ACTIVELY VENTILATED CHAIR

• US 20170251814A1
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Practechal Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Practechal Innovations LLC
• Inventors: SAMUELS, Chris, SHAMOON, David, MARLAY, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 10,021,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/744 with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps

Abstract

An actively ventilated chair includes a first distribution layer, a second distribution layer, and a fan, wherein the first distribution layer includes a large aperture on a first side and a plurality of small apertures on the second side, the second distribution layer couples to second side first distribution layer, and the fan couples to the first side of the first distribution layer such that it covers the large aperture, enabling the fan to direct air through the large aperture, into the first distribution layer, through the plurality of small apertures, and through the second distribution layer.

Claims

1. A chair component comprising:

a first distribution layer, a second distribution layer, and a fan;

wherein the first distribution layer comprises a first side shaped to form a large aperture, a second side shaped to form a plurality of small apertures, and at least two side walls adjoining opposite edges of the first side to respective opposite edges of the second side to form an enclosure;

the second distribution layer couples to an outside surface of the second side of the first distribution layer;

the fan couples to an outside surface of the first side of the first distribution layer and covers the large aperture, such that the fan directs air through the large aperture, into the first distribution layer, through the plurality of small apertures, and into the second distribution layer when the fan is powered on;

an environmental sensor mechanically coupled to the chair component configured to detect a vital sign of an occupant so that the fan switches on when the vital sign exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The chair component of claim 1, wherein the chair component is a seat or a backrest.

3. The chair component of claim 1, wherein the first distribution layer comprises wood, steel, plastic, aluminum, rubber, or fabric.

4. The chair component of claim 1, wherein the second distribution layer comprises mesh, 3-dimensional mesh, foam, rubber, plastic, cloth, or fabric.

5. The chair component of claim 1, wherein each small aperture is shaped to form a circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, parallelogram, pentagon, or hexagon.

6. The chair component as in claim 1, wherein the chair component is encapsulated in fabric.

7. The chair component of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate distribution layer located between the first distribution layer and the second distribution layer.

8. The chair component of claim 7, wherein the intermediate distribution layer comprises mesh, 3-dimensional mesh, foam, rubber, plastic, cloth, or fabric.

9. The chair component of claim 7, wherein the intermediate distribution layer is shaped to form a plurality of channels, wherein each channel has a profile matching the shape of and aligned with a corresponding small aperture such that air directed from the fan flows freely through each of the large aperture, the first distribution layer, the corresponding small aperture, and the channel.

10. A chair-cooling system comprising;

a chair component, the chair component comprising;

a first distribution layer, a second distribution layer, and a fan;

wherein the first distribution layer comprises a first side shaped to form a large aperture, a second side shaped to form a plurality of small apertures, and at least two side walls adjoining opposite edges of the first side to respective opposite edges of the second side to form an enclosure;

the second distribution layer couples to an outside surface of the second side of the first distribution layer; and

the fan couples to an outside surface of the first side of the first distribution layer and covers the large aperture, such that the fan directs air through the large aperture, into the first distribution layer, through the plurality of small apertures, and into the second distribution layer when the fan is powered on;

a switch for activating the fan; and

a computer processor and a non-transitory memory with software embedded thereon, the software configured to receive a signal from an environmental sensor and control the fan in response to the signal;

wherein the environmental sensor is mechanically coupled to the chair component and configured to detect a vital sign of an occupant and the software is configured to switch on the fan when the vital sign exceeds a predetermined threshold.

11. The chair-cooling system of claim 10, wherein the environmental sensor is mechanically coupled to the chair component and configured to detect an occupant sitting in the chair and the software is configured to switch on the fan if no occupant is detected.

12. The chair-cooling system of claim 10, wherein the environmental sensor is mechanically coupled to the chair component and configured to detect a temperature and the software is configured to switch on the fan when the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The chair-cooling system of claim 10, wherein the environmental sensor is mechanically coupled to the chair component and configured to detect a voice command and the software is configured to switch on or switch off the fan in response to the voice command.

15. The chair-cooling system of claim 10, further comprising a transceiver configured to receive a command from a remote device and the software is configured to switch on or switch off the fan in response to the command.

16. The chair-cooling system of claim 15, wherein the remote device is a smart phone.

13. (canceled)

17. A chair component comprising:

a first distribution layer, a second distribution layer, an intermediate distribution layer sandwiched between the first distribution layer and the second distribution layer, and a fan;

wherein the first distribution layer comprises a first side comprising plastic wood, aluminum, or steel shaped to form a large aperture, a second side comprising plastic, wood, aluminum, or steel shaped to form a plurality of small apertures, and at least two side walls adjoining opposite edges of the first side to respective opposite edges of the second side to form an enclosure;

the second distribution layer comprises plastic, wood, aluminum, or steel;

the intermediate distribution layer comprises a 3-dimensional mesh; and

the fan couples to an outside surface of the first side of the first distribution layer and covers the large aperture, such that the fan directs air through the large aperture, into the first distribution layer, through the plurality of small apertures, through channels located in the 3-dimensional mesh of the intermediate distribution layer, and through channels in the second distribution layer when the fan is powered on.