Internal heating element for pipes and tubes
First Claim
1. A hot beverage dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- a primary fluid heat source, said primary fluid heat source configured to initially heat a fluid to at least a hot beverage temperature;
a section of piping coupled between an output of said primary fluid heat source and an output of said hot beverage dispensing apparatus;
a low wattage heater disposed in said section of piping to compensate for heat loss to said fluid, said low wattage heater including a resistance heating element including a resistance heating material encapsulated within a thin electrically insulating polymeric layer; and
temperature control means for selectively energizing said resistance heating element to maintain said fluid substantially at at least said hot beverage temperature when said fluid is resident within said section of piping.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The heater includes a resistance heating element comprising a resistance heating wire having a pair of terminal ends connected to a pair of electrical connectors and encapsulated with a thin electrically insulating polymeric layer. The resistance heating wire is capable of maintaining a fluid initially heated by a primary heat source substantially at the desired use temperature. A first connecting body is configured to couple to the section of piping containing the fluid. The connecting body includes a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, a fluid passageway defined between the fluid inlet and outlet ports, and an electrical connection port. The resistance heating element is disposed at least partially within the fluid passageway and at least a first one of the terminal ends is coupled to a respective one of the pair of electrical connectors through the electrical connection port.
252 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A hot beverage dispensing apparatus, comprising:
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a primary fluid heat source, said primary fluid heat source configured to initially heat a fluid to at least a hot beverage temperature;
a section of piping coupled between an output of said primary fluid heat source and an output of said hot beverage dispensing apparatus;
a low wattage heater disposed in said section of piping to compensate for heat loss to said fluid, said low wattage heater including a resistance heating element including a resistance heating material encapsulated within a thin electrically insulating polymeric layer; and
temperature control means for selectively energizing said resistance heating element to maintain said fluid substantially at at least said hot beverage temperature when said fluid is resident within said section of piping. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A hot beverage dispensing apparatus, comprising:
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a primary fluid heat source, said primary fluid heat source configured to initially heat a fluid to at least a hot beverage temperature;
a section of piping coupled between an output of said primary fluid heat source and an output of said hot beverage dispensing apparatus;
a low wattage heater disposed in said section of piping to compensate for heat loss to said fluid, said low wattage heater including a flexible, spirally shaped resistance heating element including a resistance heating material encapsulated within a thin electrically insulating polymeric layer; and
temperature control means for selectively energizing said resistance heating element to maintain said fluid substantially at at least said hot beverage temperature when said fluid is resident within said section of piping. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification