Heat exchange system and heating element therefor

Claim 1

A HEATING ELEMENT FOR A HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEM, COMPRISING A CERAMIC BASE MEMBER, AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE HEATING COATING MATERIAL VACUUM DEPOSITED ON AT LEAST ONE SURFACE OF SAID CERMAIC BASE MEMBER, AS A UNIFORM THICKNESS CONTINUOUS COATING PROVIDING, BETWEEN ANY TWO POINTS THEREOF, A RESISTANCE PATH WHOSE EFFECTIVE RESISTANCE VARIES LINEARLY WITH ITS LENGTH, A PAIR OF CLAMPING MEMBERS COUPLED TO SAID CERAMIC BASE MOVABLE ALONG SAID COATED SURFACE OF SAID BASE AND HAVING PORTIONS FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL ENEREGY THERETO, AND SHREDDED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS AND SAID RESISTANCE COATING MATERIAL TO PROVIDE UNIFORM UNINTERRUPTED ELECTRICAL CONTACT BETWEEN ALL PORTIONS OF SAID RESISTANCE COATING MATERIAL BENEATH EACH SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS AND SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS FOR ALL POSITIONS THEREOF, TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SAME NUMBER OF RESISTANCE PATHS BETWEEN THE CLAMPING MEMBERS WHEN THE LENGTH THEREBETWEEN OF THE RESISTANCE PATHS IS ALTERED TO ALTER THE ENERGY LEVEL OF THE HEATING ELEMENT, WHEREBY TO OBTAIN UNIFORM CURRENT DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS WHEN ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED.