Electric heating – Heating devices – With heating unit structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-04-10
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
With heating unit structure
C338S210000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215110
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heater tape assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heater wire for heating an object to be heated, e.g., an antenna reflector, may be attached in a desired pattern to a relatively large sheet of thermally conductive foil using an adhesive. The foil is typically cut to a desired shape and the heater wire is laid in a serpentine or other desired pattern on the foil. An adhesive on one side of the foil holds the heater wire in place and also attaches the foil to an object to be heated. Such an assembly requires that the foil be precut to the shape of the area to which the foil is to be applied on the object to be heated. Typically, different foils with different shapes are required to be used with different objects to be heated. This therefore in turn requires that a relatively large inventory of foils with different shapes be maintained.
What is needed in the art is a heater assembly which allows a user to apply a heater wire to an object to be heated with virtually any desired pattern and without precutting the heater assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a heater tape assembly with a heater wire disposed between two flat tapes which are bonded together and have a plurality of notches in the side edges thereof to allow the heater tape assembly to bent in a plane parallel to the flat tapes.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a heater tape assembly for heating an object to be heated. An elongate first tape has a pair of opposing side edges and a first surface extending between the side edges. The first tape also has a plurality of first notches which extend into the first surface from a respective side edge thereof. An elongate second tape has a pair of opposing side edges and a pair of opposing second and third flat surfaces extending between the side edges. The second tape also has a plurality of second notches which extend into the second and third flat surfaces from a respective side edge thereof. The second notches in the second tape are substantially aligned with respective first notches in the first tape. The second flat surface is bonded with the first surface of the first tape. The third flat surface has an adhesive thereon for bonding to the object to be heated. At least one heater wire is interposed between the first surface of the first tape and the second surface of the second tape. The notches in the first and second tapes allow the heater tape assembly to be bent in a plane substantially parallel to the first and second flat surfaces.
An advantage of the present invention is that the heater tape assembly may be bent to form to almost any desired surface with any desired shape.
Another advantage is that the opposite ends of the heater wire may be connected with a source of power at a common end of the heater wire assembly.
Yet another advantage is that the notches may be formed in the side edges of the heater tape assembly with a number of different shapes and still provide the desired functionality of allowing the heater tape assembly to be bent in a plane parallel to the flat surfaces of the tapes.
Still another advantage is that the notches may be kiss cut in the side edges of the heater tape assembly without cutting the backing, thereby allowing the backing to be easily removed without tearing.
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MSX, Inc.
Robinson Daniel
Taylor & Aust P.C.
Walberg Teresa
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