Vehicle seat

• US 7,467,823 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Hartwich, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/552,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.14
• US Class Current: 297/180.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment

Abstract

A vehicle seat having a seat part and a backrest is disclosed. At least one of the seat part and the back rest comprises a usable surface, an air supply opening, an air duct, and a ventilator. The air duct extends between the air supply opening and the usable surface. The ventilator is in communication with the air duct for producing an air flow in the air duct. The ventilator is coupled to the side of the at least one of the seat part and the backrest.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a seat part having a side and a backrest having a side, at least one of the seat part and the backrest comprising:

a usable surface having a first part on the backrest and a second part on the seat part, the first part being connected to the second part by a flexible connecting element;

an air supply opening;

an air duct extending between the air supply opening and the usable surface, the air duct having at least two air duct arms and a distributing section;

a ventilator in communication with the air duct for producing an air flow in the air duct; and

wherein the ventilator is coupled to the side of the backrest, and

wherein the flexible connecting element makes up part of the air duct and is directly adjoined by the distributing section of the air duct.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the ventilator is configured to direct the airflow from the air supply opening to the usable surface.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the ventilator is configured to direct the airflow from the usable surface to the air supply opening.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the backrest comprises a backrest structure and a backrest upholstery for covering the backrest structure and wherein the ventilator is coupled to the side of one of the backrest structure and the backrest upholstery.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the seat part and the backrest further comprises a foam cushion and wherein at least a portion of the air duct is formed in the foam cushion.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 5 further comprising an air permeable layer on the foam material and covering the at least a portion of the air duct in the foam cushion.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 5 wherein the ventilator is coupled to the air supply opening.

21. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the ventilator is coupled to a lateral side of the backrest.

8. A vehicle seat having a seat part and a backrest, at least one of the seat part and the backrest comprising:

a usable surface;

an air supply opening; and

an air duct configured to direct air between the air supply opening and the usable surface,

wherein the air duct has a first cross-sectional area at a first position and a second cross-sectional area at a second position, the first position being closer to the air supply opening than the second position and the second cross-sectional area being less than the first cross-sectional area, and

wherein the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area are rectangular and are each defined by a height and a width, and wherein the width of the first cross-sectional area is the same as the width of the second cross-sectional area and the height of the first cross-sectional area is greater than the height of the second cross-sectional area.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8 wherein the air duct comprises a plurality of arms so that the air duct is distributed over substantially all of the usable surface.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 8 further comprising a foam material having a first side in which at least a portion of the air duct is formed and a second side opposite the first side.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 10 further comprising compensation elements coupled to the second side of the foam material, the compensation elements configured to deform so that the cross-sectional area of the at least a portion of the air duct is maintained when the vehicle seat is occupied.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 8 further comprising a ventilator for producing an air flow in the air duct.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12 further comprising an operating unit for controlling the operation of the ventilator.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the operating unit is configured to control the operation of the ventilator based on at least one of the temperature of the interior of the vehicle and the temperature of the vehicle seat.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the operating unit is configured to operate the ventilator at a first speed when at least one of the temperature of the interior of the vehicle and the temperature of the vehicle seat exceeds a predetermined temperature limit and at a second speed when at least one of the temperature of the interior of the vehicle and the temperature of the vehicle seat falls within a predetermined temperature range.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 15 wherein the second speed is less than the first speed.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 16 wherein the predetermined temperature range within which the ventilator operates at the second speed is less than the predetermined temperature limit over which the ventilator operates at the first speed.

18. The vehicle seat of claim 17 wherein the second speed is selected from a range of speeds.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 12 wherein the ventilator is coupled to a side of the at least one of the seat part and the backrest.

20. The vehicle seat of claim 19 wherein the ventilator is coupled to a lateral side of the at least one of the seat part and the backrest.