Heated stadium seat

• US 6,220,659 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernard Herold III, Erich Bernhardt, Keith Mcdowell
• Original Assignee: Bernard Herold III, Erich Bernhardt, Keith Mcdowell
• Inventors: McDowell, Keith, Bernhardt, Erich, Herold, Bernard III
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/340,133
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 542/1, 297/180.12, 297/180.11, 297/452.65, 219/217
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/12 Theatre, auditorium, or similar chairs seats detachably mounted on stadium benches A47C1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/748 for heating

Abstract

A heated seat assembly especially suitable for outdoor use. A heater insert is positioned in the hollow of the seat cushion and includes a substrate member and a thin film heating element positioned on the substrate member. The heater insert is inserted into the hollow of the cushion through a slot in the rear edge of the cushion to position the thin film heating element within the hollow of the cushion beneath the seating surface. The heater insert is held in position by positioning of the forward edge of the substrate member in a crevice defined interiorly of the cushion proximate the front end of the cushion and by adhesive securement of a handle portion of the heater insert against an outer face of the rear edge of the cushion. Leads extend from terminals of the heating element to a plug in the handle portion of the insert which may be accessed by a plug of a pigtail cord extending from a junction box positioned on a riser surface of a grandstand immediately behind the seat assembly. Expanded foam is delivered into the hollow of the cushion beneath the substrate member to fill the area beneath the substrate member to discourage downward migration of heat generated by the heater insert and direct the generated heat upwardly to the seating surface. A similar heater insert is positioned in the seat back of the seat assembly and includes an exterior plug which may be connected by a further pigtail cord emanating from the junction box.

Claims

1. A heated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a top wall a plurality of sidewalls, said top and side walls being made of a non-compressible material and arranged to form a cavity;

a heater in said cavity, said heater comprising a flat substrate supported by one or more of said sidewalls and spaced from said top wall, and a heater element on said substrate.

2. A heated seat according to claim 1 wherein said heater is an insert and one of said sidewalls includes a slot for receiving said insert.

3. A heated seat according to claim 1 wherein said flat substrate is a metal plate and said heater element is a thin film.

4. A heated seat according to claim 1 wherein an edge of said substrate is engaged in a crevice formed between a said sidewall and said top wall.

5. A heated seat according to claim 4 wherein said heater is an insert and one of said sidewalls includes a slot for receiving said insert.