Automotive vehicle seat insert

• US 7,197,801 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• 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): Omgba; Essama
• Application Number:
  US11/357,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 29/911, 29/91, 294/070.1, 294/070.5, 297/180.11, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/452.43
• US Class Current: 29/91.1
• 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 a method of manufacturing 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 method for manufacturing an insert and providing ventilation of a seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of

providing a first polymeric gas barrier layer having a plurality of openings, an intermediate layer including a spacer material and a second polymeric gas barrier layer wherein either the first barrier layer or the second barrier layer includes at least one opening;

laminating, by adhesion or melt seal, the first and second barrier layers about a peripheral edge of the insert for defining a peripheral strip extending along the peripheral edge and for confining the spacer material within the first and second layer so that the spacer material forms an open space within the insert wherein the spacer material remains at least partially pliable or flexible between the first and the second layers;

providing an air mover in fluid communication with the at least one opening; and

placing the plurality of openings in fluid communication with an air permeable seat cover of a seat of an automotive vehicle;

wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 20 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of attaching a wire harness to the insert.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 5 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the resulting area of any cross section of air space defined by the spacer substantially perpendicular to air flow through the spacer is within 30 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the air mover is attached to an extension of the insert and the insert is free of any heater.

6. The method claim 1 wherein the first and second layers are adhesively bonded together with a hot melt adhesive.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the air mover is adapted to pull air through the openings in the first layer and the open space.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a heater layer wherein the spacer material is formed with rubber, foam, plastic or fibers and the heater layer includes a positive thermal coefficient (PTC) heater.

9. A method for manufacturing an insert and providing ventilation of a seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of

providing a first polymeric gas barrier layer having a plurality of openings, an intermediate layer including a spacer material and a second polymeric gas barrier layer wherein either the first barrier layer or the second barrier layer includes at least one opening;

laminating, by adhesion or melt seal, the first and second barrier layers about a peripheral edge of the insert for defining a peripheral strip extending along the peripheral edge and for confining the spacer material within the first and second layer so that the spacer material forms an open space within the insert wherein the spacer material remains at least partially pliable or flexible between the first and the second layers;

providing an air mover in fluid communication with the at least one opening; and

placing the plurality of openings in fluid communication with an air permeable seat cover of a seat of an automotive vehicle;

wherein the resulting area of any cross section of air space defined by the spacer substantially perpendicular to air flow through the spacer is within 30 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the strip has a width between about 1.0 cm and 2.0 cm.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising adhesively securing the insert to a foam cushion of the seat.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first barrier layer is formed of a fabric.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first barrier layer is part of a forward layer of the insert and the forward layer of the insert includes an adhesive layer.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 10 cm² of the resulting areas of the at least one opening.

15. A method for manufacturing an insert and providing ventilation of a seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of

providing a first gas barrier layer having a plurality of openings and a second gas barrier layer wherein either the first barrier layer or the second barrier layer includes at least one opening;

laminating, by adhesion or melt seal, the first and second barrier layers about a peripheral edge of the insert for defining a peripheral strip extending along the peripheral edge and for forming an open space within the insert wherein the peripheral strip has a width between 0.2 cm and about 3.0 cm;

providing an air mover in fluid communication with the at least one opening; and

placing the plurality of openings in fluid communication with an air permeable seat cover of a seat of an automotive vehicle;

wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 20 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the strip has a width between about 1.0 cm and 2.0 cm.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of through-holes are substantially the same size.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the insert includes an extension extending toward the air mover.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising adhesively securing the insert to a foam cushion of the seat.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first barrier layer is formed of a fabric.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the first barrier layer is part of a forward layer that also includes a polymeric layer, an adhesive layer or both.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the first barrier layer is adhered to the second barrier layer at the peripheral strip.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming a buffer layer over the first barrier layer.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming an air permeable layer over the first barrier layer wherein the air permeable layer is a foam.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 10 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein the resulting area of the plurality of openings in the first layer is within 5 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

27. The method of claim 15 further comprising associating a thermoelectric heater with the insert.

28. The method of claim 15 wherein the resulting area of any cross section of air space defined by the space substantially perpendicular to air flow through the spacer is within 10 cm² of the resulting area of the at least one opening.

29. The method of claim 15 wherein the insert is free of any heater.

30. The method of claim 15 wherein the first gas barrier layer, the second gas barrier layer or both are formed of closed pore foam.

31. The method of claim 15 wherein the first layer, the second layer or both have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.