US 6,982,400 B1 | ||
Electrical heater apparatus | ||
Bunratthanna Nguon, Providence, R.I. (US) | ||
Assigned to Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, Tex. (US) | ||
Filed on Nov. 03, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/980,532. | ||
Int. Cl. H05B 3/10 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 219—548 | 14 Claims |
1. A heater device for use in a well formed in a housing, the well having an open end and a generally cylindrical side wall
portion and a recess portion intermediate to the open end and the cylindrical side wall portion, the heater device comprising
a generally cylindrical, tubular casing of thermally conductive, relatively flexible material having a side wall defining
a chamber and having a first open end and a second closed end,
at least two locking projections extending radially outwardly from the side wall of the casing at the first open end for receipt
in the recess portion of the well, the casing having a longitudinal axis and at least two locking projections extending beyond
the open end of the side wall in the longitudinal direction, each locking projection having a lower surface facing toward
the closed end of the casing, the lower surface being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the casing sidewall,
a heating assembly received in the chamber including:
an electrical resistance heater element having spaced apart first and second electrically conductive terminals,
first and second heat conductive members sandwiching the heater element, the outer peripheral surface of the heat conductive
members when sandwiching the heater element having an outer peripheral curved surface complimentary to the inside surface
of the casing side wall and closely received in the chamber, wire leads electrically connected to the respective first and
second terminals of the heater element and extending out of the open end of the casing, whereby the heater device upon being
inserted into the well with the at least two locking projections received in the recess portion of the well is retained in
the well by the locking projection.
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