Electrically conductive textile

• US 8,198,569 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krobok, Martin, Voelk, Markus, Bramberger, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US11/189,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 219/549, 219/550, 219/538, 219/547, 219/212, 219/217, 219/218, 219/24, 219/202
• US Class Current: 219/546
• 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: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/029 Woven fibrous reinforcement or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0367 Metallic bump or raised conductor not used as solder bump
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09736 Varying thickness of a single conductor; Conductors in the same plane having different thicknesses
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/10 in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/244 Finish plating of conductors, especially of copper conductors, e.g. for pads or lands selective plating methods H05K3/243; finish plating of conductors made by printing techniques H05K3/246; solder as finish H05K3/3457, e.g. by plating H05K3/3473
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3405 Edge mounted components, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

A surface structure (1) that is at least partially electrically conductively coated by a conductor coating (11), and which can be connected to an electric power source by at least one electric connecting conductor (2). The connecting conductor (2) electrically contacts the conductor coating (11) at at least one solder point (3), and the conductive coating (11) is thickened at least at one contact zone (4) in the area of the solder point (3) as opposed to other areas (7) of the surface structure (1).

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a surface structure having a surrounding area which is at least partially electrically conductively coated by a conductor coating and which is adapted to be connected to a power source by at least one electric connecting conductor, the connecting conductor electrically contacting the conductor coating at a contact zone, wherein the conductor coating is approximately two to five times as thick in the contact zone as compared to the surrounding area of the surface structure.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface structure comprises metallized strands and wherein the metallization comprises the conductor coating.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the strands are non-conductive synthetic strands.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the connecting conductor is a round or flat cable.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the contact zone is formed by galvanizing a metal to the conductor coating.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the galvanized metal is different than the conductor coating.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the galvanized metal comprises copper and the conductor coating comprises silver.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the connecting conductor is soldered to a portion of the contact zone.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the connecting conductor is additionally glued to a portion of the contact zone.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface structure comprises a textile, film, netting or a combination thereof and the conductor coating is applied to at least portions of the surface structure.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conductor coating has a thickness of approximately 5 μ

m to 1 mm in the contact zone, and a thickness of approximately 0.1 μ

m to 1 μ

m in the surrounding area.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conductor coating has a thickness of approximately 10 μ

m to 20 μ

m in the contact zone, and a thickness of approximately 0.5 μ

m to 5 μ

m in the surrounding area.

18. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a core pad, wherein the surface structure overlays at least a portion of one side of the core pad; and

a seat cover overlaying the surface structure and coupling the surface structure to the core pad.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the surface structure comprises a capacitive sensor or a heating element.

13. A method of electrically connecting a connecting conductor to a conductive textile comprising the steps of:

providing a surface structure which is at least partially electrically conductively coated by a conductor coating;

metallizing the conductor coating to form at least one contact zone which is approximately two to five times thicker than a surrounding area, of the surface structure; and

soldering the connecting conductor at least one point associated with the contact zone to establish an electrical connection between the connecting conductor and the surface structure.

14. A method according to claim 13 comprising the step of metallizing the conductor coating on both sides of surface structure to form at least one contact zone.

15. A method according to claim 13 comprising the step of gluing, the connecting conductor at the at least one contact point.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of metallizing comprises galvanizing the conductor coating.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein the conductor coating has a thickness of approximately 5 μ

m to 1 mm in the contact zone, and a thickness of approximately 0.1 μ

m to 10 μ

m in the surrounding area.