Heater for an automotive vehicle and method of forming same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article of manufacture, comprising:
- a carrier of the article of manufacture, the carrier having a surface;
a heater overlaying the surface, the heater including;
i) a flexible carrier;
ii) a first conductive medium disposed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes a negative section having a plurality of first extensions and a positive section having a plurality of second extensions; and
iii) a second conductive medium electrically connecting the positive section with the negative section;
wherein a plurality of openings extend through the heater.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a carrier of the article of manufacture, the carrier having a surface;
a heater overlaying the surface, the heater including;
i) a flexible carrier;
ii) a first conductive medium disposed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes a negative section having a plurality of first extensions and a positive section having a plurality of second extensions; and
iii) a second conductive medium electrically connecting the positive section with the negative section;
wherein a plurality of openings extend through the heater. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a carrier of the article of manufacture, the carrier having a surface;
a heater assembly including a control element and a main heater disposed upon a flexible carrier, wherein;
i) the control element includes a first conductive medium formed of a PTC material; and
ii) the main heater include a first conductive material formed of an NTC or CTC material;
wherein electrical current flows through the control element to and through the main heater such that the control element controls the amount of electrical current flowing through the main heater. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a carrier of the article of manufacture, the carrier having a surface wherein the carrier of the article of manufacture is a portion of a seat of an automotive vehicle;
a heater overlaying the surface, the heater including;
i) a flexible carrier;
ii) a first conductive medium disposed upon the carrier wherein the first conductive medium includes a negative section having a plurality of first extensions and a positive section having a plurality of second extensions; and
iii) a second conductive medium electrically connecting the positive section with the negative section, wherein the second conductive medium 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 substantially parallel to the first and second extensions;
wherein i) a plurality of openings extend through the heater;
ii) the plurality of openings is divided into a plurality of sets of openings; and
iii) the flexible carrier includes a plurality of strips of uncovered surface area and each of the strips of uncovered surface area is located between at least one of the first extensions and at least one of the second extensions and each of the strips of uncovered surface area includes one or more of the sets of openings extending therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification