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 plurality of nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer, the plurality of nodes being arranged such that a heating target is to be disposed on at least some of the plurality of nodes;
a plurality of lead wires connected to the plurality of nodes;
a multiplexer in communication with the plurality of nodes through the plurality of lead wires; and
a controller in communication with the multiplexer,wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits parameters from the plurality of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the plurality of nodes, the amount of power provided to the at least some of the plurality of nodes being different from that provided to remaining nodes due to differences in parameters between the at least some of the nodes caused by a temperature of the heating target placed on the at least some of the plurality of nodes.
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0 Petitions
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.
8 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 plurality of nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer, the plurality of nodes being arranged such that a heating target is to be disposed on at least some of the plurality of nodes; a plurality of lead wires connected to the plurality of nodes; a multiplexer in communication with the plurality of nodes through the plurality of lead wires; and a controller in communication with the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits parameters from the plurality of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the plurality of nodes, the amount of power provided to the at least some of the plurality of nodes being different from that provided to remaining nodes due to differences in parameters between the at least some of the nodes caused by a temperature of the heating target placed on the at least some of the plurality of nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling power to a heating surface in response to placement of a heating target on the heating surface, comprising:
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measuring differences in parameters between a plurality of nodes disposed along the heating surface; and selectively providing different power to at least some of the plurality of nodes on which the heating target is placed as a function of the differences in parameters, the differences in parameters being caused by a temperature of the heating target being placed on the at least some of the plurality of nodes. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. 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 plurality of nodes disposed along the heating surface and in electrical contact with the resistive heating layer, the plurality of nodes being formed of a semiconductor material and being arranged such that at heating target is to be disposed on at least some of the plurality of nodes; a plurality of lead wires connected to the plurality of nodes; a multiplexer in communication with the plurality 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 plurality of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the plurality of nodes, the amount of power provided to the at least some of the plurality of nodes being different from that provided to remaining nodes due to differences in resistances of the at least some of the nodes caused by a temperature of the heating target placed thereon. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification