[54] HEATING DEVICE AND METHOD
[75] Inventor: Jean-Pierre Farant, Verdun, Canada
[73] Assignee: Martinex R&D Inc., Montreal, Canada
[21] Appl. No.: 09/013,020 [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1998
[51] Int. CI.7 H05B 3/34; H01C 10/10
[52] U.S. CI 219/529; 338/99
[58] Field of Search 219/529, 211,
219/212, 545; 5/423; 338/208, 99, 114, 104, 101, 115; 607/96, 99
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
1,663,810 3/1928 Morse 219/538
3,629,774 12/1971 Crites 338/114
4,054,540 10/1977 Michalchik 252/512
4,279,188 7/1981 Scott 84/1.14
4,503,416 3/1985 Kim 338/99
4,739,299 4/1988 Eventoff 338/99
4,845,457 7/1989 Nakanishi 338/114
4,847,586 7/1989 Tanaga et al 338/114
4,990,755 2/1991 Nishimura .
A device and method for generating heat employs a heating element which is resiliently compressible or in which the electrical resistance can otherwise be varied, for a given electric current, to vary the level ol heat generated. In a specific embodiment the device employs a plurality ol layers ol electrically conductive cloth material, for example, carbon cloth, disposed between electrodes; adjustment ol the spacing between the electrodes alters the degree ol compression and the electrical resistance ol the plurality ol layers whereby the level ol heat generated for a given electric current can be varied.
8 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
