Film heater

Abstract

To provide a film heater capable of protecting against an overcurrent without increasing the number of components.SOLUTION: The film heater 10 is attached to a lens portion RZ of a headlight HL, which is an object to be heated. The film heater 10 includes a conductive film 20 that generates heat by energization, a pair of electrode portions 30 and 40 connected to the conductive film 20, and an insulating portion 50 having electrical insulation properties. The conductive film 29, the pair of electrode portions 30 and 40, and the insulating portion 50 are configured as a stacked body ST stacked in a predetermined order. The laminate ST includes a body portion 11 attached to the lens portion RZ, and a separated portion 12 connected to the body portion 11 and separated from the lens portion RZ. The connector connecting portion 12 is a disconnection portion DC that is fused or broken due to the occurrence of an overcurrent.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a film heater that is attached to an object to be heated. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a film heater that heats a headlamp cover through which light passes is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The control unit of the film heater described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a protection circuit including a current fuse that melts when an overcurrent occurs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-104594 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, for example, when a current fuse that melts when an overcurrent occurs is provided in a protection circuit for a control circuit as in Patent Document 1, the number of components increases, which leads to an increase in costs.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a film heater that can provide protection against overcurrent while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inventions described in claims 1, 4, 5, and 6 are as follows: A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film; The structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) that is attached to the object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) that is connected to the attachment portion and is separated from the object to be heated, The separated portion is a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. In the invention described in claim 1, The pair of electrode portions have attached electrode portions (34, 44) located in the attached portions and separated electrode portions (35, 45) located in the separated portions, the amount of heat transfer in at least a portion of the separated electrode portion is smaller than the amount of heat transfer in the attached electrode portion; The portion of the separated electrode where the amount of heat transfer is small becomes the disconnected portion, and melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. In addition, in the invention described in claim 4, The pair of electrode portions have attached electrode portions (34, 44) located in the attached portions and separated electrode portions (35, 45) located in the separated portions, At least a portion of the separated electrode portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached electrode portion, The portion of the separated electrode that is made of a material with low thermal conductivity becomes a disconnected portion, and melts down when an overcurrent occurs. In addition, in the invention described in claim 5, The structure is configured to include an insulating portion (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the spaced-apart insulating portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached insulating portion; Of the pair of electrodes, a portion adjacent to a portion of the insulating separated portion made of a material with low thermal conductivity is a disconnected portion, and melts down when an overcurrent occurs. In addition, in the invention described in claim 6, The structure is configured to include an insulating portion (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (51) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (52) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the spaced insulating portion is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient greater than that of the material making up the attached insulating portion.

[0007] When a film heater has a portion separated from the object to be heated, the heat generated by the pair of electrodes at that portion is difficult to transfer to the object to be heated, and therefore the portion separated from the object to be heated is likely to reach a higher temperature than the pair of electrodes at the portion in contact with the object to be heated.

[0008] Taking this into consideration, the film heater of the present disclosure provides a structure including a conductive film and a pair of electrodes with a spaced apart portion that is spaced apart from the object to be heated. By utilizing this spaced apart portion as a breaking portion that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, it is possible to provide protection against overcurrent while minimizing the number of parts.

[0009] The reference symbols in parentheses attached to each component indicate an example of the correspondence between the component and the specific components described in the embodiments described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a vehicle to which a film heater according to a first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a heater system including a film heater according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining how current flows in a film heater when an unintentional short circuit occurs. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a film heater when an overcurrent flows. [Figure 6] 10 is an explanation for explaining electrical resistances at an attached electrode portion and a separated electrode portion of a film heater according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a part of a film heater according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a part of a film heater according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a front view showing a part of a film heater according to a modification of the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a part of a film heater according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] This is an explanation for explaining the electrical conductivity at the disconnected portion and other portions. [Figure 13] 10 is an explanation for explaining the amount of heat transfer at the attached electrode portion and the separated electrode portion of the film heater according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] This is an explanation for explaining the surface roughness of the attached electrode portion and the separated electrode portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] This is an explanation for explaining the flow speed of the airflow around the attached electrode portion and the separated electrode portion. [Figure 17] 13 is an explanation for explaining the thermal conductivity of materials constituting the attached electrode portion and the separated electrode portion of the film heater according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 18] 13 is an explanation for explaining the thermal conductivity of materials constituting the attached electrode portion and the separated electrode portion of the film heater according to the eighth embodiment. [Figure 19] 13 is an explanation for explaining the linear expansion coefficient of materials constituting the mounting insulation portion and the spaced insulation portion of the film heater according to the ninth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a tenth embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to an eleventh embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a twelfth embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a modification of the twelfth embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a thirteenth embodiment. [Figure 25] FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a first modified example of the thirteenth embodiment. [Figure 26] FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a film heater according to a second modified example of the thirteenth embodiment. [Figure 27] FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram of a heater system including a film heater according to a fourteenth embodiment. [Figure 28] 28 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXVIII-XXVIII in FIG. 27. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those described in the preceding embodiments will be given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, in the embodiments, when only some of the components are described, the components described in the preceding embodiments can be applied to the remaining components. The following embodiments can be partially combined with each other, even if not specifically stated, as long as there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0012] (First embodiment) This embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the film heater 10 of the present disclosure is applied to a headlight HL, which is a headlight of a vehicle C. In this embodiment, the headlight HL is the "heating target" of the film heater 10. The headlight HL is a transparent light-transmitting member that transmits electromagnetic waves (visible light in this example).

[0013] Here, the headlights HL are configured as LED lamps that use LEDs as the light source. Compared to halogen lamps, LED lamps emit less infrared light and the lens portion RZ does not heat up easily, so if snow or ice adheres to the lens portion RZ, it does not melt easily. This is undesirable because it reduces the illuminance of the headlights HL.

[0014] Taking this into consideration, in this embodiment, a film heater 10 is applied to the headlight HL. The film heater 10 constitutes part of the heater system 1. The film heater 10 is made of an optical adhesive sheet and is attached to the lens portion RZ of the headlight HL as shown in FIG. 1. The film heater 10 generates heat to heat the lens portion RZ of the headlight HL, thereby melting ice, snow, and preventing fogging of the lens portion RZ. This ensures the illuminance of the headlight HL and improves the safety of the vehicle C while it is traveling.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, the heater system 1 includes a film heater 10 and a control unit 100. The arrows indicating up and down shown in Fig. 2 etc. indicate the up and down direction DR1 of the film heater 10 when the film heater 10 is attached to the lens portion RZ of the headlight HL.

[0016] The film heater 10 is a heater formed in a film shape. As shown in Fig. 3, the film heater 10 includes a conductive film 20, a first electrode portion 30, a second electrode portion 40, an insulating portion 50, and a support material 60.

[0017] The insulating portion 50 is a member that serves as the base material of the film heater 10. The insulating portion 50 is a transparent thin film that has electrical insulation properties. The insulating portion 50 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate. The insulating portion 50 has a thickness of, for example, about 0.05 to 0.5 mm. In this embodiment, the insulating portion 50 forms a base material that supports the conductive film 20 and at least one of the pair of electrode portions 30, 40.

[0018] The conductive film 20 is a heat generating portion that generates heat when a current is passed through it. The conductive film 20 is a transparent thin film that is electrically conductive. The conductive film 20 is laminated on one surface of the insulating portion 50.

[0019] The conductive film 20 is formed of, for example, ITO or a carbon tube. ITO is an abbreviation for Indium-Tin-Oxide. The conductive film 20 is thinner than the insulating portion 50. The conductive film 20 has a thickness of several nanometers. The resistivity of the conductive film 20 may be uniform within the surface, or may be uneven and biased. Such a conductive film 20 is configured so that current flows within it in a planar manner rather than linearly.

[0020] The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 are a pair of electrode units electrically connected to the conductive film 20. The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 are stacked on one surface of the conductive film 20 and one surface of the insulating unit 50.

[0021] The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 are electrically connected via the conductive film 20. The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 may be formed by, for example, printing silver paste or copper paste on the conductive film 20 and firing it. The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 are electrically connected to the conductive film 20 at the portions where they are in physical contact with the conductive film 20.

[0022] The resistivity of the first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 is sufficiently smaller than the resistivity of the conductive film 20. In other words, the electrical conductivity of the first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 is sufficiently greater than the electrical conductivity of the conductive film 20. For example, the average electrical conductivity of the first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 is 10 times or more the average electrical conductivity of the conductive film 20. Furthermore, the first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 are thicker than the conductive film 20 and thinner than the insulating unit 50. The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 have a thickness of, for example, about several microns.

[0023] The first electrode portion 30 is connected to an upper edge portion 21 on the upper side of the conductive film 20. The first electrode portion 30 has a first contact portion 31 that is in physical contact with the conductive film 20 and a first lead portion 32 that connects the first contact portion 31 to the connector CN. The first electrode portion 30 has the first contact portion 31 extending in a direction intersecting the up-down direction DR1, and the first lead portion 32 extending linearly up and down so as to intersect with the first contact portion 31.

[0024] The second electrode portion 40 is connected to a lower edge portion 22 located below the conductive film 20. The second electrode portion 40 has a second contact portion 41 that is in physical contact with the conductive film 20 and a second lead portion 42 that connects the second contact portion 41 to the connector CN.

[0025] The second contact portion 41 of the second electrode portion 40 extends in a direction intersecting the up-down direction DR1. The second lead portion 42 has a first portion that extends vertically in a straight line from the portion in contact with the second contact portion 41 along the side of the conductive film 20, a second portion that intersects the first portion and extends along the first contact portion 31 of the first electrode portion 30, and a portion that intersects the second portion and extends vertically in a straight line.

[0026] The structure including the conductive film 20, the pair of electrode portions 30, 40, and the insulating portion 50 configured as described above is configured as a laminate ST, which is layered in a predetermined order. This laminate ST can be obtained, for example, by forming the conductive film 20 in a predetermined shape on the insulating portion 50, which serves as a base material, using a screen mask, and then forming the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 in a predetermined pattern. Note that the arrows indicating one side and the other side in Figure 3 and other figures indicate the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST. In this embodiment, the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 side of the laminate ST is referred to as one side, and the insulating portion 50 side of the laminate ST is referred to as the other side. In addition, in the front view of Figure 2 and other figures, a dot pattern is applied to the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 to distinguish them from the other electrodes. Note that in an actual product, the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 is not applied with a dot pattern.

[0027] The laminate ST is formed in a film or sheet shape and has a small overall thickness in the stacking direction DR2. The laminate ST includes a substantially rectangular main body 11 and a connector connection portion 12 extending upward from the main body 11.

[0028] The main body portion 11 is a portion that includes the conductive film 20, the pair of electrode portions 30, 40, and the insulating portion 50. The main body portion 11 includes the conductive film 20 and functions as a heat generating portion that generates heat when current is applied. The main body portion 11 is attached to the lens portion RZ via a support material 60 so that its own heat is efficiently transferred to the lens portion RZ. Specifically, the other side of the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST is attached to the lens portion RZ by the support material 60.

[0029] Here, the support material 60 is in the form of a film or sheet, and for example, an optical adhesive such as OCR or OCA, which has excellent light transmittance, is used. OCR is an abbreviation for "Optical Clear Resin." OCA is an abbreviation for "Optical Clear Adhesive." In this embodiment, the support material 60 constitutes a support member that supports the conductive film 20 and at least one of the pair of electrode units 30, 40.

[0030] The connector connection portion 12 is a portion that includes a pair of electrode portions 30, 40 and an insulating portion 50. The connector connection portion 12 does not include the conductive film 20, and functions as a power supply portion that supplies power to the conductive film 20. A connector CN is attached to the upper end portion of the connector connection portion 12 for electrically connecting the laminate ST of the film heater 10 to the control portion 100. Note that the connector connection portion 12 may include not only the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 and the insulating portion 50, but also the conductive film 20.

[0031] There is no support material 60 between the connector connection portion 12 and the lens portion RZ, and the connector connection portion 12 is spaced apart from the lens portion RZ. Specifically, the other side of the laminate ST in the stacking direction DR2 is attached to the lens portion RZ by the support material 60. In the laminate ST of this embodiment, the main body 11 forms an "attachment portion" where it is attached to the object to be heated, and the connector connection portion 12 forms a "separation portion" that is spaced apart from the object to be heated.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first electrode portion 30 and the second electrode portion 40 in the main body portion 11 are referred to as the first attached electrode portion 34 and the second attached electrode portion 44, and the first electrode portion 30 and the second electrode portion 40 in the connector connection portion 12 are referred to as the first separated electrode portion 35 and the second separated electrode portion 45. In addition, the insulating portion 50 in the main body portion 11 is referred to as the attached insulating portion 51, and the insulating portion 50 in the connector connection portion 12 is referred to as the separated insulating portion 52.

[0033] In the film heater 10 configured in this manner, the connector connection portion 12 is separated from the lens portion RZ, so heat generated at the first separated electrode portion 35 and the second separated electrode portion 45 at the connector connection portion 12 is less likely to transfer to the lens portion RZ. For this reason, the first separated electrode portion 35 and the second separated electrode portion 45 are more likely to reach a higher temperature than the first attached electrode portion 34 and the second attached electrode portion 44.

[0034] Taking these factors into consideration, in the film heater 10, the connector connection portion 12 functions as a disconnection portion DC that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. Note that the electrical resistance values, etc. of the separate electrode portions 35, 45 of the connector connection portion 12 are set so that the temperature of the separate insulating portion 52 exceeds the melting point of the separate insulating portion 52 due to Joule heat generated in the first separate electrode portion 35 and the second separate electrode portion 45 when an overcurrent occurs.

[0035] Returning to FIG. 2, the film heater 10 is connected to the control unit 100 via a connector CN. The control unit 100 controls the state and amount of current flowing to the film heater 10. The control unit 100 is connected to the vehicle battery BT via a current fuse FS. The current fuse FS melts when an overcurrent occurs between the vehicle battery BT and the control unit 100, thereby protecting the vehicle devices such as the vehicle battery BT.

[0036] Although not shown, the control unit 100 is housed inside an equipment housing that houses the driving equipment for the vehicle C. The control unit 100 includes a microcomputer including a processor and memory, and the processor performs various processes according to programs stored in the memory. Note that the control unit 100 is not provided with a fuse to protect the film heater 10 and the control unit 100.

[0037] For example, when the headlights HL are turned on and a heating requirement condition is met that requires de-icing, melting snow, or defogging of the lens portion RZ of the headlights HL, the control unit 100 starts energizing the film heater 10. Note that the heating requirement condition may be met, for example, when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor falls to 5°C or lower.

[0038] When the film heater 10 is energized, the conductive film 20 generates heat. The heat from the conductive film 20 is then transferred to the lens portion RZ of the headlight HL, causing the lens portion RZ to rise in temperature. This allows the lens portion RZ to melt ice, snow, and be protected from fogging.

[0039] Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, if the first electrode portion 30 and the second electrode portion 40 are short-circuited for some reason, a current flows from the first electrode portion 30 to the second electrode portion 40. In this case, the combined resistance of the film heater 10 decreases, causing a larger current (i.e., an overcurrent) to flow from the first electrode portion 30 to the second electrode portion 40. This overcurrent increases Joule heat generated in the first electrode portion 30 and the second electrode portion 40. In particular, the temperature of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 of the electrode portions 30, 40 rises earlier than that of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 because heat does not transfer to the lens portion RZ. When the temperature of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 exceeds the melting point of the separated insulating portion 52, a portion of the separated insulating portion 52 melts and deforms. At this time, thermal stress acts on the separated electrode portions 35, 45, causing a portion of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to break, for example, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0040] In the film heater 10 described above, the connector connection portion 12 is spaced apart from the lens portion RZ, which is the object to be heated, in the laminate ST. The connector connection portion 12 forms a disconnection portion DC that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. In this way, by providing a portion of the film heater 10 that is vulnerable to heat and making this portion the disconnection portion DC that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, it is possible to achieve protection against overcurrent without increasing the number of parts.

[0041] The film heater 10 also has the following features. (0) The structure including the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 includes a support material 60 that supports at least one of the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40. In the film heater 10 configured in this manner, the support material 60 can improve the workability of attachment to the lens portion RZ, and the support material 60 can reinforce the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40. (1) The connector connection portion 12 is disposed above the main body portion 11, which constitutes the heat generating portion. In this manner, if the connector connection portion 12 is disposed above the main body portion 11, the ambient heat heated by the main body portion 11 rises to the vicinity of the connector connection portion 12, making it easier for the connector connection portion 12 to heat up quickly. Therefore, when an overcurrent occurs, the separated electrode portions 35, 45 present in the connector connection portion 12 can be appropriately melted or broken.

[0042] (2) The object to be heated in this embodiment is the lens portion RZ of a transparent headlight HL that transmits electromagnetic waves. The conductive film 20 is made of a transparent conductive film that transmits electromagnetic waves. The insulating portion 50 is made of a transparent insulating material that transmits electromagnetic waves. The film heater 10 configured in this manner can appropriately heat the object to be heated while minimizing the impact on the function and design of the object to be heated.

[0043] (3) The insulating portion 50 has an attachment insulating portion 51 located in the main body portion 11 and a remote insulating portion 52 located in the connector connection portion 12. The remote insulating portion 52 has a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm in the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST. By reducing the thickness of the remote insulating portion 52 in this way, the heat capacity is reduced, and the remote insulating portion 52 is more likely to heat up quickly when an overcurrent occurs. This allows the portion of each electrode portion 30, 40 that is close to the remote insulating portion 52 to be properly fractured when an overcurrent occurs.

[0044] (4) The insulating portion 50 is made of a thermoplastic material. This makes it easier for the Joule heat of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to deform the separated insulating portion 52 when an overcurrent occurs. This makes it easier for a portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 to break due to thermal stress or the like generated in each separated electrode portion 35, 45.

[0045] (Modification of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the film heater 10 is described as being configured such that an overcurrent causes a portion of the separated insulating portion 52 to melt and deform, and as this occurs, thermal stress or the like acts on the separated electrode portions 35, 45, causing a portion of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to break, but this is not limiting. For example, the film heater 10 may be configured such that a portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 melts and breaks due to Joule heat generated in each separated electrode portion 35, 45 by an overcurrent. This also applies to the following embodiments.

[0046] In the first embodiment, an example was given in which a disconnection part DC was provided in the film heater 10 instead of a current fuse in the control unit 100, but the heater system 1 is not limited to this. For example, the heater system 1 may be configured such that a disconnection part DC is provided in the film heater 10 and a current fuse is provided in the control unit 100. With such a configuration, it is possible to make the protection function against overcurrent redundant while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0047] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0048] 6, in the film heater 10, the electrical resistance of at least a part of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is greater than the electrical resistance of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. The portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 with greater electrical resistance becomes a disconnection portion DC, which melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs.

[0049] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, in each electrode unit 30, 40, the cross-sectional area of ​​at least a portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 intersecting the direction of current flow is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​other portions. In other words, the cross-sectional area of ​​at least a portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 intersecting the direction of current flow is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​each attached electrode portion 34, 44. In each separated electrode portion 35, 45 of this embodiment, current flows vertically. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​each separated electrode portion 35, 45 intersecting the direction of current flow is the cross-sectional area of ​​each separated electrode portion 35, 45 intersecting the vertical direction DR1.

[0050] Specifically, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 has a thickness in the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST that is smaller than the thickness in the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST of each of the mounting electrode portions 34, 44. The thinner portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is the disconnection portion DC.

[0051] The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment. The film heater 10 of the present embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment that are achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to that of the first embodiment.

[0052] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0053] (1) The film heater 10 has a large electrical resistance in at least part of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45. This increases the Joule heat generated in each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 when an overcurrent occurs, so that when an overcurrent occurs, each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 can be appropriately melted or broken due to thermal distortion or overheating that occurs between the separated electrode portions 35, 45 and the surrounding area.

[0054] (2) At least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 has a smaller cross-sectional area intersecting the current flow direction than the cross-sectional area of ​​each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. In this way, by reducing the thickness of at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 in the stacking direction DR2, it is possible to increase the electrical resistance of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 compared to each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 without adding any new components.

[0055] (3) Specifically, the thickness of at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 in the stacking direction DR2 of the laminate ST is smaller than the thickness of the laminate ST in the stacking direction DR2 of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. In this way, by reducing the thickness of at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 in the stacking direction DR2, it is possible to make the electrical resistance of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 larger than that of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 without adding any new components.

[0056] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. In this embodiment, differences from the second embodiment will be mainly described.

[0057] 9, instead of the thickness in the stacking direction DR2, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 has an electrode width that is smaller than the thickness in the stacking direction DR2 of the stack ST at each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. The portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 where the electrode width is smaller is the disconnection portion DC. The electrode width is the width dimension of each electrode portion 30, 40 in a direction intersecting the direction of current flow.

[0058] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0059] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0060] (1) At least a portion of each of the separated electrode regions 35, 45 has an electrode width smaller than that of each of the attached electrode regions 34, 44. By reducing the electrode width of at least a portion of each of the separated electrode regions 35, 45 in this way, the electrical resistance of each of the separated electrode regions 35, 45 can be made larger than that of each of the attached electrode regions 34, 44 without adding any new components.

[0061] (Modification of the third embodiment) In the third embodiment, the electrode width of at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is smaller than the electrode width of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44, but is not limited to this. Each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 may be configured to have one or more non-conductive masked portions so that the cross-sectional area intersecting the current flow direction is reduced, for example, as shown in Fig. 10 .

[0062] Furthermore, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 in the third embodiment may have a reduced thickness in the stacking direction DR2, which also reduces the cross-sectional area intersecting the current flow direction.

[0063] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. In this embodiment, differences from the second embodiment will be mainly described.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 11, a portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 is made of a conductive material having lower electrical conductivity than the remaining portions excluding this portion. The portion of each separated electrode portion 35, 45 made of a conductive material having lower electrical conductivity is the disconnected portion DC. As shown in Fig. 12, the disconnected portion DC has lower electrical conductivity than the remaining portions. In each separated electrode portion 35, 45, for example, the disconnected portion DC is made of aluminum, and the remaining portions are made of copper.

[0065] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the embodiments described above or equivalent structures.

[0066] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0067] (1) As in this embodiment, if a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is made of a conductive material with low electrical conductivity, the electrical resistance of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 can be made larger than that of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 without adding any new parts.

[0068] (Fifth embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0069] 13, in the film heater 10 of this embodiment, the amount of heat transfer in at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is smaller than the amount of heat transfer in each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. The portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 with the smaller amount of heat transfer is the disconnection portion DC, which melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. The amount of heat transfer is the amount of heat transferred to the outside in each of the electrode portions 30, 40.

[0070] 14, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 has a smaller surface roughness than each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. As a result, the heat transfer area of ​​each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is smaller than the heat transfer area of ​​each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44, and the amount of heat transfer in each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is reduced.

[0071] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the embodiments described above or equivalent structures.

[0072] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0073] (1) The film heater 10 is structured to reduce the amount of heat transfer at least in part of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45. This makes it easier for each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to heat up quickly when an overcurrent occurs, and therefore each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 can be appropriately melted or broken when an overcurrent occurs.

[0074] (2) At least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 has a smaller surface roughness than each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. This allows the amount of heat transfer at each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to be smaller than that at each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 without adding any new components.

[0075] (Sixth embodiment) Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16. In this embodiment, differences from the fifth embodiment will be mainly described.

[0076] 15, in the film heater 10 of this embodiment, the connector connection portion 12 is disposed inside an outer panel OP such as a hood of the vehicle C. This prevents the connector connection portion 12 from being exposed to wind generated when the vehicle C is traveling.

[0077] With this configuration, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is disposed at a position where the flow velocity of the airflow around the stack ST is smaller than that at the position where each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 is disposed. As a result, the flow velocity of the airflow around each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is smaller than that of the airflow around each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44, as shown in Fig. 16, for example. Then, the portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 where the flow velocity of the airflow is smaller melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs.

[0078] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the embodiments described above or equivalent structures.

[0079] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0080] (1) When the airflow velocity around the laminate ST is low, the amount of heat transferred to the periphery of the laminate ST is low compared to when the airflow velocity is high. At least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is disposed at a position where the airflow velocity around the laminate ST is low compared to the position where each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 is disposed. The portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 where the airflow velocity is low constitutes a disconnection portion DC that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. This allows the amount of heat transferred from each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to be low compared to each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 without adding any new components.

[0081] (Seventh embodiment) Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 17. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0082] 17, in the film heater 10, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the material of each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44. The portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity is a disconnection portion DC, which melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs. For example, in the film heater 10, each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is made of aluminum, and each of the attached electrode portions 34, 44 is made of copper.

[0083] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the embodiments described above or equivalent structures.

[0084] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0085] (1) In the film heater 10, at least a portion of each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity. This makes it easier for the temperature to rise quickly by suppressing heat transfer from each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to the surroundings when an overcurrent occurs, and therefore allows each of the separated electrode portions 35, 45 to melt or break appropriately when an overcurrent occurs.

[0086] (Eighth embodiment) Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 18. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0087] 18, in the film heater 10, at least a portion of the separated insulating portion 52 is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the material making up the mounting insulating portion 51. Of the separated electrode portions 35, 45, the portion close to the portion of the separated insulating portion 52 made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity becomes a disconnection portion DC, which melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs.

[0088] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0089] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0090] (1) In the film heater 10, at least a portion of the insulating spaced portion 52 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity. This prevents heat transfer from the insulating spaced portion 52 to the surroundings when an overcurrent occurs, facilitating an early temperature rise. Therefore, when an overcurrent occurs, the portion of the pair of electrodes 30, 40 that is close to the insulating spaced portion 52 can be appropriately melted or broken.

[0091] (Ninth embodiment) Next, a ninth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 19. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0092] 19, in the film heater 10, at least a portion of the separated insulating portion 52 is made of a material having a higher linear expansion coefficient than the material making up the mounting insulating portion 51. Of the separated electrode portions 35, 45, the portion close to the portion of the separated insulating portion 52 made of a material with a higher linear expansion coefficient becomes a disconnection portion DC, which melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs.

[0093] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0094] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0095] (1) In the film heater 10, if at least a portion of the separated insulating portion 52 is made of a material with a large linear expansion coefficient, the thermal stress caused by the temperature rise when an overcurrent occurs increases. This allows the portion of the pair of electrodes 30, 40 that is close to the separated insulating portion 52 to be appropriately melted when an overcurrent occurs.

[0096] (Tenth embodiment) Next, a tenth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 20. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0097] 20, the laminate ST includes a surface layer portion 70 having electrical insulation and disposed on one side in the stacking direction DR2. Specifically, the laminate ST has a stacked structure in which a conductive film 20 and a pair of electrode portions 30, 40 are sandwiched between an insulating portion 50 having electrical insulation and the surface layer portion 70. The surface layer portion 70 may be made of the same material as the insulating portion 50, or may be made of a different material.

[0098] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0099] The film heater 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0100] (1) The laminate ST constituting the film heater 10 has a laminated structure in which the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 are sandwiched between the insulating portion 50 and the surface layer portion 70, which have electrical insulation properties. This makes it possible to ensure the electrical insulation of the film heater 10 in a simple manner.

[0101] (Eleventh embodiment) Next, an eleventh embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 21. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0102] 21, the film heater 10 is attached to the lens portion RZ via a support material 60 on the side of each electrode portion 30, 40 of the laminate ST. That is, the laminate ST is attached to the lens portion RZ via a support material 60 on one side in the stacking direction DR2.

[0103] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0104] (Twelfth embodiment) Next, a twelfth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 22. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0105] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a film heater 10 is attached to the windshield FG rather than to the lens portion RZ of a headlight HL. For example, as shown in FIG. 22 , the film heater 10 is attached to an object to be heated by inserting a main body 11 between two interlayer films ML1 and ML2 of a laminated glass DG that constitutes the windshield FG. The connector connection portion 12 of the film heater 10 is disposed on the outside of the laminated glass DG. The two interlayer films ML are transparent resin films that bond the glass pieces of the laminated glass DG together.

[0106] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0107] (Modification of the twelfth embodiment) The film heater 10 of the twelfth embodiment is attached to the object to be heated by inserting the main body 11 between the two interlayer films ML1 and ML2 of the laminated glass DG, but is not limited to this. For example, the film heater 10 may be attached to the object to be heated by inserting the main body 11 along one of the inner surfaces of the laminated glass DG, as shown in Fig. 23 .

[0108] (Thirteenth embodiment) Next, a thirteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 24. In this embodiment, differences from the twelfth embodiment will be mainly described.

[0109] 24, the film heater 10 has a structure in which a pair of electrode units 30, 40 laminated on an insulating unit 50 is pressed against a conductive film 20 laminated on one of two interlayer films ML1, ML2. Such a structure can be obtained, for example, during the manufacture of a laminated glass DG, by laminating the conductive film 20 on one of the two interlayer films ML1, ML2 and bringing the pair of electrode units 30, 40 laminated on the insulating unit 50 into contact with the conductive film 20. Note that the connector connection unit 12 of the film heater 10 is disposed outside the laminated glass DG.

[0110] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0111] (Modification of the thirteenth embodiment) In the film heater 10 of the thirteenth embodiment, the conductive film 20 is laminated on one of the two intermediate films ML1 and ML2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 25, the film heater 10 may have a structure in which a pair of electrode units 30 and 40 laminated on an insulating unit 50 are pressed against the conductive film 20 laminated on a laminated glass DG.

[0112] 26, the film heater 10 may be protected by modulating a portion of the laminate ST with a resin adhesive or the like. Note that the entire laminate ST of the film heater 10 may be modulated with a resin adhesive or the like.

[0113] (Fourteenth embodiment) Next, a fourteenth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 27 and 28. In this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0114] 27 and 28, the film heater 10 includes a conductive film 20, a first electrode portion 30, a second electrode portion 40, and a support 80. The film heater 10 of this embodiment does not include the insulating portion 50 described in the first embodiment.

[0115] The conductive film 20 of the film heater 10 is attached to the headlight HL with an adhesive or the like (not shown). That is, the conductive film 20 of the film heater 10 is attached directly to the headlight HL without the support material 60 therebetween.

[0116] The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 have a first mounting electrode portion 34 and a second mounting electrode portion 44 that constitute the main body 11 attached to the headlight HL via a conductive film 20. The first electrode unit 30 and the second electrode unit 40 have a first separated electrode portion 35 and a second separated electrode portion 45 that constitute the connector connection portion 12 and are spaced apart from the headlight HL. A support 80 is attached to the first separated electrode portion 35 and the second separated electrode portion 45. The support 80 is a base material that supports the conductive film 20 and at least one of the pair of electrode units 30, 40. The support 80 reinforces the first separated electrode portion 35 and the second separated electrode portion 45. The support 80 is made of a transparent resin material. The support 80 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate. The support 80 has a thickness of, for example, approximately 0.05 to 0.5 mm.

[0117] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is not entirely configured as a laminate ST. Specifically, a structure including the conductive film 20, the first electrode portion 30, and the second electrode portion 40 is not laminated at the connector connection portion 12.

[0118] The film heater 10 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the embodiments described above. The film heater 10 of this embodiment can obtain the effects achieved by a configuration common to or equivalent to the embodiments described above.

[0119] The film heater 10 also has the following features. (1) The structure including the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40 includes a support 80 that supports at least one of the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40. In the film heater 10 configured in this manner, the support 80 can reinforce the conductive film 20 and the pair of electrode portions 30, 40.

[0120] (Modification of the 14th embodiment) The film heater 10 described in the fourteenth embodiment does not include the insulating portion 50, but this is not a limitation and the film heater 10 may include the insulating portion 50. Furthermore, the film heater 10 described in the fourteenth embodiment has the conductive film 20 directly attached to the headlight HL, but this is not a limitation. For example, the film heater 10 may have the conductive film 20 attached to the headlight HL via a support member 60.

[0121] (Other embodiments) Representative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways, for example, as follows.

[0122] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the film heater 10 heats the lens portion RZ of the headlight HL of the vehicle C, but the object to be heated by the film heater 10 is not limited to the headlight HL. In addition to the headlight HL, the film heater 10 may also be applied to a camera, a radar device, a LiDAR, or glass mounted on the vehicle C. Furthermore, the film heater 10 can also be applied to moving objects other than the vehicle C, stationary equipment, houses, etc.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the film heater 10 is attached to a transparent member that transmits electromagnetic waves such as visible light, but the film heater 10 may also be attached to, for example, an opaque member.

[0124] In the film heater 10 of the above-described embodiment, the conductive film 20 and the insulating section 50 are made of transparent thin films, but this is not a limitation, and at least one of the conductive film 20 and the insulating section 50 may be made of an opaque thin film. The film heater 10 does not have to be configured as a laminate ST. In the film heater 10, the insulating section 50 having electrical insulation properties is used as the base material, but this is not a limitation, and for example, a conductive film-like member may be used as the base material.

[0125] As in the above-described embodiment, it is desirable that the connector connection portion 12 of the film heater 10 be disposed above the main body portion 11 that constitutes the heat generating portion, but this is not limitative and does not have to be the case.

[0126] In the above-described embodiments, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly considered essential in principle.

[0127] In the above-described embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, values, amounts, ranges, etc. of components of the embodiments are mentioned, they are not limited to the specific numbers unless they are expressly stated as being essential or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle.

[0128] In the above-described embodiments, when referring to the shapes, positional relationships, etc. of components, etc., the shapes, positional relationships, etc. are not limited to those unless otherwise specified or when they are limited in principle to specific shapes, positional relationships, etc.

[0129] (This Disclosure)

[0130] [Disclosure 1] A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film, a structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) attached to an object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) connected to the attachment portion and separated from the object to be heated; The film heater has a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs.

[0131] [Disclosure 2] The film heater according to Disclosure 1, wherein the structure includes a substrate (50, 80) that supports the conductive film and at least one of the pair of electrode portions.

[0132] [Disclosure 3] The pair of electrode portions has an attached electrode portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated electrode portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, The electrical resistance of at least a part of the separated electrode portion is greater than the electrical resistance of the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to Disclosure 1 or 2, wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion where the electrical resistance is high is the disconnection portion, and melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0133] [Disclosure 4] the separated electrode portion has at least a portion whose cross-sectional area intersecting the direction of current flow is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the attached electrode portion; The film heater according to Disclosure 3, wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion having the small cross-sectional area melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0134] [Disclosure 5] the structure is configured as a laminate in which the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions are laminated in a predetermined order, the thickness of at least a portion of the separated electrode region in the stacking direction of the laminate is smaller than the thickness of the attached electrode region in the stacking direction of the laminate, The film heater according to Disclosure 4, wherein a portion of the separated electrode portion having a small thickness in the stacking direction melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0135] [Disclosure 6] At least a part of the separated electrode portion has an electrode width smaller than that of the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to Disclosure 4 or 5, wherein a portion of the separated electrode portion where the electrode width is small melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0136] [Disclosure 7] a part of the separated electrode portion is made of a conductive material having a lower electrical conductivity than the other part of the separated electrode portion; The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 3 to 6, wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion made of the conductive material with low electrical conductivity melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0137] [Disclosure 8] The pair of electrode portions has an attached electrode portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated electrode portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, the amount of heat transfer in at least a portion of the separated electrode portion is smaller than the amount of heat transfer in the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 1 to 7, wherein a portion of the separated electrode portion where the amount of heat transfer is small is the disconnection portion, and melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0138] [Disclosure 9] At least a portion of the separated electrode portion has a surface roughness smaller than that of the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to Disclosure 8, wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion having the small surface roughness melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0139] [Disclosure 10] the structure is configured as a laminate (ST) in which the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions are laminated in a predetermined order, at least a part of the separated electrode portion is disposed at a position where the flow velocity of the airflow flowing around the stack is smaller than that at a position where the attached electrode portion is disposed, The film heater according to Disclosure 8 or 9, wherein a portion of the separated electrode portion, which is located at a position where the flow velocity of the airflow is small, melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

[0140] [Disclosure 11] The pair of electrode portions has an attached electrode portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated electrode portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the separated electrode portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 1 to 10, wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion made of the material with low thermal conductivity is the disconnection portion, and melts down when the overcurrent occurs.

[0141] [Disclosure 12] The structure is configured to include an insulating portion (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the spaced-apart insulating portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached insulating portion, The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 1 to 11, wherein a portion of the pair of electrode portions adjacent to a portion of the separated insulating portion made of a material with low thermal conductivity serves as the disconnection portion and melts down when the overcurrent occurs.

[0142] [Disclosure 13] The structure is configured to include an insulating portion (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (51) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (52) located in the separated portion, 13. The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 1 to 12, wherein at least a portion of the separated insulating portion is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient greater than that of a material constituting the attached insulating portion.

[0143] [Disclosure 14] 14. The film heater according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the spaced apart portion is disposed above the attachment portion.

[0144] [Disclosure 15] The object to be heated is transparent and transmits electromagnetic waves, The film heater according to any one of Disclosures 1 to 14, wherein the conductive film is made of a transparent conductive film that transmits electromagnetic waves, and the insulating portion is made of a transparent insulating material that transmits the electromagnetic waves. [Explanation of symbols]

[0145] 10 Film heater 11 Main body (mounting part) 12 Connector connection part (separated part) 20 Conductive film 30, 40 1st electrode part, 2nd electrode part 50 Insulation section DC disconnection

Claims

1. A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film, The structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) attached to the object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) connected to the attachment portion and separated from the object to be heated, The separated portion is a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, The pair of electrode portions has an attached electrode portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated electrode portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, the amount of heat transfer in at least a portion of the separated electrode portion is smaller than the amount of heat transfer in the attached electrode portion, A film heater in which the portion of the separated electrode where the amount of heat transfer is small is the disconnection portion, and melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

2. At least a portion of the separated electrode portion has a surface roughness smaller than that of the attached electrode portion, The film heater according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the separated electrode portion having the small surface roughness melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

3. the structure is configured as a laminate (ST) in which the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions are laminated in a predetermined order, at least a part of the separated electrode portion is disposed at a position where the flow velocity of the airflow flowing around the stack is smaller than that at a position where the attached electrode portion is disposed, 2. The film heater according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the separated electrode portion, which is located at a position where the flow velocity of the airflow is small, melts or breaks when the overcurrent occurs.

4. A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film, The structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) attached to the object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) connected to the attachment portion and separated from the object to be heated, The separated portion is a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, The pair of electrode portions has an attached electrode portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated electrode portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the separated electrode portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached electrode portion, A film heater in which a portion of the separated electrode portion made of the material with low thermal conductivity is the disconnection portion, and melts down when the overcurrent occurs.

5. A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film, The structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) attached to the object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) connected to the attachment portion and separated from the object to be heated, The separated portion is a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, The structure is configured to include an insulating part (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (34, 44) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (35, 45) located in the separated portion, At least a portion of the spaced-apart insulating portion is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material constituting the attached insulating portion, A film heater in which a portion of the pair of electrodes adjacent to a portion of the separated insulating portion made of a material with low thermal conductivity is the disconnection portion, and melts down when the overcurrent occurs.

6. A film heater attached to a heating object (HL, RZ), A conductive film (20) that generates heat when energized; a pair of electrode portions (30, 40) connected to the conductive film, The structure including the conductive film and the pair of electrode portions includes an attachment portion (11) attached to the object to be heated, and a separation portion (12) connected to the attachment portion and separated from the object to be heated, The separated portion is a disconnection portion (DC) that melts or breaks when an overcurrent occurs, The structure is configured to include an insulating part (50) having electrical insulation properties, The insulating portion has an attached insulating portion (51) located in the attached portion and a separated insulating portion (52) located in the separated portion, A film heater, wherein at least a portion of the spaced insulating portion is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient greater than that of a material constituting the attached insulating portion.

7. 7. The film heater according to claim 1, wherein the structure includes a substrate (50, 80) that supports the conductive film and at least one of the pair of electrode portions.

8. The film heater according to claim 1 , wherein the spaced apart portion is disposed above the mounting portion.

9. The object to be heated is transparent and transmits electromagnetic waves, 7. The film heater according to claim 1, wherein the conductive film is made of a transparent conductive film that transmits electromagnetic waves.

Images