Patent Application
20070257017
The present invention refers to the temperature control of a warming article, more particularly, to a temperature control method for controlling a heater such as an electric blanket or an electric carpet in response to a detection signal from a temperature sensor arranged together with the heater in the electric blanket or carpet.
Warming articles, such as warming blankets and warming mattress pads typically include a user control, such as a dial, that permits a user to set the relative amount of heat output of the blanket. As an example, a user control for a warming article may include settings 1 to 10, with 10 being the warmest setting, and 1 being the least warm. These settings are a relative temperature scale and a setting of 7 on one warming article may not be the same temperature as a setting of 7 on another similar article. This relative temperature measurement requires only gross determination of the temperature of the warming article. Sometimes temperature determination is also used to set an upper safe limit. In both cases, precise calibration of temperature is not required.
Furthermore, an arbitrary numbering system does not provide an intuitive idea of how warm the article will get. A user may know they are comfortable at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. It is preferable, therefore, to have a warming article in which the heating may be set using a known temperature scale rather than an arbitrary numbering scale. However, this requires a control system that has precise knowledge of the temperature of the warming article.
There is thus a need for a warming article with sensor feedback that is precisely correlated to the actual temperature such that each standardized controller will work with any sensor and warming article.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The warming article 10 of the invention has a sensing system 100 that uses precise calibration of the sensor system such that the sensor feedback can be precisely correlated to the actual temperature. Additionally, each sensing system is calibrated so that it will work with any controller—each controller does not have to be matched to a particular sensor. Calibration and standardization means that for a set drawn from a given type of controller and sensor system, any controller will work with any sensor system and warming article. This is advantageous, for example, when a family has multiple warming blankets and removes the controllers from the blankets for laundering; the controllers are interchangeable so that the blankets could be used with any of the controllers. It has an additional advantage in production in that it is not necessary to pair and then track a particular controller and sensor system.
Similarly configured controllers may be used with any similarly configured sensor, even when there is significant variation from sensor to sensor. This variation often happens in textile-based heating systems incorporating strands of a temperature-dependent variable resistor (TDVR) as the sensor. The controller must know the baseline resistance of the sensor, the resistance at a fixed temperature. In textile-based systems it can be difficult from a practical standpoint to sufficiently control the resistance of the sensor from system to system, so that different sensors have significantly different baseline resistances.
Some arrangements for the sensing system 100 may be found in
The first sensor element 110 is a temperature dependent variable resistor (TDVR), designed so that its resistance is directly proportional to its average temperature. The relationship between temperature and resistance is the temperature coefficient. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio when determining temperature, the TDVR may be designed to have as large a temperature coefficient as practical.
Ideally, the second sensor element 120 would have the same temperature coefficient as the first sensor element 110, that is, it would also be a TDVR. In practice, the second sensor element 120 is often part of a printed circuit board or other conventional electronic device or controller and it is not practical to be made out of the same materials as the first sensor element. As such, it is useful if the second sensor element 120 is a commercially available resistor. Such resistors typically have a much smaller temperature coefficient than does the first sensor element 110.
Often the second sensor element 120 is located outside the area over which the temperature is to be measured, in an environment where the temperature changes less than in the environment of the first sensor element 110. This further reduces the resistance change of the second sensor element 120 relative to that of the first sensor element 110. In practice, the temperature-related resistance change of the second sensor element 120 typically is much smaller that that of the first sensor element 110, and so the second sensor element 120 will be referred to as a temperature independent variable resistor (TIVR) for this specification. However, the second sensor element is not limited to being a TIVR and may be any type of variable resistor whose resistance can be externally set. To the extent that the changes in resistance of the TDVR and TIVR are different, use of the TIVR will introduce an error in the temperature measurement of the sensing system 100. This includes combinations of resistors that, for purposes of analyzing the complete circuit, can be treated as one resistor.
The resistance of the TIVR may change for reasons other than temperature (such as manual adjustment), and so it is still referred to it as a variable resistor. In fact, as is described below, it is often preferable that the manufacturer be able to adjust the resistance of the second sensor element 120. So, for example, the TIVR may be a potentiometer, or it may be a series of resistors that can be selectively included in the TIVR sensor element(s).
In order for the TDVR first sensor element 110 to respond to the temperature over large areas of the sensor system 100, the TDVR first sensor element 110 is linear and flexible. In this case, linear refers to its spatial extent, being much longer in one of its dimensions than in either of the other two dimensions. The first sensor element 110 should also be flexible, so that it can be incorporated throughout the warming article 10, for example in a serpentine pattern as shown in
The TIVR (the second sensor in
The warming article 10 measures the resistance R of the sensing system 100 including the TDVR sensor element 110 to determine the average temperature T of the sensor element 110. Ignoring for a moment the presence of the TIVR second sensor element 120, the controller can determine the average temperature from the measured resistance by using a calculation or look-up table based on
T−To=[(R/Ro−1)]/αo (Equation 1)
where Ro is the baseline resistance of the sensor system and αo is the temperature coefficient of the sensor material at temperature To. The TIVR second sensor element 120 introduces an error in this equation which is discussed below. This error can be determined and controlled so that the average temperature of the warming article can be determined. Furthermore, as will now be shown, the second sensor element allows adjustment for differences in the baseline resistance from one sensor system to another. This allows use of a single calculation or look-up table for all sensor systems and greatly increases the accuracy of the temperature determination.
In one embodiment as shown in
ΔT=ΔR/Ro*(T−To) (Equation 2)
As before, R0 and T0 are the baseline resistance and temperature. The error ΔT is minimized when ΔR is minimized, so it is still desirable to minimize the distribution of resistances of the TDVR first sensor element 110. It is also desirable to choose the smallest necessary correction ΔR, keeping in mind that it must raise the resistance of the least resistive first sensor element 110 to the desired baseline resistance R0. In practice, the error ΔT can be kept small.
In another embodiment as shown in
The configurations in
In one arrangement shown in
In another arrangement shown in
In
The precision can be improved by using the configuration shown in
The next three embodiments teach automated or semi-automated methods for taking the calibration measurements and communicating the results to the controller so it can readjust its calculations accordingly.
In a second embodiment shown in
The calibration element 150 is typically a small writable electronic device, such as an integrated circuit (IC), with the baseline resistance of first sensor element 110 encoded in it so that the baseline resistance can be read by the controller 140. The IC is encoded with the baseline resistance of first sensor element 110 by an additional manufacturing step after assembly of the warming article. The baseline resistance of the first sensor element 110 is measured at a controlled and known or measured baseline temperature To and the calibration element 150 is encoded with that information. This becomes the baseline resistance Ro of sensor system 100. At that point an instruction can be sent to the calibration element 150 to “lock in” the programmed data, so that it can not be reprogrammed. The data is made available to an inquiring circuit, such as the controller. Therefore, when the controller is connected to the sensor system, it can query for the value of Ro and To as desired, to be used for example in Equation (2). The controller controls the amount of heat generated by the heating element based on the sensor resistances. This method has the advantage of being completely set up during manufacturing.
In a third embodiment, the warming article 10 comprises a sensing system 100, wherein the sensing system 100 comprises a first sensor element 110 being a TDVR and a calibration element 150 being a resistance temperature device (RTD), wherein the RTD senses the ambient temperature surrounding the warming article, and wherein the first sensor element 110 is linear and flexible. The warming article 10 also has a controller 140 that reads the ambient temperature input from the calibration element and measures the resistance of the first sensor element 110, and sets a correspondence between the temperature from the calibration element and the resistance from the first sensor element 110.
This method includes a means for providing the temperature at a moment when the controller is measuring the resistance, and this pair of values is used as a (potentially new) set of baseline values (Ro, To) along with an appropriately adjusted value of the temperature coefficient αo′.
At any time, the controller element 150 can be told to calibrate itself, for example, by pressing a calibration button. The controller then reads the temperature as given by the temperature measuring device and the resistance of the sensor and sets these as the new values of Ro and To. This method has the advantage of allowing the system to be recalibrated as necessary, but it assumes the temperature of the first sensor element 110 is the same as the temperature provided by the temperature measuring device. The calibration may done each time the warming article is turned on, or in another embodiment, there 6an be a recessed switch that is pressed if the user wants to recalibrate. Additionally, the warming article may include a writable electronic device in which the correspondence between the temperature from the calibration element and the resistance from the first sensor element 110 is encoded.
In this method the baseline temperature To can change. The new baseline resistance Ro is measured directly. The new temperature coefficient αo can be calculated or read from a look-up table based on the equation
αo=ar/[1+αo(To−Tr)], (Equation 3)
where αr is the reference temperature coefficient at some reference temperature Tr. Values of αr at some defined Tr are available from reference tables for a wide variety of conducting materials, including materials such as copper or nickel typically considered for sensors. For a particular novel material, such as a new conducting polymer, the value of αr can be determined experimentally.
In a fourth embodiment, the warming article 10 comprises a sensing system 100, wherein the sensing system 100 comprises a first sensor element 110 being a temperature dependent variable resistor and a calibration element 150, wherein the calibration element 150 is encoded with a user input of baseline temperature, and wherein the first sensor 110 element is linear and flexible. The controller element 150 measures the resistance of the first sensor element 110 and sets a correspondence between the user input temperature from the calibration element 150 and the resistance from the first sensor element 110. The fourth method removes the need for the temperature measuring device and replaces it by requiring the user to input the temperature using the controller Interface, much in the same way the user can input a set point (desired) temperature. In this case, allowance can be made for the fact that the sensor may be at an elevated temperature, but it is necessary for the user to know the temperature of the sensor. Again, information is used to set new values of Ro and To.
Preferably the sensing system controls the warming article temperature to within two degrees Fahrenheit of the set point, more preferably to within one degree Fahrenheit.
Any conductive material can be used for the TDVR sensor element, so long as the conductivity changes over the temperature range to be monitored, and the material can be made into flexible strands. Conductivity of the TDVR can either increase or decrease with temperature. The larger the temperature coefficient αr of the material, the greater the signal of a change in temperature. It is preferable that the temperature behavior of the material be stable over time. It is also preferable that the resistance have a linear dependence on the temperature over the range of interest.
Preferred materials for the TDVR sensor strands include most metals, including copper, silver, and stainless steel. Among common metals, nickel has a particularly high temperature coefficient. Copper is highly ductile and readily available as strands. Metals may be incorporated as wires or strands, or they may be incorporated as strands wrapped around a flexible nonconductive core, such as a plastic filament yarn. They may also be coatings on flexible nonconductive strands.
Preferred materials also include conductive polymers, including intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) such as polypyrrole, polyaniline, and polythiophene and yams or strands coated with ICPs, as well as nonconductive polymers loaded with conductive particles such as carbon particles, metal particles, metal coated glass beads, metal oxide particles, and metal oxide coated glass beads. Such materials often have larger coefficients than metals, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,591.
Other preferred materials include semiconductors, such as silicon or germanium, which often have large temperature coefficients. While these materials may not be flexible, when formed into thin strands or used as coatings on flexible nonconductive strands they can be included as a flexible sensor.
The warming article 10 may be heated garments, such as jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves, shirts, pants, socks, boots, and shoes, and/or home furnishing textile articles, such as blankets, throws, warming pads, warming mats, seat warmers, mattress pads, mattresses, seating, and upholstery. The warming article 10 may contain fabric that is of any stitch construction suitable to the end use, including by not limited to a woven, knitted, non-woven material, tufted materials, or the like. Woven textiles can include satin, twill, basket-weave, poplin, and crepe weave textiles. Jacquard woven structures are also preferred as they are able to create a more complex electrical pattern.
In addition to apparel and home furnishings, the warming article may be configured to provide heat to any number of consumer products such as baby bottles, baby carriages, pet accessories, pool coverings, vehicle seats, or floor coverings such as carpets, tile, or wood. The warming article may also be configured to provide heat to military troop gear such as sleeping bags, hospital and patient products, or farming products such as for livestock. The warming article may also be utilized to melt snow on, for example, a sidewalk or driveway. Additional examples, too numerous to mention, are also contemplated.
The warming article 10 is electrically connected to a power source to supply electrical power for heat generation. Electricity may be applied in many methods, including but not limited to a cigarette lighter or other power outlet of an automobile, alternating current from a household outlet, or direct current from, for example a battery pack. Additional alternative power sources include photovoltaic panels and fuel-cells.
The warming article 10 may incorporate several safety devices and indications to protect the user from potential injury. For example, if the temperature of the warming article climbs above a certain temperature, the controller 140 may automatically shut off the power to the warming article. Alternatively, the controller may prevent the user from setting the temperature too high.
The warming article 10 may be treated to be hydrophobic. Additionally, in one embodiment, barrier layers may be applied to the outside surfaces of the warming article 10. The barrier layers serve to isolate the warming article 10 from the environment or water. The barrier layers are electrically insulating and impermeable to both water and water vapor. Preferably, the barrier layer is made of polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, silicone, neoprene, or other known barrier layers with the desired physical characteristics.
A linear, flexible, 104 foot long TDVR baseline sensor was made by wrapping a 36 AWG wire made of Percon 19 metal (available from Fisk Alloy Conductors, Incorporated of Hawthorne, N.J.) around a 1000 denier polyester filament yarn at 50 turns per inch and coating with PVC insulation. The resistance of the sensor is shown in
For example, the baseline system has a resistance of 170 ohms at a temperature of 82.5 F. That same resistance occurs in the uncorrected sensor at a temperature of 116.5 F—an error of 34 degrees. In the corrected system, a resistance of 170 ohms occurs at 84 F, an error of only 1.5 degrees. The calibrating resistor reduces the error 96%.
It is intended that the scope of the present invention include all modifications that incorporate its principal design features, and that the scope and limitations of the present invention are to be determined by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. It also should be understood, therefore, that the inventive concepts herein described are interchangeable and/or they can be used together in still other permutations of the present invention, and that other modifications and substitutions will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
