Granted Patent B2

US 12,611,909 · App. 18/547,077 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Inventors: Kenneth Turner (Novi, MI); Amey Pise (Farmington Hills, MI); Chad Pacilli (Windsor, CA)

Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated

B60H1/00285B60H1/00478B60H1/00742B60H1/00828B60H1/00878B60N2/002B60N2/0034B60N2/0035B60N2/5657B60N2/5692B60H2001/003B60N2210/40

Abstract

Claims (41)

1 . A control method for conditioning a surface with a thermal conditioning system having a thermoelectric device (TED), comprising:

determining whether the surface is occupied;

providing power to the TED, the TED including a main side and a waste side;

providing an airflow with a blower; and

adjusting a position of a flow control valve to adjust a proportion of the airflow between a main side flow path across the main side of the TED and a waste side flow path across the waste side of the TED based on whether the surface is occupied,

wherein the flow control valve is in a first position that directs a majority of the airflow along the waste side flow path with the surface determined to be unoccupied, and

wherein the flow control valve is in a second position with the surface determined to be occupied.

2 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the surface is occupied is based on a signal received from a force sensor in a vehicle seat.

3 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the surface is occupied is based on whether a vehicle is remotely started.

4 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the control method is a startup mode.

5 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the surface is occupied is based on comparing a delta-T between a temperature of the TED and a temperature of ambient cabin air with an expected delta-T between the temperature of the TED and the temperature of ambient cabin air based at least on the position of the flow control valve.

6 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conditioning system is operated in a heater mode.

7 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode.

8 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the power provided to the TED is based on whether the surface is occupied.

9 . The control method of claim 8 , wherein the power provided to the TED is based on the surface being determined to be unoccupied.

10 . The control method of claim 9 , wherein the power provided to the TED is 100%.

11 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein the first position of the flow control valve directs the airflow between the main side flow path and the waste side flow path at a ratio between 1:99 and 30:70.

12 . The control method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the flow control valve to the second position based on detecting a set temperature of the airflow.

13 . The control method of claim 12 , wherein the second position of the flow control valve directs more airflow along the main side flow path than in the first position.

14 . The control method of claim 12 , wherein the second position of the flow control valve directs the airflow between the main side flow path and the waste side flow path at a ratio between 30:70 and 95:5.

15 . The control method of claim 12 , further comprising regulating the power provided to the TED based on detecting the set temperature of the airflow.

16 . The control method of claim 15 , wherein the power provided to the TED is reduced based on detecting the set temperature.

17 . The control method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting the flow control valve to a third position based on an in-cabin air temperature.

18 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the third position closes the waste side flow path.

19 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the in-cabin air temperature is based on a signal from an NTC.

20 . The control method of claim 17 , wherein the power provided to the TED is reduced based on the in-cabin air temperature.

21 . The control method of claim 20 , wherein the power provided to the TED is shut off.

22 . The control method of claim 12 , further comprising increasing a speed of the blower to increase a speed of the airflow.

23 . The control method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the flow control valve to the second position based on determining that the surface has changed from unoccupied to occupied.

24 . The control method of claim 23 , wherein the second position of the flow control valve directs more airflow along the main side flow path than in the first position.

25 . The control method of claim 23 , further comprising adjusting the flow control valve to a third position based on an in-cabin air temperature.

26 . The control method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the surface is occupied is based on a signal received from a vehicle occupant detection system.

27 . A control method for conditioning a surface with a thermal conditioning system having a thermoelectric device (TED), comprising:

determining that the surface is unoccupied;

providing power to the TED, based at least in part on the determination that the surface is unoccupied, wherein the TED includes a main side and a waste side; and

providing power to a blower to direct airflow through the TED based at least in part on the determination that the surface is unoccupied, with power being provided to the TED.

28 . The control method of claim 27 , further comprising:

determining that the surface has changed from unoccupied to occupied; and

adjusting a proportion of the airflow between a main side flow path across the main side of the TED and a waste side flow path across the waste side of the TED based on the determination that the surface is occupied.

29 . The control method of claim 28 , wherein adjusting the proportion of the airflow between the main side flow path and the waste side flow path includes adjusting a position of a flow control valve from a first position to a second position.

30 . The control method of claim 29 , wherein a greater volume of air is directed along the main side flow path in the second position than in the first position.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)