Vented and heated seat

• US 6,164,719 A
• Filed: 05/13/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rauh, Hans-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US09/310,982
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/180.11
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/74 for ventilation, heating or cooling actuated by rocking the chair A47C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/007 using multiple electrically connected resistive elements or resistive zones
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

The presented invention concerns a seat that is equipped with at least one vented and heated ventilation area (3, 4) and at least one additional heated heating surface (5 through 8) on its surface. In order to improve seat temperature comfort, the temperature of the seat surface in the ventilation area (3, 4) can be regulated independently of the temperature of the heating surface (5 through 8).

Claims

1. A seat comprising a seat surface and a back rest surface, at least one of said seat surface and said back rest surface having at least one vented and heated ventilation area with an adjustable temperature for coming into contact with a user and at least one additional heated heating surface with an adjustable temperature arranged in lateral relationship to said at least one ventilation area, wherein the temperature of said ventilation area is adjustable independently of the temperature of said heating surface.

2. A seat according to claim 1, wherein said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface include a common heating element.

3. A seat according to claim 2, wherein said common heating element includes a plate-like resistance heating element configured such that the current density in said ventilation area can be controlled independently of the current density in said heating surface.

4. A seat according to claim 1, wherein both said seat surface and said back rest surface have at least one vented and heated ventilation area for coming into contact with a user and at least one additional heated heating surface arranged in lateral relation to said at least one ventilation and the temperatures of said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface of said back rest surface can be controlled independently of the temperatures of said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface of the seat surface.

5. A seat according to claim 1, further comprising a control device switchable between two different switch positions wherein in one of said two switch positions the ventilation area is vented and heated whereas the heating surfaces is not heated.

6. A seat comprising a seat surface and a back rest surface, at least one of said seat surface and said back rest surface having at least one vented and heated ventilation area with an adjustable temperature for coming into contact with a user and at least one additional heated heating surface with an adjustable temperature arranged in lateral relation to said at least one ventilation area, wherein the temperature of said ventilation area is adjustable independently of the temperature of said heating surface, said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface including a plate-like resistance heating element, the current density of which in the ventilation area being controlled independently of the current density in the heating surface.

7. A seat comprising a seat surface and a back rest surface, each having at least one vented and heated ventilation area with an adjustable temperature for coming into contact with a user and at least one additional heated heating surface with an adjustable temperature arranged in lateral relation to said at least one ventilation area, wherein the temperature of at least one of said seat surface and said back rest surface in said respective ventilation area is adjusted independently of the temperature of said heating surface thereof, and the temperature of said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface of said back rest surface can be controlled independently of the temperature of said at least one ventilation area and said at least one heating surface of said seat surface.