Electric blanket and system and method for making an electric blanket

• US 6,770,854 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E & E Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Inotec, Inc.
• Inventors: Keane, Barry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US09/942,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 219/211, 219/212, 219/213, 219/527, 219/528, 219/529, 219/530, 219/549, 219/545, 219/505, 219/504, 219/501
• US Class Current: 219/529
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/347 woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/56 Heating cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/905 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3024 Including elastic strand or strip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3382 Including a free metal or alloy constituent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

Electric blankets and methods and systems for making electric blankets are provided. Certain electric blanket embodiments include a laminated scrim blanket with a heating element embedded therein. Other embodiments provide an electric blanket formed from conductive fibers. Another embodiment includes a central circuit that controls the position of electricity to an electric blanket responsively to temperature rate of change. A further embodiment includes a machine for inserting a heating element within passageways of a blanket shell.

Claims

1. An electric blanket, said blanket comprising:

an elongated heating element strand extending through said blanket so that, upon receiving electric current from a power source, said element heats said blanket;

a regulator circuit in communication with said heating element electrically between said power source and said heating element, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure rate of change in said heating element of at least one of said heating element'"'"'s resistance and said heating element'"'"'s current and to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to said rate of change.

2. The blanket as in claim 1, wherein said rate of change is a rate of change of the resistance of said heating element and wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure said resistance rate of change.

3. The blanket as in claim 1, wherein said rate of change is a rate of change of current flowing through said heating element and wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure said current rate of change.

4. The blanket as in claim 2, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating a partial short of said heating element.

5. The blanket as in claim 3, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said current rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating a partial short of said heating element.

6. The blanket as in claim 2, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure the resistance of said heating element and is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance drops below a predetermined threshold indicating a drastic short of said heating element.

7. The blanket as in claim 2, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure the resistance of said heating element and is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance rises above a predetermined threshold indicating an open in said heating element.

8. The blanket as in claim 1, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to said rate of change when said rate of change indicates an increase in temperature of said heating element.

9. The blanket as in claim 1, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. An electric blanket, said blanket comprising:

a heating element extending through said blanket so that, upon receiving electric current from a power source, said element heats said blanket;

a regulator circuit including

a resistive element disposed in series between said power source and said heating element, and

a processor in communication with said power source and said resistive element and configured to measure current through said resistive element, to determine a resistance associated with said heating element responsively to a power source voltage and said resistive element current and to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to rate of change of at least one of said resistance and said resistive element current.

11. The blanket as in claim 10, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating a partial short of said heating element.

12. The blanket as in claim 11, wherein said regulator circuit configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance drops below a predetermined threshold indicating a drastic short of said heating element.

13. The blanket as in claim 12, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance rises above a predetermined threshold indicating an open in said heating element.

14. A method of controlling the flow of electricity from a power source to a heating element in an electric blanket, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring rate of change in said heating element of at least one of said heating element'"'"'s resistance and said heating element'"'"'s current; and

controlling delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to said rate of change.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein, where said blanket includes a resistive element disposed electrically in series between said power source and said heating element, said monitoring step includes monitoring current through said resistive element and determining said resistance associated with said heating element responsively to a power source voltage and said resistive element current, and said controlling step includes controlling delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to rate of change of at least one of said resistance and said resistive element current.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein said controlling step includes discontinuing delivery of electricity to said heating element when said rate of change of at least one of said resistance and said resistive element current exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating a partial short of said heating element.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein said controlling step includes discontinuing delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance drops below a predetermined threshold indicating a drastic short of said heating element.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein said controlling step includes discontinuing delivery of electricity to said heating element when said resistance rises above a predetermined threshold indicating an open in said heating element.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said controlling step includes discontinuing delivery of electricity to said heating element when said rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. An electric blanket, said blanket comprising:

a heating element disposed within said blanket so that, upon receiving electric current from a power source, said element heats said blanket; and

a regulator circuit in communication with said heating element electrically between said power source and said heating element, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure rate of change in said heating element of at least one of said heating element'"'"'s resistance and said heating element'"'"'s current and to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to said rate of change.

24. The blanket as in claim 19, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to discontinue delivery of electricity to said heating element when said rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold.

20. A method of making an electric blanket, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a blanket;

disposing within said blanket a heating element configured to generate resistive heat when connected to a power source; and

providing a regulator circuit in communication with said heating element electrically between said power source and said heating element, wherein said regulator circuit is configured to measure rate of change in said heating element of at least one of said heating element'"'"'s resistance and said heating element'"'"'s current and to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element responsively to said rate of change.

21. An electric blanket, said blanket comprising:

a heating element extending through said blanket so that, upon receiving electric current from a power source, said element heats said blanket; and

a regulator circuit including

a resistive element disposed in series between said power source and said heating element, and

a processor in communication with said power source and said resistive element and configured to measure current through said resistive element, to determine a resistance associated with said heating element responsively to a power source voltage and said resistive element current and to control delivery of electricity from said power source to said heating element upon occurrence of at least a predetermined change in at least one of said resistance and said resistive element current over a predetermined increment of said electric current from said power source.

22. The blanket as in claim 21, wherein said predetermined increment is one cycle of said electric current from said power source.