Ventilation means

• US 9,085,255 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krobok, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamilton, Frances F
• Application Number:
  US12/406,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20090253362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 454/120, 297/180.1, 297/180.11, 297/284.2, 297/452.42, 297/452.43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/74 for ventilation, heating or cooling actuated by rocking the chair A47C3/02
• 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: B60N 2/5642 with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 33/00 Seats

Abstract

This invention relates to a ventilation means, particularly for ventilating surfaces close to or in contact with persons, having at least one air-ducting means which comprises at least a barrier layer, a covering layer and, therebetween, a distribution layer, at least one barrier layer being arranged on a side of said distribution layer facing away from the user, and at least one covering layer being arranged on a side of said distribution layer facing toward a person.

Claims

1. A Ventilation means for ventilating surfaces close to or in contact with a user, the ventilation means comprising:

at least one air-ducting means which comprises

1) at least one barrier layer,

2) at least one covering layer including;

i. an air permeable layer including an air permeability between 10 l/(dm²×

min) and 100 l/(dm²×

min); and

ii. a water permeable layer allowing the passage of water through the water permeable layer and including a vapor permeability of less than 10 m and greater than 0 m according to DIN 4108-3;

3) a distribution layer located between the at least one barrier layer and the at least one covering layer,

wherein the at least one barrier layer is arranged on a side of said distribution layer facing away from the user, the at least one covering layer is arranged on a side of said distribution layer facing toward the user, and the barrier layer and the covering layer project at least partially beyond one or more edges of the distribution layer and are connected together,

wherein the at least one covering layer is at least partially vapor-permeable, and

wherein the at least one barrier layer at least partially inhibits passage of air and/or vapor.

2. The Ventilation means according to claim 1, wherein the covering layer includes a vapor-permeable portion that makes up at least 10% of the covering layer'"'"'s surface area and/or of the surface to be ventilated.

3. The Ventilation means according claim 1, wherein the covering layer has at least one portion in which the air permeability is less than 50 l/(dm²×

min) but greater than 0 l/(dm²×

min) and the vapor permeability has an s_D value smaller than 1,500 m but greater than 0 m.

4. The Ventilation means according to claim 2, wherein the vapor-permeable portions of the covering layer include a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the air-permeable portions of the covering layer,

wherein the vapor-permeable portions make up at least 70% of a surface area of the covering layer and/or a surface to be ventilated.

5. The Ventilation means according to claim 1, wherein the covering layer includes a non-woven fabric, comprising at least one of polyester microfibers and polyamide fibers,

wherein a ratio of the at least one of the polyester microfibers and polyamide fibers to the covering layer is 10 to 90:

60 to 10.

6. A Seat including at least one ventilation means according to claim 1.

7. A Vehicle including at least one vehicle interior fitting including at least one ventilation means according to claim 1.

8. The Ventilation means according to claim 1, wherein the covering layer is a non-woven fabric that has a square-meter weight of 133 g/m² or less but greater than 0 g/m² and comprises two different layers with different permeabilities to air and/or water or vapor.

9. The Ventilation means according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation means ventilates an arm rest surface, a door-trim panel surface, or a steering device surface.

10. The Ventilation means according to claim 8, wherein the ventilation means includes a fan.

11. The Ventilation means according to claim 10, wherein the covering layer includes one or more air passage openings so that the fan is connected thereto.

12. The Ventilation means according to claim 10, wherein the at least one air-ducting means includes a snorkel so that the air-ducting means is connected at a point that is spaced away from the surface to be ventilated.

13. The Ventilation means according to claim 10, wherein the one car more edges are connected by bonding, welding, or sewing.

14. A climate-conditioning system that includes at least one temperature-control means, the at least one ventilation means of claim 8, and at least one moisture-regulating means.

15. The Ventilation means of claim 10, wherein the air distribution layer includes a spacer means which maintains a space between the covering layer and the barrier layer.