Motor Vehicle Seat Air Conduction Cavity Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motor vehicle seats face challenges in ensuring efficient heat exchange with occupants and maintaining connection with the air conditioning system across various adjustment positions, relying primarily on convective air flow which is inefficient and prone to disconnection.

Innovation Solution

The seat design incorporates a cavity between the cover and a lowered surface of the padding body, sealed with an air-impermeable layer for thermal conduction heat exchange, and an auxiliary connecting system to maintain air flow communication with the air conditioning system across different seat positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If air flow is pushed through the seat cover towards the occupant body, then heat exchange by convection is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and air jets are generated which reduce comfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidair guiding system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the air flow path from the traditional convective system and redirects it into the padding body cavity. The air conditioning system continues to supply air, but instead of forcing it through the cover to create jets, the air is channeled into the padding where it naturally circulates and provides thermal conduction through the seat materials, eliminating the complex air guiding system while maintaining heat exchange efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The padding body acts as an intermediary medium between the air conditioning system and the occupant. Instead of direct convective contact between air jets and skin, the conditioned air cools/heats the padding material which then transfers thermal energy through conduction to the occupant, providing a more comfortable and simpler system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If air flow channels are provided in the padding body, then heat exchange is enabled, but the connection with air conditioning system becomes complex across seat adjustment positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange capabilityVSAvoidconnection across adjustment positions

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the air flow channels directly into the padding body structure itself, rather than providing separate channels. The padding material incorporates the airflow paths, eliminating the need for additional adjustable connection systems. This integrated approach maintains heat exchange capability across all seat adjustment positions without requiring complex adaptive mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If air jets are generated through the seat cover, then cooling or heating effect is achieved, but the system becomes prone to disconnection and requires complex adjustment mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling/heating effectVSAvoidconnection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of forcing air outward through the cover to create jets, the invention inverts the approach by directing air into the padding body where it naturally distributes and provides thermal effect through conduction. This eliminates the mechanical stress and disconnection risks associated with outward-pushing jet systems while maintaining reliable thermal delivery across all positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This solution enables efficient cooling or heating through thermal conduction without air jets, ensuring consistent air supply to the seat in any position, enhancing comfort and functionality while maintaining a simple and cost-effective structure.

Implementation Method 1

said layer being adapted to exchange heat by thermal conduction, through said cover, with the body of the occupant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the air conditioning system of the motor-vehicle for cooling or heating the body of the occupant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS10106062B2Motor vehicle seat provided with a system for supplying conditioned air

Publication Date: 2018.10.23 CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPA

AI summary

In a motor-vehicle seat a padding body of a cushion and/or backrest has a passage for air coming from an air conditioning system of the motor-vehicle. This passage includes a closed cavity defined between a lowered surface formed in an outer surface of the padding body and the seat cover. At least part of the closed cavity is separated from the cover through a layer of a material substantially impervious to air, configured to exchange heat by thermal conduction, through the cover with a body of an occupant.