Homogeneous multi-zone seat heating

Abstract

A system comprises a seat heater that has at least one first and one second heating circuit, each defining at least one first and one second heating zone. The first heating circuit has first heating coils, and the second heating circuit has second heating coils that are interdigitated with the first heating coils, such that the first and second heating zones overlap at least partially.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Car seats and other types of seats can consist of a seat base, a backrest, and a headrest attached to the backrest. Many seats also have additional features designed to enhance the comfort of the user. For example, some seats have inflatable air bladders to adjust support and provide a massage. Some seats also feature temperature control for thermal comfort. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to the person skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings accompanying the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. Fig. Figure 1 illustrates an example of a seating system. Fig. Figure 2 illustrates a seat heater for a seating system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0003] Extensive reference will now be made to embodiments, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The following detailed description presents numerous specific details to enable a comprehensive understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the various described embodiments can be implemented without these detailed descriptions. In other cases, known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0004] “One or more” includes a function performed by one element, a function performed by more than one element, e.g. in a distributed form, multiple functions performed by one element, multiple functions performed by multiple elements, or any combination of the foregoing.

[0005] It should also be understood that, although the terms "first / first / first", "second / second / second", etc., are used herein in some instances to describe different elements, these elements should not be restricted by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact could be referred to as a second contact, and similarly, a second contact could be referred to as a first contact, without altering the scope of the various embodiments described. The first and the second contact are both contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0006] The terminology used in the description of the various embodiments described herein serves only to describe specific embodiments and is not to be understood as limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and the accompanying claims, the singular forms "a" and "the" also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is also understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the listed elements.It is further to be understood that the terms “have”, “having”, “including”, “comprises” and / or “comprehensive”, when used in this patent specification, specify the presence of certain features, integers, steps, operations, functions, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, functions, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0007] As used here, the term "if" can be understood, depending on the context, as "when" or "at" or "in response to a determination" or "in response to a recognition." Likewise, the phrase "when determined" or "when [a certain condition or event] is recognized" can be interpreted, depending on the context, as meaning "at the time of a determination" or "in response to a determination" or "at the time of recognition [of the certain condition or event]" or "in response to a recognition [of the certain condition or event]."

[0008] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary seating system 20 for an automobile. In this example, the system 20 comprises a seat back 22, a seat cushion 24, and a headrest 26 attached to the seat back 22. Although the exemplary seating system 20 is for an automobile, it is understood that the examples are applicable to seats for other types of vehicles, such as, but not limited to, a motorcycle, a bus, a watercraft, a gaming chair, an airplane, or a locomotive.

[0009] The seating system 20 also includes a seat heater 28 to provide thermal comfort to the seat user. The seat heater 28 is arranged to provide heating to the seat back 22, but can also additionally or alternatively provide heating to the seat cushion 24. As can be seen from the examples given, the seat heater 28 is designed to provide uniform heating across multiple heating zones.

[0010] Fig.Figure 2 illustrates the seat heater 28 without the rest of the seat. The seat heater 28 is mounted on a single carrier mat 30, for example, a woven or non-woven fabric. The seat heater 28 has at least one first and one second heating circuit 32a / 32b. A "heating circuit" is an electrical current path, such as the wire of a resistance heating element. As an example, the heating element wires are selected independently from, but not limited to, pure copper, steel, copper-nickel, copper-magnesium, and copper-tin. In other examples, the heating element wires are selected independently from CuSn0.3, CuSn0.6, and CuSn6. The wire material and diameter can be chosen to provide a desired heat intensity. In one example, the wires of heating circuit 32a have a different diameter than the wires of heating circuit 32b.In the illustrated example, there are at least two resistance heating element wires that are carried on the mat 30 and form two different current paths, i.e., heating zones. For example, the resistance heating element wires are stitched or sewn onto the mat 30. Each of the heating circuits 32a / 32b defines a respective heating zone 34a / 34b, which is the area over which heating circuit 32a or 32b provides heat.

[0011] Heating circuits 32a / 32b are connected to a controller 35. The controller 35 comprises hardware, software, or both. The hardware may include, but is not limited to, one or more microprocessors and one or more memory modules. The controller 35 may be designed to control the heating circuits 32a / 32b independently or be integrated into another vehicle control system. For example, the controller 35 may be connected to one or more sensors (e.g., temperature sensors and electrical resistance sensors) that provide feedback for controlling the ON / OFF state of the heating circuits 32a / 32b. For instance, the controller 35 compares feedback values ​​with a lookup table in the memory module and then switches the heating circuits 32a / 32b (individually or in a coordinated manner) between ON and OFF.

[0012] The first heating circuit 32a has a first heating coil 36a, and the second heating circuit 32b has a second heating coil 36b. For example, a heating coil is a series of loops of resistance heating element wire. A "loop" is a section of the circuit that returns to itself by at least 180°. Each loop 38 of the first heating coil 36a has loop sides 40 / 42 connected at one end by a loop turn 44, and each loop 46 of the second heating coil 36b has loop sides 48 / 50 connected at one end by a loop turn 52. It can be seen that each of these regions of loop 38 or 46 may have smaller sub-loops and / or waveforms 47 that facilitate expansion of the heating zones 34a / 34b. Alternatively, the areas of loops 38 / 46 can also be formed from straight (non-wavy) resistance heating element wire.A loop containing a smaller underloop is a double loop, while a loop without underloops is a single loop. In the illustrated example, the 38 loops are double loops, with loop turn 44 being a smaller underloop.

[0013] The end of each loop 38 opposite the loop turn 44 is an "open" end, at which the wires extend away from each other from sides 40 / 42. Similarly, the end of each loop 46 opposite the loop turn 52 is an "open" end, at which the wires extend away from each other from sides 48 / 50. For the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments, the relative positions of the open ends can be used to define a loop orientation. For example, with respect to a horizontal left-right direction in the figure, an open end that opens to the right defines a right-handed loop, and an open end that opens to the left defines a left-handed loop.

[0014] The loops 46 of the second heating coils 36b are interdigitated with the loops 38 of the first heating coils 36a. This means that the loops 46 are interlocked with the loops 38 such that the first and second heating zones 34a / 34b overlap at least partially. For example, in the illustrated example, several successive loops 46 are interlocked with several successive loops 38 to provide an embodiment with multiple interdigitations. An interdigitation comprises two adjacent loops 38 with a loop 46 located between the loops 38. In the illustrated example, the seat heater 28 has two vertical sets, set A and set B, of interdigitations. In set A, the loops 38 are left-handed and the loops 46 are right-handed, and in set B, the loops 38 are right-handed and the loops 46 are left-handed.In another example, the configuration is represented by the ratio of the number of loops 38 that are interdigitated with the loops 46. For example, the ratio ranges from 1:1 to 5:1. Such a range of ratios can include configurations in which one or more loops 38 and one or more loops 46 are not interdigitated. For example, every second loop 38 or every third loop 38 is interdigitated.

[0015] The seat heater 28 provides uniform heating in heating zones 34a / 34b. In the illustrated example, the first heating zone 34a can provide general seat heating, while the second heating zone can provide additional heating in accordance with the positions of the massage bubbles in the seat. Heating systems that have multiple heating zones on several mats of a seat are usually widely spaced. In such a configuration, when heating zones are switched on, there is often an area between the heating zones that is unheated and feels cooler than the heating zones. Furthermore, the switched-off zone feels cooler than the switched-on zone when one heating zone is switched off and the other is switched on. Such cooler areas can be uncomfortable for the seat user.In contrast, the interdigitation of the heating circuits 32a / 32b provides a spatial configuration in which the heating element wires of the heating zones 34a / 34b lie close together on the same carrier mat 30. This results in an overlap of the heating zones 34a / 34b, so that when both zones 34a / 34b are switched on, there is no "cold" area between the zones. Furthermore, when zone 34a is switched on and zone 34b is switched off, zone 34b does not feel cooler, as the proximity of the interdigitated zone 34a provides heat.

[0016] Although the illustrated examples show a combination of features, it is not necessary to combine all of them to realize the advantages of the various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system constructed according to one embodiment of this disclosure does not necessarily have all the features shown in any of the figures or all the sections schematically depicted in the figures. Moreover, selected features of one exemplary embodiment can be combined with selected features of other exemplary embodiments.

[0017] The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting. Variations and modifications of the disclosed examples, which do not necessarily deviate from this disclosure, may be obvious to those skilled in the field. The scope of legal protection afforded to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the subsequent claims.

Claims

[1] System, encompassing: A seat heater comprising at least a first and a second heating circuit defining at least a first and a second heating zone, wherein the first heating circuit has first heating coils and the second heating circuit has second heating coils interdigitated with the first heating coils, such that the first and second heating zones overlap at least partially to ensure uniform heating in the first and second heating zones. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the first heating coil has first heating coil loops, the second heating coil has second heating coil loops, and the second heating coil loops are interdigitated with the first heating coil loops. [3] System according to claim 2, wherein the first heating coil loops are left-hand loops and the second heating coil loops are left-hand loops. [4] System according to claim 2, wherein the first heating coil loops are double loops and the second heating coil loops are single loops. [5] System according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second heating coil are independently selected from the group consisting of pure copper, steel, copper-nickel, copper-magnesium and copper-tin. [6] System according to claim 1, wherein the heating coils are selected independently of each other from the group consisting of CuSn0,3, CuSn0,6 and CuSn6. [7] System according to claim 1, wherein the heating coils have wires of different diameters. [8] System according to claim 1, wherein the heating circuits are independent of each other, so that each can be switched on and off independently. [9] System according to claim 1, further comprising a single carrier mat which carries the first and the second heating circuit. [10] System according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the heating coils of the first circuit, which are interdigitated with the heating coils of the second circuit, is 1 : 1 to 5 :

1. [11] System according to claim 1, further comprising a seat including seat heating. [12] System, encompassing: a seat; a single support mat in the seat; A seat heater comprising at least a first and a second heating circuit which are carried on the carrier mat, wherein the first and the second heating circuit define at least a first and a second heating zone which overlap each other at least partially to ensure uniform heating in the first and the second heating zone. [13] System according to claim 12, wherein the first heating circuit has first heating coils and the second heating circuit has second heating coils which are interdigitated with the first heating coils. [14] System according to claim 13, wherein the first heating coil has first heating coil loops, the second heating coil has second heating coil loops, and the second heating coil loops are interdigitated with the first heating coil loops. [15] System according to claim 14, wherein the first heating coil loops are double loops and the second heating coil loops are single loops. [16] System according to claim 14, wherein the heating circuits are independent of each other, so that each can be switched on and off independently. [17] System according to claim 16, wherein the heating coils have wires of different diameters.

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