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US 7,741,582 B2Granted
Heater for automotive vehicle and method of forming same
AssigneeW.E.T. Automotive Systems AG
InventorsShaun Calvin Howick, Goran Bajic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a heater for an automotive vehicle or other article of manufacture. The heater typically includes a first conductive medium and a second conductive medium disposed upon a carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the first conductive medium includes a first section and a second section that are electrically connected by a second conductive medium. The second conductive medium preferably exhibits a positive thermal coefficient.
Claims25
A heated seat comprising:
- a) a seat including a trim layer over a cushion that includes a trench, and
- b) a heater disposed between the trim layer and the cushion, the heater including:
- i) a polymeric film flexible carrier including a lateral side edge that has a cutout geometry that defines an indentation that projects inwardly from the lateral side edge, and the cutout aligns with the trench;
- ii) a first conductive medium screen printed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes:
- 1) a negative section having a plurality of first extensions;
- 2) a positive section having a plurality of second extensions;
- and
- 3) a base portion on the plurality of first extensions and the plurality of second extensions;
- and
- iii) a second screen printed conductive medium that includes a plurality of strips, each of the strips in overlapping relation with one of the plurality of first extensions and one of the plurality of second extensions, the plurality of strips also extending parallel to the first and second extensions, the second conductive medium exhibiting a positive thermal coefficient;
- iv) a protective polymeric dielectric coating with a thickness of between 100 microns and 3 millimeters disposed over the first conductive medium and the second conductive medium;
- v) an insulation layer;
- and
- vi) an electric connection attached to the base portion for wiring the heater to a power source;
- wherein the heater includes one or more through-hole openings in generally parallel alignment with a portion of the cutout for aiding the bending of the heater so that the heater conforms to contours of the seat cushion and resides in the trench, and the cutout geometry is such that stress upon the first conductive medium is relieved when the heater is curved about the seat cushion and is extended at least partially into the trench.
12 more elements
A heated seat comprising:
- a) a seat including a trim layer over a cushion that includes a trench, and
- b) a heater disposed between the trim layer and the cushion and being attached to the cushion with a tie string, the heater including:
- i) a polymeric film flexible carrier including a lateral side edge that has a cutout geometry that defines an indentation that projects inwardly from the edge, and aligns with the trench;
- ii) a first conductive medium screen printed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes:
- 1) a negative section having a plurality of first extensions;
- 2) a positive section having a plurality of second extensions;
- and
- 3) a base portion on the plurality of first extensions and the plurality of second extensions;
- and
- iii) a second screen printed conductive medium that includes a plurality of strips, each of the strips in overlapping relation with one of the plurality of first extensions and one of the plurality of second extensions, the plurality of strips also extending parallel to the first and second extensions, the second conductive medium exhibiting a positive thermal coefficient;
- iv) an insulation layer;
- and
- v) an electric connection attached to the base portion for wiring the heater to a voltage source;
- wherein the heater includes one or more elongated through-hole openings generally aligned with the cutout, including at least one generally centralized opening, for aiding the bending of the heater so that the heater conforms to contours of the seat cushion, and the cutout geometry is such that stress upon the first conductive medium is relieved when the cutout of the heater is extended at least partially into the trench and attached with the tie string.
11 more elements
A heated seat comprising:
- a) a seat including a trim layer over a cushion that includes a trench, and
- b) a heater disposed between the trim layer and the cushion and being attached to the cushion with a tie string, the heater including:
- i) a polymeric film flexible carrier including a lateral side edge that has a cutout geometry that defines at least one hourglass shape and includes an indentation that projects inwardly from the edge, and the cutout aligns with the trench;
- ii) a first conductive medium screen printed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes:
- 1) a negative section having a plurality of first extensions;
- 2) a positive section having a plurality of second extensions;
- and
- 3) a base portion on the plurality of first extensions and the plurality of second extensions;
- and
- iii) a second screen printed conductive medium that includes a plurality of strips, each of the strips in overlapping relation with one of the plurality of first extensions and one of the plurality of second extensions, the plurality of strips also extending parallel to the first and second extensions, the second conductive medium exhibiting a positive thermal coefficient;
- iv) an electric connection attached to the base portion for wiring the heater to a voltage source;
- wherein the heater includes one or more elongated through-hole openings adjacent to a portion of the cutout, including at least one generally centralized elongated opening, and an opening between the indentation and the generally centralized elongated opening that includes a portion that runs generally parallel with the generally centralized elongated opening and the edge defining the indentation, the geometry of the heater being selected so that stress is relieved when the cutout of the heater is extended at least partially into the trench and attached with the tie string.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.