SMART HEATING BLANKET

• US 20120145702A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Miller, Robert J., Taylor, David F., Matsen, Marc R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/618
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0811 using induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/10 using patches sealing on the surface of the article B29C73/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/30 for local pressing or local heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2206/023 using the curie point of the material in which heating current is being generated to control the heating temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/106 in the form of fillings

Abstract

A heating blanket may include a conductor for receiving electrical current and generating a magnetic field in response to the electrical current. A plurality of sleeve segments may be mounted on the conductor in end-to-end relation to one another. Each one of the sleeve segments may be formed of magnetic material having a Curie temperature. The sleeve segments may be inductively heated in response to the magnetic field.

Claims

1. A heating blanket, comprising:

a conductor for receiving electrical current and generating a magnetic field in response to the electrical current; and

a plurality of sleeve segments mounted on the conductor and arranged in end-to-end relation to one another;

each one of the sleeve segments being comprised of magnetic material having a Curie temperature, the sleeve segments being inductively heated in response to the magnetic field.

2. The heating blanket of claim 1 further comprising:

a matrix in thermal contact with the sleeve segments; and

the matrix substantially encapsulating the sleeve segments and conductor.

3. The heating blanket of claim 1 wherein:

the electrical current is an alternating current.

4. The heating blanket of claim 3 wherein:

the alternating current has a frequency of from approximately 1 kHz to approximately 300 kHz.

5. The heating blanket of claim 4 wherein:

the alternating current has a frequency of approximately 150 kHz to 250 kHz, an amperage of less than approximately 5 amps, and a voltage of less than approximately 70 volts.

6. The heating blanket of claim 1 wherein the sleeve segments are comprised of at least one of the following materials:

nickel, iron cobalt, molybdenum, chromium.

7. The heating blanket of claim 1 wherein:

the magnetic field generates eddy currents in the sleeve segments; and

the sleeve segments being sized and spaced apart from one another such that the eddy currents circulate predominantly along an axial direction of the sleeve segments.

8. A heating blanket, comprising:

a conductor for receiving electrical current and generating a magnetic field in response to the electrical current; and

a wire spirally wound along at least a portion of a length of the conductor;

the wire being comprised of magnetic material having a Curie temperature, the wire being inductively heated in response to the magnetic field.

9. The heating blanket of claim 8 wherein:

the wire has a diameter;

the spirally wound wire comprising a succession of wraps around the conductor; and

adjacent ones of the wraps defining a gap therebetween of no less than approximately 20 percent of the wire diameter.

10. The heating blanket of claim 8 wherein:

the wire has a diameter of between approximately 0.003 and 0.050 inch.

11. The heating blanket of claim 8 wherein:

the wire is comprised of at least one of the following materials;

nickel, iron cobalt, molybdenum, chromium.

12. The heating blanket of claim 8 further comprising:

a matrix in thermal contact with the wire; and

the matrix substantially encapsulating the wire and conductor.

13. The heating blanket of claim 8 wherein:

the electrical current is an alternating current.

14. The heating blanket of claim 13 wherein:

the alternating current has a frequency of from approximately 1 kHz to approximately 300 kHz.

15. The heating blanket of claim 13 further comprising:

a controller configured to adjust at least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the alternating current to alter a heating rate of the wire.

16. A method of heating a structure, comprising the steps of:

inductively heating a plurality of sleeve segments in response to a magnetic field applied to the sleeve segments;

conductively heating a structure in thermal contact with the sleeve segments; and

reducing the inductive heating of at least one of the sleeve segments when the sleeve segment becomes non-magnetic upon attaining a Curie temperature.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

applying alternating current to a conductor having the sleeve segments mounted thereto.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

generating the magnetic field around the sleeve segments in response to the alternating current applied to the conductor.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of inductively heating the sleeve segments comprises:

generating eddy currents in the sleeve segments in response to the magnetic field;

circulating the eddy currents predominantly along an axial direction of the sleeve segments; and

inductively heating the sleeve segments in response the circulating eddy currents.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of reducing the inductive heating of the sleeve segment comprises the steps of:

reducing the inductive heating of the sleeve segments attaining the Curie temperature; and

continuing the inductive heating of the sleeve segments that are below the Curie temperature.

21. A method of heating a structure, comprising the steps of:

inductively heating a wire spirally wound around a conductor in response to a magnetic field applied to the wire;

conductively heating a structure in thermal contact with the wire; and

reducing the inductive heating of at least a portion of the wire when the wire becomes non-magnetic upon attaining a Curie temperature.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

applying alternating current to the conductor;

generating a magnetic field around the wire in response to the alternating current applied to the conductor; and

inductively heating the wire in response to the magnetic field.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the spirally wound wire comprises a succession of wraps along a length of the conductor, the method further comprising the step of:

circulating the magnetic field between adjacent ones of the wraps.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the adjacent wraps are spaced apart at a gap distance of no less than approximately 20 percent of a diameter of the wire.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of inductively heating the wire comprises:

generating eddy currents in the wire in response to the magnetic field;

circulating the eddy currents predominantly along an outer surface of the wire; and

inductively heating the wire in response to the circulating eddy currents.