초록 ▼

A forced air warming unit has a casing that encloses a scroll housing with a curved inside surface. A blower is disposed in the scroll housing inside the curved surface. Inlet and outlet openings are provided in the casing. A circuit board is mounted in the casing, against the scroll housing so that

A forced air warming unit has a casing that encloses a scroll housing with a curved inside surface. A blower is disposed in the scroll housing inside the curved surface. Inlet and outlet openings are provided in the casing. A circuit board is mounted in the casing, against the scroll housing so that the blower is enclosed in space between the scroll housing and the circuit board. At least one opening is provided through the circuit board into the space in which the blower is disposed. A tapered, elongate, arcuate heater plate is disposed in the scroll housing between the circuit board and the blower, with a relatively wide end near the outlet opening and a second, relatively narrower end near the curved inside surface. Air is conducted in response to operation of the blower through the inlet opening, along a first side of the circuit board through the one or more openings in the circuit board into the scroll housing. Air is also conducted in response to operation of the blower along a second side of the circuit board which faces the scroll housing, through air passages in the circuit board to and along the first side through the one or more openings, into the scroll housing. Air entering the scroll housing in response to operation of the blower is accelerated by the blower along the curved inside surface while being heated in response to operation of the heater plate. Heated, pressurized air exits the forced air warming unit through the outlet opening. Provision is made for connecting an air hose to the outlet opening for conducting the pressurized, heated air to a pneumatic, convective device.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for providing pressurized, thermally conditioned air to an air hose, comprising:a casing having an edge with an outlet opening adapted for coupling to an air hose; a scroll housing in the casing describing an airflow pathway with an air diffusing outlet near the outlet opening for pr

1. An apparatus for providing pressurized, thermally conditioned air to an air hose, comprising:a casing having an edge with an outlet opening adapted for coupling to an air hose; a scroll housing in the casing describing an airflow pathway with an air diffusing outlet near the outlet opening for providing a stream of pressurized air through the outlet opening; a blower unit disposed in the scroll housing; a circuit board adjacent the scroll housing, spaced apart from the blower unit; a heater plate supported in the scroll housing between the circuit board and the blower unit, the heater plate extending from the air diffusing outlet at least part way into the scroll housing; a manually-operated remote control unit; and heater control circuitry on the circuit board connected to the remote control unit and to the heater plate for causing the heater plate to be heated to a temperature indicated by the remote control unit. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further including an intake opening in the edge for admitting air into the casing.3. The apparatus of claim 2, the circuit board having two sides, a first side which faces the casing, and a second side which faces the scroll housing, an edge disposed near the intake opening, one or more airflow passages between the edge and the scroll housing and an opening to the scroll housing, the apparatus further including:a first air intake flow path extending through the intake opening past the edge over the first side of the circuit board and through the opening to the scroll housing; and a second air intake flow path extending through the intake opening past the edge over the second side of the circuit board, through the one or more airflow passages, along the first side and through the opening into the scroll housing. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further including:the heater control circuitry mounted on the first side of the circuit board and disposed in the first airflow path. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further including power conversion apparatus mounted on the second side of the circuit board and disposed in the second airflow path, the power conversion apparatus for converting AC power for use by the heater control circuitry.6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater plate has a first and a second end and an elongate tapered arcuate shape wider at the first end than the second end, the first end being disposed in the air diffusing outlet.7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including at least one turbulator mounted on the heater plate, near the first end facing the circuit board.8. The apparatus of claim 6, further including an intake opening in the end for admitting air into the casing.9. The apparatus of claim 8, the circuit board having two sides, a first side which faces the casing, and a second side which faces the scroll housing, an edge disposed near the intake opening, one or more airflow passages between the edge and the scroll housing and an opening to the scroll housing, the apparatus further including:a first air intake flow path extending through the intake opening past the edge over the first side of the circuit board and through the opening to the scroll housing; and a second air intake flow path extending through the intake opening past the edge over the second side of the circuit board, through the one or more airflow passages, along the first side and through the opening into the scroll housing. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including:the heater control circuitry mounted on the first side of the circuit board and disposed in the first airflow path. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including power conversion apparatus mounted on the second side of the circuit board and disposed in the second airflow path, the power conversion apparatus for converting AC power for use by the heater control circuitry.12. A forced air warming unit for providing a stream of pressurized, thermally conditioned air through an air hose to a pneumatic, convective device, comprising:a casing with an interior scroll housing having a curved inside surface and an outlet opening for providing a stream of pressurized air to an air hose; a radial blower rotatably disposed in the scroll housing for forcing air along the curved inside surface to the outlet; an elongate, curved heater plate supported in the scroll housing along at least a portion of the curved inside surface for heating air forced along the curved inside surface, the heater plate having a first end disposed near the outlet, and a second end disposed in the scroll housing near the curved inside surface; an intake opening in the casing for admitting air into the scroll housing; circuitry connected to the heater plate: a circuit board with two sides, a first side supporting the circuitry and a second side supporting the circuit board against the scroll housing to enclose the radial blower in the scroll casing; and a manually operated remote control unit connected to the circuitry for configuring the circuitry to cause the heater plate to be heated to a temperature indicated by the remote control unit. 13. The unit of claim 12, further including at least one opening through the circuit board into the scroll housing, at least one air passageway through the circuit board outside of the scroll housing, a first air intake flow path extending through the intake opening along the first side of the circuit board and through the at least one opening, into the scroll housing, and a second air intake flow path extending through the intake opening, along the second side of the circuit board, through the at least one air passageway, along the first side and through the at least one opening, into the scroll housing.14. The unit of claim 13, further including power conversion apparatus mounted on the second side of the circuit board and disposed in the second airflow path, the power conversion apparatus for converting AC power for use by the circuitry.15. The unit of claim 14, wherein the heater plate is mounted to the second side, spaced from the second side and from the radial blower.16. The unit of claim 15, further including at least one turbulator mounted on the heater plate, near the outlet opening, facing the circuit board.17. The unit of claim 16, the casing having a hemi-elliptical shape with a contoured edge, and the outlet opening and the intake opening being disposed adjacently on the contoured edge.18. An apparatus for providing pressurized, thermally conditioned air to an air hose, comprising:a casing having an edge with an outlet opening adapted for coupling to an air hose; a scroll housing in the casing describing an airflow pathway with an air diffusing outlet near the outlet opening for providing a stream of pressurized air through the outlet opening; a blower unit disposed in the scroll housing; a circuit board adjacent the scroll housing, spaced apart from the blower unit; a heater plate supported in the scroll housing between the circuit board and the blower unit, the heater plate extending from the air diffusing outlet at least part way into the scroll housing; the heater plate having a first and a second end and an elongate tapered arcuate shape wider at the first end than the second end, the first end being disposed in the air diffusing outlet; and at least one turbulator mounted on the heater plate, near the first end facing the circuit board.