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.

Methods of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure are provided. A polymeric patch may optionally be disposed over a defect on a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure having the defect. A heating element that defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of the first contoured surface is applied over the polymeric patch. The heating element includes an electrically conductive layer that includes a fabric and a thermoset polymer. The polymeric patch is heated with the heating element, where the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface so that the polymeric patch fills the defect. Methods of making the customized heating elements and the customized heating elements are also provided.

A suspension fabric seat includes a fabric seat surface formed from a woven fabric material having heating element fibers. The heating element fibers are in electrical communication with a conductor. A carrier is overmolded onto the seat surface. The carrier and the conductor are disposed in a frame and a connector is mounted to the frame in electrical communication with the conductor.

A suspension fabric seat includes a fabric seat surface formed from a woven fabric material having heating element fibers. The heating element fibers are in electrical communication with a conductor. A carrier is overmolded onto the seat surface. The carrier and the conductor are disposed in a frame and a connector is mounted to the frame in electrical communication with the conductor.

A composite dry adhesive includes (a) an adhesive layer comprising a shape memory polymer and (b) a resistive heating layer comprising a shape memory polymer composite on the adhesive layer. The shape memory polymer composite includes conductive particles dispersed in a shape memory polymer matrix, where the conductive particles have a concentration sufficient to form a conductive path through the resistive heating layer.

A composite dry adhesive includes (a) an adhesive layer comprising a shape memory polymer and (b) a resistive heating layer comprising a shape memory polymer composite on the adhesive layer. The shape memory polymer composite includes conductive particles dispersed in a shape memory polymer matrix, where the conductive particles have a concentration sufficient to form a conductive path through the resistive heating layer.

A composite dry adhesive includes (a) an adhesive layer comprising a shape memory polymer and (b) a resistive heating layer comprising a shape memory polymer composite on the adhesive layer. The shape memory polymer composite includes conductive particles dispersed in a shape memory polymer matrix, where the conductive particles have a concentration sufficient to form a conductive path through the resistive heating layer.

A composite dry adhesive includes (a) an adhesive layer comprising a shape memory polymer and (b) a resistive heating layer comprising a shape memory polymer composite on the adhesive layer. The shape memory polymer composite includes conductive particles dispersed in a shape memory polymer matrix, where the conductive particles have a concentration sufficient to form a conductive path through the resistive heating layer.

A vehicle covering and warming system includes a panel that is flexible and has a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The perimeter edge includes a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The panel is positionable on a vehicle. A heating element is positioned within the panel between the top and bottom sides and warms the panel when the heating element is powered. A power supply is electrically coupled to the heating element. A control is in communication with the heating element to remotely and wirelessly turn the heating element on or off. The panel has four corners and a plurality of straps is attached to the panel. Each of the corners has one of the straps positioned adjacent thereto. The straps each include a magnetic material.

A double-sidedly self-adhesive planar element which is intrinsically heatable in a self-regulating way and at the same time has a particularly high flexibility. The planar element has a layer sequence of a posistor heating layer, a contacting layer and an adhesive layer, the contacting layer being a two-dimensional perforate contacting element which within the planar element is therefore present as a contacting element which has not been applied to a backing. Also disclosed is an adhesively bonded assembly of a bonding substrate and a planar element of the aforesaid kind, a method of producing a planar element of the aforesaid kind, and a method of using a planar element of the aforesaid kind for heating an adhesively bonded assembly.