ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR

• US 20120091112A1
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weiß, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/202
• 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. An electrical conductor, comprising an electrically conductive material, and at least in part coated with a protective layer, which at least locally has a lower specific electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive material of the conductor, characterized in that the protective layer is formed at least in part of synthetic rubber.

2. The conductor according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical conductor has at least in part the form of a fabric, of a textile, of a nonwoven fabric, a knitted fabric, a film, a strand, a thread or a network and/or that the conductor is incorporated into a fabric, is fitted thereon and attached by means of an additional sewing or knitting yarn, such that it is embedded therein as sewing yarn, and/or that it is bonded at least to one fabric and/or is bonded between two fabrics and that at least one fabric is a textile, a film, a network and/or comprises a combination thereof, preferably substantially formed therefrom, and that the protective layer is applied at least to parts or components of the fabric.

3. The conductor according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one electrical conductor has a particularly strand-like support made of a low electrically conductive material if necessary, in particular an electrically non-conductive material, preferably fibers or filaments made of plastic, in particular of PU, PP, PE, PA, PET, of a metallizable material, and/or of a material which is temperature resistant at least up to 75°

C., preferably up to 150°

C., preferably up to 300°

C., preferably up to 500°

C., preferably up to 1000°

C.

4. The conductor according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical conductor has a conductive layer, which is electrically conductive, which is formed at least in part from a metal, preferably at least in part from gold, silver, nickel, chromium, copper, platinum, nickel containing phosphorus fractions, from an alloy of the above materials and/or a material whose surface is passivated, oxidized to be passivated and/or chromated, and/or which has been applied galvanically onto the support and/or has a bonded connection with the support.

5. The conductor according to claim 1, characterized in that at normal operating temperatures (about −

20°

C. to about 90°

C.) the specific electrical conductivity of the conductive layer and/or of the electrically conductive components of the conductor and/or of the protective layer is between 100×

106 S/m and 10-8 S/m, preferably between 62×

106 S/m and 10-3 S/m, and the specific electrical conductivity of the protective layer is at least 10-fold, preferably 100-fold, preferably 1000-fold above the one of the conductive layer and/or the conductor and its conductive components, respectively, preferably between 103 and 10-3 S/m.

6. The conductor according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is an electrical heating element, particularly for vehicle seats.

7. The conductor according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is a sensor, in particular for monitoring a surface of a vehicle interior by touch and/or pressure, characterized in that at least one portion of the sensor, preferably at least one of its sensor electrodes has an electrical conductor, a fabric and/or a heating element.

8. The conductor according to claim 7, wherein the conductor is used in a seat, in particular for a vehicle, characterized in that the seat includes an electrical conductor, a fabric, a heating element and/or a sensor.

9. The conductor according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is used in a vehicle, characterized in that it has an electrical conductor, a heating element, a sensor and/or a seat according to one of the preceding claims.