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  Bonding of materials with induction heatingRelated Patent Categories: Electric Heating, Inductive Heating, With Heat Exchange, Cooking, With SupportThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070181564. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 10/615,150, filed Jul. 8, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/394,515, filed Jul. 9, 2002, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the use of magnetic induction heating of a material to bond multiple materials together. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Bonded materials are used in many applications. For example, a slide bearing may be formed from a bonded composition that consists of a metal backing plate and a bearing surface material that is bonded to the plate. The bearing surface material may be a metal composition such as a copper or an aluminum alloy. Slide bearings are linear or rotary in form. Linear slide bearings are in sheet form, whereas rotary slide bearings are in cylindrical or half-cylindrical form. Half-cylindrical slide bearings are used in pairs for applications such as journal bearings in internal combustion engines. [0004] One method of producing slide bearings involves a continuous process line wherein the feedstock for the metal backing plate is a continuous roll of sheet steel. The continuous roll of sheet steel is fed through heat treating furnaces and further conditioned before the bearing surface material is applied to it. Raised edge lips are formed on the longitudinal edges of the continuous sheet and the bearing surface material, in a liquid form, such as a molten copper or aluminum alloy, is poured onto the sheet. The molten alloy solidifies and is bonded to the sheet, and can be quench treated. Subsequent milling controls the thickness of the bearing surface material. The sheet is cut into desired sizes for slide bearing applications. For rotary slide bearings, the cut pieces are further formed into a cylindrical shape. Economically, the process must operate as an uninterrupted line process, since stopping the line and restarting the line involves a substantial effort in repeatedly bringing the line's furnaces to operating temperature. Therefore there exists the need for a method of bonding metals in a batch process for applications such as slide bearings or in a continuous process without liquid or molten form of bearing material. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In one aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for, and method of, producing a bonded product. An electrically conductive sheet is placed between a first induction heating plate, and the combination of a frame and a second induction heating plate disposed within the frame, and inductively heated. The second induction heating plate is moved away from the electrically conductive sheet. A liquid bonding composition, such as a molten metal, is poured into the open interior space of the frame over the top of the electrically conductive sheet wherein it solidifies and bonds to the electrically conductive sheet to produce a bonded product. Optionally the electrically conductive sheet may be placed in an indentation in the first induction heating plate which also serves to contain the liquid bonding composition. [0006] In another aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for, and method of, continuously producing a bonded product by pressing together a continuous electrically conductive sheet and a continuous bonding material sheet, and advancing the pressed together sheets through an induction coil to heat the electrically conductive sheet and bond the bonding material sheet to the electrically conductive sheet. Alternatively two continuous bonding material sheets are disposed between two electrically conductive sheets, pressed together and advanced through an induction coil to heat the two electrically conductive sheets and bond each of the bonding material sheets to its adjacent electrically conductive sheet. [0007] These and other aspects of the invention are set forth in this specification and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] The figures, in conjunction with the specification and claims, illustrate one or more non-limiting modes of practicing the invention. The invention is not limited to the illustrated layout and content of the figures in the drawings. [0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one example of an apparatus of the present invention for bonding materials with induction heating. [0010] FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating one example of an arrangement of induction coils for the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. [0011] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. [0012] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. [0013] FIG. 5 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further illustrating the arrangement of induction coils shown in FIG. 2. [0014] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another example of an apparatus of the present invention for bonding materials with induction heating. [0015] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of another example of an apparatus of the present invention for bonding materials with induction heating. [0016] FIGS. 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c) illustrate another example of the present invention for bonding materials with induction heating. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, one example of apparatus 10 of the present invention for bonding of materials with induction heating. Apparatus 10 includes first induction heating plate 12, frame 14 and second induction heating plate 16. First and second induction heating plates 12 and 16, and frame 14, are formed from a heat resistant, non-electrically conductive material, such as a ceramic composition. First plate induction coil 18 is disposed in first induction heating plate 12; frame induction coil 20 is disposed in frame 14; and second plate induction coil 22 is disposed in second induction heating plate 16. When a castable material, such as a ceramic composition, is used for the heating plates and frames, the coils may be embedded in the heating plates and frame during the casting process. [0018] The induction coils are arranged to form a transverse induction coil assembly for inductively heating an electrically conductive sheet 90 placed between the first induction heating plate, and the combination of the frame and second induction heating plate when the second induction heating plate is inserted into the frame. While the sheet is generally referred to as a metal sheet, any electrically conductive material may be used. The particular arrangement of coils shown in the figures illustrates one non-limiting example of transverse flux coil arrangements that can be used in the present invention. The illustrated induction coils may be fluid (liquid or gas) cooled by circulation of a cooling fluid, such as water, through hollow induction coils or separate cooling coils in the heating plates and frame. In some examples of the invention, an induction coil may not be necessary in frame 14. Continue reading... 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