Heater in which capacitive power control pattern is implemented, and apparatus therefor

A heater device comprising:

• a power supply configured to supply heater power;
• a first base material and a second base material which are spaced apart in a vertical direction to have an internal space;
• an internal structure provided in the internal space;
• and
• a controller configured to control the heater power,
• wherein the internal structure comprises:
• a first heater electrode pattern comprising:
• a first main electrode extending horizontally in a first longitudinal direction, and
• first branch electrodes branching from the first main electrode and extending horizontally in a second longitudinal direction perpendicular to the first longitudinal direction;
• a second heater electrode pattern spaced horizontally from the first heater electrode pattern, and comprising:
• a second main electrode extending horizontally in the first longitudinal direction, and
• second branch electrodes branching from the second main electrode, extending horizontally in a third longitudinal direction opposite the second longitudinal direction, spaced apart from the first branch electrodes and alternating with the first branch electrodes;
• sheet-type heating bodies connected to the first and second heater electrode patterns, and spaced apart from each other, each of the sheet-type heating bodies being arranged between a corresponding one of the first branch electrodes and a corresponding one of the second branch electrodes, and each of the sheet-type heating bodies having a first end and a second end electrically connected to the corresponding first branch electrode and the corresponding second branch electrode, respectively;
• a sensor comprising a capacitive pattern and configured to detect a capacitance change that occurs in gap areas between the sheet-type heating bodies in response to a user's hand movement at a distance away from the first base material or the second base material without direct contact with the first base material or the second base material;
• insulating coverlays filling areas where the first and second branch electrodes and the sheet-type heating bodies are provided;
• and
• hollows disposed in areas where the insulating coverlays are not provided, wherein the capacitive pattern comprises:
• a first line comprising:
• a first main line extending horizontally in the first longitudinal direction, and
• first branch lines branching from the first main line and extending horizontally in the second longitudinal direction;
• and
• a second line spaced horizontally from the first line, and comprising:
• a second main line extending horizontally in the first longitudinal direction, and
• second branch lines branching from the second main line, extending horizontally in the third longitudinal direction, spaced apart from the first branch lines and alternating with the first branch lines,
• wherein the first and second branch lines are arranged parallel to each other while passing through the gap areas, the first and second branch lines are arranged in the hollows where the insulating coverlays are not provided while overlapping the insulating coverlays when viewed in the first longitudinal direction, and the first and second branch lines do not overlap the first and second branch electrodes when viewed in the vertical direction while overlapping the first and second branch electrodes when viewed in the first longitudinal direction,
• wherein a distance between the first and second branch electrodes is shorter than the distance between the first and second main electrodes,
• wherein a distance between the first and second branch lines is shorter than the distance between the first and second main lines in the gap areas,
• wherein the controller is configured to control the heater power supplied to the sheet-type heating bodies in response to the capacitance change, and
• wherein the sheet-type heating bodies comprise metal particles and carbon particles.