Heater device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12365218-B2
Application number	US-202117481691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2021
Priority date	Mar 26, 2019
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A heater device includes a heat generating part that generates heat by energization, and a detection unit. The detection unit detects whether or not a distance between an object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a first detection distance with a first detection sensitivity, and whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a second detection distance shorter than the first detection distance with a second detection sensitivity that is less sensitive than the first detection sensitivity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heater device, comprising:
a heat generating part configured to generate heat when energized;
a detection unit configured to detect whether or not a distance between an object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a lower limit value of a first detection distance with a first detection sensitivity, and whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a lower limit value of a second detection distance shorter than the first detection distance with a second detection sensitivity that is less sensitive than the first detection sensitivity; and
a substrate on which the heat generating part, a receiving electrode, and a transmitting electrode are formed, wherein
the heat generating part, the receiving electrode, and the transmitting electrode are formed on the same surface of the substrate,
the transmitting electrode has a main wire portion and a plurality of branch-shaped portions that branch out and extend from the main wire portion,
the transmitting electrode is disposed between a first receiving electrode and a second receiving electrode with a predetermined distance therebetween, and
a distance between a plate-shaped portion of the first receiving electrode and a branch-shaped portion of the transmitting electrode facing the plate-shaped portion is shorter than a distance between a plate-shaped portion of the second receiving electrode and the branch-shaped portion of the transmitting electrode facing the plate-shaped portion.

2. The heater device according to claim 1 , further comprising,
a first temperature lowering portion configured to lower a heater temperature of the heat generating part to a first temperature, when the detection unit detects that a distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the first detection distance, and
a second temperature lowering portion configured to lower the heater temperature of the heat generating part to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, when the detection unit detects that a distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the second detection distance.

3. The heater device according to claim 2 , wherein
the second temperature lowering portion stops energizing of the heat generating part, when the detection unit detects that the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the second detection distance.

4. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lower limit value of the first detection distance under an operating temperature environment is larger than an upper limit value of the second detection distance under the operating temperature environment.

5. The heater device according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the detection unit detects whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the first detection distance based on a change in capacitance between the receiving electrode and the transmitting electrode, and whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the second detection distance based on the change in capacitance between the receiving electrode and the transmitting electrode.

6. The heater device according to claim 5 , wherein
the receiving electrode includes the first receiving electrode and the second receiving electrode, and
the detection unit detects whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the first detection distance based on a change in capacitance between the first receiving electrode and the transmitting electrode, and whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than the second detection distance based on a change in capacitance between the second receiving electrode and the transmitting electrode.

7. The heater device according to claim 6 , wherein
the heat generating part is formed so as to meander, and
the first receiving electrode, the second receiving electrode, and the transmitting electrode are arranged between the heat generating part.

8. The heater device according to claim 6 , wherein
a capacitance formed between the transmitting electrode and the first receiving electrode is larger than a capacitance formed between the transmitting electrode and the second receiving electrode so that the first detection sensitivity is higher than the second detection sensitivity.

9. The heater device according to claim 1 , further comprising,
a plurality of heat generating surfaces that radiate radiant heat by the heat generated by the heat generating part, wherein
the plurality of heat generating surfaces are dispersedly arranged on the substrate.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Seki Hideki
• Tanaka Yusuke
• Ishikawa Kimitake

Classifications

• H05B2203/032

  Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• B60H1/2218 Primary

  controlling the operation of electric heaters · CPC title

• B60H1/2226

  Electric heaters using radiation · CPC title

• B60H1/2227

  Electric heaters incorporated in vehicle trim components, e.g. panels or linings · CPC title