Patent ID: 11291085

Abstract:
An induction oven for the sterilization of equipment is disclosed. The invention effectively reduces sterilization cycle times from 90 minutes to less than 30 minutes using dry heat. In addition to increased efficiency, the dry heat also avoids pitting and other forms of degradation of the materials being sterilized. The oven can be configured by the user to generate a resonance of a particular frequency to target the specific type of metal or other induction material being heated. Target induction materials include cast iron, stainless steel, brass, and graphite, for example. The oven includes a coil that generates the time-varying electromagnetic field using a two-dimensional spiral having a rectangular pattern. The spiral coil is formed on a printed circuit board. The oven is configured to receive a container for heating articles. The container includes a bin, e.g., aluminum, and transparent lid with a gasket therebetween to produce an airtight seal. The container can be used to both sterilize equipment as well as store the sterilized equipment without contamination.