Patent ID: 8604391

Claim:
An electric heating blanket or pad, comprising: a flexible sheet heating element including a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a first edge extending between the first and second ends, and a second edge, opposite the first edge, and extending between the first and second ends; a first conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the first edge of the heating element, the first bus bar being adapted for coupling to a power source for powering the heating element; a second conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the second edge of the heating element, the second bus bar being adapted for coupling to the power source for powering the heating element; a flexible layer of insulating material extending over the first side of the heating element, between the first and second bus bars; a flexible waterproof shell enclosing the heating element, the flexible layer of insulating material and the first and second bus bars, the shell including a seal zone and facing sides that are sealed together to form the seal zone, the seal zone extending around the first and second ends and the first and second edges of the heating element; and a securing strip, the securing strip being enclosed within the shell, coupled to at least one of the first and second edges of the heating element, extending laterally away from the heating element and being engaged between the facing sides of the shell, in the seal zone thereof, in order to secure the heating element within the shell.