Patent Publication Number: US-2012024836-A1

Title: Heating apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The exemplary disclosure generally relates to heating apparatus, particularly, to a heating apparatus for softening a plastic member so that a metal member joined to the plastic can be easily removed. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Many products contain both metal and plastic that were joined in an injection molding process. When the products are no longer needed, they should be recycled by separating the plastic and the metal parts. However, this separation may require great force and therefore be difficult and may damage the plastic and metal materials. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the heating apparatus can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the heating apparatus. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a heating apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of a oven shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the oven shown in  FIG. 1 , but shown from another aspect. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a heating apparatus  100  for heating workpieces (not shown) made, for example, of metal and plastic. The heating apparatus  100  includes a frame  10 , a controller  20 , and a oven  30 . The controller  20  is attached to one side of the frame  10 . 
     The frame  10  including a conveyor belt  15  controlled by the controller  20 . The oven  30  can be attached to the frame  10  and is positioned above the conveyor belt  15 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the oven  30  includes a box  31 , a motor  32 , a fan chamber  33 , an air duct  34 , a heater  35 , and an air deflector  36 . The box  31  includes a top plate  311 , two sidewalls  312 , and two end walls  318 ,  319 . The two end walls  318 ,  319  face each other. The sidewalls  312 , the end walls  318 ,  319 , and the top plate  311  cooperatively define a cavity  313 . The top plate  311  defines a fan hole  315  adjacent to the end wall  318 . A supporting plate  314  is formed beneath the fan hole  315 . The supporting plate  314  defines an opening  3142  facing the fan hole  315 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a baffle plate  317  adjacent to the end wall  318  connects the supporting plate  314  to the top plate  311 . The baffle plate  317  defines a through hole  3172  allowing the air duct  34  to extend through. 
     The motor  32  is fixed in the fan hole  315  and includes a fan  321  at one end facing the opening  3142 . 
     The fan chamber  33  includes a main body  331  and an air pipe  335  extending from one side of the main body  331 . The main body  331  defines a receiving hole  332 . The fan chamber  33  includes an inlet  334  at one end of the main body  331  and an outlet  336  at one end of the air pipe  335 . The inlet  334  and the outlet  336  communicate with the receiving hole  332 . The fan chamber  33  is attached to the supporting plate  314  under the fan hole  315  and the inlet  334  communicates with the opening  3142 . The fan  321  of the motor  32  is received in the receiving hole  332 . The air pipe  335  extends through the through hole  3172  of the baffle plate  317 , and the outlet  336  faces the end wall  319 . 
     The heater  35  includes a head portion  353  defining a center hole  3532 . A plurality of heat pipes  351  are attached to the head portion  353  surrounding the center hole  3532 . The heater  35  is electronically connected to the controller  20 , and the heat pipes  351  can generate heat when the heater  35  receives electric current. The head portion  353  is fixed to the air pipe  335  of the fan chamber  33 . The center hole  3532  communicates with the outlet  336 . 
     The air duct  34  includes a first air hole  341  and a second air hole  343 . An axis of the second air hole  343  is perpendicular to the first air hole  341 . The air duct  34  is mounted on the heater  35  via the first air hole  341 . 
     The air deflector  36  is oriented in the cavity  313 , extending down at angle from the end wall  319 . The air deflector  36  faces the second air hole  343 . 
     In use, a workpiece is placed on the conveyor belt  15 . The heating apparatus  100  is started using the controller  20 . The conveyor belt  15  brings the workpiece under the cavity  313  of the box  31 . The motor  32  drives the fan  321  to rotate. Air is drawn through the inlet  334  of the fan chamber  33  and expelled through the outlet  336  of the fan chamber  33 . Air from the outlet  336  is heated by the heat pipes  351  and flows through the air duct  34 . Air flows out from the second air hole  343  of the air duct  34  and is deflected by the air deflector  36 . The hot air softens the plastic of the workpiece. The workpiece is then conveyed from the box  31  by the conveyor belt  15 . At which time, the soft plastic can be easy separated from the metal. 
     It should be understood that since the hot air is deflected by the air deflector  36 , the fan chamber  33  can re-circulate the hot air into the cavity  313 . This is efficacious and environmental. 
     It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.