Climate controlled seat

Abstract

A climate controlled seat assembly comprising a back structure within at least one forwardly extending side member, a seat cushion disposed on the front side of the back member, a fluid distribution system, and a climate control device. The climate control device is mounted on the rear side of the side member. A plenum duct places the fluid distribution system in fluid communication with the climate control device. The fluid distribution system is comprised of a plurality of channels. A plurality of inserts is disposed within each of a plurality of grooves in the seat cushion. The fluid provided by the climate control device through the plenum duct into the fluid distribution system adjusts the climate of the seat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will now be described in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, in reference the accompanying drawings. The illustrated embodiments, however, are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. The drawings include the following 7 Figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a climate controlled vehicle seat.

FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of a vehicle seat with the interior revealed and climate control components removed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the climate controlled seat of FIG. 1 with the interior revealed and components in view.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the climate controlled seat of FIG. 1, the seat back and climate control device in view.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A.

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view denoted by detail B-B.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the components of a climate controlled seat.

Claims

1. A climate control seat assembly, comprising a rigid back structure including a back member and at least one side member extending forwardly from the back member, a rigid back structure having a front side and a rear side;a seat cushion disposed on the front side of the rigid back structure;a fluid distribution system comprising a plurality of channels at least partially disposed in the seat cushion, and a duct at least partially disposed in the seat cushion and in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of channels; anda climate control device positioned at least partially on the rear side of the at least one side member.

2. The climate control seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid back structure comprises a panel.

3. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 2, wherein the climate control device is in fluid communication with the duct.

4. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of channels is disposed generally horizontally.

5. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the plurality of channels is configured to distribute fluid to the front surface of the seat cushion.

6. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 5, wherein the duct is disposed generally vertically.

7. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 6, wherein a plurality of tie-down members is disposed on the front side of the cushion between the channels.

8. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 1, wherein a shaping bracket is mounted on the rear side of the at least one side member under the seat cover.

9. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 8, wherein the shaping bracket is configured to alter the contour of a seat cover near the climate controlled device.

10. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the climate control device comprises a Peltier circuit.

11. A climate controlled seat assembly, comprising: a rigid back structure having a front side and a rear side and comprising a back member and at least one side member extending forwardly from the back member;a seat cushion disposed on the front side of the rigid back structure;a fluid distribution system at least partially positioned in the seat cushion;a climate control device configured to provide climate conditioned air to the fluid distribution system, the climate control device positioned on a rear side of the rigid back structure; anda duct that extends at least partially through the at least one side member to place the climate control device in fluid communication with the fluid distribution system.

12. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the distribution system includes a plurality of channels that extend along a front side of the seat cushion in a generally horizontal direction.

13. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 12, wherein a plurality of tie-down members is disposed between the plurality of channels.

14. The climate controlled seat assembly of claim 11, wherein the climate control device comprises a Peltier circuit.

15. A climate controlled vehicle seat, comprising: a back structure;a seat cushion having a front side and a rear side, disposed on the front side of the back structure, and having at least one vertically extending side portion;a duct extending in a generally vertical direction, adjacent to the at least one vertically extending side portion, and at least partially disposed within the seat cushion; anda plurality of channels extending generally horizontally from the duct and in fluid communication with the duct, the plurality of channels being at least partially disposed within the seat cushion.

16. The climate controlled vehicle seat of claim 15, further comprising a climate control device is in fluid communication with the duct.

17. The climate controlled vehicle seat of claim 16, wherein the climate control device comprises of Peltier circuit.

18. The climate controlled vehicle seat of claim 15, wherein a plurality of tie-down members are disposed on the front side of the cushion between the plurality of channels.

19. A fluid distribution system, comprising: a first duct that is configured to be at least partially disposed in a climate controlled seat assembly and to extend in a generally vertical direction;a plurality of channels that are configured to be disposed on a front side of a seat cushion of the climate controlled seat assembly and to extend generally horizontally from the first duct; anda climate control device that is configured to deliver or withdraw fluid to or from said first duct.

20. The fluid distribution system of claim 19, wherein the climate control device comprises of Peltier circuit.