Reduced power heat mat

• US 8,066,324 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Karumathil, Santosh, Maue, H. Winston, Kennedy, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edell; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/821,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.12, 297/180.13, 297/180.14, 297/217.3, 297/452.42, 297/180.1, 297/180.11
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0238 For seats
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seating surface, wherein the seating surface defines a plurality of temperature controlled zones. At least one electrically actuated heating/cooling source provides one of heating and cooling to the plurality of zones. A controller individually controls electrical power supplied from the source to each zone and is operative to reduce power consumption in one zone relative to another zone in accordance with a predetermined profile designed to limit the overall power consumption of the assembly.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a vehicle seat having a seating surface, the seating surface including a rear seat area, a mid seat area, and a front seat area, the rear seat area, mid seat area, and front seat area including a plurality of temperature controlled zones;

at least one electrically actuated heating/cooling source providing one of heating and cooling to the plurality of temperature controlled zones;

a controller for individually controlling heating/cooling supplied from the source to each zone according to a power management profile; and

a power supply configured to provide a supply of electrical power to the controller;

wherein the power management profile is configured to sequentially apply power to the rear seat area for a first time period, to the mid seat area for a second time period and to the front seat area for a third time period, wherein the first time period is longer in duration than the second and third time periods, and wherein the second time period is longer in duration than the third time period.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of zones includes a separate source for providing one of heating and cooling to the zone.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes a heat source disposed within each of the plurality of the zones.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes a cooling source directing air to each of the plurality of zones.

5. The assembly of claim 1 in which the source includes a resistive electric grid for providing heat.

6. The assembly of claim 5 in which the resistive electric grids have a heating density in a range from about 200 watts/m2 to about 1200 watts/m2.

7. The assembly of claim 6 in which the source includes a fan.

8. The assembly of claim 5 in which the resistive electric grids use D.C. electrical power to provide heat.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back, and wherein in which at least one of the zones is disposed within a seat cushion and at least one of the zones is disposed within a seat back.

10. The assembly of claim 1 in which the source is a thermal electric device.

11. The assembly of claim 1 in which the source has a cooling capacity in a range from about 200 watts/m2 to about 1200 watts/m2.

12. A method of heating/cooling a vehicle seat comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle seat having a seat portion, the seat portion including a rear seat area, a mid seat area, and a front seat area, the rear seat area, mid seat area, and front seat area having a plurality of temperature controlled zones;

providing at least one heating/cooling source adapted to provide heating or cooling to the plurality of temperature controlled zones;

providing a controller configured to individually control the heating/cooling supplied from each heating/cooling source to the temperature controlled zones according to a power management profile;

providing a power supply configured to provide a supply of electrical power to the controller;

energizing a quantity of the temperature controlled zones in the rear seat area for a first time period by providing electrical power while simultaneously preventing electrical power from the remaining temperature controlled zones;

rotating power to the mid seat area for a second time period while simultaneously preventing electrical power from the remaining temperature controlled zones; and

rotating power to the front seat area for a third time period while simultaneously preventing electrical power from the remaining temperature controlled zones;

wherein the first time period is longer in duration than the second and third time periods, and wherein the second time period is longer in duration than the third time period.

13. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion having a rear seat area that is adapted to support a buttocks area of a seat occupant, a mid seat area that is adapted to support a thigh area of a seat occupant, and a front seat area that is adapted to support a knee area of a seat occupant;

a seat back extending from the seat cushion and having a lower back area that is adapted to support a lower back area of a seat occupant, a mid back area that is adapted to support a mid back area of a seat occupant, and an upper back area that is adapted to support an upper back area of a seat occupant;

a seat cushion temperature controlled zone provided within each of the rear seat area, the mid seat area, and the front seat area of the seat cushion, each of the seat cushion temperature controlled zones being selectively energizable to control the temperature of the associated area of the seat cushion;

a seat back temperature controlled zone provided within each of the lower back area, the mid back area, and the upper back area of the seat back, each of the seat back temperature controlled zones being selectively energizable to control the temperature of the associated area of the seat back; and

a controller connected to each of the seat cushion temperature controlled zones and each of the seat back temperature controlled zones, the controller energizing each of the seat cushion temperature controlled zones in accordance with a predetermined seat cushion profile, the controller also energizing each of the seat back temperature controlled zones in accordance with a predetermined seat back profile.

14. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 13 wherein only one of the seat cushion temperature controlled zones is energized at a time, and wherein only one of the seat back temperature controlled zones is energized at a time.

15. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the rear seat temperature controlled zone is energized for a first time period, the mid seat temperature controlled zone is energized for a second time period that is different from the first time period, and the front seat temperature controlled zone is energized for a third time period that is different from the first time period and the second time period.

16. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 15 wherein the first time period is longer than the second and third time periods, and wherein the second time period is longer than the third time period.

17. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the lower back temperature controlled zone is energized for a first time period, the mid back temperature controlled zone is energized for a second time period that is different from the first time period, and the upper back temperature controlled zone is energized for a third time period that is different from the first time period and the second time period.

18. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 17 wherein the first time period is longer than the second and third time periods, and wherein the second time period is longer than the third time period.

19. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the controller sequentially energizes the rear seat temperature controlled zone, the mid seat temperature controlled zone, and the front seat temperature controlled zone, and wherein the controller also sequentially energizes the lower back temperature controlled zone, the mid back temperature controlled zone, and the upper back temperature controlled zone.

20. The vehicle seat assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the controller only energizes one of the rear seat temperature controlled zone, the mid seat temperature controlled zone, and the front seat temperature controlled zone at a time, and wherein the controller also only energizes one of the lower back temperature controlled zone, the mid back temperature controlled zone, and the upper back temperature controlled zone at a time.