Air intake heater with flanged heating element
AssigneePhillips & Temro Industries Inc.
InventorBrian E. Wicks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air heater for heating air entering a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The air heater includes a heating element having a substantially planar portion and a flange portion. The flange portion is positioned at an angle to the planar portion. The planar portion is positioned within an air flow at an upstream location relative to the flange portion. A structure is operable to position the heating element in communication with the air entering the combustion chamber of the engine. In addition, a thermal expansion joint for interconnecting a heating element and a frame is disclosed.
Claims20
An air heater for heating air entering a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the air heater comprising:
- a heating element having a substantially planar portion and a flange portion, said flange portion being positioned at an angle to said planar portion, said planar portion being positioned within an air flow at an upstream location relative to said flange portion;
- and
- a structure to position said heating element in communication with the air entering the combustion chamber of the engine, wherein said heating element includes a plurality of 180 degree bends and a plurality of planar portions positioned between said bends, said heating element further including a plurality of flange portions positioned adjacent said plurality of planar portions, wherein said planar portions are spaced apart from and positioned substantially parallel to one another.
An air heater for heating air entering a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the air heater comprising:
- a one-piece heating element positioned within an air flow, said heating element having a substantially planar portion and an upset portion, said upset portion extending at an angle to said planar portion along a trailing edge of said heating element;
- and
- a structure coupled to said heating element, said structure being operable to maintain the position of said heating element in communication with the air entering the combustion chamber of the engine wherein said structure includes a plate adapted to be positioned between an engine head and an intake tube of the engine, said plate including a stanchion and a fastener attaching said heating element to said stanchion, wherein said fastener and stanchion are configured to allow relative movement therebetween when said heating element increases in length as a temperature of said heating element increases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.