Air conditioning device for a vehicle interior component

• US 9,061,602 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stoewe, Stefan, Harnisch, Jens, Riedi, Angelika
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US11/787,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20070245760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,990 Days
• Field of Search: 165/202, 165/203, 165/204, 219/217, 219/219, 297/180.12, 297/284.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0034 in, under or on the seat cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5642 with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors

Abstract

An air-conditioning device for conditioning/controlling the temperature of a surface contacted by a user at least occasionally, especially the surface of a vehicle interior component, which can be monitored by means of a corresponding detector device for detecting contact, use, or both. It is provided that the air-conditioning device has at least one air-conditioning layer, which extends at least partially along the surface, at least one companion layer, which extends at least partially along the air-conditioning layer and is connected to the air-conditioning layer at least in some sections in order to form an insertion pocket, and that at least one detector device can be inserted into the insertion pocket.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning device for a vehicle interior component comprising:

at least one air-conditioning layer;

at least one companion layer including one or two edges affixed to at least one edge of the at least one air-conditioning layer and forming an insertion pocket between the at least one companion layer and the at least one air-conditioning layer, the insertion pocket defining an insertion opening;

at least one detector device inserted into the insertion pocket through the insertion opening;

wherein the at least one companion layer is proximate to a user contact surface of he vehicle interior component,

wherein the at least one detector device includes at least one or more holes in fluid communication with at least one or more holes provided within the at least one air-conditioning layer.

2. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one companion layer further comprises a heating element.

3. The air-conditioning device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one companion layer includes one or more through holes through which the at least one detector device is visible when inserted into the insertion pocket.

4. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more through holes in the at least one detector device and in the at least one air-conditioning layer are congruent.

5. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion pocket further includes one or more anchoring devices adapted to anchor the at least one detector device.

6. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air-conditioning layer comprises an air-guiding layer, wherein said air-guiding layer is formed of a flexible spacing medium and covered by two or more jacket layers.

7. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air-conditioning layer further includes a heating element.

8. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one companion layer includes at most two edges affixed to the at least one air-conditioning layer.