Air-conditioner for vehicle

Abstract

To provide an air-conditioner for a vehicle that is able to improve comfort of an occupant and is able to restrict wasteful energy consumption.SOLUTION: An air-conditioner 1 for a vehicle includes an HVAC unit 10 having a first vent hole 11 and a second vent hole 12. The HVAC unit 10 forms a cooling air-flow in a vehicle cabin 2 during cooling and forms a heating air-flow in the vehicle cabin 2 during heating. The cooling air-flow includes a flow of air that is blown out from the first vent hole 11 toward a seat upper-part 51, descends, and flows toward a second vent hole 12 via a seat lower-part 53. The heating air-flow includes a flow of air that is blown out from the second vent hole 12 toward the seat lower-part 53, ascends, and flows toward the first vent hole 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a configuration including an air blower provided on the ceiling has been known as an air conditioning system for a vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also known is a device that, during heating, provides an outlet section so that heated air is blown out laterally from an air conditioning unit installed on the ceiling, and provides an intake section on the front side of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-066242 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-172138 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the conventional technology has had problems in that it is not sufficient in terms of improving passenger comfort or reducing energy consumption.

[0006] Specifically, when heating, the hot air blown out is hottest upstream, i.e., near the occupant's head, and the temperature drops as it moves downstream due to heat exchange. Also, if the air that flows downward is warm, it will rise again and tend to accumulate at the top. For this reason, in configurations where air is blown from the ceiling, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the temperature condition is the opposite of the ideal feeling of a cool head and warm feet for occupants, especially when heating.

[0007] Furthermore, when the vehicle is cooled, heat tends to build up between the occupant and the seat, which can cause a loss of comfort for the occupant.

[0008] Furthermore, conventional technology has the problem of wasting energy in configurations where conditioned air is blown to areas where no passengers are present, such as the passenger seat and rear seats.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle air conditioner that can improve passenger comfort and reduce unnecessary energy consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning system having an HVAC unit with a first air outlet and a second air outlet, which conditions the air inside a vehicle cabin equipped with seats, wherein the HVAC unit forms a cooling air flow inside the vehicle cabin during cooling and a heating air flow inside the vehicle cabin during heating, wherein the cooling air flow includes an air flow that is blown from the first air outlet toward the upper part of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "upper part of the seat"), descends, passes through the lower part of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "lower part of the seat") and heads toward the second air outlet, and the heating air flow includes an air flow that is blown from the second air outlet toward the lower part of the seat, ascends, and heads toward the first air outlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner for a vehicle that can improve the comfort of passengers and reduce unnecessary energy consumption. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of a vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic plan view showing a part of the configuration of a vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A is a side view showing the configuration of a seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an air flow during cooling in the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an air flow during heating in the vehicle air conditioning system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view showing a ventilation state of a seat during heating by a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing another example of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 5 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the air flow during cooling in the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the air flow during heating in the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a seat, showing another example of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the flow of air during heating in a vehicle air conditioning system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the flow of air during cooling in another example of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 16 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and in the figures, parts with the same reference numerals indicate parts with the same functions, and duplicated explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] <Overall structure> The overall configuration of a vehicle air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The vehicle air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment is a system that conditions the air inside a vehicle compartment 2 equipped with seats 5. Fig. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of the vehicle air conditioner 1, and is a schematic side view of the vehicle VH as viewed from the width direction. Here, directions in the description of this embodiment are defined as follows: with the vehicle VH in a traveling state as the reference, the upper vertical direction (the ceiling 20 side of the vehicle compartment 2) is referred to as "up," the lower vertical direction (the floor surface 22 side of the vehicle compartment 2) is referred to as "down," the forward direction of travel (leftward in the figure) is referred to as "front," and the rearward direction of travel (rightward in the figure) is referred to as "rear."

[0015] The vehicle air conditioner 1 includes, for example, an HVAC unit (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Unit) 10 that takes in air from inside the vehicle compartment 2 (inside air) or outside the vehicle (outside air), adjusts the temperature, and blows it out into the vehicle compartment 2, and air passages provided in the vehicle VH. The air passages are, for example, vehicle body-side air passages 13, 14 provided inside the vehicle VH, and an air passage installed inside the seat 5 (inside seat air passage 50).

[0016] An air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is provided outside the vehicle compartment 2. The air conditioning temperature regulator 4 has an air conditioning section (heat pump cycle) that exchanges heat with the HVAC unit 10, and a temperature regulator that regulates the temperature of an electric motor for driving the vehicle, etc.

[0017] The HVAC unit 10 is installed on the front side of the passenger compartment 2 of the vehicle VH (forward of the instrument panel 3), and has a first ventilation opening 11 and a second ventilation opening 12.

[0018] The first ventilation opening 11 is a ventilation opening provided above the HVAC unit 10 when the HVAC unit 10 is installed in the vehicle VH. The second ventilation opening 12 is a ventilation opening provided below the HVAC unit 10 when the HVAC unit 10 is installed in the vehicle VH. The first ventilation opening 11 and the second ventilation opening 12 are used as an air outlet and an air inlet, respectively.

[0019] The first ventilation opening 11 is connected to a first passenger compartment ventilation opening 23 via a vehicle body-side air passage 13. The first passenger compartment ventilation opening 23 is a ventilation opening provided on the upper side of the vehicle interior 2, and corresponds to each seat 5, for example, and is provided in the ceiling 20 above (directly above) each seat 5, for example, directly above the head of an occupant when seated in the seat 5. One end of the vehicle body-side air passage 13 is connected to the first ventilation opening 11 of the HVAC unit 10, and extends, for example, from in front of the instrument panel 3 to the ceiling 20 via the inside of an A-pillar 21. Note that instead of the A-pillar 21, the vehicle body-side air passage 13 may be located, for example, on a B-pillar between the front and rear seats or on a pillar behind that (C-pillar, D-pillar, etc.).

[0020] The second ventilation opening 12 is connected to a second passenger compartment ventilation opening 24 via a vehicle body air passage 14. The second passenger compartment ventilation opening 24 is a ventilation opening provided on the lower side of the interior space of the vehicle interior 2, and is provided, for example, on the floor surface 22 below (e.g., directly below) each seat 5. One end of the vehicle body air passage 14 is connected to the second ventilation opening 12 of the HVAC unit 10, extends from below the instrument panel 3 through the inside of the floor surface 22 to below the seat 5, and is connected to the second passenger compartment ventilation opening 12. The second passenger compartment ventilation opening 24 is also provided corresponding to each seat 5.

[0021] Each of the first cabin-side ventilation openings 23 is provided with ventilation opening / closing means 25 that blocks the flow of air between the HVAC unit 10 (vehicle body-side air passage 13) and the cabin 2. Similarly, each of the second ventilation openings 12 or the second cabin-side ventilation openings 24 is provided with ventilation opening / closing means 26 that blocks the flow of air between the HVAC unit 10 (vehicle body-side air passage 14) and the cabin 2. The ventilation opening / closing means 25, 26 are, for example, shutters that are opened and closed by electrical control, but may also be louvers, dampers, etc.

[0022] In the vehicle air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment, air whose temperature has been adjusted by the HVAC unit 10 is supplied into the vehicle interior 2 via the vehicle body-side air passage 13 or the vehicle body-side air passage 14. The air in the vehicle interior 2 is then collected and circulated via the in-seat air passage 50 in the seat 5, the vehicle body-side air passage 14, or the vehicle body-side air passage 13.

[0023] 2 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC unit 10. The HVAC unit 10 includes a housing 102 that forms an air flow path 101, an inside air intake 104 formed on the upstream side of the air flow path 101 and that takes inside air into the housing 102, an outside air intake 106 that takes outside air into the housing 102, an inside / outside air switching damper 108 that switches between opening and closing the intakes 104 and 106, and a blower 120 connected on the upstream side of the air flow path 101 and that blows the taken-in inside air or outside air. The air conditioner is provided with a first heat exchanger 122, an air mix damper 124, and a second heat exchanger 126 arranged in sequence in the air flow path 101 in the air blowing direction, a first ventilation port 11 and a second ventilation port 12 formed downstream of the air flow path 101 and blowing air whose temperature has been adjusted by the first heat exchanger 122, the air mix damper 124, and the second heat exchanger 126 into the vehicle cabin, and dampers 134 and 136 that open and close the ventilation ports 11 and 12, respectively.

[0024] The first ventilation opening 11 is a ventilation opening provided above the HVAC unit 10 when the HVAC unit 10 is installed in the vehicle VH, and the second ventilation opening 12 is a ventilation opening provided below the HVAC unit 10 when the HVAC unit 10 is installed in the vehicle VH. The first ventilation opening 11 and the second ventilation opening 12 are used as an air outlet and an air inlet, respectively.

[0025] The first vent 11 may be, for example, a face vent and / or a vent provided in the housing 102 of the HVAC unit 10. The second vent 12 may be a foot vent provided in the housing 102 of the HVAC unit 10.

[0026] During heating, the HVAC unit 10 takes in air from the passenger compartment 2 through the first ventilation opening 11 and the inside air intake 104 into the air flow path 101, and adjusts the temperature of the air using the heat exchanger. The HVAC unit 10 supplies the temperature-adjusted air into the passenger compartment 2 through the second ventilation opening 12.

[0027] During cooling, the HVAC unit 10 takes in air from the passenger compartment 2 through the second ventilation opening 12 and the inside air intake 104 into the air flow path 101, and adjusts the temperature of the air using the heat exchanger. The HVAC unit 10 supplies the temperature-adjusted air into the passenger compartment 2 through the first ventilation opening 11.

[0028] 3 is a schematic diagram of the passenger compartment 2 as viewed from above. The first passenger compartment ventilation openings 23 correspond to, for example, each seat 5 and are independently disposed on the ceiling 20 directly above the seat 5 (above the head of a seated occupant). Although not shown, the second passenger compartment ventilation openings 24 correspond to the first passenger compartment ventilation openings 23 and are disposed, for example, below (directly below) the first passenger compartment ventilation openings 23.

[0029] The parts and regions of the sheet 5 used in the description of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the sheet 5, and Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the sheet 5.

[0030] 4, in this embodiment, when each seat 5 is described from the perspective of its height H (vertical) direction, it is divided into three parts, which are referred to as an upper seat part 51, a middle seat part 52, and a lower seat part 53. The upper seat part 51 is the part farthest from the floor surface 22 (closest to the ceiling 20), the lower seat part 53 is the part closest to the floor surface 22 (closest to the ceiling 20), and the middle seat part 52 is the part between the upper seat part 51 and the lower seat part 53.

[0031] In terms of elements (components) that make up the seat 5, each seat 5 has a seat surface 56, a backrest 55, and a headrest 54. In this embodiment, the backrest 55 is further divided into an upper backrest portion 55A that can support the upper body (for example, the area from the back to the shoulders) of the occupant when seated, and a lower backrest portion 55B that can support the area around the lumbar region of the occupant.

[0032] The upper seat portion 51 corresponds to, for example, the headrest portion 54 and the upper backrest portion 55A, the middle seat portion 52 corresponds to the area from the lower backrest portion 55B to the surface of the seat portion 56, and the lower seat portion 53 corresponds to the area below the seat portion 56.

[0033] That is, the seat upper portion 51 is a portion corresponding to at least the vicinity of the head of an occupant seated in the seat 5, specifically the area from the head to the upper back (shoulders), and the seat middle portion 52 is a portion corresponding to the area from the lower back (waist) to the upper lower body (buttocks to upper knees) of an occupant seated in the seat 5. The seat lower portion 53 is a portion corresponding to the area near the lower lower body (below the knees) of an occupant seated in the seat 5.

[0034] 5, each sheet 5 has, for example, a plurality of ventilation holes 60 on its surface. The ventilation holes 60 have, for example, the same shape and size, but are distinguished into first ventilation holes 61 and second ventilation holes 62 based on their arrangement area. The first ventilation holes 61 are ventilation holes 60 provided in a first area 57 of the sheet 5, and the second ventilation holes 62 are ventilation holes 60 provided in a second area 58 of the sheet 5.

[0035] For convenience of explanation, the first region 57 and the second region 68 are planar divisions of the outer (surface side) portion of the seat 5 that is closer to the vehicle interior 2 than the interior of the seat 5 (e.g., the in-seat air passage 50). The first region 57 is the surface region of the seat upper portion 51. The "surface region" here is not limited to the region exposed to the vehicle interior 2. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 5 clearly shows the air vents 60 provided in the first region 57 and the second region 68, but in reality, the surface of the seat 5 is covered with a breathable fabric material (mesh fabric, etc.), and the air vents 60 are not visible from the outside.

[0036] Specifically, the first region 57 is a region that includes the upper surface of the seat upper portion 51 facing the ceiling 20, the surface facing (contacting) the occupant, and at least a portion of the side surface facing in the width direction of the vehicle VH, and is, for example, the region indicated by dotted hatching in Fig. 2. Hereinafter, the first region 57 will be referred to as the "upper region 57," and the vent hole 60 (first vent hole 61) provided in the first region 57 will also be referred to as the "upper vent hole 61."

[0037] The second region 58 is a surface region other than the seat upper portion 51, i.e., the surface region of the seat middle portion 52 and the seat lower portion 53, and specifically, is a region including at least a portion of the surfaces of the seat middle portion 52 and the seat lower portion 53 (the upper surface facing the ceiling 20, the surface facing (contacting) the occupant, and the side surface facing in the width direction of the vehicle VH. In this embodiment, the second region 58 will be described by further dividing it into a third region 58A and a fourth region 58B.

[0038] The third region 58A refers to the region of the second region 58 on the front side of the seat lower portion 53, i.e., the surface facing the knees, particularly the calves, of an occupant seated on the seat 5. Specifically, for example, this is the region indicated by hatching in FIG. 2. Hereinafter, the third region 58A may be referred to as the "front lower region 58A." The fourth region 58B is the second region 58 other than the third region 58A. Specifically, this is a region including at least a portion of the surface of the seat middle portion 52 (backrest lower portion 55B) that faces (contacts) the occupant and the side surface facing the width direction of the vehicle VH, the surface of the seat middle portion 52 (seat portion 56) facing the ceiling 20, and the side surface of the seat lower portion 53 facing the width direction of the vehicle VH (the side surface of the seat portion 56 facing the width direction of the vehicle VH). Specifically, for example, the fourth region 58B is indicated by hatching in FIG. 2 with diagonal lines slanting downward to the right. Hereinafter, the fourth region 58B may be referred to as the "seat and back region 58B."

[0039] Second air vents 62 are provided in both the third area 58A and the fourth area 58B, but when distinguishing between the third area 58A and the fourth area 58B, the second air vent 62 provided in the third area 58A is referred to as the "front lower air vent 62A," and the second air vent provided in the fourth area is referred to as the "back and seat air vent 62B."

[0040] That is, a plurality of first vent holes (upper vent holes) 61 are provided in the upper region 57, and a plurality of second vent holes 62 are provided in each of the second regions 58. Of the second vent holes 62, front lower vent holes 62A are provided in the front lower region 58A, and back and seat vent holes 62B are provided in the seat and back region 58B. Although Fig. 5 shows the vent holes 60 as a representative example, the number and arrangement of the vent holes 60 are not limited to this example.

[0041] The shapes and sizes of the multiple ventilation holes 60 (upper ventilation holes 61, front lower ventilation holes 62A, and back and seat ventilation holes 62B) are arbitrary (they may be the same or different). The arrangement pattern of these (such as the mutual spacing) is set appropriately for each area.

[0042] 4, an in-seat air passage 50 is further provided inside each seat 5. The in-seat air passage 50 is a passage that connects the second passenger compartment ventilation port 24 with the ventilation holes 60 (upper ventilation hole 61, front lower ventilation hole 62A, and seat back ventilation hole 62B), and extends inside the seat surface portion 56, backrest portion 55, and headrest portion 54.

[0043] Additionally, a foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 is provided near the front-lower air vent 62A of the in-seat air passage 50. The foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 adjusts the flow rate of air passing through the front-lower air vent 62A so that it is greater than the flow rate of air passing through the other air vents 60 (the upper air vent 61 and the seat / back vent 62B). More specifically, the foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 makes the flow rate of air passing through (intaken in this embodiment) the front-lower region 58A (front-lower air vent 62A) during cooling equal to the flow rate of air passing through (intaken in) the upper region 57 and the second region 58 (the upper air vent 61 and the seat / back vent 62B). In addition, during heating, the flow rate of air passing through (blowing out in this embodiment) the front lower region 58A (front lower air vent 62A) is adjusted to be greater than the flow rate of air passing through (blowing out) the second region 58 (upper air vent 61 and back seat air vent 62B).

[0044] The foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 may be, for example, a flow rate adjustment damper 63 that adjusts the flow rate of air flowing from the in-seat air passage 50 to the front-lower air vent 62A. Alternatively, the foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 may be a dedicated foot-area fan that increases the flow rate of air blown out from the front-lower air vent 62A into the vehicle interior 2 only during heating. The foot-area airflow adjustment means 63 may also be some of the multiple front-lower air vents 62A provided in the front-lower area 58A and an opening / closing means (not shown) that opens and closes some of the front-lower air vents 62A. Some of the front-lower air vents 62A are closed by the opening / closing means during cooling and opened during heating.

[0045] Furthermore, inside each seat 5, there is provided opening / closing means (vent opening / closing means) 6 that opens and closes only the upper vent 61. The vent opening / closing means 6 is, for example, a shutter (or louver, or damper) that opens and closes the upper vent 61 by electrical control. However, the vent opening / closing means 6 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a one-way valve that passes air going from the passenger compartment 2 to the inside of the seat 5 (sucked in) but does not pass air going from the inside of the seat 5 to the passenger compartment 2 (exhausted).

[0046] 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment. The vehicle air conditioner 1 has a control device 30. Seat occupancy sensors 40, which are provided on each seat 5 and detect whether an occupant is seated on each seat 5, are connected to the control device 30, and outputs from these sensors are input. The output of the control device 30 is also connected to various components of the HVAC unit 10, an electric motor 42, and the like. Although not shown, an electric motor 42 is provided corresponding to each of the air vent opening / closing means 6 for each seat 5, the air vent opening / closing means 25 and 26 corresponding to each seat 5, and the foot-air volume adjusting means 63, and is capable of driving these independently.

[0047] 7 is a functional block diagram of the control device 30 that controls the HVAC unit 10 in this embodiment. The control device 30 includes, for example, a cooling control unit 301, a heating control unit 302, an individual air conditioning control unit 303, and an air volume control unit 304.

[0048] The cooling control section 301 controls the HVAC unit 10 to form a cooling air flow in the passenger compartment 2 during cooling operation. The heating control section 302 controls the HVAC unit 10 to form a heating air flow in the passenger compartment 2 during heating operation. The cooling air flow and the heating air flow will be described later.

[0049] Based on the detection result of the seating sensor 40, the individual air conditioning control unit 303 closes the ventilation opening / closing means 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where no occupant is seated, and opens the ventilation opening / closing means 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. In this way, the formation of cooling air flow and / or heating air flow is controlled for each seat 5.

[0050] The air volume control unit 304 controls the flow rate of air drawn into the seat 5 from the passenger compartment 2 during cooling, and the flow rate of air blown out from the seat 5 into the passenger compartment 2 during heating. Specifically, the air volume control unit 304 controls the foot-air volume adjustment means 63 during heating, so that the flow rate of air passing through the front lower air vent 62A (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) is greater than the flow rate of air passing through the seat and back air vent 62B (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the seat and back region 58B). The air volume control unit 304 also controls the air vent opening / closing means 6 during heating, so that the air passing through the upper air vent 61 is blocked.

[0051] Air volume control unit 304 controls foot-area air volume adjustment means 63 during cooling operation to control the flow rate of air passing through front-lower air vent 62A (for example, the volumetric flow rate passing through front-lower region 58A) to be equal to the flow rate of air passing through other regions, such as seat and back air vent 62B (for example, the volumetric flow rate passing through seat and back region 58B). Air volume control unit 304 also controls air vent opening / closing means 6 during cooling operation to open air vent opening / closing means 6. This allows air to pass through upper air vent 61.

[0052] <Operation during cooling operation> The operation during cooling operation will be described in detail with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a schematic side view of the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 illustrating the airflow during cooling, and corresponds to Figure 1, but for ease of explanation, some components are omitted. The HVAC unit 10 forms a cooling airflow within the vehicle compartment 2 when the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is operating in cooling mode.

[0053] The airflow during cooling is an airflow from the first ventilation port 11 of the HVAC unit 10 through the vehicle interior 2 toward the second ventilation port 12. More specifically, it includes at least the airflow from the first ventilation port 11 toward the first cabin-side ventilation port 23, from which it is blown toward the seat upper portion 51 (which can also be said to be the upper portion of the seated occupant), descends, and passes through the seat lower portion 53 (which can also be said to be the lower portion of the seated occupant) and the second cabin-side ventilation port 24 toward the second ventilation port 12. At least a portion of the air blown toward the seat upper portion 51 enters the in-seat air passage 50 through the ventilation hole 60 and reaches the second cabin-side ventilation port 24. In other words, the airflow during cooling also includes the airflow that is drawn into the seat 5 from the vehicle interior 2 through the upper ventilation port 61, the seat / back ventilation port 62B, and the front lower ventilation port 62A.

[0054] The cooling control unit 301 controls various components so that a cooling airflow is formed only in the region corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. Specifically, the individual air conditioning control unit 303 opens the vent opening / closing units 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. The air volume control unit 304 opens the air vent opening / closing unit 6 of the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. The air volume control unit 304 also controls the foot-air volume adjustment unit 63 to control the flow rate of air drawn from the vehicle interior 2 into the front lower air vent 62A (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) to be equal to the flow rate of air drawn from the vehicle interior 2 into the upper air vent 61 and the seat and back air vent 62B (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the upper region 57 and the volumetric flow rate passing through the seat and back region 58B).

[0055] In addition, the cooling control unit 301 controls the HVAC unit 10 to supply air from the first air outlet 11 toward the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 and operate the blower 120 to collect air from the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 through the second air outlet 12.

[0056] As a result, as shown in Figure 8, air (cool air) passes through the first ventilation opening 11 and the vehicle body-side air passage 13, and is blown out from the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 into the vehicle interior 2. The air blown out from the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 provided in the ceiling 20 descends toward the seat upper portion 51 (above the seated occupant), passes through the upper ventilation hole 61, the seat back ventilation hole 62B, and the front lower ventilation hole 62A, and enters the in-seat air passage 50. The air in the in-seat air passage 50 passes through the second cabin-side ventilation opening 24 provided below the seat lower portion 53, passes through the vehicle body-side air passage 14, and is taken into the second ventilation opening 12. During cooling, the air circulates according to this air flow during cooling.

[0057] Although a portion of the air blown into the vehicle interior 2 from the first passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 23 may diffuse in any direction, in this embodiment, a cooling-mode air flow is formed when at least a portion of the air blown from the first ventilation opening 11 toward the seat upper portion 51 descends and flows in a direction to be taken in by the second ventilation opening 12 via the air vent 60, the in-seat air passage 50, and the seat lower portion 53. In this embodiment, for example, the HVAC unit 10 is controlled so that the air blown into the vehicle interior 2 from the first ventilation opening 11 mainly forms a cooling-mode air flow (specifically, for example, 50% or more of the air blown out from the first ventilation opening 11 per unit time).

[0058] Although not shown, for example, a blower may be provided in the in-seat air passage 50. The blower operates to assist the air flow during cooling.

[0059] The cooling air flow from the first passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 23 to the second passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 12 forms an air curtain AC1 of cool air from the ceiling 20 to the seat bottom 53 for each seat 5 in which an occupant is seated. For the sake of explanation, Fig. 8 shows the cooling air flow even for seats 5 in which no occupant is seated, but in reality, the cooling air flow is formed only for seats 5 in which occupancy is detected by the seating sensor 40. In other words, cool air can be circulated individually and efficiently for each occupant.

[0060] Furthermore, the cool air passes through the upper vents 61, the seat back vents 62B, and the front lower vents 62A and enters the in-seat air passages 50 evenly. This prevents heat from building up over the entire contact surface or opposing surface between the occupant and the seat 5, preventing stuffiness.

[0061] <Operation during heating> The operation during heating operation will be described in detail with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a schematic side view of the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 illustrating the air flow during heating, and corresponds to Figure 1, but for ease of explanation, some components are omitted. The HVAC unit 10 forms a heating air flow within the vehicle compartment 2 when the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing heating operation.

[0062] The air flow during heating is an air flow from the second ventilation port 12 through the passenger compartment 2 toward the first ventilation port 11, and more specifically, includes at least the air flow from the second ventilation port 12 toward the second passenger compartment ventilation port 24, from which the air is blown out toward the seat lower portion 53, rises, and then passes through the first passenger compartment ventilation port 23 toward the first ventilation port 11. In addition, at least a portion of the air blown out toward the seat lower portion 53 includes the air flow that is blown out from the in-seat air passage 50 into the passenger compartment 2 through the seat back ventilation port 62B and the front lower ventilation port 62A.

[0063] The heating mode control unit 302 controls various components so that the heating mode air flow is formed only in the area corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. Specifically, the individual air conditioning control unit 303 opens the vent opening / closing means 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. The air volume control unit 304 closes the vent opening / closing means 6 of the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. This blocks the air passing through the upper air vent 61 (in this case, blown into the passenger compartment 2).

[0064] The air volume control unit 304 also controls the foot air volume adjustment means 63 to control the flow rate of air passing through the front lower air vent 62A (in this case, blown out from the front lower air vent 62A into the vehicle cabin 2) (e.g., the volume flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) to be greater than the flow rate of air passing through the seat and back air vent 62B (in this case, blown out from the seat and back air vent 62B into the vehicle cabin 2) (e.g., the volume flow rate passing through the seat and back region 58B).

[0065] In addition, the heating control unit 302 controls the HVAC unit 10 to supply air from the second ventilation port 12 into the vehicle compartment 2 and operate the blower 120 to collect air from the vehicle compartment 2 through the first ventilation port 11.

[0066] As a result, as shown in Figure 9, air (warm air) passes through the second ventilation opening 12, the vehicle body air passage 14, and enters the in-seat air passage 50 via the second passenger compartment ventilation opening 24. The air in the in-seat air passage 50 passes through the back and seat vents 62B and the front lower ventilation opening 62A and is blown out into the passenger compartment 2. The air blown out into the passenger compartment 2 rises and passes through the first passenger compartment ventilation opening 23 provided in the ceiling 20 of the passenger compartment 2, the vehicle body air passage 13, and is taken in by the first ventilation opening 11. When heating, the air circulates according to this heating air flow.

[0067] Although a portion of the air blown into the vehicle interior 2 from the second passenger compartment-side ventilation port 24 through the front lower ventilation hole 62A and the seat back ventilation hole 62B may diffuse in any direction, in this embodiment, a heating-mode airflow is formed when at least a portion of the air blown out from the second ventilation port 12 rises from the seat lower portion 53 of the vehicle interior 2, passes through the in-seat air passage 50 and the ventilation hole 60, is blown toward the vehicle interior 2, and then rises and flows in a direction to be taken in by the first ventilation port 11. In this embodiment, for example, the HVAC unit 10 is controlled so that the air blown into the vehicle interior 2 from the second ventilation port 12 mainly forms a heating-mode airflow (specifically, for example, 50% or more of the air blown out from the second ventilation port 12 per unit time).

[0068] It should be noted that even during heating, the air flow during heating may be assisted by a blower (not shown) provided in the in-seat air passage 50.

[0069] Furthermore, during heating, it is preferable to suck air blown out from the front lower air vent 62A into the passenger compartment 2 (around the feet of the occupants) from the front lower part of the passenger compartment 2. In this case, for example, the HVAC unit 10 is provided with a third air vent 15 and an air passage (not shown) leading from the passenger compartment 2 to the third air vent 15. A part of the second air vent 12 may be used as the third air vent 15. Also, a third passenger compartment-side air vent 27 communicating with the third air vent 15 is provided in the front lower part of the passenger compartment 2 (for example, below the instrument panel 3). Then, an air flow (referred to as an "additional heating air flow") is formed in which a part of the air blown out from the front lower air vent 62A into the passenger compartment 2 is sucked into the third air vent 15 via the third passenger compartment-side air vent 27. In this case, the additional heating air flow is also included in the heating air flow. The air drawn into the third ventilation opening 15 merges with the air drawn into the first ventilation opening 11 inside the HVAC unit 10 and is again supplied from the second ventilation opening 12 toward the passenger compartment 2. The third ventilation opening 15 or the third passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 27 is provided with an opening / closing means (not shown), and the control device 30 closes the third ventilation opening 15 or the third passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 27 during cooling.

[0070] The air flow during heating from the second passenger compartment ventilation port 12 to the first passenger compartment ventilation port 23 forms an air curtain AC2 of warm air from the seat bottom 53 toward the ceiling 20 for each seat 5 in which an occupant is seated. For the sake of explanation, Fig. 9 shows the air flow during heating even for seats 5 in which no occupant is seated, but in reality, the air flow during heating is formed only for seats 5 in which occupancy is detected by the seating sensor 40. In other words, warm air can be circulated individually and efficiently for each occupant.

[0071] 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating how air (warm air) is blown out from seat 5 during heating. Warm air (indicated by the white arrows) is blown out from in-seat air passage 50 into vehicle interior 2 through back and seat vent 62B and front lower vent 62A, but is not blown out from upper vent 61. In other words, the occupant can come into contact with the warm air blown out from seat 5 except for the area around their head (seat upper portion 51), so the back, waist, and legs are warmed while avoiding a temperature rise around the head.

[0072] In particular, the amount of air (warm air) blown out from the front lower vents 62A is greater than the amount of air blown out from the seat back vents 62B. Therefore, for an occupant sitting in the seat 5, the amount of warm air blown out below the knees, especially around the calves, is greater than that blown out to the upper body, increasing the feeling of warmth in the extremities (feet).

[0073] In addition, by sucking the air blown out at the occupants' feet from the front lower part of the passenger compartment 2, the warm air is prevented from rising and can be brought into contact with the occupants' feet from below the knees, thereby realizing an ideal environment where the head is cool and the feet are warm.

[0074] In this manner, in this embodiment, efficient air conditioning is possible because the conditioned air is circulated around the occupant seated in the seat 5 along the natural convection of cool and warm air. In addition, the air vents 60 provided in the seat 5 can create an air flow around the body of the occupant who is in contact with the seat 5, which also improves the comfort of the occupant.

[0075] Furthermore, the same air path (passage) is used during cooling and heating, but the air flow is reversed. During heating, the air flow from the upper air vent 61 into the passenger compartment 2 is blocked, and an additional heating air flow is formed at the feet, which differs from the air path during cooling, but both can be achieved by opening and closing the path. In other words, there is no need to provide separate air paths for heating and cooling, and the components that make up the air path can be shared.

[0076] In addition, the formation of airflow during cooling and heating can be controlled for each seat 5 (making individual air conditioning possible). This reduces the difference (variation) in air conditioning between the front and rear seats, eliminating the need to adjust air conditioning to suit either one, preventing waste of air conditioning. Also, occupants are enveloped by air curtains AC1 and AC2 for each seat 5, improving comfort. Furthermore, since air curtains AC1 and AC2 are formed near each seat 5 where an occupant is present, the overall air volume can be reduced, and areas where no occupant is present are not air-conditioned, thereby reducing energy required for heating and cooling.

[0077] Furthermore, during cooling, cool air is drawn into the upper seat portion 51 through the upper air vent 61, while during heating, warm air is blocked from being blown from the upper seat portion 51 into the passenger compartment 2 through the upper air vent 61, so that the temperature (air temperature) around the heads of the occupants can be kept comfortable whether during heating or cooling.

[0078] Furthermore, when heating, the amount of warm air from below the knees to the feet of the occupant is increased, improving the feeling of warmth in the feet, which tend to get cold easily.

[0079] The ventilation volume (the amount (number, range) of active ventilation holes 60) in the first region (upper region 57) and the second region 58 (front lower region 58A and seat and back region 58B) may be adjustable for each seat 5. For example, all ventilation holes 60 are provided with opening / closing means so that they can be opened and closed individually. Alternatively, the ventilation holes 60 are divided into a plurality of groups for each of the upper ventilation holes 61, front lower ventilation holes 62A, and seat and back ventilation holes 62B, and opening / closing means are provided for opening and closing each group.

[0080] For example, during cooling, not all of the upper vents 61 arranged in the upper region 57 are opened, but only some of them. Alternatively, during heating, only some of the front lower vents 62A and / or the seat and back vents 62B are opened.

[0081] This allows the amount of heating and cooling to be adjusted according to the passenger's preference. The ventilation amount may be adjusted by the passenger manually operating the opening / closing means, or may be adjusted by the control device 30 in response to the passenger operating an operating unit provided on the instrument panel 3, for example.

[0082] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the first compartment-side ventilation openings 12, and is a schematic diagram of the compartment 2 as seen from above.

[0083] The first passenger compartment-side ventilation openings 23 are provided corresponding to each seat 5, but they may be integrated into a ventilation opening unit 23U and placed near the center of the ceiling 20 (near the center of the entire area where the multiple seats 5 are arranged). Also, the multiple first passenger compartment-side ventilation openings 23 for the front seats may be formed as a front seat-side ventilation opening unit 23U, and the multiple first passenger compartment-side ventilation openings 23 for the rear seats may be formed as a rear seat-side ventilation opening unit 23U.

[0084] Furthermore, although not shown, a ventilation port unit 24U in which a plurality of second compartment-side ventilation ports 24 are integrated may be provided near the center of the floor surface 22, for example.

[0085] <Other examples of the first and second compartment ventilation openings> Figures 12 and 13 are diagrams showing other examples of the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 and the second cabin-side ventilation opening 12, with Figure 12 being a schematic diagram showing the air flow during cooling and Figure 13 being a schematic diagram showing the air flow during heating.

[0086] 12, the first passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 23 may be, for example, a passenger compartment-side face ventilation opening 17 or a passenger compartment-side vent ventilation opening 18 provided in the instrument panel 3, the console box, or the front seat 5. The second passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 24 may be, for example, a passenger compartment-side foot ventilation opening 19 provided below the instrument panel 3 or in the front seat underside 53. In this case, for example, the seat underside 53 is provided with a through-hole 16 for circulating air from the in-seat air passage 50 to the vicinity of the floor surface 22 of the passenger compartment 2.

[0087] The cabin-side face vent 17, the cabin-side vent 18, and the cabin-side foot vent 19 are all cabin-side face outlets, cabin-side vent outlets, and cabin-side foot outlets in the conventionally known HVAC unit 10, but in this embodiment, they are used not only as outlets but also as intakes.

[0088] In this case, the ventilation opening / closing means 25, 26 are louvers of the cabin-side face ventilation opening 17 (or the cabin-side vent ventilation opening 18) and the cabin-side foot ventilation opening 19.

[0089] The operation during cooling operation will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 12. The HVAC unit 10 forms a cooling air flow in the passenger compartment 2 when the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing cooling operation.

[0090] In this case, the air flow during cooling includes at least a flow in which air sent out from the first ventilation opening 11 passes through the body-side air passage 13 provided in the instrument panel 3, is blown out from the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 (for example, the cabin-side face ventilation opening 17) toward the upper part of the seat 51 in the cabin 2 (which is also above the seated occupant), descends from the upper part of the seat 51, passes through the lower part of the seat 53 (which is also below the seated occupant), and is taken in by the second ventilation opening 12.

[0091] The rest of the configuration is the same as that shown in Fig. 1. The cooling control unit 301 controls various components so that a cooling air flow is formed only in the area corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. Specifically, the individual air conditioning control unit 303 opens the ventilation opening / closing means (louvers) 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. At this time, the control device 30 adjusts the angle of the ventilation opening / closing means (louvers) 25 so that air is blown as high above the seat 5 as possible (higher than the occupant's head) (so that air is blown toward the ceiling 20) while ensuring a sufficient air flow rate.

[0092] The air volume control unit 304 also opens the air vent opening / closing means 6 of the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. The air volume control unit 304 also controls the foot-air volume adjustment means 63 (see FIG. 1 ) to control the flow rate of air sucked from the vehicle interior 2 into the front lower air vent 62A (for example, the volume flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) to be equal to the flow rate of air sucked from the vehicle interior 2 into the upper air vent 61 and the seat and back air vent 62B (for example, the volume flow rate passing through the upper region 57 and the volume flow rate passing through the seat and back region 58B).

[0093] In addition, the cooling control unit 301 controls the HVAC unit 10 to operate the blower so as to supply air from the first ventilation opening 11 toward the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 and collect air from the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 through the second ventilation opening 12.

[0094] As a result, as shown in Figure 12, air (cool air) is blown out from the first ventilation opening 11 through the vehicle body air passage 13 and the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 (cabin-side face ventilation opening 17) onto the seat upper part 51 or the ceiling 20 inside the vehicle cabin 2. The air blown out from the first cabin-side ventilation opening 23 descends from the seat upper part 51 (above the seated occupant) and passes through the upper ventilation holes 61, the seat back ventilation opening 62B, and the front lower ventilation opening 62A before entering the seat interior air passage 50. The air in the seat interior air passage 50 passes through the second cabin-side ventilation opening 24 (through opening 16 and cabin-side foot ventilation opening 19) and the vehicle body air passage 14 before being taken into the second ventilation opening 12. During cooling, air circulates according to this air flow.

[0095] The operation during heating operation will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 13. The HVAC unit 10 forms a heating air flow in the passenger compartment 2 when the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing heating operation.

[0096] In this case, the air flow during heating includes at least a flow in which air (warm air) sent out from the second ventilation opening 12 passes through the vehicle body side air passage 14 and is blown out from the second cabin side ventilation opening 24 (cabin side foot ventilation opening 19 and through-hole 16) toward the lower part of the seat 53 in the vehicle compartment 2 (which is also the lower part of the occupant in a seated position), rises from the lower part of the seat 53 toward the upper part of the seat 51 (which is also the upper part of the occupant in a seated position), and is taken into the first ventilation opening 11 via the first cabin side ventilation opening 23 (cabin side face ventilation opening 17) and the vehicle body side air passage 13.

[0097] The heating mode control section 302 controls various components so that the heating mode airflow is formed only in the area corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. Specifically, the individual air conditioning control section 303 opens the ventilation opening / closing means (louvers) 25, 26 corresponding to the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. At this time, the control device 30 adjusts the angle of the ventilation opening / closing means (louvers) 25 so that air can be drawn in at a position as low as possible below the seat upper portion 51 (the occupant's head) while ensuring a sufficient air flow rate.

[0098] The air volume control unit 304 also closes the air vent opening / closing means 6 of the seat 5 where an occupant is seated, thereby blocking air passing through the upper air vent 61. The air volume control unit 304 also controls the foot air volume adjustment means 63 to control the flow rate of air (blowed out from the front lower air vent 62A into the vehicle compartment 2) (for example, the volume flow rate passing through the front lower area 58A) to be greater than the flow rate of air (for example, the volume flow rate passing through the seat and back area 58B) passing through the seat and back air vent 62B (in this case, blown out from the seat and back air vent 62B into the vehicle compartment 2).

[0099] Furthermore, the heating control unit 302 controls the HVAC unit 10 to supply air from the second ventilation opening 12 into the vehicle interior 2 and operate the blower to collect air from the vehicle interior 2 through the first ventilation opening 11. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and the like.

[0100] As a result, as shown in Figure 13, air (warm air) enters the in-seat air passage 50 from the second ventilation port 12 via the vehicle body air passage 14 and the second passenger compartment ventilation port 24 (the passenger compartment foot ventilation port 19 and the through-hole 16). The air in the in-seat air passage 50 passes through the back and seat vents 62B and the front lower ventilation port 62A and is blown out into the passenger compartment 2. The air in the passenger compartment 2 rises and passes through the first passenger compartment ventilation port 23 (the passenger compartment face ventilation port 17) via the vehicle body air passage 13 and is taken into the first ventilation port 11. When heating, the air circulates according to this heating air flow.

[0101] In this case, air conditioning for each seat (individual air conditioning) is also possible, and the same effects as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the like can be obtained.

[0102] In addition, a conventionally known HVAC unit 10 can be used, and the vehicle body side air passage 13 arranged inside the A-pillar 21 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 etc., and the first ventilation opening 11 separately formed in the ceiling 20 are not required, so a low-cost and efficient vehicle air conditioning system 1 can be provided.

[0103] As described above, the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this embodiment forms a cooling air flow in the passenger compartment 2 when the HVAC unit 10 is in cooling mode, and forms a heating air flow in the passenger compartment 2 when it is in heating mode. In this case, the cooling air flow is a flow in which air is blown from the first ventilation opening 11 toward the upper seat portion 51 (above the occupant) via the first passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 23, then descends and is taken in through the lower seat portion 53 into the second ventilation opening 12. In addition, the heating air flow is a flow in which air is blown from the second ventilation opening 12 toward the lower seat portion 53, then ascends and is taken in by the first ventilation opening 11.

[0104] This allows for the creation of an air curtain AC1 that flows from top to bottom around the occupant during cooling, and an air curtain AC2 that flows from bottom to top around the occupant during heating. Air curtains AC1 and AC2 can be formed with airflow that follows natural convection, eliminating waste in heating and cooling. Also, by changing the airflow of air curtains AC1 and AC2 that envelop the occupant during cooling and heating, it becomes easier to achieve a cool head and warm feet, improving comfort.

[0105] Furthermore, the air curtains AC1 and AC2 generated around the occupants eliminate the need to set the entire interior of the vehicle compartment 2 to a target temperature during cooling or heating, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0106] The seat 5 is also provided with a first ventilation hole (upper ventilation hole) 61 in the upper region 57, and with second ventilation holes 62 (front lower ventilation hole 62A and back / seat ventilation hole 62B) in the front lower region 58A and the seat / back region 58B.

[0107] In the airflow during cooling, air within the vehicle interior 2 is drawn into the seat 5 through all of the air vents 60 (the first air vent 61 and the second air vent 62). In addition, in the airflow during heating, air within the seat 5 is blown out into the vehicle interior 2 through the second air vent 62. The upper seat portion 51 corresponds to at least the area near the head of an occupant seated in the seat 5, and the lower seat portion 53 corresponds to at least the area below the knees (near the calves) of an occupant seated in the seat. Therefore, a cool head, warm feet environment can be achieved during heating, improving occupant comfort. In addition, by changing the air vents 60 used during cooling and heating, i.e., by changing the range of air passing through the seat 5, a comfortable airflow can be efficiently formed for the occupant during cooling and heating.

[0108] Of the front lower region 58A and the seat and back region 58B that make up the second region 58, the front lower region 58A is the region that faces the vicinity of the calves of an occupant sitting on the seat 5, and during heating, the flow rate of air blown out from the front lower region 58A is made greater than the flow rate of air blown out from the seat and back region 58B. In other words, during heating, the air volume around the occupant's feet, particularly around the calves, is increased, and the occupant's feet can be warmed preferentially, thereby increasing the feeling of warmth.

[0109] Furthermore, since the ventilation hole opening / closing means 6 for opening and closing the upper ventilation hole 61 is provided, the state of air passing through the upper ventilation hole 61 can be made different during heating and cooling. That is, during cooling, cool air can be drawn in through the upper ventilation hole 61, allowing the cool air to come into contact with the area around the head of the occupant. Furthermore, during heating, the upper ventilation hole 61 can be closed to block the air passing through the upper ventilation hole 61, preventing warm air from coming into contact with the area around the head of the occupant, providing an environment where the head is cool and the feet are warm.

[0110] In addition, the ventilation volume in the upper region 57 and other regions (front lower region 58A and seat back region 58B) can be changed for each seat 5. Since the temperature felt by each occupant differs, the comfort of each occupant can be satisfied by allowing the occupant to adjust the ventilation volume in the upper region 57 (near the occupant's head) and other regions.

[0111] Furthermore, the formation of cooling airflow and heating airflow is controlled for each seat 5 according to the detection result of the seating sensor 40. By generating air curtains AC1 and AC2 only for the seats 5 where an occupant is seated, energy consumption can be reduced.

[0112] In the present embodiment, the HVAC unit 10 is described as introducing inside air to form a cooling air flow and a heating air flow. However, this is not limiting. The HVAC unit 10 may introduce outside air, or may introduce outside air and inside air in a predetermined ratio to form a cooling air flow and a heating air flow. When introducing outside air, an exhaust port is required to discharge a portion of the air in the passenger compartment 2 to the outside of the vehicle. The exhaust port may be provided at any location, such as the housing 102 of the HVAC unit 10 or an edge of the floor or ceiling 20 of the passenger compartment 2.

[0113] In addition, in this embodiment, the HVAC unit 10 has one first ventilation opening 11 and one second ventilation opening 12, and the first passenger compartment ventilation opening 21 and the second passenger compartment ventilation opening 24 are provided corresponding to the seats 5. However, this is not limiting, and a plurality of first ventilation openings 11 and / or second ventilation openings 12 of the HVAC unit 10 may be provided corresponding to the seats 5.

[0114] <Another example of a vehicle air conditioner> Another example of the vehicle air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 14 to Fig. 16. Fig. 14 to Fig. 16 are all perspective schematic views of the seat 5 as seen from the width direction of the passenger compartment 2. In the following description, configurations that differ from the embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 13 will be mainly described. Configurations for which description is omitted are the same as those in the embodiment described above.

[0115] 1 to 13, the air flow during cooling and the air flow during heating are formed by the HVAC unit 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the air flow during cooling and the air flow during heating may be formed inside the seat 5.

[0116] The vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example has an in-seat air passage 50, a blower 70, and a direction plate 80. The in-seat air passage 50 is provided inside the seat 5 and connects, for example, a second passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 24 (see FIG. 1) provided directly below the seat 5 with an air vent 60 provided in the seat 5. In this example, the first passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 24 is not necessary. The second passenger compartment-side ventilation opening 24 will be referred to as the under-seat ventilation opening 24 in the following description.

[0117] The blower 70 circulates air through the in-seat air passage 50. The blower 70 in this example is a device separate from, for example, the blower 120 of the HVAC unit 10, and is provided near (or inside) each seat 5. The blower 70 has two ventilation openings 71, 72, one of which is used to draw in air and the other of which is used to discharge air. The blower 70 can also reverse the ventilation openings 71, 72 for drawing in and discharging air.

[0118] When the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing heating operation, for example, air is drawn in through the ventilation opening 71 and discharged through the ventilation opening 72. In this case, air in the vehicle interior 2 upstream of the blower 70 (below the seat 5 or near the floor surface 22) is taken into the in-seat air passage 50 via the under-seat ventilation opening 24 (from below the seat 5) and is discharged into the vehicle interior 2 through the air vent 60.

[0119] Furthermore, when the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is in cooling mode, the blower 70 draws in air through the ventilation opening 72 and expels air through the ventilation opening 71. In this case, the air flow is reversed from that during heating, and air within the passenger compartment 2 is taken into the in-seat air passage 50 through the ventilation hole 60 and is then discharged into the passenger compartment 2 through the under-seat ventilation opening 24 (from below the seat 5).

[0120] The directional plate 80 is provided in the in-seat air passage 50. During heating, the directional plate 80 directs a portion of the air entering the in-seat air passage 50 from the under-seat ventilation opening 24 and heading toward the vents 60 toward the front-lower ventilation openings 62A. The directional plate 80 is formed, for example, by two plate-shaped members arranged facing each other at a predetermined distance and bent into a generally L-shape in side view as shown in FIG. 14 . The directional plate 80 is disposed in the in-seat air passage 50 so that one open end is connected to the under-seat ventilation opening 24 and the other open end is connected to the front-lower ventilation openings 62A. Specifically, the directional plate 80 has an upright portion 81 that rises upward from the open end on the under-seat ventilation opening 24 side, an inclined portion 82 that extends rearward and upward from the open end on the front-lower ventilation openings 62A side, and a curved portion 83 that connects the upright portion 81 and the inclined portion 82. An opening 84 is provided on the upper surface of the inclined portion 82.

[0121] The seat 5 is similar to the above embodiment in that it has an air vent 60 (front lower air vent 62A) in the front lower region 58A, which is the area facing the calves of the seated occupant, and other air vents 60 (upper air vent 61 and back seat air vent 62B) in areas other than the front lower region 58A.

[0122] Also in this example, an air vent opening / closing means 6 is provided that opens and closes only the upper air vent 61. In this case, the air vent opening / closing means 6 is, for example, a one-way valve (check valve) type opening / closing means that allows air to pass from the passenger compartment 2 toward the inside of the seat 5 (intake) but does not allow air to pass from the inside of the seat 5 toward the passenger compartment 2 (exhaust). The air vent opening / closing means 6 is, for example, a plate 65 made of a rubber material or the like, a portion of which (in this example, the upper end) is fixed inside the seat 5. The plate 65 has a shape and size that allows it to close each of the upper air vents 61 or a predetermined number of groups of upper air vents 61. The plate 65 is pushed (deformed) toward the inside of the seat 5 by an external force (air flow) from the passenger compartment 2 toward the inside of the seat 5, opening the upper air vent 61. On the other hand, the plate 65 is pushed toward the upper air vent 61 by an external force (air flow) from the inside of the seat 5 toward the passenger compartment 2, closing the upper air vent 61.

[0123] In this example, the airflow direction is switched by the air blower 70 to form and switch between a cooling airflow and a heating airflow inside the seat 5. The cooling airflow and the heating airflow will be described later. Furthermore, the directional plate 80 increases the flow rate of air blown into the vehicle interior 2 through the front lower air vent 62A during heating (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) compared to the flow rate of air blown into the vehicle interior 2 through the other air vents 60 (e.g., the volumetric flow rate passing through the seat and back region 58B).

[0124] In other words, in terms of hardware, compared to the embodiment described in Figures 1 to 13, at least the first passenger compartment side ventilation opening 23, the vehicle body side air passages 13, 14, the foot air volume adjustment means 63 and ventilation opening / closing means 25, 26 which are electrical equipment, the ventilation hole opening / closing means 6 which is electrical equipment, etc., and the wiring within the seat 5 for these are not required, and in terms of software, control of these is not required.

[0125] The electrical configuration of the vehicle air conditioner 1 in this example will be described with reference to Figure 14. In this case, the control device 30 controls the blower 70 depending on the operating state of the air conditioning temperature regulation unit 4. Specifically, when the air conditioning temperature regulation unit 4 is performing heating operation, the blower 70 is operated to draw air from the passenger compartment 2 into the in-seat air passage 50 through the under-seat ventilation opening 24. On the other hand, when the air conditioning temperature regulation unit 4 is performing cooling operation, the blower 70 is operated in the opposite direction, to draw air from the passenger compartment 2 into the in-seat air passage 50 through the air vent 60.

[0126] <Operation during cooling operation> The operation during cooling operation will be described with reference to Fig. 15. When the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing cooling operation, the control device 30 operates the blower 70 to take air from the vehicle interior 2 into the in-seat air passage 50 through the air vent 60.

[0127] The vent opening / closing means 6 of the upper vent 61 is pushed inward of the seat 5 by air flowing in from inside the vehicle compartment 2, opening the upper vent 61. As a result, air inside the vehicle compartment 2 is taken into the in-seat air passage 50 via all of the vents 60 (upper vent 61, front lower vent 62A, and seat and back vent 62B). The air that has entered the in-seat air passage 50 is exhausted by the blower 70 from the under-seat vent 24 into the vehicle compartment 2 (near the floor 22).

[0128] Here, the air taken into the in-seat air passage 50 through the seat back vent 62B can enter the inside of the directional plate 80 through openings 84 provided on the upper surface of the directional plate 80, which is located in front of the air in the direction of travel. In other words, even in a configuration in which the directional plate 80 is located below the seat surface 56, air can be drawn in without being obstructed by the directional plate 80, allowing air to be drawn in uniformly throughout the entire seat 5.

[0129] The air discharged near the floor surface 22 inside the passenger compartment 2 rises and flows around the seat 5. When the blower 70 is operated, the air around the seat 5 (seat upper portion 51, seat middle portion 52, and seat lower portion 53) is again sucked into the in-seat air passage 50 through the air vents 60. In this way, the air (cool air) circulates. This is the air flow during cooling.

[0130] This air flow during cooling creates an air curtain AC1 of cool air flowing from the upper seat 51 (near the head of the seated occupant) to the lower seat 53 (near the feet of the occupant) for each seat 5 in which an occupant is seated. By controlling the air blower 70 provided for each seat 5, cool air can be circulated individually and efficiently for each occupant.

[0131] Furthermore, the cool air passes through the upper vents 61, the front lower vents 62A, and the seat and back vents 62B and enters the in-seat air passage 50 evenly. This prevents heat from building up over the entire contact surface between the occupant and the seat 5, and prevents stuffiness.

[0132] <Operation during heating> The operation during heating operation will be described with reference to Fig. 16. When the air conditioning temperature regulator 4 is performing heating operation, the control device 30 operates the blower 70 to draw air from near the floor of the passenger compartment 2 into the in-seat air passage 50 through the under-seat ventilation opening 24.

[0133] When air flows in from below the upright portion 81, the directional plate 80 changes the direction of travel of a portion (e.g., 30% or more, 50% or more) of the air in the in-seat air passage 50 that would otherwise flow upward, toward the front-lower air vents 62A via the curved portion 83, and discharges the air through the front-lower air vents 62A into the vehicle interior 2 (near the calves of the occupant). The remaining air then passes through the in-seat air passage 50 and is discharged into the vehicle interior 2 through the seat and back air vents 62B. The control device 30 operates the blower device 70 at an air volume (air speed) that changes the direction of travel of a portion of the air flowing through the in-seat air passage 50 toward the front-lower air vents 62A. In this case, only a small amount of air leaks upward from the opening 84, and the air that passes through the inside of the directional plate 80 is discharged into the vehicle interior 2 through the front-lower air vents 62A.

[0134] During heating, when air flows from the in-seat air passage 50 toward the interior of the vehicle compartment 2, the vent opening / closing means 6 receives force from the inside of the seat 5 and closes the upper vent 61. This blocks the flow of air toward the interior of the vehicle compartment 2 through the upper vent 61.

[0135] Some of the warm air blown out from the seat 5 rises, but the blower 70 draws in air near the floor 22, and the warm air in the passenger compartment 2 is again supplied by the blower 70 to the in-seat air passage 50 through the under-seat ventilation opening 24. In this way, the air (warm air) circulates. This is the air flow during heating.

[0136] This air flow during heating forms an air curtain AC2 of warm air rising from under the seat 53. By individually controlling the blower devices 70, warm air can be circulated individually and efficiently for each occupant.

[0137] The warm air passes through the front lower air vent 62A and the back and seat air vent 62B from the in-seat air passage 50 and is discharged into the vehicle interior 2. On the other hand, discharge from the upper air vent 61 is blocked. Since the occupant can come into contact with the warm air blowing out from the seat 5 except for the head (seat upper portion 51), the back, waist, and legs are warmed while the temperature of the head is prevented from rising.

[0138] Furthermore, the directional plate 80 allows the flow rate of air blown toward the occupant's feet during heating (for example, the volumetric flow rate passing through the front lower region 58A) to be increased compared to the flow rate of air blown toward the lower backrest 55B and the seat portion 56 (for example, the volumetric flow rate passing through the back and seat region 58B), thereby realizing an ideal environment where the head is cool and the feet are warm.

[0139] 14 to 16 also enables efficient air conditioning by circulating conditioned air around the occupant seated in the seat 5 along natural convection of cool and warm air. Furthermore, the air vents 60 provided in the seat 5 create an air flow around the occupant's body in contact with the seat 5, improving the comfort of the occupant.

[0140] Furthermore, the components that make up the air path can be the same whether the unit is cooling or heating, which reduces the number of components and leads to cost reductions.

[0141] Furthermore, because individual air conditioning is possible for each seat 5, the difference (variation) in the air conditioning state between the front and rear seats can be reduced, preventing waste of air conditioning. Also, the occupants are enveloped by air curtains AC1 and AC2 for each seat 5, which also improves comfort.

[0142] Furthermore, during cooling, cool air is drawn in from all the vents 60 including the upper vent 61, while during heating, warm air blowing from the upper part of the seat 51 into the passenger compartment 2 through the upper vent 61 is blocked, so that the temperature (air temperature) around the heads of the occupants can be kept comfortable whether during heating or cooling.

[0143] Furthermore, when heating, the amount of warm air from below the knees to the feet of the occupant is increased, improving the feeling of warmth in the feet, which tend to get cold easily.

[0144] Furthermore, heated airflow and cooled airflow can be created without installing electrical components (such as electrically controlled opening / closing means or flow-regulating dampers) within the seat 5. In particular, during heating, the volume of air (warm air) discharged toward the occupant's feet is increased compared to the volume of air discharged from the backrest lower portion 55B and the seat portion 56, and air is not discharged toward the occupant's head (seat upper portion 51). This achieves the ideal cooling of the head and warm feet. Furthermore, the openings 84 provided in the directional plate 80 allow air (cold air) to be drawn in evenly from the entire seat 5 during cooling, thereby increasing the cooling sensation felt by the seated occupant.

[0145] Furthermore, because no electrical components are provided inside the seat 5, there is no need for wiring inside the seat 5, and wire breakage within the seat 5 can be avoided. Furthermore, there is no need for a mechanism to prevent wire breakage, and the mechanism for adjusting the seat 5 does not become complicated. Furthermore, increases in the size and weight of the seat 5 can be suppressed, and the number of parts can be reduced. Therefore, the cost, size, and weight of the vehicle air conditioner 1 can be reduced.

[0146] In the vehicle air conditioner 1 shown in Figures 14 to 16, the blower 70 can be individually controlled by, for example, the seat occupancy sensor 40. The seat occupancy sensor 40 detects whether an occupant is seated, and the blower 70 generates a heated air flow and a cooled air flow only for the seat 5 where an occupant is seated. Air curtains AC1, AC2 are formed near each seat 5 where an occupant is present, thereby reducing the overall air volume inside the vehicle compartment 2. Furthermore, areas where no occupant is present are not air-conditioned, thereby reducing the energy required for heating and cooling. The seat occupancy sensor 40 does not need to be installed inside the seat 5, so energy can be saved without installing electrical equipment inside the seat 5.

[0147] Here, as an example, the case where the intake and exhaust directions of the blower device 70 are reversed to form an air flow for heating and an air flow for cooling is illustrated, but this is not limiting. For example, the air flow for heating and the air flow for cooling may be formed by switching the air circuit. Specifically, means generally used in vehicle air conditioners can be employed, such as supplying air conditioned by the HVAC unit 10, providing an air conditioner under each seat 5 to create conditioned air for each seat 5, or using a Peltier element or the like to heat and cool the air.

[0148] The blower device 70 may be located away from the seat 5 if it is capable of blowing air into the directional plate 80, but it is preferable to locate it near the seat 5 because the amount of air blown into the directional plate 80 will be weaker.

[0149] Furthermore, an HVAC function for adjusting temperature may be provided to the blower 70. Furthermore, the blower 70 may be the blower 120 of the HVAC unit 10 in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0150] Furthermore, the seat 5 of the vehicle air conditioner 1 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 etc. may be configured as a seat 5 having a direction plate 80 and a blower 70 shown in FIG. 12 etc.

[0151] As described above, the vehicle air conditioning device 1 (Figures 14 to 16) according to another example of this embodiment includes an in-seat air passage 50 provided inside a seat 5 arranged in the vehicle interior 2, a blower 70 that circulates air through the in-seat air passage 50, a front lower air vent 62A provided in the front lower region 58A of the seat 5, and a direction plate 80 that is provided in the in-seat air passage 50 and directs the air flow in the in-seat air passage 50 toward the front lower air vent 62A during heating.

[0152] This allows a predetermined amount of air (warm air) to be reliably discharged from the front lower air vent 62A during heating, thereby enabling concentrated heating of the area below the knees (calves) of the occupant and improving the feeling of warmth.

[0153] Furthermore, a predetermined amount of air (warm air) can be reliably discharged from the front-lower air vent 62A without providing electrical components (such as a flow rate adjustment damper or electrically controlled opening and closing means for the air vent 60) inside the seat 5. This eliminates the need for wiring inside the seat 5, preventing disconnections. Furthermore, a mechanism for preventing disconnections in the wiring is no longer necessary, preventing the adjustment mechanism for the seat 5 from becoming complicated. Furthermore, the seat 5 can be made smaller and lighter, and the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts.

[0154] The seat 5 also has other vents 60 (upper vents 61 and seat back vents 62B) in areas other than the front lower area 58A (upper area 57 and seat back area 58B). During cooling, an airflow during cooling is formed in which air from within the vehicle compartment 2 is drawn into the seat 5 through all of the vents 60 (front lower vents 62A, upper vents 61, and seat back vents 62B). During heating, an airflow during heating is formed in which air from within the seat 5 is discharged into the vehicle compartment 2 through the front lower vents 62A and some of the other vents 60 (seat back vents 62B). In other words, during cooling, air from within the vehicle compartment is drawn into the entire seat 5, reducing the buildup of heat and stuffiness at the contact surface between the occupant and the seat 5 and improving comfort during cooling. Furthermore, when heating, warm air is prevented from blowing out from the upper part 51 of the seat (near the head of the occupant), and a predetermined amount of warm air is reliably blown out from the front lower air vent 62A facing the calf area of ​​the occupant seated in the seat 5, thereby providing an ideal environment for a cool head and warm feet.

[0155] Furthermore, the directional plate 80 has openings 84 on the upper surface of the inclined portion 82 through which air can pass during cooling. During cooling, air inside the vehicle interior 2 is drawn into the in-seat air passage 50, and the directional plate 80 (inclined portion 82) is arranged in the direction of travel of the air drawn in from the seat surface 56. However, because openings 84 are provided on the upper surface of the inclined portion 82 and allow the drawn air to pass through, air can be drawn in uniformly throughout the entire seat 5.

[0156] The vehicle also has an opening / closing means for the upper vent 61, which allows the air passage state of the upper vent 61 to be different during heating and cooling. That is, during cooling, cool air can be drawn in through the upper vent 61, allowing the cool air to come into contact with the area around the occupant's head. During heating, air passing through the upper vent 61 can be blocked, preventing warm air from coming into contact with the area around the occupant's head, providing an environment where the head is cool and the feet are warm.

[0157] Furthermore, because the opening / closing means is opened by the passage of air in one direction, the upper air vent 61 is opened by the air flow when air is drawn from the passenger compartment 2 into the in-seat air passage 50 during cooling, and the upper air vent 61 is closed by the air flow when air is discharged from the in-seat air passage 50 into the passenger compartment 2 during heating. This makes it possible to switch between allowing and not allowing air to come into contact with the vicinity of the passenger's head without providing electrical equipment for opening and closing the air vent 60 within the seat 5. This prevents wire breaks within the seat 5. Furthermore, a mechanism for preventing wire breaks is not required, and the adjustment mechanism for the seat 5 can be prevented from becoming complicated. Furthermore, the seat 5 can be made smaller and lighter, and the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts.

[0158] As described above, the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 1. Vehicle air conditioning system 2 Cabin 3. Instrument panel 4 Air conditioning temperature control section 5 seats 6 Opening and closing means (vent opening and closing means) 6. Ventilation opening and closing means 10 HVAC units 11, 1st ventilation hole 12 2nd ventilation hole 13,14 Body side air passage 16 Through hole 20 Ceiling 22 Floor 23 1st compartment side ventilation port 24 No. 2 passenger compartment ventilation vent (under-seat ventilation vent) 25,26 Ventilation opening / closing means 30 Control device 50 Air passage inside the seat 51 Upper part of seat 52 Center of seat 53 Under the seat 57 1st area (upper area) 58 Second area 58A Anterior lower area 58B Seat area 60 ventilation holes 61 Upper vent 62A Front lower vent 62B Back and seat ventilation holes 63 Foot area airflow adjustment means (flow adjustment damper) 70 Blower 71,72 Ventilation hole 80 Directional plate 84 Aperture 120 Blower

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising an HVAC unit having a first ventilation port and a second ventilation port, for conditioning air in a vehicle interior in which seats are provided, The HVAC unit includes: forming a cooling air flow in the vehicle interior during cooling; A heating air flow is formed in the vehicle interior during heating, The air flow during cooling is the air flow includes air that is blown out from the first ventilation port toward an upper portion of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "seat upper portion"), descends, passes through a lower portion of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "seat lower portion"), and heads toward the second ventilation port; The air flow during heating is a flow of air blown out from the second ventilation port toward the lower part of the seat, rising, and heading toward the first ventilation port; 1. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising:

2. the sheet has a first region which is a surface region of an upper portion of the sheet, and a second region which is a surface region other than the first region, a first ventilation hole is provided in the first region; a second ventilation hole is provided in the second region; the air flow during cooling includes a flow of air drawn from the vehicle interior into the seat via the first air vent and the second air vent, the air flow during heating includes a flow of air blown from inside the seat into the vehicle compartment via the second air vent.

2. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 1.

3. the second region is divided into a third region and a fourth region, the third region is a region facing the vicinity of the calves of an occupant sitting on the seat, the fourth region is a region other than the third region, During heating, the amount of air blown out from the third area is greater than the amount of air blown out from the fourth area.

3. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 2.

4. an opening / closing means for opening and closing the first ventilation hole; a control device for controlling the opening and closing means; The first vent hole is closed by the opening / closing means during heating.

3. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 2.

5. The ventilation amounts in the first region and the second region are each variable.

3. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 2.

6. the seat upper portion is a portion corresponding to at least the vicinity of the head of an occupant seated in the seat, The seat lower portion is a portion corresponding to at least the vicinity below the knees of an occupant sitting on the seat.

2. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 1.

7. a detection means for detecting that an occupant is seated on the seat; A control device is provided. The control device, in response to the detection result of the detection means, Controlling the formation of the cooling air flow and / or the heating air flow for each seat.

2. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 1.

8. a first compartment-side ventilation port connected to the first ventilation port and provided in a ceiling of the compartment; a second passenger compartment ventilation port connected to the second ventilation port and provided below the seat; 2. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to claim 1.

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