Heat exchanger having thermoelectric element

Abstract

A heat exchanger may include a housing including an intake port through which air is introduced into the housing from outside, a seat inlet supplying air to a vehicle seat, and an exhaust port through which a portion of the air introduced from outside is exhausted from the housing to outside, a blower unit mounted inside the housing and operated by a first motor to supply the air introduced into the housing through the intake port, out of the housing through the seat inlet, and a thermoelectric element disposed between the intake port and the seat inlet and heat-controlling the air introduced into the housing through the intake port.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2009-0088214 filed on Sep. 17, 2009, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a heat exchanger having a thermoelectric element, and more particularly, to one in which a thermoelectric element unit enabling heat exchange is integrally provided with a blower.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]In general, a vehicle is equipped with an air-conditioning system including a cooler and a heater. The air-conditioning system serves to control the temperature inside the vehicle.[0006]However, the air-conditioning system does not have a function of controlling the temperature of a vehicle seat. In the summer, even if an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat lowers the temperature inside the vehicle by operating the coo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide a heat exchanger having a thermoelectric element, which is integrally mounted with a blower instead of being separately mounted on a respective duct leading to a vehicle seat, whereby manufacturing costs can be reduced, the structure of the duct can be simplified, and a seat heating and cooling system can be easily assembled.

[0028]In the heating and cooling system of the related art, the thermoelectric element housings are provided in the front ends of the ducts, and the thermoelectric elements are separately provided inside the housings. In contrast, according to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the heat exchanger having a thermoelectric element has an advantage of a simple structure, in which the thermoelectric element for heating and cooling air, which will be supplied to the heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, is integrally provided with the blower. Also, in the related art, the respective ducts are separately provided in order to exhaust air, which is not supplied from the ducts to the seat, out of the vehicle. In contrast, according to various aspects of the invention, the heat exchanger having a thermoelectric element requires only one duct for exhausting air, which is not supplied to the seat. This, as a result, facilitates assembly of the system and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0029]Furthermore, according to various aspects of the invention, the heat exchanger can improve the degree of freedom of design inside the vehicle seat since electric lines for supplying a voltage to the thermoelectric element are simplified.

Problems solved by technology

However, the air-conditioning system does not have a function of controlling the temperature of a vehicle seat.

In addition, the occupant may have heat rash at the buttocks and the back, which are apt to sweat due to body heat.

In the winter, even if the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat raises the temperature inside the vehicle by operating the heater, the seat stays cold for a long time before the heater warms up the air.

Thus, the occupant may feel chilly or cold at the buttocks or back.

As such, the expensive thermoelectric elements, located in multiple positions of the seat heating and cooling system, increase the price of the system while making it difficult to assemble the system.

In the seat heating and cooling system of the related art, this complicates power supply lines for the thermoelectric elements and lowers the degree of freedom of design.

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