Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company

Mks Instruments, Inc.

Eric Ellis

Jeremy Ohse

William Bohlinger

Shawn Leininger

Louis P Steinhauser

James P Hentges

Douglas Schaefer

Stanton Hopkins Breitlow

John Frederic Lemke

Youfan Gu

Keith D Ness

Allen Norman Boldt

Kurt W Peterson

Matthew Francis Yender

James H Kreisel

Robert O Moran

Dale Thomas Wolfe

John Lilleland

Jeffrey D Kiernan

Curtis A Foster

Dean R McCluskey

Terry Madson

Troy Ruben Bolton

Cristian Portillo

Jason R Powell

Mark Louis-Gilmer Hoven

Charles C Lawhead

Jacob Robert Lindley

James Hentges

Keith Ness

Peggy Gruenloh

Steve Brncic

Louis T Lesch

Jacob Burnia

Terry Colhour

Dean R Mccluskey

Matthew Yender

Dean R Mcclusky

M Yender

A control system includes a power converter being a step-down voltage converter and including a power switch. The power converter is operable to generate an adjustable output voltage and includes a sensor circuit configured to measure at least one of a voltage and an electric current of the heater. The control system includes a controller connected to the power converter and the sensor circuit. The controller is configured to determine an input parameter based on the at least one of the voltage and the electric current. The input parameter is indicative of a temperature of the heater. The controller is configured to set the output voltage applied for the heater based on the input parameter and a desired setpoint. The desired setpoint is based on an operational state of the heater. The controller is configured to operate the power switch of the power converter to generate the output voltage.

Power converter for a thermal system

A control system for controlling an adjustable output voltage provided to a heater includes a controller configured to determine an input parameter based on an electrical characteristic of the heater, where the heater includes a resistive heating element that is operable to emit heat and as a sensor. The controller is further configured to determine an output voltage for the heater based on the input parameter and a desired setpoint, and to transmit a signal to a power converter to generate the output voltage. The desired setpoint is based on an operational state of the heater, and the input parameter includes data indicative of a temperature of the resistive heating element that is determined based on the electrical characteristic.

A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Modular heater assembly with interchangeable auxiliary sensing junctions

A modular heater assembly includes resistive heaters disposed along sections of a fluid conduit system, insulation members around the resistive heaters, and at least one insulation block around a fitting. The fitting is configured to join at least two adjacent sections of the fluid conduit system and defines an exterior geometric profile. The insulation block includes a central recess extending axially in a direction of one of the at least two adjacent sections and defining an internal geometric profile substantially matching the external geometric profile of the fitting, and a peripheral aperture. The peripheral aperture is open to the central recess, defines an internal geometric profile substantially matching an external geometric profile of another of the at least two adjacent sections, extends through a sidewall of the insulation block, and is axially aligned with the another of the at least two adjacent sections.

Modular heater assemblies for use in fluid conduits

A modular unit includes a carrier member defining a receiving space for receiving a fluid conduit, a heating element disposed on a surface of the carrier member, and a thermal insulation jacket surrounding the carrier member. The thermal insulation jacket includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions of the thermal insulation jacket have mating features for securing the upper and lower portions together.

Modular heater systems

Insulation block

The present disclosure is directed toward a heater that includes a resistive heating element, a first power pin, and a second power pin. The first power pin forms a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element, and the second power pin forms a second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element. The second power pin includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire. The first lead wire forms the second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element and defines a first conductive material. The second lead wire forms a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a first reference area, and defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the first reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction.

Resistive heater with temperature sensing power pins and auxiliary sensing junction

The present disclosure generally describes a system that includes a heater, a power converter including a power switch, and a controller. The power converter is in communication with the heater and is operable to apply an adjustable voltage to the heater. The controller is in communication with the power switch to control the voltage output of the power converter based on at least one of a load current and a detected voltage at the heater. The controller operates the power switch to adjust the voltage output of the power converter.

A modular heater system includes a plurality of modular units aligned along a longitudinal direction of a fluid conduit for heating a fluid contained in the fluid conduit. The modular units each include a carrier member, a heating element mounted on the carrier member and a thermal insulation jacket surrounding the carrier member and the heating element. The carrier member defines a receiving space for receiving the fluid conduit therein and includes side slots recessed from outer surfaces of the carrier member. The thermal insulation jacket includes an upper half portion and a lower half portion. The upper half portion and the lower half portion are self-locked in the side slots of the carrier member.

A heater system is provided that includes a hybrid insulation cover that has a first cover disposed around hinged carrier members and heat trace sections, and a second cover operatively engaged with the first cover and adapted for detachable placement around a heating target and its varying geometries. A flexible insulation jacket having a similar construction as the second cover is also provided for use with connector assemblies. Furthermore, a heater system is provided that includes at least one heat trace section encapsulated within adjacent insulating members for use with heating gaslines and pumplines of semiconductor processing systems.

Modular heater system

A multiple heater control system includes cables, connectors, and junction boxes for user-friendly daisy chain connections of heater controllers and heaters in various configurations or combinations of individually controlled heater series and/or master and slave heater series. The heater controllers include process control of AC power to the heaters and upper-limit safety shutoff that is substantially independent from the process control. The heater controllers also have variable levels of control, adjustment, display, and communications functionality in a base module that is expandable to various levels with expansion modules that are attachable to and detachable from the base module. Connector, cable, and junction configurations, adapters, and latch features enhance user friendliness.

Heater control with high-limit thermal safety shutdown

A heater system is provided that includes a plurality of carrier members, each carrier member defining an inner periphery surface, an outer receiving portion, and connecting portions. A plurality of resistive heating elements are disposed within the outer receiving portions of the carrier members, and end fittings are disposed proximate the carrier members and the resistive heating elements. A cover is disposed around the carrier members and the resistive heating elements, and the inner periphery surfaces of the carrier members are adapted to transfer heat to a target and the connecting portions are adapted to be secured to at least one of an adjacent carrier member and a heating target. In one form, at least one set of a carrier member and a resistive heating element are resiliently movable such that the heater system provides tactile feedback to an installer that the heater system is properly installed around a target.

A variety of power controller coupling assemblies are provided that include at least one power controller, at least one cable assembly coupled to the power controller, and a plurality of power loads coupled to the power controller and the cable assembly. Power is provided from the power controller to the power loads through the cable assembly in a configuration such that power is provided to each of the power loads if one or more of the power loads should become disconnected from the power controller coupling assembly. Additionally, various cable assemblies are provided that include a plurality of power cables connecting a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors defining a number of conductor positions for providing power from a power source to at least one power controller and to a plurality of power loads.

Power controller coupling assemblies and methods

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, MO, United States of America

Eric Ellis