INDUCTION HEATING SYSTEM FOR FOOD CONTAINERS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A metallic food can heating system configured to heat a plurality of filled and sealed metallic food cans comprising:
- an induction heating coil defining an internal lumen having a longitudinal axis, the internal lumen configured to receive the metallic food cans during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the metallic material of the food can;
a can moving device configured to move cans into the induction heating coil prior to induction heating, to move cans while within the induction heating coil and to move cans out of the induction heating coil after induction heating; and
an electrical induction power supply configured to supply alternating current to the induction heating coil;
wherein each can has a longitudinal axis, wherein each can is positioned within the lumen of the induction coil such that the longitudinal axis of each can is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internal lumen of the induction heating coil.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An induction heating system configured to sequentially heat a plurality of filled and sealed food containers is provided. The system includes an induction heating coil defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis. The lumen is configured to receive the containers during heating, and the induction coil is configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the container. The system includes a container moving device configured to move containers into the induction heating coil lumen prior to heating, to move containers while within the induction heating coil lumen and to move containers out of the induction heating coil lumen after heating.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A metallic food can heating system configured to heat a plurality of filled and sealed metallic food cans comprising:
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an induction heating coil defining an internal lumen having a longitudinal axis, the internal lumen configured to receive the metallic food cans during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the metallic material of the food can; a can moving device configured to move cans into the induction heating coil prior to induction heating, to move cans while within the induction heating coil and to move cans out of the induction heating coil after induction heating; and an electrical induction power supply configured to supply alternating current to the induction heating coil; wherein each can has a longitudinal axis, wherein each can is positioned within the lumen of the induction coil such that the longitudinal axis of each can is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internal lumen of the induction heating coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A metal food can heating system configured to sequentially heat a plurality of filled and sealed metal food cans comprising:
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an induction heating coil defining an internal lumen having a longitudinal axis, the internal lumen configured to receive the metal food cans during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the metal of the food can; a can moving device configured to move cans during induction heating; and an electrical induction power supply configured to supply alternating current to the induction heating coil; wherein induction heating coil and the electrical induction power supply are configured to raise the temperature of the contents of each of the plurality of cans to a sterilization temperature in less than 180 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An induction heating system configured to sequentially heat a plurality of filled and sealed food containers comprising:
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an unpressurized heating chamber including an induction heating coil defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis, the lumen configured to receive the containers during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the container; a container moving device configured to move containers into the induction heating coil lumen prior to induction heating, to move containers while within the induction heating coil lumen and to move containers out of the induction heating coil lumen after heating; and at least one support structure configured to engage an end wall of the container within the induction heating coil lumen during heating of the container, wherein the support structure resists outward deformation of the end wall during heating. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A metal food can heating system configured to sequentially heat a plurality of filled and sealed metal food cans comprising:
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an induction heating coil defining an internal lumen having a longitudinal axis, the internal lumen configured to receive the metal food cans during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the metal of the food can; a container moving device configured to move cans into the induction heating coil prior to heating, to move cans while within the induction heating coil and to move cans out of the induction heating coil after heating; an electrical induction power supply configured to supply alternating current to the induction heating coil; a sensor configured to detect a property of at least one can within the system; and a controller communicably coupled to the sensor and configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the property, the controller configured to generate a control signal to at least one of the electrical induction power supply and the container moving device based on the property detected by the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A metal food can heating system configured to sequentially heat a plurality of filled and sealed metal food cans comprising:
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an induction heating coil defining an internal lumen having a longitudinal axis, the internal lumen configured to receive the metal food cans during heating, the induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field causing resistive heating of the metal of the food can; a can moving device configured to move cans into the induction heating coil prior to heating, to move cans while within the induction heating coil and to move cans out of the induction heating coil after heating; and an electrical induction power supply configured to supply alternating current to the induction heating coil; wherein the system is configured to impart more than 98% of the electrical energy supplied to the induction heating coil to the contents of each can in the form of heat.
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Specification