System for controlling child safety seat environment

• US 7,320,223 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Elrod, Susan V., Dabney, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US11/047,343
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 62/33, 62/35, 62/36.1, 622/44, 622/61
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2845 having handles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5621 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5692 Refrigerating means
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible

Abstract

A system is provided to control the environment experienced by a child in a child safety seat. Each of a plurality of thermoelectric elements is individually controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature. A first portion of the thermoelectric elements are positioned on the child safety seat such that a child sitting therein is positioned thereover. A ventilator coupled to the child safety seat moves air past a second portion of the thermoelectric elements and filters the air moved therepast. One or more jets coupled to the ventilator receive the filtered air. Each jet is coupled to the child safety seat and can be positioned to direct the heated/cooled filtered air to the vicinity of the head of the child sitting in the child safety seat.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the environment experienced by a child in a child safety seat, comprising:

first thermoelectric means adapted to be positioned within seating confines of a child safety seat wherein a child sitting in the seating confines is positioned over said first thermoelectric means, said first thermoelectric means controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature based on a polarity of electrical energy applied thereto;

second thermoelectric means adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat and controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature based on a polarity of electrical energy applied thereto;

ventilator means adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat for moving air past said second thermoelectric means and for filtering said air moved therepast, wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is increased when said second thermoelectric means is heated and wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is decreased when said second thermoelectric means is cooled;

at least one jet coupled to said ventilator means for receiving said air so-filtered, each said jet adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat for directing said air so-filtered to the vicinity of the head of the child sitting in the seating confines of the child safety seat; and

controllable power means adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat and coupled to said first and second thermoelectric means for applying electrical energy of a desired polarity independently to each of said first thermoelectric means and said second thermoelectric means.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said first thermoelectric means comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said first thermoelectric means comprises:

at least one thermoelectric element; and

at least one heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one thermoelectric element.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said ventilator means comprises:

a fan for moving said air past said second thermoelectric means; and

an air filter positioned to receive said air moving past said second thermoelectric means.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a direction that said air so-filtered is aimed.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a volume of said air so-filtered emitted therefrom.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein said controllable power means comprises:

user controls for receiving an instruction indicative of said desired polarity for one of said first thermoelectric means and said second thermoelectric means;

a power source for supplying said electrical energy; and

a controller coupled to said user controls, said power source, and each of said first and second thermoelectric means, for applying said electrical energy of said desired polarity to one of said first thermoelectric means and said second thermoelectric means based on said instruction.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein said user controls comprise at least one of

(i) manually-operated controls adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat,

(ii) voice activated controls adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat, and

(iii) a remote control receiver adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat.

9. A system as in claim 7 wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat.

10. A system as in claim 1 further comprising a wicking material adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat to define an exposed surface of the seating confines.

11. A system for controlling the environment experienced by a child in a child safety seat, comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric elements adapted to be coupled to a child safety seat wherein a child sitting therein is positioned over a first portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements, each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements being individually controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature based on a polarity of electrical energy applied thereto;

ventilator means adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat for moving air past a second portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements and for filtering said air moved therepast, wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is increased when said second portion is heated and wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is decreased when said second portion is cooled;

at least one jet coupled to said ventilator means for receiving said air so-filtered, each said jet adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat for directing said air so-filtered to the vicinity of the head of the child sitting in the child safety seat; and

controllable power means adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat and coupled to said plurality of thermoelectric elements for applying electrical energy of a desired polarity individually thereto.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein the child safety seat has a compartment formed therein, and wherein a third portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements is adapted to be positioned in the compartment.

13. A system as in claim 11 wherein said ventilator means comprises:

a fan for moving said air past said second portion; and

an air filter positioned to receive said air moving past said second portion.

14. A system as in claim 11 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a direction that said air so-filtered is aimed.

15. A system as in claim 11 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a volume of said air so-filtered emitted therefrom.

16. A system as in claim 11 wherein said controllable power means comprises:

user controls for receiving an instruction indicative of said desired polarity for at least one of said plurality of thermoelectric elements;

a power source for supplying said electrical energy; and

a controller coupled to said user controls, said power source, and each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements, for applying said electrical energy of said desired polarity to said at least one of said plurality of thermoelectric elements based on said instruction.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein said user controls comprise at least one of

(i) manually-operated controls adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat,

(ii) voice activated controls adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat, and

(iii) a remote control receiver adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat.

18. A system as in claim 16 wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery adapted to be mounted on the child safety seat.

19. A system as in claim 11 further comprising a wicking material adapted to be coupled to the child safety seat to define an exposed surface thereof on which a child may be positioned.

20. A system as in claim 11 further comprising means for removing said electrical energy from each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements having a temperature that is outside an acceptable range of temperatures.

21. A controlled-environment child safety seat, comprising:

a child safety seat;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements coupled to said child safety seat wherein a child sitting therein is positioned over a first portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements, each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements being individually controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature based on a polarity of electrical energy applied thereto;

ventilator means coupled to said child safety seat for moving air past a second portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements and for filtering said air moved therepast, wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is increased when said second portion is heated and wherein temperature of said air so-filtered is decreased when said second portion is cooled;

at least one jet coupled to said ventilator means for receiving said air so-filtered, each said jet coupled to said child safety seat for directing said air so-filtered to the vicinity of the head of the child sitting in said child safety seat; and

controllable power means coupled to said child safety seat and coupled to said plurality of thermoelectric elements for applying electrical energy of a desired polarity individually thereto.

22. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 further comprising a compartment formed in said child safety seat, wherein a third portion of said plurality of thermoelectric elements is positioned in said compartment for altering temperature therein.

23. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 wherein said ventilator means comprises:

a fan for moving said air past said second portion; and

an air filter positioned to receive said air moving past said second portion.

24. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a direction that said air so-filtered is aimed.

25. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 wherein each said jet is adjustable with respect to a volume of said air so-filtered emitted therefrom.

26. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 wherein said controllable power means comprises:

user controls for receiving an instruction indicative of said desired polarity for at least one of said plurality of thermoelectric elements;

a power source for supplying said electrical energy; and

a controller coupled to said user controls, said power source, and each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements, for applying said electrical energy of said desired polarity to said at least one of said plurality of thermoelectric elements based on said instruction.

27. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 26 wherein said user controls comprise at least one of

(i) manually-operated controls mounted on said child safety seat,

(ii) voice activated controls mounted on said child safety seat, and

(iii) a remote control receiver mounted on said child safety seat.

28. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 26 wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery mounted on said child safety seat.

29. A controlled-environment child safety seat as in claim 21 further comprising a wicking material coupled to said child safety seat to define an exposed surface thereof on which a child may be positioned.

30. A controlled-environment safety seat as in claim 21 further comprising means for removing said electrical energy from each of said plurality of thermoelectric elements having a temperature that is outside an acceptable range of temperatures.