Automotive Seat Insert for Uniform Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current automotive vehicle seat designs lack effective integration of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems to enhance occupant comfort, with existing solutions often being inefficient or restricted in their ability to distribute air and temperature evenly across the seating surface.
Innovation Solution
The development of an insert for automotive vehicle seats that includes a spacer material creating an open space with impermeable barrier layers and air movers in fluid communication, allowing for the distribution of air and integration of heating elements like thermoelectric devices to provide heating, cooling, or a combination of heating and ventilation, with features such as perforations and conduits for efficient airflow and noise abatement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If heating, cooling, and ventilation systems are integrated into seat designs, then occupant comfort is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines heating elements, cooling channels, and ventilation air movers into a single integrated seat insert structure. The insert includes a barrier layer with integrated heating/cooling channels and air movers positioned to work together, eliminating the need for separate systems and reducing overall complexity while providing multi-functional comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat insert is designed as a universal component that can provide multiple functions (heating, cooling, ventilation) through a single device. The insert structure accommodates different operational modes by integrating multiple functional elements that can be activated independently or in combination, allowing one component to serve multiple purposes.
2Manufacturing precision
If air movers and heating/cooling elements are integrated into the insert, then airflow distribution is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is constructed as a modular assembly with distinct components (barrier layer, heating/cooling channels, air movers, spacer material) that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific manufacturing process while maintaining precise airflow distribution when assembled into the complete insert structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If noise abatement features are added to the insert, then noise and vibration are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer material acts as an intermediary element between the air movers and the trim surface, serving as a noise and vibration dampening layer. This intermediary component absorbs and reduces unwanted noise and vibration from the air movers while maintaining the functional airflow paths, adding noise abatement capability without significantly complicating the overall insert structure.
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 solution effectively enhances occupant comfort by providing uniform heating, cooling, and ventilation across the seat, improving airflow and reducing noise and vibration, while also simplifying installation and reducing material costs through modular design and noise insulation.
Implementation Method 1
An air mover is also typically in fluid communication with the open space within the insert
Implementation Method 2
a spacer material creating an open space within the insert
Implementation Method 3
impermeable barrier layers
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed an insert suitable for use within a seating system of an automotive vehicle.