Coupling box hairpin replacement for high voltage heating element

A heater assembly comprising:

• two heating sections, each heating section including a resistive heating element, a sheath surrounding the resistive heating element, a first dielectric material disposed inside the sheath, and a conductive pin extending from the resistive heating element and exposed from the sheath and the first dielectric material;
• and
• a coupling assembly including:
• a coupling enclosure;
• a coupling member disposed inside the coupling enclosure and contacting the conductive pins of the two heating sections;
• and
• a second dielectric material disposed inside the coupling enclosure and electrically insulating the coupling member and the conductive pins,
• wherein the sheaths of the heating sections are welded to the coupling enclosure to form a sealed interface between the heating sections and the coupling enclosure.

A coupling assembly for use in a heater system operating at voltages greater than about 480 volts, the coupling assembly comprising:

• a coupling enclosure defining a pair of apertures for receiving conductive portions of a pair of heating sections;
• a coupling member disposed inside the coupling enclosure for connecting the conductive portions of the pair of heating sections;
• and
• a dielectric material disposed inside the coupling enclosure for electrically insulating the coupling member and the conductive portions of the heating sections.