Hybrid heater assembly with heating elements having different wattage densities

• US 9,204,494 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lafleur, Robert Jules
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US13/692,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/34 Heater, e.g. gas burner, electric air heater
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/028 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density

Abstract

A heater assembly in an air conditioning unit includes one or more first heating elements characterized by a first wattage density, and one or more second heating elements characterized by a second wattage density. The second wattage density is greater than the first wattage density. The one or more second heating elements are interspersed with the one or more first heating elements.

Claims

1. A heater assembly comprising:

a plurality of first heating elements, the plurality of first beating elements being characterized by a first wattage density; and

one or more second heating elements, the one or more second heating elements being characterized by a second wattage density, the second wattage density being greater than the first wattage density,

wherein the one or more second heating elements are alternately distributed with the plurality of first heating elements, the plurality of first heating elements comprise one or more ribbon heating elements, and the one or more second heating elements comprise one or more coil heating elements.

2. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more second heating elements are distributed substantially evenly within the heater assembly.

3. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more second heating elements comprise one or more non-magnetic alloy heating elements.

4. The heater assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more non-magnetic alloy heating elements are formed from nichrome.

5. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first heating elements and the one or more second heating elements are configured to be selectively powered on to obtain different overall heat output levels for the heater assembly.

6. An air conditioning unit comprising:

a heater assembly comprising;

a plurality of first heating elements, the plurality of first heating elements being characterized by a first wattage density; and

one or more second heating elements, the one or more second heating elements being characterized by a second wattage density, the second wattage density being greater than the first wattage density,

wherein the one or more second heating elements are alternately distributed with the plurality of first heating elements.

7. The air conditioning unit of claim 6, wherein the one or more second heating elements are distributed substantially evenly within the heater assembly.

8. The air conditioning unit of claim 6, wherein the plurality of first heating elements comprise one or more ribbon heating elements.

9. The air conditioning unit of claim 6, wherein the one or more second heating elements comprise coil heating elements.

10. The air conditioning unit of claim 6, wherein the one or more second heating elements comprise one or more non-magnetic alloy heating elements.

11. The air conditioning unit of claim 10, wherein the one or more non-magnetic alloy heating elements are formed from nichrome.

12. The air conditioning unit of claim 6, further comprising a controller coupled to the heater assembly, the controller controlling the powering on of the plurality of first heating elements and the one or more second heating elements, wherein the plurality of first heating elements and the one or more second heating elements are configured to be selectively powered on under control of the controller to obtain different overall heat output levels for the heater assembly.

13. An air conditioning unit comprising:

a heater assembly comprising;

a set of ribbon heaters; and

a set of coil heaters,

wherein the coil heaters are alternately distributed with the ribbon heaters; and

a controller coupled to the heater assembly, the controller controlling the powering on of the ribbon heaters and the coil heaters.

14. The air conditioning unit of claim 13, wherein the ribbon heaters and the coil heaters are distributed substantially evenly within the heater assembly.

15. The air conditioning unit of claim 13, wherein the heater assembly and the controller are part of a package terminal heat pump unit.

16. The air conditioning unit of claim 13, wherein the heater assembly and the controller are part of a package terminal air conditioner unit.