Patents Assigned to Ameritherm, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6316756
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power system for providing RF power to a load. The RF power system comprises a tank circuit; a direct current (DC) voltage source that provides a DC voltage within a first predetermined range; an amplifier, coupled to said DC voltage source, to provide an alternating voltage to said tank circuit; a frequency controller, coupled to said amplifier, to control a frequency of said alternating voltage provided by said amplifier; and a power sensor being coupled to said tank circuit for providing a signal to said frequency controller, wherein said frequency controller controls said frequency of said alternating voltage based on said signal provided from said power sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie L. Thompson, Gary A. Schwenck, Daniel J. Lincoln
  • Publication number: 20010035406
    Abstract: A susceptor composition that can bond two or more layers or substrates to one another and that can be used to coat or cut a substrate. The susceptor composition is activated in the presence of radio frequency (RF) energy. In one embodiment, the susceptor composition of the present invention comprises a susceptor and a carrier. The carrier and susceptor are blended with one another and form a mixture, preferably a uniform mixture. The susceptor is present in an amount effective to allow the susceptor composition to be heated by RF energy. In a preferred embodiment, the susceptor also functions as an adhesive. The susceptor is an ionic or polar compound and acts as either a charge-carrying or an oscillating/vibrating component of the susceptor composition. The susceptor generates thermal energy in the presence of an RF electromagnetic or electrical field (hereafter RF field).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Applicant: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Ryan, Jonathan M. Gorbold, Gary C. Adishian
  • Patent number: 6271508
    Abstract: An RF power supply that is capable of tracking rapid changes in the resonant frequency of a load and capable of quickly responding to varying load conditions so as to deliver the desired amount of power. The present invention also provides an RF power supply capable of delivering a wide range of power over a broad frequency range to a load that is remotely located from the power supply. According to one embodiment, the RF power supply includes a direct current (DC) voltage source that provides a DC voltage within a predetermined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie L. Thompson, Gary A. Schwenck, Daniel J. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 6255635
    Abstract: An RF power supply that is capable of tracking rapid changes in the resonant frequency of a load and capable of quickly responding to varying load conditions so as to deliver the desired amount of power. The present invention also provides an RF power supply capable of delivering a wide range of power over a broad frequency range to a load that is remotely located from the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie L. Thompson, Gary A. Schwenck, Daniel J. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 6157258
    Abstract: A power amplifier that provides wide-band, high efficiency, high voltage, HF power amplification over a large dynamic operating range. In one embodiment, the power amplifier includes a driver amplifier, an intermediate power amplifier comprising a coherently combined array of two transistors, and a final power amplifier comprising a coherently combined array of multiple transistors. The two stage driver amplifier drives the intermediate power amplifier, which drives the final power amplifier. Preferably, because of the inherent linearity, dynamic range, and power limiting requirements, the driver amplifier includes two transistor devices that are of the silicon power bipolar type, operating in class A with classic common-emitter circuit configuration. Preferably, the transistors used in the intermediate power amplifier and the final power amplifier are MOSFETS operating in a non-classic DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary C. Adishian, Daniel J. Lincoln, Robert Sengillo, Jr., John Cunliffe
  • Patent number: 6072362
    Abstract: A full-bridge amplifier that is able to provide power to all types of loads. The fill-bridge amplifier according to the present invention recovers reactive energy produced by capacitive loads instead of having the reactive energy be dissipated in the switches of the amplifier, thereby causing device failure. In one embodiment, two inductors and four diodes are added to the conventional full-bridge topology. Furthermore, a full-bridge amplifier according to an embodiment of the present invention is able to operate over a broad-band of radio frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Lincoln