Blower-Mounted Seatback with Permeable Foam for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seatbacks experience heat buildup due to occupant-generated heat, leading to discomfort and potential hazards when drivers shift to release this heat during extended trips.
Innovation Solution
A climate-controlled seatback system featuring a permeable foam layer with apertures, a distribution system with airflow passages, and a blower mounted to the seatback, which circulates air away from the occupant's surface to dissipate heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a traditional solid seatback is used, then the structural integrity is maintained, but heat builds up due to occupant-generated heat causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a foam layer with numerous apertures distributed throughout its structure. This porous material allows air to penetrate and circulate through the seatback, enabling heat dissipation from the occupant's body while maintaining the structural integrity and comfort of the seatback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a blower device that forces air through the foam layer and apertures, creating a pneumatic flow system. This active air circulation removes trapped heat from between the occupant and seatback, directly addressing the heat buildup problem while maintaining structural integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a blower system is added to cool the seatback, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the blower, foam layer with apertures, and air passage system into a unified seatback assembly. By combining these components into a single integrated structure rather than separate systems, the patent reduces overall complexity while achieving effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam layer with its inherent apertures provides a self-contained air distribution network that requires no additional complex piping or channels. The blower simply needs to force air through the naturally porous foam structure, simplifying the overall system design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively reduces occupant discomfort by maintaining a cooler seatback environment, enhancing passenger safety by minimizing the need for drivers to shift and potentially causing hazards.
Implementation Method 1
A blower is attached to the central annular member in fluid communication with the passages and the apertures, whereby air is displaced away from the foam layer by operation of the blower
Implementation Method 2
The permeable foam layer has a forward and rearward surface and a plurality of spaced apertures extending therethrough between the forward and rearward surfaces within which an airflow may be created
Implementation Method 3
Warm air proximate the forward surface of the permeable foam layer is displaced away from the forward surface of the permeable foam layer and is circulated through the raised seatback by operation of the blower
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seating assembly for a motor vehicle has raised seatback that includes a permeable foam layer having a plurality of spaced apertures. A distribution system having airflow passages is juxtaposed against the permeable foam layer, such that the airflow passages of the distribution system are in fluid communication with the apertures in the permeable foam layer. A carrier assembly is juxtaposed against the distribution system and has an upper portion having a central annual member supported by a plurality of flexible radial arms, to which is attached a blower in fluid communication with the airflow passages of the distribution system and the apertures in the permeable foam layer. Warm air from the permeable foam layer is displaced away from the permeable foam layer and is circulated through the raised seatback by operation of the blower.