Abstract: This invention relates to a method for delivering humidified gas to a user or patient during respiratory gas ventilation support, such as, but not limited to, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure breathing, and bi-directional positive airway pressure breathing; the method comprising the steps of heating a humidified gas from a humidified gas reservoir; transferring the heated humidified gas to a patient; receiving expired gas from a patient; heating the expired gas; and transferring the heated expired gas to a gas outlet; wherein the humidified gas and the expired gas are heated to different temperatures. Also disclosed is a humidified gas delivery system, which finds utility as a breathing circuit of a respiratory gas humidification system by delivering humidified gases to a user or patient during mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure breathing, bi-directional positive airway pressure breathing, or other mode of respiratory support provided to users or patients.

Abstract: A de-icing, snow melting and warming system is taught which utilizes a heatsink (20) consisting of a number of board strips disposed in a planer array positioned within a building structure between its exterior and interior surface. The heatsink board strips have a gap (24) therebetween in which a heating cable (42) is positioned in a continuous serpentine manner and held in place with loop clamps (44). A gap filler (48) encases the heating cable including the enclosed gap forming a homogenous closure. A low voltage power transformer (54) is attached to electrical mains providing electrical voltage reduction to the heating cable of 30 volts or less, and controls and self diagnostics regulate the power and detect anomalies within the system.

Abstract: A heat conductor coil for heating a flowing gaseous medium is configured to be attached to a support configuration and has a heat conductor wound in windings following an ascending line of a coil to form the heat conductor coil, wherein the ascending line of the coil defines a circumferential surface of the heat conductor coil. The heat conductor is deflected alternatingly in opposite directions within the circumferential surface of the coil out of the ascending line of the coil. The heat conductor coil is attached to a support plate by securing elements having a securing part for holding a winding of the heat conductor coil and a foot part for attaching the securing element to the support plate. The securing part is a tubular section with a substantially closed mantle surface and receives a winding of the heat conductor coil.

Abstract: Electrical resistance heating elements, hot water heaters containing such elements, and methods of preparing such elements are provided. The electrical resistance heating elements of this invention can be disposed through a wall of a tank for heating fluid, such as water. They include a skeletal support frame having a first supporting surface thereon. They also include a resistance wire wound onto the first supporting surface and preferably connected to at least a pair of terminal end portions. The support frame and resistance wire are then hermetically encapsulated and electrically insulated within a thermally-conductive polymeric coating. The skeletal support frame of this invention improves injection molding operations for encapsulating the resistance wire, and can include heat transfer fins for improving thermal conductivity.

Abstract: An insulator for a coil-type electric resistance heater is disclosed in which the insulator has inclined side faces forming the outer end of the insulator angling inwardly toward one another with side notches in the insulator at the base of the inclined side faces and a central notch in the outer end of the insulator between the two inclined side faces. The distance between the center notch and the outer ends of the inclined side faces is less than the spacing of the adjacent convolutions of the heater element coils so that upon aligning one convolution with the central notch and upon moving the insulator inwardly toward the axis of the coil, the one convolution will be received in the center notch and the adjacent convolutions will be wedgingly engaged by the side faces of the insulator so as to resiliently spread the convolutions such that the adjacent convolutions will snap into the side notches.A method of installing an electrical resistance heater on a plurality of insulators is disclosed.

Abstract: The heat generating member in a ceramic glow plug is a coil embedded in the ceramic. The coil is wound to have a coil angle, i.e. an angle formed between the coil and a line parallel to the coil axis, of no more than 60.degree.. The ceramic may be a non-oxide ceramic, nitride ceramic, SiC ceramic, or the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heater, primarily for pressure furnaces for extremely high temperatures for isostatic compression. The resistance elements of the heater are arranged between two metal rings at different levels which are supported by conductors. The resistance elements comprise two groups of wires arranged in a righthand and a lefthand spiral, respectively. The wires are joined together at the intersection points by means of lashing.

Abstract: A heating element comprises a resistance heating wire formed with closely adjacent zigzag loops and wound helically on an insulating plate or a pair of such plates mounted crosswise and possibly narrowing conically towards one end. Opposite loops engage the respective edges of such insulating plate, possibly in notches in those edges, and may be pressed on to those edges. The plate may have holes near its edges, the engaging loops being formed with kinks which clip into the holes. Spring clips may be provided for electrical connections to such loops at the edge of such plate and may also be formed with kinks which clip into the said kinks of the loops. The electrical connection to such spring clip may be a cable rivetted, eyeletted or soldered to a cross-piece interconnecting the legs of the clip or may comprise an angled tongue formed at the end of one of the legs to receive a flat plug-in connector.

Abstract: A high temperature coil heater which is supported throughout its length in a manner to achieve substantial exposure of the coil to the product. A helically wound coil of resistance wire is supported continuously along its length by an anchor of electrically insulative high strength high thermal conductivity material and which in turn is bonded to a support member of electrically insulative low thermal conductivity low density material. The anchor embeds only a small segment of each coil turn and a major segment of the coil turns is disposed above the support member for efficient direct radiation to the product. Undesirable heat flow rearward of the coil is restricted by the low conductivity support member.