Resistive heater with temperature sensing power pins and auxiliary sensing junction

1. A heater comprising:

a resistive heating element;

a first power pin forming a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element; and

a second power pin comprising:

a first lead wire forming a second junction with a second end of the resistive heating element and defining a first conductive material; and

a second lead wire forming a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a first reference area, wherein the second lead wire defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the first reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction,

wherein the first power pin and the first lead wire of the second power pin are made of the same material.

2. The heater of claim 1 , wherein the first power pin, the first lead wire of the second power pin, and the resistive heating element are made of the same material.

3. The heater of claim 1 further comprising a controller in communication with the first power pin and the second power pin, wherein the controller is configured to switch between a heating mode for directing power to the resistive heating element and a measuring mode for measuring the voltage change created by the primary sensing junction to determine the temperature at the first reference area.

4. The heater of claim 1 further comprising a controller in communication with the first and second power pins and configured to measure changes in voltage at the first and second junctions without interrupting power to the resistive heating element.

5. The heater of claim 1 , wherein a Seebeck coefficient of the first power pin, the first lead wire of the second power pin, and the resistive heating element are substantially the same.

6. The heater of claim 1 , wherein the primary sensing junction is arranged along the resistive heating element between the first end and the second end of the resistive heating element.

7. The heater of claim 1 , wherein the primary sensing junction is arranged outside the heater.

8. The heater of claim 1 , wherein the first power pin comprises:

a third lead wire connected to the first end of the resistive heating element to form the first junction, and the third lead wire defines the first conductive material, and

a fourth lead wire that forms a second primary sensing junction with the third lead wire at a second reference area that is adjacent and in proximity to the first reference area, wherein the fourth lead wire defines a third conductive material different from the first conductive material and the second conductive material to operate as a thermocouple and used in conjunction with the primary sensing junction to determine a temperature between the first and second reference areas.

9. The heater of claim 8 , wherein Seebeck coefficients of the first lead wire of the second power pin, the third lead wire of the first power pin, and the resistive heating element are substantially the same.

10. The heater of claim 1 further comprising a heat diffuser arranged about the primary sensing junction.

11. The heater of claim 1 further comprising:

a non-conductive portion defining a proximal end and a distal end, the non-conductive portion having first and second apertures extending through at least the proximal end, wherein the first and second power pins are disposed within the first and second apertures, and the resistive heating element is disposed around the non-conductive portion;

a sheath surrounding the non-conductive portion; and

a sealing member disposed at the proximal end portion of the non-conductive portion and extending at least partially into the sheath.

12. A heater comprising:

a resistive heater element operable in a heat mode and a sensing mode, wherein in the sensing mode the resistive heater element senses a temperature at a first reference area along the resistive heater;

a first power pin forming a first junction with a first end of the resistive heater; and

a second power pin comprising:

a first lead wire forming a second junction with a second end of the resistive heater and defining a first conductive material, and

a second lead wire forming a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a second reference area, wherein the second lead wire defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the second reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction, wherein the first power pin, the first lead wire of the second power pin, and the resistive heater define one or more conductive materials having substantially the same Seebeck coefficient.

13. The heater of claim 12 further comprising a controller in communication with the first power pin and the second power pin, wherein:

the controller is configured to switch between the heating mode for directing power to the resistive heater, and the sensing mode for measuring resistance of the resistive heater to determine the temperature at the first reference and for measuring changes in voltage created by the primary sensing junction to determine the temperature at the second reference area, and

the controller is configured to calculate a temperature at a third reference area based on the temperatures at the first reference area, the second reference area, heater geometry, and power delivered to the heater element.

14. The heater of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to calibrate the heater using a temperature measured by the primary sensing junction.

15. The heater of claim 12 , wherein the primary sensing junction is formed along a plane that is different than that of heater.

16. The heater of claim 12 further comprising a heat diffuser arranged about the primary sensing junction.

17. A heater comprising:

a resistive heating element;

a first power pin forming a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element; and

a second power pin comprising:

a first lead wire forming a second junction with a second end of the resistive heating element;

a second lead wire forming a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a reference area, wherein:

the resistive heating element, the first power pin, and the first lead wire are made of a first material, and

the second lead wire is made of a second material having a different Seebeck coefficient than that of the first material to measure a temperature at the reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction.

18. The heater of claim 17 , wherein the primary sensing junction is arranged along the resistive heating element between the first end and the second end of the resistive heating element.