Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat enabling a lower end part of a headrest to be pushed until it abuts against a seat back and capable of improving robustness to variations in occupant body size.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat (1) comprises a second exhaust port (61A) disposed within a seat back (3) located below a headrest (4) and configured to discharge air for heat discharge whose temperature has been adjusted by waste heat from a thermoelectric module (52), and a duct portion (63) that guides the air for heat discharge from the thermoelectric module (52) to the second exhaust port (61A), the duct portion (63) having a structure in which two or more ducts are connected between the thermoelectric module (52) and the second exhaust port (61A) to constitute one duct, and two adjacent ducts are configured such that one of the ducts is inserted into the other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicle seats. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a duct structure for a vehicle seat that includes a seatback-side duct that extends upward within the seatback. Specifically, the seatback-side duct is connected to the lower end of a bellows-shaped duct that covers a headrest stay at the upper end of the seatback. The upper end of the bellows-shaped duct is connected to the lower end of the headrest body. Heat-exchanged air from an air conditioning system is supplied to the seatback-side duct, passes through the bellows-shaped duct from the upper end of the seatback-side duct, and is guided into the headrest body through an air vent provided at the bottom of the headrest body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-043925 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the duct structure of the vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1, even when the headrest is lowered to its bottom end, the thickness of the bellows portion of the bellows-shaped duct prevents the bottom of the headrest from contacting the top end of the seat back. As a result, the headrest can only be lowered to a higher position than before, reducing robustness to various body sizes and making it particularly difficult to accommodate shorter occupants.

[0005] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat that can be pushed in until the lower end of the headrest abuts the seat back, thereby improving physique robustness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, one embodiment of the vehicle seat of the present invention is a vehicle seat equipped with a headrest that can move up and down, and includes: a thermoelectric module that is arranged within the headrest and adjusts the temperature of incoming temperature-controlling air and adjusts the temperature of incoming waste heat air using waste heat; a blower that is arranged upstream of the thermoelectric module within the headrest and sends air containing the temperature-controlling air and the waste heat air to the thermoelectric module; a first exhaust port that is arranged on the occupant support surface of the headrest and discharges the temperature-controlling air that has been temperature-controlled by the thermoelectric module; a second exhaust port that is arranged within a seat back that is arranged below the headrest and discharges the waste heat air that has been temperature-controlled by the thermoelectric module; and a duct section that guides the waste heat air from the thermoelectric module to the second exhaust port, and the duct section has a structure in which two or more ducts are connected to form a single duct between the thermoelectric module and the second exhaust port, and two adjacent ducts are inserted into each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to push the headrest in until the lower end thereof abuts against the seat back, thereby improving physique robustness. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a rear view of an automobile seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the headrest of FIG. 2 is located at the uppermost position. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] 1 to 3 show an automobile seat 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, arrows indicate the respective directions of the automobile seat 1 when the automobile seat 1 is attached to the floor of the automobile. Therefore, the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions appropriately shown in each figure correspond to the directions as seen by an occupant (not shown) seated in the automobile seat 1. In the following description, descriptions of directions will be made based on these directions. Here, the automobile seat 1 corresponds to the "vehicle seat" in the claims.

[0010] In the following, an occupant sitting in the automobile seat 1 will be referred to as a "seat occupant." In addition, other seats, such as a seat next to the automobile seat 1 and a rear seat, are also attached to the floor to which the automobile seat 1 is attached. Occupants sitting in these other seats will be referred to as "other occupants."

[0011] [Outline of automobile seat structure] The schematic configuration of an automobile seat 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the automobile seat 1 includes a seat cushion 2, a seat back 3, and a headrest 4. The seat cushion 2 is where an occupant sits, and a cover member 14 is attached so as to cover the upper surface of the seat cushion 2. The lower end of the seat back 3 is attached to the rear end of the seat cushion 2 via a reclining adjuster 5. By operating the reclining adjuster 5, the seat back 3 rotates in the front-rear direction relative to the seat cushion 2, making it possible to change the angle between the seat surface of the seat cushion 2 and the seat surface of the seat back 3.

[0012] [Seatback 3 schematic configuration] 1 and 2, the seat back 3 includes a back frame 31 forming a skeleton, a back pad 32 made of urethane foam and serving as a cushioning material placed on the back frame 31, and a back cover 33 serving as a skin material that covers the back pad 32. The seat back 3 further includes a back board 36 that covers the rear side.

[0013] The back frame 31 includes a pair of left and right side frames 31A extending in the vertical direction, a plate-like upper frame 31B extending in the left-right direction and connecting the upper ends of the side frames 31A, and a plate-like lower frame 31C extending in the left-right direction and connecting the lower ends of the side frames 31A. The lower ends of the side frames 31A are connected to the rear ends of the respective side frames (not shown) of the seat cushion 2 via reclining adjusters 5.

[0014] A third exhaust port 36A, which is generally rectangular in front view and can exhaust air from the inside of the seat back 3 to the outside, is provided at the lower end of the backboard 36, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The third exhaust port 36A is partitioned in a narrow lattice shape in the up-down direction to prevent fingers and the like from getting inside.

[0015] [Outline of headrest 4] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the headrest 4 includes a headrest main body 41 that elastically supports the head of a seated occupant, and a pair of left and right headrest stays 42 that support the headrest main body 41. The headrest stays 42 are made of a pair of left and right frame members formed by bending a hollow round rod member into a generally inverted L shape in side view. The headrest stays 42 are configured such that a flat resin support member 43 is connected in a bridging manner between the upper front ends of the pair of left and right frame members. The lower ends of the pair of headrest stays 42 are inserted into headrest supports (not shown) provided on the upper part of the seat back 3, thereby attaching the headrest 4 to the seat back 3 so that it can move up and down.

[0016] 2, an upper end surface of a housing case 45, which is made of resin and has a generally box-like shape and houses a blower 51 and a thermoelectric module 52, is integrally attached to the support portion 43. The bottom surface of the housing case 45 forms part of the bottom surface of the headrest main body 41 and is provided so as to be able to abut against the upper end surface of the seat back 3. An air intake 45A, which is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long horizontally in a front view and allows air to flow into the housing case 45 from outside the housing case 45, is provided on the lower side of the rear side wall of the housing case 45. The air intake 45A is partitioned in a narrow lattice shape in the vertical direction to prevent fingers and the like from getting inside.

[0017] Additionally, a first outlet 45B is provided on the lower side of the front side wall of the accommodating case 45, inclined diagonally downward toward the front, through which temperature-controlled air, the temperature of which has been adjusted by the thermoelectric module 52, is discharged from inside the accommodating case 45 to the outside of the accommodating case 45. That is, the first outlet 45B is disposed on the occupant support surface 48 of the headrest 4 that supports the head of a seat occupant seated in the automobile seat 1. As a result, the temperature-controlled air, the temperature of which has been adjusted by the thermoelectric module 52, is supplied from the first outlet 45B to around the neck of the seat occupant. The first outlet 45B is formed in a horizontally elongated, approximately rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and is partitioned in a narrow lattice pattern in the vertical direction to prevent fingers and the like from getting stuck inside.

[0018] Headrest main body 41 includes urethane foam pad 46 that covers the entire housing case 45 except for air intake port 45A, first exhaust port 45B, and the bottom surface of housing case 45, and synthetic leather cover 47 that covers pad 46. Therefore, the surface of the portion of cover 47 that supports the head of the seat occupant forms occupant support surface 48.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the thermoelectric module 52 and the blower 51 are disposed in a holding duct 55, which is generally rectangular and has a cross section that is long in the left-right direction, facing diagonally downward toward the front, approximately in the center of the housing case 45. The blower 51 is configured as an axial fan. The blower 51 is disposed upstream, i.e., rearward, of the thermoelectric module 52. The blower 51 draws in air from outside the headrest 4 through the air intake 45A and supplies it to the thermoelectric module 52. The blower 51 may also be configured as a centrifugal fan.

[0020] In addition, a partition plate 56 that vertically divides the inside of the holding duct 55 is disposed between the thermoelectric element 52A and the blower 51. The partition plate 56 separates the air supplied from the blower 51 and flowing into the thermoelectric module 52 into air directed toward the temperature adjustment unit 52B (described later) and air directed toward the heat dissipation unit 52C (described later). Hereinafter, the air directed toward the temperature adjustment unit 52B will be referred to as "temperature adjustment air," and the air directed toward the heat dissipation unit 52C will be referred to as "waste heat air." The temperature adjustment air flows into the temperature adjustment unit 52B, and the waste heat air flows into the heat dissipation unit 52C.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2, the thermoelectric module 52 is configured in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the left-right direction, and absorbs or generates heat to adjust the temperature of the temperature control air and also adjust the temperature of the waste heat air. Specifically, the thermoelectric module 52 is configured from a flat thermoelectric element 52A, a temperature control section 52B, and a waste heat section 52C. The thermoelectric element 52A absorbs or generates heat when supplied with power. The thermoelectric element 52A is configured from, for example, a Peltier element, and absorbs or generates heat due to the Peltier effect.

[0022] The temperature adjustment unit 52B is composed of a plurality of rectangular metal fins attached along the front-to-rear direction above the thermoelectric element 52A. The temperature adjustment unit 52B adjusts the temperature of the temperature adjustment air supplied from the blower 51 and passing through. The waste heat unit 52C is composed of a plurality of rectangular metal fins attached along the front-to-rear direction below the thermoelectric element 52A. The waste heat unit 52C uses the waste heat from the thermoelectric element 52A to adjust the temperature of the waste heat air supplied from the blower 51 and passing through.

[0023] The front end of holding duct 55 is divided into an upper part and a lower part of thermoelectric element 52A, and the divided upper part is open toward the front side. As a result, temperature-adjusted air that has passed through temperature adjustment unit 52B is supplied from the front end of holding duct 55 toward first outlet 45B and supplied around the neck of the seat occupant.

[0024] [Configuration of first duct 58] Meanwhile, at the front end of the holding duct 55, the lower portion, which is divided into an upper side and a lower side, of the thermoelectric element 52A, extends downward and is fitted into a first duct 58 that extends from the bottom of the accommodation case 45 into the seat back 3. The first duct 58 has a cross section that is formed in a substantially horizontally elongated rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction, and is connected to the headrest 4 via the accommodation case 45. The vertical length of the first duct 58 is formed to be slightly longer than the height of the headrest stay 42 that can move in the up-down direction. As a result, the waste heat air that has been temperature-adjusted after passing through the waste heat section 52C is supplied into the first duct 58.

[0025] [Configuration of second duct 61] 2, at the upper end of the seat back 3, a first duct 58 extending downward from the bottom surface of the storage case 45 is inserted into a second duct 61. The first duct 58 is movable up and down relative to the second duct 61. The first duct 58 moves up and down relative to the second duct 61, so that the duct consisting of the first duct 58 and the second duct 61 can extend and retract.

[0026] The second duct 61 has a horizontally elongated rectangular cross section that is long in the left-right direction, and a lower end that extends rearward at a substantially right angle, forming a substantially L-shaped vertical cross section. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of rib-like contact members 65, each shaped like a right-angled triangle in a side view, protrude at substantially equal intervals from the side wall of the upper end of the second duct 61 on the vehicle rear side. The lower surfaces of the contact members 65 protrude perpendicularly from the side wall. The second duct 61 is attached to the front wall surface of the upper frame 31B with bolts or the like, with the lower surfaces of the plurality of contact members 65 abutting against the upper surface of the upper frame 31B.

[0027] The inner cross section of the second duct 61 is formed to have substantially the same shape as the outer cross section of the first duct 58. The first duct 58 is inserted into the inside of the second duct 61 so as to be slidable in the up-down direction. The length of the second duct 61 in the up-down direction is slightly longer than the length of the first duct 58 in the up-down direction.

[0028] 2, when the bottom surface of the storage case 45 constituting the headrest 4 abuts against the upper end of the seat back 3, the upper end of the second duct 61 connects three ducts to form one duct. The three ducts are the holding duct 55 inserted into the first duct 58 from above, the first duct 58, and the second duct 61. In addition, the vertical center of the second duct 61 connects two ducts, that is, the first duct 58 and the second duct 61, to form one duct.

[0029] 3, when the headrest 4 is positioned at the uppermost position, a lower portion of the first duct 58 connected to the headrest 4 via the housing case 45 and an upper portion of the second duct 61 connected to the upper end of the seat back 3 are arranged to overlap each other. Therefore, as the headrest 4 moves up and down, the overlapping portion between the adjacent first duct 58 and second duct 61 increases or decreases.

[0030] Furthermore, a second exhaust port 61A, which is generally rectangular and elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from the front, opens toward the rear, i.e., the rear side of the vehicle, at the tip of the duct that protrudes rearward from the lower end of the second duct 61. Therefore, the second exhaust port 61A opens into the space between the upper frame 31B of the back frame 31 and the backboard 36 inside the seat back 3. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the waste heat air supplied into the second duct 61 via the first duct 58 is supplied from the second exhaust port 61A into the space between the upper frame 31B of the back frame 31 and the backboard 36. Therefore, the first duct 58 and the second duct 61 form a duct section 63 that guides the waste heat air from the thermoelectric module 52 to the second exhaust port 61A.

[0031] The waste heat air supplied from the second exhaust port 61A into the space between the upper frame 31B of the back frame 31 and the backboard 36 flows downward through the space between the back frame 31 and the backboard 36. The waste heat air that has flowed downward through the space between the back frame 31 and the backboard 36 is discharged to the outside below the seat back 3 through a third exhaust port 36A provided at the lower end of the seat back 3.

[0032] As described above in detail, in the automobile seat 1 according to this embodiment, temperature-adjusted temperature-regulating air can be blown around the neck of an occupant seated in the automobile seat 1 through the first outlet 45B, thereby improving the comfort of the occupant seated in the automobile seat 1. In addition, the second outlet 61A that discharges waste heat air is disposed in the seat back 3 that is disposed below the headrest 4. This prevents the waste heat air from being blown around the head of another occupant seated in another seat, such as a seat next to the automobile seat 1 or a rear seat, thereby alleviating discomfort felt by the other occupant.

[0033] The duct portion 63 that guides the waste heat air from the thermoelectric module 52 to the second outlet 61A has a structure in which the first duct 58 and the second duct 61 are connected to form a single duct between the thermoelectric module 52 and the second outlet 61A, and the adjacent first duct 58 is inserted into the second duct 61. This makes it possible to push the headrest 4 until the bottom end thereof abuts against the seat back 3, thereby improving robustness to physiques, particularly to accommodate shorter occupants.

[0034] Furthermore, as the headrest 4 moves up and down, the overlapping area between the adjacent first duct 58 and second duct 61 increases and decreases, making it even more possible to push the lower end of the headrest 4 in until it abuts against the seat back 3.

[0035] Furthermore, regardless of the position of the headrest 4, the first duct 58 connected to the headrest 4 and the second duct 61 connected to the seat back 3 always overlap each other, thereby preventing the waste heat air from leaking to the outside.

[0036] Furthermore, since the first duct 58 connected to the headrest 4 is located inside the second duct 61 connected to the seat back 3, it is possible to reliably flow the waste heat air that flows from the thermoelectric module 52 into the first duct 58 connected to the headrest 4 into the second duct 61 connected to the seat back 3.

[0037] In addition, the second duct 61 connected to the seat back 3 can be used as a rigid member against the load on the headrest 4 toward the rear of the vehicle via multiple support members 65, allowing the diameter of the headrest stay 42 to be reduced and the mass to be reduced.

[0038] [Variations] A modification of the above embodiment will be described. In the following description, for the sake of convenience, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0039] [Variation 1] For example, the contact member 65 having a right-angled triangular shape in a side view may have a wide width in the left-right direction. The contact member 65 having a right-angled triangular shape in a side view may be provided so as to protrude rearward across the entire width of the second duct 61 in the left-right direction.

[0040] [Variation 2] For example, one or more partition plates may be provided inside the first duct 58 along the front-rear direction, thereby forming multiple flow paths in the left-right direction. Also, one or more partition plates may be provided inside the first duct 58 along the front-rear and left-right directions, thereby forming multiple flow paths in the left-right and front-rear directions. Also, the inside of the first duct 58 may have a honeycomb structure, thereby forming multiple flow paths. This makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the first duct 58, reduce the diameter of the headrest stay 42, and reduce the mass.

[0041] [Variation 3] In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to an automobile seat 1, but it can also be applied to seats for railway vehicles, airplanes, ships, and the like.

[0042] [Additional Notes] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1: automobile seat, 3: seat back, 4: headrest, 31: back frame, 31A: upper frame, 36A: third exhaust port, 45B: first exhaust port, 48: occupant support surface, 51: blower, 52: thermoelectric module, 58: first duct, 61: second duct, 61A: second exhaust port, 63: duct portion, 65: pad member

Claims

1. A vehicle seat equipped with a headrest that can move up and down, a thermoelectric module disposed in the headrest, for adjusting the temperature of the inflowing temperature adjustment air and adjusting the temperature of the inflowing waste heat air by waste heat; a blower disposed in the headrest on an upstream side as viewed from the thermoelectric module, the blower sending air containing the temperature adjustment air and the waste heat air to the thermoelectric module; a first outlet that is disposed on an occupant support surface of the headrest and that discharges the temperature-adjusting air whose temperature has been adjusted by the thermoelectric module; a second exhaust port that is disposed in a seat back that is disposed below the headrest and that exhausts the waste heat air whose temperature has been adjusted by the thermoelectric module; a duct portion that guides the waste heat air from the thermoelectric module to the second outlet; Equipped with The duct portion has a structure in which two or more ducts are connected to form one duct between the thermoelectric module and the second outlet, and two adjacent ducts are inserted into each other.

2. The overlapping portion between the two adjacent ducts increases or decreases with the up and down movement of the headrest. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 .

3. When the headrest is positioned at the uppermost position, a lower portion of the duct connected to the headrest and an upper portion of the duct connected to the seat back are arranged to overlap each other. The vehicle seat according to claim 2.

4. The duct connected to the headrest is located inside the duct connected to the seat back. The vehicle seat according to claim 2.

5. A plurality of rib-shaped contact members are provided on the vehicle rear side of the upper end of the duct connected to the seat back, and the contact members contact the back frame. The vehicle seat according to claim 4.

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