Heating unit for direct current applications

Abstract

A direct current powered electrical heating unit capable of distributing heat across the heating unit in a substantially uniform fashion. The heating unit includes a first pliable outer layer and a second pliable outer layer. The heating unit further includes a pliable electrical heating element disposed between the first and the second cover layers and configured to convert electrical energy to heat energy and to distribute the heat energy. The pliable electrical heating element includes a heat generating element for converting electrical current to heat energy and a heat spreading element comprising graphite thermally coupled to the heat generating element. The heating unit further includes a thermal insulation layer positioned above the pliable electrical heating element and between the first and the second cover layers. A receiving power connector is electrically connected to the heat generating element. The receiving power connector configured to connect to a direct current power source.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61 / 013,963, titled HEATING UNIT FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS filed Dec. 14, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is also a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 835,641 filed on Aug. 8, 2007 titled GROUNDED MODULAR HEATED COVER, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 744,163 filed May 3, 2007. This application is also a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 422,580 filed on Jun. 6, 2006, titled “A RADIANT HEATING APPARATUS” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 688,146 filed Jun. 6, 2005, titled LAMINATE HEATING APPARATUS. U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 422,580 filed on Jun. 6, 2006, titled “A RADIANT HEATING APPARATUS” is a Continuation in Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 218,156, filed Sep. 1, 2005, now U....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not inten

Problems solved by technology

The ability to distribute heat has provided a number of opportunities for increasing human comfort levels for certain activities and has made other activities not previously feasible able to be accomplished.

However, using this type of heat generation, it is difficult to have portable heat generation where heat can be generated while the recipient of the heat is in motion or located away from a large immobile source of electrical energy.

However, these systems suffer from the drawback of uneven heat distribution.

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