Thermoelectrically heated/cooled seat with improved transient response using a proportioning valve

An automotive vehicle comprising;

• a body defining a passenger cabin,
• a seat assembly disposed in said passenger cabin and having seat passages for thermally conditioning a seat occupant with air,
• at least one cabin vent in said vehicle for conveying air into said cabin,
• a HVAC module for supplying heating and cooling air,
• ductwork for conveying said heating and cooling air from said HVAC module to said cabin vent and to said seat passages of said seat assembly,
• a thermo-electric device in said ductwork and having a seat side and a cabin side for heating and cooling air from said HVAC module for delivery to said seat passages of said seat assembly,
• an electrical system for supplying electrical power and wherein said thermo-electric device connected electrically to said electrical system for receiving electrical power therefrom,
• a proportioning valve in said ductwork movable to various adjusted positions for proportioning air between said seat side and said cabin side of said thermo-electric device from said HVAC module,
• a sensor for sensing the actual temperature of said seat assembly,
• a selector for setting a desired temperature of the seat assembly,
• a differentiator for determining the temperature difference between said actual temperature and said desired temperature,
• said vehicle characterized by a controller for adjusting said proportioning valve and for adjusting said electrical power to said thermo-electric device in relationship to one another in response to said temperature difference.

A system for heating and cooling air from an HVAC module in a vehicle for delivery to seat passages of a seat assembly in the vehicle, said system comprising;

• a thermo-electric device having a seat side and a cabin side for heating and cooling air from the HVAC module for delivery to the seat passages of the seat assembly in a vehicle and for delivery to the cabin of a vehicle,
• a proportioning valve movable to various adjusted positions for proportioning air between said seat side and said cabin side of said thermo-electric device,
• a sensor for sensing the actual temperature of said seat assembly,
• a selector for setting a desired temperature of the seat assembly,
• a differentiator for determining the temperature difference between said actual temperature and said desired temperature,
• said system characterized by a controller for adjusting said proportioning valve and for adjusting said electrical power to said thermo-electric device in relationship to one another in response to said temperature difference.

A system for heating and cooling air from an HVAC module in a vehicle for delivery to seat passages of a seat assembly in the vehicle, said system comprising;

• a thermo-electric device having a seat side and a cabin side for heating and cooling air from the HVAC module for delivery to the seat passages of the seat assembly in a vehicle and for delivery to the cabin of a vehicle,
• a proportioning valve movable to various adjusted positions for proportioning air between said seat side and said cabin side of said thermo-electric device,
• a sensor for sensing the actual temperature of said seat assembly,
• a selector for setting a desired temperature of the seat assembly,
• a differentiator for determining the temperature difference between said actual temperature and said desired temperature,
• said system characterized by a controller for adjusting said proportioning valve to maximize the power of the thermo-electric-device in accordance with;
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A method of providing thermally conditioned air to passages in a seat assembly of an automotive vehicle having a HVAC module for supplying for supplying heating and cooling air to a cabin, said method comprising the steps of;

• delivering heating and cooling air from the HVAC module to the seat passages of the seat assembly,
• exchanging heat with the heating and cooling air from the HVAC module by utilizing electrical power from the vehicle electrical system to drive an auxiliary heat exchange in a thermo-electric device before delivery to the seat passages of the seat assembly,
• proportioning the heating and cooling air from the HVAC module into a seat side and a cabin side,
• sensing the actual temperature of the air directed to the seat side,
• setting a desired temperature of the seat assembly,
• determining the temperature difference between the actual temperature and the desired temperature,
• adjusting the electrical power to the thermo-electric device in relationship to the proportioning of the heating (TH) and cooling (TC) air and in response to the temperature difference, and
• proportioning the heating and cooling air to maximize the power of the thermo-electric-device in accordance with;
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A method of providing thermally conditioned air to passages in a seat assembly of an automotive vehicle having a HVAC module for supplying heating and cooling air to a cabin, said method comprising the steps of;

• delivering heating and cooling air from the -HVAC module to the seat passages of the seat assembly,
• exchanging heat with the heating and cooling air from the HVAC module by utilizing electrical power from the vehicle electrical system to drive an auxiliary heat exchanger in a thermoelectric device before delivery to the seat passages of the seat assembly,
• proportioning the heating and cooling air from the HVAC module into a seat side and a cabin side, and
• adjusting the electrical power to the thermo-electric device in relationship to the proportioning of the heating and cooling air into the seat side and the cabin side.