Michael James Hodgetts

US Patent:

48702382, Sep 26, 1989

Filed:

Apr 14, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/181642

Inventors:

Michael J. Hodgetts - Germantown TN
Charles W. McDonald - Memphis TN

International Classification:

H05B 668

US Classification:

219 1055M

Abstract:

A closed-loop control for sensing the completion of popcorn popping in a microwave oven and automatically shutting down the oven. A sensor is acoustically coupled to the microwave oven cavity and provides an electrical signal to an amplifier and filter. The amplified and filtered signal is processed by a pop detector which includes an integrator and shut-down command generator responsive to a decreasing rate of popping to shut the oven off. The integrator provides a pre-pop timer function to maintain the oven on until popping commences. In an alternative embodiment, the peak rate of popping is detected and held and the oven is shut off when the popping rate falls to a predetermined ratio of the peak rate or a predetermined time elapses after the peak rate is detected, whichever first occurs.

US Patent:

48734098, Oct 10, 1989

Filed:

Oct 26, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/113646

Inventors:

Fred T. Spruytenburg - Memphis TN
Charles McDonald - Memphis TN
Michael J. Hodgetts - Germantown TN

International Classification:

H05B 668

US Classification:

219 1055M

Abstract:

A closed-loop control for sensing the completion of popcorn popping in a microwave oven and automatically shutting down the oven. A sensor is acoustically coupled to the microwave oven cavity and provides an electrical signal to an amplifier and filter. The amplified and filtered signal is processed by a pop detector which includes an integrator and shut-down command generator responsive to a decreasing rate of popping to shut the oven off. The integrator provides a pre-pop timer function to maintain the oven on until popping commences.

US Patent:

49374133, Jun 26, 1990

Filed:

Aug 17, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/395020

Inventors:

Fred T. Spruytenburg - Memphis TN
Charles McDonald - Memphis TN
Michael J. Hodgetts - Germantown TN

Assignee:

Microwave Products of America, Inc. - Memphis TN

International Classification:

H05B 680

US Classification:

219 1055B

Abstract:

An acoustic sensor assembly for a microwave oven of the type having an oven cavity defined by walls. The acoustic sensor assembly comprises an acoustic sensor for converting sound into an electrical signal representative thereof, and aperture in the wall of the microwave oven cavity of sufficiently small to prevent microwaves from passing therethrough. The assembly further includes a hollow conduit, for example a plastic tube, having first and second ends and secured to the aperture at the first end and to the sensor at the second end for acoustically coupling the sensor to the aperture such that sounds in the cavity are passed through the aperture to the sensor.