Method for ventilating a seat

• US 20050066505A1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ulan, Peter, Gerasimov, Vladimir, Bajic, Goran, Panic, Zoran, Lazanja, Marinko, Zlotin, Boris, Proseanik, Vladimir, Nagele, Peter, Stoewe, Stefan, Kohler, Simone, Drobnjakovic, Valerija, Iqbal, Syed R., Howick, Shaun C., Alionte, Corina S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/74 for ventilation, heating or cooling actuated by rocking the chair A47C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49087 with envelope or housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49805 Shaping by direct application of fluent pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ventilated seat having an insert with a seat portion, and having a flow control layer with first and second ports, a spacer having an inlay and a main portion, and a first fluid barrier where the inlay is substantially isolated from the main portion by a fluid-tight boundary. The present invention also relates to a ventilated seat having an insert with a seat portion and having a first flow control layer with at least one port, a first and a second spacer, and a fluid barrier comprising at least one port. The present invention also relates to a ventilated seat with an insert having a seat portion and having a flow control layer with a port and a plurality of flow holes in the seat portion, a spacer, a fluid barrier and at least one conduit with a plurality of flow holes located adjacent to the seat portion of the flow control layer. The seat also may include a fan in fluid communication with the spacer and a fluid conditioning device. The present invention also relates to methods of ventilating a seat. The method includes providing a thermoelectric device (TED) and conditioning air with the TED to provide heating or cooling and communicating that conditioned air through an insert with either pushing or pulling the condition air through the insert.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a seat, comprising:

locating an insert between a seat cushion or a backrest cushion and a seat cover;

fluidly connecting a fan to the insert; and

fluidly connecting a fluid conditioning device to the insert, wherein the fan and the fluid conditioning device are fluidly connected to each other through the insert.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating an additional spacer between the insert and the seat cover.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the locating step comprises attaching the insert to the seat cushion of the backrest cushion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the locating step comprises attaching the insert to the seat cover.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluidly connecting the fan step comprises attaching the fan to an attachment component of the insert.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluidly connecting the fluid conditioning device step comprises fluidly connecting a thermoelectric device (TED) to the insert.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fluidly connecting the fluid conditioning device step comprises attaching the TED to an attachment component of the insert.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising fluidly connecting a second fan to the TED.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the locating step occurs before the connecting the fan step or the connecting the fluid conditioning device step.

10. A method of making an insert, comprising:

laminating together a plurality of layers comprising at least a flow control layer, a spacer, and a fluid barrier layer and comprising at least one of the following;

a second spacer, a second flow control layer, a spacer with an inlay, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the laminating step further comprises applying one or more adhesives to the plurality of layers.

12. A method of ventilating a seat, comprising:

providing a thermoelectric device (TED) fluidly connected to an insert;

temperature conditioning air with the TED; and

pulling air conditioned by the TED through the insert.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising pulling ambient air through the insert.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the pulling step does not include pulling ambient air through a seat cover.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the seat cover is a non-perforated material.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the pulling step comprises mixing air conditioned by the TED and ambient air in an additional spacer.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising pulling air conditioned by the TED through a conduit.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising pulling air conditioned by the TED through an inlay.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising pulling air conditioned by the TED through an insert comprising at least two spacers.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising pushing air through the insert.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pulling step comprises utilizing a first fan and the pushing step comprises utilizing a second fan pushing air across an active side of a TED.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising venting or recirculating air through the use of a valve.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising one or more of:

sensing a temperature of ambient air, temperature conditioned air, recirculated air, the additional spacer layer, and combinations thereof, controlling the operation of the fan, the TED, and combinations thereof based on time or temperature;

dehumidifying the air;

cooling the air with the TED;

heating the air with the TED; and

combinations thereof.

24. A method for cooling a seat of a transportation vehicle, comprising:

drawing ambient air through a surface of a transportation vehicle seat into a mixing region of the seat;

mixing the drawn ambient air with a cooled fluid provided to the mixing region; and

removing the resulting mixture from the mixing region.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing cooled fluid through the use of a thermoelectric device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising maintaining the pressure in the mixing region below the ambient pressure so that substantially all of the resulting mixture does not pass through the seating surface.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the cooled fluid is provided by blowing cooled air into the mixing region while preventing substantially all of the resulting mixture from passing through the seating surface.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the transportation vehicle is an automotive vehicle, and the cooled fluid is air.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of cooling air by passage of the air through a heat exchanger and advancing the air to the mixing region.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the heat exchanger includes a thermoelectric device and the air is advanced by a fan.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the mixing region is disposed at least partially within an insert.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the mixing region is disposed at least partially between an insert and the seating surface.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising defining the mixing region in a space of the insert that has a plurality of flow holes through which the ambient air is drawn.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the mixing region is enclosed within an insert.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising defining the mixing region in a space of the insert that has a plurality of flow holes through which the ambient air is drawn.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the insert is attached in fluid communication with the fan.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the fan and the thermoelectric device are secured internally within the seat.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the seat comprises a seat cover disposed over the insert for defining a seating surface.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the seat cover is made of a material selected from a synthetic material, a natural material or a combination thereof, and the cover is selected from a woven material, an unwoven material, a perforated material, an impermeable material, or any combination thereof, and the seat further comprises at least one foam seat or backrest cushion.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the cooled fluid is provided by blowing cooled air into the mixing region while preventing substantially all of the resulting mixture from passing through the seating surface.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising maintaining the pressure in the mixing region below the ambient pressure so that substantially all of the resulting mixture does not pass through the seating surface.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of exhausting at least a portion of the resulting mixture to ambient air.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of re-circulating at least a portion of the removed resulting mixture back into the mixing region.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising maintaining the pressure in the mixing region below the ambient pressure so that substantially all of the resulting mixture does not pass through the seating surface.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the cooled fluid is provided by blowing cooled air into the mixing region while preventing substantially all of the resulting mixture from passing through the seating surface.

46. The method of claim 24, wherein the seating surface includes a cover made of a material selected from a synthetic material, a natural material or a combination thereof, and the cover is selected from a woven material, an unwoven material, a perforated material, an impermeable material, or any combination thereof, and the seat further comprises a foam seat cushion.

47. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of exhausting at least a portion of the resulting mixture to ambient air.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of re-circulating at least a portion of the removed resulting mixture back into the mixing region.

49. The method of claim 24, further comprising maintaining the pressure in the mixing region below the ambient pressure so that the mixture substantially all of the resulting mixture does not pass through the seating surface.

50. The method of claim 24, wherein the cooled fluid is provided by blowing cooled air into the mixing region while preventing substantially all of the resulting mixture from passing through the seating surface.