Patents by Inventor Jean Lovens
Jean Lovens 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).
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Patent number: 10757764Abstract: A transverse flux electric induction heating apparatus is provided with a pair of transverse flux inductor assemblies where the inductor in each one of the pair of assemblies is formed from a pair of continuous flexible cables disposed within movable roll channels in roll assemblies that are used to adjust the transverse length of the inductor across the edge-to-edge transverse of a workpiece moving between the inductor in each one of the pair of assemblies and/or to adjust the pole pitch between transverse inductor lengths of each inductor in the pair of assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.Inventors: Michel Fontaine, Philippe Weber, Benjamin Michel, Jean Lovens
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Patent number: 10143044Abstract: A rectangular sheet heating inductor or a multi-turn inductor is provided for induction heat treatment of a strip or slab material that may require a change in the interior opening of the inductor to allow an abnormal region of the material to pass through the interior opening and/or to allow a change in a dimension of the inductor to achieve impedance load matching with a material having variable electromagnetic properties such as a multiphase steel.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Jean Lovens, Michel Fontaine
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Publication number: 20180227987Abstract: A transverse flux electric induction heating apparatus is provided with a pair of transverse flux inductor assemblies where the inductor in each one of the pair of assemblies is formed from a pair of continuous flexible cables disposed within movable roll channels in roll assemblies that are used to adjust the transverse length of the inductor across the edge-to-edge transverse of a workpiece moving between the inductor in each one of the pair of assemblies and/or to adjust the pole pitch between transverse inductor lengths of each inductor in the pair of assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2018Publication date: August 9, 2018Inventors: Michel FONTAINE, Philippe WEBER, Benjamin MICHEL, Jean LOVENS
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Patent number: 9930730Abstract: A variable width transverse flux electric inductor has a fixed powered coil section and associated box-like moveable passive coil sections that electromagnetically couple with magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the fixed powered section. The passive coil sections can be transversely moved across the workpiece to accommodate induction heating of workpieces having different widths or track movement of the workpiece. Alternatively the fixed powered coil section and associated moveable coil sections may be connected to each other through flexible connections, sliding contacts or other means, such as clamps, so that an electrical connection can be maintained between both in any relative position.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Patent number: 9585201Abstract: An electric induction rail heater is provided for selectively adjusting the heated temperatures in a rail's head, web and foot sections after fabrication of the rail. Alternatively, the rail heater can be used for heating the opposing ends of two rails that are to be welded together. The electric induction rail heater is a transverse flux electric inductor that can be provided with or without magnetic cores.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.Inventors: Jean Lovens, Michel Fontaine, Philippe Weber
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Publication number: 20160381737Abstract: A variable width transverse flux electric inductor has a fixed powered coil section and associated box-like moveable passive coil sections that electromagnetically couple with magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the fixed powered section. The passive coil sections can be transversely moved across the workpiece to accommodate induction heating of workpieces having different widths or track movement of the workpiece. Alternatively the fixed powered coil section and associated moveable coil sections may be connected to each other through flexible connections, sliding contacts or other means, such as clamps, so that an electrical connection can be maintained between both in any relative position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventor: Jean LOVENS
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Patent number: 9445460Abstract: A variable width transverse flux electric inductor has a fixed powered coil section and associated box-like moveable passive coil sections that electromagnetically couple with magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the fixed powered section. The passive coil sections can be transversely moved across the workpiece to accommodate induction heating of workpieces having different widths or track movement of the workpiece. Alternatively the fixed powered coil section and associated moveable coil sections may be connected to each other through flexible connections, sliding contacts or other means, such as clamps, so that an electrical connection can be maintained between both in any relative position.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2009Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Patent number: 9400136Abstract: An electric induction gas-sealed tunnel furnace and process are provided. The exterior of the furnace's enclosure that forms a closed tunnel region is surrounded at least along its longitudinal length by a gas-tight barrier chamber that can be filled with a barrier gas to a different pressure than the pressure of the process gas in the closed tunnel region of the furnace. The inductors used to induction heat strips or plates in the closed tunnel region can be positioned within or outside of the gas-tight barrier chamber around the longitudinal length of the closed tunnel region.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2011Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.Inventors: Jean Lovens, Michel Fontaine
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Publication number: 20140339221Abstract: A reinforced electric induction gas sealed tunnel furnace is provided. The assembled tunnel furnace has a tunnel wall that has the exterior wall transversely surrounded by structural reinforcing elements that give the tunnel structural strength to withstand a pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the tunnel, for example, when the tunnel interior environment is a vacuum and the tunnel exterior environment is at atmospheric pressure. One or more inductors form the induction coil system for the N tunnel furnace and can be located external to the tunnel wall, but within or adjacent to, the structural reinforcing elements. In alternative arrangements the structural reinforcing elements may be oriented with the length of the tunnel and installed either within or external to the tunnel. The tunnel and the structural reinforcing elements are sufficiently electromagnetically transparent to not interfere with inductive heating of a strip passing through the tunnel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: Inductotherm Corp.Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Patent number: 8884200Abstract: An openable induction coil is provided. An electromagnetically shielded inductor assembly can be formed from the openable induction coil and an electromagnetically shielded enclosure into which the coil can be inserted. The induction coil can be pivoted open while in the shielding enclosure without complete disassembly of the enclosure. In some examples of the invention, a dynamic “curtain” of a gas is injected through spaces between opening portions of the coil and adjacent sections of the shielding enclosure, and into the interior of the induction furnace formed by the openable induction coil when it is in the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2009Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Publication number: 20140254621Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for electric induction heating and/or stirring of a molten electrically conductive composition in a containment vessel with the apparatus being removably insertable in the molten composition. An induction coil embedded in refractory or a coating is submerged in the composition and used to heat and/or stir the molten composition either externally or internally to the refractory or coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Jean LOVENS, Michel FONTAINE, Bernard M. RAFFNER
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Patent number: 8735783Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for electric induction heating and/or stirring of a molten electrically conductive composition in a containment vessel with the apparatus being removably insertable in the molten composition. An induction coil embedded in refractory or a coating is submerged in the composition and used to heat and/or stir the molten composition either externally or internally to the refractory or coating.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Jean Lovens, Michel Fontaine, Bernard M. Raffner
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Publication number: 20110292962Abstract: An electric induction gas-sealed tunnel furnace and process are provided. The exterior of the furnace's enclosure that forms a closed tunnel region is surrounded at least along its longitudinal length by a gas-tight barrier chamber that can be filled with a barrier gas to a different pressure than the pressure of the process gas in the closed tunnel region of the furnace. The inductors used to induction heat strips or plates in the closed tunnel region can be positioned within or outside of the gas-tight barrier chamber around the longitudinal length of the closed tunnel region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2011Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventors: Jean LOVENS, Michel FONTAINE
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Publication number: 20110011750Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for electric induction heating and/or stirring of a molten electrically conductive composition in a containment vessel with the apparatus being removably insertable in the molten composition. An induction coil embedded in refractory or a coating is submerged in the composition and used to heat and/or stir the molten composition either externally or internally to the refractory or coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Inventors: Jean LOVENS, Michel FONTAINE, Bernard M. RAFFNER
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Publication number: 20100080259Abstract: An openable induction coil is provided. An electromagnetically shielded inductor assembly can be formed from the openable induction coil and an electromagnetically shielded enclosure into which the coil can be inserted. The induction coil can be pivoted open while in the shielding enclosure without complete disassembly of the enclosure. In some examples of the invention, a dynamic “curtain” of a gas is injected through spaces between opening portions of the coil and adjacent sections of the shielding enclosure, and into the interior of the induction furnace formed by the openable induction coil when it is in the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Publication number: 20090255924Abstract: A variable width transverse flux electric inductor has a fixed powered coil section and associated box-like moveable passive coil sections that electromagnetically couple with magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the fixed powered section. The passive coil sections can be transversely moved across the workpiece to accommodate induction heating of workpieces having different widths or track movement of the workpiece. Alternatively the fixed powered coil section and associated moveable coil sections may be connected to each other through flexible connections, sliding contacts or other means, such as clamps, so that an electrical connection can be maintained between both in any relative position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2009Publication date: October 15, 2009Inventor: Jean Lovens
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Publication number: 20090107990Abstract: An induction heating apparatus comprises a substantially gas-tight enclosure through which a workpiece passes. An induction means surrounds the exterior of the enclosure and an ac current flow though the induction means establishes a magnetic field that couples with the workpiece to inductively heat the workpiece. The gas-tight enclosure may comprise a non-electrically conductive material to permit passage of the magnetic field for coupling with the workpiece and an electromagnetic shield material for restricting the regions of the magnetic field. In alternate examples an electromagnetic shunt located around the induction means is used in place of, or in combination with, the electromagnetic shield material to restrict the magnetic field in a direction towards the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2008Publication date: April 30, 2009Inventor: Jean LOVENS
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Patent number: 7525073Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for inductively heating a workpiece to a desired cross sectional temperature. At least one pair of coils form a transverse flux inductor. The workpiece is located between the pair of opposing coils, which are oriented across the cross section of the workpiece. Each coil comprises a plurality of coil sections. The distance between one or more opposing coil sections is adapted to achieve the desired cross sectional induction heating temperature profile in the workpiece. Alternatively the distance between all opposing coil sections are equidistant from each other, and one or more flux concentrators, moveable at least in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece, can be used to achieve the desired cross sectional induction heating temperature profile in the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.Inventors: Jean Lovens, Mike Maochang Cao
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Publication number: 20090101636Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for inductively heating a workpiece to a desired cross sectional temperature. At least one pair of coils form a transverse flux inductor. The workpiece is located between the pair of opposing coils, which are oriented across the cross section of the workpiece. Each coil comprises a plurality of coil sections. The distance between one or more opposing coil sections is adapted to achieve the desired cross sectional induction heating temperature profile in the workpiece. Alternatively the distance between all opposing coil sections are equidistant from each other, and one or more flux concentrators, moveable at least in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece, can be used to achieve the desired cross sectional induction heating temperature profile in the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Inventors: Jean Lovens, Mike Maochang Cao
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Publication number: 20090057301Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for electric induction heating of a workpiece moving through a chamber that is enclosed by a gas plenum. A fluid flows through the gas plenum and chamber with at least a part of the flow passing through passages in an induction coil that is used to inductively heat the workpiece as it moves through the chamber. The gas plenum and passages are arranged so that gas flow through the passages in the induction coil is directed towards opposing surfaces of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventor: Jean Lovens