US 5,597,200 · Granted 1997-01-28
The Climate-Controlled Seat That Blows Hot and Cold Air Right at You
Imagine a car seat (or any seat, really) with built-in air channels that pump temperature-controlled air through the cushion, so you stay warm in winter or cool in summer without cranking the whole car's AC. The air flows through foam layers and comes out against your body to regulate your comfort.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a seating construction with internal plenums and channels that distribute temperature-conditioned air through foam cushioning and reticulated foam layers. What's protected here is the specific design of how air enters the seat, passes through foam conduits, travels through reticulated foam, and exits through an air-permeable fabric layer to circulate against the occupant's body for climate control.
Why it matters
This patent created the foundation for heated and cooled car seats, which became a premium feature in luxury and high-end vehicles. Amerigon pioneered comfort technology that addresses a real problem—regional temperature swings and individual comfort preferences—without requiring major automotive HVAC redesigns. The invention opened a new product category in automotive comfort accessories.
Real-world use
When you sit in a luxury car with a heated or cooled seat, the air flowing through those cushion channels to warm or cool your back is working exactly as this patent describes.
Original USPTO abstract
A seating construction with a plurality of plenums into which is received temperature conditioned air. The air passes through the seat via a plurality of channels formed in the foam of the seat cushion. The air then migrates through a reticulated foam layer that is itself covered with an air permeable layer of material. The reticulated foam and stitching of the seat fabric facilitate diffusion of the air from the foam channel conduits. The air then convectively circulates against and near the occupant of the seat to facilitate climate control around the occupant.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,597,200
- Filing date
- 1993-11-22
- Grant date
- 1997-01-28
- Assignee
- Amerigon, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- GREGORY; CHRISTIAN T., NOLES; DAVID R., GALLUP; DAVID F., HELLER; DAVID H.
- CPC class
- B60N2/5657
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