Snow melting apparatus and heating wire for melting snow

• US 6,479,797 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tigers Polymer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tigers Polymer Corporation
• Inventors: Nishii, Motohiro, Yanagimoto, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Tu Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/708,077
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 219/200, 219/201, 219/202, 219/203, 219/209, 219/213, 219/520, 219/522, 219/525, 219/532, 219/536, 219/537, 219/541, 219/542
• US Class Current: 219/213
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/265 Embedded electrical heating elements in floors F24D13/00; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/02 Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/56 Heating cables

Abstract

A snow melting apparatus 1 according to the present invention comprises a plurality of heating wires 10, a pair of fixing members 20, 20 and rod-shaped auxiliary fixing members 30. The plurality of heating wires 10 are arranged substantially in parallel with each other at predetermined intervals in a director perpendicular to its axial direction. The fixing members fix and hold the plurality heating wires at end portions thereof. The rod-shaped auxiliary fixing member holds the plurality of heating wires at intermediate positions thereof. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a snow melting apparatus which holds a certain flexing capability, which causes no damage to the joining force between a base layer and a surface layer of a driveway, and which does not fail completely even if the apparatus partially breaks at a single position therealong.

Claims

1. A snow melting apparatus comprising:

at least two heating wires which are respectively formed into a U-shape, each of said heating wires having two end portions;

a fixing member which fixes and holds both end portions of each of said heating wires, said fixing member being made of a rubber or resin material; and

connecting cords which electrically connect the end portions of said heating wires within said fixing member.

2. The snow melting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating wires are buried in a ground region.

3. The snow melting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating wires are electrically connected in parallel as a plurality of parallel circuits.

4. A snow melting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fixing member is integrally molded rubber or resin material with first portions for connecting the end portions of the heating wires to the connecting cords and second portions for connecting the end portions of the heating wires to the power supply cords, and wherein the first and second portions are embedded in the fixing member.