Flexible seat heater

• US 7,202,444 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Bulgajewski, Edward F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans; Robin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, VINOD D
• Application Number:
  US10/883,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 219/217, 219/203, 219/211, 219/212, 219/219, 219/528, 219/529, 219/543, 219/549, 338306-309
• US Class Current: 219/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5678 characterised by electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/006 using interdigitated electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/019 Heaters using heating elements having a negative temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/02 Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient
• 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: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/347 woven fabrics

Abstract

A heating device includes a conductive layer on an electrically insulated substrate. The substrate and conductive layer have a plurality of cross-like apertures therethrough. The conductive layer includes busses and traces extending from the busses, the traces surrounding the apertures. A resistive or thermistor layer is provided over the conductive layer.

Claims

1. A heating device for producing heat when connected to an electrical power source, comprising:

an electrically insulative substrate positioned beneath a flexible member;

a plurality of apertures through said substrate and said member, at least some of said apertures being narrow elongated apertures;

a conductive layer on said substrate in a pattern thereby forming a buss structure including first and second busses along opposite sides of said substrate, and alternating traces electrically connected to opposite said busses and extending between said busses, said traces surrounding said apertures, wherein said substrate is adapted to limit elongation of said conductive layer when said substrate is subjected to a flexing action, so as to improve durability of the conductive layer; and

a resistive layer applied to said conductive layer such that when an electrical power source is connected to said buss structure of the heating device, heat is generated.

2. The heating device of claim 1, wherein said apertures include intersecting elongated slots.

3. The heating device of claim 2, wherein said intersecting slots are substantially normal to each other, thereby forming cross-shaped apertures.

4. The heating device of claim 2, wherein said intersecting slots are mutually bisecting.

5. The heating device of claim 2, wherein said apertures are aligned in rows and ranks along axes of said slots.

6. The heating device of claim 5, wherein adjacent rows and ranks are offset with respect to each other and apertures in adjacent rows and ranks overlap.

7. The heating device of claim 5, further comprising spurs from at least some of said traces extending toward the next adjacent said trace.

8. The heating device of claim 1, including spurs from at least some of said traces extending toward the next adjacent said trace.

9. The heating device of claim 1, including elongated openings through said substrate and said member said apertures including rows of cross-like apertures closely inter-nested.

10. The heating device of claim 1, said apertures including enlarged apertures defining stitch zones for stitching said heating device to a structure.

11. A heating device for producing heat when connected to an electrical power source, comprising:

an electrically insulated substrate having a plurality of cross-like apertures extending therethrough;

a conductive layer on said substrate and including busses extending along opposite edges of said substrate and traces extending from said busses and surrounding said apertures; and

a resistive layer against said conductive layer such that when an electrical power source is connected to said buss structure of the heating device, heat is generated.

12. The heating device of claim 11, at least some of said traces including spurs extending toward adjacent said traces.

13. The heating device of claim 12, at least some of said spurs including branches therefrom.

14. The heating device of claim 12, said spurs extending into quadrants between elongated slots forming said cross-like apertures.

15. The heating device of claim 14, at least some of said spurs including branches therefrom.

16. The heating device of claim 11, wherein the heating device is configured as a seat heater for an automobile.

17. A heating device for producing heat when connected to an electrical power source, comprising:

a substrate;

a layer of resistive material;

a plurality of cross-like apertures formed through said substrate and said resistive material;

a layer of conductive material forming a first buss along one edge of said substrate and said resistive material, a second buss formed along an opposite edge of said substrate and said resistive material, a plurality of first traces extending from said first buss toward said second buss and a plurality of second traces extending from said second buss toward said first bus, said first and second traces surrounding at least some of said apertures and arranged alternatingly with each other.

18. The heating device of claim 17, at least some of said traces including spurs extending therefrom.

19. The heating device of claim 18, said spurs extending into quadrants of said resistive layer defined adjacent said cross-like apertures.

20. The heating device of claim 19, at least some of said spurs including branches therefrom.