CN216580233U

CN216580233U - Panel of passenger-accommodating cabin of vehicle and vehicle cabin seat

Info

Publication number: CN216580233U
Application number: CN201990001271.5U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 金-伊维斯·毛尼厄; 纳迪内·保帕
Original assignee: Hutchinson SA
Current assignee: Hutchinson SA
Priority date: 2018-11-23
Filing date: 2019-09-24
Publication date: 2022-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-24
Also published as: WO2020104734A1; FR3088993A1; FR3088993B1

Abstract

The utility model relates to a panel of a passenger compartment of a vehicle, said panel comprising a silent air treatment device comprising: a photocatalytic material (3); a support (5) porous to said photocatalytic material, said porous support and said photocatalytic material being flexible and gas-permeable; and an illumination device (7) for achieving illumination within the ultraviolet spectrum of the photocatalytic material. A flexible structure (9) is used as a carrier and a power source for the lighting device (7). The utility model also relates to a vehicle cabin seat.

Description

Panel of passenger-accommodating cabin of vehicle and vehicle cabin seat

Technical Field

The utility model relates in particular to an air treatment device.

The air treatment device is intended to be installed in a vehicle (e.g., bus, airplane, helicopter, train, motor vehicle, etc. … …) or a building (home, office … …).

Background

In particular, today's motor vehicles are often equipped with coarse filters generally adapted to filter contaminants having a size greater than 10 microns, wherein the contaminants are: artificial (dust, particles, etc.) or solid contaminants of natural origin (e.g., pollen). However, in addition to being dependent on the uneven performance of the system, the filter must be replaced periodically or it will become clogged. It should also be noted that the passenger cabin is internally contaminated with volatile compounds VOC.

In addition, excess calories are almost completely eliminated in a vehicle having an electric motor. For example, in cold weather, heating of the passenger compartment (also referred to as the passenger compartment) is often provided by drawing energy from the battery at the expense of vehicle range. Since cabin air renewal (up to 500 m 3/h) is the main source of heat loss, it is necessary to recirculate the air in the cabin in order to limit the introduction of air from the outside as much as possible. In order to prevent indoor air deterioration, an efficient air treatment system must be used.

On newer commercial aircraft, the passenger cabin is no longer ventilated with 100% of the outside air but with 50% of the outside air, the remainder being the treated (usually filtered and recycled) cabin air. This has resulted in fuel savings (air taken from the air compressor of the engine) and thus improved engine performance. Therefore, attempts are made to minimize the introduction of fresh air by improving the recovery rate. However, problems have been raised as to whether the air quality and ventilation in the cabin of a modern passenger aircraft are acceptable.

In addition, the development of "passive" buildings has led to the containment of the indoor environment. Therefore, the need to refresh the air through the ventilation system is increasing. However, the increase in the size of large cities leads to an increase in the pollution level of urban areas. In order to limit the internal transfer of air pollutants to the habitat, an efficient air treatment process must be carried out.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present invention aims to respond to the above mentioned problems and to improve the performance and efficiency of existing air treatment devices.

For this reason, an air treatment device is proposed, comprising:

-a photo-catalytic material,

-a porous support that is porous to the photocatalytic material, the flexible porous support being air permeable and the photocatalytic material being in contact with air, and

-lighting means in the Ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of said photocatalytic material,

-a flexible structure for supporting and supplying power to the lighting device, the lighting device and the porous carrier being connected to the flexible structure.

Therefore, the aim is:

making the air treatment very efficient without the need to replace the filter,

allowing placement in almost any shape in various positions, and

-ensuring that the device is highly compact,

ensuring adequate illumination of the photocatalytic material,

increase of the exchange surface, thus enabling reduction of the air speed and therefore of the noise.

Conventionally:

the term "porous" means that the support can be likened to an open structure consisting of units (called pores) connected to each other by bridges. The "void" fraction of the structure (referred to as the porosity of the porous support) is defined as the ratio of the pore volume to the total volume of the porous support. The "void" fraction is preferably chosen between 50% and 97%,

the flexibility of the porous support is characterized by a deformation ratio greater than 30%, the percentage deformation ratio being defined by the deformation multiplied by 100.

The flexibility of the carrier structure (which may comprise a printed circuit or a woven web; see below) may be derived from the fineness and the individual fiber properties of the components and/or from the construction of the carrier itself (e.g., a printed circuit or a woven web, etc.; see below). As regards the exemplary printed circuit, it may be made of a plastic film (such as preferably polyimide) having a thickness comprised between 0.05 mm and 0.8 mm and preferably between 0.15 mm and 0.30 mm, so as to make said plastic film easily deformable.

For all intents and purposes, it is even provided that, in the one-dimensional case, the deformation ratio, expressed in percentages, is equal to 100 ×

Figure DEST_PATH_648007DEST_PATH_IMAGE001

Wherein

Is the initial length and l is the deformed length.

The lighting device is arranged to activate the photocatalytic action of the photocatalytic material.

Furthermore, the lighting device and the porous carrier will advantageously be connected to a flexible structure opposite the outer surface, wherein after activation of the photocatalytic material, light provided by the lighting device leaves the porous carrier.

It should be noted that in the context of the present invention, "connected" has the meaning of even indirectly, i.e. "forming an assembly with" or "assembling with" at least one intermediate element (or component).

In order to further improve the efficiency/effect of the solution and the way of implementing the solution, it is even proposed to:

the photocatalytic material will be present on the outer surface of the porous support, and/or

The illumination means will be arranged to illuminate the photocatalytic material through the porous carrier.

In this way, the potential processing area and volume will be as large as possible without taking up too much space.

For flexibility and effect of the solution, it is also proposed:

the lighting device will contain an LED (light emitting diode), and

the flexible structure will comprise a flexible printed circuit to which each light emitting diode is to be attached and electrically connected.

For the same purpose, it is also proposed that the flexible printed circuit board will define a mesh forming an array of crossing points at which the light emitting diodes will be fixed and electrically connected to the printed circuit.

The flexibility of such a net can thus be combined with:

permeability of the intersecting array, and

a mesh distribution of diodes at these intersections, which mesh distribution is regular, if desired.

With regard to flexibility in terms of implementation of the solution, it is also proposed that the air treatment device will further comprise first and second elongated side walls for guiding air, the photocatalytic material, the porous support and the lighting means being interposed between and along said first and second side walls, so that the air flows between said first and second side walls, passes through the porous support and is in contact with the photocatalytic material.

Thus, rather than circulating laterally through the thickness of the device and in particular the porous support, longitudinal circulation may be provided.

It should be noted that strict verticality is not implied in the "landscape" context of the present invention.

As further evidence of flexibility in implementation of the solution, the utility model also relates to a panel arranged in a vehicle cabin receiving passengers, the panel comprising:

-an air treatment device comprising:

-a photocatalytic material, which is,

-a porous support which is porous to said photocatalytic material, said porous support being flexible and said photocatalytic material being in contact with air, and

-a lighting device in the ultraviolet spectrum of said photocatalytic material,

-a flexible structure for supporting the lighting device, the porous carrier being connected to the flexible structure;

-a panel structure to which the air treatment device is attached, and

-at least one air flow channel adapted to be in fluid communication with the air treatment device and a non-ambient pressure source that induces an air flow into the channel and then through the air treatment device into the vehicle cabin.

As regards the air treatment device, it may be the air treatment device presented above with all or part of its mentioned characteristics and one of the flexible conductive structures, or a device in which:

-the illumination device is to comprise a flexible optical fiber,

-the flexible structure will comprise a flexible woven web, and

-the optical fiber has an opening for transferring light to the photocatalytic material.

Thus, in both cases, the compliance will be associated with a 3D shape (curved and/or having depressions and protrusions such as "bumps").

A further aspect of the utility model is a vehicle cabin seat arranged in a vehicle cabin, the vehicle cabin seat comprising a seat cushion and a backrest coupled together, the seat cushion and the backrest each having a surface that can contact an occupant of the seat, the seat cushion and/or the backrest comprising:

-an air treatment device comprising:

-a photocatalytic material in contact with air,

-means for achieving illumination within the Ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of said photocatalytic material,

-a porous support which is porous to said photocatalytic material, said porous support being flexible, and

-a flexible structure supporting said lighting device, said porous carrier being connected to said flexible structure, and

-the seat and/or the backrest comprise:

-a temperature regulating member, a part of which is adapted to temperature-regulate air in the seat and/or the backrest, and

-an air flow passage adapted to be in fluid communication with a temperature control member, the air treatment device and a non-ambient pressure source inducing an air flow through the air flow passage into the temperature control member and then through the air treatment device to the vehicle cabin.

Of course, the following publications have proposed solutions relating to the integration of vehicle air conditioning systems in vehicle seats (WO 2014145556a1, CN 204077307) or more generally to the implementation of air pollution control systems at different points of the vehicle (CN 204641332, CN 204472496, CN 203995808, CN 203854463, CN 204472497).

Air handling remains problematic.

Thus, an aspect of the utility model relates to that the above-mentioned air treatment device may again be the first air treatment device presented above with all or part of its mentioned properties, or again a device wherein:

-the lighting device will comprise a flexible optical fiber, and

-the flexible structure comprises a flexible textile web with yarns bonded with optical fibers, the flexible textile web having light passage openings.

In any case, in the seat, the flexible structure (of the utility model or of the one just mentioned above) may have a mesh opening defining one of said gas flow channels by being interposed between said portion of said temperature regulation member and said porous support using said photocatalytic material.

The flexible structure will thus ensure a certain mechanical structure, means for bringing in light (or electricity for the light of the utility model) and means for conveying the air to be treated in an air flow transverse to its surface.

Specifically, in this case, it is also proposed:

the portion of the temperature regulation member is to be arranged in and along an elongated duct (belonging to the air flow channel in the seat) and is thus interposed between a solid wall and the air flow channel from the portion to the air treatment device, and

the porous support will extend substantially along the surface:

the gas flow channel will open into the surface, and

the air flow will pass from the surface through the thickness of the porous carrier transversely to this surface in order to thus open into the passenger compartment.

This will optimize the exchange of the air/temperature regulating member and the air/photocatalytic material present on (or in) the porous support.

In order to further promote the circulation of the treated air towards the user, it is also proposed that, transversely to said surface of the porous carrier, an air flow is passed into said passenger compartment through microperforations passing through a trim lining of a seat with which an occupant can come into contact.

The utility model will be better understood, if necessary, and other details, characteristics and advantages thereof will become apparent from a reading of the following description, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a seat equipped with an air treatment device according to the present invention taken along line I-I of FIG. 4;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a printed circuit that may form a flexible structure for supporting and supplying power to the aforementioned lighting devices;

FIG. 3 shows a variant of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 1;

figure 4 shows a seat equipped with an air treatment device according to the utility model;

FIG. 5 shows a variant of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 1; the cross-sectional view may also be a cross-sectional view of the back of the seat as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a fiber optic device that may be used in exemplary applications "seats" and "cabins" presented herein;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sections of two possible embodiments of woven fiber optic webs, following line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

fig. 10 shows the application of the air treatment device to an aircraft cabin, and

fig. 11, 12 show enlarged photographs of a porous support provided with a photocatalytic material.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1, 3 and 5 show in particular an air treatment device 1 according to the utility model, comprising:

-a photocatalytic material (3) of a material,

a support 5 porous to said photocatalytic material,

-means 7 for achieving illumination within the Ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of said photocatalytic material, and

a flexible structure 9 for supporting the lighting device 7, to which flexible structure the lighting device 7 and the porous carrier 5 are connected.

The porous carrier 5 is flexible and gas permeable.

The photocatalytic material 3 is in contact with air. The photocatalytic material may define a coating disposed on the contact surface (outer surface) of the porous support, which may simplify its implementation. The coating may be zinc oxide (ZnO) or titanium dioxide (TiO 2): in the anatase form, its band gap of 3.2 eV is such that it is activated by photons with a wavelength of less than 387 nm (corresponding to UV-A illumination).

The photocatalytic material 3 is present externally on the surface 5a of the porous support. In a related embodiment, the porous carrier 5 is connected to a side 9b (outer surface) of the flexible structure 9 on which this flexible structure is connected to the lighting device 7 it supports in this way; see fig. 1, 3. In this way, the lighting means 7 illuminate the photocatalytic material through the porous support 5.

The porous support 5 provided with the photocatalytic material 3 can be fixed (for example glued) to said side 9b, where the flexible structure 9 supports the lighting means 7 connected thereto (here fixed).

In the case where the porous support 5 is made of a fibrous material (fibers 50, fig. 11), the photocatalytic material 3 will be located on the surface of the fibers to which it is to be coated; similarly, in the case of the porous cell carrier 5 (foam 52, fig. 12): the photocatalytic material 3 will coat the foam.

In these embodiments according to the utility model, the flexible structure 9 ensures the power supply of the lighting device 7. The flexible structure comprises an electrically conductive circuit 90 powered by the cable 11. In particular, this may be a flexible printed circuit, referenced 91; see in particular fig. 2.

It is then advantageous to have a mesh-like conductive array with through openings 13 for air at the location of the mesh.

Thus, the flexible printed circuit 91 will be able to define a web forming an array with intersections 910 (fig. 2) where the light emitting diodes 15 can thus be secured to and electrically connected to a printed circuit, which will thus be electrically conductive.

Flexible printed circuits will be produced by, for example: the silver ink tracks are printed on a polyimide film having a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.8 mm, preferably 0.15 mm to 0.30 mm, so that the polyimide film can be easily deformed. The flexible printed circuit is the one to which the lighting device 7 is attached, which will provide a light source capable of activating the photocatalytic effect.

By combining with a lighting device comprising light emitting diodes 15 and a flexible printed circuit 91 to which each diode 15 is to be attached and electrically connected, a large and evenly distributed lighting/treatment area can be covered. Also, the light emitting diode has an advantage of emitting a small amount of heat compared to the conventional UV lamp.

The light emitting diode is arranged in such a way that it can illuminate the entire surface covered by the photocatalytic material 3.

For the porous support 5, it will be advantageous to consider the material that allows the reactor to operate in a mode different from the "wall coating" mode by increasing the geometric surface area of the reactor (in m.m-3) and the amount of active photocatalyst per unit volume of the reactor. The porous support resembles an open structure made of cells connected to each other by bridges. The "void" fraction of the structure (referred to as the porosity of the porous support) is defined as the ratio of the pore volume to the total volume of the porous support. Depending on the aperture and the thickness of the bridge, said "void" fraction is preferably chosen between 50% and 97%, and even more preferably between 80% and 97%. In addition to the constraints that lighting in the reactor core must be achieved, the photocatalytic material should preferably allow operation in a through-flow mode (through-flow mode) as opposed to a lick-flow mode (lick-flow mode) with an acceptable pressure drop. An "ideal" porous support would be a structured material that, first, would provide an intimate bond between the porous support and the photocatalyst to anchor the photocatalyst in the reactor without reducing its intrinsic activity. For this purpose, the structured material should have a large specific surface area, so as to promote the binding to the photocatalyst and the adsorption of contaminants on its surface, and also to allow the diffusion of light into its structure. The structured material is chemically inert and resistant to the formation of free radicals by photocatalytic action, and it should also resist the thermal stresses and mechanical friction generated by the continuous passage of the fluid in contact with it. However, the chemical stability of the support must allow sufficient interaction with the photocatalyst to generate a stable material during the different phases of its life cycle (treatment, use, washing/regeneration). The low apparent density and flexibility of the support should allow it to adopt the largest possible geometrical configuration, giving the designer great freedom to design high-performance photocatalytic reactors. Thus, the flexibility of the porous support is characterized by a deformation ratio greater than 30%, the percentage deformation ratio being defined by the deformation multiplied by 100. When the materials constituting the porous support are chosen, for example, from the family of polymers (polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, butadiene-acrylonitrile … …), the low longitudinal elastic modulus of these materials and the porosity of the support allow a significant deformation of the porous support, giving it great flexibility.

According to another embodiment, a felt made of entangled fibers, such as quartz fibers (ideally > 99.99% purity, 5-20 μm diameter), on which photocatalyst TiO2 synthesized by a sol-gel process is supported, will meet these constraints. This medium has three main advantages: excellent light transmission, moderate pressure drop and good exposed surface. The medium can operate in a through-flux mode (through-flux mode), with the effective thickness being limited by radiation transmission and the resulting pressure drop.

For the treatment of the incoming air flow F1 (see fig. 3 or fig. 5, 6, in the case of the example of the device 1 installed in the seat of the vehicle 10), it is possible to provide in the device 1 an air circulation that is substantially carried out in the extension of the general surface S1 of the porous carrier 5 and of the flexible structure 9 (i.e. transverse to this surface and therefore transverse to the thickness e of said porous carrier), thus opening, for example, into the passenger compartment 17 of the vehicle; see fig. 4, 6 and 3: purified off-gas F2.

To illustrate this surface area (S) of the device 1, in fig. 4:

a single flexible printed circuit 91 showing this device 1, and

on the other hand, represented by the air inlet 19 provided in the example in the seat front portion 21 of one of said seats 10, and the outlet 23 for the treated air F2 outside this seat. The air inlet 19 and air outlet 23 may pass through one or more cushions 25 which upholstery the seat 10 around its conventional frame on both the seat cushion 21 and the backrest 27 (fig. 6).

In fig. 1, 3 and 4, the front and back of the illustrated thing have also been labeled AV and AR, respectively; as in fig. 5, if the incision of the device 1 is shown to be made according to fig. 4.

To ensure that such air circulation is transverse to the thickness e of the porous support, the device 1 may comprise first and second

elongate side walls

18a, 18b (i.e. solid walls) for guiding air, between and along which the photocatalytic material 3, the porous support 5 and the lighting means 7, 15 are interposed, such that air circulates between the first and

second side walls

18a, 18b, in the porous support and in contact with the photocatalytic material. The photocatalytic material 3 can be dispersed in the porous support 5, rather than being provided as a coating.

It should be noted that thanks to its flexibility and the use of carefully distributed lighting means 7, 15, the device 1 can be easily shaped in 3D and can therefore follow the curved shape of the seat 10 in this case, whether it be the seat cushion 21 and/or the backrest 27 (fig. 6). For example, the device 1 may be shaped or bent as in the example of fig. 10. In particular, the device 1 can then be integrated into one or more relative cushions 25.

Instead of transverse to the thickness e of the porous carrier 5, however, it may be preferable to provide an air outlet (substantially) parallel to this porous carrier, and thus (substantially) transverse to the surface area (S1) of the device 1, as shown in fig. 5, wherein the treated air F2 is expelled through the major portion of the surface S2 of the seat contacted by the seat occupant.

Thus, the porous support will in this case extend substantially along the surface S1:

the flow channel 33 (here the inlet) for air (see below) will open to the surface, and

the incoming air flow F1 will cross from this surface transversely through the thickness e of the carrier 3 to again flow transversely into the passenger cabin 17.

In this example, the importance of adding a temperature adjustment member 29 to the device 1 to temperature adjust the air in the seat cushion 21 and/or the backrest 27 is also considered. The temperature regulating component 29 may define a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle, and thus, the system controls the temperature of such air circulation and heating, ventilation and air conditioning in the passenger compartment 17.

The temperature adjustment member 29 conforms to one of the solutions known in the prior art. The temperature adjustment member includes a portion 29a arranged in the seat 10: for example, the seat cushion 21 of the seat shown in fig. 5 and the backrest 27 of the seat shown in fig. 6. The portion 29a of the temperature conditioning member 29 may therefore comprise a line 31 (or any other heat exchange member) of circulating fluid, the temperature of which controlled by another portion of the HVAC system will be in the seat 10 and cause the cleaning air flow F2 at a different temperature to be expelled from the inlet flow F1 by heat exchange with the inlet air flow F1 adjacent to the device 1.

The line 31 may be connected to the circuit 32 of the HVAC system to create a thermal gradient between the heat exchange medium 31 and the incoming airflow F1 in the duct 34 if required; fig. 6. Other or complementary possibilities: the incoming air flow F1 comes from the HVAC system, through the circuit 36 which can supply air to the pump 39; see also fig. 6.

In the seat 10, adjacent to the portion 29a of the temperature regulation member 29, there is provided an air treatment device through which the incoming air flow F1 will in any case pass after having passed due to the heat exchange with the portion 29a of the temperature regulation member 29 in the example shown.

For this purpose, this portion 29a has been arranged in an elongated air supply duct 34, in the seat 10, below or behind the device 1 and along said elongated air supply duct, and is therefore interposed between the solid wall 38 and one or more front airflow channels 13 from this portion to the device 1.

Air flow channels, such as 13 (openings at grid points of the electrically conductive circuit 90; see fig. 2), 33 (air inlet of the seat; see fig. 5), 35a, 35b (air circulation duct which can supply air in a guided manner to the air inlet 33 in the seat; see fig. 6) or 34 as described above, actually allow fluid communication with the temperature regulating member, the air-handling device 1 and the non-ambient pressure source 37 which induces an air flow through the air flow channels into (the part 29a of) the temperature regulating member and then through said air-handling device 1 to the cabin 17 of the vehicle.

The non-ambient pressure source 37 may comprise an air pump 39 controlled by the controller 41 and sending pressurized air to a distributor 43 sending an air flow to the

air flow conduits

35a, 35b, where

valves

45a, 45b may be arranged, respectively.

With regard to the air flow channels 13, it should be noted that it would be advantageous if, in the seat 10, the flexible structure 9 had such a mesh opening interposed on the air circuit between said portion 29a of the temperature regulation means and the support 5, which is porous to the photocatalytic material.

To exit the seat 10, the flow of treated air in contact with the photocatalytic material 3 may pass through microperforations 47 disposed through the trim liner 49 of the seat cushion 25 with which the seat occupant is in contact, transverse to surface S2 and transverse to the S1.

A flexible layer such as a foam layer 51 may be present between the trim liner 49 and the side 5a of the porous support where the photocatalytic material 3 may be present.

Another air treatment device is shown in fig. 7 and in partial cross-section in fig. 8 and 9. In these examples:

the illumination means 7 comprise a flexible optical fiber 150,

the flexible structure 9 comprises a flexible textile web 190 with (weft and/or warp) yarns 191, and

the optical fiber 150 has an opening 151 for transferring light to the photocatalytic material 3.

It should be noted, however, that in these variants, the air treatment device is not an air treatment device according to the utility model (as in the air treatment device marked 1 presented above), but the flexible structure (marked 900) is still used as the air treatment device 110 of the

lighting device

7, 150 rather than of the carrier of its power supply. This is not necessary since the light source is not point-like nor generated at the location of the flexible structure like the

diodes

7, 15. In optical fibers, light is injected remotely. Another advantage of diodes compared to diodes is that the diodes 15 can be mounted in a mesh array (see fig. 2), which means that the lighting can be in a finer mesh. Furthermore, it is easier to unravel the diode for modification than to unravel the fibers 150 from the yarns 191. Moreover, due to the textile nature of the structure 900, the air passages are quite narrow.

That is, the optical fibers 150 are illuminated from at least one light source L, preferably in the ultraviolet spectrum, positioned at a distance from the flexible structure 900. The light leaves the fibre 150 through an opening 151 provided in said fibre and then passes through the photocatalytic material 3.

By such an invasiveness change 151, the angle of reflection of light within the fiber 150 can be changed and light can be made to propagate laterally outside the fiber. As shown in fig. 8, photocatalytic particles 3 are present inside the porous support 5, which then form a coating that acts as a sheath around the central core of the optical fiber. The woven web 190 of binder yarns 191 is free of photocatalytic particles and may be woven with optical fibers at a later stage.

In the example in fig. 9, photocatalytic particles (material 3) are dispersed in the porous support 5, which form a coating on the binder yarns 191 of the flexible structure 900. Through its opening 151, the optical fiber 150 can carry the optical fiber to the binder yarn.

Alternatively, the photocatalytic particles 3 may be distributed in the porous support 5, which will again form a coating on the fabric formed by the optical fibers 150, having openings 151, which may be woven with the binding yarns 191. In this embodiment, the coating 5 may have been applied after the weaving operation on the two components (yarns/fibers) of the fabric. The opening 151 is then provided.

Thus, the support 5, which is still porous to the photocatalytic material 3, is still flexible and, like the photocatalytic material, is permeable to air to come into contact with the photocatalytic material, thus purifying it.

As shown at 130 in fig. 8, 9, the network or spaces created between the yarns by yarns 191 in textile web 190 will form the aforementioned airflow channels 13 at the location of the flexible structure 900. In fig. 8, this air purification occurs at the level of the fiber coating.

As an alternative to a dispersion in the porous support 5, the photocatalytic material 3 may form a coating on the outside of the porous support.

In the exemplary application of fig. 10, attention is directed to a panel 53 of a passenger-receiving vehicle 56 (in this case an aircraft) cabin 55.

Each panel 53 thus contains an air treatment device 1 (but which may be an air treatment device referenced 110) which, as already described (see the corresponding preceding figures), comprises:

-a photocatalytic material (3) of a material,

a flexible and porous support 5,

-a lighting device in the ultraviolet spectrum of said photocatalytic material, and

a flexible structure 9 supporting the lighting device, said porous carrier being connected to said flexible structure.

There is also a panel structure 53 to which the

device

1 or 110 is attached, for example by gluing. The panel structure may be a rigid plastic sheet in a desired shape. The panel structure acts as a carrier for the

device

1 or 110 due to its attachment to the cabin frame (unit).

The air flow passage 59 provides fluid communication with the

air treatment device

1 or 110, the non-ambient pressure source 57 which induces air flow through the passage, and then through the air treatment device 1 to the cabin 55.

As in the case of the flexible printed circuit 91, the flexible structure 9 is electrically conductive, which makes it possible to combine flexibility, compactness, high performance power supply and optimized lighting, especially if diodes 15 are used.

One of the flexible fiber optic solutions 150 may be used on such a panel 53; similarly used on the seat 10.

Claims

1. A panel for a passenger-receiving compartment of a vehicle, the panel comprising:

-an air treatment device comprising:

-a photocatalytic material (3) arranged for contact with air,

-a porous support (5) porous to said photocatalytic material, said porous support being flexible, and

-lighting means (7) for achieving illumination within the Ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of said photocatalytic material,

-a flexible structure supporting said lighting device, said porous carrier and said lighting device being connected to said flexible structure, wherein:

-the lighting device comprises a flexible optical fiber (150) having an opening (151) for transmitting light to the photocatalytic material (3), and the flexible structure comprises a flexible textile web, or

-the lighting device comprises light emitting diodes (15) and the flexible structure comprises a flexible printed circuit (91), each light emitting diode (15) being attached to and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit,

-a panel structure (53) to which the air treatment device is attached, an

-at least one air flow channel (13) adapted to be in fluid communication with said air handling device and a non-ambient pressure source inducing an air flow into said channel and then through said air handling device to said cabin of said vehicle.

2. The panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting means (7) are arranged to illuminate the photocatalytic material through the porous support.

3. The panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the photocatalytic material (3) is present on the outer surface (5 a) of the porous support.

4. The panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the flexible structure (9) defines a power source for the lighting means (7).

5. The panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible printed circuit (91) defines, together with the light emitting diodes (15), a flexible textile web forming an array with crossing points (910) at which the light emitting diodes (15) are attached and electrically connected to the printed circuit.

6. The panel according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising first and second elongated side walls (18 a, 18 b) for guiding air, the photocatalytic material, the porous support (5) and the lighting means (7) being interposed between and along said first and second side walls, so that the air flows between the first and second side walls, passes through the porous support and is in contact with the photocatalytic material (3).

7. The panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible structure (9) is electrically conductive.

8. A vehicle cabin seat arranged in a vehicle cabin, the vehicle cabin seat comprising a seat cushion (21) and a backrest (27) coupled together, the seat cushion and backrest each having a surface configured to contact an occupant of the seat, the seat cushion and/or backrest comprising:

-an air treatment device comprising:

-a photocatalytic material (3) in contact with air,

-lighting means (7) for enabling illumination within the ultraviolet spectrum of said photocatalytic material,

the seat is characterized in that:

-the air treatment device further comprises:

-a porous support (5) porous to said photocatalytic material, said porous support (5) being flexible, and

-the lighting device comprises light emitting diodes (15), and the flexible structure comprises a flexible printed circuit (91), each light emitting diode (15) being attached to and electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit,

-the seat and/or the backrest comprise:

-a temperature conditioning member (29), a portion (29 a) of which is adapted to condition the air in the seat and/or the backrest, and

-an air flow channel (13) adapted to be in fluid communication with the temperature adjustment member, the air treatment device and a non-ambient pressure source (41) inducing an air flow through the air flow channel, the air flow being directed to the temperature adjustment member (29 a) and then through the air treatment device to the vehicle cabin.

9. The vehicle cabin seat of claim 8, wherein the flexible structure is electrically conductive.

10. Vehicle cabin seat according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the flexible structure (9) has a mesh opening (13) defining one of the air flow channels by being interposed between the portion of the temperature regulation member and the porous carrier (5).

11. The vehicle cabin seat of claim 8, wherein:

-said portion (29 a) of said temperature regulation member is arranged in and along an elongated duct (34) belonging to said air flow channel in said seat and is therefore interposed between a solid wall (38) and one of said air flow channels that transfers air from said portion towards said air treatment device, and

-the porous support extends substantially along a surface:

-the gas flow channel (13) opens into the surface, and

-said airflow passes from said surface through the thickness of said porous carrier transversely to said surface so as to thus pass into said vehicle compartment.

12. Vehicle cabin seat according to claim 11, characterised in that, transversely to the surface, the air flow opens into the vehicle cabin through microperforations (47) which pass through a trim lining (49) of the seat with which an occupant of the seat can come into contact.

13. Vehicle cabin seat according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the flexible printed circuit (91) defines together with the light emitting diodes (15) a flexible textile web forming an array with crossing points (910) at which the light emitting diodes (15) are attached and electrically connected to the printed circuit.

14. Vehicle cabin seat according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising first and second elongated side walls (18 a, 18 b) for guiding air, the photocatalytic material, the porous carrier (5) and the lighting means (7) being interposed between and along the first and second side walls, so that the air flows between the first and second side walls, passes through the porous carrier and is in contact with the photocatalytic material (3).

15. Vehicle cabin seat according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the flexible structure (9) defines a power source for the lighting device (7).