| Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat -> Monitor Keywords |
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Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seatArrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070063551, Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat, which arrangement comprises an air-distributing material and an electric heating element comprising at least one electrically conductive component arranged in a pattern in conjunction with at least one support, where the vehicle seat comprises a bottom part which is adapted for ventilation by blowing air in or sucking air out via at least one passage through the bottom part and on through the said air-distributing material. [0002] In particular, the invention finds application in connection with ventilation of seats intended for people travelling in a vehicle. BACKGROUND ART [0003] For reasons of comfort and safety, ventilation and temperature-control of seats is utilized in vehicles, for example. Both the driver's seat and the other vehicle seats can then be adapted for ventilation by blowing air in or sucking air out by means of a fan. In the case of air being blown in, this supplied air is guided through the seat and out towards the person sitting in the seat concerned. In the case of air being sucked out, this sucked-out air is guided in through the seat from the person sitting in the seat concerned. Temperature-control of the seat can moreover be effected by heating the seat by means of a separate, electrically heatable heating element. The heating element consists of electrically conductive elements which are arranged in a suitable configuration. For example, the said elements consist of electrically conductive resistance wires which are arranged in the form of a heating coil in the seat concerned. The wires are suitably attached to a supporting material, for example foamed polyurethane. The wires can also be placed between two material layers, of foamed polyethylene for example, where at least one layer serves as a supporting material by virtue of the wires being attached to it. In this way, the wires are protected from wear from both above and below. Moreover, an arrangement is obtained in this way where the electrically conductive wires are fixed in a desired configuration, so that, for example, undesirable conductive patterns and possible electric short-circuit can be prevented. By virtue of the heating element being connected to a power supply unit which delivers power, the heating element can be heated to a suitable temperature. [0004] Both the driver's seat and the other vehicle seats can also be adapted so that they can be cooled by supplied blown-in air which is in turn cooled by means of a separate cooling device, for example in the form of what is known as a Peltier element. In some cases, however, it may be more pleasant and effective to provide ventilation using air which is sucked from the person sitting in the seat, which air is guided on down through the seat. In this case, no separate cooling device is used. Ventilation of seats in vehicles can therefore be effected by devices for both blowing air in and sucking air out. [0005] Modern seats are normally manufactured by what is known as cold-foaming, which is a previously known manufacturing method for producing soft, elastic foam plastic. The material for the ready-moulded component which is used as the bottom part or the back part is called comfort foam. The shaping tool used in the cold-foaming process is preferably designed so that "trenches" are formed in the comfort foam when it is moulded. These trenches are relatively narrow recesses in the comfort foam, "rods", that is to say thin shaped metal bars on the lower side of the cover, being used for holding interacting fastening means arranged in the bottom of the trench concerned. The purpose of this arrangement is to secure the cover, which is guided down into the trenches and is fixed there with the aid of the rods. In this way, the cover is tightened against the bottom part. [0006] The air blown in or sucked out is distributed via one or more openings which are formed in the comfort foam. This opening has a certain depth and a certain shape, for example circular or square. The opening communicates with a fan which is suitably located on the lower side of the seat concerned and can then be adapted to blow air in or suck air out via at least one passage formed in the comfort foam. In the case of air being blown in, the said cooling element can be located upstream or downstream of the said fan. Like the trenches, the opening is preferably formed in the foam plastic of the seat by virtue of the shaping tool used in the cold-foaming process being designed so that the said opening is formed in the comfort foam when it is moulded. Arranged above the opening, possibly covering the entire bottom part, is an air-distributing material which preferably has a porous fibrous structure and is made of relatively thin fibres which are relatively sparsely arranged in an asymmetrical three-dimensional network structure so that distribution of air supplied to the fibre network takes place. This air-distributing material is not compressed appreciably when someone sits in the seat, and so its functioning is not then affected appreciably in this state. The air-distributing material also allows airflow both along and across the main extension of the bottom part, and airflow in directions lying in between. The back part of the seat can also have a similar construction. [0007] When a vehicle seat is assembled, an air-distributing material as above is therefore arranged on the comfort foam so that the air-distributing material at least covers the opening or the openings present in the comfort foam. Arranged on top of the air-distributing material is a heating coil, suitably one with its wires located between two protective material layers as described above. A suitable cover is then attached to the seat. Additional padding material may be inserted between the cover and the heating coil. [0008] A particular circumstance which can constitute a problem is that the abovementioned type of seat comprises a number of material layers between the comfort foam and the cover in order to bring about the desired functions of effective ventilation and effective heating. This can in turn involve a time-consuming and expensive manufacturing procedure and result in a high price of the finished product. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,950 discloses a ventilation system in a vehicle seat. The air is sucked into a passage in the seat through the covering of the seat by means of a fan. The covering of the seat consists of an outer layer and an inner layer. The air also passes a layer comprising electric heating wires located on a perforated plastic material and a further underlying layer of air-distributing material as well. [0010] Furthermore, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,037 discloses a device to be used for heating a vehicle seat. The device comprises an air-distributing material and a heating element which are arranged together. [0011] The said document discloses how a number of different layers are used in the seat structure in order to obtain the desired functions of effective ventilation and effective heating. [0012] A particular problem which exists in connection with heated and ventilated vehicle seats is the need to provide a cost-effective and compact delivery unit intended for mounting in a seat in connection with manufacturing a vehicle. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION [0013] A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved seat structure in which the abovementioned problems are solved, in particular the number of component layers being reduced (in relation to known art) while functionality is retained. [0014] This object is achieved with an arrangement according to Patent Claim 1 below, that is to say an arrangement as described in the introduction, which is characterized in that the said support, heating element and air-distributing material are manufactured as an integrated arrangement adapted for mounting in conjunction with the said vehicle seat, the said air-distributing material being designed as at least one unit which is dimensioned for mounting in a correspondingly designed cutout in the vehicle seat. [0015] Examples of advantages which are obtained with the present invention are cost-effective manufacture and simpler construction of a vehicle seat compared with previously known art. A particular advantage of the invention is that it can be implemented in the form of a single delivery unit which includes all the parts required for mounting in a seat, that is to say a heating element, a suitably designed air-distributing material and a support for these components. In this way, a complete, integrated delivery unit is obtained, which can be mounted in a seat during a vehicle manufacturing process. A further advantage of the invention is that this integrated delivery unit can be attached to the upper side of a seat in a simple and effective way. [0016] It should be noted in particular that when support, heating element and air-distributing material are manufactured as an integrated arrangement adapted for mounting in conjunction with a vehicle seat, these can be designed so that the support and the air-distributing material consist either of two separate units or of one and the same unit. In the latter case, the air-distributing material is itself so rigid and strong that it can act as a support and bear the heating element. The integrated arrangement therefore comprises an air-distributing material and an electric heating element arranged in conjunction with a support which can either consist of a separate part or be the same as the air-distributing material. [0017] In the embodiments below, which exemplify the invention, the inventive idea is shown in a few applications. In all these cases, however, the integrated unit includes air-distributing material, electric heating element and support. Whether the support and the air-distributing material consist of one and the same unit or two separate units, the integrated unit will therefore comprise on the one hand an electrically conductive component arranged in conjunction with a support and on the other hand an air-distributing material. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES [0018] The invention will be described below in connection with preferred illustrative embodiments and the accompanying figures, in which: [0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the invention; [0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom part of a vehicle seat; Continue reading about Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat... Full patent description for Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Arrangement for ventilation of a vehicle seat patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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