Ventilated seat

• US 7,229,129 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• 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: Lumbard, Mary J., Reed, William G., Liss, Anne P., White, Brennon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/258,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.1, 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• 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 seat assembly including a trim cover, an enclosed chamber, a spacer, and a cushion is disclosed. The enclosed chamber is formed by a top portion and an air-impermeable bottom portion and includes an opening for receiving air from an air mover. The top portion includes a plurality of holes configured to provide air movement through the chamber. The spacer is located within the chamber.

Claims

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

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

a cushion;

a trim cover;

a generally enclosed chamber formed by a top portion and an air-impermeable bottom portion and including an opening for receiving air from the air mover, the top portion of the chamber including a plurality of holes configured to provide air movement through the chamber; and

a spacer located within the chamber;

wherein each of the plurality of holes has a cross-sectional area, the holes located substantially the same distance from the chamber opening defining a group having a total cross-sectional area, the top portion of the chamber including more than one group of holes, with the total cross-sectional area of each defined group of holes increasing the farther each defined group of holes is from the chamber opening.

2. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the trim cover and the top portion of the chamber are separate elements.

3. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the chamber and the cushion are separate elements.

4. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a heater for raising the temperature of the air exiting the ventilated seat, the heater positioned beneath the trim cover.

5. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the top portion of the chamber and the heater are separate elements.

6. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a cushion, a trim cover, a chamber, and a spacer.

7. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 6, wherein the chamber in the seat base and the chamber in the backrest are configured to receive air from a single air mover.

8. A ventilated seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a seat base and a backrest, at least one of the seat base and the backrest comprising;

a cushion;

a generally enclosed bag including a top portion and an air-impermeable bottom portion, the top portion of the bag including a plurality of holes for providing air movement through the bag;

a spacer located within the bag;

an air mover spaced apart from the bag;

an elongate tail extending between the bag and the air mover, the elongate tail being formed from an extension of the top portion of the bag and an extension of the bottom portion of the bag and including an opening coupled to the air mover; and

a trim cover extending around at least a portion of the cushion and the bag.

9. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the seat base and the backrest comprises a cushion, a bag, a spacer, an elongate tail, and a trim cover.

10. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 9, wherein the elongate tail of the seat base and the elongate tail of the backrest are coupled to the same air mover.

11. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 8, wherein the air mover is located on the opposite side of the cushion as the bag.

12. The ventilated seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the elongate tail extends between the bag and the air mover on the outside of the cushion.