TECHNICAL FIELD

The present concerns a mesh heating apparatus, and more particularly a mesh heating apparatus for removing snow and ice from a surface. BACKGROUND

In most northern climates, the removal of snow and ice that has accumulated on certain surfaces is particularly troublesome during the winter months. This is especially problematic for automobile owners, who are often faced with the task of manually removing the snow and ice accumulation from automobile surfaces prior to use. Manually removing the snow and ice can damage paint surfaces or wheel trims. This problem is particularly acute for automobile owners who may not have access to garage facilities, and who are often faced with the task of removing the snow and ice before the automobile can be used for commuting to and from the workplace. In addition, for a less able-bodied person, the physical exertion required to manually remove the snow and/or ice can be potentially hazardous to the health, especially for persons with heart conditions.

In addition to automobile surfaces, snow and ice removal from pathways and steps near the automobile is also a problem. As above, the only currently available solution to this problem is to manually remove the snow and ice from the surfaces. This can be particularly problematic if there is significant snow and ice accumulation on the pathway near the wheels or underneath the chassis, where the removal can be awkward and often requires that the user bend his or her back. Generally speaking if the automobile owner is infirm or less able- bodied, this can result in injury. Other than sheltering the automobile from the elements, there exists little in the way of relief for the aforesaid problems. Canadian patent application number CA 2,165,913 discloses a heating apparatus in which warm air is forced under a tarpaulin that is draped over a vehicle. The warm air is produced by a way of a propane tank with a burner. One significant drawback associated with this design is the potential for fire. Furthermore, the usefulness of the design is limited by the amount of propane available for ignition and as such the propane must be replenished to maintain effectiveness of the design. Moreover, the tarpaulin is limited to full coverage of the vehicle and does not appear to be adaptable to specific surfaces of the vehicle. In addition, the tarpaulin is heavy and cumbersome to manipulate and storage is a problem owing to the bulk of the tarpaulin. This is especially problematic once the heating apparatus has been used and the tarpaulin needs to be stored. If the user is a commuter, this can be burdensome and can cause wet snow to splash onto work clothes.

Other heating apparatus designs are generally limited for use with specific exterior automobile features including wing mirrors. Currently available engine block warmers are designed to merely heat the engine block prior to ignition so as to ensure rapid ignition on cold mornings. The currently available designs, however, do not address the issue of snow and ice removal from the automobile's surfaces.

Remote starters are typically used to remotely and automatically start the automobile. Generally speaking, remote starters allow the engine and interior of the automobile to be warmed before use. One significant drawback is that the automobile is left running for an extended period before use, which uses fuel and can pollute the atmosphere. Moreover, if the automobile is left running unattended, there is an increased likelihood of theft of the automobile.

In view of the aforesaid problems, there is clearly a need for a snow and ice removal apparatus that is safe, energy efficient, easy to operate, yet is lightweight and easy to store after use.

BRIEF SUMMARY

I have designed a novel snow and ice removal apparatus, which significantly reduces or essentially eliminates the aforesaid problems. The apparatus includes a heating source, which is a lattice work of thin strips of the heating source, and which is located in contact with a surface before snow and ice accumulation occurs and provides heat transfer to the surface so that the snow and ice does not accumulate thereupon. The heating source can also be located as discrete units within the material of the lattice work. Accordingly, there is provided a heating apparatus for heating a cold surface of a vehicle or near the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a mesh sized and shaped to contact at least a portion of the cold surface; and at least one activatable heat source associated with the mesh, the heat source being in contact with the surface for providing thermal energy transfer from the heat source to the cold surface so as to heat the cold surface.

In one example, the mesh is a lattice including a plurality of rows of partition walls, and columns of partition walls intersecting with the rows of partition walls to define the lattice. In one example, the heat source is located at discrete locations in the lattice at one or more of the intersecting partition walls. The heat source is integral with at least one of the partition walls. The heat source is integral with substantially all the partition walls. The partition walls include a plurality of conduits integral therewith so as to form a lattice of conduits, the conduits having disposed therein an amount of a heat conductive material which, when activated, provides heat transfer to the surface, the conduit being located within the partition walls.

In another example, the mesh is a lattice including a plurality of rows of partition conduits, and columns of partition conduits intersecting with the rows of partition conduits to define the lattice. The conduits have disposed therein an amount of a heat conductive material which, when activated, provides heat transfer to the surface. The mesh is made from flexible, lightweight material.

In one example, the heat source is selected from the group consisting of: a warm air blower, heating stripes, heating lamps, microwaves, lasers, ultrasound, oil, chemical elements, powders or compounds, gels, plasma-state materials, or any materials derived from nano or non-nanotechnologies in solid, gas, liquid or any other state.

In another example, the surface is the exterior skin of the vehicle. In another example, the surface is the engine or engine components.

In another example, the surface is the underside of the vehicle.

In another example, the surface is a driveway or road on which the vehicle is located.

In another example, the heat source is thermostatically controlled. In another example, the heat source is remotely activatable by way of Bluetooth, cellular telephones, satellite, or computer software.

In another example, the heat source transfers thermal energy to the surface sufficient to melt snow and ice accumulated thereon or to reduce the accumulation of snow and ice thereon. In another example, the heat source is powered by a battery or the vehicle's climate control apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heating apparatus located on or over an automobile exterior; FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a heating apparatus located over an automobile engine;

FIG. 2 is a view of a mesh with a plurality of heat sources (only a small number are illustrated for clarity purposes);

FIG. 3 is a view of the partition walls including a plurality of integral conduits; FIG. 4 is a view of the mesh with a plurality of partition conduits;

FIG. 5 is a view of a plurality of discrete chambers located in the conduits; and

FIG. 6 is a view of a vehicle located on a heating apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a heating apparatus is shown generally at 10. In the example illustrated, the heating apparatus 10 is located adjacent an cold exterior surface 12 of a vehicle 14, such as the exterior skin, panels, windshield, lights, wheels, locks, the underside of the vehicle chassis, exhaust pipes, fuel lines and such. It is to be understood that although an automobile is illustrated, the heating apparatus 10 may also be used to heat surfaces of trucks, trailers, boats, aircraft, spacecraft and such.

Broadly speaking, the heating apparatus 10 is used to heat the cold surface 12 of the vehicle 10. The cold surface 12 is generally one that has an accumulation of snow and/or ice 16 thereupon, or is a surface onto which snow and/or ice is expected to accumulate, such as before a snow storm. The apparatus 10 comprises a mesh 8 that is sized and shaped to contact at least a portion of the cold surface 2 and at least one activatable heat source 20, which is associated with the surface 12. The heat source 20 is in contact with the surface to provide heat to the surface 12 by way of thermal energy transfer. The thermal energy transfer heats the surface 12 to a temperature which is sufficient to melt the accumulated snow and/or ice, or is sufficient to significantly reduce or essentially eliminate the possibility of snow and/or ice accumulation thereon. Generally speaking, the cold surface 12 is at a temperature of 5°C to -40°C or lower.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mesh 18 can be located adjacent to the engine 22 or engine components of the vehicle such that they are heated prior to use. This can significantly reduce damage to the engine or components, which may otherwise be caused by their activation at cold temperatures. Still referring to FIG. 1 , the heat source 20 can be remotely activated and operable by way of a remote controller 24 such as Bluetooth™ or similar applications, cellular telephones, satellite, or computer software, the controller being in communication with a thermostat 26 that is connected to or is in communication with the heat source 20. The user can simply program the remote controller 24 to activate the heat source 20 to respond to a lowering of temperature on the surface 12, as detected by the thermostat 26, by selecting a predetermined heating temperature and a predetermined heating time, both of which would be sufficient to melt the snow and/or ice. Advantageously, the heat source 20 can be activated to coincide with a weather forecast, which is predicting snowfall. Additionally, the heat source 20 might also include depth sensors (not shown), which measure the depth of snow and/or ice accumulation on the surface 12. Data from the depth sensors would then be transmitted to the remote controller 24, which would either increase the time of heating or would increase the temperature of the heat source 20.

Generally speaking, the heat source 20 can be selected from but not limited to warm air blower, heating stripes, heating lamps, microwaves, lasers, and ultrasound. It is to be understood that the mesh 18 is of sufficient size and deformability to allow maximum contact with the surface 12 to be heated by way of efficient thermal energy transfer. The mesh 8 is typically manufactured from a material that is both flexible and lightweight such as, for example, thin polymeric material, fabric (natural or synthetic), composites and the like which advantageously permits the user to easily deploy the heating apparatus prior to a snow fall and to quickly and easily remove and store it after use. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the mesh 18 is a lattice which includes a plurality of rows of partition walls 28, and columns of partition walls 30 intersecting with the rows of partition walls 28 to define the lattice. The partition walls 28, 30 intersect to define a plurality of intersections 32. In the example illustrated, the heat source 20 is located at discrete locations in the lattice at one or more of the intersections 32. The heat source 20 may also be integral with at least one of the partition walls 28, 30 or it may be integral with substantially all the partition walls 28, 30.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the partition walls 28, 30 include a plurality of conduits 34 integral therewith so as to form a lattice of conduits 36 inside the partition walls. In this example, the conduits 36 have an amount of a heat conductive material located inside the lumen thereof which, when activated, provides heat transfer to the surface.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the mesh 18 is a lattice which includes a plurality of rows of partition conduits 38, and columns of partition conduits 40, which intersect each other to define the lattice. As with the example described above, an amount of a heat conductive material is located inside the lumen of the partition conduits which, when activated, provides heat transfer to the surface.

As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the heat source 20 is located in a plurality of discrete chambers 42 located in the conduits 34, 36, 38, or 40 which include an amount of a heat conductive material, such as warm water, oil, chemical elements, powders or compounds, gels, plasma-state materials, and any materials derived from nano or non-nanotechnologies in solid, gas, liquid or any other state, which, when activated, provides heat transfer to the surface 12. In the example shown, the mesh 18 is sized and shaped to cover the cold surfaces of the vehicle, which can be used to reduce the snow and/or ice accumulated thereon or to prevent snow and/or ice from accumulating thereon. The mesh 18 can be formed into the shape of the vehicle or it can be formed to cover at least a portion of the vehicle's surface 16, such as the lights, the wind shield and the like. The mesh 18 may also be used to cover the engine or engine components. The heat source 20 not only provides maximum thermal energy transfer to the surface 12, but also to transfer heat to the mesh 18 so that snow and/or ice in contact with the mesh 18 will melt.

The heat source 20 can be a warm air blower which blows warm air directly onto the surface 12 from within the conduits, heating stripes, which provide heat to the areas adjacent the stripes, mini heating lamps, microwaves, lasers, ultrasound, oil, chemical elements, powders or compounds, gels, plasma-state materials, or any materials derived from nano or non-nanotechnologies in solid, gas, liquid or any other state, all of which may be located in the mesh 18. Ultrasound is used to remove any material accumulated on the cold surface, including ice, water, dust or snow. As described above, the heat source 20 located in the conduits 34, 36, 38, or 40 can be remotely activated by way of the remote controller 24 and the thermostats 26 located in the mesh 18.

As mentioned above, one particularly troublesome aspect of snow and/or ice accumulation is when it occurs on a surface 44 near or underneath the vehicle 14, such as the driveway or road on which the vehicle is parked. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the mesh 18 may therefore be located adjacent the surface 44 such that, when activated, the heat source 20 heats the accumulated snow and/or ice, thereby allowing easy access to the vehicle 14 by the user and also to allow the user to drive the vehicle 14 away from the parking place. Moreover, the location of the heating source 20 directly underneath the vehicle 14 allows the thermal energy to be transferred to an underside 46 of the vehicle 14 so as to warm the exhaust system, the fuel lines and such. The thermostats 26 detect the temperature of the surface 44 and transmit the temperature information to the remote controller 24, which activates the heat source 20. The remote controller 24 system includes, but is not limited to, Bluetooth™ or similar applications, cellular telephones, satellite, or computer software.

Generally speaking, the heat source 20 may be powered by way of a battery, a power line, or via the vehicle's own climate control apparatus such as the interior heating apparatus or the vehicle's battery.

Although conduits are mentioned and illustrated throughout, it is to be noted that the mesh and partition walls can also be flattened pieces of fabric or material that have the heat source embedded therein. Also, it is to be noted that although the intersecting walls of the mesh 18 do so at right angles and define generally square openings of the mesh 18, it is to be understood that the walls may intersect at any angle to define, for example, triangular opening s of the mesh and the like.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that variations and modifications may be made to the invention described herein to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Such embodiments are also within the scope of the present discovery.