Patent ID: 7306283

Claim:
A seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising: a foam cushion for a support component of the vehicle seat, the foam cushion having a cavity; a heater overlaying the cushion, the heater including; i) a flexible carrier formed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials and fabric materials, the carrier including a first lengthwise edge opposite a second lengthwise edge, both the first and second lengthwise edge having an indentation with at least one contour; ii) a first conductive medium disposed upon the carrier, the first conductive medium being formed of a polymeric material wherein the first conductive medium includes 1) a negative section having a first base portion and a plurality of first extensions extending from the first base portion, the first base portion extending along the first lengthwise edge of the carrier along the at least one contour of the first lengthwise edge; 2) a positive section having a second base portion and a plurality of second extensions extending from the second base portion, the second base portion extending along the second lengthwise edge of the carrier along the at least one contour of the second lengthwise edge; and 3) a third section that is either positive or negative and includes a base portion with a plurality of third extensions; and iii) a second conductive medium that includes a plurality of first strips and a plurality of second strips, each of the first strips in overlapping relation with only one of the plurality of first extensions and only one of the plurality of second extensions, each of the second strips in overlapping relation with only one of the plurality of third extensions and only one of either the plurality of first extension or the plurality of second extensions, the plurality of first strips also extending substantially parallel to the first and second extensions, the second conductive medium having a positive thermal coefficient; a protective polymeric dielectric coating over the first conductive medium and the second conductive medium; and a trim layer substantially covering the foam cushion; wherein the heater is tied down to the foam cushion such that the heater curves at the at least one contour of the carrier.