Claims
- 1. A heat distributing device comprising:
- a localized and concentrated heat source; and
- a stack of layers of metal foil wherein the layers of foil are arranged one above another, the layers of the metal foil being spaced apart sufficiently to allow thermal convection therebetween, the heat source being encapsulated between layers of the metal foil such that a plurality of layers of the metal foil are on a first side of the heat source and at least one layer of the metal foil is on a second side of the heat source.
- 2. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of layers of the metal foil are located on both sides of the heat source.
- 3. The heat distributing device of Claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers of metal foil includes a pattern of embossments therein separating the layers to allow thermal convection in spaces therebetween and provide thermal conduction at spaced-apart points of contact between the embossments and an adjacent one of the layers.
- 4. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein each of the layers of metal foil includes a pattern of embossments therein to allow thermal convection in spaces between the embossments and thermal conduction at points of contact between the embossments and an adjacent one of the layers.
- 5. The heat distributing device of claim 3, wherein one of the layers of the metal foil on the first side of the heat source is an outermost layer which is flat.
- 6. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein the layers of metal foil are of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.
- 7. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein the layers of metal foil are not metallurgically bonded together.
- 8. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers of metal foil includes a black coating on at least one side thereof.
- 9. The heat distributing device of claim 8, wherein the black coating covers an outer surface of the composite.
- 10. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein the stack includes an insulating material between at least some of the layers of metal foil.
- 11. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein the stack included metal wool between at least some of the layers of metal foil.
- 12. The heat distributing device of claim 10, wherein the insulating material comprises one or more sheets of an electrically nonconductive material.
- 13. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein the heat source comprises an electrical resistance heating element including a rod or wire of resistance heating material.
- 14. The heat distributing device of claim 13, wherein the electrical resistance heating element comprises an electrically conductive metal rod or wire coated with a layer of non-electrically conductive material.
- 15. The heat distributing device of claim 14, wherein the rod or wire has a free end spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the stack.
- 16. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein heat source comprises a conduit in which heated gas or liquid can be circulated.
- 17. The heat distributing device of claim 13, wherein the electrical resistance heating element comprises an electrically conductive polymer material.
- 18. The heat distributing device of claim 13, further comprising a side view mirror of a vehicle, the layers of metal foil on the one side of the heat source being attached to a rear surface of the mirror.
- 19. The heat distributing device of claim 1, wherein one of the layers of metal foil comprises an outermost layer of the stack and the layers of the metal foil between the heat source and the outermost layer prevent the outermost layer from reaching a temperature higher than 200.degree. F. when the heat source is heated to 400.degree. F.
- 20. The heat distributing device of claim 14, wherein one of the layers of metal foil comprises an outermost layer of the stack and the outermost layer varies in temperature by no more than .+-.5.degree. F. at any location on the outermost layer when the heat source heats the outermost layer from a first temperature to a second temperature which is at least 100.degree. F. higher than the first temperature.
- 21. The heat distributing device according to claim 1, wherein said heat source comprises an electrical resistance heating filament inside a tube.
- 22. The heat distributing device according to claim 21, wherein said filament comprises Ni-chrome wire.
- 23. The heat distributing device according to claim 21, wherein the tube comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glass, pyrex, ceramic, fiberglass, and plastic.
- 24. The heat distributing device according to claim 21, wherein said filament is supported in said tube by at least one spacer.
- 25. The heat distributing device according to claim 21, wherein said tube includes a fluid medium surrounding the filament.
- 26. The heat distributing device according to claim 21, wherein said filament passes through opposite ends of the tube.
- 27. A heat distributing device comprising:
- a heat source comprising a wire of resistance heating material;
- a stack of layers of metal foil wherein the layers of foil are arranged one above another, the layers of the metal foil being spaced apart sufficiently to allow thermal convection therebetween, the heat source being encapsulated between layers of the metal foil such that a plurality of layers of the metal foil are on a first side of the heat source and at least one layer of the metal foil is on a second side of the heat source; and
- a mirror, the layers of metal foil on the one side of the heat source being attached to a rear surface of the mirror.
- 28. A heat distributing device comprising:
- a small high intensity heat source capable of distributing heat over a large area, the heat source comprising a rod or wire of an electrical resistance heating material;
- a stack of layers of metal foil wherein the layers of foil are arranged one above another, the layers of the metal foil including embossments which provide point contact between the layers of foil and allow thermal convection between the layers of foil, the heat source being encapsulated between two adjacent layers of the metal foil such that a plurality of layers of the metal foil are on a first side of the heat source and at least one layer of the metal foil is on a second side of the heat source, the heat source being non uniformly distributed in the stack such that the heat source is only located in a localized area of the stack, the layers of metal foil being effective to uniformly distribute heat over a large area of the stack and heat an outermost layer of the stack to a substantially uniform temperature at any location on the outermost layer.
- 29. The heat distributing device of claim 28, wherein the stack is tapered such that the layers of foil are closer together on one part of the stack than on an opposite part of the stack.
- 30. The heat distributing device of claim 28, wherein the heat source is rectilinear and a free end of the heat source is located inwardly from an outer edge of the stack.
- 31. The heat distributing device of claim 28, wherein the heat source has a diameter of about 1/8 inch and the stack is at least 6 inches wide.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/897,080, filed Jun. 11, 1992now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (40)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2495875 |
Jun 1982 |
FRX |
2666717 |
Mar 1992 |
FRX |
126780 |
May 1919 |
GBX |
471175 |
Aug 1937 |
GBX |
783184 |
Sep 1957 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
897080 |
Jun 1992 |
|