Wireless diagnostic system and method

• US 20070284430A1
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sst Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sst Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Rock, Robert G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,712,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 17/0016 Chamber type furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A diagnostic system for an oven chamber, an oven system, and a method of wirelessly monitoring item temperature in an oven chamber are disclosed. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor used for sensing the temperature of an item is moved or transported with the item by a conveyor system. Also, in some embodiments, a wireless transmitter coupled to the temperature sensor can transmit a temperature signal to a receiver located outside of the oven chamber, and can also be moved or transported with the item. Data representative of item temperature can be stored, displayed, and/or used to modulate operation of the oven in some embodiments.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system for an oven chamber within which an item is moved and heated, the diagnostic system comprising:

a temperature sensor movable with the item in the oven chamber, the temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature of the item at a first location of the item;

a transmitter electrically coupled to the temperature sensor and also movable with the item in the oven chamber;

a receiver located remotely from the oven chamber and configured to receive a wireless signal from the transmitter; and

a controller coupled to the receiver and operable to record data indicative of the item temperature at the first location based at least in part upon the wireless signal received from the receiver.

2. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is one of a plurality of temperature sensors movable with the item in the oven chamber, the plurality of temperature sensors electrically coupled to the transmitter and positioned to detect temperatures of the item at a plurality of corresponding locations of the item.

3. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a heat insulative enclosure in which the transmitter is located, the heat insulative enclosure allowing transmission of the wireless signal therethrough.

4. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is movable to different locations within the oven chamber while detecting the temperature of the item.

5. The diagnostic system of claim 4, wherein the temperature sensor and item are movable by a conveyor to different locations within the oven chamber.

6. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a memory in which temperature data of the item detected by the temperature sensor over a period of time is stored.

7. The diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a heater coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to modulate heat output from the heater in response to the data indicative of the item temperature at the first location.

8. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is an RF signal.

9. An oven system for heating an item, comprising:

a chamber within which the item is heated;

a conveyor movable to transport the item into, within, and out of the chamber;

a temperature sensor coupled to and movable with the item, the temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature of the item;

a transmitter coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to transmit a wireless signal comprising data representative of the temperature of the item; and

a receiver configured to receive the wireless signal.

10. The oven system of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled to the conveyor.

11. The oven system of claim 9, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the receiver; and

a memory coupled to the controller and within which data representative of the temperature of the item over time is stored.

12. The oven system of claim 9, further comprising a heat-insulative enclosure in which the transmitter is received.

13. The oven system of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is in contact with the item.

14. The oven system of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is one of a plurality of temperature sensors movable with the item in the chamber, the plurality of temperature sensors electrically coupled to the transmitter and positioned to detect temperatures of the item at a plurality of corresponding locations of the item.

15. The oven system of claim 9, further comprising a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to control at least one aspect of operation of the oven system responsive to the wireless signal.

16. A method of wirelessly monitoring the temperature of an item in an oven chamber through which the item is conveyed, the method comprising:

transporting the item within the oven chamber;

sensing a temperature of the item at a first location on the item;

transmitting a wireless signal from within the oven chamber to a second location outside of the oven chamber, the wireless signal containing data representative of the temperature of the item at the first location on the item; and

repeating the transporting, sensing, and transmitting steps at least once.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the wireless signal at the second location outside of the oven chamber; and

storing data representative of the temperature of the item at the first location in a memory.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sensing a temperature of the item at a third location on the item; and

transmitting another wireless signal from within the oven chamber to the second location outside of the oven chamber.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein at least part of the transporting and sensing steps occur simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically changing a rate at which the item is transported and a temperature within the oven chamber responsive to the wireless signal.