Vehicle air-conditioning device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicle air-conditioning device which can improve comfort of an occupant and suppress wasteful energy consumption. [Solution] A vehicle air-conditioning device 1 comprises an HVAC unit 10 having a first ventilation port 11 and a second ventilation port 12. The HVAC unit 10 forms a cooling air flow in a cabin 2 during cooling, and forms a heating air flow in the cabin 2 during heating. The cooling air flow includes a flow of air that is blown out from the first ventilation port 11 toward a seat upper part 51 to move downward, and passes a seat lower part 53 and heads toward the second ventilation port 12. The heating air flow includes a flow of air that is blown out from the second ventilation port 12 toward the seat lower part 53 to move upward, and heads toward the first ventilation port 11.

Description

Vehicle air conditioning system

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vehicle air conditioning system is known that includes an air blower mounted on the ceiling (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also known is a device that, when heating, has an outlet section that blows heated air from an air conditioning unit installed on the ceiling sideways, and has an intake section at the front of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] JP 2021-066242 A JP 2020-172138 A

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a part of the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view and a perspective view showing the configuration of a seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an air flow during cooling by the vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an air flow during heating by the vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a ventilation state of a seat during heating by the vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing another example of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing another example of an air flow during cooling by the vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of a seat according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an air flow during heating in the vehicle air conditioner according to another example of the present invention.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0060] Furthermore, the cool air passes through the upper vent 61, the seat back vent 62B, and the front lower vent 62A and enters the in-seat air passage 50 evenly. This prevents heat buildup and stuffiness across the entire contact or opposing surface between the occupant and the seat 5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0087] The passenger compartment face ventilation port 17, the passenger compartment vent ventilation port 18, and the passenger compartment foot ventilation port 19 are all passenger compartment face outlets, passenger compartment vent outlets, and passenger compartment foot outlets in the conventionally known HVAC unit 10, but in this embodiment, they are used not only as outlets but also as intake ports.

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

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

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

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

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

[0093] In addition, the cooling control unit 301 controls the HVAC unit 10 to supply air from the first air outlet 11 into the passenger compartment 2 and operate the blower to collect air from the passenger compartment 2 through the second air outlet 12.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0106] In addition, the seat 5 has a first ventilation hole (upper ventilation hole) 61 in the upper region 57, and second ventilation holes 62 (front lower ventilation hole 62A and back seat ventilation hole 62B) in the front lower region 58A and the back seat region 58B.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0145] Furthermore, because no electrical components are provided inside the seat 5, there is no need for wiring inside the seat 5, which prevents wire breakage within the seat 5. Furthermore, there is no need for a mechanism to prevent wire breakage, which prevents the mechanism for adjusting the seat 5 from becoming complicated. Furthermore, the increase in the size and weight of the seat 5 is suppressed, and the number of parts can be reduced. Therefore, the cost, size, and weight of the vehicle air conditioner 1 can be reduced.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0152] This ensures that a predetermined amount of air (warm air) is discharged from the front lower air vent 62A when heating, thereby enabling concentrated heating of the area below the knees (calves) of the occupant and improving the feeling of warmth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0159] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vehicle air conditioning system 2 Vehicle compartment 3 Instrument panel 4 Air conditioning temperature control unit 5 Seat 6 Opening / closing means (vent opening / closing means) 6 Vent opening / closing means 10 HVAC unit 11 First ventilation opening 12 Second ventilation opening 13, 14 Vehicle body side air passage 16 Through hole 20 Ceiling 22 Floor surface 23 First passenger compartment side ventilation opening 24 Second passenger compartment side ventilation opening (under-seat ventilation opening) 25, 26 Vent opening / closing means 30 Control device 50 In-seat air passage 51 Upper seat portion 52 Middle seat portion 53 Lower seat portion 57 First region (upper region) 58 Second region 58A Front lower region 58B Seat back region 60 Vent 61 Upper ventilation opening 62A Front lower ventilation opening 62B Back and seat vent 63 Foot area air volume adjustment means (flow rate adjustment damper) 70 Blower device 71, 72 Ventilation opening 80 Directional plate 84 Opening 120 Blower

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioning system having an HVAC unit with a first air outlet and a second air outlet, for conditioning the air inside a vehicle cabin equipped with seats, wherein the HVAC unit creates a cooling air flow inside the vehicle cabin during cooling, and creates a heating air flow inside the vehicle cabin during heating, wherein the cooling air flow includes an air flow that is blown from the first air outlet toward the upper part of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "upper seat"), descends, passes through the lower part of the seat (hereinafter referred to as the "lower seat") and heads toward the second air outlet, and the heating air flow includes an air flow that is blown from the second air outlet toward the lower part of the seat, ascends, and heads toward the first air outlet.

2. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the seat has a first area which is the surface area of ​​the upper part of the seat and a second area which is the surface area other than the first area, a first air vent is provided in the first area, a second air vent is provided in the second area, the air flow during cooling includes a flow of air that is drawn into the seat from inside the passenger compartment via the first air vent and the second air vent, and the air flow during heating includes a flow of air that is blown out from inside the seat into the passenger compartment via the second air vent.

3. The vehicle air conditioning system of claim 2, characterized in that the second area is divided into a third area and a fourth area, the third area is an area facing the calf area of ​​an occupant sitting in the seat, the fourth area is an area other than the third area, and the amount of air blown out from the third area during heating is greater than the amount of air blown out from the fourth area.

4. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising an opening / closing means for opening and closing the first air vent, and a control device for controlling the opening / closing means, wherein the opening / closing means closes the first air vent during heating.

5. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the ventilation amounts in the first area and the second area are individually changeable.

6. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper seat portion is a portion corresponding to at least the vicinity of the head of an occupant seated on the seat, and the lower seat portion is a portion corresponding to at least the vicinity of the knees of an occupant seated on the seat.

7. A vehicle air conditioning system as described in claim 1, characterized in that it has a detection means for detecting that an occupant is seated in the seat, and a control device, and the control device controls the formation of the cooling air flow and / or the heating air flow for each seat depending on the detection result of the detection means.

8. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a first passenger compartment side ventilation opening connected to the first ventilation opening and provided on the ceiling of the passenger compartment, and a second passenger compartment ventilation opening connected to the second ventilation opening and provided below the seat.

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