# US 10,767,283 B2 · Ovens, discharge nozzle plates for distribution of gas through an oven, and methods to operate an oven > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,283 B2 - Document ID: US10767283B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/345,553 - Filed: 2016-11-08 - Published: 2017-02-23 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-07 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Despatch Industries Limited Partnership - Inventors: Hans L. Melgaard; Daniel M. Ruf; Matthew Benson; Phillip Vu; Robert Gerald Graham; Rolf Douglas Kragseth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767283B2 ## CPC - D01F 9/32: Apparatus therefor - D02J 13/001: {in a tube or vessel} - F27B 9/28: for treating continuous lengths of work - F27D 3/00: Charging; Discharging; Manipulation of charge - F27D 7/00: Forming, maintaining or circulating atmospheres in heating chambers - F27D 7/02: Supplying steam, vapour, gases or liquids - F27D 11/00: Arrangement of elements for electric heating in or on furnaces - F27D 2007/023: {Conduits} - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - D02J: FINISHING OR DRESSING OF FILAMENTS, YARNS, THREADS, CORDS, ROPES OR THE LIKE (curling or crimping D02G; by treatment with liquids, gases or vapours D06B; finishing other than by liquid treatment, of yarns in warp or sheet form D06C; for chemical matters, see D06L, D06M, D06P, D06Q; treatment during rope-making, apparatus for treating ropes auxiliary to rope-making D07B) - F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS - F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE ## Abstract Ovens, discharge nozzle plates for distribution of gas through an oven, and methods to operate an oven are disclosed. Example ovens include a heating system to heat gas, a substrate heating volume, and a plenum comprising a side wall having a plurality of passages formed therein, the plenum configured to direct heated gas into the substrate heating volume from the plurality of passages, each of the plurality of passages formed in the plenum having a respective tapered cross-sectional shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oven, comprising: a heating system to heat gas; a substrate heating volume; and a plenum comprising a side wall having a plurality of passages formed therein, the plenum configured to direct heated gas into the substrate heating volume from the plurality of passages, wherein each of the plurality of passages formed in the plenum has a respective tapered cross-sectional shape, a respective single inlet opening, and a respective single outlet opening, and wherein at least one of the passages formed in the side wall of the plenum comprises a tapered section extending from the respective inlet opening, and each of the plurality of passages comprises: a tapered portion between the single inlet opening and the single outlet opening of the passage to stabilize and align the heated gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate heating volume comprises a return structure opposite the plenum to direct at least a portion of the heated gas out of the substrate heating volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The oven as defined in claim 2, wherein the return structure is to direct the at least the portion of the heated gas to the heating system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of passages are distributed using one or more repeating patterns over the side wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The oven as defined in claim 4, wherein the one or more repeating patterns comprise an arrangement of the passages over the side wall to optimize the distribution of the heated gas over a load area in the substrate heating volume. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the side wall comprises a first section having first ones of the passages and a second section of the side wall having second ones of the passages, the side wall comprising a third section between the first section of the side wall and the second section of the side wall, the third section of the side wall not having passages for directing the heated gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the passages comprising the tapered section further comprises a curved or beveled edge along the respective inlet opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the passages formed in the side wall of the plenum comprising the tapered section further comprises a straight section extending from an end of the tapered section to the respective outlet opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, wherein the plenum is tapered from a gas input location of the plenum toward an opposite end of the plenum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The oven as defined in claim 9, wherein the side wall is configured to output the gas from the plurality of passages at a substantially uniform volume. ### Claim 11 An oven, comprising: a heating system to heat gas; a substrate heating volume; a plenum comprising a side wall having a plurality of passages formed therein, the plenum configured to direct heated gas into the substrate heating volume from the plurality of passages, each of the plurality of passages formed in the plenum having a respective tapered cross-sectional shape; and an air circulator configured to generate at least 0.3 inches water column of static pressure over the entirety of the side wall opposite the substrate heating area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The oven as defined in claim 1, further comprising an air circulator configured to generate at least 0.5 inches water column of static pressure over the entirety of the side wall opposite the substrate heating area. ### Claim 13 A method for heating a substrate in an oven, comprising: supplying heated gas to a supply structure disposed within an interior of the oven, the supply structure comprising a plenum; and directing at least a portion of the heated gas to a substrate heating volume in the interior of the oven via passages formed in a side wall of the plenum, each of the passages having tapered cross-sectional shapes, a respective single inlet opening, and a respective single outlet opening, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the inlet openings of the passages comprises directing the at least the portion of the heated gas into respective tapered sections of the passages extending between the respective single inlet openings and the respective single outlet openings of the passages to stabilize and align the heated gas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the substrate heating volume via the passages comprises: directing at least the portion of the heated gas into inlet openings of the passages; and directing at least the portion of the heated gas into the substrate heating volume from outlet openings of the passages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the inlet openings of the passages comprises: directing at least the portion of the heated gas along curved or beveled edges formed along the inlet openings of the passages. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the substrate heating volume from the outlet openings of the passages comprises: directing the at least the portion of the heated gas into straight sections of the passages prior to discharging the heated gas into the substrate heating volume. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising recirculating the at least the portion of the heated gas from the substrate heating volume to the plenum via a return structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the substrate heating volume via the passages comprises: directing at least the portion of the heated gas into one or more repeating patterns of the passages over the side wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the directing of at least the portion of the heated gas into the substrate heating volume via the passages comprises directing the at least the portion of the heated gas at a substantially uniform volume through the passages.