Heating structure and its temperature control method

• US 7,138,611 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multi-Technology Health Care Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shuh-Tsai Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Shuh-Tsai
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Robin O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ralis, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US11/068,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20060196868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 219/505, 219/504, 219/501, 219/492, 219/212, 361/494
• US Class Current: 219/505
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0272 For heating of fabrics

Abstract

A heating structure and its temperature control method having therein a heat generating line and a controller. The heat generating line includes a PTC element and a short circuit line serially connected having an insulating fusible layer separating them. When a user sets a heating temperature, electric current is conducted to heat the PTC element, alternative string wave signals input into an AC phase shaping circuit and an AC phase delay shaping circuit are converted into square wave signals; and by measuring with a microprocessor at a given time the phase shift between the two phase shaping circuits to control the switch of a trigger circuit, the PTC element can keep on heating or reduce its temperature to therefore keep the heat generating line at a predetermined working temperature. The structure is applicable to heat generating devices such as electric ovens and heating blankets etc.

Claims

1. A temperature control method for a heating structure comprising:

a. setting a heating temperature, and making electric conduction;

b. heating a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) element to render a part of current to be input into an AC phase shaping circuit to shape alternative string wave signals into direct current square wave signals waves the PTC element including a core member, a PTC element, an insulating fusible layer and a short circuit line, one end of said PTC element is connected with one end of said short circuit line, and generates heat after being electrically conducted, said AC phase shaping circuit includes an NPN-bipolar transistor, a diode and a resistor;

c. entering a part of current into an AC phase delay shaping circuit to delay string wave signals, and then to convert alternative string wave signals into square wave signals, said AC phase delay shaping circuit includes a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit, an NPN-bipolar transistor, a diode and a resistor;

d. during the heating step b) said PTC element, measuring by a microprocessor at a given time a phase shift between said direct current square wave signals respectively converted by said AC phase shaping circuit and said AC phase delay shaping circuit; and

e. controlling a switch of a trigger circuit to form a turning on or off state, in order to heat or reduce temperature of said PTC element to keep a heat generating line at a predetermined working temperature.

2. The temperature control method for a heating structure as in claim 1, wherein said structure further comprises a time controlling device to control heating time of said heat generating line.

3. A heating structure comprising:

a heat generating line including a core member, a PTC element, an insulating fusible layer and a short circuit line, one end of said PTC element is connected with one end of said short circuit line, and generates heat after being electrically conducted; and

a controller connected respectively with said PTC element and the other end of said short circuit line, and includes an electric circuit board provided with an AC phase shaping circuit and an AC phase delay shaping circuit to convert alternative string wave signals into square wave signals, and when current flowing through said AC phase delay shaping circuit changes, a phase shift between said two phase shaping circuits change; and

by the measuring of a microprocessor provided on said electric circuit board, a turning on or off state of a trigger circuit is controlled to heat or reduce temperature of said PTC element to keep said heat generating line at a predetermined working temperature,

wherein said AC phase shaping circuit includes an NPN-bipolar transistor, a diode and a resistor,

wherein said AC phase delay shaping circuit includes a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit, an NPN-bipolar transistor, a diode and a resistor.

4. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said insulating fusible layer is between said PTC element and said short circuit line.

5. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said heat generating line includes thereover a cover layer.

6. The heating structure as in claim 5, wherein said core member, said PTC element, said insulating fusible layer, said short circuit line and said cover layer are arranged sequentially outwards from inside.

7. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said PTC element is a line winding around said core member.

8. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said insulating fusible layer is made of polyethylene (PE) with a melting temperature 125–

130°

C.

9. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said trigger circuit includes a switch to control conducting or non-conducting of current, said switch is a triac.

10. The heating structure as in claim 3, wherein said heating structure has a bag to receive said heat generating line.