Ventilation duct device for vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534003-B2
Application number	US-202318529103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2023
Priority date	May 3, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

In an embodiment, a ventilation duct device for a vehicle seat, includes a cushion duct, a blower coupled to the cushion duct, configured for air exiting the blower to enter the cushion duct, a back duct, a corrugated pipe, configured for air exiting the blower to enter the back duct via the corrugated pipe, an elastic support unit coupled to and at least partially located within the corrugated pipe, a first end of the elastic support unit coupled to the cushion duct, a second end of the elastic support unit coupled to the back duct, and a spring member coupled between the first end of the elastic support unit and the second end of the elastic support unit, and the spring member being at least partially located within the corrugated pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A ventilation duct device for a vehicle seat, the device comprising:
a cushion duct including a blower at a central portion thereof and including a front end portion configured to couple to a seat cushion of the vehicle seat to transfer air supplied through the blower to the seat cushion; a back duct coupled to a rear end portion of the cushion duct, the back duct being configured to couple to a seatback of the vehicle seat to supply air transferred through the rear end portion of the cushion duct to the seatback; a corrugated pipe configured to be extendable and restorable between the rear end portion of the cushion duct and the back duct to couple the cushion duct and the back duct, the corrugated pipe being configured to allow air to be able to be communicated therewith between the cushion duct and the back duct; and an elastic support unit coupling the corrugated pipe to the cushion duct and the back duct, the elastic support unit being configured to assist in restoring the corrugated pipe to a contracted state by an elastic restoring force of the elastic support unit.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic support unit comprises:
a front holder member coupled between the cushion duct and the corrugated pipe; a rear holder member coupled between the back duct and the corrugated pipe; and a plurality of spring members connected between the front holder member and the rear holder member and located in an inner space of the corrugated pipe.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the front holder member comprises:
a front holder body coupled between the rear end portion of the cushion duct and a front end portion of the corrugated pipe; and a plurality of front coupling plates provided spaced apart from each other inside the front holder body and respectively coupled to front end portions of the spring members.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the front holder body comprises, at a front end portion thereof, a cushion duct locking protrusion configured to couple with the rear end portion of the cushion duct, and, at a rear end portion thereof, a front corrugated tube locking protrusion configured to couple to the front end portion of the corrugated pipe.

5 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the front coupling plates comprise front spring latches to which the front end portions of the spring members are respectively coupled.

6 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the rear holder member comprises:
a rear holder body coupled between a front end portion of the back duct and a rear end portion of the corrugated pipe; and a plurality of rear coupling plates spaced apart from each other inside the rear holder body and respectively coupled to rear end portions of the spring members.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the rear holder body comprises, at a rear end portion thereof, with a back duct locking protrusion configured to couple to the front end portion of the back duct, and, at a front end portion thereof, a rear corrugated pipe locking protrusion, which is configured to couple to the rear end portion of the corrugated pipe.

8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the rear coupling plates comprise rear spring latches to which the rear end portions of the spring members are respectively coupled.

9 . A ventilation duct device for a vehicle seat, the device comprising:
a cushion duct including a front end portion configured to couple to a seat cushion of the vehicle seat to transfer air supplied through a blower to the seat cushion, wherein the cushion duct includes a rear end portion, and wherein the blower is coupled to the cushion duct, the blower being configured to provide air flow into the front end portion of the cushion duct and into the rear end portion of the cushion duct; a back duct configured to couple to a seatback of the vehicle seat to supply air transferred through the back duct to the seatback; a corrugated pipe configured to be extendable and restorable between the rear end portion of the cushion duct and the back duct to couple the cushion duct and the back duct, the corrugated pipe being configured to allow air to be able to be communicated therewith between the cushion duct and the back duct; and an elastic support unit coupling the corrugated pipe to the cushion duct and the back duct, the elastic support unit being configured to assist in restoring the corrugated pipe by elastic restoring force of the elastic support unit,
wherein the elastic support unit comprises
a front holder member coupled between the cushion duct and the corrugated pipe, wherein the front holder member comprises a front holder body coupled between the rear end portion of the cushion duct and a front end portion of the corrugated pipe,
a rear holder member coupled between the back duct and the corrugated pipe, wherein the rear holder member comprises a rear holder body coupled between a front end portion of the back duct and a rear end portion of the corrugated pipe, and
a plurality of spring members connected between the front holder member and the rear holder member and located in an inner space of the corrugated pipe,
wherein the front holder member comprises a plurality of front coupling plates provided spaced apart from each other inside the front holder body and respectively coupled to front end portions of the spring members,
wherein the front coupling plates comprise front spring latches to which the front end portions of the spring members are respectively coupled,
wherein the rear holder member comprises a plurality of rear coupling plates spaced apart from each other inside the rear holder body and respectively coupled to rear end portions of the spring members, and
wherein the rear coupling plates comprise rear spring latches to which the rear end portions of the spring members are respectively coupled.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the front holder body comprises, at a front end portion thereof, a cushion duct locking protrusion configured to couple with the rear end portion of the cushion duct, and, at a rear end portion thereof, a front corrugated tube locking protrusion configured to couple to the front end portion of the corrugated pipe.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the rear holder body comprises, at a rear end portion thereof, with a back duct locking protrusion configured to couple to the front end portion of the back duct, and, at a front end portion thereof, a rear corrugated pipe locking protrusion, which is configured to couple to the rear end portion of the corrugated pipe.

12 . A ventilation duct device for a vehicle seat, the device comprising:
a cushion duct; a blower coupled to the cushion duct and configured to allow air exiting the blower to enter the cushion duct; a back duct; a corrugated pipe configured to allow the air exiting the blower to enter the back duct via the corrugated pipe; an elastic support unit coupled to and at least partially located within the corrugated pipe; a first end of the elastic support unit coupled to the cushion duct; a second end of the elastic support unit coupled to the back duct; and a spring member coupled between the first end of the elastic support unit and the second end of the elastic support unit, and the spring member being at least partially located within the corrugated pipe.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the elastic support unit comprises a first coupling plate having a first latch member extending therefrom, wherein the spring member is coupled to the first end via the first latch member.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the second end

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Kbautotech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Mu Young
• Park Sang Do
• Jung Ho Suk
• Jung Chan Ho
• Yun Jun Young
• Sung Tae Soo
• Jo Yong Jun
• Jin Ho Chang

Classifications

• B60N2/5621 Primary

  by air · CPC title

• B60H1/00028

  Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H1/00285

  for vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60N2/5628

  coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system · CPC title

• B60N2/5657 Primary

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title