Pressure-elastic spacer component and the ventilated vehicle seat formed therewith

Abstract

A pressure-elastic spacer component comprising a first surface (1) formed by a plurality of first surface elements (2, 2'), a second surface (3) formed by a plurality of second surface elements (4), and spacer elements (5) arranged between the surfaces (1, 3) spaced apart in a thickness direction (D), which connect the first surface (1) and the second surface (3) in a pressure-elastic manner in the thickness direction (D), wherein the respective surface elements (2, 2', 4) of the first surface (1) and the second surface (3) are not directly connected to each other but exclusively via the spacer elements (5), and wherein the spacer elements (5) are not directly connected but exclusively via the surface elements (2, 4) of the first surface (1) and the second surface (3), wherein the first surface elements (2, 2'),the second surface elements (4) and the spacer elements (5) are formed from plastic in an additive manufacturing process and wherein the first surface elements (2, 2'), the second surface elements (4) and the spacer elements (5) are formed contiguously from a thermoplastic material.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure-elastic spacer component with a first surface and a second surface, which are pressure-elastically supported against each other in a thickness direction by spacer elements. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a ventilated vehicle seat with a blower, an air-permeable seat surface, and an air distribution layer optionally arranged below the seat surface via further intermediate layers and connected to the blower, wherein the air distribution layer is formed by the pressure-elastic spacer component according to the invention.

[0002] Compression-elastic spacers are available in a wide variety of designs. For example, permanently elastic foams can also be used as compression-elastic spacers.

[0003] The present invention, however, relates specifically to a pressure-elastic spacer component which, in its structure, is divided into at least two surfaces and spacer elements arranged between the surfaces.

[0004] Spacer fabrics are known as pressure-elastic spacer components with a corresponding structure. These fabrics consist of two spaced-apart, flat layers of knitted material connected by spacer threads. These spacer threads are often monofilaments to achieve maximum stiffness relative to the material used. The polymer chains in the individual spacer threads are aligned longitudinally, resulting in exceptional durability and resilience. These characteristics also contribute to the particularly advantageous mechanical properties of a spacer fabric.

[0005] Compared to other pressure-elastic spacer components such as foams, spacer fabrics are characterized by good fluid permeability. Therefore, spacer fabrics are frequently used for air circulation or active ventilation.

[0006] In practice, such spacer fabrics are known to be used, for example, in mattresses or ventilated vehicle seats. They are also suitable as filter material.

[0007] German patent DE 10 2007 019 603 B4 discloses a vehicle seat with a spacer fabric in which the flow resistance changes section by section. By varying the density of the spacer threads, the load-bearing capacity and the air permeability can be altered in opposite directions. In the ventilated vehicle seat, the spacer fabric, acting as a pressure-elastic spacer component, is positioned beneath the seat surface and combined with a blower. By appropriately arranging the spacer threads, the load-bearing capacity and air distribution can be locally controlled. However, a disadvantage is that manufacturing a spacer fabric with varying densities of spacer threads is relatively complex.

[0008] Ventilated vehicle seats are also commonly referred to as climate-controlled seats, whereby, within the scope of the invention, ventilation generally refers to blowing or suction. Currently, a blower is predominantly used to expel air from the seat surface, which can also be heated or cooled according to the user's preferences. Furthermore, climate-controlled seat designs are also known in which air is drawn through the seat surface by the blower. In this way, heat and moisture can also be removed from a passenger, allowing air to flow evenly from the surrounding area of ​​the seat.

[0009] JP 2009-29 064 A discloses a pressure-elastic spacer component for a vehicle seat, in which a pressure-elastic honeycomb structure is formed in an additive manufacturing process by sintering or fusing a thermoplastic powder. The individual honeycombs connect three-dimensionally within the volume and do not form uniform surfaces. The honeycomb structure creates a kind of network. To increase the hose's rigidity, the plastic powder is left in certain areas of the honeycomb structure for further stabilization. This results in a very high weight for the areas that are then practically completely filled with plastic, which also prevents air transport. In particular, the cells containing the plastic powder must be closed to prevent uncontrolled distribution of the plastic powder within the volume.While additive manufacturing offers extensive design possibilities, the described disadvantages of high weight, large material usage, and lack of ventilation are significant with regard to the design of a vehicle seat.

[0010] Compression-elastic spacers produced using an additive manufacturing process are also widely used in the manufacture of shoes or shoe components. Reference is made to the publications EP 2 203 082 B1, WO 2016 / 137 818 A1, WO 2016 / 073 155 A1, WO 2014 / 066 172 A1 and EP 3 165 109 A1.

[0011] Other publications deal generally with sponge-like or lattice-like structures, which can be used, for example, in medical technology. Corresponding materials are known, for example, from EP 2 440 387 B1, DE 10 2013 011 243 A1, WO 2015 / 120 428 A1, CN 106 541 568 A, WO 2015 / 164 663 A1, WO 2016 / 109 591 A2, WO 2015 / 109 359 A1, WO 2012 / 071 477 A2 and WO 2014 / 095 872 A1.

[0012] From DE 20 2005 013 020 U1 a mattress spring for installation in upholstered cushions and mattresses is known, in which an upper and a lower support surface are connected with bearings by means of spring arms, wherein both the support surfaces and the spring arms are manufactured separately from each other and then connected to each other.

[0013] The present invention is based on the objective of providing a pressure-elastic spacer component that can be readily combined with adjacent materials, is air-permeable, and whose structure is adaptable. In particular, the pressure-elastic spacer component should also be suitable for use with a ventilated vehicle seat, which is also the subject of the present invention.

[0014] The subject matter of the invention and the solution to the problem are a pressure-elastic spacer component according to claim 1 and a ventilated vehicle seat according to claim 7.

[0015] The invention therefore relates to a pressure-elastic spacer component with a first surface formed by a plurality of first surface elements, with a second surface formed by a plurality of second surface elements, and with spacer elements arranged between the surfaces spaced apart from each other in a thickness direction, which connect the first surface and the second surface to each other in a pressure-elastic manner in the thickness direction, wherein the respective surface elements of the first surface and the second surface are not directly connected to each other but exclusively via the spacer elements, and wherein the spacer elements are not directly connected but exclusively via the surface elements of the first surface and the second surface.

[0016] Particularly in the manufacture of the spacer component, the first and second surfaces can be essentially flat, with the first and second surfaces also forming surfaces of the spacer component according to a preferred embodiment. However, a multi-layered structure is not fundamentally excluded. For example, if the first surface forms a surface of the spacer component, the second surface, which connects via the spacer elements, can be internal, with at least a third surface then connecting via further spacer elements.

[0017] The first surface elements, the second surface elements, the spacer elements, and the entire pressure-elastic spacer component are formed from plastic, in particular thermoplastic plastic, using an additive manufacturing process according to the invention. In principle, all additive manufacturing processes are suitable for forming the spacer component within the scope of the invention, including, by way of example, stereolithography, laser sintering and beam melting, fused layer modeling / manufacturing or fused deposition modeling, multi-jet modeling, poly jet modeling, 3D printing, layer laminated manufacturing or laminated object manufacturing, mask sintering, and digital light processing, as specified in VDI guideline 3405.

[0018] The spacers give the spacer component its elastic properties under pressure. To achieve this, the spacers can also be made of an elastic plastic, which can easily be produced using an additive manufacturing process, and in particular a simple 3D printing process.

[0019] However, a disadvantage arises from the fact that suitable thermoplastic elastomers are relatively expensive. Additionally or alternatively, elasticity – similar to that of the spacer threads in a spacer fabric – can be achieved through the shape of the spacers themselves, even if the plastic does not meet the usual definitions of an elastomer. For example, the spacers can be spirally wound along the thickness direction, resulting in a helical shape.

[0020] The distinction between elastic and non-elastic plastics refers to the definition and classification commonly used in polymer chemistry, with reference to the Saechtling Plastics Handbook, 29th edition, 2004, as an example. Even though plastics such as conventional polyamide, polyester (especially polyethylene terephthalate), and most polyolefins exhibit slight elastic recovery under compressive and tensile stress, these materials are not considered elastic according to the general classification. Thermoplastic elastomers are listed in section 6.19, "Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE)," on pages 568 ff. of the aforementioned Saechtling Plastics Handbook, 29th edition, 2004.

[0021] In contrast to known lattice structures formed using an additive manufacturing process, the present invention provides a division into a first surface, a second surface, and spacer elements arranged between them, wherein the first and second surfaces preferably form the surfaces of the spacer component. This offers the advantage that the spacer component can be easily combined with other products, which can then be placed onto the surfaces. In particular, the surfaces formed by the surface elements can also be designed to allow for good bonding, fusing, or other joining with adjacent materials.

[0022] A further essential aspect of the invention is that the respective surface elements on both the first and second surfaces are not directly connected to each other, but exclusively via the spacer elements. Even though the surface elements form a common area, and in particular a common surface, they remain movable relative to each other in the plane of the respective surface – which may be curved – so that subsequent contour adjustment of the entire pressure-elastic spacer component is possible. Specifically, the surface elements can also be slightly displaced relative to each other, which is why the pressure-elastic spacer component can be bent, folded, and to a certain extent also compressed and stretched during further processing.Such properties are generally not achievable in a structure made of non-elastic plastic using an additive manufacturing process according to the state of the art.

[0023] The invention also provides that the spacer elements are not directly connected to each other, but only via the surface elements of the first and second surfaces. This design also ensures good overall mobility of the entire spacer component.

[0024] In order to give the spacer component its pressure-elastic properties in the thickness direction, the spacer elements expediently run diagonally and / or curved in the thickness direction between the first surface and the second surface.

[0025] The spacers preferably have the form of spirals, especially coil springs. However, other shapes of spacers are also possible.

[0026] As previously explained, the entire compression-elastic spacer component is made of a single plastic material, in particular a non-elastic thermoplastic, preferably manufactured using an additive manufacturing process. It should be noted that the first and second surface elements are each relatively hard and stiff. To achieve sufficient stability of the compression-elastic spacer component while simultaneously maintaining the desired flexibility, the shape, thickness, and size of both the first and second surface elements must be appropriately selected.

[0027] Against this background, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the first and second surface elements each have an area of ​​less than 500 mm². 2 , especially less than 100 mm 2 to cover, whereby the area specification refers to the area actually covered in a top view, and therefore openings must be deducted from the covered surface area. For example, the covered area can be between 20 mm 2 and 80 mm 2 The thickness of the individual surface elements, determined in the thickness direction, can be, for example, between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, in particular between 0.6 mm and 1.2 mm.

[0028] Preferably, a uniform or substantially uniform thickness is provided for the individual surface elements.

[0029] Particularly preferably, between one and six, and especially between two and four, spacer elements are connected to each surface element.

[0030] Particularly in the case of a star-shaped design of the surface elements, these can also be provided with openings in order to achieve the lowest possible surface weight. For example, starting from a rectangular or, in particular, square base, the surface elements can have ring-shaped sections at the corners, to which a spacer element can be attached, with the previously described spiral shape being particularly preferred in this case.

[0031] Especially with additive manufacturing processes, it is possible to design the pressure-elastic spacer component differently in different locations, for example, by incorporating differently shaped surface elements and / or varying overall thicknesses. Despite these variations, the basic structure with a first surface, a second surface, and spacer elements arranged in between is maintained, whereby the described variations in design also allow for precise adaptation to a specific application.

[0032] Regardless of whether the total thickness of the spacer component varies locally, it is typically between 1 mm and 300 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 100 mm, and particularly preferably between 1 mm and 50 mm.

[0033] The spacer component is preferably elastically compressible by at least 30%, and in particular by at least 50%, in the thickness direction.

[0034] The spacer component according to the invention is suitable for various applications. In particular, the spacer component can be combined with further material layers.

[0035] The invention also relates to a ventilated vehicle seat as a preferred application of the pressure-elastic spacer component, wherein the ventilated vehicle seat has a blower, an air-permeable seat surface, and the spacer component according to the invention as an air distribution layer beneath the seat surface, the spacer component being suitably connected to the blower. The invention thus also encompasses the blower being connected to the spacer component at a suitable location or even being integrated into the spacer component. Corresponding recesses and openings can be provided in advance, particularly in an additive manufacturing process.

[0036] The invention will be explained below with reference to a drawing that illustrates only one embodiment. The drawing shows: Fig. 1. A pressure-elastic spacer component in a perspective view, Fig. 2 a top view of the spacer component according to the Fig. 2, Fig. 3 a ventilated vehicle seat with the spacer component according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0037] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a pressure-elastic spacer component with a first surface 1 formed by a plurality of essentially planar first surface elements 2, 2' and with a second surface 3 formed by a plurality of essentially planar second surface elements 4.

[0038] Spacer elements 5 are arranged between the surfaces 1, 3 which are spaced apart from each other in a thickness direction D, and which connect the first surface 1 and the second surface 3 to each other in a pressure-elastic manner in the thickness direction D.

[0039] In this embodiment, both surfaces 1 and 3 are manufactured in the same way, so that the visible structure of the first surface 1 with the first surface elements 2 and 2' essentially corresponds to the structure of the second surface 3 with the second surface elements 4. However, the surface elements 2, 2', and 4 are arranged differently in the two surfaces 1 and 3, i.e., offset from one another, in order to form—as will be explained in more detail below—a coherent and simultaneously movable structure.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer elements 5 are arranged spirally along the thickness direction D and thus act as a kind of helical spring.

[0041] According to the invention, the entire spacer component with the surface elements 2, 2', 4 forming the two surfaces 1, 3 and the spacer elements 5 is formed in an additive manufacturing process from plastic, in particular a non-elastic thermoplastic plastic.

[0042] One method of production is 3D printing.

[0043] The thickness of the entire spacer component can, for example, be between 10 mm and 100 mm, with a compression of at least 30%, and in particular at least 50%, preferably possible with respect to the uncompressed state.

[0044] In particular according to the Fig. 2 it is evident that the first surface elements 2, 2' are either a simple ring or in a kind of star-shaped configuration, with regard to the star-shaped configuration, starting from a square at the corners, ring-shaped structures are provided which are connected to each other by rounded bridges.

[0045] From the Fig. Figure 2 further shows that the first surface elements 2, 2' are not directly connected to each other, but exclusively via the spacer elements 5. In the plane of the first surface 1, the first surface elements 2, 2' are therefore still movable relative to each other to a certain extent and are only supported along the thickness direction D against the second surface 3, i.e., the associated second surface elements 4. Two different types of surface elements 4 can also be provided on the second surface 3 in the same way. With respect to the first surface elements 2, which are approximately star-shaped in plan view, a different number of spacer elements can be connected, depending on how the second surface elements 4 are arranged below them. Typically, between two and four spacer elements 5 are connected to each of the star-shaped first surface elements 2 of the first surface 1.

[0046] Since the individual spacer elements 5 run spirally between the two surfaces 1, 3, it is also clear that the spacer elements 5 are not directly connected to each other but only via the corresponding surface elements 2, 4, which also results in good overall mobility.

[0047] The total thickness of the spacer component can be between 10 mm and 100 mm.

[0048] The individual surface elements 2, 2', 4, typically have a thickness between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, in particular between 0.6 mm and 1.2 mm, wherein the area covered by each of the surface elements 2, 2', 4, is preferably less than 200 mm² 2 , especially less than 100 mm 2 is.

[0049] The Fig.Figure 3 shows a ventilated vehicle seat with a blower 6, an air-permeable seat surface 7, and an air distribution layer arranged beneath the seat surface 7 and connected to the blower 6, which is designed as described above. In the illustrated embodiment, a separate intermediate layer 8 is provided between the seat surface 7 and the first surface 1 of the spacer component. This intermediate layer 8 can be made, for example, of a conventional spacer fabric or of foam or cut foam. The mechanical properties can be further improved by the intermediate layer 8. Although foam, even in an open-pore design, is less suitable for fluid distribution compared to a spacer fabric, this disadvantage plays only a minor role, especially if the additional intermediate layer is sufficiently thin.In principle, it is also possible to do without a separate intermediate layer 8, so that the first surface 1 of the spacer component is directly connected to the seat surface 7.

[0050] The seat surface 7 can be made of leather, imitation leather or fabric without restriction, in a known manner, whereby in the case of a design made of leather or imitation leather, a perforation for fluid transport is usually provided.

[0051] The blower 6 can be used in either blowing or suction mode to direct air over the seat surface 7, the intermediate layer 8 and the spacer component, i.e. either blowing air out of the seat surface 7 or sucking air in over the seat surface 7.

Claims

[1] A pressure-elastic spacer component comprising a first surface (1) formed by a plurality of first surface elements (2, 2'), a second surface (3) formed by a plurality of second surface elements (4), and spacer elements (5) arranged between the surfaces (1, 3) spaced apart in a thickness direction (D), which connect the first surface (1) and the second surface (3) in a pressure-elastic manner in the thickness direction (D), wherein the respective surface elements (2, 2', 4) of the first surface (1) and the second surface (3) are not directly connected to each other but exclusively via the spacer elements (5), and wherein the spacer elements (5) are not directly connected but exclusively via the surface elements (2, 4) of the first surface (1) and the second surface (3), wherein the first surface elements (2, 2'),the second surface elements (4) and the spacer elements (5) are formed from plastic in an additive manufacturing process and wherein the first surface elements (2, 2'), the second surface elements (4) and the spacer elements (5) are formed contiguously from a thermoplastic material. [2] Pressure-elastic spacer component according to claim 1, wherein the first surface (1) and the second surface (3) each form a surface of the spacer component. [3] Pressure-elastic spacer component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the spacer elements (5) run spirally along the thickness direction (D). [4] Pressure-elastic spacer component according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and second surface elements (2, 2', 4) each have an area of ​​less than 500 mm² 2 , especially less than 100 mm 2 cover. [5] Pressure-elastic spacer component according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the total thickness is between 1 mm and 50 mm. [6] Pressure-elastic spacer component according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first and second surface elements (2, 2', 4) each have a thickness between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, in particular between 0.6 mm and 1.2 mm. [7] A ventilated vehicle seat comprising a blower (6), an air-permeable seat surface (7) and an air distribution layer arranged under the seat surface (7) and connected to the blower (6), wherein the air distribution layer is formed by a pressure-elastic spacer component according to one of claims 1 to 6.

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