A thermal control system includes a component having a surface. A plurality of thermal generating devices include a first conductive plate, second and third conductive plates, a first semiconductor device arranged between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, and a second semiconductor device arranged between the first conductive plate and the third conductive plate. The first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device have different types of doping. First ones of the plurality of thermal generating devices are arranged with the first conductive plate located adjacent to the surface of the component. Second ones of the plurality of thermal generating devices are arranged with the second and third conductive plates located adjacent to the surface of the component. The first ones and the second ones of plurality of thermal generating devices perform heating and cooling of the surface, respectively.

Energy management techniques for heating or cooling a surface of a component of a vehicle comprise determining a heating lag time indicative of a lag time for a surface element of the vehicle component to heat to a first target temperature in response to a power on-off or power off-on modulation of a heat transfer component, determining a cooling lag time indicative of a lag time for the surface element to cool to a second target temperature in response to a power on-off or power off-on modulation of the heat transfer component, and controlling power-on and power-off times of the heat transfer component based on the determined heating and cooling lag times so as to not require a temperature sensor for feedback-based temperature control.

A vehicle seat including: a seat cushion configured to support buttocks and thighs of a seated occupant; a temperature changing section that is provided at the seat cushion and is switchable between a first state in which the temperature changing section operates so as to warm the seated occupant from a front end portion of the seat cushion, and a second state in which the temperature changing section does not operate so as to warm the seated occupant from the front end portion of the seat cushion and a control section configured to control the temperature changing section so as to alternate repeatedly between the first state and the second state in a state in which an occupant is sitting on the seat cushion.

A car seat includes a first heater, a second heater, and a control unit which controls an output to the first heater and an output to the second heater. The control unit executes a temperature-difference adjustment control, in which the output of the second heater is controlled such that the temperature of the bulging portion heated by the second heater with respect to the temperature of the seating surface portion heated by the first heater is made lower when an ambient temperature is a first temperature than when the ambient temperature is a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.

A heating and cooling device is disclosed comprising at least one integral low voltage heating and cooling source and an efficient flexible heat distribution means having a thermal conductivity of from 375 to 4000 W/mK for distributing the heat and cool across a surface. Further aspects include thermal interface compounds to provide full thermal contact as well as the use of a phase change material to provide a long lasting heating and/or cooling effect without the use of external electrical input. Preferred applications include automotive and furniture seating heating and cooling, along with outdoor garments having distributed heating and cooling effects. Additional aspects include a thermal pad wrap and a thermally conductive liquid system for heat/cool distribution.

A smart child pad is provided that may be universally used in infant, toddler and child carrying devices, such as car seats, high chairs, strollers or cribs in which the child pad contains components for heating, vibrating and massaging the occupant of the child carrying device with those components being controlled and monitored remotely by mobile applications, blue tooth or Wi-Fi capabilities so that the individual environment of each child carrying device to maintain comfortable and acceptable environments while so that infants, toddlers and children are lying or sitting in or being transported in such child carrying devices.

A thermal comfort device comprises a pair of selectively contractable piezo-electric diaphragms and a body sandwiched between the pair of diaphragms, the body defines a cavity and an opening, wherein, the piezo-electric diaphragms are adapted to be selectively contracted to flex outward, drawing air into the cavity, and to flex inward, forcing air out of the cavity, each of the piezo-electric diaphragms adapted to be selectively controlled by varying the voltage and the frequency, wherein the velocity of the air being forced outward from the cavity is selectively variable, and a thermo-electric device adapted to thermally condition air forced outward from the cavity by one of heating and cooling the air forced outward from the cavity, wherein the thermo-electric device is positioned at one of within the cavity and outside the cavity aligned with the opening.

A heating and cooling device is disclosed comprising at least one integral low voltage heating and cooling source and an efficient flexible heat distribution means having a thermal conductivity of from 375 to 4000 W/mK for distributing the heat and cool across a surface. Further aspects include thermal interface compounds to provide full thermal contact as well as the use of a phase change material to provide a long lasting heating and/or cooling effect without the use of external electrical input. Preferred applications include automotive and furniture seating heating and cooling, along with outdoor garments having distributed heating and cooling effects.

A seating furniture chassis comprises a base body, first and second side parts, a back part, a plurality of electrically conductive cables fastened to the base body, and first and second fasteners arranged on the base body. The back part is releasably fastenable to the first fastener and the first and second side parts are respectively releasably fastenable at two opposite sides of the base body to the second fastener, a plurality of individual connectors, and a central connector. Each electrically conductive cable connects one of the individual connectors to the central connector.

A seat assembly includes a seat having a seat base and a seat back, an adjustment assembly configured to adjust the seat, an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the seat and the adjustment assembly, and/or a sensor assembly connected to the ECU. The ECU may be configured to receive (e.g., continuously) audio in a vehicle cabin via the sensor assembly and to automatically control the adjustment assembly to adjust the seat.