Vehicle Seat Heating Cable With Wrapped Metallic Filaments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seat heating systems face challenges in achieving long lifetime and reliable operation due to dynamic bending forces, which increase production costs and create safety hazards from hot-spots, and existing insulation methods are complex, expensive, and ineffective in enhancing flex life.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat heating element with metallic filaments wrapped in non-electrically conductive fibers or tapes, providing effective hot-spot prevention and increased flex fatigue resistance, using a combination of twisting and cabling with specific wrapping directions and materials like polyester and polyamide to stabilize the heating cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If the diameter of metallic filaments is decreased to increase flex life, then the flex life of the heating cable is improved, but the production costs are exponentially increased
Solution Approach 1:
The heating cable is segmented into multiple independent metallic filaments (e.g., 15-150 filaments) instead of using a single thick filament. This segmentation allows the use of thicker, more cost-effective individual filaments while achieving the required flex life through the collective behavior of multiple filaments, resolving the contradiction between flex life improvement and production cost increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple metallic filaments with a polymer sheath to create a composite heating cable structure. The polymer sheath provides protection and structural integrity, allowing the use of thicker metallic filaments that would otherwise be susceptible to fatigue, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining or improving flex life.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If high grade polymer coatings are used to protect metallic filaments and increase flex life, then the flex life is improved, but the cost and difficulty of application are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a polymer sheath as a flexible protective shell that envelops the metallic filaments. This sheath provides the necessary protection against corrosion and mechanical damage while maintaining flexibility for dynamic bending applications, avoiding the need for complex high-grade polymer coatings and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a cost-effective polymer sheath material that provides sufficient protection for the intended application lifecycle, replacing the need for expensive, difficult-to-apply high-grade polymer coatings. The sheath is designed to provide adequate protection without requiring complex application processes or curing steps.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If individual metallic filaments are lacquered to prevent hot-spot formation, then hot-spot prevention is improved, but the process complexity and cost are significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protection function into a single polymer sheath that envelops all metallic filaments collectively, rather than applying individual lacquer coatings to each filament. This merging of the protection function into a unified structure simplifies the manufacturing process while still preventing hot-spot formation through uniform insulation and heat distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer sheath serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects against corrosion, provides mechanical strength, prevents hot-spot formation through uniform thermal insulation, and simplifies the manufacturing process. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate lacquering steps and reduces overall process complexity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If individual lacquer coating is applied to metallic filaments to solve hot-spot formation, then hot-spot prevention is improved, but the flex life contribution is minimal and the process is very expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hot-spot prevention function into the overall polymer sheath structure that protects all filaments collectively. This approach prevents hot-spots through uniform thermal insulation while avoiding the expensive and complex individual lacquering process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of multiple metallic filaments within a polymer sheath provides both hot-spot prevention and enhanced flex life. The polymer matrix distributes thermal energy uniformly, preventing hot-spots, while the composite structure itself contributes to flex life through the collective behavior of multiple filaments and the flexibility of the polymer matrix.
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 significantly increases the flex life and prevents hot-spots, resulting in a more stable and cost-effective vehicle seat heating system with improved durability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
electrical heating cables are subject to dynamic bending forces... connected to a power feeding unit that delivers current, whereby the element can be heated to a suitable temperature
Implementation Method 2
A predetermined number of the metallic filaments of the heating cable are each individually wrapped with one or more non-electrically conductive filaments
Implementation Method 3
the individual wrapping of some or all of the metallic filaments with non-conductive fibers, filaments or tapes also contributes to the flex life of the heating cable
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A vehicle seat heating element is described comprising a heating cable and means for feeding electrical current to the heating cable. The heating cable comprises metallic filaments. A predetermined number of the metallic filaments in the heating cable are each individually wrapped with one or more non-electrically conductive filaments or individually wrapped with non-electrically conductive fibers or individually wrapped with one or more non-electrically conductive tapes. The benefit of such vehicle seat heating element is that a longer reliably functioning lifefime is obtained.