Gregory J Cunningham

US Patent:

20130240508, Sep 19, 2013

Filed:

Mar 13, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/800023

Inventors:

Gregory Eugene Cunningham - Knoxville TN, US

Assignee:

MICROWAVE MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - Knoxville TN

International Classification:

H05B 6/80

US Classification:

219702

Abstract:

A microwave heating system configured to heat a plurality of articles and a process for using the same are provided. The microwave heating system includes a liquid-filled thermalization zone, a liquid-filled microwave heating zone, and a pressure lock system disposed therebetween. The pressure lock system includes a pair of locking gate valves and a pressure adjustment chamber configured to transition the articles being heated from the thermalization zone to the microwave heating zone, which may be operated at different pressures.

US Patent:

20130243560, Sep 19, 2013

Filed:

Mar 13, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/799861

Inventors:

Gregory Eugene Cunningham - Knoxville TN, US

Assignee:

MICROWAVE MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - Knoxville TN

International Classification:

H01L 21/67

US Classification:

414805

Abstract:

A locking gate device suitable for selectively blocking the flow of fluid and/or articles through a pair of openings defined by two spaced-apart members is provided. The spaced-apart members may be opposing walls or flanges of two adjacent processing chambers or vessels in a pressurized heating system. The locking gate device includes a gate assembly that is movable within a gate-receiving space defined between opposed sealing surfaces of the spaced-apart members. The gate assembly comprises a pair of sealing plates and a drive member shiftable relative to the sealing plates. As the drive member is shifted between a retracted position and an extended position, a pair of bearings disposed between the sealing plates and the drive member forces the sealing plates outwardly to contact the sealing surfaces of the spaced-apart members. This substantially blocks the flow-through openings defined by one or both sealing surfaces and restricts flow therethrough.