Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with diverse-type art device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2001-12-04
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with diverse-type art device
C219S529000, C219S545000, C219S549000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326593
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a heating element for a graspable part of a motor vehicle, in particular for the steering wheel.
DE 29 51 871 A1 discloses a steering wheel cover, to the inner face of which is fastened a fabric lining, into which resistance wires are embedded. The fabric lining is provided with a masking, so that the resistance wires do not rest directly on the steering wheel rim.
This steering wheel cover with a heated fabric lining has the disadvantage that fabric is only slightly stretchable, so that the cover can be adapted only incompletely to the three-dimensional steering wheel rim. It is therefore scarcely possible to avoid creases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object on which the invention is based is to design the heating element in such a way that it can be adapted creaselessly to three-dimensional parts in the motor vehicle which are to be heated.
In a heating element for a graspable part of a motor vehicle, in particular for the steering wheel, the heating element consists of a textile support with at least one heating resistor. In an embodiment, a textile support knitted by stitch row or by single stitch is used. Such a support has high elasticity, so that it is adapted to three-dimensional parts without creases being formed.
In an embodiment for the steering wheel, the textile support is designed so that the textile support masks the steering wheel rim and the adjoining regions of the spokes. It is expedient to mask part of the spokes, because the driver, when operating the steering wheel, occasionally also grasps the region of the spokes which is contiguous to the steering wheel rim. The support knitted by stitch row or by single stitch is so elastic that it is even laid onto the spokes, without creases being formed.
It is expedient that the heating resistor be knitted by stitch row or by single stitch as a thread into the textile support. The elasticity of the textile support is not impaired by the inelastic heating resistor if this type of fastening is adopted. At the same time, the heating resistor is expediently knitted in, so that the heating resistor is masked by the material of the textile support to a lesser extent on one side than on the other side. The heating element is laid with the side masked to the greater extent onto a base, for example onto the steering wheel, while the other side forms the top side having the essentially exposed heating resistor.
Preferably, a plurality of threadlike heating resistors are arranged next to one another, and can in particular, follow a meandering course. At the same time, the heating resistors may both lie at a distance from one another at which they do not intermesh and be arranged so as to be nested one in the other, without touching one another. The degree of heating can be influenced by arranging the heating resistors with differing density in this way.
In a preferred embodiment, the textile support is designed as a plane band, at the two ends of which the heating resistor ends are connected, in each case via a connection piece, to the commercially available junction leads of the vehicle. In order to avoid a buildup of heat at the connection pieces, it is expedient for connection pieces to be connected to the individual heating resistors at the two ends of the textile support over the entire width of the latter.
The textile support may have any desired selected length, so that, for example, a steering wheel rim is masked by the heating element completely or only on selected portions.
Although the heat is radiated to the top side to a greater extent as a result of the essential masking of the heating resistors on the underside of the textile support, this effect may be reinforced even further if the textile support is provided on the underside with a reflection layer.
The heating element according to the invention can be used in a simple way for heating different parts in the motor vehicle. A heating element which masks the entire steering wheel rim may be arranged on the steering wheel. However, a plurality of shorter heating elements may also be provided, which mask only specific regions of the steering wheel rim, for example the East/West segments on a steering wheel which has to be operated only through 180° to left or right due to the use of an electronic control. Heating is then required only in these segments.
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Bonn Helmut
Germuth-Löffler Michael
Dahbour Fadi H.
Foley & Lardner
Takata-Petri AG
Walberg Teresa
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