Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company

Mks Instruments, Inc.

Kurt W Peterson

William Bohlinger

James P Hentges

Larry Walters

Stanton Hopkins Breitlow

James H Kreisel

Dale Thomas Wolfe

Curtis A Foster

Youfan Gu

Keith D Ness

Eric Ellis

Brittany Phillips

Matthew Francis Yender

John Bergen

Jeffrey D Kiernan

Robert O Moran

Shawn Leininger

Geoffrey Rozek

Eric Meech

Jason Houzenga

Jason R Powell

Mark Louis-Gilmer Hoven

Charles C Lawhead

Gil Ramos

Stanton Hopkins-Breitlow

John Frederic Lemke

Daryl G James

Adam Kidney

Martin Currie

Daryl James

Eric E Ellis

William C Bohlinger

The present disclosure is directed toward a control system for controlling a heater system. The control system includes a plurality of zone control circuits, at least two auxiliary controllers, and a primary controller. The zone control circuits are operable to provide power to a plurality of heater zones of the heater system and to sense performance characteristics of the zones. The auxiliary controllers are coupled to the plurality of zone control circuits to control power to the plurality of zones and to monitor operation of the heater zones based on the performance characteristics. The primary controller is coupled to the auxiliary controllers and is configured to provide an operation set-point for each of the heater zones based on the performance characteristics. The auxiliary controllers operate the zone control circuits to supply power to the heater system based on the operation set-point.

Control system for controlling a heater

A control system for controlling a heater includes a power converter, a sensor circuit, and a controller. The power converter supplies an adjustable power to the heater, and the sensor circuit is configured to measure an electrical characteristic of the heater. The controller is coupled to the power converter to control the power to the heater, and is configured to select a state model control, as an operation state of the heater, from among a plurality of defined state model controls. The controller controls the power supplied to the heater based on the operation state of the heater and on the electrical characteristics of the heater.

System and method for controlling power to a heater

The present disclosure is directed toward a control system for controlling a heater that includes at least one heating element. The control system includes a power converter operable to supply an adjustable voltage output to the heater, a sensor circuit that measures an electrical characteristic of the heating element of the heater, a reference temperature sensor that measures a reference temperature of a reference at the heater, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a primary temperature of a heater element based on the electrical characteristic and determines the voltage output to be applied to the heater based on at least one of the reference temperature and the primary temperature. The controller is configured to operate in at least one of an operation mode and a learn mode, and execute protection protocols when voltage is being supplied to the heater.

A process controller is provided and includes at least one optical sensor. The optical sensor includes an optical source is configured to emit an electronic signal toward an object. The process controller further includes a control unit in communication with the at least one optical sensor, wherein the control unit controls a controlled device based on the electronic signal received by the at least one optical sensor. In another form, the optical sensor further includes an optical detector configured to receive the return electronic signal reflected by the object. A system for process control in an elevated radio frequency (RF) environment is also provided and includes a process controller having at least one optical sensor and a control unit in communication with the optical sensor. The optical sensor is disposed within the elevated RF environment and includes an optical detector.

Process controller with an integrated optical detector

The present disclosure relates generally to a process controller and more specifically to a process controller with integrated optical sensing.

Process controller with integrated optical sensing

A multiple heater control system includes cables, connectors, and junction boxes for user-friendly daisy chain connections of heater controllers and heaters in various configurations or combinations of individually controlled heater series and/or master and slave heater series. The heater controllers include process control of AC power to the heaters and upper-limit safety shutoff that is substantially independent from the process control. The heater controllers also have variable levels of control, adjustment, display, and communications functionality in a base module that is expandable to various levels with expansion modules that are attachable to and detachable from the base module. Connector, cable, and junction configurations, adapters, and latch features enhance user friendliness.

Heater control with high-limit thermal safety shutdown

A power control system has a controller housing, a power switch disposed within the controller housing for selectively providing power from a power supply to a power load, a limiter disposed within the controller housing configured for providing a limit switching function in response to a threshold limit, and a controller disposed within the controller housing and configured for controlling one or more operations of the control system.

Compact limiter and controller assembly and method

Multiple heater control system with expandable modular functionality

A method and a housing assembly including a case defining an opening, and a coupler positioned within the opening and configured for coupling to a connector, wherein the case defines a securing portion positioned proximate to the opening and is configured for securing a portion of the connector when coupled with the coupler.

Growing community of inventors

La Crosse, WI, United States of America

Kurt W Peterson