Conditioned seat

• US 5,921,314 A
• Filed: 10/07/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weiss, Michael, Rauh, Hans-Georg, Schuller, Ferdinand, Lorenzen, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANDLER, LANCE W
• Application Number:
  US08/894,316
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 165/42, 165/43, 165/104.21, 297/180.1, 62/3.2, 62/3.4, 62/3.61, 62/261, 454/907
• US Class Current: 165/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5628 coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5642 with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3468 Means for controlling the deformations of the contacting faces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 454/907 Seat

Abstract

The conditioned seat, has at least one seat contact surface (31), the outer side of which faces towards part of a passenger in the seat. An air-conditioning device (18) supplies conditioned air to the region of the inner side of the seat contact surface (31). An electrical heating element (24) is arranged in the region of the inner side of the seat contact surface (31) for warming the seat contact surface (31). A temperature sensor (28) detects the temperature in the region of the seat contact surface (31). For achieving a fast adjustment of the seat temperature to a preset desired temperature independent from the ambient temperature a controlling system (20) is provide which is in connection both with the air-conditioning device (18) and with the electrical heating element (24) and controls these corresponding to a pre-set desired temperature value in dependence on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (28).

Claims

1. A conditioned seat, comprising:

at least one seat contact surface, an outer side of which faces towards part of a passenger in said seat,

an air-conditioning device which supplies air to a region of an inner side of said seat contact surface), said air having a water vapour partial pressure less than in a microclimate between said seat contact surface and a passenger in said conditioned seat,

an electrical heating element arranged in said region of said inner side of said seat contact surface for warming said seat contact surface,

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in said region of said inner side of said seat contact surface, and

a controlling system which is in connection both with said air-conditioning device and with said electrical heating element and controls said air-conditioning device and said electrical heating element corresponding to a predetermined desired temperature value in dependence on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor,

wherein said air-conditioning device comprises an air duct through which air is blown and a Peltier element having a first heat exchanger on a cooling side and a second heat exchanger on a heating side, said first heat exchanger extending into said air duct and said second heat exchanger extending into said air duct downstream of said first heat exchanger, a portion of said air duct downstream of said second heat exchanger being connected with an air supply system which supplies said air flowing through said air duct to said region of said inner side of said seat contact surface, with a drying means for drawing off water being arranged in said air duct between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger.

2. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said temperature of said air supplied by said air-conditioning device is controllable by said controlling system.

3. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said temperature and an air humidity of said air supplied by said air-conditioning device is controllable by said controlling system.

4. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said controlling system is formed by a microprocessor in which families of characteristics for control of said air-conditioning device and of said electrical heating element as a function of a measured temperature are stored.

5. Conditioned seat according to claim 4, wherein material parameters for an inner region between said seat contact surface and said air-conditioning device are taken into account in said families of characteristics.

6. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said second heat exchanger further extends into a cooling duct through which cooling air can flow.

7. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein a fan is arranged in said air duct and in said cooling duct respectively, with a fan speed of each said fan being controllable by said controlling system.

8. Conditioned seat according to claim 6, wherein said drying means is a wick which extends from a downstream side of said first heat exchanger to a downstream side of said second heat exchanger in said cooling duct.

9. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said air is repeatedly cooled for a short time to a temperature that lies clearly below a predetermined desired temperature.

10. Conditioned seat according to claim 1, wherein said seat contact surface of a back rest and of said seat surface are cooled alternatively.

11. A method for temperature and moisture conditioning a seat, comprising the steps of:

cooling ambient air to create cool air;

removing water moisture that is condensed out of said cool air to create cool dry air;

heating said cool dry air to create heated dry air having an increased ability to hold moisture by having a lowered water vapour partial pressure;

directing said heated dry air having a lowered water vapour partial pressure against an inner surface of a seat surface, wherein a temperature of said seat surface is lowered and moisture in a microclimate between said seat surface and a seat occupant is drawn through said seat surface and absorbed by said heated dry air due to a moisture-absorbing capacity of said heated dry air.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said cooling and said heating are achieved through use of a Peltier element, with a cooling surface of said Peltier element communicating with a first heat exchanger, and a heating surface of said Peltier element communicating with a second heat exchanger.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of removing said water moisture from said air further includes wicking away said water moisture that is condensed out of said cool dry air by said cooling step.

14. The method of claim 11, further including the steps of:

cooling said seat surface quickly and for a short time when said seat is at a high initial temperature to a predetermined cold temperature that is below a predetermined desired temperature to achieve a brief cooling effect which allows a rapid heat dissipation from said occupant; and

allowing said seat surface to achieve said predetermined desired temperature;

wherein a rapid heat dissipation is achieved so that said occupant of said seat is thereby prevented from perspiring.

15. The method of claim 11, further including the steps of:

operating an electrical heating element at full capacity when said seat is at a low initial temperature until a predetermined desired temperature is reached;

additionally operating an air-conditioning device and reducing a power output of said electrical heating element after reaching said predetermined desired temperature, so that said predetermined desired temperature is substantially maintained; and

switching said electrical heating element off once said seat contact surface and surrounding seat regions are completely heated, and operating said air-conditioning device so that said predetermined desired temperature is substantially maintained by supplying air-conditioned air to said seat contact surface.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said air is repeatedly cooled for a short time to a temperature that lies clearly below a predetermined desired temperature.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein said seat contact surface of a back rest and of said seat surface are cooled alternatively.