A method of controlling an occupant microclimate environment includes determining a heat balance on an occupant in a microclimate environment based upon a thermal model of the heat transfer effects on the occupant, estimating an overall thermal sensation of the occupant based upon the heat balance, referencing a target overall thermal sensation of the occupant, calculating an error between the estimated overall thermal sensation and the target overall thermal sensation, and controlling at least one thermal effector in at least one zone in the microclimate environment to reduce the error in overall thermal sensation while maintaining all effectors within limits of temperature and flow rate that ensure occupant comfort.

An apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a vehicle door panel, a removeable structure having a retention member fixed on the vehicle door panel, and a holding element associated with the retention member to provide a pocket that can be configured in different ways to accommodate a plurality of powered devices. A power interface in the vehicle door panel powers at least one of the plurality of powered devices. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing the power interface in the vehicle door panel to power at least one of the plurality of powered devices, and providing a communications link between at least one of the plurality of powered devices and a vehicle touchscreen or control.

A method of providing thermal conditioning for a vehicle occupant according to an example of the present disclosure includes determining a respective target temperature for each of a plurality of discrete OPZs. Each OPZ is associated with a different occupant body area. The determining is based on a difference between a first OTS indicative of a target heat flux for the occupant and a second OTS indicative of an estimated heat flux experienced by the occupant, wherein the respective target temperatures differ between the OPZs. The method includes providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ based on the target temperature for the OPZ, which includes utilizing at least one thermal effector in the OPZ. The method also includes receiving a temperature offset value for a particular one of the OPZs from the occupant, and adjusting the target temperature for the particular one of the OPZs based on the temperature offset value.

A back panel of a motor vehicle seat includes, on its visible external back side, a thermal layer.

The refrigeration system is configured to adjust a temperature inside a vehicle compartment of the transport vehicle, the refrigeration system including an evaporator disposed in the vehicle compartment and the evaporator including evaporator coils (120) through which a refrigerant flows and a housing (110) for accommodating the evaporator coils; wherein the housing is further provided with a heating element (130); and the refrigeration system further includes a control module (140) configured to control the heating element. According to the refrigeration system for a transport vehicle, the control method thereof and the transport vehicle of the present disclosure, by disposing the heating element inside the housing of the evaporator, which is controlled to perform heating and stop heating according to actual situations, ice is prevented from being formed on the inner side of the housing, and condensation water is prevented from being formed on the outer side of the housing, thereby effectively improving the reliability of the preservation of goods.

A heating film may include a base layer made of polymer resin, a plurality of electrode lines spaced from each other and disposed on the base layer, a mesh-type support layer disposed between the electrode lines and made of a thermally conductive material, and a heating layer that has first and second end portions connected to the respective electrode lines, is made of a carbon composite material, and generates heat when powered.

A radiation heater apparatus has a plurality of heat radiation parts and a plurality of heating parts. A low thermal conductive part is formed between adjacent two of the heat radiation parts. The low thermal conductive part is provided with resin material which mainly forms a substrate part. The low thermal conductive part thermally isolates the heat radiation part by surrounding a periphery of the heat radiation part. As a body contacts with the surface of the apparatus, the thermal energy of specific heat radiation part directly under the body dissipates heat to the body. Furthermore, heat transfer from the periphery of the specific heat radiation part to the specific heat radiation part is reduced by the low thermal conductive part.

A radiant panel (1) intended to be installed inside a vehicle (80) passenger compartment (3), in particular a motor vehicle passenger compartment, the radiant panel (1) comprising at least one array of electrodes with at least two primary electrodes of different polarities, the array of electrodes being arranged such that at least two primary electrodes of different polarities each define at least one spiral winding around one another.

A heater assembly includes a base panel; a heating member disposed behind the base panel opposite a heating target space; a thermal conductive film having a film shape, attached to an outer surface facing the heating target space of the base panel, and transmitting heat of the heating member to the outer surface of the base panel by having an end portion extending behind the base panel and coupled to the heating member; and a shield layer preventing the thermal conductive film from being directly exposed to the heating target space by being attached to an outer surface facing the heating target space of the thermal conductive film.

A vehicle interior component with a heater/heating element is disclosed. The component may comprise an assembly with the heating element produced in a mold tool by a process comprising assembling the heating element between a cover layer and a fiber layer to provide a pre-form assembly; consolidating the pre-form assembly (e.g. including trimming/compressing and/or heating); forming the pre-form assembly in the mold tool into a compression-formed body with a shape; applying a cover to the compression-formed body to provide a compression-formed panel. The compression-formed panel may be provided with the shape and an external surface provided by the cover. The texture/feel at the external surface of the compression-formed panel for the component may obscure the presence of the heating element within the component. The component may comprise a console; floor console; tunnel console; armrest; instrument panel; door; door panel; trim component; or panel.