Plural Heating Zones Patents (Class 219/656)
  • Patent number: 11148351
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a high-pressure tank is a manufacturing method for a high-pressure tank including a reinforced layer formed such that an electrically conductive fiber bundle impregnated with thermosetting resin is wound around a liner. The manufacturing method includes: a step of preparing the tank in which the uncured reinforced layer is formed on the liner; a first heating step of heating the uncured reinforced layer by low-frequency induction heating so the thermosetting resin is softened; and a second heating step of, after the first heating step, heating the softened reinforced layer by high-frequency induction heating so that the softened reinforced layer is hardened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Hatta
  • Patent number: 9888529
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus for heating a traveling metal plate includes an induction coil for surrounding the metal plate. The induction coil includes an upper portion for being located above the metal plate and a lower portion for being located below the metal plate. The upper and lower portions of the induction coil are spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in a transverse direction of the metal plate. The distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper portion and the lower portion of the induction coil varies across a transverse direction of the metal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Hirota
  • Patent number: 9451658
    Abstract: An induction heater includes an electrically conductive coil that produces an alternating magnetic field when current is applied to the coil. The magnetic field is used to heat metal containers such as tubular containers. The coil extends about a heating path of travel that extends along the longitudinal axis of the coil. A transport device is provided to move the container through the magnetic field such that the longitudinal axis of the container is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil. This allows for heating the container at the twelve and six o'clock positions. The transport device functions to roll the container along the heating path. In a preferred embodiment, the coil is wrapped about a core with a generally rectangular shape. Ferromagnetic members may optionally be used to further shape the magnetic field. The methods and apparatus may be used for regular or irregularly shaped containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Nordon Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond Baxter, Howard Podolny, Robert Zuccarelli
  • Patent number: 9340844
    Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus and methods are provided. The induction hardening apparatus includes a feed line having first and second ends. A coil assembly is positioned between the first and second ends. The feed line includes a support arrangement for supporting two workpieces against one another and transferring the workpieces simultaneously through the coil assembly along a feed axis defined by the feed line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Golfers Family Corporation
    Inventor: Richard G. Francis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9040882
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for making the longitudinal temperature distribution of the bulbous end of a longitudinally oriented workpiece, such as a rail's head, generally uniform when the head has a non-uniform longitudinal temperature distribution. A combination of crown and skirt electric inductors is used to achieve the generally uniform temperature distribution by modulating the magnetic field intensity produced by current flow through one or more of the combination of crown and skirt inductors as required for the non-uniformly heated regions of the rail's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventors: Peter Dickson, Paul F. Scott
  • Patent number: 9018570
    Abstract: Induction heating systems and methods for combinatorial heating of a substrate are disclosed. The induction heating system includes a susceptor segmented into multiple regions (e.g., two to 20 regions) that are separated from one another by a reflective channel that is purged with a liquid (e.g., gas or liquid). The induction heating system includes multiple induction coils, each induction coil corresponding to one of the susceptor regions or segments. The distance between each induction coil and the susceptor region can be varied using an independent lift for each region. The relative distance between the coils and the corresponding susceptor regions is used to vary the temperature of a substrate so that different regions of the substrate can be independently heated to different temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent Riley Child
  • Patent number: 9012819
    Abstract: Improved induction heating of a rolling bearing without the risk of damaging or blocking the bearing is achieved by controlling the heating cycle as a function of the temperature difference between the inner and outer bearing rings and/or dividing the heating cycle into different portions using different power combinations of at least two induction coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Sébastien David, Sylvain Humbert
  • Patent number: 8966763
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing an object. A plurality of elements may be positioned to substantially conform to a surface on a first side of a workpiece. The plurality of elements may be heated, while the plurality of elements is substantially conformed to the surface on the first side of the workpiece. A material may be deposited on the workpiece while heating the plurality of elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: David P. Heck
  • Patent number: 8912472
    Abstract: An apparatus for hardening a spring having a helical or beehive shape. The apparatus has a rotation support system and an induction heating system. The rotation support system is designed to support the spring while the spring is heated by the induction heating system. The induction heating system has an induction coil system having a coil system. The coil system has a spaced region designed to receive the spring and to heat the spring while the spring is supported on the rotation support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Barnes Group Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Kurylo, Mehieddine Rababeh
  • Patent number: 8791399
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to accurately detect a state of an object to be heated in a cooking vessel and effectively avoid cooking failure. An induction heating section (13) inductively heats a cooking vessel (11). A vibration detecting section (14) detects a vibration of the cooking vessel (11) via a top plate (12). A vibration waveform extracting section (15) extracts a vibration waveform of a frequency component having a frequency equal to a predetermined multiplication product of an induction heating frequency, from a waveform of the vibration detected by the vibration detecting section (14). A determining section (16) determines a state of an object to be heated, based on the vibration waveform extracted by the vibration waveform extracting section (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Nagamitsu, Makiko Noda
  • Patent number: 8519310
    Abstract: A cooking appliance. The cooking appliance includes a cook top for a kitchen. One side of the cook top includes a cooking area with cooking areas. The cooking areas may be operated via an induction cooker. The bottom side of the cooking appliance has a display. The display can provide useful information thereon such as the time. The cook top can be arranged in a first horizontal position for use of the cooking areas, and folded to a second vertical position during non use to display information on the display. The cooking appliance also includes a data reader, such as an RFID reader or bar code scanner to obtain data from a food product package. The data may include suggested recipes, cooking temperatures, and/or cooking times. The obtained data may be used to assist in controlling the operation of the cooking areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventor: Matthias Pinkert
  • Patent number: 8461496
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a take-off roller, the take-off roller adapted to unwind a wound electrode plate having a coating portion and a non-coating portion, a guide roller adapted to feed the electrode plate, an induction heater above the guide roller, the induction heater being spaced a predetermined distance from the guide roller and the electrode plate, and a winding roller, the winding roller adapted to wind the electrode plate fed from the guide roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dongho Jeong, Tatsuya Hashimoto, Wonhui Lee
  • Patent number: 8354624
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for curing a plastic material, in particular a sealing compound and/or a filling compound for tolerance adjustment or gap filling, respectively, wherein the plastic material is at least partly inserted in a gap area between two components, and wherein at least one of the components is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material, in particular of a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin. According to the invention the device is provided with at least one electromagnetic inductor for a locally defined heating of the gap area and for curing the plastic material arranged in the gap area. Due to the electromagnetic inductor which might be a linear inductor or a circular inductor a contact-less and fast curing of the plastic material is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Schildt
  • Patent number: 7880124
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to package a device. Heat is localized on a die having bumps on a package substrate using a first induction heater operating at a first frequency. Heat is localized on at least an integrated heat spreader (IHS), a thermal interface material (TIM), an underfill, and a sealant on the die using a second induction heater operating at a second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph DeBonis
  • Patent number: 7858908
    Abstract: A method for inductively heating a workpiece using a heating coil that surrounds the sides and ends of the workpiece, wherein the heating coil comprises a first coil assembly that encloses a first portion of the workpiece and a second coil assembly that encloses a second portion of the workpiece. A power supply is operatively connected to the first coil assembly and the second coil assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Team Industrial Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor Wallace, Kurt D Hand, John P Kearns
  • Patent number: 7781708
    Abstract: A system for inductively heating a workpiece including a heating coil that surrounds the sides and ends of the workpiece, wherein the heating coil comprises a first coil assembly that encloses a first portion of the workpiece and a second coil assembly that encloses a second portion of the workpiece. A power supply is operatively connected to the first coil assembly and the second coil assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Team Industrial Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor Wallace, Kurt D Hand, John P Kearns
  • Patent number: 7671307
    Abstract: A transversal field heating installation for inductively heating flat objects transported in an advancing direction includes at least one inductor unit that extends across the width of the flat object. The inductor unit has at least two superimposed inductor layers parallel to the plane of the flat object. These inductor layers can be independently displaced transversally in relation to the advancing direction of the flat object, and each have two inductor sections with two parallel interspaced base limbs extending transversally in relation to the advancing direction and one lateral limb. Each inductor layer has lateral limb per strip edge of the flat object. The inductor sections of an inductor layer can be independently displaced transversally in relation to the advancing direction of the flat object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Universitaet Hannover
    Inventors: Alexander Nikanorov, Holger Schuelbe, Bernard Nacke
  • Patent number: 7495197
    Abstract: In a method for heat treating a fuel assembly channel made of zircaloy, the channel is continuously moved relative to a heat-treatment device and, longitudinal sections of it are heated to the beta phase range in an inductive heating zone. The longitudinal section of the channel heated in this manner is than cooled in a cooling zone to a temperature within an alpha phase range. The heat treatment is effected by at least two heating devices, which are spaced apart from one another, operate independently of each other, and each contain at least one induction coil and together form a heating zone. The channel section is first heated using a first heating device and then heat-treated using a second heating device which has less power and in that cooling is effected using a stream of inert gas applied to the outer surface of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Areva NP GmbH
    Inventors: Maximilian Körzendörfer, Andreas Möckel, Bernd Block, Hans-Joachim Lippert
  • Patent number: 7427329
    Abstract: A reactor for heat treatment of a substrate having a process chamber within a substrate enclosing structure, and a support structure configured to position a substrate at a predetermined spacing between the upper part and the bottom part within the process chamber during processing. Streams of gas may lift the substrate from the support structure so that the substrate floats. A plurality of heating elements is associated with at least one of the upper part and the bottom part and are arranged to define heating zones. A controller controls the heating elements individually so that each heating zone is configured to have a predetermined temperature determined by the controller. The heating zones provide for a non-uniform heating laterally across the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, Ernst H. A. Granneman
  • Patent number: 7183526
    Abstract: A high frequency induction-heating device 3 of the apparatus 1 for heating work includes a pair of opposite work coils accommodated within the coil casings 17 and 19 respectively. The casings 17 and 19 can be displaced in a unit by a motor provided under the device. Thus, the distance between the pair of work coils, and the distance between the work (W) and each work coil can be adjusted. The apparatus includes a plurality of heating devices 3 to which high frequency power sources are provided respectively. The apparatus and method for heating of a work with the apparatus is capable of treating a plurality of works (W) continuously under controlled conditions on work coil shapes and positions depending on the size and/or the shape of the works (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisya Yoshino Kosakujo
    Inventors: Koshiro Yoshino, Masahiro Yoshino, Yasuhiro Yoshino
  • Patent number: 7161122
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to package a device. Heat is localized on a die having bumps on a package substrate using a first induction heater operating at a first frequency. Heat is localized on at least an integrated heat spreader (IHS), a thermal interface material (TIM), an underfill, and a sealant on the die using a second induction heater operating at a second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph DeBonis
  • Patent number: 7135660
    Abstract: An induction heating type fixing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed. An inducting heating coil has a plurality of bobbins each having a particular diameter and assembled in a telescopic manner. A particular conductor is wound round each bobbin beforehand with leads being laid inside of the conductor. The bobbin may be implemented as a plurality of bobbin members removably connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Miyahara, Toshiaki Higaya, Masae Sugawara, Tomotaka Takamura
  • Patent number: 7105783
    Abstract: In a fixing device according to this invention, coils are formed on a coil bobbin having a predetermined shape at an induction heating portion including a plurality of coils. In order to minimize the temperature difference of a heating roller in the axial direction, the coil bobbin has a shape for holding the interval between the coils at a predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignees: Kabuhsiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Akihiro Wasai
  • Patent number: 6963057
    Abstract: Multiple workpieces are inductively heated by passing them through one or more induction heating coils. Passage of a section of each workpiece through a coil may oscillate in the forward and reverse directions, independent of the movement of the other workpieces, one or more times, to selectively heat each workpiece while operating the power supplies for each of the induction heating coils at constant current, voltage and/or power to maximize the efficiency of the electrical circuit and minimize the requirements for power supply control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventors: Wallace Shane Swanger, Edward J. Rylicki, Oleg S. Fishman
  • Patent number: 6946629
    Abstract: An induction heating type fixing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed. An inducting heating coil has a plurality of bobbins each having a particular diameter and assembled in a telescopic manner. A particular conductor is wound round each bobbin beforehand with leads being laid inside of the conductor. The bobbin may be implemented as a plurality of bobbin members removably connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Miyahara, Toshiaki Higaya, Masae Sugawara, Tomotaka Takamura
  • Patent number: 6919545
    Abstract: The present invention of a device for advancing even distribution of high cycle wave magnetism uses a coil body having characteristics of conducting high cycle wave magnetism energy. The coil body is coiled in such a way that appears to have undulating distributed layers structure. A plurality of neighboring coil parts is annularly formed to become the coil body. Magnetism goes through any two neighboring coil parts will not repel or counteract each other because the neighboring coil parts are not on the same plane. Thus the present invention can advance high cycle wave magnetic field distributed more evenly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Inventor: Shia Chung Chen
  • Patent number: 6822207
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for merging the processes of hearth baking and conveyor baking to offer the benefits of the two processes while eliminating many of the shortcomings. In one aspect, the present invention is a horizontal food-grade product conveyor to transport and support food substances within or through a cooking chamber in a continuous motion. The product conveyor comprises a frame, a support structure, a drive mechanism, and rotating segments of ceramic, brick, firebrick, stone, baked clay, transite, quarry tile, or other non-metallic material which form an endless baking hearth. Each hearth segment interacts with the next adjacent hearth segment to facilitate turning around a radius while forming and maintaining a continuous, flat product support surface and preheated baking hearth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Inventor: Richard F. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6815649
    Abstract: A device for inductive billet-heating includes a single or multi-layer billet-heating coil (4) for a round billet (5), in which the billet-heating coil (4) is made up of one or more consecutive, galvanically separated zones. The zones are supplied with electrical energy from a three-phase network by means of an electrical switching device and a control unit. The billet-heating coil (4) includes multiple, synchronically regulated zones (Z1, Z2 through Zn) with reference to frequency and phase of inductive field. For a current feed to each zone (Z1 through Zn) of the billet-heating coil (4), a converter (2) with variable frequency and a plurality of modules is provided. The converter includes plurality of power-moderate closed units with DS-network feed and synchronization of phase and frequency of an output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: I.A.S. Induktions-Anlagen + Service GmbH & Co. KG.
    Inventor: Stefan Beer
  • Patent number: 6799712
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining optimal process settings for a conveyor oven, such as a reflow oven used to reflow solder paste on a PCB assembly. According to a disclosed embodiment, an ideal temperature profile is obtained from the solder paste specifications of the solder paste to be reflowed in the oven. The ideal temperature profile of the paste includes a preheat phase, a soak phase, a reflow phase and a cooling phase. One or more profiles that fit the oven are obtained by aligning the beginning of each phase of the ideal profile with a forward end of an oven zone. The profile that best fits the oven is selected as a target profile for the reflow soldering process. The set points of the oven zones for effecting the target profile when the solder paste is conveyed through the oven are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Electronic Controls Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Austen, Bobby Joe Rooks, Rex L. Breunsbach
  • Publication number: 20040164071
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a plurality of induction heating devices which heat a steel product, a correctional device which corrects the steel product, a computing device which computes supply predetermined electric power which is supplied to the induction heating device, on the basis of a size of the steel product, a conveying speed of the steel product, a heating target temperature of the steel product, and a predetermined temperature of the steel product at the previous stage of the induction heating devices, and a power supply unit which supplies the supply predetermined electric power computed by the computing device to the induction heating devices, and the computing device which computes electric power for uniform heating processing on the steel product or electric power for surface layer heating processing on the steel product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Iijima, Hiroshi Mizuno, Hiroshi Sekine, Noritsugu Suzuki, Kiyoshi Nakano, Masatoshi Sugioka
  • Patent number: 6747252
    Abstract: A multiple head induction sealing system includes at least two ferrite cores mounted which are channel-shaped and arranged so that the open ends of the channels are aligned either perpendicular or parallel to a workflow direction established as the objects to be heated pass beneath the unit. A litz wire coil is disposed proximate to each ferrite core which produces an electromagnetic field within the ferrite core. The ferrite cores and litz wire coil are adapted to direct the electromagnetic field toward an object to heat it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Herzog
  • Patent number: 6689993
    Abstract: A device for heating a roll in a paper or paperboard machine or in a finishing machine for paper or paperboard the device including a profiling induction heater (5) which is arranged to heat the roll (3) with a power dependent on the location of the point to be heated in the axial direction of the roll, and a non-profiling induction heater (4) which, to provide basic heating, is arranged to heat the same roll (3) with a heating power which is substantially even over the width of the roll (3). The profiling induction heater (5) and the non-profiling induction heater (4) are placed in the same support structure (1) outside the roll (3). The roll (3) is a calender roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Metso Automation Oy
    Inventor: Risto Säynäväjärvi
  • Patent number: 6677560
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for heating a workpiece of an inductively heatable material, for example a turbine blade. Such a turbine blade consists of a massive blade base and a low-mass blade leaf. To enable the blade base and blade leaf to be heated in a manner appropriate to each an induction coil is provided, which surrounds the blade base and the blade leaf. By suitable choice of the alternating currents which flow through the induction coil and/or through the interposition of a susceptor between turbine blade and induction coil, the blade base and blade leaf can be heated in an appropriate manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Ald Vacuum Technologies AG
    Inventors: Helmut Eberhardt, Karl-Heinz Grosse, Karl Herchenröther, Jürgen Lemke
  • Patent number: 6635856
    Abstract: A plurality of billets are inductively heated in a staged process wherein the output current of a power supply is repeatedly time shared among a plurality of induction coils within which the plurality of billets have been placed. The time periods of the applied current to each coil become sequentially shorter over the total heating time of a billet to allow magnetically induced heat to conduct to the center of the billet during the dwell periods between applied electrical current periods. This maximizes the efficiency of the output of the power supply while melting of the outer regions of a billet is avoided in a process wherein the billets do not have to be moved during the overall billet total heating time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventor: Oleg S. Fishman
  • Publication number: 20030111459
    Abstract: The invention provides a convection type brazing apparatus for metal workpieces such as aluminum, copper, iron and so forth that enables uniform heating of the metal workpieces to prevent deformation of the workpieces and can shorten a heating time to achieve a higher operation efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Oak Nippon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6573485
    Abstract: An induction heating roller apparatus that varies temperature distribution in the axial direction of a heating roller. The apparatus includes a heating roller and a plurality of induction coils arranged separately along an axial direction of the heating roller. The heating roller includes a secondary coil that is air-core transfer coupled to the induction coils. The apparatus further includes a plurality of capacitors, each being connected to one of the induction coils to form a resonance circuit. At least one of the resonance circuits has a resonance point that differs from the remaining resonance circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Harison Toshiba Lighting Corp.
    Inventor: Ichiro Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 6555801
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved induction heating coil, an induction heating device including the induction heating coil and a method for heating a workpiece with the induction heating device. The induction heating coil for heating a workpiece includes an elongated solenoid-type induction heating coil and at least one pancake-type coil positioned within a portion of the elongated solenoid-type induction heating coil, where the solenoid-type coil and the pancake-type coil are in electrical connection with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Melrose, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron P. LeMieux, Harris E. Hanser, Robert E. Hosterman
  • Patent number: 6495811
    Abstract: An induction heating device having a hollow cylindrical body made of electrically conductive material, at least one primary induction coil and at least one auxiliary induction coil, the at least one primary induction coil and the at least one auxiliary induction coil being arranged in the cavity of the cylindrical body such that, by means of the at least one primary induction coil and the at least one auxiliary induction coil, first and second magnetic fields, respectively, can be produced in the cylindrical body. The at least one auxiliary induction coil and the at least one primary induction coil operate such that the second magnetic field, at least in one area of the cylindrical body, counteracts the first magnetic field. A corresponding method of operating such an induction heating device, and also a processor for processing a recording medium, having such an induction heating device, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Werner Nitsche, Wolfram Betzold, Friedrich Stumpf
  • Publication number: 20020148829
    Abstract: Apparatus and method is provided for the heating of granules by the use of induction power. A rotating furnace chamber is provided with interior conveying elements that transport granules through the furnace. The furnace body, or alternatively, a susceptor surrounding the furnace body is inductively heated. Heat is transferred by conduction from the furnace body or susceptor to the granules traversing the furnace chamber. Multiple induction coils and switching arrangements can be used to provide varying degrees of heat along the length of the furnace chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Oleg S. Fishman
  • Patent number: 6316754
    Abstract: An induction heating systems using a plurality of zones in a coil provides selective heating control for better uniformity especially for semiconductor and other thin film processing applications. By arranging the zones to have different resonance frequencies, the power supply may control the various zones by altering its frequency output. The power supply may also act to control the differential heating by switching among zones in conjunction with the frequency control, by sweeping through a variety of frequencies, by simultaneously providing power over different frequencies, by altering the residence time at each frequency, or by outputting different powers to each frequency or the like. Each zone may thus be tuned as appropriate to achieve the desired induction heating characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Schatz, John M. Dorrenbacher
  • Publication number: 20010032839
    Abstract: A multiple head induction sealing system includes at least two ferrite cores mounted which are channel-shaped and arranged so that the open ends of the channels are aligned either perpendicular or parallel to a workflow direction established as the objects to be heated pass beneath the unit. A litz wire coil is disposed proximate to each ferrite core which produces an electromagnetic field within the ferrite core. The ferrite cores and litz wire coil are adapted to direct the electromagnetic field toward an object to heat it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Herzog
  • Patent number: 6300608
    Abstract: There are provided an induction heating coil for carrying out high frequency induction heating (heating during movement) of a hot rolled steel or the like by surrounding the hot rolled steel or the like which is placed on a plurality of conveying rollers and conveyed, and an induction heating apparatus using this induction heating coil. In an induction heating coil 2 for induction heating a heated body (a thin slab 8 or the like) by surrounding it, a first coil portion 13 wound in a spiral form while transferring in one direction (the direction of the arrow mark &agr;) along a coil axis S and a second coil portion 14 which is connected to a terminal (turn point 18) of the first coil portion 13 and wound back while transferring in the other direction (the direction of the arrow mark &bgr;) along the coil axis S are combined so as to overlap in the non-contact state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignees: Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd., Chugai Ro Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Inoh, Suetaka Omura, Takashi Fujisawa, Hiroyuki Fuchigami
  • Patent number: 6288377
    Abstract: A varnish oven (10), including a preheating station (12), a temperature homogenization station (14), a varnish application station (16), a varnish curing station (18), a cooling station (20), a conveyor system (24) and a control system (38). The conveyor system (24) moves parts through the oven. The parts start at the preheating station (12) where portions of the part are raised to an appropriate temperature for varnish application. The parts then move to the temperature homogenization station (14) where the temperature is maintained at an appropriate level. Varnish is applied to the part in the varnish application station (16) and is cured in the varnish curing station (18). Finally the part is cooled in the cooling station (20). The control system (38) varies the temperature of the preheating station (12), the temperature homogenization station (14), and the cooling station (20) to maintain part temperature upon stoppage of the conveyor system (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zili Wu, David Arthur Nelson, Robert Steven Gruden, Joel Alex Shingledecker
  • Publication number: 20010015352
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a plurality of induction coils connected to a single high-frequency power source and each being able to be ON/OFF controlled by a switch. A current is selectively fed only to desired part of the induction coils or to all of the induction coils connected in parallel. The coils are driven by a current fed thereto at the same time in the same phase. The device may include inverters for controlling power to be fed coil by coil. The device is free from interference and irregular heating and can readily cope with a change in a heating range while controlling power coil by coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Ohishi, Masae Sugawara
  • Patent number: 6222167
    Abstract: An alloying system for a galvanized steel sheet, the alloying system using an induction heating coil, wherein an impedance matching apparatus is provided between the induction heating coil and a high frequency power source. The impedance matching apparatus comprises a matching transformer having a plurality of intermediate contact points for arbitrarily selecting a turn ratio, and a switching device for alternative changeover of the intermediate contact point, whereby even when the load impedance of the steel sheet varies, maximum power source output is obtained, such that an appropriate heating temperature necessary for forming an alloy layer of the steel sheet can be supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Wada, Etsurou Hirai, Kazuya Tsurusaki, Yuuji Asahara, Kwang-Hee Han, Jae-Young Lee, Kyung-Zoon Min, Kwang-Hum Han
  • Patent number: 6198083
    Abstract: A process for heat treating steel wires in which the wires are passed through an induction furnace with induction coils connected in series to a common power supply. No more than one wire passes through any one of the induction coils. The wires are heated to their Curie temperature, where the wires become non-magnetic. This makes the process substantially self-regulating. If one or more wires are heated more rapidly than others, little if any heating of the more rapidly heated wires will occur after they reach their Curie temperature, and all wires will leave the inductive heating furnace at or near their Curie temperature. The system will operate satisfactorily with one or more wires missing. When this happens, for loading purposes or other reasons, the efficiency of the unit degrades but sufficient excess power remains such that heating of the wires that are passing through the system will be relatively unaffected at the design mass flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: American Spring Wire Corp.
    Inventor: Harvey H. Pierman
  • Patent number: 6180933
    Abstract: A furnace for heating ferrous metal workpiece is made up of a plurality of pairs of furnace sections with each pair of furnace section having a longitudinal flux inductors with controls for rapidly adjusting the heating rate according to a desired workpiece discharged temperature from the second of the furnace sections. The second furnace is controlled to maintain a substantially constant workpiece heating temperature. A second pair of furnace sections is provided with a first furnace section utilizing coil pairs with a dual output power supply having independent phase adjustable output currents to vary the current phase relation between the coils between 0 and 180°. The change to the phase relation is used to maintain efficient heating of the metal strip above the Curie temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Bricmont, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor B. Demidovitch, William Goodlin
  • Patent number: 6166360
    Abstract: This invention provides methods for rapidly heating a metal part of varying thickness. In general, the invention provides methods comprising heating the thicker section(s) of the part by induction heating and the thinner section(s) by resistance heating. Induction and resistance heating both quickly heat metals and because each is easily controlled individually, the part can be uniformly heated for hardening and tempering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Fluxtrol Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Ruffini, Sr., Valentin Nemkov
  • Patent number: 6121592
    Abstract: An induction heating device for controlling the temperature distribution in an electrically conductive material, or susceptor, when heated by induced eddy currents in the material. A non-electrically conductive material can be heated in a controlled manner by placing the material near to the susceptor. Variable power is applied to multiple induction coil sections wound around the length of the susceptor from a power source by one or more switching circuits. The coil sections can be overlapped or counter-wound between adjacent coil sections, or provided power in a cascaded manner, to achieve desired temperature distributions in the susceptor. A control circuit is used to control the power applied to each coil section and the output of the power source. By placing a non-electrically conductive material near to the susceptor the material can be heated in a controlled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventors: Oleg S. Fishman, Rudolph K. Lampi, John H. Mortimer, Vitaly A. Peysakhovich
  • Patent number: RE37800
    Abstract: The steam generating system utilizing a first container having a liquid chamber. The first container is surrounded by a conducting coil for generating a field and producing eddy currents on the container. Steam produced in the first container is sent to a second container which is similarly heated by an induced eddy current. Steam in the second container is superheated for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignees: Daihan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoaki Uemura