Device for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user of a vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933780-B2
Application number	US-201716072349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2017
Priority date	Feb 10, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A device for controlling the temperature of the neck region of a user of a vehicle seat. The device includes an air conveying device that is configured to convey air to a temperature control region, a temperature control device that is configured to control the temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region, and a control device that is configured to automatically control the air conveying device and the temperature control device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for controlling a temperature of a neck region of a user of a vehicle seat, comprising:
an air conveying device, which is configured to convey air to a temperature control region;
a temperature control device, which is configured to control a temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region; and
a control device that is configured to control the air conveying device and the temperature control device automatically;
wherein the control device is configured to adjust to a preheat operating mode upon activation of the device and/or when an ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold; wherein in the preheat operating mode, the air conveying device is deactivated and the temperature control device is activated;
wherein the control device is configured to maintain the preheat operating mode for a duration of a preheating period and/or until a predefined difference between the ambient temperature and an air temperature of a temperature-controlled air is reached;
wherein the temperature control device comprises one or more PTC heating resistors, the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on a basis of a resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on a basis of one or more ambient parameters and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to automatically adjust to a start-up operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are activated.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to adjust an electrical parameter that influences a conveyance rate of the air conveying device and/or to adjust a fluid flow during the start-up operating mode.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow is/are adjusted by increasing the electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow from an initial value to a setpoint value over a start-up time period, and
wherein the control device is configured to increase the electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow linearly, hyperbolically or asymptotically, at least in stages.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the control device is configured to increase the electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow on a basis of one or more ambient parameters, a temperature in the temperature control region, and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

7. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the control device is configured to increase the electrical parameter and/or the fluid flow on the basis of the resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors and/or a gradient of the resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors, and
wherein the control device is configured to maintain a target resistance value for the one or more PTC heating resistors once the target resistance value is reached.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to automatically adjust to a continuous operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are operated substantially constantly in a desired state.

9. A headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising a device for controlling a temperature of a neck region of a user of the vehicle seat, the device comprising:
an air conveying device, which is configured to convey air to a temperature control region;
a temperature control device, which is configured to control a temperature of the air to be conveyed to the temperature control region; and
a control device that is configured to control the air conveying device and the temperature control device automatically;
wherein the control device is configured to adjust to a preheat operating mode upon activation of the device and/or when an ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold; wherein in the preheat operating mode, the air conveying device is deactivated and the temperature control device is activated;
wherein the control device is configured to maintain the preheat operating mode for a duration of a preheating period and/or until a predefined difference between the ambient temperature and an air temperature of a temperature-controlled air is reached;
wherein the temperature control device comprises one or more PTC heating resistors, the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on a basis of a resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors.

10. A control method for operating a device for controlling a temperature of a neck region of a user of a vehicle seat, comprising the following steps:
conveying air to a temperature control region by means of an air conveying device; and
controlling by means of a temperature control device, of a temperature of the air conveyed to the temperature control region;
automatically controlling the air conveying device and the temperature control device by means of a control device,
wherein the control device is configured to adjust to a preheat operating mode upon activation of the device and/or when an ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold; in the preheat operating mode, the air conveying device is deactivated and the temperature control device is activated;
wherein the control device is configured to maintain the preheat operating mode for a duration of a preheating period and/or until a predefined difference between the ambient temperature and an air temperature of a temperature-controlled air is reached;
wherein the temperature control device comprises one or more PTC heating resistors, the control device is configured to determine the duration of the preheating period on a basis of:
i) a resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors, and/or
ii) a gradient of the resistance value of the one or more PTC heating resistors.

11. The control method according to claim 10 , comprising at least one of the following steps:
automatically adjusting the device by means of the control device to a start-up operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are activated and an operating state of the air conveying device and/or the operating state of the temperature control device change(s) at least temporarily;
automatically adjusting the device by means of the control device to a continuous operating mode, in which the air conveying device and the temperature control device are operated substantially constantly in a desired state.

12. The control method according to claim 11 , comprising at least one of the following steps:
activating the device;
detecting the ambient temperature;
wherein the preheat operating mode is set upon activation of the device and/or when the ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold.

13. The control method according to claim 11 , comprising at least one of the following steps:
automatically switching from the preheat operating mode to the start-up operating mode once the preheating period has elapsed; and
wherein the duration of the preheating period is determined on the basis of one or more ambient parameters and/or one or more operating parameters of the temperature control device.

14. The control method according to claim 10 , wherein in a start-up operating mode, at least one of the following steps is carried out:
adjustment of an electrical parameter that influenc

Assignees

• Gentherm Gmbh

Inventors

• Rappl Alexander
• Pfaff Jochen

Classifications

• B60N2/5685

  Resistance · CPC title

• B60N2/5671 Primary

  forming a windbreak, e.g. warm air blown on the neck of the passenger of an open vehicle · CPC title

• B60H1/246

  located in the interior of the vehicle or in or below the floor · CPC title

• B60H1/00285

  for vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60H1/00792

  Arrangement of detectors (B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence) · CPC title