Patent ID: 6805167
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
A fluid conduit having a peripheral wall defining a fluid passage extending along a longitudinal axis, a heating element in contact with an exterior surface of said peripheral wall and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and a jacket entrained about the peripheral wall and heating element and extending in a substantially continuous manner along the length of said conduit to maintain the heating element in substantially continuous contact with the peripheral wall over the axial extent of said jacket, said heating element having a smaller diameter than the fluid passage and said jacket being said peripheral wall and heating element and sufficiently being taut to force said heating element into abutment with said exterior surface along the length of the conduit to provide substantially continuous contact between said heating element and said peripheral wall and thereby create a pair of enclosed voids between the jacket and peripheral wall on opposite sides of said heating element that extend axially along said conduit over the length of said conduit.