WINDSHIELD HEATER
A windshield heater includes a substrate that is sized and shaped to cover a typical automotive windshield when placed adjacent an interior side of the windshield. The device includes one or more heating elements supported by the substrate, with the heating elements being connected to a power source to carry an electrical current or other means of producing heat throughout the heating elements. The heating elements radiate heat toward the windshield, thereby warming the windshield and either defrosting it or preventing frost from building up in the first place. The heater may include a timer and thermal control circuitry.
1 . A windshield heater, comprising
a substrate being configured to fit adjacent an automobile windshield and further being sized to substantially cover an interior surface of the windshield, the substrate having a first surface for placement toward the windshield and a second surface for placement away from the windshield; and
a heating element supported by the substrate, the heating element being configured to radiate heat toward the windshield when the substrate is positioned adjacent the windshield.
2 . The windshield heater of claim 1 , wherein the heating element further comprises a resistive wire.
3 . The windshield heater of claim 2 , wherein the resistive wire is formed from nichrome.
4 . The windshield heater of claim 2 , wherein the resistive wire forms a grid of wires.
5 . The windshield heater of claim 4 , further comprising a power source and a thermal switch in electrical communication with the power source and the grid of wires, whereby the thermal switch regulates an electrical current flowing from the power source and through the grid of wires.
6 . The windshield heater of claim 5 , further comprising a controller coupled to the power source, the controller being configured to selectively enable or disable the current flowing from the power source and through the grid of wires.
7 . The windshield heater of claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises a display, one or more buttons, a processor, and a memory, the memory containing stored programming instructions operable by the processor to allow the display to present a time of day.
8 . The windshield heater of claim 7 , wherein the stored programming instructions further cause the processor, in response to inputs received by the one or more buttons, to store a time of day and a duration, wherein the controller will allow current to flow from the power source and to the grid of wires beginning at the stored time of day and continuing for the stored duration.
9 . The windshield heater of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is formed from heat-resistant plastic.
10 . The windshield heater of claim 9 , wherein the substrate is further formed from a corrugated material.
11 . The windshield heater of claim 10 , further comprising a coating layer on at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
12 . The windshield heater of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of folding regions.
13 . The windshield heater of claim 4 , wherein the substrate comprises a peripheral frame defining an interior region, the interior region comprising a flexible material supported by the peripheral frame.
14 . The windshield heater of claim 13 , wherein the flexible material comprises a fabric.