Air conditioning seat

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning seat in which a damage or the like of a flexible bag body is suppressed.SOLUTION: In an air conditioning device 12 of a vehicle seat 10, a blower fan 62 is attached to a bracket 64 attached to a seat frame 34 via a spring assembly 44. The air conditioning device 12 includes a mat 60 obtained by covering a base bag 72 formed of a non-woven fabric or a fabric with a film 74. In the mat 60, a mat body part 76 is arranged in a lower side of a cushion pad, a connection part 80 is connected to a suction port 68 of the blower fan 62, and a flow path part 78 connecting the mat body part 76 and the connection part 80 passes through an insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64. As a result, when the blower fan 62 is actuated, movement of the flow path part 78 is restricted by a peripheral edge portion of the insertion hole 88 and a restriction wall 90 erected in the bracket 64 and a damage in the flow path part 78 or the like is suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air-conditioning seat that is applied to a vehicle seat or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle seat as a vehicle seat equipped with a first air blower and a second air blower. The vehicle seat has a first blower of each of two first air blowers and a second blower of the second air blower disposed below a seat cushion pad that constitutes a seat cushion.

[0003] The seat cushion pad has seat cushion-side accommodation recesses formed on the upper surfaces of the left and right protrusions to receive air passage members of the first air blower, and the first blower blows air toward the seated occupant through the outlet of the air passage member. The seat cushion pad also has an air passage-forming groove formed between the base and the ventilation cover, and the second blower blows air toward the seated occupant through the air passage-forming grooves and through vent holes formed in the ventilation cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-107235 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, when providing an air conditioning device such as a blower in a vehicle seat or the like, it is desired that the seating comfort is not impaired and that costs be reduced.

[0006] Generally, in vehicle seats, urethane or the like is used for pads such as the cushion pad of the seat cushion and the back pad of the seat back. Therefore, it is conceivable to form a groove or the like on the back surface of the pad and place a duct made of rubber or the like with air vents in the groove. However, in this case, in order to effectively air-condition the area around the vehicle seat, it is necessary to form multiple grooves in the pad to accommodate the ducts, and in addition, it is necessary to place a fan for each duct housed in each of the multiple grooves.

[0007] On the other hand, it is conceivable to use a bag-shaped mat made of a flexible material instead of the duct and place the mat on the back of the pad. This allows for cost reduction without impairing seating comfort when installing an air conditioning unit on the pad, by simply making simple modifications to the cushion pad. While rubber and other flexible materials can be used for the mat, using nonwoven fabric, cloth, or knitted fabric for the mat and connecting the mat directly to the blower fan can further reduce costs.

[0008] However, a mat (bag) made of a flexible material is deflated (internal pressure is low) when the blower fan is not operating, but when the blower fan is operating and air flows inside, the mat may move or its external shape may change (deform). As a result, a mat with improved flexibility may bend or come into contact with surrounding parts, resulting in scratches or other damage. To prevent such damage to the mat, it is necessary to install the mat farther away from surrounding parts than necessary, and there is room for improvement in measures to prevent damage to the mat.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an air-conditioning seat in which damage to a flexible bag is suppressed when the bag is used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The air-conditioned seat of a first aspect for achieving the above-mentioned object includes a seat body including a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and lower back of a seated occupant with pads each attached to a frame, and a seat back that supports the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion; an air blowing unit that is arranged on the opposite side of the pad from the occupant and that, when activated, draws in air through a first opening and blows it out through a second opening; a bag body that is formed into a hollow bag shape from cloth or nonwoven fabric and has an outer periphery covered with a film, and is arranged on the opposite side of the pad from the occupant and has an opening formed in the film facing the pad; a bag body in which a connection portion connected to the first opening or the second opening of the air blowing unit is connected by a flow path portion; and a support member that is plate-shaped and arranged below the main body portion of the bag body and attached to the frame, and has the air blowing unit attached to the surface opposite the main body portion and has a limiting portion integrally formed to limit the movement of the connection portion outward from the main body portion.

[0011] The air-conditioned seat of the first aspect includes a seat body on which an occupant sits, a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and lower back of the seated occupant with pads attached to a frame, and a seat back that supports the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion. The air blower is located on the opposite side of the pad from the occupant, and when activated, draws in air through a first opening and blows it out through a second opening.

[0012] The bag body is formed into a hollow bag shape from cloth or nonwoven fabric and its outer periphery is covered with film, giving the bag body high flexibility while suppressing cost increases. The bag body is also composed of a main body portion, a connecting portion, and a flow path portion. The connecting portion of the bag body is connected to the first or second opening of the blower portion, the main body portion is positioned below the cushion pad, and an opening is formed in the film facing the cushion pad. The flow path portion of the bag body connects and communicates the main body portion and the connecting portion. As a result, when the blower portion is activated, air can be blown out from the opening of the main body portion toward the pad or air that has passed through the pad can be sucked in, making it possible to regulate the temperature around the pad.

[0013] The support member is plate-shaped and is disposed below the main body of the bag and attached to the seat frame, with the blower attached to its underside. Therefore, the bag has a curved flow path that connects the blower and the main body. When the blower starts operating from a stopped state, the bag deforms so that the flow path separates from the main body and the blower.

[0014] Here, the support member is integrally formed with a limiting portion, which limits movement of the flow path portion outward from the main body portion, thereby preventing the flow path portion from coming into contact with other components provided on the sheet main body and preventing damage to the bag body.

[0015] The air-conditioned seat of a second aspect is the air-conditioned seat of the first aspect, wherein the pad is a cushion pad provided on the seat cushion.

[0016] In the air-conditioned seat of the second aspect, a bag body is disposed below the cushion pad of the seat cushion, thereby making it possible to regulate the temperature around the buttocks and lower back of an occupant seated on the seat body.

[0017] The air-conditioning seat of a third aspect is the air-conditioning seat of the first or second aspect, wherein the restricting portion is a through-hole formed in the support member at a position outside the main body portion and having a predetermined size.

[0018] In the air-conditioning sheet of the third embodiment, a through-hole is formed in the support member as a restricting portion, and the flow path portion of the bag body is passed through this through-hole, thereby effectively restricting the movement of the flow path portion as the blower unit operates / stops operating, and effectively suppressing damage to the bag body.

[0019] The air-conditioned sheet of the fourth aspect is the same as that of the third aspect, in which the connection portion of the bag body is connected to the first opening of the air blowing section, and the limiting portion of the support member is a limiting wall that protrudes toward the pad on the side opposite the main body portion at the peripheral portion of the through portion.

[0020] In the air-conditioned seat of the fourth aspect, when the blower is operated, air is sucked in through the opening in the main body. The support member is provided with a limiting wall that protrudes toward the pad (e.g., the upper side) at the periphery of the through-hole. Therefore, when the air flowing in from the main body causes the flow path of the bag to deform so as to stretch in the opposite direction to the main body on the upper side (main body side) of the support member, the limiting wall limits the deformation of the flow path, thereby more effectively preventing damage to the bag.

[0021] An air-conditioning seat of a fifth aspect is the air-conditioning seat of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the support member is made of synthetic resin.

[0022] In the air-conditioning seat of the fifth aspect, the support member is made of synthetic resin, and the restricting portion formed integrally with the support member is also made of synthetic resin, which prevents the flow path portion of the bag from being damaged even if it comes into contact with the restricting portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, the bag body is formed into a bag shape from cloth or nonwoven fabric, and the outer periphery is covered with a film, and the bag body has higher flexibility than rubber, etc. The restricting portion restricts movement of the flow path portion of the bag body when the blower is operated, thereby preventing the flow path portion from coming into contact with other components. As a result, the present invention has the effect of preventing damage, etc., from occurring to the bag body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a main part of the vehicle seat. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a bracket as a main part of the air conditioning device. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are front views of the air conditioner as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, with 1A showing the blower fan in operation and 1B showing the blower fan in operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The air-conditioned seat according to this embodiment is composed of a vehicle seat (seat) 10 as a seat body, and an air conditioning device 12 for the seat, and the vehicle seat 10 functions as an air-conditioned seat when the air conditioning device 12 is installed. The air conditioning device 12 forms a ventilation system in the vehicle seat 10.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the main parts of the vehicle seat 10 as seen from above. Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an air conditioner 12 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the main parts of the air conditioner 12.

[0027] In the drawings, the front side of the vehicle seat 10 is indicated by an arrow FR, the right side by an arrow HR, and the top side by an arrow UP. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms front, back, top, bottom, left, and right refer to the front, back, top, bottom, left, and right of the vehicle seat 10. Furthermore, in the following, in order to make the drawings easier to understand, some symbols and their descriptions are omitted.

[0028] The vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment is installed in various vehicles such as a vehicle and is used for seating an occupant. The vehicle seat 10 is a driver's seat in which a driver (occupant) sits, with the front side facing the front of the vehicle and the right side facing the right side in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle seat 10 is not limited to a driver's seat, but may also be used as a passenger seat in the front seats of a vehicle. The air-conditioned seat of the present invention is not limited to a front seat and can also be applied to other seats such as a rear seat of a vehicle.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 10 includes a seat cushion 14 for supporting the buttocks, thighs, etc. of a seated occupant (not shown), a seat back 16 for supporting the occupant's back, and a headrest 18.

[0030] The seat back 16 has a back pad 20 supported by a back frame (frame) (not shown), which is a skeleton member, and covered by a back skin 22. The back skin 22 is formed into a bag shape by sewing together a plurality of pieces of fabric made of, for example, cloth, leather, synthetic leather, PVC, etc., and the back pad 20 is housed inside the bag-like back skin 22. The headrest 18 is attached to the upper end of the seat back 16 and supports the head of an occupant seated on the seat cushion 14.

[0031] The seat cushion 14 includes a cushion pad 24 as a pad, and the cushion pad 24 is covered with a seat cover 26. Similar to the back cover 22, the seat cover 26 is made of a plurality of pieces of fabric made of, for example, cloth, leather, synthetic leather, PVC, etc., and the plurality of pieces of fabric are sewn together to form a bag shape so as to ensure breathability.

[0032] The cushion pad 24 is formed with a pad main body 30 and left and right side portions (side support portions) 32 of the pad main body 30. The left and right side portions 32 bulge out above the pad main body 30 on both the left and right sides of the pad main body 30, and the side portions 32 are shaped to ensure side support for the buttocks and thighs of an occupant seated on the pad main body 30.

[0033] The cushion pad 24 (the pad main body portion 30 and the side portions 32) may be made of a material known in the art for vehicle seats. The cushion pad 24 is made of a foam such as polyurethane foam (soft polyurethane foam) and is configured to provide the required seating comfort. The cushion pad 24 has its upper and outer periphery housed inside the bag-shaped interior of the seat cover 26 and is covered by the seat cover 26. The cushion pad 24 may be configured to be breathable.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 2, the seat cushion 14 is provided with a seat frame 34, which serves as a frame that is a skeleton member. The seat frame 34 is made of a material with excellent rigidity, such as metal or hard resin. The seat cushion 14 has a cushion pad 24 disposed above the seat frame 34 (not shown in Fig. 2), and the cushion pad 24 is attached to the seat frame 34.

[0035] The seat frame 34 includes a pair of left and right side frames 36, a front panel 38, and a rear pipe 40. The seat frame 34 has front portions of the left and right side frames 36 connected in the left-right direction by the front panel 38, and rear ends of the left and right side frames 36 connected left and right by the rear pipe 40.

[0036] The seat frame 34 has the rear ends of the side frames 36 connected to the rear ends of the back frames of the seat back 16 via a reclining mechanism (not shown) above the rear pipe 40. Left and right slide rails 42 and a lifter mechanism (not shown) are disposed below the seat frame 34. The left and right slide rails 42 are fixed to the floor of the vehicle compartment with their longitudinal directions aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0037] The left and right side frames 36 of the seat frame 34 are movably engaged with the left and right slide rails 42. This allows the seat frame 34 of the vehicle seat 10 to move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby realizing a seat sliding function in which the seat cushion 14 and the seat back 16 move together. In addition, the lifter mechanism connects the left and right side frames 36 and the left and right slide rails via multiple link members, allowing the vertical position of the seat cushion 14 to be adjusted. Furthermore, the reclining mechanism allows the seat back 16 to tilt forward and backward relative to the seat cushion 14.

[0038] A spring assembly 44 is provided on the seat frame 34. The spring assembly 44 includes a plurality of (four in this embodiment) S springs 46 that constitute a cushion spring, a connecting portion (not shown) to which the front sides of the plurality of S springs 46 are connected, a connecting portion 48 to which the rear sides of the plurality of S springs 46 are connected, and a plurality of connecting members 50 that each connect adjacent S springs 46.

[0039] The S springs 46 are formed, for example, by bending a wire made of a metal spring material into a square wave shape. In the spring assembly 44, a plurality of S springs 46 are arranged in the left-right direction and extend in the front-rear direction. A connecting member 50 connects each of the left and right S springs 46 to restrict relative movement between the two S springs 46. In this way, the spring assembly 44 integrates the plurality of S springs 46.

[0040] The front end of the S spring 46 is bent downward, and the bent front end is engaged with a connecting portion (not shown) attached to the front panel 38 below the front panel 38. The rear end of the S spring 46 is also engaged with the connecting portion 48.

[0041] The connecting portion 48 is curved in a generally inverted U-shape with the lower side open when viewed in the left-right direction, and the connecting portion 48 is hooked from above onto the rear pipe 40 of the seat frame 34 and engaged therewith. The rear end of the S spring 46 is curved in a generally inverted U-shape to match the curved shape of the connecting portion 48, and is connected in a state where it is hooked from above onto the curved portion of the connecting portion 48. For example, the front connecting portion and the rear connecting portion 48 of the spring assembly 44 can be made of synthetic resin. As a result, the front end of each of the S springs 46 is integrated with the connecting portion by insert molding, and the rear end is integrated with the connecting portion 48 by insert molding.

[0042] The spring assembly 44 has its front connecting portion engaged with the front panel 38 and its rear connecting portion 48 engaged with the rear pipe 40, so that each of the multiple S springs 46 is suspended between the front panel 38 and the rear pipe 40.

[0043] 2 and 3, the air conditioner 12 includes a mat 60 as a bag that forms an air flow path, a blower fan 62 as a blower section, and a bracket 64 as a support member. The blower fan 62 has a casing 66 that has a generally circular outer shape when viewed from above, and is provided with an intake port (intake section) 68 as a first opening and an outlet port (outlet section) 70 as a second opening. The intake port 68 is formed as a circular opening (not shown) on the underside of the casing 66. The outlet port 70 is formed as a generally rectangular opening at a tip that protrudes tangentially from the outer periphery of the casing 66.

[0044] The blower fan 62 has a fan motor and a fan (both not shown) disposed within a casing 66. In the air conditioner 12, a switch (not shown) disposed on the vehicle's instrument panel, center console, or on the inner side surface of the vehicle seat 10 in the vehicle width direction is operated to supply power (DC power) of a predetermined voltage from the vehicle, thereby activating the fan motor. When the fan motor is activated, the blower fan 62 rotates and draws air through an intake port 68 and blows the drawn air out through an outlet port 70.

[0045] The mat 60 is formed with a hollow, bag-like base bag 72 made of a breathable and flexible material such as cloth or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic resin such as polyester, and the base bag 72 is a so-called 3D net. In addition, the mat 60 has a synthetic resin film (synthetic resin sheet) 74 adhered to the outer periphery of the base bag 72 (for example, adhered using double-sided tape, etc.), and the base bag 72 is covered with the film 74.

[0046] As a result, the mat 60 is basically non-breathable, forming an air flow path, by covering the breathable base bag 72 with the non-breathable film 74. Furthermore, by using the base bag 72 and the film 74, the mat 60 is made more flexible (has high flexibility) than when, for example, synthetic rubber or the like is used. Note that the base bag 72 may be made of any flexible material, and may be made of woven fabric, knitted fabric, or the like.

[0047] The mat 60 is composed of a mat main body portion 76 as the main body portion, a flow path portion 78, and a connection portion 80, and the mat 60 is integrated by connecting the mat main body portion 76 and the connection portion 80 via the flow path portion 78.

[0048] The mat main body 76 has a generally rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle when viewed from above. The mat main body 76 is disposed below the cushion pad 24 of the seat cushion 14 and straddles from the front panel 38 of the seat frame 34 to each of the S-springs 46 of the spring assembly 44. The mat main body 76 expands slightly when air enters the hollow interior and is pressurized, allowing air to circulate, and contracts slightly when the air inside is released (decompressed).

[0049] The mat main body 76 has a plurality of ventilation sections 82 on its upper surface (the surface on the cushion pad 24 side). In the ventilation sections 82, circular openings are formed in the film 74, exposing the base bag 72. This allows air to circulate between the outside (the cushion pad 24 side) and the inside (the interior of the base bag 72) of the mat main body 76 via the ventilation sections 82.

[0050] The flow path section 78 has a generally band-like outer shape. One longitudinal end of the flow path section 78 is connected to the left side of the rear portion of the mat main body section 76. The other longitudinal end of the flow path section 78 is connected to the connection section 80, and the flow path section 78 connects the mat main body section 76 and the connection section 80 so that air can pass through. In other words, in the mat 60, the mat main body section 76 and the connection section 80 are connected by the flow path section 78.

[0051] Furthermore, the connection part 80 has a shape in which an end part in the longitudinal direction of the flow path part 78 (an end part on the other end side in the longitudinal direction) is substantially semicircular when viewed in the vertical direction. A circular connection port (connection opening) 84 corresponding to the intake port 68 of the blower fan 62 is arranged on the upper surface of the connection part 80, and the connection port 84 is formed to penetrate vertically through the upper surface of the connection part 80. As a result, the interior of the connection part 80 is open upward through the connection port 84.

[0052] 4, the bracket 64 is made of synthetic resin. The bracket 64 has a generally rectangular flat plate shape, and is disposed between the left and right side frames 36 of the seat frame 34 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the left-right direction. A casing 66 of the blower fan 62 is attached to the lower surface of the bracket 64 in the center in the left-right direction, and the casing 66 is attached to the bracket 64 with its intake port 68 facing downward.

[0053] A plurality of locking portions 86 are formed on the upper surface of the bracket 64 (four locking portions 86 are shown in FIG. 4 as an example, corresponding to the number of S springs 46). The locking portions 86 are formed in a hook shape (approximately an inverted J shape) when viewed in the front-to-rear direction, and protrude upward from the upper surface of the bracket 64. The locking portions 86 are formed corresponding to each of the four S springs 46.

[0054] The bracket 64 is disposed below the spring assembly 44, and the multiple locking portions 86 are each locked to the S springs 46. As a result, the bracket 64 is attached to the spring assembly 44 and supported by the seat frame 34. In this case, with the locking portions 86 locked to the S springs 46, the bracket 64 functions as a connecting member that connects the S springs 46 (functions similarly to the connecting member 50).

[0055] Furthermore, the bracket 64 has a limiting portion and an insertion hole 88 formed at its left end as a through-hole. The insertion hole 88 has a generally elliptical shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle seat 10 when viewed in the up-down direction, and is formed to penetrate the bracket 64 in the up-down direction. The insertion hole 88 is sized to allow insertion even when the flow path portion 78 of the mat 60 is in an expanded state.

[0056] In addition, a limiting wall 90 is formed on the bracket 64 as a limiting portion, and the limiting wall 90 is formed by protruding (standing upright) upward (towards the cushion pad 24 side) on the left peripheral edge of the insertion hole 88 in the bracket 64.

[0057] In the mat 60, the mat main body 76 is disposed above the spring assembly 44, and a flow path 78 connected to the mat main body 76 passes through an insertion hole 88 in the bracket 64. This allows the limiting wall 90 of the bracket 64 to face the flow path 78 in the mat 60.

[0058] Furthermore, in the mat 60, the flow path portion 78 is curved by being inserted through the insertion hole 88, and the upper surface of the connection portion 80 at the end of this flow path portion 78 faces the lower surface of the casing 66 of the blower fan 62. In the air conditioner 12, the connection port 84 of the connection portion 80 of the mat 60 faces the suction port 68 of the casing 66, and the connection port 84 is airtightly connected to the suction port 68, and the air conditioner 12 is of a suction type.

[0059] The vehicle seat 10 configured as above is a general configuration including a seat cushion 14 and a seat back 16, and having a reclining function, a sliding function, a lifting function, etc. In the seat cushion 14, the cushion pad 24 is elastically supported from below by a spring assembly 44. This allows the vehicle seat 10 to provide a comfortable seating experience (seating feeling).

[0060] An air conditioner 12 is installed in this vehicle seat 10. The air conditioner 12 is disposed below a spring assembly 44, with a bracket 64 supported by the spring assembly 44, and a blower fan 62 attached to the bracket 64. Furthermore, a mat 60 of the air conditioner 12 has a mat main body 76 disposed between the cushion pad 24 of the seat cushion 14 and the spring assembly 44, and this mat main body 76 is connected to the blower fan 62 via a flow path 78 and a connection portion 80. Furthermore, a plurality of ventilation portions 82 are formed on the upper surface of the mat main body 76.

[0061] When the fan motor of the blower fan 62 is activated, the air conditioner 12 draws in air around the seat cushion 14 through the ventilation portion 82 of the mat main body 76. This allows the air conditioner 12 to provide a feeling of air conditioning to the occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10 (particularly the occupant's lower body, such as the thighs and waist).

[0062] The mat 60 of the air conditioner 12 has a base bag 72 made of nonwoven fabric or cloth etc. covered with a film 74, and the mat 60 is more flexible (has high flexibility) than mats made of rubber such as synthetic rubber, and can be produced at low cost.

[0063] In such a mat 60, air enters the interior (slightly expands), forming an air flow path, and when the air escapes, the air flow stops and the mat 60 becomes depressurized (deflates), and the mat 60 is easily deformed depending on the operating state of the blower fan 62. Furthermore, the mat 60 is easily damaged, such as scratched, when it comes into contact with surrounding components, particularly the edges (corners) of the components, and air is likely to leak from the damaged areas. For example, in the mat 60, air leakage occurs when the film 74 covering the base bag 72 is damaged.

[0064] 5(A) and 5(B) show the change (change in thickness dimension) of the mat 60 depending on the operating state of the blower fan 62 as seen from the rear of the vehicle. Note that Fig. 5(A) shows the operating state of the blower fan 62, and Fig. 5(B) shows the stopped state of the blower fan 62.

[0065] 5(B), in the air conditioner 12, the blower fan 62 is stopped, thereby stopping the air flow in the mat main body 76 of the mat 60 and causing the flow path 78 to deflate. Therefore, in the air conditioner 12, it is possible to prevent the mat main body 76 from being felt by the occupant sitting on the seat cushion 14, and to prevent changes in the seating comfort of the occupant.

[0066] 5(A), in the air conditioner 12, the air above the seat cushion 14 and the surrounding air are sucked into the mat main body 76 of the mat 60 by operating the blower fan 62, and the air sucked into the mat main body 76 flows into the flow path 78. For this reason, the air enters the mat main body 76 of the mat 60 by operating the blower fan 62, causing it to expand to some extent (albeit slightly) between the cushion pad 24 and the spring assembly 44.

[0067] At this time, in the air conditioner 12, the flexibility of the mat 60 can prevent the occupant sitting on the seat cushion 14 from feeling the mat main body 76, and can also prevent changes in the seating comfort of the occupant. As a result, the air conditioner 12 does not change the seating comfort or comfort of the vehicle seat 10.

[0068] On the other hand, in the mat 60, the flow path portion 78 is inserted into the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64, and the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64 restricts movement of the flow path portion 78 of the mat 60. Therefore, in the air conditioner 12, even if deformation occurs in the flow path portion 78 depending on the operating state of the blower fan 62, movement of the flow path portion 78 due to the deformation is restricted by the bracket 64. As a result, in the air conditioner 12, by having the flow path portion 78 pass through the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64, the flow path portion 78 is prevented from coming into contact with other components, thereby suppressing damage.

[0069] Furthermore, since the bracket 64 is made of synthetic resin, it is easy to round the peripheral edge (edge) of the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64. As a result, even if the flow path portion 78 passing through the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64 comes into contact with the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 88, the flow path portion 78 will not be damaged.

[0070] Furthermore, in the mat 60, when the blower fan 62 is operated, air is sucked in through the ventilation section 82 of the mat main body 76, and the sucked air flows from the mat main body 76 into the flow path section 78. As a result, in the mat 60, the flow path section 78 expands within the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64. At this time, the flow path section 78, which is curved within the insertion hole 88, expands from the mat main body 76 side, and, for example, the flow path section 78 moves so that the mat main body 76 side extends to the outside of the curve (the left side, which is opposite to the mat main body 76).

[0071] Here, a limiting wall 90 is formed on the bracket 64 on the left peripheral edge of the insertion hole 88. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5(A), the flow path portion 78 contacts the limiting wall 90 by extending outward from the curve. This restricts the flow path portion 78 from moving (extending) outward from the insertion hole 88, thereby preventing the flow path portion 78 from contacting other components.

[0072] Furthermore, the flow path portion 78 is curved when it is passed through the insertion hole 88. For this reason, when air starts to flow from the mat main body portion 76 side to the connection portion 80 side, the flow path portion 78 may bend (bend), and the bending may increase ventilation resistance and reduce air conditioning efficiency.

[0073] In the bracket 64, when the flow path portion 78 bends, the flow path portion 78 abuts (contacts) the peripheral edge (edge) of the insertion hole 88, thereby preventing the flow path portion 78 from bending. As a result, the insertion hole 88 of the bracket 64 can prevent a decrease in air conditioning efficiency caused by the flow path portion 78 bending.

[0074] Therefore, in order to prevent damage to the mat 60, the air conditioner 12 is placed on the vehicle seat 10, and it is not necessary to ensure a space for arranging the mat 60 or to change the layout of components to ensure the space.

[0075] The air conditioner 12 of the present embodiment described above is of a suction type in which the connection part 80 of the mat 60 is connected to the suction port 68 of the blower fan 62. However, the air conditioner 12 may be of a blowing type in which the bag body is connected to the second opening of the blower section.

[0076] In this case, it is preferable that the limiting wall formed on the support member protrudes downward (toward the side opposite to the mat) from the support member, so that even when air is blown out from the main body of the mat, the limiting wall can effectively limit deformation of the flow path portion of the mat, and effectively prevent damage to the bag body (flow path portion).

[0077] In this embodiment, the mat 60 is disposed on the seat cushion 14 of the vehicle seat 10. However, the bag body may be disposed on the seat back. In this case, the bag body may be disposed on the opposite side of the back pad of the seat back from the occupant. This allows air conditioning to be performed so that the area around the upper body of the occupant supported by the seat back feels comfortable.

[0078] In addition, in the present embodiment, the vehicle seat 10 has been described as an example. However, the air-conditioned seat can be applied to any seat in which an occupant sits in various types of vehicles in which an occupant rides. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 10. Vehicle seats (air-conditioned seats, seat bodies) 12 Air conditioning system (air-conditioned seats) 14 seat cushion 24 Cushion pad (pad) 34 Seat frame (frame) 44 Spring assembly 60 Mat (Bag) 62 Blower fan (air blower) 64 Bracket (support member) 68 Intake port (first opening) 70 Air outlet (second opening) 72 Base bag 74 Film 76 Mat body (body, bag) 78 Flow path section (bag body) 80 Connection part (bag body) 88 Insertion hole (restriction part, penetration part) 90 Restriction wall (restriction section)

Claims

1. a seat body including a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and lower back of a seated occupant by pads attached to a frame, and a seat back that supports the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion; a blower disposed on the opposite side of the pad from the occupant, the blower being operable to draw in air from a first opening and blow it out from a second opening; a bag body formed of cloth or nonwoven fabric in a hollow bag shape and having an outer periphery covered with a film, the bag body having a main body portion disposed on the side of the pad opposite the occupant and having an opening formed in the film facing the pad, and a connection portion connected to the first opening or the second opening of the blower portion, the main body being connected to the main body by a flow path portion; a support member having a plate shape, disposed below the main body portion of the bag body and attached to the frame, the air blowing unit being attached to a surface opposite to the main body portion, and having a limiting portion integrally formed therewith that limits movement of the connection portion outward from the main body portion; Including climate controlled seats.

2. The air-conditioned seat according to claim 1 , wherein the pad is a cushion pad provided on the seat cushion.

3. The air-conditioning seat according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction portion is a through-hole formed in the support member at a position outside the main body portion and having a predetermined size.

4. the connection portion of the bag body is connected to the first opening of the blower section, The air-conditioned seat according to claim 3 , wherein the limiting portion of the support member is a limiting wall that protrudes toward the pad on a peripheral edge of the through-hole opposite to the main body portion.

5. The air-conditioned seat according to claim 1 , wherein the support member is made of a synthetic resin.

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