A thermoelectric flexible mat may include a first large surface and a second large surface. The mat may also include a plurality of p-doped elements and a plurality of n-doped elements disposed in an alternating manner with one another and electrically interconnected to a series circuit via a plurality of electrically conductive conductor bridges. The plurality of conductor bridges of the series circuit may be assigned, at least in regions, to the first large surface and the second large surface such that the first large surface defines a hot side and the second large surface defines a cold side. An absorptive absorption structure may connect the hot side and the cold side. The absorption structure may be structured and arranged such that any liquid present on the cold side is absorbable into the absorption structure and transportable to the hot side via the absorption structure.

A unicouple based thermoelectric system comprises a thermoelectric circuit integrated into a cellular foam seat pad. The foam seat pad comprises an upper foam layer and a main foam layer. The thermoelectric circuit comprises a plurality of unicouples with heat sinks which may be pressed through insertion holes in the upper foam into airflow channels in the main foam. The upper foam seals the air channels from leakage which improves the airflow across the heat sinks. Further, the upper foam may be interlocked with the main foam. Alternatively, the upper foam may comprise the insertion holes and a portion of the airflow channels.

An air conditioner includes an air conditioning unit installed in a cabin, and a supply unit supplying air conditioned by the air conditioning unit to the cabin. The air conditioning unit includes a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a radiator, a decompression device, and an evaporator. One of the radiator and the evaporator functions as a use-side heat exchanger that generates conditioned air by heat exchange between refrigerant and air. The refrigeration cycle device has a high-pressure protection device that discharges the refrigerant to the outside when the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through a passage, which is defined from a refrigerant discharge side of the compressor to a refrigerant inlet side of the decompression device, exceeds a predetermined reference pressure. The high-pressure protection device is configured to discharge the refrigerant to the outside through an outside communication portion communicated with the outside of the cabin.

An automobile seat and an automobile are provided. The automobile seat comprises a seat cushion and a backrest, and at least one of the seat cushion and the backrest is provided with a temperature adjusting system comprising a temperature adjusting device and a fan (300). In the automobile seat, the traditional heating pad and ventilation device are replaced by providing, in a temperature adjusting system, a fan (300) and a temperature adjusting device formed by serially-connected devices wherein a convertible cooling module (100) and a heating module (200) are connected, thereby achieving the integrated design of ventilation heating and cooling, avoiding the interference between the two sets of devices, thus reduces manufacturing and processing costs.

A vehicle trim assembly comprises a foam bun, an electrically insulative top finish layer above the foam bun, a thermal gradient assembly under the finish trim layer, and a thermal enhancement layer between the thermal gradient assembly and the finish trim layer. The thermal gradient assembly is adapted to generate a thermal gradient when receiving an electric current and has an electrically conductive top layer, an electrically conductive bottom layer, and a semiconductor layer having first and second semiconductor regions between the top and bottom layers. The thermal enhancement layer has a thermal conductivity adapted to direct thermal energy transfer between the thermal gradient assembly and the finish trim layer.

A thermoelectric fabric may include a plurality of first threads and a plurality of electrically insulating second threads. The plurality of first threads may each be defined by a plurality of p-doped thread portions, a plurality of n-doped thread portions, and a plurality of electrically conductive thread portions. The plurality of p-doped thread portions and the plurality of n-doped thread portions may be arranged in an alternating manner. The plurality of electrically conductive thread portions may be arranged between the plurality of n-doped thread portions and the plurality of p-dope thread portions. The plurality of electrically conductive thread portions may be structured as a plurality of broad, flexible, stretchable conductive track portions

A method for controlling vehicle functions to increase the well-being and/or to increase the attention of at least one vehicle user in a vehicle. A number of vehicle functions are activated when at least one specific user menu is selected. Here, a lead function assigned to the user menu from the number of vehicle functions is predetermined in each case and the time and content processes of the other vehicle functions assigned to the user menu are coordinated with respect to the lead function.

A back panel of a motor vehicle seat element successively includes a layer of paint, a layer of non-expanded foam, at least one thermal device, and a layer of expanded foam.

A thermoelectric assembly includes first and second shunts spaced apart from one another in a through-plane direction. At least one of the first and second shunts having a shunt area in an in-plane direction. P-n pellets interconnect the first and second shunts electrically in series with one another in the in-plane direction. The p-n pellets have faces that engage the first and second shunts. At least one of the faces have a pellet area. The pellet area is substantially less than the shunt area.

Features for a vapor compression system configured to cool and/or cat (i.e. thermally condition) two or more distinct climate controlled vehicle interior components via a common thermal bus are disclosed. Some embodiments employ a single compressor. Some embodiments employ multiple compressors and/or thermal buses, each servicing components located within respective interior thermal zones of a vehicle, for example a front row seat zone, second and/or third row seat zones, and/or an overhead zone and/or a trunk zone.