Ventilated seat

• US 20050067862A1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bajic, Goran, Panic, Zoran, Ulan, Peter, Lazanja, Marinko, Gerasimov, Vladimir, Zlotin, Boris, Howick, Shaun Calvin, Iqbal, Syed Rafat, Nagele, Peter, Stoewe, Stefan, Alionte, Corina Simona, Kohler, Simone, Proseanic, Vladimir, Drobnjakovic, Valerija
• Granted Patent: US 7,338,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/180.110
• 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 ventilated seat, comprising:

an insert comprising a seat portion, and comprising;

a flow control layer with a first and a second port,

a spacer comprising an inlay and a main portion;

a first fluid barrier;

wherein the inlay is substantially isolated from the main portion by a fluid-tight boundary.

2. The seat of claim 1, wherein the first and second ports are located in an extension of the insert

3. The seat of claim 2, wherein the flow control layer comprises a fluid barrier or at least one flow hole located in the seat portion.

4. The seat of claim 3, wherein the first port is aligned with the inlay and the second port is aligned with the main portion of the spacer.

5. The seat of claim 4, wherein the fluid-tight boundary comprises a port in an extension of the insert and a plurality of flow holes in the seat portion of the insert.

6. The seat of claim 5, wherein the spacer comprises a reticulated foam, a strand material, a grooved material or a helical material.

7. The seat of claim 1, wherein the flow control layer is replaced with a second fluid barrier comprising at least two ports.

8. The seat of claim 1, further comprising a fan.

9. The seat of claim 1, further comprising a fluid conditioning device.

10. The seat of claim 9, wherein the fluid conditioning device is a thermoelectric device.

11. The seat of claim 9, further comprising at least one of an additional spacer, a seat cover, at least one attachment component, an adhesive layer, at least one sensor, at least one control unit or combinations thereof.

12. The seat of claim 11, wherein the insert is attached to a seat cushion.

13. The seat of claim 12, wherein the insert is attached to the seat cover.

14. The seat of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

15. The seat of claim 1, further comprising a fan and a TED, wherein the fan and the TED are connected to the insert at the extension of the insert.

16. The seat of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises an edge sealed bag.

17. A ventilated seat, comprising:

an insert having a seat portion comprising;

a first flow control layer comprising at least one port;

a first and a second spacer; and

a fluid barrier comprising at least one port located.

18. The seat of claim 17, wherein the insert further comprises an extension.

19. The seat of claim 17, wherein the flow control layer comprises a fluid barrier or at least one flow hole located in the seat portion.

20. The seat of claim 19, wherein the port in the first flow control layer and the port of the fluid barrier are located in the extension.

21. The seat of claim 19, wherein the first spacer comprises a grooved material.

22. The seat of claim 21, wherein the insert comprises an edge sealed bag.

23. The seat of claim 17, further comprising a second flow control layer separating the first spacer from the second spacer and comprises at least one flow hole in the seat portion.

24. The seat of claim 23, wherein the first and second spacers comprise a strand material.

25. The seat of claim 24, wherein the insert comprises an edge sealed bag.

26. The seat of claim 17, further comprising a fan in fluid communication with the spacers through either of the ports.

27. The seat of claim 26, further comprising a fluid conditioning device.

28. The seat of claim 27, wherein in the fluid conditioning device is thermoelectric device (TED).

29. The seat of claim 28, wherein the fan is in fluid communication with the TED.

30. The seat of claim 28, wherein the fan and the TED are attached to the insert.

31. The seat of claim 17, wherein the insert comprises an edge sealed bag.

32. A ventilated seat, comprising:

an insert comprising a seat portion and comprising;

a flow control layer comprising a port;

a spacer; and

a fluid barrier;

at least one conduit with at least one flow hole located adjacent to the seat portion of the insert.

33. The seat of claim 32, wherein the at least one conduit is located within a sealed edged of the insert.

34. The seat of claim 32, wherein the at least one conduit is attached to the insert.

35. The seat of claim 32, wherein the at least one conduit is located underneath the flow control layer relative to the occupant.

36. The seat of claim 32, wherein the at least one conduit is located above the flow control layer relative to the occupant.

37. The seat of claim 32, wherein the flow control layer comprises a fluid barrier or at least one flow hole located in the seat portion.

38. The seat of claim 32, wherein the port is located in an extension of the insert.

39. The seat of claim 32, further comprising a fan in fluid communication with the spacer by way of the port of the flow control layer, wherein the fan is also in fluid communication with the at least one conduit.

40. The seat of claim 39, further comprising a fluid conditioning device in fluid communication with the at least one conduit.

41. The seat of claim 40, wherein the fluid conditioning device is a thermoelectric device (TED).

42. The seat of claim 32, further comprising at least one of an additional spacer, a seat cover, at least one attachment component, an adhesive layer, at least one sensor, at least one control unit or combinations thereof.

43. The seat of claim 42, wherein the insert is attached to a seat cushion.

44. The seat of claim 43, wherein the insert is attached to the seat cover.

45. The seat of claim 32, further comprising at least two fans and a TED.

46. The seat of claim 32, further comprising a fan and a TED, wherein the fan and the TED are connected to the insert at the extension of the insert.

47. A ventilated seat, comprising:

a perforated seating surface for supporting a seat occupant;

a mixing region disposed under the seating surface for combining ambient air with a cooled fluid;

a fan for providing ambient air to the mixing region, for providing cooled fluid to the mixing region, for removing the combined ambient air and cooled fluid, and combinations thereof; and

a fluid conditioning device for at least adjusting the temperature of the fluid from ambient.

48. The ventilated seat of claim 47, wherein the fluid conditioning device is a thermoelectric device.

49. The ventilated seat of claim 47, wherein the mixing region is at least partially disposed in an insert.

50. The ventilated seat of claim 49, further comprising a spacer disposed between the insert and the seating surface.

51. The ventilated seat of claim 50, wherein the mixing region is at least partially disposed in the spacer.