US 5,138,851 A · Active seat cooling system

Abstract

A cooling system for cooling units of furniture adapted for supporting the human body, and for car seats, steering wheels and arm rests, includes two main components. A closed loop air conditioning subsystem has a first motor which drives a compressor in which a refrigerant fluid is compressed. The compressed fluid is passed into a condenser where the compressed fluid is cooled by dissipating its heat into the environment, and from where the compressed fluid is released through an expansion valve into an evaporator. The evaporator becomes cool due to expansion of the refrigerant fluid into a gas and consequent absorption of heat from the evaporator's body and immediate environment. The refrigerant gas is returned from the evaporator into the compressor. The second main component of the invention is a subsystem where a working fluid is in heat exchange relationship with the evaporator of the first system whereby the working fluid is cooled in the evaporator and is thereafter sent by a pump or fan, driven by a suitable motor, into cooling members, such as cooling coils incorporated within the seat or other item of furniture (or related item) which is cooled directly.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system for directly cooling a seat to be occupied by a human, the seat being located in a defined space constituting a desired comfort zone for the human, the system comprising:

a closed loop air conditioning subsystem which includes a first motor driving a compressor in which a refrigerant fluid is compressed, a condenser wherein the compressed fluid is cooled in heat exchange relationship with the environment, an evaporator into which the refrigerant fluid is released from the condenser and wherein the refrigerant fluid expands thereby absorbing heat from the evaporator and cooling the same, the refrigerant fluid returning to the compressor from the evaporator, means for blowing air through the evaporator in heat exchange relationship therewith for generating chilled air and for blowing the chilled air into the comfort zone, whereby the air conditioning subsystem is operational and cools the comfort zone;
a closed loop seat cooling subsystem which comprises:
a second motor;
pump means driven by the second motor for circulating a working fluid;
a heat exchanger disposed in operative heat exchange relationship with the evaporator of the air conditioning subsystem whereby the working fluid is cooled in the evaporator;
cooling coils disposed substantially within the seat, and
conduit means for fluidly connecting, in a closed loop, the pump means, the heat exchanger and the cooling coils whereby the working fluid circulates from the cooling coil to the heat exchanger through the pump, and whereby the working fluid and the refrigerant fluid in the evaporator are in heat exchange relationship with one another, and whereby the seat is cooled by the system.

4 more elements

A cooling system for cooling at least one seat of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an interior space, the cooling system comprising:

a closed loop air conditioning subsystem which includes a compressor driven by the engine of the vehicle, a refrigerant fluid being compressed in the compressor, a condenser wherein the compressed fluid is cooled by ambient air, an evaporator into which the refrigerant fluid is released from the condenser and wherein the refrigerant fluid expands thereby absorbing heat from the evaporator and cooling the same, the refrigerant fluid returning to the compressor from the evaporator, means for blowing air through the evaporator in heat exchange relationship therewith for generating chilled air and for blowing the chilled air into the interior space, whereby the air conditioning subsystem is operational and cools the interior space;
a seat cooling subsystem which comprises:
a second motor;
pump means driven by the second motor for moving a working fluid;
a heat exchanger disposed in operative heat exchange relationship with the evaporator of the air conditioning subsystem whereby the working fluid is cooled in the evaporator;
cooling means disposed substantially within the seat for cooling the seat in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid, and
fluid conduit means for connecting the pump means, the heat exchanger and the cooling means whereby the working fluid is driven by the pump from the heat exchanger to the cooling means and whereby the working fluid and the refrigerant fluid in the evaporator are in heat exchange relationship with one another, and whereby the seat is cooled by the system.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Active seat cooling system

Life of this patent

Active seat cooling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19