Structural design and process to improve the temperature modulation and power consumption of an IR emitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10952283-B2
Application number	US-201214361524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2012
Priority date	Dec 1, 2011
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

An infrared emitter is formed having a reduced thermal mass and increased thermal conductivity to effectively deliver and dissipate heat from a heating element that emits electromagnetic radiation. The improved thermal dynamic process may enhance one or both of power consumption and/or longevity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An infrared emitter, the emitter comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the substrate being substantially planar, the substrate having a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/m ° C.;
a heating element disposed on a portion of the first surface of the substrate, the heating element being configured to emit infrared electromagnetic radiation in response to an electrical current being introduced thereto;
a heat-dispersive layer disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the heat-dispersive layer of thickness less than 40 covering at least 70% of the first surface, and being formed from a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 110 W/m ° C., the heat-dispersive layer being interposed between at least a portion of the heating element and the first surface of the substrate; and
a backing layer disposed on the second surface of the substrate, the backing layer being formed from a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 145 W/m ° C.

2. The emitter of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate is formed from steatite, silica, macor, or mica; and
the heat-dispersive layer is formed of silicon or metal.

3. The emitter of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of leads carried by the substrate, the pair of leads being configured to connect the heating element to a power supply to facilitate introduction of an electrical current to the heating element, and wherein the pair of leads are disposed on a side of the heat-dispersive layer on an opposite side of the heat-dispersive layer from the first surface of the substrate and wherein the leads have electrical conductivity of at least 4.5×10 6 /Ωm.

4. The emitter of claim 1 , wherein the heat-dispersive layer is formed as two physically separate sections defining a pair of leads carried by the substrate, the pair of leads being configured to connect the heating element to a power supply to facilitate introduction of an electrical current to the heating element, and wherein the leads have electrical conductivity of at least 4.5×10 6 /Ωm.

5. An infrared emitter, comprising:
a substrate that is substantially planar and has a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/m ° C.;
a heat-dispersive layer disposed on a first surface of the substrate and covering at least 70% of the first surface of the substrate, the heat-dispersive layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 110 W/m ° C.; and
a heating element configured to emit infrared electromagnetic radiation responsive to electrical current flow through the heating element, wherein the heating element comprises a layer disposed on the first surface of the substrate with the heat-dispersive layer interposed between at least a portion of the heating element and the first surface of the substrate.

6. The emitter of claim 5 , further comprising a backing layer disposed on a second side of the substrate opposite from the first side of the substrate, the backing layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 145 W/m ° C.

7. The emitter of claim 5 , further comprising:
leads disposed on the side of the heat-dispersive layer opposite from the substrate and connected to conduct an electrical current through the heating element, wherein the heat-dispersive layer is interposed between the entirety of the heating element and the first surface of the substrate.

8. The emitter of claim 5 , wherein the heat-dispersive layer is formed as two physically separate sections defining leads connected to conduct an electrical current through the heating element.

9. An apparatus for supplying air to a patient, the apparatus comprising:
the infrared emitter of claim 1 ; and
an airway adapter configured for connection to an endotracheal tube configured for insertion into a trachea of the patient.

10. An apparatus for supplying air to a patient, the apparatus comprising:
the infrared emitter of claim 5 ; and
an airway adapter configured for connection to an endotracheal tube configured for insertion into a trachea of the patient.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising,
a transducer configured for insertion into a portion of the airway adapter, the transducer being configured to measure an expired carbon dioxide level of the patient;
wherein the emitter is disposed within a housing of the transducer.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising,
a transducer configured for insertion into a portion of the airway adapter, the transducer being configured to measure an expired carbon dioxide level of the patient;
wherein the emitter is disposed within a housing of the transducer.

13. A method of using the infrared emitter of claim 1 to emit infrared electromagnetic radiation, the method comprising:
connecting the heating element with the power supply;
directing the electrical current from the power supply through the heating element via the leads;
emitting infrared electromagnetic radiation from the heating element responsive to the electrical current;
dissipating heat from the substrate through the heat-dispersive layer and
dissipating heat from the substrate through the backing layer disposed on the second surface of the substrate.

14. The emitter of claim 5 , wherein:
the substrate is formed from steatite, silica, macor, or mica; and
the heat-dispersive layer is formed of silicon or metal.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Jiang Zhi-Xing
• Davis Raymond

Classifications

• H05B3/20 Primary

  Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional [2D] plane, e.g. plate-heater (H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78, H05B3/84 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01K3/02

  Manufacture of incandescent bodies · CPC title

• H01K1/10

  Bodies of metal or carbon combined with other substance · CPC title

• H01K1/58

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• H05B2203/032

  Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating · CPC title