Heated floor panel for transit vehicle
AssigneeRTR Technologies, Inc.
InventorCraig M. Berger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for generating radiant heat in a transit vehicle includes at least one floor panel having at least one heating element disposed therein, and a power switch operably disposed intermediate a power supply source and the heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by such power supply source to and from such at least one heating element.
Claims18
In combination with a transit vehicle, said transit vehicle selected from the group consisting of rail car, passenger rail vehicle, passenger transit bus, passenger utility bus, and school bus, a system for generating radiant heat within interior portion of said transit vehicle, said system comprising:
- (a) at least one floor panel mounted above a sub-floor structure of said transit vehicle and being sufficiently rigid so as to meet rigors of passenger traffic in a mass transit environment and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size, said at least one floor panel further having at least one heating element disposed therein;
- (b) a power switch operably disposed intermediate a power supply source of said transit vehicle and said at least one heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by said power supply source to said at least one heating element;
- and
- (c) said at least one heating element is at least one electric heating element and said system includes a controller coupled to said power switch and to a control power supply source for controlling operation of said at least one heating element, said control power supply source being independent from said power supply source for operating said at least one heating element.
In combination with a transit vehicle, said transit vehicle selected from the group consisting of rail car, passenger rail vehicle, passenger transit bus, passenger utility bus, and school bus, a system for generating radiant heat within interior portion of said transit vehicle, said system comprising:
- (a) at least one floor panel mounted above a sub-floor structure of said transit vehicle and being sufficiently rigid so as to meet rigors of passenger traffic in a mass transit environment and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size, said at least one floor panel further having at least one heating element disposed therein;
- (b) a power switch operably disposed intermediate a power supply source of said transit vehicle and said at least one heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by said power supply source to said at least one heating element;
- and
- (c) said at least one heating element at least includes an electrical conductor, an insulation layer surrounding said electrical conductor, a jacket surrounding said insulation layer and a metallic braid surrounding said jacket.
In combination with a transit vehicle, said transit vehicle selected from the group consisting of rail car, passenger rail vehicle, passenger transit bus, passenger utility bus, and school bus, a system for generating radiant heat within interior portion of said transit vehicle, said system comprising:
- (a) at least one floor panel mounted above a sub-floor structure of said transit vehicle and being sufficiently rigid so as to meet rigors of passenger traffic in a mass transit environment and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size, said at least one floor panel further having at least one heating element disposed therein;
- (b) a power switch operably disposed intermediate a power supply source of said transit vehicle and said at least one heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by said power supply source to said at least one heating element;
- and
- (c) said power switch is a contactor having a coil and at least one set of open contacts disposed therein, wherein a supply of a control signal to said coil causes said open contacts to close allowing flow of said supply power therethrough.
In combination with a transit vehicle selected from the group consisting of rail car, passenger rail vehicle, passenger transit bus, passenger utility bus, and school bus, a system for generating radiant heat within interior portion of said transit vehicle, said system comprising:
- (a) at least one floor panel mounted above a sub-floor structure of said transit vehicle and being sufficiently rigid so as to meet rigors of passenger traffic in a mass transit environment and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size;
- (b) at least one heating element operatively mounted under and in close proximity to a top surface of said at least one floor panel and operable by a supply of operating voltage from a power supply source of said transit vehicle;
- (c) a power switch operatively disposed between said power supply source and said at least one heating element, said power switch having a coil and at least one set of open contacts disposed therein, said coil operable by a presence of a control signal to close said at least one set of open contacts permitting flow of said operating voltage therethrough to said at least one heating element;
- (d) a controller having each of a memory and a processor, said controller operatively coupled to said coil and selectively generating said control signal in accordance with a predetermined logic;
- (e) a source of control power operatively coupled to said controller;
- (f) a current monitoring means operatively disposed between said power supply source and said power switch and coupled to said controller for providing an electrical current signal thereto, whereby said processor compares said electrical current signal with a current threshold stored within said memory;
- (g) at least one first temperature sensor operatively coupled to said controller and providing at least one first temperature signal indicative of a temperature within said interior portion of said transit vehicle, whereby said processor compares said at least one first temperature signal with a pair of temperature defaults stored within said memory, whereby said predetermined logic causes said controller to generate said control signal when said at least one first temperature signal is about equal to one of said pair of temperature defaults having a lower value and whereby said predetermined logic causes said controller to discontinue said control signal when said at least one first temperature signal is about equal to an opposed one of pair of temperature defaults having a higher value;
- (h) a second temperature sensor operatively coupled to said controller and providing at least one second temperature signal indicative of ambient temperature external to said transit vehicle;
- (i) a fuse operatively connected between said power switch and said at least one heating element so as to protect said system from excessive current;
- and
- (j) an indicating means coupled to at least one of said power switch and said controller for indicating operation of said at least one heating element.
In combination with a transit vehicle, said transit vehicle selected from the group consisting of a rail car, a passenger rail vehicle, a passenger transit bus, a passenger utility bus, and a school bus, an improvement comprising a system for generating radiant heat within interior portion of said transit vehicle, said system including:
- (a) at least one floor panel mounted above a sub-floor structure of said transit vehicle and being sufficiently rigid so as to meet rigors a mass transit environment, said at least one floor panel further having each of at least one heating element disposed within said at least one floor panel between upper and lower surfaces thereof and a heat transfer compound also disposed within said panel in operative engagement with said at least one heating element;
- and
- (b) a power switch operatively disposed between a power supply source of said transit vehicle and said at least one heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by said power supply source to said at least one heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.