Heating element, manufacturing process and application

• US 6,054,690 A
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Norton Pampus GmbH (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Inventors: Wolki, Peter, Petit, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Tu Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/945,556
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 219/200-203, 219/209-213, 219/217, 219/218, 219/219, 219/528, 219/529, 219/538, 219/542, 219/543, 219/544, 219/545, 219/548, 219/549
• US Class Current: 219/528
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/24 Arrangements of the heating means within the iron; Arrangements for distributing, conducting or storing the heat
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/26 Temperature control or indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/28 heating conductor embedded in insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/283 the insulating material being an inorganic material, e.g. ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/286 the insulating material being an organic material, e.g. plastic

Abstract

A heating element includes at least one substrate, at least one electrical resistance layer, and a binder configured to bind the electrical resistance layer to the substrate, wherein the binder has a melting temperature greater than an operating temperature of the heating element and includes a perfluorinated polymer.

Claims

1. A heating element, comprising:

at least one substrate;

at least one electrical resistance layer; and

a binder configured to bind said at least one electrical resistance layer to said at least one substrate,

wherein said binder has a melting temperature greater than an operating temperature of the heating element and comprises a perfluorinated polymer.

2. The heating element according to claim 1, wherein the perfluorinated polymer is selected from PFA, MFA and PTFE.

3. The heating element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate is impregnated with said perfluorinated polymer.

4. The heating element according to claim 3, wherein the perfluorinated polymer is PTFE.

5. The heating element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer comprises a metal sheet.

6. The heating element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer comprises electrically conductive particles dispersed in said binder.

7. The heating element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer is a product of depositing an electrically conductive composition.

8. The heating element according to claim 1, further comprising a thermostat coupled to said at least one electrical resistance layer.

9. The heating element according to claim 2, wherein the at least one substrate is impregnated with said perfluorinated polymer.

10. The heating element according to claim 2, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer comprises a metal sheet.

11. The heating element according to claim 3, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer comprises a metal sheet.

12. The heating element according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electrical resistance layer comprises a metal sheet.

13. A process for manufacturing a heating element comprising:

depositing a first perfluorinated polymer-based film on a first substrate;

providing a conductive layer on said first perfluorinated polymer-based film; and

shaping said conductive layer by etching said conducting layer.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein providing said conductive layer comprises applying pressure between a metal sheet and said first perfluorinated polymer-based film.

15. The process according to claim 14, further comprising heating said first perfluorinated polymer-based film before providing said conductive layer.

16. The process according to claim 13, wherein providing said conductive layer comprises dispersing electrically conductive particles in said first perfluorinated polymer-based film.

17. The process according to claim 13, wherein providing said conductive layer comprises depositing an electrically conductive composition.

18. The process according to claim 17, wherein providing said conductive layer comprises screen printing said conductive layer.

19. The process according to one of claims 13-18, further comprising:

depositing a second perfluorinated polymer-based film on a second substrate; and

assembling said second perfluorinated polymer-based film with said conductive layer by applying pressure between said second perfluorinated polymer-based film and said conductive layer.

20. An household appliance comprising:

a heating element,

wherein said heating element comprises;

at least one substrate;

at least one electrical resistance layer; and

a binder configured to bind said at least one electrical resistance layer to said at least one substrate,

wherein said binder has a melting temperature greater than an operating temperature of the heating element and comprises a perfluorinated polymer.

21. The household appliance according to claim 20, further comprising a plurality of said heating elements.