Patent ID: 7202450

Claim:
A coil head for an induction heating apparatus, said coil head comprising: (a) an outer member; (b) an inner member, said inner member having an inner side wall and an outer side wall, said inner side wall forming an opening for receiving a workpiece; and (c) an induction coil disposed between said inner and outer members, said induction coil comprising an electrical winding that runs substantially along said outer side wall of said inner member, said induction coil being formed substantially in a racetrack configuration; wherein said outer member at least partially covers said induction coil; wherein said induction coil has a length dimension that extends substantially along the electrical winding run along said outer side wall of the inner member, and exhibits one of the following shapes: (d) substantially a U-shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and (e) substantially a semi-circular shape when viewed from a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension of the induction coil; and wherein: (f) said induction coil has a width dimension that runs substantially perpendicular to said length dimension, and (g) wherein said induction coil comprises at least one individual turn having an outer dimension that is less than or equal to said width dimension in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said length dimension.