Load Sensing Patents (Class 219/665)
  • Patent number: 10321520
    Abstract: In a method for operating a cooking zone of a cook top, wherein the cooking zone is formed by at least two cooking sub-zones and each cooking sub-zone can be heated by at least one heating unit, with the heating units arranged adjacent to each other without overlapping such that a cohesive heatable surface is formed during a joint operation of the cooking sub-zones, the cooking sub-zones are operated as a single cooking zone in a first operating mode, and occupancy of a cooking sub-zone by at least one food preparation vessel is detected in the first operating mode, with an occupancy detection phase being started in a user-defined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: David Casanova Lacueva, Fang Dai, Ignacio Garde Aranda, Carlos Vicente Mairal Serrano, Julio Rivera Peman
  • Patent number: 10288915
    Abstract: A transparency adjustment system comprising a transparent physical element whose electrical behavior is that of a capacitive load; and a power dimmer apparatus operative to provide AC current to the transparent physical element to generate a set of transparency states including a plurality of transparency states other than full transparency. Included in the scope of the invention is a system which changes the state of a load such as LC film from transparent to translucent in a single step rather than gradually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GAUZY LTD.
    Inventors: Dimitri Dobrenko, Adrian Lofer, Eyal Peso
  • Patent number: 9444287
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply device including a filter for rejecting, in the voltage of a power supply node between a converter and an inverter, a ripple voltage of a frequency twice a frequency of an output voltage of the inverter to generate a DC voltage. This filter includes an extraction unit for extracting the ripple voltage from the voltage of the power supply node, and a subtraction unit for subtracting the ripple voltage extracted by the extraction unit from the voltage of the power supply node to generate the DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazumasa Matsuoka, Katsumi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8957354
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inductive heating device which can lower losses in the device and readily provide cooling, wherein a controller is operated in a first control mode which controls the operation so that a unipolar first switching element and a unipolar second switching element conduct alternately when one of a bipolar third switching element and a bipolar fourth switching element is conducting and the other is disconnected when an aluminum object to be heated is heated, and in a second control mode in which the conduction of the first switching element and the fourth switching element and the conduction of the second switching element and the third switching element alternate when an iron object to be heated is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Fujita, Makoto Imai, Hideki Sadakata, Yuta Miura, Shinichiro Sumiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140367376
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the progressive induction surface hardening of a closed curve trace of a workpiece, the closed curve trace and a hardening device being moved relative to one another in a feed mode to harden the closed curve trace starting from an initial zone to an end zone, an unhardened soft zone being provided. According to the invention, the workpiece is provided with a marking, the hardening device having a sensor for detecting said marking. The curve trace and the hardening device are moved relative to one another along the treatment direction until the senor detects the marking. Once the marking is detected, another movement takes place in the treatment direction before the hardening device is activated, the curve trace being hardened by the relative movement. The marking is again detected by means of the sensor and the hardening device is then deactivated. The invention also relates to an arrangement which is suitable for carrying out the method described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP ROTHE ERDE GMBH
    Inventors: Marco Burtchen, Mathieu Langels, Bernd Stakemeier
  • Patent number: 8901466
    Abstract: The invention may enable provision of a method for facilitating operation of an induction heating device, and a pot detection method for an induction heating device and to an induction heating device. The induction heating device is characterized by determining a low point of a resonant cycle on a linking node of a parallel resonant circuit and a switching element, determining a low point voltage at the low point of the resonant cycle and switching on the switching element at the low point of the resonant cycle for a cycle duration that is determined depending on the low point voltage in such a manner that a low point voltage does not exceed a predetermined maximum value in the following resonant cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Schilling, Ralf Dorwarth, Martin Volk, Tobias Schönherr
  • Patent number: 8884198
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a vehicle includes a fuel injector that dispenses heated fuel flow and controls the temperature of the heated fuel within a desired temperature range. Fuel flowing through the example fuel injector is inductively heated by a valve element sealed with the fuel flow. A driver controller detects changes in temperature by monitoring changes in parameters that vary responsive to temperature in the material of the heated element. Changes in the material responsive to temperature are utilized to tailor input into the heated element to maintain a desired temperature of the heated element and thereby the temperature of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Perry R. Czimmek
  • Patent number: 8809752
    Abstract: A boosting circuit includes a switch element, a first coil, a second coil, and a capacitor. The switch element generates a first alternating current voltage having a first frequency from a direct current voltage. The first coil generates a magnetic field around the first coil with a flow of the first alternating current voltage having the first frequency in the first coil. The first coil also induces an eddy current in the object with the magnetic field to inductively heat the object. The second coil is cumulatively connected to the first coil. The capacitor is connected to the first coil and the second coil in a parallel manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomofumi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8796602
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes the following elements: a resonance circuit; a power factor improvement circuit for boosting rectified output, supplying the output to an inverter, and improving the power factor of a commercial alternating current; and a load material detector for detecting the material of the load. The inverter includes switching elements forming a full-bridge circuit. The drive frequency of the switching elements is switched between a frequency substantially equal to a resonance frequency of the resonance circuit and a frequency substantially 1/n time (n being an integer equal to or larger than two) thereof, according to a detection result of the load material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyauchi, Izuo Hirota
  • Publication number: 20140158680
    Abstract: A contactless power feeder of the present invention includes: a top plate which is mounted with a load; a primary coil which is arranged below the top plate and generates a high-frequency field; an inverter which feeds high-frequency power to the primary coil; a control part which controls the inverter; and a load discriminating part which determines whether the load is an object to be heated that is a metal container such as a pot and should be induction-heated, or a power receiving device provided with a secondary coil that is electromagnetically coupled with the primary coil, wherein the control part is configured to control the inverter in accordance with a result of determination by the load discriminating part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitaizumi, Akira Kataoka, Takehiko Shigeoka
  • Patent number: 8723089
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus is capable of stop heating without excessively boosting output voltages of a booster circuit and a power factor correction circuit. The induction heating apparatus includes a boosting function unit, an inverter circuit, and a booster circuit controller. The boosting function unit includes a power factor correction circuit and a booster circuit, and boosts an input direct-current power to a direct-current voltage having a peak value larger than the peak value of the input direct-current power by turning on/off a switching element. The inverter circuit includes a heating coil, and inputs the direct-current voltage output by the boosting function unit to generate a high frequency current in the heating coil by turning on or off a different switching element. The booster circuit controller stops a boosting operation of the boosting function unit without a prescribed delay from the stop of an operation of the inverter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sadakata, Hiroshi Tominaga, Yoshiaki Ishio, Izuo Hirota
  • Publication number: 20140014650
    Abstract: An induction cooking hob with a pot detection device. The hob includes a cooking surface having cooking areas and/or cooking zones. The hob includes a user interface having a switch element and a display. The hob includes a control unit for controlling the cooking area(s) and/or the cooking zone(s). The pot detection device checks, if a cooking vessel is placed on the cooking area(s) and/or cooking zone(s). The control unit switches off the cooking area(s) and/or cooking zone(s), if the pot detection device has identified that the cooking vessel has been removed from the cooking area(s) and/or the cooking zone(s). The control unit stores a cooking mode of the cooking area(s) and/or cooking zone(s), which have been switched off. The display indicates that the cooking area(s) and/or cooking zone(s) have been switched off. The switch element restarts the cooking area(s) and/or cooking zone(s) in the same cooking mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Alex Viroli, Massimo Nostro, Laurent Jeanneteau, Andrea Rossi
  • Publication number: 20130284723
    Abstract: An induction heating system (46) for use in cooking with a positive feedback mechanism (54, 56) by means of which the power applied to a cooking utensil (52) can be varied in a wide range by changing its position above an induction coil (10), and by means of which the circuitry (54) is automatically protected against overheating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: ELATRONIC AG
    Inventor: Heinrich Weder
  • Publication number: 20130277362
    Abstract: In one implementation, a power converter with over-voltage protection includes a power switch coupled to a power supply through a tank circuit, and a control circuit coupled to a gate of the power switch. The control circuit is configured to turn the power switch OFF based on a current from the tank circuit, thereby providing the over-voltage protection to the power converter. In one implementation, the power converter is a class-E power converter. In one implementation, the control circuit is configured to sense the current from the tank circuit based on a voltage drop across a sense resistor coupled to the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Ribarich, Jorge Cerezo, Ajit Dubhashi
  • Patent number: 8564413
    Abstract: A method for configuring a terminal capable of emitting a radio-frequency field for a transponder including, in the presence of a transponder within the range of the terminal, at least one step of adaptation of the series resistance of an oscillating circuit of the terminal, according to an off-load value, which depends on an operation of the terminal while no transponder is in its field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Luc Wuidart
  • Publication number: 20130168386
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for uniformly heating products, the products (8, 15) being heated by a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field. The method and the device are characterised in that the high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field for heating the products (8, 15) is produced by means of a semiconductor generator (4). By using a semiconductor generator (4), temperature fluctuations in the event of fluctuating load due to the transport of the products (8, 15) through the heating volume (7, 17) are reduced, so that a more uniform temperature of the products (8, 15) can be achieved in the heating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Pfeiffer, Peter Eisner
  • Patent number: 8476563
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes a switch element and an inductive coil, which is coupled between a power voltage and a first terminal of the switch element. A second terminal of the switch element is coupled to a common voltage. A control circuit for controlling the inducting heating cooker includes first and second comparators and a pulse generator. The first comparator receives voltages of two terminals of the inductive coil and thus outputs a trigger signal. The second comparator receives a reference voltage and a voltage of the first terminal of the switch element, and enables a fading signal when the voltage of the first terminal is higher than the reference voltage. When the trigger signal is enabled, the pulse generator outputs a pulse to control the switch element. When the fading signal is enabled, the pulse generator reduces a pulse width of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Pei-Min Gong, Ming-Chun Chou, Hsiu Ju Yang
  • Patent number: 8431876
    Abstract: The present invention provides system for testing an electrical winding element that is usually a stator bar or a stator winding. The stator bar is attached to a short circuit conductive element to form a closed short circuit of a single turn that acts as a primary circuit. The closed short circuit is connected to a step-up transformer that will act as a secondary circuit and which has at least two turns. The step-up transformer uses a controlled variable voltage source that charges the closed short circuit. Charging the closed short circuit creates a current in the stator bar inner conductive element, causing heat on the stator bar by induction. The system of the present invention is suitable for an accelerated thermal aging test that simulates closely how heat is created by induction on stator bars of electric machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Empresas Publicas de Medellin E.S.P.
    Inventors: Jose Armando Bohorquez Cortazar, Andres Emiro Diez Restrepo, Juan Carlos Toro Londoño, Jairo Leon Restrepo Velasquez, Hector Diego Gonzalez Sanchez, Hugo Alberto Cardona Restrepo, Gabriel Jaime Lopez Jimenez, Idi Amin Isaac Millan, Emiro De Jesus Diez Saldarriaga
  • Patent number: 8426782
    Abstract: An induction heating device has an accurate sensing of the temperature of a to-be-heated object and is user-friendly. The induction heating device includes a sensor for sensing the temperature of the to-be-heated object and can carry out a heating operation only when it is determined that the to-be-heated object exists above the sensor. A display having a circular design and characters, for example, that shows the position of this sensor is provided on a top plate of the induction heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Keishima, Akira Kataoka, Hirofumi Nakakura, Izuo Hirota
  • Patent number: 8207478
    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: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventors: Yonglai Tian, Mark Y. Tian
  • Publication number: 20120037616
    Abstract: A power inverter (1) is provided with a full-bridge circuit (10), a shunt capacitor (CP), and a control circuit (20). The control circuit (20) controls the on/off state of each reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1 to SW4) at a switching frequency of not more than the resonance frequency determined by the capacitance of the shunt capacitor (CP) and the inductance of an inductive load (LD) in such a matter than when a first reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1) and a fourth reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW4) are in the on-state, a second reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW2) and a third reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW3) are brought into the off-state, and that when the first reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1) and the fourth reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW4) are in the off-state, the second reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW2) and the third reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW3) are brought into the on-state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: MERSTech INC.
    Inventors: Tadayuki Kitahara, Shiro Fukuda, Ryuichi Shimada, Takanori Isobe
  • Patent number: 8064233
    Abstract: A supplying power adjusting apparatus has excellent temperature response and excellent stabilities to power supply change and load change. The apparatus is provided with a semiconductor inverter for high-speed switching power control, which converts a direct current rectified by a rectifying circuit (10) into alternating current power in response to a control signal and supplies a heater (7) with the power; a temperature change detecting circuit (24) for detecting the temperature change of the heater (7); a power supply change detecting circuit (22) for detecting the power change of the rectifying circuit (10); a load change detecting circuit (23) for detecting the change of the alternating current power supplied to the heater (7); and a power control signal generating circuit (15) which calculates a power quantity to be supplied to the heater (7) and controls the frequency or duty ratio of a control signal to be added to the power controlling semiconductor inverter in response to the calculated results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignees: Kokusai Electric Semiconductor Service Inc., Sanko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Ishizu, Masayuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7958883
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooking device (1) comprising a burner group (3), provided to be easily emplaced into the housing (15) without any problems after being detached and taken apart for maintenance, providing complete burning thereby preventing the formation of poisonous gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Arcelik A.S.
    Inventor: Ahmet Taner Tecirlioglu
  • Publication number: 20100288755
    Abstract: A frequency-to-voltage (F2V) conversion module includes a pulse shaping module that generates a square wave signal based on an oscillator signal, an edge to pulse conversion module that generates a pulse train based on corresponding rising and falling edges of the square wave signal, and an integrator module that generates an output voltage based on the pulse train. The output voltage is based on a frequency of the oscillator signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: Perry Robert Czimmek
  • Patent number: 7825357
    Abstract: This invention provides a power supply which supplies an AC electric current to the coil of a heating unit employing the electromagnetic induced heating method via a connector connecting a plurality of wires, and a method for the power supply. The method includes the steps of supplying electric currents to the coil via 1st and 2nd wires from 1st and 2nd electric current supply units and detecting feedback electric currents via 3rd and 4th wires through the coil. Whether an electric current is abnormally supplied to the coil is monitored on the basis of these detected electric currents. It is controlled in accordance with the monitoring result to stop driving the 1st and 2nd electric current supply units and supply an electric current to the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junji Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100230401
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes the following elements: a resonance circuit; a power factor improvement circuit for boosting rectified output, supplying the output to an inverter, and improving the power factor of a commercial alternating current; and a load material detector for detecting the material of the load. The inverter includes switching elements forming a full-bridge circuit. The drive frequency of the switching elements is switched between a frequency substantially equal to an integral multiple of the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit and a frequency substantially 1/n time (n being an integer equal to or larger than two) thereof, according to a detection result of the load material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyauchi, Izuo Hirota
  • Patent number: 7573007
    Abstract: This invention provides a power supply which supplies an AC electric current to the coil of a heating unit employing the electromagnetic induced heating method via a connector connecting a plurality of wires, and a method for the power supply. The method includes the steps of supplying electric currents to the coil via 1st and 2nd wires from 1st and 2nd electric current supply units and detecting feedback electric currents via 3rd and 4th wires through the coil. Whether an electric current is abnormally supplied to the coil is monitored on the basis of these detected electric currents. It is controlled in accordance with the monitoring result to stop driving the 1st and 2nd electric current supply units and supply an electric current to the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junji Ishikawa
  • 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: 20090084776
    Abstract: An induction device for a humidifier includes an backward wave oscillating circuit an emitting induction coil connected to the backward wave oscillating circuit and a control circuit composed of a rectifying filtering circuit, a transmit control circuit and a receiving induction coil and a function unit. The emitting induction coil and the receiving induction coil are positioned very near for effectively interacting to each other so that the control circuit may be activated to work by the voltage generated at two terminals of the receiving induction coil to permit the humidifier function. The function unit is a decorative element. The receiving induction coil receives the electromagnetic field generated by the emitting induction coil, so voltage can be generated at two terminals of the receiving induction coil for driving the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Chuan-Pan Huang, Chen-Lung Huang
  • Patent number: 7446287
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker has a top plate, a heating coil, an inverter circuit, a pot type discriminator, a non-magnetic-metal buoyancy reducing plate having a high electrical conductivity, an infrared sensor, a temperature calculator, and a controller. The pot type discriminator judges whether a pot is made of a non-magnetic metal material having a high electrical conductivity, or a magnetic metal material or a non-magnetic metal lower in electrical conductivity than aluminum. The temperature calculator calculates the temperature of the pot from an output from the infrared sensor that detects infrared radiation from the pot. The controller controls an output from the inverter circuit according to a calculated temperature by the temperature calculator, and, when the pot is judged to be made of a non-magnetic metal material by the pot type discriminator, nullifies temperature detection made by the temperature calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe, Chika Mae
  • Patent number: 7423244
    Abstract: A heater for a hob or cooktop having a glass ceramic surface is disclosed, whereby a number of individual modules with induction coils are provided with converters and a converter control for each induction coil. The modules may be independently assembler and/or replaced, and are arranged close together beneath the glass ceramic hob and electrically connected to a busbar. Each module may be controlled separately. A heated surface of using various combinations of modules can thus be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Baier, Lutz Ose
  • Publication number: 20080149622
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for scan induction heating of a workpiece. The workpiece is moved through an inductor to inductively heat treat features of the workpiece with electric power of varying frequency and duty cycle to control the magnitude of electric power as the frequency changes. Alternatively the inductor is moved along the workpiece to inductively heat treat features of the workpiece with electric power of varying frequency and duty cycle to control the magnitude of electric power as the frequency changes, or a combination of simultaneous inductor and workpiece movement may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: INDUCTOTHERM CORP.
    Inventors: Kuno WEISS, Oleg S. FISHMAN
  • Patent number: 7368688
    Abstract: A heater unit is provided, the heater unit equipped with an induction heating coil and an electric heater selectively operated based on kind and state of a load of a cooking vessel placed on the heater unit. The kind is determined by an input current inputted when a load-type determination unit causes the induction heating coil to be operated and a resonance current flowing into the induction heating coil. The state is determined by a temperature change of the heater unit when a load-state determination unit allows the electric heater to generate heat, and the induction heating coil and the electric heater are selectively operated based on the determined kind and state of the load. Accordingly, a user needs not to scrupulously determine the kind of the cooking vessel and the electric cooker is not operated under a no-load state to prevent occurrence of safety accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eui Sung Kim, Seung hee Ryu, Doo Yong Oh, Byeong Wook Park
  • Patent number: 7365290
    Abstract: A reduction of the unevenness of a temperature increase at the end of heating work can be achieved without specific equipment, and with securing the shortening of the working time, which is an advantage of a bulk heating. When a region to be heated of an article made of a thin sheet is heated inductively so that the whole region thereof reaches a temperature equal to or more than a target temperature using an inductive portion of a heating inductor, to which a high-frequency current is applied by a power supply device, by stopping or reducing temporarily the power application of the high-frequency current to the heating inductor during the temperature increase, a temperature difference in the region to be heated is reduced so that the unevenness of the temperature increase at the end of the heating work is reduced by the step of reducing the temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kikuchi Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Shikuwa, Yosiyuki Morisita, Hisao Hoshino, Tatsushi Yurudume, Satoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7355150
    Abstract: A food preparation system includes a non-contact power supply for energizing a cooking appliance. The food preparation system includes a communication system for enabling communication between a food appliance and the system. The appliance transmits an identifier to the system. If the appliance does not have a transmitter, the system attempts to determine the type of appliance from a characterization of the power consumption by the appliance. If the appliance cannot be characterized, the food preparation system can be operated manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, John J. Lord, Nathan P. Stien, Wesley J. Bachman
  • Patent number: 7265325
    Abstract: An induction foil cap sealer which includes a visual display device that shows power consumption in a bar graph format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Herzog
  • Patent number: 7238924
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material in a heating nip; a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux for induction heat generation in the heating rotatable member; a magnetic flux confining device for confining the magnetic flux directed toward a predetermined region of the heating rotatable member from the magnetic flux generator; and a moving device for repeatedly moving the magnetic flux confining device during a heating operation between the operating position and a retracted position retracted from the operation position, when the recording material which has a predetermined width overlapping with a part of the predetermined region is continuously heated by the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kondo, Yasuhiro Yoshimura, Yasuo Nami, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Takahiro Nakase, Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7205514
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus has a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux; a heat generation member for generating heat by the magnetic flux generator; a magnetic flux adjustor for adjusting an effective magnetic flux region toward the heat generation member with respect to a widthwise direction which is perpendicular to a feeding direction of a material to be heated, wherein the material to be heated is heated by heat generation of the heat generation means; wherein the magnetic flux adjustor includes a magnetic flux adjusting member and moving member for moving the magnetic flux adjusting member, and wherein a temperature distribution in theat generation member with respect to the widthwise direction is adjusted by moving the flux adjusting member to a predetermined magnetic flux adjusting position by the moving member; and a discriminator for discriminating whether the effective magnetic flux region corresponds to a size of the material to be heated or not when the magnetic flux adjusting mem
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Takahiro Nakase
  • Patent number: 7176424
    Abstract: An induction-heating cooking apparatus and a method for operating the same are disclosed. Upon receiving a low-voltage signal in a high-output level state, the apparatus controls an output signal to allow an inverter to be operated only in a ZVS (Zero Voltage Switching) area. If an input voltage applied to a circuit is a low voltage, the apparatus compensates for the input voltage using a smaller one between a blocking voltage and an output control signal generated from the microprocessor, thereby limiting a compensation component. Therefore, the apparatus prevents the occurrence of a power loss caused by an excessive switching operation, and also prevents a switch from receiving a high instantaneous current, resulting in increased endurance of cooking appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Eui Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7170037
    Abstract: The invention relates to an identification system for insert elements for tempering food accommodated in containers. Advantageously, the invention can be used in particular for short-term, economic and high-quality heating of prefabricated food wherein heating can be preferably carried out in induction ovens. According to the object, the respective configuration and if possible also the equipment with containers of such an insert element shall be allowed to be recognized and taken into consideration for tempering. At the same time, the insert elements have definitely arranged containers which can be fixed in receiving means. An appropriately equipped insert element can be introduced into an induction oven or a cooling device wherein the containers of a horizontal plane are positioned at the same time. According to the invention, at least one electromagnetically or magnetically detectable element is mounted on the insert elements each in a predeterminable position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Inventor: Hubert Eric Walter
  • Patent number: 7157674
    Abstract: A detector is operable to detect a displacement of a load by an ascending force based on a period of time from a time a heating output of an inverter drops from a predetermined level to a first level, to a time the heating output returns back to a second level larger than first level. Thereby, the detector distinguishes an intentional removal of the load from the displacement of the load by the ascending force. An induction heater including the detector reduces the displacement of the load by the ascending force and stops the heating of the load when the load is removed intentionally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyauchi, Koji Niiyama, Yuji Fujii, Atsushi Fujita, Izuo Hirota
  • Patent number: 7151242
    Abstract: An excitation system for heating food, water, or both in airplanes uses induction heating. The system includes at least one load circuit including an inductor that is excited with a load circuit AC voltage, a load circuit alternating current, or both the load circuit AC voltage and the load circuit alternating current. The load circuit AC voltage, the load circuit alternating current, or both the load circuit AC voltage and the load circuit alternating current are generated from an AC voltage signal that is amplitude-modulated with a frequency of a mains AC voltage from a voltage supply. The frequency of the AC voltage signal can be predetermined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Huettinger Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Ansgar Schuler
  • Patent number: 7115843
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a high-frequency pulse oscillator, and more particularly to a high-frequency pulse oscillator adapted to provide pulse currents having a high frequency and large amplitude so as to transition metallic materials into a plastic state for ease of processing or for closing microcracks formed in metallic parts in order to recover mechanical characteristics thereof. The high-frequency pulse oscillator of the present invention comprises a controllable rectifier, a switching section, and a control system. The controllable rectifier rectifies alternating currents supplied from a current source to output currents having a predetermined waveform, according to a control signal from the control system. The switching section generates pulse currents using the currents from the rectifier, according to another control signal from the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Kyong In Special Metal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Stanislav K Kim, Eduard I Anisimov, Alexandre S. Drojjine, Vladimir A. Martynov, Won-Guk Jee
  • Patent number: 7075044
    Abstract: An induction-heating cooking apparatus, operation of which is interrupted by container eccentricity is disclosed. Upon receiving an input signal varying with the degree of eccentricity of a container, the apparatus changes a reference signal for determining the presence or absence of a small load in proportion to a pulse-width control signal controlling the width of an inverter driving pulse. Although the eccentricity of the container occurs in a normal heating operation and completely escapes from a cook zone, the apparatus determines the occurrence of a no-load state, and interrupts an operation of an inverter circuit, resulting in increased stability of a circuit and a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Hee Ryu, Eui Sung Kim, Byeong Wook Park
  • Patent number: 7026585
    Abstract: The performance of a magnetic pulse forming or welding process is monitored by positioning a deformation member relative to an inductor coil of the apparatus, then energizing the inductor coil to exert a force thereon. The deformation member can be a plastically deformable tube, and the amount of such plastic deformation that occurs when the inductor coil is energized can be measured to determine the magnitude of the force that is generated by the inductor coil. Alternatively, the deformation member can be an elastically deformable body, and the amount of such elastic deformation that occurs when the inductor coil is energized can be measured to determine the magnitude of the force that is generated by the inductor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Boris A. Yablochnikov, Aleksey B. Yablochnikov
  • Patent number: 7009159
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus with high safety is provided in which leakage current is prevented from flowing to the human body and there is no possibility of an electric shock even when an electrostatic shielding member does not sufficiently perform its function. The driving apparatus of the present invention is an induction heating apparatus in which the electrostatic shielding member is provided between an object to be heated and an induction heating coil where sensing portion for sensing the conduction condition of the electrostatic shielding member is provided, and driving portion for driving the induction heating coil is controlled through sensing by the sensing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kataoka, Izuo Hirota, Katsuyuki Aihara, Nobuyoshi Makio
  • Patent number: 6940054
    Abstract: A production/injection line including a production/injection tube and heating apparatus for heating of the production/injection tube. The line also includes insulation and heat conductive material to control the heat transfer from the heating apparatus towards the production/injection tube. A method is also described for supplying heat to a production/injection line in which cooling fluid from a process on an installation is supplied to transport channels extending along a production/injection tube. Methods are also described for manufacturing a production/injection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kvaerner Oilfield Products AS
    Inventor: Ole A. Heggdal
  • Publication number: 20040253887
    Abstract: An electromagnetic induction exothermic roller (21) having, in the order from the surface, at least a release layer, induction exothermic layer (22), an elastic layer (23), and a core (24). Exothermic roller (21) is pressed by a press member (31) to form a nip portion (34) and heat up a heating subject material (11) passing through the nip portion (34). The induction exothermic layer (22) has a layer prepared by dispersing an electrically conductive filler in the base material consisting of a heat resistant resin or heat resistant rubber. For this reason, the induction exothermic layer (22) can easily deform, so that a nip portion (34) having a large width (W) can be formed. Further, the durability of the induction exothermic layer (22) against repeated bending is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Noboru Katakabe, Masaru Imai, Keisuke Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6828530
    Abstract: An illuminating apparatus for an induction coil of an induction cooking field is in the form of a ⅓ circular ring segment and carries conducting tracks, which form turns of a coil, which is connected to several LEDs. During induction coil operation an alternating voltage is induced in the coil and consequently the LEDs are supplied. With such an illuminating apparatus it is possible without additional wiring expenditure to illuminate an induction coil under a glass ceramic cooking field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Boegel, Michael Stoeffler, Wilfried Schilling
  • Patent number: RE42362
    Abstract: An excitation system for heating food, water, or both in airplanes uses induction heating. The system includes at least one load circuit including an inductor that is excited with a load circuit AC voltage, a load circuit alternating current, or both the load circuit AC voltage and the load circuit alternating current. The load circuit AC voltage, the load circuit alternating current, or both the load circuit AC voltage and the load circuit alternating current are generated from an AC voltage signal that is amplitude-modulated with a frequency of a mains AC voltage from a voltage supply. The frequency of the AC voltage signal can be predetermined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Huettinger Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Ansgar Schuler