Climate controlled seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296733-B2
Application number	US-202318140029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2023
Priority date	Apr 27, 2023
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A climate-controlled seat including a foam portion having a recess in a surface, an air channel extending through the foam and having a first opening configured to engage with a seat ventilation system and an opposed second opening adjacent to and operatively engaging the recess; a pair of gaskets located in the recess, adjacent to and on opposite sides of the second opening, the gaskets configured to block airflow from the second opening into the laterally extending recess; and a seat trim covering the foam portion over the surface and attached to the foam portion along the recess to provide a trench in the seat trim adjacent to the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A climate-controlled seat for use by a seat occupant, the climate-controlled seat comprising:
a foam portion having a laterally extending recess in a surface, an air channel extending through the foam and having a first opening configured to engage with a seat ventilation system and an opposed second opening adjacent to and operatively engaging the laterally extending recess;
a pair of gaskets located in the laterally extending recess, adjacent to and on opposite sides of the second opening, the gaskets configured to block airflow from the second opening into the laterally extending recess; and
a seat trim covering the foam portion over the surface and attached to the foam portion along the laterally extending recess to provide a laterally extending trench in the seat trim adjacent to the laterally extending recess.

2. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 further comprising an air distribution member located between the foam portion and the seat trim, operatively engaging the second opening to receive the airflow therefrom, and configured to direct the airflow through the seat trim on a first side of the laterally extending recess.

3. The climate-controlled seat of claim 2 further comprising an air distribution member located between the foam portion and the seat trim, operatively engaging the second opening to receive the airflow therefrom, and configured to direct the airflow through the seat trim on an opposed second side of the laterally extending recess.

4. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 further comprising a spacer material located between the second opening and the seat trim, the spacer material located in a portion of the lateral extending recess between the gaskets and configured to direct the airflow to the surface on a first side of the laterally extending recess.

5. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 further comprising a spacer material located between the second opening and the seat trim, the spacer material located in a portion of the lateral extending recess between the gaskets and configured to direct the airflow to the surface on both sides of the laterally extending recess.

6. The climate-controlled seat of claim 5 further comprising an air distribution member located between the foam portion and the seat trim, operatively engaging the spacer material to receive the airflow therefrom and direct the airflow to the surface on both sides of the laterally extending recess.

7. The climate-controlled seat of claim 6 further comprising a second air channel, forward of the air channel, extending through the foam and having a third opening configured to engage with the seat ventilation system and an opposed fourth opening adjacent to the surface, and louvers configured to direct the airflow onto a front of the seat occupant.

8. The climate-controlled seat of claim 7 further comprising a blower operatively engaging at least one of the first opening and the third opening and configured to selectively provide the airflow through at least one of the air channel and the second air channel.

9. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 further comprising a blower operatively engaging the first opening and configured to selectively provide the airflow through the air channel.

10. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 further comprising a second air channel, forward of the air channel, extending through the foam and having a third opening configured to engage with the seat ventilation system and an opposed fourth opening adjacent to the surface, and louvers configured to direct the airflow onto a front of the seat occupant.

11. The climate-controlled seat of claim 10 wherein the foam portion is part of a seat bottom and the climate-controlled seat further comprises a seatback foam portion having a seatback duct through which the airflow is directed.

12. The climate-controlled seat of claim 1 wherein the foam portion is part of a seat bottom and the climate-controlled seat further comprises a seatback foam portion having a seatback duct through which the airflow is directed.

13. A climate-controlled seat for use by a seat occupant, the climate-controlled seat comprising:
a foam portion having a recess in a surface, an air channel extending through the foam and having a first opening configured to engage with a seat ventilation system and an opposed second opening adjacent to and operatively engaging the recess;
a pair of gaskets located in the recess, adjacent to and on opposite sides of the second opening, the gaskets configured to block airflow from the second opening into the recess; and
a seat trim covering the foam portion over the surface and attached to the foam portion along the recess to provide a parallel trench in the seat trim adjacent to the recess.

14. The climate-controlled seat of claim 13 further comprising an air distribution member located between the foam portion and the seat trim, operatively engaging the second opening to receive the airflow therefrom, and configured to direct the airflow through the seat trim.

15. The climate-controlled seat of claim 13 further comprising a spacer material located between the second opening and the seat trim, the spacer material located in a portion of the recess between the gaskets and configured to direct the airflow to the surface on both sides of the recess.

16. The climate-controlled seat of claim 13 wherein the foam portion is part of a seat bottom and the climate-controlled seat further comprises a seatback foam portion having a seatback duct through which the airflow is directed.

17. The climate-controlled seat of claim 16 further comprising a second air channel, forward of the air channel, extending through the foam and having a third opening configured to engage with the seat ventilation system and an opposed fourth opening adjacent to the surface, and louvers configured to direct the airflow onto a front of the seat occupant.

18. The climate-controlled seat of claim 13 further comprising a blower operatively engaging the first opening and configured to selectively provide the airflow through the air channel.

19. A climate-controlled seat for use by a seat occupant, the climate-controlled seat comprising:
a foam portion having a recess in a surface, an air channel extending through the foam and having a first opening configured to engage with a seat ventilation system and an opposed second opening adjacent to and operatively engaging the recess;
a pair of gaskets located in the recess, adjacent to and on opposite sides of the second opening, the gaskets configured to block airflow from the second opening into the recess;
a seat trim covering the foam portion over the surface and attached to the foam portion along the recess to provide a parallel trench in the seat trim adjacent to the recess; and
a second air channel, forward of the air channel, extending through the foam and having a third opening configured to engage with the seat ventilation system and an opposed fourth opening adjacent to the surface, and louvers configured to direct the airflow onto a front of the seat occupant.

20. The climate-controlled seat of claim 19 further comprising a spacer material located between the second opening and the seat trim, the spacer material located in a portion of the recess between the gaskets and configured to direct the airflow to the surface on both sides of the recess.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Duncan Bradley Clifford
• Ivanov Vyachislav
• Abbey Caleb Andrew

Classifications

• B60N2/5635

  coming from the passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H1/00028

  Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60N2/5657 Primary

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B60N2/5628 Primary

  coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system · CPC title