Granted Patent B2

US 7,781,708 · App. 12/154,623 · Granted Aug 24, 2010

Abstract

Claims (14)

1. A system for inductively heating a workpiece, the system comprising:

a cradle to support the workpiece, the workpiece having a side face and two end faces;

a heating coil which encloses the workpiece, the cradle being located below the workpiece;

a heating coil comprising:

an upper support bar located above the workpiece;

at least one rotation mechanism attached to the upper support bar;

a first coil assembly that encloses approximately half of the side face and approximately half of each of the end faces of the workpiece; and

a second coil assembly that encloses a remaining portion of the side face and a remaining portion of each of the end faces of the workpiece, wherein an upper end of the first and second coil assemblies are attached to the rotation mechanism; and

at least one fastener attached to a bottom end of the first and second coil assemblies, the fastener being adapted to fasten the bottom end of the first coil assembly to the bottom end of the second coil assembly; and a power supply operatively connected to the first coil assembly and the second coil assembly.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 , the system further comprising an adjustor attached to a portion of each of the first and second coil assemblies which encloses the end faces of the workpiece, the adjustor being adapted to adjust the first and second coil assemblies to a distance of 1-1.5 inches from the end faces of the workpiece.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the system is arranged to provide a substantially uniform heating profile in the workpiece.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the heating coil is rigid.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 , the system further comprising sensors which measure the temperature of the workpiece.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second coil assemblies are arranged to heat each surface area of the workpiece.

Assignments (12)