Thermal control system for variable position seating arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12502926-B2
Application number	US-202318356543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 21, 2023
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a floor having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side. The floor includes a plurality of openings. A seat is moveably supported on the floor. The seat includes a frame having a support member. An anchor system is mounted to the support member. The anchor system includes a selectively deployable anchor that secures the seat to the floor through one of the plurality of openings. A thermal control system is disposed in the seat. The thermal control system includes a duct having and inlet and an outlet. The inlet is selectively connectable to a vehicle based fluid supply system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle system comprising:
a floor having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, the floor including a plurality of openings; a seat moveably supported on the floor, the seat including a frame having a support member; an anchor system mounted to the support member, the anchor system including a selectively deployable anchor that secures the seat to the floor through one of the plurality of openings; and a thermal control system disposed in the seat, the thermal control system including a duct having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being selectively connectable to a vehicle based fluid supply system.

2 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , further comprising a supply of conditioned fluid flowing across the second side of the floor, the supply of conditioned fluid passing through select ones of the plurality of openings into the inlet.

3 . The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein the seat includes a seat back and a seat base, the duct including a first duct including a first inlet arranged at the support member and a first outlet arranged in the seat back, and a second duct including a second inlet arranged at the support member and a second outlet arranged in the seat base.

4 . The vehicle system according to claim 2 , further comprising a valve element arranged in each of the plurality of openings, the valve element being selectively opened when connected to the inlet.

5 . The vehicle system according to claim 4 , wherein the valve element includes a flexible nozzle portion including a first section and a second section, the flexible nozzle portion being selectively expanded by the inlet.

6 . The vehicle system according to claim 4 , further comprising a conditioned fluid manifold connected to the inlet, the conditioned fluid manifold including a plurality of inlet members that selectively pass through select ones of the plurality of openings.

7 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the anchor system includes a solenoid including the selectively deployable anchor, the solenoid being energized to extend the selectively deployable anchor through the one of the plurality of openings.

8 . The vehicle system according to claim 7 , wherein the selectively deployable anchor includes a selectively deployable locking portion that selectively prevents withdrawal of the selectively deployable anchor from the one of the plurality of openings.

9 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet projects rearwardly of the seat, the inlet being selectively connectable to a wall mounted conditioned fluid supply port.

10 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wheels connected to the frame.

11 . A vehicle comprising:
a body defining a passenger compartment having a floor including a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, and a plurality of openings formed in the floor; a seat moveably supported on the first side of the floor, the seat including a frame having a support member; an anchor system mounted to the support member, the anchor system including a selectively deployable anchor that secures the seat to the floor through one of the plurality of openings; and a thermal control system disposed in the seat, the thermal control system including a duct having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being selectively connectable to a vehicle based fluid supply system.

12 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , further comprising a supply of conditioned fluid flowing across the second side of the floor, the supply of conditioned fluid passing through select ones of the plurality of openings into the inlet.

13 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the seat includes a seat back and a seat base, the duct including a first duct including a first inlet arranged at the support member and a first outlet arranged in the seat back, and a second duct including a second inlet arranged at the support member and a second outlet arranged in the seat base.

14 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , further comprising a valve element arranged in each of the plurality of openings, the valve element being selectively opened when connected to the inlet.

15 . The vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the valve element includes a flexible nozzle portion including a first section and a second section, the flexible nozzle portion being selectively expanded by the inlet.

16 . The vehicle according to claim 14 , further comprising a conditioned fluid manifold connected to the inlet, the conditioned fluid manifold including a plurality of inlet members that selectively pass through select ones of the plurality of openings.

17 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the anchor system includes a solenoid including the selectively deployable anchor, the solenoid being energized to extend the selectively deployable anchor through the one of the plurality of openings.

18 . The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the selectively deployable anchor includes a selectively deployable locking portion that selectively prevents withdrawal of the selectively deployable anchor from the one of the plurality of openings.

19 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the passenger compartment includes a side wall including a conditioned fluid supply port, the inlet projecting rearwardly of the seat, the inlet being selectively connectable with the conditioned fluid supply port.

20 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of wheels connected to the frame.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kornburger Steven A
• Aller David M

Classifications

• B60N2/5607 Primary

  characterised by convection · CPC title

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title

• B60N2/04

  the whole seat being movable · CPC title

• B60H1/00842

  the system comprising a plurality of damper doors; Air distribution between several outlets · CPC title

• B60N2/01575

  key sliding inside the vehicle floor or rail · CPC title