Tsi Technologies LLC

Thermal Solutions, Inc.

S. C. Johnson Son, Inc.

Hr Technology, Inc.

Brian L. Clothier

Brian L Clothier

Amil J Ablah

Michael J Bourke, Iii

Stephen B Leonard

David P Mather

Evgeni Sorkine

David E May

William W Heine

Robert E Wolters, Jr

Edwin T Abbett

Iii Bourke Michael J

Vladimir Malyshev

Richard Cabak

Amil J Blah

Michael J Iii Bourke

A thermoplastic composite welding microwire temperature measurement system broadly comprises a plurality of moveable antennae configured to transmit interrogation signals, a rail system including a motorized linear stage configured to move the antennae along a weld line, and a reader or processor configured to determine a position of the microwire temperature sensor and determine a welding temperature based on response signals of the sensor. The interrogation signal corresponds to two different maximum ramp current amplitudes to create two re-magnetization pulses non-overlapping in the time domain.

In-situ monitoring and control of induction welding of thermoplastic composites using amorphous or nanocrystalline microwire temperature sensors and self-centering antennae rail system

Temperature measurement systems () include a temperature sensor () and an electronic signal interrogator (). The temperature sensor () has a transponder () equipped with an antenna (), and a separate parasitic antenna () with a temperature-sensitive transducer (--), while the interrogator () has a transmitter () and antenna (). The sensor () is designed to be placed in thermal contact with an object to be temperature-measured, with the interrogator () placed in proximity to the object. The systems () may be used with food servingware domes (), which can be preheated and placed over a food-bearing plate to maintain the temperature of the food.

Temperature measurement system employing an electromagnetic transponder and separate impedance-changing parasitic antenna

An induction heatable article such as a pan is provided having a synthetic resin body with at least one susceptor coil secured to the body and operable under the influence of an induction field to generate Joule heating within the coil to thereby heat the body. The coil has a plurality of zones, each adjacent a different portion of the body and capable of providing respective, different magnitudes of Joule heating-derived energy per unit time in the zones. A multiple-pan, modular food heating/warming table includes a table supporting an array of individually controllable induction heaters with a plurality of synthetic resin, food-holding pans positionable on the table, wherein each pan has a zoned susceptor coil for induction heating of the pans.

Induction heating system employing induction-heated switched-circuit vessels

Improved, highly accurate microwire sensors () include a microwire assembly () including at least one primary, temperature-sensing microwire () encased within a closed-ended, stress-absorbing protective tube (). Preferably, the sensor assembly () includes a plurality of microwires, e.g., a primary temperature-sensing microwire (), a reference microwire (), and a calibration microwire (). The sensors () may be embedded within a heat-treatable or curable material () to monitor the temperature of the material () over a selected temperature range, e.g., during a pre- and/or post-curing temperature range. The tube () is formed of material which does not appreciably magnetically bias the microwire assembly (), and substantially prevents forces exerted on the tube () from distorting the sensor assembly ().

Microwire temperature sensors constructed to eliminate stress-related temperature measurement inaccuracies and method of manufacturing said sensors

Improved treatment apparatus () is provided for the treatment (e.g., molding, heating and/or curing) of objects such as parts or part precursors () including wireless detection of a temperature parameter related to the objects during treatment thereof. The objects include associated microwire-type sensors () which have characteristic re-magnetization responses under the influence of applied, alternating magnetic fields. The apparatus () have treatment chambers () sized to hold the objects to be treated, with one or more antennas () proximal to such objects and operable to generate interrogating alternating magnetic fields and to detect the responses of the sensors (). The detected temperature parameter information is used by an apparatus controller () to maintain desired ambient conditions within the treatment chamber ().

Microwire-controlled autoclave and method

One-time, single-use sensor elements () are provided for detecting the occurrence of predetermined conditions such as temperature and elapsed time-temperature. The sensor elements () preferably comprise elongated, glass-coated, metal alloy, amorphous or nanocrystalline microwires (), which can be placed in a position to detect the predetermined condition of interest. An alternating magnetic field detector () may be used to continuously or periodically interrogate the sensor elements () to determine if the predetermined condition has occurred. In one aspect of the invention, the microwires () experience a change in configuration upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, and have correspondingly different induced remagnetization responses. In another embodiment, a static microwire is provided having an initial bi-stable single domain; when a predetermined time-temperature condition is experienced, multiple domains are established in the microwire, and this can be detected by the detector ().

One-time sensor device

A wiper assembly having a wiper with an inductively heatable portion, and an induction heating device including an induction work coil which is configured to be placed near the wiper to inductively heat the inductively heatable portion. The inductively heatable portion may be in the wiper blade, the wiper arm which supports the blade, or both. The induction work coil may be placed on or near the windshield or other surface which is cleaned by the wiper and may heat the wiper regardless of its position or only when the wiper is at a specific location such as its retracted 'rest' position. The wiper assembly may also include a temperature sensor for sensing a current temperature of the wiper and control circuitry associated with the induction heating device for controlling operation of the work coil.)

Inductively heated windshield wiper assembly

Improved microwire strain sensor elements () and corresponding methods are provided, which permit accurate, wireless strain monitoring of a variety of structures, including composite structures, through use of a remote detector (). The sensor elements () have amorphous or nanocrystalline metallic alloy microwire cores (), which exhibit substantially reduced remagnetization responses when the sensor elements () are coupled with a structure to be strain-monitored, and the structures are in an unstrained condition. When the monitored structure experiences a strain above a pre-selected threshold value, the microwire cores () exhibit substantially different remagnetization responses as an indication that the monitored structure has experienced a strain above a strain threshold or over a range of strain. In use, the strain sensor elements () are coupled with a structure to be monitored by application of the sensor elements () to a surface of the structure, or by imbedding the sensor elements () within the structure, and the coupled sensor elements are periodically interrogated by the detector (). Preferably, the microwire cores () are placed in compression in order to suppress the inherent remagnetization responses thereof by means of a surrounding body () or surrounding layers () formed of synthetic resin material which shrinks upon curing. When the sensor elements () are strained as a result of a strain experienced by the monitored structure, the remagnetization responses of the microwire cores () are substantially increased.

Strain sensor

Small, low-cost wireless temperature sensors () are provided for sensing the temperature of servingware (). Each temperature sensor preferably includes a substrate (); at least one sensor element () positioned on the substrate; and an adhesive () for securing the sensor element to the substrate and for securing the temperature sensor to the servingware so that the sensor element may sense a temperature of the servingware. The temperature sensors may be used in conjunction with a reader/detector () operable to generate a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to cause re-magnetization responses of the temperature sensor element and optional data elements to detect such responses, and to use the detected responses to determine the temperature of the servingware by means of a decoding algorithm. The temperature sensors can be used in closed-loop heating systems capable of controlling the heating of the servingware.

Magnetic element temperature sensors

The temperature sensors () preferably include a plurality of individual, magnetically susceptible temperature sensor elements (-), as well as optional magnetic field-responsive data elements () adapted for attachment to object () or to a substrate () in turn attached to object (). The temperature sensor elements (-) preferably have magnetic bodies () exhibiting a re-magnetization response under the influence of an applied alternating magnetic field, which is different below and above a set point temperature, normally the Curie temperature of the magnetic body () or an adjacent sheath (). The temperature sensors () are used in conjunction with a detector () operable to generate a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to cause re-magnetization responses of the temperature sensor elements (-) and optional data elements (), to detect such responses, and to use the detected responses to determine the temperature of object () by means of a decoding algorithm. The temperature sensors () can be used in closed-loop heating systems () capable of controlling the heating of an object ().

A system and method for providing multiple cooking modes and an ability to automatically heat cooking vessels and other objects using RFID technology, and an ability to read and write heating instructions and to interactively assist in their execution. An induction heating range is provided with two antennas per hob, and includes a user interface display and input mechanism. The vessel includes an RFID tag and a temperature sensor. In a first cooking mode, a recipe is read by the range and the range assists a user in executing the recipe by automatically heating the vessel to specified temperatures and by prompting the user to add ingredients. The recipe is written to the RFID tag so that if the vessel is moved to another hob, into which the recipe has not been read, the new hob can read the recipe from the RFID tag and continue in its execution.

RFID&#x2014;controlled smart range and method of cooking and heating

Induction heatable clothing items such as footwear () and apparel () are provided which include a clothing body having an induction heatable element () and preferably having heat retentive material containing phase change material, wherein the element () is operable to be heated when subjected to an alternating magnetic field. The clothing items () are heated using induction heaters (). In preferred forms, wireless temperature sensing is used to control heating of the items (). To this end, the heating elements () may be provided with RFID tag/temperature sensor assemblies (), and the induction heaters () are equipped with correlated RFID reader/writer devices (). Alternately, microwire temperature sensors () may be used with the induction heaters () having microwire detectors. In other embodiments, temperature monitoring is achieved using impedance detection feedback control.

Inductively heated clothing

Small, low-cost wireless temperature sensors () are provided for sensing the temperature of an object (). The temperature sensors () preferably include a plurality of individual, magnetically susceptible temperature sensor elements (-), as well as optional magnetic field-responsive data elements () adapted for attachment to object () or to a substrate () in turn attached to object (). The temperature sensor elements (-) preferably have magnetic bodies () exhibiting a re-magnetization response under the influence of an applied alternating magnetic field, which is different below and above a set point temperature, normally the Curie temperature of the magnetic body () or an adjacent sheath (). The temperature sensors () are used in conjunction with a detector () operable to generate a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to cause re-magnetization responses of the temperature sensor elements (-) and optional data elements (), to detect such responses, and to use the detected responses to determine the temperature of object () by means of a decoding algorithm. The temperature sensors () can be used in closed-loop heating systems () capable of controlling the heating of an object ().

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Wichita, KS, United States of America

Brian L Clothier