Air conditioned cushion covers

Claim 1

A segmented cushion cover apparatus for a cushion such as a vehicle seat or a mattress for connection with a supply of pressurized temperature-and-humidity-modified air flowing from an air vent to supply conditioned air to a person resting on said cushion, said cover apparatus comprising: (a) a vent attachment assembly including: (1) an air chamber having a first opening framed by a flange means; (2) sealing means for sealably attaching said flange means to the perimeter of said air vent in air-tight relationship; (3) a second opening in said air chamber opposed to said first opening and arranged to provide an air outlet functioning as a substitute for said air vent, said second opening provided with a first valve means for controlling the flow of air therethrough; (4) a third opening in said air chamber provided with duct attaching means for connecting an air duct and a second valve means for controlling the flow of air therethrough; (b) a segmented cushion cover having at least two segments, said segments hingedly connected together along one edge and each segment comprising: (1) a broad air-impervious rear panel; (2) a broad air-pervious front panel; (3) air-impervious narrow sides joining said rear and front panels together to define a broad, thin internal space having a thickness greater than one-sixteenth inch and pervious to air through a broad front face; (4) air-pervious spacing means contained within said internal space, said spacing means for holding said front panel spaced apart from said rear panel against the closing forces of the body resting on said cushion; (5) duct connecting means for operatively connecting said internal space to an air duct; and (c) air duct means for connecting said duct attaching means of said said vent attachment assembly to said duct connecting means of each segment.