Planar heat generating body and vehicle windshield device

A planar heating element, comprising:

• a heating wire that is repeatedly folded in a manner covering a plane surrounded by a contour line;
• and
• first and second conductive wires configured to supply electric current to the heating wire, wherein
• the first and second conductive wires have a width that is greater than a width of the heating wire so that the first and second conductive wires have a lower electrical resistivity than the heating wire,
• the first and second conductive wires are located outside the plane,
• a heat generator included in the planar heating element is only the heating wire forming a series circuit,
• the heating wire and the first and second conductive wires are configured to be a single band-shaped conductor formed from the same material,
• the heating wire includes linear portions and folded portions,
• each of the folded portions are located on the contour line and connects ends of adjacent ones of the linear portions,
• the heating wire extends throughout the plane,
• the heating wire includes a first end located at the contour line and a second end located at the contour line, and
• the first conductive wire is connected to the first end and follows an entirety of a portion of the contour line extending from the first end toward the second end, the portion of the contour line being a side extending through the folded portions in the contour line.

A vehicle windshield device, comprising:

• a camera cover;
• a camera unit located in the camera cover;
• a light blocking hood located in the camera cover;
• and
• a planar heating element configured to heat the light blocking hood, wherein
• the planar heating element includes a current-carrying portion and an insulation film that covers the entire current-carrying portion,
• the current-carrying portion includes
• a heating wire that is repeatedly folded in a manner covering a plane surrounded by a counter line, and
• first and second conductive wires configured to supply electric current to the heating wire,
• the first and second conductive wires have a width that is greater than a width of the heating wire so that the first and second conductive wires have a lower electrical resistivity than the heating wire,
• the first and second conductive wires are located outside the plane,
• a heat generator included in the planar heating element is only the heating wire forming a series circuit,
• the heating wire and the first and second conductive wires are configured to be a single band-shaped conductor formed from the same material,
• the heating wire includes linear portions and folded portions,
• each of the folded portions are located on the contour line and connects ends of adjacent ones of the linear portions,
• the heating wire extends throughout the plane,
• the heating wire includes a first end located at the contour line and a second end located at the contour line,
• the first conductive wire is connected to the first end and follows an entirety of a portion of the contour line extending from the first end toward the second end, the portion of the contour line being a side extending through the folded portions in the contour line, and
• the vehicle windshield device further comprises a planar good thermal conductor that covers at least part of the current-carrying portion with the insulation film located between the planar good thermal conductor and the current-carrying portion.