JP7776320B2 - railway vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to railway vehicles, and more particularly to railway vehicles equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

Traditionally, railway vehicles with airtight mechanisms for the passenger compartment have been equipped with air conditioning systems incorporating various innovations to ensure uniform temperature distribution within the passenger compartment. For example, Figure 12 shows an example of an air conditioning system 100K for a conventional railway vehicle 100. Specifically, the system includes an air conditioning unit 101 located under the vehicle and producing conditioned air TK, a main supply duct 103 and a main return duct 104 located under the floor of the passenger compartment 102 and connected to the air conditioning unit 101, multiple air conditioning ducts 106 connected to the main supply duct 103 and extending between the side windows to the luggage rack 105, and multiple exhaust ducts 108 connected to the main return duct 104 and located under passenger seats 107.

In the air conditioning system 100K, the conditioned air TK generated by the air conditioning equipment 101 is distributed to each air conditioning duct 106 via the main supply duct 103 and supplied into the passenger cabin 102 from the outlets 106a of the air conditioning ducts 106 formed below the luggage rack 105. The conditioned air TK supplied into the passenger cabin 102 flows along the underside of the luggage rack 105 toward the upper part of the central aisle, merges with the conditioned air TK from the opposite side, and travels downward, reaching the vicinity of the floor 102a. The conditioned air TK that reaches the vicinity of the floor 102a then travels upward again along the floor 102a and side wall 102b. In this way, the conditioned air TK supplied into the passenger cabin 102 from the outlets 106a of each air conditioning duct 106 circulates and mixes in a circular motion from top to bottom within the passenger cabin 102, thereby achieving a uniform temperature within the passenger cabin 102. The air in the passenger cabin 102 is then finally returned to the air conditioning equipment 101 via the exhaust duct 108 located below the passenger seats 107 and the main return duct 104.

However, in the air conditioning system 100K, the conditioned air TK is circulated from top to bottom, so the flow of the conditioned air TK is opposite to the natural updraft caused by the thermal load of the air in the passenger compartment. Therefore, in order to distribute the conditioned air TK throughout the passenger compartment 102, it was necessary to forcibly blow the conditioned air TK from the outlet 106a of the air conditioning duct 106 with a volume and speed sufficient to overcome the updraft. However, in this case, the conditioned air TK is blown out from the outlet 106a of the air conditioning duct 106 with a considerable volume and speed, which can give passengers a drafty feeling and reduce comfort. Furthermore, this increases the power consumption of the air conditioning equipment 101, which is undesirable from an energy-saving perspective. Furthermore, the multiple air conditioning ducts 106 extending up to the luggage rack 105 can easily increase weight and cost.

In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning unit 200K for a railway vehicle 200, as shown in Figure 13, which has an outlet 202 around the bottom of the railway vehicle 200 that blows conditioned air into the passenger compartment 201, and an exhaust outlet 203 around the top of the railway vehicle 200 that exhausts the air inside the passenger compartment 201 to the outside, so that the conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment 201 rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 201 and is exhausted.

Specifically, conditioned air outlets 202 that open below passenger seats 204 are provided on floor 201a, which is located around the bottom of railway vehicle 200, and slit-shaped exhaust ports 203 are provided on the left and right sides of ceiling 205, which is located around the top of railway vehicle 200. In addition, in correspondence with the outlets 202 provided on floor 201a, air conditioning equipment 206 and air supply ducts 207 that supply conditioned air from this air conditioning equipment 206 to outlets 202 are installed on the underside of floor 201a.

According to the air conditioning unit 200K of the above-mentioned railway vehicle 200, the conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment 201 and exhausted rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 201, matching the direction of the natural updraft caused by the thermal load of the indoor air. Therefore, there is no need to blow out the conditioned air from the outlet 202 with a considerable volume and speed; rather, it can be blown out evenly and weakly from a wide surface, reducing the draft feeling felt by passengers. It also reduces the power consumption of the air conditioning equipment 101, which is preferable from the perspective of energy conservation.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-191404

However, the air conditioning unit 200K of the railway vehicle 200 described in Patent Document 1 had the following problem. Namely, the conditioned air blown out from the air outlets 202 opening at the bottom of the passenger seats 204 passes through the gaps between the seats 204 and the aisles, rising from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 201, often avoiding the individual passengers seated in the seats 204. As a result, there was a problem in that passengers in the seats 204 found it difficult to directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air.

In addition, because the conditioned air outlets 202 that open below the passenger seats 204 are formed on the floor 201a around the bottom of the railway vehicle 200, there is a possibility that dust and pollen that has accumulated on the floor 201a may be dispersed into the passenger compartment 201 along with the conditioned air, creating unsanitary problems. Furthermore, the conditioned air blown out from the outlets 202 formed on the floor 201a has no directionality and is prone to coming into contact with the seats of the passenger seats 204, causing turbulence in the airflow. This causes the air around the passenger seats 204 to become agitated, which can easily lead to a decrease in air cleanliness.

Furthermore, by blowing conditioned air evenly and weakly from the outlets 202, the draft feeling felt by passengers can be reduced and the power consumption of the air conditioning equipment 101 can also be reduced. However, this increases the time it takes to ventilate the air in the passenger compartment 201 with new conditioned air, which means that droplets dispersed when passengers talk or cough, for example, tend to remain in the surrounding area. This makes it difficult to ensure air cleanliness for passengers sitting in nearby seats 204, which is undesirable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

The present invention was made to solve these problems, and aims to provide a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

In order to achieve the above object, a railway vehicle according to the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the bottom of the car body for blowing conditioned air into a passenger compartment, and an exhaust port around the top of the car body for exhausting the air inside the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, such that the conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment from the air outlet rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust port,
The air outlet is characterized in that it is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet formed to blow the conditioned air in all directions around the passengers seated in the passenger seat along the bottom surface of the seat.

In the present invention, the air outlet is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger cabin, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet formed to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in all directions around the passenger sitting in that seat.This allows conditioned air to be blown out in a concentrated manner around the passenger sitting in the seat in the passenger cabin, improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger seat and the air cleanliness for the passengers sitting in the seat.

In other words, the air outlet is formed in the passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet formed to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in all directions around the passengers sitting in those seats. Therefore, the conditioned air blown out from the first passenger seat air outlet can rise while surrounding each individual passenger sitting in the seat from all directions. This allows the passengers in the seats to enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air with their entire bodies, improving the comfort of each passenger sitting in a seat in the passenger cabin.

Furthermore, the first passenger seat outlet is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger cabin and is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in all directions around the passengers sitting in that seat, so the first passenger seat outlet can be installed at a position higher than the floor. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct of the first passenger seat outlet, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor being dispersed into the passenger cabin along with the conditioned air, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the bottom surface of the seat, the flow of conditioned air has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the seats and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air blown from the first passenger seat outlet along the bottom surface of the seat in all directions around the passenger sitting in that seat rises upward from the outer edge of the seat, forming a barrier layer consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air that surrounds the passenger sitting in the seat from all directions. Therefore, the barrier layer can effectively prevent droplets from being dispersed to passengers in adjacent seats when a passenger in a seat talks or coughs. As a result, the air cleanliness for the passenger sitting in the seat can be accurately ensured by the upward flow of conditioned air including the barrier layer, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to provide a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

(2) A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the bottom of the car body for blowing conditioned air into the passenger compartment, and an exhaust port around the top of the car body for exhausting the air inside the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, such that the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust port,
The air outlet is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment, and is characterized by being equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet formed to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the forward and backward directions of the passengers seated in the passenger seat.

In this invention, the air outlet is formed in the passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet that is formed to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the passengers sitting in those seats.This allows conditioned air to be blown out in a concentrated manner from the fore-and-aft direction near the passengers sitting in the passenger seats in the passenger cabin, efficiently improving comfort and air cleanliness for each passenger.

In other words, the air outlets are formed in passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and include second passenger seat air outlets that are configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the passengers sitting in those seats. This allows the conditioned air blown out from the second passenger seat air outlets to rise while coming into direct contact with each passenger seated in the seats from the fore-and-aft direction. This allows passengers in the seats to directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air from the fore-and-aft direction, improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger cabin.

In addition, the second passenger seat outlet is formed in the passenger seat installed in the passenger cabin and is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the forward and backward directions of the passenger sitting in that seat, so the second passenger seat outlet can be installed at a position higher than the floor. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct of the second passenger seat outlet, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor being dispersed into the passenger cabin along with the conditioned air, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the bottom surface of the seat, the flow of conditioned air has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the seats and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air blown from the second passenger seat outlet along the bottom surface of the seat in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger sitting in that seat rises upward from the outer edges of the front and rear of the seat, thereby forming a barrier layer consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air that surrounds the passenger sitting in the seat from the front and rear. Therefore, the barrier layer can effectively prevent droplets generated when a passenger in a seat talks or coughs from being dispersed to passengers in adjacent seats, particularly in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air including the barrier layer can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for passengers sitting in the seats, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to provide a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

(3) A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the bottom of the car body for blowing conditioned air into the passenger compartment, and an exhaust port around the top of the car body for exhausting the air inside the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, such that the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust port,
The air outlet is characterized in that it is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet formed to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of passengers seated in other passenger seats adjacent to the passenger seat across the central aisle.

In this invention, the air outlet is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger cabin, and includes a third passenger seat air outlet configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of passengers seated in other seats adjacent to the seat and separated by the central aisle.This allows conditioned air to be blown out in a concentrated manner near passengers seated in other seats adjacent to the seat and separated by the central aisle in the passenger cabin, efficiently improving comfort and air cleanliness for each passenger.

In other words, the air outlets are formed in passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and include a third passenger seat air outlet formed to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of passengers seated in other seats adjacent to that seat and separated by the central aisle.This allows the conditioned air blown out from the third passenger seat air outlet to move below the adjacent seats and rise while coming into direct contact with each seated passenger.As a result, passengers in adjacent seats separated by the central aisle can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air blown out from the seats adjacent to them, improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger cabin.

Furthermore, the third passenger seat outlet is formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger cabin and is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of passengers sitting in other seats adjacent to that seat across the central aisle, allowing the third passenger seat outlet to be installed at a position higher than the floor. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct of the third passenger seat outlet, and reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor being dispersed into the passenger cabin along with the conditioned air, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the bottom surface of the seat, the flow of conditioned air has a generally constant directionality, reducing air agitation near the seats and likely leading to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air blown from the third passenger seat outlet along the bottom surface of the seat toward passengers sitting in adjacent seats across the central aisle rises upward from the outer edge of the seat, forming a barrier layer consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air that surrounds the passenger sitting in the adjacent seat. Therefore, this barrier layer effectively prevents droplets from being dispersed when a passenger in a seat talks or coughs, particularly to passengers in adjacent seats across the central aisle. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air including the barrier layer efficiently ensures air cleanliness for passengers sitting in adjacent seats across the central aisle, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to provide a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

(4) A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the bottom of the car body for blowing conditioned air into the passenger compartment, and an exhaust port around the top of the car body for exhausting the air inside the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, such that the conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment from the air outlet rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust port,
The air outlet is characterized by being provided with a fourth passenger seat air outlet formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and configured to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of the inner wall adjacent to the passenger seat.

In this invention, the air outlets are formed in passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and include a fourth passenger seat air outlet that is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat toward the interior wall adjacent to the seat.This allows for efficient improvement of comfort and air cleanliness for each passenger through conditioned air and cold or hot radiation from the interior wall.

In other words, the air outlets are formed in passenger seats installed in the passenger cabin, and include a fourth passenger seat air outlet that is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom of the seat toward the interior wall adjacent to that seat. Therefore, by concentrating the blowing of conditioned air onto the interior wall located near the seated passenger, the interior wall can be actively cooled or heated. Therefore, each passenger can effectively enjoy the comfort of cooling or heating provided by the conditioned air through the conditioned air returning to the passenger side from the interior wall and the cold or warmth radiation from the cooled or heated interior wall, improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger cabin.

Furthermore, the fourth passenger seat outlet is formed in the passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and is configured to blow conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of the interior wall adjacent to the seat, so the fourth passenger seat outlet can be installed at a position higher than the floor. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct of the fourth passenger seat outlet, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor being dispersed into the passenger compartment along with the conditioned air, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the bottom surface of the seat, the flow of conditioned air has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the seats and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air blown from the fourth passenger seat outlet along the bottom surface of the seat toward the adjacent inner wall is reflected from the inner wall toward the passenger and rises through the gap with the outer edge of the seat, forming a barrier layer consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air that surrounds the seated passenger from the inner wall side. Therefore, the barrier layer can effectively prevent droplets caused by passengers talking or coughing from being dispersed to passengers in other seats. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air including the barrier layer can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for passengers sitting in nearby seats, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to provide a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

(5) In the railway vehicle described in any one of (1) to (4),
The air outlet is characterized by including an air outlet for the back of the seats that blows the conditioned air rearward from the back of the seats.

In this invention, the air outlet is equipped with a backrest air outlet that blows conditioned air rearward from the backrest of the passenger seat, so the backrest can be actively cooled or heated by the conditioned air rising along the backrest. As a result, individual passengers can enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by conditioned air from the backrest of the seat in front of them through the cold or warmth radiation from the backrest of the cooled or heated backrest, further improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger cabin.

(6) In the railway vehicle described in any one of (1) to (5),
The air outlet is characterized by being equipped with a passenger air outlet formed so as to blow the conditioned air from the seat surface and/or backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passengers.

In the present invention, the air outlet is equipped with a passenger air outlet that is configured to blow conditioned air from the seat surface and/or backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passengers. This allows the conditioned air blown out from the passenger air outlet to rise while coming into direct contact with each passenger seated in the passenger seat. This allows passengers in the seats to directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air, further improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

In addition, the barrier layer formed by the upward flow of conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlets is reinforced by pulling up the conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlets, and is maintained in a continuous state all the way up to the upper part of the passenger seats. Therefore, the reinforced barrier layer can more effectively prevent droplets from being dispersed to adjacent seats when passengers in the seats talk or cough. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air including the barrier layer can more reliably ensure air cleanliness for passengers seated in the seats, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

(7) In the railway vehicle described in (6),
The air conditioning system is characterized in that it is configured to be able to adjust the volume of the conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlet.

In the present invention, the air conditioning system is configured to adjust the volume of conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets, so the volume of conditioned air blown onto each passenger seated in a passenger seat can be adjusted to suit their preferences while maintaining a barrier layer formed from the upward flow of conditioned air. This allows passengers seated in the passenger seats to enjoy optimal comfort with the conditioned air while ensuring a certain level of air cleanliness for each seat. Furthermore, the volume of conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets is typically smaller than the volume of conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets so as not to cause discomfort to passengers. Therefore, even when the volume of conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets is adjusted, the change in the flow rate of the conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets is small, and the barrier layer formed from the upward flow of conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlets can be easily maintained.

(8) In the railway vehicle described in any one of (1) to (7),
A smooth guide surface is formed on the outer edge of the seat bottom surface to guide the flow of conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlet in an upward direction.

In the present invention, a smooth guide surface is formed on the outer edge of the seat bottom, guiding the flow of conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlet in an upward direction. Therefore, the conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlet along the seat bottom toward the outer edge of the seat can more reliably rise upward from the outer edge of the seat along the guide surface due to the Coanda effect. This makes it possible to more stably form a barrier layer consisting of the rising flow of conditioned air that surrounds passengers seated in the seats. As a result, air cleanliness for passengers seated in the seats can be ensured more easily and stably.

(9) In the railway vehicle described in any one of (1) to (8),
The air conditioner is characterized in that an auxiliary air outlet for blowing the conditioned air upward is formed on the upper end and/or rear surface of the backrest.

In the present invention, auxiliary air outlets that blow conditioned air upward are formed on the upper end and/or back of the backrest, making it possible to form a stronger barrier layer above the backrest, consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air. Therefore, the stronger barrier layer formed above the backrest more reliably prevents droplets from spreading to adjacent seats when passengers in the seats talk or cough. As a result, air cleanliness for passengers seated in the seats can be more reliably ensured.

(10) In the railway vehicle described in any one of (1) to (9),
The air conditioning system includes an air conditioning device that is installed under the underframe and generates the conditioned air, a main supply duct and a main return duct that are located under the floor of the passenger compartment and connected to the air conditioning device, and a plurality of air conditioning ducts that are connected to the main supply duct and extend to the air outlet, and the air inside the passenger compartment that is discharged outside the passenger compartment from the exhaust outlet passes through a gap between the inner wall and outer wall of the passenger compartment, returns to the main return duct, and is returned to the air conditioning device from the main return duct.

In this invention, the air conditioning system includes an air conditioning unit installed under the underframe to generate conditioned air; a main supply duct and a main return duct located under the passenger compartment floor and connected to the air conditioning unit; and multiple air conditioning ducts connected to the main supply duct and extending to the air outlets. Air inside the passenger compartment discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the passenger compartment passes through the gap between the passenger compartment's inner and outer walls and returns to the main return duct, and then returns to the air conditioning unit from the main return duct. This allows the exhaust duct connecting the exhaust port and the main return duct to be eliminated or shortened, resulting in a reduction in weight and cost due to the eliminated or shortened exhaust duct. Furthermore, because air inside the passenger compartment discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the passenger compartment passes through the gap between the passenger compartment's inner and outer walls and returns to the main return duct, the insulation of the passenger compartment can be improved and the power consumption of the air conditioning unit can be reduced. This makes it possible to realize an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seat in the passenger compartment at a lower cost.

The present invention provides a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a railway vehicle illustrating one aspect of the present embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the first embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a view of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1 in the first embodiment as viewed from an arrow B. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the second embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1. 2 is a view of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1 in a second embodiment as viewed from an arrow B. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the third embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a view taken along an arrow B in a third embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the fourth embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a view taken along arrow B in a fourth embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of a modified example of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a view of a modified example of the railway vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from an arrow B. FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a railway vehicle equipped with a conventional air conditioning system. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of an air conditioning system for a railway vehicle described in Patent Document 1, in which (A) shows a part of a cross section in the width direction of the vehicle, and (B) shows a part of a cross section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Next, a railway vehicle (first example to modified examples) representing one aspect of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Specifically, the configuration and operating method of the railway vehicle according to the first example of this embodiment will be described in detail, and then railway vehicles according to the second example to modified examples will be described, focusing on the differences from the first example.

<Configuration and operation method of a railway vehicle according to a first example of the present embodiment>
First, the configuration and operation method of a railway vehicle according to a first example of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a railway vehicle representing one aspect of this embodiment. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the first example of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a view taken along arrow B of the first example of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a railway vehicle 10 according to a first example of this embodiment is equipped with an air conditioning system 10K, which has an air outlet 3 around the lower part 11 of the carbody 1 for blowing conditioned air TK into the passenger compartment 2, an exhaust outlet 4 around the upper part 12 of the carbody 1 for exhausting the air KK within the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the passenger compartment 2, and the conditioned air TK blown from the air outlet 3 into the passenger compartment 2 rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 2 and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet 4. The railway vehicle 10 is also equipped with an airtight mechanism within the passenger compartment 2 to maintain the air within the passenger compartment 2 in an airtight state. The exhaust outlets 4 include a ceiling exhaust outlet 41 formed in the ceiling inner wall 221, an above-shelf exhaust outlet 42 formed in the upper inner wall 222 of the luggage rack, and a below-shelf exhaust outlet 43 formed in the lower inner wall 223 of the luggage rack. The ceiling inner wall 221, the upper inner wall 222 of the luggage rack, and the lower inner wall 223 of the luggage rack correspond to the upper area 12 of the car body 1 and form the upper part of the inner wall 22 of the passenger compartment 2.

Furthermore, the air outlets 3 are formed in passenger seats 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and include a passenger air outlet 31 formed to blow conditioned air TK (TK1, TK2) from the seat surface 51a and/or backrest surface 52a of the passenger seat 5 toward the seated passenger JK, and a first passenger seat air outlet 32 formed to blow air in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5. Here, the air outlet 3 includes the passenger air outlet 31 and the first passenger seat air outlet 32, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and for example, only the first passenger seat air outlet 32 may be used.

Here, the passenger seats 5 installed within the passenger compartment 2 correspond to the lower area 11 of the car body 1, and while the passenger seats 5 are illustrated as two-person seats that can seat two passengers JK, they may also be single-person or three-person seats. The passenger seats 5 are arranged in parallel on the left and right sides of the vehicle, separated by a central aisle that extends in the direction of travel within the passenger compartment 2. The passenger seats 5 are equipped with legs 53 installed on the floor 21 of the passenger compartment 2, a seat 51 supported by the legs 53, and a backrest 52 connected to the seat 51. The passenger seats 5 may be supported by the floor 21 or the interior wall 22, or by both the floor 21 and the interior wall 22.

The passenger outlets 31 are equipped with seat outlets 31a formed to blow air from the seat surface 51a toward the seated passenger JK, and backrest outlets 31b formed to blow air from the backrest surface 52a toward the seated passenger JK, but only one of the seat outlets 31a and backrest outlets 31b may be provided.

The seat outlet 31a is formed on the upper surface of the seat air-conditioning duct 643 inserted into the seat 51. The conditioned air TK1 blown out from the seat outlet 31a passes through pores formed in the seat cushion material and is blown out approximately evenly toward the seated passenger JK. The backrest outlet 31b is formed in front of the backrest air-conditioning duct 644 inserted into the backrest 52. The conditioned air TK1 blown out from the backrest outlet 31b passes through pores formed in the backrest cushion material and is blown out approximately evenly toward the seated passenger JK. It is preferable, but not necessary, that the backrest 52 of the passenger seat 5 be equipped with a backrest outlet 33 for blowing air rearward from the backrest 52. The backrest outlet 33 is formed on the back of the backrest air-conditioning duct 644.

The first passenger seat air outlets 32 are formed radially on the side of the leg air conditioning duct 642, which is supported horizontally on the seat bottom surface 51b side of the leg 53, and are configured to blow air approximately uniformly in all directions along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the seat outer edge 51c. The air conditioning duct 64 that supplies conditioned air TK from the main supply duct 62 under the floor to the passenger seats 5 includes a vertical air conditioning duct 641 connected to the main supply duct 62 and rising upward from the floor surface 21, a leg air conditioning duct 642 and a seat air conditioning duct 643 connected to the vertical air conditioning duct 641, and a backrest air conditioning duct 644 connected to the seat air conditioning duct 643.

As described above, in this railway vehicle 10, the air outlet 3 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet 32 formed to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the bottom surface 51b of the seat 5. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2 can be blown out in a concentrated manner around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2, improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2 and the air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5.

More specifically, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet 32 formed to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5. As a result, the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat air outlet 32 can rise while surrounding each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 from all directions. As a result, the passenger JK in the passenger seat 5 can enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK2 with their entire body. As a result, the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be improved.

Furthermore, the first passenger seat outlet 32 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5. This allows the first passenger seat outlet 32 to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct (leg air conditioning duct 642) of the first passenger seat outlet 32 and reduces the possibility of pollen, dust, etc. accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2 has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 in the all-around direction of the passenger JK seated in that seat 5 rises upward from the seat outer edge 51c, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2 that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 from all directions. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks, coughs, etc. from being dispersed to the passenger JK in the adjacent seat 5. As a result, the air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 can be accurately ensured by the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 including the barrier layer BS, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

In addition, in this railway vehicle 10, the air outlets 3 are formed in the passenger seats 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and are equipped with passenger air outlets 31 (31a, 31b) that are configured to blow conditioned air TK1 from the seat surface 51a and/or backrest surface 52a of the passenger seats 5 toward the seated passengers. Therefore, the conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger air outlets 31 can rise while coming into direct contact with each passenger seated in the passenger seats 5. As a result, the passengers in the passenger seats 5 can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK1, further improving the comfort of each passenger seated in the passenger seats 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

Here, this railway vehicle 10 has exhaust ports 4 (41, 42, 43) around the upper part 12 of the railway vehicle 10 that exhaust air KK inside the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the passenger compartment 2. It also has passenger outlets 31 that are configured to blow conditioned air TK1 from the seat surface 51a and/or backrest surface 52a of the passenger seat 5 toward the seated passengers JK.

As a result, the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 is sucked into the exhaust port 4 and rises upward from the seat outer edge 51c. As the conditioned air TK2 blown out in all directions around the seat outer edge 51c rises upward, it sucks in the conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 31, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2 that surrounds the entire passenger seat 5.

As described above, the barrier layer BS, which is made up of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32, is reinforced by the upward flow of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 31, and is maintained in a continuous state up to above the passenger seats 5. Therefore, the reinforced barrier layer BS can more effectively prevent droplets HM from being dispersed to adjacent seats 5 when passengers JK in passenger seats 5 talk or cough. As a result, the air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in passenger seats 5 can be more reliably ensured by the upward flow of conditioned air TK1 including the barrier layer BS, which is preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention measures.

In order to form the barrier layer BS with a predetermined thickness, it is preferable that the volume of conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32 be greater than the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 31. It is also preferable that the wind speed of the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32 be a gentle breeze (wind speed of approximately 0.5 m/s or less).

In addition, in this railway vehicle 10, the air conditioning system 10K is preferably configured to be able to adjust the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger outlet 31. Here, a flow control valve 645 is connected between the leg air conditioning duct 642 and the seat air conditioning duct 643. The volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger outlet 31 is typically less than the volume of conditioned air TK2 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 32 so as not to cause discomfort to passengers JK. Therefore, even when the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger outlet 31 is adjusted, the change in the flow rate of conditioned air TK2 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 32 is small, and the barrier layer BS consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 blown out from the passenger seat outlet 32 can be easily maintained.

In this case, by adjusting the throttle of the flow control valve 645 while maintaining the barrier layer BS, consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the passenger seats 5, in a predetermined state, the volume of conditioned air TK1 that hits each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 can be adjusted to suit their preferences. Therefore, while ensuring a certain level of air cleanliness for each passenger seat 5 or higher, passengers JK seated in the passenger seats 5 can enjoy optimal comfort for each passenger JK from the conditioned air TK1.

Furthermore, in this railway vehicle 10, the air outlet 3 preferably includes a backrest air outlet 33 that blows conditioned air TK3 rearward from the backrest portion 52 of the passenger seat 5. In this case, the backrest portion 52b of the backrest portion 52 can be actively cooled or heated by the conditioned air TK3 rising along the backrest portion 52b of the backrest portion 52. Therefore, by radiating cold or warm heat from the backrest portion 52b of the cooled or heated backrest portion 52, each passenger JK can enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK3 from the backrest portion 52 of the front seat, further improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

In addition, in this railway vehicle 10, the air conditioning system 10K includes an air conditioning unit 61 installed under the underframe 13 and generating conditioned air TK, a main supply duct 62 and a main return duct 63 located under the floor of the passenger compartment 2 and connected to the air conditioning unit 61, and multiple air conditioning ducts 64 connected to the main supply duct 62 and extending to each air outlet 3 (31, 32). It is preferable that the air KK inside the passenger compartment discharged outside the passenger compartment from the exhaust outlet 4 (41, 42, 43) passes through the gap between the inner wall 22 and outer wall 23 of the passenger compartment 2, returns to the main return duct 63, and is returned from the main return duct 63 to the air conditioning unit 61. The main supply duct 62 and main return duct 63 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

In this case, the exhaust duct 65 connecting the exhaust ports 4 (41, 42, 43) and the main return duct 63 can be eliminated or shortened, reducing weight and costs by the amount of the eliminated or shortened exhaust duct. Here, the exhaust duct 65 directly connected to the main return duct 63 is curved up to the vicinity of the floor surface 21, but this may be eliminated.

In addition, the air KK inside the passenger cabin that is discharged outside the passenger cabin through the exhaust vents 4 (41, 42, 43) passes through the gap between the inner wall 22 and outer wall 23 of the passenger cabin 2 and returns to the main return duct 63. This allows the passing air KK to improve the insulation of the passenger cabin 2 and reduce the power consumption of the air conditioning equipment 61. As a result, an air conditioning system 10K that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be realized at a lower cost.

<Configuration and operation method of a railway vehicle according to a second example of this embodiment>
Next, the configuration and operating method of a railway vehicle according to a second example of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 4, and 5. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a railway vehicle representing one aspect of this embodiment. Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the second example of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 shows a view taken along arrow B of the second example of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1. Here, common reference numerals will be used to designate common features with the first example described above, and a description of these features will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

1, 4, and 5, a railway vehicle 10B according to a second example of this embodiment is equipped with an air conditioning system 10KB, which has an air outlet 3 around the lower part 11 of the carbody 1 for blowing conditioned air TK into the passenger compartment 2, and an air outlet 4 around the upper part 12 of the carbody 1 for exhausting air KK from the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the passenger compartment 2, such that the conditioned air TK blown from the air outlet 3 into the passenger compartment 2 rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 2 and is exhausted from the air outlet 4. The air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet 32B formed to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the fore-and-aft direction of a passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5. The second passenger seat air outlet 32B is formed facing the fore-and-aft direction on the side of a leg air conditioning duct 642 supported horizontally on the seat bottom surface 51b side of the leg 53.

In the railway vehicle 10B according to the second embodiment, the air outlet 3 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet 32B formed to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the fore-and-aft direction of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. This allows conditioned air TK2B to be blown out in a concentrated manner from the fore-and-aft direction near the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2, efficiently improving the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK.

More specifically, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet 32B formed to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. As a result, the conditioned air TK2B blown out from the second passenger seat air outlet 32B can rise while directly contacting each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 from the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the passenger JK in the passenger seat 5 can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK2B from the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be improved.

Furthermore, the second passenger seat outlet 32B is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the forward and backward directions of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. This allows the second passenger seat outlet 32B to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct (leg air conditioning duct 642) of the second passenger seat outlet 32B, and reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2B, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by flowing along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2B has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2B blown from the second passenger seat outlet 32B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger JK seated in that seat 5 rises upward from the outer edges of the front and rear of the seat 51, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2B that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 from the front and rear. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed, particularly to passenger JK in an adjacent seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2B including the barrier layer BS can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the seat 5, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10B equipped with an air conditioning system 10KB that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 within the passenger compartment 2.

Here, the air outlet 3 includes a passenger air outlet 31 and a second passenger seat air outlet 32B, but this is not necessarily limited to this; for example, only the second passenger seat air outlet 32B may be used. When the passenger air outlet 31 and the second passenger seat air outlet 32B are provided, it is preferable that the air conditioning system 10KB be configured to be able to adjust the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger air outlet 31. It is also preferable that the air outlet 3 includes a seat back air outlet 33 that blows conditioned air TK3 rearward from the seat backs 52 of the passenger seats 5, but this is not necessarily limited to this.

<Configuration and operation method of a railway vehicle according to a third example of this embodiment>
Next, the configuration and operating method of a railway vehicle according to a third example of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 6, and 7. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a railway vehicle representing one aspect of this embodiment. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1 in the third example. Figure 7 shows a view taken along arrow B of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1 in the third example. Here, common reference numerals will be used to designate common features with the first example described above, and a description of these features will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

As shown in Figures 1, 6, and 7, a railway vehicle 10C according to a third example of this embodiment is equipped with an air conditioning system 10KC, which has an air outlet 3 around the lower part 11 of the carbody 1 for blowing conditioned air TK into the passenger compartment 2, and an exhaust outlet 4 around the upper part 12 of the carbody 1 for exhausting air KK from the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the passenger compartment 2, such that the conditioned air TK blown out from the air outlet 3 into the passenger compartment 2 rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 2 and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet 4. The air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet 32C formed to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 in the direction of passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the seat 5 across the central aisle 21a.

In the railway vehicle 10C according to this third embodiment, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet 32C formed to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the direction of passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. This allows conditioned air TK2C to be blown out in a concentrated manner near passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a in the passenger compartment 2, efficiently improving the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK.

More specifically, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet 32C formed to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2C blown out from the third passenger seat air outlet 32C can rise while directly contacting each passenger JK seated in the adjacent passenger seats 5. Therefore, passengers JK seated in adjacent passenger seats 5 across the central aisle 21a can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK2C blown out from the adjacent passenger seats 5. As a result, the comfort of each passenger JK seated in a passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be improved.

Furthermore, the third passenger seating outlets 32C, which are adjacent to each other across the central aisle 21a, can reduce interference of the conditioned air TK2C near the central aisle 21a by varying the height or timing at which the conditioned air TK2C is blown out.

Furthermore, the third passenger seat outlet 32C is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. This allows the third passenger seat outlet 32C to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct (leg air conditioning duct 642) of the third passenger seat outlet 32C and reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2C, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2C has a generally constant directionality, reducing air agitation near the passenger seats 5 and likely leading to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2C blown from the third seat outlet 32C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 toward passengers JK seated in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a rises upward from the outer edge 51c of the seat of the adjacent seat 5, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2C that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the adjacent seat 5. Therefore, the barrier layer BS effectively prevents droplets HM emitted when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed, particularly to passengers JK in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2C including the barrier layer BS efficiently ensures air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, with the railway vehicle 10C according to this third embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10C equipped with an air conditioning system 10KC that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 within the passenger compartment 2.

Here, the air outlets 3 include a passenger air outlet 31 and a third passenger seat air outlet 32C, but this is not necessarily limited to this; for example, only the third passenger seat air outlet 32C may be used. When the passenger air outlet 31 and the third passenger seat air outlet 32C are provided, it is preferable that the air conditioning system 10KC be configured to be able to adjust the air volume of the conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger air outlet 31. It is also preferable that the air outlets 3 include a backrest air outlet 33 that blows conditioned air TK3 rearward from the backrest portion 52 of the passenger seat 5, but this is not necessarily limited to this.

<Configuration and operation method of a railway vehicle according to a fourth example of the present embodiment>
Next, the configuration and operating method of a railway vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1, 8, and 9. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a railway vehicle representing one aspect of the present embodiment. Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the fourth embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1. Figure 9 shows a view taken along arrow B of the fourth embodiment of the railway vehicle shown in Figure 1. Here, common reference numerals will be used to designate common features with the first embodiment described above, and a description of these features will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

As shown in Figures 1, 8, and 9, a railway vehicle 10D according to a fourth example of this embodiment is equipped with an air conditioning system 10KD, which has an air outlet 3 around the lower part 11 of the carbody 1 that blows conditioned air TK into the passenger compartment 2, and an exhaust outlet 4 around the upper part 12 of the carbody 1 that exhausts the air KK inside the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the passenger compartment 2, such that the conditioned air TK blown out from the air outlet 3 into the passenger compartment 2 rises from the bottom to the top of the passenger compartment 2 and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet 4. The air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and has a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D formed to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the inner wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5.

In the railway vehicle 10D according to this fourth embodiment, the air outlets 3 are formed in the passenger seats 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D is provided which is formed to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the inner wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. Therefore, the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK can be efficiently improved by the conditioned air TK2D and cold or hot heat radiation from the inner wall 22.

More specifically, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and includes a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D formed to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the inner wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. Therefore, by concentrating the blowing of conditioned air TK2D onto the inner wall 22 located near the seated passenger JK, the inner wall 22 can be actively cooled or heated. Therefore, each passenger JK can effectively enjoy the comfort of cooling or heating provided by the conditioned air TK2D through the conditioned air TK2D returning from the inner wall 22 to the passenger seat side and the cold or warm heat radiation from the cooled or heated inner wall 22. As a result, the comfort of each passenger JK seated in a passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be improved.

Furthermore, the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the interior wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. This allows the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct 642 of the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2D, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2D has a generally constant directionality, reducing air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and likely leading to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2D blown from the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the adjacent inner wall 22 is reflected from the inner wall 22 toward the passenger JK and rises upward through the gap with the outer edge of the seat, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2D that surrounds the seated passenger JK from the inner wall side. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM emitted when a passenger JK in a passenger seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed to passenger JK in other passenger seats 5. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2D including the barrier layer BS can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in nearby passenger seats 5, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, with the railway vehicle 10D according to this fourth embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10D equipped with an air conditioning system 10KD that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 within the passenger compartment 2.

Here, the air outlets 3 include a passenger air outlet 31 and a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D, but this is not necessarily limited to this; for example, only the fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D may be used. When the passenger air outlet 31 and the fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D are provided, it is preferable that the air conditioning system 10KD be configured to be able to adjust the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger air outlet 31. It is also preferable that the air outlets 3 include a backrest air outlet 33 that blows conditioned air TK3 rearward from the backrest portion 52 of the passenger seat 5, but this is not necessarily limited to this.

<Modification>
Although the railway cars 10, 10B, 10C, and 10D according to the present embodiment have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, passenger seat outlets 32, 32B, 32C, and 32D are provided, which are formed so as to blow conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D along the seat bottom surfaces 51b of the passenger seats 5. Therefore, the seat bottom surfaces 51b of the passenger seats 5 are formed in a flat shape. However, this is not necessarily limited thereto.

For example, as in the railway vehicle 10E shown in Figure 10, a smooth guide surface 51d may be formed on the outer edge of the seat bottom surface 51b to guide the flow of conditioned air TK2 (TK2B, TK2C, TK2D) blown out from the passenger seat outlets 32 (32B, 32C, 32D) in an upward direction. Here, the guide surface 51d is formed as a smooth surface that slopes smoothly upward from the flat seat bottom surface 51b toward the seat outer edge 51c.

In this case, the conditioned air TK2 (TK2B, TK2C, TK2D) blown out from the passenger seat outlets 32 (32B, 32C, 32D) along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the outer edge of the seat can rise more reliably upward from the outer edge of the seat along the guide surface 51d due to the Coanda effect. Therefore, a barrier layer BSS consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 (TK2B, TK2C, TK2D) surrounding passenger JK seated in passenger seat 5 can be more stably formed. As a result, air cleanliness for passenger JK seated in passenger seat 5 can be ensured more easily and stably.

Furthermore, for example, in this embodiment, the air outlets 3 are equipped with backrest air outlets 33 that blow conditioned air TK3 rearward from the backrest portions 52 of the passenger seats 5, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, as in the railway vehicle 10E shown in Figures 10 and 11, auxiliary air outlets 34 that blow conditioned air TK4 upward may be formed in the upper end portion 52c and/or back surface 52b of the backrest portion 52. Here, auxiliary air outlets 34 (34a, 34b) that blow conditioned air TK4 upward are formed in the upper end portion 52c and back surface 52b of the backrest portion 52, respectively, but it is also possible to form only one of the auxiliary air outlet 34a in the upper end portion 52c of the backrest portion 52 or the auxiliary air outlet 34b in the back surface 52b.

In this case, the conditioned air TK2 (TK2B, TK2C, TK2D) blown out from the passenger seat outlets 32 (32B, 32C, 32D) and the conditioned air TK4 blown upward from the auxiliary outlets 34 (34a, 34b) join together, forming a stronger barrier layer BSS above the backrest 52, consisting of the upward flow of the joined conditioned air TK (TK2 (TK2B, TK2C, TK2D) + TK4). Therefore, the stronger barrier layer BSS formed above the backrest 52 more reliably prevents droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks or coughs from spreading to an adjacent seat 5. As a result, air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in the seats 5 can be more reliably ensured.

In addition, for example, in this embodiment, the second passenger seat outlet 32B, the third passenger seat outlet 32C, and the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D are each provided individually, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it is also possible to combine multiple passenger seat outlets selected from the second passenger seat outlet 32B, the third passenger seat outlet 32C, and the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D. This can further improve the comfort and air cleanliness of the air conditioning system for passengers JK seated in seats 5.

Furthermore, for example, in this embodiment, the air KK inside the passenger compartment discharged outside the passenger compartment from the exhaust vents 4 (41, 42, 43) passes through the gap between the inner wall 22 and outer wall 23 of the passenger compartment 2, returns to the main return duct 63, and is returned to the air conditioning equipment 61 from the main return duct 63. Here, the exhaust vents 4 (41, 42, 43) etc. are not equipped with exhaust fans, but an exhaust fan may be provided in the return path to reinforce the suction function of the air conditioning equipment 61. By providing an exhaust fan in the return path, the barrier layers BS, BSS consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK can be formed more firmly, further increasing the air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in passenger seats 5.

<Action and effect>
According to the railway vehicle 10 of this embodiment described in detail above, the air outlet 3 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger compartment 2, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet 32 formed to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the bottom surface 51b of the seat 5.Therefore, the conditioned air TK2 can be blown out in a concentrated manner around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2, thereby improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger compartment 2 and the air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5.

In other words, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a first passenger seat air outlet 32 formed to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat air outlet 32 can rise while surrounding each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 from all directions. As a result, the passenger JK in the passenger seat 5 can enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling by the conditioned air TK2 with their entire body, improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2.

Furthermore, the first passenger seat outlet 32 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2 in all directions around the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5. This allows the first passenger seat outlet 32 to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct 642 of the first passenger seat outlet 32 and reduces the possibility of pollen, dust, and other particles accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by flowing along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2 has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2 blown out from the first passenger seat outlet 32 along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 in the all-around direction of the passenger JK seated in that seat 5 rises upward from the seat outer edge 51c, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2 that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 from all directions. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks, coughs, etc. from being dispersed to the passenger JK in the adjacent seat 5. As a result, the air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 can be accurately ensured by the upward flow of conditioned air TK2 including the barrier layer BS, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10 equipped with an air conditioning system 10K that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air outlet 3 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet 32B formed to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the fore-and-aft direction of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2B can be blown out in a concentrated manner from the fore-and-aft direction near the passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2, efficiently improving the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK.

In other words, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a second passenger seat air outlet 32B formed to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2B blown out from the second passenger seat air outlet 32B can rise while directly contacting each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 from the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the passenger JK in the passenger seat 5 can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling by the conditioned air TK2B from the front-to-rear direction, improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2.

Furthermore, the second passenger seat outlet 32B is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the forward and backward directions of the passenger JK seated in that passenger seat 5. This allows the second passenger seat outlet 32B to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct 642 of the second passenger seat outlet 32B, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2B, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by flowing along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2B has a generally constant directionality, which reduces air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and tends to lead to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2B blown from the second passenger seat outlet 32B along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger JK seated in that seat 5 rises upward from the outer edges of the front and rear of the seat 51, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2B that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the seat 5 from the front and rear. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed, particularly to passenger JK in an adjacent seat 5 in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2B including the barrier layer BS can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for the passenger JK seated in the seat 5, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10B equipped with an air conditioning system 10KB that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet 32C formed to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the direction of passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. Therefore, conditioned air TK2C can be concentrated and blown out near passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to the passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a in the passenger cabin 2, efficiently improving the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK.

In other words, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a third passenger seat air outlet 32C formed to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 in the direction of passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to that passenger seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2C blown out from the third passenger seat air outlet 32C can move below the adjacent passenger seats 5 and rise while directly contacting each passenger JK seated in the adjacent seats 5. Therefore, passengers JK in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK2C blown out from the adjacent seats 5, improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2. Furthermore, the third passenger seating outlets 32C, which are adjacent across the central aisle 21a, can reduce interference of the conditioned air TK2C near the central aisle 21a by varying the height or timing at which the conditioned air TK2C is blown out.

Furthermore, the third passenger seat outlet 32C is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward passengers JK seated in other passenger seats 5 adjacent to that seat 5 across the central aisle 21a. This allows the third passenger seat outlet 32C to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct 642 of the third passenger seat outlet 32C and reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2C, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2C has a generally constant directionality, reducing air agitation near the passenger seats 5 and likely leading to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2C blown from the third seat outlet 32C along the seat bottom surface 51b of the seat 5 toward passengers JK seated in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a rises upward from the outer edge 51c of the seat of the adjacent seat 5, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2C that surrounds the passenger JK seated in the adjacent seat 5. Therefore, the barrier layer BS effectively prevents droplets HM emitted when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed, particularly to passengers JK in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2C including the barrier layer BS efficiently ensures air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in adjacent seats 5 across the central aisle 21a, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10C equipped with an air conditioning system 10KC that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air outlet 3 is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D formed to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the inner wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. Therefore, the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK can be efficiently improved by the conditioned air TK2D from the inner wall 22 and the radiation of cold or hot heat.

In other words, the air outlet 3 is formed in a passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2, and is equipped with a fourth passenger seat air outlet 32D formed to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the inner wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. Therefore, by concentrating the blowing of conditioned air TK2D onto the inner wall 22 located near the seated passenger JK, the inner wall 22 can be actively cooled or heated. Therefore, each passenger JK can effectively enjoy the comfort of cooling or heating provided by the conditioned air TK2D through the conditioned air TK2D returning to the passenger side from the inner wall 22 and the cold or warm heat radiation from the cooled or heated inner wall 22. As a result, the comfort of each passenger JK seated in a passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2 can be improved.

Furthermore, the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D is formed in the passenger seat 5 installed in the passenger cabin 2 and is configured to blow conditioned air TK2D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the interior wall 22 adjacent to the passenger seat 5. This allows the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D to be installed at a position higher than the floor surface 21. This reduces the possibility of dust and other particles entering the duct 642 of the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D, and also reduces the possibility of pollen and dust accumulated on the floor surface 21 being dispersed into the passenger cabin 2 along with the conditioned air TK2D, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint. Furthermore, by following the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5, the flow of conditioned air TK2D has a generally constant directionality, reducing air agitation near the passenger seat 5 and likely leading to improved air cleanliness.

Furthermore, the conditioned air TK2D blown from the fourth passenger seat outlet 32D along the seat bottom surface 51b of the passenger seat 5 toward the adjacent inner wall 22 is reflected from the inner wall 22 toward the passenger JK and rises upward through the gap with the outer edge of the seat, thereby forming a barrier layer BS consisting of an upward flow of conditioned air TK2D that surrounds the seated passenger JK from the inner wall side. Therefore, the barrier layer BS can effectively prevent droplets HM emitted when a passenger JK in a passenger seat 5 talks or coughs from being dispersed to passenger JK in other passenger seats 5. As a result, the upward flow of conditioned air TK2D including the barrier layer BS can efficiently ensure air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in nearby passenger seats 5, which is also preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a railway vehicle 10D equipped with an air conditioning system 10KD that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seats 5 in the passenger compartment 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air outlet 3 is equipped with a backrest air outlet 33 that blows conditioned air TK3 rearward from the backrest portion 52 of the passenger seat 5. This allows the conditioned air TK3 rising along the backrest portion 52b of the backrest portion 52 to actively cool or heat the backrest portion 52b of the backrest portion 52. As a result, each passenger JK can enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK3 from the backrest portion 52 of the seat in front of them through the cold or warm heat radiation from the backrest portion 52b of the cooled or heated backrest portion 52, further improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air outlet 3 is equipped with a passenger air outlet 31 that is formed to blow conditioned air TK1 from the seat surface 51a and/or backrest surface 52a of the passenger seat 5 toward the seated passenger JK. Therefore, the conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger air outlet 31 can rise while coming into direct contact with each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5. As a result, the passenger JK in the passenger seat 5 can directly enjoy the comfort of heating or cooling provided by the conditioned air TK1, further improving the comfort of each passenger JK seated in the passenger seat 5 in the passenger cabin 2.

Furthermore, the barrier layer BS, which is made up of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D blown out from passenger seat outlets 32, 32B, 32C, and 32D, is reinforced by raising the conditioned air TK1 blown out from passenger outlet 31, and is maintained in a continuous state up to above passenger seats 5. Therefore, the reinforced barrier layer BS can more effectively prevent droplets HM from being dispersed to adjacent seats 5 when passengers JK in seats 5 talk or cough. As a result, the air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in seats 5 can be more reliably ensured by the upward flow of conditioned air TK1 including the barrier layer BS, which is preferable from the perspective of infectious disease prevention measures.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air conditioning systems 10K, 10KB, 10KC, 10KD, and 10KE are configured to be able to adjust the volume of conditioned air TK1 blown out from the passenger outlets 31, so that the volume of conditioned air TK1 blowing on each passenger JK seated in a passenger seat 5 can be adjusted to suit their preferences while maintaining the barrier layer BS consisting of the ascending flow of conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D in a predetermined state. Therefore, while ensuring a certain level of air cleanliness for each passenger seat 5 or higher, passengers JK seated in the passenger seats 5 can enjoy optimal comfort for each passenger JK from the conditioned air TK1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a smooth guide surface 51d is formed on the outer edge of the seat bottom surface 51b, guiding the flow of conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D blown out from the passenger seat outlets 32, 32B, 32C, and 32D in an upward direction. Therefore, the conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D blown out from the passenger seat outlets 32, 32B, 32C, and 32D along the seat bottom surface 51b toward the seat outer edge of the passenger seat 5 can more reliably rise upward from the seat outer edge 51c along the guide surface 51d due to the Coanda effect. Therefore, a barrier layer BS consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK2, TK2B, TK2C, and TK2D surrounding passenger JK seated in passenger seat 5 can be more reliably formed. As a result, air cleanliness for passenger JK seated in passenger seat 5 can be more easily and reliably ensured.

In addition, according to this embodiment, auxiliary outlets 34 that blow conditioned air TK4 upward are formed in the upper end 52c and/or back surface 52b of the backrest portion 52, so that a barrier layer BSS consisting of the upward flow of conditioned air TK4 can be more firmly formed above the backrest portion 52. Therefore, the more firmly formed barrier layer BSS above the backrest portion 52 can more reliably prevent droplets HM generated when a passenger JK in a seat 5 talks, coughs, etc. from scattering to an adjacent seat 5. As a result, air cleanliness for passengers JK seated in the seats 5 can be more reliably ensured.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the air conditioning systems 10K, 10KB, 10KC, 10KD, and 10KE each include an air conditioning unit 61 installed under the frame 13 and generating conditioned air TK, a main supply duct 62 and a main return duct 63 located under the floor of the passenger compartment 2 and connected to the air conditioning unit 61, and a plurality of air conditioning ducts 64 connected to the main supply duct 62 and extending to the air outlet 3. The air KK in the passenger compartment 2 discharged outside the passenger compartment 2 from the exhaust port 4 passes through the gap between the inner wall 22 and outer wall 23 of the passenger compartment 2 and returns to the main return duct 63, and then returns from the main return duct 63 to the air conditioning unit 61. Therefore, the exhaust duct 65 connecting the exhaust port 4 and the main return duct 63 can be eliminated or shortened, resulting in a reduction in weight and cost by the amount of the eliminated or shortened exhaust duct. Furthermore, the air KK inside the passenger cabin 2 that is discharged outside the passenger cabin 2 from the exhaust port 4 passes through the gap between the inner wall 22 and outer wall 23 of the passenger cabin 2 and returns to the main return duct 63, thereby improving the insulation of the passenger cabin 2 and reducing the power consumption of the air conditioning equipment 61. As a result, the air conditioning systems 10K, 10KB, 10KC, 10KD, and 10KE, which can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of passengers JK seated in the seats 5 inside the passenger cabin 2, can be realized at a lower cost.

The present invention can be used as a railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that can easily improve the comfort and air cleanliness of each passenger seated in the passenger compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car body 2 Passenger compartment 3 Air outlet 4 Exhaust outlet 5 Passenger seat 10, 10B, 10C Railway vehicle 10D, 10E Railway vehicle 10K, 10KB, 10KC Air conditioning system 10KD, 10KE Air conditioning system 11 Lower periphery 12 Upper periphery 13 Underframe 21 Floor surface 21a Central aisle 22 Inner wall 23 Outer wall 31 Passenger air outlet 32, 32B, 32C, 32D Passenger seat air outlet 33 Air outlet for backrest 34 Auxiliary air outlet 51 Seat 51a Seat surface 51b Seat bottom surface 51c Seat outer edge 51d Guide surface 52 Backrest 52a Backrest surface 52b Back 52c Upper end 61 Air conditioning equipment 62 Main supply duct 63 Main return duct 64 Air conditioning duct JK Passenger KK Air TK, TK1, TK2, TK3 Conditioned air TK2B, TK2C, TK2D Conditioned air

Claims (9)

A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the lower part of a car body for blowing conditioned air into a passenger compartment, and an exhaust outlet around the upper part of the car body for exhausting air from the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, wherein the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the lower part to the upper part of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet,
the air outlet is provided with a first passenger seat air outlet formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and formed to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in all circumferential directions of the passengers seated in the passenger seat ;
The railway vehicle is characterized in that the air outlet is provided with a passenger air outlet formed so as to blow the conditioned air from the seat surface and/or the backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passenger . A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the lower part of a car body for blowing conditioned air into a passenger compartment, and an exhaust outlet around the upper part of the car body for exhausting air from the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, wherein the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the lower part to the upper part of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet,
the air outlet is provided with a second passenger seat air outlet formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and formed to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the front-to-rear direction of the passenger seated in the passenger seat ;
The railway vehicle is characterized in that the air outlet is provided with a passenger air outlet formed so as to blow the conditioned air from the seat surface and/or the backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passenger . A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the lower part of a car body for blowing conditioned air into a passenger compartment, and an exhaust outlet around the upper part of the car body for exhausting air from the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, wherein the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the lower part to the upper part of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet,
the air outlet is provided with a third passenger seat air outlet formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and formed to blow out the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat in the direction of passengers seated in other passenger seats adjacent to the passenger seat across a central aisle ;
The railway vehicle is characterized in that the air outlet is provided with a passenger air outlet formed so as to blow the conditioned air from the seat surface and/or the backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passenger . A railway vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system having an air outlet around the lower part of a car body for blowing conditioned air into a passenger compartment, and an exhaust outlet around the upper part of the car body for exhausting air from the passenger compartment to the outside of the passenger compartment, wherein the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet into the passenger compartment rises from the lower part to the upper part of the passenger compartment and is exhausted from the exhaust outlet,
the air outlet is provided with a fourth passenger seat air outlet formed in a passenger seat installed in the passenger compartment and formed to blow the conditioned air along the bottom surface of the seat of the passenger seat toward an inner wall adjacent to the passenger seat ;
The railway vehicle is characterized in that the air outlet is provided with a passenger air outlet formed so as to blow the conditioned air from the seat surface and/or the backrest surface of the passenger seat toward the seated passenger . The railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The railway vehicle is characterized in that the air outlet includes a backrest air outlet that blows the conditioned air rearward from the backrest of the passenger seat. The railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The air conditioning system is configured to be able to adjust the volume of the conditioned air blown out from the passenger outlet. The railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
A railway vehicle characterized in that a smooth guide surface is formed on the outer edge side of the bottom surface of the seat, which guides the flow of conditioned air blown out from the passenger seat outlet in an upward direction. The railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
A railway vehicle characterized in that an auxiliary air outlet for blowing the conditioned air upward is formed at the upper end and/or back of the backrest of the passenger seat . The railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ,
The air conditioning system includes an air conditioning unit installed under the underframe and forming the conditioned air, a main supply duct and a main return duct that are arranged under the floor of the passenger compartment and connected to the air conditioning unit, and a plurality of air conditioning ducts that are connected to the main supply duct and extend to the air outlet, and the air inside the passenger compartment that is discharged outside the passenger compartment from the exhaust outlet passes through a gap between the inner wall and outer wall of the passenger compartment, returns to the main return duct, and is returned to the air conditioning unit from the main return duct.