Seat conditioning hood apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944149-B2
Application number	US-201514620775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2015
Priority date	Nov 27, 2007
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A hood article and a method of use for a seat conditioning assembly. The hood article including an air-impermeable housing with an internal hollow chamber and at least a first aperture adapted and a second aperture to connect an air mover to a collar device of an air distribution system assembly. The hood article used for fluidly connecting the air mover to the air distribution system assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hood article for a seat conditioning assembly comprising:
a rigid air-impermeable housing including:
i. a bottom wall defining a first aperture adapted to connect to a suction side of an air mover, the first aperture having a generally circular shape, and
ii. a front wall extending from the bottom wall and defining a second aperture in communication with and angularly oriented relative to the first aperture, the second aperture having a shape that is different than the generally circular shape of the first aperture,

wherein the housing comprises a plurality of notches that are defined around an inner diameter of the first aperture, each of the notches extend from the bottom wall towards an opposing top wall, the air mover is adapted to be received into the first aperture and the plurality of notches are adapted to connect the air mover to the housing at a plurality of radial positions,
wherein the hood article is adapted to connect the air mover to a flexible air distribution system that is in fluid communication with a surface of an automobile seat,
wherein the housing comprises a snap feature that is arranged adjacent a side of the second aperture, the snap feature projects from the housing beyond a front plane of the second aperture and is adapted to engage an opening in the air distribution system to fix the housing relative to the air distribution system, and
wherein the housing is adapted to communicate air from the air mover to the air distribution system through the second aperture in a first air flow direction, and is adapted to communicate air from the air distribution system to the air mover through the first aperture in a second air flow direction that is different than the first air flow direction.

2. The hood article of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an engagement opening located within the second aperture, the engagement opening is arranged on a side of the second aperture that opposes the side of the second aperture the snap feature is located, the engagement opening is adapted to receive a tab on the air distribution system.

3. The hood article of claim 2 , wherein the engagement opening is a notch that extends partially through a side wall of the housing.

4. The hood article of claim 1 , wherein the second aperture is generally perpendicular to the first aperture.

5. The hood article of claim 1 , wherein the snap feature is a pin having a split.

6. The hood article of claim 5 , wherein the second aperture includes a second snap feature engaging another opening in the air distribution system.

7. The hood article of claim 1 , wherein the air from the air mover enters the housing through the first aperture and the housing redirects and communicates the air in the first direction towards the second aperture, and
wherein when the air mover pulls the air from the air distribution system, the housing redirects and communicates the air in the second direction towards the first aperture so that the air exits the housing through the first aperture.

8. A device for connecting an air mover to an air distribution system that is in fluid communication with a surface of an automobile seat, comprising:
a rigid air-impermeable housing including:
i. a bottom wall defining a first aperture having an attachment feature, the first aperture having a generally circular shape
ii. a front wall extending from the bottom wall and defining a second aperture in communication with the first aperture via a hollow chamber, the second aperture having a shape that is different than the generally circular shape of the first aperture, the second aperture having two snap features and an engagement opening,

wherein the housing comprises a plurality of notches that are defined around an inner circumference of the first aperture, the notches extend from the bottom wall towards an opposing top wall,
wherein at least a portion of the air mover is received inside the first aperture, and the plurality of notches are adapted to connect the air mover to the housing at a plurality of radial positions,
wherein each of the two snap features engage corresponding openings in a collar device of the air distribution system and the engagement opening receives a tab on the collar device so that the housing is fixed relative to the air distribution system,
wherein the housing communicates air between the air mover and the air distribution system through the first aperture and the second aperture, and
wherein the housing comprises opposing side walls that extend generally from the first aperture towards the second aperture, the opposing side walls angularly extend away from one another so that the housing has a generally triangular shape.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first aperture is generally perpendicular to the second aperture.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein one or both of the snap features are split pins.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the second aperture includes an internal limiting flange.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the engagement opening is a notch that extends partially through a side wall of the housing.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the front wall includes a length that is longer than a length of an opposing rear wall so that the housing has a generally triangular shape.

14. A device for connecting an air mover to a flexible air distribution system that is in fluid communication with a surface of an automobile seat, comprising:
a rigid air-impermeable housing comprising:
i. an upper wall,
ii. a bottom walk opposing the upper wall, the bottom wall defining a generally circular first aperture with a first aperture wall that is generally perpendicular to the bottom wall, the first aperture wall including a plurality of radially disposed notches,
iii. a front wall that is generally perpendicular to the bottom wall and extending from the bottom wall, and defining a generally oblong second aperture that is wider than a diameter of the first aperture, the front wall also including an internal limiting flange, and
iv. a pair of opposing side walls connecting the upper wall and the bottom wall, the opposing side walls extend away from one another so that the housing has a generally triangular shape, the side walls including:
a. at least one engagement opening, and
b. at least one snap feature extending beyond the front wall,

wherein the plurality of radially disposed notches are adapted to fluidly connect the air mover to the housing in a plurality of radial positions at an interface plane located between the bottom wall of the housing and the air mover,

wherein the first aperture is adapted to fit over and connect the air mover,
wherein the at least one snap feature engages a corresponding opening in the collar device of the air distribution system to attach the second aperture to the collar device, and the at least one engagement opening receives a tab on the collar device so that the housing is fixed relative to the air distribution system, and
wherein the housing communicates air from the air mover to the air distribution system through the second aperture in a first direction, and communicates air from the air distribution system to the air mover through the first aperture in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the housing includes a back wall opposing the front wall with a length that is generally shorter than a length of the front wall,
wherein the pair opposing side walls angularly extend between the front wall and the back wall so that the housing has a generally triangular shape.

Assignees

• Gentherm Canada Ltd
• Gentherm Gmbh

Inventors

• Efthymiou Peter P
• Stichhaller Paul
• Lazanja Marinko
• Zuzga Matthew

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B60H1/00507

  Details, e.g. mounting arrangements, desaeration devices (B60H1/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/5621 Primary

  by air · CPC title

• B60H1/00285 Primary

  for vehicle seats · CPC title