Weft knit interdigitated electrodes for automotive interior heating elements

• Main Authors: Smith, Anthony L, Johnson, Nancy L, Alexander, Paul W, Sala, Dorel M, Henry, Christopher P
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.06.2024
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BRAIDING; CABLES; CONDUCTORS; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; INSULATORS; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING ORDIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TRIMMINGS; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

In an exemplary embodiment, an interior heating system for occupant seats of a vehicle is provided. The interior heating system uses a weft co-knit fabric combined with at least one conductive electrode to heat selective regions of a vehicle seat. The interior heating system includes the weft co-knit fabric that contains a set of weft knit active or plated emitting yarn configured with at least one conductive electrode. The knit active or plated emitting yarn is co-knit with at least one parent yarn for enhanced uniformity of an electrical current applied to at least one conductive electrode from the weft co-knit fabric, and a plurality of conductive electrodes arranged in an interdigitated layout to combine together each conductive electrode with a set of a plurality of conductive co-knit active emitting yarns which attach to each electrode tine of the conductive electrode in a select region.