Heating and cooling systems for seating assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005337-B2
Application number	US-201313973290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2004
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A climate control device includes a first and a second thermal module. The first module is configured to provide climate conditioned air to a first portion of a seat. The second module is configured to provide climate conditioned air to a second portion of the seat. A control system is provided for controlling the climate control device. The control system includes an input device for providing a set point for the system. A first control unit of the control system is provided for the first thermal module and a second control unit is provided for the second thermal module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A climate control system for a seat assembly, comprising:
a first thermal module comprising a first fluid transfer device to produce a fluid flow, the first thermal module being configured to selectively provide conditioned air to a first portion of a climate controlled seat assembly, the first thermal module comprising a first control unit, wherein a first housing encloses the first thermal module and the first control unit;
a second thermal module comprising a second fluid transfer device to produce a fluid flow, the second thermal module being configured to selectively provide conditioned air to a second portion of the climate controlled seat assembly, the second thermal module comprising a second control unit, wherein a second housing encloses the second thermal module and the second control unit, the first and second thermal modules positioned within separate housings; and
a communication line configured to operatively connect the first control unit to the second control unit; wherein the first control unit is configured to modify at least one operational parameter of the second thermal module via the second control unit, without using a physically separate controller.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a main control unit that is operatively connected to at least one of the first control unit and the second control unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the main control unit is configured to generate a mode signal for the seat assembly, wherein the first control unit is configured to regulate the first thermal module based at least in part on said mode signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first thermal module and the second thermal module comprises a sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seat assembly comprises a vehicle seat.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the seat assembly comprises a seat bottom of the vehicle seat, and wherein the second portion of the seat assembly comprises a seat back of the vehicle seat.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seat assembly comprises a mattress.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein air discharged by the first thermal module is directed to a fluid distribution system of the seat assembly.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second housings comprises an outlet and an inlet through which the fluid flow is directed.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one user input device for providing operational instructions to the system, the at least one user input device permits a user to select at least one desired setting or mode for operating the system.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one user input device comprises at least one of a dial, button, or switch configured to be manipulated.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one desired setting or mode comprises a specific temperature setting or a general temperature setting.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second thermal modules comprises a temperature conditioning device to selectively heat or cool fluid passing through the first or second thermal module.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the temperature condition device comprises a thermoelectric device.

16. A climate control system for a seat assembly, comprising:
a first thermal module comprising a first fluid transfer device and a first thermal conditioning device, wherein the first thermal conditioning device is configured to selectively heat or cool fluid transferred by the first fluid transfer device, wherein the first thermal module comprises a first control unit coupled to the first thermal module, the first control unit and the first thermal module enclosed within an interior space of a first housing;
a second thermal module comprising a second fluid transfer device and a second thermal conditioning device, wherein the second thermal conditioning device is configured to selectively heat or cool fluid transferred by the second fluid transfer device, wherein the second thermal module comprises a second control unit coupled to the second thermal module, the second control unit and the second thermal module enclosed within an interior space of a second housing, the first and second thermal modules positioned within separate housings; and
a communication line operatively connecting the first control unit to the second control unit; wherein the first control unit modifies at least one operational parameter of the second thermal module via the second control unit.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first thermal module and the second thermal module comprises a sensor.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the seat assembly comprises a vehicle seat.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein a first portion of the seat assembly comprises a seat bottom of the vehicle seat, and wherein a second portion of the seat assembly comprises a seat back of the vehicle seat.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first housing has separate and distinct walls forming the first housing, and wherein the second housing has separate and distinct walls forming the second housing.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first housing is positioned adjacent a first surface of the seat assembly, and wherein the second housing is positioned adjacent a second surface of the seat assembly.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first housing comprises a first inlet configured to direct the fluid flow of the first fluid transfer device, wherein the second housing comprises a second inlet configured to direct the fluid flow of the second fluid transfer device, and wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are not connected by a fluid distribution system.

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Petrovski Dusko

Classifications

• B60H1/00478

  Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect · CPC title

• B60N2/5614

  by liquid · CPC title

• A47C7/74

  for ventilation, heating or cooling · CPC title

• B60H2001/003

  Component temperature regulation using an air flow · CPC title

• B60N2/5635

  coming from the passenger compartment · CPC title