The present invention relates to a planar heating body to generate heat by energizing.
PTL 1 discloses a planar heating body to be embedded into a vehicular sheet. The planar heating body is provided with a fabric member, a plurality of heating wires mounted to the fabric member in a parallel manner, and an energizing unit mounted to an edge section on either side of the fabric member by adhering or sewing. The heating wire is made of a carbon fiber as a core portion and a covering yarn twined with the carbon fiber. PTL 1 shows, as the above fabric member, a woven fabric (example 1), a knit fabric (example 2) and a lace (examples 3, 4).
With respect to the planar heating body according to the PTL 1, the fabric member is prepared, and thereafter the energizing unit is mounted to the fabric member by the adhering or sewing. Therefore, preparing of the planar heating body takes time and effort. Further, when the planar heating body is frequently used, the energizing unit may be removed or deviated from the fabric member. Further, when the heating wire breaks, a low temperature portion may be caused across the entire width of the fabric member.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a planar heating body excellent in productivity and durability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a planar heating body comprising: a knit structure; a plurality of first heating yarns knitted into the knit structure in a lateral direction at intervals in a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of conductive yarns knitted into an edge section on each of both sides of the knit structure in the lateral direction, the conductive yarns being knitted thereinto in the longitudinal direction.
The planar heating body may further comprise: a plurality of second heating yarns knitted in the longitudinal direction in such a manner as to intersect with the first heating yarns.
The first heating yarns and the second heating yarns may be so knitted in a form of a net as to have voids between the first heating yarns and the second heating yarns.
The first heating yarns and the second heating yarns may be made of a pitch-based carbon fiber having a resistance of 50 Ω/m to 1000 Ω/m.
The planar heating body may further comprise: a sheet made of a resin or a rubber, the sheet covering an entirety of the knit structure and.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a planar heating body excellent in productivity and durability.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on drawings.
The heating ground fabric 1 will be explained in detail.
The heating ground fabric 1 according to the present embodiment is a knit texture (knit fabric), and is knitted by a Raschel knitting machine, for example. Though not limited by the present invention, the knit gauge of the Raschel knitting machine is 12 G (gauge)/inch (12 needles/inch), for example. Further, though not limited by the present invention, the knitting counts in the knitting of the heating ground fabric 1 is 22 counts/inch, for example. That is, under the above counts in the knitting, 22 meshes (loops) are knitted per inch along the longitudinal direction during the knitting.
The heating ground fabric 1 has a mesh portion 7 and edge sections 6, 6 provided on respective sides of the mesh portion 7 in the lateral direction. First, the edge section 6 will be explained. As shown in
Further, a plurality of conductive yarns 4 are knitted into the edge section 6 in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the conductive yarn 4 is knitted in a zigzag form into each of the plurality of chain stitches 21 positioned on the mesh portion 7 side in the edge section 6. The conductive yarn 4 is knitted into the chain stitch 21 according to a knit pattern P4 shown in
Further, as long as the desired mechanic characteristics and electrical characteristics are satisfied, the number of conductive yarns 4 knitted into each of the chain stitches 21 is determined arbitrarily. For example, in the present embodiment, as shown in
A terminal 8 is attached to one end portion of each of the edge sections 6 in the longitudinal direction. The terminal 8 is electrically connected with the conductive yarn 4. Further, a lead wire 9 is connected to the terminal 8 of each of the edge sections 6, and the lead wire 9 is connected to an output of a power supply 10. Thus, the current flows from the power supply 10 to the heating yarns 3a, 3b by way of the lead wire 9, the terminal 8 and the conductive yarn 4. Further, the output current of the power supply 10 may be a direct current or an alternating current. Further, the driving power for the power supply 10 may be a direct current or an alternating current. For example, the power supply 10 may be operated by a commercial power or by a battery.
Next, the mesh portion 7 will be explained. The mesh portion 7 is knitted in a form of a grid (net) by the ground yarn 11, the insert yarns 13, 14 and the heating yarn 3b. The ground yarn 11 is knitted into a plurality of sets of chain stitches 21 at the above predetermined intervals. The heating yarn 3b is knitted into the chain stitches 21 of each set along the longitudinal direction in a zigzag manner so as to be knitted across a gap therebetween. The heating yarn 3b binds the chain stitches 21, and functions as a heating element same as the heating yarn 3a. Further, the insert yarns 13, 14 link the sets of the chain stitches along the lateral direction, and prevent the relative deviation between the sets of chain stitches 21 and the heating yarns 3b.
With the mesh portion 7 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of paired chain stitches 21, 21 (chain stitches 21a, 21b in
As shown in
Further, the heating yarn 3a is inserted into the mesh portion 7 in the lateral direction. Specifically, the heating yarn 3a is inserted into the position where the insert yarn 13 or insert yarn 14 strides over between two sets of chain stitches 21. For example, as shown in
The heating yarns 3a, 3b each include a bundle of pitch-based carbon fibers 15 and an aramid fiber 16. For example, as shown in
As described above, the protective sheet 2 is a flexible film or sheet, which covers the entirety of the heating ground fabric 1. The protective sheet 2 has electrical insulation and heat durability. The protective films 2 adhere to front and back surfaces of the heating ground fabric 1 so as to sandwich the heating ground fabric 1. This is made by lamination, for example. A material of the protective sheet 2 is a resin such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and the like, or an elastomer such as rubber and the like. When the PET film is used as the protective sheet 2, the thickness thereof is 0.1 mm, for example. When a natural rubber sheet is used as the protective sheet 2, the thickness thereof is 1 mm, for example. Further, in the present invention, the protective sheet 2 is not necessarily required. Therefore, it is possible to use the heating ground fabric 1 with being exposed outwardly.
As described above, in the planar heating body 20 according to the present embodiment, the heating ground fabric 1 is formed as an integrated knit structure (knit fabric) including the heating yarns 3a, 3b and the conductive yarn 4. Thus, time and effort for mounting afterward the heating yarns 3a, 3b and the copper wire 4 can be eliminated, thus bringing about an excellent productivity. Further, the heating yarns 3a, 3b and the copper wire 4 are intertwined with the ground yarn 11, insert yarns 12, 14. Therefore, it gives an excellent durability, and prevents themselves from coming off or being deviated. Further, when covered with the protective sheet 2, the heating ground fabric 1 is further improved in durability, also bringing about an effect of uniform temperature as well as improved heat retention.
Further, the planar heating body 20 may include the heating ground fabric 1 having the heating yarn 3a only. Specifically, the knitting of the heating yarn 3b may be omitted. In this case as well, since the planar heating body 20 is formed as an integrated knit structure (knit fabric) including the heating yarn 3a and the conductive yarn 4, the same effect as the above can be brought about.
When the heating yarns 3a, 3b are knitted into the heating ground fabric 1 in the longitudinal direction and lateral direction, it is possible to efficiently and rapidly increase the temperature of the entirety of the planar heating body 20. Further, even when the heating yarn 3a in the lateral direction is broken, the current flows also through the broken heating yarn 3a by way of the heating yarn 3b in the longitudinal direction arranged in such a manner as to intersect with the heating yarn 3a, thus minimizing the portion which does not heat. Further, the heating ground fabric 1 is knitted into the net shape having the voids 5 between the heating yarns 3a, 3b, thus enabling to contribute to making the heating ground fabric 1 lighter and suppressing the production cost. The pitch-based carbon fiber 15 is used for the heating yarns 3a, 3b and the resistance of the heating yarns 3a, 3b is set to 50 Ω/m to 1000 Ω/m, thus realizing a high-performance planar heating body which is excellent in durability and has high heating efficiency as well as low power consumption.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. The knit patterns P1, P2, P3, and P4 of the heating ground fabric 1 can be properly changed. Further, types and materials of the heating yarns 3a, 3b, conductive yarn 4, ground yarn 11 and insert yarns 12, 13, 14 may be properly changed. For example, with respect to the conductive yarn 4, besides the copper wire, one made by plating a metal such as copper to a synthetic fiber such as nylon can be used.
The planar heating body according to the present invention can be used as a heat retention instrument. In this case, for example, the planar heating body is attached to a seat face of a chair or embedded into a cushion, a blanket, clothes or the like. Further, the planar heating body can be used as a floor heater of a residential house, an outdoor snow-melting unit or the like. As described above, it is not necessarily required to cover the heating ground fabric 1 with the protective sheet 2. Therefore, the heating ground fabric 1 itself can be directly embedded into the seat or the like of a chair. The heating yarn may be any yarn that is heated by energizing, and may be made of a carbon fiber other than pitch-based (for example, PAN (polyacrylonitrile) carbon fiber).
According to the present invention, a planar heating body excellent in productivity and durability can be provided.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-113083 | May 2011 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2012/062178 | 5/11/2012 | WO | 00 | 3/14/2013 |