JPH1178484A - Car seat air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a car seat air conditioner that is able to do the air condi tioning of a seat in use of the existing rear seat blast duct (rear foot duct). SOLUTION: A front air-conditioning unit 2 is provided with a rear foot end connection 6 to be connected with a rear foot duct 3, and both communicable cold air duct 7 and hot air duct 8 are installed in the rear foot end connection 6, whereby either duct is interconnected to the rear foot end connection 6 by a switch door 9. A seat air-conditioning unit 5 supplying an air-conditioned with to a front seat 4 from the rear foot duct 3 is provided with two doors 14 and 15 to be driven to the specified turning position according to an air- conditioning mode selected by an occupant, and thereby plural pieces of blast routes are formable according to each turning position of these doors 14 and 15. In addition, the seat air-conditioning unit 5 is equipped with a blower 16 which performs a forced air blasting in the blast route selected by the doors 14 and 15, and a PTC heater 17 is set up rear the blower 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle seat air conditioner for supplying air from a front air conditioning unit to a front seat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 59-1645 is disclosed.
There is a "vehicle air-conditioning sheet" described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-52.
This device joins a cold air intake duct and a hot air intake duct connected to an A / C unit to form a sheet duct, and connects the sheet duct to an air chamber formed inside the sheet. ing. Further, a switching door for switching between cold air and hot air is provided at the junction of the cold air intake duct and the hot air intake duct. When the switching door is operated to the cool air side, the cool air is supplied from the A / C unit to the sheet duct through the cool air intake duct, and the cool air sent to the air chamber in the seat through the sheet duct. Cold air is blown out from the seat surface and supplied to the occupant sitting on the seat. On the other hand, when the switching door is operated to the warm air side, warm air is supplied from the A / C unit to the seat duct through the warm air intake duct, and then to the air chamber in the seat through the seat duct. The sent warm air is blown out from the seat surface, and the warm air is supplied to the occupant sitting on the seat.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a dedicated seat duct for sending air-conditioned air to the seat is installed, so that the cost is increased and a part of the vehicle interior space is reduced. Installing a seat duct at the expense of the passenger compartment space is reduced. In addition, in this sheet air conditioning, since the air is blown to the sheet using the static pressure in the A / C unit, the amount of air blown to the sheet is inevitably short. In particular, the "air-conditioning seat for vehicles" of the above publication has a structure in which air sent to the air chamber in the seat is blown out through the air-permeable seat, so that the pressure loss increases and a sufficient blowing air volume is obtained. I can't secure it. Furthermore, in a vehicle that heats using engine cooling water as a heat source, there is a problem that a sufficient feeling of heating cannot be obtained immediately after starting the engine when the cooling water temperature is low (for example, cooling water temperature Tw ≦ 35 ° C.). The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat air conditioner capable of performing seat air conditioning using an existing rear seat ventilation duct.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(Means of Claim 1) Since the seat air conditioning unit is connected to the air duct for sending air from the front air conditioning unit to the occupant of the rear seat, the seat air conditioning can be performed using the existing air duct. In this case, the cost can be reduced compared to the case where a dedicated duct is installed from the front air conditioning unit to the front seat, and
Almost no sacrifice in vehicle interior space. Further, since the sheet air conditioning unit is connected to the air duct, a plurality of air paths (first air path, second air path, and third air path) can be formed. Therefore, it is possible to set a plurality of air blowing modes by providing switching means and switching each air blowing path.
Further, by providing the air blowing means, forced air can be blown to the air blowing path selected by the switching means, and a sufficient air blowing amount can be secured. It should be noted that this blower is built in the seat air-conditioning unit, and it is needless to say that it is different from the blower of the front air-conditioning unit.

[0005] (Means of the present invention) a cooling / hot air switching means for switching between cold air and hot air supplied from the front air conditioning unit to the air duct. In this case, since the cool air and the hot air can be switched and flow to one air duct, both air conditioning modes during cooling (face mode) and heating (foot mode) can be supported.

(Embodiment 3) An electric heater is arranged on the air suction side or the air discharge side of the blowing means. Thereby, even when the front air-conditioning unit cannot obtain sufficient warm air (for example, when the temperature of the heating heat source is low), the blown air can be heated by the electric heater, so that a comfortable feeling of heating can be obtained. .

(Seventh Aspect) The seat air-conditioning unit is integrated with the lower part of the front seat and is connected to the air duct through a connection duct.

The seat air-conditioning unit is of a floor-standing type separated from the front seat and is connected to the front seat via a connection duct.

The air duct may be a rear foot duct for supplying warm air to the occupants of the rear seat or a rear vent duct for supplying cool air to the occupants of the rear seat. In this case, as described in the means of claim 2, by providing a cold / hot air switching means,
Even when a rear foot duct is used as a blow duct, cool air can be supplied to the rear foot duct. Similarly, even when a rear vent duct is used as the air duct, hot air can be supplied to the rear vent duct. If you abolish the cold / hot air switching means,
It goes without saying that the configuration of the entire apparatus can be simplified.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a vehicle seat air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a vehicle seat air conditioner. The seat air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment includes an existing rear foot duct 3 (blower duct of the present invention) for sending air-conditioned air from a front air-conditioning unit 2 to an occupant of a rear seat (not shown), A seat air conditioning unit 5 (described later) that blows the conditioned air sent through the foot duct 3 to the front seat 4 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front air conditioning unit 2 has a rear foot connection port 6 to which the rear foot duct 3 is connected, and a cold air passage 7 and a hot air passage 8 which can communicate with the rear foot connection port 6. Is provided, and one of the passages communicates with the rear foot connection port 6 by the switching door 9 (the cold / hot air switching means of the present invention). The switching door 9 is located at a position where the cold air passage 7 is shut off (the position indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2 /
An actuator (such as a servomotor) is provided rotatably between a hot air passage 8 and a position (a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2 / hereinafter, referred to as a cold air side) that shuts off the hot air passage 8. (Not shown). The rear foot duct 3 sends warm air supplied from the front air-conditioning unit 2 to the feet of the occupant sitting on the rear seat, but in the present embodiment, the rear foot duct 3 depends on the turning position of the switching door 9. Cold air and hot air can be selectively flowed. Further, the front air conditioning unit 2 is provided with a rear vent connection port 10 communicating with the cool air passage 7, and a rear vent duct 11 is connected to the rear vent connection port 10 so that cold air can be blown to an occupant of the rear seat. I have.

The seat air-conditioning unit 5 is configured as a floor-standing type separated from the front seat 4, and as shown in FIG. 2, a unit case 12 connected to the rear foot duct 3, and the unit case 12 and the front case The sheet duct 13 for connecting the seat 4 (the connection duct of the present invention), the door 14 and the door 15 for switching the ventilation path (described below) in the unit case 12, and the door 14 and the door 15 are selected. A blower 16 forcibly blowing air to a blowing path, and a PT disposed near the blower 16
It comprises a C heater 17 and the like. Unit case 1
2 is provided integrally with the downstream portion of the rear foot duct 3 as shown in FIG. 2, and has an upstream communication port 18 and a downstream communication port 19.
And is communicated with the rear foot duct 3 through. The seat duct 13 is a passage for guiding the air introduced into the unit case 12 from the rear foot duct 3 to the front seat 4 when performing seat air conditioning. The seat side end is a connection port 20 provided in the front seat 4. It is connected to the. In the middle of the seat duct 13, the front seat 4
The bellows 21 is formed so as to be able to cope with the front-back movement (sheet position adjustment).

The door 14 is provided at the downstream communication port 19 and opens and closes the rear foot duct 3 at this position. Door 1
Numeral 5 is provided in the case-side opening of the sheet duct 13 to adjust the amount of air flowing into the sheet duct 13.
These doors 14 and 15 are driven to predetermined rotation positions by actuators (not shown) in accordance with the air conditioning mode selected by the occupant, and form the following ventilation paths. First ventilation path (see FIG. 3): a path from the rear foot duct 3 to the front seat 4 through the unit case 12 and the seat duct 13. Second ventilation path (see FIG. 4): a path from the rear foot duct 3 to the inside of the unit case 12 and to the outlet 3a of the rear foot duct 3. Third ventilation path (see FIG. 5): a path that makes the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path compatible.

The air conditioning mode includes a seat priority mode in which air is preferentially blown to the front seat 4 through the first air passage, and a passenger (foot) in the rear seat through the second air passage. A rear seat priority mode for blowing air and a seat & rear air conditioning mode for performing both seat air conditioning and rear air conditioning through a third air blowing path are set. When these air conditioning modes are selected, the blower 16 is automatically operated. Here, the positions of the doors 14 and 15 when the air conditioning mode is selected will be described. First, when each of the above-described air conditioning modes is selected, the doors 14 are all driven to positions where the rear foot duct 3 is closed (solid line positions in FIG. 2). When the seat priority mode is selected, the door 15 closes the exit side of the unit case 12 as shown in FIG. 3B (the position shown by a circle in FIG. 2).
When the rear seat priority mode is selected, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5B, when the seat duct 13 is driven to the position to close the case-side opening (the position shown in FIG. 2) and the seat & rear seat air conditioning mode is selected, FIG. In the intermediate position (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 2).

The blower 16 is, for example, of a centrifugal type,
As shown in FIG.
And the upstream communication port 18 is connected to the blower 1.
6 is the air suction port. The PTC heater 17 is disposed downstream of the blower 16 in the unit case 12 (but upstream of the case-side opening of the sheet duct 13). The PTC heater 17 can be used when sufficient warm air cannot be obtained in the front air conditioning unit 2 (for example, when the temperature of engine cooling water as a heating heat source is low). Note that the PTC heater 17 may be arranged on the air upstream side of the blower 16 as shown by a broken line in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front seat 4 includes a seat back 4A and a seat cushion 4B.
Each is covered with a sheet surface material 4C having air permeability. Inside the seat back 4A and the seat cushion 4B, an air distribution duct 22 communicating with the connection port 20 and a plurality of air outlets 2 branching from the air distribution duct 22 and extending to the surfaces of the seat back 4A and the seat cushion 4B.
3 are provided. Thereby, the sheet duct 1
The air-conditioned air (cool air or hot air) supplied through the air outlet 3 passes through the air distribution duct 22 from the connection port 20 and passes through each air outlet 23.
The air is blown to the occupant seated on the front seat 4 through the seat surface material 4C from each air outlet 23.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. During cooling (face mode), the switching door 9 is driven to the cool air side to shut off the hot air passage 8. Accordingly, the cool air passage 7 and the rear foot outlet communicate with each other, so that the cool air is supplied from the cool air passage 7 to the rear foot duct 3 through the rear foot outlet. During heating (foot mode), the switching door 9 is driven to the hot air side to shut off the cold air passage 7. As a result, the warm air passage 8 communicates with the rear foot outlet, so that warm air is supplied from the warm air passage 8 to the rear foot duct 3 through the rear foot outlet. The cold air supplied to the rear foot duct 3
The air flows through the ventilation path corresponding to the selected air conditioning mode.

A) Seat priority mode The conditioned air (cold air or hot air) supplied to the rear foot duct 3 is sucked into the unit case 12 by the blower 16 from the rear foot duct 3 as shown by a solid arrow in FIG. After that, all the air flows through the unit case 12 to the sheet duct 13 (first air blowing path). As a result, the conditioned air that has flowed into the sheet duct 13 is distributed from the connection port 20 of the front seat 4 to the air outlets 23 through the air distribution duct 22 and passes from the air outlets 23 to the sheet surface material 4C. From the sheet surface. b) Rear seat priority mode The conditioned air supplied to the rear foot duct 3 is sucked into the unit case 12 by the blower 16 from the rear foot duct 3 as shown by a solid line arrow in FIG. And returns to the rear foot duct 3 from the downstream communication port 19 again, and is blown out from the outlet 3a of the rear foot duct 3 (second blowing path). c) Seat & Rear Seat Air Conditioning Mode The conditioned air supplied to the rear foot duct 3 is sucked into the unit case 12 by the blower 16 from the rear foot duct 3 as shown by a solid line arrow in FIG.
4 diverges in two directions and flows. One flows to the sheet duct 13 through the unit case 12, and the other returns to the rear foot duct 3 again from the downstream communication port 19 and is blown out from the outlet 3a of the rear foot duct 3 (third). Blowing path).

(Effects of the present embodiment) According to the present embodiment, since the seat air conditioning can be performed using the existing rear foot duct 3, a dedicated duct is provided from the front air conditioning unit 2 to the front seat 4. The cost can be reduced as compared with the case where it is performed, and the vehicle interior space is hardly sacrificed. The seat air conditioning unit 5
Since a plurality of air paths (first air path, second air path, and third air path) can be formed according to the rotational positions of the doors 14 and 15 provided in each of the air paths, a plurality of air paths are provided. A plurality of air conditioning modes (seat priority mode, rear seat priority mode, seat & rear seat air conditioning mode) can be set.

By arranging the blower 16 in the seat air-conditioning unit 5, it is possible to forcibly blow air to each of the above-described air blowing paths. As a result, even when the amount of air blown from the front air conditioning unit 2 to the rear foot duct 3 decreases, a sufficient amount of air can be ensured by operating the blower 16. By arranging the PTC heater 17 on the downstream side of the air of the blower 16, even when the front air-conditioning unit 2 cannot obtain sufficient warm air at the time of heating, the blown air can be heated by the PTC heater 17. Obtainable.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 is an overall sectional view of a vehicle seat air conditioner. This embodiment shows an example in which the seat air conditioning unit 5 is assembled to the front seat 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the seat air-conditioning unit 5 is integrally assembled to a lower portion of the front seat 4,
It is connected to the rear foot duct 3 via a connection duct 24 having a bellows. Therefore, when the front seat 4 is slid back and forth or moved up and down, the seat air conditioning unit 5 can also move integrally with the front seat 4. The seat air-conditioning unit 5 includes a unit case 12 that forms a blowing path, a blower 16 that forcibly blows air into the unit case 12, a PTC heater 17 that is disposed on an air discharge side of the blower 16, and a blower that blows air inside the unit case 12. The switching door 25 switches the route.

The unit case 12 has a connection duct 24
Are formed, a suction port 26 of the blower 16, a blower port 27 to the seat, a warm air outlet 28 (rear foot outlet) to the rear seat, and the like. Blower 16 and PTC heater 1
7 has the same function as the first embodiment. The switching door 25 is
The front seat 4 side and the hot air outlet 28 side can be selectively switched. In other words, by shutting off the blowing port 27 on the front seat 4 side, the blowing air is
8, the air can be blown out to the feet of the rear seat occupant, and the blown air can be supplied to the front seat 4 by shutting off the hot air outlet 28 side. Further, the switching door 25 is positioned at an intermediate position between the front seat 4 side and the hot air outlet 28 side (FIG. 6).
By controlling the front seat 4 in the state shown in FIG.
It is also possible to make both air blowing to the rear passenger and air blowing to the rear seat occupant compatible.

Also in this embodiment, since the seat air conditioning can be performed using the existing rear foot duct 3 as in the first embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, in the present embodiment, since the seat air conditioning unit 5 is mounted on the front seat 4 side, the connection with the rear foot duct 3 is possible with one touch by the connection duct 24, and the assembling property is excellent. Further, since the position of the warm air outlet 28 (rear foot outlet) can be made higher than in the case of the first embodiment (floor type), the cold near the knees of the rear seat occupant due to cold radiation from the vehicle window glass or the like. Can be reduced. Since the connection duct 24 that causes pressure loss is provided on the suction side of the blower 16, it is possible to reduce a change in the flow of the blown air from the blower 16 (changing the wind direction), and to suppress a decrease in the amount of air blown by the pressure loss.

(Modification) In the above embodiment, the rear foot duct 3 is used for seat air conditioning, but the rear vent duct 11 may be used. In this case, any one of the cold air passage 7 and the hot air passage 8 of the front air conditioning unit 2 may be configured to be able to communicate with the rear vent connection port 10 by the switching door 9. In the present embodiment, it is possible to switch between the cool air and the warm air by the switching door 9 and to send the air to the rear foot duct 3. However, the switching door 9 is eliminated and only the warm air is sent to the rear foot duct 3. Needless to say, the configuration (that is, the original configuration) can simplify the configuration of the entire apparatus. The same applies to the case where the rear vent duct 11 is used for seat air conditioning.

The door 14 of the first embodiment always closes the rear foot duct 3 in each air-conditioning mode. However, for example, the position where the rear foot duct 3 is opened in the seat priority mode (shown by a chain line in FIG. 2). Position). In this case, if the door 15 is driven to a position where the outlet side of the unit case 12 is closed, the air inside the vehicle cabin can be introduced from the outlet 3 a of the rear foot duct 3 by the operation of the blower 16. It becomes possible to mix the sent air-conditioning air and vehicle interior air and supply them to the front seat 4. This is because, for example, if the room temperature decreases from the cool down during cooling and the temperature becomes stable, the cold air blown out from the seat surface may be too cold for the occupant to be uncomfortable. By introducing the indoor air, mixing with the cool air sent from the front air conditioning unit 2 and supplying it to the front seat 4,
It is possible to give an occupant an appropriate cooling feeling. Also,
If the door 14 is opened and the blower 16 is stopped, the air-conditioning air can be supplied to the occupants of the rear seats through the rear foot duct 3 only by the air blowing from the front air-conditioning unit 2.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a vehicle seat air conditioner.

FIG. 2 is an overall sectional view showing a configuration of a vehicle seat air conditioner.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a plan view and a sectional view of a seat air-conditioning unit showing an air flow in a seat priority mode. FIGS.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are a plan view and a sectional view of a seat air-conditioning unit showing an air flow in a rear seat priority mode.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a plan view and a sectional view of a seat air-conditioning unit showing an air flow in a seat & rear seat air-conditioning mode.

FIG. 6 is an overall sectional view showing a configuration of a vehicle seat air conditioner (second embodiment).

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle seat air conditioner 2 front air conditioning unit 3 rear foot duct (blowing duct) 4 front seat 5 seat air conditioning unit 9 switching door (cooling / hot air switching means) 11 rear vent duct 13 seat duct (connection duct) 14 door (switching) Means) 15 Door (switching means) 16 Blower (blowing means) 17 PTC heater (electric heater) 24 Connecting duct (second embodiment) 25 Switching door (switching means / second embodiment)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yuichi Kajino 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Pref. (72) Inventor Sugi Hikari 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Prefecture Inside Denso Corporation (72) Inventor Koichi Saka 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Prefecture Denso Corporation

Claims (6)

[Claims] An air duct for sending air from a front air conditioning unit to an occupant of a rear seat; a seat air conditioning unit connected to the air duct and capable of sending conditioned air sent from the front air conditioning unit through the air duct to the front seat. The seat air-conditioning unit comprises: a first airflow path for blowing air-conditioned air to a front seat; a second airflow path for blowing air-conditioned air to an occupant of the rear seat; and the first airflow path and the first airflow path. A vehicle seat air-conditioning apparatus comprising: a switching unit that switches a third ventilation path that makes the two ventilation paths compatible; and a ventilation unit that forcibly blows air to the ventilation path selected by the switching unit. 2. The vehicle seat air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a cold / hot air switching means for switching between a cool air and a hot air supplied from the front air conditioning unit to the air duct. 3. The vehicle seat air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an electric heater is disposed on an air suction side or an air discharge side of the blowing means. 4. The seat air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the seat air conditioning unit is integrally assembled to a lower portion of the front seat, and is connected to the air duct through a connection duct. Vehicle seat air conditioner. 5. The seat air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the seat air conditioning unit is configured as a floor-standing type separated from the front seat, and is connected to the front seat via a connection duct. Any of the vehicle seat air conditioners. 6. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein said air duct is a rear foot duct for supplying warm air to an occupant of said rear seat, or a rear vent duct for supplying cool air to an occupant of said rear seat. Any one of the vehicle seat air conditioners described.