Patent ID: 7954229

Claim:
A method of forming a titanium heating element, the method comprising: providing titanium tubing made of commercially pure titanium comprising at least about 99 percent titanium by weight, wherein the tubing has an outer diameter in the range of about 0.260 inches to about 0.430 inches and a wall thickness of about 0.017 inches to about 0.035 inches; positioning an electrical resistance wire and dielectric material inside the titanium tubing, with the dielectric material electrically insulating the electrical resistance wire from the tubing; annealing the titanium at a temperature sufficient to permit bending of the tubing to firm a radius of about 0.50 inches or less; and wherein: the titanium is exposed to air during the annealing process and forms at least a partial layer of titanium oxide on an outer surface of the tubing.