Air distribution system for ventilated seat

• US 20020096915A1
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Gary, Holcombe, Hilding, Montgomery, Jeff, Haupt, Gregary A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,786,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/180.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface

Abstract

A ventilated vehicle seat includes an imperforate foam air plenum member located in a foam cushion top. The air plenum member is assembled from a molded box-like foam member and an integrally molded cover. The air plenum has an air port for application of positive or negative pressure. The cover has apertures for air to pass into or out of the air plenum member. One preferred embodiment of the air plenum member includes an integrally molded portion that is assembled into an air conduit for said air port. The cover can have various sizes that are larger than the box-like member and can have inner and outer surface conformations to suit various purposes.

Claims

1. A ventilated seat that comprises:

a resilient cushion member having a surface;

a recess in said cushion surface;

a resilient air plenum member in said cushion recess, said air plenum member having at least one air chamber and a surface that cooperates with said cushion member to form a substantially continuous resilient seat surface;

means for coupling said air chamber with a source of air pressure;

apertures in said air plenum member surface, said apertures communicating with said air chamber in said air plenum member;

a trim layer covering said seat surface, including said air plenum member surface containing said apertures; and

means for passing air through said air plenum apertures.

2. The ventilated seat of claim 1 wherein:

said cushion and air plenum members are made of foam;

said air plenum member being an air-imperforate foam; and

said air passing means is a positive pressure source or a negative pressure source.

3. The ventilated seat of claim 2, wherein said air-imperforate plastic foam of said air plenum member is of higher density than the foam of said cushion member.

4. The ventilated seat of claim 2, wherein said air plenum member comprises:

a foam open-topped bottom portion;

a foam cover forming a substantially closed air chamber within said air plenum member;

an air port to said air chamber in said air plenum member; and

said air plenum apertures are apertures in said foam cover.

5. The ventilated seat of claim 4, wherein:

said air port to said air chamber in said plenum is an opening in said bottom portion of said air plenum member;

said air port has a collar; and

said cover has conformations on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface.

6. The ventilated seat of claim 5, wherein said conformations are on the inner surface of the cover and are for at least one of cover reinforcement and alignment of said cover on said bottom portion.

7. The ventilated seat of claim 4, wherein:

said air plenum bottom portion and cover are of a higher density foam than said cushion member foam; and

said air plenum cover is made of the same foam that forms said air plenum bottom portion.

8. The ventilated seat of claim 7, wherein said means for communicating said air chamber with a source of air pressure includes an air conduit made from the same foam that is used to form said air plenum bottom portion.

9. The ventilated seat of claim 7, wherein said air plenum member is fully nested within said cushion member so that a top surface of said air plenum member is substantially flush with a top surface of said cushion member to provide said substantially continuous seat pad surface.

10. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 9 in which said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures includes a reticulated foam layer disposed between said trim layer and said seat surface that provides air communication between said trim layer and said air plenum apertures.

11. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 10, wherein said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures also includes perforations in said trim layer near said air plenum apertures.

12. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 10, wherein said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures also includes conformations on said air plenum member surface adjacent said air plenum apertures.

13. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 10, wherein;

said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures includes both perforations in said trim layer and conformations on said air plenum member surface adjacent said air plenum apertures; and

said air plenum member and said cushion member are both made of urethane foam.

14. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 4, wherein:

said air plenum bottom portion and cover are of higher density foam than said cushion member foam;

said air plenum member is only partially nested in said cushion recess;

said air plenum cover has at least one part that is larger than said air plenum bottom portion; and

said cover part overlaps a top surface of said cushion member.

15. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 14, wherein said air plenum member and said seat cushion member are made of urethane foam.

16. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 14, wherein said cover part that overlaps onto said cushion has at least one outer edge registered with a conformation in said trim layer.

17. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 15, wherein said cover part that overlaps onto said cushion top completely covers said cushion top, so as to cooperate therewith by using said cushion top as a support for a substantially continuous seat pad surface.

18. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 16 in which said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures includes a reticulated foam layer disposed between said trim layer and said seat pad surface that provides air communication between said trim layer and said air plenum apertures.

19. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 16 in which said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures includes surface conformations on said air plenum surface adjacent said air plenum apertures.

20. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 16 in which said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures also includes perforations in said trim layer at least near said air plenum apertures.

21. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 16 in which:

said means for allowing air to pass through said trim layer and communicate with said air plenum apertures also includes both perforations in said trim layer near said air plenum apertures and surface conformations on said air plenum surface adjacent said air plenum apertures; and

said trim layer includes a layer of leather.

22. An air plenum insert member for a ventilated seat assembly comprising:

an imperforate foam open-topped bottom portion;

an imperforate cover for said bottom portion to form a substantially closed air chamber within said air plenum member;

an air port to said air chamber in said air plenum member; and

apertures in said cover that communicate with said air chamber in said air plenum member.

23. The air plenum insert member of claim 22 wherein:

said air port to said air chamber in said plenum is an opening in said bottom portion of said air plenum member;

said air port has a collar; and

said cover has opposed major surfaces and conformations on at least one of said opposed major surfaces.

24. The air plenum insert member of claim 22, wherein said conformations provide at least one of cover reinforcement and cover alignment on said air plenum bottom portion.

25. The air plenum insert member of claim 23, wherein said air plenum bottom portion and said cover are portions of an integrated molding that are bonded together to form said closed air chamber within said air plenum member.

26. The air plenum insert member of claim 24, wherein an integrally molded hinge strap interconnects said air plenum cover and bottom portion.

27. The air plenum insert member of claim 24, wherein said integrated molding also includes an integrally molded air conduit portion for attachment to said air chamber air port.

28. The air plenum insert member of claim 26, wherein said air conduit portion is a generally flat portion that is integrally connected to said bottom portion by a hinge strap.

29. The air plenum insert member of claim 26, wherein said air conduit portion is a cylinder having a longitudinal seam and one end of the cylinder is wrapped around a collar on said air port.

30. The air plenum insert member of claim 28, wherein said air conduit portion and said bottom portion of said air plenum member are connected by an integrally molded hinge strap.