Ventilated seat

• US 20060103183A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• 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: Reed, William G., Lumbard, Mary J., Liss, Anne P., White, Brennon L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,229,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/180.140
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface

Abstract

A ventilated seat assembly including a trim cover, an enclosure, a spacer, and a cushion is disclosed. The enclosure includes a top portion formed from an air-impermeable material and a bottom portion formed from an air-impermeable material. One of the top portion and the bottom portion includes an opening configured to be coupled to an air mover. The top portion includes a plurality of holes for allowing air to move between the trim cover and the enclosure. The spacer is located within the enclosure and includes a plurality of resilient fibers disposed between an upper and lower netting layer. The spacer defines an air space within the enclosure that allows for the movement of air in any direction through the enclosure. The spacer is sufficiently stiff to maintain the flow of air through the enclosure when the seat is occupied. The cushion supports the enclosure.

Claims

1. A ventilated seat assembly for use with an air mover comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

an air-permeable exterior trim cover;

an enclosure comprising a top portion formed from an air-impermeable material and a bottom portion formed from an air-impermeable material, one of the top portion and the bottom portion including an opening configured to be coupled to the air mover, the top portion including a plurality of holes for allowing air to move between the trim cover and the enclosure;

a spacer located within the enclosure and including a plurality of resilient fibers disposed between an upper and lower netting layer, the spacer defining an air space within the enclosure allowing for the movement of air in any direction through the enclosure and being sufficiently stiff to maintain the flow of air through the enclosure when the seat is occupied; and

a foam cushion for supporting the enclosure.

2. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a bag.

3. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes in the top portion are arranged and sized to substantially equalize the amount of air that passes through the holes.

4. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a trim cover, an enclosure, a spacer, and a foam cushion.

5. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the enclosure in the seat base and the enclosure in the backrest are configured to be coupled to a single air mover.

6. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes includes a first group of holes each being approximately a first distance from the opening and together having a first total cross-sectional area and a second group of holes each being approximately a second distance from the opening and together having a second total cross-sectional area, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance and the first total cross-sectional area is greater than the second total cross-sectional area.

7. A ventilated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

an air-permeable trim cover;

a bag including a top comprising an air-impermeable resin film material and a bottom comprising an air-impermeable material, one of the top and bottom including an opening, the bag top including a plurality of holes for allowing air to flow through the bag;

a resilient spacer located within the bag, the spacer defining an air space allowing for the movement of air in any direction through the bag and being sufficiently stiff to maintain the flow of air through the bag when the seat is occupied;

an air mover coupled to the opening in the bag and configured to generate a flow of air through the bag; and

an electric heater disposed between the trim cover and the bag.

8. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes in the bag top are arranged and sized to substantially equalize the amount of air that passes through the holes.

9. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 7, wherein the resin film material of the bag top includes a first air-impermeable resin film layer and a second foam layer.

10. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a trim cover, a bag, a spacer;

and an electric heater.

11. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 10, wherein the bag in the seat base and the bag in the backrest are coupled to a single air mover.

12. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes includes a first group of holes each being approximately a first distance from the bag opening and together having a first total cross-sectional area and a second group of holes each being approximately a second distance from the bag opening and together having a second total cross-sectional area, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance and the first total cross-sectional area is greater than the second total cross-sectional area.

13. A ventilated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

an air-permeable trim cover;

a bag including a top formed from an air-impermeable resin film material, an air-impermeable bottom sealed to the top, and an opening in one of the top and the bottom, the bag top including a plurality of holes for allowing air to flow through the bag;

a spacer located within the bag and including a plurality of resilient resin fibers, the spacer defining an air space allowing for the movement of air in any direction through the bag and being sufficiently stiff to maintain the flow of air through the bag when the seat is occupied;

an air mover coupled to the opening in the bag and configured to generate a flow of air through the bag; and

an air-permeable electric heater located beneath the trim cover.

14. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of holes in the bag top are arranged and sized to substantially equalize the amount of air that passes through the holes.

15. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 13, wherein the resin film material of the bag top includes a first air-impermeable resin film layer and a second foam layer.

16. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 13, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprise a trim cover, a bag, a spacer, and a heater.

17. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 16, wherein the bag in the seat base and the bag in the backrest are coupled to a single air mover.

18. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of holes includes a first group of holes each being approximately a first distance from the bag opening and together having a first total cross-sectional area and a second group of holes each being approximately a second distance from the bag opening and together having a second total cross-sectional area, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance and the first total cross-sectional area is greater than the second total cross-sectional area.

19. A ventilated seat assembly for use with an air mover comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

a cushion;

a trim cover;

a generally enclosed chamber formed by a top portion and an air-impermeable bottom portion and including an opening configured to be coupled to the air mover, the top portion of the chamber including a plurality of holes configured to provide air movement through the chamber; and

a spacer located within the chamber; and

wherein each of the plurality of holes has a cross-sectional area, the holes located substantially the same distance from the chamber opening forming a group having a total cross-sectional area, the top portion of the chamber including more than one group of holes, the total cross-sectional area of each group of holes being greater than the total cross-sectional area of any group of holes nearer the chamber opening.

20. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the trim cover and the top portion of the chamber are separate elements.

21. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the bottom portion of the chamber and the cushion are separate elements.

22. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 19, further comprising a heater beneath the trim cover.

23. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 22, wherein the top portion of the chamber and the heater are separate elements.

24. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 19, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a cushion, a trim cover, a chamber, and a spacer.

25. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 24, wherein the chamber in the seat base and the chamber in the backrest are configured to be coupled to a single air mover.

26. A ventilated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

a cushion;

a generally enclosed bag including a top portion and an air-impermeable bottom portion, the top portion of the bag including a plurality of holes for providing air movement through the bag;

a spacer located within the bag;

an air mover spaced apart from the bag;

an elongate tail extending between the bag and the air mover, the elongate tail being formed from an extension of the top portion of the bag and an extension of the bottom portion of the bag and including an opening coupled to the air mover; and

a trim cover extending around at least a portion of the cushion and the bag.

27. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 26, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a cushion, a bag, a spacer, an elongate tail, and a trim cover.

28. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 27, wherein the elongate tail of the seat base and the elongate tail of the backrest are coupled to the same air mover.

29. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 26, wherein the air mover is located on the opposite side of the cushion as the bag.

30. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 29, wherein the elongate tail extends between the bag and the air mover on the outside of the cushion.