Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide an air-conditioning system that is hard to be affected by outdoor temperature.SOLUTION: Provided is an air-conditioning system 61 including a seat air-conditioner 63 that is provided in a vehicle seat 3 and performs air conditioning around a seated person. The seat air-conditioner includes a vehicle exterior air conditioner 71B that performs air conditioning from a vehicle exterior side, and a vehicle interior air conditioner 71A that performs air conditioning from a vehicle interior side. An output from the vehicle exterior air conditioner is larger than an output from the vehicle interior air conditioner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is a known seat mounted on a vehicle, which has a blowing path for blowing air from the seat surface (for example, Patent Document 1). The seat described in Patent Document 1 includes a seat back that serves as a backrest for the seated person and a seat cushion that serves as a seating portion. An air conditioner with a blowing function is provided at the lower part of the seat cushion. Panel materials projecting in a vertical plate shape are provided on both sides of the seat cushion, respectively. The upper edge of the panel material has a shape bent inward in the seat width direction.

[0003] Each of the panel materials blows the air sent out from the air conditioner along the inner surface in the seat width direction to the upper side of the seat (the seat surface side), and guides it to blow out from the left and right toward the thighs of the seated person by the shape bent inward in the seat width direction on the upper edge side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A vehicle is provided with doors and windows. The vicinity of the doors and windows is easily affected by outside air. When the seat of Patent Document 1 is particularly arranged near the doors and windows, there may be a temperature difference in the left and right winds blowing toward the seated person.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning system that is hardly affected by the outside air temperature. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioning system (61) comprising a seat air conditioning device (63) provided on a vehicle seat (3) for air conditioning around the seated person, wherein the seat air conditioning device includes an exterior air conditioning device (71B) that provides air conditioning from the outside of the vehicle and an interior air conditioning device (71A) that provides air conditioning from the inside of the vehicle, and the output of the exterior air conditioning device is greater than the output of the interior air conditioning device.

[0008] According to this embodiment, the output of the exterior air conditioning unit, which air-conditions the exterior of the vehicle that is susceptible to the influence of outside air, is set higher than the output of the interior air conditioning unit, thereby reducing the influence of outside temperature.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each include a blower (93) that sends air toward the seated person and a heat source (97A) that adjusts the temperature of the air sent by the blower, and the output of the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source.

[0010] According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air can be reduced by making the temperature change on the outside of the vehicle, which is more susceptible to the influence of outside air, greater than that on the inside of the vehicle.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit are each provided with a seat cushion (11) of the vehicle seat, and control the temperature around the legs of the seated person.

[0012] According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air on the legs of the seated person can be reduced.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the in-vehicle air conditioning unit and the out-vehicle air conditioning unit each include a duct (95) that extends from the blower and extends forward beyond the front end of the seat cushion.

[0014] According to this configuration, the air blown out from the blower can be directed to the feet of the seated person.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat cushion comprises a base portion (11B) that constitutes the central part in the left-right direction, and a ridge portion (11C) connected to both left and right edges of the base portion and rising above the upper surface of the base portion, with the front ends of the ducts opening below the upper surface of the ridge portions.

[0016] According to this embodiment, when the seated person's thighs are placed on the raised portion, the duct is less likely to come into contact with the thighs, thus preventing a decrease in seating comfort caused by the installation of a seat air conditioning system.

[0017] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat cushion has a pair of left and right side frames (21A) extending in the front-rear direction, a side cover (27) is provided on the outside of the seat of each side frame, and the ducts are each located inward of the seat beyond the left and right ends of the side covers.

[0018] According to this embodiment, the duct can be protected from impacts to the left and right sides of the seat cushion.

[0019] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat air conditioning system includes a back-side air conditioning system (73) provided on the seat back of the vehicle seat, which adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the neck of the occupant, and the output of the exterior air conditioning system is greater than the output of the back-side air conditioning system.

[0020] According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air can be effectively suppressed on the outside of the vehicle, particularly on the legs, which are more susceptible to the effects of outside air than the neck.

[0021] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the backside air conditioner includes a blower (103) that blows air to the neck of the seated person and a heat source (107A) that changes the temperature of the air blown to the neck. The output of the outside-vehicle air conditioner corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air by the heat source (97A) of the outside-vehicle air conditioner, and the output of the backside air conditioner corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air by the heat source (107A) of the backside air conditioner.

[0022] According to this aspect, since the temperature change of the air blown to the outside of the vehicle side of the leg is larger than the air blown to the neck, it is possible to effectively suppress the influence of outside air on the outside of the vehicle side of the leg where the influence of outside air is likely to occur.

[0023] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the seat air conditioner includes a head-side air conditioner (75) provided in the headrest (15) of the vehicle seat and performing temperature adjustment by blowing air toward the head of the seated person, and the output of the outside-vehicle air conditioner is larger than the output of the head-side air conditioner.

[0024] According to this aspect, it is possible to effectively suppress the influence of outside air on the outside of the vehicle side of the leg where the influence of outside air is more likely to occur than on the head.

[0025] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the head-side air conditioner includes a blower (113) that blows air to the head of the seated person and a heat source (117A) that changes the temperature of the air blown to the head. The output of the outside-vehicle air conditioner corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air by the heat source (97A) of the outside-vehicle air conditioner, and the output of the head-side air conditioner corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air by the heat source (117A) of the head-side air conditioner.

[0026] According to this aspect, since the temperature change of the air blown to the outside of the vehicle side of the leg is larger than the air blown to the head, it is possible to effectively suppress the influence of outside air on the outside of the vehicle side of the leg where the influence of outside air is likely to occur.

[0027] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, a temperature sensor (67) for acquiring the temperature inside the vehicle cabin where the vehicle seat is placed, and a control device (81) for controlling the seat air conditioner based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor are included. The control device drives the seat air conditioner to cool the seated person when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the upper threshold value, and drives the seat air conditioner to warm the seated person when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the lower threshold value.

[0028] According to this aspect, air conditioning can be performed based on the temperature inside the vehicle cabin where the seated person of the vehicle seat is located.

[0029] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, a temperature sensor (67) for acquiring the surface temperature of the vehicle seat, and a control device (81) for controlling the seat air conditioner based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor are included. The control device drives the seat air conditioner to cool the seated person when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the upper threshold value, and drives the seat air conditioner to warm the seated person when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the lower threshold value.

[0030] According to this aspect, air conditioning can be performed based on the temperature of the vehicle seat touched by the seated person.

[0031] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the seat air conditioner includes a back-side air conditioner (73) provided on the seat back (13) of the vehicle seat and performing temperature adjustment by blowing air toward the neck of the seated person, a temperature sensor (67) for acquiring the surface temperature of the vehicle seat or the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and a control device (81) for controlling the seat air conditioner based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor. The control device increases the output of the back-side air conditioner to be larger than that of the outside-vehicle-side air conditioner when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the upper threshold value, and increases the output of the outside-vehicle-side air conditioner to be larger than that of the back-side air conditioner when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the lower threshold value.

[0032] In this configuration, when the temperature is high and the occupant may feel hot, the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit that cools the area around the neck is increased. When the temperature is low and the occupant may feel cold, the output of the exterior-side air conditioning unit that cools the area around the legs is increased. Therefore, when the occupant may feel hot, the neck is cooled more than the legs, and when the occupant feels cold, the legs are warmed more than the neck, thus improving the comfort of the vehicle seat.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, there is a vehicle interior air conditioning system (564) that operates to provide air conditioning for the vehicle interior on which the vehicle seat is placed, and the vehicle interior air conditioning system starts operating when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor becomes above a predetermined value after the seat air conditioning system has been driven.

[0034] In this embodiment, when a person sits down, the seat air conditioning system activates first, followed by the cabin air conditioning system. Because the air conditioning systems activate sequentially from the side closest to the person sitting down, the temperature around the person sitting down can be adjusted more quickly compared to when the cabin air conditioning system activates first, followed by the seat air conditioning system.

[0035] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, there is a vehicle interior air conditioning system (564) that operates to provide air conditioning for the vehicle interior on which the vehicle seat is placed, and the vehicle interior air conditioning system starts operating after the seat air conditioning system has been driven and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor has remained above a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time.

[0036] In this embodiment, when a person sits down, the seat air conditioning system activates, and after the temperature sensor maintains that the surface temperature of the vehicle seat is above a threshold, the cabin air conditioning system activates. This prevents malfunctions of the cabin air conditioning system due to false readings by the temperature sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a seat air conditioning system installed in a vehicle seat that provides air conditioning around the seated person, the seat air conditioning system includes an external air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the outside of the vehicle and an internal air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the inside of the vehicle, wherein the output of the external air conditioning system is greater than the output of the internal air conditioning system. According to this aspect, since the output of the external air conditioning system that provides air conditioning to the outside of the vehicle, which is susceptible to the influence of outside air, is set higher than the output of the internal air conditioning system, the influence of outside temperature can be reduced.

[0038] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each include a blower that sends air toward the seated person and a heat source that adjusts the temperature of the air sent by the blower, and the output of the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source. According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air can be reduced by making the amount of temperature change on the exterior side, which is susceptible to the influence of outside air, larger than that on the interior side.

[0039] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit are each provided with a seat cushion for the vehicle seat, and control the temperature around the occupant's legs. According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air on the occupant's legs can be reduced.

[0040] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the in-vehicle air conditioning unit and the out-vehicle air conditioning unit each include a duct extending from the blower and extending forward beyond the front end of the seat cushion. In this embodiment, the air blown out from the blower can be directed to the feet of the seated person.

[0041] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat cushion comprises a base portion that constitutes the central part in the left-right direction, and a raised portion connected to both the left and right edges of the base portion and rising above the upper surface of the base portion, with the front ends of the ducts opening below the upper surface of the raised portions. According to this embodiment, when the thighs of the seated person are placed on the raised portions, the ducts are less likely to come into contact with the thighs, thus preventing a decrease in seating comfort caused by the installation of a seat air conditioning device.

[0042] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat cushion has a pair of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction, and side covers are provided on the outside of the seat of each side frame, and the ducts are located inward of the seat from the left and right ends of the side covers. According to this embodiment, the ducts can be protected from impacts to the left and right sides of the seat cushion.

[0043] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat air conditioning system includes a back-side air conditioning system provided on the seat back of the vehicle seat that adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the neck of the seated person, and the output of the exterior air conditioning system is greater than the output of the back-side air conditioning system. According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air can be effectively suppressed on the exterior side of the leg area, which is more susceptible to the influence of outside air than the neck.

[0044] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the rear-side air conditioning unit comprises a blower that delivers air to the seated person's neck and a heat source that changes the temperature of the air delivered to the neck, wherein the output of the exterior-side air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the exterior-side air conditioning unit, and the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the rear-side air conditioning unit. According to this embodiment, since the temperature change of the air blown onto the outside of the leg area is greater than that of the air blown onto the neck, the influence of outside air can be effectively suppressed on the outside of the leg area, which is more susceptible to the influence of outside air.

[0045] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat air conditioning system includes a head-side air conditioning unit provided on the headrest of the vehicle seat, which adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the head of the occupant, and the output of the exterior air conditioning unit is greater than the output of the head-side air conditioning unit. According to this embodiment, the influence of outside air can be effectively suppressed on the exterior of the leg area, which is more susceptible to the influence of outside air than the head.

[0046] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the head-side air conditioning unit comprises a blower that sends air to the head of the seated person and a heat source that changes the temperature of the air sent to the head, wherein the output of the exterior air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the exterior air conditioning unit, and the output of the head-side air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the head-side air conditioning unit. According to this embodiment, since the temperature change of the air blown onto the outside of the vehicle at the leg area is greater than the temperature change of the air blown onto the head, the influence of outside air can be effectively suppressed on the outside of the vehicle at the leg area, where the influence of outside air is more likely to occur.

[0047] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the system includes a temperature sensor that acquires the temperature inside the vehicle cabin where the vehicle seat is installed, and a control device that controls the seat air conditioning system based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor. The control device drives the seat air conditioning system to cool the occupant when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is above an upper threshold, and drives it to warm the occupant when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is below a lower threshold. According to this embodiment, air conditioning can be performed based on the temperature inside the vehicle cabin where the occupant of the vehicle seat is located.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the system includes a temperature sensor for acquiring the surface temperature of the vehicle seat and a control device for controlling the seat air conditioning system based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor. The control device drives the seat air conditioning system to cool the occupant when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is above an upper threshold, and drives it to warm the occupant when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is below a lower threshold. According to this embodiment, air conditioning can be performed based on the temperature of the vehicle seat that the occupant touches.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, the seat air conditioning system includes a back-side air conditioning unit provided on the seat back of the vehicle seat and adjusting the temperature by blowing air toward the neck of the occupant, a temperature sensor that acquires the surface temperature of the vehicle seat or the temperature inside the vehicle, and a control device that controls the seat air conditioning system based on the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor. The control device increases the output of the back-side air conditioning unit to be greater than that of the exterior air conditioning unit when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is above an upper threshold, and increases the output of the exterior air conditioning unit to be greater than that of the back-side air conditioning unit when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor is below a lower threshold. According to this embodiment, when the temperature is high and the occupant may feel hot, the output of the back-side air conditioning unit that air conditioners around the neck is increased. When the temperature is low and the occupant may feel cold, the output of the exterior air conditioning unit that air conditioners around the legs is increased. Therefore, when the occupant feels hot, their neck is cooled more than their legs, and when the occupant feels cold, their legs are warmer than their neck, thus improving the comfort of the vehicle seat.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, there is an interior air conditioning system that operates to provide air conditioning for the interior of the vehicle where the vehicle seat is placed, and the interior air conditioning system starts operating when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined value or higher after the seat air conditioning system has been activated. In this embodiment, when a person sits down, the seat air conditioning system operates first, followed by the interior air conditioning system. In this way, the air conditioning systems operate sequentially from the side closest to the person sitting down, so the temperature around the person sitting down can be controlled more quickly compared to when the interior air conditioning system operates first, followed by the seat air conditioning system.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preferably, there is an interior air conditioning system that operates to provide air conditioning for the interior of the vehicle where the vehicle seat is placed, and the interior air conditioning system starts operating after the seat air conditioning system has been activated and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor has remained above a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. In this embodiment, when a person sits down, the seat air conditioning system activates, and the interior air conditioning system activates after the temperature sensor has maintained a state in which the surface temperature of the vehicle seat is above a threshold. This prevents malfunction of the interior air conditioning system due to false detection by the temperature sensor. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0052] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Side view of a vehicle seat of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment, as seen from the outside of the vehicle. [Figure 3] Perspective view of a vehicle seat for an air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Front view of a vehicle seat according to the first embodiment [Figure 5] Side view of a vehicle seat according to the first embodiment, as seen from inside the vehicle. [Figure 6] Perspective view of the seatback frame and rear-side air conditioning unit. [Figure 7] Rear view of the seatback frame and rear-side air conditioning unit. [Figure 8] Diagram illustrating the headrest frame and head-side air conditioning unit. [Figure 9] Block diagram of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment [Figure 10] Side view of the cushion-side air conditioning unit. [Figure 11] Figure 10: Cross-sectional view of section XI-XI [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view of the seatback corresponding to section XII-XII in Figure 8. [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of the seatback corresponding to section XIII-XIII in Figure 8. [Figure 14] Side view of a vehicle seat of the air conditioning system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] Front view of a vehicle seat of the air conditioning system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] Side view of a vehicle seat of the air conditioning system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] An explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the deployment area of ​​the side airbag and the cushion-side air conditioning unit in a vehicle seat of the air conditioning system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 18] Block diagram of the air conditioning system according to the seventh embodiment [Figure 19] Cross-sectional view of the upper rear end portion of the seat back for illustrating the rear-side air conditioning unit according to the 9th embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0053] Hereinafter, embodiments of the air conditioning system of the present invention applied to a vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0054] <<First Embodiment>> As shown in Figure 1, Vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled automobile. Vehicle 1 is provided with a passenger compartment 2. In the passenger compartment 2, vehicle seats 3, which constitute the driver's seat and the passenger seat, are arranged side by side on the left and right. Each vehicle seat 3 has a seat body 5 on which the occupant sits. The seat body 5 is placed on the floor 6 that defines the bottom of the passenger compartment 2, so that the seated occupant faces forward in the vehicle 1. Hereafter, the vehicle 1 will be used as the reference point, and the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions will be defined accordingly. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat 3 constitutes the driver's seat located on the right side of the front row.

[0055] A door 7 is provided on the exterior side of the seat body 5. A door trim 7A is provided on the interior side of the door 7. The door trim 7A is an interior trim component of the door 7 and covers the door panel 7B from the interior side. The door trim 7A forms the armrest and door pocket.

[0056] In this embodiment, the door 7 is provided with a door airbag 8 that inflates toward the interior of the vehicle (inside the passenger compartment 2) and can be deployed toward the exterior of the vehicle where the seated person is located. The door airbag 8 is housed between the door trim 7A and the door panel 7B. In Figure 1, the area through which the door airbag 8 passes when it deploys (hereinafter referred to as the deployment area A) is shown by hatching dots.

[0057] A center console box 9 is provided on the interior side of the seat body 5. The center console box 9 comprises a storage recess 9A that opens to accommodate items, and a lid 9B that opens and closes the storage recess 9A. The lid 9B is hinged to the opening edge 9C of the storage recess 9A. In this embodiment, the storage recess 9A is recessed downwards and opens upwards. The lid 9B is hinged to the opening edge of the storage recess 9A, on its exterior side. In Figure 1, the area through which the lid 9B passes when it is opened and closed, i.e., the movable area B, is shown hatched with diagonal lines.

[0058] As shown in Figure 2, the seat body 5 includes a seat cushion 11 that supports the seated person's buttocks, a seat back 13 provided at the rear of the seat cushion 11 and functioning as a backrest, and a headrest 15 provided at the top of the seat back 13.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the seat cushion 11 is roughly rectangular in shape with surfaces facing roughly in the vertical direction. The upper surface of the seat cushion 11 constitutes a seating surface 11A for one occupant. The seating surface 11A is recessed downwards approximately in the center in the left-right direction and slopes slightly downwards toward the rear. When an occupant is seated, their buttocks are positioned at the rear of the seating surface 11A and their thighs are positioned at the front of the seating surface 11A.

[0060] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the seat cushion 11 comprises a base portion 11B that forms the central part in the left-right direction and has a substantially horizontal upper surface, and a raised portion 11C (also called a bolster portion) that is connected to both the left and right edges of the base portion 11B and rises above the upper surface of the base portion 11B.

[0061] As shown in Figure 2, the seat back 13 extends vertically and has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a surface facing roughly in the front-to-back direction. The front surface of the seat back 13 forms a support surface 13A that faces the back of the occupant. The support surface 13A is recessed towards the rear at roughly the center in the left-to-right direction and slopes slightly backward towards the top. The support surface 13A supports the back of the occupant leaning against the seat back 13 from the rear.

[0062] The headrest 15 is connected to the upper end of the seatback 13 via two pillars 15A. The headrest 15 is positioned behind the occupant's head.

[0063] The seat cushion 11 has a metal frame 21 (also called the seat cushion frame; see Figure 4) that forms the skeleton, pad members 23 supported by the frame 21, and a surface material 25 that covers at least a portion of the surface of each pad member 23. The frame 21 of the seat cushion 11 has a pair of left and right side frames 21A extending front to back, a front frame (not shown) connecting the front parts of the two side frames 21A, and a rear frame (not shown) connecting the rear parts of the two side members. The frame 21 further includes a plate-shaped pan frame 21B provided between the two side frames 21A and spanning across the front and rear members. The pad members 23 are arranged on the upper surface of the pan frame 21B.

[0064] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, each side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11 is provided with a side cover 27. The side cover 27 is made of resin and extends front to back along the side frame 21A. The side cover 27 has a shape that conforms to the side frame 21A and covers the side frame 21A from the outside of the seat. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the side cover 27 on the outside of the vehicle is provided with a recess 27A that is recessed inward from the seat.

[0065] As shown in Figure 2, two lower rails 29 extending in the front-to-back direction are provided below the seat cushion 11. Each of the lower rails 29 is provided with an upper rail 30 extending in the front-to-back direction. Each upper rail 30 is slidably connected to the lower rail 29. Each upper rail 30 is connected to a frame 21 that constitutes the skeleton of the seat cushion 11. In this embodiment, a link member (not shown) is provided between the upper rail 30 and the lower rail 29. By rotating the link member, the height and inclination of the seat cushion 11 relative to the floor 6 can be changed.

[0066] The seat back 13, like the seat cushion 11, includes a metal frame 31 that forms the skeleton, pad members 33 each supported by the frame 31, and a surface material 35 that covers at least a portion of the surface of each pad member 33. As shown in Figure 6, the frame 31 of the seat back 13 has a pair of left and right side frames 31A that extend vertically, an upper frame 31B that spans between the upper parts of the side frames 31A, and a lower frame (not shown) that spans between the lower parts of the side frames 31A, forming a substantially rectangular frame shape. In this embodiment, a cross frame 31C is provided that connects the left and right sides of the upper frame 31B. The left side frame 31A of the seat back 13 is each supported at its lower end so as to be rotatable around a tilt axis P (see Figure 2) at the rear end of the left side frame 31A of the seat cushion 11. Similarly, the right side frame 31A of the seat back 13 is supported at its lower end so as to be rotatable around the tilt axis P to the rear end of the right side frame 31A of the seat cushion 11. In this way, the frame 31 of the seat back 13 is tiltably connected to the frame 21 of the seat cushion 11.

[0067] The side frame 31A of the seat back 13 is provided with an airbag module 36 on the outer side of the side frame 31A. The airbag module 36 is equipped with a side airbag 37 that deploys to the outside of the vehicle for the occupant in the event of a side collision. The area through which the side airbag 37 passes when deployed is indicated by a dashed line. Hereinafter, the area through which the side airbag 37 passes when deployed will be referred to as the deployment area C of the side airbag 37.

[0068] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the upper frame 31B of the seat back 13 is provided with two pillar guides 31D for receiving the pillars 15A (see Figure 2) of the headrest 15. Each pillar guide 31D is cylindrical in shape and extends substantially parallel to the extending direction of the side frame 31A of the seat back 13.

[0069] As shown in Figure 8, the headrest 15 has a metal frame 39 that forms the skeleton, a pad member 41 supported by the frame 39, and a surface material 43 that covers the surface of the pad member 41. The frame 39 has a pair of left and right vertical frames 39A, each cylindrical, and an auxiliary frame 39B (also called a bracket) that extends left and right and connects the two vertical frames 39A. The lower ends of the vertical frames 39A each constitute a pillar 15A. The headrest 15 is supported at the upper end of the seat back 13 by the pillars 15A being inserted into pillar guides 31D. The auxiliary frame 39B preferably has a substantially flat support surface 39C that faces forward and overlaps with the left and right vertical frames 39A in a front view, in order to reliably support the occupant's head from the rear.

[0070] As shown in Figure 2, the seat cushion 11 is provided with a reclining lever 45 for tilting the seat back 13 relative to the seat cushion 11, and a height lever 47 for changing the height of the seat cushion 11. The reclining lever 45 and the height lever 47 are each supported at their rear ends by the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11 and extend forward on the side frame 21A outside the seat. The front of the reclining lever 45 and the front of the height lever 47 are each provided with a grip portion 49 that receives operational input from the seated person. That is, the grip portion 49 functions as an operational input portion that receives operational input from the seated person regarding the deformation and displacement of the seat body 5. In this embodiment, the reclining lever 45 and the height lever 47 are each provided on the outside of the seat cushion 11. The grip portion 49 is received in a recess 27A of the side cover 27.

[0071] As shown in Figure 5, the seat body 5 is provided with a buckle device 51 for a seat belt. The buckle device 51 engages with the seat belt tongue 55 held by the seat belt 53, thereby restraining the occupant to the seat body 5.

[0072] The buckle device 51 includes a buckle support arm 51A and a buckle 51B. The buckle support arm 51A is rod-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction. At its rear end, the buckle support arm 51A is rotatably coupled to the rear of the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11 about a rotation axis Q that extends in the left-right direction. The buckle 51B is configured to engage with and detach from the seat belt tongue 55 and is fixed to the front end of the buckle support arm 51A. When in use, the buckle support arm 51A is positioned to extend diagonally upward and forward as shown in Figure 2, so that the buckle 51B is coupled to the seat belt tongue 55.

[0073] As a result, the buckle 51B is rotatably supported on the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11, about a rotation axis Q that extends in the left-right direction. Figures 4 and 5 show the range of movement of the buckle 51B, i.e., the range of motion D of the buckle 51B, when the buckle support arm 51A is rotated within its range of motion about the rotation axis Q, indicated by hatched dots. As shown in Figure 2, the range of motion D of the buckle 51B forms a fan-shaped ring (fan-shaped) about the rotation axis Q. Because the buckle 51B is movably supported in this way, the seated person can position the buckle 51B in a position that is easy for them to operate, and thus the seat belt tongue 55 can be easily connected to the buckle 51B.

[0074] The seat belt 53 is introduced into the passenger compartment 2 from near the upper end of the center pillar 59, via a seat belt retractor device (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body, passing through the inside of the center pillar 59. By pulling out the seat belt 53 and engaging the seat belt tongue 55 with the buckle 51B, the occupant is restrained by the seat body 5. In Figure 5, the range of movement E of the seat belt tongue 55 is shown by hatching with diagonal lines when the buckle support arm 51A is rotated within its range of motion about the rotation axis Q.

[0075] The vehicle seat 3 is equipped with an air conditioning system 61. As shown in Figure 9, the air conditioning system 61 includes a seat air conditioning unit 63.

[0076] The seat air conditioning unit 63 sends cool or warm air towards the seated person and adjusts the temperature of the air around the seated person. The seat air conditioning unit 63 includes a seating sensor 65, a temperature sensor 67, a cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 provided on the seat cushion 11, a back-side air conditioning unit 73 provided on the seat back 13, a head-side air conditioning unit 75 provided on the headrest 15, and a control device 81.

[0077] The seating sensor 65 is provided on the vehicle seat 3 and detects whether or not there is a person sitting on the vehicle seat 3. The seating sensor 65 may be composed of a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects the pressure applied to the seating surface 11A, or it may be composed of one or more membrane switches that turn on when an occupant sits on the seat.

[0078] The temperature sensor 67 is a sensor for acquiring the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2 of the vehicle 1, and is preferably composed of a thermistor that acquires temperature based on a change in resistance. The temperature sensor 67 may be installed on the vehicle seat 3, or it may be installed on a wall or the like that defines the passenger compartment 2.

[0079] As shown in Figure 3, the cushion-side air conditioning units 71 are provided on the outer and inner sides of the seat cushion 11. The cushion-side air conditioning units 71 provided on the inner and outer sides are each substantially rectangular parallelepipeds and are symmetrical to each other. The cushion-side air conditioning units 71 are provided on both the left and right sides of the front end of the seat cushion 11. The cushion-side air conditioning units 71 provided on the inner and outer sides are each positioned symmetrically on the seat cushion 11. Hereinafter, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 located on the inner side will be referred to as the inner air conditioning unit 71A, and the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 located on the outer side will be referred to as the outer air conditioning unit 71B, as necessary. Each cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 has a projection 72 on the upper inner side of the seat that protrudes inward (towards the seat cushion 11).

[0080] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the pad member 23 of the seat cushion 11 has notches 83 cut out inward at the upper ends of both the left and right front sides. The cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is received by the notches 83 at its protruding portion 72 and fixed to the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11. In this embodiment, there is sufficient distance between the wall surface defining the notches 83 of the pad member 23 and the outer surface of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, and a gap 85 is provided between the portion of the seat cushion 11 corresponding to the notches 83 and the outer surface of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71.

[0081] As shown in Figure 3, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is equipped with an air intake port 87 on the outer side of the seat, an inner air outlet 89 on the inner side of the seat, and a lower air outlet 91 at the lower front end. The air intake port 87 opens outwards from the seat. The inner air outlet 89 is located at the upper rear end of the inner side of the seat (specifically, the upper end of the protruding portion 72) and opens inwards from the seat. The lower air outlet 91 opens forward and inwards from the seat. The cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 draws in air from the air intake port 87, cools or heats the drawn-in air, and blows it out from the inner air outlet 89 and the lower air outlet 91. The air blown out from the inner air outlet 89 reaches the seated person's thighs and adjusts the ambient temperature around the seated person's thighs. The air blown out from the lower air outlet 91 adjusts the ambient temperature around the seated person's knees and calves. In this way, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 controls the temperature around the legs of the seated person by blowing cool or warm air onto their legs.

[0082] More specifically, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 comprises a blower 93, a duct 95, a temperature control device 97, and a cover member 101, respectively.

[0083] As shown in Figure 10, the blower 93 is a so-called fan that draws in air from an intake port and discharges air from an exhaust port. The intake port of the blower 93 is connected to the intake port 87, and the exhaust port is connected to the duct 95. The blower 93 sends the air drawn in from the intake port 87 into the duct 95.

[0084] The duct 95 is cylindrical (in this embodiment, rectangular). One end of the duct 95 is connected to the blower 93. The other end of the duct 95 is bifurcated. One of the other ends of the duct 95 extends inward and upward from the sheet and is connected to the inner air outlet 89. As shown in Figure 11, the other end of the duct 95 extends downward, then extends inward from the sheet, bends, and further extends in a direction that inclines inward from the sheet towards the front. The other end of the duct 95 reaches in front of the front end of the sheet cushion 11. The other end of the duct 95 opens below the upper surface of the embankment portion 11C in a direction that inclines inward from the sheet towards the front, forming the lower air outlet 91.

[0085] As shown in Figure 4, the other end of the duct 95 is located further inward from the left and right ends of the seat cushion 11 in a front view. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the other end of the duct 95, i.e., the front end, extends forward of the front end of the seat cushion 11. This allows the air blown from the blower 93 to be effectively guided to the occupant's feet. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, since the front end of the duct 95 is located below the embankment 11C, the duct 95 is less likely to come into contact with the occupant's thighs when they rest on the embankment 11C. Therefore, a decrease in seating comfort due to the installation of the air conditioning system 61 (cushion-side air conditioning device 71) can be prevented. Also, as shown in Figure 4, the duct 95 is located further inward from the left and right ends of the side cover 27. As a result, the side cover 27 confronts the impact of an object in front of the duct 95 against the left and right sides of the seat cushion 11, thus protecting the duct 95 from impacts.

[0086] The temperature control device 97 is a device for heating and cooling (temperature control) to produce cold or hot air, and includes a heat source 97A (also called the temperature control device body) that generates or absorbs heat. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the temperature control device 97 is installed downstream of the blower 93 and at the branching point of the duct 95. The air drawn in by the blower 93 is cooled or heated by the heat source 97A of the temperature control device 97 and reaches the inner air outlet 89 and the lower air outlet 91. The heat source 97A is preferably composed of an element that can be cooled or heated by electric current, a so-called Peltier element.

[0087] The cover member 101 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped-shaped member that covers the blower 93, the temperature control device 97, and the duct 95. In other words, the cover member 101 corresponds to a case that houses the blower 93, the temperature control device 97, and the duct 95 inside. As shown in Figure 3, the cover member 101 is arranged so that it has surfaces facing left and right.

[0088] As shown in Figure 11, the cover member 101 has an inner cover 101A that constitutes the inside of the sheet and an outer cover 101B that constitutes the upper inside of the sheet and the outside of the sheet.

[0089] The inner cover 101A constitutes the inner side wall of the seat of the cover member 101, and the upper half of the front, rear, and top walls, which are located on the inner side of the seat. The inner cover 101A is connected to the outer side of the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11.

[0090] In detail, a metal plate-shaped bracket 102B is fixed to the outer surface of the seat side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11 via a metal wire 102A. By being fixed to the bracket 102B, the inner cover 101A is connected to and supported by the side frame 21A of the seat cushion 11.

[0091] A notch 101C is provided in the inner side wall of the inner cover 101A, cut out from above. The notch 101C is located at the upper end of the inner side wall of the inner cover. The notch 101C forms the lower part of the inner air outlet 89.

[0092] The outer cover 101B constitutes the outer side wall of the cover member 101 on the seat side, the upper outer portion of the front, rear and top walls, and the lower half of the front wall. The outer cover 101B is coupled to the inner cover 101A. In detail, in this embodiment, the bracket 102B to which the inner cover 101A is coupled is provided with a wire 102C extending outward from the vehicle. The outer cover 101B is provided with a locking claw that can engage with the wire 102C, and the outer cover 101B is coupled to the bracket 102B by the engagement of the locking claw with the wire 102C. As a result, the outer cover 101B is coupled to the inner cover 101A via the bracket 102B.

[0093] In addition, the outer cover 101B may be equipped with locking claws (not shown), and the outer cover 101B may be coupled to the inner cover 101A by locking these claws with the inner cover 101A.

[0094] The upper end of the outer cover 101B is provided with a plate-shaped extension 101D that extends inward from the inner edge of the sheet so as to fit into the notch 101C. The extension 101D seals the notch 101C from above. The extension 101D forms the upper edge of the inner air outlet 89. In other words, the inner air outlet 89 is formed by the notch 101C and the extension 101D. One end of the duct 95 is fixed to the exhaust port of the blower 93, and the other end is branched into two, with one end of the branch fitted into and connected to the inner air outlet 89.

[0095] As shown in Figure 4, a through-hole 101E is provided in the lower half of the front wall of the outer cover 101B. The other end of the duct 95 extends forward, passes through the through-hole 101E, and further extends in a direction that is inclined inward towards the sheet.

[0096] As shown in Figure 11, a through-hole 101F is provided in the outer side wall of the outer cover 101B (the part that constitutes the outer side wall of the cover member 101) that penetrates in the left-right direction. The through-hole 101F constitutes the air intake port 87. The blower 93 is fixed to the inner side of the outer cover 101B by tapping or screwing at a position aligned with the through-hole 101F. In this embodiment, the temperature control device 97 is housed and fixed within the duct, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, it may be fixed to the inner side of the outer cover 101B by tapping or screwing. Also, in this embodiment, the duct 95 is fixed to the outer cover 101B by being fixed to the blower 93, but it may be directly connected to the outer cover 101B, or it may be connected to the inner cover 101A.

[0097] As shown in Figure 6, the rear air conditioning unit 73 comprises two blowers 103 connected to the left and right ends of the upper frame 31B of the seat back 13, ducts 105 extending inward from the two blowers 103 and opening forward, and a temperature control device 107 provided at the opening of the ducts 105. Each blower 103 is located in the part of the seat back 13 corresponding to the shoulder. Each blower 103 draws in air from outside the seat back 13 and sends the air into the ducts 105. The temperature control device 107 is located at the upper end of the seat back 13. The temperature control device 107 is a device for heating and cooling to produce cold or hot air, and includes a heat source 107A that generates or absorbs heat. The heat source 107A, like the heat source 97A, may also be composed of an element that can be cooled or heated by electric current, a so-called Peltier element. The air sent into the duct 105 is cooled or heated at the opening by the heat source 107A of the temperature control device 107 and reaches the neck of the seated person. This regulates the ambient temperature around the seated person's neck. The heat source 107A is located behind the pillar guide 31D.

[0098] As shown in Figures 6 and 12, a fixing bracket 31E is fixed to the upper frame 31B by welding or the like. The blower 103 and duct 105 are arranged along the upper rear surface of the upper frame 31B. As shown in Figure 7, a resin garnish 109 (also called a cover member) is provided behind the duct 105, upper frame 31B, and blower 103. The duct 105, upper frame 31B, and blower 103 are covered from the rear by the garnish 109.

[0099] As shown in Figure 13, the blower 103 is simultaneously fixed to the garnish 109 by tapping. As a result, the duct 105 connected to the blower 103 is also fixed to the garnish 109. The garnish 109 is screwed to the fixing bracket 31E. In this way, after fixing the blower 103 and the duct 105 to the garnish 109, the rear air conditioning unit 73 is fixed to the upper frame 31B of the seat back 13 by fixing the garnish 109 to the fixing bracket 31E. As shown in Figure 13, at the upper left and right sides of the seat back 13, the garnish 109 is directly covered from the back by the surface material 35, and no pad member 33 is provided between the garnish 109 and the surface material 35. On the other hand, below the portion corresponding to Figure 13, as shown in Figure 12, the fixing bracket 31E is covered from the left and right sides by the pad member 33 and the surface material 35. As shown in Figure 13, a ventilation hole 109A is provided in the garnish 109 at the position corresponding to the blower 103. To improve ventilation, the portion of the surface material 35 corresponding to the ventilation hole 109A and the portion corresponding to the opening of the duct 105 may be configured to be mesh-like.

[0100] As shown in Figure 8, the head-side air conditioning unit 75 comprises a passage forming member 111 that defines a ventilation passage 110 extending front to back, a blower 113 positioned within the ventilation passage 110, and a temperature control device 117 positioned within the ventilation passage 110. The passage forming member 111 is coupled to the frame 39 of the headrest 15. In this embodiment, the passage forming member 111 is coupled to the auxiliary frame 39B from below, defining a ventilation passage 110 that slopes downward toward the front. The blower 113 draws in air from the rear side of the headrest 15 and sends air into the ventilation passage 110. The temperature control device 117, similar to the back-side air conditioning unit 73, is a device for heating and cooling in cooperation with the blower 113 to produce cool or warm air, and includes a heat source 117A that generates or absorbs heat. The heat source 117A, like the heat source 97A, may also be composed of an element capable of cooling or heating by electric current, a so-called Peltier element. The temperature control device 117 is located in front of the blower 113, i.e., downstream. The air blown forward by the blower 113 is cooled or heated by the heat source 117A of the temperature control device 117 and reaches the head of the seated person. This regulates the ambient temperature around the seated person's head. To improve ventilation, the portions of the surface material 43 corresponding to the inlet and outlet of the ventilation passage 110 may be configured to be mesh-like.

[0101] As shown in Figure 9, the control device 81 is composed of a microcomputer including a central processing unit (CPU 81A), RAM 81B, ROM 81C, and a storage device 81D which consists of an SSD or HDD.

[0102] The control device 81 controls the operation of the seat air conditioning unit 63 based on the presence or absence of a seated person obtained by the seating sensor 65 and the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2 obtained by the temperature sensor 67.

[0103] For example, when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 3 and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 67 is above an upper threshold, the control device 81 drives the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 to cool the occupant. Specifically, the control device 81 drives the blowers 93 of the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A and the out-vehicle air conditioning unit 71B, respectively, and drives the temperature control unit 97 (heat source 97A) to cool the air sent out by the blowers 93.

[0104] However, the control device 81 controls the output of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than the output of the interior air conditioning unit 71A. Here, output refers to the amount of temperature change due to the heat source 97A of the air sent out by the blower 93, and refers to the amount of temperature change of the air compared to when the heat source 97A is stopped, i.e., the temperature difference. Specifically, the control device 81 controls the heat source 97A of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B so that the air from the blower 93 is cooled more than the heat source 97A of the interior air conditioning unit 71A (i.e., so that the amount of temperature drop is greater).

[0105] The control device 81 may simultaneously drive the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 and the head-side air conditioning unit 75. However, the control device 81 controls the output of the exterior-side air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than the output of either the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 or the head-side air conditioning unit 75. That is, the control device 81 controls the heat source 97A of the exterior-side air conditioning unit 71B so that the air from the corresponding blowers 93, 103, and 113 is cooled more (i.e., the temperature drop is greater) than both the heat source 107A of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 and the heat source 117A of the head-side air conditioning unit 75. In this case, the control device 81 may control the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 to be greater than the output of the head-side air conditioning unit 75.

[0106] When an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 3 and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 67 is below a lower threshold, the control device 81 drives the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 to warm the occupant. Specifically, the control device 81 drives the blowers 93 of the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A and the out-vehicle air conditioning unit 71B, respectively, and drives the heat source 97A to heat the air sent out by the blowers 93.

[0107] However, the control device 81 controls the output of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than the output of the interior air conditioning unit 71A. Specifically, the control device 81 controls the heat source 97A of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B so that the air from the blower 93 is heated more than the heat source 97A of the interior air conditioning unit 71A (i.e., so that the temperature rise is greater).

[0108] Furthermore, the control device 81 may simultaneously drive the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 and the head-side air conditioning unit 75. However, the control device 81 controls the output of the exterior-side air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than the output of either the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 or the head-side air conditioning unit 75. That is, the control device 81 controls the heat source 97A of the exterior-side air conditioning unit 71B so that the air from the corresponding blowers 93, 103, and 113 is heated more (i.e., the temperature rise is greater) than both the heat source 107A of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 and the heat source 117A of the head-side air conditioning unit 75. In this case, the control device 81 may also control the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 to be greater than the output of the head-side air conditioning unit 75.

[0109] Next, the positional relationship between the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 and other devices and components such as the buckle device 51 will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0110] As shown in Figure 5, the interior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is connected to the seat cushion 11 outside the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a side view. In this embodiment, the interior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is also located outside the range of motion E of the seat belt tongue 55 engaged with the buckle 51B. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the interior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (interior air conditioning unit 71A) is positioned to overlap the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a front view.

[0111] As shown in Figure 2, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) is positioned in front of the rear end of the grip portion 49 of the reclining lever 45 and in front of the rear end of the grip portion 49 of the height lever 47. In this embodiment, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is positioned in front of the front end of the grip portion 49 of the reclining lever 45 and in front of the front end of the grip portion 49 of the height lever 47. In this way, it is preferable that the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is provided in front of either of the grip portions 49 (operation input members) used by the seated person to input operations to change the position and shape of the vehicle seat 3. This allows the seated person to easily input operations to the grip portion 49 without being obstructed by the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71.

[0112] In Figure 4, the positions corresponding to the grip portion 49 are indicated by dashed lines. From the viewpoint of operability, it is preferable that the left and right outer ends of the grip portion 49 (operation input member), which is used by the seated person to input operations to change the position and shape of the vehicle seat 3, are located on the outside of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 4, the outer end of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (outside vehicle air conditioning unit 71B) in the direction away from the seat is located inside the seat, more so than the outer end of the grip portion 49 of the reclining lever 45 in the direction away from the seat, and more so than the outer end of the grip portion 49 of the height lever 47 in the direction away from the seat. As a result, the left and right outer ends of the grip portion 49 are located further out from the seat than the left and right outer ends of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71. Therefore, the seated person can easily input operations to the grip portion 49 without being obstructed by the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 on the inside of the vehicle.

[0113] As shown in Figure 5, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) is located in front of the front end of the deployment area C of the side airbag 37. As a result, the exterior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is located outside the deployment area of ​​the side airbag 37. This prevents the exterior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 from obstructing the deployment of the side airbag 37.

[0114] As shown in Figure 1, the rear edge of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) is located in front of the deployment area A of the door airbag 8. As a result, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is located outside the deployment area A of the door airbag 8. Therefore, the deployment of the door airbag 8 is prevented from being obstructed by the exterior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71. In addition, the interior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is located outside the movable area B of the cover 9B. As a result, the movement of the cover 9B is prevented from being obstructed by the interior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71.

[0115] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 according to this embodiment will be described. The vehicle seat 3 is provided with a cushion-side air conditioning device 71 for adjusting the temperature of the occupant's legs. As shown in Figure 5, the cushion-side air conditioning device 71 on the vehicle side is coupled to the seat cushion 11 outside the range of motion D of the buckle 51B. This prevents the movement of the buckle 51B from being obstructed by the cushion-side air conditioning device 71 on the vehicle side.

[0116] As shown in Figure 4, the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A (in-vehicle cushion-side air conditioning unit 71) is positioned so as to overlap with the range of motion D of the buckle 51B when viewed from the front. This allows the width of the vehicle seat 3 in the left-right direction to be reduced compared to the case where the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A does not overlap with the range of motion D when viewed from the front. Therefore, the vehicle seat 3 can be made more compact.

[0117] As shown in Figure 5, the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A (in-vehicle cushion-side air conditioning unit 71) is positioned outside the movement area E of the seat belt tongue 55 engaged with the buckle 51B. This prevents the movement of the seat belt tongue 55 from being obstructed.

[0118] As shown in Figure 4, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (in-vehicle air conditioning unit 71A and out-vehicle air conditioning unit 71B) is each received in a notch 83 provided in the pad member 23 of the seat cushion 11. This makes it possible to reduce the width of the vehicle seat 3 in the left-right direction compared to when the pad member 23 is not provided with a notch 83, and thus the vehicle seat 3 can be made smaller. In this embodiment, the notch 83 in the pad member 23 provides a gap 85 between the seat cushion 11 and the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71. Therefore, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 and the pad member 23 do not come into contact, and heat is not transferred from the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 to the pad member 23.

[0119] As shown in Figure 6, the heat source 107A of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 is located behind the pillar guide 31D. Therefore, when a load directed backward is applied to the seated person, the pillar guide 31D and pillar 15A prevent the seated person's neck from moving backward, thus preventing the seated person's neck from approaching the heat source 107A.

[0120] The control device 81 controls the operation of the seat air conditioning unit 63 based on the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 obtained by the temperature sensor 67. This allows the air conditioning of the vehicle seat 3 to be performed based on the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 where the person sitting in the vehicle seat 3 is located. Therefore, the operation of the seat air conditioning unit 63 can be controlled to match the temperature perceived by the person sitting in the seat.

[0121] When the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2, as determined by the temperature sensor 67, exceeds an upper threshold, the control device 81 drives the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 to cool the occupant's legs by blowing cool air onto them. At this time, the control device 81 controls the heat source 97A of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B so that the air from the blower 93 is cooled more than the air from the interior air conditioning unit 71A 97A. As a result, the occupant's legs are cooled more from the outside than from the inside.

[0122] When the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2, as determined by the temperature sensor 67, is below a lower threshold, the control device 81 drives the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 to blow warm air onto the occupant's legs, thereby warming them. At this time, the control device 81 controls the 97A of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to warm the air from the blowers 93, 103, and 113 more than the 97A of the interior air conditioning unit 71A. As a result, the occupant's legs are warmed more from the outside than from the inside.

[0123] A occupant is more susceptible to the effects of outside temperature on the outside of the vehicle. When the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is higher than the upper threshold and the occupant may feel hot, the occupant's legs are cooled more from the outside of the vehicle. When the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is lower than the lower threshold and the occupant may feel cold, the occupant's legs are warmed more from the outside of the vehicle. Therefore, the outside of the occupant's legs, which are more susceptible to the effects of outside temperature, can be cooled or heated more than the inside of the legs, thereby reducing the influence of outside temperature.

[0124] A seated person is more susceptible to the effects of outside temperature at their legs (i.e., below). The control device 81 sets the output of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than the output of the rear air conditioning unit 73 and the head air conditioning unit 75. As a result, when the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2 is higher than the upper threshold and the seated person may feel hot, the outside of the seated person's legs is cooled more than the seated person's neck and head. Also, when the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2 is lower than the lower threshold and the seated person may feel cold, the outside of the seated person's legs is warmed more than the seated person's neck and head. Therefore, since the outside of the seated person's legs, which are more susceptible to the effects of outside temperature, can be cooled or heated more than the neck and head, the effects of outside temperature can be reduced.

[0125] <<Second Embodiment>> In the second embodiment, the air conditioning system 61 differs from the first embodiment in the size and position of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 271 on the interior side of the vehicle, while the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0126] As shown in Figure 14, the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A (in-cabin cushion-side air conditioning unit 271) is positioned in a position that overlaps with the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a side view. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 15, the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A is positioned outward from the seat beyond the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a front view.

[0127] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. As shown in Figure 15, the in-vehicle air conditioning unit 271A is located outside the seat in a front view, beyond the range of motion D of the buckle 51B. This prevents the cushion-side air conditioning unit 271 from obstructing the movement of the buckle 51B, making it easier to fasten the seat belt 53.

[0128] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A is positioned so as to overlap with the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a side view. This makes it less likely for the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A to protrude forward from the seat body 5 compared to when the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A does not overlap with the range of motion D in a side view, thus enabling a reduction in the width of the vehicle seat 203 in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A can direct warm or cool air to the part of the thigh closer to the buttocks. In this way, by configuring the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A to overlap with the range of motion D of the buckle 51B in a side view, the area in which the temperature can be adjusted by the in-cabin air conditioning unit 271A can be expanded.

[0129] <<Third Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 61 according to the third embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in the configuration of the vehicle seat 303 on which the seat air conditioning unit 63 is provided. Specifically, as shown in Figure 16, instead of the reclining lever 45 and the height lever 47, two buttons 349 are provided on the outer side of the side cover 27 of the seat. Each button 349 functions as an operation input unit that receives operation input from the seated person for changing the reclining angle or the height of the seat body 5. In addition, each cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 does not have a lower air outlet 91 and is located between the front and rear ends of the two buttons 349 in a side view. The control device 381 is provided at the bottom of the seat cushion 11. The control device 381 is located between the two buttons 349 in the front-rear direction and below the two buttons 349. The two buttons 349 are connected to the control device 381 by a harness 350. Each cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 is also connected to the control device 381 by a harness 350. The cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 on the interior side of the vehicle is located outside the seat, beyond the range of motion D of the buckle 51B, when viewed from the front, similar to the second embodiment. The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment, so a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

[0130] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. The exterior cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) is located between the front and rear ends of the two buttons 349 in the front-rear direction. That is, the exterior air conditioning unit 71B is located between the front and rear ends of the side cover 27. As a result, the exterior air conditioning unit 71B does not protrude forward or backward from the seat body 5, making it possible to miniaturize the vehicle seat 3.

[0131] Furthermore, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) and the control device 381 are located between the front and rear ends of the two buttons 349. Therefore, the length of the harness 350 can be reduced compared to when the control device 381 and the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 are located in front of or behind the two buttons 349.

[0132] <<Fourth Embodiment>> In the fourth embodiment, the air conditioning system 61 differs from the first embodiment in that the longitudinal positional relationship between the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71 (exterior air conditioning unit 71B) on the exterior side of the vehicle seat 403 and the deployment area C of the side airbag 37 is different, while the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0133] As shown in Figure 17, the deployment area C of the side airbag 37 is roughly fan-shaped with an axis X extending diagonally upward as its center. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 17, the front end of the deployment area C of the side airbag 37 is the lower end of the deployment area C. The exterior air conditioning unit 71B is attached to the seat cushion 11 so that its upper edge is horizontal. The rear end of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B is positioned below the front end of the deployment area C of the side airbag 37.

[0134] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. The exterior air conditioning unit 71B is attached to the seat cushion 11 so that its upper edge is horizontal. As a result, the upper edge of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B is parallel to the floor 6, making it less likely for the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to obstruct entry and exit from the vehicle seat 403. In addition, the rear end of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B is positioned below the front end of the deployment area C of the side airbag 37. As a result, the front end of the deployment area C of the side airbag 37 is at the lower end of the deployment area C, so the exterior air conditioning unit 71B is outside the deployment area C of the side airbag 37. Therefore, the deployment of the side airbag 37 is prevented from being obstructed by the exterior air conditioning unit 71B.

[0135] <<Fifth Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 61 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the control device 81 controls the seat air conditioning device 63, but the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0136] When an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 3 and the temperature inside the passenger compartment 2, as determined by the temperature sensor 67, is above an upper threshold, the control device 81 increases the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 to be greater than that of the exterior-side air conditioning unit 71B. As a result, cooler air is blown to the occupant's neck than to their thighs on the outside of the vehicle.

[0137] Furthermore, when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 3 and the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2, as obtained by the temperature sensor 67, is below the lower threshold, the control device 81 increases the output of the exterior air conditioning unit 71B to be greater than that of the rear air conditioning unit 73. As a result, warmer air is blown onto the thighs on the outside of the seated person's vehicle than onto their neck.

[0138] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. When a seated person feels hot, cooling their upper body, especially their neck, and when a seated person feels cold, warming their lower body, especially their feet, can sometimes more effectively suppress the effects of the outside temperature.

[0139] In this embodiment, when the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is above the upper threshold, cooler air is blown onto the occupant's neck than onto their thighs outside the vehicle, and when the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is below the lower threshold, warmer air is blown onto the occupant's thighs outside the vehicle than onto their neck. As a result, when the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is above the upper threshold and the occupant may feel hot, their neck is cooled, and when the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2 is below the lower threshold and the occupant may feel cold, their feet are warmed. Therefore, the influence of outside temperature can be more effectively suppressed, and the comfort of the vehicle seat 3 can be improved.

[0140] <<Sixth Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 61 according to the sixth embodiment differs in that the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor 67 is different, but the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0141] The temperature sensor 67 acquires the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3. The temperature sensor 67 should acquire the surface temperature of the part of the vehicle seat 3 that comes into contact with the person sitting on it. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 67 acquires the surface temperature of the approximately central part of the upper surface of the seat cushion 11 of the vehicle seat 3 (the part that comes into contact with the buttocks of the person sitting on it).

[0142] Similar to the first embodiment, the control device 81 controls the seat air conditioning unit 63 based on the presence or absence of a seated person obtained by the seated sensor 65 and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 67, i.e., the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3. Specifically, the control device 81 drives the seat air conditioning unit 63 to cool the seated person when the surface temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 67 is above an upper threshold, and drives it to warm the seated person when the surface temperature obtained by the temperature sensor 67 is below a lower threshold.

[0143] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. The control device 81 is driven based on the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3. Therefore, compared to when the control device 81 is driven based on the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 2, it is driven based on the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3, which is closer to the perceived temperature of the occupant, thus improving the comfort of the vehicle seat 3.

[0144] <<Seventh Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 561 according to the seventh embodiment differs from the sixth embodiment in that the control device 81 controls the seat air conditioning device 563 differently. Furthermore, the air conditioning system 561 further includes a cabin air conditioning device 564 that operates to provide air conditioning within the cabin 2 where the vehicle seat 3 is placed, as shown in Figure 18. Other configurations are the same as in the sixth embodiment. Therefore, further explanation of other configurations is omitted.

[0145] The cabin air conditioning unit 564 is connected to the control unit 81 of the seat air conditioning unit 63. The control unit 81 drives the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, the back-side air conditioning unit 73, and the head-side air conditioning unit 75 when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 3 and the surface temperature acquired by the temperature sensor 67 is above an upper threshold or below a lower threshold. Subsequently, the control unit 81 transmits a drive notification to the cabin air conditioning unit 564 indicating that the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, the back-side air conditioning unit 73, and the head-side air conditioning unit 75 are being driven, along with the surface temperature acquired by the temperature sensor 67.

[0146] When the vehicle cabin air conditioning unit 564 receives a drive notification and surface temperature from the control device 81, it determines whether the surface temperature is above a predetermined drive threshold. The drive threshold is set to a value smaller than the lower threshold. If the surface temperature is above the drive threshold, the vehicle cabin air conditioning unit 564 is driven to provide air conditioning in the vehicle cabin 2.

[0147] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 561 configured in this way will be explained. When a occupant is seated on the vehicle seat 3 and the surface temperature is below the drive threshold, the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, the back-side air conditioning unit 73, and the head-side air conditioning unit 75 are activated. The surface of the vehicle seat 3 is warmed by the occupant's body temperature and by the activation of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, the back-side air conditioning unit 73, and the head-side air conditioning unit 75.

[0148] Subsequently, when the surface temperature rises above the drive threshold, the cabin air conditioning unit 564 is driven to provide air conditioning within the cabin 2. In this way, the air conditioning units operate sequentially from the side closest to the seated person, which allows for faster warming of the seated person and their surroundings compared to the case where the cabin air conditioning unit 564 operates first, followed by the seat air conditioning unit 63.

[0149] <<Eighth Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 561 according to the eighth embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment in the driving mode of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 564. The other configurations are the same as in the seventh embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0150] When the vehicle cabin air conditioning unit 564 receives a drive notification and surface temperature from the control device 81, it determines whether the surface temperature has remained above the drive threshold for a predetermined period of time (for example, 1 minute). The drive threshold is set to a value smaller than the lower threshold. If the surface temperature remains above the drive threshold for the predetermined period of time, the vehicle cabin air conditioning unit 564 is driven to provide air conditioning in the vehicle cabin 2.

[0151] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 561 configured in this way will be explained. After the seat air conditioning unit 63 is activated, the cabin air conditioning unit 564 is activated only after the temperature sensor 67 maintains that the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3 is above the drive threshold. Therefore, even if the temperature sensor 67 falsely detects that the surface temperature is momentarily above the drive threshold, the cabin air conditioning unit 564 will not be activated if the surface temperature is not maintained above the drive threshold. In this way, malfunction of the cabin air conditioning unit 564 can be prevented in the event of a false detection by the temperature sensor 67.

[0152] Furthermore, even if the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3 exceeds the drive threshold, it may take some time for the occupant to feel warm. In this embodiment, the vehicle cabin air conditioning system 564 is activated after the state in which the surface temperature of the vehicle seat 3 is maintained above the drive threshold is maintained, so control of the vehicle cabin air conditioning system 564 that matches the temperature perceived by the occupant can be achieved.

[0153] <<Ninth Embodiment>> The air conditioning system 61 according to the ninth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the back-side air conditioning unit 73, while the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, the other configurations will not be described.

[0154] The rear air conditioning unit 73, similar to the first embodiment, includes blowers 103 connected to both left and right ends of the upper frame 31B of the seat back 13, a duct 105 extending inward from both blowers 103 and opening forward, and a temperature control device 107 provided in the opening portion of the duct 105.

[0155] The blowers 103 are fixed to the ends of the upper frame 31B via fixing brackets 31E, similar to the first embodiment. The ducts 105 are fixed to the blowers 103 and are positioned along the upper rear surface of the upper frame 31B.

[0156] Both the upper frame 31B and the blower 103 are covered from the rear by a pad member 33. As shown in Figure 19, the pad member 33 has a through hole 734A that penetrates from front to back at a position that overlaps with the duct 105 in the front-to-back direction. The duct 105 is received by the through hole 734A of the pad member 33. The duct 105 is provided with a pair of lips 734B that extend in directions away from the upper and lower rear edges, respectively. Each lip 734B is plate-shaped and extends along the back surface of the pad member 33 in a direction away from the duct 105. The pad member 33, duct 105, and lips 734B are each covered from the rear by a surface material 35.

[0157] Next, the effects of the air conditioning system 61 configured in this way will be explained. The blower 103 and duct 105 of the rear-side air conditioning unit 73 are covered from the rear side by the pad member 33. Therefore, the upper rear portion of the seat back 13 can be configured to have cushioning properties.

[0158] The duct 105 is housed in a through-hole 734A provided in the pad member 33. Therefore, compared to the case where the pad member 33 does not have a through-hole 734A and the duct 105 is covered by the pad member 33, the thickness of the seat back 13 in the front-to-back direction can be reduced.

[0159] Furthermore, the portions of the pad member 33 located above and below the duct 105 are pressed forward by the lip 734B. As a result, the portions of the pad member 33 above and below the duct 105 are less likely to bulge backward. This makes the portion of the seat back 13 where the duct 105 is located less conspicuous, improving the aesthetic design of the vehicle seat 3.

[0160] This concludes the description of specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be broadly modified and implemented.

[0161] In the above embodiment, the seat air conditioning unit 63 supplied cool or warm air to the seated person to regulate the temperature around the seated person. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, as long as it regulates the seated person's perceived temperature. Each of the cushion-side air conditioning unit 71, back-side air conditioning unit 73, and head-side air conditioning unit 75 included in the seat air conditioning unit 63 may be equipped with only one of the following: a heat source 97A, 107A, 117A that performs heating or cooling, or a blower 93, 103, 113 that blows air towards the seated person. Furthermore, the heat sources 97A, 107A, and 117A may be provided either upstream or downstream of the corresponding blowers 93, 103, and 113. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0162] 1: Vehicle 2: Vehicle interior 3: Vehicle seats 11: Seat cushion 11B: Base 11C: Embankment 13: Seat back 15: Headrest 21A: Side frame 27: Side cover 61: Air conditioning system 63: Seat air conditioning system 67: Temperature sensor 71A: In-vehicle air conditioning system 71B: Vehicle outside air conditioner 73: Rear side air conditioning unit 75: Head-side air conditioning unit 81: Control device 93: Blower 95: Duct 97A: Heat source 103: Blower 107A: Heat source 113: Blower 117A: Heat source 203: Vehicle seats 271A: In-vehicle air conditioning system 303: Vehicle seats 381: Control device 403: Vehicle seats 561: Air conditioning system 563: Seat air conditioning system 564: Vehicle air conditioner

Claims

1. A seat air conditioning system installed in a vehicle seat that provides air conditioning around the seated person, A temperature sensor for acquiring the surface temperature of the vehicle seat, A vehicle interior air conditioning system that operates to provide air conditioning for the vehicle interior on which the aforementioned vehicle seat is placed, The system includes a control device that controls the seat air conditioning system based on the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor, The aforementioned seat air conditioning system includes an external air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the outside of the vehicle and an internal air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the inside of the vehicle. The output of the exterior air conditioning unit is greater than the output of the interior air conditioning unit. The control device drives the seat air conditioning unit to cool the seated person when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is above an upper threshold, and drives it to warm the seated person when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is below a lower threshold. The vehicle interior air conditioning system is an air conditioning system that starts operating when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined value after the seat air conditioning system has been driven.

2. A seat air conditioning system installed in a vehicle seat that provides air conditioning around the seated person, A temperature sensor for acquiring the surface temperature of the vehicle seat, A vehicle interior air conditioning system that operates to provide air conditioning for the vehicle interior on which the aforementioned vehicle seat is placed, The system includes a control device that controls the seat air conditioning system based on the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor, The aforementioned seat air conditioning system includes an external air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the outside of the vehicle and an internal air conditioning system that provides air conditioning from the inside of the vehicle. The output of the exterior air conditioning unit is greater than the output of the interior air conditioning unit. The control device drives the seat air conditioning unit to cool the seated person when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is above an upper threshold, and drives it to warm the seated person when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is below a lower threshold. The vehicle interior air conditioning system is an air conditioning system that starts operating when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor remains above a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time after the seat air conditioning system has been driven.

3. The exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each include a blower that sends air toward the seated person and a heat source that adjusts the temperature of the air sent by the blower. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the output of the exterior air conditioning unit and the interior air conditioning unit each corresponds to the amount of change in air temperature due to a heat source.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein the exterior air conditioning device and the interior air conditioning device are each provided on the seat cushion of the vehicle seat, and the temperature around the legs of the seated person is controlled.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the in-vehicle air conditioning unit and the out-vehicle air conditioning unit each include a duct extending from the blower and extending forward beyond the front end of the seat cushion.

6. The aforementioned seat cushion comprises a base portion that forms the central part in the left-right direction, and a raised portion that is connected to both the left and right edges of the base portion and rises above the upper surface of the base portion. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, wherein the front ends of the ducts are each open below the upper surface of the embankment.

7. The aforementioned seat cushion has a pair of left and right side frames that extend in the front-to-back direction. Side covers are provided on the outside of the seat of each of the aforementioned side frames. The air conditioning system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein each of the ducts is located further inward from the left and right ends of the side cover.

8. The aforementioned seat air conditioning system includes a back-side air conditioning unit that is installed on the seat back of the vehicle seat and adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the neck of the seated person. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the output of the exterior air conditioning unit is greater than the output of the rear air conditioning unit.

9. The rear-side air conditioning unit comprises a blower that delivers air to the neck of the seated person, and a heat source that changes the temperature of the air delivered to the neck. The output of the external air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the external air conditioning unit. The air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of change in air temperature due to the heat source of the rear-side air conditioning unit.

10. The aforementioned seat air conditioning system includes a head-side air conditioning unit that is installed on the headrest of the vehicle seat and adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the head of the person sitting in the seat. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the output of the exterior air conditioning unit is greater than the output of the head-side air conditioning unit.

11. The head-side air conditioning unit comprises a blower that sends air to the head of the seated person, and a heat source that changes the temperature of the air sent to the head. The output of the external air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of temperature change of the air due to the heat source of the external air conditioning unit. The air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein the output of the head-side air conditioning unit corresponds to the amount of change in air temperature due to the heat source of the head-side air conditioning unit.

12. The aforementioned seat air conditioning system further comprises a back-side air conditioning unit provided on the seat back of the vehicle seat, which adjusts the temperature by blowing air toward the neck of the seated person. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control device increases the output of the rear-side air conditioning unit to be greater than that of the exterior-side air conditioning unit when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to an upper threshold, and increases the output of the exterior-side air conditioning unit to be greater than that of the rear-side air conditioning unit when the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor is less than or equal to a lower threshold.

13. The vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion that supports the buttocks of the occupant, a seat back provided at the rear of the seat cushion and functioning as a backrest, and a headrest provided at the top of the seat back, The seat cushion comprises a metal cushion frame that forms the skeleton, a cushion pad member supported by the cushion frame, and a cushion surface material that covers at least a portion of the surface of the cushion pad member. The seat back comprises a metal back frame that forms the skeleton, a back pad member supported by the back frame, and a back surface material that covers at least a portion of the surface of the back pad member. The headrest comprises a metal headrest frame that forms the skeleton, a headrest pad member supported by the headrest frame, and a headrest surface material that covers the surface of the headrest pad member. Below the aforementioned seat cushion, two lower rails extending in the front-to-back direction are provided. Each of the lower rails is provided with an upper rail that extends in the front and rear directions. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the upper rails is slidably connected to the lower rail in the forward and backward directions.

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