Patent ID: 7950735
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A temperature controlled seat for use in a vehicle comprising: a seat bottom extending in a generally horizontal direction and including a bottom heat exchanger fluid coil therein, the bottom heat exchanger fluid coil configured to direct a cooling fluid therethrough from a bottom inlet end to a bottom outlet end; a seat back, adjacent to the seat bottom and extending in a generally vertical direction, including a back heat exchanger fluid coil therein, the back heat exchanger fluid coil configured to direct the cooling fluid therethrough from a back inlet end to a back outlet end; an air conditioning system including a coils inlet line in fluid communication with the bottom inlet end and the back inlet end, and a coils outlet line in fluid communication with the bottom outlet end and the back outlet end, the air conditioning system configured to provide the cooling fluid to the coils inlet line and receive the cooling fluid from the coils outlet line; and a shut-off valve configured to selectively block flow of the cooling fluid through one of the bottom heat exchanger fluid coil and the back heat exchanger fluid coil; and wherein the cooling fluid is a refrigerant, and the air conditioning system is a miniature refrigeration unit including an electrically driven compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the coils outlet line, a condenser configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor, an electrically driven fan configured to blow air through the condenser, and an expansion device configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser and direct the refrigerant into the coils inlet line, the miniature refrigeration unit being mounted adjacent to at least one of the seat back and the seat bottom.