Electric heating – Heating devices – With heater-unit housing – casing – or support means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-29
2001-04-10
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
With heater-unit housing, casing, or support means
C219S536000, C338S304000, C338S319000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215108
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical resistance heaters and assemblies and more particularly relates to a mounting system used to mount electrical heating elements.
Electric resistance heating assemblies of the type having a resistance element connected to a source of electrical power and mounted on a suitable support structure are used in various applications. For example, such assemblies may be used to independently provide heat for a space or room. Alternatively, such assemblies may be incorporated into a larger piece of equipment, such as an air conditioning unit, to provide warm air when required.
Electric resistance heating assemblies are well known in the art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,441, which is owned by a common assignee of the present invention and which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, describes electrical insulators used in electrical resistance heating assemblies. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,602, which is owned by a common assignee and which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, describes an electric heater assembly fixture and a method of use for the same. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,409, which is also owned by the common assignee and which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, describes a method of manufacturing a support structure for an electric heating assembly that includes a plurality of heating elements.
Systems that are used to support the heating coil elements of the electrical resistance heating assemblies are also well know in the art. Typically, the systems that are utilized to support the electric resistance heating assemblies comprise a metal rack that includes a series of support rods or bars. In order to support the heating elements, the frame of the heating element is placed in contact with the support bar and a plurality of rivets are used to fix each individual heating element to the support structure.
The systems and brackets heretofore known for supporting electric resistance heating assemblies, while structurally sound and efficient, nevertheless are difficult and time-consuming to manufacture. The difficulty and time-consumption translate to a labor-intensive manufacturing process. Of course, the labor intensive nature of the manufacturing process translates to high costs of manufacture.
In addition, the traditional methods of supporting electric resistance heating assemblies present difficulties in those instances when repair of the assemblies is necessary. Most notably, the metal racks of the prior art comprise a plurality of support bars riveted to a plurality of heating coil elements. In the event that repair can be accomplished by the replacement of a single heating coil, the prior art methods require the removal of the rivets from one section of the metal rack, thereby making the repair process long and difficult.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting system for supporting an electric resistance heating assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting system for supporting an electric resistance heating assembly that is easy and relatively low in cost to manufacture.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting system for supporting an electric resistance heating assembly that provides an easier method of repairing electric resistance heating assemblies.
These and other objects are attained by providing an electric element mounting system including a housing and at least one heating element. Each element includes a frame having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, a heating coil and a wire terminal for electrically and mechanically coupling the element to the front panel. A substantially planar mounting bracket is located within the housing, the bracket including at least one aperture. The bracket is located within the housing and placed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said frame so that the distal end is placed through the aperture to mount the element upon the bracket.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5895597 (1999-03-01), Sherrill
patent: 5954983 (1999-09-01), Holmes
patent: 6020577 (2000-02-01), Barker
Butcher Ronald G.
Patel Avinash N.
Rust, Jr. Raymond A.
Sherrod David C.
Carrier Corporation, Carrier World Hdqtrs.
Patel Vinod D
Walberg Teresa
Wall Marjama & Bilinski
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