Radiant Heating Seat Back for Rear Cabin Heat Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle heating systems require additional ducting to direct warm air to rear occupants, which often necessitates raising the front seats and potentially the vehicle roof, failing to efficiently provide heat to those behind the front seats.
Innovation Solution
Integration of radiant heating materials, such as woven sheets or positive thermal coefficient materials like Mylar, embedded in the seat back, headrest, and bottom portion, with insulating layers to direct heat rearward while preventing it from reaching the front occupants, and connection to an energy source controlled by an occupant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If additional ducting is used to direct warm air to rear occupants, then heat delivery to rear occupants is improved, but device complexity and vehicle structure are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the traditional ducting system and relocates it directly to the rear seat area through radiant heating elements embedded in the front seat back and headrest. This eliminates the need for complex air ducting infrastructure while maintaining effective heat delivery to rear occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical air ducting system with a radiant heating system that uses electromagnetic radiation (infrared heating elements) to transfer heat directly to rear occupants. This substitution eliminates the need for physical ducts and reduces system complexity.
2Volume of stationary object
If front seats are raised to accommodate ducting, then space for ducting is improved, but vehicle interior space and roof height are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ducting system entirely and replaces it with radiant heating elements integrated into the seat structure. This extraction eliminates the need to raise front seats or modify vehicle roof height, preserving maximum interior space.
3Temperature
If radiant heating materials are embedded in seat back, then heat direction to rear occupants is improved, but heat reaching front occupants is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different functional qualities to different parts of the seat structure. The front seat back and headrest contain radiant heating elements that emit heat rearward, while insulating layers are positioned to block heat forward toward the front occupant. This localized quality differentiation achieves directional heat control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces insulating layers as intermediary elements between the radiant heating elements and the front occupant. These insulating layers act as thermal barriers that prevent harmful heat from reaching the front seat while allowing heat to radiate toward the rear.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If insulating layers are added to block heat forward, then heat protection for front occupants is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insulating layers with the existing seat cushioning and structural elements. Rather than adding separate complex insulation systems, the thermal insulation is integrated into the seat's foam and structural components, achieving heat protection without significantly increasing device complexity.
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
Provides selectable heat to rear seat occupants, optimizes under-seat room by eliminating ducting, and reduces vehicle power consumption by directing heat directly to rear occupants without heating the front seat area.
Implementation Method 1
The radiant material directs heat to one or more occupants residing in a rear region of the cabin
Implementation Method 2
an insulating layer embedded in the seat back and positioned between the layer of radiant material and a front region of the seat back such that radiant heat from the layer of insulating material is not directed at an occupant of the seat
Data Source
AI summary
A seat located in a cabin of a motor vehicle includes a seat back and a layer of radiant material embedded in the seat back. The radiant material directs heat to one or more occupants residing in a rear region of the cabin in the motor vehicle.