Thermostatically controlled electric fluid heating apparatus
First Claim
1. A heating apparatus for heating of a fluid comprising:
- a conduit having a fluid passage therethrough for conduction of a fluid to be heated;
heating means in heat transfer contact with a portion of said conduit for heating the fluid being conducted therethrough;
temperature sensing means positioned in engagement with said conduit at a predetermined location along said conduit external to said conduit for sensing the temperature of fluid to be conducted through said conduit;
means operatively associated with said temperature sensing means for controlling operation of said heating means in response to the temperature of the fluid sensed by said temperature sensing means; and
constricting means associated with said conduit for maintaining the fluid in said fluid passage in contact with said conduit at said predetermined location when the flow rate of said fluid through said fluid passage is below a predetermined flow rate so as to guide the fluid in said conduit in temperature sensing relationship with said temperature sensing means, said constricting means being responsive to the flow rate of fluid through said fluid passage at said predetermined location to vary the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage between a predetermined cross-section area when the flow rate of said fluid is below a predetermined flow rate and a larger cross-sectional area when the flow rate of said fluid is above said predetermined flow rate, said predetermined cross-sectional area being of a size less than the unconstricted cross-sectional area of said fluid passage in said portion of said conduit in heat tranfer contact with said heating means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Heating apparatus for heating of a fluid. The heating apparatus comprises a conduit having a fluid passage therethrough for conduction of a fluid to be heated, a heating device, such as for example electrical heating plates, in heat transfer contact with a portion of the conduit for heating the fluid being conducted therethrough, and a temperature sensing device positioned in engagement with the conduit at a predetermined location along the conduit external to the conduit for sensing the temperature of the fluid to be conducted therepast. A contact member is arranged to engage the flexible conduit at the predetermined location for compressing the flexible conduit to constrict the cross sectional area of the flow passage thereat when the flow rate of the fluid is below a predetermined flow rate. Preferably, the contact member is spring biased towards the flow passage constricting position, and is movable away from such position when the flow rate exceeds a predetermined flow rate. In this manner, the fluid in the conduit is maintained in temperature sensing relationship with the temperature sensing device.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A heating apparatus for heating of a fluid comprising:
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a conduit having a fluid passage therethrough for conduction of a fluid to be heated; heating means in heat transfer contact with a portion of said conduit for heating the fluid being conducted therethrough; temperature sensing means positioned in engagement with said conduit at a predetermined location along said conduit external to said conduit for sensing the temperature of fluid to be conducted through said conduit; means operatively associated with said temperature sensing means for controlling operation of said heating means in response to the temperature of the fluid sensed by said temperature sensing means; and constricting means associated with said conduit for maintaining the fluid in said fluid passage in contact with said conduit at said predetermined location when the flow rate of said fluid through said fluid passage is below a predetermined flow rate so as to guide the fluid in said conduit in temperature sensing relationship with said temperature sensing means, said constricting means being responsive to the flow rate of fluid through said fluid passage at said predetermined location to vary the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage between a predetermined cross-section area when the flow rate of said fluid is below a predetermined flow rate and a larger cross-sectional area when the flow rate of said fluid is above said predetermined flow rate, said predetermined cross-sectional area being of a size less than the unconstricted cross-sectional area of said fluid passage in said portion of said conduit in heat tranfer contact with said heating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of heating a fluid comprising the steps of:
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providing a plastic bag having a first section defining at least one flow passage through which a fluid to be heated is to be conducted and a first channel section spaced from said first section and being in fluid communication with said at least one fluid passage in said first section; arranging said plastic bag with respect to heating means for heating of a fluid being conducted through said first section of said plastic bag so that said first section is in heat transfer contact with said heating means and so that the said first channel section is spaced from said heating means; positioning temperature sensing means in external temperature sensing relationship with said first channel section for sensing the temperature of the fluid to be conducted therethrough; varying the cross-sectional area of said first channel section in response to the flow rate of fluid through said first channel section between a predetermined cross-sectional area when the flow rate of fluid through said first channel section is below a predetermined flow rate and a larger cross-sectional area when the flow rate of fluid is above said predetermined flow rate so as to maintain the fluid being conducted through said first channel section in contact with said first channel section of said plastic bag to thereby guide the fluid in said first channel section in temperature sensing relationship with said temperature sensing means, said predetermined cross-sectional area being of a size less than the unconstricted cross-sectional area of said at least one flow passage of said first section of said plastic bag; and controlling said heating means in response to the temperature sensed by said temperature sensing means so as to maintain the temperature of the fluid being conducted through said plastic bag at a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification