The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1999
James W Wehner, Torrance, CA (US);
Michael J Wehner, Hawthorne, CA (US);
Bruce D Marcus, Los Angeles, CA (US);
John A Pohner, Hawthorne, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A system for and a method of controlling the temperature of an object (22). Temperature sensors (30) are placed on the object (22) in abutting zones (24) substantially covering a surface of the object (22), so as to detect a temperature in each of the respective zones (24). Temperature adjusting elements (28) are spaced from and thermally coupled to the object (22), to adjust the temperatures of corresponding ones of the respective zones (24). Temperature control circuits (32, 34, 36), responsive to temperatures detected by respective ones of the temperature sensors (30), control the corresponding ones of the temperature adjusting elements (28) to maintain the temperatures of the respective zones (24) within a preset temperature range. When the object (22) is in a cold environment and is to be maintained at a warmer temperature, the temperature adjusting elements (28) are heating elements. Conversely, when the object (22) is in a warm environment and is to be cooled, the temperature adjusting elements (28) are cooling elements. In a preferred embodiment, the number of zones (24) and temperature sensors (30) is equal to the number of temperature adjusting elements (28).