Electrical conductor

• US 9,191,997 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wei, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teaters, Lindsey C.
• Application Number:
  US13/267,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20120091112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/211, 219/212, 219/217, 219/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/015 Heater wherein the heating element is interwoven with the textile
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/56 Heating cables

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical conductor, which is formed at least in part of an electrically conductive material, and is at least in part coated with a protective layer that at least locally has a lower electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive material of the conductor.

It is envisioned that the protective layer is formed at least in part of synthetic rubber.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

i. a fabric, and

ii. an electrical conductor, comprising;

a) a support made of an electrically non-conductive material;

b) a thin protective layer; and

c) a conductor;

wherein the conductor is made of an electrically conductive material that covers the support, the conductor is at least in part coated with the thin protective layer, which at least locally has a lower specific electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive material of the conductor,

wherein the protective layer is formed at least in part of nitrile butadiene rubber, the thin protective layer has a thickness between 1 nanometer and 300 nanometers thick, and the thin protective layer is an outermost layer of the electrical conductor,

wherein at least a part of the electrical conductor is incorporated into the fabric, is fitted on the fabric, is anchored to the fabric, or a combination thereof.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the electrical conductor is:

(i) formed of a fabric, of a textile, of a nonwoven fabric, of a knitted fabric, of a film, of a strand, or of a thread or a network;

(ii) incorporated into a fabric, is fitted on a fabric and attached by means of an additional sewing or knitting yarn;

(iii) bonded at least to one fabric, bonded between two fabrics, or both and the at least one fabric is a textile, a film, a network or comprises a combination thereof and the protective layer is applied at least to parts or components of the fabric;

or

(iv) a combination of (i), (ii), and (iii).

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the support is a strand-like support made of:

plastic, a metallizable material, a material which is temperature resistant at least up to 75°

C., or a combination thereof.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the support is made of fibers or filaments.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the electrically non-conductive material is made of polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, or polyethylene therephthalate.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the support is made of polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, or polyethylene therephthalate.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, wherein the electrically non-conductive material is temperature resistant at least up to 1000°

C. and

wherein the specific electrical conductivity is between 62×

10³ S/m and 10<sup>−

3</sup> S/m.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the protective layer at least in part is composed of a material that is at least conditionally electrically conductive.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the support is temperature resistant at least up to 500°

C.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is a conductive layer, which is formed at least in part from:

(i) a metal;

(ii) a material whose surface is passivated, oxidized to be passivated, oxidized to be chromated, or a combination of both;

(iii) which has been applied galvanically onto a support, has a bonded connection with the support, or both;

or

(iv) a combination of (i), (ii), and (iii).

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the conductive layer of the electrical conductor is made at least in part from gold, silver, nickel, chromium, copper, platinum, nickel containing phosphorus fractions, or an alloy of the material.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein at normal operating temperatures the specific electrical conductivity of the conductor, of an electrically conductive components of the conductor, of the protective layer, or a combination thereof is between 100×

10⁶ S/m and 10<sup>−

8</sup> S/m, and the specific electrical conductivity of the protective layer is at least 10-fold, above the one of conductor, the conductor and conductive components of the conductor, or both respectively.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein the normal operating temperatures are about −

20°

C. to about 90°

C., and

wherein the specific electrical conductivity is between 62×

10⁶ S/m and 10<sup>−

3</sup> S/m.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor is a sensor for monitoring a surface of a vehicle interior by touch, pressure, or both;

wherein at least one portion of the sensor has the electrical conductor, a fabric, a heating element, or a combination thereof.

15. The vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle seat includes a fabric, a heating element, a sensor, or a combination thereof.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is used in a vehicle that has a heating element, a sensor, or both.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein when another electrical conductor having a conductor is in contact with the electrical conductor and a break down of the protective layer occurs, an electrical contact between the conductors is established.

18. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the conductor when electrically contacted has current flowing through the protective layer.

19. An electrical conductor, comprising:

a support made of an electrically non-conductive material;

a thin protective layer; and

a conductor;

wherein the conductor is made of an electrically conductive material that covers the support and the conductor is at least in part coated with the thin protective layer,

wherein the thin protective layer;

(a) is formed at least in part of nitrile butadiene rubber,

(b) is an outermost layer of the electrical conductor,

(c) protects the conductor against functional impairment by corrosion in damp and saline environments, and

(d) has a thickness between 1 nanometer and 300 nanometers thick so that when electric voltage is applied to the electrical conductor and the electrical conductor is subsequently connected to another electrical conductor, a breakdown locally removes the thin protective layer and establishes electrical contact between the electrical conductor and the another electrical conductor.

20. The electrical conductor according to claim 19, wherein the electrical conductor is a sensor for monitoring a surface of a vehicle interior by touch, pressure, or both, and the sensor is a capacitive sensor with two textile electrodes.