Hybrid heater assembly
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRobert Jules LAFLEUR
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heater assembly includes one or more first heating elements, the one or more first heating elements being characterized by a positive temperature coefficient; and one or more second heating elements, the one or more second heating elements comprising resistance wire elements. The one or more second heating elements are positioned in proximity to the one or more first heating elements such that at least one of the one or more second heating elements is configured to, upon being powered on, pre-heat at least one of the one or more first heating elements before the at least one first heating element is powered on.
Claims16
A heater assembly comprising:
- one or more first heating elements, the one or more first heating elements being characterized by a positive temperature coefficient;
- and
- one or more second heating elements, the one or more second heating elements comprising resistance wire heating elements,
- wherein the one or more second heating elements are positioned in proximity to the one or more first heating elements such that at least one of the one or more second heating elements is configured to, upon being powered on, pre-heat at least one of the one or more first heating elements before the at least one first heating element is powered on.
An air conditioning unit comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising:
- one or more first heating elements, the one or more first heating elements being characterized by a positive temperature coefficient;
- and
- one or more second heating elements, the one or more second heating elements comprising resistance wire,
- wherein the one or more second heating elements are positioned in proximity to the one or more first heating elements such that at least one of the one or more second heating elements is configured to, upon being powered on, pre-heat at least one of the one or more first heating elements before the at least one first heating element is powered on;
- and
- a controller coupled to the heater assembly, the controller controlling the powering on of the one or more first heating elements and the one or more second heating elements.
The air conditioning unit of claim 9, wherein the one or more second heating elements are interspersed with the one or more first heating elements.
An air conditioning unit comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising:
- a set of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters;
- and
- a set of nichrome heaters,
- wherein the nichrome heaters are interspersed with the PTC heaters such that at least one of the nichrome heaters, upon being powered on, pre-heats at least one of the PTC heaters before the at least one PTC heater is powered on;
- and
- a controller coupled to the heater assembly, the controller controlling the powering on of the PTC heaters and the nichrome heaters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.