Vehicle seat and seat element comprising an ergonomic ventilation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479239-B2
Application number	US-201715828315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A seat element includes a supporting structure, padding resting on the supporting structure and configured to serve as a support for a user, and a ventilation system having at least one fan and at least one duct placing the padding and the fan in communication. The duct is formed of a flexible material which preferably comprises a foam of polyolefin and/or ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and/or acrylonitrile butadiene (NBR).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat element comprising a supporting structure, padding resting on the supporting structure and configured to serve as a support for a user, and a ventilation system comprising at least one fan to generate an air flow and at least one duct placing the padding and the fan in communication, wherein the duct is formed of a flexible material and extends from a proximal end at the fan to a distal end, the duct having a plurality of orifices forming fluid inlets or outlets between the proximal end and the distal end,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the duct decreases from the proximal end to the distal end according to the number of orifices and their respective positions and cross-sectional dimensions so that the air flow has a uniform speed along the duct.

2. A seat element according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises a foam of polyolefin and/or ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and/or acrylonitrile butadiene (NBR) and/or a non-woven thermoformed material.

3. A seat element according to claim 1 , wherein the duct has a “U” or “C” shape.

4. A seat element according to claim 1 , wherein the duct comprises attachment means for securing the fan.

5. A seat element according to claim 1 , comprising a protective member which surrounds the fan and is formed of a flexible material, the duct and the protective member being formed as one piece.

6. A seat element according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible material of the protective member is the same material as the flexible material of the duct.

7. A seat element according to claim 1 , forming a seating part.

8. A seat element according to claim 1 , forming a backrest.

9. A seat comprising at least one seat element according to claim 1 .

10. Method A method for manufacturing a seat element according to claim 1 , comprising at least the following steps:
positioning the duct in a mold, and
injecting a material into the mold so as to form the padding around the duct.

11. A seat element, comprising:
a supporting structure;
padding over the supporting structure to support a user;
a duct formed of a flexible material and extending between first and second ends;
a fan at the first end of the duct, the fan being configured to generate an air flow in the duct; and
a plurality of orifices formed along the duct that place an interior of the duct in communication with the padding, the orifices being spaced apart between the ends of the duct,
wherein the duct has a cross-sectional area that decreases from the first end of the duct to the second end of the duct such that the air flow has a uniform speed between the first and second ends of the duct.

12. A seat element according to claim 11 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the duct decreases according to the number of orifices, respective positions of the orifices, and respective cross-sectional dimensions of the orifices.

Assignees

• Faurecia Sieges Dautomobile

Inventors

• Boquet Mathieu
• Longatte Florent
• Duriez Didier
• Chabert Laurent
• Bhor Sandeep
• Desai Izajmahamad
• Ly Stephane

Classifications

• B60N2/7017

  characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing upholstery or upholstery springs not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60N2/56 Primary

  Heating or ventilating devices · CPC title

• B60N2/5657 Primary

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B60H1/00564

  of air ducts · CPC title

• B60N2/565 Primary

  sucked from the seat surface · CPC title