Controlling a mattress climate-control system based on thermal event
A method and bed system for controlling a mattress climate-control system based on a thermal event. The bed system includes a mattress, a mattress climate-control system, a mechanical thermal detector, and a controller. The mattress climate-control system controls a climate at the mattress. The mechanical thermal detector is positioned at the mattress. A condition of the mechanical thermal detector changes in response to a thermal event at the mattress. The controller is connected to the mattress climate-control system. The controller perform operations including detecting the condition of the mechanical thermal detector and operating the mattress climate-control system based on the condition of the mechanical thermal detector.
1 . A bed system comprising:
a mattress;
a mattress climate-control system configured to control a climate at the mattress;
a thermal event protection assembly comprising:
a mechanical thermal detector positioned at the mattress, the mechanical thermal detector comprising a thermal wire assembly comprising:
a first wire;
a second wire that is spiral-wrapped about the first wire; and
a coating separating the first wire from the second wire, the coating configured to melt responsive to a thermal event,
wherein the mechanical thermal detector is configured to change between a normal operating configuration and a thermal event operating configuration in response to a thermal event,
wherein when in the mechanical thermal detector is in the normal operating configuration, the first wire is separated from the second wire by the coating and a resistance of the mechanical thermal detector is greater than a first resistance threshold,
wherein when the mechanical thermal detector is in the thermal event operating configuration, whereby the coating has melted responsive to the thermal event, the first wire and the second wire are in contact to short-circuit the mechanical thermal detector and the resistance of the mechanical thermal detector is less than or equal to the first resistance threshold; and
a controller operatively coupled to the mattress climate-control system, the controller configured to perform operations,
based on the resistance of the mechanical thermal detector, comprising:
based on the resistance being equal to or greater than the first resistance threshold indicating the mechanical thermal detector is in the normal operating configuration enabling operation of the mattress climate-control system; and
based on the resistance being less than the first resistance threshold, the first resistance threshold representing that the mechanical thermal detector is short-circuited, disabling the mattress climate-control system.
2 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the mattress climate-control system includes one or more of:
a heater coupled to the mattress and configured to heat at least a portion of the mattress; and
a fan coupled to the mattress and configured to supply or draw air to a top of the mattress.
3 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal wire assembly is configured to, based on a temperature of the mattress exceeding approximately 190° F., cause the first wire and the second wire to contact each other.
4 . The bed system of claim 3 , wherein the coating is configured to melt when a temperature of the coating exceeds approximately 190° F.
5 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical thermal detector comprises a resistor electrically coupled between terminating ends of the first wire and the second wire.
6 . The bed system of claim 5 , wherein operating the mattress climate-control system comprises based on the resistance exceeding a second resistance threshold, the second resistance threshold greater than the first resistance threshold, disabling the mattress climate-control system.
7 . The bed system of claim 6 , wherein the second resistance threshold represents that the mechanical thermal detector is open-circuited indicating the mechanical thermal detector has been disconnected from the thermal event protection assembly.
8 . The bed system of claim 6 , wherein the second resistance threshold is greater than the first resistance threshold, operating the mattress climate-control system comprises, based on the resistance exceeding the first resistance threshold and being less than the second resistance threshold, enabling operation of the mattress climate-control system.
9 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal event protection assembly further comprises a smoke detector positioned at the mattress, the smoke detector configured to:
detect a smoke condition at the mattress; and
transmit a signal representing the smoke condition to the controller; and
the controller is further configured to perform operations comprising:
based on the smoke condition indicating no smoke, enabling operation of the mattress climate-control system by a user;
based on the smoke condition indicating a presence of smoke, disabling operation of the mattress climate-control system; and
based on the smoke condition indicating the smoke detector is not operating, disabling operation of the mattress climate-control system.