Patent Application
20190170359
Certain embodiments of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for providing radiative heat transfer and, in particular, infrared radiative heat transfer.
A conventional heater warms the air through convective heat transfer. Convective heat transfer can be a slow heating process for a particular space. Further, the environment suffers from noise due to the requirement of a fan to move the air over a heating element to effect convective heat transfer.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present disclosure as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
Systems, devices, and methods for providing radiative heat transfer are provided substantially as illustrated by and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
Various advantages, aspects and novel features of the present disclosure, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings.
As utilized herein the terms “circuit” and “circuitry” refer to physical electronic components (i.e., hardware) and any software and/or firmware (“code”) which may configure the hardware, be executed by the hardware, and/or otherwise be associated with the hardware. As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in the list joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any element of the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. As another example, “x, y, and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary” means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As utilized herein, the terms “e.g.” and “for example” set off lists of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations.
The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps that are illustrated.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, methods, and devices for providing radiative heat transfer such as infrared radiative heat transfer, for example.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an infrared heater that includes, for example, a plurality of infrared heating elements. In some embodiments, the plurality of infrared heating elements form an infrared element array. The infrared heater can be configured such that each infrared heating element can heat a respective heating zone. These heating zones can overlap. In some embodiments, each heating element can also work in combination with one or more reflectors or reflecting panels (e.g., reflectors, metal reflectors, reflecting panels, metal reflecting panels, mirrors, lenses, etc.) that guide or focus the infrared radiation generated by the corresponding heating element in a particular direction or into a particular zone.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide that the infrared heating elements can be pulsed so that a different one or a different subset of the infrared heating elements is on at a particular time. Some embodiments provide that different ones or different subsets of the infrared heating elements can overlap in time with respect to when they are on. In some embodiments, the amount of time that a particular one or a particular subset of the infrared heating elements is on and off can be set or programmed for a particular pattern, thereby adjusting the pulsed effect or wave effect generated by the infrared heating elements. Further, one or more of the infrared heating elements can be set to be on while the other infrared heating elements are pulsed on and off.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a heater that uses electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared radiation, visible light radiation, ultraviolet radiation, radio frequency radiation, etc.). Accordingly, the radiated heat is felt almost immediately in comparison with convective heat transfer. In addition, the electromagnetic radiation heater provides the heat or energy more efficiently and more directly than convective heaters. Further, a heater that uses electromagnetic radiation is quieter in comparison with a convective heater that employs a fan, for example. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation heater has no moving mechanical parts to effect heat transfer during operation.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a heater that provides a particular glow (e.g., color, intensity, etc.) by using electromagnetic radiation, thereby enhancing the visual appeal of an environment. For example, the heater can be set up to provide a warm glow or a fireplace glow. In another example, the heater can be set up to an exposure that is similar to sunshine. In yet another example, the heater can be set up to provide a pulsing light effect that can create an interesting lighting and heating effect on the user and/or the environment. The heater can employ one or more types of electromagnetic radiation to enhance the visual appeal of the environment. For example, the heater may include visible lighting elements that are used to create a particular mood in a room. In yet another embodiment, the heater can employ different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum to access correspondingly different frequency energies to effect respectively different outputs in energy, heat, and/or lighting.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a heater that can be used for personal use. For example, the heater can be placed on the ground (e.g., on wheels or legs) and positioned to face a user who is sitting or reclining in a chair at a home or office.
The control panel 140 can include, for example, a user interface 160 with a display 170 (e.g., a graphical display, a screen, a touch-sensitive display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, etc.) and one or more user inputs 180. In some embodiments, the user interface 160 can include, for example, a graphical user interface that has one or more graphical elements instead of or in addition to physical user inputs (e.g., buttons, knobs, switches, etc.) that can be used to control the infrared heater 100. The graphical elements can be selected via touch-sensitive display and/or a user input device (e.g., a wireless user input device, a mouse, a keyboard, a remote control, an application running on a user device such as a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, etc.).
In operation according to some embodiments, the user inputs 180 are actuated (e.g., buttons are pushed, knobs are rotated, graphical elements on a graphical user interface are selected) to cause the infrared heater 100 to turn on. The user inputs 180 can be used to set up the infrared heater 100. The user inputs 180 can be also used to control the heat intensity and/or output of the infrared heating elements 120a-c; the frequency and/or duty cycle of the pulsing of the infrared heating elements 120a-c; the maximum and/or minimum power settings of the infrared heating elements 120a-c; the angle of inclination and/or declination of one or both of the infrared heating elements 120a-c and the infrared reflectors 130a-c; the infrared heating elements 120a-c that participate in the pulsing; and the infrared heating elements 120a-c that do not participate in the pulsing (e.g., are statically on or off without pulsing). The user inputs 180 can be used to select or program a particular pulse pattern. Further, the user inputs 180 can be used to set up a clock; a timer that controls the amount of time (e.g., a time duration, a starting time, a stopping time, etc.) that the infrared heating elements 120a-c are pulsing and/or are on; a timer that controls the amount of time that the infrared heater 100 is on; and the pulse pattern. Finally, the user input 180 can be used to begin operation of the infrared heater 100 based on the input or stored settings.
The infrared heater 100 can operate in a number of modes based on the settings. For example, the infrared heater 100 is shown with three infrared heating elements 120a-c. The infrared heater 100 can be operated so that three or less of the infrared heating elements 120a-c are continuously or periodically on. For example, the infrared heater 100 can be operated so that one of the infrared heating elements 120a-c is on. If the user wants to warm the user's feet, the user might set up the infrared heater 100 so that only one infrared heating element depending on the angle of the infrared heating element, for example, is continuously on. If the user wants to warm the user's entire body, the user might set up the infrared heater 100 so that all three infrared heating elements 120a-c are used.
Some embodiments provide that the infrared heater 100 can be pulsed and/or controlled to generate a heat wave effect. Referring to
In some embodiments, the one or more circuits 200 can include, for example, one or more processors 210, one or more memories 220 (e.g., one or more nontransitory memories), one or more communication devices 230 (e.g., wireless adapters, wireless cards, cable adapters, wire adapters, dongles, radio frequency (RF) devices, wireless communication devices, Bluetooth devices, IEEE 802.11-compliant devices, WiFi devices, cellular devices, GPS devices, Ethernet ports, network ports, Lightning cable ports, cable ports, etc.), one or more input devices 240 (e.g., keyboards, mouse, touch pad, touch-sensitive screen, touch screen, pressure-sensitive screen, graphical user interface, user interfaces, buttons, microphone, etc.), and one or more output devices 250 (e.g., displays, screens, speakers, projectors, etc.). The processor 210, the memory 220, the communication device 230, the input device 240, and/or the output device 250 can be connected to one or more buses 260 or other types of communication links (e.g., wired and/or wireless links).
The processor 210 can include, for example, one or more of the following: a general processor, a central processing unit, a digital filter, a microprocessor, a digital processor, a digital signal processor, a microcontroller, a programmable array logic device, a complex programmable logic device, a field-programmable gate array, an application specific integrated circuit, one or more cloud or network servers operating in series or in parallel, and a memory. Code, instructions (e.g., processor-executable instructions), software, firmware and/or data may be stored in the processor 210, the memory 220, or both.
The memory 220 can include, for example, one or more of the following: a non-transitory memory, a non-transitory processor readable medium, a non-transitory computer readable medium, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory, dynamic RAM (DRAM), volatile memory, erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically EPROM (EEPROM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory, last-in-first-out (LIFO) memory, stack memory, non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), static RAM (SRAM), a cache, a buffer, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, a flash memory, a flash card, a compact flash card, memory cards, secure digital memory cards, a microcard, a minicard, an expansion card, a smart card, a memory stick, a multimedia card, a picture card, flash storage, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a hard drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The memory 220 can be configured to store code, instructions, applications, software, firmware and/or data for use by the processor 210 and may be external, internal, or both with respect to the processor 210.
In some embodiments, some of the code, instructions, applications, software, firmware and/or data can be hardwired (e.g., hardware implementations, hardwired into registers, etc.) and/or can be programmable.
In some embodiments, some or all of the steps, acts, methods, and/or processes described herein can be performed by code, software, firmware, and/or instructions, for example, that are executed by the processor 210 and stored in the memory 220 of infrared heater 100.
In some embodiments, the one or more circuits 200 can be found in a user device (e.g., a remote control, a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet, a computer, a fob, etc.) that can be used to control, input data into, receive data from, and/or communicate with the infrared heater 100. In some embodiments, some or all of the steps, acts, methods, and/or processes described herein can be performed by code, software, firmware, and/or instructions, for example, that are executed by the processor 210 and stored in the memory 220 of the user device and/or the infrared heater 100.
Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer readable medium and/or storage medium, and/or a non-transitory machine readable medium and/or storage medium, having stored thereon, a machine code and/or a computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine and/or a computer, thereby causing the machine and/or computer to perform the steps as described herein for a reflection coefficient reader.
Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one computer system or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein.
Aspects of the present disclosure may also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
The present application claims benefit from and priority to U.S. Application No. 62/593,593, filed Dec. 1, 2017. The above-identified application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62593593 | Dec 2017 | US |
