Dave's PCF WIP: Paragraphs

Paragraphs

Actions	Application	Content	Paragraph Number	Notes	Modified
		Content		Paragraph Number	Notes	Any Field
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Beneficially, a two-hundred and fifty-three square foot area is covered and kept at optimal concrete curing temperatures or at optimal heating temperatures for thawing froze or cold soil. Advantageously, the high square footage can be heated using a single thermal cover 200 connected to a single 120 volt circuit. Preferably, the 120 volt circuit is protected by up to about a 20 Amp breaker. In addition, with the first thermal cover 200 connected to the power source 110 a second thermal cover 200 can be safely connected to the first thermal cover 200 without tripping the breaker.	55	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In one embodiment, the thermal cover 200 may be twelve feet by twenty-five feet in dimension. In another embodiment, the thermal cover 200 may be six feet by twenty-five feet. In a more preferred embodiment, the thermal cover 200 is eleven feet by twenty three feet. Alternatively, the thermal cover 200 may be two to four feet by fifty feet to provide thermal protection to the top of concrete forms. Additional alternative dimensional embodiments may exist. Consequently, the thermal cover 200 in different size configurations covers between about one square foot up to about two-hundred and fifty-three square feet.	54	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In certain additional embodiments, the thermal cover 200 may include one or more creases 220 to facilitate folding the thermal cover 200. The creases 220 may be oriented across the width or length of the thermal cover 200. In one embodiment, the crease 220 is formed by heat welding a first outer layer to a second outer layer. Preferably, the thermal cover 200 comprises pliable material, however the creases 220 may facilitate folding a plurality of layers of the thermal cover 200.	53	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Additionally, the thermal cover 200 may include a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) safety device 218. The GFI device 218 may be coupled to the power connection 212. In certain embodiments, the GFI device 218 may be connected to the resistive element 208 and interrupt the circuit created by the resistive element 208. The GFI device 218 may be provided to protect the thermal cover 200 from damage from spikes in electric current delivered by the power source 110.	52	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In one embodiment, the electrical connection 216 is an insulated wire conductor for transferring power to the next thermal cover 200 in a modular chain. The electrical connection 216 may be connected to the electric plug 212 and the electric socket 214 for a power transfer interface. In one embodiment, the electrical connection 216 is configured to create a parallel chain of active electrical heating elements 210. Alternatively, the electrical connection 216 is configured to create a series configuration of active electrical heating elements 210. In an alternative embodiment, the resistive element 212 may additionally provide the electrical connection 216 without requiring a separate conductor. In certain embodiments, the electrical connection 216 may be configured to provide electrical power to a plurality of electrical power couplings 214 positioned at distributed points on the thermal cover 200 for convenience in coupling multiple modular thermal covers 200. For example, a second thermal cover 200 may be connected to a first thermal cover 200 by corresponding power couplings 214 to facilitate positioning of the thermal covers end to end, side by side, in a staggered configuration, or the like.	51	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In one embodiment, the thermal cover 200 includes means, such as electrical coupling connections 106, for electric power transfer from one thermal cover 200 to another in a modular chain. For example, the thermal cover 200 may include an electric connection 212 and an electric coupling 214. In one embodiment, the electric connection 212 and the electric coupling 214 may include an electric plug 212 and an electric socket 214, and are configured according to standard requirements according to the power level to be transferred. For example, the electric plug 212 and the electric socket 214 may be standard two prong connectors for low power applications. Alternatively, the plug 212 and socket 214 may be a three prong grounded configuration, or a specialized prong configuration for higher power transfer.	50	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In certain embodiments, the resistive element 208 is in direct contact with the heat spreading element 210 to ensure efficient thermo-coupling. Alternatively, the heat spreading element 210 and the resistive element 208 are integrally formed. For example, the heat spreading element 210 may be formed or molded around the resistive element 208. Alternatively, the resistive element 208 and the heat spreading element 210 may be adhesively coupled.	49	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Finally, the remaining layers of insulation 304 and outer cover 306 are laid over the top of the graphite elements 804 in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3. Next, the perimeter of the cover 800 may be heat welded for form a water tight envelope for the internal layers. In addition, residual air between the outer layers 302, 306 may be extracted from between the outer layers 302, 306 such that heat produced by the cover 800 is more readily conducted toward the bottom cover 306.	83	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the pattern 914 may result in graphite lengths 916 that run vertically. Advantageously, vertical lengths 916 that run parallel to each other add to the structural rigidity of the cover 900. Consequently, the cover 900 is less susceptible to being blown back on itself due to wind. As a result a consistent and even heating of the area under the cover 900 is provided.	94	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In FIG. 9, the thin-film electrical heating elements 904 may be similar to those in the cover 800 described above in relation to FIG. 8. The components of the cover 900 with 900 level numbers may be similar to 800 level components of the cover 800 in FIG. 8. However, these heating elements 904 may include a different pattern 914. In addition, the thickness, size, length, and orientation of the graphite 910 may also be different. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the graphite 910 may be about 9 inches wide, 5 thousandths of an inch thick, with a separating distance 918 of about ¾ of an inch. In certain embodiments, the graphite 910 may be between 1 thousandths of an inch thick and 40 thousandths of an inch thick. This range is preferred because within this thickness range the graphite 910 remains pliable and durable enough to withstand repeated rolling and unrolling as the cover 900 is unrolled for use and rolled up for storage.	93	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a modular heater cover 900. The cover 900 includes the multilayered cover 200 comprising a top outer layer 302, a bottom outer layer 306, and an insulation layer 304. However, this alternative embodiment includes one or more integrated thin-film electrical heating elements 904. This embodiment additionally includes an electrical connection 902 for connecting the power plug 212 to the electrical heating element 904. Additionally, an electrical connection 906 may be included to connect multiple electrical heating elements 904 within a single cover 800. Additionally, the cover 900 may include power connectors 212, 214, power connections 216, fasteners 206, folding crease 220, and the like.	92	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In embodiments of the cover 800 that use graphite 810, the negative temperature coefficient of resistance of the graphite 810 will result in the graphite 810 losing resistance as the temperature of the graphite 810 increases. Preferably, the cover 800 is designed such that the two graphite elements 804 do not draw over a maximum current such as about 20 amps. Therefore, the size, width, and length of the graphite 810 are selected such that the combined graphite elements 804 will not draw enough current to activate a 20 amp breaker even when the graphite elements 804 reach the maximum temperature of about ninety-five degrees.	91	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the graphite element 804 may efficiently convert energy across a wider surface area than may be available with conventional resistive elements 208. For example, a graphite element configured to draw 6 Amps of current may provide 780 Watts of thermal power evenly across a 23 foot by 12 foot cover surface area. Such a configuration provides sufficient heat energy to maintain a temperature between 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, in freezing ambient conditions. Additionally, using such a configuration, it is possible to connect up to three modular thermal covers on a single 120 Volt power source protected by a single 20 Amp circuit. Thus, consistent heat may be provided for between about 300 to about 1000 square feet of surface on a single 20 Amp power source.	90	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In rush current may be drawn when a cover 800 is initially connected to a power source 100 or when a second cover 800 is coupled to a first cover 800 connected to the power source 100. In embodiments using graphite 810, the in rush current is substantially minimized. Thus, the circuit may be designed to include up to the maximum current draw allowed by the circuit breaker.	89	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Of course, the material for the resistive element 208 may be conventional materials such as copper, iron, and the like which have a positive temperature coefficient of resistance. Preferably, the resistive element 208 comprises a material having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance such as graphite, germanium, silicon, and the like. In addition to substantially reducing in rush current, the negative temperature coefficient of resistance elements such as graphite 810 also give off more heat once the current has flowed for some period.	88	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Advantageously, in certain embodiments, the graphite 810 is used in place of conventional metallic resistive elements 208 such as copper. In embodiments designed to use as much current available on a single 210 Volt circuit protected by up to a 20 Amp breaker, the graphite 810 may be preferred over conventional metallic resistive elements 208 due to the difference in the value of the temperature coefficient of resistance for these materials. Conventional metallic resistive elements 208 typically have a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, while the graphite 801 has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance. The negative temperature coefficient of resistance of graphite 810 reduces power spikes also referred to as “in rush current” drawn when the resistive elements 208 are initially powered.	87	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In a preferred embodiment, the graphite 810 is about 9 inches wide with a minimal distance in between lengths 816 such as about ¾ of an inch. This configuration provides certain advantages beyond minimizing of cold spots. In addition, the larger width of the graphite 810 minimizes the risk that punctures of the graphite 810 will completely interrupt the electrical path. Therefore, accidental punctures can pass through the graphite 810 and the element 804 continues to operate with minimal negative effects.	86	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Preferably, the distance 818 is between about ¾ of an inch and about 4 inches wide. Advantageously, this distance range 818 provides for even, consistent heat dissipation across the surface of the cover 800. The smaller the distance 818, the lower the possibility of cold spots in the cover 800. By minimizing cold spots, a consistent and even curing of concrete or thawing of ground can be accomplished.	85	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	In one embodiment, the graphite 810 is laid out on the substrate according to a predetermined pattern 814. Those of skill in the art will recognize that a variety of patterns 814 may be used. Preferably, the pattern 814 is a zigzag pattern that maintains an electrical path and separates lengths 816 of the graphite 810 by a predefined distance 818. Preferably, the distance 818 is selected such that a maximum amount of the resistance heat produced by a length 816 is conducted away from the length by the substrate, insulation layer 304 and the like. In addition, the distance 818 is selected such that heat conducted from one length does not impede conducting of heat from a parallel length. In addition, the distance 818 is not so large that cool or cold spots are created.	84	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM
View Edit Delete	US7230213A1	Additionally, the electrical heating element may comprise a heat spreading element 210. In general terms, the heat spreading element 210 is a layer or material capable of drawing heat from the resistive element 208 and distributing the heat energy away from the resistive element 208. Specifically, the heat spreading element 210 may comprise a metallic foil, graphite, a composite material, or other substantially planar material. Preferably, the heat spreading element 210 comprises a material that is thermally isotropic in one plane. The thermally isotropic material may distribute the heat energy more evenly and more efficiently. One such material suitable for forming the heat spreading layer 210 is GRAFOIL® available from Graftech Inc. located in Lakewood, Ohio. Preferably, the heat spreading element 210 is a planar thermal conductor. In certain embodiments, the heat spreading layer 210 is formed in strips along the length of the resistive element 208. In alternative embodiments, the heat spreading element 210 may comprise a contiguous layer. In certain embodiments, the heat spreading layer 210 may cover substantially the full surface area covered by the thermal cover 200 for even heat distribution across the full area of the thermal cover 200.	48	Added by DJM 2 2021	2/22/21, 12:00 AM

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