Headrest ventilation systems and methods for seating assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257939-B2
Application number	US-202117405359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2021
Priority date	Oct 21, 2020
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A headrest ventilation assembly is configured to secure to a headrest of a seat assembly, and includes an air conduit including one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets, and an air filter disposed within the air conduit between the one or more air inlets and the one or more air outlets. The air filter is configured to remove contaminants from the air that is drawn into the air conduit before being delivered out of the one or more air outlets. The assembly can also include a fan disposed on or within the air conduit. The fan is configured to draw the air into the one or more air inlets and provide airflow to deliver the air out of the one or more air outlets. The assembly can also include one or more ultraviolet (UV) light emitters disposed on or within the air conduit. The UV light emitter(s) are configured to emit UV light into the air to sanitize the air before the air is delivered out of the one or more air outlets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A headrest ventilation assembly configured to secure to a headrest of a seat assembly, the headrest ventilation assembly comprising:
a housing configured to removably mount onto or over the headrest, wherein the housing is selectively mountable onto or over the headrest;
an air conduit within the housing, the air conduit including one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets;
an air filter disposed within the air conduit between the one or more air inlets and the one or more air outlets, wherein the air filter is configured to remove contaminants from air that is drawn into the air conduit before being delivered out of the one or more air outlets;
a covering drape that fits over at least a portion of the headrest;
wherein the air conduit includes a plenum coupled to the covering drape, wherein the plenum fits over at least a portion of the headrest;
wherein the air conduit includes an expandable bellows coupled to the plenum, wherein the expandable bellows fits over at least a portion of the headrest, and wherein the expandable bellows is selectively lengthened or shortened to provide a desired fit; and
an adjustment member disposed on a back of the headrest, wherein the adjustment member allows the headrest ventilation assembly to be adapted to a size and shape of the headrest.

2. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fan disposed on or within the air conduit, wherein the fan is configured to draw the air into the one or more air inlets and provide airflow to deliver the air out of the one or more air outlets.

3. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more ultraviolet (UV) light emitters disposed on or within the air conduit, wherein the one or more UV light emitters are configured to emit UV light into the air to sanitize the air before the air is delivered out of the one or more air outlets.

4. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 3 , wherein the UV light emitters are configured to emit the UV light at a wavelength within one or both of a far UV spectrum or a UVC spectrum.

5. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the headrest ventilation assembly is separate and distinct from the headrest.

6. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more air inlets are coupled to an air source through a fluid conduit.

7. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising side wings that include the one or more air outlets.

8. The headrest ventilation assembly of claim 7 , wherein the side wings are moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position.

9. A method for providing a headrest ventilation assembly configured to secure to a headrest of a seat assembly, the method comprising:
providing an air conduit including one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets within the headrest ventilation assembly;
disposing an air filter within the air conduit between the one or more air inlets and the one or more air outlets, wherein the air filter is configured to remove contaminants from air that is drawn into the air conduit before being delivered out of the one or more air outlets;
removably securing the headrest ventilation assembly to the headrest, wherein said removably securing comprises selectively mounting the headrest ventilation assembly onto or over the headrest;
fitting a covering drape of the headrest ventilation assembly over at least a portion of the headrest;
fitting a plenum coupled to the covering drape over at least a portion of the headrest;
fitting an expandable bellows coupled to the plenum over at least a portion of the headrest, and wherein the expandable bellows is selectively lengthened or shortened to provide a desired fit; and
disposing an adjustment member on a back of the headrest, wherein the adjustment member allows the headrest ventilation assembly to be adapted to a size and shape of the headrest.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising disposing a fan on or within the air conduit, wherein the fan is configured to draw the air into the one or more air inlets and provide airflow to deliver the air out of the one or more air outlets.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising disposing one or more ultraviolet (UV) light emitters on or within the air conduit, wherein the one or more UV light emitters are configured to emit UV light into the air to sanitize the air before the air is delivered out of the one or more air outlets.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising coupling the one or more air inlets to an air source through a fluid conduit.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising containing at least a portion of the air conduit and the air filter within a housing that removably mounts onto or over the headrest.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing the one or more air outlets within side wings.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising moving the side wings between a stowed position and a deployed position.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the UV light emitters are configured to emit the UV light at a wavelength within one or both of a far UV spectrum or a UVC spectrum.

17. A system comprising:
a seat assembly including a headrest; and
a headrest ventilation assembly secured to the headrest, the headrest ventilation assembly comprising:
a housing that removably mounts onto or over the headrest, wherein the housing is selectively mountable onto or over the headrest;
an air conduit including a plenum and an expandable bellows coupled to the plenum within the housing, the air conduit including one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets, wherein the plenum fits over at least a portion of the headrest, and wherein the expandable bellows fits over at least a portion of the headrest, and wherein the expandable bellows is selectively lengthened or shortened to provide a desired fit;
an air filter disposed within the air conduit between the one or more air inlets and the one or more air outlets, wherein the air filter is configured to remove contaminants from air that is drawn into the air conduit before being delivered out of the one or more air outlets;
a covering drape that fits over at least a portion of the headrest, wherein the plenum is coupled to the covering drape; and
an adjustment member disposed on a back of the headrest, wherein the adjustment member allows the headrest ventilation assembly to be adapted to a size and shape of the headrest.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the headrest ventilation assembly further comprises a fan disposed on or within the air conduit, wherein the fan is configured to draw the air into the one or more air inlets and provide airflow to deliver the air out of the one or more air outlets.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the headrest ventilation assembly further comprising one or more ultraviolet (UV) light emitters disposed on or within the air conduit, wherein the one or more UV light emitters are configured to emit UV light into the air to sanitize the air before the air is delivered out of the one or more air outlets.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the UV light emitters are configured to emit the UV light at a wavelength within one or both of a far UV spectrum or a UVC spectrum.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Space David R
• Fullerton James A
• Arnaud Timothy J
• Shaw Jon Burton
• Trent Stephen M
• Larsen Ty A
• Khalil Myriam

Classifications

• B60N2/565

  sucked from the seat surface · CPC title

• B60N2/5635

  coming from the passenger compartment · CPC title

• A61L9/20

  Ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• B64D11/0646

  Seats characterised by special features of stationary arms, foot or head rests · CPC title

• B64D2013/0651

  comprising filters, e.g. dust filters · CPC title