Environmentally-conditioned bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10226134-B2
Application number	US-201715467830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2017
Priority date	Jul 18, 2008
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

According to certain arrangements, a climate controlled bed includes an upper portion comprising a core with a top core surface and a bottom core surface. The core includes at least one passageway extending from the top core surface to the bottom core surface. The upper portion of the bed further includes at least one fluid distribution member positioned above the core, wherein the fluid distribution member is in fluid communication with at least one passageway of the core. The fluid distribution member is configured to at least partially distribute fluid within said fluid distribution member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A climate controlled bed assembly comprising:
an upper portion comprising:
a mattress comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a core extending at least partially between the top surface and the bottom surface; and
a fluid distribution member configured to receive fluid therein and generally distribute fluid within the fluid distribution member, the fluid distribution member configured to be positioned adjacent the top surface of the mattress;

a fluid passageway positioned along the outside of the core of the mattress, the fluid passageway in fluid communication with the fluid distribution member; and
a lower portion supporting the upper portion, the lower portion comprising:
a fluid module positioned within the lower portion, the fluid module comprising a fluid transfer device and a conditioning device configured to selectively heat or cool fluid transferred by the fluid transfer device, the fluid module in fluid communication with the fluid passageway,

wherein the fluid passageway is configured to transfer fluid discharged by the fluid module to the fluid distribution member,
wherein the fluid passageway extends outside of the mattress along an edge of the mattress, and
wherein the mattress is positioned between the fluid distribution member and the lower portion.

2. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device comprises a thermoelectric device.

3. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device comprises a convective heater.

4. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway extends from a side of the lower portion proximate to the bottom surface of the mattress to a side of the upper portion proximate to the top surface of the mattress, wherein the mattress is positioned between the side of the lower portion and the side of the upper portion, wherein the fluid passageway extends between the bottom surface and the upper surface outside of the core of the mattress.

5. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution member comprises at least one of a spacer fabric or an open cell foam.

6. The bed assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a flow diverter located adjacent to the fluid distribution member, wherein the flow diverter is configured to improve the distribution of fluid entering within an interior of the fluid distribution member.

7. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution member is divided into at least two hydraulically isolated zones, each of said hydraulically isolated zones comprising a spacer material.

8. The bed assembly of claim 7 , wherein the fluid distribution member is divided into the at least two hydraulically isolated zones using at least one of a sew seam, a stitching, a glue bead, or a window pane design.

9. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid passageway is positioned at least partially outside the lower portion.

10. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mattress does not include openings through which fluid flows that is transferred by the fluid transfer device.

11. A climate controlled bed assembly comprising:
a mattress including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a core extending at least partially between the top surface and the bottom surface;
a fluid passageway configured to be positioned outside of the core of the mattress;
a fluid distribution member configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid passageway and adjacent the top surface of the mattress, the fluid distribution member configured to receive fluid therein and generally distribute fluid within the fluid distribution member; and
a thermal module comprising a housing including a fluid transfer device and a conditioning device configured to selectively heat or cool fluid transferred by the fluid transfer device, the thermal module configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid passageway,
wherein the housing is positioned within an enclosure separate from the housing of the thermal module,
wherein the fluid passageway extends outside of the mattress along an edge of the mattress, and
wherein the fluid passageway is configured to transfer fluid discharged by the thermal module to the fluid distribution member.

12. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the conditioning device comprises at least one of a thermoelectric device or a convective heater.

13. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fluid passageway extends from the housing of the thermal module through an opening of the enclosure separate from the housing of the thermal module.

14. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fluid passageway is configured to extend from a side of a lower portion proximate to the bottom surface to the fluid distribution member proximate to the top surface, the side of the lower portion extending between a top surface of the lower portion and a bottom surface of the lower portion, the lower portion supporting the mattress.

15. The bed assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a flow diverter located adjacent to the fluid distribution member, wherein the flow diverter is configured to improve the distribution of fluid entering within an interior of the fluid distribution member.

16. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fluid distribution member comprises at least one of a spacer fabric or an open cell foam.

17. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fluid distribution member is divided into at least two hydraulically isolated zones, each of said hydraulically isolated zones comprising a spacer material.

18. The bed assembly of claim 17 , wherein the fluid distribution member is divided into the at least two hydraulically isolated zones using at least one of a sew seam, a stitching, a glue bead, or a window pane design.

19. The bed assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fluid passageway comprises a duct extending laterally from and outside the enclosure, along an edge of the mattress and outside of the core of the mattress, and laterally into the fluid distribution member from outside the enclosure and outside the core of the mattress.

20. The bed assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an other fluid passageway configured to be positioned outside of the core of the mattress, the other fluid passageway configured to transfer fluid to the fluid distribution member or an other fluid distribution member, wherein the other fluid distribution member is configured to be adjacent the top surface of the mattress.

21. A method of conditioning a bed assembly, the method comprising:
activating a fluid module comprising a fluid transfer device;
transferring a fluid using the fluid transfer device;
passing the fluid being transferred by fluid transfer device at least partially through a fluid passageway to a fluid distribution member;
distributing the fluid within the fluid distribution member; and
passing fluid distributed laterally within the fluid distribution member through at least a portion the fluid distribution member,
wherein the fluid distribution member is positioned on a core of the bed assembly and the core is positioned on a lower portion of the bed assembly,
wherein the fluid passageway extends from the lower portion and passes the fluid from the lower portion to the fluid distribution member at least partially outside the core of the bed assembly, and
wherein the fluid passageway extends outside of a mattress comprising the core along an edge of the mattress.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the fluid passageway exten

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Brykalski Michael J
• Terech John
• Petrovski Dusko

Classifications

• A61G2203/46

  for temperature · CPC title

• A47C21/048 Primary

  for heating · CPC title

• A47C21/044 Primary

  with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps · CPC title

• A47C21/04 Primary

  Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating · CPC title

• A61G7/05

  Parts, details or accessories of beds (devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 {; mattresses A47C27/00}) · CPC title