Ventilation system for an upholstery part

• US 7,261,371 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc), Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Thunissen, Jan, Scholl, Alfred, Huo, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/499,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20050082885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 2971801-18014, 297/452.42, 297/452.43
• 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 2/565 sucked from the seat surface

Abstract

A ventilation system comprises a seat, a first fan, and a second fan. The seat has an upholstery part that includes a shaped body. The shaped body has a bearing surface, a rear side opposite the bearing surface, a first opening extending generally from the bearing surface to the rear side, and a second opening. The first fan is coupled to the first opening and is configured to generate a first flow of air generally perpendicular to the bearing surface. The second fan is coupled to second opening and is configured to generate a second flow of air generally transverse to the first flow of air.

Claims

1. A ventilation system comprising:

a seat having an upholstery part, the upholstery part including a pad and a shaped body, the shaped body including;

a bearing surface;

a rear side opposite the bearing surface;

a first opening extending generally from the bearing surface to the rear side; and

a second opening;

a first fan coupled to the first opening and configured to generate a first flow of air generally perpendicular to the bearing surface; and

a second fan coupled to the second opening and configured to generate a second flow of air generally transverse to the first flow of air

wherein the shaped body includes a first duct for conveying the first flow of air and a second duct for conveying the second flow of air, the first duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the first opening and the second end being closed; and

wherein air flows between the second duct and the first duct via the pad.

2. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the upholstery part is a seat cushion.

3. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the first fan is one of an extractor fan and a blowing fan.

4. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein the second fan is the other one of an extractor fan and a blowing fan.

5. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the first fan is configured to direct the first flow of air from the bearing surface of the shaped body to the rear side of the shaped body.

6. The ventilation system of claim 5, wherein the second fan is configured to direct the second flow of air into the shaped body.

7. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the first fan is configured to direct the first flow of air from the rear side of the shaped body to the bearing surface of the shaped body.

8. The ventilation system of claim 7, wherein the second fan is configured to direct the second flow of air out of the shaped body.

9. The ventilation system of claim 7, wherein each of the first duct and the second duct are open toward the bearing surface of the shaped body.

10. The ventilation system of claim 9, wherein the second duct substantially surrounds the first duct.

11. The ventilation system of claim 10, wherein first opening is arranged eccentrically on the shaped body.

12. The ventilation system of claim 10, wherein the first duct includes multiple ducts, each of the multiple ducts having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the multiple ducts being coupled to the first opening.

13. The ventilation system of claim 12, wherein each of the multiple ducts extends radially away from the first opening.

14. The ventilation system of claim 12, wherein each of the multiple ducts are parallel to one another.

15. The ventilation system of claim 12, wherein the second end of each of the multiple ducts is closed.

16. The ventilation system of claim 15, wherein the second end of at least one of the multiple ducts is expanded.

17. The ventilation system of claim 16, wherein the second end of the at least one of the multiple ducts is circular.

18. The ventilation system of claim 16, wherein the second end of the at least one of the multiple ducts is elliptical.

19. The ventilation system of claim 10, wherein the second duct is coupled to the second opening.

20. The ventilation system of claim 19, wherein the second duct includes a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the second opening.

21. The ventilation system of claim 20, wherein the second end of the second duct is closed.

22. The ventilation system of claim 19, wherein the upholstery part includes;

an air-permeable intermediate layer disposed proximate the bearing surface of the shaped body; and

an air-permeable covering material disposed on the side of the intermediate layer opposite the shaped body.

23. The ventilation system of claim 22, wherein the air-permeable covering material is stretched onto the shaped part.

24. The ventilation system of claim 22, wherein the intermediate layer includes an air-permeable rigid plate, an air-permeable pad, and an air-permeable heating mat.

25. A ventilation system comprising:

a seat having an upholstery part, the upholstery part including a shaped body, the shaped body including;

a bearing surface;

a rear side opposite the bearing surface;

a first opening extending generally from the bearing surface to the rear side;

a second opening;

a first set of multiple ducts for conveying a first flow of air, the first set of multiple ducts being open toward the bearing surface; and

a second duct for conveying a second flow of air, the second duct being open toward the bearing surface and substantially surrounding the first set of multiple ducts;

a first fan coupled to the first opening and configured to generate the first flow of air generally perpendicular to the bearing surface; and

a second fan coupled to the second opening and configured to generate the second flow of air generally transverse to the first flow of air;

wherein each of the ducts of the first set of multiple ducts includes a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the ducts of the first set of multiple ducts being coupled to the first opening;

wherein each of the ducts of the first set of multiple ducts extends radially away from the first opening; and

wherein each of the ducts of the first set of multiple ducts has a length, and wherein at least two of the multiple ducts have different lengths.

26. A ventilation system comprising:

a seat having an upholstery part, the upholstery part including a shaped body, the shaped body including;

a bearing surface;

a rear side opposite the bearing surface;

a first opening extending generally from the bearing surface to the rear side;

a second opening;

a first duct for conveying a first flow of air, the first duct being open toward the bearing surface; and

a second duct coupled to the second opening for conveying a second flow of air, the second duct being open toward the bearing surface and substantially surrounding the first duct;

a third opening coupled to a portion of the second duct;

a first fan coupled to the first opening and configured to generate the first flow of air generally perpendicular to the bearing surface; and

a second fan coupled to the second opening and configured to generate the second flow of air generally transverse to the first flow of air;

wherein the second duct includes a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the second opening and the second end being closed.

27. A ventilation system comprising:

a seat having an upholstery part, the upholstery part comprising;

a shaped body comprising;

a bearing surface;

a rear side opposite the bearing surface;

a first opening extending generally from the bearing surface to the rear side;

a second opening;

a first duct for conveying a first flow of air, the first duct being open toward the bearing surface; and

a second duct coupled to the second opening for conveying a second flow of air, the second duct being open toward the bearing surface and substantially surrounding the first duct;

an air-permeable intermediate layer disposed proximate the bearing surface of the shaped body, the intermediate layer comprising an air-permeable rigid plate, an air-permeable pad, and an air-permeable heating mat;

an air-permeable covering material disposed on the side of the intermediate layer opposite the shaped body;

a first fan coupled to the first opening and configured to generate the first flow of air generally perpendicular to the bearing surface; and

a second fan coupled to the second opening and configured to generate the second flow of air generally transverse to the first flow of air;

wherein the rigid plate of the intermediate layer is disposed proximate the bearing surface of the shaped body and covers at least a portion of the first duct and the second duct.

28. The ventilation system of claim 27, wherein the pad is disposed proximate the side of the rigid plate opposite the bearing surface of the shaped body.

29. The ventilation system of claim 28, wherein the pad comprises rubberized hair.

30. The ventilation system of claim 28, wherein the edges of the pad are sealed.

31. The ventilation system of claim 28, wherein the heating mat is disposed proximate the side of the pad opposite the rigid plate.

32. The ventilation system of claim 31, wherein the heating mat includes a sensory mechanism operatively coupled to at least one of the first fan and the second fan so as to allow the sensory mechanism to control the operation of the at least one of the first fan and the second fan.

33. The ventilation system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first fan and the second fan is configured to be operated manually.