Seat module for a vehicle seat which can be actively ventilated and method of making same

• US 6,808,230 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Kunkel, Joachim, Pfahler, Karl, Buss, Henning
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US09/860,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.12, 297/180.73, 297/180.14, 297/452.23, 297/452.24, 297/452.36, 297/452.6, 297/452.59, 542/3, 572/1, 5 7/2 C
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface

Abstract

A seat module is designed as a seat cushion or backrest and can be actively ventilated. The seat module includes a cushion, which has a cushion pad impermeable to air and an upholstered zone that extends over the latter and through which air can be made to flow and which is covered by an air-permeable cushion cover. A cushion carrier accommodates the cushion. To improve the quality of the module as regards sitting comfort and long-term stability combined with low manufacturing costs, the upholstered zone through which air can be made to flow is composed of three layers and in the manner of a sandwich of two rubberized hair layers and a knitted layer of coarse-mesh knitted spacing fabric in between the hair layers.

Claims

1. Seat module, which is designed as a seat cushion or backrest and can be actively ventilated, having a cushion, which has a cushion pad impermeable to air and an upholstered zone that extends over the latter and through which air can be made to flow and which is covered by an air-permeable cushion cover,

wherein the upholstered zone through which air can be made to flow has three layers and is composed in the manner of a sandwich of two rubberized hair layers and a knitted layer of coarse-mesh knitted spacing fabric in between the hair layers,

wherein to tension the cushion cover, it is drawn into tacking seams that divide the cushion into a face area and two side areas extending in the longitudinal direction;

wherein the tacking seams are formed in the upholstered zone;

wherein the tacking seams are fixed in the upper rubberized hair layer above the knitted layer of coarse-mesh knitted spacing fabric in between the hair layers without reducing a height of the knitted layer; and

wherein the upholstered zone extends laterally of the tacking seams into the respective side areas.

2. Seat module according to claim 1, wherein during production, the knitted spacing fabric is inserted between the rubberized hair layers and connected to them to form a sandwich-type mat.

3. Seat module according to claim 2, wherein the sandwich-type mat rests by its lower rubberized hair layer on the cushion pad and wherein the cushion cover covers the upper rubberized hair layer.

4. Seat module according to claim 3, wherein a perforated heating mat is inserted between the upper rubberized hair layer and the cushion cover.

5. Seat module according to claim 4, wherein the upper rubberized hair layer is made thin, the minimum thickness being limited by the required sitting comfort.

6. Seat module according to claim 4, wherein the cushion pad has arranged in it channels that pass through it and into each of which channels a bush containing a miniature fan is inserted, and

wherein the bush has an air-inlet opening situated on an underside of the cushion pad and air-outlet openings arranged in an end region that projects into the sandwich-type mat, which allow air to enter the knitted layer and the lower rubberized hair layer.

7. Seat module according to claim 3, wherein the upper rubberized hair layer is made thin, the minimum thickness being limited by the required sitting comfort.

8. Seat module according to claim 3, wherein the cushion pad has arranged in it channels that pass through it and into each of which channels a bush containing a miniature fan is inserted, and

wherein the bush has an air-inlet opening situated on an underside of the cushion pad and air-outlet openings arranged in an end region that projects into the sandwich-type mat, which allow air to enter the knitted layer and the lower rubberized hair layer.

9. Seat module according to claim 2, wherein the upper rubberized hair layer is made thin, the minimum thickness being limited by the required sitting comfort.

10. Seat module according to claim 2, wherein the cushion pad has arranged in it channels that pass through it and into each of which channels a bush containing a miniature fan is inserted, and

wherein the bush has an air-inlet opening situated on an underside of the cushion pad and air-outlet openings arranged in an end region that projects into the sandwich-type mat, which allow air to enter the knitted layer and the lower rubberized hair layer.

11. Seat assembly according to claim 10, comprising a cushion carrier underlying and supporting the cushion pad.

12. Seat module according to claim 2, wherein the cushion carrier is designed as a cushion shell, preferably composed of plastic or metal, which has a deep-drawn central shell portion and two lateral shell portions, which extend away obliquely upwards at the edges, and

wherein the cushion pad lies in the central shell portion and the sandwich-type mat rests on the cushion pad and extends beyond the latter on both sides onto the lateral shell portions of the cushion shell.

13. Seat module according to claim 12, wherein the central shell portion has a central cutout, which is spanned by a spring core.

14. Seat module according to claim 1, wherein the upper rubberized hair layer is made thin, the minimum thickness being limited by the required sitting comfort.

15. Seat module according to claim 14, wherein the cushion pad has arranged in it channels that pass through it and into each of which channels a bush containing a miniature fan is inserted, and

wherein the bush has an air-inlet opening situated on an underside of the cushion pad and air-outlet openings arranged in an end region that projects into the sandwich-type mat, which allow air to enter the knitted layer and the lower rubberized hair layer.

16. Seat assembly for a vehicle seat, comprising:

a cushion pad impermeable to air,

an upholstered zone which extends over the cushion pad, and

an air permeable cushion cover covering the upholstered zone,

wherein the upholstered zone is air permeable and includes two rubberized hair layers and a knitted layer of coarse mesh knitted spacing fabric interposed between the rubberized hair layers,

wherein the rubberized hair layers and knitted layer interposed therebetween extend laterally of tacking seams which tension the cushion cover at the seat assembly, and

wherein the tacking seams are fixed in the upper rubberized hair layer above the knitted layer of coarse-mesh knitted spacing fabric in between the hair layers without reducing a height of the knitted layer.

17. Seat assembly according to claim 16, wherein during production, the knitted spacing fabric is inserted between the rubberized hair layers and connected to them to form a sandwich-type mat.