JP2023088269A - Seat - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a seat which can blow air to a seated person efficiently.SOLUTION: A seat 1 includes: a seat lower part 12 including a seat cushion 5; and a seat upper part 11 which is located at a higher position than the seat cushion and includes a seat back 6 and a headrest 7. The seat 1 further has: ventilation ports 25, 45 respectively provided at the seat upper part and the seat lower part; a blower 19 which sends air from one of the ventilation ports; and a suction machine 19 which suctions air from the other of the ventilation ports. An air sending direction of the air sent from the one of the ventilation ports is directed to the ventilation port at the suction machine side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a seat, and more particularly to a seat mounted on a vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat with a seat heater. The seat heater includes a heater unit, an air blower arranged at a portion corresponding to the heater unit, and a control device for controlling outputs of the heater unit and the air blower.

2. Description of the Related Art A seat cushion of a vehicle seat or a pad material of a seat back has a plurality of ventilation holes formed on its surface and an air passage communicating with the ventilation holes. The seat cushion and seat back are configured to blow air from the seat surface toward the occupant through the ventilation holes and the upholstery by the operation of a blower.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a seat capable of efficiently delivering fragrance to a seated person. The seat includes an air outlet and an air inlet arranged in the upper part of the seat including the seat back and the headrest, at least one fan forming an air flow from the air outlet to the air inlet on the front side of the upper part of the seat, and blown out from the air outlet. and an air freshener for adding fragrance to the air.

JP 2017-178129 A JP 2020-195429 A

In order to provide an environment that matches the sensible temperature of the seated person, it is conceivable to provide an air conditioner for cooling and heating for each seat. However, providing an air conditioner for each seat increases power requirements. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a technique for efficiently blowing cool air or warm air to a person sitting on a seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the background described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a seat that can efficiently blow air to a seated person.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a seat lower part (12) including a seat cushion (5), a seat back (6) and a headrest (7) above the seat cushion. air vents (25, 45) provided in said upper and lower seat portions respectively; and an air blower for blowing air from one of said vents. (19), and an air intake (19) for sucking air from the other of the vents, wherein the air supplied from one of the vents is directed toward the vent on the side of the air intake. ing.

According to this aspect, it is possible to create a favorable air flow between the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, so that it is possible to efficiently blow air to the seated occupant.

In the above aspect, preferably the one and the other of the vents are opposed to each other.

According to this aspect, it is possible to favorably generate an airflow from one side of the vent to the other.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one of the vents is provided with a louver (63) for adjusting the direction of air flow.

According to this aspect, the direction of air flow in the vent can be adjusted by the louver. Therefore, it is possible to favorably generate an airflow from one side of the vent to the other.

In the above aspect, preferably, the vents provided in the upper part of the seat are located on left and right sides of the upper front surface of the seat back, and the vents provided in the lower part of the seat are located in front of the upper surface of the seat cushion. located in the department.

According to this aspect, it becomes difficult for the body of the seated person to block the supply of air or the intake of air from the vent.

In the above aspect, preferably, the vent holes are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper part of the seat and the other of the left and right sides of the lower part of the seat, respectively, and the air flow (F1 -F4) is generated.

According to this aspect, since an air current that straddles the seated person is generated, it is possible to effectively blow air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively, so that diagonal airflows (F1, F2, F3, F4) are generated when viewed from the front. .

According to this aspect, since two air currents are generated that straddle the seated person in the diagonal direction, it is possible to effectively blow air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, the air vents are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper portion of the seat and one of the left and right sides of the lower portion of the seat, respectively, and the airflow (F11- F14) is generated.

According to this aspect, since the airflow is generated along the side of the seated person, it is possible to effectively blow the air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively, so that airflows (F11, F12, F13, F14) parallel to the center line when viewed from the front are generated. generated.

According to this aspect, since the air currents are generated along the left and right sides of the seated person, it is possible to effectively blow the air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably the seat lower portion includes an ottoman (59).

According to this aspect, an airflow can be generated in the vicinity of the legs of the seated person.

In the above aspect, it is preferable to include a fan (19) provided for each of the vents, and a control device (50) for controlling the driving of the fan, wherein the control device controls the flow of air from the corresponding vent. Controls the driving of the fan for delivery and suction.

According to this aspect, by controlling the driving of the fan, it is possible to switch the supply of air from the vent and the intake of air.

In the above aspect, preferably, a temperature control unit (55) is provided for at least one of heating and cooling the air to be delivered.

According to this aspect, the air sent toward the seated person can be heated and cooled.

In the above aspect, preferably, the temperature control unit includes a heater (21) provided above the seat for warming the air sent out from the vent.

According to this aspect, hot air can be sent downward from the upper portion of the seat. This can prevent warm air from staying in the upper part of the room. Therefore, heating efficiency can be improved.

In the above aspect, the temperature control unit preferably includes a cooler (41) provided under the seat for cooling the air sent out from the vent.

According to this aspect, the cool air can be sent upward from the lower portion of the seat. This can prevent cold air from staying in the lower part of the room. Therefore, cooling efficiency can be improved.

In the above aspect, preferably, a seat occupant sensor (70) that detects the state of a occupant, and the air blower, the air intake, and the temperature control unit are controlled based on the detection result of the seat occupant sensor. a controller (50) for controlling at least one drive.

According to this aspect, the air can be blown according to the state of the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a seat state sensor (62) detects the state of at least one of the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, and the air blower and the air intake are detected based on the detection result of the seat state sensor. and a control device (50) for controlling driving of at least one of the temperature control units.

According to this aspect, the air can be blown according to the state of the sheet.

The present invention provides a seat comprising a seat lower portion including a seat cushion, and a seat upper portion above the seat cushion and including a seat back and a headrest, wherein the seat upper portion and the seat lower portion are provided respectively. a vent, an air blower for blowing air from one of the vents, and an air intake for sucking air from the other of the vents, wherein the direction of the air blown from one of the vents is It faces the vent on the side of the intake machine.

According to this aspect, it is possible to create a favorable air flow between the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, so that it is possible to efficiently blow air to the seated occupant.

In the above aspect, preferably the one and the other of the vents are opposed to each other.

According to this aspect, it is possible to favorably generate an airflow from one side of the vent to the other.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one of the vents is provided with a louver for adjusting the direction of air flow.

According to this aspect, the direction of air flow in the vent can be adjusted by the louver. Therefore, it is possible to favorably generate an airflow from one side of the vent to the other.

In the above aspect, preferably, the vents provided in the upper part of the seat are located on left and right sides of the upper front surface of the seat back, and the vents provided in the lower part of the seat are located in front of the upper surface of the seat cushion. located in the department.

According to this aspect, it becomes difficult for the body of the seated person to block the supply of air or the intake of air from the vent.

In the above aspect, preferably, the air vents are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper portion of the seat and the other of the left and right sides of the lower portion of the seat, respectively, so that an airflow is generated in a direction crossing the center line in a front view.

According to this aspect, since an air current that straddles the seated person is generated, it is possible to effectively blow air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively, so that diagonal airflows are generated when viewed from the front.

According to this aspect, since two air currents are generated that straddle the seated person in the diagonal direction, it is possible to effectively blow air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, the air vents are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper portion of the seat and one of the left and right sides of the lower portion of the seat, respectively, so that an airflow is generated in a direction parallel to the center line when viewed from the front. be.

According to this aspect, since the airflow is generated along the side of the seated person, it is possible to effectively blow the air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively, to generate an air flow parallel to the center line in a front view.

According to this aspect, since the air currents are generated along the left and right sides of the seated person, it is possible to effectively blow the air to the seated person.

In the above aspect, the seat lower portion preferably includes an ottoman.

According to this aspect, an airflow can be generated in the vicinity of the legs of the seated person.

In the above aspect, it is preferable to include a fan provided for each of the vents, and a control device for controlling the driving of the fan, wherein the control device sends out and sucks air from the corresponding vent. , to control the driving of the fan.

According to this aspect, by controlling the driving of the fan, it is possible to switch the supply of air from the vent and the intake of air.

The above aspect preferably includes a temperature control unit that performs at least one of heating and cooling of the delivered air.

According to this aspect, the air sent toward the seated person can be heated and cooled.

In the above aspect, preferably, the temperature control unit includes a heater provided above the seat for warming the air sent out from the vent.

According to this aspect, hot air can be sent downward from the upper portion of the seat. This can prevent warm air from staying in the upper part of the room. Therefore, heating efficiency can be improved.

In the above aspect, preferably, the temperature control unit includes a cooler provided under the seat for cooling the air sent out from the vent.

According to this aspect, the cool air can be sent upward from the lower portion of the seat. This can prevent cold air from staying in the lower part of the room. Therefore, cooling efficiency can be improved.

In the above aspect, preferably, a seat occupant sensor for detecting a state of a seat occupant, and at least one of the air blower, the air intake, and the temperature control unit is controlled based on the detection result of the seat occupant sensor. and a control device for controlling the drive.

According to this aspect, the air can be blown according to the state of the seated person.

In the above aspect, preferably, a seat state sensor detects the state of at least one of the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, and the air blower, the air intake, and and a control device that controls driving of at least one of the temperature control units.

According to this aspect, the air can be blown according to the state of the sheet.

1 is a perspective view of a seat according to a first embodiment; FIG. Perspective sectional view corresponding to II-II in FIG. Side view of the seat according to the first embodiment Block diagram of the airflow generation unit (A) Perspective view showing airflow during cooling process and (B) airflow during heating process (A) Front view showing airflow during cooling process and (B) airflow during heating process The perspective view which shows the modification of the sheet|seat which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The side view which shows the modification of the sheet|seat which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The front view which shows the modification of the sheet|seat which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a modification of the seat according to the first embodiment, and (A) an example in which the seat back and the seat cushion are each provided with vent holes on the left and right sides, and Example when ventilation holes are provided A perspective view showing a modified example of the seat according to the first embodiment, showing (A) airflow during cooling processing and (B) airflow during heating processing when airflow parallel to the center line of the seat is generated. Side view of the seat according to the second embodiment Side view of the seat according to the third embodiment (A) Perspective view showing the installation position of the pressure sensor in a modification of the seat according to the third embodiment, and (B) A cross-sectional enlarged view taken along line XIVB-XIVB in (A).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a seat according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a front seat of a passenger car, particularly a seat constituting a driver's seat, will be described below. However, the present invention can be widely applied to a seat or the like that constitutes a rear seat. In the following description, the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions are defined with reference to an occupant seated on the seat, that is, the seated person.

<<First Embodiment>>
As shown in FIG. 1, a seat 1 is placed on a floor 3 that defines a lower portion of a vehicle interior 2 . It has a seat cushion 5 and a seat back 6 supported on the rear part of the seat cushion 5. - 特許庁The seat cushion 5 supports the buttocks of a person sitting on the seat 1 from below. The seat back 6 is arranged behind the back of the seated person and functions as a backrest. A headrest 7 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 6 .

Hereinafter, the upper surface of the seat cushion 5 will be referred to as a seat surface 8 and the front surface of the seat back 6 will be referred to as a backrest surface 9 .

Further, the seat back 6 and the headrest 7 are collectively referred to as a seat upper portion 11 and the seat cushion 5 is referred to as a seat lower portion 12 as appropriate. The seat upper portion 11 corresponds to a portion capable of supporting the upper body (back and head) of the seat occupant, and the seat lower portion 12 is capable of supporting the lower body (buttocks and thighs) of the seat 1 occupant. It corresponds to the part that can be done.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the seatback 6 has a seatback frame 13 forming a skeleton, a pad 14 supported by the seatback frame 13 , and a skin material 15 covering the pad 14 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the pad 14 forming the seat back 6 is provided with two ventilation holes 18 extending rearward from the front surface thereof.

A front end portion of one of the vent holes 18 extends along an axis X passing through the upper left portion of the front surface of the pad 14 . The front end portion of one air hole 18 is open at the upper left portion of the front surface of the pad 14 . The other vent 18 extends along an axis Y passing through the upper right portion of the front surface of pad 14 . The other vent hole 18 is open at the upper right portion of the front surface of the pad 14 . The front end opening portions of the two air holes 18 are provided at positions corresponding to the left and right shoulders (also referred to as shoulder openings) of a seated person of a standard build.

As shown in FIG. 1, the axis X passes through the upper left portion of the front surface (backrest surface 9) of the seat back 6 and the right front portion of the upper surface (seat surface 8) of the seat cushion 5. As shown in FIG. The axis Y passes through the upper right portion of the front surface of the seat back 6 and the left front portion of the upper surface of the seat cushion 5 .

As shown in FIG. 3, fans 19 are provided at the rear ends of the air holes 18, respectively. The fan 19 can send air into the vent hole 18 (that is, send air into the inside). Further, the fan 19 can suck air from the inside of the ventilation hole 18 to the rear of the seat back 6 (that is, suck air from the inside). The fan 19 may be, for example, a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. It is preferable that the fan 19 can switch between supplying air (also referred to as air blowing) to the inside of the ventilation hole 18 and sucking air from the inside of the ventilation hole 18 according to the rotation direction of the fan 19 .

The upholstery material 15 forming the seat back 6 is provided with ventilation portions 20 at positions overlapping the openings of the ventilation holes 18 . The air-permeable part 20 is a part with higher air permeability than other parts of the skin material 15, and is preferably made of a mesh-like woven cloth material. In addition, the ventilation part 20 may be configured by providing a plurality of holes penetrating through the skin material 15 in its thickness direction.

A heating unit 21 (heater) is provided inside the ventilation hole 18 of the seat back 6 . The heating unit 21 is composed of a heating wire 22 . However, the heating unit 21 is not limited to the heating wire 22, and may be, for example, a heating device that performs heating by circulating a predetermined medium in a tube.

When the fan 19 sends air into the air vent 18 , the air is sent toward the vicinity of the shoulder of the seated person positioned in front of the seat back 6 through the air vent 20 and the air vent 18 . At this time, the fan 19 functions as an air blower that sends air to the seated person. When the fan 19 sucks air from the inside of the vent hole 18 , the air is sucked from the vicinity of the shoulder of the seated person positioned in front of the seat back 6 via the ventilation part 20 and the vent hole 18 . At this time, the fan 19 functions as an air intake device that sucks air from the seat surface 8 .

Air is sent to the front side of the seat back 6 and air is sucked out (that is, air is ventilated to the front side of the seat back 6) on the front surface (backrest surface 9) of the seat back 6 by the ventilation part 20 and the ventilation holes 18. A vent 25 is formed for this purpose. In this embodiment, the backrest surface 9 is formed with a pair of left and right air vents 25 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the seat cushion 5 also includes a seat cushion frame 33 forming a skeleton, a pad 34 supported by the seat cushion frame 33, and an upholstery material 35 covering the pad 34, similarly to the seat back 6. have

As shown in FIG. 3, the pad 34 forming the seat cushion 5 is provided with two ventilation holes 38 extending downward from the upper surface thereof.

The upper end portion of one air hole 38 is open at the left front portion of the upper surface of the pad 34 and extends along the Y axis. The upper end portion of the other air hole 38 opens at the right front portion of the upper surface of the pad 34 and extends along the axis X. As shown in FIG. The upper end openings of the air holes 38 are provided at positions corresponding to the thighs of a person of a standard build.

Fans 39 are provided at the lower ends of the ventilation holes 38, respectively. The fan 39 can send air into (that is, supply air to) the inside of the vent hole 38 . Further, the fan 19 can suck air from the inside of the ventilation hole 38 to the lower side of the seat cushion 5 (that is, suck air from the inside). The fan 39 may be, for example, a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. It is preferable that the fan 39 can switch between supplying air (also referred to as air blowing) to the inside of the ventilation hole 38 and sucking air from the inside of the ventilation hole 38 according to the rotation direction of the fan 39 .

The skin material 35 forming the seat cushion 5 is provided with ventilation portions 40 at positions overlapping the openings of the ventilation holes 38 . The air-permeable part 40 is a part with higher air permeability than other parts of the skin material 35, and is preferably made of a mesh-like woven cloth material or the like. In addition, the ventilation part 40 may be configured by providing a plurality of holes penetrating through the skin material 35 in its thickness direction.

A cooling unit 41 (cooler) is provided inside the ventilation hole 38 of the seat cushion 5 . The cooling unit 41 is composed of a Peltier element 42 . However, the cooling unit 41 is not limited to the Peltier element 42, and may be, for example, a cooling device that performs cooling by circulating a predetermined medium in a tube.

When the fan 39 sends out air into the vent hole 38 , the air is sent toward the thighs of the seated person positioned above the seat cushion 5 via the vent part 40 and the vent hole 38 . At this time, the fan 39 functions as an air blower that sends air to the seated person. When the fan 39 sucks air from the inside of the air vent 38 to below the seat cushion 5 , the air is sucked from the vicinity of the thigh located above the seat cushion 5 via the air vent 40 and the air vent 38 . At this time, the fan 39 functions as an air intake device that sucks air from the seat surface 8 .

The upper surface (seat surface 8) of the seat cushion 5 is provided with the ventilation part 40 and the ventilation hole 38 for sending air to the upper side of the seat cushion 5 and for sucking air (that is, ventilating to the upper side of the seat cushion 5). A vent 45 is formed in the In this embodiment, the seat surface 8 is formed with a pair of left and right air vents 45 .

The front end portion of the left vent hole 18 provided in the seat back 6 and the upper end portion of the right vent hole 38 provided in the seat cushion 5 extend along the axis X, respectively. That is, the left vent 25 provided in the seat back 6 and the right vent 45 of the seat cushion 5 face each other. The right vent hole 18 provided in the seat back 6 and the left vent hole 38 provided in the seat cushion 5 extend along the axis Y, respectively. That is, the right vent 25 provided in the seat back 6 and the left vent 45 of the seat cushion 5 face each other.

In the present embodiment, the extending direction of the front end portion of the air vent 18 of the seat back 6 and the extending direction of the upper end portion of the air vent 38 of the seat cushion 5 are the directions in which there is no occupant on the seat 1 (the occupant is not seated). not). However, it is not limited to this aspect, and for example, it may be determined based on the extension direction when a seated person having a standard physique sits down.

The seat 1 is provided with a control device 50 that controls two fans 19 provided on the seat back 6 and two fans 39 provided on the seat cushion 5 . As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 50 includes a processor 51 such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory 52 such as a volatile memory (RAM) or a nonvolatile memory (ROM), and an SSD (solid state drive). and a storage device 53 such as a hard disk drive (HDD). The control device 50 may be provided on the back surface of the seat back 6 or the bottom surface of the seat cushion 5 , or may be provided inside the seat back 6 or the seat cushion 5 . In this embodiment, the control device 50 is provided on the lower surface of the seat cushion 5 at a position that does not overlap the fan 39 or the ventilation holes 38 .

The control device 50 drives the fans 19 and 39 provided in one of the seat cushion 5 and the seat back 6 to send air through the vents 25 and 45 . At the same time, the control device 50 drives the fans 19 and 39 provided on the other of the seat cushion 5 and the seat back 6 to draw air from the vents 25 and 45 . As a result, an air current is generated that flows between the vicinity of the upper half of the body and the vicinity of the lower half of the seated person's body on the front surface of the seat 1 . That is, the airflow generation unit 54 (airflow generation device) that generates an airflow on the front surface of the seat 1 is composed of the vents 25 and 45 , the fans 19 and 39 , and the control device 50 .

The control device 50 is connected to the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41, and can control driving of the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41, respectively.

In this embodiment, armrests 56 are provided on the left and right side portions of the seat back 6 . An input section 58 including at least one input switch 57 is provided on the upper surface of the armrest 56 . The control device 50 (processor 51 ) controls the fans 19 and 39 , the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41 by executing a predetermined program based on the input to the input section 58 . In this embodiment, the input switch 57 is composed of, for example, a touch panel, a membrane switch, or the like, and can receive inputs corresponding to heating and cooling respectively. The control device 50 performs heating processing when detecting an input corresponding to heating, and performs cooling processing when detecting an input corresponding to cooling.

In the cooling process, the control device 50 drives the cooling unit 41 and also drives the fan 39 of the seat cushion 5 to send out air from the vent hole 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 . At this time, the air sent out from the vent hole 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 is cooled by the cooling unit 41 and becomes cold air. At the same time, the control device 50 drives the fan 19 of the seat back 6 to suck out air from the vent 25 provided in the seat back 6 .

In the heating process, the control device 50 drives the heating unit 21 and drives the fan 19 of the seat back 6 to send out air from the vent 25 provided in the seat back 6 . At this time, the air sent out from the vent hole 25 provided in the seat back 6 is heated by the heating unit 21 and becomes warm air. At the same time, the control device 50 drives the fan 39 of the seat cushion 5 to suck out air from the vent hole 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 .

Thus, the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41 constitute a temperature control unit 55 for controlling the temperature of the air sent out from the air vents 25 and 45 .

Next, a method for manufacturing the seat 1 configured in this way will be described. An operator who manufactures the seat 1 first prepares the frame of the seat 1 including the seat back frame 13 and the seat cushion frame 33, arranges the pad 14 on the seat back frame 13, and arranges the pad 34 on the seat cushion 5. . After that, the operator installs the fan 19 and the heating unit 21 at positions corresponding to the ventilation holes 18 of the seat back 6, and the fan 39 and the cooling unit 41 at positions corresponding to the ventilation holes 38 of the seat cushion 5, respectively. Furthermore, the operator installs the control device 50 on the lower surface of the seat cushion 5 at a position that does not overlap the fan 39 and the ventilation hole 38, and the fans 19 and 39, the heating unit 21, and the cooling unit 41 are installed on the control device 50, respectively. Connecting. After that, the worker covers the pads 14 and 34 with the upholstery materials 15 and 35 and connects the headrest 7 to the seat back 6 to complete the manufacturing of the seat 1 .

Next, the effects of the seat 1 configured in this manner will be described.

During the cooling process, the air is cooled by the cooling unit 41 and sent out from the vent hole 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 . Since the upper end portion of the right front ventilation hole 38 provided in the seat cushion 5 extends along the axis X, the direction of the air (air blowing direction) from the ventilation opening 45 is generally along the axis X, Facing the vent 18 on the left. Since the fan 19 provided in the seat back 6 is controlled by the control device 50 to draw air from the corresponding ventilation hole 18, as shown in FIGS. An airflow F1 of cool air is generated that crosses the center line O (see FIG. 6A) of 1 and that is directed from the lower right to the upper left.

Similarly, since the upper end portion of the left front ventilation hole 38 provided in the seat cushion 5 extends along the axis Y, the airflow direction is along the axis Y and directed to the ventilation hole 18 on the right side of the seat back 6. . Since the fan 19 provided in the seat back 6 is controlled by the control device 50 to draw air from the corresponding ventilation hole 18, as shown in FIGS. An airflow F2 of cool air is generated that crosses the center line O (see FIG. 6A) of 1 and that is directed from the lower left to the upper right. Therefore, during cooling and heating, two air currents F1 and F2 directed from one of the lower left and right sides of the seat 1 to the other upper left and right sides of the seat 1 in a front view are generated so as to cross the center line O of the seat 1 and collide with each other.

During the heating process, the air is heated by the heating unit 21 and sent out from the ventilation hole 18 provided in the seat back 6 . Since the front end portion of the left vent hole 18 provided in the seat back 6 extends along the axis X, the direction of the air (blowing direction) from the vent 25 is along the axis X and reaches the right front portion of the seat cushion 5. toward the vent 38 of the . Since the fan 39 provided in the seat cushion 5 is controlled by the control device 50 so as to draw air from the corresponding ventilation hole 38, as shown in FIGS. A warm airflow F3 that crosses the center line O (see FIG. 6B) of 1 and is directed from the upper left to the lower right is generated.

Similarly, since the front end portion of the right air vent 18 provided in the seat back 6 extends along the axis Y, the airflow direction is along the axis Y and directed to the air vent 38 in the left front portion of the seat cushion 5. . Since the fan 39 provided in the seat cushion 5 is controlled by the control device 50 so as to draw air from the corresponding ventilation hole 38, as shown in FIGS. A warm airflow F4 is generated that intersects the center line O of 1 (see FIG. 6B) and that is directed from the upper right to the lower left. Therefore, during the heating process, two airflows F3 and F4 directed from one upper left and right sides of the seat 1 to the other lower left and right sides in a front view are generated so as to cross the center line O of the seat 1 and collide with each other.

In this manner, two airflows F1 to F4 directed in diagonal directions when viewed from the front are generated both during the cooling process and during the heating process. Since the airflows F1 to F4 are formed so as to straddle the center line O of the seat 1, they can be effectively blown to the seated person. Also, during both the cooling process and the heating process, two airflows F1 to F4 are formed that are oriented diagonally and envelop the body of the seated person. As a result, the surroundings of the seated person can be efficiently cooled during the cooling process, and the surroundings of the seated person can be efficiently warmed during the heating process. Therefore, the comfort of the seat 1 is enhanced.

During the cooling process, the airflows F1 and F2 are formed so as to face upward from the bottom, so cold air is less likely to stay in the lower part of the compartment 2. - 特許庁Further, during the heating process, the airflows F3 and F4 are formed so as to direct from top to bottom, so warm air is less likely to stay in the upper part of the compartment 2 . Therefore, cooling and heating efficiency can be improved, and power consumption can be suppressed.

Also, the air vents 25 of the seat back 6 are provided on the right and left sides of the upper front portion of the seat back 6, near the shoulders of the seated person. Therefore, compared with the case where the vent 25 is provided in the lower front portion of the seat back 6, the vent 25 is less likely to be blocked by the upper body of the seated person. Also, the air vents 45 of the seat cushion 5 are provided in the front portion of the upper surface of the seat cushion 5 (more specifically, the left and right side portions of the front portion of the upper surface). Therefore, compared with the case where the vent 45 is provided in the rear portion of the upper surface of the seat cushion 5, the vent 45 is less likely to be blocked by the body of the seated person. Therefore, air supply/intake is less likely to be hindered by the body of the seated person, and air supply/intake is performed satisfactorily.

<Modification>
In the above-described embodiment, the seat back 6 is provided with the vent 25, but the seat upper portion 11 and the seat lower portion 12 may be provided with the vent 25, respectively. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , instead of the seat back 6 , the headrest 7 may be provided with a vent 25 . Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 8, it is preferable that the vent 25 provided in the headrest 7 and the vent 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 are configured to face each other.

As shown in FIG. 9, the front end of the seat cushion 5 may be provided with an ottoman 59 serving as a footrest. The seat cushion 5 and the ottoman 59 constitute a seat lower portion 12 that supports the lower body of the seated person. In that case, the vent 45 may be provided at any position of the seat lower portion 12. Specifically, instead of the seat cushion 5, the ottoman 59 may be provided with the vent 45. good too.

When the ottoman 59 is provided with the ventilation holes 45 , they may be provided at both left and right edges of the surface of the ottoman 59 facing the seated person. When the surface of the ottoman 59 facing the seated person is provided with a bank portion that protrudes toward the seated person, the vent 45 may be provided in the bank portion.

In the above embodiment, the seat upper portion 11 (seat back 6) is provided with two left and right air vents 25, and the seat lower portion 12 (seat cushion 5) is provided with two left and right air vents 45. The mode is not limited. As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, there is a mode in which a vent hole 25 is provided in one of the left and right sides of the seat upper portion 11 or in the center portion in the left and right direction, and one of the left and right sides of the lower seat portion 12 or in the center portion in the left and right direction is ventilated. A mode in which the mouth 45 is provided may be used. As shown in FIG. 10(B), when the air vent 45 is provided in the center portion of the seat cushion 5 in the left-right direction, the shape (size, width, etc.) is adjusted so that the two air vents 25 are positioned in the air blowing area. is preferably configured.

In the above-described embodiment, the air holes 18 of the seat back 6 and the air holes 38 of the seat cushion 5 are formed at their ends so as to extend along the axis X and the axis Y extending in the diagonal direction of the seat 1 when viewed from the front. However, it is not limited to this aspect. A front end portion of the air hole 18 of the seat back 6 and an upper end portion of the air hole 38 of the seat cushion 5 are formed to extend along an axis L and an axis M extending parallel to the center line O of the seat 1 when viewed from the front. may be

In this case, during the cooling process, as shown in FIG. 11A, a cold airflow F11 directed from the lower left to the upper left and a cold airflow F12 directed from the lower right to the upper right are viewed from the front, and the center line of the seat 1 Two air streams parallel to O are generated. During the heating process, as shown in FIG. 11B, a warm airflow F13 directed from the upper left to the lower left and a warm airflow F14 directed from the upper right to the lower right are arranged parallel to the center line O of the seat 1 in a front view. A single airflow is generated.

This creates two airflows F11-F14 along the sides of the seated person and enveloping the body of the seated person. Therefore, the surroundings of the seated person can be effectively cooled during the cooling process, and the surroundings of the seated person can be effectively warmed during the heating process. Therefore, the comfort of the seat 1 is enhanced.

However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. An aspect in which an airflow in a direction parallel to the center line O in a front view is generated only on one of the left and right sides may be employed. In this case as well, since the airflow is generated on one of the left and right sides of the seated person, the airflow is better blown to the seated person than in the case where the airflow is not generated.

<<Second Embodiment>>
As shown in FIG. 12, the seat 1 according to the second embodiment includes a displacement mechanism 61 for changing the position and shape of the seat 1, a seat state sensor 62 for detecting the state of the seat 1, and a ventilation hole 18. A louver 63 is provided.

The displacement mechanism 61 is provided between the seat back 6 and the seat cushion 5 and includes a reclining device 65 that tilts the seat back 6 with respect to the seat cushion 5 . The displacement mechanism 61 may also consist of a device for moving the seat cushion 5 and the seat back 6 back and forth with respect to the floor 3 .

The seat state sensor 62 is an angle sensor that detects the tilt angle (reclining angle) of the seat back 6 .

The louver 63 includes a plurality of louver plates 63A arranged in parallel and a motor 63B for changing the direction of the main surface of the louver plate 63A. Motor 63B is connected to control device 50 . The control device 50 controls the driving of the motor 63B to change the direction of the main surface of the wing plate 63A. In the present embodiment, the control device 50 changes the direction of the wing plate 63A based on the angle obtained by the angle sensor, and directs the direction of the air sent out from the ventilation holes 18 to the ventilation holes 18 to be taken in. to control.

In the cooling process, the control device 50 controls the louver 63 provided in the ventilation hole 38 in the left front portion of the seat cushion 5 so that the air blowing direction from the ventilation hole 18 in the left front portion of the seat cushion 5 is directed to the right side of the seat back 6. It is controlled to face the air vent 18 . In the cooling process, the control device 50 also controls the louver 63 provided in the ventilation hole 38 in the right front portion of the seat cushion 5 so that the air blowing direction from the ventilation hole 38 in the right front portion of the seat cushion 5 is directed toward the seat back 6. Control to face the vent hole 18 on the left side.

In the heating process, the control device 50 controls the louver 63 provided in the left ventilation hole 18 of the seat back 6 so that the air blowing direction from the left ventilation hole 18 of the seat back 6 is directed to the right front part of the seat cushion 5 . It is controlled to face the pores 38 . In the heating process, the control device 50 also controls the louver 63 provided in the right ventilation hole 18 of the seat back 6 so that the air blowing direction from the right ventilation hole 18 of the seat back 6 is directed toward the left front portion of the seat cushion 5. air vent 38.

Next, the effects of the seat 1 configured in this manner will be described. The control device 50 controls the louvers 63 of the ventilation openings 25 and 45 through which air is blown toward the seated person so that the air blowing direction is directed to the ventilation openings 25 and 45 through which air is drawn. Therefore, two air currents can be favorably generated in the vicinity of the seated person.

<Modification>
When the control device 50 detects that the reclining angle detected by the seat state sensor 62 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value in at least one of the heating process and the cold air process, the control device 50 stops the air intake from the air vents 25 and 45, and the air is ventilated. The fans 19 and 39 may be controlled so as to blow air only from the mouth 45 . The threshold value may be set based on the range of reclining angles in which the louvers 63 can be controlled to direct the direction of the airflow to the corresponding intake ports 25 and 45 . As a result, the driving of the fans 19 and 39 for inhaling air is stopped when the seat back 6 is in the relax mode in which the seat back 6 is tilted backward from the normal position and it is difficult to generate the airflow. Therefore, power consumption can be suppressed.

The seat state sensor 62 is not limited to a sensor that detects the reclining angle. For example, the seat state sensor 62 may be configured to detect the presence or absence of displacement of the seat 1 with respect to the floor 3 . The displacement of the seat 1 can include, for example, forward/backward/lateral slide, rotation, reclining, height (vertical movement of the seat cushion 5 with respect to the floor 3), and tilt (rotation of the seat cushion 5 with respect to the floor 3). Alternatively, the seat state sensor 62 may detect whether or not a part of the seat 1 (for example, the armrest 56) is displaced.

At this time, the controller 50 may be configured to control at least one of the fans 19 and 39, the cooling unit 41, and the heating unit 21 based on the presence or absence of displacement detected by the seat state sensor 62. Specifically, the control device 50 may be configured to interrupt (or prohibit) the cooling process or the heating process when the seat state sensor 62 detects the displacement of the seat 1 . As a result, when the seat 1 is displaced, the driving of the air conditioners such as the fans 19 and 39, the cooling unit 41, and the heating unit 21 is interrupted (prohibited). Consumption can be reduced.

When a plurality of air vents 25 and 45 are provided in the seat upper portion 11 and the seat lower portion 12, the control device 50 selects the air vents 25 and 45 for supplying or sucking air based on the detection result of the seat state sensor 62. may be configured to For example, when the seat 1 is configured to be rotatable about an axis extending vertically with respect to the floor 3, the control device 50 controls the air supply or air supply based on the rotation angle of the seat 1 with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. It is preferable to select the air vents 25, 45 through which air is drawn.

In the heating process and the cooling process, the control device 50 controls the fan 19 so as to generate only the airflow directed toward the outside of the vehicle, out of the two airflows flowing in the diagonal direction, based on the rotation angle detected by the seat state sensor 62 . , 39 may be controlled. As a result, an air current that does not easily affect the occupants of the adjacent seats 1 is generated.

Specifically, in the heating process and the cooling process, the control device 50 selects only one of the left and right air vents 25 and 45 of the seat back 6 and the seat cushion 5 to supply and intake air to the outside of the vehicle. It may be configured to generate only airflow directed toward the In that case, the control device 50 may be configured to replace (change) the selection when the rotation angle detected by the seat state sensor 62 is equal to or greater than the threshold.

<<Third Embodiment>>
The seat 1 according to the third embodiment includes a seat occupant sensor 70 that acquires information about the seated occupant. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the driving of the unit 21 is controlled, and the rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, description of other configurations is omitted below.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the occupant sensor 70 is provided in front of the seat back 6 and is composed of a camera 71 that acquires an image of the occupant. FIG. 13 shows an example in which the camera 71 is coupled to and supported by the ceiling (roof) that defines the upper edge of the passenger compartment 2, but is not limited to this aspect, and the seat back 6 and the headrest 7 etc. may be coupled and supported. Based on the image (image) acquired by the seated person sensor 70, the control device 50 estimates the characteristics, motions, states, etc. of the seated person, and controls the fans 19, 39 based on the estimated characteristics, motions, states, etc. , controls the driving of the cooling unit 41 and the heating unit 21 .

In one embodiment, the controller 50 estimates the sex of the occupant based on the images acquired by the occupant sensor 70 . The control device 50 sets the rotational speeds of the fans 19 and 39 based on the estimated gender of the seated person. In the cooling process, the control device 50 is configured to reduce the rotation speed of the fans 19 and 39 when the sex of the seated person is estimated to be female. In addition, in the cooling process, when the gender of the seated person is estimated to be female, the control device 50 lowers the driving amount of the cooling unit 41 and slightly raises the temperature of the sent air compared to other cases. It may be configured to (weaken the cooling).

Next, the effects of the seat 1 configured in this manner will be described. The control device 50 controls driving of the fans 19 and 39 , the cooling unit 41 and the heating unit 21 based on the information regarding the seated person acquired by the seated person sensor 70 . Therefore, it is possible to appropriately set the temperature based on the characteristics, motions, conditions, etc., of the seated person, and to generate an airflow according to the characteristics, motions, conditions, etc., of the seated person.

In the above embodiment, the control device 50 is configured to reduce the rotational speeds of the fans 19 and 39 in the cooling process when the gender of the seated person is estimated to be female. This prevents the seated person from feeling cold while the cooling process is being performed.

<Modification>
In the above embodiment, an example in which the occupant sensor 70 is configured by the camera 71 that detects the image of the occupant has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. When the seat 1 constitutes the driver's seat, the occupant sensor 70 may be configured by a sensor that detects the driving operation of the driver (driving detection). The driving operation detected by the seat occupant sensor 70 may include whether or not an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, or a steering wheel is operated.

The control device 50 may be configured to increase the rotation speed of the fans 19 and 39 when the seated person sensor 70 detects that a driving operation is being performed during the cooling process. As a result, the flow velocity of the cooled airflow generated around the seated person can be increased, so that the concentration of the seated person can be increased. At this time, the control device 50 is provided in the vehicle, acquires information related to the driving operation from a travel control device (computer) that controls travel of the vehicle, and based on the information, acquires the presence or absence of the driver's driving operation. It may be configured as

The control device 50 may determine whether or not the seated person is driving based on the presence or absence of the driving operation detected by the seated person sensor 70 . The control device 50 may select the air vents 25 and 45 for air blowing and air intake based on the determination result. Further, the control device 50 may set the temperature of the air to be blown based on the determination result, and control the driving of the cooling unit 41 and the heating unit 21 so as to achieve the set temperature.

The control device 50 may set the temperature of the blown air to be lower when the seated person is driving than when the seated person is not driving (for example, during rest). good. Thereby, a seated person can be warmed, preventing the concentration fall of a seated person.

Further, in the heating process, when the control device 50 determines that the seated person is driving based on the detection result of the seated person sensor 70, the airflow direction from the vent 45 is slightly shifted toward the lower body (from the upper body side). foot side). In addition, when the control device 50 determines in the heating process that the seated person is performing driving operation, the control device 50 sends out warmed air from the ventilation port 45 provided in the ottoman 59, and the control device 50 sends out warmed air from the ventilation port 45 provided in the ottoman 59, and does not perform driving operation. In some cases, the fan 39 and cooling unit 41 may be configured to direct warmed air through vents 45 provided in the seat cushion 5 . As a result, warm air can be sent to a portion far from the head of the seated person, so that the seated person can be warmed while preventing a decrease in the concentration of the seated person.

The seated person sensor 70 may be provided on the seat 1 and configured by one or more pressure sensors 72 that detect the pressure of the corresponding portion (hereinafter referred to as the detection portion). As shown in FIG. 14(A), a pressure sensor 72 (more specifically, a detection unit for detecting pressure) is provided at an appropriate location on the seat back 6 and the seat cushion 5, avoiding the air vents 25 and 45. It should be The pressure sensor 72 (more specifically, an electrode plate serving as a detection portion) may be provided on the seat surface 8 or the backrest surface 9 of the seat 1 at a position other than the air vents 25 and 45 . As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 14B, the pressure sensor 72 includes, for example, a pair of disc-shaped metal thin films 72A (electrode plates) serving as a detection unit. It may be composed of a capacitance sensor 72B whose capacitance changes. Moreover, the pressure sensor 72 may be a sensor in which the resistance value between the metal thin films 72A changes according to the pressure.

The control device 50 determines the presence or absence of a seated person based on the pressure detected by the seated person sensor 70 (pressure sensor 72), and permits the execution of the cooling process or the heating process when it is determined that there is a seated person. may be configured to

For example, the seat 1 has a temperature sensor 73 that detects the temperature inside the vehicle (the temperature inside the vehicle interior 2), and the controller 50 determines that the temperature inside the vehicle obtained by the temperature sensor 73 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, and It may be configured to execute the cooling process when a pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold is detected. Further, the control device 50 is configured to perform the heating process when the vehicle interior temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 73 is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold and the seating sensor detects pressure equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. may

The seated person sensor 70 includes a plurality of pressure sensors 72, the control device 50 acquires the pressure distribution applied to the seat surface 8 and the backrest surface 9 based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 72, and based on the acquired pressure distribution It may be configured to estimate the physique and posture of the seated person. When the seat upper portion 11 and the seat lower portion 12 are provided with a plurality of air vents 25 and 45, respectively, the control device 50 selects the air vents for supplying and inhaling air based on the estimated physique and posture of the seated person. 25, 45 are selected and the fans 19, 39 corresponding to the selected vents 25, 45 are driven.

The seated person sensor 70 is configured by a pressure sensor 72, a radio wave sensor, or the like, and may be a sensor that acquires biological information of the seated person such as heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure. The control device 50 is configured to estimate the physical condition of the seated person based on biological information acquired by the seat sensor, and to control at least one of the fans 19 and 39, the cooling unit 41, and the heating unit 21. good too.

The control device 50 may determine the presence or absence of motion sickness of the seated person based on the biological information acquired by the seat sensor. The control device 50 may determine the presence or absence of motion sickness of the seated person based on the image of the seated person acquired by the camera 71 . When the control device 50 determines that the user is suffering from motion sickness, the control device 50 preferably increases the rotation speed of the fans 19 and 39 and the driving amount of the heating unit 21 compared to when the user is not suffering from motion sickness. As a result, the surroundings of the seated person can be further cooled when motion sickness occurs, and thus the symptoms of motion sickness can be suppressed.

The control device 50 may acquire the arousal level of the seated person based on the biological information acquired by the seat sensor and the image of the seated person acquired by the camera 71 . When the awakening degree is lower than a predetermined value, the control device 50 may reduce the rotation speed of the fans 19 and 39 to reduce the amount of air supplied and the amount of intake air. In addition, when the awakening degree is lower than a predetermined value, the control device 50 sets the air vents 25 and 45 for supplying air to the foot side of the seated person, compared with the case where the awakening degree is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. 19 and 39 should be driven.

Although the specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be widely modified. Although the temperature control unit 55 includes both the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41 in the above embodiment, it is not limited to this aspect. The temperature control unit 55 includes at least one of the heating unit 21 and the cooling unit 41, and may have any configuration as long as it adjusts the temperature of the air to be sent out.

In the above embodiment, the airflow is generated in the diagonal direction during both the cooling process and the heating process, or the airflow is generated in the direction parallel to the center line O during both the cooling process and the heating process. Although an example has been described, it is not limited to this aspect. A diagonal airflow may be generated during one of the cooling process and the heating process, and an airflow in a direction parallel to the center line O may be generated during the other. For example, by controlling the louver 63, the control device 50 generates airflows F1 and F2 in diagonal directions with respect to the center line O of the seat 1 in a front view during cooling processing, It may be configured to generate parallel airflows F13 and F14 with respect to the centerline O of one. In addition, the control device 50 changes the direction of the airflow (for example, from the diagonal direction to the direction).

At this time, it is preferable that the wing plate 63A is supported by the seat back frame 13 and the seat cushion frame 33 so as to be rotatable about axes extending in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. As a result, the louver 63 can adjust the direction of the blown air in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and can switch the airflow between the diagonal direction and the direction parallel to the center line O.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the seat 1 is provided in a passenger vehicle such as a four-wheeled vehicle was described, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. The present invention can also be applied to the seat 1 mounted on vehicles such as buses, trucks, ships, railroads, and airplanes.

1: Seat 5: Seat cushion 6: Seat back 7: Headrest 11: Seat upper part 12: Seat lower part 19: Fan 21: Heating unit (heater)
25: Air vent 39: Fan 41: Cooling unit (cooler)
45: Vent 50: Control device 55: Temperature control unit 59: Ottoman 62: Seat state sensor 63: Louver 70: Seated person sensor F1-F4: Airflow F11-F14: Airflow

Claims (15)

A seat comprising a seat lower portion including a seat cushion, and a seat upper portion above the seat cushion and including a seat back and a headrest,
a vent provided in each of the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat;
an air blower for blowing air from one of the vents;
an intake machine for sucking air from the other of the vents;
A seat in which the air supply direction of air sent out from one of the air vents is directed to the air vent on the side of the air intake unit. 2. The seat of claim 1, wherein said one and said other of said vents are opposed to each other. 2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said vents is provided with a louver for adjusting the direction of air flow. The air vents provided in the upper part of the seat are located on the left and right sides of the upper front part of the seat back,
2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the vent provided in the lower portion of the seat is positioned in front of the upper surface of the seat cushion. The air vents are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper part of the seat and on the other left and right sides of the lower part of the seat,
2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein an airflow is generated in a direction crossing the centerline when viewed from the front. A pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively;
5. The seat according to claim 4, wherein diagonal airflows are generated when viewed from the front. The air vents are provided on one of the left and right sides of the upper part of the seat and one of the left and right sides of the lower part of the seat,
2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein an airflow is generated in a direction parallel to the centerline when viewed from the front. A pair of left and right air vents are provided in the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat, respectively;
6. The seat according to claim 5, wherein the airflow is generated parallel to the centerline when viewed from the front. 2. The seat of claim 1, wherein the seat lower portion comprises an ottoman. A fan provided for each of the vents, and a control device for controlling the driving of the fan,
2. The seat of claim 1, wherein said controller controls driving of said fans to deliver and draw air from corresponding said vents. 2. The seat according to claim 1, comprising a temperature control unit that performs at least one of heating and cooling of the air that is sent out. 12. The seat according to claim 11, wherein the temperature control unit includes a heater provided on the upper part of the seat for warming the air sent out from the air vent. 12. The seat according to claim 11, wherein the temperature control unit includes a cooler provided under the seat for cooling the air sent out from the vent. A seat occupant sensor that detects the state of a seated occupant; and a control device that controls driving of at least one of the air blower, the air intake, and the temperature control unit based on the detection result of the seat occupant sensor. A seat according to any one of claims 11 to 13. a seat state sensor that detects the state of at least one of the upper portion of the seat and the lower portion of the seat; 14. The seat according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising a control device for controlling driving.

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