With Power Supply System Patents (Class 219/660)
  • Publication number: 20090230123
    Abstract: A device for driving the induction heating coils of an induction hob, in which power is supplied to the induction heating coils via the electric power grid or a grid phase thereof, comprises a filter unit and a rectifier unit with at least one converter and intermediate circuit. For two induction heating coils, one rectifier unit and two converters are connected to one filter unit. For further induction heating coils, an additional converter is coupled downstream of one of the existing filter units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Thomas Haag, Wilfried Schilling, Sebastian Stadtmuller
  • Patent number: 7582851
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for gradient induction heating or melting of a workpiece with a plurality of induction coils, each of the plurality of induction coils is connected to a power supply that may have a tuning capacitor connected across the input of an inverter. The plurality of induction coils are sequentially disposed around the workpiece. The inverter has a pulse width modulated ac power output that may be in synchronous control with the pulse width modulated ac power outputs of the other power supplies via a control line between the controllers of all power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Inductotherm Corp.
    Inventors: Oleg S. Fishman, Vladimir V. Nadot
  • Patent number: 7569800
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid and selective heating of materials using variable frequency RF and microwaves. The apparatus uses variable frequency solid state electronics as a microwave power source, a novel microwave heating head to couple microwave energy to the target materials and a match-up network to tune the frequency and impedance match between the microwave source and the load. An electronic and computer measurement and control system is employed to monitor and control the microwave heating process. The method teaches the use of inductive microwave coupling for thin conductive materials such as metal film and impurity doped silicon wafers. The method also teaches the use of capacitive microwave coupling for dielectric material such as glass and ceramics. The method further teaches the use of rapid and selective heating of heterostructure for bonding and sealing of mems and integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Inventors: Yonglai Tian, Mark Y. Tian
  • Publication number: 20090191295
    Abstract: A molding machine (10) has induction heating means for heating a heating cylinder (51) by induction heating. The induction heating means includes a plurality of induction heating coils (112-1 to 112-4) provided in the heating cylinder (51) and a plurality of electric power supply control parts that control electric power supplied to those coils. The electric power supply control parts have heating part controlling inverters (114-1 to 114-4) to which an electric power is supplied from a direct current power source circuit (40), respectively. Each of the heating part controlling inverters performs a frequency control or an electric current control of an electric power to supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventor: Masashi Onishi
  • Publication number: 20090188910
    Abstract: A method of heat treating a component is disclosed. The method may heat a first feature of the component and heat a second feature of the component differently than the first feature. The method may measure a temperature value of the first feature and of the second feature. The method may also compare the measured temperature values to a threshold temperature value. The method may modify the heating of at least one of the first and second features based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventor: John Paul McDonnell
  • Publication number: 20090166353
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for inductively heating workpieces with varying characteristics in the same induction coil while selectively controlling the induced heat temperature distribution profile of each workpiece with one or more flux compensators inserted into the induction coil along with the workpiece to be inductively heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Valery I. RUDNEV, Don L. LOVELESS
  • Publication number: 20090134202
    Abstract: Provided are a reflow apparatus and method. The reflow apparatus includes a loader unit, a heating unit, an unloader unit, and a moving unit. The loader unit has an input module and an input stacker. Processing objects are stored in vertical stacks in magazines, and a plurality of magazines is stored in the input stacker. The magazines stored in the input stacker are moved to the input module and are introduced into the heating unit by the moving unit. Solder balls provided on the processing objects within the heating unit are quickly processed using an induction heating method. The processing objects that have undergone a reflow process are loaded in a magazine on an output module of the unloader unit and are then stored in an output stacker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min-Ill KIM, Il-Young HAN, Ki-Kwon JEONG
  • Publication number: 20090127253
    Abstract: The present invention provides new polymer induction bonding technology. Induction heating technologies are utilized to weld, forge, bond or set polymer materials. The invention provides controlled-temperature induction heating of polymeric materials by mixing ferromagnetic particles in the polymer to be heated. Temperature control is obtained by selecting ferromagnetic particles with a specific Curie temperature. The ferromagnetic particles will heat up in an induction field, through hysteresis losses, until they reach their Curie temperature. At that point, heat generation through hysteresis loss ceases. This invention is applicable to bonding thermoplastic materials, wherein only the area to be heated has ferromagnetic particles in it; bonding of thermoset composites, which have been processed with a layer of thermoplastic material on one side; curing of thermoset adhesives or composite resins; or consolidating thermoplastic composites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Philip Stark, Guy Rossi, Hamid Mojazza, Ross Haghighat, Peter Schuler
  • Publication number: 20090101637
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an welding-based power source includes an welding-type power source includes a power conditioner configured to receive power from a power source and condition the power to have characteristics within a predefined set of thresholds and an inverter configured to receive the conditioned power from the power conditioner and convert the conditioned power to AC power. The welding-type power source also includes a rectifier configured to convert the AC power to DC welding-type power to drive a welding-type process and a processor segregated into at least two functional modules. The processor may be a field programmable gate array (FPGA) based processor. A first functional module is configured to control the power conditioner to condition the power to have characteristics within the predefined set of thresholds and a second functional module is configured to control the inverter to convert the conditioned power to AC power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, Todd G. Batzler, Michael D. Madsen
  • Publication number: 20090084775
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for inductive heating wherein an internal inductive heating assembly is provided within a bore of a solid article. The heating assembly includes an interior coil inductively coupled to a portion of the article adjacent the bore to inductively heat the article. The heating assembly lacks an internal cooling mechanism and the coil thermally coupled to the adjacent article portion for transmission of heat from the coil to the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: iTherm Technologies, L.P.
    Inventors: Valery Kagan, Kyle B. Clark, Wayne N. Collette, Stefan von Buren
  • Publication number: 20090065501
    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: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Dickson, Paul F. Scott
  • Publication number: 20080296291
    Abstract: A warm wave generating system includes a direct-current power supply, a frequency generator to output a variable signal wave at a predetermined frequency range, a transformer in which a primary coil through which a direct current outputted from the direct-current power supply can pass is opposed to a secondary coil through which the signal wave outputted from the frequency generator can pass, and a heating element connected to the direct-current power supply via the primary coil of the transformer. The direct current, which is modulated by the signal wave passing through the primary coil of the transformer and then through the secondary coil, is used to allow the heating element to generate heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Hiromi Nanba, Masaaki Harita
  • Patent number: 7368690
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing a semi-solid metal alloy from a molten charge includes vertically aligned treatment zones which are provided by vertically aligned passages defined by a plurality of spirally wound flow pipes which are interspersed between spirally wound induction coils. A container is mounted on a charging arrangement which displaces a first charge upwardly into the first treatment zone. Successive charges are introduced in a similar fashion thereby urging the previously introduced charge upwardly along the train of zones and until the leading charge is ejected from the top of the apparatus. The charge in each zone is subjected to controlled cooling and an induced electromagnetic field. The strength of the field and the rate of cooling are controlled to impede dendritic crystallisation and to promote globular primary crystal formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: CSIR
    Inventors: Retief Bruwer, Jeremias Daniel Wilkins, Lillian Hristov Ivanchev, Pierre Rossouw, Oliver Frank Rudolf August Damm
  • Patent number: 7361870
    Abstract: A supply generator for an oscillating circuit, includes an inductance (L) and a resonant capacitor (C3, C4), for operation at a fixed frequency and also includes at least one pair of transistors (I2, I2), operated on a variable cyclic regime for modifying the power. The generator includes a first diode (D5) between a first transistor (I2) and the supply for the generator and a second diode (D4) between the junction point of the inductance (L) and the resonant capacitor (C3, C4) and the junction point of the first transistor (I2) and the first diode (D5). The invention is of particular use for supply of the cooking rings on an induction cooking hob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Fagorbrandt SAS
    Inventors: René Cornec, Didier Gouardo, Cédric Goumy
  • Publication number: 20080061054
    Abstract: In order to prevent non-sheet passing portion temperature rise occurred in a non-sheet passing area of an electromagnetic induction heating member 1, leakage of magnetic flux is reduced by setting a Curie temperature of the heating member 1 to be smaller than an acceptable upper limit temperature and setting a thickness of the heating member so that a thickness tk in a Curie temperature arrival area (P1-P2) is larger than a thickness tn in a Curie temperature non-arrival area P2 which is a conveyance area of a material to be heated having a minimum passing size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jiro Shirakata, Shouhei Takeda, Koki Watanabe, Shinichiro Wakahara, Koji Takematsu, Koichiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20070241101
    Abstract: A heating circuit includes a first heating coil provided adjacent to an object to be heated. A first capacitor is provided in parallel to the first heating coil, the first capacitor being a resonant component. An inductor is coupled to the first heating coil and the first capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoung Wook SEOK
  • Patent number: 7279663
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating roller which is made of a magnetic metal, a coil which is made of a plurality of twisted wires, an exciting circuit which applies a high-frequency current to the coil, and a core which is made of a heat resistant resin and is arranged inside the heating roller. The core has two grooves, each of the grooves being formed on a surface of the core and running along a longitudinal direction of the core. Parts of the coil are buried in the grooves such that a distance between the outer surface of the coil wound on the core and the inner surface of the heating roller is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 7279665
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing harmonic inductive power, and more particularly for delivering current pulses providing a desired amount of pulse energy in high frequency harmonics to a load circuit for inductive heating of an article. By controlling the shape and/or frequency of such current pulses, the apparatus and method can be used to enhance the rate, intensity and/or power of inductive heating delivered by the heater coil and/or to enhance the lifetime or reduce the cost and complexity of an inductive heating power supply. Of particular significance, the apparatus and method may be used to significantly increase the power inductively delivered to a ferromagnetic or other inductively heated load, without requiring an increase of current in the heater coil. This enables new heating applications, and in some known applications, decreases the energy consumption or cooling requirements and/or increase the lifetime of the heater coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: iTherm Technologies, LP
    Inventor: Valery Kagan
  • Patent number: 7138614
    Abstract: A non-contact feeder system to supply an induced current to an electrical load includes at least three feeding cables arranged approximately parallel with one another along a moving direction of the electrical load; a plurality of AC power supplies to supply AC currents to the feeding cables; pick-up parts to supply an induced current, induced from a magnetic field formed by the AC current flowing through each of the feeding cables, to the electrical load and to be movable along the feeding cables without contacting the feeding cables as the electrical load moves; and a controller to control the plurality of AC power supplies, so that phases of the AC currents supplied from the AC power supplies are the same, and directions of the AC currents flowing through the feeding cables positioned adjacent to one another are reverse with respect to one another. Thus, the space to mount components in the non-contact feeder system is decreased and the induced current is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jang-hyoun Youm, Sang-don Jang
  • Patent number: 7119310
    Abstract: An inductive cap sealer (10) for sealing an inner seal over an opening (54) in container (52) includes a vented sealing head (12). The sealing head (12) contains an induction coil (24) for producing an electromagnetic field when energized by a power supply. Field focusing elements (26) contain the coil (24) and direct the electromagnetic field to a sealing region beneath the sealing head (12). The housing (20) has a central inlet vent (40) flanked by two outlet vents (42, 44) aligned with a vent plate (46) inside the housing (20) having a plurality of small openings (48) which allow a fan (18) to blow cooling air through the sealing head from only one side of the sealing head (12) in a generally U-shaped flow pattern, preferably from the side opposite the sealing region. The field focusing elements (26) are spaced to allow the cooling air to flow around the field focusing elements (26) and past the coil (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Enercon Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Richard R. Hammen, Ronald F. May
  • Patent number: 7062193
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 7049764
    Abstract: An electrodeless lighting apparatus using microwave and a method for controlling its power can lengthen lifetimes of the magnetron by constantly maintaining power applied to a magnetron of the electrodeless lighting apparatus using microwave. Therefore, when inputted AC voltage is changed, and thus oscillation current applied to a filament of the magnetron is changed, a rate of variability of voltage of the inputted AC power is compensated so that voltage and current applied to the magnetron is constantly maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chang-Sin Park
  • Patent number: 7034264
    Abstract: Heating systems and methods for inductive heating or a combination of resistive and inductive heating. A heater coil is inductively coupled to an article and a current signal is supplied to the heater coil. The heater coil generates a magnetic flux, based on the applied current signal, for inductively heating the article. Current pulses of a certain profile are used to enhance the rate, intensity and/or power of inductive heating delivered by the heating element or coil and/or to enhance the lifetime or reduce the cost of the inductive heating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: iTherm Technologies, LP
    Inventor: Valery Kagan
  • Patent number: 7034263
    Abstract: A system and method for inductive heating, in which a power source provides current pulses with high-frequency harmonics to a heater coil, the coil generating a magnetic flux for inductive heating of an article. The high-frequency harmonics enhance a relative proportion of inductive heating, compared to resistive heating of the heater coil. Providing these high-frequency harmonics, occurring above the border frequency of the heating system, enables the system to deliver an increased proportion of inductive heating, compared to resistive heating, without requiring an increase in the Root Means Square (RMS) current in the coil. Providing better coupling between the coil and the core, such as by embedding the coil wholly or at least partially in the core, and providing a magnetic yoke to close the loop with the core, can provide a significantly decreased border frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: iTherm Technologies, LP
    Inventor: Val Kagan
  • Patent number: 6977362
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Ohishi, Masae Sugawara
  • Patent number: 6933480
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic field; a heating element for generating heat by eddy currents generated by the magnetic field; an electroconductive member for generating an electromotive force by a current flowing through the coil; and an electric circuit for generating a voltage by electrical collection from the electroconductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 6847019
    Abstract: An induction heating roller, a fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are disclosed as including a heating roller (TR) comprised of a hollow roller base body (BB), composed of electrically insulating material, and a plurality of secondary coil components (ws), composed of closed circuits, respectively, which are formed over the roller base body. The heating roller (TR) internally receives an induction coil unit (IC) including a primary coil (wp) which is coupled with the secondary coils in a core-less transformer coupling relationship. The secondary coil components (ws) of the heating roller (TR) have a secondary resistance value (Ra) which is nearly equal to a secondary reactance (Xa), i.e. in case of Ra/Xa=?, a formula is expressed as 0.1<?<10. Further, the primary coil (wp) of the induction coil unit (IC) is comprised of a plurality of coil components which are connected between a wire pair (WP) in parallel to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Harison Toshiba Lighting Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Yokozeki, Teiji Shimokawa, Masaaki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6838785
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention it is possible to create an operating unit (11) with a rotary toggle (14), which has an integrated bearing device (15) with which the operating unit (11) can be magnetically fixed to a cover (12). The operating unit (11) has a control means (23) with a microprocessor for evaluating magnetic signalling means (19), which detect a rotation of the rotary toggle (14) relative to the bearing device (15). Through a first transformer (26) in the operating unit (11) and a second transformer (29) on the underside of the cover (12), it is possible to have both a signal transmission and a power transmission between the operating unit (11) and the electrical appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Schilling
  • Patent number: 6813456
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20040149740
    Abstract: A heating apparatus is disclosed by which a problem, in which the temperature of a fixing roller tends to sharply change when a mass capacitor is employed as an auxiliary power supply, is solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuhito Kishi, Eriko Konno
  • Publication number: 20040149735
    Abstract: An induction heating roller device that keeps leakage current within specifications and prevents the occurrence of erroneous operations caused by common mode noise. The induction heating roller device includes an induction coil, a grounded heating roller magnetically coupled to the induction coil and heated by electro-magnetic induction. A power factor improving capacitor is connected in parallel to and near the induction coil and has a grounded intermediate point. A high-frequency power source biases the induction coil. The leakage current produced by distributed capacitance between the induction coil and the heating roller is returned to the high-frequency power source via the power factor improving capacitor. Thus, the leakage current does not flow out of the induction heating roller device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Takayuki Ogasawara, Hiroyuki Doi, Ichiro Yokozeki, Manabu Kika, Toshiya Suzuki, Takaaki Tanaka, Syouhei Maeda
  • Patent number: 6700104
    Abstract: The invention is of a portable stripping head induction heating system and associated method of use thereof which system and method is useful in heating metallic components to which protective coatings or linings are applied for enabling their easy removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Raymond Bass
  • Publication number: 20030205572
    Abstract: An induction heating method and device comprise an inductive heat source (120) having a controller (130), a resonant converter (125) and an induction coil (80). The controller (130) generates a variable frequency variable duty cycle control voltage in response to a power setting. The variable duty cycle of the control voltage decreases in response to an increase in the variable frequency of the control voltage. In response to the control voltage, the resonant power converter (125) generates an output between a first node (126) and a second node (128). Coupled between the first and second nodes (126, 128), the induction coil (80) varies the amount of heat it produces in response to the output power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Nicholas Bassill, Jih-Sheng Lai
  • Patent number: 6639198
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for using magnetic fields to heat magnetically susceptible materials within and/or adjacent to adhesives, resins, or composites so as to reversibly or irreversibly bond, bind, or fasten opaque or non-opaque solid materials to one another. The system makes use of the effect that alternating magnetic fields induce eddy currents and generate heat within susceptors, and the effect that alternating magnetic fields additionally induce magnetic hysteresis that occurs in magnetic materials and thereby generate heat. An induction heating tool is used to emit the magnetic field at its work coil, and an electronic controller measures the energy being used by a power converter that generates the alternating current driving the work coil which creates the magnetic field. The distance between the susceptor and work coil is repeatedly analyzed based upon the power converter's input energy, and the work coil is driven at a repeatedly corrected power level during the heating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Nexicor LLC
    Inventors: Edward A. Riess, Adam G. Malofsky, John P. Barber, Gary L. Claypoole, Robert Carl Cravens, II
  • Publication number: 20030192882
    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: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroto Ohishi, Masae Sugawara
  • Patent number: 6617557
    Abstract: An RF heating system. In one aspect of the present invention, the RF heating system includes a first elongated electrode connected to a first node within an impedance matching circuit and a second elongated electrode connected to a second node within the impedance matching circuit, wherein (a) a first portion of the first electrode and a first portion of the second electrode are adjacent to and substantially parallel with each other, (b) a second portion of the first electrode is angled in a direction away from the second electrode, (c) a second portion of the second electrode is angled in a direction away from the first electrode, and (d) a stray electromagnetic field is generated in a region above the space between the first portion of the first electrode and the first portion of the second electrode, whereby the generated stray field can be used to heat a composition when the composition is placed in the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Codaco, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Ryan, Jonathan M. Gorbold, Gary C. Adishian
  • Publication number: 20030164373
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus can heat aluminum pot etc. with pot vibration noise being suppressed. During a turn-on time of second switching device 57, an energy is accumulated at choke coil 54, and at the same time a resonant current with a shorter period than the turn-on time of second switching device 57 or a driving time of first switching device 55 is generated at heating coil 59, so that during turn-off of second switching device 57, i.e., during on-time of first switching device 55, the energy accumulated at choke coil 54 is transferred to second smoothing capacitor 62. And then the output power is supplied from smoothing capacitor 62 to heating coil 59, thereby reducing the pot vibration noise, which is caused by pulsating current of input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izuo Hirota, Atsushi Fujita, Takahiro Miyauchi, Takeshi Kitaizumi, Yuji Fujii, Kouji Niiyama, Hideki Omori
  • Publication number: 20030146207
    Abstract: A heating system for railroad switches or other movable railroad structures that substantially eliminates protruding heater elements that may be damaged. The heater elements may cast into, enclosed within or received within recesses of a tie (including a metal or concrete tie), rail or other component. In one implementation, inductive heating is used to directly heat the rail, tie or other structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventor: David L. Reichle
  • Patent number: 6582659
    Abstract: A clinical test apparatus includes a reaction table (1) for placing a test piece thereon for reaction of the test piece with an analyte at a predetermined temperature to perform analysis. The clinical test apparatus includes a primary coil (3) fixed, as molded and sealed in resin, on a base facing the reverse surface of the reaction table (1) and supplied with alternating power, a secondary coil (4) mounted, as molded and sealed in resin, on the reverse surface of the reaction table (1) in facing relation to the primary coil (3) for inducing an electromotive force due to the alternating power supplied to the primary coil and a heater (5) built in the reaction table (1) for generating heat due to the electromotive force induced in the secondary coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Kyoto Daiichi Kagaku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhito Murata
  • Publication number: 20030038130
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for inducing heat within a workpiece. A flexible fluid-cooled induction heating cable is used to produce a magnetic field to induce electric current in a workpiece. The induction heating cable has separate fluid and electrical connectors to separately couple cooling fluid and electric current to and from the induction heating cable. An induction heating system having a fluid cooling unit, a power source, and a flexible fluid-cooled induction heating cable having separate fluid and electrical connectors. An extension cable may be used to enable the flexible fluid-cooled induction heating cable to be used at a greater distance from the power source and the fluid cooling unit. An insulation blanket adapted for use with a specific size workpiece may be used with the flexible fluid-cooled induction heating cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Thomas, Randall G. Baxter, Mark A. Ulrich, Paul D. Verhagen
  • Patent number: 6522846
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed members. The fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil. A connection plate having a thickness twice or more the current penetration depth and having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, and a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal. A female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil is detachably connected to the male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6472748
    Abstract: A system and method for maintaining desired circuit component attributes is shown. According to a preferred embodiment, a high frequency circuit component, such as a MMIC, is retained in a circuit using a degradeable material, such as silver filled epoxy, wherein a portion of the degradeable material remains exposed. A protective coating of resin is applied to the exposed portion of the degradeable material by preferably depositing a predetermined amount of protective material, such as an epoxy resin, a void near the exposed portion of the degradeable material. The protective material preferably migrates to fully cover the exposed portion of the degradeable material without covering the circuit component. Accordingly, the circuit component is protected from substantial changes in operation characteristics due to the protective material and likewise is protected from changes in operation characteristics due to degradation of the degradeable material resulting from exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Harris Broadband Wireless Access, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Edward Calvert
  • Publication number: 20020060218
    Abstract: An induction heating power supply is disclosed. It includes a power circuit having at least one switch and a power output. The output circuit includes an induction head. The output circuit is coupled to the power output. A controller has at least one feedback input connected to the output circuit, and has a control output connected to the. switch. The controller predicts the switch zero crossing and preferably soft switches the switch. Current feedback is obtained from a coil placed between the bus bars. Each bus bar is comprised of multiple plates to increase current capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20020046989
    Abstract: An apparatus for distributing RF power outputs to a first electrode in a parallel plate electrode system for generating plasma in depositing films on a substrate. A RF power output is applied to a distributed RF matching network to excite a plasma from a process gas stream to deposit a uniform film onto the substrate. The distributed matching network includes a load capacitor for receiving a radio frequency power input and an inductor having first and second ends with the first end coupled to the load capacitor. The matching network also includes multiple drive capacitors each of which couples the second end of the inductor to a different one of multiple points distributed on the first electrode. The capacitance of each drive capacitor is user-selectable, and the points on the backing plate to which the drive capacitors are coupled are user-selectable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Applicant: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell T. Blonigan, Carl A. Sorensen
  • Patent number: 6373035
    Abstract: A relay box is fastened to the end of a support rod supporting an induction heating mechanism, which the end is extended outside. Receptacles of connectors are mounted on a surface of the relay box. Lead wires connected to the induction coils are connected to the receptacles. Plugs are removably pin-connected to the receptacles. Power lines connecting to the exciting power source are connected to the plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Tokuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Okamoto, Yoshihiko Yamamura
  • Publication number: 20020036200
    Abstract: An induction heating power supply is disclosed. It includes a power circuit having at least one switch and a power output. The output circuit includes an induction head. The output circuit is coupled to the power output. A controller has at least one feedback input connected to the output circuit, and has a control output connected to the. switch. The controller predicts the switch zero crossing and preferably soft switches the switch. Current feedback is obtained from a-coil placed between the bus bars. Each bus bar is comprised of multiple plates to increase current capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20020020698
    Abstract: A relay box is fastened to the end of a support rod supporting an induction heating mechanism, which the end is extended outside. Receptacles of connectors are mounted on a surface of the relay box. Lead wires connected to the induction coils are connected to the receptacles. Plugs are removably pin-connected to the receptacles. Power lines connecting to the exciting power source are connected to the plugs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Applicant: TOKUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozo Okamoto, Yoshihiko Yamamura
  • Publication number: 20010045426
    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: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Helmut Eberhardt, Karl-Heinz Grosse, Karl Herchenrother, Jurgen Lemke
  • Patent number: 6316755
    Abstract: An induction heating power supply is disclosed. It includes a power circuit having at least one switch and a power output. The output circuit includes an induction head. The output circuit is coupled to the power output. A controller has at least one feedback input connected to the output circuit, and has a control output connected to the switch. The controller predicts the switch zero crossing and preferably soft switches the switch. Current feedback is obtained from a coil placed between the bus bars. Each bus bar is comprised of multiple plates to increase current capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20010035406
    Abstract: A susceptor composition that can bond two or more layers or substrates to one another and that can be used to coat or cut a substrate. The susceptor composition is activated in the presence of radio frequency (RF) energy. In one embodiment, the susceptor composition of the present invention comprises a susceptor and a carrier. The carrier and susceptor are blended with one another and form a mixture, preferably a uniform mixture. The susceptor is present in an amount effective to allow the susceptor composition to be heated by RF energy. In a preferred embodiment, the susceptor also functions as an adhesive. The susceptor is an ionic or polar compound and acts as either a charge-carrying or an oscillating/vibrating component of the susceptor composition. The susceptor generates thermal energy in the presence of an RF electromagnetic or electrical field (hereafter RF field).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Applicant: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Ryan, Jonathan M. Gorbold, Gary C. Adishian