Ventilated Vehicle Seat Heater Layout for Airflow and Heat Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seats with seat heaters lack efficient air utilization from air conditioning devices for temperature adjustment and restrict the freedom of heater wire disposition, leading to suboptimal comfort and air permeability.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle seat design with a seat heater where the heater wire is positioned to partially overlap air passages and through-holes on the cushion pad, allowing efficient air delivery and heat adjustment while minimizing deformation under seating load, and ensuring the degree of freedom for heater wire placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the heater wire is disposed to avoid the through-holes on the seat base material, then air permeability is ensured, but the degree of freedom of disposition of the heater wire is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair permeabilityVSAvoiddegree of freedom of disposition of heater wire

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The seat base material is designed with through-holes to create a porous structure that ensures air permeability. The heater wire is then disposed to overlap these through-holes rather than avoiding them, allowing air to pass through while maintaining heater functionality. This resolves the contradiction by making the porous structure the basis for both air permeability and heater wire placement freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of heater wire disposition from 'avoiding through-holes' to 'overlapping through-holes'. This parameter change allows the heater wire to be positioned more freely while still ensuring air permeability, as the through-holes remain open and functional even when overlapped by the heater wire.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the heater wire is disposed to avoid the through-holes, then air can pass through, but the temperature adjustment efficiency using air conditioning device is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair passage functionalityVSAvoidtemperature adjustment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The porous structure with through-holes in the seat base material allows air from the air conditioning device to pass through efficiently. By disposing the heater wire to overlap these through-holes, the invention ensures that air flow is not blocked while the heater wire can be positioned to maximize temperature adjustment efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The through-holes act as an intermediary that mediates between the air conditioning device and the heater wire. They allow air to pass through while the heater wire overlaps them, creating a coordinated system where both air flow and heating functions are optimized simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Temperature

If the heater wire is disposed to overlap the air passage, then temperature adjustment efficiency is improved, but the heater wire deformation under seating load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature adjustment efficiencyVSAvoidheater wire deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The porous structure with through-holes provides a framework that supports the heater wire while allowing air passage. The heater wire is disposed to overlap the through-holes rather than the solid portions, which reduces deformation under seating load while maintaining temperature adjustment efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by disposing the heater wire to overlap specific regions (through-holes) rather than uniformly distributing it. This localized disposition allows the heater wire to maintain its position and function while reducing deformation in critical areas under seating load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The design enhances air permeability and allows for effective temperature adjustment of the seat heater, reducing deformation and improving comfort by efficiently utilizing air conditioning air and allowing flexible heater wire placement.

Implementation Method 1

a seat heater disposed between the cushion pad and the surface skin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

air delivered from the air conditioning device through air passages formed in the cushion pad toward a surface skin side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10195971B2Vehicle seat

Publication Date: 2019.02.05 TS TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle seat capable of efficiently utilizing air delivered from an air conditioning device and thereby adjusting the temperature of heat generated by a seat heater is described. A vehicle seat comprises a seat heater between a cushion pad and a surface skin. A heater wire affixed to a seat base material of the seat heater is disposed at a position to partially overlap air passages formed on the cushion pad. Moreover, the heater wire is formed on the seat base material, is disposed at a position to partially overlap a plurality of through-holes having a greater width than the heater wire, and extends while avoiding center portions of the through-holes.