Bi-metallic induction heating blanket
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJohn R. Hull, Marc R. Matsen, Landon K. Henson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A smart susceptor assembly includes a plurality of susceptor elements and a plurality of conductor elements. Each susceptor element can be paired with one conductor element to form a susceptor tab. When exposed to a magnetic flux field, the plurality of susceptor elements heat to a leveling temperature. During the heating, the plurality of conductor elements alter both a thermal performance and an electrical operation of the smart susceptor assembly and, more particularly, the susceptor elements. Various configurations of the susceptor elements and conductor elements are described.
Claims20
A smart susceptor assembly, comprising:
- an electromagnetic flux field source configured to generate a magnetic flux field;
- a plurality of susceptor elements positioned adjacent to the electromagnetic flux field source, wherein each susceptor element of the plurality of susceptor elements comprises a leveling temperature and a Curie temperature;
- and
- a plurality of conductor elements, wherein each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements is electrically coupled to, and in thermal communication with, one of the susceptor elements of the plurality of susceptor elements.
A method for manufacturing a smart susceptor assembly, comprising:
- forming a plurality of susceptor tabs comprising a plurality of susceptor elements and a plurality of conductor elements, wherein susceptor element is electrically coupled to, and in thermal communication with, one of the conductor elements, and each susceptor element comprises a leveling temperature and a Curie temperature;
- and
- positioning an electromagnetic flux field source adjacent to the plurality of susceptor tabs.
A method for heating an article, comprising:
- placing the article adjacent to a smart susceptor assembly, wherein the smart susceptor assembly comprises:
- an electromagnetic flux field source configured to generate a magnetic flux field;
- a plurality of susceptor elements positioned adjacent to the electromagnetic flux field source, wherein each susceptor element of the plurality of susceptor elements comprises a leveling temperature and a Curie temperature;
- and
- a plurality of conductor elements, wherein each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements is electrically coupled to, and in thermal communication with, one of the susceptor elements of the plurality of susceptor elements
- generating an electromagnetic flux field from the electromagnetic flux field source;
- inductively heating the plurality of susceptor elements using the electromagnetic flux field;
- and
- heating the article using heat from the plurality of susceptor elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.