Streamlined heater assembly with front and intermediate daisy chain power injection, shielding, and water resistant features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9686821-B2
Application number	US-201414263779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2014
Priority date	Apr 28, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

Heater modules are configured for streamlined daisy chain connectivity that includes front end and intermediate daisy chain power injection, water resistant heater assemblies, and shielding. A power injection device is configured with connectivity for insertion of power into heater modules that are in front and intermediate daisy chain positions while enabling data communications between heater modules positioned on opposite sides of the power injection locations.

First claim

The invention and several embodiments in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Heater apparatus, comprising:
(i) a heater module comprising:
a heater;
a controller device connected to the heater by a primary heater cord, the controller device comprising a front end connector having a primary high voltage power terminal, a primary neutral terminal, and at least a first primary communication terminal;
a secondary heater cord extending from the controller device to a back end connector that includes a back end neutral terminal, a back end high voltage power terminal, and at least a first back end communication terminal, the back end connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the front end connector including mating electrical connection of the back end high voltage power terminal to the primary high voltage power terminal, mating electrical connection of the hack end neutral terminal to the primary neutral terminal, and mating communication connection of the first back end communication terminal to the first primary communication terminal; and

(ii) a power injection device comprising:
an injection device power input connector, including an injection device high voltage input terminal and an injection device neutral input terminal;
an injection device communication input connector, including at least a first injection device communication input terminal, said injection device communication input connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the back end connector including mating communication connection of the first injection device communication input terminal to the first back end communication terminal; and
an injection device combination power and communication output connector, including an injection device high voltage power output terminal, an injection device neutral output terminal, and at least a first injection device communication output terminal, said injection device combination power and communication output connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the front end connector including mating electrical connection of the injection device high voltage power output terminal to the primary high voltage power terminal, mating electrical connection of the injection device neutral output terminal to the primary neutral terminal, and mating communication connection of the first injection device communication output terminal to the first primary communication terminal.

2. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the secondary heater cord extends from the controller device and through the heater to the back end connector.

3. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the secondary heater cord extends directly from the controller device to the back end connector.

4. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the secondary heater cord extends from the controller device through a T-junction device to the back end connector.

5. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power injection device includes:
(i) an injection device high voltage power conductor connected electrically to the injection device high voltage power input terminal and to the injection device high voltage power output terminal;
(ii) an injection device neutral conductor connected electrically to the injection device neutral input terminal and to the injection device neutral output terminal; and
(iii) at least a first injection device communication conductor connected to the first injection device communication input terminal and to the first injection device communication output terminal.

6. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the front end connector and the hack end connector are both of a type that provides a water tight seal for the primary high voltage power terminal, the primary neutral terminal, the first primary communication terminal, the back end high voltage power terminal, the back end neutral terminal, and the first back end communication terminal.

7. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the front end connector, the back end connector, the injection device communication input connector, and the injection device combination power and communication output connector are all of a type that provides water tight seals for the back end high voltage power terminal, the back end neutral terminal, the first back end communication terminal, the first injection device communication input terminal, the injection device high voltage power output terminal, the injection device neutral output terminal, the first injection device communication output terminal, the primary high voltage power terminal, the primary neutral terminal, the first primary communication terminal.

8. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller device comprises:
a controller housing with an outside wall which is shaped substantially as a figure of revolution extending along a controller longitudinal axis between a housing front end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a front aperture and a housing back end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a back aperture, said controller housing having an external surface and enclosing an interior controller chamber; and
a protective shield covering the external surface of the controller housing.

9. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is a heat-shrunk material.

10. The heater apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the protective shield is impermeable to water.

11. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is chemically inert.

12. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is a magnetic field shielding material.

13. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is an RF shielding material.

14. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is impervious to dust.

15. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield reflects or absorbs ultraviolet radiation.

16. The heater apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the protective shield is a cushion material.

17. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is a thermal insulation material.

18. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective shield is a material that transmits visible light.

19. The heater apparatus of claim 8 , including:
a front end cord that extends through the front aperture;
a primary heater cord that extends through the back aperture;
a water impermeable front boot that extends over both the front end of the housing, including over a front end portion of the protective shield and over a portion of the front end cord that is external to the housing; and
a water impervious back boot that extends over both the back end of the housing, including a back end portion of the protective shield and a portion of the primary heater cord that is external to the housing.

20. The heater apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the front boot and the back boot comprise a heat-Shrunk material.

21. The heater apparatus of claim 1 , including a heater element in the heater and including at least one temperature sensor in the heater adjacent to the heater element.

22. The heater apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller device includes a controller housing that at least partially contains:
(i) a primary neutral conductor that extends from the primary neutral terminal, through the controller housing and t

Assignees

• Mks Instr Inc

Inventors

• Kiernan Jeffrey D
• Hausmann Karl
• Dozoretz Paul

Classifications

• H05B2203/016

  Heaters using particular connecting means · CPC title

• H05B3/04

  Waterproof or air-tight seals for heaters · CPC title

• H05B1/0244 Primary

  Heating of fluids (H05B1/0247 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05B3/58

  Heating hoses; Heating collars · CPC title

• F16L53/34

  using electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields, e.g. induction, dielectric or microwave heating · CPC title