Electric heating – Heating devices – With heating unit structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-23
2004-03-23
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
With heating unit structure
C219S212000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06710313
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a surface heating device to be used in a seat or the like.
BACKGROUND ART
A conventional surface heating device
21
commonly includes a heating element disposed on a supporter
28
as shown in FIG.
31
. The heating element is one of the following:
(a) A heating element
22
a
, as shown in
FIG. 29
, having a plurality of conductors
25
a
coated with an insulating coating
26
a
; or
(b) A heating element
22
b
, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication 60-80690, where a conductor
25
b
is wound spirally on a synthetic fabric core
27
and coated with an insulating coat
26
b
as shown in
FIG. 20
for an improved strength against tension and bending.
FIG. 27
illustrates the surface heating device
21
installed in a seat
20
for a vehicle. Even if a heating element
22
has a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm, the surface heating device
21
may make a driver or a passenger aware of an uncomfortable projection on a surface cover
23
when he/she is seated. It is hence desired to decrease a thickness or diameter of the heating element
22
.
FIG. 28
is an enlarged cross sectional view of a region where the surface heating device
21
is installed in the seat
20
for a vehicle. In a conventional manner, a pad
24
provided under the surface cover
23
of the seat
20
needs to have a thickness of 20 to 30 mm for preventing the heating element
22
from making him/her aware of an uncomfortable projection on the surface cover
23
. The surface heating device
21
is provided beneath the pad
24
.
FIG. 32
is a cross sectional view of a region where the surface cover
23
of the seat
20
has a hanging section provided in the surface cover
23
. The hanging section is usually provided at the surface cover
23
. The hanging section at the surface cover
23
includes a hanging strip
30
joined to the surface cover
23
and the pad
24
at a sewing portion
33
. A hook ring
32
links a fitting
29
a
joined to the hanging strip
30
and a fitting
29
b
embedded in a main pad
31
.
If the surface heating device
21
is placed under the surface cover
23
of the seat
20
and directly stitched together with the hanging strip
30
, the heating element
22
may be injured or cut by a stitching needle. For avoiding such a problem, the surface heating device
21
has an opening
33
, as shown in
FIG. 31
, through which the hanging strip
30
extends, and the heating element is protected from being stitched with the strip
30
.
As a result, the pad
24
inhibits the surface heating device
21
from being located directly under the surface cover
23
of the seat
20
and, as a heat insulator, prevents the surface cover
23
from being quickly heated. Therefore, heating quickly the surface cover
23
of the seat
20
requires a large power consumption by the surface heating device
21
. However, a capacity of a battery in the vehicle limits heating speed.
The conventional heating element
22
a
, as shown in
FIG. 29
, has conductor
25
a
coated with insulating coat
26
a
for protecting the conductor from separating and for improving protection strength. Due to the insulating coat
26
a
, when the heating element
22
is connected to a power supply, the insulating coat
26
a
has to be removed at a jointed portion of the heating element
22
.
The heating element
22
in the surface heating device
21
installed in the vehicle seat
20
requires a small thickness or diameter. Furthermore, the heating element
22
is repeatedly stressed by a weight during sitting of a person on the seat
20
, and thus needs a counter measure against being injured and disconnected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A surface heating device is provided which includes a heating element fabricated by braiding plural conductors, and a flexible supporter supporting the heating element thereon.
The heating element fabricated by braiding plural conductors has a small thickness or diameter, thus being inhibited from providing a passenger with an uncomfortable touch when he/she is seated and from projecting on a surface cover of a seat. Also, the surface heating device requires a pad having a reduced thickness and thus allows the surface cover of the seat to be heated up rapidly.
The heating element made from braided conductors is strong against being bent by a weight of a seated passenger because a stress exerted on the heating element is dispersed on the conductors. Furthermore, the conductors are protected from separating from each other, and therefore, no insulating coat is necessary.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3646670 (1972-03-01), Maeda et al.
patent: 4279255 (1981-07-01), Hoffman
patent: 4713531 (1987-12-01), Fennekels et al.
patent: 5245161 (1993-09-01), Okamoto
patent: 5391838 (1995-02-01), Plummer, III
patent: 6229123 (2001-05-01), Kochman et al.
patent: 48-35973 (1973-10-01), None
patent: 58-128689 (1983-08-01), None
patent: 59-79990 (1984-05-01), None
patent: 62-229782 (1987-10-01), None
patent: 4-112481 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 6-30825 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 8-20225 (1996-01-01), None
Asami Naohito
Mitsunaga Hiroshi
Nagayama Kazumi
Shiratake Akira
Yoneyama Mitsuru
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Patel Vinod D.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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