Ventilated seat

• US 6,869,140 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• 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: Reed, William G., Lumbard, Mary J., Liss, Anne P., White, Brennon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/661,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.46, 297/452.47
• US Class Current: 297/180.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface

Abstract

A ventilated vehicle seat includes a bag formed from impermeable materials enclosing a spacer material. The latter preferably includes upper and lower netting sheets and fibers extending between the netting sheets, the fibers being sufficiently resilient to prevent total collapse of the spacer material when the seat is occupied. An air mover that forces air into or draws air from the bag may be coupled to the air space between the air impermeable layers of the bag. Groups of holes are provided in the top of the bag, and the total cross-sectional areas of the groups of holes are preferably selected to equalize air flow over the seating surface, rather than having all the air flow through the holes nearest the fan. An optional, porous heating layer may be located above the bag.

Claims

1. A ventilated seat assembly for use with an air mover comprising:

a seat having a generally horizontal cushion and a backrest, at least one of the horizontal cushion and the backrest being ventilated and including;

an air-permeable decorative exterior trim cover;

a bag including an air-impermeable top, an air-impermeable bottom operatively sealed to the air impermeable top, and an opening configured to be coupled to an air mover, the bag top including a plurality of holes arranged and sized to provide air movement through the bag only through the plurality of holes; and

a spacer located within the bag;

wherein some of the holes are located nearer the bag opening than other holes and each hole has a cross-sectional area, the holes located substantially the same distance from the bag opening forming a group having a total cross-sectional area, the bag including more than one group of holes, the total cross-sectional area of each group of holes being greater than the total cross-sectional areas of any groups of holes nearer the bag opening.

2. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes in the bag top are arranged and sized to provide a generally uniform air movement through the bag.

3. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises an upper netting layer adjacent the bag top, a lower netting layer adjacent the bag bottom and a plurality of plastic fibers extending between the upper netting layer and the lower netting layer.

4. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag top includes an inner resin air-impermeable film layer and an outer covering of foam.

5. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to a fan.

6. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s air conditioning system.

7. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising an electrically powered heater layer between the bag top and the exterior trim cover.

8. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag holes are arranged in a pattern generally corresponding to the contact area an occupant would have with the seat.

9. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein both the horizontal cushion and the backrest are ventilated.

10. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 9, wherein the bag in the horizontal cushion and the bag in the backrest are configured to be coupled to a single air mover.

11. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 9, wherein the bag top of the horizontal cushion and the bag top of the backrest are made from an inner film resin layer and an outer covering of foam.

12. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to an air mover adapted to force air into the bag and outwardly through the holes.

13. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 12, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to a variable speed air mover.

14. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to an air mover adapted to suction air from the bag and inwardly through the holes.

15. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 14, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to a variable speed air mover.

16. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag opening is configured to be coupled to a reversible air mover adapted to selectively draw air from the bag or force air into the bag.

17. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag includes a first group of holes having a first total cross-sectional area and being a first distance from the bag opening and a second group of holes having a second total cross-sectional area and being a second distance from the bag opening.

18. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 17, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

19. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 18, wherein the first total cross-sectional area is greater than the second total cross-sectional area.

20. A ventilated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having at least one of a generally horizontal cushion and a backrest, the at least one of the horizontal cushion and the backrest including;

an air-permeable decorative exterior trim cover,

an air-impermeable bag having an air-impermeable top, an air-impermeable bottom, and an opening configured to be coupled to an air mover, the top including a plurality of holes arranged and sized to provide air movement through the bag; and

a spacer located within the bag;

wherein some of the holes are located nearer the bag opening than other holes and each hole has a cross-sectional area, the holes located substantially the same distance from the bag opening forming a group having a total cross-sectional area, the bag including a first group of holes a first distance from the bag opening and a second group of holes a second distance from the bag opening, the total cross-sectional area of the first group of holes being different than the total cross-sectional area of the second group of holes.

21. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 20, wherein the plurality of holes in the bag top are arranged and sized to provide a generally uniform air movement through the bag.

22. The seat assembly of claim 20, wherein the first distance from the bag opening is greater than the second distance from the bag opening.

23. The seat assembly of claim 22, wherein the total cross-sectional area of the first group of holes is greater than the total cross-sectional area of the second group of holes.

24. The seat assembly of claim 20, wherein the holes in the first group are the same size.

25. The seat assembly of claim 24, wherein the holes in the second group are the same size.

26. The seat assembly of claim 25, wherein the size of the holes in the first group is greater than the size of the holes in the second group.

27. The seat assembly of claim 25, wherein the size of the holes in the first group is different than the size of the holes in the second group.

28. A ventilated seat assembly for use with an air mover comprising:

a seat having a generally horizontal cushion and a backrest, at least one of the horizontal cushion and the backrest being ventilated and including;

an air-permeable decorative exterior trim cover;

an air-impermeable bag including an air-impermeable top, an air-impermeable bottom, and an opening configured to be coupled to an air mover, the bag top including a plurality of holes, some of the holes being located nearer the bag opening than other holes and each hole having a cross-sectional area; and

a spacer located within the bag;

wherein the arrangement of the holes and the cross-sectional areas of the holes are configured to provide a generally uniform flow of air through the holes when the bag is coupled to an air mover.

29. A ventilated seat assembly for use with an air mover comprising:

a seat having a generally horizontal cushion and a backrest, at least one of the horizontal cushion and the backrest being ventilated and including;

an air-permeable decorative exterior trim cover;

an air-impermeable bag including an air-impermeable top, and air-impermeable bottom, and an opening configured to be coupled to an air mover, the bag top including a first region a first distance from the opening and a second region a second distance from the opening, the first region and the second region having substantially the same area, the first region including a first set of holes having a first total cross-sectional area, and the second region including a second set of holes having a second total cross-sectional area; and

a spacer located within the bag;

wherein the first region is closer to the bag opening than the second region and the first total cross-sectional area is less than the second total cross-sectional area.