HEATING TEXTILE, METHOD OF PRODUCTION AND USE THEREOF

Abstract

A heating textile for transmission of heat to an environment, including electrically conductive fibre threads configured for conducting electrical energy, energy-delivering fibre strands configured for heating the environment, contacts for forming at least one closed circuit, and at least one coupling fibre strand configured for contacting coupling of the energy-delivering fibre strands with the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or of the contacts with the electrically conductive fibre strands, wherein the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or the contacting fibre strands and/or the energy-delivering fibre strands are formed as pillar fibre strands and/or weft fibre strands, and the at least one coupling fibre strand is warp knitted and/or laid and/or weft knitted directly or indirectly around the pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands in stitch-like manner.

Claims

1. A heating textile for transmission of heat to an environment, comprising at least: a. electrically conductive fibre threads configured for conducting electrical energy, b. energy-delivering fibre strands configured for heating the environment, c. contacts configured for forming at least one closed circuit, and d. at least one coupling fibre strand configured for contacting coupling of the energy-delivering fibre strands with the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or of the contacts with the electrically conductive fibre strands, wherein the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or the contacting fibre strands and/or the energy-delivering fibre strands are formed as pillar fibre strands and/or weft fibre strands, and the at least one coupling fibre strand is warp knitted and/or laid and/or weft knitted directly or indirectly around the pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands in stitch-like manner in order to connect these together.

2. The heating textile according to claim 1, further comprising supporting fibre strands for stabilisation thereof.

3. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein the heating textile is formed as a non-crimp fabric, a weft knitted fabric or a warp knitted fabric.

4. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein at least one insulating element is arranged between the contacts and the electrically conductive fibre threads, wherein the contacting fibre threads are connected by the coupling fibre thread with the at least one insulating element.

5. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein the heating textile has at least one first cut-out which is formed to be free of fibre strands.

6. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands have an angle of 30° to 150° relative to one another.

7. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein the energy delivering fibre strands and/or the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or the supporting fibre strands and/or the contacts are formed from electrically conductive non-insulated materials such as metals and compounds thereof, alloys and compounds thereof, organic materials such as materials containing carbon, electrically conductive polymers, metalised fibre strands, inorganic materials such as glass fibres and/or a mixture thereof.

8. The heating textile according to claim 1, wherein the textile this is of two-dimensional or three-dimensional construction.

9. A method of producing a heating textile according to claim 1, comprising at least the steps: a. providing at least one pillar fibre strand feed for the feed of pillar fibre strands, b. providing at least one weft fibre strand feed for the feed of a plurality of weft fibre strands arranged at a mutual spacing, c. coupling pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands together by simultaneous warp knitting or weft knitting or laying of at least one coupling fibre strand with formation of stitch-like connections.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising a further step of introducing at least one insulating element between the pillar fibre strands and the weft fibre strands between step b) and step c).

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the knitted heating textile is taken off flatly and/or steeply.

12. A system for performing the method of claim 9, comprising at least: a. a pillar fibre strand feed configured for feeding pillar fibre strands above or on a second side of the work plane, and at least one weft fibre strand presenter configured for arranging the weft fibre strands, b. at least one slide element and at least one casting-off element, wherein the weft fibre strand presenter, slide element and casting-off element are arranged below or on a first side of a work plane, c. a needle configured for warp knitting or laying or weft knitting of at least one coupling fibre strand, advantageously coupling fibre groups, in the form of stitches around the fibre strands to be connected together.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising at least one conveying device configured for feeding at least one insulating element between weft fibre strands and pillar fibre strands, wherein at least one projection configured for holding down the insulating element during the knitting process is arranged at at least one free end of the pillar fibre strand feed.

14. A treating textile as claimed in claim 1 in motor vehicle interior spaces for the heating of interior strips and vehicles seats, in greenhouses for direct temperature control of plant pots, in the outdoors for temperature control of growing over that, as seat cushions, lying-down underlays or lying-down mats in the form of, for example, mattress components, sports mat components, yoga mat components or relaxation mat components, in the building field for heating of parts of buildings such as roof and/or walls and/or as textile reinforcement elements.

15. The heating textile according to claim 2, wherein at least one insulating element is arranged between the contacts and the electrically conductive fibre threads, wherein the contacting fibre threads are connected by the coupling fibre thread with the at least one insulating element.

16. The heating textile according to claim 3, wherein at least one insulating element is arranged between the contact and the electrically conductive fibre threads, wherein the contacting fibre threads are connected by the coupling fibre thread with the at least one insulating element.

17. The heating textile according to claim 2, wherein the energy delivering fibre strands and/or the electrically conductive fibre strands and/or the supporting fibre strands and/or the contacts are formed from electrically conductive non-insulated materials such as metals and compounds thereof, alloys and compounds thereof, organic materials such as materials containing carbon, electrically conductive polymers, metalised fibre strands, inorganic materials such as glass fibres and/or a mixture thereof.

Description

[0092] Advantages and functionalities are to be inferred from the following description in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

[0093] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a first form of embodiment of the heating textile according to the invention,

[0094] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a further form of embodiment of the heating textile according to the invention,

[0095] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a further form of embodiment of the heating textile according to the invention,

[0096] FIG. 4 shows schematic sectional views of the heating textiles of FIG. 1 to FIG. 3,

[0097] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a three-dimensional lattice element with an integrated heating textile according to the invention,

[0098] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of a system for producing the heating textile,

[0099] FIG. 7 shows a further schematic sectional view of a system for producing the heating textile,

[0100] FIG. 8 shows a further illustration of a system for producing a three-dimensional heating textile,

[0101] FIG. 9 shows a further sectional view of a further heating textile and

[0102] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of a system for constructing a further three-dimensional lattice element with an integrated heating textile.

[0103] A schematic plan view of a first form of embodiment of a heating textile 1 is shown in FIG. 1, wherein L corresponds with the longitudinal direction, thus the transport direction, and A with the working width. In addition thereto it is pointed out that all views shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 reproduce merely the smallest repetition unit in longitudinal direction. Advantageously, a plurality of these units is provided in the longitudinal direction L of the heating textile 1. The pillar fibre strands are introduced in the longitudinal direction L, while the weft fibre strands are introduced in the direction of the working width A.

[0104] The heating textile 1 is formed from 0° fibre strands, which extend in length direction L, and 90° fibre strands, which extend in working width direction A.

[0105] In the simplest case the weft fibre strands extend, as shown here, at an angle α to the pillar fibre strands. They can serve for support of the heating textile 1 and/or for the feed of electrical energy by way of corresponding electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b. The electrically conductive fibre strands 6a in this example here form the negative pole. This is formed from one or more electrically conductive fibre strands 6a or fibre strand groups. These are configured to be spaced from one another. The electrically conductive fibre strands 6b form the positive pole. These can similarly be formed from one or more fibre strands or fibre strand groups, which are similarly spaced from one another.

[0106] Moreover, two groups of contacting means 10a, 10b are provided.

[0107] Coupling fibre strands 8 are provided for the fixing of pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands to one another. These can, as shown here, advantageously be selected and formed as enmeshing in stitch form from the group of fringe, tricot, cloth, satin, velvet, atlas and open body. However, this is not to be understood as limiting, so that fixing can also be by way of winding around, looping around or the like.

[0108] In addition, at least one insulating element 12 is arranged. This is arranged between the electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b and the contacting means 10b and decouples these from one another. The contacting means 10a, 10b are advantageously formed as contacting fibre strands. The contacting means 10b are similarly connected by way of the coupling fibre strands 8 with the insulating element 12, for example stitched around or also knitted. In addition, the electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b arranged below the insulating element 12 can also be gripped by the stitching around so that the insulating element 12 is arranged fixedly and incapable of slipping between the fibre strands 10a, 10b and 6a, 6b to be decoupled from one another. Creation of a short-circuit is thus successfully prevented.

[0109] In order to avoid a short-circuit between the positive pole and negative pole a first cut-out 14 free of fibre strands is arranged at the level of the electrically conductive fibre strands 6b. At the same time, this cut-out 14 is present between the two groups of contacting fibre strands 10a, 10b. In the simplest case, the cut-out 14 is formed as a punched-out portion. In addition, the form of embodiment of the heating textile 1 has yet a further cut-out 16. This is arranged below the contacting fibre strand group 10b, in the insulating element 12 at the level of the electrically conductive fibre strand 6b. This second cut-out 16 is similarly formed as a punched-out hole. It serves for contacting of the contacting means 10b with the electrically conductive fibre strands 6b. However, this takes place only within the size and dimension of the cut-out 16. The electrically conductive fibre strands 6a still remain insulated.

[0110] In the simplest case the contacting means 10a, 10b can also be formed as braids and/or bands, which group together several fibre strands. Connection with a power source is effected after exposure of a few centimetres sufficient for the purpose of application of a commercially available plug. Amongst other things, contact by splicing, soldering or glueing with a current-conducting cable is also possible.

[0111] Moreover, the heating textile 1 comprises energy-delivering fibre strands 2 which are introduced as pillar fibre strands spaced from one another.

[0112] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the heating textile 1. The same reference numerals as before also correspond with the same components and are not explained again here.

[0113] By contrast to FIG. 1, the heating textile 1 in FIG. 2 exhibits an enlarged insulating element 12 which extends flatly and continuously below the two groups of contacting means 10a, 10b. In this embodiment there is formed, additionally to the cut-out 16 of FIG. 1, a further cut-out 16. This is formed at the level of the electrically conductive fibre strands 6a below the contacting means 10a in the insulating element 12. This arrangement of the two cut-outs 16 also prevents an undesired short-circuit.

[0114] The contacting means 10a, 10b are arranged closely adjacent to one another not only in FIG. 1, but also in FIG. 2. This has the advantage that the contacting means 10a, 10b are fixed in their position. The heating textile of pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands, which in plan view extends onward as desired to the immediate right of the contacting means 10b, is to be produced and finished in its working width A entirely individually. Consequently, the adjacent arrangement of the contacting means 10a, 10b offers a significantly higher degree of flexibility of the heating textile geometry than is at all possible in the prior art.

[0115] A third embodiment of a heating textile 1 is shown in FIG. 3. Here, as well, the same reference numerals correspond with the same components as before and are not explained again.

[0116] This heating textile 1 also comprises pillar fibre strands and weft fibre strands. The contacting means 10a, 10b in this embodiment, being arranged opposite one another, are spaced far apart, advantageously at and/or in the respective edge regions of the heating textile 1. This embodiment is free of insulating element. In order to avoid a short-circuit this heating textile 1 has two cut-outs 14 free of fibre strands. The two cut-outs 14 in each instance respectively interrupt the electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b.

[0117] Shown in FIG. 4 are side views of FIG. 1 (top), FIG. 2 (centre) and FIG. 3 (bottom). It is apparent here that the insulating elements 12 are positioned differently up to the point of complete omission. In addition, the contacting means 10a, 10b are arranged at a different mutual spacing. Moreover, here the warp knitted and/or weft knitted and/or laid stitches, of the at least one coupling fibre strand 8 are illustrated. It is evident that these stitches engage around and thus fix not only pillar fibre strands, but also weft fibre strands at the points of intersection thereof. If an insulating element 12 is provided, it is similarly apparent that the stitches run through the insulating element 12 so that the insulating element 12 is worked between the pillar fibre strands 2 and weft fibre strands 4.

[0118] In the case of, in particular, stitching-around of the crossing points of merely pillar fibre strands 2 and weft fibre strands 4, thus without insulating element 12, the tight stitch guidance around the respective crossing point is apparent. By virtue of this tightly adjoining arrangement of the stitches of the at least one coupling fibre strand 8 there is almost avoidance of any free space between fibre strand and stitch. This has provided particularly effective when the thus-produced technical textile lattice element is subsequently coated with plastics material as corrosion protection. The coating can take place particularly effectively through the tight stitch formation. Excessive collection of coating material in the free spaces is avoided, whereby the workability and long-term life of the technical heating textile are significantly increased. Undesired coating material stresses and fractures are similarly avoided.

[0119] A three-dimensional textile 20, which integrates—as top surface 44 and/or as base surface 46 with spacer fibre strands 40—at least one heating textile 1 described herein, is shown in FIG. 5. The same reference numerals as before also correspond with the same components and are not explained again. A three-dimensional technical textile 20 with a heating function is, as a result, constructed for the first time. This can be used, for example, for road construction for de-icing of bridges, heating elements with textile reinforcement, seat cushions, lying-down underlays or mats, for example mattresses/sports mats, yoga mats or relaxation mats, for direct temperature control of plants and plant pots or also in the ground or also as a reinforcing element in overground construction or underground construction. The spacer fibre strands 40 are to be understood as spacer elements and can be constructed, for example, as pole threads as described above.

[0120] A schematic side view of a system S, which is needed for production of the heating textile 1, is now shown in FIG. 6. The system S comprises, in particular, a weft fibre strand feed (not shown) which introduces the weft fibre strands. In that case, electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b or also supporting fibre strands 4 can be understood as weft fibre strands.

[0121] At least one pillar fibre strand feed 22 is arranged above the weft fibre strands. This feeds the pillar fibre strands to the work plane B. In this embodiment the contacting means 10a, 10b as well as the energy-delivering fibre strands 2 are fed by way of the pillar fibre feed to the work plane.

[0122] Further, several apertured needles 24, which provide the coupling fibre strands 8, are arranged above the work plane B.

[0123] Needles 26, casting-off elements 28 as well as slide elements 30 are arranged below the work plane B where the stitching around or the warp knitting or laying or weft knitting takes place. The needle 26 is initially guided upwardly from below through the work plane B so that the needle 26 can engage the coupling fibre strands 8, which are fed, above the work plane B. Subsequently thereto the needle 26 is guided further downwardly through the work plane B where this then is bound off by way of the slide element 28.

[0124] Optionally, in this embodiment the at least one insulating element 12 is, in addition, led in. The feed takes place exactly below the pillar fibre strand layer and above the weft fibre strand layer. The insulating element 12 is consequently arranged between weft fibre strands and pillar fibre strands. In the simplest case the at least one insulating element 12 is fed by way of a conveying device 32 to the working process. The conveying device can for that purpose comprise, for example, several deflecting rollers, the conveying tension of which is settable. It is thus ensured that the insulating element is fed at a speed matching the working process. Stresses or waving of the insulating element 12 is or are thus precluded.

[0125] The produced heating textile is taken off at the end of the working process or also manufacturing process. This can now take place flatly as shown in FIG. 6, for example at an angle of 5 to 30° with respect to the horizontal work plane B in the case of this embodiment.

[0126] The same construction as in FIG. 6 is again shown in FIG. 7. The same reference numerals here again correspond with the same components. However, the take-off of the heating textile 1 differs in FIG. 7. This is formed to be substantially steeper, for example in a range of 35 to 75° referred to the horizontal work plane B. As a result, particularly when a knitting process is used, the formed stitches of the coupling fibre strands are drawn particularly firmly around the fibre strands to be connected.

[0127] Moreover, a schematic side view of the system S is shown in FIG. 8. Here, too, the same reference numerals relate to the same components as previously explained. The difference from FIG. 1 is that here a three-dimensional textile 20 is produced. Thus, several layers 34 are introduced at the weft fibre strands, which are then, as explained above, appropriately stitched around and are warp knitted or weft knitted or laid with the coupling fibre strands 8. The depth, thus the thickness, of the three-dimensional textile 20 can be selected as desired.

[0128] A further schematic view of a system S is shown in FIG. 9, by means of which a further form of embodiment of the heating textile 1 described herein can be produced. In addition to the already explained components, in this embodiment fibre cuttings 36 are fed below the weft fibre strands. These are positioned by means of a fibre cuttings holding element 38. In the simplest case the fibre cuttings holding element 38 can be constructed as a holding-down device and the fibre cuttings 36 fed in controlled manner, for example flatly, to the work plane B. Coming into consideration as fibre cuttings are not only natural, but also synthetic fibre cuttings such as, for example, fibre-reinforced synthetic materials which are used for, for example, vehicle construction, in the wind power field, in aircraft and ship construction or the like.

[0129] Finally, FIG. 10 shows a further schematic view of the system S by which a further alternative form of embodiment of the heating textile 1 can be realised. Here the work plane B is tipped through 90° so that the actual warp knitting process or weft knitting process or laying process takes place in vertical direction. This differs from the above examples where processing takes place in horizontal orientation.

[0130] In the case of the cross-section illustrated here, a double-barred knitting machine with a 90° weft intake produces the heating textile 1 with the following characteristics. The pillar fibre strand feed 22 can here be constructed as a guide bar and with a pillar fibre strand feed (similarly to FIGS. 6 to 9). The energy-delivering fibre strands 2 and/or the coupling fibre strands 8 are introduced by it. The thread feed for stitch formation, which connects the textile together, in particular the contacting means 10a, 10b, are firmly contacted with the electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b and/or the supporting fibre strands 4.

[0131] For formation of stitches, the coupling fibre strands 8 are processed by the apertured needle 24. It is to be emphasised that up to 75 square millimetres of contacting means 10a, 10b on 15 millimetres width are worked by multiple intake simultaneously with an individual intake of energy-delivering fibre strands 2.

[0132] The insulating element 12 with variably introduced cut-outs 14 or 16, which in the simplest case are punched out and are used for contacting, is fed by way of the conveying device 32. The feed takes place by way of individual product-dependent strips which can be arranged on a shaft with reels.

[0133] The electrically conductive fibre strands 6a, 6b are fed, optionally in alternation, to the supporting fibre strands 4, at 90° to the apertured needle 24. In a case of knitting machines and/or lay machines the weft intake can differ +/−60° from 90°.

[0134] The energy-delivering fibre strands 2 are fed by the pillar fibre strand feed 22. At the places with the contacting means 10a, 10b there is achieved in the thread feeders a multiple intake by a higher square (E3-E44). These are arranged directly in front of the needle bar. In the pillar fibre strand feed 22 the contacting means 10a, 10b can be drawn in parallelly with the energy-delivering fibre strands 2 in a bar by a guide bar similarly to the depiction in FIGS. 6 to 9. The energy-delivering fibre strands 2 can also be fed to the working process additionally or simultaneously via the guide rail 24.

[0135] The spacer fibre strands 40 are intermeshed with the textile surfaces in the knitting process. The pillar fibre strands each form a textile surface into which the spacer fibre strands are stitched.

[0136] Although the invention is more closely illustrated and described in detail by the advantageous embodiments described herein the invention is not restricted to the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the expert without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. In particular, the present invention is not restricted to the following feature combinations, but other combinations and part combinations plainly feasible to the expert can also be formed from the disclosed features.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0137] 1 heating textile

[0138] 2 energy-delivering fibre strands

[0139] 4 supporting fibre strands

[0140] 6a, 6b electrically conductive fibre strands

[0141] 8 coupling fibre strands

[0142] 10a, 10b contacting means

[0143] 12 insulating element

[0144] 14, 16 cut-out

[0145] 20 three-dimensional textile

[0146] 22 pillar fibre strand feed

[0147] 24 apertured needles

[0148] 26 needle

[0149] 28 casting-off element

[0150] 30 slide element

[0151] 32 conveying device

[0152] 34 layers

[0153] 36 fibre cuttings

[0154] 38 fibre cuttings holding element

[0155] 40 spacer fibre strands

[0156] 42 weft thread presenting means

[0157] 44 top surface

[0158] 48 base surface

[0159] B work plane

[0160] S system

[0161] L longitudinal direction

[0162] A working width