Seat, especially vehicle seat

Abstract

A seat, in particular a vehicle seat (1), comprising a seat part (2) and a backrest (3), wherein the seat part (2) and / or the backrest (3) comprise a molded part (5, 8) made of an air-permeable material and at least one ventilation device (10, 13) for blowing air into the respective molded part (5, 8), wherein the ventilation device (10, 13) comprises two fans (14, 15) arranged side by side and designed as radial fans, wherein each of the fans (14, 15) comprises an outlet channel (18, 19) for the air to be blown in, wherein the outlet channels (18, 19) and axes of rotation (16, 17) of the fans (14, 15) are each aligned parallel to one another, characterized in that the fans (14, 15) are operated in opposite directions, wherein the fans (14, 15) are mirror-symmetrical to one another, so that, when operated in opposite directions, they blow air into the molded part (5, 8) parallel to one another. blow in.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a seat, in particular a vehicle seat, with a seat part and with a backrest, wherein the seat part and / or the backrest have a molded part made of an air-permeable material and at least one ventilation device for blowing air into the molded part, wherein the ventilation device has two radial fans arranged next to one another.

[0002] Seats of the type mentioned above are particularly well-known in the automotive industry. To increase passenger comfort, air-conditioned seats are offered whose usable surfaces can be cooled or air-conditioned by a ventilation system integrated into the seat. DE 198 04 100 C1, for example, discloses a corresponding seat. The design involves arranging two radial fans with axial intake openings directly in a molded part forming the upholstery, so that the air drawn in by the radial fans is blown directly into the molded part. Due to the air-permeable design of the molded part, the air blown into it is intended to flow through the entire molded part of the seat, thereby cooling or air-conditioning an upholstery cover stretched over the molded part.

[0003] Further seats are known from the patent specification DE 10 2005 003 849 B3 and the published patent applications DE 10 2011 122 124 A1 and DE 10 2010 050 390 A1.

[0004] A disadvantage of existing solutions is that the exhausted air is distributed uncontrollably throughout the molded part, potentially providing sufficient cooling of the seat only in certain areas. To solve this problem, the performance of the ventilation system has been increased, for example, by increasing the fan speed or enlarging the radial fan size. However, this is accompanied by increased noise and possibly vibrations in the seat.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a seat which allows an optimized flow of the injected air through the molded part in a simple manner, without impairing the noise development or vibration behavior of the seat.

[0006] The object underlying the invention is achieved with a seat having the features of claim 1. The seat according to the invention effects a targeted symmetrical injection of air into the molded part, such that the injected air is also distributed symmetrically in the molded part and behaves as expected, so that the seat part and / or the backrest are evenly ventilated or cooled. According to the invention, each of the fans has an outlet duct for the air to be injected, and that the outlet ducts and axes of rotation of the fans are each aligned parallel to one another, with the fans operating in opposite directions. The fans, which are radial fans, are thus mirror-symmetrical to one another and blow air into the molded part parallel to one another.The outlet ducts, which ensure that the air is blown into the molded part in a targeted manner, as only through them can the air escape from the respective radial fan, and the counter-rotating operation of the radial fans ensure that the outgoing air streams penetrate the molded part in a controlled manner. Counter-rotating operation of the radial fans means the following: As already mentioned, each of the fans has an axis of rotation around which a fan wheel or impeller of the respective fan rotates. For this purpose, the fan wheel is arranged, for example, on a shaft that is rotatably mounted in a fan housing. As the axes of rotation are aligned parallel to one another, the impellers lie parallel to one another in the same plane. In counter-rotating operation, the fan wheels are operated around the axes of rotation in opposite directions, so that they rotate.While the impeller of one fan is operated clockwise, the impeller of the other fan rotates or operates counterclockwise. While the impeller of one fan rotates clockwise, the impeller of the other fan rotates anticlockwise. Due to the advantageous design of the seat and in particular the arrangement of the outlet channels and rotation axes relative to one another, the counter-rotating operation ensures a symmetrical overall air flow blown into the molded part, which causes the molded part or the seat to be exposed to the blown-in air symmetrically and evenly. The radial fans are preferably arranged directly next to one another or adjacent to one another. A corresponding ventilation device is preferably provided in the seat part or in the backrest.Particularly preferably, a corresponding ventilation device is provided in the seat part and in the backrest.

[0007] Particularly preferably, the outlet channels end at or within the molded part. If the outlet channels end directly at the molded part, this ensures that the molded part is completely permeated by the injected air. If the outlet channels end within the molded part, this ensures that no air is blown past the molded part.

[0008] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the outlet channels run centrally in the seat, so that the expelled air or the injected air is distributed evenly throughout the molded part. Preferably, the outlet channels run parallel to a longitudinal axis of the seat part and / or the backrest to ensure air flow along the longitudinal extent of the seat and thus high seating comfort.

[0009] Particularly preferably, the outlet channels are designed to be mirror-symmetrical to one another. This ensures that the air flows generated by the counter-rotating radial fans are also blown into the molded part symmetrically or mirror-symmetrically. In particular, the outlet openings of the outlet channels are designed and aligned mirror-symmetrically to one another.

[0010] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the ventilation device is arranged at an upper end of the backrest. As a result, the air blown out by the ventilation device or by the two radial fans is blown from above through the backrest downwards through the molded part, which ensures a pleasant cooling effect for a person sitting on this seat. Furthermore, it is ensured that the entire backrest is ventilated. Particularly preferably, the ventilation device is arranged on the backrest approximately at shoulder height, preferably at a distance from the upper end of the backrest. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the ventilation device is arranged at the lower end of the backrest, so that it is ventilated from bottom to top.

[0011] Preferably, the ventilation device is provided at a rear end of the seat surface or seat part—as viewed in the direction of travel—so that the seat part is cooled from back to front. This ensures, in particular, that the entire seat part is ventilated. It also has the advantage that the ventilation of the seat part occurs first at the points most important for the person sitting on it. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the ventilation device is arranged at the front end of the seat part, so that the seat part is ventilated from front to back.

[0012] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the molded part is designed to be elastically deformable. The molded part thus simultaneously serves as the padding for the seat or backrest and ensures a high level of seating comfort.

[0013] Preferably, the molded part is made of a foam material and covered with an upholstery cover on at least one of the seat's usable sides. The foam material is particularly lightweight and can be easily molded into the desired shape for the seat. Furthermore, it exhibits air permeability, which is beneficial for ventilation. The upholstery cover protects the foam material and is expediently designed to match the vehicle interior.

[0014] Particularly preferably, the upholstery cover is designed to be airtight, so that the upholstery cover is only cooled from the inside by the air blown into the molded part, and a person sitting on the seat is not directly exposed to the air flow. The seat preferably has corresponding outlet openings at the end of the molded part opposite the ventilation device, through which the blown-in air can escape from the molded part.

[0015] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the upholstery cover is preferably designed to be permeable to air, so that the air blown into the molded part penetrates the upholstery cover and is used directly to provide air conditioning for the person sitting on it. For this purpose, the upholstery cover is preferably provided with a plurality of small openings that make it permeable to air.

[0016] Preferably, the ventilation device is mounted as a ventilation module in a recess in the seat. The modular design allows the ventilation device to be easily attached during assembly of the seat and removed from the seat for maintenance purposes. The recess is preferably designed as a module receptacle and is preferably located on the side facing away from the usable surface of the seat part or the backrest to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the ventilation device.

[0017] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 a vehicle seat in a sectional view and Fig. 2 a backrest of the vehicle seat in a schematic plan view.

[0018] Fig. Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a vehicle seat 1 designed as a climate-controlled seat. The vehicle seat 1 comprises a seat part 2 and a backrest 3. The seat part 2 comprises a hard seat shell 4 (not shown in detail), an elastically deformable molded part 5 arranged thereon, and an upholstery cover 6 covering the molded part 5.

[0019] The backrest 3 is designed accordingly and comprises a substantially hard seat shell 7, an elastically deformable and air-permeable molded part 8, and an upholstery cover 9 covering the molded part. The upholstery covers 6 and 9 form usable surfaces of the vehicle seat 1 and are at least substantially air-impermeable.

[0020] At the rear end of the seat part 2 - viewed in the direction of travel - it has a ventilation device 10, which is arranged in a recess 11 of the molded part 5 on the side of the seat part 2 facing away from the upholstery cover 6. According to an alternative exemplary embodiment, the ventilation device 10 is arranged at a front end of the seat part 2 in order to ventilate the seat part 2 from front to back. Accordingly, the recess 11 is then of course also provided at the front end of the seat part 2. Likewise, the backrest 3 has a recess 12 at its upper end on the side facing away from the upholstery cover 9, in which a ventilation device 13 is arranged. According to an alternative exemplary embodiment, not shown here, the ventilation device 13 is arranged at a distance from the upper end of the backrest 3, preferably at shoulder height.It is also conceivable to provide the ventilation device 13 at the lower end of the backrest 3 in order to ventilate the backrest 3 from bottom to top. In any case, the recess 12 is expediently formed at the corresponding location of the backrest 3.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the backrest 3 of the vehicle seat 1 without the molded part 8 and the upholstery cover 9. The ventilation device 13 rests on the seat shell 7 and, as already mentioned, is arranged at the upper end of the backrest 3. The ventilation device 13 has two radial fans 14, 15 arranged next to one another. Each of the radial fans 14, 15 has its own rotation axis 16 or 17, which are aligned parallel to one another, as also shown in Fig. 1. The housings of the radial fans 14, 15 are adjacent to one another and each have an outlet channel 18, 19 through which the air conveyed by the radial fans 14, 15 is blown out.

[0022] The outlet ducts 18, 19 are also arranged parallel to each other, so that they point in the same direction. Overall, the radial fans 14, 15 are thus designed and arranged mirror-symmetrically to each other. They are operated in opposite directions, as indicated by arrows 20 and 21. It is intended that the fan, which is shown in the top view of Fig.2 radial fans 14 arranged on the left are operated clockwise, and the radial fan 15 arranged next to it on the right is operated counterclockwise. The outlet channels 18, 19 end in the molded part, so that the blown-out air is blown directly into the molded part 8. The ventilation device 13 is arranged centrally at the upper end of the backrest 3, so that the air is blown centrally from above into the backrest 3 or into the molded part 8. At the lower end, the backrest has an outlet opening 22 on its side facing away from the upholstery cover, through which the air blown into the molded part 8 can escape again.

[0023] This advantageous design ensures that the air delivered by the radial fans 14, 15 is blown directly into the molded part 8 and distributed symmetrically within the backrest 3, so that the upholstery 9 is evenly cooled and seating comfort is optimized. In particular, the counter-rotating operation ensures that the two air streams from the radial fans 14 and 15 are distributed in the molded part 8 in a mirror image of each other, ensuring symmetrical exposure of the molded part to the total air stream blown in by the radial fans 14, 15.

[0024] The same applies to the seat part 2, whose ventilation device 10 is designed according to the ventilation device 13, so that the air flow of the radial fans is blown centrally into the molded part 5. The seat part 2 also has an outlet opening 23 through which the blown-in air can exit again. The advantageous design of the ventilation device 10 according to the ventilation device 13 ensures symmetrical air distribution in the molded part 5 and thus uniform cooling of the upholstery cover 6.

[0025] The ventilation devices 10, 13 are integrated into the seat, preferably designed as ventilation modules that can be easily installed by inserting them into the recesses 11, 12. The ventilation modules are also easily removable. Of course, the ventilation devices 10, 13 can also be arranged or designed as an integral part of the seat part 2 and backrest 3, particularly inaccessible from the outside.

[0026] As an alternative to the exemplary embodiment shown here, it is also conceivable to provide an air-permeable upholstery cover instead of an air-impermeable upholstery cover 9 or 6, respectively, and to dispense with the outlet openings 22, 23. In this case, the air blown into the seat part 2 or the backrest 3 by the ventilation devices 10, 13 is blown out through the air-permeable upholstery covers, so that a passenger is directly air-conditioned. For this purpose, the upholstery covers 6, 9 particularly preferably have a plurality of flow openings that are arranged or formed distributed over the upholstery covers 6, 9. The flow openings are particularly preferably designed such that their flow diameter and / or their number increases with increasing distance from the respective ventilation device 10 or 13, in order to ensure uniform outflow through the flow openings.

[0027] According to the present embodiment, both the seat part 2 and the backrest 3 have the advantageous ventilation devices 10, 13. Of course, it is also conceivable to provide a corresponding ventilation device only on the backrest 3 or only on the seat part 2.

[0028] According to a further embodiment not shown here, the ventilation devices 10, 13 are each assigned an air conditioning device for heating or cooling the air flow to be discharged or being discharged. It is also conceivable to provide the seat part 2 and / or the backrest 3 with an electric seat heater to increase climate comfort.

[0029] According to a further embodiment not shown, it is conceivable to provide the ventilation device 10 or 13 not in a car seat, but in a seat part designed as a bed mattress and to arrange it accordingly centrally at the head or foot end.

Claims

[1] Seat, in particular a vehicle seat (1), with a seat part (2) and with a backrest (3), wherein the seat part (2) and / or the backrest (3) have a molded part (5, 8) made of an air-permeable material and at least one ventilation device (10, 13) for blowing air into the respective molded part (5, 8), wherein the ventilation device (10, 13) has two fans (14, 15) arranged next to one another and in the form of radial fans, wherein each of the fans (14, 15) has an outlet channel (18, 19) for the air to be blown in, wherein the outlet channels (18, 19) and axes of rotation (16, 17) of the fans (14, 15) are each aligned parallel to one another, characterized by that the fans (14,15) are operated in opposite directions, wherein the fans (14,15) are designed mirror-symmetrically to one another, so that in opposite direction they blow air into the molded part (5,8) parallel to one another. [2] Seat according to claim 1, characterized bythat the outlet channels end on or in the molded part (5,8). [3] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outlet channels (18,19) run centrally in the seat. [4] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outlet channels (18,19) are mirror-symmetrical to one another. [5] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the ventilation device (13) is arranged at an upper end of the backrest (3). [6] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the ventilation device (10) is arranged at a rear end of the seat part (2) - viewed in the direction of travel. [7] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the molded part (5,8) is designed to be elastically deformable. [8] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the molded part (5,8) is made of foam material and is provided with an upholstery cover (6,9) on at least one usable side of the seat. [9] Seat according to claim 8,, characterized by that the upholstery cover (6,9) is designed to be permeable to air or impermeable to air. [10] Seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the respective ventilation device (10,13) is held as a ventilation module in a recess (11,12) of the seat.

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