A system having a controller includes one or more thermal generation element assemblies, or a plurality of air bladder assemblies, or a plurality of electromagnetic coil assemblies, or a combination thereof, that are in communication with the controller and are configured for activation by the controller. The one or more thermal generation element assemblies, or the plurality of air bladder assemblies, or the plurality of electromagnetic coil assemblies, or a combination thereof are configured to provide a holistic mitigating effect on a vehicle occupant confined within the interior space of a vehicle for long periods of time.

This disclosure describes vehicle climate control systems and methods for more intelligently controlling an occupant comfort level within a vehicle interior in a manner that minimizes energy usage of the vehicle. The climate control system may be automatically controlled in an economical mode (i.e., ECO mode) when certain vehicle conditions are met. For example, the decision to activate the ECO mode of the climate control system may be a function of one or more variables including, but not limited to, vehicle speed, vehicle speed differentials, ambient temperatures, temperature differentials, battery state of charge, predicted low battery state of charge, etc.

An electrical system includes a movable component configured for selective connection with and selective removal from a mounting surface. The movable component may include a first electronic control unit (ECU), and an electromechanical interface configured for selectively locking the movable component with said mounting surface. The electrical system may include a second ECU configured to communicate with the first ECU, and/or a third ECU configured to detect a potential dynamic event via one or more sensors. The third ECU may be configured to provide dynamic event information to the second ECU. The second ECU may be configured to provide disable information corresponding to the dynamic event information to the movable component. The first ECU may be configured to lock the movable component with the mounting surface according to the disable information.

A moveable seat control apparatus with an automatically chargeable battery, may include a seat including a moving motor engaged to the seat and configured to selectively move the seat along a rail, a battery positioned below the seat, and configured to receive power to perform charge, and to supply the charged power, a controller positioned below the seat and connected to the battery, and configured to monitor a state of charge (SOC) value of the battery to generate SoC information, and to control the moving motor to move the seat to a charge position when the SoC is equal to or less than a predetermined SoC, and a charger connected to the battery and coupled to a power supply terminal to receive the power and to charge the battery.

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat base that has a first heating element. A seat back has a second heating element. A sensor is coupled to the seat base and is configured to obtain a weight data. A user-interface assembly is operably coupled to the first and second heating elements. A controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the weight data. The controller is configured to control the first and second heating elements in response to the weight data.

The invention relates to a surface temperature-controlling device, in particular for use in vehicles, comprising a first air-distributing layer which has multiple air inlets extending through the first air-distributing layer and multiple air outlets extending through the first air-distributing layer, and a second air-distributing layer which fluidically connects air inlets and air outlets of the first air-distributing layer, wherein the air inlets are designed to introduce pre-heated or pre-cooled air into the second air-distributing layer, and the air outlets are designed to discharge air out of the second air-distributing layer.

A seat back assembly and method of manufacture is provided. The seat back includes a foam cushion layer. A support sub-assembly is formed including a rigid support layer with a plurality of cavities and channels defined on a rear surface for receiving components and a generally smooth front surface. At least one component is retained in one of the cavities and a second component is secured on the front surface of the support layer. A trim material covers the cushion layer and secures the sub-assembly to the seat back.

Various implementations include a vehicle component heating system that includes an electrode disposed within a sensing zone, and a processor. The electrode generates heat for a surface of a vehicle component within the sensing zone and senses proximity of an occupant to the sensing zone. The processor selects a heating percentage of a duty cycle for generating a heating signal, a sensing percentage of the duty cycle for generating and measuring a sensing signal and reporting the measured sensing signal, and an idle percentage of the duty cycle during which neither the heating nor the sensing signal is generated, wherein the sum of the heating, sensing, and idle percentages is 100%. The processor generates the heating signal and/or generates and measures the sensing signal and reports the measurement of the sensing signal based on the selected percentages.

A seat air conditioner is applied to a seat including a seat cushion portion, a seat back portion, and a reclining mechanism portion for varying a reclining angle of the seat back portion relative to the seat cushion portion. The seat air conditioner includes a blower, an air blowing portion from which the air blown by the blower is blown toward the seated occupant, and a wind direction adjustment unit that adjusts a wind direction of the blown air. The wind direction adjustment unit is configured to adjust the wind direction of the air blown out from at least the part of the air blowing portion such that the air from the air blowing portion is blown toward a specific part of the seated occupant regardless of the reclining angle when the seat back portion is inclined toward a rear side of the seat.

A method of controlling a temperature altering element within a seating assembly of a vehicle comprising: presenting a vehicle including a seating assembly including a temperature altering element, a controller in communication with the temperature altering element, the controller including a Pre-established Predictive Activation Model setting forth rules governing the activation of the temperature altering element as a function of data relating to Certain Identifiable Conditions, and a user interface configured to allow the temperature altering element to be manually activated or deactivated; occupying the seating assembly with a first occupant; collecting data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions while the first occupant is occupying the seating assembly; determining, by comparing the collected data to the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model, whether the collected data satisfies the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model so as to activate the temperature altering element; and activating the temperature altering element.