Patent Publication Number: US-2004040946-A1

Title: Heating element embedded material for seats and other uses

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates to electrical-resistance heating elements and more particularly to leather-like or rubber-like heating-element-embedded material and heating articles made with it for smoothness, thinness, moisture resistance, pliantness, safety and long use life.  
       [0002] Known electrical heating elements for heating seats, furniture and pads employ a generally zigzag, meandering or other patterned electrical-series current that is routed from-end-to-end of a strand or yarn of electrical-resistance wire to generate heat. This necessitates thickness of heating material for furniture. It is not advantageous for or conducive to thin, smooth or textured covering material with a heating element embedded unobtrusively in it for covering seats or furniture and for making thin heating articles, sheets or pads.  
       [0003] There is no known electrical heating element embedded in furniture-covering material as taught by this invention.  
       [0004] Examples of most-closely related known but different devices are described in the following patent documents:  
                                                       U.S. Pat. No.   Inventor   Issue Date                          4,825,048   Altmann, et al.   Apr. 25, 1989           2,731,542   Daniels   Jan. 17, 1956           5,516,189   Ligeras   May 14, 1996           4,628,188   Andreasson   Dec. 9, 1986           4,590,359   Möbius   May 20, 1986           4,044,221   Kuhn   Aug. 23, 1977           4,964,674   Altmann, et al.   Oct. 23, 1990                      
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide heating-element-embedded material which:  
       [0006] contains resistance-heating elements in furniture material which can have predetermined furniture-covering thinness, pliantness, moisture imperviousness, breathing porosity and texture designedly;  
       [0007] can be sized, shaped and articulated into predetermined heating articles of furniture designedly; and  
       [0008] is inexpensive and long-lasting.  
       [0009] This invention accomplishes these objectives with a heating-element-embedded material having a lateral heating element embedded in furniture material which can be used for covering seats and other furniture and for making heating articles of furniture. The lateral heating element has series-parallel heating-resistor conveyance of current from an input terminal to a return terminal. The lateral heating element can include a net, sheet, perforated-sheet, line-juxtaposition, strip-juxtaposition, yarn-juxtaposition, helix-juxtaposition, zigzag-juxtaposition or other generally series-parallel conveyance within or on either side of the furniture material. The furniture material can be rubberlike, leatherlike, vinyl-like, cloth-like, smooth, rough, moisture-proof, permeable or impermeable. The heated-surface use can be for seat covering, furniture covering, mattress covering, quilting, pillow covering, heating pads, wall covering and other heating articles of furniture.  
       [0010] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0011] This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a heating article of furniture or portion thereof having a lateral heating element that is a resistance-wire net oriented with oblique strands embedded in furniture material;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a side view of a representation of a DC current outlet that can include a receptacle for a cigarette lighter on a vehicle;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway fragmentary side view of a converter for converting DC to AC for using a DC plug on the heating article of furniture;  
     [0015]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a plug of an AC electrical cord for use on AC heating articles of furniture;  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is an edge view of the heating article of furniture showing approximate relative thinness of the heating article of furniture or the furniture material from which it is made in proportion to an electrical cord;  
     [0017]FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with two layers of the lateral heating elements being a resistance-wire net embedment-positioned proximate each of two opposite sides of the furniture material;  
     [0018]FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with one layer of the lateral heating elements being a resistance-wire net embedment-positioned intermediate the two opposite sides of the furniture material;  
     [0019]FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture that is a heating pad having the lateral heating element that is the resistance-wire net oriented with strands orthogonal to an axis of current flow intermediate an input terminal and a return terminal and being positioned in a carrying case;  
     [0020]FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture or portion thereof having the lateral heating element that is a thin sheet of resistance material that is optionally perforated for permeability;  
     [0021]FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with two layers of the lateral heating elements being the thin sheet of resistance material embedment-positioned proximate each of two opposite sides of the furniture material;  
     [0022]FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with one layer of the lateral heating elements being the thin sheet of resistance material embedment-positioned intermediate the two opposite sides of the furniture material;  
     [0023]FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with the one of the lateral heating elements being the perforated thin sheet of resistance material embedment-positioned intermediate the two opposite sides of the furniture material;  
     [0024]FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture or portion thereof having the lateral heating element that is a plurality of thin strips of resistance material that are embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0025]FIG. 14 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with two layers of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin strips of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0026]FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with one layer of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin strips of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0027]FIG. 16 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture or portion thereof having a lateral heating element that is a plurality of thin single lines or optionally thin yarn lines of resistance material that are embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0028]FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with two layers of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin single lines or optionally thin yarn lines of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0029]FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with one layer of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin single lines or optionally thin yarn lines of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0030]FIG. 19 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture or portion thereof having a lateral heating element that is a plurality of thin expanded helical lines or optionally zigzag lines of resistance material that are embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0031]FIG. 20 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with two layers of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin expanded helical lines or optionally zigzag lines of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0032]FIG. 21 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with one layer of the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin expanded helical lines or optionally zigzag lines of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0033]FIG. 22 is a partially cutaway side view of the heating article of furniture or portion thereof having a lateral heating element that is a plurality of thin zigzag strips of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0034]FIG. 23 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material with the lateral heating elements being a plurality of thin zigzag strips of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0035]FIG. 24 is a schematic representation of the heating article of furniture or furniture material for making it with the lateral heating elements being the plurality of thin zigzag strips of resistance material that are shown from ends and embedment-positioned in the furniture material spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally and parallel to flow of current from the input terminal to the return terminal;  
     [0036]FIG. 25 is a side elevation view of a seat having a seat cover as the heating article of furniture;  
     [0037]FIG. 26 is a side elevation view of a pillow having a pillow cover as the heating article of furniture;  
     [0038]FIG. 27 is an edge view of a quilt as the heating article of furniture;  
     [0039]FIG. 28 is a side elevation view of a mattress having a mattress cover as the heating article of furniture; and  
     [0040]FIG. 29 is a side elevation view of a wall cover as the heating article of furniture;  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0041] Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description.  
                                      1.   Lateral heating element       2.   Furniture material       3.   Heating articles of furniture       4.   Input terminal       5.   Return terminal       6.   Layer connector       7.   Return connector       8.   Current distributor       9.   Electrical cord       10.   DC plug       11.   AC plug       12.   Vehicle lighter socket       13.   Converter       14.   Resistence-wire net       15.   First strand       16.   Second strand       17.   Heating pad       18.   Sanitary bag       19.   Handle       20.   Thin sheet       21.   Perforations       22.   Thin strips       23.   Thin lines       24.   Expanded helical lines       25.   Zigzag strips       26.   Seat cover       27.   Pillow cover       28.   Quilt       29.   Mattress cover       30.   Wall cover                  
 
     [0042] Referring to FIGS.  1 - 7 , the heating-element-embedded material has a lateral heating element  1  embedded in furniture material  2  having predetermined features for making and covering heating articles of furniture  3  designedly. The lateral heating element  1  has series-parallel heating-resistor communication of electrical current intermediate an input terminal  4  and a return terminal  5  on the heating article of furniture  3 . The input terminal  4  and the return terminal  5  can be articulated or extended to include lateral lead lines which convey current for series-parallel heating resistance by predetermined lateral heating elements  1 .  
     [0043] A layer of the lateral heating element  1  can be embedment-positioned proximate each of oppositely disposed sides of the furniture material  2  as shown in FIG. 6. Optionally, a single layer of the lateral heating element  1  can be embedment-positioned in the furniture material  2  predeterminedly intermediate the oppositely disposed sides as shown in FIG. 7. For the two layers, a layer connector  6  can be employed for bridging electrical conveyance between them. For the single layer, a return connector  7  can be employed for bridging electrical conveyance between the return terminal  5  and a current distributor  8 . The return connector  7  is preferably embedded in the furniture material  2 , although shown outside of the furniture material  2  in FIG. 12 for representation of optionally surface or outside positioning of the return connector  7 .  
     [0044] The current distributor  8  is connected to an electrical cord  9  having optionally a DC plug  10  or an AC plug  11 . The DC plug  10  can be articulated for connection to a vehicle lighter socket  12  or optionally to a converter  13  for distributing current to the input terminal  4  and returning it from the return terminal  5 .  
     [0045] In known prior art, conventional heater elements resistance-convey electrical current in series from an input end to a return end of a conventional resistor element. The conventional resistor element is generally a wire, a yarn of wire or a single-wire helix. Generally, the conventional heater elements are positioned to zigzag from side-to-side of heated areas or portions of heated areas. This is known in the industry as “meandering”. Meandering provides parallel or side-by-side positioning of the conventional heater element, but it is not series parallel as taught by this invention because current travel is still series from-end-to-end of the meandering or variously routed single line. There can be a plurality of meandering series in the conventional practice, but it is only a duplication of the same series flow of current.  
     [0046] The series flow of current in conventional practice has major thickness disadvantages resulting from thickness of the heater elements that is required to resistance-convey current from-end-to-end of the heater elements. Meandering only increases the length and, therefore, thickness of heater element required. Helix construction further increases thickness with diameter of the helix in addition to thickness of helix wire or rod required to resistance-convey current from-end-to-end of a heater-element circuit.  
     [0047] It is not practically or economically possible to construct usably thin furniture-covering material with series-current heater elements. The thickness of series-circuit heater elements requires either thick material to contain it or the formation of ridges to cover over it.  
     [0048] A purpose of this invention, therefore, is to provide series-parallel heating elements which are referred to herein as the lateral heating elements  1 . They have series flow of current which is ontologically essential. However, the lateral heating elements  1  also have parallel current travel in a manner taught by this invention.  
     [0049] Included as one embodiment of the lateral heating element  1  is a resistence-wire net  14  that is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6- 8 . In FIG. 1, the resistance-wire net  14  is oriented with first strands  15  extended obliquely in a direction of a first side of the heating article of furniture  3  and with second strands  16  extended obliquely in a direction of a second side of the heating article of furniture  3 . In FIG. 8, the resistance-wire net  14  is oriented with the first strands  15  parallel and the second strands  16  orthogonal to an axis of current flow intermediate the input terminal  4  and the return terminal  5 .  
     [0050] In either orientation of the resistence-wire net  14 , flow of current is both series from-end-to-end and parallel from-side-to-side in heater-resistance circuitry from the input terminal  4  to the return terminal  5 . The first strands  15  and the second strands  16  can be unprecedentedly thin because there are many of them either obliquely or orthogonally side-by-side for series and simultaneously parallel travel of current within a teaching of series parallel by this invention. Also allowing them to be thin is relative shortness in contrast to longer length of meandering series-current lines of the prior art. Thinness of the resistance-wire net  14  embodiment of the lateral heating element  1  allows thinness of the furniture material  2  for structure of the heating articles of furniture  3 .  
     [0051] Referring to FIG. 8, the heating article of furniture  3  can include a heating pad  17  which can be used also as a portable seat cover that is positioned removably in a sanitary bag  18  which can be washed and which can be carried with a handle  19  for convenient and sanitary use where and as desired. Preferably but not necessarily, it has the DC plug  10  for hook up to a golf cart or other vehicle with DC current. The heating pad  17  can be as thin as ordinary furniture material  2 , purse material or thick cloth for ease of carrying in or out of the sanitary bag  18 . The lateral heating element  1  for the heating pad  17  and optionally seat cover can be the resistance-wire net  14  described in relation to either FIG. 1 or FIG. 8 or a selection of other embodiments of the lateral heating element  1  described hereafter.  
     [0052] Referring to FIGS.  9 - 12 , the lateral heating element  1  can include a predeterminedly thin sheet  20  of resistence material that optionally can be perforated with perforations  21  for breathing permeability. For two of the thin sheets  20  embedment-positioned proximate opposite sides of the furniture material  2 , as shown in FIG. 10, the layer connector  6  or optionally the thin material  20  is employed to bridge circuit routing of current from electrical contact with the input terminal  4  to electrical contact with the return terminal  5  at the current distributor  8 . For one of the thin sheets  20  embedment-positioned intermediate the opposite sides of the furniture material  2 , as shown in FIGS.  11 - 12 , the return connector  7  is employed to bridge circuit routing of current from electrical contact with the input terminal  4  to electrical contact with the return terminal  5  at the current distributor  8 . The embodiment with the one thin sheet  20  without the perforations  20  as shown in FIG. 11 is a good wall cover for cleaner and more efficient heating of rooms of buildings and some types of vehicles than present forced-air electrical, gas, steam or hot-water heating. The embodiment with either the one thin sheet  20  with the perforations  21  as shown in FIG. 12 or with the two thin sheets  20  is a good heating pad  17  or other people cover shown in FIG. 8.  
     [0053] Referring to FIGS.  13 - 15 , the lateral heating element  1  can include a plurality of predeterminedly thin strips  22  of resistance material that are spaced apart predeterminedly edge-to-edge laterally. The input terminal  4  is in electrical communication intermediate the current distributor  8  and input ends of the thin strips  22 . For two layers of the thin strips  22  proximate oppositely disposed sides of the furniture material  2 , the layer connector  6  connects the two layers. The return terminal  5  is in electrical communication intermediate return ends of the thin strips  22  and the current distributor as shown in FIG. 14. For one layer of the thin strips  22  intermediate the opposite sides of the furniture material  2 , the return connector  7  connects the return terminal  5  with the current distributor  8  as shown in FIG. 15.  
     [0054] Referring to FIGS.  16 - 18 , the lateral heating element  1  can include a plurality of predeterminedly thin lines  23  which can be thin single lines or thin yarn lines which are not shown separately in the drawings. The single and yarn thin lines  23  of resistance material are spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally. The input terminal  4  is in electrical communication intermediate the current distributor  8  and input ends of the thin lines  23 . For two layers of the thin lines  23  proximate oppositely disposed sides of the furniture material  2 , the layer connector  6  connects the two layers. The return terminal  5  is in electrical communication intermediate return ends of the thin lines  23  and the current distributor as shown in FIG. 17. For one layer of the thin lines  23  intermediate the opposite sides of the furniture material  2 , the return connector  7  connects the return terminal  5  with the current distributor  8  as shown in FIG. 18.  
     [0055] Referring to FIGS.  19 - 21 , the lateral heating element can include a plurality of predeterminedly thin expanded helical lines  24  which can be thin helical lines or thin zigzag lines which are not shown separately in the drawings. The thin zigzag and thin expanded helical lines  24  of resistance material are spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally. The input terminal  4  is in electrical communication intermediate the current distributor  8  and input ends of the thin zigzag or expanded helical lines  24 . For two layers of the thin zig or expanded helical lines  24  proximate oppositely disposed sides of the furniture material  2 , the layer connector  6  connects the two layers. The return terminal S is in electrical communication intermediate return ends of the thin zigzag or expanded helical lines  24  and the current distributor as shown in FIG. 20. For one layer of the thin zigzag or expanded helical lines  24  intermediate the opposite sides of the furniture material  2 , the return connector  7  connects the return terminal  5  with the current distributor  8  as shown in FIG. 21.  
     [0056] Referring to FIGS.  22 - 24 , the lateral heating element can include a plurality of predeterminedly thin zigzag strips  25  of resistance material spaced apart predeterminedly side-by-side laterally. The input terminal  4  is in electrical communication intermediate the current distributor  8  and input ends of the thin zigzag strips  25 . There is preferably only one layer of the zigzag strips  25  intermediate the opposite sides of the furniture material  2 . The return connector  7  connects the return terminal  5  with the current distributor  8  as shown in FIG. 23. The zigzag strips  25  are seen from ends in FIG. 23 and from sides in FIG. 24.  
     [0057] Referring to FIGS.  25 - 29 , the heating article of furniture  3  can include a seat cover  26  as shown in FIG. 25, a pillow cover  27  as shown in FIG. 26, a quilt  28  as shown in FIG. 27, a mattress cover  29  as shown in FIG. 28, or a wall cover  30  as shown in FIG. 29. Other heating articles of furniture  3  also can be included. For seat covers  26  for vehicles, the DC plug  10  is preferred. For applications separately from vehicles, the AC plug  11  is preferred.  
     [0058] Lateral heating elements  1  that are pliable and bendable are preferable for cushioned heating articles of furniture  3 . This includes all but the thin sheet  20  for most uses. All of the other lateral heating elements  1  taught by this invention and others foreseeable within its description can be made pliable and bendable. All can be attached to nearly any known fabric, including cloth, vinyl, leather or rubberlike material as the furniture material  2 . The furniture material  2  can be made as smooth, rough, moisture proof, permeable, impermeable, pliable or stiff as desired for use with a selected lateral heating element  1  that can be made to have corresponding characteristics and features.  
     [0059] The thin sheet  20  without perforations  21 , however, is particularly advantageous for the wall covers  30  that can provide cleaner, less expensive and more conveniently controllable room heating than present room-heating systems.  
     [0060] A new and useful heating-element-embedded material having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.