# US 2014/0191556 A1 · Ducted seat for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191556 A1 - Document ID: US20140191556A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/736,181 - Filed: 2013-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Andrew R. Krenz; Damond N. Hinatsu; Nicole Leslie Nicholas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191556A1 ## CPC - B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion - B60N 2/56: Heating or ventilating devices - B60N 2/5635: {coming from the passenger compartment} - B60N 2/5642: {with circulation of air through a layer inside the seat} - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/615: Heating or keeping warm - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/6563: with forced flow, e.g. by blowers - H01M 10/663: the system being an air-conditioner or an engine - H01M 50/202: Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - B60K 11/06: with air cooling - B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means} - B60K 2001/0416: {Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A vehicle includes a passenger compartment, a cargo compartment, a battery, and a ducted seat. The battery is disposed in the cargo compartment and dissipates heat when energized such that air in the vehicle becomes heated air. The ducted seat is operatively disposed in the passenger compartment. The ducted seat includes a base layer, a ducting layer, and a cover layer. The ducting layer covers the base layer. The cover layer covers the ducting layer. The ducting layer presents a leading opening and trailing opening in fluid communication with one another such that the ducting layer is configured to receive air therein through the leading opening and exhaust air through the trailing opening. The trailing opening is disposed in fluid communication with the cargo compartment such that the exhausted air flows from the trailing opening into the cargo compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ducted seat for attachment to a vehicle, the ducted seat comprising: a base layer; a ducting layer operatively covering the base layer; wherein the ducting layer includes a spacer fabric having a first fabric layer, a second layer spaced from the first fabric layer, and a connecting layer interconnecting the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer; wherein the connecting layer is configured to provide air permeability throughout the spacer fabric, between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer; and a cover layer operatively covering the ducting layer such that the ducting layer is sandwiched between the base layer and the cover layer; wherein the cover layer includes a foam layer having a base layer and a plurality of standoffs extending from the base layer; wherein the standoffs are disposed in abutting relationship to the first fabric layer such that caverns are defined between adjacent standoffs, the first fabric layer, and the base layer; and wherein the ducting layer presents a leading opening and trailing opening in fluid communication with one another such that the ducting layer is configured to receive air therein through the leading opening and exhaust air through the trailing opening. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connecting layer includes a yarn that is resilient such that the yarn biases the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer away from one another. ### Claim 5 (canceled) ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first fabric is a mesh and the caverns are in fluid communication with the ducting layer such that the ducting layer is configured to receive air therein through the leading opening, flow throughout the ducting layer and the caverns, and exhaust air only through the trailing opening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the yarn includes polyethylene terephthalate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spacer fabric has a thickness of between 7 millimeters (mm) and 23 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spacer fabric has an air permeability of at least 998 cubic feet per minute per square meter (CFM). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ducted seat is further defined as including: a seating section configured for attachment to the vehicle and presenting a leading opening; and a back section extending from the seating section at a beltline and extending to a top end; wherein the back section defines a trailing opening between the beltline and the top end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A ducted seat, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the seating section and the back section cooperate to present a seating surface configured for supporting an occupant of the vehicle and a support surface, opposite the seating surface; and wherein the seating surface defines the leading opening and the support surface defines the trailing opening. ### Claim 12 A vehicle comprising: a passenger compartment; a cargo compartment disposed proximate the passenger compartment; a battery which dissipates heat when energized such that air in the vehicle becomes heated air, the battery operatively disposed in the cargo compartment; and a ducted seat operatively disposed in the passenger compartment, the ducted seat comprising: a base layer; a ducting layer operatively covering the base layer; wherein the ducting layer includes a spacer fabric having a first fabric layer, a second layer spaced from the first fabric layer, and a connecting layer interconnecting the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer; wherein the connecting layer is configured to provide air permeability throughout the spacer fabric, between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer; and a cover layer operatively covering the ducting layer such that the ducting layer is sandwiched between the base layer and the cover layer; wherein the cover layer includes a foam layer having a base layer and a plurality of standoffs extending from the base layer; wherein the standoffs are disposed in abutting relationship to the first fabric layer such that caverns are defined between adjacent standoffs, the first fabric layer, and the base layer; wherein the ducting layer presents a leading opening and trailing opening in fluid communication with one another such that the ducting layer is configured to receive air therein through the leading opening and exhaust air through the trailing opening; and wherein the trailing opening is disposed in fluid communication with the cargo compartment such that the exhausted air flows from the trailing opening into the cargo compartment. ### Claim 13 (canceled) ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the connecting layer includes a yarn that is resilient such that the yarn biases the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer away from one another. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the spacer fabric has a thickness of between 7 millimeters and 23 millimeters (mm). ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the spacer fabric has an air permeability of at least 998 cubic feet per minute per square meter (CFM). ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the seating section is further defined as including: a seating section configured for attachment to the vehicle and presenting a leading opening; and a back section extending from the seating section at a beltline and extending to a top end; wherein the back section defines a trailing opening between the beltline and the top end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the seating section and the back section cooperate to present a seating surface configured for supporting an occupant of the vehicle and a support surface, opposite the seating surface; and wherein the seating surface defines the leading opening and the support surface defines the trailing opening. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a cargo passage defined between the cargo compartment and the passenger compartment; wherein the trailing opening is in fluid communication with the cargo passage such that the exhausted air flows from the trailing opening, through the cargo passage, and into the cargo compartment. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A vehicle, as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a fan operatively disposed in the cargo passage; wherein the fan is configured to draw air from the passenger compartment into the cargo compartment such that the drawn air flows around the battery to cool the battery.