Heat treatment with an autoregulating heater
Patent 4623401 Issued on November 18, 1986. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 10, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 10, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 2785263 3218384 Process for making metal pipe 4091813 Surgical instrument having self-regulated electrical skin-depth heating of its cutting edge and method of using the same Heat-treating method for pipes Alternating current electrically resistive heating element having intrinsic temperature control Patent #: 4256945 InventorsApplicationNo. 06/827680 filed on 02/10/1986US Classes:148/230, Nitriding148/237, Refractory metal (i.e., Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W) or refractory base alloy148/559, Heating or cooling of solid metal148/566, Electric heating with work as conductor (e.g., alternating current, induction, etc.)148/590Pipe or tubeExaminersPrimary: Rutledge, L. DewayneAssistant: Kastler, S. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesC21D 11/00 (20060101)C21D 9/08 (20060101) C21D 1/34 (20060101) H05B 6/02 (20060101) AbstractApparatus and process for selectively heat treating at least a portion of an article in the field with autoregulated heating. The autoregulated heating is provided by a heater including at least a first magnetic material disposed along the portion of the article to be heat treated. The first magnetic material has a magnetic permeability which sharply changes at temperatures at or near the autoregulating (AR) temperature thereof. The changes in permeability result in corresponding changes in the skin depth of the first magnetic material and, hence, the heating produced therein responsive to a.c. current passing therethrough. By maintaining the a.c. current constant in amplitude and frequency, the first magnetic material and the portion of the article are regulated at substantially the AR temperature of the first magnetic material. By selecting the first magnetic material to have AR temperature substantially corresponding to the temperature at which metal anneals, tempers, hardens, softens, stress relieves or the like, heat treating at an autoregulated temperature is achieved. The autoregulated heater can be incorporated into the article or can be applied to the article thereafter, in each case permitting in field heat treating. Autoregulated heating can also be achieved by any of various multilayer structures to provide desired autoregulation effects.Other References
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