Warming blanket

• US 7,034,251 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Davis, Shawn, Child, Andrew D., DeAngelis, Alfred R., Green, Karen M., Wilson, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/131,822
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 219211- 12, 219/545, 219/528, 219/516, 219/529, 219/543, 219/544, 219/549
• US Class Current: 219/212
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/007 using multiple electrically connected resistive elements or resistive zones
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

A warming blanket incorporating an insert layer or sheet with a scrim having one or more pairs of heating and/or sensor wires arranged in a continuous pattern such that pair members are disposed in crossing relation to one another. The pair members may be cut and joined to establish electrical connections at defined crossing points to establish feedback loop circuits with a control element.

Claims

1. A controlled temperature warming blanket, the warming blanket comprising a shell structure and a scrim insert layer disposed at the interior of the shell structure, wherein the scrim insert layer comprises a first elongate conductive wire structure operatively connected to a control element and at least a second elongate conductive wire structure operatively connected to the control element, wherein at least one of said elongate conductive wire structures is disposed in a switchback patterned arrangement within the scrim insert layer such that the first and second elongate conductive wire structures cross at defined positions along the length of the insert layer, said first and second elongate conductive wire structures being operatively connected within the insert layer remote from the control element such that a circuit is completed with the control element.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are heating wires adapted to selectively raise the temperature within the scrim insert layer.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures comprise metallic wire disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

4. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures comprise a pair of metallic wires disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

5. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are sensor wires adapted to monitor temperature within the scrim insert layer.

6. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures comprise metallic wire disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

7. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures comprise a pair of metallic wires disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

8. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are disposed in a substantially continuous switchback pattern in transverse orientation to a plurality of stabilizing warp yarn elements.

9. The invention as recited in claim 8, wherein said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are disposed in non-perpendicular angled orientation to lateral edges of the insert layer.

10. The invention as recited in claim 8, wherein portions of said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are disposed along pathways in substantially perpendicular orientation to lateral edges of the insert layer such that portions of said first and second elongate conductive wire structures are substantially parallel to one another at the interior of the insert layer.

11. The invention as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second elongate conductive wire structures are adhesively bonded to said stabilizing warp yarn elements.

12. The invention as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one insulating layer disposed within the shell structure.

13. A controlled temperature warming blanket, the warming blanket comprising a shell structure and a scrim insert layer disposed at the interior of the shell structure, wherein the scrim insert layer comprises a first elongate conductive heating wire structure operatively connected to a control element, at least a second elongate conductive heating wire structure operatively connected to the control element, a first elongate conductive sensor wire structure operatively connected to the control element and at least a second elongate conductive sensor wire structure operatively connected to the control element, wherein said elongate conductive wire structures are disposed in a switchback patterned arrangement within the scrim insert layer such that the first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures cross at defined positions along the length of the insert layer, and the first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures cross at defined positions along the length of the insert layer, said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures being operatively connected within the insert layer remote from the control element such that a heating circuit is completed with the control element and said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures being operatively connected within the insert layer remote from the control element such that a sensing circuit is completed with the control element.

14. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures each comprise metallic wire disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

15. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures each comprise a pair of metallic wires disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

16. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures each comprise metallic wire disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

17. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures each comprise a pair of metallic wires disposed in wrapped relation to a textile fiber core with an insulating sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the wrapped wire and fiber core.

18. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures and said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures are disposed in non-perpendicular angled orientation to lateral edges of the insert layer.

19. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein portions of said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures and portions of said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures are disposed along pathways in substantially perpendicular orientation to lateral edges of the insert layer such that portions of said first and second elongate conductive heating wire structures and portions of said first and second elongate conductive sensor wire structures are substantially parallel to one another at the interior of the insert layer.