Device for heating a vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9078291-B2
Application number	US-201213359295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2012
Priority date	Jan 26, 2012
Publication date	Jul 7, 2015
Grant date	Jul 7, 2015

Abstract

A vehicle seat having a first temperature control unit and a second temperature control unit. Each control unit has power-input terminals for receiving power from a vehicle electrical power system and power-output terminals. The first control unit has a logic part for comparing received temperature selection and temperature measurement values along with a first pulse generator connected to a first output terminal of the logic part and a second pulse generator connected to a second output terminal of the logic part as well as a first switch unit coupled to the first pulse generator. The second temperature control unit includes a second switch unit coupled to the second pulse generator. First and second heating elements are coupled to the temperate control units. An occupant switch is coupled to the first temperate control unit. A first temperature sensor monitors the thermal output of the first heating element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device ( 20 ) for heating a vehicle seat ( 22 ), comprising:
a first temperature control unit ( 28 ) including:
a logic part ( 58 ) configured to receive a temperature selection value ( 206 ) and a temperature measurement value ( 208 , 224 ) and compare the received temperature selection value ( 206 ) and temperature measurement ( 208 , 224 ) value, with the logic part ( 58 ) including first ( 76 ) and second ( 78 ) output terminals from each of which exclusively of the other an actuation signal output ( 210 ) is alternatingly provided;
a first pulse generator ( 68 ) connected to the first output terminal ( 76 ) of the logic part ( 58 ) and configured to receive the alternatingly provided actuation signal output ( 210 - 1 ) of the logic part ( 58 ) and provide an electrical pulse output ( 212 );
a second pulse generator ( 70 ) connected to the second output terminal ( 78 ) of the logic part ( 58 ) and configured to receive the alternatingly provided actuation signal output ( 210 - 2 ) of the logic part ( 58 ) and provide an electrical pulse output ( 200 ); and
a first switch unit ( 80 ) coupled to the first pulse generator ( 68 ) for receiving the electrical pulse output ( 212 ) of the first pulse generator ( 68 ) and configured to be placed in an ON-state in response to receiving the electrical pulse output ( 212 ) of the first pulse generator ( 68 );
a first heating element ( 32 ) coupled to the first switch unit ( 80 ) and configured to heat one of a bottom portion ( 24 ) and a backrest portion ( 26 ) of the vehicle seat ( 22 ) when the first switch unit ( 80 ) is placed in the ON-state;

a second temperature control unit ( 30 ) separate from the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) and including:
a second switch unit ( 122 ) coupled to the second pulse generator ( 70 ) for receiving the electrical pulse output ( 200 ) of the second pulse generator ( 70 ) and configured to be placed in an ON-state in response to receiving the electrical pulse output ( 200 ) of the second pulse generator ( 70 ); and
a second heating element ( 34 ) coupled to the second switch unit ( 122 ) and configured to heat the other one of the bottom portion ( 24 ) and the backrest portion ( 26 ) of the vehicle seat ( 22 ) when the second switch unit ( 122 ) is placed in the ON-state;

wherein the first ( 28 ) and second ( 30 ) temperature control units are coupled to one another solely by a single control signal conductor ( 36 ) through which pulsed signals are transmitted between the first ( 28 ) and second ( 30 ) temperature control units.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first ( 28 ) and second ( 30 ) temperature control units are each connected directly to a vehicle electrical power system ( 46 ) such that the first ( 28 ) and second ( 30 ) temperature control units receive power from the vehicle electrical power system ( 46 ) independently of one another for heating the first ( 32 ) and second ( 34 ) heating elements.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) includes a first voltage doubler circuit ( 92 ) connected between the first pulse generator ( 68 ) and the first switch unit ( 80 ) and wherein the second temperature control unit ( 30 ) includes a second voltage doubler circuit ( 134 ) connected between the second pulse generator ( 70 ) and the second switch unit ( 122 ).

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the control signal conductor ( 36 ) is connected between the second pulse generator ( 70 ) in the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) and the second voltage doubler circuit ( 134 ) in the second temperature control unit ( 30 ).

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first switch unit ( 80 ) includes a first FET ( 94 ) having a source terminal ( 106 ) for receiving power from the vehicle electrical power system ( 46 ), and wherein the second switch unit ( 122 ) includes a second FET ( 136 ) having a source terminal ( 146 ) for receiving power from the vehicle electrical power system ( 46 ) independent of the first FET ( 94 ).

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first switch unit ( 80 ) includes a first gate voltage controller ( 110 ) for receiving signals from the first voltage doubler circuit ( 92 ) and controlling the first FET ( 94 ) and wherein the second switch unit ( 122 ) includes a second gate voltage controller ( 150 ) for receiving the signals from the second gate voltage controller ( 150 ) and controlling the second FET ( 136 ).

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first switch unit ( 80 ) includes a first current sensor ( 112 ) coupled to the first FET ( 94 ) for sensing current provided to the first heating element ( 32 ) from the first FET ( 94 ) and coupled to the first gate voltage controller ( 110 ) for providing the first gate controller ( 110 ) with a current measurement output signal ( 216 ).

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second switch unit ( 122 ) includes a second current sensor ( 152 ) coupled to the second FET ( 136 ) for sensing current provided to the second heating element ( 34 ) from the second FET ( 136 ) and coupled to the second gate voltage controller ( 150 ) for providing the second gate controller ( 150 ) with a current measurement output signal ( 222 ).

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein transmission of pulsed signals through the control signal conductor ( 36 ) between the first ( 28 ) and second ( 30 ) temperature control units is bidirectional ( 230 ).

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein bidirectional transmission of pulsed signals through the control signal conductor ( 36 ) includes the electrical pulse output ( 200 ) sent from the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) to the second temperature control unit ( 30 ), and a second temperature measurement value output ( 224 ) sent from the second temperature control unit ( 30 ) to the first temperature control unit ( 28 ).

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the electrical pulse output ( 200 ) and the second temperature measurement value output ( 224 ) transmitted through the control signal conductor ( 36 ) are multiplexed signals.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the pulsed signals transmitted through the control signal conductor ( 36 ) are multiplexed using at least one of frequency-division type multiplexing and time-division type multiplexing.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation signal output ( 210 ) of the logic part ( 58 ) includes electrical pulses and with a frequency of the electrical pulses of the actuation signal output ( 210 ) being defined at least in part by the temperature selection value ( 206 ) received by the logic part ( 58 ).

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) is disposed within one of the bottom portion ( 24 ) and backrest portion ( 26 ) and wherein the second temperature control unit ( 30 ) is disposed within the other one of the bottom portion ( 24 ) and backrest portion ( 26 ).

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature control unit ( 28 ) includes a first voltage doubler circuit ( 92 ) connected between the first pulse generator ( 68 ) and the first switch unit ( 80 ), and a second voltage doubler circuit ( 134 ) connected to the second pulse generator ( 70 ), wherein the second voltage doubler circuit ( 134 ) is connected to the second switch unit ( 122 ) in the second temperature control unit ( 30 ).

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the control signal conductor ( 36 ) is connected between the second voltage doubler circuit ( 134 ) in the first temperature control unit ( 30 ) and the second switch unit ( 122 ) in the second temperature control uni

Assignees

• Planelid Lars
• Kongsberg Automotive Ab

Inventors

• Planelid Lars

Classifications

• H05B1/0238 Primary

  For seats · CPC title