Patent ID: 7705271

Claim:
A flexible surface heating element comprising a heating field of conductive fibers electrically connected to at least one contact strip, the improvement wherein said at least one contact strip includes a first type of conductors in the form of steel filaments and a second type of conductors in the form of filaments of a higher conductivity including one of copper and copper alloys than that of the steel filaments, the two types of conductors being electrically interconnected and affixed by means of a yarn on a textile band, the conductors of higher conductivity extending at least one of (1) above and (2) under the steel filament conductors and being electrically connected to the steel filament conductors, wherein the steel filament conductors extend substantially linearly; wherein the conductors of higher conductivity extend in meandering fashion, crossing the respective steel filament conductors and being in contact with said steel filament conductors and wherein said contact strip, formed from a textile band and said first and second types of conductors affixed thereto, is disposed adjacent to the heating field of conductive fibers.