초록 ▼

Heater modules are configured for streamlined daisy chain connectivity that includes front end and intermediate daisy chain power injection, water resistant heater assemblies, and shielding. A power injection device is configured with connectivity for insertion of power into heater modules that are

Heater modules are configured for streamlined daisy chain connectivity that includes front end and intermediate daisy chain power injection, water resistant heater assemblies, and shielding. A power injection device is configured with connectivity for insertion of power into heater modules that are in front and intermediate daisy chain positions while enabling data communications between heater modules positioned on opposite sides of the power injection locations.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Heater apparatus, comprising: (i) a heater module comprising: a heater;a controller device connected to the heater by a primary heater cord, the controller device comprising a front end connector having a primary high voltage power terminal, a primary neutral terminal, and at least a first primar

1. Heater apparatus, comprising: (i) a heater module comprising: a heater;a controller device connected to the heater by a primary heater cord, the controller device comprising a front end connector having a primary high voltage power terminal, a primary neutral terminal, and at least a first primary communication terminal;a secondary heater cord extending from the controller device to a back end connector that includes a back end neutral terminal, a back end high voltage power terminal, and at least a first back end communication terminal, the back end connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the front end connector including mating electrical connection of the back end high voltage power terminal to the primary high voltage power terminal, mating electrical connection of the hack end neutral terminal to the primary neutral terminal, and mating communication connection of the first back end communication terminal to the first primary communication terminal; and(ii) a power injection device comprising: an injection device power input connector, including an injection device high voltage input terminal and an injection device neutral input terminal;an injection device communication input connector, including at least a first injection device communication input terminal, said injection device communication input connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the back end connector including mating communication connection of the first injection device communication input terminal to the first back end communication terminal; andan injection device combination power and communication output connector, including an injection device high voltage power output terminal, an injection device neutral output terminal, and at least a first injection device communication output terminal, said injection device combination power and communication output connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the front end connector including mating electrical connection of the injection device high voltage power output terminal to the primary high voltage power terminal, mating electrical connection of the injection device neutral output terminal to the primary neutral terminal, and mating communication connection of the first injection device communication output terminal to the first primary communication terminal. 2. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary heater cord extends from the controller device and through the heater to the back end connector. 3. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary heater cord extends directly from the controller device to the back end connector. 4. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary heater cord extends from the controller device through a T-junction device to the back end connector. 5. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power injection device includes: (i) an injection device high voltage power conductor connected electrically to the injection device high voltage power input terminal and to the injection device high voltage power output terminal;(ii) an injection device neutral conductor connected electrically to the injection device neutral input terminal and to the injection device neutral output terminal; and(iii) at least a first injection device communication conductor connected to the first injection device communication input terminal and to the first injection device communication output terminal. 6. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front end connector and the hack end connector are both of a type that provides a water tight seal for the primary high voltage power terminal, the primary neutral terminal, the first primary communication terminal, the back end high voltage power terminal, the back end neutral terminal, and the first back end communication terminal. 7. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front end connector, the back end connector, the injection device communication input connector, and the injection device combination power and communication output connector are all of a type that provides water tight seals for the back end high voltage power terminal, the back end neutral terminal, the first back end communication terminal, the first injection device communication input terminal, the injection device high voltage power output terminal, the injection device neutral output terminal, the first injection device communication output terminal, the primary high voltage power terminal, the primary neutral terminal, the first primary communication terminal. 8. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises: a controller housing with an outside wall which is shaped substantially as a figure of revolution extending along a controller longitudinal axis between a housing front end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a front aperture and a housing back end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a back aperture, said controller housing having an external surface and enclosing an interior controller chamber; anda protective shield covering the external surface of the controller housing. 9. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is a heat-shrunk material. 10. The heater apparatus of claim 9, wherein the protective shield is impermeable to water. 11. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is chemically inert. 12. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is a magnetic field shielding material. 13. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is an RF shielding material. 14. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is impervious to dust. 15. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield reflects or absorbs ultraviolet radiation. 16. The heater apparatus of claim 5, wherein the protective shield is a cushion material. 17. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is a thermal insulation material. 18. The heater apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protective shield is a material that transmits visible light. 19. The heater apparatus of claim 8, including: a front end cord that extends through the front aperture;a primary heater cord that extends through the back aperture;a water impermeable front boot that extends over both the front end of the housing, including over a front end portion of the protective shield and over a portion of the front end cord that is external to the housing; anda water impervious back boot that extends over both the back end of the housing, including a back end portion of the protective shield and a portion of the primary heater cord that is external to the housing. 20. The heater apparatus of claim 19, wherein the front boot and the back boot comprise a heat-Shrunk material. 21. The heater apparatus of claim 1, including a heater element in the heater and including at least one temperature sensor in the heater adjacent to the heater element. 22. The heater apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller device includes a controller housing that at least partially contains: (i) a primary neutral conductor that extends from the primary neutral terminal, through the controller housing and through the primary heater cord, to the heater where the primary neutral conductor is connected electrically to the heater element and to a secondary neutral conductor which extends through the secondary heater cord to the back end neutral terminal;(ii) a primary high voltage power conductor that extends from the primary high voltage power terminal, through the controller housing and through the primary heater cord to the heater where the primary high voltage power conductor is connected electrically to a secondary high voltage power conductor, which extends through the secondary heater cord to the back end high voltage power terminal; and(iii) at least a first primary communication conductor that extends from the first primary communication terminal, through the controller housing and through the primary heater cord, to the heater where the first primary communication conductor is connected to a first secondary communication conductor which extends through the secondary heater cord to the first back end communication terminal. 23. The heater apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller housing contains: (i) control circuitry configured for controlling temperature of the heater based at least in part on temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor and for turning high voltage power to the heater element of in response to temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor in excess of a high limit temperature parameter; and(ii) communication circuitry configured for generating communications signals. 24. The heater apparatus of claim 23, including: (i) temperature signal conductors extending from the temperature control circuitry, through the primary heater cord, and into the heater, said temperature signal conductors being connected electrically to the at least one temperature sensor in the heater and to the temperature control circuitry; and(ii) a controlled high voltage power conductor extending from the control circuitry in the controller housing, through the primary heater cord, and into the heater where the controlled high voltage power conductor is connected electrically to the heater element, and wherein the control circuitry connects and disconnects the controlled high voltage power conductor to and from the primary high voltage power conductor to control heat production by the heating element in response to temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor. 25. The heater apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the front end connector includes a second primary communication terminal;the back end connector includes a second back end communication terminal and is configured in a manner that is capable of mating communication connection of the second back end communication terminal to the second primary communication terminal;the injection device communication input connector includes a second injection device communication input terminal, and the injection device communication input connector is configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the back end connector including mating communication connection of the second injection device communication input terminal to the second back end communication terminal; andthe injection device combination power and communication output connector includes a second injection device communication output terminal, and the injection device combination power and communication output connector is configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the front end connector including mating communication connection of the second injection device communication output terminal to the second primary communication terminal. 26. The heater apparatus of claim 25, wherein the power injection device includes: (i) an injection device high voltage power conductor connected electrically to the injection device high voltage power input terminal and to the injection device high voltage power output terminal;(ii) an injection device neutral conductor connected electrically to the injection device neutral input terminal and to the injection device neutral output terminal;(iii) a first injection device communication conductor connected to the first injection device communication input terminal and to the first injection device communication output terminal; and(iv) a second injection device communication conductor connected to the second injection device communication input terminal and to the second injection device communication output terminal. 27. The heater apparatus of claim 26, including an auxiliary communication cord having an auxiliary communication output connector on one end of the auxiliary communication cord, said first auxiliary communication output connector including a first auxiliary communication output terminal and a second auxiliary communication output terminal, said auxiliary communication output connector being configured in a manner that is capable of mating connection to the injection device communication input connector, including mating communication connection of the first auxiliary communication output terminal to the first injection device communication input, terminal and mating communication connection of the second auxiliary communication output terminal to the second injection device communication input terminal. 28. A power injection device for injecting power into fewer than all of a plurality of heater modules in an assembly of heater modules, wherein each of the heater modules has a heater and a controller and is connectable together in a daisy-chain fashion with the other heater modules in the assembly by a secondary heater cord with a hack end connector configured for mating physical and electrical connection to a front end connector of a succeeding heater module in the assembly in a manner that is capable of connecting a secondary high voltage power conductor, a secondary neutral conductor, and at least one secondary communications conductor in the secondary heater cord to a high voltage power conductor, a neutral conductor, and at least one communications conductor in the succeeding heater module the injection device, comprising: an injection device combination power and communication output connector, that is configured for mating physical and electrical connection to the front end connector in a manner that is capable of electrically connecting an injection device high voltage power output terminal, an injection device neutral output terminal, and at least a first injection device communication output terminal in the injection device combination power and communication output connector, respectively, to the high voltage power conductor, the neutral conductor, and the least one communications conductor in one of the heater modules in the assembly;an injection device communication input connector that is configured for mating physical and electrical connection to the back end connector in a manner that is capable of electrically connecting a first injection device communication input terminal in the injection device communication input connector to the at least one secondary communications conductor in the secondary heater cord; andan injection device power input connector that has an injection device high voltage power input terminal and an injection device neutral input terminal;wherein the power injection device does not provide any high voltage power electrical connection between the injection device communication input connector and the injection device combination power and communication output connector, but the power injection device does have: (i) an injection device high voltage power conductor that electrically connects the injection device high voltage power input terminal of the injection device power input connector to the injection device high voltage power output terminal of the injection device combination power and communication output connector; (ii) an injection device neutral conductor that electrically connects the injection device neutral input terminal of the injection device power input connector to the injection device neutral output terminal of the injection device combination power and communication output connector; and (iii) a first injection device communication conductor that electrically connects the first injection device communication input terminal of the injection device communication input connector to the first injection device communication output terminal of the injection device combination power and communication output connector. 29. The power injection device of claim 28, wherein: the injection device communication input connector is configured for mating physical and electrical connection to the back end connector in a manner that is also capable of electrically connecting a second injection device communication input terminal in the injection device communication input connector to a second secondary communications conductor in the secondary heater cord;the injection device combination power and communication output connector includes a second injection device communication output terminal and is configured for mating physical and electrical connection to the front end connector in a manner that is also capable of electrically connecting a second injection device communication output terminal in the injection device combination power and communication output connector to a second communications conductor in said one of the heater modules in the assembly; anda second injection device communication conductor electrically connects the second injection device communication input terminal of the injection device communication input connector to the second injection device communication output terminal of the injection device combination power and communication output connector. 30. A method of providing power to and communication data to or from a plurality of heater modules that are daisy-chain connected together, each of which heater modules comprises a heater element in a heater, a controller device connected to the heater by a primary heater cord, high voltage power conductors, neutral conductors, and communication conductors extending from the controller device, through the primary heater cord to the heater, and through a secondary heater cord extending from the heater for connection to the controller device of another one of the heater modules, the method comprising: injecting power into a first one of the heater modules while passing communication data into or out of said first one of the heater modules by connecting a first power injection device to the first one of the heater modules and providing power from a high voltage power source through an injection device power input connector and out of an injection device combination power and communication output connector to the first one of the heater modules; andinjecting auxiliary power into another one of the heater modules in the daisy-chain of heater modules by connecting a second power injection device into said another one of the heater modules and connecting the secondary heater cord of an intermediate heater module in the daisy chain of heater modules to the second power injection device to transmit communication data between the said another one of the heater modules and the said intermediate heater module through the power injection device. 31. A method of providing a water-resistant heater assembly that includes a plurality of heater modules connected electrically in daisy chain fashion, wherein each heater module has a heater containing a heating element powered by high voltage electric power and at least one temperature sensor positioned in the heater adjacent to the heater element, and wherein each heater module also has a controller device connected electrically to a high voltage power source and to the heater element and to the temperature sensor in the heater, comprising: providing the controller device of each heater module with a housing that has an outside wall which is shaped substantially as a figure of revolution extending along a controller longitudinal axis between as housing front end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a front aperture and a housing back end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a back aperture, said housing having an external surface and enclosing an interior controller chamber;positioning the control lea device a distance apart from the heater;providing each heater module with no more than one electrical input connector and no more than one electrical output connector, said electrical input connectors and electrical output connectors 34 of the heater modules being connectable together in a water tight manner that resists leakage of water into contact with electrical conductors and the terminals in the electrical input connectors and electrical output connectors;extending a high voltage power conductor, a neutral conductor, and at least one data communication conductor between the electrical input connector of the heater module and the electrical output connector of same heater module including through the housing of the controller device;shrink-wrapping a water impermeable, protective shield around the housing of the controller; andconnecting a plurality of heater modules together in daisy chain fashion by connecting the electrical output connectors of one or more heater modules to the electrical input connectors of one or more other heater modules. 32. Power injection apparatus for providing power to and communication data to or from a plurality of heater modules that are daisy-chain connected together, each of which heater modules comprises a heater element in a heater, a controller device connected to the heater by a primary heater cord, high voltage power conductors, neutral conductors, and communication conductors extending from the controller device, through the primary heater cord to the heater, and through a secondary heater cord extending from the heater for connection to the controller device of another one of the heater modules, comprising: means for injecting power into a first one of the heater modules while passing communication data into or out of said first one of the heater modules; andmeans for injecting auxiliary power into another one of the heater modules in the daisy-chain of heater modules by connecting a second power injection device into said another one of the heater modules and connecting the secondary heater cord of an intermediate heater module in the daisy chain of heater modules to the second power injection device to transmit communication data between the said another one of the heater modules and the said intermediate heater module through the power injection device. 33. Apparatus for providing a water-resistant heater assembly that includes a plurality of heater modules connected electrically in daisy chain fashion, wherein each heater module has a heater containing a heating element powered by high voltage electric power and at least one temperature sensor positioned in the heater adjacent to the heater element, and wherein each heater module also has a controller device, connected electrically to a high voltage power source and to the heater element and to the temperature sensor in the heater, comprising: means for providing the controller device of each heater module with a housing that has an outside wall which is shaped substantially as a figure of revolution extending along a controller longitudinal axis between a housing front end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a front aperture and a housing back end shaped substantially as a figure of revolution that defines a back aperture, said housing having an external, surface and enclosing an interior controller chamber;means for positioning the controller device a distance apart from the heater with electrical conductive components extending between the controller device and the heater;means for providing each heater module with no more than one electrical input connector and no more than one electrical output connector, said electrical input connectors and electrical output connectors of the heater modules being connectable together in a water tight manner that resists leakage of water into contact with electrical conductors and the terminals in the electrical input connectors and electrical output connectors;means for extending a high voltage power conductor, a neutral conductor, and at least one data communication conductor between the electrical input connector of the heater module and the electrical output connector of same heater module including through the housing of the controller device;a water impermeable, protective shield shrink-wrapped around the housing of the controller; anda plurality of heater modules connected together in daisy chain fashion with the electrical output connectors 34 of one or more heater modules connected to the electrical input connectors of one or more other heater modules.