US 6,310,324 B1 · Tube heating apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for rapidly heating a plurality of parts to a desired temperature. The apparatus includes an oven within which is disposed a rotationally supported magazine for holding a plurality of parts to be heated. A plurality of heating elements and an air circulation system for circulating heated air are also disposed within the oven. A controller is operatively coupled to the magazine for controlling rotation of the magazine to enable parts to be loaded into, and unloaded from, the magazine through an input/output station. A user actuatable switch, such as a foot pedal operated switch, is operatively coupled to the controller to allow a user to send control signals to the controller during loading and unloading of parts to control rotation of the magazine such that the parts are presented at the input/output station for removal and/or loading. The air circulation system significantly reduces the time needed to heat the parts to a given temperature, thus reducing the operating cost of the oven.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A heating apparatus for heating a plurality of parts located within the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

an oven having a housing;
a heating system for heating said parts within the housing;
an airflow generating system for circulating heated air within said housing of said oven, said airflow generating system including a manifold comprising at least one outlet to exhaust said heated air;
and
a magazine for supporting a plurality of parts within said housing and rotating said parts within said housing so that said parts are more quickly and efficiently heated said manifold of said air circulation system including a tubular component extending within the interior area of said magazine for assisting in circulating airflow around said magazine.

2 more elements

A heating apparatus for heating a plurality of parts, said apparatus comprising:

an oven having a housing, said housing including an interior area and an input/output station;
a heating system including a heating element disposed within said interior area of said housing;
an air circulating system for circulating heated air within said housing to promote rapid heating of said parts disposed within said oven, said air circulating system including a manifold comprising at least one outlet to exhaust said heated air;
a magazine having a plurality of support elements for supporting a plurality of said parts, said magazine being mounted for rotational movement within said housing and in relation to said input/output station such that said parts can be loaded into said magazine and unloaded therefrom one at a time through said input/output station;
said heating element being disposed within an interior area defined by said magazine;
and said manifold further having a tubular component extending longitudinally within said magazine along an axis of rotation of said magazine for assisting in recirculating heated air within said oven;
a controller for controlling operation of said magazine and informing an operator when each said part has been heated sufficiently to be removed from said oven;
and
an ejection system responsive to said controller and operably associated with said magazine for ejecting said parts from said support elements of said magazine through said input/output station when said parts are sufficiently heated so as to be ready for removal from said oven.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tube heating apparatus

Life of this patent

Tube heating apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18