Heating Fabric Segmentation and Isolation for Reliable Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating fabrics with electrically conductive threads face reliability issues if the heating filament is severed, and they lack flexibility in dimensioning for specific heating patterns.
Innovation Solution
A heating fabric design featuring pigtails that connect electrically conductive threads to a voltage source, with a hollow fabric section providing isolation between layers, allowing for flexible dimensioning and uniform heating by using high-impedance conductor media and separate polarity connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heating fabric uses a meandering pattern of electrically conductive threads, then the heating effect is distributed across the fabric surface, but the entire heating effect fails if the heating filament is severed
Solution Approach 1:
The heating fabric is divided into multiple heating zones, each with its own meandering conductive thread path connected to common connection strands. This segmentation allows individual zones to be isolated from others, so if one zone's filament is severed, the other zones can continue to function independently, thereby improving reliability without requiring overly complex redundant pathways throughout the entire fabric.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the heating fabric is cut to size after manufacturing, then flexibility in dimensioning is achieved, but cutting through conductive threads may sever the heating filament
Solution Approach 1:
The connection strands are positioned in the edge region of the fabric and extend in a direction perpendicular to the main heating zones. This spatial arrangement creates a dedicated connection zone that can be preserved during cutting operations, allowing the fabric to be cut to various sizes while maintaining the integrity of the heating circuits as long as the edge region with connection strands remains intact.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple electrically conductive threads are arranged closely together, then uniform heating is achieved, but heat may be generated between connection strands
Solution Approach 1:
The connection strands are extracted and positioned in a separate edge region of the fabric, isolated from the main heating zones where the meandering conductive threads are densely arranged. This spatial separation prevents unintended heat generation between connection strands while maintaining the uniform heating effect in the heating zones, as the connection strands no longer intersect with the heating threads.
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
Ensures reliable and flexible heating performance by maintaining heat generation even if the fabric is cut to size, with uniform heating output and reduced contact between conductive threads, preventing heat generation between pigtails.
Implementation Method 1
A voltage is applied to the electrically conductive threads to generate heat. The electrical resistance of the threads generates heat, which is used to heat the seat.
Implementation Method 2
The hollow fabric section comprises at least two separate fabric layers and a channel-shaped cavity extending between the fabric layers. The first connecting wire is connected to a first group of electrically conductive threads and the second connecting wire is connected to a second group of electrically conductive threads, with the wires isolated from one another by the hollow fabric section.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The fabric (10) consists of multiple electrically conductive threads (62,64) that are extended along a warp direction and a weft direction. The cord strands (30,50) comprises cords (32,52) extended along and connected to a portion of the electrically conductive threads. A pair of hollow weave portion (20,40) formed of multiple cavities (26,46) is extended along a portion of the respective cords. A pair of insulating separation layer (34,54) is introduced into the cavities of the hollow weave portions.