us patent 8809751

(12) United States Patent Ellis et al.

US008809751B2

US 8,809,751 B2 *Aug. 19, 2014

(10) Patent N0.: (45) Date of Patent:

(54)

(75)

(73)

(21)

(22)

(65)

(63)

(51)

(52)

(58)

MODULAR HEATER SYSTEM

Inventors: Eric Ellis, Columbia, MO (US); Troy Ruben Bolton, Fulton, MO (US); Jacob Lindley, St. Louis, MO (US)

Assignee: WatloW Electric Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, MO (US)

Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 1094 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal dis claimer.

Appl. N0.: 12/351,041

Filed: Jan. 9, 2009

Prior Publication Data

US 2009/0179022 A1 Jul. 16, 2009

Related US. Application Data

Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/520,130, ?led on Sep. 13, 2006, noW Pat. No. 7,919,733, Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 11/435,073, ?led on May 16, 2006, noW Pat. No. 7,964,826, Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 11/199,832, ?led onAug. 9, 2005, noW Pat. No. 7,626,146, application No. 12/351,041, Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 11/777,709, ?led on Jul. 13, 2007.

Int. Cl. H05B 3/44 (2006.01) F16L 53/00 (2006.01) US. Cl. USPC .......... .. 219/535; 219/544; 219/550; 392/480

Field of Classi?cation Search None See application ?le for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

1,674,488 A 6/1928 2,426,976 A 9/1947 2,809,268 A * 10/1957 3,296,415 A * 1/1967 3,955,601 A 5/1976

A E

Tang Taulman Heron ......................... .. 219/522

Eisler .......................... .. 219/385

Plummer et 31. 3,971,416 7/1976 Johnson RE29,322 7/1977 Nelson

(Continued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

DE 35 44 589 DE 20 2005 004602

6/1987 7/2005

(Continued) OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Of?ce Action ofcorresponding JP App. No. 20 l l -5454l8, dated Feb. 8, 2013, pp. 1-3.

(Continued)

Primary Examiner * Joseph M Pelham

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Brinks Gilson & Lione

(57) ABSTRACT

A heater system is provided that includes a hybrid insulation cover that has a ?rst cover disposed around hinged carrier members and heat trace sections, and a second cover opera tively engaged With the ?rst cover and adapted for detachable placement around a heating target and its varying geometries. A ?exible insulation jacket having a similar construction as the second cover is also provided for use With connector assemblies. Furthermore, a heater system is provided that includes at least one heat trace section encapsulated Within adjacent insulating members for use With heating gaslines and pumplines of semiconductor processing systems.

21 Claims, 50 Drawing Sheets

US 8,809,751 B2

(56) References Cited 6,222,165 B1* 4/2001 Schwarzkopf .............. .. 219/535 6,498,898 B2 12/2002 Schmitt

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 6,727,481 B1 4/2004 Wilds 6,792,200 B2 9/2004 Hersh

4,123,837 A 11/1978 Homer 6,839,508 B2 1/2005 Biess et al. 4,152,577 A 5/1979 Leavines 7,034,254 B2* 4/2006 Grabowski et al. ......... .. 219/387 4,197,449 A 4/1980 Fessenden .................. .. 219/549 2003/0052121 A1 3/2003 SOPOYY 4,254,326 A 3/1981 Walkeret 31‘ 2006/0278631 A1* 12/2006 Lee etal. .................... .. 219/529 4,281,238 A 7/1981 Nomaetal. ................ .. 219/535 2007/0108176 A1 5/2007 E1118

4,293,763 A 10/1981 McMullan .. . 219/528 4,365,144 A 12/1982 Reich etal. ................. .. 219/535 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,429,213 A 1/1984 Mathieu 4,575,617 A 3/1986 Cooper ....................... .. 219/494 EP 0625669 11/1994 4,638,510 A 1/1987 Hubbard EP 0 937 565 8/1999 4,791,277 A 12/1988 Montierthetal. FR 2559374 3/1985 4,849,611 A 7/1989 Whitney et al. FR 2 576 662 8/1936 5,086,836 A 2/1992 Barth etal. FR 2 599115 11/1937 5,286,952 A 2/1994 McMills etal. ............ .. 219/535 JP 55041646 3/1980 5,294,780 A 3/1994 Montierth etal. JP 03 326933 12/1996 5,296,081 A 3/1994 Morin etal. ................ .. 156/498 JP 10060958 3/1998 5,359,179 A 10/1994 Desloge etal. ............. .. 219/535 WO 90/10817 9/1990 5,390,961 A 2/1995 Guthrie WO 97/03540 1/1997 5,537,742 A 7/1996 Le etal. WO 01/56731 3/2001 5,632,919 A 5/1997 MacCracken 5,667,712 A 9/1997 Sutoriusetal. ............. .. 219/535 OTHER PUBLICATIONS

5,714,738 A 2/1998 HauschulZ et al. . 219/535 5,756,972 A 5/1998 anicar et 31, ,,,,,,,,,,,, ,, 219/541 International Search Report PCT/US2008/069712 (Dec. 18, 2008). 5,864,941 A 2/ 1999 Baichoo et 31, StarFleX Heaters. Glenn Electric Heater Corporation (accessed on 5,933,574 A 8/1999 Avansino Jul. 13, 2007); Retrieved from the internet: url: http://WWW.glen 5,974,227 A 10/ 1999 Schave ........................ .. 392/478 nelectricheater.com/star?ex.htrnl.

6,049,658 A 4/2000 Schave et al. .. . 392/472

6,111,234 A 8/2000 Batliwalla et al. .......... .. 219/549 * cited by examiner

US 8,809,751 B2 Sheet 1 0f 50 Aug. 19, 2014 US. Patent

E SE

Ennaom

EBQW

i \CQZBQ moo

mock mmmooLa

US. Patent Aug. 19, 2014 Sheet 2 0f50 US 8,809,751 B2

12 Prior Art

FIG. 2

US. Patent Au .19 2014 Sheet4 0f50


72


64 i8

FIG. 7

52

58 64 58 \66

64


FIG. 8


FIG. 9


400

52

FIG. TO

US. Patent Aug. 19, 2014 Sheet 11 0150 US 8,809,751 B2

422

\425 FIG. 1 1


450\

FIG. 12


"444

FIG. 13


FIG. 15

US 8,809,751 B2 Sheet 16 0f 50 Aug. 19, 2014 US. Patent


LO

L0 17

FIG.

us patent 8809751

Documents