Patent US4486172A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4486172A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oven and method for heating thermoplastic articles
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1980-10-03
•
Granted: 1984-12-04
•
Expires: 2000-10-03
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is an oven and method of operation for heating thermoplastic articles. Articles are fed into the oven on a conveyor belt. There is a heating plate directly beneath the article bearing surface of the conveyor belt which heats the supported side of the article. The surface of the article not in contact with the belt is heated by conventional means within the oven.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard A. Dunning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:27
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29B; B29B13/00; B29B13/02; B29B13/023; F; F27; F27B; F27B9/00; F27B9/04; F27B9/06; F27B9/062; F27B9/063; F27B9/066; F27B9/14; F27B9/20; F27B9/24; F27B9/243
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
An oven for uniformly heating thermoplastic articles comprising: an oven housing in which there is an oven chamber having an inlet and outlet; a conveyor belt passing through the oven chamber, the conveyor belt having an article bearing surface; a heating plate located directly beneath the article bearing surface and in direct contact with the conveyor belt to uniformly heat thermoplastic articles on the conveyor belt; and a means to heat the oven chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
An oven for uniformly heating thermoplastic articles comprising: an oven housing in which there is an oven chamber having an inlet and outlet; a conveyor belt passing through the oven chamber, the conveyor belt having an article bearing surface; a heating plate located directly beneath the article bearing surface and in direct contact with the conveyor belt to uniformly heat thermoplastic articles on the conveyor belt; and a means to heat the oven chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The oven as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor belt and heating plate extend beyond the oven housing at the inlet whereby thermoplastic articles can be placed on the conveyor belt and heating plate outside of the oven chamber at the oven inlet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The oven as recited in claim 1 or 2 wherein the conveyor belt and heating plate extend beyond the oven housing at the outlet whereby thermoplastic articles passing from the outlet of the oven chamber are supported on the conveyor belt and heating plate outside of the oven chamber at the oven outlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The oven as recited in claim 3 wherein the conveyor belt is made of a fiberglass belt impregnated with tetrafluoroethylene resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The oven as recited in claim 4 wherein the fiberglass belt is impregnated and coated with tetrafluoroethylene resins having a very smooth surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The oven as recited in claim 5 further comprising means to fill the oven chamber with an inert atmosphere at a pressure greater than atmosphere pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The oven as recited in claim 5 wherein the conveyor belt is between about 0.003 and about 0.016 inches thick, and weighs between about 0.28 to about 1.80 pounds per square yard.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The oven as recited in claim 5 wherein the conveyor belt is between 2 and 3 feet wide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The oven as recited in claim 5 wherein the conveyor belt is about 0.006 inches thick and 0.60 pounds per square yard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The oven as recited in claim 4 further comprising a means to control the tension in the conveyor belt.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The oven as recited in claim 1 wherein the heating means are infrared heaters located to heat the thermoplastic articles supported on the conveyor belt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The oven as recited in claim 11 wherein the oven chamber further comprises at least one zone along the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, and there is a means to control the oven chamber temperature and heating plate temperature in each zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The oven as recited in claim 12 wherein the movement of the conveyor belt is indexed to the location of each zone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The oven as recited in claim 1 wherein the heating plate is heated by electric resistance elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The oven as recited in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic articles are stampable sheet blanks which are preheated for further shaping.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly preheating thermoplastic articles in an oven having an oven chamber with an inlet and an outlet, there being a conveyor belt passing through the oven chamber, and a heating plate directly beneath the article bearing surface and in direct contact with the conveyor belt of the conveyor, the conveyor belt comprising the steps of: feeding thermoplastic articles into the inlet of the oven chamber on the conveyor belt; conveying the thermoplastic article through the oven chamber; heating the supported side of the thermoplastic article with the heating plate; heating the surface of the thermoplastic article not in contact with the belt by a heating means within the oven chamber; and collecting the heated thermoplastic articles at the oven outlet.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of uniformly preheating thermoplastic articles in an oven having an oven chamber with an inlet and an outlet, there being a conveyor belt passing through the oven chamber, and a heating plate directly beneath the article bearing surface and in direct contact with the conveyor belt of the conveyor, the conveyor belt comprising the steps of: feeding thermoplastic articles into the inlet of the oven chamber on the conveyor belt; conveying the thermoplastic article through the oven chamber; heating the supported side of the thermoplastic article with the heating plate; heating the surface of the thermoplastic article not in contact with the belt by a heating means within the oven chamber; and collecting the heated thermoplastic articles at the oven outlet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of feeding the thermoplastic article on the conveyor belt and heating plate outside of the oven chamber inlet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as recited in claim 16 or 17 further comprising the step of conveying the thermoplastic article beyond the outlet of the oven on the conveyor belt and heating plate outside of the oven outlet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the oven chamber further comprises at least one zone along the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, and there is a means to control the oven chamber temperature and heating plate temperature in each zone, further comprising the step of controlling the oven chamber temperatures and heating plate temperatures in each zone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the step of conveying further comprises stopping the belt so that the thermoplastic articles stop in each zone for a predetermined length of time.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the oven chamber is heated to between 550° F. and 600° F., and the heat plate is heated to at least 550° F.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2061910A
Cited
US3203677A
Cited
US3449547A
Cited
US3476840A
Cited
US3811828A
Cited
US4004138A
Cited
US3869249A
Cited
US4155786A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-12-04 | 1988-06-04 | 1988-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-12-04 | 1992-06-04 | 1992-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-12-04 | 1996-06-04 | 1996-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |