Vehicle seat

• US 6,676,207 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rauh, Hans-Georg, Stowe, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/059,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.42
• US Class Current: 297/180.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance

Abstract

A vehicle seat including at least one pad (12) having an air-permeable surface area (16). In the region of the air-permeable surface area (16) of the pad, an air-permeable heating element (18) is arranged to heat the surface area (16) of the pad. A fan unit (24) blows air through the heating element (18) and the surface area (16) of the pad. A first temperature sensor (26) detects the temperature of the surface area (16) or of the heating element (18). A second temperature sensor (30) detects the temperature of the air aspirated by the fan (24). A fan regulator (32) regulates the volume flow of air as a function of the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor (30).

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

at least one pad comprising an air-permeable surface area;

an air-permeable heating element arranged proximate the air-permeable surface area of the pad to heat the surface area of the pad;

a fan unit for forcing air through the heating element and the surface area of the pad;

a first temperature sensor remote from the heating element for providing a first temperature value indicative of the temperature of ambient air aspirated by the fan unit; and

a controller in operative communication with the fan unit and the first temperature sensor, the controller adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of the first temperature value.

2. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the first temperature value is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the first temperature value is high.

3. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said fan unit comprises a blower.

4. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 further comprising an operator interface comprising a seat temperature selection mechanism and fan unit activation mechanism.

5. A vehicle seat comprising:

at least one pad comprising an air-permeable surface area;

an air-permeable heating element arranged proximate the air-permeable surface area of the pad to heat the surface area of the pad;

a fan unit for forcing air through the heating element and the surface area of the pad;

a first temperature sensor for providing a first temperature value indicative of the temperature of air aspirated by the fan unit;

a second temperature sensor proximate the heating element for providing a second temperature value indicative of the seat pad temperature proximate the heating element; and

a controller in operative communication with the fan unit, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of the first and second temperature values.

6. A vehicle seat according to claim 5 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of a difference between the first and second temperature values.

7. A vehicle seat according to claim 6 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is high.

8. A vehicle seat according to claim 5 wherein said controller is adapted to maintain said heating element at an operator-defined temperature value as a function of the second temperature value.

9. A vehicle seat comprising:

at least one pad comprising an air-permeable surface area;

an air-permeable heating element arranged proximate the air-permeable surface area of the pad to heat the surface area of the pad;

a fan unit for forcing air through the heating element and the surface area of the pad;

a first temperature sensor comprising a negative temperature coefficient sensor for providing a first temperature value indicative of the temperature of air aspirated by the fan unit; and

a controller in operative communication with the fan unit and the first temperature sensor, the controller adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of the first temperature value.

10. A vehicle seat comprising:

at least one pad comprising an air-permeable surface area;

an air-permeable heating element arranged proximate the air-permeable surface area of the pad to heat the surface area of the pad;

a fan unit for forcing air through the heating element and the surface area of the pad;

a first temperature sensor for providing a first temperature value indicative of the temperature of air aspirated by the fan unit;

a second temperature sensor proximate the heating element for providing a second temperature value indicative of the temperature of the heating element or surface area of the pad;

an operator interface comprising a seat temperature selection mechanism; and

a controller in operative communication with the heating element, fan unit and the first and second temperature sensors, the controller adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of the first temperature value and maintain said heating element at an operator-defined temperature value as a function of the second temperature value.

11. A vehicle seat according to claim 10 wherein at least one of said first and second temperature sensors comprises a negative temperature coefficient sensor.

12. A vehicle seat according to claim 10 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the first temperature value is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the first temperature value is high.

13. A vehicle seat according to claim 10 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of a difference between the first and second temperature values.

14. A vehicle seat according to claim 13 wherein said controller is adapted to operate the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is high.

15. A vehicle seat according to claim 10 wherein said fan unit comprises a blower.

16. A method of heating a vehicle seat comprising:

receiving an operator-defined temperature value;

controlling an air-permeable heating element arranged proximate an air-permeable surface area of a pad of the seat to maintain said heating element at a temperature corresponding to said operator-defined temperature value;

providing a fan unit in fluid communication with said heating element for forcing air through the heating element and the surface area of the pad;

receiving a first temperature value of air inducted into said fan unit from a first temperature sensor remote from said heating element, said first temperature value indicative of the temperature of air aspirated by the fan unit; and

controlling the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of the first temperature value.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein controlling comprises operating the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the first temperature value is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the first temperature value is high.

18. A method according to claim 16 comprising receiving a second temperature value indicative of the seat pad temperature proximate to the heating element, and wherein controlling comprises operating the fan unit to regulate a volume flow of air as a function of a difference between the first and second temperature values.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein controlling comprises operating the fan unit to provide a relatively lower volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is low and a relatively higher volume of air flow when the difference between the first and second temperature values is high.