US 5,524,439 · Granted 1996-06-11
The Peltier Seat Patent That Made Hot Cars Bearable
Imagine a car seat that can heat you up when it's freezing or cool you down when it's scorching—without turning on the whole car's air conditioning. This patent describes a smart seat with tiny electric cooling chips that warm or chill the air flowing through the cushion, controlled by sensors that detect how hot or cold you actually are.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a variable temperature seat system that uses Peltier thermoelectric modules (solid-state cooling/heating chips) housed in a heat pump to condition air, which is then blown through the seat fabric to the occupant. What's protected specifically is the combination of these Peltier modules, a main heat exchanger, an exchanger fan, temperature sensors that monitor both ambient and conditioned air, and a controller that automatically adjusts the modules and fan speed based on comfort and safety algorithms. Manual controls via temperature and fan switches are also included in the protected design.
Why it matters
This patent represents an early commercialization of Peltier-based seat climate control for automotive use. By the mid-1990s, seat comfort was becoming a competitive differentiator in premium vehicles, and active thermal conditioning—heating or cooling just the seat rather than the entire cabin—offered fuel efficiency and targeted comfort benefits. The automatic safety controller aspect was particularly important: it prevented the seat from overheating or overcooling to dangerous levels, which would have been a liability concern for early adopters of this technology.
Real-world use
You experience this technology when you sit in a luxury car with heated or cooled seat functions; the conditioned air flowing through the seat cushion during those functions likely traces back to innovations like this patent's Peltier-based system.
Original USPTO abstract
A temperature climate control system comprises a variable temperature seat, at least one heat pump, at least one heat pump temperature sensor, and a controller. Each heat pump comprises a number of Peltier thermoelectric modules for temperature conditioning the air in a main heat exchanger and a main exchanger fan for passing the conditioned air from the main exchanger to the variable temperature seat. The Peltier modules and each main fan may be manually adjusted via a temperature switch and a fan switch, respectively. Additionally, the temperature climate control system may comprise a number of additional temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the ambient air surrounding the occupant as well as the temperature of the conditioned air directed to the occupant. The controller is configured to automatically regulate the operation of the Peltier modules and/or each main fan according to a temperature climate control algorithm designed both to maximize occupant comfort during normal operation, and minimize possible equipment damage, occupant discomfort, or occupant injury in the event of a heat pump malfunction.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,524,439
- Filing date
- 1993-11-22
- Grant date
- 1996-06-11
- Assignee
- Amerigon, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- GALLUP; DAVID F., NOLES; DAVID R., WILLIS; RICHARD R.
- CPC class
- B60N2/5642
Want to file your own patent?
If you're designing a smart furniture product with temperature control, our free patent scanner can help you spot whether your idea overlaps with existing seat and cushion climate patents before you build a prototype.
Free patentability scan