Ventilation – Vehicle – Seat structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-08-14
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Vehicle
Seat structure
C297S180130, C297S452470
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273810
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates generally to inflatable air cell systems for occupant support in seating and mattress applications and, more particularly, to the provision of a perforated wall in one or more air cells in a system for metered flow of fluid from the air cell to either heat or cool the seating or mattress application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Air cells, particularly for pneumatically adjustable occupant support systems in seating or other support applications, are frequently constructed from facing layers of a flexible, air-impermeable material such as thermoplastic urethane, fabric reinforced polyvinylchloride, and other plastic film materials, that are dielectrically sealed or otherwise joined about their marginal edges to enclose an interior inflatable air chamber. An air tube connected to the air cells that in turn is coupled to an airflow control system for inflation and deflation of the air cell.
Traditionally, such air cells are inflated by either pressurizing or deflating one or more of the cells in accordance with a predetermined control algorithm for providing a desired user comfort level. Alternatively, the pressure can be controlled by a pump and switch. In such arrangements the individual air cells have been located in desired seating configurations including the lumbar region and ischial regions of a user. In such seats a further practice has been to perforate an overlying trim material so that the seat cushion or seat back support surfaces will tend to breath. Leather or a suitable plastic material such as PVC, urethane, polyolefins or the like materials have been provided to give a level of so called breathability.
While suitable for their intended purpose such arrangements neither cool or heat a seat to meet desired uniform thermal comfort considerations. Other seating arrangements are known that will heat or cool a seat.
Examples of such arrangements are set-forth in the following listed patents.
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor
5,016,302
Yu
5,524,439
Gallup et al.
5,597,200
Gregory et al.
5,626,021
Karunasiri et al.
5,715,695
Lord
5,800,480
Augustine et al.
None of the aforesaid arrangements, however, provide for heating or cooling the fluid and also controlling the pressurization in known pneumatic support systems that utilize one or more air cells as a means for supporting an occupant and operable to vary the pressure in one or more or the air cells to provide individual occupant comfort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an air cell arrangement wherein the fluid supplied to the air cells provides both thermal conditioning and pressure control of the pressure medium for inflating the air cell arrangement to a desired comfort level while overcoming or greatly minimizing the objections of how to control the temperature of a covering material and to avoid the need for installation of heaters or coolers within the confines of seating and other occupant supports as associated with traditional seating and occupant support arrangements.
An air cell system according to the invention for occupant support such as vehicle seating and mattress applications includes an inflatable pressure adjustable air cell constructed from facing sheets of flexible, air-impermeable cell material sealed along their adjoining marginal edges. An upper surface of one or more of the air cells is perforated to provide leakage of air from the air cell during inflation thereof for thermally conditioning the body contacting surface of the vehicle seat or other seating or mattress application.
The perforated surface of the air cell advantageously simplifies and improves the flow of conditioned air into the supporting surface of a vehicle seat or other seat support or mattress application.
Since the support surface conforms to the occupant support thereon the provision of a perforated layer therein to leak air through the support surface of the seat combines both a pressure adjusted shape for supporting an occupant while directing conditioned ventilating air against such occupant so as to optimize both support and heating/cooling of a vehicle seat or the like.
A feature of the invention is to provide such combined pressure and thermal control in an air cell comprised of two layers wherein the top layer is perforated.
A further feature is to provide a first set of air cells with imperforate walls and a supply tube connected to a pneumatic adjustable system for controlling the pressure in one or more of the first set of air cells for providing primary occupant support and to provide a second set of air cells having a perforated layer thereon to leak conditioning medium through the support surface of an occupant support structure and wherein the second set of air cells is supported on the first set to provide supplemental occupant support while providing ventilating fluid to cause air movement to provide cooling or heating and to evaporate occupant perspiration.
A further feature is to provide such combined pressure support and thermal control in an air cell including two sealed layers and a third top layer having air flow perforations therein.
A still further feature is to provide such pressure support and thermal control in a pneumatic controlled pressure adjustable air cell support comfort system wherein preselected air cells are formed from imperforate layers and wherein a second set of cells are perforated to provide separate thermal conditioning of an occupant support.
Yet another feature of the invention is to provide an air cell having a combined pressure support and temperature conditioning capability and wherein the air cell is filled with reticulated foam to provide secondary support and to assure air flow patterns (either by pressure flow out or evacuation flow in) through a perforated layer of the air cells for directing heating and cooling medium to an occupant supported thereon.
Still another feature of the invention is to provide such an air cell pressure support and thermal conditioning system wherein the pressure for occupant support is provided by a first pumping system and wherein the fluid flow for heating and cooling medium is provided by a second pumping system.
Still another feature of the invention is to provide such air cells for occupant support and heating and cooling wherein conditioned air is evacuated e.g., drawn from the surface of the seat system and discharged through the surface of the occupant support.
Still another feature of the invention is to provide such support and conditioning systems wherein the conditioned air is supplied an outlet from a vehicle HVAC system and is discharged through the surface of the seat system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3127931 (1964-04-01), Johnson
patent: 4006604 (1977-02-01), Seff
patent: 4712832 (1987-12-01), Antolini et al.
patent: 4853992 (1989-08-01), Yu
patent: 5016302 (1991-05-01), Yu
patent: 5379471 (1995-01-01), Holdredge
patent: 5524439 (1996-06-01), Gallup et al.
patent: 5597200 (1997-01-01), Gregory et al.
patent: 5626021 (1997-05-01), Karunasiri et al.
patent: 5715695 (1998-02-01), Lord
patent: 5800480 (1998-09-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5921314 (1999-07-01), Schuller et al.
Burt Stephen
Moran Scott J.
Rhodes, Jr. Richard D.
Joyce Harold
McCord Winn Textron Inc.
Reising Ethington, Barnes, Kisselle, Learman & McCulloch, P.C.
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