Cushion assembly for a motor vehicle seat

• US 20020067058A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Pfahler, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 6,626,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/180.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/744 with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment

Abstract

A cushion for a motor vehicle seat which includes a layer of ventilation fabric, through which air can flow, and miniature fans integrated into the cushion to blow air into the ventilation layer. The air is received in sleeves installed in ventilation channels which penetrate the cushion from a cushion bottom side and extend to an upper side of the ventilation layer. To achieve adequate cushion ventilation with low fan noise even when using thin fabric ventilation layers made of relatively hard material, the sleeves are closed on their upper end with a flange and are provided directly below the flange with oblong holes which extend in the circumferential direction and have a width measured in the axial direction which is equal to or less than the thickness of the layer of fabric.

Claims

1. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat, comprising:

a ventilation layer, through which air can flow;

ventilation channels, which pass through the cushion from a cushion bottom side up to an upper side of the ventilation layer, facing away from the cushion bottom side;

sleeves, which are inserted into respective ones of the ventilation channels, each with a protruding collar on its closed upper end which rests on the surface of the ventilation layer;

each sleeve including a sleeve jacket segment which passes through the ventilation layer to air passage openings; and

miniature fans, which are received in respective ones of the sleeves;

wherein the ventilation layer is formed exclusively by a thin layer of fabric,

wherein the sleeves are designed rigidly in axial and radial directions, and

wherein the air passage openings in the sleeve jackets are formed by oblong holes which extend in the circumferential direction of the sleeve and have a hole width measured in an axial direction of the sleeve equal to or smaller than the thickness of the layer of fabric.

2. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the protruding collar is made as one piece with a flange, terminating the upper end of the sleeves.

3. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the sleeves are made of plastic.

4. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the upper side of the layer of fabric is overlaid with a perforated foam layer, over which is spanned a cushion cover, through which air flows.

5. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 4,

wherein the sleeves are clamped by means of flanges between the perforated foam layer and the layer of fabric and the sleeve jackets project into the ventilation channels with clearance.

6. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 4,

wherein an electric seat heater is disposed between the perforated foam layer and the cushion cover.

7. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the layer of fabric rests on a foam block, received by a cushion support, and the ventilation channels, which continue in the foam block, empty into the fresh air openings provided in the cushion support.

8. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 7,

wherein channel segments, which belong to the ventilation channels and pass through the foam block, exhibit an inside diameter that is greater than the outside diameter of the sleeves.

9. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 2,

wherein the miniature fans are suspended on or near the end of the sleeves, facing away from the flange, so as to damp the vibration of the miniature fans.

10. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 5,

wherein an electric seat heater is disposed between the perforated foam layer and the cushion cover.

11. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 7,

wherein the cushion support is a seat shell.

12. Cushion for a motor vehicle seat according to claim 7,

wherein the fresh air openings are provided in the cushion shell of the cushion support.

14. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 13, wherein said cylindrical sleeve jacket is dimensioned to accommodate a ventilation fan in said sleeve jacket at a position spaced from the oblong holes at a side thereof opposite said flange.

15. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 13, wherein the diameter of the sleeve is between 20 and 50 millimeters.

16. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 13, wherein the sleeve jacket has three of said oblong holes on its circumference.

17. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 16, wherein a circumferential distance between each of said three oblong holes is between 10 to 25 millimeters.

18. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 16, wherein a circumferential distance between each of said three oblong holes is between 10 to 15 millimeters.

19. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 13, wherein a vertical height of the oblong holes is the same height as a thickness of the fabric ventilation layer.

20. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 13, wherein a thickness of the fabric ventilation layer is between 5 and 30 milllimeters.

21. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 18, wherein a thickness of the fabric ventilation layer is between 10 to 25 millimeters.

22. An air flow accommodating sleeve according to claim 18, wherein a thickness of the fabric ventilation layer is between 10 to 11 millimeters.

13. An air flow accommodating sleeve for use in a vehicle seat cushion which has a foam block with a ventilation channel extending therethrough and a fabric ventilation layer covering the foam block, said air flow accommodating sleeve comprising:

a cylindrical sleeve jacket, and

a flange with an annular protruding collar closing off one end of the sleeve jacket,

wherein the sleeve jacket has air passage openings in the form of oblong holes below the flange, said oblong holes extending in a circumferential direction of the sleeve jacket and exhibiting a width measured in an axial direction of the sleeve jacket equal to or less than a thickness of the fabric ventilation layer and such that when in an in use position, said holes open to the fabric ventilation layer.