Vehicle seat with integrated temperature-control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084404-B2
Application number	US-201916281500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seating portion and a backrest portion coupled to the seating portion. The seat also includes a temperature-control system associated with at least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion. The temperature-control system includes a base layer and an intermediate layer disposed adjacent to the base layer. The intermediate layer is adapted to allow fluid to flow through it. The temperature-control system includes a cover layer disposed adjacent to the intermediate layer. The temperature-control system includes at least one heating element disposed between the intermediate layer and the cover layer. The temperature-control system further includes a fluid pump to provide fluid flow through the intermediate layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat, the seat comprising:
a seating portion;
a backrest portion coupled to the seating portion; and
a temperature-control system associated with at least one of the seating portion or the backrest portion, the temperature-control system including:
a base layer;
an intermediate layer disposed adjacent to the base layer, the intermediate layer adapted to allow fluid to flow through the intermediate layer;
a cover layer disposed adjacent to the intermediate layer;
at least one heating element disposed between the intermediate layer and the cover layer;
a fluid pump to provide fluid flow, wherein the fluid is a liquid; and
a conduit connected to the fluid pump and extending at least partially within the intermediate layer, wherein the fluid flows through the conduit and into the intermediate layer.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , comprising a support portion disposed adjacent to the seating portion and adapted to support the fluid pump.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a polymer foam.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of a polymer foam or a metallic mesh.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises at least one of a leather, a fabric, or a polymer foam.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the fluid pump comprises at least one of a centrifugal type fluid pump, a cross flow type fluid pump, or a radial inlet-axial outlet type fluid pump.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein a flow of fluid through the intermediate layer is parallel to a plane of the intermediate layer.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the flow of the fluid through the intermediate layer is transverse with respect to a plane of the intermediate layer.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of auxiliary conduits connected to the conduit, the plurality of auxiliary conduits being disposed within the intermediate layer, each of the plurality of auxiliary conduits adapted to distribute the flow of fluid through the intermediate layer.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of auxiliary conduits includes a pressure-based valve element, the pressure-based valve element adapted to selectively allow the flow of fluid therethrough based on an applied pressure.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the conduit includes a plurality of conduits, each of the plurality of conduits being spaced apart from one another.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is disposed adjacent to the conduit.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is an electrically powered heating element.

14. The seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element includes a plurality of heating elements, each of the plurality of heating elements being spaced apart from one another to allow the flow of fluid there between.

15. A temperature-control system for a seat, the temperature-control system associated with at least one of a seating portion and a backrest portion of the seat, the temperature-control system comprising:
a base layer;
an intermediate layer disposed adjacent to the base layer, the intermediate layer adapted to allow fluid to flow through the intermediate layer;
a cover layer disposed adjacent to the intermediate layer;
at least one heating element disposed between the intermediate layer and the cover layer;
a fluid pump to provide the flow of the fluid, wherein the fluid is a liquid; and
a conduit connected to the fluid pump and extending at least partially within the intermediate layer, wherein the fluid flows through the conduit and into the intermediate layer.

16. The temperature-control system of claim 15 further comprising a support portion disposed adjacent to the seating portion and adapted to support the fluid pump.

17. The temperature-control system of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of auxiliary conduits connected to the conduit, each of the plurality of auxiliary conduits adapted to distribute the flow of the fluid through the intermediate layer.

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Gaurang
• Wang Wentao
• Esmail Adnan

Classifications

• B60N2/5685

  Resistance · CPC title

• B60N2/5614 Primary

  by liquid · CPC title

• B60N2/5657 Primary

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B60N2/70

  Upholstery springs {; Upholstery} · CPC title

• B60N2/5642

  with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat · CPC title