JP7628360B2 - Vehicle seat air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a vehicle seat air conditioning device that blows air to a person sitting in the seat.

In recent years, there has been a demand to provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for people sitting in the seats.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle air conditioner that includes an air conditioner main body that is mounted on a vehicle and generates conditioned air, a first duct that is connected at one end to the air conditioner main body and through which the conditioned air sent from the air conditioner main body flows, a second duct that is provided at one end inside the seat and draws air from the occupant side of the seat to the inside by sucking air at the other end, a third duct that is provided at one end inside the seat, a blower that supplies the conditioned air and air sucked from the first duct and the second duct to the third duct, and a blower section that can blow the conditioned air and air that flow from the other end of the third duct to the one end to the outside of the seat.

JP 2019-131144 A

However, in a conventional vehicle seat air conditioner used as a vehicle air conditioner, the first duct connecting the vehicle air conditioner main body and the vehicle seat air conditioner complicates the structure of the vehicle. In addition, since the conditioned air temperature is determined by the conditioned air from the vehicle air conditioner main body, and the ratio of the intake and exhaust air volumes is also fixed, it is difficult to adjust the temperature of the air discharged from the exhaust section. For this reason, it may not be possible to provide a comfortable environment for the person sitting in the seat.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a vehicle seat air conditioning system that can suppress the complexity of the vehicle structure and provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person seated in the seat.

A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device including a blower, an air-flow path selection switching unit, and a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switching unit, a first air-flow path that guides air drawn in by the blower from a first air-intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, a second air-flow path that guides air drawn in by the blower from a second air-intake port that is an air-intake port different from the first air-intake port and is provided on a portion of the seat other than the seat surface, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, and a third air-flow path that guides air drawn by the blower from at least one of the first air-flow path and the second air-flow path from the air-flow path selection switching unit to an outlet port provided on the seat, the first air-intake port opening toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the first air-intake port and the second air-intake port being a third air passage selection switching unit that selects a first mode for connecting the first air passage to the third air passage, a second mode for connecting the second air passage to the third air passage, and a third mode for connecting the first air passage and the second air passage to the third air passage in order to guide air to the third air passage; and a control unit that switches the mode of the air passage selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode ; the seat has a seat portion that is a portion on which a person sits, including the seat surface, and the second air intake is provided in a portion of the seat portion other than the seat surface .
A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device including a blower, an air-flow path selection switch, a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switch, a first air-flow path that guides air drawn in by the blower from a first air-intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the air-flow path selection switch, and a second air-flow path that guides air drawn in by the blower from a second air-intake port that is different from the first air-intake port and is provided on a portion of the seat other than the seat surface, through the air-flow path. a second ventilation passage that guides the air to a selection switching unit, and a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to a discharge port provided in the seat, the first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the first air intake port and the second air intake port are arranged vertically below the discharge port, at least the first air intake port, the second air intake port and the discharge port are provided in the seat, and the blower and the third ventilation passage are built into the seat, and the ventilation passage selection switch unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation passage selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode, and A driver's seat and a passenger seat have a seat back, and the second air intake port is formed in any one of the side portion of the driver's seat facing the passenger seat, the back portion opposite the surface portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the driver's seat, and a corner portion spanning from the side portion of the driver's seat to the back portion of the seat back, or is formed in any one of the side portion of the passenger seat facing the driver's seat, the back portion opposite the surface portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the passenger seat, and a corner portion spanning from the side portion of the passenger seat to the back portion of the seat back.
Further, a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device including a blower, an air-flow path selection switching unit, a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switching unit, a first air-flow path that guides air sucked by the blower from a first air-intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, a second air-flow path that guides air sucked by the blower from a second air-intake port that is an air-intake port different from the first air-intake port and is provided on a portion of the seat other than the seat surface, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, and a third air-flow path that guides air guided by the blower from at least one of the first air-flow path and the second air-flow path from the air-flow path selection switching unit to an outlet port provided on the seat, the first air-intake port opening toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, The first air intake and the second air intake are arranged vertically below the exhaust port, at least the first air intake, the second air intake and the exhaust port are provided in the seat, and the first ventilation duct, a portion of the second ventilation duct, the ventilation duct selection switching unit, the blower and the third ventilation duct are built into the seat, the ventilation duct selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation duct is connected to the third ventilation duct in order to guide air to the third ventilation duct, a second mode in which the second ventilation duct is connected to the third ventilation duct, and a third mode in which the first ventilation duct and the second ventilation duct are connected to the third ventilation duct, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation duct selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode and the third mode, and the first air intake is formed in the center and the outer edge of the seating surface.
Further, a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device including a blower, an air-flow path selection switching unit, a control unit that controls the air-flow path selection switching unit, a first air-flow path that guides air sucked by the blower from a first air-intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, a second air-flow path that guides air sucked by the blower from a second air-intake port that is an air-intake port different from the first air-intake port and is provided on a portion of the seat other than the seat surface, to the air-flow path selection switching unit, and a third air-flow path that guides air guided by the blower from at least one of the first air-flow path and the second air-flow path from the air-flow path selection switching unit to an outlet port provided on the seat, the first air-intake port opening toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the first ventilation passage, a portion of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet, the ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation passage selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode, and is provided with a three-dimensional structure arranged in at least one of the first ventilation passage, the second ventilation passage, and the third ventilation passage.
A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, and includes a blower, an air-flow path selection switch, a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switch, a first temperature sensor for detecting a temperature inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat, and a third temperature sensor for guiding air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which the person sits, to the air-flow path selection switch. a first ventilation passage, a second ventilation passage that guides air drawn in by the blower from a second intake port that is different from the first intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation passage selection switching unit, and a third ventilation passage that guides air guided by the blower from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to a discharge port provided in the seat, the first intake port being open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the first air intake port, the second air intake port, and the discharge port are disposed vertically below the discharge port, at least the first air intake port, the second air intake port, and the discharge port are provided on the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet, and the ventilation passage selection switching unit is configured to switch between a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, and a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage. and a third mode in which the first ventilation duct and the second ventilation duct are connected to the third ventilation duct, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation duct selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode, and the control unit causes the ventilation duct selection switching unit to execute the second mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first surface temperature.
A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, and includes a blower, an air-flow path selection switch, a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switch, a first temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat, a first air-flow path for guiding air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which the person sits, to the air-flow path selection switch, and a second ventilation passage that guides the air drawn in by the blower from a second intake port, which is different from the first intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation passage selection switching unit; and a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to a discharge port provided in the seat, the first intake port being open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the first intake port and the second intake port being a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage; and a third mode in which the air passage is connected to a third air passage, and the control unit switches the mode of the air passage selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode, and the control unit causes the air passage selection switching unit to execute the third mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a first surface temperature and equal to or higher than a second surface temperature that is lower than the first surface temperature.
A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, and includes a blower, an air-flow path selection switch, a control unit for controlling the air-flow path selection switch, a first temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat, a first air-flow path for guiding air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface that is a surface of the seat on which the person sits, to the air-flow path selection switch, and a second ventilation passage that guides the air drawn in by the blower from a second intake port, which is different from the first intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation passage selection switching unit; and a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to a discharge port provided in the seat, the first intake port being open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the first intake port and the second intake port being a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage; and a third mode in which the air passage is connected to a third air passage, and the control unit switches the mode of the air passage selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode, and the control unit causes the air passage selection switching unit to execute the first mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is less than a set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is less than a second surface temperature and is equal to or greater than a third surface temperature that is lower than the second surface temperature.

Note that this comprehensive or specific aspect may be realized by any combination of systems, methods, integrated circuits, etc.

The vehicle seat air conditioning device disclosed herein can reduce the complexity of the vehicle structure and provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat equipped with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2a is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat equipped with a vehicle seat air conditioning device and a cross-sectional view showing the seat taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. 2b is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a frame portion shown by a dashed line in Fig. 2a. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the first embodiment. FIG. 5A is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the second mode is executed. FIG. 5B is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the third mode is executed. FIG. 5C is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the first mode is executed. FIG. 5D is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the second mode is executed in the first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 5E is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the third mode is executed in the first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 5F is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat when the first mode is executed in the first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat provided with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device in a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing mode switching of the air passage selection switcher in accordance with the target discharge temperature. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing mode switching of the air-passage path selection switcher in accordance with the target discharge temperature, and a schematic diagram showing the relationship between elapsed time and estimated temperature. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle air conditioning unit according to the fifth embodiment, which is disposed in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 17 is a side view showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the fifth embodiment. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device taken along line XIX-XIX in FIG. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional structure. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the flow speed of air blown out of the air outlet. FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a seat provided with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device in a first modification of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing a second air intake port formed in a corner of a vehicle seat air conditioning device in a second modification of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the sixth embodiment.

A vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat, and includes a blower, a ventilation path selection switch, a control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switch, a first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake provided on the seat surface, which is the surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the ventilation path selection switch, a second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake that is an air intake different from the first air intake and is provided on a location on the seat other than the seat surface, to the ventilation path selection switch, and a third ventilation path that guides air guided by the blower from at least one of the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path from the ventilation path selection switch to an outlet provided on the seat, and the first air intake is a ventilation path that guides the air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake provided on the seat surface, which is the surface of the seat on which a person sits, to the ventilation path selection switch, The first air intake and the second air intake are disposed vertically below the exhaust port, and at least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided on the sheet, and the first ventilation duct, a part of the second ventilation duct, the ventilation duct selection switch, the blower, and the third ventilation duct are built into the sheet, and the ventilation duct selection switch has a first mode in which the first ventilation duct is connected to the third ventilation duct in order to guide air to the third ventilation duct, a second mode in which the second ventilation duct is connected to the third ventilation duct, and a third mode in which the first ventilation duct and the second ventilation duct are connected to the third ventilation duct, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation duct selection switch by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

According to this, unlike conventional vehicle seat air-conditioning devices, which have a duct connecting the vehicle air-conditioning device for air-conditioning the interior of the vehicle and the vehicle seat air-conditioning device, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device of the present disclosure can use the blower to draw in air that is convecting or stagnating around the seat and blow the drawn-in air to the person through the outlet. Therefore, compared to conventional vehicle seat air-conditioning devices, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device of the present disclosure can simplify the structure in the vehicle.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device, the first air intake is provided on the seat surface of the seat, the second air intake is provided in a location other than the seat surface of the seat, and the exhaust port is also provided in the seat. In other words, the device is configured to suck in air that is convecting or stagnating around the seat and to blow the sucked air from the exhaust port toward a person. Furthermore, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device, the first ventilation duct, part of the second ventilation duct, ventilation duct selection switch, blower, and third ventilation duct are built into the seat. In other words, all of the components for performing air conditioning appropriate to the state of the person sitting in the seat are built into the seat. Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioning device of the present disclosure can have a simpler configuration than conventional vehicle seat air conditioning devices.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device can use the ventilation path selection switch unit to discharge only the air drawn from the first intake port from the exhaust port, discharge only the air drawn from the second intake port from the exhaust port, or discharge air drawn from both the first intake port and the second intake port simultaneously from the exhaust port. In other words, air can be drawn from different intake ports, the first intake port and the second intake port, and each or a mixture of the air drawn from the different intake ports can be discharged individually from the exhaust port, so that the temperature of the air discharged from the exhaust port can be made different. Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioning device can perform air conditioning suitable for the state of the person sitting in the seat by switching the air discharged from the exhaust port of the seat.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning system can prevent the structure of the vehicle from becoming too complicated, and can provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In particular, since the first intake port and the second intake port are positioned vertically below the exhaust port, it is possible to provide the first intake port at a location corresponding to a person's lower limbs, the second intake port at a location less likely to affect the person's body, and the exhaust port at a location corresponding to the person's upper body. In this case, an airflow is generated by drawing in air from at least one of the first intake port and the second intake port, and the air can be blown onto the person by discharging the drawn-in air from the exhaust port. This creates an airflow that envelops the person's body, allowing the conditioned air to be kept around the person seated in the seat, providing a comfortable conditioned environment with minimal air conditioning energy.

Furthermore, the ventilation path selection switch has a first mode in which the first ventilation path is connected to the third ventilation path.

With this, for example, air can be sucked in through the first air intake port and blown onto the upper body of a person. In addition, the air blown onto the upper body of a person by being exhausted from the exhaust port is sucked in through the first air intake port in the seat, that is, the air is sucked into the first air intake port through the upper body of a person sitting on the seat from the exhaust port. This makes it possible to create an airflow that envelops the upper body of a person from the buttocks to the thighs.

For example, when a person sits in a seat for a long time while a vehicle air conditioner is operating in cooling mode, or when the vehicle air conditioner is operating in heating mode, the person's buttocks and thighs, which are in contact with the seat, may become sweaty and steamy. However, a vehicle seat air conditioner can draw in surrounding air from the first air intake, generating an airflow around the person's buttocks and thighs, thereby preventing the buttocks and thighs from becoming steamy. This makes it possible to provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

Furthermore, the ventilation passage selection switching unit has a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage.

This allows, for example, air drawn in from the second air intake port to be blown onto the upper half of a person's body. Therefore, if the second air intake port is positioned in a position where it can draw in air discharged from a vehicle air conditioner (for example, under the seat), it is possible to provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat by quickly blowing cool and warm air onto the upper half of the person's body.

For example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin tends to be high immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. With the vehicle seat air conditioning device disclosed herein, air taken in from the second air intake can be blown onto the upper body of a person seated in the seat. In particular, when the vehicle air conditioning device is in cooling mode, cooled air can be taken in from the second air intake, thereby cooling the person seated in the seat.

In addition, when the outside temperature is low, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is low immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. With the vehicle seat air conditioning device of the present disclosure, air taken in from the second air intake can be blown onto the upper body of the person seated in the seat. In particular, during heating operation of the vehicle air conditioning device, warmed air can be taken in from the second air intake, so the person seated in the seat can be warmed. Therefore, with this vehicle seat air conditioning device, a comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided for the person seated in the seat.

Furthermore, the ventilation passage selection switching unit has a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage.

With this, for example, air can be sucked in through the first and second air intakes and blown onto a person's upper body. In addition, the air blown onto the person's upper body by being exhausted from the exhaust port is sucked in through the first air intake port in the seat, that is, the air is sucked into the first air intake port through the upper body of the person sitting on the seat from the exhaust port. This makes it possible to create an airflow that envelops the person's upper body from the buttocks to the thighs.

For example, during cooling operation of a vehicle air conditioner, the temperature of the air blown out by the air conditioner may have dropped to a minimum, but the temperature inside the vehicle cabin may not have dropped sufficiently. According to the vehicle seat air conditioner of the present disclosure, the air around the seat sucked in from the first air intake port and the air cooled by the vehicle air conditioner sucked in from the second air intake port can be mixed and the mixed air can be blown onto the upper body of the person sitting in the seat. This prevents the upper body of the person sitting in the seat from being excessively cooled, and allows for gentle cooling. In addition, by sucking in the surrounding air from the first air intake port, an air flow can be generated around the person's buttocks and thighs, which can prevent the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioner can provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

Furthermore, the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

This allows the control unit to select one of the first, second, and third modes, making it possible to provide an air-conditioning environment suited to the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a second temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of a person seated in the seat, and the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit based on information indicating the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and information indicating the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor.

This makes it possible to detect a first temperature, which is the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and a second temperature, which is the surface temperature of the person sitting in the seat. This makes it possible to automatically switch the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit according to the first temperature and the second temperature, thereby providing a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit causes the ventilation path selection switching unit to execute the second mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first surface temperature.

For example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin tends to be high immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. In this case, the first temperature is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature that is set to a temperature at which a person feels comfortable. Furthermore, when the first surface temperature is set to a temperature at which a person sitting in the seat feels very hot, the second temperature may be equal to or higher than the first surface temperature.

In the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, the air cooled by the air conditioner can be taken in through the second air intake, cooling the person sitting in the seat. Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioner can provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit causes the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the third mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than a second surface temperature that is lower than the first surface temperature.

For example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) may still be equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature even though the vehicle air conditioning system has started to cool the cabin. Furthermore, if a temperature range below the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature is set as a temperature at which a person sitting in the seat feels hot, the second temperature may be within the above temperature range.

According to this, in the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, the vehicle seat air conditioner can take in air from the vehicle cabin that is not completely cooled (e.g., air at room temperature) and air that has been cooled by the air conditioner. The vehicle seat air conditioner can mix the room temperature air in the vehicle cabin with the cooled air and blow the mixed air towards the person, so that the person sitting in the seat can be cooled moderately without being too cold. Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioner can provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit causes the ventilation path selection switching unit to execute the first mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is less than a set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is less than a second surface temperature and is equal to or greater than a third surface temperature that is lower than the second surface temperature.

For example, when the vehicle air conditioning system is working steadily and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) is below the set vehicle cabin temperature, and a temperature range below the second surface temperature and above the third surface temperature is set to a temperature that a person sitting in the seat feels is slightly hot or comfortable, the second temperature may fall within the above temperature range.

According to this, in the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, the vehicle seat air conditioner can generate an airflow around the person's buttocks and thighs by drawing in surrounding air from the first air intake. In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioner can blow the drawn-in air toward the person, so that air can be blown toward the person seated in the seat. Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioner generates an airflow that envelops the person seated in the seat, so that a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided for the person.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a first temperature sensor is provided that detects the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and the control unit acquires information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle cabin detected by the first temperature sensor and information indicating a preset target temperature, calculates a target discharge temperature based on the difference between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the target temperature indicated in the information, and switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit according to the calculated target discharge temperature.

This allows the mode to be switched depending on the target temperature, so by setting the target temperature to a temperature that is preferred by people, a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided to people sitting in the seats.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit based on a table showing the correlation between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time during which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioning device mounted on the vehicle.

This allows the mode of the ventilation path selection switch to be automatically switched based on the table. As a result, the vehicle seat air conditioner can be controlled without relying on the vehicle air conditioner.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the seat has a seat back, and the outlet is formed in the seat back.

By doing this, when air is discharged from the outlet, it can be blown onto the upper half of a person's body. This makes it possible to cool or warm the upper half of a person's body, and in effect, to cool or warm the entire person's body. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the first air intake is formed in the center and outer edge of the seat surface.

According to this, by drawing in air from the first air intake port formed in the center of the seat between the buttocks and thighs and the seat, it is possible to prevent the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. In addition, the first air intake port formed in the outer edge of the seat is formed in a position that is unlikely to be covered by the buttocks and thighs, so it is possible to draw in air around the seat. For example, even if air cannot be drawn in from the first air intake port formed in the center of the seat, air can be drawn in from the first air intake port formed in the outer edge of the seat, and air can be discharged from the discharge port.

In a vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the outer edge portion is at least one of a deep portion and a front end portion of the seat surface.

This makes it difficult for the first air intake port provided on the outer edge to be blocked by the buttocks and thighs of a person when seated on the seat. This makes it possible to more reliably ensure that the first air intake port is not blocked by the buttocks and thighs of a person, further reducing the possibility of being unable to intake air.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the outlet is disposed at a position corresponding to at least one of the head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region of a person.

By doing so, when air is discharged from the outlet, it can be blown onto at least one or more of the person's head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region. This makes it possible to partially cool or warm the person's body, and it is also possible to essentially cool or warm the entire person's body. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the driver's seat and passenger seat of the vehicle have seat backs, and the second air intake is formed in any of the following: a side portion of the driver's seat facing the passenger seat, a back portion opposite the surface portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the driver's seat, and a corner portion that spans from the side portion of the driver's seat to the back portion of the seat back; or a side portion of the passenger seat facing the driver's seat, a back portion opposite the surface portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the passenger seat, and a corner portion that spans from the side portion of the passenger seat to the back portion of the seat back.

This allows the second air intake to be positioned on the side, back or corner, ensuring freedom in placement of the second air intake. In addition, the second air intake can be formed not only on the side of the driver's seat and passenger seat, but also across the back of the driver's seat and passenger seat, making it possible to maximize the opening area of the second air intake. This allows the second air intake to more efficiently draw in air blown out from the air conditioning unit.

Furthermore, the outlet of the vehicle air conditioning unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the air conditioning unit outlet) installed in the vehicle is usually provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle. The air conditioning unit outlet blows out conditioned air toward the driver's seat, passenger seat, etc.

In the vehicle seat air conditioning device disclosed herein, the second air intake is provided between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, so that the conditioned air blown out from the discharge port of the air conditioning unit conditions the surrounding area before being sucked in from the second air intake. This makes it difficult to reduce the air conditioning efficiency in the vehicle cabin.

In addition, the second intake port is positioned in a location where people are unlikely to be present in the space between the exhaust port of the vehicle's air conditioning unit and the second intake port, so the conditioned air blown out from the exhaust port of the air conditioning unit is unlikely to be blocked by people sitting in the driver's seat or passenger seat.

Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioning device disclosed herein can suppress a decrease in air conditioning efficiency in the vehicle cabin, and can efficiently suck in air blown out from the vehicle air conditioning unit and blow it out toward people.

In particular, the second air intake port can take in the surrounding air containing conditioned air, regardless of the influence of disturbances such as differences in physique of people, seating posture, etc. Therefore, the conditioned air of the vehicle air conditioning unit can be reused, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the vehicle.

In addition, with this configuration, there is no need to provide a duct to connect the vehicle air conditioning unit and the vehicle seat air conditioning device, so the manufacturing costs of the vehicle seat air conditioning device are unlikely to rise. Also, since there is no need to provide a duct, the interior of the vehicle is unlikely to become narrow.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle is provided with a center console between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and the second air intake is positioned higher than the center console.

This allows the second intake port to be positioned at a fixed height, making it less likely that an obstacle such as a center console will block the space between the air conditioning unit's outlet and the second intake port. This allows the second intake port to efficiently draw in air blown out from the air conditioning unit.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the driver's seat and the passenger seat each have a configuration in which a seat frame is built into the seat back, and when viewed along the direction in which the driver's seat and the passenger seat are arranged, the second air intake overlaps with the seat frame, or is located on the back side of the seat frame, opposite the front side that comes into contact with a person sitting in the driver's seat.

This ensures cushioning for the driver's seat and passenger seat when a person sits in them, making it less likely that the person will feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, it reduces the possibility that the movement of the person's hands will impede the intake of air.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second ventilation passage is inclined upward vertically from the second air intake port between the second air intake port and the blower.

As a result, even if a person spills a drink, the liquid is less likely to penetrate deeper than the second air intake. This makes it possible to prevent breakdowns in electrical equipment such as the blower that is located inside the second ventilation passage.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second air intake is provided with a breathable cover.

This ensures that air can be drawn in through the second air intake without compromising the appearance of the driver's seat and passenger seat where the second air intake is formed.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second air intake is formed in the corner portion, the cover is provided in the corner portion, and the air permeability of the cover corresponding to the side portion of the corner portion is higher than the air permeability of the cover corresponding to the back portion of the corner portion.

By forming the second air intake port at the corner, a sufficient amount of intake air can be ensured. Furthermore, dust stirred up by the feet of a person sitting in the back seat can be sucked in from the back side of the corner. For this reason, in a vehicle seat air conditioning system, the breathability of the back side of the corner can be reduced to suppress the sucking in of dust.

Moreover, a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a fin that is provided at the outlet and guides the air blown out from the outlet in a predetermined direction.

This allows air to be blown to the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat in a way that matches the person's posture. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the fin is positioned vertically above the center of the height direction of the outlet port.

This makes it possible to control the wind axis of the air blown out from the outlet by the Coanda effect, even in a small space such as a vehicle interior. This allows air to be blown to the person sitting in the driver's seat and passenger seat in a way that matches their posture. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the people sitting in the driver's seat and passenger seat.

In addition, a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a discharge port temperature sensor electrically connected to the control unit and disposed near the discharge port, and the control unit controls the blower according to the temperature detected by the discharge port temperature sensor.

This allows the temperature of the air being blown to the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat to be detected, so the volume of the air blower can be appropriately adjusted according to the temperature. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit sets the air volume of the blower to a first air volume if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold value, and sets the air volume of the blower to a second air volume, which is smaller than the first air volume, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor is less than the threshold value.

For example, during cooling operation, if the temperature of the air blowing toward the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat is low, the fan's volume can be reduced, and if the temperature of the air blowing toward the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat is high, the fan's volume can be increased.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the blower based on the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor when the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit is maintained for a first predetermined period.

This allows control by the first and second temperature sensors to be prioritized so that control by the first and second temperature sensors can be achieved at the same time, and once this is stabilized, blower control can be performed using the outlet temperature sensor. This allows for more precise temperature and airflow adjustments in this vehicle seat air conditioning device. As a result, a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided.

In addition, a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a three-dimensional structure disposed within at least one of the first ventilation passage, the second ventilation passage, and the third ventilation passage.

As a result, even if people are seated in the driver's seat and the passenger seat, the second ventilation duct can guide air without being crushed, and the second ventilation duct can guide air from the second intake port to the exhaust port by the blower. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for people seated in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit temporarily switches the ventilation path selection switching unit to the second mode when the ventilation path selection switching unit is in a mode other than the second mode and the temperature change detected by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor is within a predetermined temperature range for a second predetermined period of time.

With this, only the second mode does not draw in air from the seat surface, so when switching from a mode other than the second mode to the second mode, the airflow that envelops the body temporarily disappears. This makes it easier for the person sitting in the seat to sense the change in airflow. Also, when the temperature remains stable and there is a possibility that the tension of the person sitting in the seat will ease, air with a temperature difference can be blown out from the outlet. This makes it possible for the vehicle seat air conditioning device to alert the person sitting in the seat.

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 is referred to as the X-axis direction, and the up-down direction of the seat is referred to as the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the left-to-right direction of the seat, 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 is referred to as the positive direction side, and the rear side of the seat is referred to as the negative direction side. Furthermore, in the Y-axis direction, the left side of the seat (the right front side when looking at FIG. 1) is referred to as the positive direction side, and the opposite side is referred to as the negative direction side. Furthermore, the right side is the right side of the person when seated in the seat with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and is in the negative direction of the Y-axis. Furthermore, the left side is the left side of the person when seated in the seat with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and is in the positive direction of the Y-axis. Furthermore, in the Z-axis direction, the upper side of the seat is referred to as the positive direction side, and the lower side of the seat is referred to as the negative direction side. The same applies to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

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

(Embodiment 1)
<Configuration: Sheet 1>
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat 1 equipped with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in the first embodiment. In Fig. 1, the solid arrows correspond to air guided to the first ventilation passage 31, the dashed arrows correspond to air guided to the second ventilation passage 32, and the dashed arrows correspond to air guided to the third ventilation passage 33. Fig. 2a is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat 1 equipped with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 taken along line II-II in Fig. 1, and a cross-sectional view showing the seat 1. Fig. 2b is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a frame portion indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 2a. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in the first embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a seat 1 installed in a vehicle or the like cools or warms a person seated in the seat 1 by blowing air onto the upper body of the person. Specifically, the seat 1 can cool or warm the body of the person by blowing air onto the head, neck, acromion, back, and waist of the person seated in the seat 1 from an outlet 33a used in the seat 1. It is also possible to generate an air flow by sucking air from the areas corresponding to the buttocks and thighs, thereby suppressing stuffiness between the buttocks and thighs and the seat 1. Such a seat 1 includes a seat portion 10 for a person to sit on, a seat back 13, a headrest 15, a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, and a power supply unit 70.

[Seat portion 10]
1 and 2a, the seat portion 10 is a seat cushion that supports the buttocks, thighs, etc. of a person seated on the seat 1. The seat portion 10 has a first seat pad 11a that corresponds to a cushioning material, and a first seat cover 11b that covers the first seat pad 11a.

The first seat pad 11a is made of, for example, urethane foam and constitutes the seat body. The first seat pad 11a is a thick, roughly rectangular plate that is positioned roughly parallel to the XY plane. The first seat pad 11a supports the buttocks, thighs, etc. of the person sitting on it.

The first seat pad 11a is provided with a first ventilation passage 31 for guiding the air taken in from the first ventilation port 12a in the seat surface 11c, which is the surface on the positive side of the Z axis of the first seat cover 11b.

2a shows an example in which the first ventilation openings 12a correspond one-to-one to the first ventilation passages 31, but this is not limiting. That is, in the portion shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2a, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 2b, multiple first ventilation openings 12a may be formed for one first ventilation passage 31. In the case of FIG. 2b, each of the multiple first ventilation openings 12a corresponds to one first ventilation passage 31. For example, a sponge-like cushion member 11e may be arranged between the first seat pad 11a and the first seat cover 11b so as to communicate with the multiple first ventilation openings 12a for one first ventilation passage 31.

The first air intake 31a is formed in the seat surface 11c, which is the part of the seat 1 on the side where a person sits. In other words, the first air intake 31a opens toward the interior of the vehicle cabin.

In this embodiment, the first air intake 31a is formed in a plurality of portions. Specifically, the first air intake 31a is formed in the center 11c1 and the outer edge 11c2 of the seat surface 11c, which is the surface on the side on which a person sits on the seat 1. In this embodiment, the outer edge 11c2 is the outer edge 11c2 on the Y-axis positive side of the first seat pad 11a with respect to the center 11c1, and the outer edge 11c2 on the Y-axis negative side of the first seat pad 11a with respect to the center 11c1. The first air intake 31a in the center 11c1 is formed in a plurality of portions along the X-axis direction, and the first air intake 31a in the outer edge 11c2 is arranged on the Y-axis positive side and the Y-axis negative side, respectively, with respect to the first air intake 31a in the center 11c1, and is formed in a plurality of portions along the X-axis direction. That is, on the surface of the first seat pad 11a on the positive side of the Z axis, multiple first air intake ports 31a are formed along the X axis direction, and multiple rows are formed in line in the Y axis direction.

In addition, the first seat pad 11a is provided with a second ventilation passage 32 for guiding the air taken in through the second air intake 32a formed on the surface on the negative Z-axis side.

The second air intake 32a is formed at a location other than the seat surface 11c, which is the surface of the seat 1 on which a person sits. That is, the second air intake 32a opens toward the interior of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the second air intake 32a is formed at a predetermined location on the seat 1 other than the seat surface 11c. Note that, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the second air intake 32a also opens toward the interior of the vehicle, similar to the first air intake 31a, but this configuration is not limiting. For example, the second air intake 32a may be configured to be connected to an air conditioning device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle.

In addition to the first and second ventilation passages 31 and 32, which are components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the first seat pad 11a is provided with a part of the third ventilation passage 33, a blower 34, and a ventilation passage selection switch 35, which are also components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3. When the blower 34 is driven, air flows into at least one of the first and second ventilation passages 31 and 32 in the first seat pad 11a. The first and second ventilation passages 31 and 32 formed in the first seat pad 11a may be simple through holes formed in the first seat pad 11a, or may be formed as ventilation ducts.

The first seat cover 11b is a cover that covers the first seat pad 11a. The first seat cover 11b is, for example, a leather cover, a fabric cover, etc.

The first seat cover 11b is formed with a first vent 12a for taking in air. The first vent 12a is formed on the seat surface 11c, which is the surface on the side of the seat 10 where a person sits (the surface on the positive side of the Z axis), at a position corresponding to the first air intake 31a of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3. In this embodiment, the first vent 12a is formed in multiple rows along the X axis direction on the first seat cover 11b, and multiple rows are formed aligned in the Y axis direction. In FIG. 1, the solid arrows correspond to the first vent 12a.

The air sucked in from the first vent 12a is guided to the first intake 31a of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, and is sucked in from the first intake 31a and guided to the first ventilation passage 31. Therefore, the first vent 12a also serves as an intake port that sucks in air convecting over the seat surface 11c by the suction force from the first intake 31a caused by the drive of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3. The first vent 12a may be part of the first ventilation passage 31. In this case, the first vent 12a is an example of a first intake port.

In this embodiment, the first seat cover 11b may cover the second air intake 32a. In this case, an air vent corresponding to the second air intake 32a may be formed in the first seat cover 11b, similar to the first air vent 12a corresponding to the first air intake 31a. The air taken in through the air vent may be guided to the second ventilation passage 32.

[Seat back 13]
The seat back 13 is a backrest portion that supports the acromion, back, and lumbar region of a person seated in the seat 1. The seat back 13 is long along the Z-axis direction and is disposed so as to rise up relative to the seat portion 10. The seat back 13 has a second seat pad 13a equivalent to a cushioning material, and a second seat cover 13b that covers the second seat pad 13a.

The second seat pad 13a is made of, for example, urethane foam and is arranged in a position that allows it to rotate around the Y axis. The second seat pad 13a supports the acromion, back, lumbar region, etc. of the seated person.

The second seat pad 13a is provided with a part of a third ventilation passage 33 for discharging the air taken in from the first ventilation port 12a. In the second seat pad 13a, at least one of the air flowing into the first ventilation passage 31 in the first seat pad 11a by the drive of the blower 34 and the air flowing into the second ventilation passage 32 in the first seat pad 11a is guided to the third ventilation passage 33 and discharged from the discharge port 33a. The discharge port 33a is formed in the second seat pad 13a of the seat back 13. The third ventilation passage 33 formed in the second seat pad 13a is guided to the third ventilation passage 33 and discharged from the discharge port 33a.
The reference numeral 3 may simply be a through hole formed in the first sheet pad 11a, or may be configured as a ventilation duct.

The second seat cover 13b is a cover that covers the second seat pad 13a. The second seat cover 13b is, for example, a leather cover, a fabric cover, etc.

The second seat cover 13b is formed with a second ventilation port 12b for discharging the intake air. The second ventilation port 12b is formed on the surface (the surface on the positive side of the X-axis) facing a person seated on the seat 10, at a position corresponding to the discharge port 33a of the third ventilation passage 33. The discharge port 33a is disposed vertically above the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a, that is, on the positive side of the Z-axis. In this embodiment, a plurality of second ventilation ports 12b are formed in the second seat cover 13b. The plurality of second ventilation ports 12b are, for example, scattered from the right shoulder to the left shoulder of a person seated on the seat 1. For example, the plurality of second ventilation ports 12b are formed in a portion of the second seat cover 13b corresponding to at least one or more of the person's head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region.

The second ventilation openings 12b are passed by air that is guided to the third ventilation passage 33 via at least one of the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 and discharged from the discharge port 33a. In other words, when the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is driven, the air that is guided to the third ventilation passage 33 via at least one of the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 is discharged from the discharge port 33a, the air is guided to the second ventilation opening 12b. Therefore, the second ventilation opening 12b also serves as a discharge port that discharges air to the outside of the seat 1. The second ventilation opening 12b may be part of the second ventilation passage 32. In this case, the second ventilation opening 12b is an example of a discharge port.

[Headrest 15]
The headrest 15 is a headrest that supports the head of a person seated in the seat 1. The headrest 15 is fixed to the end of the seat back 13 on the positive side of the Z axis.

The third ventilation opening 12c may be formed in the headrest 15. In other words, a portion of the third ventilation passage 33 may be provided in the headrest 15.

[Vehicle seat air conditioning device 3]
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 is an air-conditioning device used in a vehicle seat 1, capable of blowing air from behind a person seated in the seat 1. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 performs air-blowing by drawing in air convecting around the seat 1 and blowing the drawn-in air toward the person. Therefore, if the temperature around the seat 1 is higher than room temperature, hot air is blown, and if it is lower than room temperature, cold air is blown. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 may be equipped with an air conditioner capable of performing both heating and cooling.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 includes a blower 34, a first ventilation passage 31, a second ventilation passage 32, a ventilation passage selection switch unit 35, a third ventilation passage 33, a first temperature sensor 51, a second temperature sensor 52, a control unit 60, and an operation unit 65.

The blower 34 can take in air from at least one of the first ventilation port 12a formed in the first seat cover 11b of the seat 1 and the second intake port 32a formed in the first seat pad 11a, and discharge the taken in air from the second ventilation port 12b formed in the second seat pad 13a. Specifically, the blower 34 is electrically connected to the control unit 60, and is driven and controlled by the control unit 60 to take in air from at least one of the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a via the first ventilation port 12a, and discharge the air from the exhaust port 33a via at least one of the first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32, the ventilation path selection switch unit 35, and the third ventilation path 33.

The blower 34 is built into the seat portion 10 of the seat 1. Specifically, the blower 34 is disposed inside the first seat pad 11a. When the blower 34 is driven, air is drawn in through the first air intake 31a and the second air intake 32a of the first seat cover 11b.

The blower 34 is disposed downstream of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35. Specifically, in the flow path of air flowing from the first intake port 31a to the exhaust port 33a and the flow path of air flowing from the second intake port 32a to the exhaust port 33a, the blower 34 is disposed downstream of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35. That is, the blower 34 is disposed between the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 and the exhaust port 33a. In this embodiment, the blower 34 is disposed on the third ventilation path 33. Note that, as long as air flows from at least one of the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a to the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 and air flows from the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to the exhaust port 33a, the blower 34 may be disposed outside the third ventilation path 33. The blower 34 may also be disposed outside the first sheet pad 11a, and the position of the blower 34 is not particularly limited.

The first ventilation passage 31 is built into the seat 1. Specifically, the first ventilation passage 31 is disposed inside the seat 10 so as to extend from the seat surface 11c of the seat 10 to the blower 34.

The first ventilation passage 31 guides the air drawn in from the first air intake port 31a provided in the seat portion 10 of the seat 1 by the blower 34 to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. Air flows through the first ventilation passage 31 when selected by the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. The first ventilation passage 31 is formed, for example, by a ventilation duct.

One end of the first ventilation passage 31 forms the first intake port 31a, and the other end is connected to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. In other words, the first ventilation passage 31 extends from the first intake port 31a to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35.

The first air intake 31a is capable of drawing in air from the surface of the seat 10 on which a person sits (seat surface 11c), and corresponds to the first air vent 12a of the first seat cover 11b. When viewed along the Z-axis direction, the first air intake 31a overlaps with the first air vent 12a. In this embodiment, the first air intake 31a draws in air via the first air vent 12a, but it may also be configured to draw in air directly.

The second ventilation passage 32 is built into the seat 1. Specifically, the second ventilation passage 32 is disposed inside the seat 10 so as to reach the blower 34 from a location other than the surface of the seat 10 on which a person sits (seat surface 11c).

The second ventilation passage 32 is a ventilation passage different from the first ventilation passage 31. The second ventilation passage 32 guides air drawn in from a second air intake port 32a provided in the seat portion 10 of the seat 1 by a blower 34 to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. Air flows through the second ventilation passage 32 when selected by the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. The second ventilation passage 32 is formed, for example, by a ventilation duct.

One end of the second ventilation passage 32 forms the second intake port 32a, and the other end is connected to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35. In other words, the second ventilation passage 32 extends from the second intake port 32a to the ventilation passage selection switch unit 35.

The second air intake 32a is an air intake different from the first air intake 31a. The second air intake 32a is formed in a location other than the surface of the seat 10 on which a person sits (seat surface 11c). In this embodiment, the second air intake 32a is formed in the surface opposite to the seat surface 11c (the surface on the negative Z-axis side of the seat 10) and can intake air present on the underside of the seat 1 (the negative Z-axis side).

The ventilation path selection switch 35 is built into the seat portion 10 of the seat 1. Specifically, the ventilation path selection switch 35 is provided on the first air intake 31a and second air intake 32a side, which is upstream of the blower 34.

In addition, the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 selects and switches to at least one of the first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32 in order to guide air to the third ventilation path 33, thereby guiding the air guided to at least one of the switched first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32 to the third ventilation path 33. The ventilation path selection switching unit 35 is composed of, for example, a damper, and can switch the air flow path, i.e., the ventilation path. The ventilation path selection switching unit 35 can selectively guide to the third ventilation path 33 any of air guided only from the first ventilation path 31, air guided only from the second ventilation path 32, and air guided simultaneously to both the first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32.

Specifically, the ventilation path selection switch 35 has a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. The first mode is a mode in which the first ventilation path 31 and the third ventilation path 33 are connected. In the first mode, air guided only from the first ventilation path 31 is guided to the third ventilation path 33, and air is discharged from the outlet 33a. The second mode is a mode in which the second ventilation path 32 and the third ventilation path 33 are connected. In the second mode, air guided only from the second ventilation path 32 is guided to the third ventilation path 33, and air is discharged from the outlet 33a. The third mode is a mode in which the first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32 are connected to the third ventilation path 33. In the third mode, air guided simultaneously from the first ventilation path 31 and the second ventilation path 32 is guided to the third ventilation path 33 and mixed, and the mixed air is discharged from the outlet 33a. The ventilation path selection switch 35 is electrically connected to the control unit 60 and is driven and controlled by the control unit 60 to select one of the first mode, second mode, and third mode.

The third ventilation passage 33 is a ventilation passage different from the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32. The third ventilation passage 33 guides the air guided by the blower 34 from at least one of the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 from the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 to the discharge port 33a provided in the sheet 1. Specifically, the third ventilation passage 33 guides only the air that is sucked in from the first intake port 31a and guided to the first ventilation passage 31 to the discharge port 33a, or guides only the air that is sucked in from the second intake port 32a and guided to the second ventilation passage 32 to the discharge port 33a. In addition, the third ventilation passage 33 mixes the air that is sucked in simultaneously from the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a and guided simultaneously to the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 and guides it to the discharge port 33a. The third ventilation passage 33 is formed, for example, by a ventilation duct. One end of the third ventilation passage 33 forms an outlet 33a, and the other end is connected to the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35. The third ventilation passage 33 may be connected to the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 via a blower 34. The outlet 33a corresponds to the second ventilation port 12b of the second sheet cover 13b. When viewed along the X-axis direction, the outlet 33a overlaps with the second ventilation port 12b. In this embodiment, the outlet 33a discharges air through the second ventilation port 12b, but may be configured to discharge air directly.

The third ventilation passage 33 is built into the seat 1. Specifically, a portion of the third ventilation passage 33 is disposed inside the seat portion 10, and the remaining portion of the third ventilation passage 33 is disposed inside the seat back 13.

The third ventilation passage 33 extends from the ventilation passage selection switching portion 35 to the exhaust port 33a. In the present embodiment, the third ventilation passage 33 extends from the ventilation passage selection switching portion 35 in the first seat pad 11a to the exhaust port 33a.
In the present embodiment, the third ventilation passage 33 extends to the vicinity of the headrest 15 in the second seat cover 13b. The outlet port 33a, which is one end of the third ventilation passage 33, is disposed at a position corresponding to at least one of the head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region of a person.

Due to the configuration of the first ventilation passage 31, the second ventilation passage 32, and the third ventilation passage 33, the first intake port 31a, the second intake port 32a, and the exhaust port 33a have the following relationship. The first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a are arranged vertically below the exhaust port 33a. The second intake port 32a is also arranged vertically below the first intake port 31a. As a result, air is taken in from areas corresponding to the person's buttocks and thighs and areas other than the seat surface 11c of the seat 1, and exhausted from areas corresponding to the person's head, neck, acromion, back, and waist, etc., creating an airflow that envelops the person seated in the seat 1.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the first air intake 31a, the second air intake 32a, and the exhaust 33a are provided in the seat 1, and the first ventilation duct 31, the second ventilation duct 32, the third ventilation duct 33, the blower 34, and the ventilation duct selection switch 35 are built into the seat 1. In other words, all of the components that generate the airflow that envelops the person seated in the seat 1 are provided in the seat 1, so the configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 can be simplified.

[First temperature sensor 51, second temperature sensor 52]
The first temperature sensor 51 detects the temperature in the vehicle cabin. In the present embodiment, as an example of the temperature in the vehicle cabin detected by the first temperature sensor 51, the first temperature sensor 51 detects the temperature in the vehicle cabin of a space where a person is present. For example, the first temperature sensor 51 may be provided in the seat 1, the first ventilation passage 31, the second ventilation passage 32, or the third ventilation passage 33. In this case, as an example of the temperature in the vehicle cabin detected by the first temperature sensor 51, the first temperature sensor 51 may detect the temperature of air flowing through the first ventilation passage 31, the second ventilation passage 32, or the third ventilation passage 33. For example, the first temperature sensor 51 may be a temperature sensor provided in advance in an air conditioner for a vehicle. In this case, as an example of the temperature in the vehicle cabin detected by the first temperature sensor 51, the first temperature sensor 51 may detect the temperature of an air outlet of the air conditioner for a vehicle. The first temperature sensor 51 outputs information indicating the first temperature, which is the temperature in the vehicle cabin, to the control unit 60 as a result of detection.

The second temperature sensor 52 detects the surface temperature of a person seated in the seat 1. In this embodiment, the second temperature sensor 52 is disposed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and is disposed in a position where the person seated in the seat 1 can be observed. For example, the second temperature sensor 52 is an imaging device that captures an image of the person seated in the seat 1. The second temperature sensor 52 outputs information indicating the second temperature, which is the surface temperature, to the control unit 60 as a result of detection. Note that the second temperature sensor 52 is not limited to detecting the second temperature using an imaging device or the like, and may be configured to indirectly detect the second temperature from information from a temperature sensor disposed on the surface of the seat 1, for example.

The vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 may be provided with sensors such as an outside air temperature sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle, a solar radiation sensor that detects the amount of solar radiation irradiating the vehicle, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air at the first air intake 31a, a humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the air at the first air intake 31a, a skin temperature sensor that detects the skin temperature of a person sitting in the seat 1, and a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of the seat 1. These sensors may output information indicating the detected temperature or humidity to the control unit 60.

The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 may be provided with a sensor that detects the state of the person. The state of the person may be the sweating state of the person, the sitting period, etc. For example, the sensor may include a sensor that detects the sitting period of the person seated in the seat 1, or may include an imaging device that images the person. The sensor that detects the sitting period may detect the sitting period based on the activation period of the vehicle, for example, or may detect the sitting period during which the presence of the person is continuously detected. The sensor may output information indicating the sitting period to the control unit 60 as a result of detection. The sensor may also detect the sweating state of the person by imaging the person. The sensor may output information indicating the sweating state of the person to the control unit 60 as a result of detection.

[Control unit 60]
The control unit 60 controls the blower 34 and the ventilation path selection switching unit 35. The control unit 60 is a microcomputer that controls the output of the blower 34 by turning on and off the current flowing to the blower 34 and the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 and by changing the current value.

The control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode. The control unit 60 also switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 based on information indicating the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and information indicating the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52. Note that, although an example in which both the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52 are used is shown in this embodiment, the second temperature sensor 52 may be omitted.

Specifically, the control unit 60 executes control to switch the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 based on the temperature in the vehicle interior detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and the surface temperature of the person seated in the seat 1 detected by the second temperature sensor 52. More specifically, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to execute the second mode. Also, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is lower than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to execute the third mode. The second surface temperature is a temperature lower than the first surface temperature. Furthermore, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is less than the set cabin temperature, and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is less than the second surface temperature and equal to or greater than the third surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to execute the first mode. The third surface temperature is lower than the second surface temperature. Each of the set cabin temperature, the first surface temperature, and the second surface temperature is a preset temperature (threshold value), and can be set or changed as desired.

In addition, when a person is seated in the seat 1, the control unit 60 may execute control to switch the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 and control to adjust the air volume of the blower 34 based on the temperature outside the vehicle, the amount of solar radiation irradiating the vehicle, the temperature of the air at the first air intake 31a, the humidity of the air at the first air intake 31a, the skin temperature of the person seated in the seat 1, the surface temperature of the seat 1, etc.

[Operation unit 65]
The operation unit 65 is an input interface mounted on the vehicle, and outputs setting instructions such as the temperature and air volume of the vehicle air conditioner to the control unit 60 by accepting operation input from a person. For example, the operation unit 65 can output a mode switching instruction to the control unit 60 by accepting operation input from a person. The operation unit 65 is a vehicle control panel, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, etc. The operation unit 65 may also be configured to output setting instructions for the above-mentioned set cabin temperature, first surface temperature, and second surface temperature to the control unit 60.

[Power supply unit 70]
The power supply unit 70 is a power supply circuit that supplies power to the blower 34 and the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 via the control unit 60 etc. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 70 is a DC power supply supplied from a battery (not shown). The power supply unit 70 is controlled by the control unit 60 to adjust the current supplied to the blower 34 and the ventilation path selection switching unit 35.

<Processing>
Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the first embodiment. Fig. 5A is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat 1 when the second mode is executed. Fig. 5B is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat 1 when the third mode is executed. Fig. 5C is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in the seat 1 when the first mode is executed.

The control of the control unit 60 shown in FIG. 4 will be described as an example during cooling.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, the first temperature sensor 51 detects the temperature (first temperature) inside the vehicle cabin. The second temperature sensor 52 detects the surface temperature (second temperature) of a person seated in the seat 1. As a result of detection by the first temperature sensor 51, the first temperature sensor 51 outputs information indicating the first temperature, which is the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, to the control unit 60. As a result of detection by the second temperature sensor 52, the second temperature sensor 52 outputs information indicating the second temperature, which is the surface temperature of the person seated in the seat 1, to the control unit 60.

The control unit 60 acquires information indicating the first temperature from the first temperature sensor 51 and information indicating the second temperature from the second temperature sensor 52 (S11). The control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 based on the acquired information indicating the first temperature and information indicating the second temperature.

Specifically, the control unit 60 determines whether the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature and whether the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature (S12).

If the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature (YES in S12), the control unit 60 causes the ventilation channel selection switching unit 35 to execute the second mode (S13). The control unit 60 then ends the process, returns to step S11, and repeats the process.

For example, when the outside air temperature is high or when there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) tends to be equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. Furthermore, if the second temperature is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature, the person sitting in the seat 1 may feel very hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5A, the air in the vehicle cabin that is cooled by the vehicle air conditioner is drawn in through the second air intake 32a and discharged from the exhaust 33a, so that the air can be blown onto the person sitting in the seat 1. As a result, the surface temperature of the person sitting in the seat 1 can be lowered. In FIG. 5A, the air guided to the second ventilation passage 32 is indicated by a solid line, and the air guided to the third ventilation passage 33 is indicated by a dashed line.

If the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is lower than the set cabin temperature or the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is lower than the first surface temperature (NO in S12), the control unit 60 determines whether the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature and whether the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is lower than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature (within the first temperature range) (S14).

If the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is lower than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature (YES in S14), the control unit 60 causes the ventilation channel selection switch unit 35 to execute the third mode (S15). Then, the control unit 60 ends the process, and returns to step S11 to repeat the process.

For example, when the outside air temperature is high or when there is a lot of sunlight, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) may still be equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature even though the air conditioning system for the vehicle is starting to cool. Furthermore, if the second temperature is less than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is still high, and the person sitting in the seat 1 may feel hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5B, the air in the vehicle cabin cooled by the air conditioning system for the vehicle is sucked in from the second air intake 32a, and air is also sucked in from the first air intake 31a on the seat surface 11c side of the seat 1, and the air sucked in simultaneously from the first air intake 31a and the second air intake 32a is mixed in the third ventilation passage 33. The mixed air can be blown to the person sitting in the seat 1 by discharging the air from the discharge port 33a. The temperature of the air discharged from the outlet 33a in the third mode tends to be higher than the temperature of the air discharged from the outlet 33a in the second mode. In this way, by mixing these airs, the air becomes slightly less cold, so that the person sitting in the seat 1 is not cooled too much. In FIG. 5B, the air guided to the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 is shown by a solid line, and the air guided to the third ventilation passage 33 is shown by a dashed line.

If the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is lower than the set cabin temperature, or if the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is less than the first surface temperature and outside the range of the second surface temperature or higher (NO in S14), the control unit 60 determines whether the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is less than the set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is less than the second surface temperature and is equal to or higher than the third surface temperature (within the second temperature range) (S16). If the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is less than the set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is less than the second surface temperature and is equal to or higher than the third surface temperature (YES in S16), the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to execute the first mode (S17). Then, the control unit 60 ends the process, returns to step S11, and repeats the process.

For example, when the cooling by the air conditioning system for the vehicle is stable and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) is below the set vehicle cabin temperature, and further, if the second temperature is below the second surface temperature and equal to or higher than the third surface temperature, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is appropriate if it is slightly lower than the set vehicle cabin temperature, but the person sitting in the seat 1 feels it is moderate or slightly hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5C, air is sucked in from the first intake port 31a on the seat surface 11c side of the seat 1, and the sucked air is discharged from the discharge port 33a, so that it can be blown onto the person sitting in the seat 1. The temperature of the air discharged from the discharge port 33a in the first mode tends to be higher than the temperature of the air discharged from the discharge port 33a in the second and third modes. For this reason, the sensible temperature of the person sitting in the seat 1 can be lowered so as not to be too cold. In FIG. 5C, the air guided to the first ventilation passage 31 is shown by a solid line, and the air guided to the third ventilation passage 33 is shown by a dashed line.

In addition, if the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle interior temperature, or if the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is lower than the third surface temperature (NO in S16), the control unit 60 returns to step S11 and repeats the process.

In this process, the order of the determination processes in steps S12, S14, and S16 may be changed as appropriate.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment is a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 used in a vehicle seat 1, and includes a blower 34, a ventilation path selection switch unit 35, a control unit 60 that controls the ventilation path selection switch unit 35, a first ventilation path 31 that guides air sucked in by the blower 34 from a first air intake port 31a provided on the seat surface 11c, which is the surface of the seat 1 on which a person sits, to the ventilation path selection switch unit 35, and a blower The seat 1 includes a second ventilation passage 32 that guides the air drawn in from a second ventilation passage 32a, which is an intake port different from the first ventilation passage 31a and is provided at a location other than the seat surface 11c of the seat 1, to a ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 by the blower 34, and a third ventilation passage 33 that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 by the blower 34 from the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 to a discharge port 33a provided in the seat 1. The first ventilation passage 31a opens toward the interior of the vehicle. The first ventilation passage 31a and the second ventilation passage 32a are disposed vertically below the discharge port 33a. Also, at least the first intake port 31a, the second intake port 32a, and the exhaust port 33a are provided in the seat 1, and the first ventilation passage 31, a part of the second ventilation passage 32, the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35, the blower 34, and the third ventilation passage 33 are built into the seat 1. Also, in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage 33, the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage 31 is connected to the third ventilation passage 33, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage 32 is connected to the third ventilation passage 33, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 are connected to the third ventilation passage 33. Then, the control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

As a result, unlike conventional vehicle seat air-conditioning systems, which have a duct connecting the vehicle air-conditioning system for conditioning the interior of the vehicle and the vehicle seat air-conditioning system, the vehicle seat air-conditioning system 3 of this embodiment can use the blower 34 to draw in air that is convecting or stagnating around the seat 1, and blow the drawn-in air from the outlet 33a toward the person. Therefore, compared to conventional vehicle seat air-conditioning systems, the vehicle seat air-conditioning system 3 of this embodiment can simplify the structure in the vehicle.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the first air intake 31a is provided on the seat surface 11c of the seat 1, the second air intake 32a is provided on a location other than the seat surface 11c of the seat 1, and the discharge port 33a is also provided on the seat 1. In other words, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is configured to take in air that is convecting or stagnating around the seat 1 and blow the taken in air from the discharge port 33a to a person. Furthermore, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the first ventilation path 31, a part of the second ventilation path 32, the ventilation path selection switch unit 35, the blower 34, and the third ventilation path 33 are built into the seat 1. In other words, all of the components for performing air conditioning suitable for the state of the person sitting in the seat 1 are built into the seat 1. Therefore, compared to the conventional vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of the present disclosure can have a simpler configuration.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 can discharge only the air drawn from the first intake port 31a from the outlet port 33a, discharge only the air drawn from the second intake port 32a from the outlet port 33a, or discharge air drawn simultaneously from both the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a from the outlet port 33a. In other words, air can be drawn from different intake ports, the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a, and each or a mixture of the air drawn from the different intake ports can be discharged individually from the outlet port 33a, so that the temperature of the air discharged from the outlet port 33a can be made different. Therefore, according to the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, by switching the air discharged from the outlet port 33a of the seat 1, air conditioning suitable for the state of the person sitting in the seat 1 can be performed.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 can prevent the structure of the vehicle from becoming complicated, and can provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1.

In particular, since the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a are disposed vertically below the exhaust port 33a, for example, the first intake port 31a can be provided at a location corresponding to a person's lower limbs, the second intake port 32a can be provided at a location that is less likely to affect the person's body, and the exhaust port 33a can be provided at a location corresponding to the person's upper body. In this case, an airflow is generated by drawing in air from at least one of the first intake port 31a and the second intake port 32a, and the air can be blown onto the person by discharging the drawn-in air from the exhaust port 33a. This creates an airflow that envelops the person's body, so that the conditioned air can be kept around the person seated in the seat 1, providing a comfortable conditioned environment with minimal air conditioning energy.

Furthermore, the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage 31 is connected to the third ventilation passage 33.

This allows, for example, air drawn in from the first air intake port 31a to be blown onto the upper body of a person. In addition, the air blown onto the upper body of a person by being discharged from the air outlet 33a is drawn in from the first air intake port 31a of the seat surface 11c, that is, the air is drawn into the first air intake port 31a from the air outlet 33a through the upper body of a person seated on the seat 1. This makes it possible to create an airflow that envelops the upper body of a person from the buttocks to the thighs.

For example, when a person sits in the seat 1 for a long time during cooling operation of the vehicle air conditioner, or during heating operation of the vehicle air conditioner, the person's buttocks and thighs in contact with the seat surface 11c may become stuffy due to sweating. However, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can generate an airflow around the person's buttocks and thighs by drawing in surrounding air from the first air intake 31a, thereby preventing the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. This makes it possible to provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1.

Furthermore, the ventilation passage selection switching unit 35 has a second mode in which the second ventilation passage 32 is connected to the third ventilation passage 33.

This allows, for example, air drawn in from the second air intake 32a to be blown onto the upper body of a person. Therefore, if the second air intake 32a is positioned so that it can draw in air discharged from a vehicle air conditioner (for example, below the seat 1), it is possible to provide a comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1 by quickly blowing cool and warm air onto the upper body of the person.

For example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin tends to be high immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. According to the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, air taken in from the second air intake 32a can be blown onto the upper body of a person sitting in the seat 1. In particular, when the vehicle air conditioning device is in cooling mode, cooled air can be taken in from the second air intake 32a, so that the person sitting in the seat 1 can be cooled.

In addition, when the outside air temperature is low, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is low immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. With the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, air taken in from the second air intake 32a can be blown onto the upper body of a person sitting in the seat 1. In particular, during heating operation of the vehicle air-conditioning device, warmed air can be taken in from the second air intake 32a, so that the person sitting in the seat 1 can be warmed. Therefore, with this vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3, a comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided for the person sitting in the seat 1.

Furthermore, the ventilation passage selection switch 35 has a third mode in which the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 32 are connected to the third ventilation passage 33.

This allows, for example, air drawn in from the first air intake port 31a and the second air intake port 32a to be blown onto the upper body of a person. In addition, the air blown onto the upper body of a person by being discharged from the discharge port 33a is drawn in from the first air intake port 31a of the seat surface 11c, that is, the air is drawn into the first air intake port 31a from the discharge port 33a through the upper body of a person seated on the seat 1. This makes it possible to generate an airflow that envelops the upper body of a person from the buttocks to the thighs.

For example, during cooling operation of a vehicle air conditioner, the temperature of the air blown out by the air conditioner may have dropped completely, but the temperature inside the vehicle cabin may not have dropped sufficiently. According to the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 of this embodiment, the air around the seat 1 sucked in from the first air intake 31a and the air cooled by the vehicle air conditioner sucked in from the second air intake 32a can be mixed and the mixed air can be blown onto the upper body of the person sitting in the seat 1. This prevents the upper body of the person sitting in the seat 1 from being excessively cooled, and allows for gentle cooling. In addition, by sucking in the surrounding air from the first air intake 31a, an air flow can be generated around the person's buttocks and thighs, which can prevent the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. Therefore, according to this vehicle seat air conditioner 3, a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided to the person sitting in the seat 1.

Furthermore, the control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

As a result, the control unit 60 can select one of the first, second, and third modes, and can provide an air-conditioning environment that suits the person sitting in the seat 1.

The vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment also includes a first temperature sensor 51 that detects the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and a second temperature sensor 52 that detects the surface temperature of a person seated in the seat 1. The control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 based on information indicating the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and information indicating the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52.

This makes it possible to detect a first temperature, which is the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and a second temperature, which is the surface temperature of the person sitting in the seat 1. This makes it possible to automatically switch the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 according to the first temperature and the second temperature, thereby providing a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to execute the second mode.

According to this, for example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin tends to be high immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. In this case, the first temperature is equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature that is set to a temperature at which a person feels comfortable. Furthermore, when the first surface temperature is set to a temperature at which a person sitting in the seat 1 feels very hot, the second temperature may be equal to or higher than the first surface temperature.

In the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, air cooled by the air conditioner can be taken in through the second air intake 32a, thereby cooling the person seated in the seat 1. Therefore, with this vehicle seat air conditioner 3, it is possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person seated in the seat 1.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the set vehicle interior temperature, and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is equal to or higher than the second surface temperature that is lower than the first surface temperature and lower than the second surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 to execute the third mode.

For example, when the outside temperature is high or there is a lot of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) may still be equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature even though the vehicle air conditioning system has started to cool the cabin. Furthermore, if a temperature range below the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature is set as a temperature at which a person sitting in seat 1 feels hot, the second temperature may be within the above temperature range.

Accordingly, in the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can take in air from the vehicle cabin that is not completely cooled (e.g., air at room temperature) and air cooled by the air conditioner. The vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can mix the room temperature air in the vehicle cabin with the cooled air and blow the mixed air toward the person, so that the person seated in the seat 1 can be cooled moderately without being too cold. Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person seated in the seat 1.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is less than the set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 52 is less than the second surface temperature and is equal to or greater than the third surface temperature, which is lower than the second surface temperature, the control unit 60 causes the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 to execute the first mode.

For example, when the vehicle air conditioning system is working steadily and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) is below the set vehicle cabin temperature, and a temperature range below the second surface temperature and above the third surface temperature is set to a temperature that a person sitting in seat 1 feels is slightly hot or comfortable, the second temperature may fall within the above temperature range.

Accordingly, in the above case, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can generate an airflow around the person's buttocks and thighs by drawing in surrounding air from the first air intake 31a. In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 can blow the drawn-in air toward the person, so that air can be blown toward the person seated in the seat 1. Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioner 3 generates an airflow that envelops the person seated in the seat 1, so that a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided for the person.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, the seat 1 has a seat back 13. The outlet 33a is formed in the seat back 13.

By doing so, when air is discharged from the outlet 33a, it can be blown onto the upper half of the person's body. This makes it possible to cool or warm the upper half of the person's body, and in effect, to cool or warm the entire person's body. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, the first air intake 31a is formed in the central portion 11c1 and the outer edge portion 11c2 of the seat surface 11c.

By doing so, air is drawn in from the first air intake 31a formed in the center 11c1 of the seat 11c between the buttocks and thighs and the seat 11c, thereby preventing the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. In addition, the first air intake 31a formed in the outer edge 11c2 of the seat 11c is formed in a position that is unlikely to be covered by the buttocks and thighs, so air around the seat 1 can be drawn in. For example, even if air cannot be drawn in from the first air intake 31a formed in the center 11c1 of the seat 11c, air can be drawn in from the first air intake 31a formed in the outer edge 11c2 of the seat 11c, and air can be discharged from the discharge port 33a.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, the outlet 33a is positioned at a position corresponding to at least one of the head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region of a person.

As a result, when air is discharged from the outlet 33a, it can be blown onto at least one or more of the person's head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region. This makes it possible to partially cool or warm the person's body, and it is also possible to substantially cool or warm the entire person's body. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the seat 1.

(First Modification of First Embodiment)
This modified example differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device of the first embodiment in that the second air intake 132a is provided in the seat back 13. Other configurations of this modified example are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations and functions are omitted.

Figure 5D is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in seat 1 when the second mode is executed in variant 1 of embodiment 1. Figure 5E is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in seat 1 when the third mode is executed in variant 1 of embodiment 1. Figure 5F is a schematic side view showing the air flow path in seat 1 when the first mode is executed in variant 1 of embodiment 1.

In this modified example, the second ventilation passage 132 of the vehicle seat air conditioner 3a guides air drawn in from the second air intake port 132a provided in the second seat cover 13b of the seat back 13 by the blower 34 to the ventilation passage selection switcher 35. When selected by the ventilation passage selection switcher 35, air flows in the second ventilation passage 132.

In this modified example, the second intake port 132a is formed on the side surface of the seat back 13. Also, in this modified example, the height at which the second intake port 132a is positioned relative to the floor surface of the vehicle compartment is lower than the height at which the exhaust port 33a is positioned relative to the floor surface of the vehicle compartment.

The air flow in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3a of this modified example will be explained using Figures 5D to 5F.

For example, when the outside air temperature is high or when the amount of solar radiation is high, the temperature (first temperature) in the vehicle cabin tends to be equal to or higher than the set vehicle cabin temperature immediately after a person gets into the vehicle. Furthermore, if the second temperature is equal to or higher than the first surface temperature, the person sitting in the seat 1 may feel very hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5D, the air in the vehicle cabin cooled by the vehicle air conditioner is sucked in through the second air intake 132a and the sucked air is discharged from the discharge port 33a, so that it can be blown onto the person sitting in the seat 1. As a result, the surface temperature of the person sitting in the seat 1 can be lowered. In FIG. 5D, the air guided to the second ventilation passage 132 is indicated by a solid line, and the air guided to the third ventilation passage 33 is indicated by a dashed line.

For example, when the outside air temperature is high or when there is a lot of sunlight, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) may still be equal to or higher than the set cabin temperature even though the air conditioning system for the vehicle is starting to cool. Furthermore, if the second temperature is lower than the first surface temperature and equal to or higher than the second surface temperature, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is still high, and the person sitting in the seat 1 may feel hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5E, the air in the vehicle cabin cooled by the air conditioning system for the vehicle is sucked in from the second air intake 132a, and air is also sucked in from the first air intake 31a on the seat surface 11c side of the seat 1, and the air sucked in simultaneously from the first air intake 31a and the second air intake 132a is mixed in the third ventilation passage 33. The mixed air can be blown to the person sitting in the seat 1 by discharging the air from the discharge port 33a. The temperature of the air discharged from the outlet 33a in the third mode tends to be higher than the temperature of the air discharged from the outlet 33a in the second mode. In this way, by mixing these airs, the air becomes slightly less cold, so that the person sitting in the seat 1 is not cooled too much. In FIG. 5E, the air guided to the first ventilation passage 31 and the second ventilation passage 132 is shown by a solid line, and the air guided to the third ventilation passage 33 is shown by a dashed line.

For example, when the cooling by the air conditioning device for the vehicle is stable and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (first temperature) is below the set vehicle cabin temperature, and further, if the second temperature is below the second surface temperature and equal to or higher than the third surface temperature, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin is appropriate if it is slightly lower than the set vehicle cabin temperature, but the person sitting in the seat 1 feels it is moderate or slightly hot. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5F, air is sucked in from the first intake port 31a on the seat surface 11c side of the seat 1, and the sucked air is discharged from the discharge port 33a, so that it can be blown onto the person sitting in the seat 1. The temperature of the air discharged from the discharge port 33a in the first mode tends to be higher than the temperature of the air discharged from the discharge port 33a in the second and third modes. For this reason, the sensible temperature of the person sitting in the seat 1 can be lowered so that it does not become too cold. In FIG. 5F, the air led to the first ventilation passage 31 is shown by a solid line, and the air led to the third ventilation passage 33 is shown by a dashed line.

(Modification 2 of the First Embodiment)
This modified example differs from the vehicle seat air conditioning device of the first embodiment in that first air intakes 31a are provided at the front end E1, the back portion E2, the right end E3, and the left end E4 of the seat surface 11c of the seat 1. Other configurations in this modified example are similar to those in the first embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations and functions are omitted.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat 1 equipped with a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3b in variant 2 of embodiment 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first air intake 31a is formed in the center 11c1 and the outer edge 11c2 of the seat 11c. The outer edge 11c2 is at least one of the back E2 and the front end E1 of the seat 11c. Therefore, the first air intake 31a is provided in the center 11c1 of the seat 11c, and is further provided in at least one of the back E2 and the front end E1 of the seat 11c. Furthermore, the outer edge 11c2 may further include at least one of the right end E3 and the left end E4.

In this modified example, the first air intake port 31a is provided at all of the front end E1, the back portion E2, the right end E3, and the left end E4 of the seat surface 11c. The front end E1 of the seat surface 11c is in front of the center portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The back portion E2 of the seat surface 11c is in back of the center portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The right end E3 of the seat surface 11c is on the right side of the center portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The left end E4 of the seat surface 11c is on the left side of the center portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The right end E3 and the left end E4 are both ridges of the seat portion 10.

The first air intakes 31a formed at the rear end E2, front end E1, right end E3, and left end E4 are positioned so that they are unlikely to be blocked by the buttocks and thighs when a person is seated on the seat 1.

In this modified vehicle seat air conditioning device 3b, the outer edge portion 11c2 is at least one of the rear portion E2 and the front end portion E1 of the seat surface 11c.

As a result, the first air intake port 31a provided on the outer edge portion 11c2 is less likely to be blocked by the buttocks and thighs of a person when the person sits on the seat 1. This makes it possible to more reliably ensure that the first air intake port 31a is not blocked by the buttocks and thighs of a person, further reducing the possibility of being unable to intake air.

(Embodiment 2)
The present embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of the first embodiment in that the mode is switched according to the target discharge temperature. Other configurations of the present embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations and functions are omitted.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in embodiment 2.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 60 outputs instructions to the vehicle air conditioner 90 to adjust at least one of the temperature and air volume of the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet of the vehicle air conditioner 90. The vehicle air conditioner 90 may or may not be included in the configuration requirements of the vehicle seat air conditioner 3.

In this embodiment, the second temperature sensor of the first embodiment does not have to be provided in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, and is not an essential component of this embodiment.

<Processing>
Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in embodiment 2. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing mode switching of the ventilation path selection switcher 35 in accordance with the target discharge temperature.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first temperature sensor 51 detects the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. As a result of the detection by the first temperature sensor 51, the first temperature sensor 51 outputs information indicating a first temperature, which is the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, to the control unit 60. The control unit 60 acquires information indicating the first temperature from the first temperature sensor 51. The control unit 60 also acquires information indicating a target temperature from the vehicle air conditioning device 90, an operation unit 65 that accepts operational input from a person, etc. The control unit 60 calculates the difference between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the target temperature based on each of the acquired information (S21). The target temperature is a temperature that has been set in advance, such as a set temperature set in the vehicle air conditioning device 90, a set temperature desired by a person, etc.

Based on the calculated difference, the control unit 60 calculates the target discharge temperature of the air discharged from the discharge port 33a to set the temperature inside the vehicle cabin to the target temperature (S22).

The control unit 60 selects a mode according to the calculated target discharge temperature (S23). The mode determined by the control unit 60 is selected according to the target discharge temperature, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. Specifically, the control unit 60 selects the first mode if the calculated target discharge temperature is equal to or higher than temperature Xb, selects the third mode if the calculated target discharge temperature is equal to or higher than temperature Xa that is lower than temperature Xb, and selects the second mode if the calculated target discharge temperature is lower than temperature Xa.

Note that the mode switching may be reversed due to changes in the vehicle's surrounding environment while the vehicle is in motion. In this case, the mode switching is performed with hysteresis as shown in Figure 9 to prevent frequent mode switching.

Note that the mode selection may use Figure 4 in embodiment 1 and is not limited to this embodiment.

The control unit 60 determines the output (i.e., the amount of air blown) of the blower 34 according to the calculated target discharge temperature (S24). For example, when the target temperature is about 25°C during cooling, the control unit 60 may increase the amount of air blown by the blower 34 as the target discharge temperature decreases, or may obtain information indicating the surface temperature of a person and increase the amount of air blown by the blower 34 if the surface temperature of the person is high.

The control unit 60 determines whether the mode selected in step S23 is the third mode (S25).

When the mode selected in step S23 is the third mode (YES in S25), the control unit 60 adjusts the mixing ratio of the air sucked from the first intake port 31a and the air sucked from the second intake port 32a in the third mode (S26). The higher the target discharge temperature, the higher the ratio of the air sucked from the second intake port 32a compared to the air sucked from the first intake port 31a. The control unit 60 can adjust the mixing ratio of the amount of air sucked from the first intake port 31a that flows into the third ventilation path 33 and the amount of air sucked from the second intake port 32a that flows into the third ventilation path 33 by controlling the opening degree (air inflow amount) of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35.

If the mode selected in step S23 is not the third mode (NO in S25), and the process goes through step S26, the control unit 60 executes the mode selected in step S23 (S27). Then, the control unit 60 ends the process.

The control unit 60 may also perform the following control. Here, the control described below will be described mainly as an example during cooling.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the temperature outside the vehicle from an outside air temperature sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the higher the temperature outside the vehicle indicated in the information, the lower the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the amount of solar radiation from a solar radiation sensor that detects the amount of solar radiation irradiating the vehicle, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the greater the amount of solar radiation indicated in the information, the lower the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the intake temperature of the air from a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air at the first intake port 31a, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the higher the intake temperature indicated by the information, the lower the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the intake humidity of the air from a humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the air at the first intake port 31a, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the higher the intake humidity indicated by the information, the higher the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the skin temperature of a person seated on the seat 1 from a skin temperature sensor that detects the skin temperature of the person, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the higher the surface temperature indicated in the information, the lower the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the surface temperature of the sheet 1 from a sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor) that detects the surface temperature of the sheet 1, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. For example, the higher the surface temperature indicated in the information, the lower the calculated target discharge temperature may be corrected to.

When the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the characteristics of a person by capturing an image of the person sitting on the seat 1 from the imaging device, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the information. The characteristics of a person include the person's posture, sex, physique, race, and level of alertness. The control unit 60 may determine whether the person is sensitive to heat or cold according to the characteristics of the person, and correct the target discharge temperature to a higher or lower temperature based on the result of the determination. The control unit 60 may also determine whether the person is sensitive to heat or cold based on input information input by operating the vehicle air conditioner via the operation unit 65, and correct the target discharge temperature based on the result of the determination. For example, if the person is sensitive to heat, the control unit 60 corrects the target discharge temperature to a lower temperature. Also, if the person feels drowsy (if the level of alertness is low), the control unit 60 corrects the target discharge temperature to a lower temperature. In this way, the target discharge temperature may be corrected according to the characteristics and preferences of the person.

When the control unit 60 acquires sensing information from a heartbeat sensor mounted on the vehicle, the control unit 60 may correct the calculated target discharge temperature based on the sensing information. For example, when it is determined that the person is cold-tired based on the sensing information, the control unit 60 may correct the temperature to a higher temperature. The heartbeat sensor may be realized, for example, by using a seat heater built into the seat, a steering heater, etc.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment is provided with a first temperature sensor 51 that detects the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle cabin detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and information indicating a preset target temperature, calculates a target discharge temperature based on the difference between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the target temperature indicated in the information, and switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 according to the calculated target discharge temperature.

This allows the mode to be switched depending on the target temperature, so by setting the target temperature to a temperature that is preferred by the person, a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided for the person sitting in seat 1.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 3)
This embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of the second embodiment in that the mode is automatically switched based on a table showing the correlation between the temperature in the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time. Other configurations of this embodiment are the same as those of the second embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations and functions will be omitted.

Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in embodiment 3.

As shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 60 has a memory unit 61. The memory unit 61 stores a table showing the correlation between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time during which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioner mounted on the vehicle. The table is shown in FIG. 12, which will be described later. The control unit 60 reads the table from the memory unit 61, and uses the read table to automatically switch the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 over time according to the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. In addition, the control unit 60 can change the mode switching of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to automatic mode switching or manual mode switching by obtaining an instruction from the operation unit 65.

In the third embodiment, the correlation between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time during which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioner is stored as a table, but the present invention is not limited to this. An approximation formula showing the correlation between the two may be obtained in advance and stored in the storage unit 61. The control unit 60 may then calculate the temperature inside the vehicle cabin by substituting the elapsed time into the approximation formula.

The control unit 60 can also measure the elapsed time using a timing unit such as a timer. The timing unit may be mounted on the control unit 60, or may be provided separately from the control unit 60.

The control unit 60 also acquires information indicating the temperature around the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the initial vehicle ambient temperature) and estimates the temperature inside the vehicle cabin based on the acquired information. In other words, the control unit 60 estimates an estimated temperature (hereinafter referred to as the estimated initial cabin temperature), which is the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, based on the initial vehicle ambient temperature. The initial vehicle ambient temperature may be acquired from a temperature sensor mounted on the vehicle, a device outside the vehicle, etc.

The memory unit 61 is a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a flash memory. Note that the control unit 60 does not need to have the memory unit 61, and the memory unit 61 may be provided outside the control unit 60 and connected to the control unit 60 so as to be capable of communicating information.

The memory unit 61 stores a table showing the correlation between the current indoor temperature and the elapsed time for which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioner for each estimated initial indoor temperature.

<Processing>
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing of the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 in the third embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates a case where the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling operation. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the mode switching of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 according to the target discharge temperature, and a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the elapsed time and the estimated temperature. In addition, the following illustrates the automatic switching of the mode in the order of the second mode, the third mode, and the first mode. In FIG. 11, the same processes as those in the flowchart of FIG. 8 described in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 60 first obtains information indicating the initial vehicle ambient temperature (S31).

Next, the control unit 60 calculates the estimated initial interior temperature based on the acquired information (S32). For example, in FIG. 12, the control unit 60 calculates the estimated initial interior temperature Tr0 by acquiring information indicating the initial vehicle ambient temperature.

The control unit 60 may correct the estimated initial interior temperature Tr0 based on information obtained from a solar radiation sensor, a temperature sensor in the vehicle cabin, a humidity sensor in the vehicle cabin, a skin temperature sensor, a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of the seat 1, etc. This process is not performed in the flowchart of FIG. 11.

The control unit 60 reads out from the memory unit 61 a table showing the correlation between the current indoor temperature Tr and elapsed time in FIG. 12. The control unit 60 calculates the current indoor temperature Tr according to the elapsed time based on the table read out from the memory unit 61 (S33). That is, the control unit 60 calculates the current indoor temperature Tr that changes over time when the vehicle air conditioner is driven, starting from the estimated initial indoor temperature Tr0, based on the table. For example, in FIG. 12, by continuing to drive the vehicle air conditioner, the control unit 60 calculates based on the table that the current indoor temperature has become Tr1 when the elapsed time t1 has elapsed.

Then, the control unit 60 calculates the target discharge temperature (S22), selects a mode (S23), determines the airflow volume (S24), and if it is the third mode (YES in S25), adjusts the mixture ratio for the third mode (S26), and executes the selected mode (S27). However, since these operations are the same as those in FIG. 8, detailed explanations are omitted.

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether the current room temperature Tr has reached the target temperature (S34). If the current room temperature Tr has reached the target temperature (YES in S34), the control unit 60 ends the processing in FIG. 11. On the other hand, if the current room temperature Tr has not reached the target temperature (NO in S34), the control unit 60 returns to step S33 and repeats the processing from step S33 onwards until the current room temperature Tr reaches the target temperature.

By this process, the mode is automatically switched in the order of the second mode, the third mode, and the first mode, as shown in FIG. 12. That is, the control unit 60 switches from the second mode to the third mode when the current indoor temperature Tr becomes Tr1, and switches from the third mode to the first mode when the current indoor temperature Tr becomes Tr2.

Note that, in the above process, if an instruction to end the automatic mode switching is received from the operation unit 65, the control unit 60 may change to manual mode switching. In this case, the control unit 60 may continue to execute the switched mode as is.

Note that due to changes in the environment around the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling, the mode may switch in the reverse order of the second mode, the third mode, and the first mode, and this is not limited to the above description. When the order is switched in the reverse direction, the mode is switched with hysteresis as shown in FIG. 12 in order to suppress frequent switching between modes.

Even in heating operation, the order of mode switching is the same as above. In this case, the relationship between the elapsed time and the current room temperature Tr in FIG. 12 is upside down along the elapsed time axis. In other words, in heating operation, the relationship between the elapsed time and the current room temperature Tr converges to be constant after the current room temperature Tr rises as time passes.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment, the control unit 60 switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 based on a table showing the correlation between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time during which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioning device mounted on the vehicle.

This allows the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to be automatically switched based on the table. As a result, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 can be controlled without relying on the vehicle air conditioning device.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 4)
This embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of the second embodiment in that the control unit 60 temporarily switches to the second mode in response to a temperature change. Other configurations of this embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations and functions are omitted.

The control unit 60 temporarily switches the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to the second mode when the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 is in a mode other than the second mode and the temperature change detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52 is within the predetermined temperature range for the second predetermined period. Here, the second predetermined period is about several tens of minutes during which tension is expected to be interrupted. As a specific example, the second predetermined period is about 30 minutes. Note that this is merely an example, and the second predetermined period is not limited to 30 minutes. Here, the predetermined temperature range is a range of about several degrees Celsius during which the temperature is expected to be stable. As a specific example, the predetermined temperature range is about 1 or 2 degrees Celsius. Note that this is merely an example, and the predetermined temperature range is not limited to 1 or 2 degrees Celsius.

<Processing>
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the fourth embodiment.

The control unit 60 determines whether the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 currently selects a mode other than the second mode (S41).

If the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 currently selects the second mode and the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 has not selected any mode other than the second mode (NO in S41), the control unit 60 ends the flowchart.

On the other hand, if the ventilation path selection switch 35 currently selects a mode other than the second mode (YES in S41), the control unit 60 determines whether the temperature change detected by each of the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52 is within a predetermined temperature range.

If the control unit 60 determines that the temperature change is not within the predetermined temperature range (NO in S42), it ends the flowchart.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the temperature change is within the predetermined temperature range (YES in S42), it determines whether the temperature change has occurred for a second predetermined period (S43).

If the control unit 60 determines that the temperature change has not occurred for the second predetermined period (NO in S43), it returns the process to step S41.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the temperature change has elapsed for a second predetermined period (YES in S43), it controls the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to temporarily select the second mode. As a result, the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 switches from the currently selected mode to the second mode (S44).

The control unit 60 determines whether a third predetermined period has elapsed since the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 temporarily selected the second mode (S45).

If the control unit 60 determines that the third predetermined period has not elapsed since the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 temporarily selected the second mode (NO in S45), the control unit 60 returns the process to step S44.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the third predetermined period has elapsed since the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 temporarily selected the second mode (YES in S45), it controls the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 to select the mode immediately before selecting the second mode. As a result, the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 switches from the second mode to the mode immediately before switching. The mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit 35 returns to the selected mode. Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in this embodiment, when the ventilation path selection switcher 35 is in a mode other than the second mode and the temperature change detected by the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52 is within a predetermined temperature range for a second predetermined period, the control unit 60 temporarily switches the ventilation path selection switcher 35 to the second mode.

As a result, only the second mode does not draw in air from the seat surface 11c, so when switching from a mode other than the second mode to the second mode, the airflow that envelops the body temporarily disappears. This makes it easier for a person sitting in the seat 1 to sense changes in the airflow. Also, when the temperature remains stable and there is a possibility that the person sitting in the seat 1 will relax, air with a temperature difference can be blown out from the outlet. This makes it possible for the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 to alert the person sitting in the seat 1.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Embodiment 5)
This embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device of embodiment 1 etc. in that it is configured to draw in air from the side of the seat 1. Other configurations of this embodiment are similar to those of embodiment 1 etc., and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations and functions will be omitted.

<Configuration>
Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle air conditioning unit 2b in the fifth embodiment arranged in the passenger compartment of a vehicle 100. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c in the fifth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 14, the vehicle 100 is provided with a driver's seat, a passenger seat, a center console 2a, and an air conditioning unit 2b.

The driver's seat and the passenger seat are seats 1 for people to sit on, and are arranged along the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle 100. The center console 2a is provided in the center part of the vehicle 100 between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and separates the driver's seat and the passenger seat. Note that between the driver's seat and the passenger seat does not only mean the space between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, but also means from the driver's seat to the passenger seat, including the driver's seat and the passenger seat. The center console 2a is provided in the vehicle 100. The center console 2a is long along the length direction of the vehicle 100 and is connected to the instrument panel of the vehicle 100. The air conditioning unit 2b is an air conditioning device for air conditioning the interior of the vehicle. Specifically, the air conditioning unit 2b is mounted on the body of the vehicle 100 and is covered by the instrument panel of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the outlet 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b such as an air conditioner arranged in the center part of the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle 100 is illustrated.

14 and 15, the seat 1 installed in the vehicle 100 or the like cools or warms the person sitting in the seat 1 by blowing air onto the upper body of the person. Specifically, the seat 1 can cool or warm the body of the person sitting in the seat 1 by blowing air onto the head, neck, acromion, back, lower back, buttocks, thighs, etc. of the person sitting in the seat 1. In addition, the seat 1 can air-condition the interior of the vehicle 100 by sucking in air from a second air intake 532a provided on the side of the seat 1 and generating an air flow between the second air intake 532a and the outlet 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b for the vehicle 100. The seat 1 is a general term for the driver's seat and the passenger seat. In this embodiment, the driver's seat is used as an example of the seat 1.

Such a vehicle 100 includes a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c having a seat 1 and a power supply unit 70.

[Vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c]
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c is an air-conditioning device that conditions the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c can blow air toward a person seated in the seat 1 from behind the person. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c performs air-blowing by sucking in air stagnating around the seat 1 and discharging the sucked-in air. Therefore, if the temperature around the seat 1 is higher than room temperature, hot air is blown, and if the temperature is lower than room temperature, cold air is blown. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c may be equipped with an air conditioner that can perform heating and cooling.

Figure 16 is a plan view showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c in embodiment 5. Figure 17 is a side view showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c in embodiment 5. Figures 16 and 17 show the interior of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c in an exposed state. Figure 18 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c in embodiment 5.

As shown in Figures 15 to 18, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c includes a seat 1, a blower 34, a second ventilation passage 532, an outlet temperature sensor 50, and a control unit 60.

As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the second seat pad 13a is provided with a second ventilation passage 532 for blowing air taken in from the second intake port 532a out of the exhaust port 33a, and a blower 34 for directing air from the second intake port 532a to the exhaust port 33a in the second ventilation passage 532. When the blower 34 is driven, air flows into the second intake port 532a provided in the second seat pad 13a, and the air that has flowed in is directed to the second ventilation passage 532 and blown out of the exhaust port 33a.

As shown in FIG. 17, the seat frame 13 c is built into the seat back 13 .
The seat frame 13c is a framework member to which the second seat pad 13a is attached, and is capable of supporting the second seat pad 13a in a predetermined position. The seat frame 13c is supported by the first seat pad 11a so as to be rotatable about the Y-axis with respect to the seat portion 10.

The second seat cover 13b is formed with a first ventilation hole 12a for drawing in air and a second ventilation hole 12b for blowing out the drawn-in air.

The first air vent 12a is formed in the side portion 13a1 on the positive side of the Y axis (the side portion 13a1 on the left side when a person is seated in the seat 1), facing the passenger seat of the vehicle 100, and in a position corresponding to the second air intake port 532a. In this embodiment, multiple first air vents 12a are formed in the second seat cover 13b.

The first ventilation opening 12a allows the air to pass through. In other words, the air around the first ventilation opening 12a is guided to the second ventilation passage 532 via the first ventilation opening 12a and the second intake port 532a by the drive of the blower 34. Therefore, the first ventilation opening 12a also serves as a second intake port that draws in the air around the first ventilation opening 12a by the suction force from the second intake port 532a. The first ventilation opening 12a may be part of the second ventilation passage 532. In this case, the first ventilation opening 12a is an example of the second intake port 532a.

The second ventilation opening 12b is formed on the surface facing a person seated on the seat 1 (the surface on the positive side of the X-axis) at a position corresponding to the outlet 33a of the second ventilation passage 532. The second ventilation opening 12b is positioned higher than the first ventilation opening 12a, that is, vertically upward or on the positive side of the Z-axis. In this embodiment, multiple second ventilation openings 12b are formed in the second seat cover 13b.

The second ventilation opening 12b is passed by air that is guided to the second ventilation passage 532 and discharged from the second intake port 532a. In other words, when the air guided to the second ventilation passage 532 is discharged from the discharge port 33a by driving the blower 34, the air is guided to the second ventilation opening 12b. Therefore, the second ventilation opening 12b also serves as a discharge port that blows air out of the sheet 1. The second ventilation opening 12b may be part of the second ventilation passage 532. In this case, the second ventilation opening 12b is an example of the discharge port 33a.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the driver's seat is used as an example of the seat 1, but the same applies when an example of the seat 1 is a passenger seat. When an example of the seat 1 is a passenger seat, the configuration is symmetrical to the driver's seat with respect to the X-Z plane.

The headrest 15 is a headrest that supports the head of a person seated in the seat 1. The headrest 15 is fixed to the end of the seat back 13 on the positive side of the Z axis.

The second ventilation opening 12b may be formed in the headrest 15. In other words, a portion of the second ventilation passage 532 may be provided in the headrest 15.

[Blower 34]
16 to 18, the blower 34 sends air from the second intake port 532a to the exhaust port 33a. The blower 34 can suck air from the first ventilation port 12a formed in the second seat pad 13a of the seat 1 and blow the sucked air out from the second ventilation port 12b formed in the second seat pad 13a. Specifically, the blower 34 is electrically connected to the control unit 60 and is driven and controlled by the control unit 60 to suck air from the second intake port 532a via the first ventilation port 12a, and the sucked air is guided to the second ventilation path 532 and blown out to the exhaust port 33a.
Blow it out from a.

The blower 34 is provided in the second ventilation passage 532 to draw air directly or indirectly from the second air intake 532a, that is, is disposed inside the second seat pad 13a. The blower 34 may be fixed to the seat frame 13c, for example. In this embodiment, the blower 34 is disposed on the second ventilation passage 532, but may be disposed outside the second ventilation passage 532 as long as a flow path through which air flows can be formed in the second ventilation passage 532. The blower 34 may be disposed outside the seat back 13, and the position of the blower 34 is not particularly limited.

[Second ventilation path 532]
The second ventilation passage 532 guides the air sucked from the second intake port 532a by the blower 34 to the exhaust port 33a. That is, air flows in the second ventilation passage 532. The second ventilation passage 532 also blows out the air sucked from the second intake port 532a from the exhaust port 33a provided in the seat back 13 of the seat 1. The second ventilation passage 532 is formed, for example, by a ventilation duct. The second ventilation passage 532 connects the second intake port 532a and the exhaust port 33a. That is, one end of the second ventilation passage 532 forms the second intake port 532a, and the other end forms the exhaust port 33a.

The second air intake 532a is capable of drawing in air from the side portion 13a1 of the seat 1. The second air intake 532a is provided with a breathable second seat cover 13b. Specifically, the first portion of the second seat cover 13b in which the first air vent 12a is formed covers the second air intake 532a, thereby ensuring air intake from the second air intake 532a. The first portion of the second seat cover 13b is an example of a cover. In this embodiment, the second air intake 532a draws in air through the first air vent 12a, but it may also be configured to draw in air directly.

The configuration of the second air intake 532a will be explained using Figure 19.

Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c taken along line XIX-XIX in Figure 15. As shown in Figure 19a, the second air intake 532a is formed only in the side portion 13a1 of the seat 1. Figure 19a corresponds to Figure 14 and the like. Also, as shown in Figure 19b, the second air intake 532a may be formed only in the back surface portion 13a3 opposite to the front surface portion 13a2 that comes into contact with a person sitting in the seat 1. Also, as shown in Figure 19c, the second air intake 532a may be formed in a corner portion that spans from the side portion 13a1 to the back surface portion 13a3 of the seat 1.

As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the outlet 33a can blow out air that has been sucked in through the second intake port 532a and guided to the second ventilation passage 532 from the surface portion 13a2 on the positive side of the X-axis of the sheet 1. The outlet 33a is provided with a breathable second sheet cover 13b. Specifically, the second portion of the second sheet cover 13b in which the second ventilation port 12b is formed covers the outlet 33a, thereby ensuring the ability to blow air out from the outlet 33a. The second portion of the second sheet cover 13b is also an example of a cover. In this embodiment, the outlet 33a blows out air through the second ventilation port 12b, but it may also be configured to blow out air directly.

Further, the outlet 33a is provided with fins 33b for directing the air blown out from the outlet 33a in a predetermined direction. The fins 33b may be arranged in a position that allows them to rotate around the Y axis. In this case, the direction of the air blown out from the outlet 33a can be changed by tilting the position of the fins 33b. The fins 33b may be controlled to be rotatable by the control unit 60 in FIG. 18.

Furthermore, the fins 33b are positioned vertically above the center of the height of the outlet 33a. In other words, the fins 33b are not positioned vertically below the center of the height of the outlet 33a. When air is blown out from the outlet 33a provided with the fins 33b, the air as a viscous fluid is attracted to the fins 33b by the Coanda effect, so that the air is blown out from the outlet 33a along the surface of the fins 33b, easily creating a downward air current.

Such fins 33b are provided as components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c. Note that the fins 33b do not have to be provided at the outlet 33a, and are not essential components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c.

In addition, one or more three-dimensional structures 39 are arranged in the second ventilation passage 532, as shown in Figures 15, 16, and 20. Figure 20 is a perspective view of the three-dimensional structure 39. The three-dimensional structure 39 has a honeycomb structure in which a plurality of hexagonal tubes 39a are bundled together. The three-dimensional structure 39 is opened so that air can pass through in the length direction. The three-dimensional structure 39 is provided in a position along the air guided to the second ventilation passage 532, thereby ensuring a certain strength in the second ventilation passage 532. In this embodiment, the three-dimensional structure 39 is preferably provided in a portion close to the discharge port 33a of the second ventilation passage 532. Even if a person sits on the seat 1 and leans against the seat back 13, the second ventilation passage 532 is prevented from being crushed by the three-dimensional structure 39, and the conduction of air can be more ensured. In this embodiment, the tube 39a is hexagonal, but is not limited thereto and may be a polygon having 5 or less sides and 7 or more sides. The three-dimensional structure 39 may be composed of multiple types of polygonal tubes. In this embodiment, the three-dimensional structure 39 is tubular, but may also be a plate-like, i.e., a mesh-like structure with multiple hexagonal openings.

Such a three-dimensional structure 39 is provided as a component of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c. Note that the three-dimensional structure 39 does not have to be provided in the second ventilation passage 532, and is not a required component of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c.

As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the second ventilation passage 532 has a first ventilation passage 232a and a second ventilation passage 232b.

The first air passage 232a extends from the second air intake 532a along the negative Y-axis direction to the center of the second seat pad 13a, then bends and extends a predetermined distance further along the positive Z-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 16, the first air passage 232a is L-shaped when viewed along the X-axis direction. One end of the first air passage 232a forms the second air intake 532a, and the other end of the first air passage 232a communicates (connects) with the second air passage 232b. A blower 34 is disposed inside the first air passage 232a.

The second air intake 532a is located at a higher position than the center console 2a. In other words, the second air intake 532a is located vertically above the center console 2a. As a result, for example, the second air intake 532a is located at a height corresponding to the outlet 2c of an air conditioning unit 2b such as an air conditioner that is located in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle 100, and can therefore suck in air that is stagnant between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, including conditioned air blown out from the outlet 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b.

As shown in Fig. 17A, when the seat back 13 is viewed along the direction in which the driver's seat and the passenger seat are arranged (the Y-axis direction), the second air intake 532a overlaps with the seat frame 13c, or as shown in Fig. 17B, the second air intake 532a is disposed closer to the back surface 13a3 side, opposite the front surface 13a2 that comes into contact with the person sitting in the driver's seat, than the seat frame 13c. In this embodiment, when the seat back 13 is viewed along the Y-axis direction, the second air intake 532a overlaps with the seat frame 13c.

The second air passage 232b extends further on both sides from the tip of the first air passage 232a in the positive and negative Y-axis directions. As shown in FIG. 16, the second air passage 232b is linear when viewed along the X-axis direction. The second air passage 232b essentially constitutes the discharge port 33a. Fins 33b are provided on the second air passage 232b that constitutes the discharge port 33a.

The outlet 33a is located at a higher position than the second intake port 532a, that is, in the positive Z-axis direction (vertically above) than the second intake port 532a. The outlet 33a is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 16, but is located at a position corresponding to at least one of the human head, neck, acromion, back, lower back, buttocks, and thighs.

As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a three-dimensional structure 39 is provided in at least one of the first air passage 232a and the second air passage 232b. In this embodiment, the three-dimensional structure 39 is provided in the first air passage 232a. It may be provided in the second air passage 232b as a portion close to the outlet 33a, but is provided so as not to block the outlet 33a.

This configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c draws in air that is trapped between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and then blows the air out from areas that correspond to the person's head, neck, acromion, back, lower back, buttocks, and thighs, creating an airflow that envelops the person seated in the seat 1.

When air is blown out from the outlet 33a, an airflow is generated between the fin 33b and the inner wall of the second air passage 232b and between two adjacent fins 33b vertically above the center of the outlet 33a, and the air moves along the surface of the fin 33b and the inner wall surface of the second air passage 232b, so that the Coanda effect causes air to move from the outlet 33a vertically below the center of the outlet 33a, that is, air is blown out. Due to the Coanda effect, the air blown out from the outlet 33a flows in the negative Z-axis direction with respect to the X-axis direction. This makes it possible to generate an airflow that envelops the head to the thighs of a person sitting in the seat. In other words, air that matches the posture of the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat can be blown onto the person.

[Outlet temperature sensor 50]
16 to 18, the outlet temperature sensor 50 is disposed near the outlet 33a and detects the temperature near the outlet 33a. For example, the outlet temperature sensor 50 can detect the temperature of the air blown out from the outlet 33a. The outlet temperature sensor 50 may be disposed inside the outlet 33a, i.e., in the second air passage 232b, or may be disposed around the outlet 33a, which is outside the second air passage 532. The outlet temperature sensor 50 outputs information indicating the temperature to the control unit 60 as a result of detection.

[Control unit 60]
The control unit 60 controls the blower 34 according to the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50. For example, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is equal to or higher than the threshold, the control unit 60 sets the air volume of the blower 34 to a first air volume. Also, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is less than the threshold, the control unit 60 sets the air volume of the blower 34 to a second air volume, which is smaller than the first air volume. That is, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is high, the control unit 60 controls the blower 34 to increase the air volume, and if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is low, the control unit 60 controls the blower 34 to decrease the air volume. Note that the threshold is, for example, about 18°C, but the temperature may be set appropriately and is not limited to 18°C. For example, the threshold may be changed according to the season.

<Simulation results>
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a simulation result of the flow rate of air blown out of the outlet. A1 in FIG. 21 shows an outlet without a fin, and A2 in FIG. 21 shows a simulation result showing the flow rate of air blown out of the outlet of A1 in FIG. 21. B2 in FIG. 21 shows an outlet when a fin is provided at the center of the outlet in the height direction, and B2 in FIG. 21 shows a simulation result showing the flow rate of air blown out of the outlet of B1 in FIG. 21. C1 in FIG. 21 shows an outlet when one fin is provided vertically above the center of the outlet in the height direction, and C2 in FIG. 21 shows a simulation result showing the flow rate of air blown out of the outlet of C1 in FIG. 21. D1 in FIG. 21 shows an outlet when one fin is provided at the center of the outlet in the height direction and another fin is provided vertically above the center, and D2 in FIG. 21 shows a simulation result showing the flow rate of air blown out of the outlet of D1 in FIG. 21. It should be noted that a1, b1, c1, and d1 in FIG. 21 are schematic diagrams of the second ventilation passage when viewed along the Y-axis direction.

In a2 of FIG. 21, it can be seen that the air blown out of the outlet extends in a normal direction perpendicular to the opening surface of the outlet. In the case of b2 of FIG. 21, there is not much difference from a2 of FIG. 21. On the other hand, in c2 of FIG. 21 and d2 of FIG. 21, it can be seen that the air flows in an arc in the negative Z-axis direction with respect to the X-axis direction, more so than in a2 of FIG. 21 and b2 of FIG. 21.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the fin 33b is arranged vertically above the center of the height of the outlet 33a.

<Processing>
FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c according to the embodiment.

First, as shown in FIG. 22, the outlet temperature sensor 50 detects the temperature near the outlet 33a (S51). The outlet temperature sensor 50 outputs information indicating the temperature as a result of detection to the control unit 60. The control unit 60 acquires information indicating the temperature from the outlet temperature sensor 50. The control unit 60 controls the blower 34 according to the temperature indicated in the acquired information, i.e., the temperature near the outlet 33a detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50.

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is equal to or higher than the threshold value (S52).

If the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is equal to or higher than the threshold (YES in S52), the control unit 60 controls the air volume of the blower 34 to be the first air volume (S53). Specifically, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is equal to or higher than the threshold, the control unit 60 increases the air volume of the blower 34 by setting the air volume of the blower 34 to "high."

If the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is less than the threshold (NO in S52), the control unit 60 controls the air volume of the blower 34 to a second air volume that is smaller than the first air volume (S54). Specifically, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is less than the threshold, the control unit 60 sets the air volume of the blower 34 to "weak" to increase the air volume of the blower 34. Then, the control unit 60 ends the process.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, the driver's seat and the passenger seat, which are the vehicle seats 1, have a seat back 13, and the second air intake 532a is formed in any of the following: the side portion 13a1 of the driver's seat facing the passenger seat, the back portion 13a3 opposite the surface portion 13a2 that comes into contact with the person sitting in the driver's seat, and the corner portion spanning from the side portion 13a1 of the driver's seat to the back portion 13a3 of the seat back 13; or, the side portion 13a1 of the passenger seat facing the driver's seat, the back portion 13a3 opposite the surface portion 13a2 that comes into contact with the person sitting in the passenger seat, and the corner portion spanning from the side portion 13a1 of the passenger seat to the back portion 13a3 of the seat back 13.

This allows the second air intake 532a to be positioned on the side surface 13a1, the back surface 13a3, or a corner, ensuring freedom in the placement of the second air intake 532a. In addition, the second air intake 532a can be formed not only on the side surface 13a1 of the driver's seat and passenger seat, but also across the back surface 13a3 of the driver's seat and passenger seat, making it possible to make the opening area of the second air intake 532a as large as possible. This allows the second air intake 532a to more efficiently draw in air blown out from the air conditioning unit.

Furthermore, typically, the outlet 2c of the vehicle air conditioning unit 2b (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the outlet 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b) installed in the vehicle 100 is provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle 100. The outlet 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b blows out conditioned air toward the driver's seat, the passenger seat, etc.

In the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, the second air intake 532a is provided between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, so the conditioned air blown out from the discharge port 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b is sucked in from the second air intake 532a after conditioning the surrounding area. This makes it difficult to reduce the air conditioning efficiency in the vehicle cabin.

In addition, the second intake port 532a is positioned in a position where people are unlikely to be present in the space between the exhaust port 2c of the vehicle air conditioning unit 2b and the second intake port 532a, so the conditioned air blown out from the exhaust port 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b is unlikely to be blocked by people sitting in the driver's seat or passenger seat.

Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c can suppress a decrease in air conditioning efficiency in the vehicle cabin, and can efficiently draw in the air blown out from the vehicle air conditioning unit 2b and blow it out toward the occupants.

In particular, the second air intake 532a can take in the surrounding air, including conditioned air, without being affected by external disturbances such as differences in physique or seated posture. Therefore, the energy consumption of the vehicle can be reduced by reusing the conditioned air from the vehicle air conditioning unit 2b.

In addition, with this configuration, there is no need to provide a duct connecting the vehicle air conditioning unit 2b and the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c, so the manufacturing costs of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c are unlikely to rise. Also, since there is no need to provide a duct, the interior of the vehicle is unlikely to become narrow.

In the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c of the present embodiment, a center console 2a is provided between the driver's seat and the passenger seat of the vehicle 100. The second air intake port 532a is disposed at a position higher than the center console 2a.

This allows the second air intake 532a to be positioned at a constant height, making it less likely that the space between the exhaust port 2c of the air conditioning unit 2b and the second air intake 532a will be blocked by obstacles such as the center console 2a. This allows the second air intake 532a to efficiently draw in the air blown out from the air conditioning unit 2b.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, the driver's seat and the passenger seat each have a seat frame 13c built into the seat back 13. When viewed along the direction in which the driver's seat and the passenger seat are arranged, the second air intake 532a overlaps with the seat frame 13c, or is located closer to the back surface portion 13a3 side of the seat frame 13c, opposite the front surface portion 13a2 that comes into contact with the person sitting in the driver's seat.

This ensures cushioning for the driver's seat and passenger seat when a person sits in them, making it less likely that the person will feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, it reduces the possibility that the movement of the person's hands will impede the intake of air.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, the second air intake 532a is provided with a breathable cover.

This ensures that air can be drawn in through the second air intake 532a without compromising the appearance of the driver's seat and passenger seat where the second air intake 532a is formed.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment is equipped with fins 33b that are provided at the outlet 33a and guide the air blown out from the outlet 33a in a predetermined direction.

This allows air to be blown to the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat in a way that matches the person's posture. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, the fins 33b are positioned vertically above the center of the height of the outlet port 33a.

This makes it possible to control the wind axis of the air blown out from the outlet 33a by the Coanda effect, even in a small space such as a vehicle interior. Therefore, air can be blown to the person sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat in a way that matches their posture. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

The vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment also includes a discharge port temperature sensor 50 that is electrically connected to the control unit 60 and is disposed near the discharge port 33a. The control unit 60 then controls the blower 34 according to the temperature detected by the discharge port temperature sensor 50.

This allows the temperature of the air being blown to the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat to be detected, so the volume of air from the blower 34 can be appropriately adjusted according to the temperature. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

Furthermore, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment, if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is equal to or higher than a threshold value, the control unit 60 sets the air volume of the blower 34 to a first air volume, and if the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 is less than the threshold value, the control unit 60 sets the air volume of the blower 34 to a second air volume, which is smaller than the first air volume.

Accordingly, for example, if the temperature of the air blowing toward the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat is low, the volume of the air blower 34 can be reduced, and if the temperature of the air blowing toward the people sitting in the driver's seat and the passenger seat is high, the volume of the air blower 34 can be increased.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c of this embodiment is provided with a three-dimensional structure 39 arranged in at least one of the first ventilation passage 31, the second ventilation passage 532, and the third ventilation passage 33.

As a result, even if people are seated in the driver's seat and the passenger seat, the second ventilation passage 532 can guide air without being crushed, and the second ventilation passage 532 can guide air from the second intake port 532a to the exhaust port 33a by the blower 34. This makes it possible to provide a more comfortable air-conditioned environment for people seated in the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

(Variation 1 of the Fifth Embodiment)
This modification differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c of the embodiment in that a part of the second air passage 131 is inclined upward as shown in Fig. 23. Fig. 23 is a plan view showing a seat provided with the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3c in the modification 1 of the fifth embodiment. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations of this modification are the same as those of the embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations and functions is omitted.

The second ventilation passage 131 is inclined upward from the second air intake 532a vertically upward between the second air intake 532a and the blower 34. Specifically, the first air passage 232a is inclined upward with respect to the X-Y plane at least between the second air intake 532a and the blower 34. Therefore, the blower 34 is disposed at a higher position (vertically above) than the second air intake 532a.

In the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c according to this modified example, the second ventilation passage 131 is inclined upwards vertically from the second air intake 532a to the blower 34.

As a result, even if a person spills a drink, the liquid in the drink is less likely to penetrate deeper than the second air intake 532a. This makes it possible to prevent failure of electrical equipment such as the blower 34 located inside the second ventilation passage 131.

This modified example also provides the same effects as described above.

(Modification 2 of the fifth embodiment)
This modification differs from the vehicle seat air conditioning device of the fifth embodiment in that the second air intake 532a is provided at a corner of the seat back 13. Other configurations of this modification are similar to those of the fifth embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description of the configurations and functions will be omitted.

Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view showing a second air intake 532a formed in a corner of a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c in a second variation of the fifth embodiment.

The second air intake 532a is formed in a corner portion spanning from the side portion 13a1 to the back surface portion 13a3 of the driver's seat in the seat back 13. In other words, the second air intake 532a opens from the side portion 13a1 of the seat 1 toward the vehicle interior, and also opens from the back surface portion 13a3 of the seat 1 toward the vehicle interior.

The cover is provided at the corner, so that the cover covers the second air intake 532a.

The breathability of the cover corresponding to the side portion 13a1 of the corner is higher than the breathability of the cover corresponding to the back surface portion 13a3 of the corner. For example, the cover has a through hole for guiding air to the second ventilation passage 532. Therefore, the opening area of the through hole of the cover corresponding to the back surface portion 13a3 of the corner is smaller than the opening area of the through hole of the cover corresponding to the side portion 13a1 of the corner. This makes it possible to adjust the breathability of the cover corresponding to the side portion 13a1 of the corner and the breathability of the cover corresponding to the back surface portion 13a3 of the corner.

In this modified example, the second air intake 532a of the cover corresponding to the side surface 13a1 of the corner is called the high ventilation section 32a1. The second air intake 532a of the cover corresponding to the back surface 13a3 of the corner is called the low ventilation section 32a2. The cover corresponding to the side surface 13a1 of the corner is made of cloth, for example, and the high ventilation section 32a1 is configured so that the weave of the cloth is coarser than that of the low ventilation section 32a2.

In this way, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device of this modified example, the second air intake 532a is formed in the corner, and the cover is provided in the corner. The air permeability of the cover corresponding to the side surface portion 13a1 of the corner is higher than the air permeability of the cover corresponding to the back surface portion 13a3 of the corner.

By forming the second air intake 532a at the corner, a sufficient amount of air intake can be ensured. Furthermore, dust stirred up by the feet of a person sitting in the back seat can be sucked in from the back surface 13a3 side of the corner. For this reason, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3c can suppress the intake of dust by reducing the air permeability on the back surface 13a3 side of the corner.

(Embodiment 6)
The present embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device of the first embodiment in that the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3d further includes an outlet temperature sensor 50. Other configurations of the present embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of the configurations and functions are omitted.

Figure 25 is a block diagram showing a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3d in embodiment 6.

As shown in FIG. 25, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 includes a blower 34, an air passage selection switch 35, a first temperature sensor 51, a second temperature sensor 52, a control unit 60, an operation unit 65, and the like, as well as an outlet temperature sensor 50.

The outlet temperature sensor 50 is electrically connected to the control unit 60.

The outlet temperature sensor 50 is disposed, for example, near the outlet 33a and detects the temperature near the outlet 33a. As shown in FIG. 25, the outlet temperature sensor 50 outputs information indicating the temperature to the control unit 60 as a result of detection.

The control unit 60 controls the blower 34 based on the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 when the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 is maintained for a first predetermined period. Here, the first predetermined period is about several minutes during which the mode is expected to be stable. As a specific example, the first predetermined period is about five minutes. Note that this is merely an example, and the first predetermined period is not limited to five minutes.

<Processing>
FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the process of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3d according to the sixth embodiment.

In Figure 26, the same processes as those in Figure 4 and Figure 22 are denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

The control unit 60 proceeds to step S61 if the process has gone through steps S11 to S13, if the process has gone through NO in steps S11 and S12, YES in S14, and S15, or if the process has gone through NO in steps S11 and S12, NO in S14, and S16 and S17.

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether the mode of the ventilation channel selection switching unit 35 is maintained for a first predetermined period (S61).

If the control unit 60 determines that the mode of the ventilation channel selection switching unit 35 has not been maintained for the first predetermined period (NO in S61), the flow chart in FIG. 26 ends. Then, the control unit 60 repeats the process from step S11.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 has been maintained for the first predetermined period (YES in S61), the outlet temperature sensor 50 detects the temperature near the outlet 33a (S62). The outlet temperature sensor 50 outputs information indicating the detected temperature to the control unit 60 as a result of the detection.

Next, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the temperature.

Then, if the control unit 60 judges YES in step S52 and goes through the process of S53, or judges NO in step S52 and goes through the process of S54, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart in FIG. 26. Then, the control unit 60 repeats the process from step S11.

<Action and effect>
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3d according to this embodiment will be described.

As described above, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3d of this embodiment, the control unit 60 controls the blower 34 based on the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor 50 when the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit 35 is maintained for the first predetermined period.

Accordingly, in order to be compatible with the control by the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52, the control by the first temperature sensor 51 and the second temperature sensor 52 is given priority, and once this is stabilized, the blower 34 can be controlled by the outlet temperature sensor 50. Therefore, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3d can make more precise temperature and air volume adjustments. As a result, a more comfortable air-conditioned environment can be provided.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as described above.

(Other variations, etc.)
Although the present disclosure has been described above based on the first to sixth embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the first to third embodiments.

For example, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to each of the first to sixth embodiments, the seat may be provided with a seat heater. The seat heater is provided on at least one of the seat portion and the seat back of the vehicle seat, and heats the back, lower back, buttocks, thighs, and the like of a person by generating heat. The seat heater heats the seat in a heating setting, and does not heat the seat 1 in a non-heating setting. The seat heater may be disposed between the first seat pad and the first seat cover, and between the second seat pad and the second seat cover. The seat heater may have a base material and a heater wire. The base material may be a nonwoven fabric formed into a sheet shape from a material having elasticity, flexibility, and ductility, a foaming resin such as cloth-like urethane, or the like. The heater wire may be a conductive wire that is electrically connected to a control unit for controlling the power supplied to the heater wire, and generates heat by power from a power supply unit controlled by the control unit. The control unit may be capable of controlling the amount of heat generated by the heater wire by turning on and off the current flowing through the heater wire, or by changing the current value. The seat heater may be provided with a temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature sensor is an example of the first temperature sensor.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to each of the first to sixth embodiments, at least one of the first and second air intakes may be formed in the seat back. The second air intake may be provided so as to face the exhaust port (e.g., a duct in the center console) of the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning).

In addition, in the vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 6, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device may have a function of adjusting the air volume of the blower. In this case, the control unit may correct the target discharge temperature to a lower temperature when the air volume of the blower is set to "high" during cooling, and may correct the target discharge temperature to a higher temperature when the air volume of the blower is set to "low."

The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 6 may be equipped with a separate air-conditioning device such as an air conditioner capable of performing heating and cooling. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device may also be capable of directly drawing in conditioned air blown out from the vehicle air-conditioning device.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to each of the first to sixth embodiments, the seat may be provided with a seat heater. The seat heater is provided on at least one of the seat portion and the seat back of the vehicle seat, and heats the back, lower back, buttocks, thighs, and the like of a person by generating heat. The seat heater heats the seat in a heating setting, and does not heat the seat in a non-heating setting. The seat heater may be disposed between the first seat pad and the first seat cover, and between the second seat pad and the second seat cover. The seat heater may have a base material and a heater wire. The base material may be a nonwoven fabric formed into a sheet shape from a material having elasticity, flexibility, and ductility, a foaming resin such as cloth-like urethane, or the like. The heater wire may be a conductive wire that is electrically connected to a control unit for controlling the power supplied to the heater wire, and generates heat by power from a power supply unit controlled by the control unit. The control unit may be capable of controlling the amount of heat generated by the heater wire by turning on and off the current flowing through the heater wire, or by changing the current value.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning devices according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 6, the air intake is located on the passenger seat side of the driver's seat, but it may be located on the side opposite the passenger seat. In addition, the air intake is located on the driver's seat side of the passenger seat, but it may be located on the side opposite the driver's seat.

The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to each of the above-mentioned second embodiments may be provided with an outlet temperature sensor 50 as shown in FIG. 25 electrically connected to the control unit 60 as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 may be configured similarly to the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3d according to the sixth embodiment. In addition, steps S61 and S62 as shown in FIG. 26 may be added after step S27 in the flowchart of FIG. 8. In this case, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device can adjust the temperature and air volume more precisely. As a result, a more comfortable air-conditioning environment can be provided. In this case, the same effects as those of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3d according to the sixth embodiment are achieved.

The vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to each of the above-mentioned third embodiments may be provided with an outlet temperature sensor 50 as shown in FIG. 25 electrically connected to the control unit 60 as shown in FIG. 10. In other words, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 according to the third embodiment as shown in FIG. 10 may be configured similarly to the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3d according to the sixth embodiment. In addition, steps S61 and S62 as shown in FIG. 26 may be added after step S34 in the flowchart of FIG. 11. In this case, the vehicle seat air-conditioning device can adjust the temperature and air volume more precisely. As a result, a more comfortable air-conditioning environment can be provided. In this case, the same effects as those of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the fifth embodiment are achieved.

The processing units included in the vehicle seat air conditioning devices according to the first to sixth embodiments are typically realized as LSIs, which are integrated circuits. They may be implemented individually on a single chip, or may be implemented on a single chip that includes some or all of them.

In addition, the integrated circuit is not limited to LSI, but may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. It is also possible to use an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that can be programmed after LSI manufacturing, or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells inside the LSI.

In each of the above embodiments 1 to 6, each component may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

In addition, all the numbers used above are examples to specifically explain this disclosure, and embodiments 1 to 6 of the present disclosure are not limited to the numbers shown as examples.

The division of functional blocks in the block diagram is one example, and multiple functional blocks may be realized as one functional block, one functional block may be divided into multiple blocks, or some functions may be transferred to other functional blocks. In addition, the functions of multiple functional blocks having similar functions may be processed in parallel or in a time-sharing manner by a single piece of hardware or software.

The order in which each step in the flowchart is performed is merely an example to specifically explain the present disclosure, and the steps may be performed in an order other than the above. Some of the steps may be performed simultaneously (in parallel) with other steps.

In addition, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to embodiments 1 to 6 that would come to mind by a person skilled in the art, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of embodiments 1 to 6 without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

This disclosure can be used, for example, in seats for vehicles and other moving objects, sofas, etc.

1 seat (driver's seat, passenger seat)
2a center console 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d vehicle seat air conditioning device 11c seat surface 13 seat back 11c1 center portion 11c2 outer edge portion 13a1 side portion 13a2 surface portion 13a3 back portion 13b second seat cover (cover)
13c Seat frame 31 First ventilation passage 31a First intake port 32, 131, 132, 532 Second ventilation passage 32a, 132a, 532a Second intake port 33 Third ventilation passage 33a Outlet port 33b Fin 34 Fan 35 Ventilation passage selection switch unit 39 Three-dimensional structure 50 Outlet port temperature sensor 51 First temperature sensor 52 Second temperature sensor 60 Control unit 100 Vehicle E1 Front end E2 Back portion

Claims (24)

A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode ;
The seat has a seat portion including the seat surface where a person sits,
The second air intake is provided at a location of the seat other than the seat surface.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
The driver's seat and the passenger seat of the vehicle each have a seat back,
The second intake port is
In the seat back, the side portion of the driver's seat facing the passenger seat, the back portion opposite the surface portion that contacts the person sitting in the driver's seat, and the corner portion spanning from the side portion to the back portion of the driver's seat, or
The seat back is formed on any one of a side portion of the passenger seat facing the driver's seat, a back portion opposite a front portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the passenger seat, and a corner portion that spans from the side portion to the back portion of the passenger seat.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. The vehicle is provided with a center console between the driver's seat and the passenger seat,
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 2 , wherein the second air intake is disposed at a position higher than the center console. Each of the driver's seat and the passenger seat has a seat frame built into the seat back,
4. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 2, wherein, when viewed along the arrangement direction of the driver's seat and the passenger seat, the second air intake overlaps with the seat frame, or is positioned closer to the back surface portion of the seat frame than the front surface portion that comes into contact with a person sitting in the driver's seat. 5. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 2 , wherein the second ventilation passage is inclined upward from the second air intake port to the vertically upward side between the second air intake port and the blower. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
The first air intake port is formed in the center and the outer edge of the seat surface.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
a three-dimensional structure disposed in at least one of the first ventilation passage, the second ventilation passage, and the third ventilation passage;
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. A first temperature sensor that detects a temperature inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat;
A vehicle seat air conditioning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit based on information indicating a first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and information indicating a second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor. 9. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the second mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set passenger compartment temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first surface temperature. 9. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit causes the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the third mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set passenger compartment temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a first surface temperature and equal to or higher than a second surface temperature that is lower than the first surface temperature. 9. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the first mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is lower than a set passenger compartment temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a second surface temperature and is equal to or higher than a third surface temperature that is lower than the second surface temperature. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first temperature sensor that detects a temperature inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
The control unit causes the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the second mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first surface temperature.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first temperature sensor that detects a temperature inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
The control unit causes the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the third mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a first surface temperature and equal to or higher than a second surface temperature that is lower than the first surface temperature.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. A vehicle seat air conditioning device for use in a vehicle seat,
A blower and
A ventilation path selection switching unit;
A control unit that controls the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A first temperature sensor that detects a temperature inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a second temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a person seated in the seat;
A first ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a first air intake port provided on a seat surface, which is a surface on which a person sits on the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
A second ventilation path that guides air sucked in by the blower from a second air intake port that is different from the first air intake port and is provided at a location other than the seat surface of the seat, to the ventilation path selection switching unit;
a third ventilation passage that guides the air guided from at least one of the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage by the blower from the ventilation passage selection switching unit to an outlet provided in the seat,
The first air intake port is open toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
The first intake port and the second intake port are disposed vertically below the exhaust port,
At least the first air intake, the second air intake, and the exhaust port are provided in the sheet, and the first ventilation passage, a part of the second ventilation passage, the ventilation passage selection switching unit, the blower, and the third ventilation passage are built into the sheet,
The ventilation passage selection switching unit has a first mode in which the first ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage in order to guide air to the third ventilation passage, a second mode in which the second ventilation passage is connected to the third ventilation passage, and a third mode in which the first ventilation passage and the second ventilation passage are connected to the third ventilation passage,
The control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode;
The control unit causes the ventilation path selection switch unit to execute the first mode when the first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is lower than a set vehicle interior temperature and the second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a second surface temperature and is equal to or higher than a third surface temperature that is lower than the second surface temperature.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. a first temperature sensor for detecting a temperature inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
The control unit is
acquiring information indicating a temperature in the vehicle interior detected by the first temperature sensor and information indicating a preset target temperature;
calculating a target discharge temperature based on a difference between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the target temperature indicated in the information;
The vehicle seat air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the mode of the air-passage path selection switcher is switched in accordance with the calculated target discharge temperature. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit switches the mode of the ventilation path selection switching unit based on a table showing the correlation between the temperature inside the vehicle cabin and the elapsed time during which conditioned air continues to be discharged from the vehicle air conditioning device installed in the vehicle. The seat has a seat back,
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 16 , wherein the outlet port is formed in the seat back. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein the outlet port is arranged at a position corresponding to at least one of a person's head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 18 , further comprising a fin provided at the outlet for guiding the air blown out from the outlet in a predetermined direction. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 19 , wherein the fin is disposed vertically above a center of the outlet port in a height direction. a discharge port temperature sensor electrically connected to the control unit and disposed in the vicinity of the discharge port;
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 20 , wherein the control unit controls the blower in accordance with a temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor. The control unit is
If the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold value, the air volume of the blower is set to a first air volume;
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 21, wherein, when the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor is lower than the threshold value, the air volume of the blower is set to a second air volume that is smaller than the first air volume. 23. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 21, wherein the control unit controls the blower based on the temperature detected by the outlet temperature sensor when the mode of the ventilation path selection switch unit is maintained for a first predetermined period. 9. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit temporarily switches the ventilation path selection switching unit to the second mode when the ventilation path selection switching unit is in a mode other than the second mode and the temperature changes detected by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are within a predetermined temperature range for a second predetermined period.

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