The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1994
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1993
Pierre J LeMieux, Andover, MA (US);
BTU International, North Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
A convection furnace using a shimmed gas amplifier to provide a flow of gas over a heating element is disclosed. The heating element is mounted in a substantially leak proof, pressurizable heating chamber. A gas amplifier in an upper plate of the chamber draws gas from a surrounding plenum into the heating chamber at a high flow rate. The pressure in the chamber increases from the input of pressurized gas and the heating of gas flowing over the heating element. The gas amplifier is provided with a toothed spacing shim which creates a stronger flow into the chamber. The stronger flow is capable of resisting the back pressure on the flow from the high pressure in the chamber. The heated gas passes through a plurality of orifices in a lower plate of the chamber to impinge on product traveling below the heating chamber on a conveyor and is recirculated via the plenum to the gas amplifier. The heat transfer rate in the chamber may be controlled by controlling the input flow rate to the gas amplifier.