Conductive convective climate controlled seat
AssigneeGenthrem Incorporated
InventorsMasahiko Inaba, Keith Alan Lindeman, John D. Lofy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A climate controlled assembly includes a support member having a first surface configured to support an occupant, a channel within the support, the channel extending from the first surface through a portion of the support, a thermoelectric device positioned within the channel, a heat exchanger conductively coupled to a first side of the thermoelectric device, the heat exchanger positioned within the channel and a flexible conductive member conductively coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric device, a portion of the flexible conductive member extending along the first surface of the support member.
Claims28
A climate controlled assembly, comprising:
- a support member having a support surface configured to support an occupant;
- a blower configured to draw air adjacent the support surface of the support member;
- a thermoelectric device disposed on the support member and including a main side and a waste side, the main side configured to provide heating or cooling to the support surface;
- a heat exchanger conductively coupled to the waste side of the thermoelectric device;
- and
- a conductive member conductively coupled to the main side of the thermoelectric device, at least a portion of the conductive member extending along the support surface of the support member, wherein
- during operation, the blower draws air adjacent the support surface at the same time the thermoelectric device cools the conductive member.
A method for thermally conditioning a support assembly that includes a support structure that defines a support surface, the method comprising:
- operating a thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device including a main side and a waste side, the main side configured to provide heating or cooling to the support surface;
- drawing air from adjacent the support surface through a heat exchanger conductively coupled to the waste side of the thermoelectric device;
- cooling, using the thermoelectric device, a conductive member conductively coupled to the main side of the thermoelectric device and located adjacent the support surface;
- and
- conductively cooling the support surface by simultaneously performing the steps of drawing air from adjacent the support surface and cooling the conductive member to provide both convective and conductive conditioning at the support surface.
A climate control device, comprising:
- a thermoelectric device having a main side and a waste side, the thermoelectric device configured to heat or cool air;
- a first heat exchanger defining a flow path adjacent the waste side of the thermoelectric device and conductively coupled to the waste side of the thermoelectric device;
- and
- a flexible first conductive member extending beyond the thermoelectric device and conductively coupled to the main side of the thermoelectric device, the main side of the thermoelectric device configured to heat or cool the flexible first conductive member,
- wherein the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the flexible first conductive member via the flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.