Electric heating/warming fabric articles
View Patent ↗Electric heating/warming composite fabric articles have at least a fabric layer having inner and outer surfaces, and an electric heating/warming element in the form of a flexible, preferably stretchable, electricity-conducting film disposed at the inner surface of the fabric layer and adapted to generate heating/warning when connected to a power source. A barrier layer may be positioned, for example, adjacent to the inner surface of the fabric layer; e.g., with the electric heating/warming element formed thereupon, including to protect the electric circuit, e.g. against abrasion. Methods of forming electric heating/warming composite fabric articles are also described.
1. An electric heating/warming composite fabric article, comprising:
a fabric layer having an inner surface and an outer surface,
a barrier layer disposed at said inner surface of said fabric layer, said barrier layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, and
an electric heating/warming element comprising a flexible, electricity-conducting film, disposed between said outer surface of said barrier layer and said inner surface of said fabric layer, said electric heating/warming element being washable, non-swelling and hydrophobic and adapted to generate heating/warming when connected to a power source.
2. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said electric heating/warming element is disposed upon said outer surface of said barrier layer.
3. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said outer surface of said barrier layer is secured at least adjacent to said inner surface of said fabric layer.
4. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 2 , wherein said outer surface of said barrier layer is secured upon said inner surface of said fabric layer.
5. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said electric heating/warming element is stretchable.
6. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said fabric layer is hydrophobic.
7. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said fabric layer is hydrophilic.
8. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is micro-porous hydrophobic.
9. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is nonporous hydrophilic.
10. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is nonporous hydrophilic.
11. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is formed of polyurethane.
12. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is formed of poly tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
13. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said barrier layer is resistant to passage of air and water droplets and permeable to water vapor.
14. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said electric heating/warming element is resistant to stiffening and cold crack.
15. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said electric heating/warming element has resistivity in the range of about 100 (1×10 2 ) ohm-cm to 0.000001 (1×10 −6 ) ohm-cm.
16. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 1 , wherein said electricity-conducting film comprises synthetic resin.
17. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 16 , wherein said electricity-conducting film further comprises conductive particles.
18. The electric heating/warming composite fabric article of claim 17 , wherein said conductive particles comprises at least one of silver and graphite.