Planar Heating Element Structure for Crack-Resistant Flexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Planar heating elements with thin PET substrates are prone to breakage or cracking when deformed by load due to insufficient stress absorption.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an insulating resin film with conductive circuits and a supporting layer of woven or non-woven fabric, featuring openings and recesses that absorb stress and distribute load, reducing the risk of breakage and cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a thin PET substrate is used to reduce weight and improve flexibility, then the planar heating element becomes more flexible and lighter, but it becomes prone to breakage or cracking when deformed by load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a thin PET substrate combined with a porous foam layer. The substrate provides flexibility and light weight, while the foam layer provides structural support and stress absorption. This composite material approach allows the heating element to maintain both light weight and high strength, resolving the contradiction between using a thin substrate and preventing breakage under load.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a thin PET substrate is used to improve flexibility, then the planar heating element can better conform to seat surfaces, but it is more likely to crack when pulled and deformed by user load
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of thin PET substrate combined with porous foam layer enables the heating element to maintain high flexibility for conforming to seat surfaces while the foam layer provides crack resistance. The foam layer acts as a buffer that prevents stress concentration in the thin substrate, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous foam layer serves as a stress-absorbing structure that prevents crack propagation in the thin PET substrate. The porous structure allows the foam to compress and expand, absorbing mechanical stresses from user load, thereby protecting the thin substrate from breaking while maintaining the overall flexibility of the heating element.
3Volume of moving object
If the substrate thickness is reduced to minimize profile height, then the planar heating element becomes thinner and more comfortable, but it becomes more susceptible to deformation-induced breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure where a thin PET substrate is combined with a porous foam layer. This allows the overall thickness to be minimized for comfort while the foam layer provides the necessary structural strength to resist deformation-induced breakage. The substrate provides flexibility and the foam provides structural support, achieving both thin profile and high strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous foam layer compensates for the reduced thickness of the PET substrate by providing structural support through its cellular structure. The foam can compress under load and return to its original shape, preventing the thin substrate from deforming permanently or breaking, thus maintaining strength despite the reduced overall thickness.
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 design effectively reduces stress and prevents breakage or cracking of the planar heating element during deformation, enhancing durability and noise reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a heating portion that comprises a conductive circuit formed on the insulating resin film
Data Source
AI summary
A planar heating element includes an insulating resin film and a heating portion that includes a conductive circuit on the insulating resin film. The insulating resin film includes missing portions penetrating the insulating resin film, surrounding a point on the insulating resin film, and including one or both of openings and recesses. The openings are disposed within the conductive circuit and outside of a circular region of a radius centered at the point. The recesses are recessed toward an inside of the insulating resin film and located on an outer edge of the insulating resin film.