Expandable chamber having combined occupant support and Heating

• US 20020056709A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive Sp. Z O.O. (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Stephen John Burt
• Inventors: Burt, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 6,559,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/217
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5621 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/146 Conductive polymers, e.g. polyethylene, thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

An expandable chamber support system for vehicle seat and mattress applications includes an expandable chamber constructed from facing sheets of flexible impermeable material that are sealed along their marginal edges. One of the sheets is formed of electrically conductive an elastomeric membrane that is electrically resistance heated while providing a source of pressure support for an occupant supported by the expandable chamber.

Claims

1. A support system for supporting and thermally conditioning the support for an occupant including an expandable chamber and multiple layers of flexible material and an air tube connected to said expandable chamber to provide an opening into said expandable chamber and the air tube connected to a pressure adjusting control system and one of the multiple layers constituting an upper layer for supporting an occupant characterized by:

said upper layer formed of self heating material.

2. The support system of claim 1 wherein said upper layer conforms to the occupant support thereon and said upper layer is comprised of electrically conductive material dispersed in polymeric material.

3. In the support system of claim 1 wherein the multiple layers of the expandable chamber consist of two layers of polymeric material joined to form a sealed cavity and wherein one of the two layers is a non conductive electrically insulating material and the other of said two layers is said upper layer.

4. In the support system of claim 1 said upper layer is formed separately of said expandable chamber.

5. In the support system of claim 1 said upper layer forming part of said expandable chamber and said upper layer operative to produce resistance heating so as to combine support and heating.

6. In the support system of claim 4 said upper layer operative to produce resistance heating so as to combine support and heating.

7. A fluid support arrangement including a support and an expandable chamber on said support that is configured to provide both thermal conditioning and a containment for a pressure medium for providing occupant support.

8. The fluid support arrangement of claim 7 wherein said expandable chamber includes facing sheets of flexible, air-impermeable cell material sealed along adjoining marginal edges thereon.

9. The fluid support arrangement of claim 8 wherein one of said facing sheets is comprised of polymeric material with conductive material dispersed in said polymeric material.

10. The fluid support arrangement of claim 9 wherein said conductive material is electrically conductive carbon particles.

11. The fluid support arrangement of claim 9 wherein electrical power leads are connected thereon for directing current through said one of said facing sheets.

12. The fluid support arrangement of claim 7 wherein said expandable chamber is associated with at least one imperforate support surface comprised of polymeric material with electrically conductive carbon black dispersed therein;

said support surface configured to an occupant.