Heating arrangement
AssigneeTyco Electronics Raychem GmbH
InventorErwin Stanzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for preventing the formation of ice on a substrate exposed to an outdoor environment or for preventing condensation of moisture in a cabinet for electrical equipment includes a sensor for measuring the temperature of the ambient air around the substrate or around or in the cabinet and calculates the rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air. The apparatus further includes a sensor for measuring the temperature of the substrate or of a surface of or inside the cabinet. A heater supplies heat to the substrate or cabinet in response to pre-arranged conditions dependent on the outputs of the sensors and on the calculated rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air. The apparatus for preventing condensation may optionally omit the sensor for measuring the temperature of a surface of or inside the cabinet.
Claims28
An apparatus for preventing formation of ice on a substrate exposed to an outdoor environment, the apparatus comprising a first sensor for measuring a temperature of ambient air around the substrate, means for calculating a rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air, a second sensor for measuring a temperature of the substrate, and a heater arranged to supply heat to the substrate in response to pre-arranged conditions dependent on outputs of the first and second sensors and on the calculated rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air.
An apparatus for preventing condensation of moisture in a cabinet for electrical equipment, the apparatus comprising a sensor for measuring a temperature of ambient air around or in the cabinet, means for calculating a rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air, and a heater arranged to supply heat to the cabinet in response to pre-arranged conditions dependent on outputs of the sensor and on the calculated rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air.
A method for preventing ice formation on a substrate exposed to an outdoor environment or for preventing condensation of moisture in a cabinet for electrical equipment, the method comprising supplying heat to the substrate or cabinet in an amount dependent on pre-arranged conditions derived from measurement of (a) a temperature of ambient air around the substrate or in or around the cabinet, and (b) a rate of change of the temperature of the ambient air, and (c) in a case of prevention of ice formation on the substrate, a temperature of the substrate, which conditions forecast the condensation of moisture in the cabinet or the formation of ice on the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.