US 12,012,022 B2
Weft knit interdigitated electrodes for automotive interior heating elements
Christopher P. Henry, Thousand Oaks, CA (US); Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US); Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Dorel M. Sala, Troy, MI (US); and Anthony L Smith, Troy, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/034,642.
Prior Publication US 2022/0097581 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B60N 2/56 (2006.01); D04B 1/16 (2006.01); D04B 1/22 (2006.01); H01B 5/12 (2006.01); H05B 3/12 (2006.01); H05B 3/34 (2006.01)
CPC B60N 2/5685 (2013.01) [D04B 1/16 (2013.01); D04B 1/22 (2013.01); H01B 5/12 (2013.01); H05B 3/12 (2013.01); H05B 3/347 (2013.01); D10B 2401/16 (2013.01); H05B 2203/006 (2013.01); H05B 2203/011 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An interior heating system using a weft co-knit fabric combined with at least one conductive electrode pair to heat selective regions of a vehicle seat, the interior heating system comprising:
the weft co-knit fabric comprising a set of knit weft active yarn configured with at least one conductive electrode pair wherein a knit weft active yarn comprises a set of active yarn of at least one of a co-knit, tucked, or floated active yarn combined with at least one parent yarn for enhanced uniformity of an electrical current in a parallel configured resistive layout applied to the at least one conductive electrode pair across the selective regions; and
a plurality of conductive electrodes arranged in an interdigitated layout in the selective regions to combine together each conductive electrode with a set of a plurality of conductive co-knit active yarn which is configured across an electrode tine of each conductive electrode coupled to a bus bar wherein the bus bar conducts electric current to a set of multiple electrode tines in the selective regions;
wherein the selective regions are configured in alternating course loops of the set of the plurality of conductive co-knit, tucked, or floated active yarn and a set of inert yarn for isolating each course loop or a set of course loops of a co-knit, tucked or floated active yarn from an inert yarn.