Heater for an automotive vehicle and method of forming same
First Claim
1. A heater comprising:
- i. a carrier including;
1. a periphery including a first side edge and a second side edge;
2. one or more internal slits; and
3. one or more cutouts, wherein the first side edge and the second side edge each include a cutout;
ii. a first electrically functional layer that is made of a conductive material comprising;
1. a first electrode that substantially extends around the periphery of the carrier in a generally continuous manner; and
2. a second electrode that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the one or more internal slits;
iii. a second electrically functional layer that is made of a resistive material;
iii. one or more electrical conductors attached to the first electrically functional layer;
wherein the heater is attached to an area to be heated by placing an attachment device over a portion of the heater and securing one or both ends of the attachment device to the area to be heated; and
wherein a portion of the carrier is free of the second electrically functional layer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heated seat comprising: a cushion with one or more trench areas; a heater comprising: a carrier with a periphery, the carrier further including: a first electrically functional layer that is made of a conductive material that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the carrier; and a second electrically functional layer that is made of a resistive material; one or more electrical conductors attached to the first electrically functional layer; 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 first electrically functional layer and the second electrically functional layer form a checkered pattern.
175 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A heater comprising:
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i. a carrier including; 1. a periphery including a first side edge and a second side edge; 2. one or more internal slits; and 3. one or more cutouts, wherein the first side edge and the second side edge each include a cutout; ii. a first electrically functional layer that is made of a conductive material comprising; 1. a first electrode that substantially extends around the periphery of the carrier in a generally continuous manner; and 2. a second electrode that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the one or more internal slits; iii. a second electrically functional layer that is made of a resistive material; iii. one or more electrical conductors attached to the first electrically functional layer; wherein the heater is attached to an area to be heated by placing an attachment device over a portion of the heater and securing one or both ends of the attachment device to the area to be heated; and wherein a portion of the carrier is free of the second electrically functional layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A heater comprising:
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i. a carrier including; 1. a periphery including a first side edge, and a second side edge; 2. one or more internal slits; 3. one or more cutouts, wherein first side edge and the second side edge each include a cutout, and the cutouts are symmetrically located to form a neck portion therebetween; and 4. one or more internal cutouts; ii. a first electrically functional layer that is made of a conductive material comprising; 1. a first electrode that substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the carrier in a generally continuous manner without any discretely defined ends; and 2. a second electrode, wherein the second electrode substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the one or more internal slits; iii. a second electrically functional layer that is made of a resistive material; iv. one or more electrical conductors attached to the first electrically functional layer; wherein the neck portion includes an internal cutout that separates the neck portion into two sections; wherein the neck portion is free of the second electrically functional layer; wherein one or more internal slits are located above the internal cutout and one or more internal slits are located below the internal cutout; and wherein the internal cutout and the one or more internal slits located above and below the internal cutout divide the heater into four quadrants, and each of the four quadrants include one or more features. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification