Transverse flux electric induction heat treatment of a discrete workpiece in a gap of a magnetic circuit
AssigneeRadyne Corporation
InventorJohn Justin Mortimer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Discrete workpieces move through a longitudinally-oriented through-gap in an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material. A transverse magnetic flux established in the through-gap inductively heats the discrete workpieces moving through the longitudinally-oriented through-gap. A longitudinal axis of the workpiece or the planar surface of a planarly-oriented workpiece is oriented either parallel to, or perpendicular to, the transverse magnetic flux to heat treat the workpiece.
Claims20
An electric induction heat treatment apparatus for a heat treatment of at least one discrete workpiece having a longitudinal axis, the electric induction heat treatment apparatus comprising:
- a series magnetic loop circuit formed from:
- an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material;
- and
- at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap formed in the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material through which the at least one discrete workpiece passes through;
- two or more inductors, each of the two or more inductors comprising a solenoidal coil, each of the two or more inductors positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- at least one alternating current power supply connected to each of the two or more inductors to establish a transverse magnetic flux in each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- and
- a discrete workpiece transport system for positioning the longitudinal axis of each of the at least one discrete workpieces perpendicular or parallel to the transverse magnetic flux as each of the at least one discrete workpieces passes through the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap.
A method of inductively heat treating at least one discrete workpiece having a longitudinal central axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying an alternating current power to a series magnetic loop circuit formed from an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material having at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap, the alternating current power supplied to at least two solenoidal coils positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- establishing a transverse magnetic flux across a width of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap from the alternating current power;
- and
- moving each one of the at least one discrete workpieces with the longitudinal central axis perpendicular or parallel to the transverse magnetic flux through one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap in a discrete workpiece transport system.
An electric induction heat treatment apparatus for a heat treatment of at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpiece having a planar surface, the electric induction heat treatment apparatus comprising:
- a series magnetic loop circuit formed from:
- an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material;
- and
- at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap formed in the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material through which the at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpiece passes through;
- two or more inductors, each of the two or more inductors comprising a solenoidal coil, each of the two or more inductors positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- at least one alternating current power supply connected to each of the two or more inductors to establish a transverse magnetic flux in each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- and
- a discrete workpiece transport system for positioning the planar surface of each of the at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpieces perpendicular to the transverse magnetic flux as each of the at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpieces passes through one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap.
A method of inductively heat treating at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpiece having a planar surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying an alternating current power to a series magnetic loop circuit formed from an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material having at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap, the alternating current power supplied to at least two solenoidal coils positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- establishing a transverse magnetic flux across a width of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap from the alternating current power;
- and
- moving each one of the at least one discrete planarly-oriented workpieces with the planar surface perpendicular to the transverse magnetic flux through each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap in a discrete workpiece transport system.
An electric induction heat treatment apparatus for a heat treatment of at least one discrete workpiece having at least two components with a longitudinal axis, the electric induction heat treatment apparatus comprising:
- a series magnetic loop circuit formed from:
- an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material;
- and
- at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap formed in the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material through which the at least one discrete workpiece passes through;
- two or more inductors, each of the two or more inductors comprising a solenoidal coil, each of the two or more inductors positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- at least one alternating current power supply connected to each of the two or more inductors to establish a transverse magnetic flux in each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- and
- a discrete workpiece transport system for positioning the longitudinal axis of the at least two components of the at least one discrete workpiece perpendicular to the transverse magnetic flux as each of the at least one discrete workpieces passes through the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap to braze weld the at least two components together.
A method of inductively heat treating at least one discrete workpiece having at least two components with a longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying an alternating current power to a series magnetic loop circuit formed from an open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material having at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap, the alternating current power supplied to at least two solenoidal coils positioned around the open-box rectangular ferromagnetic material adjacent to a side of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap;
- establishing a transverse magnetic flux across a width of each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap from the alternating current power;
- and
- moving each one of the at least one discrete workpieces with the longitudinal axis of the at least two components of the at least one discrete workpiece perpendicular to the transverse magnetic flux through each one of the at least one workpiece single pass longitudinally-oriented through-gap to braze weld the at least two components together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.