Heating element with a plurality of heating sections

• US 7,560,670 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lorenzen, Guenter, Weiss, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/194,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 219211-212, 219528- 9, 219552- 3, 219/538, 219/202, 219/217, 219541-542, 219/545, 219/549, 165/158, 296/11
• US Class Current: 219/528
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/002 Heaters using a particular layout for the resistive material or resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/004 using zigzag layout
• 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 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/033 Heater including particular mechanical reinforcing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A heating element (1) featuring at least two electrodes (5, 5′) for supplying the heating element (1) with current, containing a multitude of heating sections (11, 11′, 11″) that, coating at least one part of a base surface to be heated (4), are arranged between the electrodes (5, 5′) and are connected with them by electrical conduction. The heating element (1) has at least two bundles (9, 9′, 9″, 9″) of heating sections (11, 11′, 11″), with the bundles (9, 9′, 9″) being arranged at a distance from one another to avoid electrical contact between the bundles.

Claims

1. A heating element comprising:

at least two electrodes, and

at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes,

wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact,

wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of a base surface to be heated;

wherein at least two heating sections of at least one bundle are spaced apart from one another for substantially a majority of their course, and at least one heating section forms a plurality of junction points with at least one other heating section.

3. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein at least one bundle comprises at least one of copper, carbon particles, carbon fibers, carbonized synthetic filaments, silver, gold, polyamide.

5. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein the heating sections are arranged in parallel, concentric, zig-zag-meandering or spiral shapes in the direction in which the heating sections run.

7. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein at least one heating section includes a plurality of bends forming said plurality of junction points.

8. A heating element according to claim 7 wherein the junction points are distributed over substantially an entire length of the bundle, and at least in front of and behind a stitching seam crossing the heating bundle.

9. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein each bundle has a height equal to an overall height of three heating sections.

10. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein at least two heating sections of each bundle comprise a different material.

11. A heating element according to claim 1 comprising a carrier layer with at least one of said bundles attached to the carrier layer.

12. A heating element according to claim 11 wherein at least one electrode is attached to said carrier layer.

13. A heating element according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said bundles is disposed between a carrier layer and a cover layer.

2. A heating element comprising:

at least two electrodes, and at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes, wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact, wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of a base surface to be heated;

wherein at least one bundle comprises at least three heating sections.

4. A heating element comprising:

at least two electrodes, and

at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes,

wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact,

wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of a base surface to be heated;

wherein at least one heating section comprises at least one of a plurality of monofilament heating conductors, an insulating layer, and a mechanical reinforcing device.

6. A heating element according to claim 4 wherein the heating sections are arranged in parallel, concentric, zig-zag-meandering or spiral shapes in the direction in which the heating sections run.

14. A heating element comprising:

at least two electrodes, and

at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes,

wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact,

wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of a base surface to be heated;

wherein the heating element is at least partially overstitched by a stitching seam, the stitching seam crossing at least one bundle of heating sections at an angle (α

), wherein through-points of the stitches of the stitching seam define an opening size (d) and gaps (x) from adjacent through-points, the bundles having a width (b) crossways to its longitudinal extension and in the plane of the base surface to be heated, and at least one heating section of the bundle having a width (f) crossways to its longitudinal extension and in the plane of the base surface to be heated, wherein the opening size (d) is less than the bundle width (b).

15. A heating element according to claim 14 wherein the opening size (d) is smaller than the bundle width (b) by at least the heating section width (f).

16. A heating element according to claim 15 wherein the gaps (x) are at least as great as the bundle width (b).

17. A vehicle seat cushion comprising:

a core pad;

a flexible heating element comprising;

at least two electrodes, and at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes, wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact, wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of the core pad; and

a seat cover overlaying the heating element and coupling the heating element to the core pad

wherein at least two heating sections of at least one bundle are spaced apart from one another for substantially a majority of their course, and at least one heating section forms a plurality of junction points with at least one other heating section.

18. A vehicle seat cushion according to claim 17 wherein each bundle comprises at least three heating sections, the heating sections being arranged in parallel, concentric, zig-zag-meandering or spiral shapes in the direction in which the heating sections run.

19. A vehicle seat cushion according to claim 18 wherein at least one heating section includes a plurality of bends.

20. A vehicle seat cushion according to claim 19 wherein the junction points are distributed over substantially an entire length of the bundle, and at least in front of and behind a stitching seam crossing the heating bundle.

21. A heating element comprising:

at least two electrodes, and

at least two bundles of heating sections, each bundle being electrically connected between two of said electrodes,

wherein adjacent bundles are arranged at a distance from each other so as to avoid electrical contact,

wherein each bundle comprises a plurality of heating sections arranged on at least a portion of a base surface to be heated;

wherein the heating element is at least partially overstitched by a stitching seam, the stitching seam crossing at least one bundle of heating sections at an angle (α

), wherein through-points of the stitches of the stitching seam define an opening size (d) and gaps (x) from adjacent through-points, the bundles having a width (b) crossways to its longitudinal extension and in the plane of the base surface to be heated, and at least one heating section of the bundle having a width (f) crossways to its longitudinal extension and in the plane of the base surface to be heated, wherein the gaps (x) are greater than or equal to the heating section width (f).