Heated food service shelf for warming cookies and the like

Abstract

A heating element assembly in the form of a heating shelf and a method of manufacturing heating shelf assemblies. The heating shelf may be used in display cabinets to heat ready made foods such as cookies, muffins, donuts, pizza, sandwiches and the like. The preferred heating shelf includes thermochromic materials, or an LED indicator, which provide a visual indica of shelf temperature. The preferred heating shelf provides intimate contact with the heated food products, thus optimizing heat transfer between the heating shelf and the food products. Optionally provided, varied surface watt density in the heating shelf allows for accurate heat placement such that the food products can be evenly warmed while avoiding over warming. In another embodiment, the heating shelf includes two resistance heating elements. The first heating element is a temperature booster used for defrosting and heating, while the second heating element is a maintenance heater to maintain heated food at a serving temperature.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to electrical resistance heating elements, and more particularly to formable thermoplastic laminate heating element assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Methods for providing reformable heating element assemblies are described in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 09/642,215, herein incorporated in its entirety by reference.

[0003] In the food service industry, display cabinets are commonly used to display food products for retail sale. As an example, many convenience stores have display cabinets that may feature varied food products such as donuts, muffins, cookies and the like. Heated food service cabinets are also used in nursing homes and hospitals and in food service applications on board airliners and cruise ships. Often times, these cabinets are fitted with heated shelves, which keep the foods warmed to desired serving temperatures. The present method for applying heat to shelving is to attach tubular elements to a sheet metal framework that is attached to the bottom side of a shelf. The sheet metal framework provides a means of electrical enclosure, preventing exposure to live electrical parts. However, the resulting heatable shelf assemblies average approximately 2 inches in thickness, thus providing an inefficient use of limited cabinet space. Further, such assemblies are expensive to manufacture, distribute and maintain.

[0004] Electrically heated steel shelves may also pose significant safety risks to food service workers and consumers. Because heated steel shelves typically lack visible features to indicate the presence of heat, workers and consumers are susceptible to burn injuries as they remove foods from the heated steel shelves. Moreover, humans may be exposed to significant electrical hazards through contact with the electrically charged metal shelves.

[0005] Therefore, improved apparatus and methods for heated cabinet shelving are desirable. The ideal heating shelf would eliminate the risk of electrical hazard by insulating the user from direct contact with resistance heating elements. The preferred shelf design would also include one or more visible features that change with heat, to provide a readily perceptible heat indicia. In addition, the preferred heating shelf would include multiple resistance heating elements to provide both temperature boosting for initial heating, and maintenance heating for maintaining heated foods at a serving temperature. The preferred design would also be adaptable to for use with existing cabinet designs, while providing for improved utilization of existing cabinet space. Finally, the improved heatable shelf design would be cost effective to produce and operate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides a heating element assembly in the form of a heating shelf and a method of manufacturing heating shelf assemblies. The heating shelf may be used in existing food service transport and display cabinets and shelves for controlled heating of ready made food products such as cookies, muffins, donuts, pizza, sandwiches and the like. The preferred heating shelf optionally includes thermochromic materials (i.e, the materials change color with temperature), or lighted displays, such as an LED warning light, thus providing a visual indication of heating shelf temperature. Other features may include varied surface watt density for accurate heat placement and multiple resistance elements for initial temperature boosting and temperature maintenance.

[0007] The present invention as described above provides several benefits. One or more intricate resistance circuit paths of one or more resistance heating materials, such as NiCr wire, graphite scrim, conductive polymers etc., may be laminated between thermoplastic sheets, wherein the planar resistance heating element may then be reformed, as by thermoforming, drawing, or moldings, with the laminated structure to provide heat on one or more heat planes.

[0008] These heating structures provide intimate contact between the contents of the heating structures and the heat source, thereby providing inherent energy consumption advantages as well as the ability to intimately locate secondary devices such as thermistors, sensors, thermocouples, RTDs, etcetera, in proximity to the contents being heated or conditions being observed or recorded.

[0009] The heating element assembly also allows for an infinite number of circuit path shapes, and designs, allowing the circuit path to correspond to the general shape of a desired end product utilizing the heating element assembly. The heating element assembly may be folded to occupy a predefined space in an end product and to provide heat in more than one plane, thermoformed into a desired three dimensional heated plane, or stamped or die cut into a predetermined flat shape which may, then, be folded or thermoformed into a desired three dimensional heated shape. The heating element assembly thereby emulates well known sheet metal processing or known plastic forming processes and techniques.

[0010] The heating element assembly according to the present invention may also be over molded in a molding process whereby the resistance heating element is energized to soften the thermoplastic sheets and the heating element assembly is over molded with a thermoplastic to form a detailed molded structure. The energizing and overmolding steps may be timed such that the thermoplastic sheets and over molded thermoplastic form a substantially homogenous structure accurately capturing and positioning the resistance heating element within the structure. Alternatively, the heating element assembly may soften during mold flow without additional energizing.

[0011] In addition, thermochromic materials, or lighted displays, such as colored LEDs and thermometers, may be integrally formed with the heating shelf to provide a visual indicia of shelf temperatures.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, a sheet of heating element assemblies comprises a first thermoplastic sheet, a second thermoplastic sheet affixed to the first thermoplastic sheet, and a sheet of resistance heating elements secured between and to the first and second thermoplastic sheets. The sheet of resistance heating elements includes a supporting substrate having a first surface thereon and a plurality spaced circuit paths, each of the circuit paths comprising at least one electrical resistance heating material attached to the supporting substrate wherein at least one of the circuit paths has terminal end portions.

[0013] The sheet of heating element assemblies of this embodiment provides several benefits. The sheet may be inexpensively and efficiently produced using mass production techniques. The sheet may be collected into a roll, allowing the later separation and use of individual heating element assemblies or group of heated element assemblies as described above. The sheet, may be further, or alternatively, processed using various secondary fabrication techniques, such as stamping, die cutting, or overmolding.

[0014] The above and other features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, as well as other information pertinent to the disclosure, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pair of resistance wires disposed in predetermined circuit paths according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a preferred programmable sewing machine and computer for manufacturing resistance heating elements;

[0018] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the heating element assembly according to the invention, with a portion of a top laminate surface removed to reveal a portion of the resistance heating element;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the heating element assembly shown in FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a multi-layered heating element assembly according to the invention;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an exemplary method of manufacturing a sheet of heated element assemblies according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a diagram of a sheet of resistance heating elements shown in partial view according to the invention;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a resistance heating element assembly wherein the laminated structure has been cut to form a profile for a heating container which may be folded to form a three dimensional heater assembly;

[0024] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a heating element assembly including the resistance heating element of FIG. 8 wherein a portion the top laminated surface has been removed to show the resistance heating element, before being formed into a final configuration; and

[0025] FIG. 10 is as a performance graph of a heating assembly according to the invention, in which the heating assembly is used to heat prepackaged, baked cookies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The present invention provides a thermoplastic laminate heating element assembly including resistance heating elements, in the form of a heating shelf. As used herein, the following terms are defined:

[0027] “Laminate” means to unite, for example, layers of laminate via bonding them together, usually with heat, pressure and/or adhesive. It normally is used to refer to flat sheets, but also can include rods and tubes. The term refers to a product made by such bonding;

[0028] “Serpentine Path” means a path which has one or more curves for increasing the amount of electrical resistance material in a given volume of polymeric matrix, for example, for controlling the thermal expansion of the element;

[0029] “Melting Temperature” means the point at which a fusible substance begins to melt;

[0030] “Melting Temperature Range” means the temperature range over which a fusible substance starts to melt and then becomes a liquid or semi-liquid;

[0031] “Degradation Temperature” means the temperature at which a thermoplastic begins to permanently lose its mechanical or physical properties because of thermal damage to the polymer's molecular chains;

[0032] “Evacuating” means reducing air or trapped air bubbles by, for example, vacuum or pressurized inert gas, such as argon, or by bubbling the gas through a liquid polymer.

[0033] “Fusion Bond” means the bond between two fusible members integrally joined, whereby the polymer molecules of one member mix with the molecules of the other. A Fusion Bond can occur, even in the absence of any direct or chemical bond between individual polymer chains contained within said members;

[0034] “Fused” means the physical flowing of a material, such as ceramic, glass, metal or polymer, hot or cold, caused by heat, pressure or both;

[0035] “Electrofused” means to cause a portion of a fusible material to flow and fuse by resistance heating;

[0036] “Stress Relief” means reducing internal stresses in a fusible material by raising the temperature of the material or material portion above its stress relief temperature, but preferably below its Heat Deflection Temperature; and

[0037] “Flap” or “Flap Portion” means a portion of an element which can be folded without damaging the element structure.

RESISTANCE HEATING ELEMENT

[0038] With reference to FIGS. 1-9, there is shown a first embodiment of a resistance heating element 10, preferably having about 50-95% of the surface area of the heated shelf. The preferred resistance heating element 10 may include a regulating device for controlling electric current. Such a device can include, for example, a thermistor, a thermocouple, or a RTD, for preventing overheating of the polymeric materials disclosed in this invention. The resistance heating elements 10 of this invention can take on any number of shapes and sizes, including squares, ovals, irregular circumference shapes, tubes, cup shapes and container shapes. Sizes can range from less than one inch square to 21 in.×26 in. with a single sewing operation, and greater sizes can be available if multiple elements are joined together. Greater sizes are also available with roll or continuous element forms.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a resistance heating element 10 includes a resistance wire 12 disposed in spiral circuit path. The ends of the resistance wire 12 are coupled to a pair of electrical connectors 15 and 16 using known techniques such as, riveting, grommeting, brazing, clinching, compression fitting or welding. The circuit includes a resistance heating material, which may be a resistance heating wire 12 wound into a serpentine path containing, for example, about 3-200 windings, or, a resistance heating material, such as ribbon, a foil or printed circuit, or a conductive coating or ink. Preferably the resistance heating wire 12 includes a Ni—Cr alloy, although certain copper, steel, and stainless-steel alloys could be suitable. A positive temperature coefficient wire may also be suitable. The resistance heating material can be provided in separate parallel paths, or in separate layers. Whatever material is selected, it should be electrically conductive, and heat resistant. It should also be resilient to subsequent forming operations, either on its owns, as in the case of a wire or scrim, or encapsulated with a polymer. A tensile strength of at least about 10,000 psi, and preferably at least about 50,000 psi, for the fiber or resulting composite is helpful. (See ASTM D 3379, D3039).

[0040] Alternatively, continuous or closed loop heating wires may be provided, in which case current is induced into the heating element by means such as high frequency radiation or magnetic induction.

SUBSTRATES

[0041] As used herein, the term “supporting substrate” refers to the base material on which the resistance material, such as wires, are applied, or impregnated within, as is the case with graphite powder, for example. The supporting substrate 11 of this invention should be capable of being pierced, penetrated, or surrounded, by a sewing needle for permitting the sewing operation. Other than this mechanical limitation, the substrates of this invention can take on many shapes and sizes. Flat flexible substrates are preferably used for attaching an electrical resistance wire with a thread. Non-plastic materials, such as glasses, semiconductive materials, and metals, can be employed so long as they have a pierceable cross-sectional thickness, e.g., less than a 0.010 inch-0.020 inch, or a high degree of porosity or openings therethrough, such as a grid, scrim, woven or non-woven fabric, for permitting the sewing needle of this invention to form an adequate stitch. The supporting substrate 11 of this invention need not necessarily contribute to the mechanical properties of the final heating element, but may contain high strength fibers. Such fibers could contain glass, aramid fibers melt-bonded or joined with an adhesive to form a scrim, woven or non-woven mat.

[0042] Alternatively, the supporting substrate 11 of this invention may contain ordinary, natural, or synthetic fibers, such as cotton, wool, silk, rayon, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc. The supporting substrate may also comprise a synthetic fiber such as Kevlar that has good thermal uniformity and strength. The advantage of using ordinary textile fibers, is that they are available in many thicknesses and textures and can provide an infinite variety of chemistry, porosity and melt-bonding ability. The fibers of this invention, whether they be plastic, natural, ceramic or metal, can be woven, or spun-bonded to produce non-woven textile fabrics.

[0043] Specific examples of supporting substrates 11 useful in this invention include polymer, ceramic, glass, or metallic films, such as non-woven fiberglass mats bonded with an adhesive or sizing material such as model 8440 glass mat available from Johns Manville, Inc. Additional substrates can include polymer impregnated fabric organic fabric weaves, such as those containing nylon, rayon, or hemp etc., porous mica-filled plate or sheet, and thermoplastic sheet film material. In one embodiment, the supporting substrate 11 contains a polymeric resin which is also used in either the first thermoplastic sheet 110 or second thermoplastic sheet 105, or both of a heated element assembly 100 described below. Such a resin can be provided in woven or non-woven fibrous form, or in thin sheet material having a thickness of 0.020 inch or less. Thermoplastic materials can be used for the supporting substrate 11 which will melt-bond or liquefy with the thermoplastic sheets 110, 105, so as to blend into a substantially uniform structure.

SEWING OPERATION

[0044] With reference to FIG. 2, the preferred programmable sewing machine 20 will now be described. The preferred programmable sewing machine is one of a number of powerful embroidery design systems that use advanced technology to guide an element designer through design creation, set-up and manufacturing. The preferred programmable sewing machine 20 is linked with a computer 22, such as a personal computer or server, adapted to activate the sewing operations. The computer 22 preferably contains or has access to, embroidery or CAD software for creating thread paths, borders, stitch effects, etc.

[0045] The programmable sewing machine 20 includes a series of bobbins 24 for loading thread and resistance heating wire or fine resistance heating ribbon. Preferably, the bobbins 24 are pre-wound to control tension since tension, without excessive slack, in both the top and bottom bobbins 24 is very important to the successful capturing of resistance heating wire on a substrate. The thread used should be of a size recommended for the preferred programmable sewing machine. It must have consistent thickness since thread breakage is a common mode of failure in using programmable sewing machines. An industrial quality nylon, polyester or rayon thread is highly desirable. Also, a high heat resistant thread may be used, such as a Kevlar thread or Nomex thread known to be stable up to 500° F. and available from Saunders Thread Co. of Gastonia, N.C.

[0046] The programmable sewing machine preferably has 1-20 heads and can measure 6 ft in width by 19 feet long. The sewing range of each head is about 10.6 inches by 26 inches, and with every other head shut off, the sewing range is about 21 inches by 26 inches. An acceptable programmable sewing machine is the Tajima Model No. TMLG116-627W (LT Version) from Tajima, Inc., Japan.

[0047] The preferred method of capturing a resistance heating wire 12 onto a supporting substrate 11 in this invention will now be described. First, an operator selects a proper resistive element material, for example, Ni-Cr wire, in its proper form. Next, a proper supporting substrate 11, such as 8440 glass mat, is provided in a form suitable for sewing. The design for the element is preprogrammed into the computer 22 prior to initiating operation of the programmable sewing machine 20. As with any ordinary sewing machine, the programmable sewing machine 20 of this invention contains at least two threads, one thread is directed through the top surface of the supporting substrate, and the other is directed from below. The two threads are intertwined or knotted, ideally somewhere in the thickness of the supporting substrate 11, so that one cannot view the knot when looking at the stitch and the resulting resistance heating element 10. As a top needle penetrates the substrate 11 and picks up a loop of thread mechanically with the aid of the mechanical device underneath, it then pulls it upward toward the center of the substrate 11 and if the substrate is consistent and the thread tension is consistent, the knots will be relatively hidden. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the resistance heating wire 12 is provided from a bobbin in tension. The preferred programmable sewing machine 20 of this invention provides a third thread bobbin for the electrical resistance wire 12, so that the programmable sewing machine 20 can lay the resistance wire 12, down just in front of the top needle. The preferred operation of this invention provides a zig zag or cross stitch pattern, whereby the top needle criss-crosses back and forth as the supporting substrate 11 is moved, similar to the way an ornamental rope is joined to a fabric in an embroidery operation. A simple looping stitch with a thread 14 is also shown. By guiding the top needle over either side of the resistance heating wire 12, the heating wire 12, is captured in a very effective manner, the process being computer controlled so that the pattern can be electronically downloaded into the computer 22 and automatically sewn onto a substrate of choice.

[0048] The programmable sewing machine 20 can sew an electrical resistance heating wire 12 having a diameter or thickness of 0.005 inch -0.25 inch, onto a supporting substrate 11 at a rate of about 10-500 stitches per minute, saving valuable time and associated cost in making resistance heating elements.

[0049] The ability to mechanically attach resistive elements, such as wires, films and ribbons, to substrates provides a multitude of design possibilities in both shape and material selection. Designers may mix and match substrate materials by selecting their porosity, thickness, density and contoured shape with selected resistance heating materials ranging in cross-section from very small diameters of about 0.005 inch to rectangular and irregular shapes, to thin films. Also, secondary devices such as circuits, including microprocessors, fiberoptic fibers or optoelectronic devices, (LEDs, lasers) microwave devices (power amplifiers, radar) and antenna, high temperature sensors, power supply devices (power transmission, motor controls) and memory chips, could be added for controlling temperature, visual inspection of environments, communications, and recording temperature cycles, for example. The overall thickness of the resistance heating element is merely limited by the vertical maximum position of the needle end, less the wire feed, which is presently about 0.5 inch, but may be designed in the future to be as great as 1 inch or more. Resistive element width is not nearly so limited, since the transverse motion of the needle can range up to one foot or more.

[0050] The use of known embroidery machinery in the fabrication of resistance heating elements allows for a wide variety of raw materials and substrates to be combined with various resistance heating materials. The above construction techniques and sewing operation also provide the ability to manufacture multi-layered substrates, including embedded metallic and thermally conductive layers with resistance wires wrapped in an electrically insulating coating, so as to avoid shorting of electric current. This permits the application of a resistance heating wire to both sides of the thermally conductive metallic layer, such as aluminum foil, for more homogeneously distributing resistance heat.

THERMOPLASTIC LAMINATE HEATING ELEMENT ASSEMBLY AND HEATING SHELF CONSTRUCTION

[0051] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary heating element assembly 100, in the form of a heating shelf, according to the invention. The heating element assembly 100 includes a resistance heating element 10 disposed between laminated first and second thermoplastic sheets 105, 110. For illustrative purposes, the first thermoplastic sheet 105 is shown partially removed from the second thermoplastic sheet 110. The resistance heating element 10, described above, at least substantially encompasses the circuit path, defined by resistance wire 12.

[0052] The supporting substrate of the resistance heating element 10 has a thickness between 0.005 inch and 0.25 inch, and is preferably 0.025 inch thick. The supporting substrate should be flexible, either under ambient conditions or under heat or mechanical stress, or both. A thin semi-rigid heating element assembly 100 allows for closer proximity of the resistance heating wire 12 to an object to be heated when the heating element assembly is formed into a final element assembly, such as a heating shelf. Because less heat needs to be generated by the resistance heating element 10 to provide heat to the outer surfaces of a thin heating element assembly 100, materials having lower RTI (Relative Thermal Index) ratings can be successfully used in thin heating element assemblies.

[0053] The thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 are laminated to each other to secure resistance heating element 10 and to form a reformable continuous element structure. The thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 may be heated and compressed under sufficient pressure to effectively fuse the thermoplastic sheets together. A portion of this heat may come from energizing the resistance heating element 10. Alternatively, thermosetting polymer layers could be employed, such as B-stage epoxy sheet or pre-preg material.

[0054] Preferred thermoplastic materials include, for example: fluorocarbons, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyether sulfone, polyaryl-sulfones, polyimides, and polyetherkeytones, polyphenylene sulfides, polyether sulfones, and mixtures and co-polymers of these thermoplastics. An acceptable thermoplastic polyetherimide is available from the General Electric Company under the trademark ULTEM.

[0055] It is further understood that, although thermoplastic materials are preferable for forming fusible layers because they are generally heat-flowable, some thermoplastics, notably polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) and ultra high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) do not flow under heat alone. Also, many thermoplastics are capable of flowing without heat, under mechanical pressure only.

[0056] Acceptable results were achieved when forming a heating element assembly under the conditions indicated in TABLE 1 as follows:

TABLE
	THICKNESS
	OF SHEET	PRESSURE	TIME	TEMP.
MATERIAL	(inch)	(PSI)	(minutes)	(° F.)
Polypropylene	0.009	22	10	350
Polycarbonate	0.009	22	10	380
Polysulfone	0.019	22	15	420
Polyetherimide	0.009	44	10	430
Polyethersulfone	0.009	44	10	460

[0057] Where no vacuum was applied, “thickness” is the thickness of the thermoplastic sheets in inches, “pressure” represents the amount of pressure (in psi) applied to the assembly during lamination, “temperature” is the temperature applied during lamination, and “time” is the length of time that the pressure and heat were applied. It will be understood the above-identified material thicknesses used in forming exemplary embodiments of the assembly described herein are merely provided by way of example. Materials of differing thicknesses may also be used to achieve acceptable results without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0058] The first and second thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 and resistance heating element 10 of the heating element assembly 100 may also be laminated to each other using an adhesive. In one embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive to hold the materials together, which may be an ultraviolet curable adhesive, may be disposed between the resistance heating element 10 and the first thermoplastic sheet 105 and between the resistance heating element 10 and the second thermoplastic sheet 110, as well as between areas of the thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 which are aligned to be in direct contact. An ultraviolet curable adhesive may be used that is activated by ultraviolet light and then begins to gradually cure. In this embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive may be activated by exposing it to ultraviolet light before providing the second of the thermoplastic sheets 105, 110. The thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 may then be compressed to substantially remove any air from between the sheets 105, 110 and to secure resistance heating element 10 therebetween.

[0059] FIG. 5 illustrates that a heating element assembly 100a may include a plurality of heated layers. A second resistance heating element 10a may be laminated between one of thermoplastic sheets 105,110 and a third thermoplastic sheet 115.

[0060] The thicknesses of thermoplastic sheets 105, 110 and the thickness of supporting substrate 11 and resistance heating wire 12 are preferably selected to form a reformable continuous element structure that maintains its integrity when the element is formed into a final element structure. The preferred heating element assembly 100 according to the invention, then, is a semi-rigid structure in that it may be reformed, such as by simply molding, folding or unfolding under heat, pressure, or a combination thereof as required by the chosen thermoplastics, into a desired shape without sacrificing structural integrity.

[0061] Heating shelves 100 according to the present invention provide several advantages over non-rigid and rigid shelves or containers, which do not include a heat source. The heat source, i.e., the resistance heating element 10, intimately surrounds the contents of a shelf 100, which may be, for example, a food product such as cookies, muffins, donuts, pizza, sandwiches, or other contents, whether they be solid, semi-solid or liquid. Also, secondary devices as described above, such as temperature gauges, sensors, thermocouples, and RTD's may be disposed more intimately with the contents or conditions that are being monitored.

[0062] A heating shelf 100 may also be positioned in a mold, over molded, or both, to form a selected molded heated structure. Some plastics may be energized prior to and/or during over molding for improved bonding with the over molding material. A heating shelf 100 may optionally be thermoformed to conform to at least a part of the mold structure and to preferentially align the resistance heating element within the mold. Once the heating shelf is positioned within a mold, the resistance heating element 10 of the heating shelf 100 may be energized to soften the thermoplastic sheets, and the heating shelf may be over molded with a thermoplastic. The energizing and overmolding may be timed such that the thermoplastic sheets and over molded thermoplastic form a substantially homogenous structure when solidified. Alternatively, the thermoplastic sheets may be allowed to soften as a result of mold flow alone. The thermoplastic materials of the sheets and over molded thermoplastic are preferably matched to further facilitate the creation of a homogenous structure. The supporting substrate 11 may also be selected to be a thermoplastic to better promote the formation of a homogenous structure. The energizing may be timed to soften the thermoplastic sheets before, after, or during the overmolding process, depending upon the standard molding parameters, such as the flow characteristic of the selected thermoplastics, the injection molding fill time, the fill velocity, and mold cycle. The assembly is also amenable to other molding processes, such as injection molding, compression molding, thermoforming, and injection-compression molding.

[0063] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an exemplary heating element assembly, which may be formed into a heating shelf 100 final element assembly. FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an exemplary resistance heating element 400. The resistance heating element 400 includes a supporting substrate 405 shaped in the profile of a flattened container. The profile may either be initially shaped in this profile shape or cut to the profile shape from a larger supporting substrate. Resistance heating material is affixed to the supporting substrate 405 and is preferably resistance wire 410 sewn to supporting substrate 405.

[0064] The resistance heating element 400 shown in FIG. 8 includes a plurality of flap portions 420 capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation indicated generally at fold lines 425. The circuit path 415 formed by resistance wire 410 terminates at terminal end portions 412.

[0065] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a heating element assembly 500. The resistance heating element 400 is laminated between two thermoplastic sheets, only the top sheet 505 of which is shown, to form a reformable continuous element structure. A portion of the thermoplastic sheet 505 is shown removed in order to show the resistance heating element 400.

[0066] The dashed lines 530 indicate portions of the laminated structure that may be removed, such as by stamping or die cutting, from the laminated structure to leave a foldable profile which may be formed into a non-planar shelf. Alternatively, the heating shelf may be formed without foldable flap portions. The remaining dashed lines of FIG. 9 indicate fold lines. Other alternatives may include integrally forming geometry features, which facilitate the assembly of the heating shelf with existing display cabinet configurations.

[0067] A heating shelf 100 may be formed by folding the heating element 500 along the dashed lines of FIG. 9 and in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 3. The flaps 420 of the resistance heating element 400 are laminated between thermoplastic layers and are folded into the shelf shape shown in FIG. 3. The folding step may include rethermalizing the thermoplastic structure while folding in order to thermoform the structure into the desired heat planes, or, alternatively, folding the thermoplastic structure into the desired heat planes and then rethermalizing the structure, although it is recognized that the latter method introduces residual stresses in the bend areas. The heating shelf 100 may optionally be formed with outwardly flared sides. This feature permits multiple shelves to be stacked in nested engagement, which reduces spatial requirements for both storage and shipping.

[0068] It should be apparent that the heating shelf 100 can optionally provide heat on five different interior planes may, but is formed from an easily manufactured planar heating element 500. It should further be apparent that the present invention is not limited in any way to the heating shelf configuration 100 or heating element 500 described above. Rather, the above describe method of manufacturing and heating element structure may be used to forms cups, enclosed containers, boxes, or any other structure which may be formed from a planar profile. The heating shelves and other configurations can include planar elements made from resistance heating wires, scrim, woven and nonwoven fabric and conductive filing such as conductive polymers, inks and foils. Such planar forms should have sufficient tensile strength to resist mechanical distortion of the circuit path, or heater distribution profile, during forming of the final product.

[0069] A sheet of heating element assemblies and a method of manufacturing the same is described hereafter. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a sheet of heating element assemblies 225 is provided, as shown in FIG. 6. The sheet of heating element assemblies 225 includes first and second affixed thermoplastic sheets, as described above, and a sheet of resistance heating elements 200 (FIG. 7) secured between and to the first and second thermoplastic sheets. Essentially, the sheet of resistance heating elements 200 comprises a plurality of connected resistance heating elements 10. The sheet of resistance heating elements 200 comprises a supporting substrate 205 and a plurality of spaced circuit paths 207, each of the circuit paths 207 comprising an electrical resistance heating material attached to the supporting substrate 205 to define a circuit path, which includes a pair of terminal end portions 208, 209. The shape of the circuit paths 207 is merely illustrative of circuit path shapes, and any circuit path shape may be chosen to support the particular end use for a heating element assembly included in the sheet of heated element assemblies 225. Alternatively, conductive polymers or fabrics made from resistance heating material could be employed. The dashed lines of FIG. 7 indicate where an individual resistance heating element may be removed from the sheets of resistance heating elements 225.

[0070] A sheet 225 of heating element assemblies may be manufactured using conventional mass production and continuous flow techniques, such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,969 to Sharpless et al., the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, first and second thermoplastic sheets 210, 212 may be provided from a source, such as rolls 214, 216 of thermoplastic sheets, or extruded using known extrusion techniques as a part of the manufacturing process. One manufacturer of such thermoplastic sheet extruders is Killion Extruders Inc. of Cedar Grove, N.J. Likewise, a sheet of resistance heating elements 200 may be provided from a source, such as roll 218. Sheet 200 may be manufactured as described above in the “Sewing Operation” section. The sheets 200, 212, 214 may be made to converge, such as by rollers 224, between a heat source, such as radiant heating panels 220, to soften the thermoplastic sheets 210, 212. A series of rollers 222 compresses the three sheets 200, 212, 214 into a sheet of heated element assemblies 225, thereby also removing air from between the sheets 200, 212, 214. The rollers 222 may also provide heat to help fuse the sheets 200, 212, 214 and/or may be used to cool freshly laminated sheets 200, 212, 214 to help solidify the heated sheets into the sheet of heated element assemblies 225 after compression.

[0071] It should be apparent that a sheet of a plurality of multiple-layered heating element assemblies, such as a sheet including a plurality of heating element assemblies 100a of FIG. 5, may also be manufactured simply by including a third thermoplastic sheet and a second sheet of resistance heating elements to the process described above.

[0072] Regardless of the specific manufacturing technique, the sheet of heating element assemblies 225 may be collected into a roll 230. The roll 230 may then be used by an original equipment manufacture (OEM) for any desired manufacturing purpose. For example, the OEM may separate or cut individual heating element assemblies from the roll and include the heating element assembly in a desired product, by molding, adhesive or ultrasonic bonding, for example, into a container or molded product. An individually manufactured heating element assembly as mentioned above or a heating element assembly removed from a sheet of heating element assemblies 225, because of its resiliency and good mechanical properties, is amenable to secondary manufacturing techniques, such as die cutting, stamping, or thermoforming to a desired shape or combination thereof as described above. Each heating element assembly may be cut or stamped into a preselected shape for use in a particular end product even while still a part of sheet 225 and then collected into a roll 230. The circuit paths of the resistance heating element of the heating element assembly may be appropriately shaped to conform to the desired shape of a selected product and heat planes in which the heating element assembly is to be included or formed.

[0073] The formable semi-rigid feature of the heating element assemblies of the present invention provides a designer the opportunity to include the assembly in complex heat planes. The assembly may be cut to a desired formable shape, and the circuit path is preferably designed to substantially conform to this shape or the desired heat planes. The assembly may then be rethermalized and folded to conform to the heat planes designed for the assembly to occupy.

[0074] A preferred thermoplastic sheet may range from approximately 0.004 inch to 0.100 inch. Thus, the thickness of the thermoplastic sheets of a heating element assembly may be chosen to effectively bias heat generated by a resistance heating element in a selected direction. The supporting substrate itself also may provide an insulation barrier when the circuit path is oriented towards, for example, contents to be heated and the supporting substrate is oriented toward an outer or gripping surface.

[0075] Similarly, one or both of the thermoplastic sheets of a heating element assembly 100 or heating element assembly 500 may be coated with a thermally conductive coating that promotes a uniform heat plane on the heated element assembly. An example of such a coating may be found on anti-static bags or Electrostatic Interference (ESI) resistive bags used to package and protect semiconductor chips. Also, thermally conductive, but preferably not electrically conductive, additive may be added to the thermoplastic sheets to promote heat distribution. Examples of such additive may be ceramic powders, such as, for example, Al2O3, MgO, ZrO2, boron nitride, silicon nitride, Y2O3, SiC, SiO2, TiO2, etcetera. A thermally conductive layer and/or additive is useful because a resistance wire typically does not cover all of the surface area of a resistance heating element 10.

[0076] Advantageously, a heating assembly, formed in accordance with the invention, may be provided having varying surface watt densities, to provide for accurate heat placement. Other alternatives include providing a heating shelf having a plurality of resistance heating elements, in which case one element could be used for initial temperature boosting, while a second resistance element could be used for maintenance heating.

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

[0077] A heating shelf was formed having a resistance heating circuit path sandwiched between laminated layers of thermoplastic. The thermoplastic material used for both the top and bottom of the heating shelf assembly was ULTEM 1000. The top of the heating shelf was formed with two sheets of ULTEM 1000 having a total thickness of 0.02 inch. The bottom of the heating shelf was formed from laminated sheets having a total thickness of 0.095 inch. It will be understood that materials used in forming the heating shelf are not limited to the precise thicknesses defined herein, which are merely provided by way of example. A resistance heating circuit path was formed using resistance heating wire having a total impedance of approximately 289 ohms. The resistance heating wire may comprise a plurality of twisted, braided or parallel individual wires having a collective diameter of between about 0.010 inch to 0.050 inch. The resistance heating wire was sewn to a fiberglass scrim substrate having an uncompressed thickness of approximately 0.030 inch. It will be understood that materials used in forming the heating shelf are not limited to the precise thicknesses defined herein, which are merely provided by way of example. The resistance heating wire was patterned in a spiral design starting in the center of the shelf with ½ inch spacing, which is progressively reduced to ¼ inch.

[0078] The substrate, having a resistance heating wire sewn thereto, was placed between the top and bottom thermoplastic sheets to form a heating element assembly. Next, the heating element assembly was sandwiched in a manufacturing assembly. To this end, a Teflon sheet was placed adjacent to the exposed surface of each thermoplastic sheet, a layer of silicon rubber was placed adjacent each Teflon sheet, and a stainless steel plate was placed adjacent each silicon rubber sheet. The Teflon prevents the thermoplastic sheets from adhering to the manufacturing assembly, while the silicon rubber sheets provide a cushion which allows for even distribution of the hydraulic pressure applied by the heat press. The stainless steel sheets act as stiffening agents to facilitate handling of the otherwise pliable assembly.

[0079] The resulting manufacturing assembly was then placed in a conventional heated press, with temperature platens preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The assembly was heated for 20 minutes at a pressure of 20,000 lbs. The assembly was then air cooled for 20 minutes, followed by a 2 minute water cooling period. The heater was then trimmed to final dimensions using a belt sander.

[0080] After forming and cooling the heating element assembly, the assembly was reheated along bend lines, about which the two flap portions were folded to reform the assembly into a heating shelf.

[0081] A performance graph for the above-described heating shelf is shown in FIG. 10. The heating shelf was placed on two laterally spaced wood strips, each having a width 0.75 inch. The baked cookies for testing, packaged in pairs in polyethylene bags, were placed on the heating shelf and warmed to a desired serving temperature. The cookies were then removed from the shelf.

[0082] The performance graph shows that the cookie temperature at the center of the shelf stabilized at 133 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cookie temperature at the edge stabilized at 128 degrees Fahrenheit. The loaded heater temperature was 155 degrees Fahrenheit. After the cookies were removed, the heater stabilized at 124 degrees Fahrenheit.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0083] A heating shelf in accordance with the invention provides more efficient heating of food products. Indeed, experimental results have shown that the present invention consumes ⅓ less wattage than traditional heating methods. This significant power savings is attributed in part to the intimate contact achievable between the heating shelf and the food product as compared to conventional heating methods. Another factor attributing to improved heating efficiency is the ability to design and manufacture the product with a varied watt density, thereby allowing the accurate placement of heat such that the food product can evenly warmed throughout, while preventing over warming of food product.

[0084] Also, the heating shelf is hermetically sealed, making the shelf suitable for direct contact with food products, and allowing for the utilization of conventional cleaning techniques such as dishwashers etcetera, without compromising the integrity of the shelf.

[0085] Yet another advantage of the invention is the thin yet rigid shelf geometry for more efficient utilization of existing cabinet space.

[0086] The preferred heating shelf has an operating voltage of 120 Vac, thereby making the heating shelf mobile as compared to other comparable devices requiring 240 Vac supply source.

[0087] Further, as described above, the heating shelf of the present invention lends itself to many automated and secondary manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, die cutting, and overmolding, to name a few. Designers can easily choose thermoplastics and other materials for their designs that meet required RTI (relative thermal index) requirements for specific applications by following standard design techniques and parameters set by materials manufacturers Also, heating shelves such as described above allow the food industry to efficiently and effectively reheat prepared foods, as is often required of businesses that operate large or small food service venues or that purchase from distributors of prepared foods. Also, among the many advantages of the present invention is the ability to intimately locate a secondary device captured between the thermoplastic sheets, such as a memory device or other data collector within close proximity to a food product, thereby allowing more accurate data collection, such as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,335, herein incorporated in its entirety by reference. This data, as an example, may be used to prove that a food was prepared at a temperature and for a time period sufficient to kill the E. coli bacteria.

[0088] Although various embodiments have been illustrated, this is for the purpose of describing, but not limiting the invention. The assembly line described above is merely illustrative of one means of forming a sheet of heated element assemblies. Further, the supporting substrate shapes and circuit paths described above and shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of possible circuit paths, and one of ordinary skill should appreciate that these shapes and circuit patterns may be designed in other manners to accommodate the great flexibility in uses and number of uses for the heating element assembly of the present invention. Therefore, various modifications which will become apparent to one skilled in the art, are within the scope of this invention described in the attached claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a heating shelf, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing at least one resistance heating element between first and second thermoplastic sheets, at least of the thermoplastic sheets having a visible feature that changes with temperature, each of the at least one resistance heating elements comprising: (i) a supporting substrate; and (ii) an electrical resistance heating material, wherein the electrical resistance heating material is one of attached to and supported in the substrate, the electrical resistance heating material forming a circuit path; (b) laminating the first and second thermoplastic sheets such that each of the at least one resistance heating element is secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets to form a reformable structure; and (c) forming the structure into a heating shelf.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermoplastic sheet, having a visible feature that changes with temperature, is one of a thermochromic material and an LED indicator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each heating element further comprises: at least one flap portion, capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation, at least one of the circuit paths continuing onto the flap portion, wherein the step of forming includes rotating the flap portion about the first axis to provide resistance heating in at least two planes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of laminating includes the steps of heating said thermoplastic sheets and compressing said thermoplastic sheets to laminate the resistance heating elements between the thermoplastic sheets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of forming includes the step of thermoforming the reformable structure into the heating shelf, whereby said supporting substrate and electrical resistance material resist forces which are capable of breaking or shorting said circuit path.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of cutting the continuous element structure into a foldable profile before forming the continuous reformable structure into the heating shelf.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (d) energizing at least one of the resistance heating elements to soften the thermoplastic sheets; and (e) overmolding the heating shelf with a thermoplastic, the steps of energizing and overmolding timed such that the thermoplastic sheets and over molded thermoplastic form a substantially homogenous structure.

8. A method of manufacturing a heating shelf, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing at least one resistance heating element between first and second thermoplastic sheets, the at least one resistance heating element comprising: (i) a supporting substrate; and (ii) at least one circuit path, each of the circuit paths comprising an electrical resistance heating material attached to the supporting substrate, at least one of the circuit paths having terminal end portions, at least one of the circuit paths continuing onto a first flap portion of the substrate capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation; and (b) laminating the first and second thermoplastic sheets such that the at least one resistance heating element is secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets; (c) attaching a material having a visible feature that changes with temperature to the heating shelf.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the material having a visible feature that changes with temperature is one of a thermochromic material and LED indicator.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of attaching comprises laminating the material having a visible feature that changes with temperature to the heating shelf.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the thermochromic material is disposed between the first and second thermoplastic sheets.

12. A method of manufacturing a sheet of heating element assemblies, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing at least one sheet of resistance heating elements between first and second thermoplastic sheets, at least one of the thermoplastic sheets having a visible feature that changes with temperature, each of the resistance heating elements attached to a supporting substrate and forming a circuit path, at least one of the circuit paths having terminal end portions, at least one of the circuit paths continuing onto a first flap portion of the substrate capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation; and (b) laminating the first and second thermoplastic sheets such that the at least one sheet of resistance heating elements is secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets to form a reformable structure.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one thermoplastic sheet having a visible feature that changes with temperature, is one of a thermochromic material and LED indicator.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of removing at least one heating element assembly from the sheet of heating element assemblies, the removed heating element assembly being a reformable structure, and forming the reformable structure into a final element assembly configuration wherein at least the first flap portion of the substrate is rotated about the first axis to provide resistance heating in at least two planes.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of cutting at least one of the heating element assemblies into a foldable profile before forming the reformable structure into the final element assembly configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of cutting includes the step of stamping or die cutting at least one of the heating element assemblies into the profile.

17. A heating element assembly, comprising: (a) a first thermoplastic sheet; (b) a second thermoplastic sheet, at least one of the thermoplastic sheets having a visible feature that changes with temperature; and (c) a resistance heating element secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets, the resistance heating element being attached to a supporting substrate and forming a at least one circuit path having terminal end portions, at least one of the circuit paths continuing onto a first flap portion of the substrate capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation, wherein the thermoplastic sheets and resistance heating element are laminated together to form a reformable structure, the reformable structure formed into a final element assembly configuration wherein at least the flap portions is rotated about the first axis to provide resistance heating in at least two planes.

18. The heating element assembly of claim 17 wherein the at least one thermoplastic sheet having a visible feature that changes with temperature, is one of a thermochromic material and LED indicator.

19. The heating element assembly of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic sheets are affixed with an adhesive.

20. The heating element assembly of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic sheets are attached by one of fusing and laminating.

21. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the reformable structure is thermoformed into said final element assembly configuration.

22. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the reformable structure is cut into a foldable profile.

23. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the electrical resistance heating material is at least one of glued, sewn and fused to the supporting substrate.

24. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the electrical resistance heating material is sewn to said supporting substrate with a thread.

25. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the supporting substrate comprises at least one of a woven and non-woven fibrous layer.

26. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the supporting substrate is a thermoplastic sheet.

27. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the supporting substrate includes thermally conductive additives.

28. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein at least one of the thermoplastic sheets includes a thermally conductive coating.

29. The heating element assembly of claim 17, further comprising a secondary device secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets.

30. The heated element assembly of claim 17, wherein one of the thermoplastic sheets is thicker than the other thermoplastic sheet.

31. The heating element assembly of claim 17, wherein the heating element assembly is over molded with a thermoplastic such that the over molded thermoplastic and thermoplastic sheets form a substantially homogenous structure.

32. The heating assembly of claim 17, wherein at least one circuit path is a continuous loop, which is capable of being energized by at least one of high frequency radiation and magnetic induction.

33. The heating assembly of claim 28, wherein the secondary device is one of, a thermistor, a sensor and a thermocouple.

34. The heating assembly of claim 17, wherein at least one of the thermoplastic sheets is Polyetherimide.

35. The heating assembly of claim 17 wherein the final element assembly is hermetically sealed.

36. The heating assembly of claim 17, wherein the heating element assembly has a bottom and the circuit path density in the bottom of the heating element assembly is greater than the circuit path density in the flap portions.

37. The heating assembly of claim 17, wherein the flap portions are outwardly flared to provide for nested engagement with a second identical heating element assembly.

38. A method of manufacturing a sheet of heating element assemblies, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing at least one sheet of resistance heating elements between first and second thermoplastic sheets, the at least one sheet of resistance heating elements being attached to a supporting substrate and forming a plurality of spaced apart circuit paths each of the circuit paths having terminal end portions and each of the circuit paths continuing onto a first flap portion of the substrate capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation, wherein the thermoplastic sheets and resistance heating element are laminated together to form a reformable structure, the reformable structure formed into a final element assembly configuration where the flap portion is rotated about the first axis to provide resistance heating in at least two planes. (i) a supporting substrate; and (ii) at least one circuit path, each of the circuit paths comprising an electrical resistance heating material attached to the supporting substrate, at least one of the circuit paths having terminal end portions, at least one of the circuit paths continuing onto a first flap portion onto a first flap portion of a resistance heating element capable of rotation about a first axis of rotation; and (b) disposing a sheet of material having a visible feature that changes with temperature between the first and second thermoplastic sheets. (c) attaching the first and second thermoplastic sheets such that the at least one sheet of resistance heating elements is secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets to form a continuous element structure, wherein the first and second thermoplastic sheets and resistance heating elements are laminated such that the sheet of resistance heating elements is secured between the first and second thermoplastic sheets to form a reformable structure.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the sheet of material having a visible feature that changes with temperature, is thermochromic.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the sheet of heating element asemblies further compries an adhesive attaching said first and second thermoplastic sheets. changes with temperature, is thermochromic.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the first and second thermoplastic sheets are attached by one of fusing and laminating.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the electrical resistance heating material is at least one of glued, sewn and fused to the supporting substrate.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein said electrical resistance heating material is sewn to said supporting substrate with a thread.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the supporting substrate comprises at least one of a woven and non-woven fibrous layer.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the supporting substrate is an extruded thermoplastic sheet.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the heating element assembly further comprises a plurality of secondary devices, each of said secondary devices disposed between said first and second thermoplastic sheets and associated with one of said circuit paths.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein at least one of the thermoplastic sheets includes a thermally conductive coating.

46. A heating shelf, comprising: (a) a first thermoplastic sheet; (b) a second thermoplastic sheet; (c) a resistance heating element disposed between the first and second thermoplastic sheets, the resistance heating element comprising: (i) a supporting substrate including at least one circuit path, comprising an electrical resistance heating material attached to, or disposed within, the supporting substrate, said circuit path having terminal end portions and continuing onto the flap portion of the substrate; and (d) a material having a visible feature that changes with temperature attached to the heating shelf, wherein the thermoplastic sheets and said electrical resistance heating material are laminated together to form a reformable structure, the reformable structure formed into a final element assembly wherein the flap portion is rotated about the first axis to provide resistance heating in at least two planes.