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US 11,452,178 B2Granted
Highly formable smart susceptor blankets
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRobert J. Miller, John F. Spalding, Jr., Diane C. Rawlings, Darrell M. Storvick, Christopher J. Hottes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heating blanket is disclosed. The heating blanket may include a thermoplastic matrix configured to become conformable at a predetermined temperature, a conductor embedded in the thermoplastic matrix and configured to receive electrical current and generate a magnetic field in response to the electrical current, and a plurality of susceptors embedded in the thermoplastic matrix and composed of a magnetic material having a Curie point.
Claims20
A heating blanket, comprising:
- a thermoplastic matrix that is configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state, in which the thermoplastic matrix is configured to stretch and become conformable to a contoured surface, when heated to a first predetermined temperature that is below a melting temperature of the thermoplastic matrix and that is configured to re-solidify upon cooling;
- a conductor wire embedded in the thermoplastic matrix and configured to receive an electrical current and generate a magnetic field in response to the electrical current;
- and
- a susceptor wire embedded in the thermoplastic matrix and composed of a magnetic material having a Curie point,
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the susceptor wire is selected such that the Curie point of the magnetic material is equal to or greater than the first predetermined temperature and is below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic matrix;
- the susceptor wire is responsive to the magnetic field generated by the conductor wire to uniformly heat the thermoplastic matrix to a heated temperature that is above the first predetermined temperature and that is below or equal to the Curie point;
- and
- the thermoplastic matrix includes:
- a first thermoplastic material embedding the conductor wire and the susceptor wire therein, the first thermoplastic material being configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to the first predetermined temperature, and
- a second thermoplastic material surrounding the first thermoplastic material, the second thermoplastic material being configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature of the first thermoplastic material.
8 more elements
A heating blanket, comprising:
- a thermoplastic matrix that is configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state, in which the thermoplastic matrix is configured to stretch and become conformable to a contoured surface, when heated to a first predetermined temperature that is below a melting temperature of the thermoplastic matrix, and that is configured to re-solidify upon cooling;
- a conductor wire having a plurality of Litz wires arranged in a sine wave configuration, the conductor wire configured to receive an electrical current and generate a magnetic field in response to the electrical current;
- and
- a susceptor wire composed of a magnetic material having a Curie point and wrapped around the conductor wire in a spiral configuration,
- wherein:
- the conductor wire and the susceptor wire are embedded in the thermoplastic matrix;
- the magnetic material of the susceptor wire is selected such that the Curie point of the magnetic material is equal to or greater than the first predetermined temperature and is below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic matrix;
- the susceptor wire is responsive to the magnetic field generated by the conductor wire to uniformly heat the thermoplastic matrix to a heated temperature that is above the first predetermined temperature and that is below or equal to the Curie point;
- and
- the thermoplastic matrix includes:
- a first thermoplastic material embedding the conductor wire and the susceptor wire therein, the first thermoplastic material being configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to the first predetermined temperature, and
- a second thermoplastic material surrounding the first thermoplastic material, the second thermoplastic material being configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature of the first thermoplastic material.
9 more elements
A heating blanket, comprising:
- a first thermoplastic material configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to a first predetermined temperature;
- a second thermoplastic material surrounding the first thermoplastic material and configured to change from a solid state to a pliable state when heated to a second predetermined temperature, which is lower than the first predetermined temperature;
- a conductor wire embedded in the first thermoplastic material and configured to receive an electrical current and generate a magnetic field in response to the electrical current;
- and
- a susceptor wire embedded in the first thermoplastic material and composed of a magnetic material having a Curie point, wherein the Curie point of the magnetic material is equal to or greater than the second predetermined temperature.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.