Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
Process for the heating by transverse flux electromagnetic induction heating of stationary flat and thin conducting products of variable dimensions, in order to obtain in particular temperature homogeneity in both the transverse and the longitudinal direction, at the boundaries and in the rest of the product, the process comprising the steps of: generating in the product in two directions a plurality of currents forming elementary current arrays by means of a matrix arrangement of conductors disposed in plural columns and plural rows; defining arrays of local heating heterogeneity each comprising at least one of said elementary arrays; and controlling the intensity of each of said plurality of currents as a function of the volume of the array of local heating heterogeneity to which they correspond, so that the average value of power dissipated per unit volume is substantially the same magnitude in each array of local heating heterogeneity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
Process for the heating by transverse flux electromagnetic induction heating of stationary flat and thin conducting products of variable dimensions, in order to obtain in particular temperature homogeneity in both the transverse and the longitudinal direction, at the boundaries and in the rest of the product, the process comprising the steps of: generating in the product in two directions a plurality of currents forming elementary current arrays by means of a matrix arrangement of conductors disposed in plural columns and plural rows; defining arrays of local heating heterogeneity each comprising at least one of said elementary arrays; and controlling the intensity of each of said plurality of currents as a function of the volume of the array of local heating heterogeneity to which they correspond, so that the average value of power dissipated per unit volume is substantially the same magnitude in each array of local heating heterogeneity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A heating process according to claim 1 wherein each array of local heating heterogeneity comprises only one elementary array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A heating process according to any one of claims 1 or 2, including the steps of: generating an alternating magnetic field with at least one inductor composed of conductors forming current loops; and controlling the current intensities passing through the conductors, at least in part independently of each other, the regulation of one with respect to the others being a function of at least one of the dimensions of the product.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
A heating process according to claim 3 including the steps of: determining the position of the product with respect to the inductor and, in particular, the position of its boundaries; defining the rise in temperature to effected; determining the temperature of the product; computing the value of the current intensities to be circulated in the different current loops of the inductors as a function of predetermined characteristics of the product and the heating desired; regulating, based on the current intensity values calculated and by means of a source the frequency whereof may be variable, the current intensities in each current loops or group of current loops of the inductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for the heating of conductive, stationary flat and thin products by alternating transverse flux electromagnetic induction in order to obtain temeprature homogeneity both in the transverse and the longitudinal direction, at the boundaries as well as in the rest of the product, said apparatus comprising: a magnetic circuit made up of at least one inductor including a matrix arrangement of conductors disposed in plural columns and plural rows and forming a lattice of current loops of identical dimensions distributed in two orthogonal directions; means for monitoring the position of the product with respect to the inductor and, in particular, the position of the boundaries; means for defining the rise in temperature of the product to be effected; means for monitoring the temperature of the product; means connected to the monitoring and defining means to determine the current intensities to be circulated in the current loops of the inductor as a function of the product and of the heating desired; means for generating the currents in said current loops at the intensities so determined.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for the heating of conductive, stationary flat and thin products by alternating transverse flux electromagnetic induction in order to obtain temeprature homogeneity both in the transverse and the longitudinal direction, at the boundaries as well as in the rest of the product, said apparatus comprising: a magnetic circuit made up of at least one inductor including a matrix arrangement of conductors disposed in plural columns and plural rows and forming a lattice of current loops of identical dimensions distributed in two orthogonal directions; means for monitoring the position of the product with respect to the inductor and, in particular, the position of the boundaries; means for defining the rise in temperature of the product to be effected; means for monitoring the temperature of the product; means connected to the monitoring and defining means to determine the current intensities to be circulated in the current loops of the inductor as a function of the product and of the heating desired; means for generating the currents in said current loops at the intensities so determined.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 including means for measuring the temperature of the product and associated means for regulating the current intensities passing through the inductor as a function of a predetermined temperature setting and the measured temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 including: means for monitoring the position of the product with respect to the conductors; a device for regulating the current intensities passing through the conductors; a computer connected with the preceding means and computing, as a function of the characteristics of the product and its position, control data to be entered in the regulating device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including at least one means for measuring the temperature of the product and one temperature setting device both connected to the computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including at least one function generator for generating a desired temperature function of the product with respect to time, the computer using said function to develop input parameters for the regulating device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 including at least one temperature measuring means for measuring actual product temperature connected to the computer, the computer controlling the rise in temperature in the product in response to at least said temperature measuring means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the product is supported electromagnetically.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the product is maintained electromagnetically in at least one horizontal direction by means of spatial variations of the magnetic field.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the product is electromagnetically propelled horizontally.