METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF A VEHICULAR SEAT

• US 20030057768A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Liao, Shangshyan S., Buescher, Wayne Frank
• Granted Patent: US 6,552,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices

Abstract

An assembly 10 for controlling the temperature of vehicle seats 16, 18. Particularly, the assembly 10 includes a controller 24 which selectively provides electrical power to heating assemblies 40, 42; and 44, 46 and cooling assemblies 48, 50; and 52, 54 in order to heat or cool the seats 16, 18 in a desired manner while concomitantly obviating the need for high current switches within and/or upon the seats 16, 18. The assembly 10 includes a control panel 28 which allows the temperature of the seats 16, 18 to be automatically or manually controlled in a desired manner.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising a selectively energizable seat heater;

a selectively energizable seat cooling apparatus; and

a controller which selectively provides electrical power to said heater and to said cooling apparatus, effective to selectively energize said heater and said cooling apparatus, thereby controlling the temperature of a seat.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said controller further includes a communications portion which is coupled to a source of said electrical power and to said heater and cooling apparatus.

3. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a control panel which is coupled to said communications portion and which includes a first portion which selectively causes electrical power to be provided to said heater through said communications portion.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said control panel further includes a second portion which selectively causes electrical power to be provided to said cooling apparatus through said communications portion.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said first and second portions each comprise a selectively depressible switch.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said first and second portions each comprise a touch sensitive membrane.

7. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said first portion selectively causes a first and a second amount of heat to be provided to said seat.

8. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said second portion causes a first and second amount of cooling energy to be provided to said seat.

9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said controller contains a certain temperature value and wherein said controller causes said seat to be heated until the temperature of said seat is substantially equal to said temperature value.

10. A vehicle comprising at least one seat;

an instrument panel;

a climate control assembly having a first portion which is deployed within said instrument panel and which is coupled to a source of electrical power; and

a selectively activatable second portion which is deployed within said at least one seat and which is coupled to said first portion, effective to allow electrical power to be communicated from said first portion to said second portion and to allow the temperature of said at least one seat to be controlled by the selective activation of said second portion in response to a receipt of electrical power from said first portion.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said first portion comprises a controller;

and a control panel which is coupled to said controller.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said second portion comprises a heater.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said second portion comprises a cooling apparatus.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said source of electrical power comprises a vehicular battery.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said control panel further includes at least one depressible member which selectively causes said controller to provide electrical power to said second portion.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein a first depression of said at least one depressible member causes a first amount of energy to be provided to said at least one seat and wherein a second depression of said at least one depressible member causes a second amount of energy to be provided to said at least one seat.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein said energy comprises heat.

18. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said controller further contains a certain temperature value and wherein said controller regulates said temperature of said at least one seat, effective to cause the temperature of said at least one seat to equal said certain temperature value.

19. A method for controlling the temperature of a vehicular seat, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a heater upon said seat;

placing a cooling assembly within said seat;

providing a controller;

remotely locating said controller from said seat;

coupling said controller to said heater and to said cooling assembly; and

coupling said controller to a source of electrical power, thereby allowing said heater and said cooling assembly to be selectively energized through said controller, effective to control the temperature of said seat.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

providing a control panel;

placing a member upon said control panel;

coupling said control panel to said controller; and

causing said temperature of said seat to be controlled by use of said member.