Conductive materials

• US 7,663,076 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inspiration Healthcare Group Plc
• Original Assignee: Inditherm Plc (Inspiration Healthcare Group Plc)
• Inventors: Tarry, Colin Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US10/552,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: 219/200, 219211- 12, 219/217, 219528-529, 219541- 5, 219548-549
• US Class Current: 219/549
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/145 Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite

Abstract

The invention relates to conductive materials particularly to serve as a heater. Heating means formed by or with electrically conductive materials are known and particularly effective for its flexibility is that sold under the British, Community and US Registered Trade Mark INDITHERM. Conductive rails are used to provide electrical connection to a source of power that need to have a commensurate flexibility, and the object of the invention is to ensure the maintenance of power to the full length of the conductive rail. This objective, is met by a construction comprising spaced first rails for the supply and return of electrical power, the said rails having a flexibility compatible with the semi-conductive material, and there being a supplementary rail attached to each first rail along the length thereof, the supplementary rails being flexible and having strength characteristics greater than those of the first rails.

Claims

1. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form characterized by spaced first rails for the supply and return of electrical power, the said rails having a flexibility compatible with the semi-conductive material, and there being a supplementary rail attached to each first rail along the length thereof, the supplementary rails being flexible and having strength characteristics greater than those of the first rails, characterised in that the supplementary rails are a braid formed from conductive wires, the wire diameters being of a size that affords considerable individual flexibility, but relatively low strength, but which when interwoven with other wires, forms a braid that has a flexibility that is commensurate with the flexibility of the sheet of semiconductive material and the first rails.

2. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 1, characterised in that the first rails are formed by a tin plated conductive foil.

3. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 2, characterised in that the surface of the semi-conductive material is provided with a coating of an antifaying compound to which the first rails are attached by an electrically conductive adhesive.

4. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 3, wherein the antifaying compound is a nickel based compound.

5. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 1, characterised in that the first rails are attached directly to the surface of the semi-conductive material by an electrically conductive material, the supplementary rail being attached to the first rail and the first rail and supplementary rail being overlaid by an antifaying compound.

6. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 5, characterised in that the antifaying compound is a nickel based compound.

7. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 1, characterised in that the first rails are formed by conductive ink.

8. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 7, characterised in that rail of conductive ink is applied to the surface of the flexible semi-conductive surface by screen printing.

9. A flexible semi-conductive material in sheet form as in claim 1, characterised in that the supplementary rail is attached to the first rail by an electrically conductive ink and/or by stitching.