Patent Application
20170298584
The present disclosure relates to heated platform systems, and, more specifically, to elevated platform systems having load bearing fiber reinforced panels heated by integrated resistive heating elements.
Conventional infrastructure, for example, pedestrian or vehicle bridges, drilling platforms, and transportation waiting platforms, may be prone to accumulation of snow and ice. Such accumulation of moisture may be undesirable. Accordingly, heated platform systems may be desired.
According to a first embodiment, a heated platform system includes a base support structure and a deck coupled to the base support structure. The deck includes a fiber reinforced panel. The fiber reinforced panel includes an upward-oriented face having a top exterior surface, a downward-oriented face, and a core that separates the upward-oriented face from the downward-oriented face. The fiber reinforced panel includes a first heating element positioned closer to the upward-oriented face than to the downward-oriented face. The first heating element is at least partially embedded in a polymer such that the first heating element is spaced apart from the top exterior surface of the upward-oriented face. The first heating element comprises a first conductive mat and a second conductive mat. The first conductive mat and the second conductive mat are electrically connected to one another by an electrical lead. An electrical insulator interleaf layer is positioned over a portion of the first conductive mat and under a portion of the second conductive mat and laterally separates the first conductive mat from the second conductive mat to provide edge-wise electrical isolation of the first conductive mat and the second conductive mat without interrupting the electrical connection by the electrical lead.
According to a second embodiment, a platform system includes a base support structure and a deck coupled to the base support structure. The deck extends from a first abutment to a second abutment. The first abutment and the second abutment are positioned on opposite sides of a topographic area. The deck and the base support structure are elevated from the topographic area. The deck comprises a plurality of fiber reinforced panels that are arranged to extend from the first abutment to the second abutment. Each of the plurality of fiber reinforced panels includes a first heating element that is at least partially embedded in a polymer such that the first heating element is spaced apart from a top exterior surface of the fiber reinforced panel. The first heating element includes a first conductive mat and a second conductive mat. The first conductive mat and the second conductive mat are electrically connected to one another by an electrical lead. An electrical insulator interleaf layer is positioned over a portion of the first conductive mat and under a portion of the second conductive mat and laterally separates the first conductive mat from the second conductive mat to provide edge-wise electrical isolation of the first conductive mat and the second conductive mat without interrupting the electrical connection by the electrical lead.
The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present disclosure can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Referring to
In general, heated platform systems according to the present disclosure may sufficiently warm the top surface of the deck that is formed from the fiber reinforced panels. To maintain reasonable manufacturing costs while preserving flexibility in design and manufacturing of the heated platform system, the heating elements may incorporate conductive mats of various shape and configuration. The conductive mats may be combined into a desired shape and size to provide heat across fiber reinforced panels of a prescribe shape and size. Once combined, these different shaped conductive mats, however, may exhibit different resistances within a particular fiber reinforced panel. To reduce high or low temperature regions across the fiber reinforced panel, the conductive mats may be electrically isolated from one another by an electrical insulator interleaf layer that is positioned between conductive mats that are positioned next to one another. The conductive mats of a heating element are placed into electrical conductivity with one another by electrical leads that can control the flow of power from one conductive mat to another and create a combination of resistance to provide consistent temperatures across the panel surface.
Additionally, the heating elements across the heated platform system may be controlled from a control panel that selectively delivers power to the heating elements along the heated platform system. The control panel may direct power to the heating elements according to a duty cycle. The use of the duty cycle allows for proper power delivery to each of the heating elements but maintains the current drawn by the entire heated platform system below a threshold value, such that the heated platform system does not overdraw a power source remains cost-effective. This may be particularly important for applications in which the heated platform system is installed in a remote location that is located far away from a main power supply.
Referring again to
The heated platform system may be used in a variety of end-user application including, for example and without limitation, as a pedestrian walkway, as a public transportation platform, as an elevated drilling platform, and as a bridge for pedestrian and/or vehicular travel.
The deck 120 includes a plurality of fiber reinforced panels 130 that are arranged to form a traversable surface 122 of the deck 120. The fiber reinforced panels 130. The fiber reinforced panels 130 include at least one heating element 150 that is positioned proximate to the traversable surface 122 of the deck 120. The heating elements 150, which are described in greater detail below, provide selective heating to the fiber reinforced panels 130 and prevent the accumulation of snow and ice along the traversable surface 122 of the deck 120.
Referring now to
In general, the fiber reinforced panels include a composite structure that includes a polymer and a fiber that are positioned around a core material. In the depicted embodiments, the polymer and the fiber are typically depicted as coincident with one another. Fiber reinforced panels are generally corrosion resistant to chemicals and water, and require reduced maintenance as compared conventional decking materials. Fiber reinforced panels are generally lighter weight than conventional decking materials, which simplifies installation and reduces the load bearing requirements, and therefore cost, of superstructures and substructures with which fiber reinforced panels are used. Additionally, flexibility of manufacturing fiber reinforced panels allows for fiber reinforced panels to be customized to a particular installation site, including by customizing the size, shape and crown of the fiber reinforced panels.
Referring now to
The fiber reinforced panel 130 also includes a heating element 150 that is encapsulated within the fiber reinforced panel 130. The heating element 150 is made from a material that is generally electrically conductive, but has sufficient resistance to generate heat when electricity is conveyed through the heating element 150. Such materials may include, for example, carbon fiber or a metallic mesh, which are conventionally known to be used as resistive heating elements. The heating element 150 is encapsulated by an insulating wrap layer 138 that is positioned in a direction towards the upward-oriented face 96 relative to the heating element 150. The insulating wrap layer 138 may eliminate contact between a user of the fiber reinforced panel 130 and the heating element 150. In one embodiment, the insulating wrap layer 138 may include an insulating fiber, for example, fiber glass, and a polymer. Additionally, the core 134 may be an insulator, which may therefore direct the majority of the heat from the heating element 150 towards the upward-oriented face 96 of the fiber reinforced panel 130.
The depicted fiber reinforced panel 130 also includes a wear surface 136 that is positioned towards the upward-oriented face 96 relative to the insulating wrap layer 138. The wear surface 136 defines the top exterior surface 139 of the fiber reinforced panel 130. The wear surface 136 may include a texture that enhances a non-slip property of the fiber reinforced panel 130.
Additionally, the fiber reinforced panel 130 may include a variety of attachment structures (not shown) that are embedded within the fiber reinforced panel 130 that allow for attachment of the fiber reinforced panel 130 to the base support structure 110. For example, plates made of, for example, steel, aluminum, or polymer, may be embedded within the fiber reinforced panel 130, and may allow for fastening of the fiber reinforced panel 130 to the base support structure 110.
As depicted in
Referring now to
The plurality of conductive mats 152 are placed into electrical conductivity with one another by electrical leads 154. In the depicted embodiment, the electrical leads 154 are attached to the conductive mats 152 in a targeted location that is proximate to the ends of the conductive mats 152. Electrical power may be delivered from a remotely-positioned power source 210 that is placed into electrical continuity with the plurality of conductive mats 152 by a wiring harness 202. In various embodiments, the conductive mats 152 may be designed to distribute power evenly along the conductive mat 152 when power is directed through these locations. However, if the conductive mats 152 are allowed to come into electrical continuity with one another at locations other than these targeted locations, the conductive mats 152 have a tendency to shunt the electrical heating circuit. This shunting of the electrical heating circuit will affect the distribution of electrical power through the heating element 150, which may lead to localized hot and cold spots throughout the heating element 150. To avoid such localized hot and cold spots, the electrical insulator interleaf layer 160 electrically isolates adjacent conductive mats 152 without interrupting the electrical conductivity between the conductive mats 152 that is formed by the electrical leads 154.
In various embodiments, the electrical insulator interleaf layer 160 may include fiber glass. In one embodiment, the electrical insulator interleaf layer 160 may have a thickness of at least 0.030 inches. In one embodiment, the electrical insulator interleaf layer 160 may laterally separate the first and second conductive mats 152 by a lateral distance 153. To minimize the local variations in the heat that is directed to the top exterior surface 139 of the fiber reinforced panel 130, the lateral distance 156 between conductive mats 152 may be minimized. In one embodiment, the lateral distance 156 between a first conductive mat 152 and a second conductive mat 152 is less than 10 times the distance 148 between the top exterior surface 139 of the fiber reinforced panel 130 and the top surface of the first conductive mat 152, for example, being less than 7 times the distance 148, for example, being less than 5 times the distance 148.
Referring collectively to
In various embodiments, the manufacturing techniques may be modified to provide the required flexibility of manufacturing along with the desired strength and durability of the resultant fiber reinforced panel 130.
Referring now to
The memory 214 includes a computer readable instruction set that a memory storing a computer readable instruction set that, when executed by the processor, manages power distribution of the heated platform system. The control panel directs power to the plurality of heating elements 150 that are positioned along the deck of the heated platform system according to a duty cycle to maintain power draw at or below a current capacity of the power source 210. The duty cycle applies power to a first heating element 150 that is positioned along a deck of the heated platform system. The control panel 200 determines if a first predetermined event of a temperature condition or a time duration has been satisfied. The control panel 200 then removes power from the first heating element 150 and applies power to a second heating element 150 that is positioned along the deck of the heated platform system. The control panel 200 determines if a second predetermined event of a temperature condition or a time duration has been satisfied. The control panel 200 then removes power from the second heating element 150 and applies power to the first heating element 150.
The control panel 200 evaluates the first predetermined event and the second predetermined event such that power is directed to the first heating element and the second heating element according to the duty cycle such that a thermal capacitance of the deck maintains the surface temperature of the deck above a temperature at which snow and ice will not accumulate on the deck of the heated platform system throughout the duty cycle, for example by maintaining a temperature of at least 32° F. along the top exterior surface of each of the fiber reinforced panels throughout the duty cycle.
The computer readable instruction set that is stored in the memory 214 of the control panel 200 may include logic that determines if accumulation of moisture is likely to occur given the temperature and moisture conditions. Before initiating the duty cycle, the control panel evaluates the ambient temperature sensor and the ambient moisture sensor to determine that ambient weather conditions are within a range corresponding to accumulation of moisture on the deck. The control panel 200 may only initiate the duty cycle when these ambient weather conditions are present.
Referring now to
The flexibility in manufacturing the fiber reinforced panels 230 is advantageous to accommodate various configurations of end-use installations. However, to manage costs and inventory of components used in manufacturing of the fiber reinforced panels 230, it may be desirable to use commercially available components. For example, the conductive mats 252, 253 that are assembled into the heating elements 250 may be commonly available in discrete sizes. To assemble a heating element 250 that is of appropriate size for the fiber reinforced panel 230, conductive mats 252, 253 having differing size may be assembled to form a heating element 250. Because of the difference between the conductive mats 252, 253, including differences in size and conductivity, the conductive mats 252, 253 may be electrically connected in series or in parallel with one another to even resistance, thereby evening heat distribution, across the heating element 250. In the depicted embodiment, first conductive mats 252 and second conductive mats 253 of differing size are electrically connected to one another with electrical leads 154 in parallel, thereby defining a heating element subassembly 158. Placing the conductive mats 252, 253 into electrical continuity with one another in such a manner may even the resistance across the heating element 250. A plurality of these heating element subassemblies 158 are electrically connected to one another with electrical leads 154 in series, thereby forming the heating element 250. When assembled into the heating element 250, the plurality of conductive mats 252, 253 may exhibit a local resistance that is within 10% of an average resistance of the plurality of conductive mats 252, 253 across the heating element 250. Even resistance across the heating element 250 will lead to even heating across the fiber reinforced panel.
Note that in
Referring to
Note that, in regard to the orientation between the heating elements 150, 250, 350 and the structure of the fiber reinforced panels 130, 230, 330, as depicted in
Referring now to
It should now be understood that heated platform systems according to the present disclosure include a fiber reinforced panel that has a heating element that is made from a plurality of conductive mats. The plurality of conductive mats are placed into electrical continuity with one another by electrical leads, and are electrically isolated from one another by electrical insulating interleaf layers that prevent electrical shunting of adjacent conductive mats. The incorporation of the electrical insulating interleaf layers may provide more even resistance across the heating element, thereby providing even heating across the fiber reinforced panel in which the heating element is assembled.
It is also noted that recitations herein of “at least one” component, element, etc., should not be used to create an inference that the alternative use of the articles “a” or “an” should be limited to a single component, element, etc.
It is noted that terms like “preferably,” “commonly,” and “typically,” when utilized herein, are not utilized to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to identify particular aspects of an embodiment of the present disclosure or to emphasize alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present disclosure.
For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the terms “substantially” and “approximately” are utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The terms “substantially” and “approximately” are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
Having described the subject matter of the present disclosure in detail and by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is noted that the various details disclosed herein should not be taken to imply that these details relate to elements that are essential components of the various embodiments described herein, even in cases where a particular element is illustrated in each of the drawings that accompany the present description. Further, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, including, but not limited to, embodiments defined in the appended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the present disclosure are identified herein as preferred or particularly advantageous, it is contemplated that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these aspects.
The present application is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 62/322,016 filed Apr. 13, 2016 and titled “Heated Fiberglass Bridges and Platforms”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62322016 | Apr 2016 | US |
