HEATING STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A heating structure (1) configured to be installed inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle is disclosed. The heating structure (1) includes at least one resistive layer arranged so as to release heat when an electric current passes through this layer (4), this panel further comprising an electrode array (5) comprising a plurality of contact electrodes (6) arranged so as to be in electrical contact with the resistive layer in order to allow electric current to flow through this resistive layer.

Claims

1. A heating structure configured be installed inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the structure comprising a radiant panel comprising: at least one resistive layer arranged so as to release heat when an electric current passes through this layer; an electrode array comprising a plurality of contact electrodes arranged so as to be in electrical contact with the resistive layer in order to allow electric current to flow through this resistive layer, wherein the resistive layer is provided with a greater thickness, at least locally, than the thickness of at least some of the contact electrodes, such that the resistive layer at least partially covers the at least some of the contact electrodes.

2. The heating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact electrodes are formed on a substrate, and the thickness of these contact electrodes is measured in a direction locally perpendicular to said substrate, and the thickness of the resistive layer is also measured in a direction locally perpendicular to the substrate.

3. The heating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact electrodes each comprise a face opposite the substrate, and the resistive layer completely covers said face opposite the substrate.

4. The heating structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the thickness of the resistive layer which covers the contact electrode is between 20% of the thickness of the contact electrode and 100% or 50% of the thickness of said contact electrode.

5. The heating structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrode has a cross-section with a substantially rectangular contour, and the resistive layer in the contact zone with said electrode has a shape which closely follows at least two perpendicular sides of the rectangular contour.

6. The heating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrode array comprises distribution electrodes arranged so as to conduct electric current from an electrical source to the contact electrodes, several contact electrodes being connected to a same distribution electrode.

7. The heating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistive layer is a layer deposited on a substrate, by screen printing, this resistive layer extending between the two distribution electrodes associated with the group of contact electrodes.

8. A component of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, configured to be integrated in a door of the vehicle, comprising: a heating structure comprising radiant panel as claimed in claim 1.

9. The component of claim 8, wherein the component forms an element of a glovebox or a door panel of the vehicle.

10. A heating structure configured be installed inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the structure comprising a radiant panel comprising: at least one resistive layer arranged so as to release heat when an electric current passes through this layer; an electrode array comprising a plurality of contact electrodes arranged so as to be in electrical contact with the resistive layer in order to allow electric current to flow through this resistive layer, wherein the resistive layer is provided with a greater thickness than the thickness of the plurality of contact electrodes, such that the resistive layer at least partially covers the plurality of contact electrodes.

Description

[0037] It is understood that the set of characteristics and configurations above is in no way limitative. Further characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent upon reading the detailed description given below, and several exemplary embodiments that are given by way of nonlimiting indication, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the radiant panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of components including the radiant panel of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section of the radiant panel of the invention;

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a radiant panel 1 forming a heating structure in the sense of the invention, and designed to be installed inside a passenger compartment 3 of a vehicle.

[0042] The radiant panel 1 comprises a resistive layer 4 which is designed to release heat when an electric current passes through this layer 4.

[0043] The resistive layer 4 is for example an acrylic paint charged with conductive or semi-conductive particles. This conductive charge takes the form of carbon or graphite flakes for example.

[0044] This panel 1 also comprises an electrode array 5 comprising a plurality of contact electrodes 6 which are arranged to be an electrical contact with the resistive layer 4 in order to cause an electric current to flow through this resistive layer 4.

[0045] These contact electrodes 6 are arranged with a mutual spacing D1, D2, . . . Di between successive electrodes, which spacing is variable.

[0046] These contact electrodes 6 are rectilinear and mutually parallel in the example described.

[0047] The electrode array 5 comprises distribution electrodes 8 arranged to conduct electric current to the contact electrodes 6, wherein one of these electrodes 8 is connected to an electrical source 9, for example of positive electrical polarity. The other distribution electrode 8 is connected to another polarity, for example being connected to ground.

[0048] The electric current thus passes into a distribution electrode 8 which distributes it into the contact electrodes 6. The current then circulates in the resistive layer 4 before being collected by the contact electrodes 6 connected to the other distribution electrode 8.

[0049] Several contact electrodes 6 are connected to a same distribution electrode 8.

[0050] The distribution electrodes 8 are rectilinear over part of their length, even over their entire length, and the contact electrodes 6 associated with these distribution electrodes 8 are connected perpendicularly to this associated distribution electrode 8.

[0051] Here, the electrode array 5 comprises two mutually parallel distribution electrodes 8, and their associated contact electrodes 6 are arranged between these two distribution electrodes 8 and alternate with a spacing D1, D2, . . . Di, which decreases in accordance with the decrease in voltage U1, U2 . . . Ui present between the pairs of electrodes 6, so as to maintain a substantially uniform electrical power between the pairs of contact electrodes.

[0052] The contact electrodes 6 which are arranged between the two distribution electrodes 8 (these contact electrodes forming part of the same group 14 of contact electrodes) have a plurality of spacing values D1, D2, . . . Di. In the example described, D1>D2>D3>D4 and U1>U2>U3>U4 for the voltages between the electrodes 6.

[0053] The resistive layer 4 is a layer deposited on a substrate 16, in particular by screen printing, this resistive layer 4 extending in particular between the two distribution electrodes 8 associated with the group of contact electrodes.

[0054] The electrodes 6 and 8 are made of conductive material, in particular metal, such as paint charged with conductive particles, in particular particles of silver or copper.

[0055] In the example described, the resistive layer 4 associated with the group of contact electrodes is a continuous, substantially rectangular layer. Other shapes are naturally conceivable.

[0056] The contact electrodes 6 of a same group 14 have the same length. As a variant, the electrodes 6 may have different lengths.

[0057] In an example not shown, several pairs of distribution electrodes 8 may be provided, and there are then several groups 14 of contact electrodes 6.

[0058] A passenger compartment component 19 of a motor vehicle, in particular a component to be integrated in a door of the vehicle, is provided with a radiant panel 1. Several components may be provided in the passenger compartment.

[0059] The component 19 may comprise a decorative layer applied to the radiant panel. The decorative layer may for example be impermeable to air, for example being made of leather.

[0060] The distribution electrodes 8 may if desired have more complex shapes, with for example one or more rounded corners connecting the rectilinear portions.

[0061] In the example described, all spacing values Di of a group 15 are different. As a variant, it is possible that certain spacing values of a same group are identical, and not all are different.

[0062] The substrate may be a sheet or a cloth for example.

[0063] The contact electrodes 6 and their associated distribution electrodes 8 are arranged in the manner of enmeshed combs.

[0064] In a variant, the heating structure is used in a component of a passenger compartment, being a passenger armrest, wherein the structure may warm the arm of the passenger by thermal contact.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a section in the thickness direction of the radiant panel 1 described above.

[0066] The resistive layer 4 is provided with a greater thickness, at least locally, than the thickness of the contact electrodes 6, such that the resistive layer 4 totally covers these contact electrodes 6.

[0067] The contact electrodes 6 are formed on the substrate 16, and the thickness of these contact electrodes 6 is measured in a direction locally perpendicular to said substrate 16, and the thickness of the resistive layer 4 is also measured in a direction locally perpendicular to the substrate 16.

[0068] The contact electrodes 6 each comprise a face 18 opposite the substrate 16, and the resistive layer 4 totally covers this face 16 opposite the substrate.

[0069] The thickness d of the resistive layer 4 which covers the contact electrode 6 is between 20% of the thickness e of the contact electrode 6 and 100% or 50% of the thickness of said contact electrode. For example, the local thickness d of the resistive layer 4 which covers the contact electrode 6 is 8 microns for an electrode thickness of 40 microns.

[0070] The electrode 6 has a cross-section with a substantially rectangular contour, and the resistive layer 4 in the contact zone with said electrode has a shape which closely follows at least two perpendicular sides of the rectangular contour. For example, the resistive layer 4 locally has a corner shape with a right angle.