Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/58—Seat coverings
  • B60N2/60—Removable protective coverings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/56—Heating or ventilating devices
  • B60N2/5607—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection
  • B60N2/5621—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection by air
  • B60N2/5628—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection by air coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/56—Heating or ventilating devices
  • B60N2/5607—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection
  • B60N2/5621—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection by air
  • B60N2/5657—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by convection by air blown towards the seat surface

Definitions

• the present invention concerns a climatised seat cover. It is well known that inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle, temperatures can be reached which reduce the comfort of the travellers.
• the generic term "external means of climatisation” indicates all the means capable of modifying the temperature of the environment; for example, a conditioned air generator, a heating system or a climatiser (capable of generating both cool air and warm air).
• the object of the present invention is to obtain means capable of cooling or warming the posterior parts of the body of seated people, in particular in vehicles.
• this object is achieved by means of a climatised seat cover, in particular for a seat in a passenger compartment of a climatised vehicle, characterised by comprising a contoured base comprising ducting, said seat cover comprising a tubular path interconnectable with external means of climatisation through connection means, said tubular path being fitted inside said ducting.
• the tubular path is usually of grid type, but there could also be other embodiments.
• Means of connecting the tubular path in the seat cover and the external means of climatisation are usually provided.
• figure 1 shows a perspective view of a seat cover attached to the seat of a car
• figure 2 shows a perspective view of the contoured base of the seat cover shown in figure 1
• figure 3 shows a view on plan of the contoured base shown in figure 2
• figure 4 shows a front view of the contoured base shown in figure 2
• figure 5 shows a lateral view of the contoured base shown in figure 2
• figure 6 shows a perspective view of the seat cover shown in figure 1, and illustrates the method of fitting the cover onto said contoured base
• figure 7 shows a perspective view of the means of connecting the tubular path with the pipes of the external means of climatisation.
• a seat cover 1 is attached to a seat 2 of a motor vehicle.
• the seat cover 1 is internally made up of a base 3 (figures 2-6), approximately 2 cm thick, covered by an external casing 10 (figures 1 and 6).
• the base 3 incorporates two principal portions: a horizontal portion called “seat” 3B, capable of supporting the pelvis of the seated person; a vertical portion called “back” 3C, capable of supporting the back of the seated person.
• Base 3 is contoured and includes ducting made up of a plurality of ducts 5, which form protruberances 4. Two lateral protruberances 6 are prolonged for the entire length of base 3.
• Base 3 is made of plastazote, which is a non-toxic material, but it could also be made of another plastic material (expanded polyethylene).
• Plastazote has the advantage of having a suitable thermal resistance at temperatures between -70 0 C and +110 0 C.
• Protruberances 4 present a surface of square shape, but could, in other embodiments, take any other shape, in particular that of a rectangle or regular polygon.
• a grid of pipes 7 is fitted; the grid has square cells of dimensions slightly larger than the surfaces of the protruberances 4. In this way, the grid of pipes 7 is easily juxtaposab Ie to the ducting (if, as indicated above, in other embodiments the protruberances 4 were to have a rectangular or polygonal surface, the cells of the grid of pipes 7 would have to be, respectively, rectangular or polygonal).
• An inlet pipe 8 of flexible material connects the pipes 7 in the ducting with external means of climatisation.
• This inlet pipe 8 is capable of transporting climatised air to the inside of the grid of pipes 7.
• the pipes 7 in the grid are in a known material such as PVC (in other embodiments they could be in another material), a material which has a suitable thermal resistance to temperatures between -5 0 C and +60 0 C. They are made up of pipes drilled with 3mm holes; the internal dimensions are 10mm, the external dimensions are 14mm and the wall thickness is 2mm. The dimensions thus presented are such as to produce the greatest advantage possible for climatisation. However, the same invention can also be embodied with dimensions different from those presented.
• the air which flows through pipes 7 can exit via holes 23 and exchange heat, through the pipes and other intervening material, with the posterior parts of the seated person, in such a way as to allow an exchange of heat sufficient to cool or warm the posterior parts of the seated person.
• pipes 7 are open at their tops 9. In this way the majority of the climatised air, after flowing down pipes 7, exits into the climatised environment along ducts 5. It is a good rule (but not necessary) that the open tops 9 are set not higher than the shoulders of the seated person, in order to avoid dangerous excesses of cold air.
• Protruberances 4 protrude further than pipes 7 so as to support a seated person comfortably.
• the inlet pipe 8 is connected to the pipework in the external climatisation plant (not illustrated) of the motor vehicle through connection means, which in the present invention are embodied by means of a fitting 11 and a hose-end fitting 13.
• a coupling is necessary between said fitting 11 and the pipework: this coupling must necessarily be made by a skilled technician.
• a threaded hose adaptor 13 is attached to said pipework 12.
• a pipe 14 in known material such as PVC is attached internally. (The dimensions of pipe 14 are: internal diameter 16mm, external diameter 22mm and thickness 3mm). The thermal resistance is suitable for temperatures between -5 0 C and +30 0 C.
• a spiral-wound steel wire runs through pipe 14.
• Fitting 11 also includes a quick-release threaded connection in PVC, with internal diameter 12mm and external diameter 16mm and thickness 2mm.
• This quick-release connection has a thermal resistance suitable for temperatures between -20 0 C and +75 0 C.
• the quick-release connection 16 must be bunged by a male stopper when seat cover 1 is not being used.
• the outer casing 10 of seat cover 1 includes a headrest 20 positioned at the top.
• the outer casing 10 of seat cover 1 is made up of an upper skin 1OC, normally in contact with the posterior parts of the seated person's body (with clothing intervening), and a lower skin 1OB, normally in contact with the vehicle seat.
• the skins 1OB and 1OC are stitched to each other along the edge; by way of exception, the lower side of the seat cover incorporates a zip closure 19, by means of which the base 3 of the seat cover 1 can be introduced or removed from the outer casing 10, for example to carry out cleaning or maintenance operations.
• the upper skin 1OC is made up of two layers: an outer layer 1OD in breathable elastic textile; - an inner layer 1OF of jute.
• the lower skin 1OB is however a single layer of strong cotton.
• the outer casing 10 includes elastic arms 21 capable of wrapping round the back of seat 2, in such a way as to fix the seat cover 1 to the seat 2.
• the outer casing 10 would be possible, regarding both the headrest 20 (it could be absent or single) and the stratification of the skins 1OB and 1OC (for example by the use of different materials), the zip closure 19 (for example using elastic strips) and the elastic arms 21 (for example using velcro-type materials capable of adhering to the back of seat 2), still however covered by the present patent.
• the example described above could, with a few modifications, be used in a domestic environment or at any rate not in a vehicle. All that is required is simply the use of a normal domestic air conditioner. A seat cover of this kind, superimposed on an armchair, could enormously improve the comfort of a seated person.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chair Legs, Seat Parts, And Backrests (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38179571

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2006
  • 2006-11-24 IT ITMI20062251 patent/ITMI20062251A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-03-01 EP EP07712412A patent/EP2094528A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-03-01 WO PCT/EP2007/051962 patent/WO2008061807A1/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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