Coil position adjustment system in induction heating assembly for metal strip
AssigneeAjax Magnethermic Corporation
InventorsDavid J. Hanton, Nicholas V. Ross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable width transverse flux heating apparatus for induction heating in the moving workpiece includes first and second elements disposed in the common plane to form an inductive coil. The first and second conductor elements define a middle spacing in an internal cross-section area of the inductive coil. A monitor detects workpiece fractures and generates signals relating thereto. A motor system moves one of the conductor elements relative to the other in response to the signal generated by the workpiece monitor.
Claims19
An adjustable width transverse flux heating apparatus for induction heating of a moving workpiece comprising:
- first and second conductor elements disposed in a first relative position in a common plane to comprise an inductive coil and define a middle spacing in an internal cross-sectional area of the inductive coil;
- a first workpiece monitor for detecting workpiece fracture positions in the moving workpiece and generating first signals representative of the fracture positions;
- and
- a first position adjustment device for engaging the first conductor element for moving the first conductor element relative to the second conductor element to a second relative position in response to the first signals generated by the first workpiece monitor, without adjustment of the moving of the workpiece for varying the heating of the workpiece at the fracture positions.
An adjustable width flux heating apparatus for induction heating a moving workpiece, comprising:
- first and second conductor elements disposed in a common plane, the first and second conductor elements comprising an inductive coil and defining a middle spacing in an internal cross sectional area of the inductive coil;
- means for supplying an electric current to each of the first and second conductor elements to create a magnetic field for induction heating a workpiece area adjacent the inductive coil;
- means for monitoring the moving workpiece to detect fracture positions at edge portions thereof;
- and
- means, connected to the monitoring means, for adjusting the internal cross sectional area of the inductive coil in response to a fracture position detected by the monitoring means for selectively adjusting the heating of the workpiece at the fracture positions to preserve a desired heating in the workpiece.
A method for induction heating a workpiece, comprising:
- moving a workpiece over first and second conductor elements disposed in a common plane, the first and second conductor elements comprising an inductive coil and defining a middle spacing in an internal cross-sectional area of the inductive coil;
- supplying an electric current to each of the first and second conductor elements to create a magnetic field for induction heating a workpiece area adjacent the inductive coil;
- monitoring an edge of the moving workpiece to detect a position of a fracture at an edge portion therein;
- and
- adjusting the internal cross sectional area of the inductive coil when the detected fracture position becomes aligned with the inductive coil, while maintaining the moving of the workpiece for selectively adjusting the heating of the workpiece to preserve the workpiece while protecting against overheating of the edge portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.