Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
In an inductor for inductively heating an elongated workpiece as it is rotated about a central axis; said workpiece including a generally cylindrical shaft portion concentric with said axis, a flange including a surface generally orthogonal to said axis and facing said shaft portion and a circumferentially extending recess between said shaft portion and said flange surface, said recess extending axially inwardly of said surface in a direction opposite to said shaft portion; said inductor including two generally parallel conductors extending along said shaft portion and into said recess and first and second cross over conductors joining said parallel conductors at axially spaced positions along said shaft portion with the first of said cross over conductors extending into said recess, said conductors being spaced from and inductively coupled to said workpiece, tHe improvement comprising: said one cross over conductor having a first portion generally facing said shaft portion of said workpiece, a second portion facing away from said shaft portion and a third portion between said first and second portions and generally facing into said recess; and a layer of high permeability material between said first portion and said shaft portion, said layer being carried by said first portion, spaced from said shaft portion and having a thickness allowing saturation thereof when an alternating induction heating current is passed through said inductor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
In an inductor for inductively heating an elongated workpiece as it is rotated about a central axis; said workpiece including a generally cylindrical shaft portion concentric with said axis, a flange including a surface generally orthogonal to said axis and facing said shaft portion and a circumferentially extending recess between said shaft portion and said flange surface, said recess extending axially inwardly of said surface in a direction opposite to said shaft portion; said inductor including two generally parallel conductors extending along said shaft portion and into said recess and first and second cross over conductors joining said parallel conductors at axially spaced positions along said shaft portion with the first of said cross over conductors extending into said recess, said conductors being spaced from and inductively coupled to said workpiece, tHe improvement comprising: said one cross over conductor having a first portion generally facing said shaft portion of said workpiece, a second portion facing away from said shaft portion and a third portion between said first and second portions and generally facing into said recess; and a layer of high permeability material between said first portion and said shaft portion, said layer being carried by said first portion, spaced from said shaft portion and having a thickness allowing saturation thereof when an alternating induction heating current is passed through said inductor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion is spaced from said shaft portion a given distance and said thickness is at least one half of said distance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improvement as defined in claim 2 including a second layer of high permeability material secured onto said second portion of said one cross over conductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
An improvement as defined in claim 3 including an element of high permeability material joining said first mentioned layer and said second layer, said element being in engagement with said one cross over conductor at a position opposite to said third portion and said recess.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and second portions of said cross over conductors converge toward said recess.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improvement as defined in claim 5 including a second layer of high permeability material secured onto said second portion of said one cross over conductor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
An improvement as defined in claim 6 including an element of high permeability material joining said first mentioned layer and said second layer, said element being in engagement with said one cross over conductor at a position opposite to said third portion and said recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improvement as defined in claim 1 including a second layer of high permeability material secured onto said second portion of said one cross over conductor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
An improvement as defined in claim 8 including an element of high permeability material joining said first mentioned layer and said second layer, said element being in engagement with said one cross over conductor at a position opposite to said third portion and said recess.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second portions of said cross over conductors converge toward said recess.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
An improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said parallel conductor includes first and second axially spaced sections, said first sections being spaced from said one cross over conductor and being spaced a given distance from said cylindrical body and said second sections extending from said first sections to said one cross over conductor, said second sections being tapered away from said cylindrical body in a direction from said first sections toward said first cross over conductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
An improvement as defined in claim 11 wherein said layer is spaced from said cylindrical body approximately said given distance.