Members with a thermal break
OwnerVerne L. Lindberg, Mike Sparlinginventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Members formed from thermally conductive components which have a gap therebetween. The gap is bridged and the conductive components integrated into a composite member by a reinforced polymer. This provides a thermal break which inhibits the flow of heat between the conductive components of the member. This construction also blocks the transfer of sound and other vibrations between the conductive components of the member. The construction also mitigates the formation of condensation on an artifact fixed to one of the components.
Claims35
A member comprising:
- first and second components disposed in spaced apart relationship with a gap therebetween;
- and
- a third component which spans said gap and is bonded to said first and second components;
- said first and second components each being fabricated of a thermally conductive material;
- said third component comprising a rigid, high strength material which has low heat and vibration transmitting coefficients;
- and
- the material spanning said gap being of sufficient width to inhibit the flow of heat from one to the other of the first and second components.
A method of manufacturing a member capable of blocking the transfer of heat and vibrations from a first to a second side of the member, said method comprising the steps of:
- arranging an assembly of first and second, conductive components in side-by-side relation with a gap between complementary surfaces of said first and second components;
- and
- bonding an insulation material capable of inhibiting the transfer of heat to between said components in gap spanning relationship to the first and second components to form a thermal break between said first and second components and to form a unitary assembly of said components and the insulation material.
A member as defined in claim 31 in which there are at least two rows of apertures in the marginal edge of at least one of the member components, the apertures in said rows being so staggered as to lengthen thermally conductive spanwise paths through segments of the member(s) in which the apertures are formed, thereby impeding the transfer of heat between inner and outer faces of the member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.