Induction Heating Device for a Metal Plate

• US 20100155390A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (Nippon Steel Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirota, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,888,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/645
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/104 metal pieces being elongated like wires or bands
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/362 with flat coil conductors

Abstract

An induction heating apparatus for heating a traveling metal plate includes an induction coil for surrounding the metal plate. The induction coil includes an upper portion for being located above the metal plate and a lower portion for being located below the metal plate. The upper and lower portions of the induction coil are spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in a transverse direction of the metal plate. The distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper portion and the lower portion of the induction coil varies across a transverse direction of the metal plate.

Claims

1. An induction heating apparatus for heating a traveling metal plate, comprising:

an induction coil for surrounding the metal plate, said induction coil including an upper portion for being located above the metal plate and a lower portion for being located below the metal plate, said upper and lower portions of the induction coil being spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in a transverse direction of the metal plate,

wherein a distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper portion and the lower portion of the induction coil varies across a transverse direction of the metal plate.

2. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maximum distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper and lower portions of the induction coil ranges from 0.2 to 6 times a width of a wider of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil.

3. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper and lower portions of the induction coil at least at one position in the transverse direction of the metal plate can be changed.

4. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate.

5. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a guide rail that extends along the metal plate in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate, at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil being movably mounted on the guide rail.

6. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil include a portion constructed of a plurality of conductors, and wherein the distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in the transverse direction of the metal plate can be changed by selecting a specific conductor among the plurality of conductors as the conductor to be energized by alternating current.

7. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a width of at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil varies across the transverse direction of the metal plate.

8. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil includes a first portion that extends in the transverse direction of the metal plate and a second portion that extends at an oblique angle to the transverse direction of the metal plate.

9. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein both of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil include the first and second portions, and the second portions of each of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil extend in opposite directions in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate.

10. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 1, said induction coil further comprising an edge portion connecting between said upper and lower portions of the induction coil, said edge portion for being located at an edge of the metal plate.

11. An induction heating apparatus for heating a traveling metal plate, comprising:

an induction coil having an upper portion for being located above the metal plate and a lower portion for being located below the metal plate, said upper and lower portions of the induction coil being spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in a transverse direction of the metal plate; and

an AC power source, each of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil being connected at one end thereof to the AC power source,

wherein a distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper portion and the lower portion of the induction coil varies across a transverse direction of the metal plate.

12. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a maximum distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper and lower portions of the induction coil ranges from 0.2 to 6 times a width of a wider of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil.

13. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate between the upper and lower portions of the induction coil at least at one position in the transverse direction of the metal plate can be changed.

14. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate.

15. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a guide rail that extends along the metal plate in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate, at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil being movably mounted on the guide rail.

16. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil include a portion constructed of a plurality of conductors, and wherein the distance in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate at least at one position in the transverse direction of the metal plate can be changed by selecting a specific conductor among the plurality of conductors as the conductor to be energized by alternating current.

17. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a width of at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil varies across the transverse direction of the metal plate.

18. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil includes a first portion that extends in the transverse direction of the metal plate and a second portion that extends at an oblique angle to the transverse direction of the metal plate.

19. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein both of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil include the first and second portions, and the second portions of each of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil extend in opposite directions in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate.

20. The induction heating apparatus according to claim 11, said induction coil further comprising an edge portion connecting between said upper and lower portions of the induction coil at ends of the upper and lower portions of the induction coil opposite to the AC power source, said edge portion for being located at an edge of the metal plate.