Warming blanket with heat reflective strips

• US 6,664,512 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Alvite, Armando, Horey, Leonard I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paik, Sang Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dahbour, Fadi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/243,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 219/212, 219/211, 219/217, 219/528, 219/529, 219/543, 219/544, 219/545, 219/549, 428/196, 392/425, 392/432, 392/435
• US Class Current: 219/212
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• 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 2203/02 Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

Heat losses from electric heating pads, blankets and pillows are reduced by aligning heat reflective strips or coatings over the top of a heating wire arranged inside the pads, blankets and pillows. By reducing heat losses, lower wattage can be applied to the heating wire to transfer the same amount of heat to a user as equivalent higher wattage blankets which do not have the heat reflective strips. By lowering the applied wattage, a more efficient blanket results.

Claims

1. A heating assembly comprising:

a pliable cover;

a heating element provided in said cover; and

at least one heat reflective member provided over said heating element and extending over a limited portion of said cover so as to define at least one moisture passage around said heat reflective member and through said assembly.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said pliable cover comprises a fabric blanket shell.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a substrate provided within said cover, and wherein said heating element is carried by said substrate.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said substrate comprises a non-woven porous material.

5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said heating element is held on said substrate by said heat reflective member.

6. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said heating element comprises PTC wire.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one heat reflective member comprises a plurality of heat reflective strips.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said heat reflective member is selected from the group consisting of heat reflective tape, heat reflective fabric, metallized plastic, metallized fabric, metal foil, heat reflective paint, and heat reflective coatings.

9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said strips are arranged in parallel with one another.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a PTC wire arranged in a serpentine pattern and wherein said at least one heat reflective member comprises a plurality of individual spaced-apart heat reflective strips overlying adjacent portions of said PTC wire.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a PTC wire having a first end connected to an electrical connector and a second free end spaced apart from said electrical connector.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat reflective member is disposed directly upon said heating element.

13. A method of assembling a heating assembly, comprising:

providing a subassembly comprising a compliant substrate and a heating element carried thereon;

providing a fabric shell for receiving said subassembly;

inserting said subassembly into said shell; and

providing at least one heat reflective member over said heating element and extending across a limited portion of said heating assembly so as to define at least one moisture passage around said heat reflective member and through said heating assembly.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said heat reflective member is a heat reflective strip and further comprising the step of attaching said heat reflective strip over said heating element prior to said inserting.