Induction coil design for portable induction heating tool
First Claim
1. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
- (a) an outer member;
(b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; and
(c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member, said induction coil being formed substantially in a racetrack configuration;
wherein said outer member at least partially covers said induction coil;
wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes;
(d) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and
(e) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and
wherein;
(f) said induction coil has a width dimension that runs substantially perpendicular to said length dimension, and(g) wherein said induction coil comprises at least one individual turn having an outer dimension that is less than or equal to said width dimension in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable induction tool is provided for soldering or brazing sections of metal pipe together. A work coil head (with induction coil) is U-shaped, allowing placement of the head around lengths of pipe, heating a susceptor (e.g., the pipe) to form a joint, and then to be withdrawn after the pipe joint is made. In one form, the tool uses heat pipes to remove thermal energy from the head, and also a heat exchanger for higher-powered units. Power capacitors are generally included with the induction (work) coil to create a tank circuit of a resonant frequency. The induction coil uses Litz wire, copper tubing, or heat pipes with a conductive outer skin to carry the high-current being delivered to the induction coil. The induction coil has a general racetrack configuration, which is typically wound in a U-shape (or as a semicircle) as a single winding, with multiple turns.
98 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; and (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member, said induction coil being formed substantially in a racetrack configuration; wherein said outer member at least partially covers said induction coil; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes; (d) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and (e) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and wherein; (f) said induction coil has a width dimension that runs substantially perpendicular to said length dimension, and (g) wherein said induction coil comprises at least one individual turn having an outer dimension that is less than or equal to said width dimension in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; and (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member, said induction coil being formed substantially in a racetrack configuration; wherein said outer member at least partially covers said induction coil; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes; (d) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and (e) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and wherein; (f) said induction coil has a first thickness dimension that represents a distance between said outer side wall of the inner member and an inner side wall of said outer member; and (g) said induction coil comprises a plurality of individual turns that are arranged in at least one of the following configurations; (i) the individual turns are layered within said first thickness dimension between the inner and outer members, such that said first thickness dimension is greater than a second thickness dimension representing a thickness an electrical conductor of a single of said individual turns; and (ii) the individual turns are wound such that they lie alongside one another within said first thickness dimension between the inner and outer members, and the first thickness dimension is substantially the same as said second thickness dimension representing a thickness an electrical conductor of a single of said individual turns.
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9. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; and (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member, said induction coil being formed substantially in a racetrack configuration; wherein said outer member at least partially covers said induction coil; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension tat extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes; (d) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction tat is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and (e) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and wherein said induction coil has a first thickness dimension that represents a distance between said outer side wall of the inner member and an inner side wall of said outer member; and
further comprising at least one heat pipe that runs into said coil head, and which is disposed substantially proximal to said induction coil electrical winding.
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10. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member; and (d) at least one heat pipe that runs into said coil head; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits substantially a U-shape with extended arm members when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil.
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11. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member; and (d) at least one heat pipe that runs into said coil head; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes; (i) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and (ii) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and wherein; (e) said induction coil has a width dimension that runs substantially perpendicular to said length dimension, and (f) said induction coil comprises at least one individual turn having an outer dimension that is less than or equal to said width dimension in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member; and (d) at least one heat pipe tat rims into said coil head; wherein; (e) said induction coil has a first thickness dimension tat represents a distance between said outer side wall of the inner member and an inner side wall of said outer member; (f) said induction coil comprises at least one individual turn that is disposed within said first thickness dimension between the inner and outer members; and (g) said at least one heat pipe also is disposed between said inner and outer members. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member; and (d) at least one heat pipe that runs into said coil head; wherein said at least one heat pipe is interspersed with at least one turn of the electrical winding of said induction coil, and said at least one heat pipe and said at least one turn of the electrical winding of said induction coil enter said coil head substantially at a same region of said coil head.
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17. A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising:
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(a) an eater member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a separate workpiece; (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member; and (d) at least one heat pipe that runs into said coil head; wherein said induction coil is of a racetrack configuration, and said induction coil comprises an electrical winding having a plurality of turns, in which said turns mainly run in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the separate workpiece that is positioned in said opening. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification