# US 2021/0276491 A1 · Drying rack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276491 A1 - Document ID: US20210276491A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/808,466 - Filed: 2020-03-04 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04 - Assignees: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC - Applicants: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC - Inventors: Todd SIETING - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276491A1 ## CPC - B60R 7/10: for supporting hats, clothes or clothes hangers - A47C 7/622: {Receptacles, e.g. cup holders, storage containers} - B60N 2/5621: {by air} - B60N 2/5628: {coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system} - B60N 2/5635: {coming from the passenger compartment} - B60N 2/5657: {blown towards the seat surface} - B60N 3/00: Arrangements or adaptations of other passenger fittings, not otherwise provided for (of radio sets, television sets, telephones, {stowing or holding appliances} , safety belts or the like B60R) - F26B 3/00: Drying solid materials or objects by processes involving the application of heat (in specific machines or apparatus F26B9/00 - F26B19/00) - A47C 7/74: for ventilation, heating or cooling - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) ## Abstract An occupant support for a vehicle includes a seat bottom and a seat back. At least one of the seat bottom and the seat back includes an integrated article-drying system configured to dry articles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An occupant support comprising a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom, and an article-drying system coupled to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back and configured to move relative to the seat bottom and the seat back from a storage configuration, in which the article-drying system is stowed away in a space defined at least in part by at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back, and a use configuration, in which at least a portion of the article-drying system extends outwardly from the space formed in at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back to receive an article and to position the article in proximity to a stream of drying fluid to dry the article. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The occupant support of claim 1, wherein the article-drying system includes an article-positioning system that is configured to pivot about an axis to change the article-drying system from the storage configuration to the use configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The occupant support of claim 2, wherein the article-positioning system includes a carrier member mounted to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back for movement relative to the seat bottom and the seat back so that the article-drying system can change between the storage configuration and the use configuration, and a branch member that extends outwardly from the carrier member and protrudes out of the space formed in at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back to receive the article in the use configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The occupant support of claim 3, wherein the branch member of the article-drying system protrudes into a rear-row occupant region of a vehicle when the article-drying system is in the use configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The occupant support of claim 4, wherein the stream of drying fluid is provided by a vent arranged beneath the seat bottom of the occupant support, the vent being arranged to discharge the stream of drying fluid toward the rear-row occupant region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The occupant support of claim 5, wherein the branch member is arranged to align the article with the stream of drying fluid being from beneath the seat bottom into the rear-row occupant region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The occupant support of claim 3, wherein the carrier member and the branch member are formed as hollow ducts and are fluidly connected to a source duct to deliver the stream of drying fluid to the article. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The occupant support of claim 2, wherein the article-drying system further includes a heating-system mount configured to mount the article-positioning system to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back and conceal the article-positioning system from view within the space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The occupant support of claim 8, wherein the heating-system mount includes a housing arranged in the space to provide an interior region that houses the article-positioning system and an access door that extends across an aperture that opens into the space to conceal the article positioning system when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The occupant support of claim 2, wherein the article-drying system further includes an airflow-control system having a source duct coupled to an air source to provide the drying fluid and a valve coupled to the source duct, and wherein the valve is configured to open when the article-drying system is in the use configuration to discharge the drying fluid onto the article and the valve is configured to close when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The occupant support of claim 10, wherein the airflow-control system further includes a controller configured to open and close the valve to admit or block airflow through the source duct in response to a determination that the article-drying system is in the storage configuration or the use configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The occupant support of claim 1, further comprising a blower arranged in the space to provide the stream of drying fluid when the article-drying system is in the use configuration. ### Claim 13 An occupant support comprising a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom, and an article-drying system coupled to the seat bottom, the article-drying system including a carrier member mounted to the seat bottom and at least one branch member coupled to the carrier member and arranged to extend outwardly away from the carrier member, wherein the carrier member and the branch member are mounted to the seat bottom for pivotable movement about a pivot axis between a stowed position, in which the carrier member and the branch member are stored against the seat bottom, and a use position in which the branch member extends away from the seat bottom and is configured to receive an article to hold the article to be dried. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The occupant support of claim 13, wherein the carrier member and the branch member are formed as hollow ducts and are fluidly connected to a source duct to deliver the stream of drying fluid to the article. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The occupant support of claim 13, wherein the article-drying system further includes a heating-system mount having a housing arranged in a space formed in the seat bottom to provide an interior region that houses the article-positioning system and an access door that extends across an aperture that opens into the space to conceal the article positioning system when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The occupant support of claim 15, wherein the article-drying system further includes an airflow-control system having a source duct coupled to an air source to provide the drying fluid and a valve coupled to the source duct, and wherein the valve is configured to open when the article-drying system is in the use configuration to discharge the drying fluid onto the article and the valve is configured to close when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The occupant support of claim 13, further comprising a blower arranged in one of the seat bottom or the seat back to provide the stream of drying fluid when the article-drying system is in the use configuration. ### Claim 18 An occupant support comprising a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom, and an article-drying system coupled to the seat back, the article-drying system including a carrier member mounted to the seat back and at least one branch member coupled to the carrier member and arranged to extend outwardly away from the carrier member, wherein the carrier member and the at least one branch member are mounted to the seat back for pivotable movement about a pivot axis between a stowed position, in which the carrier member and the at least one branch member are stored against the seat back, and a use position in which the at least one branch member extends away from the seat back and is configured to receive an article to hold the article to be dried. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The occupant support of claim 18, wherein the carrier member and the at least one branch member are formed as hollow ducts and are fluidly connected to a source duct to deliver a stream of drying fluid to the article, the article-drying system further includes a heating-system mount having a housing arranged in a space formed in the seat bottom to provide an interior region that houses the article-positioning system and an access door that extends across an aperture that opens into the space to conceal the article positioning system when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration, and the article-drying system further includes an airflow-control system having a source duct coupled to an air source to provide a stream of drying fluid and a valve coupled to the source duct, and wherein the valve is configured to open when the article-drying system is in the use configuration to discharge the drying fluid onto the article and the valve is configured to close when the article-drying system is in the storage configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The occupant support of claim 18, wherein the at least one branch member transfers heat to the article by conductive heat transfer.