JP2006021572A - Heating and cooling device for vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heating and cooling device for a seat capable of increasing the blowing amount from the seat or allowing a blower to work with a low power by controlling a Peltier element so that its heat emission side becomes at an ultra-low temperature in the blowing mode. <P>SOLUTION: The heating and cooling device to work for the vehicle seat 11 furnished at the surfaces with air blowout holes 2 is equipped with the blower 51 to lead the intra-cabin air into the seat 1 and blow to the holes 2, the Peltier element 52 to heat and cool the fed intra-cabin air, and a seat air-conditioning control device 10 to control the blower 51 and the Peltier element 52, wherein the Peltier element 52 is formed partitioned into a first heat exchange part 52a having communication to the air blowout hole 2 and a second heat exchange part 52b having communication to outside the seat 1, and when the operation is in the blowing mode, the seat air-conditioning control device 10 controls the Peltier element 52 so as to block the air passage in the second heat exchange part 52b. This increases the blowing amount from the seat. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a heating / cooling device for a sheet that blows out air-conditioned air that has been heated and cooled toward an air blowing hole formed in a vehicle seat, and particularly in a blowing mode of a Peltier element that converts electric power into heat. Regarding control.

  Conventionally, as this type of sheet heating / cooling device, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a sheet having air blowing holes formed on the surface, and a communication path communicating with the air blowing holes formed in the sheet, The Peltier element disposed in the communication path and a blower that blows air toward the air blowing hole are provided.

  Furthermore, the communication passage is partitioned into a first communication passage communicating with the air blowing hole and a second communication passage communicating with the exhaust duct communicating with the outside of the vehicle by a partition member connected to the Peltier element. It is a feature. Thus, when the cold air cooled on the low temperature side of the Peltier element is used to blow out from the air blowing hole, the exhaust heat heated on the high temperature side of the Peltier element is exhausted to the outside of the vehicle. When the hot air heated on the side is used to blow out from the air blowing hole, the exhaust heat cooled on the low temperature side of the Peltier element is exhausted to the outside of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Moreover, as shown in Patent Document 2, the seat heating / cooling device and the vehicle air conditioner are provided side by side, and the other (for example, the seat is based on the operating state or setting information of one (for example, the vehicle air conditioner). Control means for correcting the operating state or setting information of the heating / cooling device is provided. According to this, for example, the control is performed so that cold air having a temperature obtained by subtracting a predetermined temperature from the passenger compartment temperature is blown out from the air blowing hole in the summer (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-5-277020 JP-A-10-297243

  However, according to the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, the air conditioning control after the vehicle air conditioner is activated is in a stable state by configuring the control means for controlling the heating / cooling device for the seat and the air conditioner for the vehicle to work together. Can be prevented from excessive heating or cooling from the seat, but each control means by adding control that the vehicle air conditioner and the seat heating / cooling device interlock to correct each other. There is a problem that the software becomes complicated.

  In addition, since the seat heating and cooling apparatus configured as in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is an auxiliary heating and cooling apparatus for the vehicle air conditioner, the air conditioning control after the vehicle air conditioner is started reaches a stable state. In this case, it is more comfortable that only the conditioned air blown from the seat is blown than heating or cooling the passenger compartment air with the Peltier element.

  By the way, according to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, this type of heating / cooling apparatus for seats is configured to exhaust heat when using cold air in summer and to exhaust heat when using hot air in winter. Therefore, there is a problem that about half of the air flow is exhausted to the outside even in the air blowing mode. In order to solve this problem, it is possible to close the exhaust heat side air passage in the air blowing mode by providing flow opening / closing means such as a control door in the exhaust heat side air passage. There is a problem that costs increase.

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is to take the above-mentioned points into consideration, and by controlling the exhaust heat side of the Peltier element to be extremely low in the air blowing mode, an increase in the amount of air blown from the sheet or the fan An object of the present invention is to provide a heating / cooling device for a sheet that can reduce power.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical means described in claims 1 to 5 are employed. That is, in the invention described in claim 1, the seat (1) having the air blowing hole (2) formed on the surface and the vehicle interior air are guided into the seat (1) and directed toward the air blowing hole (2). A blower (51) that blows air, a Peltier element (52) that heats and cools the passenger compartment air guided by the blower (51), and a control means (10) that controls the blower (51) and the Peltier element (52) In the sheet heating and cooling device comprising:
The Peltier element (52) is configured such that a first heat exchange part (52a) communicating with the air blowing hole (2) and a second heat exchange part (52b) communicating with the outside of the seat (1) are partitioned. The control means (10) is characterized by controlling the Peltier element (52) so as to close the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b) when the operation mode is the air blowing mode.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air blowing hole is increased by closing the air passage of the second heat exchanging portion (52b) to increase the air flow rate in the air passage on the first heat exchanging portion (52a) side. The conditioned air blown out from (2) increases. Thereby, since the vehicle interior air conditioning is in a stable state in the air blowing mode, the amount of air blown out from the seat is more comfortable than heating or cooling.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the control means (10) has a freezing operation control means (210) for condensing and freezing the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b). According to the second aspect of the present invention, the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b) can be easily blocked by applying an electric current that sets the cryogenic temperature to the second heat exchange section (52b). it can.

  In the invention according to claim 3, the temperature sensor (8) for detecting the temperature of the exhaust heat exhausted to the outside of the seat (1) is provided on the downstream side of the air flow of the second heat exchanging portion (52b), and is controlled. The means (10) is characterized in that the freezing operation control means (210) is continued when the exhaust temperature detected by the temperature sensor (8) is lower than the freezing temperature. According to the invention described in claim 3, since the air conditioning in the passenger compartment is in a stable state and the heat load is small in the air blowing mode, the comfort is impaired even if the freezing operation control means (210) is continued. There is nothing.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the control means (10) is controlled so as to reduce the air flow rate of the blower (51) when the Peltier element (52) is controlled by the freezing operation control means (210). It is characterized by doing. According to invention of Claim 4, although the ventilation volume increases to the air path by the side of the 1st heat exchange part (52a) because the air path of the 2nd heat exchange part (52b) is obstruct | occluded, a fan (51 ) May be reduced. Thereby, the motive power of an air blower (51) can be reduced.

  In the invention according to claim 5, the control means (10) has an operation mode selection control means (120) for selecting an operation mode of the blower (51) and the Peltier element (52) based on the detected temperature information. It is characterized by that. According to the invention described in claim 5, although the heat load of the heating / cooling device for the seat varies depending on the air conditioning control state of the vehicle air conditioning device, the operation heating / cooling for the seat is provided by including the operation mode selection control means (120). Since it is not necessary to configure the apparatus and the vehicle air conditioner in conjunction with each other, complicated control software is not required, and excessive heating or cooling from the seat (1) can be prevented.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means of embodiment mentioned later.

  Hereinafter, a sheet heating / cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the seat heating / cooling device, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control processing of the air conditioning control program of the seat air conditioning control device 10 as control means.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the seat heating / cooling device includes a seat 1 including a backrest portion 1a and a seating portion 1b, a heating / cooling device 5 disposed in a space 4 formed in a lower portion of the seat 1, And a seat air-conditioning control device 10 which is a control means for controlling the heating / cooling device 5. The backrest portion 1a has a first duct 3a communicating with the space 4 therein, and a plurality of air blowing holes 2 communicating with the first duct 3a. The seating portion 1b has a second duct 3b communicating with the space 4 therein, and a plurality of air blowing holes 2 communicating with the second duct 3b.

  The heating / cooling device 5 includes a blower 51 and a Peltier element 52, and the blower 51 guides air in the vehicle interior into the seat 1 and blows air toward the air outlet 2 through the Peltier element 52. The Peltier element 52 is a well-known thermoelectric element that converts electric power into heat, and includes a first heat exchange part 52a and a second heat exchange part 52b, and is electrically connected to a DC power source (not shown). The first heat exchanging part 52a and the second heat exchanging part 52b are composed of an electrode part (not shown) connected to a thermoelectric semiconductor inside and a large number of heat radiation and heat absorption fin parts on the outside, and current flows. The vehicle interior air guided by the blower 51 depending on the direction is heated and cooled.

  By the way, an exhaust duct 3c communicating with the outside of the seat 1 is formed in the space 4, and the exhaust duct 3c is partitioned by a partition plate (not shown) between the first duct 3a and the second duct 3b described above. In other words, the conditioned air heated and cooled by the first heat exchanging part 52a and the exhaust gas heated and cooled by the second heat exchanging part 52b are not mixed. In the present embodiment, the downstream end of the exhaust duct 3c is opened in the vehicle interior. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the downstream end of the exhaust duct 3c may be extended to exhaust outside the vehicle interior. .

  Also, 7 and 8 shown in the figure are temperature sensors, the temperature sensor 7 detects the blowing temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the air blowing hole 2, and the temperature sensor 8 detects the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust duct 3c. Detect the exhaust temperature. These temperature sensors 7 and 8 are electrically connected so as to output the detected temperature information to the seat air conditioning control device 10.

  The seat air-conditioning control device 10 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and a built-in ROM (not shown) is provided with a preset air-conditioning control program. The blower 51 and the Peltier element 52 are controlled based on temperature information from an indoor air temperature sensor (not shown) that detects the room temperature and operation information from an operation panel (not shown).

  Next, the operation of the heating / cooling apparatus for a sheet having the above configuration will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the control process of the air conditioning control program starts by operating an operation switch (not shown). In step 110, the set temperature set by the occupant and the temperature information from each temperature sensor are read. In step 120, which is an operation mode selection control means, an operation mode is selected based on the read temperature information.

  The operation mode selection control means selects any one of the cold air mode, the hot air mode and the air blowing mode among the operation modes. For example, when the vehicle air conditioner is just started, the inside air temperature is set. When there is a temperature difference with respect to the temperature, select either the cold air mode or the hot air mode, and when the vehicle air conditioner operates for a sufficient period of time and the air conditioning in the passenger compartment becomes stable, air is blown. The mode is selected. Thereby, excessive heating or cooling from the seat 1 can be prevented without interlocking the air conditioning control device of the vehicle air conditioning device and the seat air conditioning control device 10.

  In step 130, it is determined whether or not the air blowing mode has been selected. Here, if it is the cold air mode or the hot air mode, in step 140, the operation in the cold air mode or the hot air mode is started. Specifically, in the cold air mode, a direct current is passed through the Peltier element 52 so that the vehicle interior air is cooled by the first heat exchange unit 52a and the vehicle interior air is heated by the second heat exchange unit 52b. At the same time, the blower 51 is operated.

  Thereby, the cold air cooled by the 1st heat exchange part 52a blows off from the air blowing hole 2. FIG. On the other hand, the exhaust heated by the second heat exchange unit 52b is exhausted out of the seat 1. In the warm air mode, a direct current is passed through the Peltier element 52 so that the vehicle interior air is heated by the first heat exchange unit 52a and the vehicle interior air is cooled by the second heat exchange unit 52b. The blower 51 is operated. Thereby, the warm air heated by the 1st heat exchange part 52a blows off from the air blowing hole 2. FIG. On the other hand, the exhaust cooled by the second heat exchange unit 52b is exhausted out of the seat 1.

  If it is determined that the air blowing mode is selected in step 130, it is determined in step 160 whether or not there is a command to prohibit the forced freezing operation. Since this forced freezing operation will be described in detail in step 210 to be described later, it is omitted here. Here, if there is a command to prohibit the forced freezing operation, in step 170, the blower 51 is operated with the forced freezing operation OFF. Thereby, the vehicle interior air is blown out from the air blowing hole 2 and the outside of the seat 1 is also exhausted.

  On the other hand, if there is no forced freezing operation prohibition command in step 160, it is determined in step 180 whether or not the forced freezing operation time has passed a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes). Here, if the forced freezing operation has not been performed, the forced freezing operation as the freezing operation control means is executed at step 210. This forced freezing operation controls the Peltier element 52 to be forcibly actuated so as to close the air passage of the second heat exchanging part 52b, and activates the blower 51.

  Specifically, the current value is controlled so that the second heat exchanging part 52b side is at a very low temperature. If the second heat exchanging part 52b is at a very low temperature, the air passage side of the second heat exchanging part 52b is used. Condensation and freezing occur in the air, and the ventilation resistance of the air passage system of the second heat exchange unit 52b increases. Thereby, the ventilation volume by the side of the air passage of the 1st heat exchange part 52a increases. Therefore, the comfort of seat air conditioning can be improved by increasing the amount of air blown from the air blowing holes 2 at this time.

  On the other hand, when the forced freezing operation time exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes) at step 180, the exhaust temperature detected by the temperature sensor 8 at step 190 is higher than the freezing temperature (for example, 0 ° C.). It is also determined whether or not the Here, if the exhaust temperature is higher than the freezing temperature (for example, 0 ° C.), in the next step 200, it is determined that the thermal load in the second heat exchanging section 52b is too large and freezing does not occur, and forced freezing is performed. Command prohibition of operation. That is, in step 160, the presence / absence of a command to prohibit forced freezing operation is determined.

  The forced freezing operation prohibition is reset (released) in step 150 when either the cold air mode or the hot air mode is operated in step 140. When either the cold air mode or the hot air mode is operated in step 140, the mode is automatically switched to the air blowing mode based on the temperature information in step 110.

  The forced freezing operation of the present embodiment is operated for a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes). However, the operation is not limited to this, and intermittent operation may be performed to reduce the power consumption of the Peltier element 52. For example, when the exhaust gas temperature exceeds a freezing temperature (for example, 0 ° C.) after operating for a predetermined time (until the air passage is closed) longer than that of the present embodiment and then stopping energization of the Peltier element 52 In addition, the energization of the Peltier element 52 may be reactivated.

  According to the heating / cooling device for a sheet according to the above-described embodiment, the Peltier element 52 is divided into the first heat exchanging part 52a communicating with the air blowing hole 2 and the second heat exchanging part 52b communicating with the outside of the sheet 1. The seat air-conditioning control device 10 is configured to control the Peltier element 52 so as to close the air passage of the second heat exchange unit 52b when the operation mode is the air blowing mode. By closing the air passage 52b, the amount of air blown to the air passage on the first heat exchanging portion 52a side increases, so that the conditioned air blown from the air blowing hole 2 increases. Thereby, since the vehicle interior air conditioning is in a stable state in the air blowing mode, the amount of air blown out from the seat 1 is increased and more comfortable than heating or cooling.

  More specifically, the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b) can be easily blocked by performing a cryogenic forced freezing operation that condenses and freezes the air passage of the second heat exchange section 52b. Can do. Further, a temperature sensor 8 for detecting the temperature of the exhaust heat exhausted outside the seat 1 is provided on the downstream side of the air flow of the second heat exchanging section 52b, and the detected exhaust temperature is a freezing temperature (for example, 0 ° C.). ), The forced freezing operation is continued, so that the air conditioning in the passenger compartment is stable and the heat load is small in the ventilation mode. There is no loss.

  Further, by providing an operation mode selection control means for selecting one of cold air, hot air and air flow based on the temperature information, the seat heating / cooling device, the vehicle air conditioner, Since it is not necessary to configure so as to be interlocked, complicated control software becomes unnecessary, and excessive heating or cooling from the sheet (1) can be prevented.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, when the Peltier element 52 is forcibly frozen, the air flow rate of the blower 51 is made constant. However, not limited to this, as shown in FIG. In step 220, control for reducing the air flow rate of the blower 51 may be performed. According to this, the power of the blower 51 can be reduced.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the air-conditioning air blown out detected by the temperature sensor 7 provided in the first duct 3a without the temperature sensor 8 detecting the exhaust temperature exhausted from the second heat exchange unit 52b. You may obtain | require and estimate from temperature and the output of the air blower 51. FIG. Thereby, the temperature sensor 8 may not be provided.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the blower 51 is disposed in the space 4 in the sheet 1, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be provided in the vicinity of the sheet 1.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the heating-cooling apparatus for sheets in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing of the air-conditioning control program of the sheet | seat air-conditioning control apparatus 10 in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing of the air-conditioning control program of the sheet | seat air-conditioning control apparatus 10 in other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet | seat 2 ... Air blowing hole 8 ... Temperature sensor 10 ... Sheet | seat air-conditioning control apparatus (control means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 51 ... Air blower 52 ... Peltier element 52a ... 1st heat exchange part 52b ... 2nd heat exchange part 120 ... Operation mode selection control means 210 ... Freezing operation control means

Claims (5)

A sheet (1) having air blowing holes (2) formed on the surface;
A blower (51) that guides vehicle interior air into the seat (1) and blows air toward the air blowing hole (2);
A Peltier element (52) for heating and cooling the passenger compartment air guided by the blower (51);
In the heating and cooling apparatus for a sheet, comprising the blower (51) and the control means (10) for controlling the Peltier element (52).
The Peltier element (52) is divided into a first heat exchange part (52a) communicating with the air blowing hole (2) and a second heat exchange part (52b) communicating outside the seat (1). Composed of
The control means (10) controls the Peltier element (52) so as to close the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b) when the operation mode is the air blowing mode. Heating and cooling device.   The sheet heating / cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control means (10) includes a freezing operation control means (210) for condensing and freezing the air passage of the second heat exchange section (52b). . A temperature sensor (8) for detecting the temperature of the exhaust heat exhausted outside the seat (1) is provided on the downstream side of the air flow of the second heat exchange part (52b),
The said control means (10) continues the said freezing operation control means (210), when the exhaust temperature detected by the said temperature sensor (8) is lower than freezing temperature, The said freezing operation control means (210) is continued. Heating / cooling device for sheet.   The control means (10) is characterized in that when the freezing operation control means (210) controls the Peltier element (52), the control means (10) performs control so as to reduce the air flow rate of the blower (51). The heating / cooling device for a sheet according to claim 2 or 3 to be performed.   The said control means (10) has an operation mode selection control means (120) which selects the operation mode of the said air blower (51) and the said Peltier device (52) based on the detected temperature information. The heating and cooling device for a sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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