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A fabric article that generates heat upon application of electrical power is formed, for example, by knitting or weaving, to form a fabric prebody. An electrical resistance heating element in the form of a conductive yarn is incorporated into the fabric prebody, e.g., laid in, e.g., in the knit-welt

A fabric article that generates heat upon application of electrical power is formed, for example, by knitting or weaving, to form a fabric prebody. An electrical resistance heating element in the form of a conductive yarn is incorporated into the fabric prebody, e.g., laid in, e.g., in the knit-welt or tuck-welt configuration, the electrical resistance heating elements extending between opposite edge regions of the fabric. Conductive elements are provided for connecting the electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of forming a fabric article adapted to generate heat upon application of electrical power, said method comprising: joining, in a continuous web, by a reverse plaiting circular knitting process, a stitch yarn and a loop yarn to form a fabric prebody, the stitch yarn f

What is claimed is: 1. A method of forming a fabric article adapted to generate heat upon application of electrical power, said method comprising: joining, in a continuous web, by a reverse plaiting circular knitting process, a stitch yarn and a loop yarn to form a fabric prebody, the stitch yarn forming a technical face of the fabric prebody and the loop yarn forming a technical back of the fabric prebody, the loop yarn forming in loops that overlay the stitch yarn at the technical face and at the technical back of the fabric prebody; at spaced-apart intervals, incorporating into the fabric prebody an electrical resistance heating element, laid in in the welt position; forming the fabric prebody into a fabric body, with the electrical resistance heating elements extending between opposite edge regions of the fabric body; and providing conductive elements for connecting the electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the laid in electrical resistance heating element is in tuck-welt configuration. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the laid in electrical resistance heating element is in knit-welt configuration. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, comprising the further step of finishing at least one of said technical face and said technical back of the fabric body, in a manner avoiding damage to electrical conductivity of the electrical resistance heating elements, to form a fleece surface region. 5. The method of claim 2 or 3, comprising the further steps of finishing the technical face of the fabric body, in a manner to avoid damage to electrical conductivity of the electrical resistance heating elements, to form a first fleece surface region, and finishing the technical back of the fabric body in a manner to avoid damage to electrical conductivity of the electrical resistance heating elements to form a second fleece surface region. 6. The method of claim 2 or 3, comprising the further step of applying, directly to the continuous web, the conductive elements for connecting the electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power. 7. The method of claim 2 or 3, comprising the further step of incorporating into fabric prebody the electrical resistance heating element in the form of a conductive yarn comprising a core of insulating material and an electrical resistance heating filament disposed generally about said core. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the conductive yarn further comprises a sheath material generally surrounding said electrical resistance heating filament and said core. 9. The method of claim 7, comprising the further step of forming the sheath material by wrapping said electrical resistance heating filament and said core with yarn. 10. The method of claim 2 or 3, comprising the further step of incorporating into the fabric prebody the electrical resistance heating element in the form of a conductive yarn comprising an electrical resistance heating filament. 11. The method of claim 2 or 3 comprising the further step of connecting the conductive element to a source of electric power and generating heat. 12. The method of claim 10 comprising the further step of connecting the conductive element to a source of electric power comprising alternating current and generating heat. 13. The method of claim 10 comprising the further step of connecting the conductive element to a source of electric power comprising direct current and generating heat. 14. The method of claim 12 comprising the further step of connecting the conductive element to a source of electric power comprising direct current in the form of a battery and generating heat. 15. The method of claim 13 comprising the further step of connecting the conductive element to a source of electric power comprising direct current in the form of a battery mounted to the fabric article and generating heat. 16. The method of claim 2 or 3, further comprising: limiting formation of loops to a central region of the fabric prebody, the central region being spaced from edge regions in the fabric body; and providing the conductive elements for connecting the electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power in the edge regions of the fabric body. 17. The method of claim 2 or 3 comprising the further step of rendering the yarns of said fabric body hydrophilic. 18. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of rendering the yarns of said fabric body hydrophobic. 19. A fabric article adapted to generate heat upon application of electrical power, comprising: a fabric body; a plurality of spaced apart electrical resistance heating elements incorporated into said fabric body, laid in, in the welt position, and extending generally between opposite edge regions of said fabric body; and electrical conductor elements extending generally along said opposite edge regions of said fabric body and adapted to connect said plurality of spaced apart electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power. 20. The fabric article of claim 19, wherein said laid in electrical conductor elements are in tuck-welt configuration. 21. The fabric article of claim 19, wherein said laid in electrical conductor elements are in knit-welt configuration. 22. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical conductor elements are adapted for connecting said plurality of spaced-apart electrical resistance heating elements to a power source of alternating current. 23. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical conductor elements are adapted for connecting said plurality of spaced-apart electrical resistance heating elements to a power source of direct current. 24. The fabric article of claim 23, wherein said power source of direct current comprises a battery. 25. The fabric article of claim 24, wherein said battery is mounted to said fabric body. 26. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric article further comprises a power source connected to said plurality of spaced apart electrical resistance heating elements by said electrical conductor elements, said power source comprising a battery mounted to said fabric body. 27. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein a series of at least three electrical resistance heating elements of said plurality of electrical resistance heating elements are symmetrically spaced. 28. The fabric article of claim 27, wherein a series of at least three electrical resistance heating elements of said plurality of electrical resistance heating elements are asymmetrically spaced. 29. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein a series of at least three electrical resistance heating elements of said plurality of electrical resistance heating elements are asymmetrically spaced. 30. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric body comprises a knitted body. 31. The fabric article of claim 30, wherein said fabric body comprises a reverse plaited circular knitted body. 32. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric body comprises a woven body. 33. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric body comprises hydrophilic material. 34. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric body comprises hydrophobic material. 35. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said fabric body has a technical face formed by a stitch yarn and a technical back formed by a loop yarn. 36. The fabric article of claim 35, wherein said loop yarn forms loops that overlay the stitch yarn at the technical face and the technical back of the fabric body. 37. The fabric article of claim 35, wherein said fabric body has loops formed only in a center region. 38. The fabric article of claim 35, wherein said fabric body has a fleece formed upon at least one of said technical back and said technical face. 39. The fabric article of claim 38, wherein said fabric body has a fleece formed upon both of said technical back and said technical face. 40. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical conductor elements, at least in part, are applied as a conductive paste. 41. The fabric article of claim 40, wherein said electrical conductor elements comprise a conductive wire. 42. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical conductor elements, at least in part, are applied as a conductive hot melt adhesive. 43. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has the form of a conductive yarn comprising a core of insulating material, an electrical resistance heating filament disposed generally about said core, and a sheath material generally surrounding said electrical resistance heating filament and said core. 44. The fabric article of claim 43, wherein said core comprises a yarn of synthetic material. 45. The fabric article of claim 44, wherein said synthetic material is polyester. 46. The fabric article of claim 44, wherein said synthetic material is nylon. 47. The fabric article of claim 43, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least one metal filament wrapped helically about said core. 48. The fabric article of claim 47, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least three metal filaments wrapped helically about said core. 49. The fabric article of claim 47, wherein said at least one metal filament of said electrical resistance heating element is formed of stainless steel. 50. The fabric article of claim 43, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance in the range of about 0.1 ohm/cm to about 500 ohm/cm. 51. The fabric article of claim 50, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 1.9 ohm/cm. 52. The fabric article of claim 43, wherein said sheath material comprises yarn wrapped about said electrical resistance heating filament and said core. 53. The fabric article of claim 52, wherein said sheath material comprises a yarn of synthetic material. 54. The fabric article of claim 53, wherein said synthetic material is polyester. 55. The fabric article of claim 53, wherein said synthetic material is nylon. 56. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has the form of a conductive yarn comprising an electrical resistance heating filament and a sheath material generally surrounding said electrical resistance heating filament. 57. The fabric article of claim 56, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least one metal filament. 58. The fabric article of claim 56, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least three metal filaments. 59. The fabric article of claim 57, wherein said at least one metal filament of said electrical resistance heating element is formed of stainless steel. 60. The fabric article of claim 56, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance in the range of about 0.1 ohm/cm to about 500 ohm/cm. 61. The fabric article of claim 56, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 1.9 ohm/cm. 62. The fabric article of claim 56, wherein said sheath material comprises yarn wrapped about said electrical resistance heating filament. 63. The fabric article of claim 62, wherein said sheath material comprises a yarn of synthetic material. 64. The fabric article of claim 63, wherein said synthetic material is polyester. 65. The fabric article of claim 63, wherein said synthetic material is nylon. 66. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has the form of a conductive yarn comprising a core of insulating material and an electrical resistance heating filament disposed generally about said core. 67. The fabric article of claim 66, wherein said core comprises a yarn of synthetic material. 68. The fabric article of claim 67, wherein said synthetic material is polyester. 69. The fabric article of claim 67, wherein said synthetic material is nylon. 70. The fabric article of claim 66, wherein said electrical resistance heating element comprises at least one metal filament. 71. The fabric article of claim 70, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least three metal filaments. 72. The fabric article of claim 70, wherein said at least one metal filament of said electrical resistance heating element is formed of stainless steel. 73. The fabric article of claim 66, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance in the range of about 0.1 ohm/cm to about 500 ohm/cm. 74. The fabric article of claim 67, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 1.9 ohm/cm. 75. The fabric article of claim 67, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 2.5 ohm/cm. 76. The fabric article of claim 20 or 21, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has the form of a conductive yarn comprising an electrical resistance heating filament. 77. The fabric article of claim 76, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least one metal filament. 78. The fabric article of claim 76, wherein said electrical resistance heating filament comprises at least three metal filaments. 79. The fabric article of claim 77, wherein said at least one metal filament of said electrical resistance heating element is formed of stainless steel. 80. The fabric article of claim 76, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance in the range of about 0.1 ohm/cm to about 500 ohm/cm. 81. The fabric article of claim 76, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 1.9 ohm/cm. 82. The fabric article of claim 76, wherein said electrical resistance heating element has electrical resistance of about 2.5 ohm/cm.