Gauge assembly for holding heater wire
AssigneeMSX, Inc.
InventorThaddeus M. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gauge assembly holds heater wire adjacent to a surface to be heated. The assembly includes a plurality of elongate elements, with each elongate element having two opposite ends. Each opposite end is pivotably connected to a corresponding opposite end of an adjacent elongate element. At least one of the elongate elements retains at least one corresponding portion of the heater wire.
Claims22
A gauge assembly for holding heater wire adjacent to a surface to be heated, said assembly comprising a plurality of elongate elements, each said elongate element having two opposite ends, each said opposite end being configured for being pivotably connected to a corresponding said opposite end of an adjacent said elongate element, at least one of said elongate elements being configured for retaining at least one corresponding portion of the heater wire so that the heater wire is winding in a sepertine path between said elongate elements.
A method of heating a surface having a nonlinear boundary, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of elongate elements, said elongate elements including retainment devices for retaining corresponding portions of heater wire;
- pivotably interconnecting first ones of said elongate elements end-to-end substantially along and adjacent to the nonlinear boundary of the surface;
- adjusting pivot angles between adjacent ones of said first elongate elements such that said interconnected first elongate elements substantially conform to and follow the nonlinear boundary of the surface;
- interconnecting second ones of said elongate elements end-to-end substantially in opposition to said first elongate elements;
- winding heater wire in a serpentine path between said retainment devices of said first elongate elements and said retainment devices of said second elongate elements;
- and
- applying electrical power to said heater wire.
A heater assembly for heating a surface, said heater assembly comprising:
- a heater wire;
- and
- a gauge assembly including a plurality of elongate elements, at least one of said elongate elements being configured for holding said heater wire in a serpentine path between said elongate elements and adjacent to the surface to be heated, each said elongate element having two opposite ends, each said opposite end being configured for being pivotably connected to a corresponding said opposite end of an adjacent said elongate element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.