With Power Supply System Patents (Class 219/660)
  • Patent number: 11950347
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking apparatus that includes: a rectifier that is configured to convert alternating current (AC) voltage supplied from an external power source into direct current (DC) voltage; an inverter that is configured to generate current based on DC voltage received from the rectifier and provide the current to output nodes; heating coils that are configured to, based on the current generated by the inverter, generate magnetic fields for providing heat; a first capacitive unit that includes one or more resonance capacitors and that is coupled between the output nodes; a second capacitive unit that includes one or more wireless power transfer (WPT) capacitors and that is configured to be coupled between the output nodes; and a mode conversion switch that is configured to couple the second capacitive unit to the first capacitive unit in parallel is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: LG ELECTRONICS, ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Younghwan Kwack, Jaekyung Yang, Seongho Son, Yongsoo Lee, Jeehoon Jung, Hwapyeong Park, Mina Kim
  • Patent number: 11621776
    Abstract: Systems for low power distribution in a power distribution network (PDN) contemplate using multiple low-power conductors to convey power from a power source to a remote sub-unit. The multiple conductors are isolated from one another to help prevent overcurrent conditions in a fault condition. In a first exemplary aspect, the isolation is provided by galvanic isolation. In a second exemplary aspect, the isolation is provided by diodes at the remote sub-units. Further, current sensors may be used at the power source to detect if any of the multiple low-power conductors are carrying current above a defined threshold current. By providing one or more of these safety features, a multiplexer may not be needed at the remote sub-unit, thus providing cost savings while preserving the desired safety features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ami Hazani
  • Patent number: 11445578
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a case, a working coil, a cover plate, a luminous element, a light guide disposed around the working coil, an input interface that is flush with an upper surface of the cover plate, a first controller configured to control driving of the working coil and the luminous element and to detect a position of one or more objects disposed on the upper surface and an arrangement sequence of the one or more objects placed on the upper surface, and a second controller configured to receive, from the first controller, information on the position and the arrangement sequence of the one or more objects, and control the input interface to display an image corresponding to a heating zone for the one or more objects based on the information on the position and the arrangement sequence of the one or more objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seungbok Ok, Wongyu Park, Byeong Wook Park
  • Patent number: 11390001
    Abstract: A device to thermoform a composite component and injection over-moulding a shape on one face of the composite component in a mould. The mould includes a paired shaping die and punch between them defining a closed cavity. The shaping die is mounted on a transfer device. The transfer device includes a loading/unloading station to load/unload a blank onto/from the shaping die, and an injection and mould-closure station to close the mould and to inject between the punch and the shaping die. The shaping die includes a network of inductors to heat its moulding surface and a cooling network to cool the moulding surface by a circulation of a fluid. The loading/unloading station includes a placement device to place a radiating element facing the moulding surface of the shaping die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: ROCTOOL
    Inventor: José Feigenblum
  • Patent number: 11330678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for boil detection at a heating zone of an induction hob (1), the method comprising the steps of: —disabling (S110) a power control mechanism of the induction hob by setting the frequency of the AC-current provided to an induction coil of the induction hob to a fixed value; —measuring (S120) values of an electrical parameter provided within the induction hob (1); —interpolating (S130) the measured electrical parameter values by gathering a plurality of values of the electrical parameter within a time window and calculating the average value of said gathered plurality of values thereby obtaining interpolated electrical parameter values. —calculating (S140) a gradient measure indicative for the differential change of the interpolated electrical parameter values over time; —determining (S150) the boil point based on the calculated gradient measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Nicola Terracciano, Laurent Jeanneteau, Alex Viroli, Massimo Nostro, Svend Erik Christiansen
  • Patent number: 11319118
    Abstract: A combination of a container made out of rolled laminated plastic or rolled laminated metal, combined with a child-resistant locking assembly between the container and a cap removably affixed to the container. The container includes a closed rear end, a front wall and a flexible sidewall between the closed rear end and the front. The cap includes a central post inserted into a dispensing opening in a dispensing nozzle of the contain to reduce the possibility of contents in the container seeping out of the dispensing nozzle after the sealing cap is affixed to the nozzle. In addition, a retaining cover is retained on the sealing cap and the retaining cover retains a concealed permanent magnet which enables the retaining cover to rest on a metal shelf so that the remainder of the container extends vertically upward from the retaining cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Innovative Product Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Tapocik
  • Patent number: 11278048
    Abstract: A system for producing a cooked food item or foodstuff includes a printing chamber having a mobile printhead for extruding a printing mass, and a cooking chamber having a device for cooking the printing mass. A mobile tray can be moved between printing chamber and cooking chamber by a movement mechanism. A control unit is configured to permit the mobile tray to be disposed below the printhead for generating a spatial configuration of the printing mass in the printing chamber, and to actuate the printhead for generating a spatial configuration of the printing mass on the tray. The control unit is configured to actuate the movement mechanism to transfer the mobile tray with the printing mass into the cooking chamber and to actuate the cooking device to produce a cooked food item by cooking the printing mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Erbe, Ugur Dogan Guel, Lucia Schuster, Alvaro Suarez Iribarne
  • Patent number: 11264912
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes an aerosol precursor composition and a quasi-resonant flyback converter configured to cause components of the aerosol precursor composition to vaporize to produce an aerosol. The quasi-resonant flyback converter includes a transformer including an induction transmitter and an induction receiver, a capacitor that with the induction transmitter forms a tank circuit. The quasi-resonant flyback converter also includes a transistor that is switchable in cycles to cause the induction transmitter to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the induction receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, the alternating voltage causing the induction receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Rajesh Sur
  • Patent number: 11193227
    Abstract: A circuit that increases input voltage to higher output voltage connected to a variable frequency drive in an appliance. Several switching arrangements, timing, and safety mechanisms are in place to assist. When the circuit experiences high draw, high voltage output values of circuit decrease over time, but different aspects of the circuit can be constructed so that the amount of time required at a higher voltage does not exceed the amount of time in which the high voltage output is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Quinn
  • Patent number: 10925121
    Abstract: The handheld, self contained, air cooled induction heater which engages an A.C. power source, a rectifier to convert A.C. to D.C., an inverter which converts the D.C. to A.C. operating at substantially higher frequency than the A.C. power line frequency, a high frequency step-down transformer having magnetic cores, wherein at least a primary winding is split into two parts which are each wound around one of two suitable structures such as legs of the transformer magnetic core, and a secondary winding being connected to heat dissipating terminals functionally engaged to a work coil. The transformer for the induction heater has a primary and secondary wound around two suitable structures such as both legs of a magnetic core to reduce leakage inductance and increase power output compared to the primary and secondary windings of the same number of turns all wound on one leg of the magnetic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: David R. Pacholok
  • Patent number: 10904953
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a working coil, an inverter, an inverter driving unit configured to apply a switching signal to the inverter to enable the inverter to perform a switching operation, a control unit configured to generate and apply a control signal to the inverter driving unit to cause the inverter driving unit to generate the switching signal based on the control signal, and a determination unit configured to determine a type of an object disposed on the induction heating device based on (i) a first resonant current value measured from the working coil in response to operation of the inverter by the switching signal having a first operation frequency and (ii) a second resonant current value measured from the working coil in response to operation of the inverter by the switching signal having a second operation frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Bada Yoon, John Kang, Wongyu Park
  • Patent number: 10820381
    Abstract: In order to heat water in a cooking vessel which is placed above at least one induction heating coil of an induction hob, a controller drives the induction heating coil with a prespecified relatively high power density. During the heating, operating parameters of the induction heating coil are detected and evaluated by the controller in order to monitor a relative temperature profile of the temperature of a cooking vessel base. As soon as this relative temperature profile levels off to a considerable extent or a gradient of the relative temperature profile decreases, the controller identifies this and determines this as the situation of a “lightly boiling” state and of a temperature of a top side of the cooking vessel base which is 5° C. to 15° C. below the boiling point being reached. The power density is then automatically reduced for a predetermined hold time, wherein an operator can maintain this state or, after a certain time, heating up can be performed to a greater extent again automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Frank, Christian Egenter
  • Patent number: 10806181
    Abstract: An aerosol delivery device includes an aerosol precursor composition and a quasi-resonant flyback converter configured to cause components of the aerosol precursor composition to vaporize to produce an aerosol. The quasi-resonant flyback converter includes a transformer including an induction transmitter and an induction receiver, a capacitor that with the induction transmitter forms a tank circuit. The quasi-resonant flyback converter also includes a transistor that is switchable in cycles to cause the induction transmitter to generate an oscillating magnetic field and induce an alternating voltage in the induction receiver when exposed to the oscillating magnetic field, the alternating voltage causing the induction receiver to generate heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Rajesh Sur
  • Patent number: 10783280
    Abstract: A physical unclonable function (PUF) chip and a fabrication method are provided. The fabrication method includes: forming an array of spaced electrode plates on a top metal connection layer of a nude chip, while forming the top metal connection layer; forming a deposition layer, on the top metal connection layer between adjacent electrode plates; forming openings between adjacent electrode plates in a row, each opening having a circumference tangent to the adjacent electrode plates; coating a conductive coating layer on the nude chip, the conductive coating layer including conductive particles with randomly distributed size; and packaging the nude chip to provide the PUF chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventors: Hui Ping Duan, Kun Peng
  • Patent number: 10666157
    Abstract: It is described an arrangement for providing an AC current to a load for direct electrical heating, the arrangement comprising a AC-DC-AC converter cell (133, 433, 533, 633, 733), the converter cell having at least two converter input terminals (111, 112, 113) connected to at least two transformer output terminals, the converter cell having a first converter output terminal (135, 435, 535) and a second converter output terminal (137, 437, 537), wherein the first converter cell output terminal (135) is adapted to be connected to the load (350, 650, 750, 850).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Espen Haugan
  • Patent number: 10641304
    Abstract: Provided is a method for resistance spot-welding at least two overlapping steel sheets. When an electrode force F after an electric current supply is started changes from an initial electrode force Fi to an electrode force Fh(1) while a lapse from the start of the electric current supply is between 20 ms and 80 ms inclusive, a suspension of the electric current supply of from 20 ms to 60 ms inclusive is started. Then the electric current supply is resumed when the electrode force F reaches an electrode force Fc(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Taniguchi, Yasuaki Okita, Rinsei Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10582574
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking apparatus includes a rectifier to rectify an input voltage and to output a DC voltage; a plurality of switching elements to switch the DC voltage output from the rectifier; a plurality of heating coils to heat a cooking container according to an operation of the plurality of switching elements; and a control part to control the plurality of switching elements, wherein the control part controls a time at which a switching element between a heating coil which is operated and a heating coil which is not operated among the plurality of heating coils is opened to be earlier than that of another switching element, such that power is not applied to the heating coil which is not operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seungbok Ok, Dooyong Oh, Oksun Yu, Hyunwook Moon
  • Patent number: 10546689
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an induction coil assembly is disclosed. The method includes preparing a Computer Aided Design (CAD) model of an induction coil. The method further includes communicating the CAD model of the induction coil with a Three Dimensional (3D) printing machine The method further includes operating the 3D printing machine to deposit a plurality of layers of copper material one above other to manufacture the induction coil corresponding to the CAD model. The method further includes forming at least one hole in an annular member of the induction coil to receive a coolant and at least one hole in a first leg and a second leg to discharge the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Prest
  • Patent number: 10536099
    Abstract: A power converter system comprising a power source; a plurality of voltage source converters for driving respective loads; the plurality of voltage converters connected to the power source via a common DC-link, control means (10a, 10b) for driving the voltage source converters by means of respective control signals modulated onto respective modulation carriers; and means for synchronizing the control means such that the respective modulation carriers are interleaved with a selected phase shift therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Virgilio Valdivia Guerrero, Raymond Francis Foley
  • Patent number: 10272515
    Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding steel workpieces—at least one of which includes a high-strength steel substrate having a tensile strength of 1000 MPa or greater—involves passing a pulsating DC electrical current between a pair of aligned welding electrodes that are pressed against opposite sides of a workpiece stack-up that includes the steel workpieces. The pulsating DC electrical current delivers sufficient power through the weld site by way of electrical current pulses to initiate and grow a molten steel weld pool at each faying interface within the workpiece stack-up that solidifies into a weld nugget of uniform hardness. In other words, each of the weld nuggets formed by the pulsating DC electrical current does not include soft, coarse, and alloy deficient shell regions that tend to reduce the strength of the weld nugget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Karagoulis, David R. Sigler
  • Patent number: 10265797
    Abstract: A resistance spot welding method including: a pulsation process of clamping a sheet assembly of two or more overlapped steel sheets including at least one high tensile steel sheet using a pair of welding electrodes that are connected to a spot welding power source employing an inverter direct current method, and performing plural repetitions of current passing and current pass stopping, while pressing the steel sheets with the welding electrodes; and a continuous current pass process in which, after the pulsation process, current is passed continuously for a longer period of time than a maximum current pass time of the pulsation process, while pressing the steel sheets with the welding electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Fujimoto, Hatsuhiko Oikawa, Shintaro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10111552
    Abstract: A multifunction cooking range with sous-vides functionality. Cooking ranges are found in every home and in every restaurant; with the addition of a high precision temperature controller attached to the heating elements, a fluidic temperature control device, the range can also be configured to enable sous-vide cooking. By using a pot filled with fluid located on a burner, the user would immerse a fluidic temperature control device in the pot while using the burner with a heating element that is modulated by the controller and temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Anova Applied Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff Wu
  • Patent number: 9918581
    Abstract: A multifunction cooking range with sous-vides functionality. Cooking ranges are found in every home and in every restaurant; with the addition of a high precision temperature controller attached to the heating elements, a fluidic temperature control device, the range can also be configured to enable sous-vide cooking. By using a pot filled with fluid located on a burner, the user would immerse a fluidic temperature control device in the pot while using the burner with a heating element that is modulated by the controller and temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Anova Applied Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff Wu
  • Patent number: 9781775
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a half bridge induction heating generator, comprising at least one power terminal (10) provided for a direct current voltage, at least one ground terminal (12), and four capacitors (C2, C3, C4, C5) forming a bridge circuit between the power terminal (10) and the ground terminal (12). The induction heating generator comprises further an induction coil (L) interconnected in the center of said bridge circuit, two semiconductor switches (Q1, Q2) connected in each case parallel to one of the both capacitors (C4, C5) on one side of the bridge circuit, and a further capacitor (CI) interconnected between the power terminal (10) and the ground terminal (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation NV
    Inventors: Laurent Jeanneteau, Thibaut Rigolle, Alex Viroli, Andrea Fattorini
  • Patent number: 9746510
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting ground faults in a multifurnace installation with at least two induction furnaces and a multifurnace installation are described. A ground-fault sensor is associated with each induction furnace and is connected to the electrical supply line to the induction furnace coil. Furthermore, the apparatus has a ground-leak sensor. Moreover, the apparatus includes an additional ground-fault sensor that measures at the same location as the ground-leak sensor. In this manner an improvement of security during the operation of the system is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ABP INDUCTION SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Bartkowiak, Christoph Forsthoevel, Daniel Green
  • Patent number: 9439246
    Abstract: A modular RF power system allows multiple power supplies to combine their RF output power as a single system and deliver it to a common resonant circuit. For flexibility and commonality, each power supply is designed to be separately powered by AC line voltage (aka AC Mains). The AC voltage supplied to each power supply may differ due to differing AC distribution line length, line impedance, wire gauge, or different supply generation locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ambrell Corporation
    Inventor: Ian Alan Paull
  • Publication number: 20150144618
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a half bridge induction heating generator, comprising at least one power terminal (10) provided for a direct current voltage, at least one ground terminal (12), and four capacitors (C2, C3, C4, C5) forming a bridge circuit between the power terminal (10) and the ground terminal (12). The induction heating generator comprises further an induction coil (L) interconnected in the centre of said bridge circuit, two semiconductor switches (Q1, Q2) connected in each case parallel to one of the both capacitors (C4, C5) on one side of the bridge circuit, and a further capacitor (CI) interconnected between the power terminal (10) and the ground terminal (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Laurent Jeanneteau, Thibaut Rigolle, Alex Viroli, Andrea Fattorini
  • 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: 9035223
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking device is provided that finishes preheating in a short time and maintains the temperature obtained at the finish of the preheating. The induction heat cooking device includes a heating coil for heating a cooking container by induction, an inverter circuit for providing a high frequency current to the heating coil, an operation unit including an operation mode setting unit for setting an operation mode of the inverter circuit, an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared light that is emitted from a bottom surface of the cooking container, a control unit for controlling an output of the inverter circuit based on an output of the infrared sensor and a setting inputted to the operation unit, and a notification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Noguchi, Kuniaki Sakakibara, Yoshiaki Ishio, Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9029743
    Abstract: A heating apparatus for heating a subcompartment in a compartment of an appliance is disclosed. The heating apparatus includes an electromagnetic member disposed in the compartment, and a metal member thermally coupled to the subcompartment. The metal member is magnetically coupled to the electromagnetic member to generate an eddy current in the metal member in response to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic member for heating the subcompartment. A related heating method and a refrigerator incorporating such a heating apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric K. Watson, Timothy Allen Hamel, Denis Alagic
  • Publication number: 20150114954
    Abstract: A portable, handheld induction heater capable of attachment to differently-sized work coils, including a self-resonating oscillator that automatically tunes to the work coil to maintain resonance, a tank circuit for circulating current through the work coil in order to induce a magnetic field in the material to be heated by the induction heater, and a near-zero detector circuit functioning to keep the oscillator operating at a frequency of resonance for the tank circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Sarge Holdings Co., LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence S. Erst, Paul G. Astrowski
  • Patent number: 9012820
    Abstract: A method for dynamic wave form correction includes providing an input power signal by an AC power source and rectifying the input power signal by a frequency converter into a half waves signal whose half wave is delimited by two subsequent zero-crossings. The time lag between the two zero-crossings defines a half wave duration. The frequency converter converts the half waves signal into a working current signal for supplying an induction heating device. In a frequency shifting operation, the frequency of the working signal is first increased from a first base frequency to a maximum frequency, and is then decreased to a second base frequency different from the first base frequency within a time period smaller than the half wave duration. A zero crossing of the half wave signal is passed within the frequency shifting operation. An arrangement for dynamic wave form correction of a power supply is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Erik Svend Christiansen, Laurent Jeanneteau, Alex Viroli, Massimo Zangoli, Thibaut Rigolle, Michael Herzog
  • Patent number: 9006624
    Abstract: An induction heating system includes an induction heating coil operable to inductively heat a load with a magnetic field, a detector for detecting a current feedback signal corresponding to a current flowing through the induction heating coil, and a controller for detecting a switching transient in the current feedback signal and determining a resonant frequency of the system based on a characteristic of the switching transient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Brosnan, Mariano Filippa, Kresimir Odorcic
  • Patent number: 9000337
    Abstract: A device for heating an object by an electromagnetic induction comprises at least one rotor, and the rotor comprises at least one permanent magnet. The device also comprises a stator for providing varying magnetic field arranged to interact with at least one magnet of the rotor and causing said rotor to rotate around the axis. The magnets of said rotor is arranged to provide varying magnetic field and eddy currents within the object when said rotor is rotated so that said object is heated by the electromagnetic induction generated by said varying magnetic field and eddy currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: EFFMAG Oy
    Inventor: Pekka Suominen
  • Publication number: 20150076139
    Abstract: A portable induction heating tool is provided as a membrane roofing tool for use in sealing anchor plates with a heat-activated adhesive to a membrane roofing member. The tool uses two different audible tones so two tools can be used simultaneously on a single roof, while allowing a user to easily distinguish between the operation of both tools. The main housing containing electronics is weather-tight, and requires no forced-cooling devices. The controller automatically performs data logging functions, such as counting the number of anchor plates per job or per day that have been properly placed, counting the number of activation events for a tool's life, tracking the number of faults which occur as the tool is being used, and the controller can identify the type of fault that occurs during operation of the tool. The controller also stores energy setting changes in memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Antonios Challita, John P. Barber, Joshua S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20150060439
    Abstract: A device and method is provided for inductively heating a heating element, particularly via a magnetic field generated by an induction coil, having an induction coil connected to a resonant circuit, whereby the resonant circuit has at least one first capacitor and at least one first current source, and the coil has a specific inductance and a resistance, and the material of the heating element has a constant permeability at least in temperature subranges, and a method for determining a temperature of a heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Harri PANKRATZ, Hans-Joachim THIEMANN
  • Publication number: 20150028024
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a torch power system using a multi-stage compressor. In one embodiment, a system includes a torch power unit that includes a compressor having multiple compression stages. A method of operation is provided that includes compressing a gas via a multi-stage compressor in a torch power unit. A method of manufacturing a torch power unit is provided that includes providing a multi-stage compressor for a torch power unit and mounting the multi-stage compressor inside an enclosure of the torch power unit. Another system is provided that includes a plasma cutting circuit, a multi-stage compressor, a motor coupled to the compressor, and a compressor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Troy A. Sommerfeld
  • Publication number: 20150005759
    Abstract: In part, the disclosure relates to an electromagnetic current displacement apparatus that includes one or more magnetic field sources and an alternating current source. The apparatus includes current delivery electrodes that may be part of a cuff, a hand held device, or individual electrode pads suitable for temporary fixation to skin. In one embodiment, an alternating current is transcutaneously delivered using skin contacting electrodes sized and arranged to avoid hotspots and provide a uniform delivery of the current. In turn, current attractors and repulsors can be arranged on the skin or in a suitable device to push or pull sections of the current that is disposed below such elements. Magnetic fields can be applied and focused to the regions through which the current passes, effectively pushing the current deeper into a target region below the surface of the skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: CYNOSURE, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Shaun Welches, Daniel Hohm
  • Patent number: 8921747
    Abstract: A power supply includes a filter that attenuates a noise component being transmitted toward a source that supplies an AC current. The filter lacks a capacitor establishing a conductive path for conducting a high-frequency alternating signal, a leakage current, or both to a ground electrode. A rectifier is included, and is disposed electrically between the filter and a load that is to be energized by operation of the power supply. The rectifier converts AC into a rectified signal. The power supply also includes a grounding capacitor that establishes a capacitive, conductive path between an output of the rectifier and a ground electrode that is to be electrically connected to ground. The grounding capacitor is electrically separated from the filter by the rectifier, and extends electrically between the ground electrode and at least one of: a positive DC bus conductor from the rectifier, and a DC bus return to the rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Dongyu Wang, Gianluca Venturini
  • Patent number: 8921746
    Abstract: An inductively-heated applicator system including a heating module and applicator or applicator pen. The heating module includes a dock for seating the applicator. The heating module includes circuitry to selectively generate an electromagnetic field to wirelessly provide energy to the applicator when it is positioned in the dock. The heating module may also include temperature control circuitry to at least one of monitor and control the temperature of the applicator. The applicator pen includes a heating element that may be heated through energy provided by the electromagnetic field. The heating element may be directly inductively heated by the electromagnetic field. The heating element may be a roller element that heats and applies the product. Alternatively, the applicator may include a secondary in which electrical power is induced when the electromagnetic field is present. In this alternative, the power may be applied to the heating element to produce resistive heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, Richard Bylsma, Thomas Jay Leppien, Jesse C. Leverett, Steve O. Mork
  • Publication number: 20140361007
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit for the inductive heating of a metal that is optionally embedded in a non-magnetic bed by means of a transformer. The transformer induces eddy currents in the metal as a function of an exciter current IL and an exciter voltage UL and forms a load impedance XL together with the metal to be heated. Moreover, temperature monitoring is provided for the metal to be heated. In order to provide advantageous monitoring conditions it is proposed that the load impedance XL is preferably operated in the region of the resonant frequency thereof, the exciter current IL and exciter voltage UL and their phase shift ?? relative to each other are measured and logged when the metal is heated, and a temperature progression which is proportional to the phase shift ?? is calculated from the exciter current IL, exciter voltage UL and phase shift ??.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: KE KELIT KUNSTSTOFFWERK GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
    Inventors: Lucian Halada, Maximilian Wurmitzer
  • Patent number: 8907257
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a contactlessly chargeable heater. In one example, the contactlessly chargeable heater includes: an induction patch emitting magnetic field by means of current applied to an inner coil; and a heating body, receiving the magnetic field from the charging patch to perform a contactless charging operation, and including a conductive metal yarn for emitting heat via the power generated through the contactless charging operation. The conductive metal yarn is woven together using threads within the heating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventor: Gi Soo Chung
  • Patent number: 8878108
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker in which a size of heating coils can be freely set without being restricted by a size of an opening of a cabinet of a kitchen unit. The induction heating cooker has an outer casing including a flange extending in an outward direction from a top portion of a container receptacle, with a heating coil container space being provided between the flange and a plate, such that one portion of each of the heating coils is disposed in the heating coil container space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitaizumi, Naoaki Ishimaru, Yoichi Kurose, Masafumi Sadahira, Yuichi Shimizu, Masayo Haji
  • Publication number: 20140299594
    Abstract: An electromagnetic oil tank heating unit and an electromagnetic oil tank heating system comprising multiple units of electromagnetic oil tank heating units is provided. Each electromagnetic oil tank heating unit comprises a generator capable of generating high frequency electrical current connected to a transformer and a cooling unit, an induction plate with induction coil embedded therein, connected to the transformer and at least one cooling unit, providing cooling to the transformer and the induction plate. The generator, the transformer, the induction plate and the cooling unit are arranged on a frame equipped with wheels to permit mobility of the unit to allow moving the heating unit to a specific location along the length of an oil tank. The frame is configured to include a mechanical means allowing the induction plate supported thereon to move up and down, and forward and backward relative to the oil tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: PTT Public Company Limited
    Inventors: Wichapun Weerapakkaroon, Cherdpong Jomdecha, Dayin Jearsiripongkul, Chalermkiat Jirarungsatian
  • Publication number: 20140284323
    Abstract: A welding-type device has wireless communications to transmit wireless signals comprising at least identification information. The information may be transmitted either automatically or in response to request signals. Such a welding-type device may be configured to communicate with other welding-type devices, a monitoring device, or both. A wireless communication system has at least one welding-type device, at least one wireless communication assembly, and at least one monitoring device and is capable of assisting a user in preventing theft of welding-type devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, James F. Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20140263288
    Abstract: A heating system for heating a magnetic inducible container is disclosed, wherein the heating system includes a frequency detector for detecting the frequency of the current through an inductor coil and a control unit coupled to the frequency detector to adjust the heat generated by the heating system according to the variation of the frequencies detected by the frequency detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Ming-Chang Huang
  • Patent number: 8835820
    Abstract: An inductor is provided for the simultaneous inductive heating of two tracks or ways which are formed next to one another on a metallic workpiece, having a first segment which is associated with the first track or way and a second segment which is associated with the second track or way, and having two supply arms via which the segments can be connected to a power supply. To enable two tracks or ways to be heated simultaneously to the hardening temperature without heating the material portion situated between the tracks or ways the segments of the inductor and the supply arms are connected together in an inductor in such a way that the fields travelling at right angles to the longitudinal extent of the tracks or ways neutralize each other in the region of the material portion which separates the tracks or ways from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: SMS Elotherm GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Dappen, Peter Schulte, Matthias Blum, Martin Bröcking
  • Patent number: 8822893
    Abstract: Thermoplastic pellitized materials are melted in gravity flow through coaxially oriented perforated cylindrical metal susceptors. The susceptors are equally energized by the interception of a common magnetic field formed by a high frequency powered inductor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Bernard C. Lasko
  • Publication number: 20140231415
    Abstract: An induction heating system includes a power source and an induction head. The converter output is at a voltage that is not greater than the voltage applied to the coil. The induction head includes a housing that houses a conductive coil disposed to induce heat in a workpiece and the coil is wound to be tuned to the output power. The coil is wound in a stacked spiral pattern with at least two turns in each layer. A flux concentrator is disposed about the coil with a potting compound around the concentrator and coil. Spacers maintain a desired separation between the head and the workpiece. The coil is a tube carrying a coolant. The head includes a wear surface that prevents contact of the coil and the workpiece, and a thermal insulator between the coil and wear surface. A non-contact temperature sensor is mounted to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Verhagen, Tiffany Anne Carter, Alan Dale Sherrill
  • Publication number: 20140217091
    Abstract: A wireless heat generation device includes an antenna, a controller, a heating element, and a temperature sensor. The antenna is used for receiving a radio wave and converting the radio wave into electric energy. The controller is used for receiving the electric energy and providing an electric power to the heating element. After the electric power is received by the heating element, the electric power is converted into heat. The temperature sensor is used for sensing a temperature within the wireless heat generation device. If the temperature reaches a preset temperature, the controller stops providing the electric power to the heating element. Consequently, the possibility of causing an overheating problem of the wireless heat generation device will be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Hsien Ho, Hung-Wei Chiu, Chun-Hao Lo