Controllable thermal warming devices

• US 20050007406A1
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: William J. Haas, William S Haas
• Original Assignee: William J. Haas, William S Haas
• Inventors: Haas, William J., Haas, William S.
• Application Number:
  US10/910,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007406A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/17
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0051 Heated garments heated divers' suits B63C11/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0071 using a resistor, e.g. near the spot to be heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0233 connected to or incorporated in clothing or garments A61F2007/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/007 characterised by electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/375 Protection arrangements against overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/02 Automatic switching arrangements specially adapted to apparatus ; Control of heating devices thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0208 actuated by the expansion or evaporation of a gas or liquid
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0272 For heating of fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/022 Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/026 Heaters specially adapted for floor heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

Disclosed is a controllable thermal warming device for delivering controlled heat to an object. The controllable thermal warming device includes a thermal ink heating element comprising a substrate and a conductive ink fixedly disposed on the substrate, a power source operatively coupled to the conductive ink, the power source adapted to deliver a voltage to the conductive ink to cause the conductive ink to radiate heat, and a controller operatively coupled to the power source and the conductive ink, the controller adapted to control the voltage delivered to the conductive ink and to detect an operating characteristic of the conductive ink and adjust the voltage in response to the operating characteristic. The controllable thermal warming device may also include a sensor to provide the operating characteristic to the controller.

Claims

1. A controllable thermal warming device for delivering controlled heat comprising:

a thermal ink heating element comprising a substrate and a conductive ink fixedly disposed on the substrate;

a power source operatively coupled to the conductive ink, the power source adapted to deliver a voltage to the conductive ink to cause the conductive ink to radiate heat; and

a controller operatively coupled to the power source and the conductive ink, the controller adapted to control the voltage delivered to the conductive ink.

2. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to detect an operating characteristic of the conductive ink and adjust the voltage in response to the operating characteristic.

3. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 2, further comprising a sensor coupled to the conductive ink and the controller, the sensor providing the operating characteristic to the controller.

4. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 2, wherein the operating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of an electrical resistance, a current, a voltage and a temperature.

5. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, further comprising a thermally sensitive resistor coupled to the conductive ink and the controller, the thermally sensitive resistor adjusting an electrical resistance in response to detecting a temperature change in the heat radiated by the conductive ink.

6. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, further comprising a negative temperature coefficient thermistor, the negative temperature coefficient thermistor decreasing an electrical resistance in response to an increase in the heat radiated by the conductive ink.

7. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 6, wherein the controller causes a decrease in the voltage delivered from the power supply in response to an increase in the electrical resistance.

8. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 7, wherein the controller means comprises a proportional-integral-derivative controller adapted to adjust the voltage delivered from the power supply to maintain a pre-selected temperature range of the heat radiating from the conductive ink.

9. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 8, wherein the pre-selected temperature range is in the range of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a potentiometer assembly, manual adjustment of the potentiometer assembly by a user of the controllable thermal warming device adjusting the voltage delivered from the power source to cause a temperature change in the heat radiated by the conductive ink.

11. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor.

12. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, wherein the controller is fixedly coupled to the power source and the conductive ink via a wireline link.

13. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, further comprising a first transceiver electrically coupled to the conductive ink and the power source;

and

a second transceiver electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the first and second transceivers are adapted to transmit radio frequency signals.

14. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a Wireless Fidelity enabled signal.

15. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a Bluetooth enabled signal.

16. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a ZigBee enabled signal.

17. The controllable thermal warming device of claim 1, wherein the controllable thermal warming device delivers controlled heat to a fabric.

18. A heating system including a controllable thermal warming device, the controllable thermal warming device comprising:

a thermal ink heating element comprising a substrate and a conductive ink fixedly disposed on the substrate;

a power source operatively coupled to the conductive ink, the power source adapted to deliver a voltage to the conductive ink to cause the conductive ink to radiate heat; and

a controller operatively coupled to the power source and the conductive ink, the controller adapted to control the voltage delivered to the conductive ink.

19. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to detect an operating characteristic of the conductive ink and adjust the voltage in response to the operating characteristic.

20. The heating system of claim 19, further comprising a sensor coupled to the conductive ink and the controller, the sensor providing the operating characteristic to the controller.

21. The heating system of claim 19, wherein the operating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of an electrical resistance, a current, a voltage and a temperature.

22. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a building structure element, the controllable thermal warming device located proximate to the building structure element to provide controlled heat to the building structure element.

23. The heating system of claim 22, wherein the building structure element is selected from the group consisting of a glass plate, a floor, a wall, a door, a mirror, a roof and an HVAC duct.

24. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a consumer product defining a cavity for receiving the controllable thermal warming device, the controllable thermal warming device providing controlled heat to the consumer product.

25. The heating system of claim 24, wherein the consumer product is selected from the group consisting of a baby carriage, a baby bottle, a blanket, a sleeping bag, a pet house, a pet water bowl, a beverage carrier, a mirror, a ceiling fan, and a pool covering.

26. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a vehicle portion, the controllable thermal warming device located proximate to the vehicle portion to provide controlled heat to the vehicle portion.

27. The heating system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle portion is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle battery, a vehicle window, a vehicle seat and a vehicle sensor.

28. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a farming tool, the controllable thermal warming device located proximate to the farming tool to provide controlled heat to the farming tool.

29. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a restaurant product, the controllable thermal warming device located proximate to the restaurant product to provide controlled heat to the restaurant product.

30. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a hospital product, the controllable thermal warming device located proximate to the hospital product to provide controlled heat to the hospital product.

31. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises wearing apparel defining a cavity for receiving the controllable thermal warming device, the controllable thermal warming device providing controlled heat to the wearing apparel.

32. The heating system of claim 18 further comprising a pouch defining a bore receiving the thermal warming device.

33. The heating system of claim 18, wherein the heating system further comprises a consumer product defining a cavity for receiving the pouch and the controllable thermal warming device, the controllable thermal warming device providing controlled heat to the consumer product.