DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE NECK REGION OF A USER OF A VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20190031060A1
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Published: 01/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gentherm GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rappl, Alexander, Pfaff, Jochen
• Granted Patent: US 10,933,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: B60H 1/00407 for open or convertible vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00792 Arrangement of detectors B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/246 located in the interior of the vehicle or in or below the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5671 forming a windbreak, e.g. warm air blown on the neck of the passenger of an open vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user of a vehicle seat (50), said device comprising an air conveying device (12), which is configured to convey air to a temperature control region (14), a temperature control device (16), which is configured to control the temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region (14), and a control device (18), which is configured to control the air conveying device (12) and the temperature control device (16) automatically.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user of a vehicle seat, comprising:

an air conveying device, which is configured to convey air to a temperature control region; and

a temperature control device, which is configured to control the temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region;

wherein a control device is configured to control the air conveying device and the temperature control device automatically.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the control device is configured to adjust automatically to a preheat operating mode, in which the air conveying device is deactivated and the temperature control device is activated.

3. The device according to claim 2,

wherein the control device is configured to adjust to the preheat operating mode upon activation of the device and/or when the ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the control device is configured to maintain the preheat operating mode for the duration of a preheating period and/or until a predefined difference between the ambient temperature and the air temperature of the temperature-controlled air is reached.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein

the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on the basis of one or more ambient parameters and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein

the temperature control device comprises one or more PTC heating resistors or is composed of one or more PTC heating resistors,

wherein the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period, on the basis of a resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors, and

wherein the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on the basis of the gradient of the resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors.

8. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the control device is configured to automatically adjust to a start-up operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are activated and the operating state of the air conveying device and/or the operating state of the temperature control device change(s) at least temporarily.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein

the control device is configured to adjust an electrical parameter that influences the conveyance rate of the air conveying device and/or to adjust the fluid flow during the start-up operating mode.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow is/are adjusted by increasing the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow from an initial value to a setpoint value, preferably over a start-up time period, and wherein the control device is configured to increase the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow linearly, hyperbolically or asymptotically, at least in stages.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the control device is configured to increase the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow on the basis of one or more ambient parameters, the temperature in the temperature control region, and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the control device is configured to automatically adjust to a continuous operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are operated substantially constantly in a desired state.

16. A headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising

a device for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user;

wherein the device is embodied according to claim 1.

7. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13. The device according to, wherein

the control device is configured to increase the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow on the basis of a resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors and/or the gradient of the resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors, and

wherein the control device is configured to maintain a target resistance value for the one or more PTC heating resistors once that target resistance value is reached.

14. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. A control method for operating a device for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user of a vehicle seat, comprising the following steps:

conveyance of air to a temperature control region by means of an air conveying device; and

control, by means of a temperature control device, of the temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region;

wherein the control method includes the step of;

automatic control of the air conveying device and the temperature control device by means of a control device.

19. The control method according to claim 18,

wherein at least one of the following steps:

automatic adjustment by means of the control device to a preheat operating mode, in which the air conveying device is deactivated and the temperature control device is activated;

automatic adjustment by means of the control device to a start-up operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are activated and the operating state of the air conveying device and/or the operating state of the temperature control device change(s) at least temporarily;

automatic adjustment by means of the control device to a continuous operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are operated substantially constantly in a desired state.

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein

at least one of the following steps:

activation of the device;

detection of the ambient temperature;

wherein the preheat operating mode is set upon activation of the device and/or when the ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold.

21. The control method according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the following steps:

determination of the duration of a preheating period;

automatic switching of the operating mode from the preheat operating mode to the start-up operating mode once the preheating period has elapsed; and

wherein the duration of the preheating period is determined on the basis of one or more ambient parameters and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

23. The control method according to claim 21,

wherein the determination of the duration of the preheating period comprises at least one of the following steps:

detection of a resistance value of one or more PTC heating resistors of the temperature control device;

detection of a gradient of the resistance value of one or more PTC heating resistors of the temperature control device;

wherein the duration of the preheating period is determined on the basis of the detected resistance value and/or the detected gradient of the resistance value (R) of the one or more PTC heating resistors.

24. The control method according to claim 18,

wherein in the start-up operating mode, at least one of the following steps is carried out:

adjustment of an electrical parameter that influences the conveyance rate of the air conveying device and/or the fluid flow;

increase of the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow from an initial value to a desired value, preferably over a start-up time period;

increase of the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow linearly, hyperbolically or asymptotically, at least in stages;

increase of the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow on the basis of one or more ambient parameters, the temperature in the temperature control region and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

25. The control method according to claim 18,

wherein in the start-up operating mode, at least one of the following steps is carried out:

detection of one or more ambient parameters;

detection of the temperature in the temperature control region;

detection of one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device; and

wherein the detection of the one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device comprises at least one of the following steps;

detection of a resistance value of one or more PTC heating resistors of the temperature control device;

detection of a gradient of the resistance value of one or more PTC heating resistors of the temperature control device;

wherein the influencing electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow is/are increased on the basis of the detected resistance value and/or the detected gradient of the resistance value.

22. (canceled)

26. (canceled)