Claims
- 1. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle seat having a ventilated component selected from a seat cushion component and a seat backrest component, at least one of which provides a seat cushion and an air-permeable trim surface at occupant contact areas of the seat; an insert that is open at its sides and located beneath the trim surface of the ventilated component, the insert including:
i) a first layer having a heater integrated therein; ii) a second layer formed of spacer material, the second layer defining an open space; a fluid mover in fluid communication with the insert for moving air through the open space and at least partially past an occupant in the seat; and a tubular structure for providing the fluid communication between the insert and the fluid mover.
- 2. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the spacer material includes polymeric strand material.
- 3. A ventilated seat as in claim 2 wherein the spacer material provides opposing honeycomb structures that are formed of a finer filament polymeric strand material than the rest of the spacer material.
- 4. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the insert further comprises an adhesive layer for adhering the first layer to the second layer.
- 5. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the tubular structure is provided by the foam cushion and defines a passageway through the cushion.
- 6. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the tubular structure is integral with the insert.
- 7. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the tubular structure is defined by a wall and a portion of the wall nearest a forward edge of the seat cushion component is at an angle between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees relative to another portion of the wall nearest a rearward edge of the seat cushion component.
- 8. A ventilated seat as in claim 5 wherein a deflector is disposed over the passageway defined by the tubular structure for assisting in directing fluid radially away from the passageway.
- 9. A ventilated seat as in claim 8 wherein a plurality of sub-passageways are formed in the foam cushion and extend radially away from the passageway of the foam cushion.
- 10. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 further comprising a control unit for selectively operating the fluid mover, the heater layer or both.
- 11. A ventilated seat as in claim 10 wherein the control unit is configured to operate the heater layer, the fluid mover or both at two or more different output levels.
- 12. A ventilated seat as in claim 10 wherein the control unit is in signaling communication with a temperature sensor and the control unit is configured to activate the fluid mover if a relatively high temperature is sensed by the sensor and activate the heater if a relatively low temperature is sensed by the sensor.
- 13. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the fluid mover is configured to pull air through the open space provided by the spacer layer.
- 14. A ventilated seat as in claim 1 wherein the fluid mover is configured to push air through the open space of the spacer layer.
- 15. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle seat having a ventilated component selected from a seat cushion component and a seat backrest component, at least one of which provides a seat cushion and an air-permeable trim surface at occupant contact areas of the seat; an insert that is open at its sides and located beneath the trim surface of the ventilated component, the insert including:
i) a first layer having a lay-wire carbon fiber heater integrated therein; ii) a second layer formed of spacer material laminated to the first layer with an adhesive, the spacer layer including a pair of fabric panels interconnected by polymeric strand materials for defining an open space between the fabric panels; and iii) a buffer layer incorporated into the insert adjacent the first layer, the buffer layer being breathable for allowing fluid flow therethrough. a fluid mover in fluid communication with the insert for moving air under positive pressure through the open space and at least partially past an occupant in the seat; and a tubular structure extending through the seat cushion and defining a passageway for providing the fluid communication between the insert and the fluid mover, the tubular structure including an enlarged portion.
- 16. A ventilated seat as in claim 15 wherein the fabric panels of the spacer layer are opposing honeycomb structures that are formed of a finer filament polymeric strand material than the rest of the spacer material.
- 17. A ventilated seat as in claim 15 wherein the tubular structure is integral with the insert.
- 18. A ventilated seat as in claim 15 wherein the tubular structure is defined by a wall and a portion of the wall nearest a forward edge of the seat cushion component is at an angle between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees relative to another portion of the wall nearest a rearward edge of the seat cushion component.
- 19. A ventilated seat as in claim 15 wherein a deflector is disposed over the passageway defined by the tubular structure for assisting in directing fluid radially away from the passageway.
- 20. A ventilated seat as in claim 19 wherein a plurality of sub-passageways are formed in the foam cushion and extend radially away from the passageway of the foam cushion.
- 21. A ventilated seat as in claim 15 further comprising a control unit for selectively operating the fluid mover, the heater layer or both.
- 22. A ventilated seat as in claim 21 wherein the control unit is configured to operate the heater layer, the fluid mover or both at two or more different output levels.
- 23. A ventilated seat as in claim 21 wherein the control unit is in signaling communication with a temperature sensor and the control unit is configured to activate the fluid mover if a relatively high temperature is sensed by the sensor and activate the heater if a relatively low temperature is sensed by the sensor.
- 24. A ventilated seat as in claim 21 wherein the fluid mover is configured to pull air through the open space provided by the spacer layer.
- 25. A ventilated seat as in claim 22 wherein the fluid mover is configured to push air through the open space of the spacer layer.
- 26. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle seat having a pair of ventilated components including a seat cushion component and a seat backrest component, both the seat cushion component and the seat backrest component providing a seat cushion and an air-permeable trim surface at occupant contact areas of the seat; a pair of inserts, one in the seat cushion component and one in the seat backrest component, each insert being open at its sides and located beneath the trim surface of each ventilated component, each insert including:
i) a first layer having a lay-wire carbon fiber heater integrated therein; ii) a second layer formed of spacer material laminated to the first layer with an adhesive, the spacer layer including a pair of fabric panels interconnected by polymeric strand materials for defining an open space between the fabric panels; and iii) a buffer layer incorporated into the insert adjacent the first layer, the buffer layer being breathable for allowing fluid flow therethrough. a pair of fluid movers respectively in fluid communication with the pair of inserts for moving air through the open space of each insert and at least partially past an occupant in the seat; and a pair of tubular structures, each structure respectively extending through each seat cushion of each ventilated component and defining a passageway for providing the fluid communication between the respective inserts and the respective fluid movers, each tubular structure including an enlarged portion.
- 27. A ventilated seat for a vehicle, comprising:
a multi-layer laminate insert that is open at its sides and located beneath the trim surface of the ventilated component, the insert including:
i) a first layer having a heater integrated therein, the heater including a plurality of flexible electrical substantially flat heating elements; ii) a second layer formed of spacer material, the second layer defining an open space; a blower in fluid communication with the insert for moving air through the open space and at least partially past an occupant in the seat; and a duct for providing the fluid communication between the insert and the blower.
- 28. A ventilated seat as in claim 27, further comprising a plurality of sub-passageways.
- 29. A ventilated seat as in claim 28 wherein the duct provides a passageway and the plurality of sub-passageways extend radially away from the passageway.
- 30. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the plurality of heating elements are wires or carbon fibers laminate to a backing.
- 31. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the spacer material includes polymeric strand material.
- 32. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the spacer material provides opposing honeycomb structures that are formed of a finer filament polymeric strand material than the rest of the spacer material.
- 33. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the insert further comprises an adhesive layer for adhering the first layer to the second layer.
- 34. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the duct is provided by a foam cushion and defines a passageway through the cushion.
- 35. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 wherein the duct is defined by a wall and a portion of the wall nearest a forward edge of the seat cushion component is at an angle between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees relative to another portion of the wall nearest a rearward edge of the seat cushion component.
- 36. A ventilated seat as in claim 34 wherein a deflector is disposed over the passageway defined by the tubular structure for assisting in directing fluid radially away from the passageway.
- 37. A ventilated seat as in claim 36 wherein a plurality of sub-passageways are formed in the foam cushion and extend radially away from the passageway of the foam cushion.
- 38. A ventilated seat as in claim 27 further comprising a control unit for selectively operating the fluid mover, the heater layer.
- 39. A ventilated seat as in claim 38 wherein the control unit is configured to operate the heater layer, the fluid mover or both at two or more different output levels.
- 40. A ventilated seat as in claim 39 wherein the control unit is in signaling communication with a temperature sensor and the control unit is configured to activate the fluid mover if a relatively high temperature is sensed by the sensor and activate the heater if a relatively low temperature is sensed by the sensor.
- 41. A ventilated seat as in claim 37 wherein the fluid mover is configured to pull air through the open space provided by the spacer layer.
- 42. A ventilated seat as in claim 37 wherein the fluid mover is configured to push air through the open space of the spacer layer.
- 43. A method of forming a ventilated seat, comprising:
providing a ventilated component selected from a seat cushion component and a seat backrest component, at least one of which provides a seat cushion and an air-permeable trim surface at occupant contact areas of the seat; providing a multilayer insert overlaying a cushion of an automotive vehicle seat the insert including;
i) a first layer having a heater integrated therein, the heater including a plurality of flexible electrical substantially flat heating elements; ii) a second layer formed of spacer material, the second layer defining an open space; providing a fluid mover; providing a passageway interconnecting the open space of the second layer and the insert for providing fluid communication therbetween; inducing electrical current to flow through the heating elements for heating an occupant in the seat; moving air through the open space and at least partially past an occupant in the seat.
- 44. A method as in claim 43 wherein the step of moving air includes moving air through the open space before moving air at least partially past an occupant in the seat.
- 45. A method as in claim 43 wherein the step of moving air includes moving air through the open space after moving air at least partially past an occupant in the seat.
- 46. A method as in claim 43, further comprising providing a plurality of sub-passageways in fluid communication with the fluid mover, the duct and the open space for assisting in guiding fluid flow between the blower and the open space.
- 47. A method as in claim 46 wherein the plurality of sub-passageways extend radially away from the passageway.
- 48. A method as in claim 43 wherein the plurality of heating elements are wires or carbon fibers laminate to a backing.
- 49. A method as in claim 43 wherein the spacer material includes polymeric strand material.
- 50. A method as in claim 49 wherein the spacer material provides opposing honeycomb structures that are formed of a finer filament polymeric strand material than the rest of the spacer material.
- 51. A method as in claim 50 wherein the insert further comprises adhering the first layer to the second layer.
- 52. A method as in claim 43 wherein the passageway extends through the cushion.
- 53. A method as in claim 43 wherein the passageway is defined by a wall and a portion of the wall nearest a forward edge of the seat cushion component is at an angle between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees relative to another portion of the wall nearest a rearward edge of the seat cushion component.
- 54. A method as in claim 43 further comprising providing a control unit for selectively operating the fluid mover, the heater layer or both.
- 55. A method as in claim 54 wherein the control unit is configured to operate the heater layer, the fluid mover or both at two or more different output levels.
- 56. A ventilated seat as in claim 55 wherein the control unit is in signaling communication with a temperature sensor and the control unit is configured to activate the fluid mover if a relatively high temperature is sensed by the sensor and activate the heater if a relatively low temperature is sensed by the sensor.
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present invention claims the benefit of the priority of U.S. Provisional Applications Serial No. 60/407,198 filed Aug. 29, 2002 and Ser. No. 60/428,003 filed Nov. 21, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60407198 |
Aug 2002 |
US |
|
60428003 |
Nov 2002 |
US |