Modular heater assembly with interchangeable auxiliary sensing junctions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200824-B2
Application number	US-202218089037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2022
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heater system comprising:
a plurality of heaters each including a set of auxiliary wires;
a plurality of first connector parts each connected to the set of auxiliary wires of a corresponding one of the heaters;
a plurality of second connector parts removably connected to the plurality of first connectors; and
a main power supply wire, a main power return wire and at least one connecting wire,
wherein the second connector parts are configured to selectively connect the main power supply wire, the main power return wire and the at least one connecting wire to the first connector parts to change connections among the plurality of heaters,
wherein each set of auxiliary wires includes a temperature sensing wire, an auxiliary power supply wire, and an auxiliary power return wire, and
wherein in each set of auxiliary wires, the temperature sensing wire is joined to one of the auxiliary power supply wire and the auxiliary power return wire to form a thermocouple junction, the thermocouple junction is joined to an end of the resistive heating element of each heater, and the material of the temperature sensing wire is different from the one of the auxiliary power supply wire and the auxiliary power return wire such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

2. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the second connector parts each connect two of the main power supply wire, the main power return wire, and the at least one connecting wire to two of the set of auxiliary wires of a corresponding one of the heaters.

3. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the second connector parts each connect only two of the main power supply wire, a main power return wire and at least one connecting wire to only two of the set of at least three auxiliary wires of a corresponding one of the heaters.

4. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the set of auxiliary wires of each heater extend into a corresponding one of the first connector parts.

5. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heaters each include a resistive heating element, each set of auxiliary wires connected to and extending from the resistive heating element of a corresponding one of the heater.

6. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensing wire is made of a first conductive material, and the auxiliary power supply wire and the auxiliary power return wire are made of a second conductive material.

7. The heater system according to claim 6 , wherein the first conductive material is a copper-nickel alloy and the second conductive material is a nickel-chromium alloy.

8. The heater system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, wherein the main power supply wire and the main power return wire are directly connected to the controller, and wherein one of the main power supply wire and the main power return wire is made of a same material of the temperature sensing wires of the plurality sets of auxiliary wires.

9. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first connector parts are directly connected to the plurality sets of auxiliary wires.

10. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the main power supply wire and the main power return wire are selectively connected to a same one of the second connector parts to route one of heaters as a stand-alone heater.

11. The heater system according to claim 1 , wherein the main power supply wire and the main power return wire are selectively connected to different ones of the second connector parts such that at least some of the heaters are connected in series.

12. A heater system comprising:
a plurality of modular heater units each comprising:
a heater comprising a resistive heating element;
a set of auxiliary wires connected to and extending from the resistive heating element of the heater, the set of auxiliary wires including a temperature sensing wire, and auxiliary power supply wire, and an auxiliary power return wire;
a first connector part connected to the set of auxiliary wires; and
a second connector part removably connected to the first connector; and

a main power supply wire, a main power return wire and at least one connecting wire,
wherein the second connector parts of the plurality of modular heater units each are configured to selectively connect two of the main power supply wire, the main power return wire and the at least one connecting wire to one of the first connector parts to change connections among the plurality of modular heater units, and
wherein each set of the auxiliary wires include a temperature sensing wire, an auxiliary power supply wire and an auxiliary power return wire, wherein the temperature sensing wire is joined to one of the auxiliary power supply wire and the auxiliary power return wire to form a thermocouple junction, the thermocouple junction being joined to an end of the resistive heating element, and wherein the temperature sensing wire and the one of the auxiliary power supply wire and the auxiliary return wire are made of different materials such that the heater is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

13. The heater system according to claim 12 , wherein each set of the auxiliary wires include a temperature sensing wire, an auxiliary power supply wire and an auxiliary power return wire, and wherein the second connector parts of the plurality of modular heater units each are configured to selectively connect two of the main power supply wire, the main power return wire and the at least one connecting wire to two of the set of auxiliary wires of one of modular heater units.

14. The heater system according to claim 12 , wherein the first conductive material is a copper-nickel alloy, and the second conductive material is a nickel-chromium alloy.

15. The heater system according to claim 12 , wherein only two of the set of auxiliary wires are connected to another electrical component to form a part of an electric circuit.

16. The heater system according to claim 12 , wherein the main power supply wire and the main power return wire are selectively connected to a same one of the second connector parts to route one of heaters as a stand-alone heater.

17. The heater system according to claim 12 , wherein the main power supply wire and the main power return wire are selectively connected to different ones of the second connector parts such that at least some of the heaters are connected in series.

Assignees

• Watlow Electric Mfg

Inventors

• Ohse Jeremy
• Schaefer Douglas
• Ellis Eric

Classifications

• H05B3/06

  Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders · CPC title

• H05B3/78

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for immersion heating · CPC title

• H05B1/0297

  Heating of fluids for non specified applications · CPC title

• H05B2203/014

  Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54 · CPC title

• G01K7/021

  Particular circuit arrangements (G01K7/026, G01K7/12, G01K7/14 take precedence) · CPC title