Iee International Electronics and Engineering S.a.

Alain Schumacher

Werner Bieck

Yves Decoster

Driss Chabach

Thomas Schleeh

Matthias Massing

Raphaël Bennes

Joost Ortjens

Sung-Guen Kim

Dries Chabach

Robert Ollett

Julie Distel

A self-standing sandwich structure includes at least one capacitive sensor member and/or at least one heater member for automotive vehicle application. The self-standing sandwich structure includes an upper protective layer that is attached, for manufacturing and storage purposes, to a carrier film member of sufficiently low surface energy for enabling separating the carrier film member and the upper protective layer in a non-destructive manner, a lower protective layer, a bottom adhesive layer that is attached to the lower protective layer, and at least an upper electrically conductive layer arranged between the upper protective layer and the lower protective layer.

Self-standing sandwich structure including at least one capacitive sensor member and/or at least one heater member for automotive vehicle applications

Foil-based PTC heaters are self-regulating, i.e. do not need any electronic control unit (ECU) to limit the maximum heating current. In order to establish different heating power levels the present invention proposes to choose different PTC ratio/onset characteristics. In addition, the print design of the PTC ink can be adjusted accordingly.

PTC heating device without electronic power control

A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer. The spacercomprises at least one recessdefining an active area of the switching element. At least two electrodes and a layer of pressure sensitive material are arranged within the active area of the switching element between the first and second carrier foils in such a way that, in response to a pressure acting on the active area of the switching element, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the elastic carrier foils and an electrical contact is established between the at least two electrodes via the pressure sensitive material. The active area comprises an inner regionand a number of outer regions, the inner region having a generally convex shape and the outer regions extending outwardly from said inner region.

Foil-type switching element with improved spacer design

A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil having a first electrode arrangement applied thereon and a second carrier foil having a second electrode arrangement applied thereon, said first and second carrier foils being arranged at a certain distance by means of a spacer in such a way that said first and second electrodes face each other in an active area of said switching element. At least said second electrode arrangement comprises a resistive layer which faces said first electrode arrangement. In response to a pressure acting on said switching element said first and second electrode arrangements are pressed together, the shape and/or the size of a mechanical contact surface between said first and second electrode arrangements being given by a mechanical response function depending on the amount of pressure applied. According to the invention, said resistive layer has a shape such that an electrical response function of said sensor is decoupled from said mechanical response function.

Foil-type switching element

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Igel, Germany

Alain Schumacher