US-20260124974-A1 - HOMOGENOUS MULTIZONE SEAT HEATER

Abstract

A system includes a seat heater that has at least first and second heating circuits that define at least first and second heating zones. The first heating circuit includes first heating coils and the second heating circuit includes second heating coils that are interdigitated with the first heating coils such that the first and second heating zones at least partially overlap each other.

Inventors

• Sumanth Muthyala
• Milan Tüskes
• Adriana Ceballos
• Vyachislav Ivanov
• Steven Ziolkowski

Assignees

• LEAR CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241107

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A system comprising: a seat heater comprising at least first and second heating circuits defining at least first and second heating zones, the first heating circuit including first heating coils and the second heating circuit including second heating coils that are interdigitated with the first heating coils such that the first and second heating zones at least partially overlap each other for uniform heating across the first and second heating zones.
2. 2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first heating coil includes first heating coil loops, the second heating coil includes second heating coil loops, and the second heating coil loops are interdigitated with the first heating coil loops.
3. 3 . The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first heating coil loops are left-handed loops and the second heating coil loops are left-handed loops.
4. 4 . The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first heating coil loops are double-loops, and the second heating coil loops and single-loops.
5. 5 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second heating coils are independently selected from the group consisting of pure copper, steel, copper-nickel, copper-magnesium, and copper-tin.
6. 6 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heating coils are independently selected from the group consisting of CuSn0.3, CuSn0.6, and CuSn6.
7. 7 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heating coils have different diameter wires from each other.
8. 8 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heating circuits are independent such that each can be independently be turned ON/OFF.
9. 9 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a single carrier mat carrying the first and second heating circuits.
10. 10 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the heating coils of the first circuit that are interdigitated with the heating coils of the second circuit is from 1:1 to 5:1.
11. 11 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a seat including the seat heater.
12. 12 . A system comprising: a seat; a single carrier mat in the seat; a seat heater comprising at least first and second heating circuits carried on the carrier mat, the first and second heating circuits defining at least first and second heating zones that at least partially overlap each other for uniform heating across the first and second heating zones.
13. 13 . The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first heating circuit includes first heating coils and the second heating circuit includes second heating coils that are interdigitated with the first heating coils.
14. 14 . The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first heating coil includes first heating coil loops, the second heating coil includes second heating coil loops, and the second heating coil loops are interdigitated with the first heating coil loops.
15. 15 . The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first heating coil loops are double-loops, and the second heating coil loops and single-loops.
16. 16 . The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the heating circuits are independent such that each can be independently be turned ON/OFF.
17. 17 . The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the heating coils have different diameter wires from each other.

Description

BACKGROUND Automobile seats and other types of seats may include a seat bottom, a seat back, and a headrest mounted on the seat back. Many seats also include additional features for the comfort of the seat occupant. For example, seats are known to have inflatable air bladders to adjust occupant support and to provide massaging. Some seats also include temperature controls to provide thermal comfort. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a seat system. FIG. 2 illustrates a seat heater for a seat system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. “One or more” includes a function being performed by one element, a function being performed by more than one element, e.g., in a distributed fashion, several functions being performed by one element, several functions being performed by several elements, or any combination of the above. It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact could be termed a second contact, and, similarly, a second contact could be termed a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. The first contact and the second contact are both contacts, but they are not the same contact. The terminology used in the description of the various described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “if” is, optionally, construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a stated condition or event] is detected” is, optionally, construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the stated condition or event],”depending on the context. FIG. 1 illustrates an example seat system 20 for an automobile. In this example, the seat system 20 includes a seat back 22, a seat cushion 24, and a headrest 26 mounted on the seat back 22. Although the example seat system 20 is for an automobile, it is to be understood that the examples are applicable to seats for other types of vehicles, such as but not limited to, a motorcycle, a bus, a watercraft, a gaming chair, an aircraft, or a locomotive. The seat system 20 further includes a seat heater 28 for providing thermal comfort to a seat occupant. The seat heater 28 is positioned to provide heating in the seat back 22, but may additionally or alternatively provide heating in the seat cushion 24. As will be appreciated from the examples herein, the seat heater 28 is configured to provide uniform heating across multiple heating zones. FIG. 2 illustrates the seat heater 28 without the remainder of the seat. The seat heater 28 is carried on a single carrier mat 30, such as a woven or non-woven fabric. The seat heater 28 includes at least first and second heating circuits 32a/32b. A “heating circuit” is an electric current path, such as a resistance heating element wire. As an example, the heating element wires are independently selected from, but are not limited to, pure