Vehicle seat air conditioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024416714-A1
Application number	US-202418820999-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2024
Priority date	Mar 3, 2022
Publication date	Dec 19, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle seat air conditioning device includes: a fan built in a seat; a controller that controls the fan; and an outlet that blows out air from the surface of a seat back, where the air is guided through a flow path formed in the seat back. The outlet is provided with a wind direction adjuster including one or more plates that adjust the direction of air blown out from the outlet. The one or more plates are disposed in an orientation completely or substantially parallel to or tilted with respect to the central axis of the flow path along which air to be blown out from the outlet flows. The controller controls the rate of rotation of the fan based on a first temperature that is a temperature inside a vehicle and a second temperature that is the temperature of air blown out from the outlet.

First claim

1 . A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a seat including a seat back and a seat cushion, the vehicle seat air conditioning device comprising:
a fan built in the seat; a controller that controls the fan; and an outlet that blows out air from a surface of the seat back, the air being sent by the fan and guided through a flow path formed in the seat back, wherein the outlet is provided with a wind direction adjuster including one or more plates that adjust a direction of air blown out from the outlet, the one or more plates are disposed in an orientation completely or substantially parallel to or tilted with respect to a central axis of the flow path along which air to be blown out from the outlet flows, and the controller controls a rate of rotation of the fan based on a first temperature that is a temperature inside a vehicle and a second temperature that is a temperature of air blown out from the outlet.

2 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein
the outlet opens to face in a vertically upward direction, and the one or more plates are disposed in an orientation tilted with respect to the central axis of the flow path.

3 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein
the outlet opens to face in a horizontal direction, and the one or more plates are disposed in an orientation completely or substantially parallel to the central axis of the flow path.

4 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein
when the first temperature is a first predetermined temperature or higher, the controller sets the rate of rotation of the fan to a first rate of rotation; and when the first temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature, the controller sets the rate of rotation of the fan to a rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation.

5 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case where the first temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature:
when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature, Ta, from the first temperature, T, is a second predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation; and
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the second rate of rotation.

6 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case where the first temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature:
(i) when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature, Ta, from the first temperature, T, is a second predetermined temperature or higher, or (ii) when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and a third temperature that is a human skin temperature is a third predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation; and
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the third temperature is lower than the third predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the second rate of rotation.

7 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case where the first temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature:
(i) when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature, Ta, from the first temperature, T, is a second predetermined temperature or higher, or (ii) when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the second temperature is a fourth predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation;
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the second temperature is lower than the fourth predetermined temperature, the controller causes the controller to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the second rate of rotation.

8 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case where the first temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature:
(i) when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature, Ta, from the first temperature, T, is a second predetermined temperature or higher, or (ii) when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and a value ΔT 3 obtained by subtracting a target temperature Tset from the second temperature Ta is a fifth predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation; and
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the value ΔT 3 is lower than the fifth predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the second rate of rotation.

9 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein
when a value ΔT 1 obtained by subtracting a third temperature Tsk that is a human skin temperature from the first temperature, T, is a sixth predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a first rate of rotation, and when the value ΔT 1 is less than the sixth predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation.

10 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 9 , wherein
in a case where the value ΔT 1 is less than the sixth predetermined temperature:
when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature Ta from the first temperature T is a second predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation; and
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the second rate of rotation.

11 . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 9 , wherein
in a case where the value ΔT 1 is less than the sixth predetermined temperature:
(i) when a value ΔT 2 obtained by subtracting the second temperature, Ta, from the first temperature T is a second predetermined temperature or higher, or (ii) when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the third temperature is a third predetermined temperature or higher, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a second rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation; and
when the value ΔT 2 is less than the second predetermined temperature and the third temperature is lower than the third predetermined temperature, the controller causes the fan to set the rate of rotation of the fan to a third rate of rotation greater than the first rate of rotation and less than the

Assignees

• Panasonic Automotive Systems Co Ltd

Inventors

• Makita Yuki
• Enya Takeshi
• Inoue Tatehiko
• Maeda Yoshihiko
• Nakagawa Takuya

Classifications

• B60H1/00285 Primary

  for vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60H1/00 Primary

  Heating, cooling or ventilating devices · CPC title

• B60N2/56

  Heating or ventilating devices · CPC title

• B60H1/34

  Nozzles; Air-diffusers · CPC title

• A47C7/74

  for ventilation, heating or cooling · CPC title