CONDUCTIVE HEATER HAVING SENSING CAPABILITIES

• US 20140339211A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm Canada Limited
• Inventors: Barfuss, Jack, Iqbal, Syed Rafat, Kawa, Grzegorz, Orlando, Bruno, Libbrecht, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 9,266,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/202
• 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 2/5678 characterised by electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/065 Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/02 Automatic switching arrangements specially adapted to apparatus ; Control of heating devices thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

A combination heater and sensor comprising: (a) a heating layer, a sensing layer, or both; (b) one or more power application portions, one or more sensing application portions, or both; wherein the heating layer and the sensing layer are located within the same plane; and wherein the heating layer is a nonwoven layer that is comprised of a plurality of metallized fibers that are randomly oriented forming the heating layer so that upon application of power the heating layer provides heat.

Claims

1. A combination heater and sensor comprising:

a) a heating layer, a sensing layer, or both;

b) one or more power application portions, one or more sensing application portions, or both;

wherein the heating layer and the sensing layer are located within the same plane; and

wherein the heating layer is a nonwoven layer that is comprised of a plurality of metallized fibers that are randomly oriented forming the heating layer so that upon application of power the heating layer provides heat.

2. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensing layer is a sensing wire that is sewn into the heater layer to provide sensing functions.

3. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the heater layer and the sensor layer are a same device.

4. The combination heater and sensor of claim 3, wherein the heater is free of any separate parts forming a sensor.

5. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the heater is controlled using pulse width modulation and when the heater is off a signal passes through the sensing layer to provide sensing.

6. The combination heater and sensor of claim 3, wherein the one or more power application portions are a conductive nonwoven fabric that is fastened to the heating layer, the sensing layer, or both, and the one or more power application portions are two power application portions that are located on opposite edge regions of the heater.

7. The combination heater and sensor of claim 3, wherein a heater controller is connected to the heater to energize the heater so that the heater provides heat and a sensing controller is connected to the sensor to provide a signal so that the sensor provides sensing, and wherein the sensing controller and the heater controller are connected to the combination heater and sensor via one or more wires and the one or more wires both energize the heater and provide a signal to the sensor.

8. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the heater and sensor and located within a steering wheel and covered by a trim layer.

9. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the heater and sensor and located within a vehicle seat and covered by a trim layer.

10. The combination heater and sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor determines occupant contact between an occupant and the combination heater and sensor, a component including the combination heater and sensor, or both;

presence of an occupant;

or both.

11. The combination heater and sensor of claim 7, wherein the signal provided by the sensing controller has a frequency and the sensing controller measures a shift in frequency of the signal to determine if an occupant is in contact with the combination heater and sensor, in contact with a component including the combination heater and sensor, or both.

12. A method comprising:

a) installing a combination heater and sensor into a component of an automobile;

b) providing power to the combination heater and sensor so that a heating layer of the combination heater and sensor produces heat;

c) providing a signal to the combination heater and sensor so that a sensing layer of the combination heater and sensor produces a signal for determining presence of an occupant, contact between the occupant and the component of the automobile, or both; and

d) monitoring the signal for an occupant, lack of an occupant, lack of contact between the component and the occupant, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the power is applied by pulse width modulation so that the power has an on phase and an off phase.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the signal is applied to the combination heater and sensor when the power is in the off phase.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the signal includes a frequency and a sensing controller measures the frequency, a shift in the frequency, capacitance of the signal, a measured voltage, or a combination thereof to determine the presence of an occupant, contact between the occupant and the combination heater and sensor, or both.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the power and the signal are applied to the combination heater and sensor via a wire and the wire is the same for both the signal and the power.

17. A sensor comprising:

a) a nonwoven sensing layer having;

i. a plurality of individual fibers that are randomly oriented; and

ii. a plurality of voids and/or pores interspersed between the plurality of individual fibers that are randomly oriented; and

b) one or more power application portions connecting the sensing layer to a signal source so that the sensor senses a presence of an occupant, contact with the sensor, or both.

18. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the sensor is part of a steering wheel, a vehicle seat, or both, and the sensor is covered by a trim layer.

19. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the plurality of fibers are a plurality of polymeric fibers that are coated with a metal so that the plurality of metal coated polymeric fibers are conductive.

20. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the sensing layer has an areal weight from about 100 g/m² to about 200 g/m² and the sensing layer is capable of providing heat when power is applied through the one or more power application portions.