Heater for an automotive vehicle and method of forming same

• US 8,544,942 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WET Automotive Systems Limited (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WET Automotive Systems Limited (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lazanja, Marinko, Zuzga, Matthew, Csonti, Sergiu, Iqbal, Syed Rafat, Spasojevic, Igor, Normand, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US13/256,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.12, 219/210, 219/217, 219/202
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/748 for heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0411 for domestic or space-heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/06 adapted for coating resistive material on a base
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0238 For seats
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/028 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/006 using interdigitated electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/36 heating conductor embedded in insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A heated seat (302) comprising: a cushion with one or more trench (30) areas; a heater (300) comprising: a carrier (2) with a periphery, the carrier (2) further including: a first electrically functional layer (4) that is made of a conductive material that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the carrier (2); and a second electrically functional layer (8) that is made of a resistive material; one or more electrical conductors {12} attached to the first electrically functional layer; a trim layer (40) that covers the cushion when the heater is placed over the cushion, and wherein the periphery includes a first side edge (18) and a second side edge (20), and each side edge includes a cutout (26), and the cutouts are located adjacent to each other—forming a neck portion (28); wherein the heater is attached to the cushion by placing an attachment device (32) over the neck portion (28) of the heater and securing one or both ends of the attachment, device (32) to the cushion so that the neck portion (28) is pulled Into the trench (30); wherein the neck portion (28) is free of the second electrically functional layer (6); and wherein the first electrically functional layer (4) and the second electrically functional layer (8} form a checkered pattern.

Claims

1. A heated seat comprising:

a. a cushion and/or back with one or more trench areas;

b. a heater comprising;

i. a carrier with a periphery, the carrier further including;

1. a first electrically functional layer that is made of a conductive material that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the carrier; and

2. a second electrically functional layer that is made of a resistive material;

3. one or more electrical conductors, which supply power to the heater, attached to the first electrically functional layer;

c. a trim layer that covers the cushion when the heater is placed over the cushion; and

wherein the periphery includes a first side edge and a second side edge, and each side edge includes a cutout, and the cutouts are located adjacent to each other forming a neck portion;

wherein the heater is attached to the cushion by placing an attachment device over the neck portion of the heater and securing one or both ends of the attachment device to the cushion so that the neck portion is pulled into the trench;

wherein the neck portion is free of the second electrically functional layer; and

wherein the second electrically functional layer forms a checkered pattern with alternating resistive areas and gaps as the second electrically functional layer extends along a width of the heater.

2. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the first electrically functional layer forms one or more electrodes that have a width, and the width of the electrodes increases in the neck portion so that the width in the neck portion is wider than the width of the electrodes before and after the neck portion.

3. The heated seat of claim 1, further including a third layer covering the carrier, first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, or a combination thereof;

and

a fifth layer that is attached to the carrier, first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, the third layer, or a combination thereof by a fourth layer.

4. The heated seat of claim 1, further including a third layer covering the carrier, first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, or a combination thereof;

and

further including a fifth layer that is attached to the carrier, the first electrically functional layer, the second electrically functional layer, the third layer, or a combination thereof by the third layer.

5. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is applied to either end or both ends of the carrier adjacent the neck portion to attach the heater to the cushion of a seat.

6. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical conductors are attached to the first electrically functional layer using ultrasonic welding.

7. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical conductors are attached to the first electrically functional layer via a mechanical electrical connector that includes only an attachment portion and a backing portion, and the electrical conductor is a wire with a gauge of 18 or smaller.

8. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the carrier includes one or more external slits;

one or more internal slits;

one or more tabs;

or a combination thereof.

9. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the first electrically functional layer has a different composition than a composition of the second electrically functional layer.

10. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, or both is an electrically conductive ink.

11. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, or both is a resistive ink.

12. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the first electrically functional layer, second electrically functional layer, or both is a nanoink.

13. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the heater is placed between layers of the trim layer, and the trim layer and heater are placed on the cushion or the back.

14. The heated seat of claim 3, wherein any of the first electrically functional layer, the second electrically functional layer, the third layer, or a combination thereof are screen printed on the carrier.

15. The heated seat of claim 1, further including a ventilation system.

16. The heated seat of claim 1, further including an actively cooled system.

17. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein the heater is used with an air distributor, and the heater is one wall of the air distributor.

18. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein cuts are made in the carrier so that the heater can be installed as an aftermarket application, and the cuts do not affect the ability of the heater to heat.

19. The heated seat of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area and/or surface area of the first electrically functional layer, the second electrically functional layer, or both varies across the length of the electrically functional layers.

20. The heater of claim 1, further including:

i. a system harness; and

ii. a controller;

wherein the controller regulates the temperature of the seat by pulse width modulations and the self regulating characteristic of the second electrically functional layer.

21. The heated seat of claim 2, wherein the first electrically function layer includes two electrodes;

wherein the narrow neck portion includes a cutout in a central region between the at least two cutouts so that a connection portion is formed on each side of the cutout in the central region; and

wherein the two electrodes extend along each of the connection portions so that a first heating section and a second heating section are electrically connected.

22. The heater of claim 20, wherein the controller includes pre-programmed duty cycles.

23. The heater of claim 20, wherein the controller processes external data provided from another controlling device so that the temperature is regulated.

24. The heater of claim 20, wherein a high temperature setting has a duty cycle of between about 80 percent and about 100 percent;

a medium temperature setting has a duty cycle of between about 60 percent and about 80 percent;

a low temperature setting has duty cycle of between about 40 percent and 80 percent;

or a combination thereof.

25. A method of making a heater comprising:

a. obtaining a carrier;

b. forming a plurality of cut outs along a peripheral edge of the carrier;

c. aligning at least two cut outs so that a neck region is formed in the carrier;

d. applying a first electrically functional layer to the carrier, wherein at least one electrode and a plurality of fingers are formed by the first electrically functional layer and optionally the electrode substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the carrier;

e. applying a second electrically functional layer over at least a portion of the first electrically functional layer on the carrier, the second electrically functional layer having a resistance that differs from a resistance of the first electrically functional layer; and

f. attaching at least one electrical terminal to the electrode, optionally in the absence of a mechanical connector, the heater being configured so that the heater can be secured to a cushion with a trench and covered with a trim layer;

wherein the neck portion is free of the second electrically functional layer, and

wherein the second electrically functional layer forms a checkered pattern with alternating resistive areas and gaps as the second electrically functional layer extends along a width of the heater.

26. The method of claim 25, further including the step of forming internal slits, external slits, tabs, or a combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 25, further including the step of applying a third layer on the carrier;

applying a fourth layer on the carrier;

applying a fifth layer on the carrier;

or a combination thereof.