Electric heating element

• US 20070221658A1
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Deangelis, Alfred, Cates, Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US11/389,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20070221658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/529
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric heating element comprising a conductive fabric, a patterned conductive layer on at least a first side of the conductive fabric, and at least 2 buses on the conductive fabric, wherein the patterned conductive layer is disposed between the buses.

Claims

1. An electric heating element comprising a conductive fabric, a patterned conductive layer on at least a first side of the conductive fabric, and at least 2 conductive buses on the conductive fabric, wherein the patterned conductive layer is disposed between the buses.

2. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric comprises a knit.

3. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric comprises conductive yarns.

4. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric comprises elastic yarns.

5. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric comprises conductive yarns and nonconductive yarns.

6. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the conductive fabric comprises electrically conductive plated yarns.

7. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the buses have higher electrical conductivity than the patterned conductive layer.

8. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the buses are located on the first side of the conductive fabric.

9. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises silver.

10. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises electrically conductive particles in a polymeric binder.

11. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises an inkjet printable conductive material printed onto the conductive fabric.

12. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises an additional conductive fabric electrically connected to the conductive fabric.

13. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises an embroidery layer substantially disposed on and electrically connected to the first conductive fabric.

14. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises a patterned metallic layer plated onto the surface of the conductive fabric.

15. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein patterned conductive layer thickness varies across the conductive fabric.

16. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises different materials across the conductive fabric.

17. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer comprises electrically disconnected regions.

18. The electric heating element of claim 17, wherein the electrically disconnected regions have substantially equal surface resistances.

19. The electric heating element of claim 17, wherein the electrically disconnected regions have different surface resistances.

20. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the electric heating element has regions of differing resistivity between the buses.

21. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the patterned conductive layer has a lower resistivity than the conductive fabric.

22. The electric heating element of claim 21, wherein the patterned conductive layer has a resistivity of at least 10 times less than the resistivity of the conductive fabric.

23. The electric heating element of claim 1, wherein the electric heating element is a heated garment.

24. A heated glove comprising a first conductive fabric, a patterned conductive layer on at least a first side of the conductive fabric, and at least 2 buses on the conductive fabric, wherein the patterned conductive layer is disposed between the at least 2 buses.