A heater unit emits radiation heat caused by heat generated with a heat generation unit when energized. The heater device includes a contact detection unit having a contact detection region overlying the heater unit to detect a contact by an object on the contact detection region. The heater device includes a determination unit to determine, when a contact by the object on the contact detection region is detected by the contact detection unit, whether the contact is for a predetermined switching operation. A control unit stops energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is not for the predetermined switching operation. The control unit switches between a start and a stop of energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is for the switching operation.

Described herein is an automotive sheet heater. The automotive sheet heater includes a stacked structure of a far-infrared radiating layer, a metal layer, and a metal wire-containing carbon nanotube heating layer. The carbon nanotube heating layer includes 1 wt % to 50 wt % of metal wires.

An auxiliary heater with a casing enclosing internal components which components include a heat exchanger separate from and outside the coolant tank and wherein two coolant loops each have their own coolant pumps and wherein a potable water loop exchanges heat with coolant within the heat exchanger. A control circuit provides enhanced coolant flow through the heat exchanger when the call for hot water is significant without significantly reducing the temperature of the hot water being used. A level switch within the coolant tank prevents coolant pumps from running without pump coolant and a filling and air purging operation improves the initial filling operation of the auxiliary heater with coolant and also prevents the coolant pump from running dry. A user switch may dedicate the hot coolant from the coolant tank to either the production of hot potable water or it may share both hot water and space heating.

A vehicle panel includes channels, wherein a first channel includes a first wire capable and a second channel includes a second wire and each wire is capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal. The panel also includes a connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power. Also, the panel includes holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a wire included in a channel to which the hole connects.

A heating module and a vehicle and vehicle seat comprising the same. The heating module comprises a housing and a printed circuit board assembly. The housing comprises a printed circuit board assembly portion and a heating element portion. The printed circuit board assembly is located within the printed circuit board assembly portion. One or more heating elements are located within the heating element portion. An airflow is provided to the printed circuit board assembly portion by a fluid moving device to draw heat from the printed circuit board assembly.

Disclosed embodiments include an automotive heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system (12) for an interior of a vehicle (10), comprising: an auxiliary HVAC system (32) that provides conditioned air to the interior, the auxiliary HVAC system including an auxiliary air conditioning device (50); a control module that operates the auxiliary HVAC system independently of the central HVAC system (30); and one or more sensors for detecting, calculating, or both when fog, ice, condensation, or a combination thereof are located on a window of an automobile; wherein the central HVAC system includes a central air conditioning device (40) that is separate from the auxiliary air conditioning device (50).

Implementations of vehicle seating systems may include a movable chair including a metal frame having a seat portion and a back portion. The seat portion may have a first end and a second end and the back portion may have a first bar, a second bar, and a lock bar coupled between the first bar and the second bar. A latch pin may be configured to receive a first end of the lock bar coupled to the first bar of the seat portion when the movable chair is in a fully upright portion. The back portion may be configured to fold down and the seat portion may be configured to rotate upwardly on the seat hinge. The movable chair may be configured to lock into place in a fully upright position when the vehicle is in operation through a latching mechanism, the latch pin, and the lock bar.

A heating system for a vehicle includes: a heater for non-contact heating that emits radiation heat by heat supplied from its heat generating part, which generates heat upon energization, to give warmth to an occupant in a state where a body of the occupant is not in contact with the heater; a heater for contact heating that generates heat upon energization to give warmth to the occupant in a state where the body of the occupant is in contact with the heater; and a control device that controls operations of the heater for contact heating and the heater for non-contact heating. The control device adjusts a heating output provided by the heater for contact heating and a heating output provided by the heater for non-contact heating, and controls the operations to be switchable between: a non-contact heating priority mode to make larger the heating output of the heater for non-contact heating than the heating output of the heater for contact heating; and a contact heating priority mode to make larger the heating output of the heater for contact heating than the heating output of the heater for non-contact heating. As a consequence of the above, the occupant can enjoy a sense of heating that is not stereotypical, and achieve energy saving.

A vehicle exterior component includes a heater portion including a sheet base made of a plastic and a heating wire, a connector portion that is made of a plastic and is joined to the sheet base, and a base made of a plastic. The base is molded integrally with the heater portion and the connector portion. The connector portion includes a tubular housing having an open first end and a second end that is embedded in the base. A part of the housing that is embedded in the base includes a projection that projects from an outer peripheral surface of the housing. End faces on one side and an other side of the projection in the axial direction are joined to the base.