Induction Heating Indicator Using Magnetic Flux Sensing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional induction heating devices struggle to indicate the driving status and heating intensity of working coils, especially when the object being heated is larger than the predetermined area or positioned eccentrically, and this challenge is exacerbated in zone-free methods where multiple coils are involved, leading to increased complexity in control circuits and manufacturing difficulties.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a magnetic flux sensing coil, rectifying portion, and light emitting module on a substrate, which senses and converts magnetic flux into current, and then uses this current to turn on/off and adjust brightness of the light emitting module, allowing for indication of coil status and intensity without a separate control circuit, regardless of the heating area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If light emitting modules are fixed to correspond to the shape of working coils, then the structure is simple, but the user can only confirm driving status and heating intensity within a predetermined heating area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfirmation of driving status and heating intensityVSAvoidpositioning and control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The magnetic flux sensing coil is designed to sense magnetic flux from multiple working coils simultaneously, making it universal in detecting heating status across different heating zones. This allows a single indicator system to provide feedback for multiple coils without requiring separate sensing coils for each working coil, thus improving ease of operation while avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The magnetic flux sensing coil acts as an intermediary that indirectly detects the driving status and heating intensity of working coils by sensing their magnetic flux. Instead of directly monitoring each working coil's electrical parameters, the system uses magnetic flux as a mediator to convey heating status information to the indicator, simplifying the overall control system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If separate control circuits are used for each working coil to indicate driving status and heating intensity, then the indication is precise, but the control circuit complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindication of driving status and heating intensityVSAvoidcontrol circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple magnetic flux sensing coils are merged into a single integrated sensing coil structure that can detect magnetic flux from multiple working coils simultaneously. The indicator module also integrates multiple functions (driving status indication and heating intensity indication) into a single device. This merging approach maintains measurement precision while significantly reducing control circuit complexity and manufacturing difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator module is designed with multi-functionality to indicate both driving status and heating intensity for multiple working coils through a single device. By making the indicator universal rather than dedicating separate indicators to each coil, the system achieves precise indication information while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate control circuits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple working coils are used in zone-free method, then heating versatility is improved, but it becomes difficult to confirm driving status and heating intensity of individual coils

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating area coverageVSAvoiddriving status and heating intensity information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The indicator module provides real-time feedback information about the driving status and heating intensity of working coils by converting magnetic flux signals into visible indicators. This feedback mechanism ensures that even when multiple working coils are used to improve heating versatility, users can still obtain clear information about the operational status and intensity of each coil, preventing information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Magnetic flux serves as an intermediary that carries information from multiple working coils to the indicator module. This intermediary approach allows the system to maintain heating versatility with multiple coils while preserving information about individual coil status, as the magnetic flux from each coil contributes to the overall sensing signal that the indicator can interpret.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables users to easily confirm the driving status and heating intensity of the working coil, improving usability and reducing assembly and manufacturing complexities, even with multiple coils, by automatically controlling the light emitting module based on magnetic flux changes.

Implementation Method 1

a magnetic flux sensing coil that senses a magnetic flux generated when the working coil is driven and converts the sensed magnetic flux into current

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a light emitting module that receives current rectified by the rectifying portion to emit a light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emitting diode effect: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3462815B1Indicator and induction heating device comprising the same
Publication Date: 2022.04.20 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3462815B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3462815B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3462815B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application relates to an indicator that indicates whether a driving or not and a heating intensity of a working coil regardless of a heating area, and an induction heating device including the same. In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the indicator, which is driven associated with the working coil provided in the induction heating device, includes a magnetic flux sensing coil that senses a magnetic flux generated when driving the working coil and converts a sensed magnetic flux into a current, a rectifying portion that rectifies the current converted in the magnetic flux sensing oil, and a light emitting module that receives a rectified current from the rectifying portion to emit a light.