Seat Heater with Non-Return Temperature Switch to Prevent Overheating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seat heaters in vehicles, especially hybrid and electric vehicles, face challenges in maintaining comfort and safety due to overheating issues when increasing output and heat density, as return-type temperature switches can lead to unsafe temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A seat heater design incorporating a non-return type temperature switch as the overheating-prevention unit, connected in parallel with the warming heaters and heated by a separate unit, ensures reliable shutdown and improved safety by setting the activation temperature higher than normal conditions, and includes redundant heating units for enhanced reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the output and heat density of the seat heater are increased to improve warmup performance, then the heating efficiency is improved, but the risk of overheating and safety issues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary protective action by installing a heat-resistant member between the heater and the seat cover before overheating can occur. This member is pre-positioned to intercept excessive heat, preventing it from reaching the seat cover and causing damage or safety hazards, thus allowing higher heater output without proportionally increasing overheating risk
Solution Approach 2:
The heat-resistant member acts as an intermediary element between the heat source (heater) and the protected component (seat cover). It mediates the thermal interaction by absorbing or blocking excessive heat, allowing the system to operate at higher outputs while protecting the seat cover from thermal damage
2Ease of operation
If a return type temperature switch is used to control heater ON/OFF, then the device can reset automatically when temperature normalizes, but the heaters may turn ON again after overheating, compromising safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the temperature control function from the safety protection function. By separating these functions and implementing a heat-resistant physical barrier, the system removes the unreliable automatic reset capability that could cause safety issues, while maintaining operational control through manual intervention requirements after overheating events
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of automatic reset (safety risk) into a benefit by using the heat-resistant member to physically block heat transmission. The system accepts the loss of automatic reset functionality and uses the heat-resistant barrier to provide continuous passive protection, turning the design constraint into a more reliable safety mechanism
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 configuration ensures comfort and safety by preventing overheating, allowing for higher output and heat density without compromising user safety, even in the event of temperature control unit failure, and is applicable to various vehicle types and personal seating.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit that heats the overheating-prevention unit
Implementation Method 2
a first warming heater that warms a seat section of a seat; a second warming heater that warms a back section of the seat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The seat heater of the present invention comprises: a warming heater (1a) provided in a seat section of a seat; a warming heater (1b) provided in a back section; an overheating-prevention unit (2); and a heating unit (3) that heats the overheating-prevention unit (2), the overheating-prevention unit (2) being configured by a non-return type temperature switch. This configuration allows activating the non-return type overheating-prevention unit prior to reaching an unsafe event, and turns the warming heaters (1a, 1b) OFF reliably, whereby a seat heater with an aim of implementing both high output and safety can be provided.