Patent ID: 7368691

Claim:
Apparatus for providing electrical power to at least one inductor wherein the at least one inductor is disposed to inductively couple the electrical power to an electrically conductive object to heat the electrically conductive object by inducing electrical current to flow in the electrically conductive object, the apparatus comprising: at least one inductor; at least one first half-bridge converter coupled across a DC bus and having an output coupled to a first terminal of the at least one inductor; and at least one second half bridge converter coupled across the DC bus and having an output coupled to a second terminal of the at least one inductor; each half bridge converter comprising first and second alternately conductive series connected switches connected between the DC bus; the at least one inductor being energized by alternately turning on respective ones of the first and second switches of each converter to cause current to flow from the DC bus alternatingly through the at least one inductor from the first and second converters.