Temperature controlled profiling heater

Claim 2

In a temperature profiling heater: A. a chamber having at least two oppositely disposed walls formed of a material transparent to heat energy of a predetermined wavelength so that heat energy of that wavelength is transmitted through the walls without appreciable absorption thereby; B. a support member within the chamber having a generally planar surface for supporting material to be heated: C. first and second banks of electrically energized radiant heating elements outside the chamber and mounted in predetermined positions proximate to the walls of transparent material for producing radiant heat energy of the predetermined wavelength and transmitting said energy through said walls to predetermined regions within the chamber; D. said first and second banks including elongated heating elements spaced side-by-side along first and second angularly displaced axes in generally parallel planes on opposite sides of the chamber; E. thermal sensing means for sensing the temperature in different regions in the support member; and F. electrical control means connected to the heating elements in each bank for adjusting the amount of heat energy produced by different ones of the heating elements to provide predetermined temperatures in each of the regions in the support member as indicated by the thermal sensing means.

Claim 3

The temperature profiling heater of claim 1 wherein the first and second axes lie in planes generally parallel to the planar surface of the support member.

Claim 4

The temperature profiling heater of claim 1 wherein the first and second axes are normal to each other.

Claim 5

The temperature profiling heater of claim 1 wherein the thermal sensing means includes a plurality of sensing elements carried by the support member along axes generally parallel to the first and second axes.

Claim 6

The temperature profiling heater of claim 1 wherein the control means includes means responsive to the thermal sensing means for maintaining the temperature in each region of the support member at a predetermined level.

Claim 7

The temperature profiling heater of claim 1 further including means for directing air toward the heating elements and chamber walls to cool the same.

Claim 8

In a temperature profiling heater: A. a chamber having a wall formed of a material transparent to heat energy of a predetermined wavelength so that heat energy of that wavelength is transmitted through the wall without appreciable absorption thereby; B. electrically energized radiant heating means mounted outside the chamber in a predetermined position proximate to the wall of transparent material for producing heat energy of the predetermined wavelength and transmitting said energy through the wall to a plurality of regions extending along angularly displaced axes within the chamber, said heating means being adjustable for independently controlLing the amount of heat delivered along each of the angularly displaced axes; C. thermal sensing means for sensing the temperature in the regions along angularly displaced axes within the chamber; and D. electrical control means connected to the heating means for setting the amount of heat energy produced thereby to provide a predetermined temperature in each of the regions in the chamber as indicated by the thermal sensing means.

Claim 9

In a temperature profiling heater: A. a chamber having a wall formed of a material transparent to heat energy of a predetermined wavelength so that heat energy of that wavelength is transmitted through the wall without appreciable absorption thereby; B. electrically energized radiant heating means mounted outside the chamber in a predetermined position proximate to the wall of transparent material for producing heat energy of the predetermined wavelength and transmitting said energy through the wall to a plurality of regions extending along angularly displaced axes within the chamber, said heating means being adjustable for independently controlLing the amount of heat delivered along each of the angularly displaced axes; C. thermal sensing means for sensing the temperature in the regions along angularly displaced axes within the chamber; and D. electrical control means connected to the heating means for setting the amount of heat energy produced thereby to provide a predetermined temperature in each of the regions in the chamber as indicated by the thermal sensing means.

Claim 10

The temperature profiling heater of claim 7 wherein the the control means includes means responsive to the thermal sensing means for maintaining the temperature in each region where the temperature is sensed at a predetermined level.

Claim 11

The temperature profiling heater of claim 7 wherein the heating means comprises a plurality of heating elements spaced along axes which are generally parallel to the angularly displaced axes.

Claim 12

The temperature profiling heater of claim 9 wherein the heating elements are elongated high intensity lamps disposed side-by-side along the axes.

Claim 13

The temperature profiling heater of claim 7 wherein the angularly disposed axes are orthogonal.

Claim 14

The temperature profiling heater of claim 7 further including means for directing air toward the heating means and chamber wall to cool the same.

Claim 15

In a temperature profiling heater: A. a chamber having at least one wall formed of a material transparent to heat energy of a predetermined wavelength so that heat energy of that wavelength is transmitted through the wall without appreciable absorption thereby; B. a support member within the chamber having a generally planar surface for supporting material to be heated; C. a plurality of elongated electrical heating elements mounted in predetermined positions outside the chamber and disposed side-by-side along an axis generally parallel to the surface of the support member and proximate to the wall of transparent material for producing radiant heat energy of the predetermined wavelength and transmitting said energy through the wall to predetermined regions within the chamber; D. a plurality of thermal sensors each disposed for sensing the temperature of the support member in a different region along an axis generally parallel to the first named axis; E. electrical control means connected to the heating elements for setting the amount of heat energy produced by different ones of the heating elements to provide predetermined temperatures in each of the regions in the support member as indicated by the thermal sensors; and F. additional heating elements adjacent to two edges of the support member, said edges being generally parallel to the first named axis and said additional elements being elongated and disposed with their axes generally parallel to the edges.

Claim 16

In a temperature profiling heater: A. a chamber having at least one wall formed of a material transparent to heat energy of a predetermined wavelength so that heat energy of that wavelength is transmitted through the wall without appreciable absorption thereby; B. a support member within the chamber having a generally planar surface for supporting material to be heated; C. a plurality of elongated electrical heating elements mounted in predetermined positions outside the chamber and disposed side-by-side along an axis generally parallel to the surface of the support member and proximate to the wall of transparent material for producing radiant heat energy of the predetermined wavelength and transmitting said energy through the wall to predetermined regions within the chamber; D. a plurality of thermal sensors each disposed for sensing the temperature of the support member in a different region along an axis generally parallel to the first named axis; E. electrical control means connected to the heating elements for setting the amount of heat energy produced by different ones of the heating elements to provide predetermined temperatures in each of the regions in the support member as indicated by the thermal sensors; and F. additional heating elements adjacent to two edges of the support member, said edges being generally parallel to the first named axis and said additional elements being elongated and disposed with their axes generally parallel to the edges.

Claim 17

The temperature profiling heater of claim 13 wherein the control means includes means responsive to the thermal sensors for maintaining the temperature in each region at a predetermined level.