Methods of forming a variable watt density layered heater

• US 8,008,607 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: McMillin, James, Ptasienski, Kevin, Nagl, Thomas T., Juliano, Rolando O.
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/396,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 219/543, 219/424, 219/212, 219/44.1, 219/538, 219552-553, 219/549, 219/219, 338/314, 338/99, 296/20, 428/433, 385/147
• US Class Current: 219/543
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/20 Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78, H05B3/84 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/26 heating conductor mounted on insulating base for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/28 heating conductor embedded in insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0263 High current adaptations, e.g. printed high current conductors or using auxiliary non-printed means; Fine and coarse circuit patterns on one circuit board H05K1/0293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0265 characterized by the lay-out of or details of the printed conductors, e.g. reinforced conductors, redundant conductors, conductors having different cross-sections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09736 Varying thickness of a single conductor; Conductors in the same plane having different thicknesses
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0126 Dispenser, e.g. for solder paste, for supplying conductive paste for screen printing or for filling holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1241 by ink-jet printing or drawing by dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49099 Coating resistive material on a base

Abstract

Methods of forming a layered heater are provided that comprise at least one resistive layer comprising a resistive circuit pattern, the resistive circuit pattern defining a length, a thickness, and a spacing, wherein the thickness varies along the length of the trace of the resistive circuit pattern for a variable watt density. The methods include achieving the variable thickness by varying a dispensing rate of a conductive ink used to form the resistive circuit pattern, varying the feed rate of a target surface relative to the dispensing of the ink, and overwriting a volume of conductive ink on top of a previously formed trace of the resistive circuit pattern.

Claims

1. A method of forming a trace of a resistive circuit pattern of a layered heater, the trace defining a length, a width, and a spacing, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) dispensing a conductive ink through an orifice of a single writing tip at a rate onto a surface; and

(b) selectively varying the dispensing rate of the conductive ink through the orifice of the writing tip to form a variable thickness trace of the resistive circuit pattern.

2. A method of forming a trace of a resistive circuit pattern of a layered heater, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) dispensing a conductive ink through an orifice of a single writing tip at a rate onto a surface; and

(b) selectively varying a feed speed of the substrate relative to the dispensing of conductive ink through the orifice of the writing tip to form a variable thickness trace of the resistive circuit pattern.

3. A method of forming a trace of a resistive circuit pattern of a layered heater, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a volume of conductive ink onto a surface with a single dispensing element to form the trace; and

(b) subsequently applying an additional volume of conductive ink onto the trace with the single dispensing element after the volume of step (a) has been applied along the entire trace,

wherein a variable thickness trace of the resistive circuit pattern is produced.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied by a layered process selected from the group consisting of thick film, thin film, thermal spraying, and sol-gel.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using precision pen writing equipment.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a silk screening process.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thick film process.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thin film process.

13. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thermal spray process.

14. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a sol-gel process.

7. A method of forming a trace of a resistive circuit pattern of a layered heater, the trace defining a length, a width, and a spacing, the method comprising forming the trace with a variable thickness.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the variable thickness is formed along the length of the trace of the resistive circuit pattern.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the variable thickness is formed across the width of the trace of the resistive circuit pattern.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the trace of the resistive circuit pattern is formed by a process selected from the group consisting of thick film, thin film, thermal spraying, and sol-gel.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thick film process.

16. The method according to claim 7, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thin film process.

17. The method according to claim 7, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a thermal spray process.

18. The method according to claim 7, wherein the volumes of conductive ink are applied using a sol-gel process.

19. The method according to claim 7, wherein the trace is formed with a variable thickness continuously.

20. The method according to claim 7, wherein the trace is formed with a variable thickness non-continuously.