Electrically conductive yarn with reduced torsions

Abstract

A yarn (100) comprising one or more bundles (110, 120, 130), each of said one or more bundles comprising at least thirty metal fibres is described. The metal fibres (140) comprise stainless steel and a metal which is electrically more conductive than stainless steel. The yarn is twisted with a predetermined number of torsions per meter, said predetermined number of torsions per meter is smaller than 80 per meter and larger than 10 per meter. By doing so, an improved flexlife of the yarn can be obtained.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001]The present invention relates to an electrically conductive yarn comprising one or more bundles of metal fibres and to its various uses.BACKGROUND ART [0002]Yarns comprising one or more bundles of metal fibres are known. Such yarns are e.g. applied in vehicle seat heating systems or heatable textiles. In these applications, the yarns are used as an electrical resistance and provided, in use, with an electric current to obtain the required heating effect. In many of the applications of such yarns, the yarns are subjected to different stress and / or strain conditions. In particular, the yarns may be repeatedly loaded under tensile and / or bending or torsion stresses, e.g. when applied in a car seat heating. When repeatedly subjected to such stresses, metal fibres of the yarn may break, eventually resulting in the failure of the yarn. As a result, the yarn may no longer provide its function as a heating element in e.g. a car seat heating.DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION [000...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to a yarn for car seat heating that has an improved resistance against bending and wear. This is achieved by designing a yarn with a reduced resistance against bending and fretting, called flexlife. The invention is achieved by using a yarn with a predetermined number of torsions per meter, which is smaller than 80 per meter. The yarn comprises one or more bundles of metal fibers, with each bundle containing at least 30 metal fibers. The metal fibers can be made of stainless steel or a metal that is more conductive than stainless steel, such as copper or copper alloy. The yarn has a reduced resistance against repeated bending, which increases its flexlife. This design improves the durability and lifespan of the yarn, especially in applications where bending and wear are common, such as car seat heating.

Problems solved by technology

When repeatedly subjected to such stresses, metal fibres of the yarn may break, eventually resulting in the failure of the yarn.

As a result, the yarn may no longer provide its function as a heating element in e.g. a car seat heating.

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