Method for heating a seat

• US 6,124,577 A
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive Ab (Kongsberg Automotive ASA)
• Original Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive Ab (Kongsberg Automotive ASA)
• Inventors: Fristedt, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US09/214,538
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202-207, 219/497, 219/499, 219/506, 219/494, 219/505, 307/117, 307/118
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/748 for heating

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for heating a seat comprising a heating element (2) connected to a control unit (1), which is arranged to feed a current (I) through the heating element (2) comprising the detection of the current temperature (T) in connection to the heating element (2) and the control of the temperature (T) by feeding said current (I) through the heating element (2) if said current temperature (T) falls below a predetermined desired temperature (T_B). The invention is characterized in that it comprises determining an additional value (.increment.T_B) of said desired temperature (T_B) and adding said additional value (.increment.T_B) to said predetermined desired temperature (T_B) in connection with said control by means of the invention. An improved temperature control for a heatable seat is provided, in particular intended for motor vehicles.

Claims

1. Method for heating a seat comprising a heating element (2) connected to a control unit (1), which is arranged to feed a current (I) through the heating element (2), comprising:

detection of the current temperature (T) of the heating element (2),

control of the temperature (T) by feeding said current (I) through the heating element (2) if said current temperature (T) falls below a predetermined desired temperature (T_B), the control of the temperature (T) comprising;

determining an additional value (.increment.T_B) for said desired temperature (T_B), the magnitude of said additional value (.increment.T_B) being dependent on the operation or the design of said seat, and

adding said additional value (.increment.T_B) to said predetermined desired temperature (T_B) in connection with said control for adjusting the temperature (T) of the heating element (2) during said heating of the seat so that the temperature of the surface of the seat corresponds to said predetermined desired temperature (T_B).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein information (27) regarding said desired temperature (T_B) or said additional value (.increment.T_B) is transferred to said control unit (1) from an external unit (18).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein information (25, 26) regarding the status of said heating element is also transferred from said control unit (1) to said external unit (18).

4. Method according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said information is transferred serially via a transmission channel (19) between the control unit (1) and the external unit (18).

5. Method according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said information is transferred in the form of a series of pulses, the number of which directly corresponds to a value of said desired temperature (T_B) and/or said additional value (.increment.T_B).

6. Method according to claims 2 or 3 wherein said method comprises a proportional band control, with said transferred information (27) being chosen so that the effect from the heating element (2) is varied periodically and proportionally to the current temperature (T) if the current temperature (T) is within a predetermined interval.

7. Method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising switching, with the feeding of the current (I) to the heating element (2) being switched on and off with a predetermined frequency and effect, subsequent to a predetermined desired temperature (T_B +.increment.T_B) having been reached.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said additional value (.increment.T_B) is determined by means of an RC-circuit in the control unit (1).

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein said control is initiated by current (I) being fed through said heating element (2) until a value which corresponds to the sum of said additional value (.increment.T_B) and said desired temperature (T_B) is reached, subsequent to which the current feeding ceases, and with the additional value (.increment.T_B) being calculated proportionally according to the initial time (t₁) which has elapsed until the current feeding has ceased.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein said additional value (.increment.T_B) is reduced to zero during a decay time (t_A -t₁).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein said decay time (t_A -t₁) is decided depending on the initial time (t₁) which has elapsed until the current feeding has ceased after a value which corresponds to the sum of said additional value (.increment.T_B) and said desired temperature (T_B) is reached during control being initiated by current (I) being fed through said heating element (2).

12. Method according to claim 10, wherein said decay time (t_A -t₁) is decided in proportion to a value (k_B) which constitutes a measure which corresponds to the design of said seat.

13. Method according to claim 10, wherein said reduction of the additional value (.increment.T_B) takes place during periods of time (t_B, t_C, t_D) during which said current feeding does not take place.

14. Method according to claim 1 wherein said additional value (.increment.T_B) is increased, or decreased, from zero to its chosen value (.increment.T_B) during a predetermined increase time.

15. Method according to claim 1 wherein said additional value (.increment.T_B) is determined proportionally to a value (k_A) which constitutes a measure corresponding to the design of said seat.