Heat, cool, and ventilate system for automotive applications

Abstract

A ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system for a vehicle seat, comprising a cushion comprising a ventilation layer comprising non-woven plastic fibers fused together in such a manner as to permit airflow therethrough, the ventilation layer having a seat surface side and a reverse side, wherein the ventilation layer is disposed within a substantially air-tight compartment having an access hole for air input on the reverse side of the ventilation layer and a plurality of output holes on the seat surface side; an adjustable ergonomic support device, wherein the ergonomic support device is disposed on the reverse side of the ventilation layer and moves together with the cushion; a temperature regulation system comprising an air-moving device operably coupled to the access hole on the reverse side of the ventilation layer, such that the air-moving device moves conditioned air into the ventilation layer and out through the plurality of output holes; and a control module comprising controls for controlling operation of the temperature regulation system and the ergonomic support device, wherein the seat surface is maintained at a temperature.

1 . A ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system for a vehicle seat, comprising: 
 a cushion comprising a ventilation layer comprising non-woven plastic fibers fused together in such a manner as to permit airflow therethrough, the ventilation layer having a seat surface side and a reverse side, wherein the ventilation layer is disposed within a substantially air-tight compartment having an access hole for air input on the reverse side of the ventilation layer and a plurality of output holes on the seat surface side;    an adjustable ergonomic support device, wherein the ergonomic support device is disposed on the reverse side of the ventilation layer and moves together with the cushion;    a temperature regulation system comprising an air-moving device operably coupled to the access hole on the reverse side of the ventilation layer, such that the air-moving device moves air into the ventilation layer and out through the plurality of output holes; and    a control module comprising controls for controlling operation of the temperature regulation system and the ergonomic support device, wherein a seating surface of the seat is maintained at a predetermined temperature.    
   
   
       2 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 1  wherein the seating surface is maintained at a temperature determined by a thermistor.  
   
   
       3 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 2  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises an air temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of air that is moved out through the plurality of output holes on the seat surface side of the ventilation layer.  
   
   
       4 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 3  wherein the thermistor comprises a positive temperature coefficient thermistor-based heating device.  
   
   
       5 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 4  wherein the air temperature adjusting system further comprises a thermoelectric device operably coupled to the air-moving device.  
   
   
       6 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 5  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises a temperature sensor below a seat surface material to sense the temperature of the seat surface material, wherein the temperature sensor is insulated from surrounding air currents.  
   
   
       7 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 6  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises a proportional, integral, and derivative controller.  
   
   
       8 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 5  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises a positive temperature coefficient thermistor-based heater in the air duct.  
   
   
       9 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 7  wherein the control module is disposed within the vehicle seat.  
   
   
       10 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 5  wherein the air-moving device and the thermoelectric device share a single pair of power leads.  
   
   
       11 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 3  wherein the ventilation layer further comprises a second layer of non-woven plastic fibers adjacent the seat surface side of the ventilation layer, wherein the second layer of non-woven plastic fibers is fused together to permit airflow therethrough but is more compressible than the ventilation layer.  
   
   
       12 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 7  wherein the ergonomic support device is a lumbar support.  
   
   
       13 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 12  wherein the lumbar support is a belt-style lumbar support.  
   
   
       14 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 1  wherein the cushion further comprises a base cushion that is disposed between the ergonomic support device and the reverse side of the ventilation layer, the base cushion having a hole therethrough to permit air flow into the ventilation layer.  
   
   
       15 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 14  wherein the base cushion is divided into a plurality of vertically-adjacent sections by at least one horizontally-disposed channel.  
   
   
       16 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 15  wherein the ventilation layer is divided into a plurality of vertically-adjacent sections by the at least one horizontally-disposed channel, such that the plurality of sections of the ventilation layer are separated from one another.  
   
   
       17 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 16  wherein the air-moving device is operably coupled to the plurality of vertically-adjacent sections of the ventilation layer by a manifold.  
   
   
       18 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 16  further comprising a plurality of air-moving devices, wherein each of the plurality of vertically-adjacent sections of the manifold has an air-moving device operably coupled thereto.  
   
   
       19 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 15  wherein the ergonomic support device interacts with a single section.  
   
   
       20 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 15  wherein the ventilation layer curves around the at least one horizontally-disposed channel.  
   
   
       21 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 1  further comprising a trim layer adjacent the seat surface side of the ventilation layer, wherein the trim material is air-permeable.  
   
   
       22 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 1  further comprising overmolding of foam on an edge of the ventilation layer.  
   
   
       23 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 17  further comprising overmolding of the manifold with foam onto the cushion.  
   
   
       24 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 1  further comprising a lateral bolster, wherein the lateral bolster comprises non-woven plastic fibers fused together in such a manner as to permit airflow therethrough.  
   
   
       25 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 5  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises a positive temperature coefficient thermistor-based heater adjacent to the heating side of the thermoelectric device.  
   
   
       26 . The ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 5  wherein the temperature regulation system further comprises positive temperature coefficient thermistor to sense a temperature of at least one of the vehicle seat and the thermoelectric device.  
   
   
       27 . A control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system for a vehicle seat, comprising: 
 a control module;    a thermoelectric device comprising a thermoelectric module and a heat sink attached to the thermoelectric module;    a seat temperature sensor attached to the vehicle seat trim material, such that the seat temperature sensor only measures the temperature of the vehicle seat trim material;    an air-moving device configured to move air across the heat sink of the thermoelectric device and towards a seating surface of the vehicle seat;    an adjustable ergonomic device attached to the vehicle seat;    wherein the control module is operably connected to the thermoelectric device, the seat temperature sensor, the air-moving device, and the adjustable ergonomic device to control heating, cooling, ventilation, and ergonomic comfort for a seat occupant.    
   
   
       28 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27  further comprising a positive temperature coefficient thermistor-based heater, wherein the heater is in a path of air flow of the air-moving device.  
   
   
       29 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27  further comprising a positive temperature coefficient thermistor at a surface of the heat sink, wherein the thermistor is configured to sense an overheat condition of the heat sink.  
   
   
       30 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27  wherein the control module further comprises a user control interface.  
   
   
       31 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27  wherein the thermoelectric device and the air-moving device share a single set of power leads.  
   
   
       32 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 28 , wherein the positive temperature coefficient heater is powered only during warm-up of the thermoelectric device.  
   
   
       33 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27 , wherein the control module comprises a proportional, integral, and derivative controller.  
   
   
       34 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27 , further comprising an air duct operably coupled to the air-moving device and a positive temperature coefficient thermistor-based heater disposed within the air duct.  
   
   
       35 . The temperature control system for a ventilation, temperature regulation, and ergonomic comfort system of  claim 27 , wherein the control module is disposed within the vehicle seat.