Ventilated seat

• US 6,629,724 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bedro, Ronald G., Ekern, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/755,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.4, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.46, 297/452.47, 297/452.42, 297/452.43
• US Class Current: 297/180.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface

Abstract

A portable ventilated seat assembly for use by an occupant in a vehicle includes a lay-on pad for supporting the occupant. The pad includes a porous material forming an upper surface layer, a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to the upper surface layer, a non-porous layer forming a lower surface layer and an expanded spacer material between the non-porous layers. The ventilated assembly further includes a fan coupled to the air space between the non-porous layers for ventilating the seat assembly. The ventilated seat assembly allows ventilation and cooling (or reverse flow heating or cooling) for the occupant. The spacer material may have upper and lower netting layers and fibers extending therebetween.

Claims

1. A ventilated seat pad assembly for cooling or heating an occupant'"'"'s back, seat and thighs, the assembly comprising:

a lay-on pad for being placed on a vehicle seat comprising;

an upper section configured to support the occupant'"'"'s back, and a lower section configured to support the occupant'"'"'s seat and thighs, the lower section having a first end connected to the upper section and a second end distal the upper section;

a porous upper surface layer;

a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to said upper surface layer;

a non-porous lower surface layer;

an expanded spacer layer between said non-porous layers and extending through both the upper section and the lower section;

a tacky layer between said expanded spacer layer and said lower surface layer, wherein said tacky layer prevents movement of said expanded spacer layer relative to said lower surface layer;

ventilation holes in the first inner layer; and

a fan coupled to the air space within the expanded spacer material proximate the second end of the lower section, and configured to circulate air within both the upper and lower sections.

2. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan is arranged to draw air through the ventilation holes and out from the air space within the expanded spacer layer.

3. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 2, wherein said first inner layer includes a pattern of ventilation holes.

4. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said first inner layer includes a continuous resin film layer.

5. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said first inner layer comprises a foam layer laminated to a continuous resin film layer.

6. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tongue extending from the pad, the tongue at least partially enclosing said fan, the fan having an inlet coupled to a non-porous layer.

7. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said fan comprises a portable, electrically powered fan having multiple speeds.

8. A ventilated seat pad assembly comprising:

a lay-on pad for supporting a user comprising;

a porous upper surface layer;

a non-porous material forming a first inner layer and being adjacent the upper surface layer and having ventilation holes therein;

a non-porous material forming a lower surface layer;

an expanded spacer material between said non-porous layers, said expanded spacer material formed of spacer fabric having an upper and a lower layer of netting and a middle layer of threads extending between said upper and lower netting layers;

a tacky layer between said expanded spacer material and said lower surface layer, wherein said tacky layer prevents movement of said expanded spacer material relative to said lower surface layer; and

a fan attached to an opening in at least one of the non-porous layers;

wherein the ventilation holes in the first inner layer are for directing air toward or away from said upper surface layer through the expanded spacer material.

9. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 8, wherein said first inner layer comprises ventilated holes in a pattern conforming to an occupant'"'"'s contact area.

10. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 8, wherein said first inner layer includes a continuous resin film layer.

11. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 8, wherein said first inner layer includes a foam layer laminated to a continuous resin film layer.

12. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 8, wherein a tongue extends from the pad and the fan is coupled to the tongue to permit the fan to be located at a location spaced apart from the pad.

13. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 8, wherein the fan is a multi-speed fan.

14. A ventilated seat pad assembly including a pad on the seat and the backrest of a vehicle seat, the pad comprising:

a porous outer surface layer;

a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to said outer surface layer and including a plurality of ventilated holes;

a non-porous material forming an inner surface layer;

an expanded spacer material between said non-porous layers, the expanded spacer material being formed of spacer fabric having an upper and a lower layer of netting and a middle layer of threads extending between said upper and lower netting layers;

a tacky layer between said expanded spacer material and said inner surface layer, wherein said tacky layer prevents movement of said expanded spacer material relative to said inner surface layer; and

a fan operatively coupled to an opening in said inner surface layer for forcing air through or drawing air from the ventilation holes in the first inner layer through the expanded spacer material.

15. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 14, wherein said non-porous layer adjacent to said outer surface layer comprises a foam layer laminated to a continuous resin film layer.

16. A ventilated seat pad comprising:

a porous outer surface layer;

a non-porous material including

a first inner layer adjacent to said outer surface layer and including a plurality of ventilated holes; and

a lower surface layer;

an expanded spacer material between said layers of said non-porous material, the expanded spacer material being formed of spacer fabric having an upper and a lower layer of netting and a middle layer of threads extending between said upper and lower netting layers;

a tacky layer between the expanded spacer material and a portion of the non-porous material, wherein said tacky layer prevents movement of the expanded spacer material relative to said non-porous material; and

a fan operatively coupled to an opening in said non-porous material for forcing air through or drawing air from the ventilation holes in the first inner layer through the expanded spacer material.

17. The ventilated seat pad of claim 16 wherein said tacky layer is between said expanded spacer material and said lower surface layer.

18. The ventilated seat pad of claim 16 wherein said first inner layer comprises a foam layer laminated to a continuous resin film layer.