Ventilated seat

• US 6,840,576 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• 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: Ekern, David F., Bedro, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/445,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.11, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.46, 297/452.47
• US Class Current: 297/180.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface

Abstract

A ventilated vehicle seat includes a first portion and a tongue portion. The first portion includes a porous upper surface layer, a non-porous first inner layer that is adjacent to the upper surface layer and that includes ventilation holes, a non-porous lower surface layer, and an expanded spacer layer between the non-porous layers that provides an air space. The tongue portion includes a tongue that is integrally-formed with the first portion. The tongue extends from the edge of the first portion and includes an opening in one of the non-porous layers. The opening provides access to the air space within the expanded spacer layer.

Claims

1. A ventilated vehicle seat comprising:

a first portion having at least one edge comprising;

a porous upper surface layer;

a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to the upper surface layer and including ventilation holes;

a non-porous lower surface layer; and

an expanded spacer layer between the non-porous layers providing an air space; and

a tongue portion comprising a tongue integrally-formed with the first portion and extending from the edge of the first portion and including an opening in one of the non-porous layers, the opening providing access to the air space within the expanded spacer layer.

2. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a front edge, two side edges, and a rear edge.

3. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the edge from which the tongue extends is the front edge of the first portion.

4. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the edge from which the tongue extends is one of the two side edges of the first portion.

5. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the edge from which the tongue extends is the rear edge of the first portion.

6. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 1, further comprising a fan coupled to the opening in the tongue and having access to the air space of the expanded spacer layer.

7. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the tongue supports the fan.

8. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 7, wherein the tongue at least partially encloses the fan.

9. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 8, further comprising a sound absorbing material at least partially surrounding the fan.

10. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 6, further comprising a non-air permeable seal coupling the fan to at least one of the non-porous layers.

11. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the tongue extends from the edge of the first portion such that the fan is spaced apart from the edge of the first portion.

12. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the tongue is configured to allow the fan to be placed below the vehicle seat.

13. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the fan is coupled to the opening in the tongue such that the operation of the fan draws air through the ventilation holes and out from the air space within the expanded spacer layer.

14. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the fan is coupled to the opening in the tongue such that the operation of the fan draws air into the air space within the expanded spacer layer and out of the ventilation holes.

15. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first portion has a first width and the tongue has a second width, the second width being less than the first width.

16. The ventilated vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first inner layer is coupled to the lower surface layer to form an air impermeable bag.

17. A ventilated seat pad assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

a first portion including at least one side having a first width comprising;

at least two non-porous layers;

an expanded spacer layer between the two non-porous layers providing an air space; and

ventilation holes in at least one of the non-porous layers;

a tongue extending from the side of the first portion and having a second width less than the first width, the tongue comprising an extension of the at least two non-porous layers and an extension of the expanded spacer layer and including an opening in one of the non-porous layers, the opening providing access to the air space within the expanded spacer layer; and

a fan operatively coupled to the opening in the tongue and having access to the air space of the expanded spacer layer.

18. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 17, wherein the tongue supports the fan.

19. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 18, wherein the tongue comprises a pocket to support the fan.

20. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 19, further comprising a sound-absorbing material at least partially surrounding the fan.

21. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 17, further comprising a porous layer adjacent one of the non-porous layers.

22. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least two non-porous layers are coupled together to form an air impermeable bag.

23. A ventilated seat pad assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

a first portion comprising;

a first non-porous layer;

a second non-porous layer;

an expanded spacer layer between the first and second non-porous layers providing an air space; and

ventilation holes in one of the first and second non-porous layers;

a tongue extending from the first portion, the tongue comprising an extension of the first and second non-porous layers and including an opening in one of the non-porous layers, the opening providing access to the air space within the expanded spacer layer; and

a fan coupled to the opening in the tongue and having access to the air space of the expanded spacer layer.

24. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 23, wherein the tongue further comprises an extension of the expanded spacer layer.

25. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 23, further comprising a porous layer adjacent one of the first and second non-porous layers.

26. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 25, wherein the tongue further comprises an extension of the porous layer.

27. The ventilated seat pad assembly of claim 23, wherein the first non-porous layer is coupled to the second non-porous layer to form an air impermeable bag.

28. A ventilated seat pad comprising:

a porous outer surface layer;

a non-porous material including

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

a lower surface layer;

an expanded spacer material between the layers of the 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; and

a tacky layer between the expanded spacer material and a portion of the non-porous material, wherein the tacky layer minimizes movement of the expanded spacer material relative to the non-porous material.

29. The ventilated seat pad of claim 28 wherein the tacky layer is between the expanded spacer material and the lower surface layer.

30. The ventilated seat pad of claim 28 wherein the first inner layer comprises a foam layer laminated to a continuous resin film layer.

31. The ventilated seat pad of claim 28 further comprising a tongue integrally formed with at least one of the first inner layer, the lower surface layer, and the expanded spacer material.

32. The ventilated seat pad of claim 31, further comprising a fan operatively coupled to an opening in the tongue for forcing air through or drawing air from the ventilation holes in the first inner layer through the expanded spacer material.

33. The ventilated seat pad of claim 28 further comprising a tongue integrally formed with the first inner layer, the lower surface layer, and the expanded spacer material.

34. The ventilated seat pad of claim 28, wherein the first inner layer is coupled to the lower surface layer to form an air impermeable bag.