Heater employing flexible circuitry
First Claim
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1. A flexible circuit heater adapted for use within an article of clothing or the like, comprising in combination:
- an elongated flat, flexible member of an electrically insulating material, andan electrically conductive strip having opposed ends and an interconnecting portion, said strip being wholly embedded within said electrically insulating material of said elongated member,said conductive strip traversing at least a major portion of the length of said elongated member with said ends being disposed side-by-side at one end region of said elongated member,the interconnecting portion of said conductive strip being disposed in a continuously tortuous pattern of loops at the other end region of said elongated member,said other end region of said elongated member being foldable over the adjacent portion of said elongated member major length portion when in use as an article-inserted heater,whereby when said elongated member is folded, the continuity of the electrical circuit extending between said one end region and said other end region is maintained during use.
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Abstract
A heater is disclosed herein taking the form of an elongated length of flexible cable having an insulative base carrying a plurality of spaced-apart conductive strips as a unitary construction. The heater is used as an insert received into an article of clothing, such as a boot, shoe or glove, and includes a power source, control switch and stress relief strip configurations to protect the heater structure during flexure of the circuitry.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A flexible circuit heater adapted for use within an article of clothing or the like, comprising in combination:
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an elongated flat, flexible member of an electrically insulating material, and an electrically conductive strip having opposed ends and an interconnecting portion, said strip being wholly embedded within said electrically insulating material of said elongated member, said conductive strip traversing at least a major portion of the length of said elongated member with said ends being disposed side-by-side at one end region of said elongated member, the interconnecting portion of said conductive strip being disposed in a continuously tortuous pattern of loops at the other end region of said elongated member, said other end region of said elongated member being foldable over the adjacent portion of said elongated member major length portion when in use as an article-inserted heater, whereby when said elongated member is folded, the continuity of the electrical circuit extending between said one end region and said other end region is maintained during use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A heater for use as an insert into wearing apparel comprising:
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a length of flat flexible cable having opposite ends and a flat electrically conductive strip extending between the opposite ends of said cable; said conductive strip having ends, and being continuous between opposite ends of said flat flexible cable, both ends of said continuous strip terminating at one end of said flexible cable in electrical contacts; said conductive strip extending from said contacts across the length of said flexible cable to a region in which a tortuous path or pattern of loops is defined; said flexible cable being folded over upon itself in use so that said conductive strip pattern is layered over the conductive strip in an adjacent portion of said flexible cable.
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12. In combination with an article of clothing or the like, a flexible circuit heater adapted for use therein, comprising:
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an elongated flat, flexible member of an electrically insulating material; an electrically conductive strip having opposed ends and an interconnecting portion, said strip being wholly embedded within said electrically insulating material of said elongated member; said conductive strip traversing at least a major portion of the length of said elongated member with said ends being disposed side-by-side at one end region of said elongated member, the interconnecting portion of said conductive strip being disposed in a continuously tortuous pattern of loops at the other end region of said elongated member, said other end portion of said elongated member adapted to be folded over the adjacent region of said elongated member major length portion when in use in said article as a heater, whereby when said elongated member is folded over, said conductive strip is protected against breakage by said insulating material such that the continuity of the electrical circuit extending between said one end region and said other end region is maintained during use. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification