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:
Nov. 16, 2004
Filed:
May. 15, 2003
Sheldon P. Carr, West Bend, WI (US);
Richard Zimmerer, Charlotte, NC (US);
Perfect Fit Industries, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
A heating arrangement includes a pliable member such as a blanket, mattress pad, throw, etc., having a heating element that is engageable with a power supply via a connection arrangement secured to the heating element and to the pliable member, and a connector from a power supply cord that extends from the power supply. The connection arrangement includes a housing within which the ends of the heating element are located, and a mounting member that surrounds the housing and is connected to the pliable member for maintaining the connection arrangement in place. The ends of the heating element include connector pins that are received within passages defined by the housing, and which are adapted for engagement by receivers associated with the power supply connector. A retainer arrangement is interposed between the power supply connector and the housing, for releasably maintaining the power supply connector in engagement with the housing. The housing includes a greater number of passages than connector pins, and the connector pins are engaged within the passages in a predetermined arrangement according to the parameters of the pliable member, e.g. size and desired heat output. The power supply connector of a compatible power supply includes a similar number of passages, and has receivers that are configured so as to correspond to the configuration of the heating element connector pins so as to ensure that the proper power supply is used for the pliable member.