Cushion assembly for a motor vehicle seat

• US 6,626,488 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Pfahler, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/972,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.11, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.42, 297/452.48, 297/452.44, 297/452.49, 565/21, 565/22, 572/6, 572/4, 565/3, 454/120, 454/907
• US Class Current: 297/180.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/744 with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment

Abstract

A cushion for a motor vehicle seat includes a layer of ventilation fabric, through which air can flow, and miniature fans integrated into the cushion to blow air into the ventilation layer. The air is received in sleeves installed in ventilation channels which penetrate the cushion from a cushion bottom side and extend to an upper side of the ventilation layer. To achieve adequate cushion ventilation with low fan noise even when using thin fabric ventilation layers made of relatively hard material, the sleeves are closed on their upper end with a flange and are provided directly below the flange with oblong holes which extend in the circumferential direction and have a width measured in the axial direction which is equal to or less than the thickness of the layer of fabric.

Claims

1. A cushion for a motor vehicle seat, comprising:

a ventilation layer allowing air to flow through;

ventilation channels, which pass through the cushion from a cushion bottom side up to an upper side of the ventilation layer, facing away from the cushion bottom side;

sleeves being inserted into said respective ventilation channels, wherein each of the channels have a protruding collar on a closed upper end which rests on the surface of the ventilation layer;

each of said sleeves including a sleeve jacket segment which passes through the ventilation layer to air passage openings; and

miniature fans being received in said respective sleeves;

wherein the ventilation layer is formed exclusively by a thin layer of fabric,

wherein the sleeves are designed rigidly in axial and radial directions, and

wherein the air passage openings in the sleeve jacket segments are formed by oblong holes which extend in a circumferential direction of the sleeve, each of the holes having a width measured in an axial direction of the sleeve at least equal to or smaller than the thickness of the layer of fabric.

2. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the protruding collar is made as a one piece flange at the upper end of the sleeves.

3. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 2,

wherein the miniature fans are suspended adjacent the end of the sleeves, facing away from the flange, so as to damp the vibration of the miniature fans.

4. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the sleeves are made of plastic.

5. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the upper side of the layer of fabric is overlaid with a perforated foam layer, whereby a cushion cover spins over it to allow air flows.

6. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 5,

wherein the sleeves are each clamped by way of a flange between the perforated foam layer and the layer of fabric, and wherein the sleeve jackets project into the ventilation channels with clearance.

7. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 5,

wherein an electric seat heater is disposed between the perforated foam layer and the cushion cover.

8. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 6,

wherein an electric seat heater is disposed between the perforated foam layer and the cushion cover.

9. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the layer of fabric rests on a foam block, received by a cushion support, and wherein the ventilation channels, continue in the foam block, and empty into fresh air openings provided in the cushion support.

10. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 9,

wherein channel segments, which belong to the ventilation channels and pass through the foam block, exhibit an inside diameter that is greater than an outside diameter of the sleeves.

11. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 9,

wherein the cushion support is a seat shell.

12. The cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 9,

wherein the fresh air openings are provided in the cushion shell of the cushion support.