JP2008307182A - Seat cooling device of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seat cooling device of an automobile capable of cooling a seat surface more efficiently. <P>SOLUTION: An air blowing path 12 in communication with outside and inside of a seat via a seat surface 2S is formed to form a sirocco fan 11 blowing air in a seat cushion 2. The air in a cabin is sucked into the seat cushion 2 via the air blowing path 12 and the seat surface 2S is cooled by operating the sirocco fan 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile seat cooling apparatus.

Conventionally, a seat such as an automobile is cooled by blowing cooling air supplied from a cold air source such as an air conditioner from the surface of the seat, that is, the upper surface of the seat cushion or the front surface of the seat back. A cooling device has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-180965 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

  However, in such a conventional seat cooling device, the seat cooling device operates in a state where the air conditioner is operating, that is, in a state where the passenger gets on and operates the air conditioner by starting the engine. In the case of long-term parking, etc., it is usually inoperative and there is a slight delay until it functions effectively after getting on.

  For this reason, when the vehicle is parked for a long time under hot weather in summer, the temperature of the seat becomes high, especially on the leather-covered surface, and when the passenger is seated You will feel uncomfortable.

  Then, an object of this invention is to obtain the seat cooling device of the motor vehicle which can cool the seat surface more effectively.

  According to the present invention, an air blowing path that communicates between the inside and outside of the seat is formed in the seat, and an air blowing mechanism that blows air is provided. The air blowing mechanism causes the vehicle interior air to pass through the air blowing path. The most important feature is that the air is sucked into the sheet.

  According to the present invention, the interior air can be sucked from the seat surface by operating the air blowing mechanism. Therefore, when the vehicle interior air sucked into the seat is lower than the temperature of the seat surface, the seat surface can be cooled when the vehicle interior air passes through the seat surface.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 show an automobile seat cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Among these, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the seat cooling device in the vehicle interior air cooling mode, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the seat cooling device in the cooling air cooling mode.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat 1 to which the seat cooling apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is applied includes a seat cushion 2 and a seat back 3.

  And in this seat cooling device 10, while the ventilation path 12 which connects the inside and outside of the seat cushion 2 via the seat surface 2S is formed in the seat cushion 2, the sirocco fan 11 is provided as a ventilation mechanism which ventilates air. It has been. The seat surface 2S is formed of a breathable material such as a cloth skin or a leather skin with numerous small holes so as to allow air communication. Are appropriately dispersed. The sirocco fan 11 is automatically driven by receiving a power supply from a battery mounted on the automobile, regardless of an artificial switch operation (such as an ignition switch ON operation).

  The ventilation path 12 can communicate with the discharge port 11 b of the sirocco fan 11, and can also communicate with the suction port 11 a of the sirocco fan 11 via the relay path 13. However, whether the blower path 12 (the inlet / outlet 12a) is connected to the suction port 11a of the sirocco fan 11 or the discharge port 11b includes path switching including switching valves 14a and 14b made of butterfly valves, for example. The mechanism 14 can be selectively switched. The switching valves 14a and 14b are controlled in conjunction with each other.

  In the state of FIG. 1, the switching valve 14 b on the discharge port 11 b side blocks the blower path 12 and the discharge port 11 b and connects the blower path 12 and the relay path 13. At this time, the switching valve 14b communicates the discharge port 11b with the discharge path 16 having an opening outside the seat 1. On the other hand, the switching valve 14a on the suction port 11a side connects the relay path 13 and the suction port 11a. At this time, the switching valve 14a shuts off the suction port 11a and the cooling air introduction path 15 for introducing the cooling air from an air conditioner (not shown).

  Therefore, when the sirocco fan 11 is operated in the state of FIG. 1, the air in the passenger compartment is taken into the entrance / exit 12a from the outside of the seat surface 2S through the seat surface 2S, and the sirocco fan via the air supply path 12 and the relay path 13 11 is sucked into. The air discharged from the sirocco fan 11 is discharged out of the seat cushion 2 via the discharge path 16. That is, in the state of FIG. 1, the seat cooling device 10 is in the vehicle interior air cooling mode.

  The discharge path 16 preferably discharges air into, for example, a space below the seat (preferably the rear seat) or in the trunk so that the discharged air does not hit the occupant. is there.

  Furthermore, the sheet cooling apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment switches the path by the path switching mechanism 14 so that the cooling air from the air conditioner (not shown) is supplied to the sheet surface 2S via the air blowing path 12 and the sheet surface 2S. Can be discharged outside (cooling air cooling mode: FIG. 2).

  That is, in the state of FIG. 2, the switching valve 14 a on the suction port 11 a side connects the cooling air introduction path 15 and the suction port 11 a, and blocks the suction port 11 a and the relay path 13. On the other hand, the switching valve 14b on the discharge port 11b side communicates the discharge port 11b and the blower path 12, and blocks the discharge port 11b from the relay path 13 and the discharge path 16.

  Therefore, when the sirocco fan 11 is operated in a state where the air conditioner (not shown) is operating in the state of FIG. 2, the cooling air from the air conditioner is sent to the sirocco fan 11 via the cooling air introduction path 15. The cooling air sucked and discharged from the sirocco fan 11 is discharged to the outside of the sheet surface 2S through the air inlet / outlet 12a and the sheet surface 2S through the air passage 12. Note that it is not essential to operate the sirocco fan 11 if the flow rate of the cooling air introduced from the air conditioner can be sufficiently secured to be discharged from the seat surface 2S.

  The seat cooling apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration can efficiently cool the surface 2S of the seat cushion 2 by appropriately controlling the sirocco fan 11 and the path switching mechanism 14.

  FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the sheet cooling apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, the seat cooling apparatus 10 includes a controller 20 as a control mechanism. From this controller 20, a drive motor for the sirocco fan 11, a drive motor for the valves 14 a and 14 b of the path switching mechanism 14, and the like. A command signal is sent to. Various signals are input to the controller 20 from the air conditioner 21 (an amplifier thereof), the communication device 24, the temperature sensor 18, and the like. The controller 20 controls the sirocco fan 11 and the path switching mechanism 14 by performing predetermined arithmetic processing based on the input signal and sending out a command signal.

  The boarding detection mechanism 22 is configured as a part of the controller 20, for example, and is transmitted from a remote control device (remote control door key device) 23 carried by the passenger and received by the communication device 24 of the vehicle side door lock mechanism. Based on the wireless communication signal, it can be configured to detect that the occupant is in a state of getting into the automobile. Specifically, for example, when a passenger operates the remote control device 23 and a door lock release signal is transmitted from the remote control device 23 to the communication device 24, the boarding detection mechanism 22 receives the door lock release signal. This is detected as a passenger entering. Alternatively, when the intensity of the received signal from the remote control device 23 is equal to or exceeds a preset threshold value at a receiving antenna (not shown) of the communication device 24, it can be assumed that the occupant has approached the door. Therefore, the fact that the reception intensity exceeds the threshold value is detected as the occupant's boarding. In the latter case, it is preferable to adjust the reception range to a certain range near the door (handle) outside the vehicle by adjusting the installation position and directivity of the reception antenna.

  The temperature sensor 18 acquires a representative temperature and room temperature of the sheet surface 2S (for example, a thermocouple). Among these, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the temperature sensor 18 that detects the representative temperature of the sheet surface 2 </ b> S is provided in the blowing path 12 and detects the temperature of air in the blowing path 12. Can be configured.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control of the sheet cooling apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 20 cools the seat cushion 2 in the interior air cooling mode (FIG. 1) when the passenger detection mechanism 22 detects that an occupant gets into the vehicle (step S <b> 1). (Step S3). That is, the controller 20 controls the path switching mechanism 14 so that the air blowing path 12 is connected to the suction port 11 a of the sirocco fan 11, and the sirocco fan 11 is operated so that air in the vehicle interior passes through the air blowing path 12. To be sucked into the sheet 1.

  By doing so, the seat cushion 2 can be cooled in a situation where the air conditioner before the occupant gets into the automobile is not operating, so the temperature of the seat surface 2S can be lowered more quickly.

  However, when performing the cooling in step S3, it is preferable to determine whether the cooling is necessary or possible. That is, in step S2 before step S3, for example, when the temperature of the sheet surface 2S (detected temperature by the temperature sensor 18) is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold (for example, 35 ° C.), When the temperature difference from the in-vehicle air temperature is within a predetermined range (for example, within 3 ° C.), etc., cooling may be avoided. Further, even when the voltage of the battery as the power source of the sirocco fan 11 is low, it is possible to prevent the cooling.

  Then, when cooling by the air conditioner is started in the in-vehicle air cooling mode (step S4), it is preferable to switch to the cooling air cooling mode (FIG. 2) (step S5). By doing so, the temperature of the sheet surface 2S can be lowered more rapidly by using the cooling air of the air conditioner having a low temperature.

  This switching may be performed based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the sheet surface 2S and the room temperature. In this case, when the temperature of the seat surface 2S is higher than the room temperature and the temperature difference is large, the controller 20 maintains the cooling in the vehicle interior air cooling mode without executing the switching, and the temperature difference is a predetermined threshold value ( For example, switching is executed when the temperature is equal to or lower than 3 ° C.). As a result, it is possible to suppress the cooling air from being discharged while the temperature of the seat surface 2S is high, the temperature of the seat surface 2S abruptly changing, and the passenger feeling uncomfortable.

  FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of changes over time in the sheet surface temperature and room temperature when the sheet cooling apparatus is operated. The horizontal axis is time, the vertical axis is temperature, α is room temperature, β is the temperature of the seat surface in the present embodiment, and γ is the temperature of the seat surface when the vehicle interior air cooling mode is not provided (conventional).

  As shown in FIG. 5, according to the present embodiment, the seat surface 2S can be cooled using the air in the passenger compartment before the operation of the air conditioner is started. The temperature can be lowered more quickly.

  According to the present embodiment described above, by operating the sirocco fan 11, air in the passenger compartment can be sucked from the seat surface 2 </ b> S. Therefore, in a situation where the vehicle interior air is at a lower temperature than the temperature of the seat surface 2S, the seat surface 2S can be cooled when the vehicle interior air passes through the seat surface 2S. For example, when the seat surface 2S is heated for a long time under conditions such as under hot weather in summer, the temperature of the seat surface 2S is usually higher than the temperature of the passenger compartment air. The cooling effect by the vehicle interior air cooling mode can be obtained.

  In this embodiment, the cooling in the vehicle interior air cooling mode can be performed even in a state where the air conditioner is not operating. Therefore, the seat surface 2S is parked for a long time under conditions such as under hot weather in summer. When the temperature is high, the sirocco fan 11 can be operated before the operation of the air conditioner, and the temperature of the seat surface 2S can be lowered more quickly.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the air sucked by the sirocco fan 11 can be discharged below the seat, it is possible to suppress the passenger from feeling uncomfortable when the discharged air hits the passenger.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the path switching mechanism 14 is provided so that the air blowing path 12 can be shared in the indoor air cooling mode and the cooling air cooling mode, compared with the case where the air blowing path is provided separately for each mode, It can suppress that the sheet cooling device 10 enlarges or becomes complicated.

  In the present embodiment, the boarding detection mechanism 22 is provided, and the temperature of the seat surface 2S can be lowered more quickly because the cooling in the indoor air cooling mode can be started before the occupant gets into the automobile. .

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the cooling by the air conditioner is started, the temperature of the sheet surface 2S can be lowered more rapidly by performing the cooling in the cooling air cooling mode.

  Further, if the switching from the interior air cooling mode to the cooling air cooling mode is performed when the difference between the temperature of the seat surface 2S and the temperature in the passenger compartment falls within a predetermined range, the seat surface 2S is switched when the mode is switched. It is possible to suppress a sudden change in the temperature of the passenger and to suppress the occupant's uncomfortable feeling.

  In the present embodiment, the boarding detection mechanism 22 detects the boarding of the occupant based on the wireless communication signal received by the communication device 24 provided on the vehicle side from the remote control device 23 carried by the occupant. With a simple configuration, boarding detection can be performed with higher accuracy. Further, the temperature of the sheet surface 2S can be lowered more quickly by the amount that the cooling can be started before boarding.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the present embodiment, the case where the seat cooling device 10 is applied to the seat cushion 2 in the front seat has been illustrated, but the seat cooling device according to the present invention can be used for the seat back 3 or the seat cushion 2 and the seat back 3. The present invention can be applied to both of them in the same manner, and may be applied to the rear seat. Further, a fan other than the sirocco fan (for example, an axial fan or a cross flow fan) can be used as the air blowing mechanism.

It is a schematic block diagram in the state which exists in the vehicle interior air cooling mode of the seat cooling device concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram in the state which exists in the air-conditioning cooling mode of the sheet | seat cooling device concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a control block diagram of the sheet cooling device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of control of the sheet | seat cooling device concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent change of the seat surface temperature by the seat cooling device concerning one Embodiment of this invention with the time-dependent change of vehicle interior temperature and the conventional seat surface temperature.

Explanation of symbols

1 seat 2 seat cushion (seat)
2S sheet surface 10 sheet cooling device 11 sirocco fan (air blowing mechanism)
11a Suction port 11b Discharge port 12 Air supply route 14 Route switching mechanism 15 Cooling air introduction route 20 Controller (control mechanism)

Claims (7)

In the sheet, a blowing path that communicates the inside and outside of the sheet through the sheet surface is formed, and a blowing mechanism that blows air is provided,
A seat cooling apparatus for an automobile, wherein the air blowing mechanism sucks air in the vehicle interior into the seat through the air blowing path.   The automobile seat cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air sucked by the air blowing mechanism is discharged to the lower side of the seat. A cooling air introduction path for introducing the cooling air of the air conditioner is formed in the seat,
A state in which the blower path is connected to the suction side of the blower mechanism; a state in which the cooling air introduction path is connected to the suction side of the blower mechanism and the blower path is connected to the discharge side of the blower mechanism; A path switching mechanism for switching between
In the state where the cooling air introduction path is connected to the suction side of the air blowing mechanism and the air blowing path is connected to the discharge side of the air blowing mechanism, the cooling air introduced from the air conditioner through the cooling air introduction path The vehicle seat cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is discharged out of the seat through the air blowing path and the seat surface. A boarding detection mechanism for detecting that a passenger enters the car;
A control mechanism for controlling the operation of the air blowing mechanism and the path switching mechanism,
The control mechanism, when it is detected by the boarding detection mechanism that an occupant gets into the automobile, controls the path switching mechanism so that the blowing path is connected to the suction side of the blowing mechanism, 4. The vehicle seat cooling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the air blower mechanism is controlled so that the air in the passenger compartment is sucked into the seat through the air blowing path.   When the control mechanism controls the air blowing mechanism and the path switching mechanism so that the air in the vehicle interior is sucked into the seat through the air blowing path, when the cooling by the air conditioner is started The cooling air introduction path is connected to the suction side of the blower mechanism and the blower path is connected to the discharge side of the blower mechanism by controlling the path switching mechanism and introduced from the air conditioner. 5. The vehicle seat cooling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air-cooling air is discharged out of the seat through the air passage and the seat surface.   The control mechanism detects a temperature difference between a seat surface temperature and a passenger compartment temperature, and controls the blower mechanism and the route switching mechanism so that the passenger compartment air is sucked into the seat through the blower passage. When the cooling by the air conditioner is started and the temperature difference is within a predetermined range, the path switching mechanism is controlled so that the cooling air introduction path is moved to the suction side of the air blowing mechanism. It is connected and the air flow path is connected to the discharge side of the air blowing mechanism so that the cooling air introduced from the air conditioner is discharged outside the sheet through the air flow path and the sheet surface. The vehicle seat cooling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein   5. The occupant detection mechanism detects an occupant's entry based on a wireless communication signal transmitted from a remote control device possessed by the occupant and received by a communication device provided on the vehicle side. The vehicle seat cooling device according to any one of?

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