# US 2014/0190151 A1 · Exhuast gas heating apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190151 A1 - Document ID: US20140190151A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/132,462 - Filed: 2013-12-18 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-18 - Assignees: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Applicants: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Inventors: David P. Culbertson; Richard T. Williams, JR.; Christopher Meyers; Jeremy Ohse; Mark Everly; Roger Brummell; Gerald S. Jackson; Jake Spooler; James N. Pradun; Scott H. Boehmer; Mitchell T. Diaco; Robert K. Frake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190151A1 ## CPC - F01N 3/26: Construction of thermal reactors - F01N 3/027: using electric or magnetic heating means - F01N 13/008: {Mounting or arrangement of exhaust sensors in or on exhaust apparatus (sensor arrangements for engine control F02D41/1439)} - F23G 7/063: {electric heating} - F23J 15/08: of heaters - F24H 3/0405: {using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between (F24H3/06, F24H3/08, F24H3/10 take precedence)} - F24H 9/1818: Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means - H05B 1/0236: {for vehicles} - H05B 3/44: heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material - F01N 2240/16: an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater - F01N 2560/06: the means being a temperature sensor - F23G 2900/508: Providing additional energy for combustion, e.g. by using supplementary heating - F24H 2250/02: Resistances - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION - F23J: REMOVAL OR TREATMENT OF COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OR COMBUSTION RESIDUES; FLUES (combustion apparatus for consuming smoke or fumes, e.g. exhaust gases, F23G7/06) - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A heating apparatus and method for use in an exhaust gas system is provided that includes a container body defining an exhaust gas pathway, a heater flange component attached to an exterior of the container body, and a heater assembly disposed in the exhaust gas pathway and secured to the heater flange component. The heater assembly includes at least one heater element, a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element in the container body, and a conformal bracket for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heating apparatus for an exhaust gas system, the heating apparatus comprising: a container body defining an exhaust gas pathway; a heater flange component attached to an exterior of the container body; and a heater assembly disposed in the exhaust gas pathway and secured to the heater flange component, the heater assembly including: at least one heater element; a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element in the container body; and a conformal bracket for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the heater flange component and the container body includes a plurality of tabs and the other one of the heater flange component and the container body defines a plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of tabs, the heater flange component being attached to the container body by inserting the plurality of tabs into the plurality of holes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracket assembly includes at least one post that secures the heater element to the container body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conformal bracket defines a U-channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conformal bracket is selected from the group consisting of a rivet assembly and a staple member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracket assembly further includes a flow diverter ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the flow diverter defines a disc disposed at a middle portion of the post. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a thermowell connected to the bracket assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The heating apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the thermowell and exposed to exhaust gas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a junction box mounted on the heater flange component, the junction box including electrical terminals that connect the heater element to a power source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The heating apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a perforated box assembly disposed between the heater flange component and the junction box to allow for air cooling of the junction box. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising standoff tubes in the perforated box assembly for protecting a portion of the heater element extending therethrough. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the standoff tubes are brazed to the heater flange component using nickel or copper. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container body comprises at least two separable container section components, and the heater flange component is coupled with the at least two separable container section components such that they form an external shroud that surrounds the one or more heater elements and establishes a pathway for the flow of exhaust gas through the heating apparatus. ### Claim 15 A heater assembly for a thermal management application comprising: at least one heater element; a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element to a component of the thermal management application; a flow diverter secured to the bracket assembly; and a conformal bracket for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly, wherein the heater element and flow diverter are exposed to a thermal flow during operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heater assembly according to claim 15, wherein the bracket assembly includes at least one post that secures the heater element to the component of the thermal management system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The heater assembly according to claim 15 further comprising a thermowell. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heater assembly according to claim 17 further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the thermowell and exposed to the thermal flow. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A method of heating and diverting a thermal flow using the heating apparatus according to claim 15. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19 further comprising employing a communications bus to provide a communication pathway between the heater element and at least one additional component of the thermal management application.