| CPC B60N 2/7017 (2013.01) [B60N 2/5685 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
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1. A method of manufacturing a heat mat for a vehicle seat, the method comprising
conveying a carrier sheet along a conveyor to a coating station,
applying a conductive-particle based fluid on the carrier sheet to provide a coated carrier sheet,
forming the coated carrier sheet into a conductive pad for the heat mat,
attaching a conductor harness to the conductive pad, the conductor harness including a positive conductor bar arranged on a first side of the conductive pad and a negative conductor bar on an opposite second side of the conductive pad, and
applying a protective sheet over at least a portion of the conductor harness to locate the conductive-particle based fluid and the first and second conductive bars between the carrier sheet and the protective sheet and to provide the heat mat for the vehicle seat,
wherein forming the conductive pad includes forming at least one ventilation opening in the coated carrier sheet, the at least one ventilation opening is configured to allow passage of air through the conductive pad when the heat mat is installed, and
wherein forming the at least one ventilation opening in the coated carrier sheet includes removing material from the coated carrier sheet in an area that is aligned with a corresponding ventilation duct or passage of the vehicle seat when the heat mat is installed on the vehicle seat.
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