US Patent 10314111 Liquid resistant heating element

An improved heating element, comprising: (a) an electrically insulated resistive heating wire; (b) a flexible substrate that supports the electrically insulated resistive wire: (c) one or more electrical connection for an operational component of the heating element, the electrical connection including at least two wires that are joined together; (d) a spacer controlling spacing between the at least two wires approaching the electrical connection; wherein at least a portion of the electrical connection including the spacer is encapsulated in a shrunken heat shrinkable sheath that includes at least one mass of hot melt adhesive within the sheath so that the electrical connection is insulated from fluid penetration.