Surface temperature-controlling device
AssigneeGentherm Incorporated
InventorRüdiger Spillner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a surface temperature-controlling device, in particular for use in vehicles, comprising a first air-distributing layer which has multiple air inlets extending through the first air-distributing layer and multiple air outlets extending through the first air-distributing layer, and a second air-distributing layer which fluidically connects air inlets and air outlets of the first air-distributing layer, wherein the air inlets are designed to introduce pre-heated or pre-cooled air into the second air-distributing layer, and the air outlets are designed to discharge air out of the second air-distributing layer.
Claims20
A surface temperature-controlling device in an armrest, comprising:
- a first air-distributing layer located in the armrest and comprising:
- air outlets arranged in two or more rows along a longitudinal axis extending between opposing ends of the first air-distributing layer, and extending through a thickness of the first air-distributing layer in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- air inlets arranged in one or more rows along the longitudinal axis and extending through the thickness of the first air-distributing layer in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, one of the one or more rows of air inlets being disposed between two of the two or more rows of air outlets, and the air inlets being staggered to the air outlets such that adjacent rows form a zig-zag pattern arranged along the longitudinal axis;
- a second air-distributing layer that fluidically connects the air inlets and the air outlets, and air flows that run transversely to the air inlets and/or the air outlets are created inside the second air-distributing layer;
- and
- a flow generator from which pre-heated or pre-cooled air is provided to the air inlets and to which the pre-heated or pre-cooled air is provided from the air outlets;
- wherein each of the air inlets supply the pre-heated or pre-cooled air to multiple of the air outlets between which the air inlets are arranged;
- wherein each of the air inlets provide the pre-heated or pre-cooled air to the multiple air outlets and the multiple air outlets are evenly spaced apart and evenly distributed around one of the air inlets from which the multiple air outlets are provided the pre-heated or pre-cooled air;
- wherein each of the air outlets are provided the pre-heated or pre-cooled air from multiple of the air inlets and the multiple air inlets are evenly spaced apart and evenly distributed around one of the air outlets to which the multiple air inlets provide the pre-heated or pre-cooled air;
- wherein the air inlets introduce the pre-heated or pre-cooled air into the second air-distributing layer and the air outlets discharge the pre-heated or pre-cooled air from the second air-distributing layer;
- and
- wherein the first air-distributing layer and the second air-distributing layer are integrated in a flow circuit, wherein the pre-heated or pre-cooled air circulates within the flow circuit so that the pre-heated or pre-cooled air is used repeatedly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.