Conductive convective climate controlled seat
AssigneeGentherm 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.
Claims24
A climate controlled assembly comprising a support surface configured to support an occupant, the assembly comprising:
- a support member having the support surface configured to support the occupant;
- a thermally conductive member comprising at least one of graphite or graphene, at least a portion of the thermally conductive member extending along the support surface to condition the support surface;
- a thermoelectric device comprising a main side and a waste side, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer heat between the main and waste sides, the main side in thermal communication with the thermally conductive member to heat or cool the thermally conductive member;
- and
- a blower configured to move air through the support surface to provide conditioning to the support surface through convection,
- wherein the blower is configured to move air over the waste side that is moved through the support surface.
An apparatus for conditioning a surface of a seat cushion, the apparatus comprising:
- the seat cushion having the conditioned surface;
- a thermoelectric device having a main side and a waste side, the thermoelectric device comprising a plurality of semiconductor elements, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer heat between the main and waste sides;
- a flexible thermally conductive member extending beyond the thermoelectric device and conductively coupled to the main side of the thermoelectric device, at least a portion of the flexible thermally conductive member positioned at or below the conditioned surface and configured to provide a cooling or heating effect through conduction to an occupant on the conditioned surface;
- and
- an air channel in the seat cushion configured to direct air through the conditioned surface,
- wherein the air channel is configured to move air over the waste side that is moved through the conditioned surface.
A climate controlled assembly comprising:
- a support member having a support surface configured to support an occupant;
- a flexible thermally conductive member extending along the support surface;
- a thermoelectric device comprising a main side and a waste side, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer heat between the main and waste sides, the main side in thermal communication with the flexible thermally conductive member to provide a cooling or heating effect through conduction to the support surface;
- and
- a blower configured to move air through the support surface to provide conditioning to the support surface through convection,
- wherein the blower is configured to move air over the waste side that is moved through the support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.