Methods and apparatus to control heating based on monitoring feedback of temperature sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222250-B2
Application number	US-201916668923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control heating based on monitoring feedback of temperature sensors are disclosed. An example heating apparatus includes: a heater configured to apply heat energy to an object; and control circuitry configured to: control the heater based on a target temperature to which the object is to be heated; in response to determining that a first measured temperature sample associated with a first temperature sensor is greater than a first reference temperature, updating a first temperature range and the first reference temperature based on the first measured temperature sample; and in response to determining that a second measured temperature sample associated with the first temperature sensor is not within the first temperature range, reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heating apparatus, comprising:
a heater configured to apply heat energy to an object; and
control circuitry configured to:
control the heater based on a target temperature to which the object is to be heated;
in response to determining that a first measured temperature sample associated with a first temperature sensor is greater than a first reference temperature, update a first temperature range and the first reference temperature based on the first measured temperature sample;
repeatedly update the previously updated temperature range and the previously updated reference temperature in response to additional measured temperature samples being greater than the previously updated reference temperature at the time of the respective measured temperature sample; and
in response to determining that a second measured temperature sample associated with the first temperature sensor is not within the updated temperature range, reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object.

2. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
compare the additional measured temperature samples to the updated temperature range; and
reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object in response to any of the additional measured temperature samples being outside of the updated temperature range as of the comparison.

3. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to not update the previously updated temperature range in response to determining that the first measured temperature sample is not greater than the updated reference temperature.

4. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises power conversion circuitry configured to convert input electrical power to induction heating power or resistive heating power.

5. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a sensor monitoring circuit configured to receive the first measured temperature sample and the second measured temperature sample, the first temperature sensor comprising at least one of a thermocouple, an infrared temperature sensor, or a resistance temperature detector.

6. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to update the first temperature range by setting at least one of an upper temperature limit or a lower temperature limit based on the first measured temperature sample.

7. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
reset and initialize a timeout counter in response to a start of applying the heat energy to the object;
in response to determining that the first measured temperature sample associated with a first temperature sensor has increased at least a threshold amount above a reference temperature, reset the timeout counter based on the first measured temperature sample; and
in response to the timeout counter reaching a threshold count, reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object.

8. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the threshold count based on at least one of an identifier of the object, a size of the object, or a material of the object.

9. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to increment the timeout counter in response to receiving measured temperature samples.

10. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the timeout counter is configured to increment based on a clock.

11. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor by controlling the applying of the heat energy to maintain the temperature of the object or by stopping the applying of heat energy to the object.

12. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
in response to determining that a third measured temperature sample associated with a second temperature sensor is greater than the updated reference temperature, updating the previously updated temperature range and the previously updated reference temperature based on the third measured temperature sample;
determine whether control of the heater is based on samples associated with the second temperature sensor; and
when the control of the heater is based on the samples associated with the second temperature sensor, reduce the priority of the second temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object in response to determining that a third measured temperature sample associated with the second temperature sensor is not within the updated temperature range.

13. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to, when control of the heater is based on the samples associated with the first temperature sensor, continue control of the heater based on the first temperature sensor in response to determining that the third measured temperature sample associated with the second temperature sensor is not within the updated temperature range.

14. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to reduce the priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object to less than a priority of a second temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object.

15. A heating apparatus, comprising:
a heater configured to apply heat energy to an object; and
control circuitry configured to:
control the heater based on a target temperature to which the object is to be heated;

reset and initialize a timeout counter in response to a start of applying the heat energy to the object;
in response to determining that a first measured temperature sample associated with a first temperature sensor has increased at least a threshold amount above a reference temperature, reset the timeout counter and increase the reference temperature based on the subsequent measured temperature sample;
repeatedly increase the reference temperature in response to additional measured temperature samples being greater than a previously increased reference temperature at the time of the respective measured temperature sample; and
in response to the timeout counter reaching a threshold count, reduce a priority of the first temperature sensor for control of applying the heat energy to the object.

16. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the threshold count based on at least one of an identifier of the object, a size of the object, or a material of the object.

17. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to increment the timeout counter in response to receiving measured temperature samples.

18. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the timeout counter is configured to increment based on a clock.

19. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to turn off or ignore the timeout counter in response to a second measured temperature sample satisfying a threshold temperature.

20. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is con

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Anderson Dylan
• Overesch Jeremy

Classifications

• G01K7/026

  Arrangements for signalling failure or disconnection of thermocouples · CPC title

• G01K3/005

  Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00) · CPC title

• H05B6/04

  Sources of current · CPC title

• G01K15/007 Primary

  Testing · CPC title

• G05D23/1919 Primary

  characterised by the type of controller · CPC title