Patents by Inventor Anthony E. Bentley

Anthony E. Bentley has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Closed loop control of the induction heating process using miniature magnetic sensors
    Patent number: 6566636
    Abstract: A method and system for providing real-time, closed-loop control of the induction hardening process. A miniature magnetic sensor located near the outer surface of the workpiece measures changes in the surface magnetic field caused by changes in the magnetic properties of the workpiece as it heats up during induction heating (or cools down during quenching). A passive miniature magnetic sensor detects a distinct magnetic spike that appears when the saturation field, Bsat, of the workpiece has been exceeded. This distinct magnetic spike disappears when the workpiece's surface temperature exceeds its Curie temperature, due to the sudden decrease in its magnetic permeability. Alternatively, an active magnetic sensor can measure changes in the resonance response of the monitor coil when the excitation coil is linearly swept over 0-10 MHz, due to changes in the magnetic permeability and electrical resistivity of the workpiece as its temperature increases (or decreases).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony E. Bentley, John Bruce Kelley, Fred J. Zutavern
  • Use of miniature magnetic sensors for real-time control of the induction heating process
    Patent number: 6455825
    Abstract: A method of monitoring the process of induction heating a workpiece. A miniature magnetic sensor located near the outer surface of the workpiece measures changes in the surface magnetic field caused by changes in the magnetic properties of the workpiece as it heats up during induction heating (or cools down during quenching). A passive miniature magnetic sensor detects a distinct magnetic spike that appears when the saturation field, Bsat, of the workpiece has been exceeded. This distinct magnetic spike disappears when the workpiece's surface temperature exceeds its Curie temperature, due to the sudden decrease in its magnetic permeability. Alternatively, an active magnetic sensor can also be used to measure changes in the resonance response of the monitor coil when the excitation coil is linearly swept over 0-10 MHz, due to changes in the magnetic permeability and electrical resistivity of the workpiece as its temperature increases (or decreases).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony E. Bentley, John Bruce Kelley, Fred J. Zutavern