Vehicle seat and associated air conditioning apparatus

• US 6,976,734 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stoewe, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US10/738,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.42, 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 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface

Abstract

A vehicle seat with a backrest (16) that has a backrest cushion (18) and a rear backrest cover (20), and an air-handling device that is associated with the backrest (16) and is connected to an air distribution device (30, 32) in the seat. The rear backrest cover (20) is at least partially air permeable, and covers at least one passage (27) of the air-handling device (23). The air exchanged between the environment and the air-handling device (23) passes for the most part through the air-permeable regions of the backrest cover (20).

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a backrest including a backrest cushion and a rear backrest cover, and an air-handling device associated with the backrest and connected to an air distribution device in the seat, wherein the rear backrest cover is at least partially air permeable and covers at least one passage of the air-handling device, and wherein the air exchanged between the environment and the air-handling device passes to a large extent through the air-permeable regions of the rear backrest cover, the backrest cover being made of textile material.

2. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the air-handling device includes at least one radial or axial fan arranged in the backrest.

3. A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fan is located in a lower region of the backrest near a floor of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein at least one lower region of the backrest cover near the vehicle floor is air permeable.

5. A vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein substantially the entire rear backrest cover is air permeable.

6. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the backrest cover is made of a woven and knitted textile.

7. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, comprising an air-permeable spacer textile arranged between an air intake opening of the air-handling device and the rear backrest cover of the backrest.

8. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the air-permeable spacer textile is a knit spacer.

9. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein at least one lower region of the backrest cover near a floor of the vehicle is air permeable.

10. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein substantially the entire rear backrest cover is air permeable.

11. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable region of the rear backrest cover is designed as a dust and particle filter.

12. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable region of the rear backrest cover is designed as a noise-suppressing covering.

13. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 comprising a seating cushion and a second air-handling device connected to a second air distribution device in the seating cushion.

14. An air conditioned seat comprising:

a backrest having a backrest cushion, a rear backrest cover, a first fan and a first air-distribution device connected to the first fan and located within the backrest cushion;

a seating cushion having a second fan and a second air-distribution device connected to the second fan and located within the seating cushion; and

an air-permeable spacer textile arranged between an air intake opening of the first fan and the rear backrest cover,

wherein the first fan is located in a lower region of the backrest, and wherein a majority of the surface of the backrest cover is air-permeable and covers the air intake opening of the first fan and wherein air drawn into the first fan from the environment passes, to a large extent, through the air permeable regions of the backrest cover.

15. An air conditioned seat according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the first or second fan comprises a radial or axial fan.

16. An air conditioned seat according to claim 14, wherein the backrest cover comprises a dust or particle filter.