JP7623778B2 - Seat heaters and seats with built-in seat heaters - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a seat heater that warms a seat installed in, for example, a vehicle, and a seat with a built-in seat heater.

Conventionally, a seat heater that warms the seat of a vehicle or the like has been proposed as a heating device for the seat. The seat heater has a seat heater control unit that is placed in the center of the car seat.

Special Publication No. 2001-524705

However, in the seat heater of Patent Document 1, the hard board, circuit components, etc. that make up the control device, which is the seat heater control unit, are placed on a flexible base material. For this reason, there is a risk that the base material will be damaged by the repeated stress and vibrations applied to it when sitting and leaving the seat.

In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a seat heater or the like that can suppress damage to the base material.

A seat heater according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a seat heater built into a seat and comprises a base material, a heater wire arranged on the base material, and a control device electrically connected to the heater wire, the control device having a board and circuit components mounted on the board, the base material having a base body and a protrusion protruding from a central portion of an edge of the base body and arranged on the edge side of the seat, the protrusion has the base material arranged thereon and a connector insertion hole formed in a portion opposite to an insertion portion into which a second connector that fits with a first connector is inserted, and the protrusion is accommodated in a storage portion provided on the edge side of the seat.

Some of these specific aspects may be realized using a system, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or may be realized using any combination of a system, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

According to the seat heater and the like of the present disclosure, damage to the base material can be suppressed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat equipped with a seat heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the seat with a built-in seat heater taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the seat heater and the flat cable according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control device for a seat with an integrated seat heater in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the flat cable taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the seat heater and the flat cable according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how a control device is wrapped with a protruding portion of a base material used in a seat heater. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a seat equipped with a seat heater according to the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a control device is wrapped with a protruding portion of a base material used in a seat heater in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a seat with a built-in seat heater in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a seat with a built-in seat heater in the sixth embodiment. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of the first temperature detector, the second temperature detector, and the control unit mounted on a substrate when the control unit is wrapped in a protruding portion of a base material used in a seat heater.

A seat with a built-in seat heater according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a seat and a seat heater built into the seat, the seat heater having a base material, a heater wire sewn onto the surface of the base material, and a control device electrically connected to the heater wire, the control device having a board and circuit components mounted on the board, a protrusion disposed on the edge side of the seat is provided on an end of the base material, the board is disposed on the protrusion, and the protrusion is inserted and fixed into a slot provided on the edge side of the seat.

According to this, the slot is provided on the edge side of the seat, and the protrusion on which the substrate is disposed is housed in the slot. Therefore, even when a person is seated in the seat, the protrusion is protected by the slot, so stress is less likely to be applied to the control device disposed on the protrusion. In addition, vibrations are transmitted to the control device disposed on the protrusion via the slot, but because the control device is fixed to the slot, the substrate of the control device is less likely to damage the base material.

Therefore, the seat with the built-in seat heater can prevent damage to the base material. As a result, in the seat with the built-in seat heater, the base material is less likely to be damaged even if repeated stress and vibration are applied to the control device.

In particular, in seats with built-in seat heaters, the slot and control device are located on the edge side of the seat, so the person sitting in the seat is less likely to feel uncomfortable.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the circuit components include at least a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the seat heater and a first connector that is electrically connected to a flat cable.

This allows the temperature detection unit and the first connector to be mounted and integrated onto the board as circuit components, making it difficult to increase the number of components that need to be mounted on the base material side of the seat heater.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the circuit component further includes a switch element that turns on and off the power supplied to the seat heater.

This allows the switch element to be mounted and integrated onto the board as a circuit component, making it possible to create boards with controllers mounted according to the vehicle model, and by simply mounting each board according to the vehicle model, it is possible to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle models.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the circuit component further includes a control unit that controls the switch element.

This allows the control unit to be mounted on the board as a circuit component and integrated, making it possible to create boards with control units mounted according to the vehicle model, and by simply installing each board according to the vehicle model, it is possible to accommodate a wide variety of vehicle models.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature detection unit is disposed on the edge of the board on the side of the seat heater, and the control unit is disposed on the edge of the board on the opposite side to the seat heater.

This allows the control unit to be located away from the seat heater, preventing malfunctions and breakdowns caused by unnecessary heating of the control unit.

In a seat with an integrated seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the protrusion is large enough to encase both sides of the substrate, and the substrate is inserted and fixed in the slot while being encased by the protrusion.

As a result, the board and circuit components are enclosed in the protruding portion, making it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to the board and circuit components. Therefore, a seat with a built-in seat heater can prevent short circuits from occurring in the control device.

In addition, the protrusions encase the board and circuit components, and if the protrusions are made of nonwoven fabric, they have excellent breathability, so this seat with built-in seat heater can ensure heat dissipation for the control device.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the protrusion has a connector insertion hole formed in a portion opposite to an insertion portion into which a second connector that fits with the first connector is inserted.

With this, the second connector of the flat cable can be inserted into the first connector while the board wrapped in the protrusion is inserted and fixed in the slot. This makes the second connector and the flat cable in its vicinity less susceptible to vehicle vibrations. In addition, because the board is inserted and fixed in the slot, foreign matter is less likely to adhere to the board and circuit components.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second connector is a flat cable connector.

By using a flat cable connector, there is no need to connect a large connector to the control device. This helps prevent seats with built-in seat heaters from becoming too large.

In a seat with an integrated seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the flat cable has a plurality of band-shaped ground wires arranged on both sides of the flat cable, and wiring other than the plurality of ground wires is arranged between two adjacent ground wires among the plurality of ground wires.

As a result, the flat cable has a multi-layer structure sandwiched between ground wires, so the flat cable itself has shielding properties and is less susceptible to the effects of external noise. This makes it less likely for a control device electrically connected to the flat cable to malfunction.

In addition, the ground wire can be placed very close to the control device via a flat cable connector, making the control device less susceptible to the effects of external noise.

In addition, by using a flat cable, the ground wire can be made wider, making the flat cable less susceptible to the effects of external noise, and making it lighter than commonly used coaxial cables.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the end of the base material is provided with a plurality of protrusions formed in a strip shape and arranged on the edge side of the seat.

This allows multiple protrusions to be fixed to the edge of the seat, so the seat heater can be firmly fixed.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a metal foil is provided on a second surface of the protrusion opposite to a first surface on which the substrate is disposed, and the metal foil is electrically connected to the ground of the control device.

With this, the control device can be covered with metal foil that is electrically connected to the ground of the control device. Therefore, even if disturbance noise occurs, the disturbance noise can be guided from the metal foil to the ground of the control device, thereby suppressing the effect of the disturbance noise on the control device. This improves the noise resistance of the control device.

In a seat with an integrated seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the metal foil has a conductive portion extending from the second surface of the protrusion to the first surface, the substrate has a ground pattern electrically connected to the ground, and the substrate is wrapped in the protrusion, so that the conductive portion is electrically connected to the ground pattern.

This allows the electrical connection between the metal foil and the ground of the control device to be made by contact between the conductive portion of the metal foil and the ground pattern of the board, making it easy to electrically connect the metal foil to the ground of the control device. This makes it easy to improve the noise resistance of the control device.

In a seat with an integrated seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the protrusion has a metal foil provided on a second surface opposite to a first surface on which the substrate is disposed, and when the protrusion is inserted and fixed in the slot, the metal foil comes into contact with a ground terminal provided in the slot.

With this, the metal foil can be easily electrically connected to the ground terminal provided in the slot by simply inserting and fixing the protrusion into the slot. With a simple configuration in which the protrusion is inserted and fixed into the slot, the metal foil can be easily electrically connected to, for example, the ground of the vehicle, improving the noise resistance of the control device.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the slot is formed of a metal case that houses the entire protrusion, and the metal case is electrically connected to ground.

With this, the entire control device is housed in a metal case, so there is no need to provide a conductor such as metal foil on the base material, and the noise resistance of the control device can be improved with a simple configuration.

In a seat with an integrated seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the substrate is a multilayer substrate, and the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer substrate are solid ground patterns electrically connected to ground, except for the portions connected to the circuit components.

This allows the solid ground pattern to sandwich the internal conductors, excluding the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer board. This makes it possible to improve the noise resistance of the internal conductors without using conductors such as metal foil and a metal case.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one of an inductor and a capacitor is formed by a pattern inside the multilayer substrate.

This allows the effects of noise propagating from the power supply and signal wiring located around the seat with built-in seat heater to be suppressed by a filter circuit using at least one of an inductor and a capacitor formed by a pattern. This makes it possible to improve the noise resistance of the control device without using large external components.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the multilayer substrate is a flexible substrate.

According to this, when the flexible substrate (substrate) is placed on the protrusion and then the protrusion is inserted into the slot, the substrate is a multilayer substrate and has a certain rigidity, so the protrusion can be inserted and fixed into the slot without the substrate buckling. Furthermore, because the substrate is flexible, unnecessary stress during insertion into the slot is alleviated, reducing the possibility of cracks occurring in the substrate, particularly inside the substrate. In addition, even after insertion and fixing, external stress applied to the substrate due to vibrations of the vehicle and the seat with built-in seat heater can be alleviated, so even higher reliability can be obtained.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, an inductor is formed by shorting two conductors built into the flat cable at the end opposite the end connected to the first connector.

This allows the inductor to be formed using a flat cable, so that the effects of noise transmitted from the power supply and signal wiring located around the seat with built-in seat heater can be suppressed without using large external components. It also allows the control device to be made smaller.

In a seat with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a capacitor is formed by opening two conductors built into the flat cable at the end opposite the end connected to the first connector.

This allows the capacitor to be formed using a flat cable, so the effects of noise transmitted from the power supply and signal wiring located around the seat with built-in seat heater can be suppressed without using large external components. It also allows the control device to be made smaller.

The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in an independent claim are described as optional components.

The figures are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily drawn precisely. In each figure, the same components are given the same reference numerals. In the following embodiments, expressions such as "approximately rectangular" are used. For example, "approximately rectangular" does not only mean that the shape is completely rectangular, but also means that the shape is substantially rectangular, that is, includes an error of, for example, about a few percent. Furthermore, "approximately rectangular" means that the shape is rectangular within the range in which the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved. The same applies to other expressions using "approximately."

In the following description, the front-to-back direction of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the X-axis direction, and the up-to-down direction of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the left-to-right direction of the seat with the built-in seat heater, i.e., the direction perpendicular to each of the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, is referred to as the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, in the X-axis direction, the front side of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the positive direction side, and the rear side of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the negative direction side. Furthermore, in the Y-axis direction, the left side of the seat with the built-in seat heater (the right front side in Figure 1) is referred to as the positive direction side, and the opposite side is referred to as the negative direction side. Furthermore, in the Z-axis direction, the upper side of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the positive direction side, and the lower side of the seat with the built-in seat heater is referred to as the negative direction side. The same applies to Figure 2 and subsequent figures.

The following describes the embodiment in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
<Configuration: 1 seat with built-in seat heater>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat 1 equipped with a seat heater 20 according to a first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, a seat 1 with a built-in seat heater, which is installed in, for example, a vehicle, includes a seat cushion 11, a seat back 14, a headrest 15, and a seat heater 20. The seat cushion 11, the seat back 14, and the headrest 15 together constitute the seat 10.

[Seat cushion 11]
The seat cushion 11 is a seat portion of the seat with built-in seat heater 1 that supports the buttocks and thighs of a user who sits on the seat with built-in seat heater 1. The seat cushion 11 has a seat pad equivalent to a cushioning material and a seat cover that covers the seat pad.

The seat pad is made of, for example, urethane foam and is positioned approximately parallel to the XY plane. The seat pad can support the buttocks and thighs of a seated user.

The seat cover is a cover that covers the seat pad and the seat heater 20 that corresponds to the user's buttocks and thighs. The seat cover is placed at a position that corresponds to the user's buttocks and thighs, and covers the seat pad, etc. The seat cover is, for example, a leather cover, a fabric cover, etc.

[Seat back 14]
The seat back 14 is a backrest portion that supports the back of a user who is seated in the seat with built-in seat heater 1. The seat back 14 is disposed so as to rise up from the seat cushion 11. The seat back 14 is provided with a seat heater 20. The seat back 14 has a seat pad equivalent to a cushioning material and a seat cover that covers the seat pad.

The seat pad is made of, for example, urethane foam and is positioned at an angle relative to the YZ plane. The seat pad can support the shoulders and back of a seated user.

The seat cover is a cover that covers the seat pad and the seat heater 20 that corresponds to the user's shoulders and back. The seat cover is placed at a position that corresponds to the user's shoulders and back, and covers the seat pad, etc. The seat cover is, for example, a leather cover, a fabric cover, etc.

[Headrest 15]
The headrest 15 is a headrest that supports the head of a user seated in the heated seat 1. The headrest 15 is fixed to the end of the seat back 14 on the positive side of the Z axis.

[Seat heater 20]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the seat 1 with a built-in seat heater taken along line II-II in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the seat heater 20 is built into a seat 10 of a vehicle or the like, and when a user sits in the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater, the seat heater 20 generates heat to warm the seat surface 10a of the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater, thereby warming the user's buttocks, thighs, etc. Note that the seat heater 20 may be built into the seat back 14 of the seat 10 to warm the back surface 14a of the seat back 14 in FIG. 1.

Although not shown in the figure, the seat heater 20 is disposed between the seat pad and the seat cover. Specifically, the seat heater 20 is disposed in a position on the seat 1 with built-in seat heater that corresponds to the user's buttocks and thighs. The seat heater 20 is provided on the seat surface 10a of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater, and warms the user's buttocks and thighs via the seat pad using power supplied by the control device 52 and power supply unit 65.

In addition, a seat pad that covers the seat heater 20 may be provided between the seat heater 20 and the seat cover as an elastic member for the seat heater 20.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the seat heater 20 and flat cable 62 in embodiment 1.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sheet heater 20 has a substrate 40, a heater wire 45, a control device 52 electrically connected to the heater wire 45, and a slot 70.

The substrate 40 is a nonwoven fabric formed into a sheet shape from a material having elasticity, flexibility, and ductility, a foamed resin such as cloth-like urethane, etc. The substrate 40 is formed into a rectangular shape. The substrate 40 is placed in the areas corresponding to the user's buttocks and thighs.

The substrate 40 has a substrate body 41 and a protrusion 42.

The base body 41 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and is sized according to the seat surface 10a of the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater. A heater wire 45 is arranged on the surface of the base body 41 (the surface on the positive side of the Z axis).

The protrusion 42 is formed at the end of the base material 40 and is disposed on the edge side of the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater. Specifically, the protrusion 42 protrudes (projects) from the edge of the base material main body 41 on the seat back 14 side, which is the negative X-axis direction side. When the protrusion 42 and the board 52a of the control device 52 are viewed overlapping each other, the protrusion 42 is large enough to cover the board 52a. Note that the protrusion 42 does not have to be larger than the board 52a.

The protrusion 42 also secures the circuit board 52a of the control device 52 to be placed on it. With the circuit board 52a secured, the protrusion 42 is inserted and secured in a slot 70 provided on the edge side of the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater.

The heater wire 45 is electrically connected to the control device 52 and is a conductive wire capable of generating heat by current from the power supply unit 65.

The heater wire 45 is sewn to one side of the substrate 40 with sewing thread so that it passes from a control device 52 for supplying power to the heater wire 45 through each part of the substrate 40 and returns to the control device 52. The heater wire 45 is a metal wire such as copper, and is sewn to one side of the substrate 40 using, for example, polyester fiber thread as the sewing thread. The heater wire 45 is sewn to one surface of the substrate 40 (for example, the surface on the seat surface 10a side or the surface on the back surface 14a side in FIG. 1) with the sewing thread so that a zigzag pattern is formed. Here, the heater wire 45 being sewn to the surface of the substrate 40 with the sewing thread means that the heater wire 45 is held to the substrate 40 by the sewing thread sewn to the substrate 40.

The heater wire 45 may be fixed to the substrate 40 by means other than sewing thread, such as adhesive.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control device 52 of the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater in embodiment 1.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the control device 52 has a board 52a and circuit components 52b.

The circuit components 52b are mounted on the substrate 52a, and the substrate 52a has a conductive pattern. The substrate 52a is, for example, a rigid substrate such as a ceramic substrate or a resin substrate. The substrate 52a is disposed on and fixed to the surface of the protruding portion 42 of the base material 40.

As described above, the substrate 52a is inserted into the slot 70 while being fixed to the protruding portion 42. At this time, the substrate 52a is accommodated in the slot 70 so as not to protrude from the seat surface portion 10a. Furthermore, when a user sits in the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater, the substrate 52a is accommodated in the slot 70 so as not to come into contact with the user.

The circuit component 52b has a first temperature detection unit 52b1, a second temperature detection unit 52b2, a control unit 52b3, a switch element 52b4, and a first connector 51.

The first temperature detection unit 52b1 is mounted on the substrate 52a as a circuit component 52b. Specifically, the first temperature detection unit 52b1 is disposed on the edge of the substrate 52a on the seat heater 20 side (the edge on the positive side of the X-axis). The first temperature detection unit 52b1 detects the temperature of the seat heater 20 using a thermistor. The thermistor is disposed on the substrate 52a in the vicinity of the heater wire 45 of the seat heater 20 or in contact with the heater wire 45.

The first temperature detection unit 52b1 is electrically connected to the control device 52. The first temperature detection unit 52b1 outputs temperature information indicating the temperature of the heater wire 45, which is the detection result, to the control device 52. Based on the temperature information output by the first temperature detection unit 52b1, the control device 52 controls the on/off of the current flowing to the seat heater 20, thereby adjusting the temperature of the heater device.

The second temperature detection unit 52b2 is mounted on the substrate 52a as a circuit component 52b. Specifically, the second temperature detection unit 52b2 is disposed on the edge of the substrate 52a on the seat heater 20 side. The second temperature detection unit 52b2 detects that the set temperature has been reached by the thermostat. The thermostat is disposed on the substrate 52a near the heater wire 45 of the seat heater 20 or in contact with the heater wire 45.

When the heater wire 45 reaches or exceeds the set temperature, the second temperature detection unit 52b2 cuts off the electrical wiring portion where the heater wire 45 is electrically connected to the control device 52, thereby stopping the heater wire 45 from generating heat. When the heater wire 45 falls below the set temperature, the second temperature detection unit 52b2 connects the heater wire 45, thereby starting the heater wire 45 to generate heat. In this way, the second temperature detection unit 52b2 cuts or connects the electrical wiring portion where the heater wire 45 is electrically connected to the control device 52 depending on the temperature of the heater wire 45, thereby adjusting the temperature of the heater wire 45.

The control unit 52b3 is mounted on the substrate 52a as a circuit component 52b. The control unit 52b3 is disposed on the substrate 52a closer to the first connector 51 than the first temperature detection unit 52b1 and the second temperature detection unit 52b2. In other words, the control unit 52b3 is disposed at the edge opposite the seat heater 20, separated from the first temperature detection unit 52b1 and the second temperature detection unit 52b2. The control unit 52b3 is also disposed so as not to overlap the heater wire 45 when viewed from the positive direction of the Z axis, and is disposed at a position away from the heater wire 45.

The control unit 52b3 is a microcomputer that controls the on/off of the switch element 52b4. The control unit 52b3 controls the switch element 52b4 according to the temperature of the seat heater 20 detected by the first temperature detection unit 52b1. For example, when the temperature of the seat heater 20 detected by the first temperature detection unit 52b1 becomes equal to or higher than a specified temperature, the control unit 52b3 controls the switch element 52b4 to turn off the current flowing to the seat heater 20. Furthermore, when the temperature of the seat heater 20 detected by the first temperature detection unit 52b1 becomes lower than the specified temperature, the control unit 52b3 controls the switch element 52b4 to turn on the current flowing to the seat heater 20.

The switch element 52b4 is mounted on the substrate 52a as a circuit component 52b. The switch element 52b4 is disposed on the substrate 52a closer to the first connector 51 than the first temperature detection unit 52b1 and the second temperature detection unit 52b2.

The switch element 52b4 is controlled by the control unit 52b3 to turn on and off the current flowing to the seat heater 20. The switch element 52b4 is, for example, a field effect transistor (FET).

The first connector 51 is disposed on the edge of the substrate 52a opposite the heater wire 45 side (the edge on the negative X-axis side). In this embodiment, the first connector 51 is disposed so as to accept a connection from the negative X-axis side of the first connector 51.

The first connector 51 is a connector that is mounted on the substrate 52a as a circuit component 52b. The second connector 63 of the flat cable 62 is fitted into the insertion portion 51a of the first connector 51 to electrically connect the first connector 51 and power is supplied from the power supply unit 65 via the flat cable 62.

The flat cable 62 is electrically connected by fitting the second connector 63 at one end into the plug portion 51a of the first connector 51, and the connector at the other end is electrically connected to the power supply unit 65.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the flat cable 62 taken along line V-V in Figure 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the flat cable 62 has a number of ground lines 62a, 62g, a power line 62c, a number of insulating layers 62b, 62d, 62f, a signal line 62e, and a skin layer 62h.

Specifically, the flat cable 62 is laminated in the thickness direction in the following order: skin layer 62h, ground line 62a, insulating layer 62b, power line 62c, insulating layer 62d, signal line 62e, insulating layer 62f, ground line 62g, and skin layer 62h. Skin layer 62h is a hollow strip, forms the outer shell of the flat cable 62, and covers a laminate of multiple insulating layers 62b, 62d, and 62f, multiple ground lines 62a, 62g, signal line 62e, and power line 62c. Power line 62c is disposed between two adjacent ground lines 62a and 62g, and is a wiring other than the ground lines 62a and 62g. Power line 62c is a strip-shaped wiring that electrically connects control unit 52b3 and power supply unit 65, and supplies power from power supply unit 65. The signal line 62e is disposed between two adjacent ground lines 62a and 62g, and is a wire other than the ground lines 62a and 62g. The signal line 62e is a strip-shaped wire that connects the control unit 52b3 and the power supply unit 65 so as to be able to communicate with each other, and transmits, for example, a control instruction input by a user to the input unit. The insulating layer 62b is sandwiched between the ground line 62a and the power supply line 62c, and insulates the ground line 62a and the power supply line 62c along the length direction of the ground line 62a and the power supply line 62c. The insulating layer 62d is sandwiched between the power supply line 62c and the signal line 62e, and insulates the power supply line 62c and the signal line 62e along the length direction of the power supply line 62c and the signal line 62e. The insulating layer 62f is sandwiched between the signal line 62e and the ground line 62g, and insulates the signal line 62e from the ground line 62g along the length of the signal line 62e and the ground line 62g. The multiple ground lines 62g are strip-shaped and are arranged on both sides (front and back) of the flat cable 62. In this embodiment, two ground lines 62a, 62g are arranged, one on the front side of the skin layer 62h and the other on the back side of the skin layer 62h.

Here, the skin layer 62h and the multiple insulating layers 62b, 62d, and 62f are made of flexible resin. Therefore, as described above, the power line 62c, the signal line 62e, and the ground lines 62a and 62g are strip-shaped wiring, so the flat cable 62 is a flexible cable that is flexible as a whole.

The flat cable 62 may or may not be included in the configuration of the seat heater 20.

The slot 70 is a housing capable of housing the protrusion 42 of the base material 40 and the control device 52. The slot 70 is elongated in the Y-axis direction along the edge of the seat portion 10a on the negative side of the X-axis. The slot 70 has a housing portion into which the protrusion 42 and the control device 52 are inserted.

The slot 70 is located on the edge side of the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater, with the storage portion facing the base material 40. Specifically, the slot 70 is located between the seat cushion 11 and the seat back 14, near the connection between the seat cushion 11 and the seat back 14.

The slot 70 is made of a resin material, a metal material, or the like. When the slot 70 is made of a metal material, the control device 52 and the slot 70 are insulated from each other, except for the configurations of the fifth and sixth embodiments described below.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment includes a seat 10 and a seat heater 20 built into the seat 10. The seat heater 20 includes a base material 40, a heater wire 45 sewn onto the surface of the base material 40, and a control device 52 electrically connected to the heater wire 45. The control device 52 also includes a board 52a and circuit components 52b mounted on the board 52a. A protrusion 42 is provided at the end of the base material 40 and is positioned on the edge side of the seat 10. The board 52a is disposed on the protrusion 42. The protrusion 42 is inserted and fixed into a slot 70 provided on the edge side of the seat 10.

According to this, the slot 70 is provided on the edge side of the seat 10, and the protrusion 42 on which the substrate 52a is arranged is housed in the slot 70. Therefore, even when a person sits on the seat 10, stress is unlikely to be applied to the control device 52 arranged on the protrusion 42. In addition, although vibrations are transmitted to the control device 52 arranged on the protrusion 42 via the slot 70, the control device 52 is fixed to the slot 70, so that the substrate 52a of the control device 52 is unlikely to damage the base material 40.

Therefore, the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater can suppress damage to the base material 40. As a result, in the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater, even if repeated stress and vibration are applied to the control device 52, the base material 40 is less likely to be damaged.

In particular, in the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater, the slot 70 and the control device 52 are provided on the edge side of the seat 10, so that a person sitting in the seat 10 is unlikely to feel uncomfortable.

In addition, in the seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment, the circuit component 52b includes at least a first temperature detection unit 52b1 that detects the temperature of the seat heater 20, and a first connector 51 that is electrically connected to the flat cable 62.

This allows the first temperature detection unit 52b1 and the first connector 51 to be mounted and integrated on the substrate 52a as the circuit components 52b, making it difficult to increase the number of components to be mounted on the base material 40 side of the seat heater 20.

In addition, in the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment, the circuit component 52b further includes a switch element 52b4 that turns on and off the power supplied to the seat heater 20.

This allows the switch element 52b4 as the circuit component 52b to be mounted and integrated on the board 52a, so that a board 52a on which the control unit 52b3 is mounted can be created according to the vehicle model. By simply mounting each board 52a according to the vehicle model, it is possible to accommodate a variety of vehicle models.

In addition, in the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the circuit component 52b further includes a control unit 52b3 that controls the switch element 52b4.

As a result, the control unit 52b3 can also be mounted and integrated on the board 52a as a circuit component 52b, so that boards 52a on which the control unit 52b3 is mounted can be created according to the vehicle model, and a variety of vehicle models can be supported simply by mounting each board 52a according to the vehicle model.

In a seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature detection unit is disposed on the edge of the substrate 52a on the side of the seat heater 20. The control unit 52b3 is disposed on the edge of the substrate 52a on the side opposite the seat heater 20.

This allows the control unit 52b3 to be located away from the seat heater 20, thereby preventing malfunctions and breakdowns caused by unnecessary heating of the control unit 52b3.

In addition, in the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the first connector 51 is a flat cable connector.

By using a flat cable connector, there is no need to connect a large connector to the control device 52. This prevents the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater from becoming too large.

In addition, in the seat 1 with an internal seat heater according to this embodiment, the flat cable 62 has multiple belt-shaped ground wires arranged on both sides of the flat cable 62. Furthermore, wiring other than the multiple ground wires (power supply wire 62c and signal wire 62e) is arranged between two adjacent ground wires 62a, 62g among the multiple ground wires.

As a result, the flat cable 62 has a multi-layer structure sandwiched between the ground wires 62a and 62g, so the flat cable 62 itself has shielding properties and is less susceptible to the effects of external noise. This makes it possible to make the control device 52 electrically connected to the flat cable 62 less likely to malfunction.

In addition, the ground lines 62a and 62g can be placed in close proximity to the control device 52 via a flat cable connector, making the control device 52 less susceptible to the effects of external noise.

In addition, by using the flat cable 62, the ground lines 62a, 62g can be made wider, making the flat cable 62 less susceptible to the effects of external noise and making it lighter than commonly used coaxial cables.

(Embodiment 2)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

<Configuration>
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the seat heater 20 and the flat cable 62 according to the second embodiment.

This embodiment differs from embodiment 1 in that the protrusion 42 also covers the positive Z-axis side of the control device 52. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations of this embodiment are the same as those of embodiment 1, and the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations are omitted.

[Substrate 40]
The protruding portion 42 of the base material 40 covers the surface on the positive Z-axis direction side and the surface on the negative Z-axis direction side of the control device 52. The protruding portion 42 has a size sufficient to enclose both sides of the substrate 52a.

The protrusion 42 (second part 42b described below) arranged on the surface of the control device 52 on the positive side of the Z axis and the protrusion 42 (first part 42a described below) arranged on the surface of the control device 52 on the negative side of the Z axis may be separate and distinct members.

The protrusion 42 has a first portion 42a connected to the base body 41 and a second portion 42b connected to the side of the first portion 42a opposite to the base body 41. In a plan view, the first portion 42a and the second portion 42b are equal to or larger than the size of the substrate 52a.

The second part 42b is folded so as to overlap the first part 42a in which the control device 52 is located, so that the second part 42b covers the control device 52.

In addition, the protrusion 42 has a connector insertion hole 43 formed in a portion opposite the insertion portion 51a into which the second connector 63 that fits with the first connector 51 is inserted.

The connector insertion hole 43 is a through hole for inserting the flat cable 62. The connector insertion hole 43 is formed between the first part 42a and the second part 42b, but may be formed in the first part 42a or the second part 42b.

Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how the control device 52 is wrapped in the protruding portion 42 of the base material 40 used in the seat heater 20.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the protrusion 42 is wrapped around the control device 52 so as to sandwich the face of the control device 52 on the positive side of the Z axis and the face of the control device 52 on the negative side of the Z axis. Specifically, the control device 52 is placed on the base side of the protrusion 42 (the base body 41 side), and a part of the protrusion 42 that protrudes from the control device 52 in the negative direction of the X axis is folded back in the positive direction of the X axis. At this time, the connector insertion hole 43 of the protrusion 42 is placed in a position facing the first connector 51 of the control device 52.

In FIG. 7, the second portion 42b extends in the negative X-axis direction beyond the substrate 52a, but it may extend in the Y-axis direction beyond the substrate 52a.

[Substrate 52a]
2 and 6, the substrate 52a is inserted and fixed in the slot 70 while being surrounded by the protrusions 42. In this embodiment, the substrate 52a is inserted and fixed in the slot 70 while being surrounded by the protrusions 42, except for the insertion portion 51a of the first connector 51 located in the connector insertion hole 43.

In this embodiment, the first connector 51 mounted on the substrate 52a is exposed from the connector insertion hole 43. Note that the first connector 51 does not have to be exposed from the connector insertion hole 43, as long as the flat cable 62 can be electrically connected.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the protrusion 42 is large enough to enclose both sides of the substrate 52a. The substrate 52a is inserted and fixed in the slot 70 while being enclosed by the protrusion 42, except for the insertion portion 51a of the first connector 51 located in the connector insertion hole 43.

As a result, the substrate 52a and the circuit components 52b are enclosed in the protruding portion 42, making it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to the substrate 52a and the circuit components 52b. Therefore, the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater can prevent a short circuit from occurring in the control device 52.

The protrusion 42 encases the substrate 52a and the circuit components 52b, but if the protrusion 42 is made of nonwoven fabric, it has excellent breathability, so that the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater can ensure the heat dissipation of the control device 52.

In addition, in the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the protrusion 42 has a connector insertion hole 43 formed in a portion opposite the insertion portion 51a into which the second connector 63 that fits with the first connector 51 is inserted.

With this, the second connector 63 of the flat cable 62 can be inserted into the first connector 51 with the substrate 52a wrapped in the protrusion 42 inserted and fixed in the slot 70. This makes it less likely that the second connector 63 and the flat cable 62 in its vicinity will be subjected to vehicle vibrations. In addition, because the substrate 52a is inserted and fixed in the slot 70, foreign matter is less likely to adhere to the substrate 52a and the circuit components 52b.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 3)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

<Configuration>
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a seat 1 equipped with a seat heater according to the third embodiment.

This embodiment differs from embodiment 1 etc. in that the base material 240 has multiple protrusions 42. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations in this embodiment are the same as those in embodiment 1, and the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

[Substrate 240]
As shown in Fig. 8, the end of the base material 240 has a plurality of protrusions formed in a strip shape and arranged on the edge side of the seat 10. In this embodiment, the base material 240 has, among the plurality of protrusions, a first protrusion 242a (an example of a protrusion) on which the control device 52 is arranged, and a second protrusion 242b (an example of a protrusion) and a third protrusion 242c (an example of a protrusion) arranged on both sides of the first protrusion 242a. In this embodiment, three protrusions, the first protrusion 242a, the second protrusion 242b, and the third protrusion 242c, are illustrated, but the number of protrusions is not limited thereto, and may be two protrusions or four or more protrusions.

The first protrusion 242a is provided at the center of the edge on the negative X-axis side of the substrate body 41. The second protrusion 242b is provided on the positive Y-axis side of the first protrusion 242a. The third protrusion 242c is provided on the negative Y-axis side of the first protrusion 242a. The first protrusion 242a, the second protrusion 242b, and the third protrusion 242c are inserted and fixed into the slot 70 shown by the two-dot chain line.

The control device 52 may be enclosed by the first protrusion 242a, as in the second embodiment.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the end of the base material 240 is provided with a plurality of protrusions (first protrusion 242a, second protrusion 242b, and third protrusion 242c) formed in a strip shape and arranged on the edge side of the seat 10.

This allows multiple protrusions to be fixed to the edge of the seat 10, so the seat heater 20 can be firmly fixed.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 4)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

<Configuration>
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing how a control device 52 is wrapped in a protruding portion 42 of a base material 40 used in a seat heater in the fourth embodiment.

This embodiment differs from embodiment 1 etc. in that metal foil 80 is provided on a second surface 52d2 (rear surface) of the protrusion 42 opposite to a first surface 52d1 (front surface) on which the substrate 52a is arranged. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations of this embodiment are the same as those of embodiment 1, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

[Metal foil 80]
9, the metal foil 80 is provided in the seat heater-integrated seat 1. The metal foil 80 is, for example, a film-like or sheet-like metal film.

The metal foil 80 is provided on the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42 of the base material 40, opposite the first surface 52d1 on which the substrate 52a is arranged. The metal foil 80 is provided on the entire second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42, excluding the connector insertion hole 43. In other words, when viewed along the Z-axis direction, the metal foil 80 covers the entire substrate 52a, excluding the connector insertion hole 43. An adhesive layer (not shown) is provided on the surface of the metal foil 80 facing the protruding portion 42, and the metal foil 80 is adhered to the second surface 52d2 by the adhesive layer, thereby adhering and fixing the metal foil 80 to the protruding portion 42.

This metal foil 80 is electrically connected to the ground of the substrate 52a. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the metal foil 80 has a folded portion 81, a part of which reaches from the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42 to the first surface 52d1. That is, the folded portion 81 extends from the metal foil 80 arranged on the second surface 52d2 to the first surface 52d1 so as to bypass the edge of the protruding portion 42. The folded portion 81 is an example of a conductive portion. In this embodiment, the folded portion 81 is a film-like or sheet-like metal film, but is not limited to this and may be thread-like, linear, or the like. In addition, as an example of a conductive portion, it may be a linear or foil-like body extending from the metal foil 80, and it is not essential that it be folded. For example, the conductive portion may be arranged so as to penetrate the protruding portion 42, or may be merely arranged on the side of the protruding portion 42.

Folded portion 81 is integrated with metal foil 80 arranged on second surface 52d2. An adhesive layer (not shown) is also provided on the surface of folded portion 81 facing protruding portion 42. Therefore, folded portion 81 is adhesively fixed to the edge of protruding portion 42 in a C-shape as shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, folded portions 81 are provided in two places in this embodiment, but this is not limited thereto, and folded portions 81 may be provided in one place or in three or more places.

In this embodiment, the folded portion 81 is integrated with the metal foil 80 arranged on the second surface 52d2, but is not limited thereto and may be a separate body that can be separated from the metal foil 80. In this case, for example, by using the scrap of the metal foil 80 after the connector insertion hole 43 is removed as the folded portion 81, waste of the metal foil 80 can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the metal foil 80 and the ground pattern 52c are electrically connected by the folded portion 81, but this is not limited to the configuration. For example, the metal foil 80 and the ground pattern 52c may be electrically connected by a lead wire or the like. In this case, although the number of parts increases, the electrical connection can be strengthened by soldering the lead wire. In other words, the folded portion 81 is not limited to a sheet-like or film-like metal film.

9, the ground pattern 52c is formed on each of two corners of the substrate 52a located on the folded portion 81 side. The ground pattern 52c is electrically connected to the ground of the control device 52 on the substrate 52a. The folded portion 81 and the ground pattern 52c are arranged so that the substrate 52a is wrapped by the protruding portion 42, so that the folded portion 81 comes into contact with the ground pattern 52c. In other words, after the control device 52 is arranged on the first surface 52d1 of the protruding portion 42, a part of the protruding portion 42 is folded back together with the control device 52, so that the ground pattern 52c provided on the substrate 52a comes into contact with the folded portion 81 provided on the remaining part of the protruding portion 42 that is not folded back, and the ground pattern 52c and the folded portion 81 are electrically connected. In this embodiment, a plurality of ground patterns 52c and a plurality of folded portions 81 are provided so as to correspond one-to-one.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

The seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment includes a metal foil 80 provided on the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42 opposite the first surface 52d1 on which the substrate 52a is disposed. The metal foil 80 is electrically connected to the ground of the control device 52.

According to this, the control device 52 can be covered with the metal foil 80 that is electrically connected to the ground of the control device 52. Therefore, even if disturbance noise occurs, the disturbance noise can be guided from the metal foil 80 to the ground of the control device 52, so that the effect of the disturbance noise on the control device 52 can be suppressed. Therefore, the noise resistance of the control device 52 can be improved.

In addition, in the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the metal foil 80 has a folded portion 81 that extends from the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42 to the first surface 52d1. The substrate 52a has a ground pattern 52c that is electrically connected to ground. By wrapping the substrate 52a in the protruding portion 42, the folded portion 81 is electrically connected to the ground pattern 52c.

This allows the electrical connection between the metal foil 80 and the ground of the control device 52 to be made by contact between the folded portion 81 of the metal foil 80 and the ground pattern 52c of the substrate 52a, making it easy to electrically connect the metal foil 80 and the ground of the control device 52. This makes it easy to improve the noise resistance of the control device 52.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 5)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

<Configuration>
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a seat 1 equipped with a seat heater according to the fifth embodiment.

In this embodiment, metal foil 80 is provided on the second surface 52d2 of the protrusion 42 opposite to the first surface 52d1 on which the substrate 52a is arranged, and when the protrusion 42 is inserted and fixed in the slot 70, the metal foil 80 is electrically connected to the ground terminal 71 provided in the slot 70, which is different from the fourth embodiment. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations in this embodiment are the same as those in the fourth embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

[Ground terminal 71]
The ground terminal 71 is provided in the slot 70. In the example of Fig. 10, the ground terminal 71 is provided at the back of the slot 70. The ground terminal 71 is electrically connected to the vehicle ground by a ground line 72. The vehicle ground is the vehicle body earth.

In this embodiment, the metal foil 80 is adhesively fixed to the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42, as in the fourth embodiment. However, in this embodiment, unlike the fourth embodiment, there is no folded portion and no ground pattern 52c on the board. Therefore, by inserting and fixing the protruding portion 42 into the slot 70, the metal foil 80 can come into contact with the ground terminal 71 located at the back of the slot 70. As a result, the metal foil 80 is electrically connected to the vehicle ground via the slot 70.

The ground terminal 71 and the ground lines 62a and 62g are electrically connected to the vehicle ground, so that the ground of the control device 52 and the ground terminal 71 of the slot 70 are electrically connected.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

The seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment has a metal foil 80 provided on the second surface 52d2 of the protruding portion 42, which is opposite to the first surface 52d1 on which the substrate 52a is arranged. When the protruding portion 42 is inserted and fixed in the slot 70, the metal foil 80 comes into contact with the ground terminal 71 provided in the slot 70.

As a result, the metal foil 80 can be easily electrically connected to the ground terminal 71 provided in the slot 70 simply by inserting and fixing the protrusion 42 into the slot 70. With a simple configuration in which the protrusion 42 is inserted and fixed into the slot 70, the metal foil 80 can be easily electrically connected to, for example, the ground of the vehicle, improving the noise resistance of the control device 52.

(Embodiment 6)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

<Configuration>
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a seat 1 equipped with a seat heater according to the sixth embodiment.

In this embodiment, the slot 70 is configured with a metal case 73 that houses the entire protrusion 42, and the metal case 73 is electrically connected to the ground of the vehicle, which is different from the first embodiment and the like. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations of the configurations are omitted.

[Metal case 73]
The metal case 73 is large enough to contain the entire slot 70 and the entire protrusion 42. In other words, the slot 70 that receives the protrusion 42 is disposed inside the metal case 73. In this embodiment, the metal case 73 is integrally configured so that the slot 70 is formed inside the metal case 73 by metal processing.

Therefore, the protrusion 42 is inserted and fixed inside the metal case 73 using the slot 70 machined inside the metal case 73 as a guide. At this time, the flat cable 62 is led from a hole (not shown) previously provided in the metal case 73 to the bottom of the seat as shown in FIG. 11.

The metal case 73 is also electrically connected to the vehicle ground via the ground wire 72. Therefore, by inserting and fixing the protrusion 42 into the slot 70, the control device 52 is enclosed in the metal case 73, which is connected to the ground.

The ground wire 72 and the ground wires 62a and 62g are electrically connected to the ground of the vehicle, so that the ground of the control device 52 and the ground wire 72 of the metal case 73 are electrically connected.

In this embodiment, the metal foil 80 is not provided on the base material 40, but it may be combined with the configurations of the fourth and fifth embodiments, for example, to provide the metal foil 80 on the protruding portion 42 of the base material 40 and to configure the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater to have a metal case 73. In this case, the control device 52 is configured to be doubly shielded, thereby further improving noise resistance.

In addition, in this embodiment, the slot 70 is configured to be integrally formed as part of the metal case 73, but this is not limited to the configuration, and the guide portion of the slot 70 may be made of resin, which is easy to process.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the slot 70 is formed of a metal case 73 that houses the entire protrusion 42, and the metal case 73 is electrically connected to ground.

As a result, the entire control device 52 is housed in the metal case 73, so there is no need to provide a conductor such as metal foil 80 on the base material 40, and the noise resistance of the control device 52 can be improved with a simple configuration.

(Seventh embodiment)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described below.

<Configuration>
In this embodiment, the board 52a is a multilayer board, and each conductive layer on the top and bottom surfaces of this multilayer board is a solid ground pattern electrically connected to the ground, except for the portion connected to the circuit component 52b, which is different from the first embodiment etc. The other configurations in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified, and the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

First, in this embodiment, the substrate 52a is composed of a multilayer substrate. Here, for example, a multilayer substrate with four conductive layers is used. The multilayer substrate may be a glass epoxy type, but here, a polyimide type resin multilayer substrate is used. Therefore, since the multilayer substrate is a flexible substrate, it maintains rigidity due to the multilayer structure, while also being flexible due to the polyimide material.

Next, the configuration of the conductive layers of the multilayer board will be described. Here, there are four conductive layers, and the two outermost conductive layers, i.e., the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer board, are configured with solid ground patterns that are electrically connected to ground, except for the parts that are connected to circuit components 52b. Power supply wiring and signal wiring are arranged in no particular order on the two conductive layers between the top and bottom conductive layers. In addition, inner vias and through holes are formed to connect the layers as necessary.

This embodiment may be combined with the metal foil 80 and metal case 73 described in embodiments 4 to 6. In this case, noise resistance can be further improved.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, the substrate 52a is a multilayer substrate, and each of the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of this multilayer substrate is a solid ground pattern that is electrically connected to ground, except for the portion that is connected to the circuit component 52b.

This allows the solid ground pattern to sandwich the internal conductors, excluding the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer board. This improves noise resistance for the internal conductors, even without using conductors such as metal foil 80 and metal case 73.

In addition, in the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment, the multilayer board is a flexible board.

According to this, when the flexible substrate (substrate 52a) is placed on the protruding portion 42 and then the protruding portion 42 is inserted into the slot 70, the substrate 52a is a multilayer substrate and has a certain rigidity, so the protruding portion 42 can be inserted and fixed into the slot 70 without the substrate 52a buckling. Furthermore, because the substrate 52a is also flexible, unnecessary stress during insertion into the slot 70 is alleviated, and the possibility of cracks occurring, particularly inside the substrate 52a, can be reduced. In addition, even after insertion and fixing, stress applied to the substrate 52a from the outside due to vibrations of the vehicle and the seat 1 with built-in seat heater can be alleviated, so even higher reliability can be obtained.

(Embodiment 8)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described below.

<Configuration>
The present embodiment differs from embodiment 7 in that inductors and capacitors are formed by patterns inside the multilayer board. Unless otherwise specified, other configurations in the present embodiment are the same as those in embodiment 7, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

The multilayer board of this embodiment has, for example, 10 conductor layers. Inductors and capacitors are formed by the internal conductor patterns excluding the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer board. Specifically, to form the inductors, a zigzag pattern is formed. Alternatively, inner vias are used to form a coil pattern that spans between layers. Also, to form capacitors, solid patterns are formed so that adjacent internal conductor patterns face each other. In this way, 10 conductor layers are used in this embodiment to form inductors and capacitors inside the multilayer board.

The inductor and capacitor thus formed are configured as a filter circuit and are electrically connected to the wiring of the power supply system (e.g., power line 62c) and the signal system (e.g., signal line 62e) arranged around the seat 1 with the built-in seat heater.

In the above explanation, we have described a configuration in which both an inductor and a capacitor are formed inside the multilayer board, but it is also possible to form only one of them as necessary.

The inductors and capacitors provided inside the multilayer board described in this embodiment may be used in circuit configurations other than filter circuits.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment, at least one of an inductor and a capacitor is formed by a pattern inside the multilayer board.

This allows the effects of noise propagating from the power supply and signal wiring arranged around the seat 1 with built-in seat heater to be suppressed by a filter circuit using at least one of an inductor and a capacitor formed by a pattern. This makes it possible to improve the noise resistance of the control device without using large external components.

(Embodiment 9)
The seat 1 with a built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described below.

<Configuration>
This embodiment differs from embodiment 1 etc. in that an inductor is formed by shorting two conductors built into flat cable 62 at the end opposite to the side connected to first connector 51, and a capacitor is formed by opening two conductors built into flat cable 62 at the end opposite to the side connected to first connector 51. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations of this embodiment are the same as those of embodiment 1 etc., and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations is omitted.

The flat cable 62 in this embodiment has multiple conductors in addition to the power supply system, signal system, and ground lines 62a, 62g. The multiple conductors are an even number of two or more, and may be stacked with the power supply line 62c and the signal line 62e shown in FIG. 5 via an insulating layer, or multiple conductors may be arranged in parallel on the same layer. However, when forming a capacitor, at least one set of stacked conductors with an insulating layer interposed is required.

Next, an example of forming an inductor using a flat cable 62 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, at the end of the flat cable 62 opposite the end connected to the first connector 51, two of the multiple conductors are short-circuited. Specifically, at the opposite end, two of the multiple conductors may be directly electrically connected, or the terminals may be short-circuited inside a connector at the opposite end that is different from the first connector 51. By configuring in this way, on the first connector 51 side of the flat cable 62, the two short-circuited conductors become a single conductor that travels back and forth in the flat cable 62. Therefore, this conductor forms an inductor consisting of a one-turn planar coil.

Note that, while an example has been shown in which the inductor is a one-turn planar coil made of two conductors, it is also possible to form multiple inductors by providing multiple pairs of such two conductors, or to combine them to form an inductor with a large inductance value.

The inductor thus formed is electrically connected to the wiring of the power supply system and the signal system.

Next, an example of forming a capacitor using a flat cable 62 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, at the end of the flat cable 62 opposite the end connected to the first connector 51, two of the multiple conductors are open. Specifically, at the opposite end, two of the multiple conductors are configured so that no electrical connection is made. This may be configured so that no terminals are connected inside a connector at the opposite end different from the first connector 51, for example. By configuring in this way, the two conductors open on the first connector 51 side of the flat cable 62 become a pair of conductors facing each other via an insulating layer within the flat cable 62. Therefore, these conductors form a capacitor.

In this example, the capacitor is formed by two conductors facing each other with an insulating layer between them. However, by providing multiple pairs of such two conductors, multiple capacitors can be formed, or they can be combined to form a capacitor with a large capacity.

The capacitor thus formed is electrically connected to the wiring of the power supply system and the signal system.

In this embodiment, since the inductor and capacitor formed as described above are both included, by wiring these to form, for example, an LC filter circuit within the control circuit 52, it is possible to configure a noise filter for the power supply system and the signal system.

In the above explanation, the flat cable 62 is described as having both an inductor and a capacitor, but only one of them may be formed as needed.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the seat 1 with built-in seat heater according to this embodiment will be described.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, an inductor is formed by shorting two conductors built into the flat cable 62 at the end opposite the end connected to the first connector 51.

This allows the inductor to be formed using the flat cable 62, so that the effects of noise propagating from the power supply and signal wiring located around the seat 1 with built-in seat heater can be suppressed without using large external components. In addition, the control device 52 can be made smaller.

In the seat 1 with an integrated seat heater according to this embodiment, a capacitor is formed by opening the two conductors built into the flat cable 62 at the end opposite the end connected to the first connector 51.

This allows the flat cable 62 to be used to form a capacitor, so that the effects of noise transmitted from the power supply and signal wiring located around the seat 1 with built-in seat heater can be suppressed without using large external components. In addition, the control device 52 can be made smaller.

(Other Modifications)
The seats with built-in seat heaters according to the present embodiments 1 to 9 have been described above based on the above-mentioned respective embodiments 1 to 9, but the present embodiments 1 to 9 are not limited to these embodiments 1 to 9. Various modifications conceivable by those skilled in the art may be included in the scope of the present embodiments 1 to 9, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present embodiments 1 to 9.

For example, in the seats with built-in seat heaters in each of the above embodiments 1 to 9, the flat cable has a signal line, but a flat cable without a signal line may also be used.

In addition, in the seats with built-in seat heaters in each of the above embodiments 1 to 9, the control device does not need to have a second temperature detection unit, and does not need to have a control unit. If the control device does not have a control unit, the switch element may be a selector that passes current, and a resistor may be placed between the switch element and the heater wire to make the magnitude of the current passed through the seat heater variable. In this case, the flat cable has a signal line for controlling the switch element.

In addition, in the seats with built-in seat heaters in each of the above embodiments 1 to 9, the control device may not have a switch element in addition to the control unit. If the control device does not have a control unit, the control device becomes a temperature detection device. Also, the temperature detection device may be provided with only two second temperature detection units. If the control device does not have a switch element and a control unit, the flat cable may be a flat cable without a signal line.

In addition, in the seats with built-in seat heaters in each of the above embodiments 1 to 9, the control device may preheat (pre-warm) the first temperature detection unit having a thermistor in accordance with the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. Due to the characteristics of the first temperature detection unit, in cold regions, the control device may control the first temperature detection unit to pre-heat in order to make temperature detection smoother.

In addition, in the seat with built-in seat heater in each of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 9, as shown in FIG. 12, before the second part is overlapped with the first part, the control device is disposed in the second part of the protruding part. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of the first temperature detection part, the second temperature detection part, and the control part mounted on the board when the control device is wrapped in the protruding part of the base material used for the seat heater. In this state, the control part is disposed on the edge of the board of the control device on the seat heater side. Also, the first temperature detection part and the second temperature detection part are disposed on the edge of the board opposite to the control part. As shown by the two-dot chain line, by folding the second part on which the control device is disposed so as to overlap with the first part, the first temperature detection part and the second temperature detection part are disposed on the seat heater side, and the control part is disposed on the opposite side to the seat heater side. When the second part and the first part are folded so as to overlap, the first temperature detection part and the second temperature detection part are disposed so as to contact the heater wire. By placing the control unit as far away as possible from the seat heater, which is the heat source, malfunctions caused by the control unit are reduced.

Note that embodiments 1 to 9 above also include forms obtained by applying various modifications that would come to mind to those skilled in the art, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of embodiments 1 to 9 within the scope of the spirit of this disclosure.

This disclosure can be used, for example, in seats equipped with seat heaters that warm the seats of vehicles, etc.

1 Seat with built-in seat heater 10 Seat 20 Seat heater 40, 240 Base material 42 Protrusion 43 Connector insertion hole 45 Heater wire 51 First connector 51a Insertion portion 52 Control device 52a Board 52b Circuit component 52b1 First temperature detection portion (temperature detection portion)
52b2 Second temperature detection unit (temperature detection unit)
52b3 Control unit 52b4 Switch element 52c Ground pattern 52d1 First surface 52d2 Second surface 62 Flat cable 62a, 62g, 72 Ground line 62c Power line (wiring)
62e Signal line (wiring)
63 Second connector 70 Slot 71 Ground terminal 73 Metal case 80 Metal foil 81 Folded portion (conductive portion)
242a First protrusion (protrusion)
242b Second protrusion (protrusion)
242c Third protrusion (protrusion)

Claims (19)

A seat heater built into a seat,
A substrate;
A heater wire disposed on the substrate;
a control device electrically connected to the heater wire,
the control device includes a substrate and a circuit component mounted on the substrate and including a first connector ;
The base material has a base material body and a protruding portion protruding from a central portion of an edge of the base material body and disposed on an edge side of the seat,
The protruding portion has
The substrate is disposed;
a connector insertion hole is formed in a portion facing an insertion portion into which a second connector that fits with the first connector is inserted;
The protrusion is accommodated in a housing provided on the edge side of the seat. The seat heater according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit components include a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the seat heater, and the first connector that is electrically connected to a flat cable. The seat heater according to claim 2 , wherein the circuit components further include a switch element for turning on and off the power supplied to the seat heater. The seat heater according to claim 3 , wherein the circuit component further comprises a control unit that controls the switch element. The temperature detection unit is disposed on an edge of the substrate on the base body side,
The seat heater according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is disposed on an edge of the substrate opposite to the base body side. the protrusion has a size that encloses both sides of the substrate,
The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate is accommodated in the accommodation portion in a state where the substrate is surrounded by the protrusion. The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second connector is a flat cable connector. the flat cable has a plurality of belt-shaped ground wires arranged on both sides of the flat cable,
6. The seat heater according to claim 2, wherein wiring other than the plurality of ground wires is disposed between two adjacent ground wires among the plurality of ground wires. The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an end portion of the base material is provided with a plurality of protruding portions formed in a rectangular shape and arranged on an edge side of the seat. a metal foil provided on a second surface of the protruding portion opposite to a first surface on which the substrate is disposed,
The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the metal foil is electrically connected to a ground of the control device. the metal foil has a conductive portion extending from the second surface to the first surface of the protruding portion,
the substrate has a ground pattern electrically connected to the ground,
The seat heater according to claim 10 , wherein the conductive portion is electrically connected to the ground pattern by the substrate being enclosed by the protruding portion. a metal foil provided on a second surface of the protruding portion opposite to a first surface on which the substrate is disposed,
8. The seat heater according to claim 1, wherein when the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion, the metal foil comes into contact with a ground terminal provided in the receiving portion. the housing portion is formed of a metal case that houses the entire protrusion,
The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the metal case is electrically connected to a ground. the substrate is a multilayer substrate,
The seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein each of the conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the multilayer substrate is a solid ground pattern electrically connected to ground, except for the portions connected to the circuit components. The seat heater according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of an inductor and a capacitor is formed by a pattern inside the multilayer board. The seat heater according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the multi-layer substrate is a flexible substrate. The seat heater according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 8, wherein an inductor is formed by shorting two conductors built into the flat cable at an end opposite to the end connected to the first connector. The seat heater according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 8, wherein a capacitor is formed by opening two conductors built into the flat cable at an end opposite to the end connected to the first connector. A seat heater according to any one of claims 1 to 18;
A seat with a built-in seat heater comprising the seat.

Images