JP7705199B2 - Vehicle seat air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a vehicle seat air conditioning system that blows air to a passenger seated in a seat.

Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional vehicle seat air conditioning system. The vehicle seat air conditioning system includes an air conditioning system provided in a vehicle seat, an occupant detection means for detecting an occupant seated in the seat, an air duct for guiding air led by the air conditioning system to a plurality of air outlets, and an air conditioning control means for switching and controlling between a normal mode, which is an operating mode when an occupant is detected, and a restricted mode, which is an operating mode when an occupant is not detected and in which the operating output is more restricted than in the normal mode.

Patent No. 5146050

However, in conventional vehicle seat air conditioning systems, in order to detect an occupant sitting in the seat, it is necessary to provide an occupant detection sensor or the like as an occupant detection means. This poses the problem that the configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioning system becomes complicated.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a vehicle seat air conditioning device that can detect whether an occupant is seated using a simple configuration.

A vehicle seat air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a blower built into a seat, at least one of an intake duct that draws in air guided by the blower from a surface of the seat and an exhaust duct that discharges the air guided by the blower from the surface of the seat, and a control unit electrically connected to the blower, wherein the seat has an intake port through which the intake duct draws in the air on a surface on which an occupant sits, the blower has a current detection circuit that detects the current consumption of the blower, the control unit determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit, and when determining whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat, the control unit determines that an occupant is seated in the seat if the current consumption is lower than a first threshold value .

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 is capable of detecting whether an occupant is seated using a simple configuration.

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. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a seat provided with a vehicle seat air-conditioning device taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, and a cross-sectional view of the seat. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a vehicle equipped with the vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a first operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the current consumption of the blower and the seating area in the standard mode and the energy saving mode. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a third operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a fourth operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a first operational example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the body size and the current consumption of the blower, and a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the rotation speed of the blower and the body size. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a third operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a fourth operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a fifth operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device in the second embodiment.

A vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a blower built into a seat, at least one of an intake duct that draws air guided by the blower from the surface of the seat and an exhaust duct that exhausts the air guided by the blower from the surface of the seat, and a control unit electrically connected to the blower, the blower having a current detection circuit that detects the current consumption of the blower, and the control unit determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit.

For example, when an occupant sitting in a seat covers the intake port of the intake duct or the exhaust port of the exhaust duct, the flow rate of air passing through the intake port and the exhaust port tends to decrease. When the rotation speed of the blower is constant, when the flow rate of air passing through the intake port and the exhaust port decreases, the current consumption of the blower also tends to decrease. This is thought to be because the air pressure between the covered intake port or exhaust port and the blower decreases, that is, the resistance between the air and the blower propeller decreases, which reduces the workload of the blower.

In this disclosure, focusing on such characteristics, the control unit can control the blower to determine whether or not an occupant is seated based on the magnitude of the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit. For example, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is smaller than the current consumption when no occupant is seated in the seat, the control unit can determine that an occupant is seated in the seat.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning system can detect whether an occupant is seated with a simple configuration.

In particular, unlike conventional vehicle seat air conditioning systems, the system can detect whether an occupant is seated without the need for a separate sensor, which helps prevent the product costs of vehicle seat air conditioning systems from rising.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when determining whether an occupant is seated in the seat, if the current consumption is lower than a first threshold value, the control unit determines that an occupant is seated in the seat.

According to this, when the current consumption is lower than the first threshold value, that is, when the current consumption is smaller than the current consumption when no occupant is seated in the seat, the control unit can determine that an occupant is seated in the seat. The control unit can control the blower by accurately determining whether or not an occupant is seated, and therefore can reduce the power consumption of the blower when no occupant is present.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the control unit determines that an occupant is seated in the seat, it controls the blower so that the rotation speed of the blower becomes a steady rotation speed.

With this, when an occupant is seated in the seat, the control unit can keep the power supplied to the blower constant and stabilize the fan speed at a steady speed, so the amount of air blown toward the occupant can be made more appropriate, thereby ensuring the comfort of the occupant.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when determining whether an occupant is seated in the seat, if the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control unit determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat, and when it determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat, controls the blower so that the rotation speed is lower than the rotation speed of the blower when it is determined that an occupant is seated in the seat.

With this, when no passenger is seated in the seat, the control unit can control the blower with reduced power supplied to the blower, thereby reducing power consumption.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit drives the blower when the vehicle is not in use or when the door is unlocked after the vehicle is not in use, thereby updating the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit as the first threshold value.

As a result, even if the seat and blower deteriorate over time, the current consumption can be updated as the first threshold value, ensuring accuracy in determining whether an occupant is seated in the seat.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes a voltage detection circuit that detects the drive voltage of the blower, and the control unit corrects the current consumption of the blower based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit.

This allows the current consumption of the blower to be corrected by measuring in advance the current consumption caused by fluctuations in the applied voltage. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether an occupant is seated in the seat, even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage caused by battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes a voltage detection circuit that detects the drive voltage of the blower, and the control unit corrects the first threshold value based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit.

According to this, the first threshold value can be corrected by measuring the current consumption of the blower due to fluctuations in the applied voltage in advance. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether an occupant is seated in the seat even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage due to battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the current detection circuit also serves as an overcurrent detection circuit for the blower.

This allows the current detection circuit to detect an overcurrent in the blower without the need for a separate overcurrent detection circuit for the blower. Alternatively, the overcurrent detection circuit that is originally provided in the blower can be used as the current detection circuit. This prevents the configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioner from becoming too complicated and also prevents the product costs from rising.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit outputs a warning signal to an external device when the current consumption exceeds an upper limit value.

In this way, when the current consumption exceeds a predetermined upper limit, the blower may have broken down or may be controlled at a higher rotation speed than normal. For this reason, blower failure, clogging of the intake duct and exhaust duct, and deterioration of the cushion are predicted, and passengers can be notified to replace the blower, clean the seat, or replace the cushion, etc. This allows passengers to maintain the seat in an appropriate condition.

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

This allows air to be drawn in through the intake port of the intake duct formed in the center of the seat between the buttocks and thighs and the seat, thereby preventing the buttocks and thighs from becoming stuffy. In addition, the intake port of the intake duct formed on the outer edge of the seat is formed in a position that is unlikely to be covered by the buttocks and thighs, so air around the seat can be drawn in. For example, even if air cannot be drawn in through the intake port of the intake duct formed in the center of the seat, air can be drawn in through the intake port of the intake duct formed on 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 is at least one of the back portion and the front end portion of the seat surface.

This makes it even less likely that the outer edge of the seat, especially the back and front ends of the seat, will be covered by a person's buttocks and thighs. This further increases the likelihood that air can be drawn in through the air intake.

In a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the rotation speed of the blower based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit.

For example, when an occupant sitting in a seat covers the intake port of the intake duct or the exhaust port of the exhaust duct, the flow rate of air passing through the intake port and the exhaust port tends to decrease. When the rotation speed of the blower is constant, when the flow rate of air passing through the intake port and the exhaust port decreases, the current consumption of the blower also tends to decrease. This is thought to be because the air pressure between the covered intake port or exhaust port and the blower decreases, that is, the resistance between the air and the blower propeller decreases, which reduces the workload of the blower.

If the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is small, then at least one of the intake and exhaust ports is covered by a large occupant, which is likely to have reduced the amount of air passing through the intake and exhaust ports compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat. If the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is large, then at least one of the intake and exhaust ports is covered by a small occupant, which is likely to have increased the amount of air passing through the intake and exhaust ports compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat.

Therefore, according to the present disclosure, if the current consumption is smaller than when an occupant of average build sits in the seat, the air volume of the blower will decrease, and the control unit can control the blower to increase its rotation speed. Also, if the current consumption is larger than when an occupant of average build sits in the seat, the air volume of the blower will increase, and the control unit can control the blower to decrease its rotation speed.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning system can ensure the comfort of the occupants by appropriately adjusting the amount of air blown toward them.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the blower so that the rotation speed increases as the current consumption decreases below a second threshold, and controls the blower so that the rotation speed decreases as the current consumption increases above or equal to the second threshold.

Accordingly, the smaller the current consumption is compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat, the more the control unit can control the fan speed to be increased. Also, the larger the current consumption is compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat, the more the control unit can control the fan speed to be decreased. Therefore, by making the amount of air blown toward the occupant more appropriate, the comfort of the occupant can be better ensured.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the blower so that the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat is the same regardless of the state of the occupant seated in the seat.

This allows the air to be discharged from the surface of the seat uniformly regardless of the occupant's physical condition, such as their size and posture, and therefore the amount of air blown toward the occupant can be made more appropriate, thereby ensuring greater comfort for the occupant.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit determines the physical build of the occupant seated in the seat based on the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating the determined physical build of the occupant to an external device.

According to this, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is small, the control unit can determine that a large occupant is sitting in the seat. Also, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is large, the control unit can determine that a small occupant is sitting in the seat.

The control unit can also output a signal indicating the occupant's physical build to an external device. As a result, if the external device is a vehicle control unit (ECU: Electronic Control Unit) or the like, the vehicle control unit can control the orientation of the imaging device to face the direction in which the occupant's face is assumed to be present by acquiring the signal indicating the occupant's physical build.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit determines whether the body position of the occupant seated in the seat has changed based on the change in the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating that the body position of the occupant has changed, which is the result of the determination, to the external device.

According to this, if the change in current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is large, the control unit can determine that the occupant's posture is out of place. Also, if the change in current consumption detected by the current detection circuit is small, the control unit can determine that the occupant is correctly seated in the seat.

In addition, if the external device is a vehicle control unit or the like, the vehicle control unit can control the orientation of the imaging device to face the direction in which the occupant's face is assumed to be located based on a signal indicating the occupant's body position.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes a voltage detection circuit that detects the drive voltage of the blower, and the control unit corrects the second threshold value corresponding to the current consumption of the blower based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit.

According to this, the second threshold value can be corrected by measuring the current consumption of the blower due to fluctuations in the applied voltage in advance. This makes it possible to more accurately determine the physique and posture of the occupant based on the current consumption even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage due to battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, in a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit drives the blower when the vehicle is not in use or when the door is unlocked after the vehicle is not in use, thereby correcting the correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed to control the rotation speed based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit.

In this way, even if the sheet and blower deteriorate over time, a uniform air volume can be ensured by correcting the correlation.

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 front right 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 occupant in the direction of travel of the vehicle when the occupant is seated in the seat, and is in the negative direction of the Y-axis. Furthermore, the left side is the left side of the occupant in the direction of travel of the vehicle when the occupant is seated in the seat, 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 embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the seat 1 equipped with the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 taken along line II-II in Fig. 1, and a cross-sectional view of the seat 1. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a vehicle 2 equipped with the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in embodiment 1.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a seat 1 installed in a vehicle 2 or the like can cool or warm an occupant seated in the seat 1 by blowing air onto the occupant. The seat 1 can cool or warm the body of an occupant seated in the seat 1 by blowing air onto the head, neck, acromion, back, waist, buttocks, thighs, etc. of the occupant seated in the seat 1. In this embodiment, air is drawn in from the seating surface 11c of the seat 1 corresponding to the buttocks and thighs, and the air is discharged from the surface (the surface facing the occupant seated in the seat 1) of the seat back 13 of the seat 1 corresponding to the acromion, back, and waist, thereby generating an airflow. Note that air may be drawn in from the surface of the seat back 13 and discharged from the seating surface 11c of the seat 1. In addition, air may be taken in from a location other than the seat surface 11c of the seat 1, for example, the underside, right or left side of the seat portion 10 of the seat 1, or the rear, right or left side of the seat back 13, and the air may be discharged from the surface of the seat back 13 or the seat surface 11c of the seat 1. For this reason, the intake locations and exhaust intake locations of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 are not limited to this embodiment. For this reason, the diagrams illustrated in FIG. 1 and the like are merely examples, and are not limited to the examples illustrated in FIG. 1 and the like.

Such a seat 1 includes a seat portion 10 for an occupant to sit on, a seat back 13, a headrest 15, a vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, and a power supply unit 70.

[Seat part 10]
1 and 2, the seat portion 10 is a seat cushion that supports the buttocks, thighs, etc. of an occupant 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 a seated occupant.

The first seat pad 11a is provided with an intake duct 31 for guiding air taken in from the first air vent 12a in the seat surface 11c, which is the surface on the positive side of the Z axis of the first seat cover 11b. The first seat pad 11a is also provided with the intake duct 31, a part of the exhaust duct 32, and the blower 30, which are components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3. Specifically, these are fixed to springs located directly below the first seat pad 11a, but the springs are omitted in FIG. 2. Note that the components of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 are not limited to being fixed to the springs, and may be fixed to a seat frame located in front of the first seat pad 11a. Air flows into the intake duct 31 in the first seat pad 11a when the blower 30 is driven.

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 on which an occupant sits (the surface on the positive side of the Z axis), at a position corresponding to the intake port 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 in the first seat cover 11b, and multiple rows are formed in the Y axis direction. In FIG. 1, the solid arrows correspond to the first vent 12a.

Air drawn in from the first air vent 12a is drawn in from the air intake 31a of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 and guided to the air intake duct 31. Therefore, the first air vent 12a also serves as an air intake that draws in air convecting over the seat surface 11c by the suction force from the air intake 31a caused by the drive of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3. The first air vent 12a may be part of the air intake duct 31.

[Seat back 13]
The seat back 13 is a backrest portion that supports the acromion, back, and lumbar region of an occupant seated in the seat 1. The seat back 13 is long along the Z-axis direction and is disposed so as to rise up from 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 located at the bottom of the seat back 13, and has a structure that allows the backrest angle to be adjusted around the Y axis depending on the posture. The second seat pad 13a supports the acromion, back, lumbar region, etc. of the seated occupant.

The second seat pad 13a is provided with a part of the discharge duct 32 for discharging the air drawn in from the first air vent 12a. The air guided to the intake duct 31 in the first seat pad 11a by the drive of the blower 30 is discharged from the discharge port 32a of the discharge duct 32 in the second seat pad 13a.

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 plurality of second vents 12b for discharging the intake air. The second vents 12b are formed on the surface facing the occupant seated on the seat portion 10 (the surface on the positive side of the X-axis) at positions corresponding to the discharge ports 32a of the discharge duct 32. In this embodiment, a plurality of second vents 12b are formed in each of the second seat covers 13b. In FIG. 1, the dashed arrows correspond to the discharge ducts 32. The plurality of second vents 12b are formed at positions corresponding to the occupant's back, waist, arms, sides, or shoulders.

The second ventilation openings 12b are used by the air guided to the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32 by the operation of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 and exhausted from the exhaust port 32a. Therefore, the second ventilation openings 12b also serve as exhaust ports that exhaust air to the outside of the seat 1. The second ventilation openings 12b may be part of the exhaust duct 32.

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

Note that some of the multiple second ventilation openings 12b may be formed in the headrest 15. In other words, some of the exhaust duct 32 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 that is provided on the seat 1 and can blow air toward an occupant seated in the seat 1 from behind the occupant. 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. 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 that can perform both heating and cooling.

2 and 3, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 includes a blower 30, an intake duct 31, an exhaust duct 32, a voltage detection circuit 52, a control unit 60, and a memory unit 80. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 includes the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32, but may include at least one of the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32.

The blower 30 can draw air in through the first ventilation port 12a formed in the first seat cover 11b of the seat 1 and discharge the drawn air from the second ventilation port 12b formed in the second seat pad 13a. Specifically, the blower 30 is electrically connected to the control unit 60 and is driven and controlled by the control unit 60 to draw air in through the intake port 31a via the first ventilation port 12a and discharge the drawn air from the second ventilation port 12b via the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32 and the exhaust port 32a.

The blower 30 is built into the first seat pad 11a (inside the first seat pad 11a in this embodiment) to draw in air from the intake port 31a of the first seat cover 11b. In this embodiment, the blower 30 is arranged on the path of the intake duct 31, but it may be arranged outside the intake duct 31 as long as it is possible to form a flow path for air flowing through the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32. The blower 30 may be arranged outside the first seat pad 11a, and the arrangement position is not particularly limited.

The blower 30 also has a current detection circuit 51 that detects the current consumption of the blower 30. In other words, the current detection circuit 51 detects the current consumption, which is the current supplied from the power supply unit 70 via the control unit 60 and is the current consumed by driving the blower 30. The current detection circuit 51 outputs information indicating the detected current consumption to the control unit 60 at predetermined intervals.

The current detection circuit 51 also serves as an overcurrent detection circuit for the blower 30. The current detection circuit 51 detects overcurrent in the blower 30 to prevent damage to the blower 30 from a current exceeding the rated value. The current detection circuit 51 also outputs the detected overcurrent to the control unit 60 at predetermined intervals as information indicating the current consumption. The information indicating the current consumption is the current at the time when the current detection circuit 51 detects the current consumption of the blower 30, that is, it is essentially the current current consumption of the blower 30.

The intake duct 31 draws in the air guided by the blower 30 from the surface of the seat 1 (the surface facing the occupant seated on the seat 1). That is, the intake duct 31 guides the air drawn in from the intake port 31a provided in the seat portion 10 of the seat 1 to the discharge duct 32, so that air flows in the intake duct 31. One end of the intake duct 31 forms the intake port 31a, and the other end is connected to the blower 30. The intake port 31a can draw in air from the surface (seat surface 11c) on the side where the occupant sits on the seat portion 10, and corresponds to the first air vent 12a of the first seat cover 11b. When viewed along the Z-axis direction, the intake port 31a overlaps with the first air vent 12a. In this embodiment, the intake port 31a draws in air through the first air vent 12a, but it may also be configured to draw in air directly.

In this embodiment, multiple air intakes 31a are formed. Specifically, the air intakes 31a are formed in the center 11c1 and the outer edge 11c2 of the seat surface 11c, which is the surface of the seat 1 on which a person sits.

The air intakes 31a in the central portion 11c1 are formed in multiple locations along the X-axis direction. The air intakes 31a in the outer edge portion 11c2 are arranged on the positive and negative Y-axis sides of the air intakes 31a in the central portion 11c1, and are formed in multiple locations along the X-axis direction. In other words, on the surface of the first seat pad 11a on the positive Z-axis side, multiple air intakes 31a are formed in multiple rows aligned along the X-axis direction.

The outer edge 11c2 is at least one of the rear end 11d and the front end 11e of the seat surface 11c. In this embodiment, the outer edge 11c2 also includes both side portions 11f on the positive Y-axis side of the first seat pad 11a relative to the central portion 11c1, and both side portions 11f on the negative Y-axis side of the first seat pad 11a relative to the central portion 11c1.

The rear portion 11d of the seat surface 11c is rearward of the central portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The front end portion 11e of the seat surface 11c is forward of the central portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The two side portions 11f on the positive Y-axis side of the seat surface 11c are leftward of the central portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The two side portions 11f on the negative Y-axis side of the seat surface 11c are rightward of the central portion 11c1 of the seat surface 11c. The two side portions 11f on the positive Y-axis side and the two side portions 11f on the negative Y-axis side are the ridges of the seat portion 10.

The air intakes 31a formed in the rear portion 11d, the front end portion 11e, both side portions 11f on the positive side of the Y axis, and both side portions 11f on the negative side of the Y axis are positioned so that they are not easily blocked by the buttocks and thighs when a person is seated on the seat 1.

The discharge duct 32 discharges the air guided by the blower 30 from the surface of the seat 1. That is, the discharge duct 32 further guides the air guided to the intake duct 31, and discharges it from the discharge port 32a provided in the seat back 13 of the seat 1. One end of the discharge duct 32 forms the discharge port 32a, and the other end is connected to the blower 30. The discharge port 32a corresponds to the second ventilation port 12b of the second seat cover 13b. When viewed along the X-axis direction, the discharge port 32a overlaps with the second ventilation port 12b. In this embodiment, the discharge port 32a discharges air through the second ventilation port 12b, but it may be configured to discharge air directly.

In this embodiment, the discharge duct 32 extends from the blower 30 in the first seat pad 11a to the second seat pad 13a. In this embodiment, the discharge duct 32 also extends to a plurality of second vents 12b formed in the middle part of the second seat cover 13b in the Z-axis direction, and further extends to a plurality of second vents 12b formed in the positive direction of the Y-axis. The discharge ports 32a are disposed at positions corresponding to at least one of the head, neck, acromion, back, and lumbar region of the occupant.

In this embodiment, the intake duct 31 is provided in the seat 10, and the exhaust duct 32 is provided across the seat 10 and the seat back 13, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the exhaust duct 32 may be provided in the seat 10, and the intake duct 31 may be provided across the seat 10 and the seat back 13. In this case, the second air vent 12b of the seat back 13 may be directly connected to the intake duct 31, so that air is sucked in through the second air vent 12b, and the first air vent 12a in the seat 10 may be directly connected to the exhaust duct 32, so that air is blown out through the first air vent 12a.

The intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32 may be provided only in the seat 10 or only in the seat back 13. For example, when these are provided only in the seat 10, the intake port of the intake duct 31 for sucking in air may be provided on the underside, right side, or left side of the seat 10, and the first air vent 12a of the seat 10 may be directly connected to the exhaust duct 32, so that air is blown out from the first air vent 12a. When these are provided only in the seat back 13, the intake port of the intake duct 31 may be provided on the backside, right side, or left side of the seat back 13, and the second air vent 12b of the seat back 13 may be directly connected to the exhaust duct 32, so that air is blown out from the second air vent 12b.

[Storage unit 80]
The storage unit 80 is a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, and a volatile memory which is a temporary storage area for executing the program. The storage unit 80 is communicably connected to the control unit 60. The storage unit 80 stores information indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the blower 30 is driven in the standard mode when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from a time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, which is a case where an occupant is not seated in the seat 1, and the like. In other words, the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from a time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, which is indicated in the information, is an initial value.

In this embodiment, the memory unit 80 is not built into the control unit 60. However, the memory unit 80 may be built into the control unit 60.

[Voltage detection circuit 52]
The voltage detection circuit 52 detects the drive voltage of the blower 30, which is a voltage supplied from the power supply unit 70 to the blower 30 via the control unit 60. The voltage detection circuit 52 outputs information indicating the detected drive voltage to the control unit 60 at predetermined intervals.

In this embodiment, the voltage detection circuit 52 is not built into the blower 30. The voltage detection circuit 52 may also be built into the blower 30.

[Control unit 60]
The control unit 60 is electrically connected to the blower 30 and acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 of the blower 30. The control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat 1 based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 indicated in the acquired information. Specifically, the control unit 60 can determine whether or not the current consumption is lower than a first threshold based on the current consumption. When determining whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat 1, if the current consumption is lower than the first threshold, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated on the seat 1. When the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated on the seat 1, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed of the blower 30 becomes a steady rotation speed. In other words, when the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated on the seat 1, the control unit 60 executes the standard mode to control the blower 30 to be driven at a steady rotation speed. At the steady rotation speed, the rotation speed of the propeller and the rotating shaft of the blower 30 is constant.

On the other hand, when the control unit 60 determines whether an occupant is seated on the seat 1, if the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated on the seat 1. When the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated on the seat 1, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 to rotate at a lower speed than the speed of the blower 30 when it is determined that an occupant is seated on the seat 1. In other words, when the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated on the seat 1, the control unit 60 executes an energy saving mode, thereby controlling the blower 30 to operate at a lower rotation speed. When executing the energy saving mode, the control unit 60 reduces the current supplied to the blower 30 to be less than the current supplied when operating the blower 30 at a steady rotation speed.

When the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1, it may drive the blower 30 so that the rotation speed of the blower 30 is lower for a predetermined period of time than the rotation speed of the blower 30 when it is determined that an occupant is seated in the seat 1, and when it determines that an occupant is no longer seated in the seat 1 after the predetermined period has elapsed, it may drive the blower 30 so that the rotation speed is further reduced. The control unit 60 may control the blower 30 in stages in the energy saving mode.

Thus, the control unit 60 has a standard mode and an energy saving mode, which are modes for controlling the blower 30. The control unit 60 switches between the standard mode and the energy saving mode as appropriate based on the current consumption, that is, depending on whether an occupant is seated in the seat 1. In addition, in the standard mode, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 to rotate at a steady speed, so that the amount of air blown when an occupant is seated in the seat 1 can be stabilized.

Furthermore, each time the control unit 60 obtains information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51, it determines whether the current consumption has exceeded an upper limit. When the current consumption exceeds the upper limit, i.e., when an overcurrent is anticipated, the control unit 60 outputs a warning signal to an external device. When the control unit 60 outputs a warning signal, passengers become aware of damage to the blower 30 from a current exceeding the rated value, as well as clogged intake and exhaust ducts and deterioration of the cushions. Here, the external device is the vehicle control unit 61, but may also be, for example, a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal.

The control unit 60 corrects the current consumption or the first threshold value of the blower 30 based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 52. For example, when the power supplied to the blower 30 is kept constant, the current value may vary due to fluctuations in the voltage value supplied from the power supply unit 70 to the blower 30 (e.g., fluctuations due to deterioration of the battery (not shown) of the power supply unit 70 and fluctuations in the load). If the current consumption varies, it may not be possible to accurately determine whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1. Therefore, the control unit 60 corrects the current value (i.e., current consumption) that fluctuates simultaneously with the fluctuation in the voltage value so that the power supplied to the blower 30 is constant, or corrects the first threshold value so that the power supplied to the blower 30 is constant.

In addition, the control unit 60 corrects the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 as the first threshold value by driving the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked. That is, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the blower 30 is driven in standard mode when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked, which is a case where the vehicle 2 is in a stopped state and an occupant is not seated in the seat 1 (sometimes referred to as the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked) via the current detection circuit 51. The control unit 60 stores the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked in the information as the first threshold value in the memory unit 80. As a result, the control unit 60 updates the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked as the first threshold value. Here, when the vehicle 2 is not in use, it means, for example, when no passenger is seated in the seat 1 and the engine switch is turned off.

The control unit 60 may drive the blower 30 during an arbitrary period when the vehicle 2 is not in use, and may store in the memory unit 80 an average value of the power consumption of the blower 30 during an arbitrary period when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked, thereby updating the current consumption of the blower 30 during an arbitrary period when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the vehicle is not in use and the door is unlocked as the first threshold value.

[Power supply unit 70]
The power supply unit 70 is a power supply circuit that supplies power to the blower 30 via the control unit 60, etc. Here, the power supply unit 70 is a DC power supply that receives DC power 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 30, etc.

<Operation>
An example of the operation of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in this embodiment will be described.

[Operation example 1]
4 is a flowchart showing a first operational example of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in the embodiment 1. In this flowchart, it is assumed that the operation is started from the standard mode.

For example, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is driven when an occupant operates an operation panel installed in the vehicle 2. The control unit 60 of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 drives the blower 30 by receiving a drive command from the operation panel (S11). As a result, air is sucked in through the first air vent 12a, guided in turn through the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32, and discharged from the second air vent 12b. As a result, air is blown toward the occupant seated in the seat 1.

Next, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 (S12).

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption indicated in the acquired information (S13). Specifically, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the current consumption is lower than a first threshold value based on the current consumption.

When determining whether an occupant is seated on the seat 1, if the current consumption is lower than the first threshold, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated on the seat 1 (YES in S13).

Next, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 in standard mode for a predetermined period of time (S14). This causes air to be blown to the occupant seated in the seat 1 for a predetermined period of time. The control unit 60 then returns the process to step S12.

On the other hand, when determining whether an occupant is seated in the seat 1, if the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1 (NO in S13).

Next, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed is lower than the rotation speed of the blower 30 when it is determined that an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (S15). In order to reduce the current consumption of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, the control unit 60 switches from the standard mode to the energy saving mode and executes the energy saving mode.

Next, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 (S16).

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption indicated in the acquired information (S17). Specifically, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the current consumption is lower than a first threshold value based on the current consumption.

When determining whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat 1, if the current consumption is lower than the first threshold, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated on the seat 1 (YES in S17). The control unit 60 then returns the process to step S11, switches from the energy saving mode to the standard mode, and executes the standard mode.

On the other hand, when determining whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat 1, if the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is not seated on the seat 1 (NO in S17). Then, the control unit 60 returns the process to step S16.

In addition, the occupant can freely stop the operation of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 at any step by operating the operation panel installed in the vehicle 2.

Note that if the power saving mode is started, the flow chart may start from step S15. Therefore, the flow chart is not limited to that of FIG. 4.

Furthermore, in this operation example, a case where the standard mode is started with no occupant seated in the seat 1 will be specifically described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the current consumption of the blower 30 and the seating area in the standard mode and the energy saving mode. The seating area is assumed to be that of a person with a standard build.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the process starts from point A. At this time, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (S13) based on the current consumption indicated by the acquired information from the current detection circuit 51 (S12).

Next, because an occupant is not seated in seat 1, the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and that an occupant is not seated in seat 1 (NO in S13). At this time, the vehicle moves from point A to point B in FIG. 5. The control unit 60 switches from standard mode to energy saving mode, executes the energy saving mode, and controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed is lower than the rotation speed of the blower 30 when it is determined that an occupant is seated in seat 1 (S15).

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (S17) based on the current consumption indicated in the information acquired at predetermined intervals (S16). When an occupant sits in the seat 1, the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption becomes lower than the first threshold value and that the occupant is seated in the seat 1 (YES in S17). At this time, the occupant moves from point B to point C in FIG. 5.

Next, the control unit 60 switches from the energy saving mode to the standard mode and executes the standard mode. At this time, the vehicle moves from point C to point D in FIG. 5. The control unit 60 drives the blower 30 in the standard mode (S11).

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (S13) based on the acquired current consumption (S12). If the occupant gets off the vehicle or moves away from the seat 1 due to poor posture or the like, the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption exceeds the first threshold value and that the occupant is not seated in the seat 1 (NO in S13). Then, in FIG. 5, the flow returns from point D to point A. The vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 may cycle in this manner.

In this operation example, it is also possible to start from standard mode with a passenger seated in seat 1. In this case, the operation starts from point D in Figure 5. Then, depending on the passenger getting off and re-boarding, the operation moves to points A, B, C as described above, and then returns to point D. The explanation using Figure 4 is similar, so it will not be repeated. Note that the operation is not limited to starting from standard mode, as the operation may also start from energy saving mode.

Also, in Figure 5, it may be possible to proceed from point A to point D.

For example, in the standard mode with no occupant seated in seat 1, the position is A in FIG. 5. At this time, if an occupant sits in seat 1, the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is lower than the first threshold and that an occupant is seated in seat 1 (YES in S13). In FIG. 5, the position moves from A to D. At this time, the control unit 60 continues to execute the standard mode for a predetermined period of time (S14).

Also, in Figure 5, it may be possible to proceed from point C to point B.

For example, in the case where the energy saving mode is in effect while an occupant is seated in seat 1, the position is C in FIG. 5. At this time, the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in seat 1 (S17) based on the current consumption indicated in the information acquired at predetermined intervals (S16). When the occupant is not seated in seat 1 due to poor posture or the like, the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and that the occupant is not seated in seat 1 (NO in S17). At this time, the position moves from C to B in FIG. 5. At this time, the control unit 60 continues to execute the energy saving mode until the occupant is seated in seat 1.

[Operation example 2]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the first embodiment.

The control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use (S21). For example, the control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use by determining whether the engine switch is OFF. If the engine switch is OFF, it can be said that the vehicle 2 is not in use. In this case, it is mainly considered that no occupant is seated in the seat 1.

If the vehicle 2 is not out of use (NO in S21), the control unit 60 returns the process to step S21.

On the other hand, when the vehicle 2 is not in use (YES in S21), the control unit 60 operates the blower 30 in standard mode and obtains information from the current detection circuit 51 indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked after not being in use (S22).

Next, the control unit 60 stores the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as indicated in the information, in the memory unit 80 as a first threshold value, thereby updating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as the first threshold value (S23). In other words, the control unit 60 updates the initial value previously stored in the memory unit 80. Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart of FIG. 6.

Note that even if the engine switch is OFF, an occupant may be seated in the seat 1. For this reason, the control unit 60 may notify the driver that the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is operating via a display device or the like mounted on the vehicle 2.

[Operation example 3]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a third operation example of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in the first embodiment.

The control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 and determines whether the acquired current consumption exceeds an upper limit (S31). The upper limit is determined in advance as the upper limit of the current consumption during normal operation.

If the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption has exceeded the upper limit (YES in S31), i.e., if an overcurrent is flowing through the blower 30, it outputs a warning signal to an external device (S32).

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption does not exceed the upper limit (NO in S31), it ends the flowchart in FIG. 7.

In the present embodiment, operation examples 1 to 3 have been illustrated, but the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 does not need to include all of operation examples 1 to 3, and operation examples 1 to 3 can be combined as appropriate. Also, in operation example 1, not all steps are essential processes in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3, and the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is not limited to executing all steps.

[Operation Example 4]
In this operation example, an operation for determining whether or not the doors of the vehicle 2 have been unlocked when the vehicle 2 has not been used will be described.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an operation example 4 of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in embodiment 2. In this operation example, the same processes as those in Figure 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the processes is omitted as appropriate.

The control unit 60 determines whether the doors of the vehicle 2 have been unlocked when the vehicle 2 was not in use (S21a). For example, the control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use by determining whether the engine switch is OFF. Furthermore, the control unit 60 determines whether the doors have been unlocked by determining whether an open/close signal, which is a signal indicating that the doors have been unlocked, is acquired from a door open/close sensor mounted on the vehicle 2. Note that the determination of whether the doors have been unlocked may be made by determining whether a door unlocking operation has been performed based on the key of the vehicle 2.

If the doors have not been unlocked since the vehicle 2 was not in use (NO in S21a), the control unit 60 returns the process to step S21a.

Next, when the vehicle 2 is not in use and the door is unlocked (YES in S21a), the control unit 60 operates the blower 30 in standard mode to obtain information from the current detection circuit 51 indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from when the vehicle 2 is not in use (S22).

Next, the control unit 60 stores the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as indicated in the information, in the memory unit 80 as a first threshold value, thereby updating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as a first threshold value (S23). Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart of FIG. 8. After that, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 proceeds to the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 4.

<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 includes a blower 30 built into the seat 1, at least one of an intake duct that draws in the air guided by the blower 30 from the surface of the seat 1 and an exhaust duct that exhausts the air guided by the blower 30 from the surface of the seat 1, and a control unit 60 electrically connected to the blower 30. The blower 30 has a current detection circuit 51 that detects the current consumption of the blower 30, and the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat 1 based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51.

By controlling the blower 30, the control unit 60 can determine whether or not an occupant is seated based on the magnitude of the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51. For example, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is smaller than the current consumption when no occupant is seated in the seat 1, the control unit 60 can determine that an occupant is seated in the seat 1.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 can detect whether an occupant is seated with a simple configuration.

In particular, unlike conventional vehicle seat air conditioners 3, the seating of an occupant can be detected without the need for a separate sensor, which helps prevent the manufacturing costs of the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 from rising.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, when determining whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1, if the current consumption is lower than the first threshold value, the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated in the seat 1.

Accordingly, when the current consumption is lower than the first threshold value, that is, when the current consumption is smaller than the current consumption when no occupant is seated in the seat 1, the control unit 60 can determine that an occupant is seated in the seat 1. The control unit 60 can control the blower 30 by accurately determining whether or not an occupant is seated, and therefore can reduce the power consumption of the blower 30 when no occupant is present.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, when the control unit 60 determines that an occupant is seated in the seat 1, it controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed of the blower 30 becomes a steady rotation speed.

As a result, when an occupant is seated in the seat 1, the control unit 60 can supply constant power to the blower 30 and stabilize the rotation speed of the blower 30 at a steady rotation speed, thereby making it possible to more appropriately adjust the amount of air blown toward the occupant and to better ensure the comfort of the occupant.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, when the control unit 60 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1, if the current consumption is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, it determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1, and when it determines that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1, it controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed is lower than the rotation speed of the blower 30 when it determines that an occupant is seated in the seat 1.

As a result, when no passenger is seated in the seat 1, the control unit 60 can control the blower 30 with a reduced amount of power supplied to the blower 30, thereby reducing power consumption.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 drives the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked after not being in use, thereby updating the consumption current detected by the current detection circuit 51 as the first threshold value.

As a result, even if the seat 1 and the blower 30 deteriorate over time, the accuracy of determining whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat 1 can be ensured by updating the current consumption as the first threshold value.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment further includes a voltage detection circuit 52 that detects the drive voltage of the blower 30, and the control unit 60 corrects the current consumption of the blower 30 based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 52.

According to this, the current consumption of the blower 30 due to fluctuations in the applied voltage can be measured in advance, and the current consumption can be corrected. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether an occupant is seated in the seat 1, even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage due to battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 of this embodiment further includes a voltage detection circuit 52 that detects the drive voltage of the blower 30, and the control unit 60 corrects the first threshold value based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 52.

According to this, the first threshold value can be corrected by measuring the current consumption of the blower 30 due to fluctuations in the applied voltage in advance. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether an occupant is seated in the seat 1 even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage due to battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the current detection circuit 51 also serves as an overcurrent detection circuit for the blower 30.

This allows the current detection circuit 51 to detect an overcurrent in the blower 30 without the need for a separate overcurrent detection circuit for the blower 30. Alternatively, the overcurrent detection circuit originally provided in the blower 30 can be used as the current detection circuit 51. This prevents the configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioner 3 from becoming too complicated, and also prevents the product costs from rising.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 outputs a warning signal to an external device when the current consumption exceeds the upper limit.

In this way, when the current consumption exceeds a predetermined upper limit, the blower 30 may have broken down or may be controlled at a higher rotation speed than normal. As a result, a blower 30 failure, clogging of the intake duct 31 and exhaust duct 32, or deterioration of the cushion is predicted, and passengers can be notified to replace the blower 30, clean the blower, or replace the cushion, etc. This allows passengers to maintain the seat 1 in an appropriate condition.

The upper limit value may be set to a first upper limit value and a second upper limit value that is greater than the first upper limit value. In this case, if the current consumption exceeds the first upper limit value and is equal to or less than the second upper limit value, clogging of the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32 and deterioration of the cushion are predicted. Furthermore, if the current consumption exceeds the second upper limit value, a failure of the blower 30 is predicted. In this way, by setting two upper limits, passengers can be notified separately of warnings for cleaning or cushion replacement, etc. and warnings for replacing the blower 30.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the intake duct 31 is formed in the central portion 11c1 and the outer edge portion 11c2 of the seat surface 11c, which is the surface on the side of the seat 1 where a person sits.

By doing so, air is drawn in from the intake port 31a of the intake duct 31 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 intake port 31a of the intake duct 31 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 intake port 31a of the intake duct 31 formed in the center 11c1 of the seat 11c, air can be drawn in from the intake port 31a of the intake duct 31 formed in the outer edge 11c2 of the seat 11c, and air can be discharged from the discharge port 32a.

In the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the outer edge portion 11c2 is at least one of the innermost portion 11d and the front end portion 11e of the seat surface 11c.

As a result, even the outer edge 11c2 of the seat 11c, particularly the rear end 11d and front end 11e of the seat 11c, are less likely to be covered by a person's buttocks and thighs. This further increases the likelihood that air can be drawn in through the air intake 31a.

(Embodiment 2)
The present embodiment differs from the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of the first embodiment in that the physique and posture of the occupant are determined using the current consumption of the blower 30. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations of the present embodiment are the same as those of the first 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 differences between the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of this embodiment and the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 of embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[Storage unit 80]
The memory unit 80 also stores information indicating the second threshold value, information indicating a correlation between current consumption and the rotation speed, which will be described later, and the like. The second threshold value is determined based on the current consumption of the blower when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1. The average build refers to an occupant with a standard build.

[Control unit 60]
The control unit 60 is electrically connected to the blower 30, and acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 of the blower 30. The control unit 60 uses the current consumption indicated in the acquired information to control the rotation speed of the blower 30, determine the physique of the occupant, determine the body position of the occupant, and determine whether the current consumption has exceeded an upper limit value.

The control unit 60 controls the rotation speed of the blower 30 based on the current consumption indicated in the acquired information. Specifically, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the second threshold value pre-stored in the memory unit 80, and calculates a value by subtracting the current current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 from the second threshold value indicated by the acquired information. Based on the calculated value, the control unit 60 can determine whether the current consumption is lower or higher than the second threshold value.

The control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed increases as the current consumption decreases below the second threshold. As a result, the current supplied to the blower 30 increases compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1. This increases the current consumption of the blower 30 and also increases the air volume. Note that since there is a lower limit value that is lower than the second threshold value, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 between the lower limit value and the second threshold value.

The control unit 60 also controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed decreases as the current consumption becomes equal to or higher than the second threshold value. As a result, the current supplied to the blower 30 is reduced compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1. This reduces the current consumption of the blower 30 and also reduces the air volume. Note that since there exists a seating determination value higher than the second threshold value, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 between the seating determination value and the second threshold value.

In this way, the control unit 60 controls the rotation speed of the blower 30 so that the volume of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 (volume of air blown onto the occupant) remains the same regardless of the state of the occupant seated on the seat 1. Here, "independent of the state of the occupant" means regardless of the size of the occupant's physique and the posture of the occupant. Therefore, even if the occupant is large or small, or if the occupant's posture is poor, the volume of air blown onto the occupant will be the same as that blown onto an occupant of average physique when seated.

Note that, although the configuration here is such that the air volume is the same regardless of the state of the occupant, the configuration is not limited to this and the air volume may be changed according to the physique of the occupant, i.e., for example, the larger the occupant, the greater the air volume.

In addition, the control unit 60 determines the physical build of the occupant seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating the occupant's physical build (sometimes called a physical build signal) to an external device. Here, the external device is the vehicle control unit 61, but it may also be a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal.

As described above, the lower the current consumption of the blower 30 is compared to the second threshold, the more the occupant's physique is "large". Also, as described above, the higher the current consumption of the blower 30 is compared to the second threshold, the more the occupant's physique is "small". Therefore, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is smaller than the second threshold, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physique is "large". Also, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is equal to the second threshold, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physique is "normal". Also, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is greater than the second threshold, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physique is "small". The control unit 60 outputs a physique signal to an external device that determines whether the occupant's physique is "small", "normal", or "large". The physique signal is not limited to the three-level signal described above, and may be output as a numerical value indicating the physique level, for example, based on current consumption.

The control unit 60 also determines whether the body position of the occupant seated in the seat 1 has changed based on the change in the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating that the body position of the occupant has changed (sometimes referred to as a body position change signal) to an external device, which is the result of the determination. Specifically, the control unit 60 calculates the change in the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 after the occupant sits on the seat 1, and if the amount of change in the current consumption is equal to or greater than a specified value, it determines that the body position of the occupant seated in the seat 1 has changed. The control unit 60 outputs the body position change signal, which is the result of the determination, to the external device. Note that if there is no change in the body position of the occupant, the control unit 60 may output a signal indicating that there is no change in the body position of the occupant to the external device.

Here, a change in the occupant's body position means, for example, when the occupant is not seated on the seat 1 (the buttocks and thighs are away from the seat surface 11c), when the occupant is sitting on the seat 1 with their legs crossed, when the occupant is sitting on the seat 1 with their legs crossed, etc., when the occupant is not sitting in the correct position on the seat 1, or when the occupant sits deeper than the original seating position, etc.

In addition, "there is no change in the occupant's body position" does not only mean that there is no change in the occupant's body position at all, but also includes cases where there is a change in the occupant's body position that is within the specified range and is permissible.

Furthermore, each time the control unit 60 obtains information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51, it determines whether the current consumption has exceeded the upper limit. When the current consumption exceeds the upper limit, i.e., when an overcurrent is anticipated, the control unit 60 outputs a warning signal to an external device. When the control unit 60 outputs a warning signal, passengers become aware of damage to the blower 30 from the current exceeding the rated value, as well as clogging of the intake duct 31 and exhaust duct 32, and deterioration of the cushion. Here, the upper limit is higher than the second threshold value and is greater than the seating determination value described below.

In addition, the control unit 60 corrects the current consumption or the second threshold value of the blower 30, and corrects information indicating the correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed.

The control unit 60 corrects the current consumption or the second threshold value of the blower 30 based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 52. For example, when the power supplied to the blower 30 is kept constant, the current value may vary due to fluctuations in the voltage value supplied from the power supply unit 70 to the blower 30 (e.g., fluctuations due to deterioration of a battery (not shown) of the power supply unit 70 and fluctuations in the load). If the current consumption varies, it may not be possible to accurately determine the physique of the occupant seated in the seat 1. Therefore, the control unit 60 corrects the current value (i.e., the current consumption) that fluctuates simultaneously with the fluctuation in the voltage value so that the power supplied to the blower 30 is constant, or corrects the second threshold value so that the power supplied to the blower 30 is constant.

The control unit 60 also obtains information indicating the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 by driving the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked after the vehicle 2 is not in use. The control unit 60 corrects information indicating the correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed for controlling the rotation speed based on the current consumption indicated in the obtained information. Specifically, the control unit 60 calculates the rotation speed of the blower 30 when the occupant is not seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use, that is, when the vehicle 2 is stopped and the occupant is not seated in the seat 1. The control unit 60 compares the current consumption and rotation speed of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use with the correlation (correlation table) between the power consumption and the rotation speed that is pre-stored in the storage unit 80. If there is a difference by the comparison, the control unit 60 stores in the storage unit 80 an updated correlation between the power consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use and the calculated rotation speed.

The control unit 60 may drive the blower 30 during an arbitrary period when the vehicle 2 is not in use, calculate an average value of the power consumption of the blower 30 during the arbitrary period when the vehicle 2 is not in use, and calculate the rotation speed of the blower 30 based on the calculated power consumption, thereby storing an updated correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use in the memory unit 80.

<Operation>
An example of the operation of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in this embodiment will be described.

[Operation example 1]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a first operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the second embodiment.

For example, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is driven when an occupant operates an operation panel installed in the vehicle 2. The control unit 60 of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 drives the blower 30 by receiving a drive command from the operation panel (S41). As a result, air is sucked in through the first air vent 12a, guided in turn through the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32, and discharged from the second air vent 12b. As a result, air is blown toward the occupant seated in the seat 1.

Next, the control unit 60 obtains information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51, reads information indicating the second threshold value stored in the memory unit 80, and calculates a value obtained by subtracting the above-mentioned second threshold value from the current current consumption indicated in the information. The control unit 60 reads the correlation graph stored in the memory unit 80, and based on the calculated value, changes the rotation speed of the blower 30 to a value equivalent to the amount of air blown to an occupant of average build, thereby controlling the blower 30 (S42). Figure 10a is a diagram illustrating the relationship between build and current consumption of the blower 30, and Figure 10b is a diagram illustrating the relationship between build and the rotation speed of the blower 30.

Specifically, the control unit 60 judges whether the occupant's physique is small or large compared to an average physique, based on the calculated value and on the correlation graph shown in FIG. 10a. The control unit 60 derives the rotation speed of the blower 30 from the result of the judgement of the occupant's physique, based on the correlation graph shown in FIG. 10b. For example, the control unit 60 reduces the rotation speed of the blower 30 if the result of the judgement of the occupant's physique is small, and increases the rotation speed of the blower 30 if the result of the judgement of the occupant's physique is large. In this way, the control unit 60 determines the rotation speed of the blower 30 derived from the correlation graph in FIG. 10, changes it to the determined rotation speed, and controls the blower 30.

More specifically, as described above, the current consumption of the blower 30 when the occupant's physique is "large" is smaller than the current consumption of the blower 30 when the occupant's physique is "normal" (normal current consumption). In other words, the lower the current consumption of the blower 30 is below the second threshold, the larger the seating area is determined to be, and the occupant's physique is determined to be "large". For this reason, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is smaller than the second threshold, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physique is "large". The control unit 60 controls the blower 30 to increase the current supplied to the blower 30 above the normal current consumption, thereby increasing the rotation speed above that when the normal current consumption is supplied to the blower 30. In this way, the control unit 60 controls the rotation speed of the blower 30 so that the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 for a "large" occupant (the amount of air blown onto the occupant) is the same as the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 for an occupant of average build.

If the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is substantially equal to the second threshold, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physical build is "normal." The control unit 60 controls the blower 30 by supplying the normal current consumption to the blower 30.

As described above, the seating area is determined to be smaller when the current consumption of the blower 30 is equal to or higher than the second threshold value compared to the normal current consumption of the blower 30, and therefore the occupant's physical size is determined to be "small". Therefore, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is greater than the second threshold value, the control unit 60 determines that the occupant's physical size is "small". Here, if the current consumption of the blower 30 is greater than the second threshold value and exceeds the seating determination value greater than the second threshold value, the control unit 60 may determine that no occupant is seated. The control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed is smaller than when the normal current consumption is supplied to the blower 30 by reducing the current supplied to the blower 30 to be less than the normal current consumption. In this way, the control unit 60 controls the rotation speed of the blower 30 so that the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 to an occupant with a "small" physical size is the same as the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 to an occupant with a normal physical size.

Next, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 at the rotation speed changed in step S42 for a predetermined period of time (S43).

Then, the control unit 60 returns the process to step S42.

In addition, the occupant can freely stop the operation of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 at any step by operating the operation panel installed in the vehicle 2.

[Operation example 2]
11 is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the embodiment 2. In the second operation example, the same operations as those in the first operation example of FIG.

The control unit 60 of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 drives the blower 30 in response to the operation instruction received by the operation panel (S41).

Next, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51, and determines whether or not an occupant is seated based on the current consumption indicated in the acquired information (S52). Specifically, the control unit 60 determines whether or not the current consumption is smaller than the seating determination value.

When the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is less than the seating determination value, i.e., that an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (YES in S52), it calculates a value by subtracting the second threshold from the current current consumption, and based on the calculated value, changes the rotation speed of the blower 30 to a volume of air equivalent to that blown to an occupant of average build, and controls the blower 30 (S42).

Then, the control unit 60 returns to step S52 via step S43.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is equal to or greater than the seating determination value, i.e., that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1 (NO in S52), it controls the blower 30 to reduce the rotation speed of the blower 30 (S53). As a result, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 enters the energy saving mode because the control unit 60 reduces the current consumption of the blower 30.

After step S53, the control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51, and again determines whether or not an occupant is seated based on the current consumption indicated in the information (S54).

When the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is equal to or greater than the seating determination value, i.e., that an occupant is not seated in the seat 1 (NO in S54), it controls the blower 30 to maintain the energy saving mode.

On the other hand, if the control unit 60 determines that the current consumption is less than the seating determination value, i.e., that an occupant is seated in the seat 1 (YES in S54), it controls the blower 30 to increase its rotation speed from the reduced speed (S55). This causes the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 to enter a normal mode in which the blower 30 is controlled to rotate at the same speed as when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1. The control unit 60 then proceeds to step S42.

In addition, the occupant can freely stop the operation of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 at any step by operating the operation panel installed in the vehicle 2.

[Operation example 3]
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a third operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in the second embodiment.

The control unit 60 acquires information indicating the current consumption from the current detection circuit 51 at predetermined intervals and calculates the change in the acquired current consumption (S61).

Next, the control unit 60 determines whether the position of the occupant seated in the seat 1 has changed based on the calculated change in current consumption (S62). Specifically, the control unit 60 calculates the change in current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 after the occupant sits on the seat 1. For example, the control unit 60 calculates the amount of change between the current consumption acquired at a first time point and the current consumption acquired at a second time point that is a time point after the first time point. The amount of change is the difference between the current consumption at the first time point and the current consumption at the second time point, or the rate of change, etc. The control unit 60 determines whether the amount of change from the calculated current consumption is equal to or greater than a specified value, thereby determining whether the position of the occupant seated in the seat 1 has changed.

When the amount of change in the body position of the occupant seated in seat 1 is equal to or greater than a specified value, the control unit 60 determines that the body position of the occupant seated in seat 1 has changed (YES in S62).

Next, the control unit 60 outputs a body position change signal, which is a signal indicating that there has been a change in the body position of the occupant, to an external device (S63). Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart of FIG. 12.

Returning to the explanation of step S62, on the other hand, if the amount of change in the body position of the occupant seated in seat 1 is less than the specified value, the control unit 60 determines that the body position of the occupant seated in seat 1 has not changed (NO in S62). Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart in FIG. 12.

The control unit 60 may also output a signal to an external device indicating that there is no change in the occupant's body position.

[Operation Example 4]
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a fourth operation example of the vehicle seat air-conditioning device 3 in the second embodiment.

The control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use (S71). For example, the control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use by determining whether the engine switch is OFF. If the engine switch is OFF, it can be said that the vehicle 2 is not in use. In this case, it is mainly considered that no occupant is seated in the seat 1.

If the vehicle 2 is not out of use (NO in S71), the control unit 60 returns the process to step S71.

Next, when the vehicle 2 is not in use (YES in S71), the control unit 60 operates the blower 30 in standard mode to obtain information from the current detection circuit 51 indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked after not being in use (S72).

The control unit 60 calculates the rotation speed of the blower 30 when the occupant is not seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption (information indicating the acquired current consumption) of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time of not being used, which is when the vehicle 2 is stopped and the occupant is not seated in the seat 1. The control unit 60 updates the correlation between the power consumption and the rotation speed stored in advance in the storage unit 80 with the current consumption and the rotation speed of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time of not being used, and stores the correlation in the storage unit 80. As a result, the control unit 60 corrects the information indicating the correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed for controlling the rotation speed based on the current consumption indicated in the acquired information. For example, when the intake duct 31 and the exhaust duct 32 are clogged, the graph in FIG. 10a or the second threshold is corrected to the left, or the graph in FIG. 10b is corrected to the upper side.

Next, the control unit 60 stores the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked, which is indicated in the information, in the memory unit 80 as the second threshold value, thereby updating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked, as the second threshold value (S73). In other words, the control unit 60 updates the initial value previously stored in the memory unit 80. Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart of FIG. 13.

Note that even if the engine switch is OFF, an occupant may be seated in the seat 1. For this reason, the control unit 60 may notify the driver that the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 is operating via a display device or the like mounted on the vehicle 2.

[Operation Example 5]
In this operation example, an operation for determining whether or not the doors of the vehicle 2 have been unlocked when the vehicle 2 has not been used will be described.

Figure 14 is a flowchart showing a fifth operation example of the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 in embodiment 2. In this operation example, the same processes as those in Figure 13 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the processes is omitted as appropriate.

The control unit 60 determines whether the doors of the vehicle 2 have been unlocked when the vehicle 2 was not in use (S71a). For example, the control unit 60 determines whether the vehicle 2 is not in use by determining whether the engine switch is OFF. Furthermore, the control unit 60 determines whether the doors have been unlocked by determining whether an open/close signal, which is a signal indicating that the doors have been unlocked, is obtained from a door open/close sensor mounted on the vehicle 2. Note that the determination of whether the doors have been unlocked may also be made by determining whether a door unlocking operation has been performed based on the key of the vehicle 2.

If the doors of the vehicle 2 have not been unlocked since it was not in use (NO in S71a), the control unit 60 returns to step S71a.

Next, when the vehicle 2 is not in use and the doors are unlocked (YES in S71a), the control unit 60 operates the blower 30 in standard mode to obtain information from the current detection circuit 51 indicating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the doors are unlocked from when the vehicle 2 is not in use (S72).

Next, the control unit 60 stores the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as indicated in the information, in the memory unit 80 as the second threshold value, thereby updating the current consumption of the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked from the time when the vehicle 2 is not in use, as the second threshold value (S73). Then, the control unit 60 ends the flowchart of FIG. 14. After that, the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 proceeds to the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 9 or FIG. 11.

<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 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 controls the rotation speed of the blower 30 based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51.

For example, when the intake port 31a of the intake duct 31 or the exhaust port 32a of the exhaust duct 32 is covered by an occupant seated on the seat 1, the flow rate of air passing through the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a tends to decrease. When the rotation speed of the blower 30 is constant, when the flow rate of air passing through the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a decreases, the current consumption of the blower 30 also tends to decrease. This is thought to be because the air pressure between the covered intake port 31a or the exhaust port 32a and the blower 30 decreases, that is, the resistance between the air and the propeller of the blower 30 decreases, and the workload of the blower 30 decreases.

If the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is small, it is considered that at least one of the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a is covered by a large occupant, and the amount of air passing through the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a is reduced compared to when an occupant of average build is seated on the seat 1. If the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is large, it is considered that at least one of the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a is covered by a small occupant, and the amount of air passing through the intake port 31a and the exhaust port 32a is increased compared to when an occupant of average build is seated on the seat 1.

Therefore, according to the present disclosure, if the current consumption is smaller than when an occupant of average build sits on the seat 1, the volume of air from the blower 30 will decrease, and the control unit 60 can control the blower 30 to increase its rotation speed. Also, if the current consumption is larger than when an occupant of average build sits on the seat 1, the volume of air from the blower 30 will increase, and the control unit 60 can control the blower 30 to decrease its rotation speed.

Therefore, this vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 can ensure the comfort of the occupants by appropriately adjusting the amount of air blown toward them.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed increases as the current consumption decreases below the second threshold, and controls the blower 30 so that the rotation speed decreases as the current consumption increases to be equal to or higher than the second threshold.

Accordingly, the smaller the current consumption is compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1, the more the control unit 60 can control the fan 30 to increase its rotation speed. Also, the larger the current consumption is compared to when an occupant of average build is seated in the seat 1, the more the control unit 60 can control the fan 30 to decrease its rotation speed. Therefore, by making the amount of air blown toward the occupant more appropriate, the comfort of the occupant can be better ensured.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 controls the blower 30 so that the amount of air discharged from the surface of the seat 1 is the same, regardless of the state of the occupant seated in the seat 1.

This allows the air to be discharged from the surface of the seat 1 uniformly regardless of the occupant's physical condition, such as their build and posture, and therefore the amount of air blown toward the occupant can be made more appropriate, thereby ensuring the comfort of the occupant.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 determines the physical build of the occupant seated in the seat 1 based on the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating the physical build of the occupant as a result of the determination to an external device.

Accordingly, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is small, the control unit 60 can determine that a large occupant is seated in the seat 1. Also, if the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is large, the control unit 60 can determine that a small occupant is seated in the seat 1.

The control unit 60 can also output a signal indicating the physique of the occupant to an external device. This allows the external device to control the vehicle control unit (ECU: Electronic Control
In the case of a vehicle control unit such as a Real-time Camera System (RTS), the vehicle control unit can acquire a signal indicating the physique of the occupant and control the orientation of the imaging device so that it faces in the direction in which the occupant's face is assumed to be.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 determines whether the body position of the occupant seated in the seat 1 has changed based on the change in current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating that the body position of the occupant has changed to an external device.

Accordingly, if the change in current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is large, the control unit 60 can determine that the occupant's posture is disturbed. Also, if the change in current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51 is small, the control unit 60 can determine that the occupant is correctly seated in the seat 1.

In addition, if the external device is a vehicle control unit or the like, the vehicle control unit can control the orientation of the imaging device to face the direction in which the occupant's face is assumed to be located based on a signal indicating the occupant's body position.

The vehicle seat air conditioner 3 of this embodiment further includes a voltage detection circuit 52 that detects the drive voltage of the blower 30. The control unit 60 then corrects the second threshold value corresponding to the current consumption of the blower 30 based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 52.

According to this, the second threshold value can be corrected by measuring the current consumption of the blower 30 due to fluctuations in the applied voltage in advance. This makes it possible to more accurately determine the physique and posture of the occupant based on the current consumption even if there are fluctuations in the applied voltage due to battery deterioration, etc.

In addition, in the vehicle seat air conditioning device 3 of this embodiment, the control unit 60 drives the blower 30 when the vehicle 2 is not in use or when the door is unlocked after not being in use, thereby correcting the correlation between the current consumption and the rotation speed to control the rotation speed based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit 51.

In this way, even if the sheet 1 and the blower 30 deteriorate over time, a uniform air volume can be ensured by correcting the correlation.

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

For example, each processing unit included in the vehicle seat air conditioning device according to each of the above embodiments is realized as an LSI, which is typically an integrated circuit. These may be implemented individually as single chips, or may be implemented as 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, 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.

Furthermore, all the numbers used above are examples to specifically explain this disclosure, and the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the numbers exemplified.

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 the embodiments that a person skilled in the art may conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments within the scope of the spirit of this disclosure.

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

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 seat 2 vehicle 3 vehicle seat air conditioning device 11c1 center portion 11c2 outer edge portion 11e front end portion 11d back portion 30 blower 31 intake duct 32 discharge duct 51 current detection circuit 52 voltage detection circuit 60 control unit

Claims (17)

A fan built into the seat;
At least one of an intake duct that draws in the air guided by the blower from the surface of the sheet and a discharge duct that discharges the air guided by the blower from the surface of the sheet;
A control unit electrically connected to the blower,
the seat has an air intake port through which the air intake duct draws in the air, on a surface on which an occupant sits;
The fan has a current detection circuit that detects a current consumption of the fan,
The control unit determines whether an occupant is seated on the seat based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit ,
When determining whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat, the control unit determines that an occupant is seated in the seat if the consumption current is lower than a first threshold value.
Vehicle seat air conditioning system. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the blower so that a rotation speed of the blower becomes a steady rotation speed when it is determined that an occupant is seated in the seat. The control unit is
When determining whether or not an occupant is seated in the seat, if the consumption current is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, it is determined that an occupant is not seated in the seat,
3. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that an occupant is not seated in the seat, the blower is controlled so that the rotation speed of the blower is smaller than the rotation speed of the blower when it is determined that an occupant is seated in the seat . The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit drives the blower when the vehicle is not in use or when the door is unlocked after the vehicle is not in use, thereby updating the consumption current detected by the current detection circuit as the first threshold value. A voltage detection circuit for detecting a drive voltage of the blower is further provided.
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit corrects the current consumption of the blower based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit. A voltage detection circuit for detecting a drive voltage of the blower is further provided.
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the control unit corrects the first threshold value based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit. The vehicle seat air-conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the current detection circuit also serves as an overcurrent detection circuit for the blower. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the control unit outputs a warning signal to an external device when the current consumption exceeds an upper limit value. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the air intake duct is formed in a central portion and an outer edge portion of a seat surface, which is a surface on a side on which a person sits in the seat. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 9 , wherein the outer edge portion is at least one of a deep portion and a front end portion of the seat surface. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls a rotation speed of the blower based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit. The control unit is
The fan is controlled so that the rotation speed increases as the current consumption decreases below a second threshold value.
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 11 , wherein the blower is controlled so that the rotation speed becomes smaller as the current consumption is equal to or higher than the second threshold value. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein the control unit controls the blower so that a constant amount of air is discharged from a surface of the seat, regardless of a state of an occupant seated in the seat. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the control unit determines a physical build of an occupant seated in the seat based on the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating the physical build of the occupant as a result of the determination to an external device. 15. The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit determines whether or not a body position of an occupant seated in the seat has changed based on the change in the current consumption, and outputs a signal indicating that the body position of the occupant has changed as a result of the determination to the external device . A voltage detection circuit for detecting a drive voltage of the blower is further provided.
The vehicle seat air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 11 to 15 , wherein the control unit corrects a second threshold value corresponding to the current consumption of the blower, based on the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein the control unit drives the blower when the vehicle is not in use or when the door is unlocked after the vehicle is not in use, thereby correcting the correlation between the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit and the rotation speed to control the rotation speed based on the current consumption detected by the current detection circuit.

Images