SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING HEATING ELEMENT PROVIDING ELECTRICAL HEATING OF VARIABLE TEMPERATURE ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH TO A ZONE

摘要

A seat assembly is disclosed which has a heating element disposed along a predetermined path in a zone of a bottom seating surface or back seating surface. The heating element provides electrical heating of variable temperature along the predetermined path to the zone. The heating element includes first and second sections continuously alternating along the predetermined path. Each of the first sections provides electrical heating to the zone at a first temperature and each of the second sections provides electrical heating to the zone at a second temperature which is greater than the first temperature.

主权项

1. A seat assembly comprising:
a seat bottom having a bottom seating surface; a seat back coupled to said seat bottom with said seat back having a back seating surface and with at least one of said bottom seating surface and said back seating surface having a zone which is temperature controlled; a heating element disposed along a predetermined path in said zone with said heating element configured to provide electrical heating of variable temperature to said zone along said predetermined path, said heating element comprising;
first and second sections continuously alternating along said predetermined path with each of said first sections providing electrical heating to said zone at a first temperature and with each of said second sections providing electrical heating to said zone at a second temperature with said second temperature being greater than said first temperature;a continuous strand which extends continually through each of said alternating first and second sections along said predetermined path;a plurality of strand segments each defining a strand segment length and each being electrically connected to said continuous strand and disposed adjacent one another in series along said predetermined path such that each of said first sections includes one of said strand segments and a first portion of said continuous strand extending along said strand segment length; andeach of said strand segments being spaced from an adjacent strand segment by a gap defining a gap length with said continuous strand extending across each of said gaps such that each of said second sections includes a second portion of said continuous strand extending across each of said gap lengths.