B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Peter A Stahl

Catalin Bunea

Christopher Wilson

Daniel I Udriste

Samantha L Huckabay

A ventilated seat assembly with active air circulation including a structural frame element, a cushion assembly supported by the structural frame element, a perforated dress cover, a conduit network embedded in the cushion assembly configured to direct air to at least one target region of the cushion assembly, an air mover coupled in fluid communication with the conduit network, and a controller operable for activating the air mover to cause air to flow through the conduit network to the at least one target region. In operation, the controller activates the air mover to flow air, such as unconditioned air, through the conduit network to be released through the dress cover in the at least one target region.

Ventilated seat assembly with active air flow

Two-stage vortex tube assemblies including an internal vortex generation chamber for generating a main vortex and a compressed air inlet having a tangential outlet port for creating a pre-vortex in an inflow of compressed air in a direction of flow of the main vortex. The two-stage vortex assemblies may be utilized in low pressure and low flow applications such as seat climatization, local heating or cooling, etc. Further disclosed are seat constructions and seat climatization systems utilizing a two-stage vortex tube as a single source for heating or cooling.

Multi-stage vortex tube assembly for low pressure and low flow applications

A ventilated seat assembly such as an aircraft passenger seat including a cushion assembly supported by a structural element, a plurality of Venturi tubes positioned to direct a flow of air through the cushion assembly, an air compressor supplying compressed air, a manifold assembly coupled in fluid communication with the air compressor, a conduit network fluidly coupling the manifold assembly with the plurality of Venturi tubes, and a controller for activating the air compressor and actuating the manifold assembly. Supplying a small volume of pressurized air to the Venturi tubes induces a larger flow of ambient air and a multiplied air effect to ventilate the passenger seat.

Seat assembly with ventilation system utilizing venturi effect to multiply air flow

A system for heating and cooling a passenger seat utilizing a single unit for producing hot and cold conditioned air. The system includes a source of pressurized air, a vortex tube coupled to the source of pressurized air for producing hot and cold air streams, a duct network coupled to the vortex tube through a valve assembly, and a controller controlling passage of the flow of hot and cold air streams through the manifold assembly based on passenger selection. Conditioned air flow can be dispersed into a cushion assembly such as an interior of a spacer mesh component of the cushion assembly.

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Peter A Stahl