Heater device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020236740-A1
Application number	US-202016842207-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Jul 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heater device includes a planar heat generating portion configured to generate heat when being energized, a detection circuit having a plurality of planar electrodes disposed on one surface side of the heat generating portion, and a controller configured to control an amount of energization to the heat generating portion based on a detection result of the detection circuit. The heat generating portion and the plurality of electrodes are disposed in parallel with each other. The heater device is configured to have a heat generating region in which the heat generating portion is present and a non-heat generating region in which the heat generating portion is not present when the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion are projected in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion. Furthermore, the plurality of electrodes include a heat-diffusion promoting portion provided to be included at least in the non-heat generating region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heater device comprising:
a planar heat generating portion configured to generate heat when being energized; a detection circuit including a plurality of planar electrodes disposed on one surface side of the heat generating portion, the detection circuit being configured to detect an approach or a contact of an object to the plurality of electrodes based on a change in a capacitance between the plurality of electrodes; and a controller configured to control an amount of energization to the heat generating portion based on a detection result of the detection circuit, wherein the heat generating portion and the plurality of electrodes are disposed in parallel with each other, the heater device is configured to have a heat generating region in which the heat generating portion is present and a non-heat generating region in which the heat generating portion is not present when the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion are projected in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion, and the plurality of electrodes include a heat-diffusion promoting portion provided to be included at least in the non-heat generating region, the heat-diffusion promoting portion being configured to promote heat diffusion in which heat propagated from the heat generating portion is diffused in a planar direction of the plurality of electrodes.

2 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
in each of overlapping regions where the heat generating portion and the plurality of electrodes overlap each other, a volume of the electrode included in the overlapping region is equal to or less than a volume of the heat generating portion included in the overlapping region when the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion are projected in the direction perpendicular to the plurality of electrodes and the heat generating portion.

3 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of electrodes include: a linear portion having a predetermined line width; and a wide portion included in at least the non-heat generating region, the wide portion having a line width wider than the predetermined line width, and the heat-diffusion promoting portion is the wide portion.

4 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of electrodes include a meandering portion that extends from at least the non-heat generating region while meandering the non-heat generating region through the heat generating region, and the heat-diffusion promoting portion is the meandering portion.

5 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of electrodes include: a linear portion having a predetermined line width; and a first branch portion included in at least the non-heat generating region, the first branch portion branching from the linear portion, and the heat-diffusion promoting portion is the first branch portion.

6 . The heater device according to claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of electrodes include a second branch portion included in at least the heat generating region, the second branch portion branching from the first branch portion.

7 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat generating portion includes a plurality of straight portions arranged at a certain interval, the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of rectangular heat dissipation portions configured to be included at least in the non-heat generating region, each of the rectangular heat dissipation portions having a rectangular shape that has one side longer than a width of each of the plurality of straight portions, a minimum length of a gap between the plurality of rectangular heat dissipation portions is shorter than an interval between the plurality of straight portions, and the heat-diffusion promoting portion includes the plurality of rectangular heat-dissipation portions.

8 . The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat generating portion includes a plurality of straight portions arranged at a certain interval, the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of honeycomb heat dissipation portions formed to be included at least in the non-heat generating region, each of the honeycomb heat dissipation portions forming a hexagonal shape that has one side longer than a width of each of the plurality of straight portions, a minimum length of a gap between the plurality of honeycomb heat dissipation portions is shorter than an interval between the plurality of straight portions, and the heat-diffusion promoting portion includes the plurality of honeycomb heat dissipation portions.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Yusuke
• Ishikawa Kimitake
• Seki Hideki
• Yamadaki Hirokazu
• Domon Tatsushi

Classifications

• H05B3/28

  heating conductor embedded in insulating material · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• B60H1/2227

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

• F24C7/043

  Stoves · CPC title

• H05B2203/032

  Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating · CPC title