SEAT CONDITIONING HOOD APPARATUS AND METHOD

[0001] THE PRESENT APPLICATION CLAIMS THE BENEFIT OF THE FILING DATE OF U.S. PROVISIONAL application Ser. No. 60/990,389; FILED: NOVEMBER 27, 2007, HEREBY INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of use to connect an air mover to a distribution system, more particularly to provide an apparatus and method of use to connect an air mover to an air distribution system in fluid communication with the surface of an automotive seat.

[0003] It is well known that vehicles are being equipped with a variety of features to enhance the comfort of its occupants, particularly features such as ventilated, heated and/or cooled seats (e.g. seat conditioning systems). These seat conditioning systems can add cost and complexity to the seats and to the assembly of these seats. It is desirous to design a seat conditioning system such that the assembler can install it consistently and easily. Many seat conditioning systems are constructed of multiple components that are assembled or connected when the complete seat is put together (e.g. the air mover and the distribution system). To this end, the present invention seeks to improve on the ease of assembling two main components of a seat conditioning system by the use of a unique hood component.

[0004] The present invention is an improved hood article and method of using the article in connecting an air moving device to a fluid distribution system within an automotive seat.

[0005] Accordingly, pursuant to one aspect of the present invention, there is contemplated a hood article for a seat conditioning assembly comprising an air-impermeable housing that may include an internal hollow chamber with at least a first aperture adapted to connect to an air mover and with at least a second aperture adapted to connect to a collar device of a air distribution system assembly; wherein the air mover may be in fluid communication with the air distribution system via the internal hollow chamber.

[0006] The invention may be further characterized by one or any combination of the features described herein, such as the at least first aperture may include a plurality of connection devices that allows the hood article to be connected at a plurality of positions radialy about the air mover. The least a second aperture that may include at least one hole for receiving a tab on the collar device and at least one snap feature for engaging at least one hole in the collar device. At least a surface adjacent to the first aperture for receiving a sealing material to substantially fluidly seal the interface of the first aperture and the air mover. At least a surface adjacent to the second aperture for receiving a sealing material to substantially fluidly seal the interface of the second aperture and the collar device. The air-impermeable housing may include at least a bottom wall and a top wall interconnected by at least two side walls, a rear wall portion and a front wall portion for defining the internal hollow chamber. The second aperture may be disposed on the bottom wall and the first aperture may be disposed on the front wall portion.

[0007] Accordingly, pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is contemplated a method of connecting an air mover to an air distribution system assembly with a vehicle seat, that may include the steps of: (a) providing the air mover for communicating air through the vehicle seat, wherein the air mover may be connectively fixed to the seat; (b) providing the air distribution system assembly; wherein the air distribution system assembly may be connectively fixed to the seat and wherein the air distribution system assembly includes a collar device; (c) providing a hood article that may include a first aperture adapted to fluidly connect to the air mover and a second aperture adapted to fluidly connect to the collar device; (d) attaching the hood article to the air mover such that the second aperture may be positioned substantially parallel to the collar device; and (e) attaching the hood article at the second aperture to the collar device.

[0012] As illustratively depicted in FIGS. 1-4, the present invention is directed at an improved hood article and method of using the article in connecting an air moving device to a fluid distribution system (e.g. air distribution system assembly 34) within an automotive seat.

[0013] In general, the invention contemplates a hood article 20 for use in a conditioning system 30 of a vehicle seat. The hood article 20 may be used to connect an air mover 32 of the conditioning system 30 to a collar device 36 on an air distribution system assembly 34 of the conditioning system 30. The hood article 20 is generally a hollow air-impermeable housing 22 with at least a first 24 and second 26 aperture. It is contemplated that the air-impermeable housing 22 may be constructed of a ridged material (e.g. a plastic, metal, or composite material), but may also be constructed of a semi-flexible material (e.g. molded polyurethane). The air-impermeable housing 22 may include at least a bottom wall 40 and a top wall 42 interconnected by at least two side walls 44, a rear wall portion 46 and a front wall portion 48 for defining the internal hollow chamber. The second aperture 26 may be disposed through the bottom wall 40 and the first aperture 24 may be disposed through the front wall portion 48. It is also contemplated that the hood article 20 can be adapted to house and/or secure additional components (e.g. wire harnesses, sensors, switching relays, seat trim, etc. . . . ) within the housing and/or through fixation means (e.g. snaps, holes, adhesives).

[0014] In a first embodiment, it is contemplated that the first aperture 24 is generally configured to fit over the output area of the air mover so that the fluid from the air mover 32 enters the hood article 20 through this first aperture 24, or alternatively exits it in the case when the air mover is pulling the fluid from the system. In a preferred aspect, the first aperture 24 may have a generally circular shape, but could be any number of shapes (e.g. square, triangular, oblong, elliptical, or the like) and includes a plurality of attachment features (e.g. snap tabs, hook receiving structures, and the like) or even may be a friction fit. The attachment features may be located such that the hood article 20 can be attached at a plurality of locations (radialy) to the air mover 32 at an interface plane 38. In another preferred aspect, there optionally may be a gasket type material disposed between the first aperture 24 and the interface plane 38 to aid in fluidly sealing the connection therebetween. In one preferred embodiment, the hood article 20 and the air mover 32 are combined to form an air mover assembly 50. In this embodiment, the air mover assembly 50 can be attached at a plurality of locations (radialy) upon an air mover mounting plate 52.

[0015] It is contemplated that the second aperture 26 is generally configured to connectively fit to the collar device 36 which serves as an interface to the air distribution system assembly 34 of the conditioning system 30. In a preferred aspect, the second aperture 26 may have an oblong shape, but could also be any number of shapes, and includes a plurality of attachment features (e.g. snap tabs, hook receiving structures, friction fit, and the like) for attaching to the collar device 36. In another preferred aspect, there optionally may be a gasket type material disposed between the second aperture 26 and the collar device 36 to aid in fluidly sealing the connection therebetween.

[0016] In a second embodiment, it is contemplated that there may be a third or more apertures on the hood device for providing fluid communications from the air mover 32 to additional air distribution system assemblies.

[0017] In a third embodiment, a method of connecting an air mover 32 to an air distribution system assembly 34 with a vehicle seat is contemplated, which may include the steps of: (a) providing the air mover 32 for communicating air through the vehicle seat, wherein the air mover is connectively fixed to the seat; (b) providing the air distribution system assembly 34; wherein the air distribution system assembly may be connectively fixed to the seat and wherein the air distribution system assembly 34 may includes a collar device 36; (c) providing a hood article 20 including a first aperture 24 adapted to fluidly connect to the air mover 32 and a second aperture 26 adapted to fluidly connect to the collar device 36; (d) attaching the hood article 20 to the air mover 32 such that the second aperture 26 is positioned substantially parallel to the collar device 36; and (e) attaching the hood article 20 at the second aperture 26 to the collar device 36.

[0018] Unless stated otherwise, the method depicted herein is not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application.

[0019] The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed. A person of ordinary skill in the art would realize however, that certain modifications would come within the teachings of this invention. Therefore, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of the invention.