System and method for application of internal heating to thermally responsive structures
AssigneeSeam Team
InventorsJames B. Gray, Robert A. Joyce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermally responsive substrate includes an electric circuit extending throughout the substrate and providing multiple terminal pads through the substrate for the application of electrical current for heating the thermally responsive substrate. A tool for the application of electrical current to the terminals pads includes a device having multiple spaced apart contact probes for engaging selected terminal pads of the substrate.
Claims21
A structural forming member comprising:
- a thermally responsive substrate;
- electrical resistance circuit means extending throughout the area of said substrate and including multiple terminal means located at multiple positions throughout said substrate for selective application of electrical current to selective areas of said circuit means for heating selective areas of said substrate.
A system for forming structures from materials including thermally responsive plastics, comprising:
- a thermally responsive substrate;
- electrical resistance circuit means extending throughout the area of said substrate and including terminal means for selective application of electrical current to selective areas of said circuit means for heating selective areas of said substrate;
- and
- electrical means having a plurality of contact means for selectively engaging said terminal means for applying electrical current to said selective areas of said circuit means for heating selected areas of said thermally responsive substrate.
An electrical device for the selective application of electrical current to selective areas of a thermally responsive substrate having a plurality of spaced terminal means, said electrical device comprising:
- a housing having a top and a bottom;
- a plurality of conductive pinwheels rotatably mounted in said housing and positioned adjacent said bottom with a plurality of pins of said pinwheels extending from said bottom for selective engagement with terminals on a substrate;
- and
- a source of electrical current for said pins of said pinwheels.
A method of fabricating structures from materials including thermally responsive plastics, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a thermally responsive substrate;
- providing said substrate with electrical resistance circuit means extending substantially throughout the area of said thermally responsive substrate;
- providing said circuit means with multiple terminal means for application of electrical current to said circuit means;
- and
- applying electrical current to selective areas of said circuit means for heating selective areas of said thermally responsive substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.