Patent Publication Number: US-10779656-B2

Title: Climate control bench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates generally to the field of devices such as seats or benches used to provide localized cooling or heating for the users, and more particularly to such devices capable of cooling or heating personnel, such as athletes standing or sitting on the sidelines of sporting events, firefighters at the scene of a fire, workers in high or low temperature environments, participants in long running races, etc., and more particularly relates to such devices that provide cool or warm air from the interior of the bench. 
     Outdoor sporting events, such as football, soccer, tract, etc., are often contested in weather conditions of extreme high or low temperatures. The athletes in these events, particularly when standing or sitting on the sidelines during a contest or after participation, can become overheated or badly chilled. Likewise, workers toiling indoors or outdoors under extreme temperature conditions, in particular when heavy safety or protective gear must be worn, are susceptible to overheating (e.g., metal refinery workers) or hyperthermia (e.g., cold storage workers). 
     A climate control bench is presented in my U.S. Pat. No. 9,435,554, which issued on Sep. 6, 2016. The bench disclosed in the &#39;554 patent is an outdoor heating and cooling seating system creating an open temperature-controlled zone for personnel, the system comprising a bench device; an outwardly extending seat member disposed at a raised elevation on the bench device; an outwardly extending deck member disposed at a base of the bench device, the deck member comprising an upper support surface adapted to support personnel standing on the deck member; the deck member disposed below and extending farther outward than the seat member such that personnel may stand on the deck member or sit on the seat member; an air conditioning means for producing and delivering conditioned air through an air delivery conduit; a first air outlet disposed within the deck member, the first air outlet operably connected to the air delivery conduit whereby the conditioned air is expelled in an upward direction through the upper support surface around and past the seat member; a second air outlet disposed above the seat member, the second air outlet operably connected to the air delivery conduit whereby the conditioned air is expelled in a forward direction over the seat member; and a first air intake disposed between the first air outlet and the second air outlet, the first air intake configured to retrieve and return a first portion of the conditioned air expelled from the first air outlet and the second air outlet to the air conditioning means such that the first portion of the conditioned air is reconditioned by the air conditioning means, re-delivered through the air delivery conduit and expelled through the first and second air outlets. 
     This design has proven to be effective for climate control by creating a zone of recycled cooler air in high temperature environments and creating a zone of recycled warmer air in low temperature environments. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved climate control bench for supplying recycled cooled or heated air from the interior of the bench to a localized zone in a controlled manner such that personnel utilizing the bench will be warmed or cooled in an efficient manner. It is an object to provide such a bench wherein air intake may occur from within the open temperature-controlled zone, effectively recycling a significant portion of the conditioned air, or from the ambient environment away from the open temperature-controlled zone, or from both sources simultaneously, depending on the external conditions encountered during use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention in various embodiments comprises in general a climate control bench, such as for example an outdoor sports bench, the bench having a housing or enclosure, a lower seating deck and an upper seating deck, a backrest panel and a lower panel, and a plurality of air vents for dispersing conditioned air from at least one air conditioning unit, the air conditioning unit able to provide heated or cooled air depending on the need. The conditioned air is delivered through a plurality of air vents or outlets, the air vents being located in the lower panel, the lower seating deck, the backrest, both lower and upper, and/or the upper seating deck. A lower plenum delivers conditioned air to the lower panel air vents and the lower seating deck air vents. An upper plenum delivers air to the backrest lower air vents, backrest upper air vents, and upper seating deck air vents. A single air conditioning unit situated within the housing delivers air to both the upper and lower plenums, or multiple air conditioning units may be provided, in which case one air conditioning unit delivers air to the lower plenum and another air conditioning unit delivers conditioned air to the upper plenum. 
     An apertured channel return intake member extends along the length of the bench between the lower seating deck and the backrest, such that during operation a significant portion of the conditioned air delivered through the vents is returned to the air conditioning unit for re-conditioning. The climate control bench creates an open temperature-controlled zone of conditioned air. A removable cover is provided to seal off the channel return intake when it is desirable to preclude recycling of the conditioned air, in which case the one or more air conditioning unit conditions ambient air drawn through an ambient air intake opening in the housing, i.e., air not within the open temperature-controlled zone. The ambient air intake is sealed with a removable ambient air intake cover when recycled air is being conditioned, the ambient air intake cover being removed when the channel return intake is closed by the channel return intake cover. Both the channel return intake cover and the ambient air intake cover may be removed at the same time if needed such that air is drawn through the channel return intake and the ambient air intake. In this manner, the climate control bench may utilize only ambient air, only air recycled from the temperature-controlled zone, or air from both sources. 
     In alternative summary, the invention is a climate control bench comprising a housing containing one or more air conditioning units conditioning air for dispersal from said housing; a lower seating deck; a lower panel member positioned beneath said lower seating deck; an upper seating deck; a backrest panel positioned between said lower seating deck and said upper seating deck; air vents positioned in and dispersing conditioned air through said lower panel member, said backrest panel and said upper seating deck; a channel return air intake positioned between said lower seating deck and said upper seating deck, said channel return air intake providing a passage for said one or more air conditioning units to draw conditioned air through said channel return air intake for recycling through said one or more air conditioning units; an ambient air intake positioned on said housing and open to the ambient, said ambient air intake providing a passage for said one or more air conditioning units to draw ambient air through said ambient air intake; a removable channel cover structured such that said channel return air intake may be closed by said removable channel cover; and a removable ambient air cover structured such that ambient air intake may be closed by said removable channel cover; whereby said climate control bench may be configured with said channel cover removed and said ambient air cover positioned to close said ambient air intake, may be configured with said ambient air intake cover removed and said channel cover positioned to close said channel air intake, or with said channel cover and said ambient air intake cover removed. Furthermore, such a bench further comprising a return chamber located within said housing, and wherein said channel return air intake and said ambient air intake open to said return chamber; said lower seating deck comprising a lower deck seating face, said climate control bench further comprising air vents positioned in said lower deck seating face; wherein said air vents positioned in said upper seating deck are linear diffusers; wherein said air vents positioned in said back rest panel are linear diffusers; further comprising a lower plenum and an upper plenum, said upper plenum receiving conditioned air from said one or more air conditioning units and delivering the conditioned air to said air vents positioned in said upper seating deck and said backrest panel, and said lower plenum receiving conditioned air from said one or more air conditioning units and delivering the conditioned air to said air vents positioned in lower panel member; and/or said one or more air conditioner units comprising one air conditioner unit delivering conditioned air to said lower plenum and another air conditioner unit delivering conditioned air to said upper plenum. 
     Alternatively still, the invention is a climate control bench defining an open temperature-controlled zone, the climate control bench comprising: a housing containing one or more air conditioning units conditioning air for dispersal from said housing; said housing comprising the combination of a lower seating deck, a lower panel member positioned beneath said lower seating deck, an upper seating deck, and a backrest panel positioned between said lower seating deck and said upper seating deck, and a return chamber; air vents positioned on and dispersing conditioned air through said lower panel member, said back rest panel and said upper seating deck; an elongated channel return air intake positioned between said lower seating deck and said upper seating deck, said channel return air intake providing a passage for said one or more air conditioning units to draw conditioned air through said channel return air intake for recycling through said one or more air conditioning units; an ambient air intake positioned on said housing and open to the ambient, said ambient air intake providing a passage for said one or more air conditioning units to draw ambient air through said ambient air intake; a removable channel cover structured such that said channel return air intake may be closed by positioning said removable channel cover on said channel return cover; and a removable ambient air cover structured such that ambient air intake may be closed by positioning said removable channel cover on said ambient air intake; such that said climate control bench may be configured with said channel cover removed from said channel return air intake and said ambient air cover positioned on said ambient air intake, may be configured with said ambient air intake cover removed from said ambient air intake and said channel cover positioned on said channel air intake, or with said channel cover removed from said channel return air intake and said ambient air intake cover removed from said ambient air intake. Furthermore, such bench said lower seating deck comprising a lower deck seating face, said climate control bench further comprising air vents positioned in said lower deck seating face; wherein said air vents positioned in said upper seating deck are linear diffusers; wherein said air vents positioned in said back rest panel are linear diffusers; further comprising a lower plenum and an upper plenum, said upper plenum receiving conditioned air from said one or more air conditioning units and delivering the conditioned air to said air vents positioned in said upper seating deck and said backrest panel, and said lower plenum receiving conditioned air from said one or more air conditioning units and delivering the conditioned air to said air vents positioned in lower panel member; and/or said one or more air conditioner units comprising one air conditioner unit delivering conditioned air to said lower plenum and another air conditioner unit delivering conditioned air to said upper plenum. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the climate control bench having a single air conditioning unit delivering conditioned air to both the lower and the upper plenums, the bench configured so as to draw air for conditioning only from the open temperature-controlled zone, the ambient air intake being covered. 
         FIG. 2  is an exposed end view of the bench shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially exposed, rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the bench having two air conditioning units, each air conditioning unit being a dedicated unit, such that one air conditioning unit delivers conditioned air to the lower plenum and the other air conditioning unit delivers conditioned air to the upper plenum, the bench configured so as to draw air for conditioning only from the ambient air intake, the channel return intake being covered. 
         FIG. 4  is an exposed end view of the bench shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the invention in various embodiments comprises in general a climate control bench  10 , such as for example a sports bench, the bench  10  having an elongated housing or enclosure  11 , a lower seating deck  12  having a face  19 , an upper seating deck  13 , a backrest panel member  14 , a lower panel member  15 , a rear panel member  16 , a bottom  17 , ends  18 , and a plurality of air vents for dispersing conditioned, i.e., cooled or heated, air from at least one air conditioning unit  30  retained within the housing  11 . The bench  10  is preferably composed of an aluminum or similar metal, and the housing  11  defines a return chamber  40 , such that air within the return chamber  40  is drawn into the air conditioning unit  30  through the air conditioner intake  44 . The backrest panel  14  and the lower panel  15  are preferably angled from vertical—the backrest panel  14  being angled to provide comfortable support to users seated on the horizontally disposed lower seating deck  12 , and the lower panel  15  being angled out of vertical to face above horizontal so as to disperse conditioned air at an upward angle. 
     A first embodiment of the climate control bench  10  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein a single air conditioning unit  30  delivers conditioned air to a lower plenum  41  and an upper plenum  42 . The conditioned air is delivered from the air conditioning unit  30  by a fan or blower unit  36  through ducts  43  into the lower plenum  41  and the upper plenum  42 , whereby conditioned air is dispersed from the housing  11  through a plurality of air vents or outlets. The lower plenum  41  and upper plenum  42  are preferably separate members not sharing an open interior, the air flow from the air conditioning unit  30  being directed through a bifurcated duct  43  for better control of air flow into the lower plenum  41  and upper plenum  42 . The air vents comprise one or more, and preferably all of, lower panel air vents  31 , lower seating deck air vents  32 , backrest lower air vents  33 , backrest upper air vents  34 , and upper seating deck air vents  35 , and may be configured as a large number of relatively small apertures as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , mesh or screen members (not shown), sets of linear diffusers or louvers  53 / 54 / 55  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , or any other configurations or structures that allow passage of the conditioned air. 
     The lower plenum  41  delivers conditioned air to the lower panel air vents  31  positioned in the lower panel member  15  and to the lower seating deck air vents  32 , which are positioned in the forward face  19  of the lower seating deck  12 . Because the lower panel member  15  is angled out of vertical, conditioned air forcefully dispersed through the lower panel member  15  is directed at an upward angle. Conditioned air dispersed through the lower seating deck face  19  is directed horizontally outward. The upper plenum  42  delivers air to the backrest lower air vents  33 , backrest upper air vents  34 , and upper seating deck air vents  35 . The backrest lower air vents  33  are positioned near the bottom of the backrest panel  14  and the backrest upper air vents  34  are positioned near the top of the backrest panel  14 , preferably, although they may be more widely dispersed across the backrest panel  14 . As such, the backrest lower air vents  33  and the backrest upper air vents  34  deliver the conditioned air at a slight upper angle due to the angled orientation of the backrest panel  14 . The upper seating deck air vents  35  disperse the conditioned air vertically through the upper seating deck  13 , which is horizontally oriented so that personnel can sit atop the upper seating deck  13  with their feet on the lower seating deck  12 . The upper seating deck  13  also provides a support surface on which helmets, hats, gloves, etc., may be placed for cooling or heating by the conditioned air coming from the upper seating deck air vents  35 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , some or all of the air vents may consist of elongated linear diffusers  53 / 54 / 55 , such as for example louvers, which act to direct the conditioned air in a controlled direction and flow. The linear diffusers may be fixed or may be angularly adjustable. For example, the bench  10  may comprise backrest lower linear diffusers  53 , backrest upper linear diffusers  54  and/or upper seating deck linear diffusers  55 . The lower panel air vents  31  and lower seating deck air vents  32  may also be provided as linear diffusers. 
     An elongated, apertured, channel return intake member  20  having intake apertures  21  extends along the length of the bench  10  between the lower seating deck  12  and the backrest panel  14 . The channel return intake member  20  may be formed from a screen, grid or mesh material, or may be formed as a perforated member. The channel return intake  20  is the primary source of return air for the air conditioning unit  30  during air recycling, the air being drawn through the channel return intake  20  and into the return chamber  40  by suction. In this manner a significant portion of the conditioned air dispersed from the bench  10  is recycled to the air conditioning unit  30 , such that less energy is required to heat or cool the previously heated or cooled air as opposed to providing only ambient air to the air conditioning unit  30 . 
     As used herein, the term “ambient air” shall be taken to mean air that has not been previously conditioned by the air conditioning units  30 , but shall exclude that portion of ambient air that is mixed with the conditioned air that is drawn back into the air conditioning units  30  through the channel return intake  20 , as explained in detail below. Likewise, the term “ambient air” shall not refer herein to the initial air drawn through the channel return intake  20  at start up. Thus, “ambient air” shall refer only to air drawn through the ambient air intake  23   
     Although the use of recycled air is one of the primary benefits of the bench design, it may be desirable or necessary in certain circumstances to provide alternative structures or designs for air intake. For example, if the bench  10  is fully occupied a large portion of the channel return intake  20  is essentially blocked and there may be an insufficient amount of air drawn into return chamber  40  for conditioning by the air conditioning unit  30 . Additionally, in very cold environments it may be desirable to reduce or eliminate return air flow through the channel return intake  20  so as not to draw cold ambient air toward the bench  10 . The bench  10  therefore further comprises an ambient air intake opening  23 , shown herein as a rear air intake opening, configured or comprising a plurality of apertures, a screen, mesh or the like. A removable ambient air intake cover  24  is provided to close or seal the ambient air intake opening  23  as needed. The ambient air intake  23  is preferably located in the rear panel member  16  of the housing  11 . In the event it is desired to provide an additional air intake in combination with the channel return intake  20 , such as when there is insufficient air being returned through the channel return intake  20 , or if it is desirable to close off the channel return intake  20  completely, the ambient air intake  23  serves as an alternative or complementary source of air for the air conditioner unit  30 . 
     A removable channel cover  22 , shown as being L-shaped cross-section, is provided to seal off the channel return intake  20 , the channel cover  22  preferably being configured so as to generally mate with the channel return intake  20  to block the air intake apertures  21  without interfering with personnel seated on the lower seating deck  12 . The channel cover  22  is usually removed, or displaced into a non-sealing position relative to the channel return intake  20 , to recycle the conditioned air, especially when the bench  10  is producing cooled air, such that the air being drawn into the return chamber  40  and the air conditioning unit  30  is pulled from the temperature controlled zone in front of the bench  10  where previously conditioned air has been dispelled. If necessary the ambient air intake cover  24  may be removed as well to provide a greater volume of air into the return chamber  40 . In certain circumstances, such as in very cold ambient environments when heated air is being produced, the channel cover  22  is positioned to seal the channel return intake member  20  and the ambient air intake cover  24  is removed such that ambient air is drawn only through the ambient air intake  23  and no conditioned air is recycled. The channel cover  22  may be completely removable or may be hingedly attached, and different cross-sectional configurations are possible. 
     The upper surface of the housing  11  must be structurally rigid, as it is configured to provide a horizontal upper seating deck  13 , as it has been observed that users often prefer to be seated at a higher elevation to provide better sight lines, such as for example football players watching play on the field. The upper seating deck air vents  35  will provide conditioned air to anyone sitting on the top of the housing  11 , and may also be used to heat or cool helmets, hats or the like placed onto the upper seating deck air vents  35 . 
     The bench  10  may comprise two or more air conditioning units  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In this embodiment one of the air conditioning units  30 A is preferably dedicated to the lower plenum  41 , such that air is drawn from the return chamber  40  through air conditioning intake  44 A, conditioned by the air conditioning unit  30 A, and blown by fan  36 A into horizontal duct  43 A and lower plenum  41  for dispersal through lower panel air vents  31  and lower seating deck air vents  32 . Another air conditioning unit  30  B is dedicated to the upper plenum  42 , such that air is drawn from the return chamber  40  through air conditioning intake  44 B, conditioned by the air conditioning unit  30 B, and blown by fan  36 B into vertical duct  43 B and upper plenum  42  for dispersal backrest panel lower air vents  33  or linear dispersers  53 , upper backrest panel air vents  34  or linear dispersers  54 , and upper seating deck air vents  35  or linear dispersers  55 . 
     It is understood that equivalents substitutions for certain elements set forth above may be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, and therefore the true scope and definition of the invention is to be as set forth in the following claims.