Method and system for quantitative determination of seat climate on seat cushions

US6116778A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

• Eberhard Faust · Stuttgart, DE
• Lothar Kassing · Nufringen, DE
• Karl Pfahler · Stuttgart, DE
• Markus Witzmann · Eppelheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 21, 1997
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2000
• Expiry date: Jan 21, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/367
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and a system for quantitative determination of the seat climate of a seat cushion is provided. For this purpose, the seat surface is subjected, during realistic mechanical loading of the seat cushion to be tested, to a flow of moisture from a climate mat. Any moisture stagnation at the seat surface is measured. For this purpose, the seat cushion, covered with a flexible multilayer climate mat, is loaded realistically via an anthropomorphically shaped seat testing punch. The climate mat consists of the following layers: a plurality of flat moisture sensors; a trouser material layer with low moisture uptake; a distribution layer that is readily permeable to air and has a noncompressible structure; a fleece layer that can be moistened and replaced as the moisture storage medium; an electrically insulating vapor barrier; and an electrically heatable heating mat that can be set to a specific temperature.