Ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus and method

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the initial steps of: storing a plurality of relationships between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase corresponding to a plurality of ceramic objects; and selecting the one of the relationships which corresponds to the ceramic object being heated.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of using the stored rates in conjunction with the known relationship comprises the steps of: calculating a rate of change of the stored rates of temperature increase; deriving a representative rate of temperature increase from the stored rates of temperature increase; adjusting the derived rate of temperature increase in accordance with the rate of change; and comparing the adjusted rate to the known relationship to determine a maturation temperature.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of using the stored rates in conjunction with the known relationship comprises the steps of: calculating a rate of change of the stored rates of temperature increase; deriving a representative rate of temperature increase from the stored rates of temperature increase; comparing the derived rate to the known relationship to determine an unadjusted maturation temperature; and adjusting the unadjusted maturation temperature in accordance with the rate of change to determine a maturation temperature.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the initial steps of: storing a plurality of relationships between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase corresponding to a plurality of ceramic objects; and selecting the one of the relationships which corresponds to the ceramic object being heated.

Claim 11

In a periodic kiln having heating means operable for raising the interior temperature of the kiln and temperature measuring means for detecting the interior temperature of the kiln, a method of maturing a ceramic object comprising the steps of: storing a known relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic object; operating the heating means; detecting a first temperature with the measuring means; detecting a second temperature with the measuring means at a known interval after detecting the first temperature; calculating the average rate of temperature increase between the first and second temperatures; comparing the rate of temperature increase to the known relationship to determine a maturation temperature; detecting a third temperature of the material with the measuring means; periodically repeating said steps of detecting first, second and third temperatures, calculating the rate of temperature increase, and comparing the rate to the known relationship; and ceasing the operation of the heating means when the third temperature first equals or exceeds the maturation temperature.

Claim 12

In a periodic kiln having heating means operable for raising the interior temperature of the kiln and temperature measuring means for detecting the interior temperature of the kiln, a method of maturing a ceramic object comprising the steps of: storing a known relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic object; operating the heating means; detecting a first temperature with the measuring means; detecting a second temperature with the measuring means at a known interval after detecting the first temperature; calculating the average rate of temperature increase between the first and second temperatures; comparing the rate of temperature increase to the known relationship to determine a maturation temperature; detecting a third temperature of the material with the measuring means; periodically repeating said steps of detecting first, second and third temperatures, calculating the rate of temperature increase, and comparing the rate to the known relationship; and ceasing the operation of the heating means when the third temperature first equals or exceeds the maturation temperature.

Claim 13

In a ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus having a temperature transducer to indicate the temperature of a ceramic material, a microcomputer to store data and to perform arithmetic and logic operations, and an output device to produce a signal, a method of indicating the end point of a ceramic maturing operation, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the microcomputer a known relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic material; measuring a first temperature of the ceramic material with the temperature transducer; measuring a second temperature of the ceramic material with the temperature transducer at a known interval after measuring the first temperature; calculating the average rate of temperature rise, between the first and second temperatures, with the microcomputer; comparing the rate of temperature increase to the known relationship with the microcomputer to determine a maturation temperature; measuring a third temperature of the material with the temperature transducer; periodically repeating said steps of measuring first, second and third temperatures, calculating the rate of temperature increase, and comparing the rate to the known relationship; and signalling the end point with the output device when the third temperature first equals or exceeds the maturation temperature.

Claim 14

In a ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus having a temperature transducer to indicate the temperature of a ceramic material, a microcomputer to store data and to perform arithmetic and logic operations, and an output device to produce a signal, a method of indicating the end point of a ceramic maturing operation, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the microcomputer a known relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic material; measuring a first temperature of the ceramic material with the temperature transducer; measuring a second temperature of the ceramic material with the temperature transducer at a known interval after measuring the first temperature; calculating the average rate of temperature rise, between the first and second temperatures, with the microcomputer; comparing the rate of temperature increase to the known relationship with the microcomputer to determine a maturation temperature; measuring a third temperature of the material with the temperature transducer; periodically repeating said steps of measuring first, second and third temperatures, calculating the rate of temperature increase, and comparing the rate to the known relationship; and signalling the end point with the output device when the third temperature first equals or exceeds the maturation temperature.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said memory means stores a plurality of predetermined relationships between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase corresponding to a plurality of ceramic materials, said apparatus further comprising selection means connected to said calculating means for selecting the one of the predetermined relationships which corresponds to the ceramic material being heated.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising display means for displaying at least one of the temperatures.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said calculating means further comprises means for determining a rate of change of the rate of temperature increase and for adjusting the calculated average rate in accordance with the rate of change.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said calculating means further comprises means for determining a rate of change of the rate of temperature increase and for adjusting the determined maturation temperature in accordance with the rate of change.

Claim 21

In a periodic kiln having an enclosure to contain a ceramic article, heating means for raising the temperature of the interior of the enclosure to the extent necessary to provide sufficient heat treatment to mature the article, and temperature transducer means for producing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of the interior of the enclosure, a ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus for shutting off said heating means when the article has been matured by sufficient heat treatment, said apparatus comprising: conversion means for converting the temperature signal to a temperature value; memory means for storing a predetermined relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic article being heated; calculating means connected to said memory means and said conversion means for calculating an average rate of temperature increase and for determining from the stored relationship the value of maturation temperature corresponding to the calculated average rate, said calculating means including comparison means for producing a control signal when the temperature of the ceramic article reaches the determined maturation temperature; switch means responsive to the control signal for shutting off said heating means.

Claim 22

In a periodic kiln having an enclosure to contain a ceramic article, heating means for raising the temperature of the interior of the enclosure to the extent necessary to provide sufficient heat treatment to mature the article, and temperature transducer means for producing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of the interior of the enclosure, a ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus for shutting off said heating means when the article has been matured by sufficient heat treatment, said apparatus comprising: conversion means for converting the temperature signal to a temperature value; memory means for storing a predetermined relationship between maturation temperatures and rates of temperature increase for the ceramic article being heated; calculating means connected to said memory means and said conversion means for calculating an average rate of temperature increase and for determining from the stored relationship the value of maturation temperature corresponding to the calculated average rate, said calculating means including comparison means for producing a control signal when the temperature of the ceramic article reaches the determined maturation temperature; switch means responsive to the control signal for shutting off said heating means.

Claim 23

The ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus of claim 15 further comprising display means for displaying the temperature of the interior of the enclosure.

Claim 24

The ceramic heat treatment regulating apparatus of claim 15 wherein the average rate of temperature increase is calculated using temperatures which occurred a predetermined length of time prior to the time of calculation.