A method for making a seat includes the step of overmolding a carrier onto a fabric seat surface. The fabric surface is formed from a woven fabric material having heating element fibers. The heating element fibers are placed in contact with a conductor. The carrier and the conductor are then positioned into a frame.

A seat heater mounted to a seat includes: a heating wire; a base material provided with the heating wire and having air permeability; an excessive temperature rise prevention element that prevents an excessive temperature rise of the heating wire; and an auxiliary heating wire that heats the excessive temperature rise prevention element, in which air permeability in an auxiliary heater area provided with the auxiliary heating wire is lower than air permeability in a heater area provided with the heating wire, so that heat dissipation in the auxiliary heater area is suppressed to enable a temperature of the excessive temperature rise prevention element to rise efficiently to follow the temperature rise of the heater area.

A thermoelectric device including a panel, formed of a thermally insulating material, and having a plurality of thermoelectric elements including compacted conductors inside the insulating material and expanded conductors outside the insulating material wherein the thermoelectric elements run substantially parallel to or at an acute angle relative to the long dimension of the panel. The thermoelectric device may be integrated into a variety of surfaces or enclosures needing heating or cooling with controls and configurations to optimize the application.

A sheet-like heater is provided that can be heated quickly and demonstrates excellent heat uniformity, with the wires of the sheet-like heater being insusceptible to breaking. The sheet-like heater has a layered structure and includes: a sheet-like base; a first resin layer that is attached to a principal face of the sheet-like base and comprises a first resin agent; a mixed layer A that is connected to the first resin layer and comprises a mixture of the first resin agent and metallic fibers; a metallic fiber layer that is connected to the mixed layer A, consists only of metallic fibers, and contains air therein; a mixed layer B that is connected to the metallic fiber layer and comprises a mixture of metallic fibers and a second resin agent; and a second resin layer that is connected to the mixed layer B and comprises the second resin agent.

A seat system for a vehicle including a seat base assembly, a seat back assembly coupled to the seat base assembly, and a temperature-control system disposed in at least one of the seat base assembly and the seat back assembly. The temperature-control system is deactivated when the seat system is unoccupied and activated when the seat system is occupied. The temperature-control system includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed adjacent the first conductive layer, and a plurality of thermal energy elements disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

A heating seat ring includes a lower seat ring and an upper seat ring. The lower seat ring is made of a hard material, the upper seat ring is made of a soft material, and the upper seat ring is disposed on the lower seat ring. The upper seat ring and the lower seat ring are matched and connected to form a heating cavity. A heating assembly is disposed in the heating cavity, and the heating assembly is configured to emit heat to heat the upper seat ring. The heating assembly emits heat to heat the upper seat ring, so that a user feels more comfortable when sitting on the heating seat ring.

A system for capacitive object detection. In order to provide means for efficiently using the circuitry of an electrical heating device for capacitive object detection, the system includes: an elongate conductive element extending between a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to ground via a capacitive element and is connectable to an electrical power source, and the second terminal is connected to ground; and a detection circuit connected to at least one detection node disposed on the conductive element between the first and second terminal. The detection circuit is adapted to capacitively detect the presence of an object in the proximity of the conductive element based on an impedance associated with the object.

A heater device for heating an user's body seated on a seat includes a heat generating portion that is arranged in a recess recessed from a surface of the seat, and generates heat by energization, a distance detection unit that detects a distance between an object around the heat generating portion and the heat generating portion, and a control unit that controls energization of the heat generating portion. A first control portion controls energization amount of the heat generating portion so that the output of the heat generating portion becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined output, when the distance is longer than an offset distance between the heat generating portion and the surface of the seat. A second control portion controls the energization amount so that the output becomes less than the predetermined output, when the distance is equal to or less than the offset distance.

An insert comprising: (a) a cover layer; (b) a spacer layer located below the cover layer; (c) a connection material that is adapted to extend between and connect the cover layer to a trim layer so that the insert is fixed to the trim layer.

A vehicle seat includes a first heater which heats a first region, a second heater which heats a second region different from the first region, and a controller connected to the first heater and the second heater. The controller is capable of executing PWM control under which current applied to the first heater and the second heater is regulated by setting current-application timeframes within a unit time period, wherein a first current-application timeframe that is a period within the unit time period in which current is applied to the first heater and a second current-application timeframe that is a period within the unit time period in which current is applied to the second heater, as set under the PWM control, are shifted relative to each other when current is applied to the first heater and the second heater.