Automotive vehicle seat insert

• US 6,893,086 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WET Automotive Systems Limited (Gentherm Incorporated), Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bajic, Goran, Lazanja, Marinko, Fernandez, Lucas, Liss, Anne Patrice, White, Brennon Lewis, Drobnjakovic, Valerija, Brennan, Lindy
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burnham, Sarah C.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20040036326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.14, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.11
• US Class Current: 297/180.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5642 with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/48 Upholstered article making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

There is disclosed an insert suitable for placement within a seat of an automotive vehicle. The insert preferably includes multiple layers, one of which includes a heater for providing an occupant of the seat with warmth. The insert also preferably includes a blower or air pump for providing ventilation and/or cooling to the seat occupant.

Claims

1. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat cushion and a seat cover over the seat cushion wherein the seat cover allows air to flow therethrough;

an insert located beneath the seat cover, wherein;

i) the insert includes a first layer and a second layer, both the first layer and the second layer including a barrier sub-layer, the barrier sub-layer of the first layer being adhered to the barrier sub-layer of the second layer for sealing about a peripheral edge of the insert; and

ii) the insert includes a spacer material forming open space within the insert; and

iii) the insert includes at least one first opening and a second opening; and

an air mover in fluid communication with the first opening, the second opening and the open space of the spacer sub-layer;

wherein at least one through-hole extends through the insert and a barrier sub-layer of the first layer and a barrier sub-layer of the second layer seal about the at least one through-hole to prevent fluid communication between the open space of the spacer sub-layer and the at least one through hole.

2. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the insert includes a resistive heating element disposed thereon.

3. A ventilated seat as in claim 2 wherein the insert includes an extension of substantially smaller width than the rest of the insert wherein the extension extends behind the cushion of the seat to the air mover.

4. A ventilated seat as in claim 3 wherein the air mover includes a housing.

5. A ventilated seat as in claim 4 wherein the air mover is configured to pull air through the first opening, then through the open space to the air mover.

6. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein a material extends through the at least one through-hole for assisting in securing the insert to the seat cushion component.

7. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 further comprising a control unit in communication with the air mover and a heater sub-layer, which is included in the first layer.

8. A ventilated seat as in claim 7 wherein the control unit is programmed with instructions for commanding the air mover and the heater sub-layer to change output levels if a temperature sensor senses a temperature above or below one or more threshold levels.

9. A ventilated seat as in claim 7 wherein the barrier sub-layer of the first layer is laminated to the heater sub-layer with a hot melt adhesive sub-layer.

10. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 further comprising a rigid attachment component secured to at least one of the first layer or the second layer wherein the attachment component includes a through-hole aligned with the at least one second opening.

11. A ventilated seat as in claim 10 wherein the air mover includes a housing having flanges and wherein the flanges are attached to the attachment component.

12. A ventilated seat as in claim 7 wherein the heater sub-layer is provided as a carbon-fiber heater laminated to gauze.

13. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat cushion and a seat cover over the seat cushion wherein the seat cushion is formed of foam and the seat cover allows air to flow therethrough;

an insert located beneath the seat cover, wherein;

i) the insert includes a forward layer, a rearward layer and a middle layer therebetween, both the forward layer and the rearward layer including a barrier sub-layer that is substantially impermeable to fluids;

ii) the forward layer includes a heater sub-layer;

iii) the barrier sub-layer of the forward layer is adhered to the barrier sub-layer of the rearward layer for sealing about a peripheral edge of the insert;

iv) the middle layer includes a spacer sub-layer forming open space within the insert; and

v) the insert includes at least one first opening and a second opening; and

an air mover in fluid communication with the first opening, the second opening and the open space of the spacer sub-layer;

wherein the second opening is one of a plurality of through-holes extending through the forward layer; and

wherein the forward layer and the rearward layer are attached to the middle layer with an adhesive.

14. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the heater sub-layer includes a resistive heating element disposed thereon.

15. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the insert includes an extension of substantially smaller width than the rest of the insert wherein the extension extends behind the cushion of the seat to the air mover.

16. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the air mover includes a housing.

17. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the air mover is configured to pull air through the first opening, then through the open space to the air mover.

18. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein at least one through-hole extends through the insert and the barrier sub-layer of the forward layer and the barrier sub-layer of the rearward layer seal about the at least one through-hole to prevent fluid communication between the open space of the spacer sub-layer and the at least one through hole.

19. A ventilated seat as in claim 18 wherein a material extends through the at least one through-hole for assisting in securing the insert to the seat cushion component.

20. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 further comprising a control unit in communication with the air mover and the heater sub-layer.

21. A ventilated seat as in claim 20 wherein the control unit is programmed with instructions for commanding the air mover and the heater sub-layer to change output levels if a temperature sensor senses a temperature above or below one or more threshold levels.

22. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the barrier sub-layer of the forward layer is adhered to the heater sub-layer with a hot melt adhesive sub-layer.

23. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 further comprising a rigid attachment component secured to at least one of the forward layer, the rearward layer and the middle layer wherein the attachment component includes a through-hole aligned with the at least one second opening.

24. A ventilated seat as in claim 23 wherein the air mover includes a housing having flanges and wherein the flanges are attached to the attachment component.

25. A ventilated seat as in claim 13 wherein the heater sub-layer is provided as a carbon-fiber heater laminated to gauze.

26. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat cushion and a seat cover over the seat cushion wherein the seat cushion is formed of foam, the seat cover is formed of leather and the seat cover allows air to flow therethrough;

an insert located beneath the seat cover, wherein;

i) the insert includes a forward layer, a rearward layer and a middle layer therebetween, both the forward layer and the rearward layer including a barrier sub-layer formed of a plastic film, each of the barrier sub-layers being about 0.7 mm to about 1.0 mm thick and being substantially impermeable to fluids;

ii) the forward layer includes a heater sub-layer formed of a carbon fiber lay-wire heater;

iii) the barrier sub-layer of the forward layer is adhered to the barrier sub-layer of the rearward layer for sealing about a peripheral edge of the insert;

iv) the middle layer includes a spacer sub-layer forming open space within the insert, the spacer sub-layer being formed of a polymeric strand material having two fabric panels interconnected by several additional polymeric strands; and

v) the insert includes at least one first opening and a second opening; and

an air mover in fluid communication with the first opening, the second opening and the open space of the spacer sub-layer;

wherein the second opening is one of a plurality of through-holes extending through the forward layer, the through-holes getting progressively larger from one side of the insert to another;

wherein the forward layer and the rearward layer are attached to the middle layer with an adhesive.

27. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the insert includes an extension of substantially smaller width than the rest of the insert wherein the extension extends behind the cushion of the seat to the air mover.

28. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the air mover includes a housing.

29. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the air mover is configured to pull air through the first opening, then through the open space to the air mover.

30. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein at least one through-hole extends through the insert and a barrier sub-layer of the forward layer and a barrier sub-layer of the rearward layer seal about the at least one through-hole to prevent fluid communication between the open space of the spacer sub-layer and the at least one through hole.

31. A ventilated seat as in claim 30 wherein a material extends through the at least one through-hole for assisting in securing the insert to the seat cushion component.

32. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 further comprising a control unit in communication with the air mover and the heater sub-layer.

33. A ventilated seat as in claim 32 wherein the control unit is programmed with instructions for commanding the air mover and the heater sub-layer to change output levels if a temperature sensor senses a temperature above or below one or more threshold levels.

34. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the barrier sub-layer of the forward layer is adhered to the heater sub-layer with a hot melt adhesive sub-layer.

35. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 further comprising a rigid attachment component secured to at least one of the forward layer, the rearward layer and the middle layer wherein the attachment component includes a through-hole aligned with the at least one second opening.

36. A ventilated seat as in claim 35 wherein the air mover includes a housing having flanges and wherein the flanges are attached to the attachment component.

37. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the heater sub-layer is provided as a carbon-fiber heater laminated to gauze.

38. A ventilated seat as in claim 26 wherein the middle layer includes only the spacer sub-layer.