Smart layered heater surfaces
First Claim
1. A heater system comprising:
- a substrate defining a heating surface;
a layered heater formed on the heating surface, the layered heater defining at least one resistive heating layer;
a grid of nodes having more than two nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer;
a plurality of lead wires connected to the grid of nodes;
a multiplexer in communication with the grid of nodes through the plurality of lead wires; and
a controller in communication with the multiplexer,wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits resistances from the grid of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the grid of nodes based on the differences in resistances between the nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heater system and related methods of heating a surface are provided by the present disclosure that includes, in one form, a substrate defining a heating surface and a layered heater formed on the heating surface. A plurality of nodes are disposed along the heating surface and are in electrical contact with a resistive heating layer of the layered heater, along with a plurality of lead wires connected to the plurality of nodes. In one form, a multiplexer is in communication with the plurality of nodes through the plurality of lead wires, and a controller is in communication with the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits resistances from the plurality of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the plurality of nodes based on the differences in resistances between the nodes.
9 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A heater system comprising:
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a substrate defining a heating surface; a layered heater formed on the heating surface, the layered heater defining at least one resistive heating layer; a grid of nodes having more than two nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer; a plurality of lead wires connected to the grid of nodes; a multiplexer in communication with the grid of nodes through the plurality of lead wires; and a controller in communication with the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits resistances from the grid of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the grid of nodes based on the differences in resistances between the nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A heated cooking grill comprising:
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a grill body defining a cooking surface and a heating surface opposite the cooking surface; a layered heater formed on the heating surface, the layered heater defining at least one resistive heating layer; and a grid of nodes having more than two nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer, wherein differences in resistances between the grid of nodes are determined in order to provide requisite power to the grid of nodes as a function of loads placed on the cooking surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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- 17. A method of controlling power to a heating surface in response to a load comprising measuring differences in resistances between a grid of nodes having more than two nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with a resistive heating layer of a layered heater, and selectively providing power to the grid of nodes as a function of the differences in resistances.
Specification