A method of heating a vehicle member, comprising at least one first electrical heating unit and at least one second electrical heating unit, the method comprising: a first step with a step consisting of supplying current to the first electrical heating unit until at least one zone reaches a setpoint temperature, and with a step consisting of determining a first electrical energy supplied to the first electrical heating unit, a second step with a step consisting of supplying the first electrical heating unit in order to keep the priority area of the member at the setpoint temperature and with a step consisting of delivering to the second electrical heating unit a second electrical energy, calculated based on the first electrical energy.

A heater/sensor assembly is configured to perform heating and proximity sensing and includes a heater carrier substrate including first and second surfaces. A heater wire is arranged in a predetermined pattern adjacent to and in contact with the first surface of the heater carrier substrate, wherein the heater wire is insulated. A proximity sensor includes a conductive thread attaching the heater wire to the first surface of the heater carrier substrate.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining and controlling a vehicle load current and temperature through the use of a common current sensor. An example vehicle includes a power source, an electrical sensor configured to detect a total current provided by the power source to a plurality of electrical loads, and a processor. The a processor is configured to determine a target load temperature based on the total current, and set a voltage duty cycle of the target load to maintain the target load temperature.

Described herein is a composite panel that includes a first layer made from an electrically non-conductive material. The composite panel also includes a resistance heater printed onto the first layer and a capacitive sensor applied onto the first layer. The capacitive sensor is operably coupled with the resistance heater. The composite panel additionally includes a second layer adjacent the resistance heater and the capacitive sensor. The resistance heater and the capacitive sensor are positioned between the first layer and the second layer. Furthermore, the second layer is made from an electrically non-conductive material. The resistance heater is configured to generate heat at least partially in response to input sensed by the capacitive sensor.

A heating device for a vehicle seat having at least: one first heating element, which is arranged on or close to a first user-facing surface region of the vehicle seat, the structure and operating principle of which is designed for a conductive transfer of heat to a passenger, and a further heating element the operating temperature of which in at least one operating state is greater than the operating temperature of the first heating element and the surface temperature of which generated at a further surface region of the vehicle seat is alternatively or additionally greater than that of the first heating element within the first surface region.

Described herein are molecular inks, methods for printing the molecular inks on flexible substrates, and methods for forming printed electronic elements, such as resistive heaters, force sensors, motion sensors, and devices that include these elements, such as force responsive conductive heaters. The methods include printing a molecular ink on a flexible substrate that is heated to 30? C. to 90? C. before and/or during the printing process and curing the substrate to produce a conductive pattern thereon. The molecular inks generally include a particle-fee metal-complex composition formulated from at least one metal complex and a solvent, and optionally, a conductive filler material, and/or surfactant.

Seat heaters, methods for manufacturing seat heaters, and methods for using seat heaters are provided. A seat heater for use in a vehicle seat includes a graphene-containing electrothermal layer, a first polymer layer contacting and extending along a first side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer, and a second polymer layer contacting and extending along a second side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer. The seat heater also includes lead wires connected between the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and a heater control system operatively connected to a power supply. The control system may be controlled using an application programming interface running on a mobile electronic device. The graphene-containing electrothermal layer, the first polymer layer, and the second polymer layer form a flexible sheet that is disposed under a cover of a vehicle seat.

Provided are: a seat heater including a heater unit and an air blower; and a vehicle seat, whereby the whole seat can be warmed quickly and improved comfort can be provided through adjustments made in temperatures as desirable for comfort at each of the sites. The seat heater includes a heater unit disposed in a seat, a blower disposed at a portion corresponding to the heater unit, and a controller configured to regulate outputs of the heater unit and the blower. The controller is configured to: bring the blower into operation if a predetermined condition is satisfied during an operation of the heater unit; and make an output of the heater unit higher when the blower is in operation than when the blower is not in operation.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining and controlling a vehicle load current and temperature through the use of a common current sensor. An example vehicle includes a power source, an electrical sensor configured to detect a total current provided by the power source to a plurality of electrical loads, and a processor. The a processor is configured to determine a target load temperature based on the total current, and set a voltage duty cycle of the target load to maintain the target load temperature.

A heater element having an electrically insulating substrate, a buss layer made of a conductive material, and a resistive layer that includes a first patch of a first resistive material. The first buss layer has a first buss and a second buss extending from terminals of the heater element to a heating area of the heater element. The first resistive material is applied in a first selected location in the heating area so as to provide electrical communication between the first buss and the second buss and to enable an electrical current to flow through the first resistive material. The resistive layer includes a second patch of a second resistive material. The second patch is applied in a second selected location in the heating area so as to provide electrical communication between the first buss and the second buss, the second selected location being different from the first selected location.