Heatable Component with Rear-Side Contacts for Smooth Surface Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating units in industrial applications, such as aircraft, ship, and vehicle cabs, face challenges in achieving smooth surface quality and energy efficiency due to the disruptive influence of wires or contacts on the surface to be heated, which are often thick and disrupt the surface structure.
Innovation Solution
A heatable component design where the heating layer has an extension bent over onto the rear or front side of the base member, with electrical contacts arranged on this extension, minimizing surface disruption and allowing for thin, complex contact production, ensuring a smooth surface and easy repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If wires or contacts are used for heating units positioned near the surface, then electrical heating function is achieved, but surface smoothness and quality are disrupted due to the inherent thickness of the wires
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contacts are extracted from the front side (surface) and relocated to the rear side of the base member. The heating layer extends with a bent-over portion that allows contacts to be positioned at the rear, removing the disruptive visual and physical element from the surface while maintaining the heating function at the required location.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating layer is designed with an extension that bends over onto the rear side, utilizing the third dimension (depth/thickness) to relocate contacts away from the surface plane. This dimensional transition allows the heating element to function near the surface while contacts are positioned in a different spatial plane (rear side), resolving the surface disruption issue.
2Loss of energy
If heating layer is positioned very near the surface for improved energy efficiency, then energy efficiency is optimized, but surface flatness and flush closure are compromised due to contact thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The contacts are extracted from the surface area and positioned at the rear side of the base member. This allows the heating layer to be placed immediately adjacent to the surface for optimal energy efficiency while the contacts, which would otherwise disrupt surface flatness, are removed from the surface plane entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating layer extension bends over onto the rear side, utilizing depth as an additional dimension to separate the contact location from the surface plane. This enables the heating element to maintain close proximity to the surface for energy efficiency while contacts are positioned in a different dimensional space (rear side), preserving surface flatness.
3Reliability
If conventional wires are used for heating contacts, then electrical connection is achieved, but surface structure is disrupted and repair complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contacts are extracted from the surface and positioned at the rear side of the base member. This not only maintains reliable electrical connection for heating but also simplifies repair work, as contacts can be accessed and replaced from the rear side without disrupting or requiring surface reconstruction, making maintenance significantly easier.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively minimizes the influence of heating on the surface structure, ensuring a smooth and disruption-free outer face while maintaining electrical safety and simplicity in production, suitable for applications requiring flush closures and optimized energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heating layer which is arranged on the base member and/or which is integrated in the base member is provided for electrically heating the component
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a heatable component having a main body, a heating layer located on the main body and/or integrated in the main body for electrically heating the component, and electrical contacts for contacting the electrically heatable heating layer. The heating layer has at least one extension which is folded over onto a rear face or end face of the main body, and the electrical contacts are located on that part of the at least one extension which is located on the rear face or end face of the main body.