Fan Directly Attached To A Chair Or Seat Component Patents (Class 297/180.14)
  • Patent number: 6626488
    Abstract: A cushion for a motor vehicle seat includes a layer of ventilation fabric, through which air can flow, and miniature fans integrated into the cushion to blow air into the ventilation layer. The air is received in sleeves installed in ventilation channels which penetrate the cushion from a cushion bottom side and extend to an upper side of the ventilation layer. To achieve adequate cushion ventilation with low fan noise even when using thin fabric ventilation layers made of relatively hard material, the sleeves are closed on their upper end with a flange and are provided directly below the flange with oblong holes which extend in the circumferential direction and have a width measured in the axial direction which is equal to or less than the thickness of the layer of fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6619736
    Abstract: A vehicle seat ventilating system comprising at least one fan (4) arranged in the seat (7) and controlled by a central control unit (1) and an electric control unit (3) associated with each fan (4) for actuating the respective fan in response to control signals from the central control unit (1), wherein each electronic control (3) is arranged at the respective fan (4) Thus, each of the fans (4) arranged in the vehicle seat (7) has its own electronic control unit (3) that is located at the fan (4) and is connected to the central seat control unit (1) by a data line (2) that transmits control signals. The power supply currents required to drive the fan (4) are regulated directly in the electronic control unit (3) located at the respective fan (4). Thus, each of the fans (4) arranged in the vehicle seat (7) has its own electronic control unit (3) located at the fan (4) and is connected to the central seat control unit (1) by a data line (2) that transmits control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG
    Inventors: Stefan Stöwe, Matthias Pietsch, Matthias Michniacki
  • Patent number: 6619737
    Abstract: A seat module intended for a vehicle seat is designed as a seat cushion or backrest and can be actively ventilated. The seat module includes a cushion which has a lower foam layer impermeable to air, a central air-guiding layer made from a knitted fabric, and an air-permeable upper foam layer. The cushion is covered with a cushion cover and is divided by tacking into a face area and two side areas, which extend in the longitudinal direction. A cushion carrier accommodates the cushion. To improve the quality of the module for sitting comfort and long-term stability while achieving low manufacturing costs, the air-guiding layer rests on the lower foam layer in the face area of the cushion and directly on the cushion carrier in the side area of the cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Kunkel, Karl Pfahler
  • Publication number: 20030160479
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle seat having a backrest, the padding of which includes a ventilation layer through which air can flow with the aid of a fan of a ventilation device, the backrest provided on its rear side with a soft trim part from which at least one air inlet opening for the ventilation device has been left open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Minuth, Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6604785
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat for an open-top motor vehicle has a seat cushion part and a backrest which is provided with a pertaining headrest. In an upper area of the backrest, for reducing undesirable draft phenomena for a seat occupant, at least one air outflow device which has an assigned air outflow nozzle of an air supply device is arranged. The air outflow device is vertically adjustable with respect to the backrest and can be secured in an adjusted vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Claudio Bargheer, Peter Nordberg, Vasilios Orizaris, Karl Pfahler, Lother Renner
  • Publication number: 20030111877
    Abstract: The purpose of our invention is to use a cooling system i.e. an air conditioner compressor to enable cool air throughout various parts of a hair dryer unit and to reuse the exhausted heat from this cooling unit to provide additional heat to help dry the human hair on top of the head. This also make the cool hot hair dryer a very efficient apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Andrew Anderson Collins, Kenneth Payne Ragland
  • Patent number: 6578910
    Abstract: A vehicle seat having a ventilation system includes a network of ducts within the seat bottom, and a fan for moving air away from the seat surface. The ventilation system is configured such that a single fan may selectively move air through some or all of the ducts. Before a vehicle occupant sits in a seat, air is moved through all of the ducts to reduce the temperature at the seat surface. When the occupant sits in the seat, certain ducts in the network are closed to air flow. The air flow is now limited to the remaining ducts, which allows for efficient removal of moisture from the seat surface. After the temperature and moisture at the seat surface have reached desired levels, the speed of the fan is reduced to ensure that the occupant does not experience an unpleasant draught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Christer Andersson, Bengt Andreasson, Harry Eriksson
  • Publication number: 20030102699
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning unit mounted in a vehicle seat, a resilient member is provided adjacent to a rear surface of a cover member that makes contact with a user. A cushion member is provided between the cover member and the resilient member. A blower unit is supported by the resilient member on a side opposite to the cushion member with respect to the resilient member. The blower unit is fixed to the resilient member by interposing the resilient member between a fixing member and a blower case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Shinji Aoki, Toshifumi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 6511125
    Abstract: A ventilated seat pad for supporting an occupant includes first, second, third, fourth, and fifth layers formed into a back portion and a seat portion. Perforations are formed in the first layer to direct ventilating air to an occupant. The second layer provides cushioning and ventilation for the occupant. A hole pattern is formed in the third layer. The hole pattern includes holes in the back portion and the seat portion. An air chamber is formed in the fourth layer in communication with the hole pattern of the third layer. A nozzle and hose direct ventilating air to the air chamber attached to the fifth layer. Ventilating air is directed to holes in the back portion of the third layer when an occupant sitting on the seat portion restricts holes in the seat portion of the third layer. The occupant receives ventilated air in the seat and back area simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy D. Gendron
  • Patent number: 6505886
    Abstract: A climatized seat utilizing a vortex tube is provided. The vortex tube separates compressed air into hot and cold air streams, which are used to heat and cool the seat. In a preferred embodiment, the seat includes a vortex tube, communicative passageways connected to the ends of the vortex tube and the seat, and one or more valves for regulating airflow from the ends of the vortex tube and the environment surrounding the seat. A system for regulating seat temperature is also provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises one or more seats, one or more vortex tubes, various communicative passageways and valves, a source of compressed air, and an accumulator for storing compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Paul Gielda, Yohannes Ambaye, Scot Karath
  • Patent number: 6481801
    Abstract: The present application pertains to a seat pad particularly for motor vehicles seats, with a core portion made of expanded plastics material. The upper side of the core portion facing the seat surface is provided with channel-like grooves, so that the geometry of the remaining core portion allows an optimum distribution of the seat pressure because of the good adaptation to the human anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Gerhard Schmale
  • Patent number: 6478369
    Abstract: A seat air duct includes a floor duct fixed to the floor surface of vehicle cabin and flexible ducts. The upper wall of the floor duct is partially formed by flexible slide walls. The flexible slide walls are formed in an accordion and stretch and contract to follow a front-back stroke of a front seat. The flexible ducts stretch and contract to follow a vertical stroke of the front seat. In this way, since the flexible slide walls and the flexible ducts are independently provided, the seat air-conditioning unit effectively follows the front-back and vertical strokes of the passenger seat, thereby improving a seat air-conditioning performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Aoki, Takeshi Yoshinori, Yuichi Kajino, Kazutoshi Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20020140258
    Abstract: A portable ventilated seat assembly for use by an occupant in a vehicle includes a lay-on pad for supporting the occupant. The pad includes a porous material forming an upper surface layer, a non-porous first inner layer adjacent to the upper surface layer, a non-porous layer forming a lower surface layer and an expanded spacer material between the non-porous layers. The ventilated assembly further includes a fan coupled to the air space between the non-porous layers for ventilating the seat assembly. The ventilated seat assembly allows ventilation and cooling (or reverse flow heating or cooling) for the occupant. The spacer material may have upper and lower netting layers and fibers extending therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: David F. Ekern, Ronald G. Bedro
  • Patent number: 6439658
    Abstract: A ventilation device for the seat (2, 3) of a motor vehicle (1) which has an electrically driven fan (3, 5), the vehicle (1) having a solar cell arrangement (8) which, with the vehicle (1) turned off, provides a supply of solar generated power for operation of the fan (3, 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignees: Webasto Systemkomponenten GmbH, W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG
    Inventors: Thomas Ganz, Hans-Georg Rauh, Stefan Stöwe
  • Publication number: 20020105213
    Abstract: A vehicle seat including at least one pad (12) having an air-permeable surface area (16). In the region of the air-permeable surface area (16) of the pad, an air-permeable heating element (18) is arranged to heat the surface area (16) of the pad. A fan unit (24) blows air through the heating element (18) and the surface area (16) of the pad. A first temperature sensor (26) detects the temperature of the surface area (16) or of the heating element (18). A second temperature sensor (30) detects the temperature of the air aspirated by the fan (24). A fan regulator (32) regulates the volume flow of air as a function of the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Rauh, Stefan Stowe
  • Publication number: 20020057006
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat for an open-top motor vehicle has a seat cushion part and a backrest which is provided with a pertaining headrest. In an upper area of the backrest, for reducing undesirable draft phenomena for a seat occupant, at least one air outflow device which has an assigned air outflow nozzle of an air supply device is arranged. The air outflow device is vertically adjustable with respect to the backrest and can be secured in an adjusted vertical position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Claudio Bargheer, Peter Nordberg, Vasilios Orizaris, Karl Pfahler, Lother Renner
  • Publication number: 20020003362
    Abstract: A seat module intended for a vehicle seat is designed as a seat cushion or backrest and can be actively ventilated. The seat module includes a cushion which has a lower foam layer impermeable to air, a central air-guiding layer made from a knitted fabric, and an air-permeable upper foam layer. The cushion is covered with a cushion cover and is divided by tacking into a face area and two side areas, which extend in the longitudinal direction. A cushion carrier accommodates the cushion. To improve the quality of the module as regards sitting comfort and long-term stability while achieving low manufacturing costs, the air-guiding layer rests on the lower foam layer in the face area of the cushion and directly on the cushion carrier in the side area of the cushion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Joachim Kunkel, Karl Pfahler
  • Publication number: 20020003363
    Abstract: A seat module is designed as a seat cushion or backrest and can be actively ventilated. The seat module includes a cushion, which has a cushion pad impermeable to air and an upholstered zone that extends over the latter and through which air can be made to flow and which is covered by an air-permeable cushion cover. A cushion carrier accommodates the cushion. To improve the quality of the module as regards sitting comfort and long-term stability combined with low manufacturing costs, the upholstered zone through which air can be made to flow is composed of three layers and in the manner of a sandwich of two rubberized hair layers and a knitted layer of coarse-mesh knitted spacing fabric in between the hair layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Henning Buss, Joachim Kunkel, Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6277023
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat with a ventilation device having an exhaust channel, the entrance of which connects to an air-permeable contact surface. A porous air-permeable mat is provided adjacent to the contact surface, and an exhaust fan is provided in the exhaust air channel. An intake channel terminates at the mat and has an intake opening. A total air current drawn in by the intake fan and exiting the exhaust channel includes an air current drawn in through the intake opening and an air current drawn in through the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Faurecia Autositz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Tobias Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6224150
    Abstract: A cushioning for the seat part and/or the backrest of a vehicle seat has a cushioning layer, a ventilation layer which is arranged above the cushioning layer and through which air can flow a cushioning cover which spans the cushioning surface and in which quilt seams for forming cushioning contours are made which penetrate the ventilation layer, and at least one electric fan for actively ventilating the cushioning which is accommodated in an air duct penetrating the cushioning layer. For the purpose of a constructively simplified design of the cushioning for lowering the manufacturing costs, the at least one air duct with the integrated fan is arranged in an area of a quilt seam such that the air flowing out of the air duct flows on both sides of the quilt seam into the ventilation layer. A low-cost vibration damping is achieved in that the fan is embedded in a rubberized-hair layer which is positioned in the ventilation-layer-side mouth area of the air duct in the cushioning layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Harun Eksin, Hermann Kohfink, Karl Pfahler, Rolf Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6206465
    Abstract: A cushioning for a vehicle seat has a cushioning layer and a ventilation layer which covers this cushioning layer and through which air flows. A plurality of air ducts completely penetrate the cushioning layer and are open on the backside of the cushioning layer and in which one miniature fan respectively is arranged for blowing air into the ventilation layer. For ventilating cushioning areas which, because of sitting aids arranged in the cushioning layer, are not suitable for a direct ventilation, the end of the air ducts assigned to these cushioning areas which faces the ventilation layer is constructed such that a portion of the air flow penetrating the air duct enters into the open cross-sectional surface of the ventilation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Faust, Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6196627
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a cushion integrated into a seat part and/or a seat back. The cushion has a ventilation layer through which air can flow and a cushion cover stretched over the cushion surface facing the seated individual. A plurality of electrically driven miniature fans which are located in air channels to blow air into the ventilation layer that terminate at the underside and rear of the cushion facing away from the cushion cover are provided. The air channels extend up to the ventilation layer. To optimize the ventilation efficiency of the seat ventilation, exhaust air channels are provided in the cushion that extend from the ventilation layer up to the underside or rear of the cushion and terminate freely there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Faust, Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6189966
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a cushion integrated in a seat part and/or in a backrest. The cushion has a ventilation layer, through which air can flow, and an air-permeable cushion cover which spans the cushion surface. At least one electrically driven ventilator blows air into the ventilation layer. In order to optimize efficiency and rapidity of seat ventilation when cooling heated seat surfaces and achieve a compact seat construction without any space demands under the cushion of the seat part and behind the cushion of the backrest, the ventilator is constructed such that it takes air in axially and blows air out at least radially and is arranged in the ventilation layer itself. The intake opening of the ventilator is exposed on the side of the cushion facing away from the cushion cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Faust, Karl Pfahler
  • Patent number: 6189967
    Abstract: A portable air cooled seat cushion is provided in which a fan produces an air stream which is directed to the interior of a portable cushion. The cushion is to be placed on a preformed seat, such as a vehicle seat. The cushion has an air permeable outer covering on a front face thereof which permits air to flow out of the cushion against the legs and back of an occupant of the cushion. The fan is connected to the cushion by a flexible hose, permitting the fan to be located by the occupant in a desirable selected location. Controls are provided for the occupant to adjust the speed of the fan and to be visually apprised of the power level being supplied to the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Inventor: Edward J. Short
  • Patent number: 6179706
    Abstract: A seat air conditioner for a vehicle has a seat having a pad and a blower unit for forcibly blowing conditioned air toward the seat. The pad has an introduction passage for introducing blown air toward a surface of the pad, plural distribution passages communicating with and radially extending from the introduction passage and plural communication passages causing communication among the distribution passages. Each of the distribution passages and the communication passages is formed as a groove in the surface of the pad. Therefore, even when a passenger is seated on the seat, air does not stagnate but flows into the distribution passages extending outside a portion of the seat which contacts with the passenger through the communication passages. As a result, air is smoothly blown out from the seat, and the passenger immediately feels sufficiently warm and comfortable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshinori, Shinji Aoki, Koichi Ban