Occupant sensing and heating textile

• US 20130075381A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wittkowski, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/637,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20130075381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/201
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 19/04 Treating the surfaces, e.g. applying coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/00 Non-insulated conductors or conductive bodies characterised by their form
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96078 Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• 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 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A textile electrode material comprises an electrically conductive textile sheet material having a first sheet resistance. According to the invention the electrical properties of at least one specific region of said textile sheet material are modified with respect to the other regions so that in said specific region the textile electrode has a second sheet resistance, which is substantially lower than said first sheet resistance.

Claims

1. Textile electrode material comprising an electrically conductive textile sheet material having a first sheet resistance, characterized by an electrically conductive material printed or deposited on said electrically conductive textile sheet material in at least one specific region of said textile sheet material so that in said at least one specific region the textile electrode has a second sheet resistance which is substantially lower than said first sheet resistance.

2. Textile electrode material according to claim 1, in which said textile sheet material comprises a knitted fabric or a woven fabric or an elastic non-woven material made at least partially from electrically conductive yarns.

3. Textile electrode material according to claim 2, wherein said electrically conductive yarns contain fibers of electrically conductive material or fibers individually coated with electrically conductive material.

4. Textile electrode material according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is printed or deposited in a continuous layer in said at least one specific region on said textile sheet material.

5. Textile electrode material according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is printed or deposited in locally delimited areas of said at least one specific region on said textile sheet material.

7. Capacitive sensing system, comprising a capacitive sensing electrode made of a textile electrode material according to claim 1, and a capacitive sensing circuit for applying a signal to said capacitive sensing electrode or receiving a signal from said capacitive sensing electrode, wherein said capacitive sensing circuit is operatively connected to said at least one specific region.

8. Heating system, comprising a heating element made of a textile electrode material according to claim 1, and a heater supply circuit for applying a heating current to said heating element, wherein said textile electrode material comprises at least two specific regions in which the textile electrode has said second sheet resistance, said two specific regions being arranged at a certain distance one to the other, and wherein said heater supply circuit is operatively connected to said at least two specific regions so as to cause, in operation, a heating current to flow between said at least two specific regions through a region having said first sheet resistance of said textile electrode material.

9. Method for producing a textile electrode material according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

providing an electrically conductive textile sheet material, said textile sheet material having a first sheet resistance,

printing or depositing an electrically conductive material on said electrically conductive textile sheet material in at least one specific region of said textile sheet material so that in said least one specific region the textile electrode has a second sheet resistance which is substantially lower than said first sheet resistance.

10. Method for producing a textile electrode material according to claim 9, wherein said step of printing or depositing an electrically conductive material on said electrically conductive textile sheet material comprises the printing or depositing of a continuous layer of highly conductive material in said at least one specific region on said electrically conductive textile sheet material.

11. Method for producing a textile electrode material according to claim 9, wherein said step of printing or depositing an electrically conductive material on said electrically conductive textile sheet material comprises the printing or depositing of locally delimited areas of highly conductive material in said at least one specific region on said electrically conductive textile sheet material.

6. (canceled)

12-14. -14. (canceled)