Sensing element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10129932-B2
Application number	US-201514746882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 23, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A sensing element for sensing a temperature of an electrically heated window includes a coil of filament wire having a first end and a second end, the coil having a resistivity that changes based on temperature, a first substantially flat conductive material electrically coupled to the first end of the coil, a second substantially flat conductive material electrically coupled to the second end of the coil, a first lead wire electrically coupled to the first substantially flat conductive material and extending outwardly, and a second lead wire electrically coupled to the second substantially flat conductive material and extending outwardly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An encased sensing element for sensing a temperature of an electrically heated window, comprising:
a coil of filament wire having a first end and a second end, the coil having a resistivity that changes based on temperature;
a first substantially flat conductive member electrically coupled to the first end of the coil at a first solder joint;
a second substantially flat conductive member electrically coupled to the second end of the coil at a second solder joint;
a first lead wire electrically coupled to the first substantially flat conductive member at a third solder joint;
a second lead wire electrically coupled to the second substantially flat conductive member at a fourth solder joint and extending outwardly from the fourth solder joint;
at least one top layer and at least one bottom layer; and
at least one spacer comprising a longitudinal edge contacting a longitudinal edge of the winding card and a top surface which is substantially co-planar with a top surface of the winding card, the at least one spacer being covered by the top layer and the bottom layer,
wherein the first lead wire and the second lead wire each comprise an inwardly directed portion extending from the respective solder joint in an inward direction toward one another, an outwardly directed portion extending outwardly from the sensing element, and a bent portion extending therebetween,
wherein the at least one top layer and the at least one bottom layer encase the solder joints and coil, and
wherein at least the inwardly directed portion and the bent portion of the first lead wire and the second lead wire are disposed between the top surface of the at least one spacer and the top layer, thereby anchoring the inwardly directed portion and the bent portions of the lead wires in the sensing element to protect the solder joints from stress caused by forces applied to the lead wires.

2. The sensing element of claim 1 , wherein the coil of filament is wrapped around a winding card formed from a first material, and wherein the top layer and the bottom layer comprise a second material different from the first material.

3. The sensing element of claim 2 , wherein the second material comprises acrylic.

4. The sensing element of claim 1 ,
wherein a spacer portion of the first substantially flat conductive member and a spacer portion of the second substantially flat conductive member are disposed on the top surface of the at least one spacer, and
wherein the third solder joint and the fourth solder joint are disposed on the spacer portions of the first and second substantially flat conductive members.

5. The sensing element of claim 1 , wherein the bent portion of the lead wires comprise a bend of substantially 90 degrees.

6. The sensing element of claim 1 , wherein the inward direction is substantially parallel to the coil of filament wire.

7. The sensing element of claim 1 , wherein the first substantially flat conductive member and the second substantially flat conductive member comprise conductive foil.

8. The sensing element of claim 7 , wherein the conductive foil comprises CuNi foil.

9. The sensing element of claim 1 , wherein the coil of filament comprises a filament wire having a diameter between 0.0015 inches and 0.0018 inches (0.0038 cm and 0.0046 cm).

10. A heated window assembly, comprising:
a first transparent material;
a second transparent material;
a transparent interlayer disposed between the first transparent material and the second transparent material, wherein at least one of the interlayer, the first transparent material, and the second transparent material comprises an electrically conductive material adapted to generate heat when electricity is applied; and
an encased sensing element disposed between the first transparent material and the second transparent material, the sensing element comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, two electrical leads, a coil filament having a resistivity that changes based on a temperature wrapped around a winding card, two portions of a substantially flat conductive material, and at least one spacer comprising a longitudinal edge contacting a longitudinal edge of the winding card and a top surface which is substantially co-planar with a top surface of the winding card, the at least one spacer being covered by the top layer and the bottom layer,
wherein the filament comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the filament is electrically coupled to one of the portions of substantially flat conductive material at a first solder joint and the second end of the filament is electrically coupled to the other portion of the substantially flat conductive material at a second solder joint,
wherein each of the two electrical leads is electrically coupled to a portion of the substantially flat conductive material at solder joints that are separate from the first solder joint and the second solder joint,
wherein the two electrical leads each comprise an inwardly directed portion extending from the respective solder joint in an inward direction toward one another, an outwardly directed portion extending outwardly from the sensing element, and a bent portion extending therebetween,
wherein the top layer and the bottom layer encase the solder joints and coil, and
wherein at least the inwardly directed portion and the bent portion of the electrical leads are disposed between the top surface of the at least one spacer and the top layer, thereby anchoring the inwardly directed portion and the bent portion of the electrical leads in the sensing element to protect the solder joints from stress caused by forces applied to the electrical leads.

11. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first transparent material and the second transparent material comprise acrylic.

12. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein the filament has a diameter of between 0.0015 inches and 0.0018 inches (0.0038 cm and 0.0046 cm).

13. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the two portions of substantially flat conductive material comprises a conductive foil.

14. The heated window assembly of claim 13 , wherein the conductive foil comprises CuNi foil.

15. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein the filament is disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer.

16. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein the bent portion of the electrical leads comprises a bend of substantially 90 degrees.

17. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a control system adapted to be connected to the outwardly directed portion of the two electrical leads, the control system configured to determine a temperature based on resistance of the filament.

18. The heated window assembly of claim 10 , wherein the solder joints which are directly connected to the two electrical leads are disposed between the top surface of the at least one spacer and the top layer.

19. A sensing element for sensing a temperature of an electrically heated window, comprising:
a top layer;
a bottom layer;
a coil of filament wrapped around a winding card disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer, the coil of filament having a first end and a second end, wherein a resistivity of the coil of filament changes based on temperature;
a first lead electrically connected to the first end of the coil of filament, the first lead comprising a first portion disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and a second portion external to the top layer and the bottom laye

Assignees

• Ppg Ind Ohio Inc

Inventors

• Briggs Michael D
• Drensek Robert A
• Molmer Stephen J
• Troller Andrew T

Classifications

• G01K13/00

  Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• H05B3/86 Primary

  the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material {(H05B3/845 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01K1/14 Primary

  Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations · CPC title

• G01K7/16 Primary

  using resistive elements · CPC title