# US 9,428,831 B2 · Heat equalizer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,428,831 B2 - Document ID: US9428831B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/041,313 - Filed: 2013-09-30 - Published: 2014-01-30 - Granted: 2016-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-30 - Assignees: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation - Inventors: Hisaaki Yamakage; Yoshihito Yamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9428831B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/4485: {by evaporation without using carrier gas in contact with the source material (C23C16/4486 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/243: {Crucibles for source material (C23C14/28, C23C14/30 take precedence)} - F22B 1/16: the heat carrier being hot liquid or hot vapour, e.g. waste liquid, waste vapour - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS ## Abstract A heat equalizer includes a container structure, a material feed pipe, and a heating mechanism. The container structure includes an inner container and an outer container. In the outer container, a working fluid is held. Respective upper ends of the inner container and the outer container are joined to form a hollow portion between the inner container and the outer container. The material feed pipe extends from an outside of the container structure to the inner surface of the inner container. The heating mechanism is placed at the bottom of the outer container. At the bottom surface of the inner container, a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the inside of the inner container and depressions formed by the bottom surface depressed inward of the protrusions and capable of receiving the vaporized working fluid are formed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat equalizer comprising: a container structure including a heating block with a flow path formed so that a material to be heated flows in the flow path, and an outer container in which a working fluid is held, respective upper ends of said heating block and said outer container being joined to form a hollow portion between said heating block and said outer container; a material feed pipe allowing an outside of said container structure and said heating block to communicate with each other; and heating means placed at a bottom of said outer container, wherein said flow path includes a first flow path connected to said material feed pipe and extending in a horizontal direction, a second flow path branching from said first flow path and extending in a vertical direction, and an opening formed by said second flow path opening at an upper surface of said container structure, at a bottom surface of said heating block, a plurality of depressions formed by said bottom surface depressed toward an inside of said heating block and capable of receiving a vaporized working fluid are formed, said second flow path is placed between said depressions adjacent to each other, a heater housing tube having one end secured to said outer container and the other end immersed in the working fluid of liquid state; and a heater housed in said heater housing tube and having a heat generating portion, wherein said heat generating portion is placed away from said one end of said heater housing tube that is secured to said outer container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat equalizer according to claim 1, wherein said heating means is in thermal contact with an outer surface of said outer container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heat equalizer according to claim 1, wherein a fin body is formed at an inner surface of the bottom of said outer container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat equalizer according to claim 1, wherein a boiling promoter is placed at an inner surface of the bottom of said outer container. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heat equalizer according to claim 1, wherein a fin body is formed at an outer surface of said heater housing tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heat equalizer according to claim 1, wherein a boiling promoter is placed at an outer surface of said heater housing tube.