EP3111806A1 - Thermally heatable and coolable chair - Google Patents

Abstract

Air-conditioned chair (19), which is designed to be heatable or coolable, wherein at least one ventilation duct (5) is arranged at least within a seat shell (22) or a back shell (23), which is provided by at least one fan (10) with an air flow (28). is supplied, wherein the ventilation duct (5) delivers the air flow (28) to a person sitting on the chair (19) person, wherein at least one ventilation module (3, 6) within the seat shell (22) or back shell (23) is arranged in which the at least one fan (10) and the at least one ventilation duct (5) is integrated.

Description

The invention relates to a thermally heated and cooled chair according to the preamble of claim 1.

A thermally heated and coolable chair, for example, with the subject of US 2010/0146700 A1 known. The document shows a chair which has ventilation channels in the seat and backrest region which are arranged inside the seat shell or the backrest shell. The ventilation ducts pass the airflow through individual holes through a net-like surface to the person sitting on the chair. For the generation of the air flow are each a fan in the seating area and a fan in the backrest area, the fans are arranged on the outside of the chair and thus visible. Through a passage in the shell, the inside ventilation ducts are supplied with the air flow of the fan. However, this embodiment has the disadvantage that in the operation of the fans there is a very high level of noise, which is unpleasant perceived by the person sitting on it and in other people in the room.

Starting from the US 2010/0146700 A1 the invention has for its object to provide an air-conditioned chair, which requires little space and is very quiet during operation.

To solve the problem, the invention is characterized by the technical teaching of claim 1.

An essential feature of the invention is that a ventilation module is disposed within the seat pan or back shell, in which the fan and the ventilation duct is integrated.

The arrangement of the ventilation module and thus in particular the arrangement of the fan within the seat and backrest shells has the significant advantage that the noise level is significantly reduced and on the outside of the chair no fan can be seen.

The ventilation module is thus completely integrated in the seat shell, so that no components on the outside of the seat or the backrest shell are visible. Only small recesses for the intake air of the fan interrupt the otherwise closed trained shells.

As a unit, the present invention understands that the at least one fan is directly connected to the ventilation module or forms a part with the ventilation module. The ventilation module in this case preferably has a plurality of air ducts, which selectively deliver the air to the seated person.

The direct integration of the fan into the ventilation module avoids long passage or supply ducts between the fan and the ventilation ducts.

In a preferred embodiment, a ventilation module with two fans in the seating area and a ventilation module with two fans in the backrest area are arranged in each case in total.

By using at least two fans per ventilation module, the noise is significantly reduced. Another advantage is that the two fans relative to the individual fan according to the prior art, can be made significantly smaller, whereby a total of a smaller embodiment of the ventilation module is achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation module is designed with its ventilation channels as a textile mat, which is arranged for example between the seat cushion and the frame shell of the seat. The textile design a slim embodiment is achieved, which requires little space above all.

The air from the ventilation ducts is passed through air outlets through a fabric and delivered to the seated person. The cover fabric is formed, for example, as a mesh membrane covering (3D knitting net), which can be arranged both in the back and in the seating area. Of course, as a cover fabric also any air-permeable, textile fabric or air-permeable perforated leather possible.

In a further preferred embodiment, a total of ten ventilation holes or ventilation outlets are arranged in the seating area and / or backrest region, which have, for example, a diameter of 20 mm. Due to the relatively small number of outlets, in particular the stability of the seat cushion or back cushion is not impaired, which has a positive effect on the seating comfort. Nevertheless, ten ventilation holes are sufficient to achieve good temperature control in the back or seating area.

• ein Schiebesitz, mit welchem die Sitztiefe nach vorne verstellbar ist.
• eine Vorrichtung (Hebel), mit welcher eine Einstellung des Gegendrucks der Rückenlehne auf das Körpergewicht des Benutzers möglich ist;
• höhenverstellbare Armiehnen, welche ebenfalls in der Breite einstellbar sind;
• eine Nackenstütze;
• Einstellbarkeit der Sitzneigung;
• ein Kleiderbügel, welche an der Rückseite der Rückenlehne angeordnet ist;
• eine Rückholmechanik, welche den Stuhl stets in eine vorgegebene Ausgangsposition in axialer Richtung zurückdreht;
• eine Lordosestütze, welchen den Lendenwirbelbereich unterstützt und die Rückenlehne in der Höhe optimal an den Rücken der sitzenden Person anpasst.

Other optional features of the chair include:

• a sliding seat with which the seat depth can be adjusted to the front.
• a device (lever) with which an adjustment of the back pressure of the backrest on the body weight of the user is possible;
• height-adjustable armrests, which are also adjustable in width;
• a neck support;
• Adjustability of seat inclination;
• a hanger, which is arranged on the back of the backrest;
• a return mechanism, which always rotates the chair back to a predetermined starting position in the axial direction;
• a lumbar support, which supports the lumbar area and optimally adjusts the height of the backrest to the back of the seated person.

The frame of the chair consists for example of a round tube steel or a plastic structure. The corresponding base can be made of aluminum or steel. The backrest preferably consists of a circumferential Support frame made of glass fiber reinforced plastic or a flat plastic shell with integrated support structure.

The chair can be designed either as a meeting chair or office swivel chair. Of course, the embodiment according to the invention can also be applied to other seating furniture, such as e.g. a stool, a bench, a chair, an armchair or a sofa insert.

In a further embodiment, a textile-woven heating mat is used for heating the chair, which is placed or glued onto the cushion in the seat and / or backrest region. The heating mat, for example, have a U-shape, which is specifically modeled on the person sitting on it. In the middle region of the U-shape, the cable is passed through a shallow recess downwards in the direction of the chair frame between the two legs.

Preferably, the necessary power supply cables for the heating mat are passed through a slot, which is created by an oblique section. The cut extends from the top of the pad at a 45 ° angle down towards the seat pan. Such implementation of the cable has the significant advantage that no disturbing cables are present in the seating area and the cable length to the battery and the control unit can be kept as short as possible.

In a further embodiment, the heating mat has a total of two heating circuits, wherein the first heating circuit (stage 1) is designed for a lower heating power and the second heating circuit (stage 2) is designed for a higher heating power.

The heating stage 2 may have an additional "turbo" -Heizstufe, over a defined period of, for example, 20 seconds, an increased heating power is delivered. This allows a very fast heating of the heating mat. A thermostat monitors the entire heating process. After a previously defined temperature (preferably 37 ° C) or a maximum possible power output is then switched back to a "battery saver" maintenance mode.

There are thus a total of three different heat levels possible, the level 1 increases relatively flat and only after a certain time reaches its desired heat output. Stage 2 has at the beginning of an additional turbo heating stage, which heats the heating mat quickly, after a certain period of time, the actuator switches back to the "normal" heating level 2.

In a further preferred embodiment, either the seating area and / or the backrest area has at least one pressure switch which detects the presence of a person. For example, it is possible to make operation of the air conditioning system dependent on the presence of a person. When leaving the chair, the system can turn itself off again. This extends the operating time of the battery in particular.

The arrangement of two spaced pressure switches has the advantage that the seated person is clearly recognized. This is especially necessary when the person is sitting exclusively in the front area.

The two pressure switches are preferably arranged in the seat or back shell, wherein the pressure switch between cushion support and seat shell are arranged and detect their distance. In a preferred embodiment, the two pressure sensors are designed as on-switches, which are switched as soon as the user has overcome the resistance of the Elastogranpuffers, which are located between the seat plate and cushion support. Due to the different damping effect of Elastograns can be adjusted in each case the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

In a parallel connection of two pressure sensors, it is sufficient if one of the pressure sensors is actuated to activate the system.

The energy for the air conditioning system can be provided for example by a removable battery. The battery is preferably arranged in the region of the operating element below the seat.

It is also possible that the necessary energy is provided by the generation of kinetic energy, the person sitting on it, for example, tossing around with the backrest or turning the entire chair. This rotary or rocking motion is then tapped by a system, stored in a battery or capacitor between and then fed to the air conditioning system. Furthermore, it is possible for the kinetic energy generated by the rolling movement of the entire chair to be picked up and temporarily stored in the battery.

Furthermore, it is possible that the chair receives its energy for the air conditioning system via an induction loop. So it is for example possible that the chair is driven at the end of work on a certain floor area, which is provided with induction loops that allow charging the battery.

Of course, it is also possible that the power is supplied via a single power cable.

The control of the entire system can preferably take place via an operating element which is arranged below the seat shell. In a preferred embodiment, the control element can have both the removable battery and the necessary switches for operating the air conditioning system.

In a further preferred embodiment, the currently running heating or cooling operation of the air conditioning system can be displayed via LEDs in the region of the operating element. For example, the heating process can be displayed with a red warning light while the cooling process is displayed with a blue warning light.

Furthermore, it is possible that the heating mat, the seat cushion and the ventilation mat form a unit that can be replaced, for example, against a normal seat cushion. Subsequent retrofitting of a standardized office swivel chair is thus easy to implement.

The air supply for the at least one fan in the back region can be done for example via the space between the backrest and seating area. The air supply to, for example, iliac crest height achieves the significant advantage that this position is far away from the listening area of the seated person, as a result of which quiet operation of the air conditioning system is achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, the heating mat is arranged in the lordosis or lumbar region, since in this area the micromusculature can be treated preventively.

In a further preferred embodiment, the individual modules, such as the heating mat, the ventilation mat and / or the operating element are connected to each other via a plug-in system, whereby the individual components can be easily replaced. The connectors for the components in this case have special fits, so that a wrong connection of the connector systems is avoided.

Furthermore, it is possible that a Peltier element (TEC) is used for the air conditioning of the chair. The Peltier element is an electrothermal transducer that generates a temperature difference when current flows, or a current flow at temperature difference. Thus, the Peltier elements can be used both for cooling and - in reverse current direction - for heating the chair in the seat or back area. The Peltier element can be used either alone or in combination with the ventilation module according to the invention.

By the embodiment according to the invention, in particular the energy consumption of the entire building can be reduced, as targeted in the sitting person air conditioning takes place. In particular, the well-being of the seated person is increased by the targeted air conditioning. The subject of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual claims, but also from the combination of the individual claims with each other.

All information and features disclosed in the documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings, are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are novel individually or in combination with respect to the prior art.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing only one embodiment. Here are from the drawings and their description further features essential to the invention and advantages of the invention.

Figur 1:

Schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Stuhls in einer Seitenansicht

Figur 2:

Schematische Darstellung des Stuhls in der Rückansicht

Figur 3:

Schematische Darstellung des Stuhls in der Draufsicht

Figur 4:

Energie/Zeit-Diagramm

Figur 5:

Schematische Darstellung des Lüftungsmoduls

Figur 6:

Seitenansicht des Lüftungsmoduls

Show it:

FIG. 1:

Schematic representation of the chair according to the invention in a side view

FIG. 2:

Schematic representation of the chair in the rear view

FIG. 3:

Schematic representation of the chair in top view

FIG. 4:

Energy / time chart

FIG. 5:

Schematic representation of the ventilation module

FIG. 6:

Side view of the ventilation module

With the FIG. 1 the chair 19 according to the invention is shown in a schematic side view. The chair 19 is designed as an office swivel chair and consists essentially of a seating area 20 with a seat shell 22 and a Backrest 21 with a backrest shell 23. The backrest bracket 24, which connects the seat shell 22 and the backrest shell 23, serves as the basic framework.

Both the seat shell 22, and the backrest shell 23 are preferably made of a plastic. Both shells 22, 23 are used essentially for receiving and holding the seat cushion 1 and the back pad 4 relative to the backrest bracket 24th

Between the seat 21 and the seat cushion 1 is a ventilation module 3 (seating area) is arranged. The ventilation module 3 consists essentially of two fans 10 and at least one ventilation duct 5.

According to the FIG. 3 a total of twelve ventilation ducts 5 are arranged in the seating area 20. The fans 10 are fixedly connected to the ventilation module 3 and form a unit with this. This has the significant advantage that the ventilation module 3 requires relatively little space, since the fans 10 are integrated into the ventilation module 3.

The fans 10 suck in the air 25 through the recesses 27 in the ventilation module 3 within the seat 22 and enter the generated airflow 28 through the ventilation ducts 5 to the seated person.

The seat cushion 1 is covered at the top by an air-permeable cover fabric 8, so that the air flow 28 can be released unhindered to the seated person.

According to the FIG. 1 Furthermore, the backrest 21 also has a recess 26 through which the intake air flow 25 flows into the ventilation module 6 (back region) and is discharged from the ventilator 10 through the ventilation ducts 5 to the seated person.

The backrest shell 23 has a back pad 4, which is penetrated by the ventilation channels 5, so that the air flow 28 unhindered to the seated person can be discharged. Preferably, the back pad 4 is covered by an air-permeable fabric 9.

However, the embodiment according to the invention is not limited to the presence of a seat or back cushion 1, 4. Rather, it is also possible that the ventilation module 3, 6 on e.g. the back shell 23 rests and is covered only by an air-permeable fabric 9. By omitting the back pad 4 thus a slim backrest shape is achieved.

Both in the seating area 20 and in the area of the backrest 21, the arrangement of a heating mat 2, 7 is possible in the direction of the seated person. The heating mats 2, 7 are located between the seat cushion 1 and the covering material 8 of the seating area 20 or between the back cushion 4 and the covering material 9 of the backrest 21.

The heating mat 2 of the seat portion 20 has a U-shaped recess of the heating area 12, which is preferably at the height of the genital area of the seated person.

The power supply of the heating mats 2, 7 via a cable, which is guided by an obliquely extending slot 18 through the respective pad 1, 4 to the battery 16.

The battery 16 is preferably located below the front of the seat 22, so that it is easily accessible. In a preferred embodiment, the battery 16 and the control element 13 for the ventilation modules 3 and 6 forms a unit.

The control element 13 is arranged below the seat shell 22 and preferably each has a switch 14 for the control of the basic mode (heating or cooling) and a switch 15 for the control of the power (stages 1 and 2).

Furthermore, the chair 19 has at least one, preferably two, presence switches 17, which seating area 20 are arranged.

With the FIG. 2 the chair 19 is shown in the rear view. Below the seat 22, the control element 13 for the heating mats 2, 7 and the ventilation modules 3, 6 is arranged.

Furthermore, an arrangement of the two fans 10 at the level of the iliac crest of the seated person is shown schematically on the backrest shell 23. Due to the relatively low-lying arrangement of the recesses 26 for the intake air 25, the noise level is significantly reduced.

FIG. 3 shows the chair 19 in a plan view. In the seating area 20, the arrangement of the ventilation module 3 with its two fans 10 is shown schematically.

In the seating area 20 are also the two presence switch 17, which are preferably spaced from each other. Due to the different positioning of the two presence switch 17 a secure recognition of a seated person is possible.

With the FIG. 4 the heating process according to the invention of the heating mats 2, 7 is shown, wherein the heating mat 2, 7 each having two heating circuits. The two heating circuits are represented by the stages 1 and 2.

The first heating circuit (level 1) is designed for a lower heating capacity, while the second heating circuit (level 2) is designed for a higher heating capacity.

The heating circuit of stage 1 increases its heating capacity relatively slowly, so that the final heat output of stage 1 is reached only after about 30 seconds.

The heating stage 2, in contrast, has an additional "turbo" -Heizstufe, which according to the FIG. 4 over a period of 20 seconds, an increased heating output. This allows a very fast heating of the heating mat.

After the 20 seconds with increased heating power, the heating power is reduced, so that after about 30 seconds, the actual heat output of level 2 is reached.

In the basic "cooling" mode, when activating stage 2 of the switch, all fans (preferably two in the back and two in the seating area) are operated, with stage 1 of the switch 15 activating only one fan in the seat and back area. Thus, the user's cooling requirements can be individually controlled, while at the same time reducing the energy requirements of the system.

With the FIGS. 5 and 6 the ventilation module 3, 6 according to the invention is shown. According to the FIG. 5 the ventilation module 3, 6 a total of two fans 10.

The FIG. 6 shows the ventilation module 3.6 in the side view. From this it can be seen that the fans 6 are integrated in the ventilation module 3, 6, whereby in particular a flat construction of the ventilation module is achieved.

With the ventilation module 3, 5 according to the invention, it is now possible for the first time to arrange both the ventilation ducts 5 and the fans 10 within the seat or backrest shell 22, 23, so that on the outside of the chair 19 there are no devices for the air conditioning of the chair 19 are visible.

drawing Legend

1.

seat cushion

Second

Heating mat in the seating area

Third

Ventilation module in the seating area

4th

back pad

5th

ventilation duct

6th

Ventilation module in the back area

7th

Heating mat in the back cushion

8th.

Upholstery fabric (seating area)

9th

Cover fabric (back area)

10th

fan

11th

incision

12th

Recess of the heating area

13th

operating element

14th

Switch heating / ventilation

15th

Switch level 1 / level 2

16th

battery pack

17th

Anvuesenheitsschalter

18th

Slit in the upholstery 1, 4

19th

chair

20th

sitting area

21st

backrest

22nd

seat

23rd

Backrest shell

24th

sit Ironing

25th

intake air

26th

Recess in 23 for 10

27th

Recess in 22 for 10

28th

airflow

Claims (12)

Air-conditioned chair (19) which is designed to be heatable or coolable, wherein at least one ventilation duct (5) is arranged at least within a seat shell (22) or a back shell (23), which is provided by at least one fan (10) with an air flow (28). is supplied, wherein the ventilation duct (5) emits the air flow (28) to a seated on the chair (19) person, characterized in that at least one ventilation module (3, 6) within the seat shell (22) or back shell (23) is, in which the at least one fan (10) and the at least one ventilation duct (5) is integrated. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation module (3, 6) flush with the inside of the seat shell (22) or on the inside of the back shell (23) abuts, and the shells (22, 23) at least one recess (26, 27 ) for the intake air flow (25). Chair according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the ventilation module (3, 6) is designed as a textile mat, in which the fan (10) is integrated. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the air flow (25) through an air-permeable fabric (8, 9) is delivered to the person sitting on the chair (19). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chair (19) has at least one heating mat (2, 7) in the seating area (20) and / or in the region of the backrest (21). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the energy supply of the heating mats (2, 7) via at least one cable, which is guided through an obliquely extending slot (18) through the pad (1, 4). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the heating mat (2, 7) has a U-shape with a recess of the heating area (12). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the heating mat (2, 7) has two heating circuits, wherein the first heating circuit (stage 1) is designed for a lower heating power and the second heating circuit (stage 2) for a higher heating power is designed. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in the seating area (20) at least one presence switch (17) is arranged, which detects a seated person. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the ventilation module (3, 6) has at least one Peltier element (TEC), which heats or cools the generated air stream (28). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that by the movement of the chair (19) the required energy for the ventilation module (3, 6) and / or the heating mat (2, 7) can be generated, which of the battery ( 16) is storable. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the chair (19) receives the required energy for the ventilation module (3, 6) and / or the heating mat (2, 7) via an induction loop, which energy from the battery (16 ) is storable.

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