Driveway, walkway and roof snow and ice melting mat
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A heating mat for melting snow and ice comprising:
- at least one planar flexible electric heater;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater including a first elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater further including a plurality of resistive heating elements comprising a plurality of resistive material traces deposited on said first insulating substrate in spaced apart relationship, a first and second electrical conductors, each disposed in proximity to each of respective opposing edges of said electric heater and a third electrical conductor disposed at an intermediate location between the first and second electrical conductors, each of said resistive material traces being in electrical communication with the first, second and third electrical conductors and extending therebetween;
the at least one planar flexible heater further including a second elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface, wherein the first insulating substrate is adhesively attached to the second insulating substrate with the resistive heating elements and electrical conductors disposed therebetween, the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate forming the at least one flexible electric heater'"'"'s two opposite planar surfaces; and
two protective sheets composed of abrasion resistant flexible material, each having an inner surface oriented towards and in face to face adherent engagement with the respective planar surfaces of the at least one flexible electric heater, said two protective sheets and said electric heater disposed therebetween forming the heater mat having two opposing end edges, and two opposing side edges, wherein the resistive heating traces and electrical conductors are arranged such that a portion of the heating mat may be removed to accommodate a use by cutting the heating mat to remove said portion, the heating mat being adapted to maintain its electrical operative characteristics after removal of said portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A relatively lightweight and easy to use flexible heating mat for melting snow and ice that can be cut in the field to custom length or to accommodate direction changes or avoid obstructions. The heating mat includes one or more planar flexible heaters sandwiched between two vulcanized polymer protective sheets. The heating mat may be activated remotely or manually and can be powered from either end of the heating mat. Nonskid patterns ate typically included in heating mats used on driveways and walkways.
169 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A heating mat for melting snow and ice comprising:
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at least one planar flexible electric heater;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater including a first elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater further including a plurality of resistive heating elements comprising a plurality of resistive material traces deposited on said first insulating substrate in spaced apart relationship, a first and second electrical conductors, each disposed in proximity to each of respective opposing edges of said electric heater and a third electrical conductor disposed at an intermediate location between the first and second electrical conductors, each of said resistive material traces being in electrical communication with the first, second and third electrical conductors and extending therebetween;
the at least one planar flexible heater further including a second elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface, wherein the first insulating substrate is adhesively attached to the second insulating substrate with the resistive heating elements and electrical conductors disposed therebetween, the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate forming the at least one flexible electric heater'"'"'s two opposite planar surfaces; and
two protective sheets composed of abrasion resistant flexible material, each having an inner surface oriented towards and in face to face adherent engagement with the respective planar surfaces of the at least one flexible electric heater, said two protective sheets and said electric heater disposed therebetween forming the heater mat having two opposing end edges, and two opposing side edges, wherein the resistive heating traces and electrical conductors are arranged such that a portion of the heating mat may be removed to accommodate a use by cutting the heating mat to remove said portion, the heating mat being adapted to maintain its electrical operative characteristics after removal of said portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 57, 58, 59)
at least one elongate metallic strap having a plurality of spaced-apart angularly directed slots, each strap being of sufficient length for sliding said strap under a roofing shingles and to engage a roof shingle nail into one of said slots; and
each strap further including a plurality of apertures in a spaced-apart relationship along the length of said strap, wherein the heating mat may be attached to the strap by placing a fastener through one of said apertures into one of said grommets, thereby securing the heating mat in place.
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23. The heating mat according to claim 22, wherein when a heating mat is to be located on a roof edge, the means for securing and providing positional stability of the heating mat on a surface to be protected from snow and ice further comprises:
at least one elastomeric strap with connecting means at each end for connecting one end of said strap to one of said grommets and for connecting an opposite end of said strap to a predetermined portion of a building near the roof edge.
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24. The heating mat according to claim 1, wherein the heating mat may be electrically connected with one or more heating mats for use on steps and other staggered surfaces.
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25. The heating mat according to claim 14, further comprising means to remotely electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat.
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26. The heating mat according to claim 14, further comprising means to manually electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means comprising an inline switch between the heating mat and the source of electric power.
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27. The heating mat according to claim 9, further including means to remotely electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means including a Radio Frequency signal receiver connected between the equipment leakage circuit interrupter and the source of electric power, the signal receiver receiving a signal from a Radio Frequency transmitter remotely located from the heating mat.
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28. The heating mat according to claim 9, further comprising means to manually electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means comprising an inline switch between the one of the ground fault circuit interrupter or the equipment leakage circuit interrupter and the source of electric power.
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57. The heating mat according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said protective sheets is made from a roofing material.
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58. The heating mat according to claim 57, wherein the roofing material is one of a roof shingle material and single coverage rolled roof material.
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59. The heating mat according to claim 57, wherein the roofing material is colored to match standard roof coverage materials.
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29. A heating mat for melting snow and ice comprising:
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at least one planar flexible electric heater;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater including a first elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface;
the at least one planar flexible electric heater further including a uniform layered resistive heating element comprising a generally uniform layer of resistive material traces deposited on said first insulating substrate, a first and second electrical conductors, each disposed in proximity to each of respective opposing edges of said electric heater and a third electrical conductor disposed at an intermediate location between the first and second electrical conductors, the resistive material traces being in electrical communication with the first, second and third electrical conductors and being in an underlying relationship;
the at least one planar flexible heater further including a second elongated, flexible, electrically insulating substrate having an electrically insulated surface, wherein the first insulating substrate is adhesively attached to the second insulating substrate with the resistive heating element and electrical conductors disposed therebetween, the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate forming the at least one flexible electric heater'"'"'s two opposite planar surfaces; and
two protective sheets composed of abrasion resistant flexible material, each having an inner surface oriented towards and in face to face adherent engagement with the respective planar surfaces of the at least one flexible electric heater, said two protective sheets and said electric heater disposed therebetween forming the heater mat having two opposing end edges, and two opposing side edges, wherein the resistive heating traces and electrical conductors are arranged such that a portion of the heating mat may be removed to accommodate a use by cutting the heating mat to remove said portion, the heating mat being adapted to maintain its electrical operative characteristics after removal of said portion. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 60, 61, 62)
at least one elongate metallic strap having a plurality of spaced-apart angularly directed slots, each strap being of sufficient length for sliding said strap under a roofing shingles and to engage a roof shingle nail into one of said slots; and
each strap further including a plurality of apertures in a spaced-apart relationship along the length of said strap, wherein the heating mat may be attached to the strap by placing a fastener through one of said apertures into one of said grommets, thereby securing the heating mat to the roof edge.
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51. The heating mat according to claim 50, wherein when a heating mat is to be located on a roof edge, the means for securing and providing positional stability of the heating mat on a surface to be protected from snow and ice further comprises:
at least one elastomeric strap with connecting means at each end for connecting one end of said strap to one of said grommets and for connecting an opposite end of said strap to a predetermined portion of a building near the roof edge.
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52. The heating mat according to claim 29, wherein the heating mat may be electrically connected with one or more heating mats for use on steps and other staggered surfaces.
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53. The heating mat according to claim 42, further comprising means to remotely electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat.
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54. The heating mat according to claim 42, further comprising means to manually electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means comprising an inline switch between the heating mat and the source of electric power.
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55. The heating mat according to claim 37, further including means to remotely electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means including a Radio Frequency signal receiver connected between the equipment leakage circuit interrupter and the source of electric power, the signal receiver receiving a signal from a Radio Frequency transmitter remotely located from the heating mat.
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56. The heating mat according to claim 37, further comprising means to manually electrically activate and electrically deactivate the heating mat, the means comprising an inline switch between one of the ground fault circuit interrupter or the equipment leakage circuit interrupter and the source of electric power.
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60. The heating mat according to claim 29, wherein at least one of said protective sheets is made from a roofing material.
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61. The heating mat according to claim 60, wherein the roofing material is one of a roof shingle material and single coverage rolled roof material.
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62. The heating mat according to claim 60, wherein the roofing material is colored to match standard roof coverage materials.
Specification