the amount of power used to perform the defrosting operation. Conversely, some loads may be too large for a given containment structure to accommodate. As another example, defrosting a load using comparatively larger electrodes may result in power inefficiency as a portion of the RF energy passing between the electrodes during defrosting will not go toward heating the load. Conversely, defrosting a load using comparatively smaller electrodes may result in the load not being heated evenly or completely, as portions of the load that are not overlapped by the electrodes may not receive as much RF energy as the portions of the load that are overlapped by the electrodes. It therefore may be advantageous to use a defrosting system that is compatible with multiple drawers having different shapes and sizes and/or having electrodes of different shapes, sizes, or configurations so that loads of varying shape and size may be accommodated.
According to an embodiment, the first electrode 170 is arranged proximate to a cavity wall (e.g., top wall 111), the first electrode 170 is electrically isolated from the remaining cavity walls (e.g., walls 112-115 and door 116), and the remaining cavity walls are grounded. In such a configuration, the system may be simplistically modeled as a capacitor, where the first electrode 170 functions as one conductive plate, the grounded cavity walls (e.g., walls 112-115) function as a second conductive plate (or electrode), and the air cavity (including any load contained therein) function as a dielectric medium between the first and second conductive plates. Although not shown in
According to an embodiment, during operation of the defrosting system 100, a user (not illustrated) may place one or more loads (e.g., food and/or liquids) into the defrosting cavity 110, and optionally may provide inputs via the control panel 120 that specify characteristics of the load(s). For example, the specified characteristics may include an approximate weight of the load. In addition, the specified load characteristics may indicate the material(s) from which the load is formed (e.g., meat, bread, liquid). In alternate embodiments, the load characteristics may be obtained in some other way, such as by scanning a barcode on the load packaging or receiving a radio frequency identification (RFID) signal from an RFID tag on or embedded within the load. Either way, as will be described in more detail later, information regarding such load characteristics enables the system controller (e.g., system controller 330,
To begin the defrosting operation, the user may provide an input via the control panel 120. In response, the system controller causes the RF signal source(s) (e.g., RF signal source 340,
During the defrosting operation, the impedance of the load (and thus the total input impedance of the cavity 110 plus load) changes as the thermal energy of the load increases. The impedance changes alter the absorption of RF energy into the load, and thus alter the magnitude of reflected power. According to an embodiment, power detection circuitry (e.g., power detection circuitry 380,
The defrosting system 100 of
Similar to the defrosting system 100, each of defrosting systems 210, 220 includes a defrosting cavity, a control panel 214, 224, one or more RF signal sources (e.g., RF signal source 340,
In addition, according to an embodiment, each of the defrosting systems 210, 220 may have sufficient thermal communication with the freezer or refrigerator compartment 212, 222, respectively, in which the system 210, 220 is disposed. In such an embodiment, after completion of a defrosting operation, the load may be maintained at a safe temperature (i.e., a temperature at which food spoilage is retarded) until the load is removed from the system 210, 220. More specifically, upon completion of a defrosting operation by the freezer-based defrosting system 210, the cavity within which the defrosted load is contained may thermally communicate with the freezer compartment 212, and if the load is not promptly removed from the cavity, the load may re-freeze. Similarly, upon completion of a defrosting operation by the refrigerator-based defrosting system 220, the cavity within which the defrosted load is contained may thermally communicate with the refrigerator compartment 222, and if the load is not promptly removed from the cavity, the load may be maintained in a defrosted state at the temperature within the refrigerator compartment 222.
Those of skill in the art would understand, based on the description herein, that embodiments of defrosting systems may be incorporated into systems or appliances having other configurations, as well. Accordingly, the above-described implementations of defrosting systems in a stand-alone appliance, a microwave oven appliance, a freezer, and a refrigerator are not meant to limit use of the embodiments only to those types of systems.
Although defrosting systems 100, 200 are shown with their components in particular relative orientations with respect to one another, it should be understood that the various components may be oriented differently, as well. In addition, the physical configurations of the various components may be different. For example, control panels 120, 214, 224 may have more, fewer, or different user interface elements, and/or the user interface elements may be differently arranged. Further, the control panels 214, 224 may be positioned elsewhere (e.g., on a wall within the freezer or refrigerator compartment 212, 222 or on one of the fixed shelves 216, 226). In addition, although a substantially cubic defrosting cavity 110 is illustrated in
User interface 320 may correspond to a control panel (e.g., control panel 120, 214, 224,
System controller 330 may include one or more general purpose or special purpose processors (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and so on), volatile and/or non-volatile memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), flash, various registers, and so on), one or more communication busses, and other components. According to an embodiment, system controller 330 is coupled to user interface 320, RF signal source 340, variable impedance matching network 360, power detection circuitry 380, and sensors 390 (if included). System controller 330 is configured to receive signals indicating user inputs received via user interface 320, and to receive forward and/or reflected power measurements from power detection circuitry 380. Responsive to the received signals and measurements, and as will be described in more detail later, system controller 330 provides control signals to the power supply and bias circuitry 350 and to the RF signal generator 342 of the RF signal source 340. In addition, system controller 330 provides control signals to the variable impedance matching network 360, which cause the network 360 to change its state or configuration.
Defrosting cavity 310 includes a capacitive defrosting arrangement with first and second parallel plate electrodes that are separated by an air cavity within which a load 316 to be defrosted may be placed. For example, a first electrode 370 (e.g., first electrode 770,
Defrosting cavity 310 and any load 316 (e.g., food, liquids, and so on) positioned in the defrosting cavity 310 present a cumulative load for the electromagnetic energy (or RF power) that is radiated into the cavity 310 by the first electrode 370. More specifically, the cavity 310 and the load 316 present an impedance to the system, referred to herein as a “cavity input impedance.” The cavity input impedance changes during a defrosting operation as the temperature of the load 316 increases. The impedance of many types of food loads changes with respect to temperature in a somewhat predictable manner as the food load transitions from a frozen state to a defrosted state. According to an embodiment, based on reflected and/or forward power measurements from the power detection circuitry 380, the system controller 330 is configured to identify a point in time during a defrosting operation when the rate of change of cavity input impedance indicates that the load 316 is approaching a particular temperature (e.g., between −4 and 0 degrees Celsius), at which time the system controller 330 may terminate the defrosting operation. Specifically, the system controller 330 is configured to monitor reflected and/or forward power measurements over time while the food load is being defrosted. Upon detecting when the rate change in the return losses has plateaued, the controller uses historical measurement of the rates of change in return losses to determine an additional amount of time and/or energy for the defrosting process to continue in order that the food load reaches a desired end state—i.e., a tempered state between −4 and 0 degrees Celsius. Using either the determined additional amount of time or energy required, the defrosting processes can then be controlled and stopped when the food load has reached the desired end state.
The first electrode 370 is electrically coupled to the RF signal source 340 through a variable impedance matching network 360 and a transmission path 348, in an embodiment. As will be described in more detail later, the variable impedance matching circuit 360 may be disposed within a sealed portion of the cavity created by containment structure 312 (e.g., above first electrode 370), and is configured to perform an impedance transformation from an impedance of the RF signal source 340 to an input impedance of defrosting cavity 340 as modified by the load 316. In an embodiment, the variable impedance matching network 360 includes a network of passive components (e.g., inductors, capacitors, resistors). According to a more specific embodiment, the variable impedance matching network 360 includes a plurality of fixed-value inductors (e.g., inductors 412-414, 712-714, 812-814,
According to an embodiment, RF signal source 350 includes an RF signal generator 342 and a power amplifier (e.g., including one or more power amplifier stages 344, 346), which may be, for example, disposed behind a rear wall of a refrigerator (e.g., system 200 of
In the embodiment of
In an embodiment, each amplifier stage 344, 346 is implemented as a power transistor, such as a field effect transistor (FET), having an input terminal (e.g., a gate or control terminal) and two current carrying terminals (e.g., source and drain terminals). Impedance matching circuits (not illustrated) may be coupled to the input (e.g., gate) of the driver amplifier stage 344, between the driver and final amplifier stages 346, and/or to the output (e.g., drain terminal) of the final amplifier stage 346, in various embodiments. In an embodiment, each transistor of the amplifier stages 344, 346 includes a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor FET (LDMOSFET) transistor. However, it should be noted that the transistors are not intended to be limited to any particular semiconductor technology, and in other embodiments, each transistor may be realized as a high electron mobility transistor (HFET) (e.g., a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor), another type of MOSFET transistor, a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), or a transistor utilizing another semiconductor technology.
In
Power detection circuitry 380 is coupled along the transmission path 348 between the output of the RF signal source 340 and the input to the variable impedance matching network 360, in an embodiment. In an alternate embodiment, power detection circuitry 380 may be coupled to the transmission path 349 between the output of the variable impedance matching network 360 and the first electrode 370. Either way, power detection circuitry 380 is configured to monitor, measure, or otherwise detect the power of the forward signals (i.e., from RF signal source 340 toward first electrode 370) and/or the reflected signals (i.e., from first electrode 370 toward RF signal source 340) traveling along the transmission path 348.
Power detection circuitry 380 supplies signals conveying the magnitudes of the forward and/or reflected signal power to system controller 330. System controller 330, in turn, may calculate a ratio of reflected signal power to forward signal power, or the S11 parameter. Alternatively, the system controller 330 may simply calculate the magnitude of reflected signal power. As will be described in more detail below, when the reflected to forward power ratio or the reflected power magnitude exceeds a threshold, this indicates that the system 300 is not adequately matched, and that energy absorption by the load 316 may be sub-optimal. In such a situation, system controller 330 orchestrates a process of altering the state of the variable impedance matching network until the reflected to forward power ratio or the reflected power magnitude decreases to a desired level, thus re-establishing an acceptable match and facilitating more optimal energy absorption by the load 316.
As mentioned above, some embodiments of defrosting system 300 may include temperature sensor(s), IR sensor(s), and/or weight sensor(s) 390. The temperature sensor(s) and/or IR sensor(s) may be positioned in locations that enable the temperature of the load 316 to be sensed during the defrosting operation. When provided to the system controller 330, the temperature information enables the system controller 330 to alter the power of the RF signal supplied by the RF signal source 340 (e.g., by controlling the bias and/or supply voltages provided by the power supply and bias circuitry 350), to adjust the state of the variable impedance matching network 360, and/or to determine when the defrosting operation should be terminated. The weight sensor(s) are positioned under the load 316, and are configured to provide an estimate of the weight of the load 316 to the system controller 330. The system controller 330 may use this information, for example, to determine a desired power level for the RF signal supplied by the RF signal source 340, to determine an initial setting for the variable impedance matching network 360, and/or to determine an approximate duration for the defrosting operation.
As discussed above, the variable impedance matching network 360 is used to match the input impedance of the defrosting cavity 310 plus load 316 to maximize, to the extent possible, the RF power transfer into the load 316. The initial impedance of the defrosting cavity 310 and the load 316 may not be known with accuracy at the beginning of a defrosting operation. Further, the impedance of the load 316 changes during a defrosting operation as the load 316 warms up. According to an embodiment, the system controller 330 may provide control signals to the variable impedance matching network 360, which cause modifications to the state of the variable impedance matching network 360. This enables the system controller 330 to establish an initial state of the variable impedance matching network 360 at the beginning of the defrosting operation that has a relatively low reflected to forward power ratio or reflected power magnitude, and thus a relatively high absorption of the RF power by the load 316. In addition, this enables the system controller 330 to modify the state of the variable impedance matching network 360 so that an adequate match may be maintained throughout the defrosting operation, despite changes in the impedance of the load 316.
According to an embodiment, the variable impedance matching network 360 may include a network of passive components, and more specifically a network of fixed-value inductors (e.g., lumped inductive components) and variable inductors (or variable inductance networks). As used herein, the term “inductor” means a discrete inductor or a set of inductive components that are electrically coupled together without intervening components of other types (e.g., resistors or capacitors).
Variable impedance matching network 400 includes an input node 402, an output node 404, first and second variable inductance networks 410, 411, and a plurality of fixed-value inductors 412-415, according to an embodiment. When incorporated into a defrosting system (e.g., system 300,
Between the input and output nodes 402, 404, the variable impedance matching network 400 includes first and second, series coupled fixed-value inductors 412, 414, in an embodiment. The first and second fixed-value inductors 412, 414 are relatively large in both size and inductance value, in an embodiment, as they may be designed for relatively low frequency (e.g., about 4.66 MHz to about 4.68 MHz) and high power (e.g., about 50 watts (W) to about 500 W) operation. For example, inductors 412, 414 may have values in a range of about 200 nanohenries (nH) to about 600 nH, although their values may be lower and/or higher, in other embodiments.
The first variable inductance network 410 is a first shunt inductive network that is coupled between the input node 402 and a ground reference terminal (e.g., the grounded containment structure 312,
In contrast, the “cavity matching portion” of the variable impedance matching network 400 is provided by a second shunt inductive network 416 that is coupled between a node 420 between the first and second fixed-value inductors 412, 414 and the ground reference terminal. According to an embodiment, the second shunt inductive network 416 includes a third fixed value inductor 413 and a second variable inductance network 411 coupled in series, with an intermediate node 422 between the third fixed-value inductor 413 and the second variable inductance network 411. Because the state of the second variable inductance network 411 may be changed to provide multiple inductance values, the second shunt inductive network 416 is configurable to optimally match the impedance of the cavity plus load (e.g., cavity 310 plus load 316,
Finally, the variable impedance matching network 400 includes a fourth fixed-value inductor 415 coupled between the output node 404 and the ground reference terminal. For example, inductor 415 may have a value in a range of about 400 nH to about 800 nH, although its value may be lower and/or higher, in other embodiments.
As will be described in more detail in conjunction with
According to an embodiment, the variable impedance matching network 400 embodiment of
For each parallel inductor/switch combination, substantially all current flows through the inductor when its corresponding switch is in an open or non-conductive state, and substantially all current flows through the switch when the switch is in a closed or conductive state. For example, when all switches 511-514 are open, as illustrated in
Starting from the maximum inductance state in which all switches 511-514 are open, the system controller may provide control signals 521-524 that result in the closure of any combination of switches 511-514 in order to reduce the inductance of the network 500 by bypassing corresponding combinations of inductors 501-504. In one embodiment, each inductor 501-504 has substantially the same inductance value, referred to herein as a normalized value of I. For example, each inductor 501-504 may have a value in a range of about 100 nH to about 200 nH, or some other value. In such an embodiment, the maximum inductance value for the network 500 (i.e., when all switches 511-514 are in an open state) would be about N×I, plus any trace inductance that may be present in the network 500 when it is in the maximum inductance state. When any n switches are in a closed state, the inductance value for the network 500 would be about (N−n)×I (plus trace inductance). In such an embodiment, the state of the network 500 may be configured to have any of N+1 values of inductance.
In an alternate embodiment, the inductors 501-504 may have different values from each other. For example, moving from the input node 530 toward the output node 532, the first inductor 501 may have a normalized inductance value of I, and each subsequent inductor 502-504 in the series may have a larger or smaller inductance value. For example, each subsequent inductor 502-504 may have an inductance value that is a multiple (e.g., about twice) the inductance value of the nearest downstream inductor 501-503, although the difference may not necessarily be an integer multiple. In such an embodiment, the state of the network 500 may be configured to have any of 2N values of inductance. For example, when N=4 and each inductor 501-504 has a different value, the network 500 may be configured to have any of 16 values of inductance. For example but not by way of limitation, assuming that inductor 501 has a value of I, inductor 502 has a value of 2×I, inductor 503 has a value of 4×I, and inductor 504 has a value of 8×I, Table 1—Total inductance values for all possible variable inductance network states, below indicates the total inductance value for all 16 possible states of the network 500 (not accounting for trace inductances):
Referring again to
Although the above example embodiment specifies that the number of switched inductances in the network 500 equals four, and that each inductor 501-504 has a value that is some multiple of a value of I, alternate embodiments of variable inductance networks may have more or fewer than four inductors, different relative values for the inductors, a different number of possible network states, and/or a different configuration of inductors (e.g., differently connected sets of parallel and/or series coupled inductors). Either way, by providing a variable inductance network in an impedance matching network of a defrosting system, the system may be better able to match the ever-changing cavity input impedance that is present during a defrosting operation.
In Smith chart 600, point 601 corresponds to the point at which the load (e.g., the cavity 310 plus load 316,
It should be noted that the combination of impedance transformations provided by embodiments of the variable impedance matching network keep the impedance at any point within or very close to the lower right quadrant of the Smith chart 600. As this quadrant of the Smith chart 600 is characterized by relatively high impedances and relatively low currents, the impedance transformation is achieved without exposing components of the circuit to relatively high and potentially damaging currents. Accordingly, an alternate definition of an “inductor-only” matching network, as used herein, may be a matching network that enables impedance matching of a capacitive load using solely or primarily inductive components, where the impedance matching network performs the transformation substantially within the lower right quadrant of the Smith chart.
As discussed previously, the impedance of the load changes during the defrosting operation. Accordingly, point 601 correspondingly moves during the defrosting operation. Movement of load point 601 is compensated for, according to the previously-described embodiments, by varying the impedance of the first and second shunt inductances 410, 411 so that the final match provided by the variable impedance matching network still may arrive at or near the optimal matching point 606. Although a specific variable impedance matching network has been illustrated and described herein, those of skill in the art would understand, based on the description herein, that differently-configured variable impedance matching networks may achieve the same or similar results to those conveyed by Smith chart 600. For example, alternative embodiments of a variable impedance matching network may have more or fewer shunt and/or series inductances, and or different ones of the inductances may be configured as variable inductance networks (e.g., including one or more of the series inductances). Accordingly, although a particular variable inductance matching network has been illustrated and described herein, the inventive subject matter is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiment.
A particular physical configuration of a defrosting system will now be described in conjunction with
The defrosting system 700 is contained within a containment structure 750, in an embodiment. According to an embodiment, the containment structure 750 may define three interior areas: the defrosting cavity 774 (e.g., cavity 310, 1806,
According to an embodiment, the containment structure 750 is at least partially formed from conductive material, and the conductive portion(s) of the containment structure may be grounded to provide a ground reference for various electrical components of the system. Alternatively, at least the portion of the drawer 721 that corresponds to the second electrode 772 may be formed from conductive material and grounded. To avoid direct contact between the load 716 and the second electrode 772, a non-conductive barrier 756 may be positioned over the second electrode 772.
When included in the system 700, the weight sensor(s) 790 may be positioned under the load 716 directly, or may be positioned directly under drawer 721. The weight sensor(s) 790 are configured to provide an estimate of the weight of the load 716 to the system controller 730. The temperature sensor(s) and/or IR sensor(s) 792 may be positioned in locations that enable the temperature of the load 716 to be sensed both before, during, and after a defrosting operation. According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor(s) and/or IR sensor(s) 792 are configured to provide load temperature estimates to the system controller 730.
Some or all of the various components of the system controller 730, the RF signal source 740, the power supply and bias circuitry (not shown), the power detection circuitry 780, and portions 710, 711 of the variable impedance matching network 760, may be coupled to a common substrate 752 within the circuit housing area 778 of the containment structure 750, in an embodiment. According to an embodiment, the system controller 730 is coupled to the user interface, RF signal source 740, variable impedance matching network 760, and power detection circuitry 780 through various conductive interconnects on or within the common substrate 752. In addition, the power detection circuitry 780 is coupled along the transmission path 748 between the output of the RF signal source 740 and the input 702 to the variable impedance matching network 760, in an embodiment. For example, the substrate 752 may include a microwave or RF laminate, a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) substrate, a printed circuit board (PCB) material substrate (e.g., FR-4), an alumina substrate, a ceramic tile, or another type of substrate. In various alternate embodiments, various ones of the components may be coupled to different substrates with electrical interconnections between the substrates and components. In still other alternate embodiments, some or all of the components may be coupled to a cavity wall, rather than being coupled to a distinct substrate.
The first electrode 770 is electrically coupled to the RF signal source 740 through a variable impedance matching network 760 and a transmission path 748, in an embodiment. As discussed previously, the variable impedance matching network 760 includes variable inductance networks 710, 711 (e.g., networks 410, 411,
For enhanced understanding of the system 700, the nodes and components of the variable impedance matching network 760 depicted in
Between the input and output nodes 702, 704 (e.g., input and output nodes 402, 404,
In an embodiment, the first fixed-value inductor 712 has a first terminal that is electrically coupled to the input node 702 (and thus to the output of RF signal source 740), and a second terminal that is electrically coupled to a first intermediate node 720 (e.g., node 420,
The first variable inductance network 710 (e.g., network 410,
Now that embodiments of the electrical and physical aspects of defrosting systems have been described, various embodiments of methods for operating such defrosting systems will now be described. More specifically,
The method may begin, in block 900, when a user places a load (e.g., load 316,
In block 900, the system controller (e.g., system controller 330,
In block 902, the system controller (e.g., system controller 330,
In block 904, the system controller provides control signals to the variable matching network (e.g., network 360, 400,
As also discussed previously, a first portion of the variable matching network may be configured to provide a match for the RF signal source (e.g., RF signal source 340,
It has been observed that a best initial overall match for a frozen load (i.e., a match at which a maximum amount of RF power is absorbed by the load) typically has a relatively high inductance for the cavity matching portion of the matching network, and a relatively low inductance for the RF signal source matching portion of the matching network. For example,
According to an embodiment, to establish the initial configuration or state for the variable matching network in block 904, the system controller sends control signals to the first and second variable inductance networks (e.g., networks 410, 411,
Assuming, however, that the system controller does have a priori information regarding the load characteristics, the system controller may attempt to establish an initial configuration near the optimal initial matching point. For example, and referring again to
Referring again to
In block 914, power detection circuitry (e.g., power detection circuitry 380,
In block 916, the system controller may determine, based on the reflected-to-forward signal power ratio and/or the S11 parameter and/or the reflected signal power magnitude, whether or not the match provided by the variable impedance matching network is acceptable (e.g., the ratio is 10 percent or less, or compares favorably with some other criteria). Alternatively, the system controller may be configured to determine whether the match is the “best” match. A “best” match may be determined, for example, by iteratively measuring the forward and/or reflected RF power for all possible impedance matching network configurations (or at least for a defined subset of impedance matching network configurations), and determining which configuration results in the lowest reflected-to-forward power ratio or reflected power magnitude.
When the system controller determines that the match is not acceptable or is not the best match, the system controller may adjust the match, in block 918, by reconfiguring the variable inductance matching network. For example, this may be achieved by sending control signals to the variable impedance matching network, which cause the network to increase and/or decrease the variable inductances within the network (e.g., by causing the variable inductance networks 410, 411 to have different inductance states). After reconfiguring the variable inductance network, blocks 914, 916, and 918 may be iteratively performed until an acceptable or best match is determined in block 916.
Once an acceptable or best match is determined, the defrosting operation may commence. Commencement of the defrosting operation includes increasing the power of the RF signal supplied by the RF signal source (e.g., RF signal source 340) to a relatively high power RF signal, in block 920. Once again, the system controller may control the RF signal power level through control signals to the power supply and bias circuitry (e.g., circuitry 350,
In block 922, power detection circuitry (e.g., power detection circuitry 380,
In block 924, the system controller may determine, based on one or more calculated reflected-to-forward signal power ratios and/or one or more calculated S11 parameters and/or one or more reflected power magnitude measurements, whether or not the match provided by the variable impedance matching network is acceptable. For example, the system controller may use a single calculated reflected-to-forward signal power ratio or S11 parameter or reflected power measurement in making this determination, or may take an average (or other calculation) of a number of previously-calculated reflected-to-forward power ratios or S11 parameters or reflected power measurements in making this determination. To determine whether or not the match is acceptable, the system controller may compare the calculated ratio and/or S11 parameter and/or reflected power measurement to a threshold, for example. For example, in one embodiment, the system controller may compare the calculated reflected-to-forward signal power ratio to a threshold of 10 percent (or some other value). A ratio below 10 percent may indicate that the match remains acceptable, and a ratio above 10 percent may indicate that the match is no longer acceptable. When the calculated ratio or S11 parameter or reflected power measurement is greater than the threshold (i.e., the comparison is unfavorable), indicating an unacceptable match, then the system controller may initiate re-configuration of the variable impedance matching network by again performing process 910.
As discussed previously, the match provided by the variable impedance matching network may degrade over the course of a defrosting operation due to impedance changes of the load (e.g., load 316,
According to an embodiment, in the iterative process 910 of re-configuring the variable impedance matching network, the system controller may take into consideration this tendency. More particularly, when adjusting the match by reconfiguring the variable impedance matching network in block 918, the system controller initially may select states of the variable inductance networks for the cavity and RF signal source matches that correspond to lower inductances (for the cavity match, or network 411,
In an alternate embodiment, the system controller may instead iteratively test each adjacent configuration to attempt to determine an acceptable configuration. For example, referring again to Table 1—Total inductance values for all possible variable inductance network states, above, if the current configuration corresponds to state 12 for the cavity matching network and to state 3 for the RF signal source matching network, the system controller may test states 11 and/or 13 for the cavity matching network, and may test states 2 and/or 4 for the RF signal source matching network. If those tests do not yield a favorable result (i.e., an acceptable match), the system controller may test states 10 and/or 14 for the cavity matching network, and may test states 1 and/or 5 for the RF signal source matching network, and so on.
In actuality, there are a variety of different searching methods that the system controller may employ to re-configure the system to have an acceptable impedance match, including testing all possible variable impedance matching network configurations. Any reasonable method of searching for an acceptable configuration is considered to fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter. In any event, once an acceptable match is determined in block 916, the defrosting operation is resumed in block 920, and the process continues to iterate.
Referring back to block 924, when the system controller determines, based on one or more calculated reflected-to-forward signal power ratios and/or one or more calculated S11 parameters and/or one or more reflected power measurements, that the match provided by the variable impedance matching network is still acceptable (e.g., the calculated ratio or S11 parameter is less than the threshold, or the comparison is favorable), the system may evaluate whether or not an exit condition has occurred, in block 926. In actuality, determination of whether an exit condition has occurred may be an interrupt driven process that may occur at any point during the defrosting process. However, for the purposes of including it in the flowchart of
In any event, several conditions may warrant cessation of the defrosting operation. For example, the system may determine that an exit condition has occurred when a safety interlock is breached (e.g., the drawer has been opened). Alternatively, the system may determine that an exit condition has occurred upon expiration of a timer that was set by the user (e.g., through user interface 320,
If an exit condition has not occurred, then the defrosting operation may continue by iteratively performing blocks 922 and 924 (and the matching network reconfiguration process 910, as necessary). When an exit condition has occurred, then in block 928, the system controller causes the supply of the RF signal by the RF signal source to be discontinued. For example, the system controller may disable the RF signal generator (e.g., RF signal generator 342,
During the defrosting of a load, liquid may accumulate in the containment structure of a defrosting system as a result of condensation or leaking. This liquid may undesirably putrefy if left unattended for too long, which can create a need for cleaning the containment structure of the defrosting system. It therefore may be advantageous for defrosting systems to include removable drawers for easier cleaning compared to defrosting systems without removable containment structures. For example, some defrosting systems may be disposed in locations that are difficult for a consumer to reach for the length of time associated with thorough cleaning, such as on a tall shelf or close to the ground. In contrast, removable containment structures, such as the drawers discussed herein, may be moved to a location where cleaning may be performed more easily and effectively, such as a sink.
Furthermore, conventional defrosting systems generally include electrodes and containment structures having fixed sizes and shapes. However, an electrode or a containment structure having a given size and shape may not be ideal for defrosting loads having a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, defrosting a load in a containment structure that is significantly larger than the load may be inefficient with respect to the amount of power used to perform the defrosting operation. Conversely, some loads may be too large for a given containment structure to accommodate. As another example, defrosting a load using comparatively larger electrodes may result in power inefficiency as a portion of the RF energy passing between the electrodes during defrosting will not go toward heating the load. Conversely, defrosting a load using comparatively smaller electrodes may result in the load not being heated evenly or completely, as portions of the load that are not overlapped by the electrodes may not receive as much RF energy as the portions of the load that are overlapped by the electrodes. It therefore may be advantageous to use a defrosting system that is compatible with multiple drawers having different shapes and sizes and/or having electrodes of different shapes, sizes, or configurations so that loads of varying shape and size may be accommodated.
As described previously, defrosting systems (e.g., defrosting systems 210 and 220 shown in
Drawer 1110 includes a bottom wall 1111 (e.g., a “platform”), a front wall 1112, side rails 1114 and 1116, an extended front portion 1126, an overhanging lip 1124, side walls 1122, and a rear wall 1132. Side rails 1114 and 1116 may be permanently coupled to drawer 1110. In some embodiments, both of side rails 1114 and 1116 may be conductive, while in other embodiments, only one of side rails 1114 and 1116 may be conductive. Front wall 1112, including extended front portion 1126, has a height H1-1, while side walls 1122 and rear wall 1132 each have a height H1-2 that is smaller than the height H1-1. The heights of the walls essentially define the depth of an interior compartment within which a load may be placed. Alternatively, heights H1-1 and H1-2 may be substantially equal, or height H1-1 may be smaller than height H1-2. Side rails 1114 and 116 extend from side walls 1122. Side rails 1114 and 1116, for example, may slide into conductive (e.g., metal) channels of a shelf or within walls of a freezer, refrigerator, or other compartment (e.g., compartment 212, 222, 312,
In some embodiments, rear wall 1132 may include a male or female plug that may electrically couple to a corresponding male or female plug of the defrosting system (e.g., disposed on a back interior wall of the defrosting system) when drawer 1110 is fully inserted under the fixed shelf. When the plug of drawer 1110 is electrically coupled to the plug of the defrosting system, some or all of drawer 1110 may be electrically coupled to a ground reference terminal (e.g., the grounded containment structure 312, 750,
Front wall 1212, including extended front portion 1226, has a height H2-1, while side walls 1222 and rear wall 1232 each have a height H2-2 that is smaller than the height H2-1. Height H2-1 is larger than height H1-1 and H2-2 is larger than height H1-2. Accordingly, the interior compartment of drawer 1210 is deeper than the interior compartment of drawer 1110. However, the relative dimensions and placements of features of drawers 1110, 1210 that slide into conductive (e.g., metal) channels of a shelf or within walls of a freezer, refrigerator, or other compartment (e.g., compartment 212, 222) when drawers 1110, 1210 are inserted into a defrosting system (e.g., inserted under the shelf, into channels of the shelf, onto rails of the shelf, or otherwise physically engaged with the shelf) are the same for both drawers 1110, 1210. The difference between drawers 1110 and 1210 illustrates that drawers having different heights (i.e., drawers having interior compartments with different depths or sizes) may be used in the same defrosting system. In other words, drawers 1110 and 1210 may form two components of a kit of multiple drawers that are compatible for use in the same defrosting system. Due to the difference in height between drawers 1110 and 1210, it may be advantageous to use drawer 1110 for defrosting smaller (shorter) loads, while it may be advantageous to use drawer 1210 for defrosting comparatively larger (taller) loads. For example, a smaller load may fit into both drawers 1110 and 1210, but it may be more power efficient to defrost the smaller load in drawer 1110, as drawer 1110 creates a smaller resonance cavity compared to the resonance cavity created by drawer 1210 (e.g., due to differences in drawer height or interior compartment depth). As another example, a larger load may fit into drawer 1210, but may be too large or tall to fit into drawer 1110 without impeding the ability of drawer 1110 to close (e.g., to slide beneath the shelf). Thus, having two or more drawers of different sizes that are capable of being used in a single defrosting system may be advantageous as it allows a consumer to select a drawer that will create an appropriately sized resonance cavity for a load having a given shape and size.
In order for conductive portions of the drawers 1110 and 1210 to be securely grounded, one or more contact mechanisms may be implemented. The contact mechanisms essentially may function as a safety interlock, in that the system may be disabled from performing defrosting or heating operations when the contact mechanisms are not engaged (e.g., as illustrated in
In some embodiments, rather than including the nub 1308, conductive channel 1312 may be lined with conductive spring-like material (e.g., finger stock gaskets) on the top interior wall 1316 and/or the bottom interior wall 1318. These linings may provide electrical coupling between the conductive channel 1312 and the side rail 1314 when the side rail 1314 is fully inserted in the conductive channel 1312, and may help hold the side rail 1314 in place. Alternatively, a mechanical clamp may be used to hold the side rail 1314 in contact with the conductive channel 1312.
An identifier 1510 may be included in the wall 1500. Identifier 1510 may be one of a variety of types of identifier, including but not limited to: an RF identification (RFID) tag, a shape or pattern that is detectable with an optical recognition system, or any other desired type of identifier. Identifier 1510 may indicate one or more features of electrode 1504 and/or the drawer of which wall 1500 may be a part, such as the size and shape of electrode 1504 and/or the size and shape of the drawer when processed by recognition circuitry coupled to the shelf under which the drawer is disposed, which is described in greater detail in connection with
As shown in
While the electrode-containing drawers of the defrosting system may be easily swapped in and out according to the electrode-size needs of a consumer, the electrode contained within the static shelf may not be as simple to swap out.
Shelf 1700 may include recognition circuitry 1714 for determining the type of drawer inserted under/into shelf 1700 based on the identifier (e.g., identifier 1510 shown in
It should be noted that the identification circuitry and recognition circuitry described above in connection with drawer recognition functions are illustrative. If desired, other means of drawer identification may instead be implemented.
By switchably selecting which electrodes in shelf 1700 are active during defrosting operations, the defrosting system can accommodate a variety of drawer electrode sizes without having to physically replace the electrode in shelf 1700. It should be noted that while only three electrodes 1704, 1706, 1708 are shown here, this is not meant to be limiting and any number of selectable electrodes of varying diameters, dimensions, shapes, and relative positions may be included in the shelf of a defrosting system in a concentric circle arrangement, as shown, or in other arrangements.
In some instances, drawer 1802 may be formed entirely from conductive material. In other instances, drawer 1802 may be formed from both conductive material and dielectric material, and the conductive material of drawer 1802 may form an electrode similar to electrodes 1504 and 1604 shown in
In embodiments in which drawer 1802 includes an electrode formed in or on dielectric material, the drawer electrode may be formed facing and opposite to electrode(s) 1812 of shelf 1804, when the drawer 1802 is fully installed in the system. The drawer electrode may also receive the voltage reference signal (or ground signal) applied at side rails 1814 through conductive traces formed on or below the interior walls of drawer 1802.
It should be understood that the order of operations associated with the methods described herein and depicted in the figures correspond to example embodiments, and should not be construed to limit the sequence of operations only to the illustrated orders. Instead, some operations may be performed in different orders, and/or some operations may be performed in parallel.
The connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the subject matter. In addition, certain terminology may also be used herein for the purpose of reference only, and thus are not intended to be limiting, and the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.
As used herein, a “node” means any internal or external reference point, connection point, junction, signal line, conductive element, or the like, at which a given signal, logic level, voltage, data pattern, current, or quantity is present. Furthermore, two or more nodes may be realized by one physical element (and two or more signals can be multiplexed, modulated, or otherwise distinguished even though received or output at a common node).
The foregoing description refers to elements or nodes or features being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless expressly stated otherwise, “connected” means that one element is directly joined to (or directly communicates with) another element, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, unless expressly stated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element is directly or indirectly joined to (or directly or indirectly communicates with) another element, and not necessarily mechanically. Thus, although the schematic shown in the figures depict one exemplary arrangement of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an embodiment of the depicted subject matter.
In accordance with an embodiment, a system may include a radio frequency (RF) signal source that may produce an RF signal, a first structure that includes a first electrode, a second structure, and a second conductive feature. The second conductive structure may include a second electrode that at least partially vertically overlaps the first electrode when the second structure is physically engaged with the first structure, and a first conductive structure that is permanently coupled to the second structure. The first structure may be electrically coupled to the RF signal source. The first structure and the second structure may be physically engaged together in a non-permanent manner to create a cavity between the first structure and the second structure. The second conductive feature may physically and electrically connect to the first conductive feature when the second structure is fully physically engaged with the first structure.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the first structure may include a shelf. The second structure may include a removable platform that forms a portion of a removable drawer. The first conductive feature may be permanently electrically coupled to the second electrode.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the removable drawer may be formed entirely from conductive material.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the removable drawer may include a side rail to which the first conductive feature is connected, dielectric material on which or in which the second electrode is formed, and one or more conductive traces formed in or on the dielectric material that electrically connect the second electrode to the first conductive feature. The first conductive feature may be integrally formed with the side rail.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the system may include a voltage reference that is electrically coupled to the second conductive feature, and a channel into which the side rail is insertable. The first and second conductive features may connect when the side rail is fully inserted into the channel to provide an electrical path between the second electrode and the voltage reference.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the second conductive feature may be positioned at a top interior surface of the channel. The channel may include a nub formed on a portion of a bottom interior surface of the channel. The first conductive feature of the side rail may be held in electrical contact with the second conductive feature at the top interior surface of the channel by the nub when the side rail is fully inserted into the channel. The nub may be formed from nylon or polytetrafluoroethylene.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the side rail may include a first portion that a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion may extends along a first axis and may include a distal portion that is in contact with the nub and the top interior surface of the channel when the side rail is fully inserted into the channel. The second portion may extend along a second axis parallel to the first axis and may be in contact with an additional portion the bottom interior surface of the channel that is different from the portion of the bottom interior surface of the channel on which the nub is formed when the side rail is fully inserted into the channel. The third portion may extends along a third axis that intersects the first and second axes and may connect the first portion to the second portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the system may include an identifier coupled to the removable platform that identifies one or more features of the second electrode. The shelf may include a third electrode adjacent to the first electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode and the first electrode, and recognition circuitry that determines the one or more features of the second electrode based on the identifier. The shelf may selectively apply the RF signal to one or more of the first electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode based on the identified one or more features of the second electrode.
In accordance with an embodiment, a system may include a RF signal source that produces an RF signal, a shelf that includes a first electrode, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the first electrode that is positioned proximate to a cavity of the system, and a removable platform that is disposed beneath the shelf and that includes a second electrode that is arranged opposite to and facing the first electrode. The transmission path may convey the RF signal from the RF signal source to the first electrode.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the removable platform may form part of a removable drawer that includes a conductive side rail permanently connected to a side of the removable drawer, dielectric material on which the second electrode is disposed, and one or more conductive traces disposed on the dielectric material that electrically connect the second electrode to the conductive side rails.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the system may include a support structure that is in contact with the removable platform and that may push the removable drawer into contact with the shelf.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the shelf may further include a voltage reference and conductive terminals that are in electrical contact with the conductive side rails and the voltage reference. The conductive terminals may electrically couple the conductive side rails to the voltage reference. The support structure may apply pressure to the removable platform of the removable drawer to maintain electrical contact between the conductive terminals and the conductive side rails.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the drawer may include an identifier disposed on the removable platform that identifies one or more features of the second electrode. The shelf may include a third electrode adjacent to the first electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode and the first electrode, and recognition circuitry that may determine the one or more features of the second electrode based on the identifier. The shelf may selectively apply the RF signal to the first electrode, the third electrode, and/or the fourth electrode based on the identified one or more features of the second electrode.
In accordance with an embodiment, a drawer that is able to be inserted beneath a shelf to form a cavity may include an electrode formed on a platform of the drawer, and a conductive side rail that is electrically coupled to the electrode. The electrode may overlap a second electrode of the shelf when the drawer is inserted beneath the shelf. The conductive side rail may be inserted into a metal channel of the shelf.
In accordance with another aspect of the embodiment, the drawer may include an identifier formed on the platform of the drawer that identifies one or more features of the second electrode, and conductive traces formed on the dielectric interior bottom wall of the drawer and on interior sidewalls of the drawer. The conductive traces may electrically couple the conductive side rail to the electrode.
While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subject matter in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the described embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope defined by the claims, which includes known equivalents and foreseeable equivalents at the time of filing this patent application.
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