Methods, systems, and devices for controlling anti-sweat heaters

Abstract

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to anti-sweat heater systems for refrigeration units. More specifically, certain embodiments relate to anti-sweat heater control systems having one or more controllers that operate anti-sweat heaters independently of each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling anti-sweat heaters, comprising:
 (a) a controller comprising:
 (i) a door channel comprising at least one door channel input; and 
 (ii) a frame/mullion channel comprising at least one frame/mullion channel input, wherein the frame/mullion channel is independent of the door channel; 
   (b) at least one door heater operably coupled to the door channel;   (c) a first door moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a refrigeration case door, the sensor operably coupled to the controller at the at least one door channel input, the first door moisture sensor configured to transmit a door sensor resistance reading to the controller;   (d) at least one frame/mullion heater operably coupled to the frame/mullion channel; and   (e) a first frame/mullion moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a frame or mullion, the sensor operably coupled to the controller at the at least one frame/mullion channel input, the first frame/mullion sensor configured to transmit a frame/mullion sensor resistance reading to the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one door heater when the first door moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level and is further configured to activate the at least one frame/mullion heater when the first frame/mullion moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level, 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit AC current to the first door moisture sensor and the first frame/mullion moisture sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform a programmed maintenance cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the programmed maintenance cycle comprises a predetermined activation of at least one of the at least one door heater and the at least one frame/mullion heater by the controller for a predetermined amount of time during each predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is 15 minutes and the predetermined period of time is three hours. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined activation of the at least one door heater is independent of the predetermined activation of the at least one frame/mullion heater. 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling anti-sweat heaters, comprising:
 (a) a first controller comprising:
 (i) a first door channel comprising at least one first door channel input; and 
 (ii) a first frame/mullion channel comprising at least one first frame/mullion channel input, wherein the first frame/mullion channel is independent of the first door channel; 
   (b) at least one first door heater operably coupled to the first door channel;   (c) a first door moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a first refrigeration case door, the first door moisture sensor operably coupled to the first controller at the at least one first door channel input, the first door moisture sensor configured to transmit a first door sensor resistance reading to the first controller;   (d) at least one first frame/mullion heater operably coupled to the first frame/mullion channel;   (e) a first frame/mullion moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a first refrigeration case frame or mullion, the first frame/mullion moisture sensor operably coupled to the first controller at the at least one first frame/mullion channel input, the first frame/mullion sensor configured to transmit a first frame/mullion sensor resistance reading to the first controller;   (f) a second controller independent of the first controller, the second controller comprising:
 (i) a second door channel comprising at least one second door channel input; and 
 (ii) a second frame/mullion channel comprising at least one second frame/mullion channel input, wherein the second frame/mullion channel is independent of the second door channel; 
   (g) at least one second door heater operably coupled to the second door channel;   (h) a second door moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a second refrigeration case door, the second door moisture sensor operably coupled to the second controller at the at least one second door channel input, the second door moisture sensor configured to transmit a second door sensor resistance reading to the second controller;   (i) at least one second frame/mullion heater operably coupled to the second frame/mullion channel; and   (j) a second frame/mullion moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a second refrigeration case frame or mullion, the second frame/mullion moisture sensor operably coupled to the second controller at the at least one second frame/mullion channel input, the second frame/mullion sensor configured to transmit a second frame/mullion sensor resistance reading to the second controller.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first controller is configured to activate the at least one first door heater when the first door moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level and is further configured to activate the at least one first frame/mullion heater when the first frame/mullion moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level, 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second controller is configured to activate the at least one second door heater when the second door moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level and is further configured to activate the at least one second frame/mullion heater when the second frame/mullion moisture sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first controller is configured to transmit AC current to the first door moisture sensor and the first frame/mullion moisture sensor, and further wherein the second controller is configured to transmit AC current to the second door moisture sensor and the second frame/mullion moisture sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first controller is further configured to perform a first programmed maintenance cycle and the second controller is further configured to perform a second programmed maintenance cycle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first programmed maintenance cycle comprises a predetermined activation of at least one of the at least one first door heater and the at least one first frame/mullion heater by the first controller for a predetermined amount of time during each predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second programmed maintenance cycle comprises a predetermined activation of at least one of the at least one second door heater and the at least one second frame/mullion heater by the second controller for a predetermined amount of time during each predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         15 . A system for controlling anti-sweat heaters, comprising:
 (a) a controller comprising:
 (i) a door channel comprising at least one door channel input; and 
   (ii) a frame/mullion channel comprising at least one frame/mullion channel input, wherein the frame/mullion channel is independent of the door channel;   (b) at least one door heater operably coupled to the door channel;   (c) a first detachable door moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a refrigeration case door, the sensor operably coupled to the controller at the at least one door channel input, the first door moisture sensor configured to transmit a door sensor resistance reading to the controller, wherein the first detachable door moisture sensor is powered with AC current;   (d) at least one frame/mullion heater operably coupled to the frame/mullion channel; and   (e) a first detachable frame/mullion moisture sensor configured to be positioned on a frame or mullion, the sensor operably coupled to the controller at the at least one frame/mullion channel input, the first frame/mullion sensor configured to transmit a frame/mullion sensor resistance reading to the controller, wherein the first detachable frame/mullion moisture sensor is powered with AC current,   wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one door heater when the door sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level and is further configured to activate the at least one frame/mullion heater when the frame/mullion sensor resistance reading reaches a predetermined level,   wherein the controller is further configured to perform a programmed maintenance cycle.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the programmed maintenance cycle comprises separately activating the at least one door heater and the at least one frame/mullion heater to operate for a predetermined amount of time during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the programmed maintenance cycle further comprises separately activating the at least one door heater and the at least one frame/mullion heater at different times. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the activation of the at least one door heater by the controller is independent of the activation of the at least one frame/mullion heater by the controller. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the activation of the at least one door heater by the controller comprises activation of the door channel and further wherein the activation of the at least one frame/mullion heater by the controller comprises activation of the frame/mullion channel. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the frame/mullion channel is independent of the door channel such that the activation of the frame/mullion channel is independent of the activation of the door channel.