Vehicle seat air conditioning device, seat, and vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle seat air conditioning device (1) comprises: a blower (50) positioned below a seat part (11) of a seat (10); a first ventilation path (40) connected to the seat part (11) and to an intake port (51) of the blower (50); and a second ventilation path (60) connected to an exhaust port (52) of the blower (50) and a back surface duct (70) positioned on the back surface of the seat (10). The first ventilation path (40) includes a ventilation path having a first bellows hose (41) as a flow path, and the second ventilation path (60) includes a ventilation path having a second bellows hose (62) as a flow path.

Description

Vehicle seat air conditioner, seat, and vehicle

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat air conditioner, a seat including the vehicle seat air conditioner, and a vehicle including the seat.

[0002] In recent years, vehicle seat air conditioners that blow conditioned air from a seat toward an occupant have been known. A vehicle seat air conditioner includes a blower that delivers air, and the blower is a source of vibration. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat air conditioner that attenuates vibration transmitted from a blower. In this vehicle seat air conditioner, vibration is attenuated by attaching a weight to an elastic portion of a duct connected to the blower.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-57010

[0004] In the seat air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, vibration may not be attenuated depending on how the weight is attached. Therefore, there is a problem that vibration of the blower is transmitted to the occupant, causing discomfort to the occupant.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a vehicle seat air conditioner and the like that can suppress transmission of blower vibration to an occupant.

[0006] A vehicle seat air conditioner according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a blower located below a seat portion of a seat; a first ventilation path connected to each of the seat portion and an intake port of the blower; and a second ventilation path connected to each of an exhaust port of the blower and a rear duct located on a back surface of the seat, wherein the first ventilation path includes a ventilation path using a first bellows hose as a flow path, and the second ventilation path includes a ventilation path using a second bellows hose as a flow path.

[0007] A seat according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described vehicle seat air conditioner, an intake port through which air is sucked toward the vehicle seat air conditioner, and a discharge port through which air is blown out from the vehicle seat air conditioner.

[0008] A vehicle according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described seat, and a control unit that controls the vehicle seat air conditioner.

[0009] According to the vehicle seat air conditioning system, etc., disclosed herein, it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibrations from the blower to the occupants.

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the seat of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 2 is a view of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, seen from diagonally above. Figure 3 is a view of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, seen from diagonally below. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the blower and ventilation passages of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, seen from the side. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the maximum travel distance of the blower of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, and the expandable and contractible distances of the first and second bellows hoses. Figure 7A is a side view of the first bellows hose of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of the first bellows hose shown in Figure 7A. Figure 8A is a side view of the second bellows hose of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose shown in Figure 8A. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the first bellows hose in modified example 1 of the embodiment. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose in modified example 1 of the embodiment. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose in modified example 2 of the embodiment.

[0011] The embodiments described below are all general or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions of components, and connection configurations shown in the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim are described as optional components.

[0012] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Also, the same component is denoted by the same reference numeral in each figure.

[0013] In the following explanation, the front-to-back direction of the seat is referred to as the X-axis direction, and the up-to-down direction of the seat is referred to as the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the left-to-right direction of the seat (lateral direction), that is, the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Z-axis directions, is referred to as the Y-axis direction. In the X-axis direction, the front side of the seat is referred to as the positive direction, and the rear side of the seat is referred to as the negative direction. In the Y-axis direction, the arrow in Figure 1 is referred to as the positive direction, and the opposite side is referred to as the negative direction. The right side is the right side of the person when seated in the seat, relative to the direction of vehicle travel, and is the negative Y-axis direction. The left side is the left side of the person when seated in the seat, relative to the direction of vehicle travel, and is the positive Y-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, the top side of the seat is referred to as the positive direction, and the bottom side of the seat is referred to as the negative direction. The same applies in Figure 2 and beyond.

[0014] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0015] (Embodiment) [Configuration of Vehicle Seat Air Conditioning System] The configuration of the vehicle seat air conditioning system of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the seat of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 2 is a view of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, seen from diagonally above. Figure 3 is a view of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment, seen from diagonally below. Note that Figure 2 shows a view of the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 seen from diagonally above, with the seat 10 visible through it.

[0017] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1, which is installed in a vehicle, cools or warms a person sitting in the seat 10 by blowing air from behind the person onto their upper body. Specifically, the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 draws in air from inside the vehicle and blows the drawn-in air onto the upper body of the person sitting in the seat 10, such as the head, neck, shoulders, and back, thereby cooling or warming the person's body.

[0018] The seat 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is equipped with a vehicle seat air conditioning system 1. The seat 10 also includes a seat portion 11, a seat back 13, and a headrest 15.

[0019] The seat portion 11 is a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and thighs of a person sitting on the seat 10. The seat portion 11 has thickness in the vertical direction and is positioned to extend in both the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. The seat back 13 is a backrest that supports the shoulders, back, and waist of a person sitting on the seat 10. The seat back 13 is positioned to rise in the Z-axis direction relative to the seat portion 11. The headrest 15 is a part that rests or protects the head of a person and is provided above the seat back 13. The angle of the seat back 13 and the headrest 15 can be adjusted by rotating them around a Y-axis rotation axis located at the lower end of the seat back 13.

[0020] The seat back 13 of the seat 10 changes its posture, and for example, a standard position is tilted at about 20 degrees with respect to the Z-axis direction. However, in this embodiment, the description will assume that the seat back 13 is in a nearly upright position along the Z-axis direction relative to the seat portion 11.

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the blower and air passages of a vehicle seat air conditioning system in an embodiment. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in an embodiment viewed from the side.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the sheet 10 is provided with a plurality of air intake ports 20 for drawing in air and a plurality of air outlet ports 80 for blowing out air.

[0023] The intake port 20 is an opening for drawing in air. The multiple intake ports 20 are composed of a first intake port 21 and multiple second intake ports 22.

[0024] The first intake port 21 is located below the seat portion 11. The first intake port 21 is an air intake port for the air conditioner, and is capable of drawing in air from the vehicle's air conditioner. The first intake port 21 may be positioned opposite the discharge port (for example, a duct in the center console) of the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) device installed in the vehicle. In other words, the first intake port 21 may be capable of drawing in cold or warm air supplied from the HVAC device.

[0025] The second air intake 22 is an opening that draws in air from inside the vehicle through the surface of the seat 11. The second air intake 22 is located on the upper surface of the seat 11 in an area corresponding to the buttocks and thighs of a person sitting on the seat 10.

[0026] The discharge port 80 is an opening for blowing air towards a person seated on the seat 10. The discharge port 80 is located on the front and top surfaces of the seat back 13, in areas corresponding to the body of the person seated on the seat 10. Although not shown in the figures, the discharge port 80 may also be positioned to face the back and waist of the person seated on the seat 10. The body of the person may include, for example, the neck, head, shoulders, back, and waist.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the seat 10 is equipped with a vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 that blows out conditioned air.

[0028] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 includes a first air passage 40, a blower 50, and a second air passage 60. The first air passage 40 includes a flow path switching mechanism 45, which will be described later. The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 also includes a first intake passage 31, a second intake passage 32, a rear duct 70, and a discharge passage 75. The first intake passage 31 or the second intake passage 32, the first air passage 40, the blower 50, the second air passage 60, the rear duct 70, and the discharge passage 75 are connected in this order so that air flows through them.

[0029] The first intake passage 31 is a passage that connects the first intake port 21 and the flow path switching mechanism 45. One end of the first intake passage 31 is connected to the first intake port 21, and the other end of the intake passage is connected to the flow path switching mechanism 45. The first intake passage 31 is fixed to the seat portion 11.

[0030] The second intake passage 32 is a passage that connects the second intake port 22 and the flow path switching mechanism 45. One end of the second intake passage 32 is connected to the second intake port 22, and the other end of the intake passage is connected to the flow path switching mechanism 45. The second intake passage 32 is provided inside the seat portion 11 and is substantially fixed to the seat portion 11.

[0031] The first air passage 40 is an air passage that connects the first intake passage 31 and the second intake passage 32 to the blower 50. The first air passage 40 is connected to the seat 11 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50, respectively. In the first air passage 40, a flow path switching mechanism 45 at one end of the air passage is fixed to the seat 11, and the other end of the air passage is connected to the intake port 51 of the blower 50. The parts of the first air passage 40 that are not connected to the seat 11 and the blower 50, respectively are not fixed to other members and are in a state where they can be freely displaced.

[0032] The first ventilation passage 40 includes a flow path switching mechanism 45 for switching the flow path, and a ventilation passage with the first bellows hose 41 as the flow path.

[0033] The flow path switching mechanism 45 is a switching valve that can switch the intake destination of the air drawn in by the blower 50 to either the first intake passage 31 or the second intake passage 32. The flow path switching mechanism 45 may also be configured to switch the intake destination of the air drawn in by the blower 50 to both the first intake passage 31 and the second intake passage 32. The flow path switching mechanism 45 is switched and controlled by a control unit (not shown) provided in the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1. The flow path switching mechanism 45 is fixed to the bottom surface of the seat 11. The control unit may be built into the seat 10 or located outside the seat 10. The control unit may be an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0034] The first bellows hose 41 is a hose that guides the air drawn in via the flow path switching mechanism 45 to the blower 50. The first bellows hose 41 is capable of damping vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first bellows hose 41. In this embodiment, the first bellows hose 41 dampens vibrations from all directions transmitted from the blower 50 and suppresses the transmission of such vibrations to the seat 11 via the flow path switching mechanism 45. The first bellows hose 41 is capable of damping vibrations from all directions transmitted from the blower 50 to the first bellows hose 41. The first bellows hose 41 is formed of a resin material such as silicone resin.

[0035] The first bellows hose 41 is provided between the flow path switching mechanism 45 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50. In this example, one end of the first bellows hose 41 is connected to the flow path switching mechanism 45, and the other end of the hose is connected to the intake port 51 of the blower 50. The first bellows hose 41 may be provided along the entire path connecting the flow path switching mechanism 45 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50, or it may be provided along only a part of it. In other words, the first air passage 40 may consist of a flexible first bellows hose 41 for part of the path connecting the flow path switching mechanism 45 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50, and another part may consist of a rigid duct. When the blower 50 is operated, the first air passage 40 guides the air drawn in through at least one of the first intake passage 31 and the second intake passage 32 to the blower 50.

[0036] The blower 50 is a device that draws in and discharges air. The intake port 51 of the blower 50 is connected to the first air passage 40, and the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 is connected to the second air passage 60. The blower 50 is operated and controlled by a control unit provided in the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1.

[0037] The blower 50 is located below the seat portion 11 of the seat 10 and is suspended from the seat portion 11 via a vibration-absorbing cushioning member 55. The cushioning member 55 is made of a material including a viscous material such as rubber, such as a damper bush. The cushioning member 55 has, for example, a cylindrical or bellows-like shape extending in the vertical direction. One end of the cushioning member 55 is connected to a wire mesh provided on the bottom surface of the seat portion 11, and the other end of the cushioning member 55 is connected to the upper part of the blower 50. In other words, the blower 50 is supported so as to be able to move relative to the seat portion 11, and the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 is structured in such a way that vibrations from the blower 50 are not easily transmitted directly to the seat portion 11.

[0038] In the above description, an example of drawing in air through the second intake port 22, the second intake passage 32, and the first ventilation passage 40 has been explained. However, the blower 50 may also use a cylindrical buffer member 55 as a ventilation passage and draw in air from the upper surface of the seat portion 11 through the buffer member 55. For example, if the second intake port 22a and the second intake passage 32a are located in the area of ​​the upper surface of the seat portion 11 directly above the blower 50 (see Figure 4), the blower 50 may draw in air through the second intake port 22a and the second intake passage 32a, and further through the ventilation passage provided by the buffer member 55. In this case, the blower 50 may use a cylindrical chamber connected to the other end of the buffer member 55 as the intake port 51 and draw in air from the second intake port 22a, etc. In Figure 4, the path from the second intake port 22a to the intake port 51 is illustrated, passing through the second intake passage 32a and the ventilation passage provided by the buffer member 55. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the second intake passage 32a may be positioned between the second intake port 22a and the flow path switching mechanism 45. The blower 50 discharges the air drawn in from the intake port 51 to the second ventilation passage 60 via the exhaust port 52.

[0039] The second ventilation passage 60 is a ventilation passage connecting the blower 50 and the rear duct 70. The second ventilation passage 60 is connected to the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70, respectively. One end of the second ventilation passage 60 is connected to the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50, and the other end of the ventilation passage is connected to the rear duct 70. The portion of the second ventilation passage 60 other than the portion connected to the blower 50 and the rear duct 70 is not fixed to any other component and is in a state where it can be freely displaced.

[0040] The second ventilation passage 60 has a ventilation passage through which the second bellows hose 62 is used as the flow path.

[0041] The second bellows hose 62 is a hose that guides the air exhausted from the blower 50 to the rear duct 70. The second bellows hose 62 is capable of damping vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the second bellows hose 62. In this embodiment, the second bellows hose 62 dampens vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 in all directions and suppresses the transmission of such vibrations to the seat back 13 via the rear duct 70. The second bellows hose 62 is made of the same resin material as the first bellows hose 41. In addition, the second bellows hose 62 is capable of bending in accordance with the rotation of the seat back 13 when it rotates around the Y axis.

[0042] The second bellows hose 62 is provided between the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70. In this example, one end of the second bellows hose 62 is connected to the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50, and the other end of the hose is connected to the rear duct 70. The second bellows hose 62 may be provided along the entire path connecting the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70, or it may be provided along only a part of it. In other words, the second air passage 60 may consist of a flexible second bellows hose 62 in part of the path connecting the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70, and another part may consist of a rigid duct. When the blower 50 is in operation, the second air passage 60 guides the air discharged from the blower 50 to the rear duct 70.

[0043] The rear duct 70 is an air passage connecting the second ventilation passage 60 and the discharge passage 75. One end of the rear duct 70 is connected to the second ventilation passage 60, and the other end is connected to the discharge passage 75. The rear duct 70 is located on the rear surface of the seat back 13 and is fixed to the seat back 13. The rear duct 70 is formed of a harder material compared to the bellows hose described above.

[0044] The discharge passage 75 is a flow path connecting the rear duct 70 and the discharge port 80. The discharge passage 75 discharges the air introduced from the rear duct 70 to the front and obliquely front of the seat 10 through the discharge port 80.

[0045] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the maximum movement distance of the blower of the vehicle seat air conditioner according to the embodiment, and the expandable and contractible distances of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62.

[0046] Fig. 6(a) shows a state where the blower 50 is at a design reference position. In this figure, each of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 is connected to the blower 50 in a natural length state. Note that the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 may each be connected to the blower 50 in a state slightly stretched from the natural length.

[0047] Fig. 6(b) shows a state when the blower 50 moves forward along with the vibration of the vehicle. This figure shows the maximum movement distance dp when the blower 50 moves to the position farthest from the reference position along with the vibration of the vehicle.

[0048] Fig. 6(c) shows the expandable and contractible distance d1 of the first bellows hose 41. Specifically, this figure shows the maximum distance that can be contracted from the length when the first bellows hose 41 is attached to the blower 50, with that length used as a reference.

[0049] Fig. 6(d) shows the expandable and contractible distance d2 of the second bellows hose 62. Specifically, this figure shows the maximum distance that can be stretched from the length when the second bellows hose 62 is attached to the blower 50, with that length used as a reference.

[0050] As shown in these figures, the expandable distance d1 of the first bellows hose 41 is longer than the maximum travel distance dp of the blower 50 (d1 > dp). Similarly, the expandable distance d2 of the second bellows hose 62 is longer than the maximum travel distance dp of the blower 50 (d2 > dp). Figure 6 shows the case where the blower 50 moves forward due to vehicle vibration, but the same distance relationship is observed when the blower 50 moves backward due to vehicle vibration.

[0051] In the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first air passage 40 are attenuated by the first bellows hose 41, thereby suppressing the transmission of such vibrations to the seat 11. Furthermore, in the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the second air passage 60 are attenuated by the second bellows hose 62, thereby suppressing the transmission of such vibrations to the seat back 13 via the rear duct 70. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0052] [Structure of the bellows hose] The configurations of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 will be explained with reference to Figures 7A to 8B.

[0053] Figure 7A is a side view of the first bellows hose of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of the first bellows hose shown in Figure 7A.

[0054] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the first bellows hose 41 has two ends 93a and 93b, an expandable and retractable section 91, and a bendable section 92 that is less expandable and retractable than the expandable and retractable section 91. For example, one end 93a of the two ends 93a and 93b is connected to the flow path switching mechanism 45, and the other end 93b is connected to the intake port 51 of the blower 50.

[0055] One end 93a, the expandable portion 91, the bent portion 92, and the other end 93b are arranged along the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41. In this example, one end 93a, the first expandable portion 91a, the first bent portion 92a, the second expandable portion 91b, the second bent portion 92b, and the other end 93b are connected in this order. The second expandable portion 91b is located between the two bent portions 92a and 92b, specifically between the first bent portion 92a and the second bent portion 92b.

[0056] The central axis x1 is the axis of the hose when the first bellows hose 41 is used as piping. In this example, the central axis x1 bends along with the bending of the first bellows hose 41. The plane containing the central axis x1 in this example is the XZ plane.

[0057] As shown in Figure 7B, the first bellows hose 41 has an outer wall surface 97 located on the outside of the hose and an inner wall surface 98 located on the inside of the hose. The wall thickness of the first bellows hose 41 is represented by the distance between the outer wall surface 97 and the inner wall surface 98.

[0058] The expandable portion 91 has a pleated shape composed of multiple peaks m and multiple valleys v. The multiple peaks m and multiple valleys v are arranged alternately and periodically along the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41. Each of the peaks m and valleys v is circular when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis x1, and the diameter of the peak m is larger than the diameter of the valley v. The expandable portion 91 is deformable in response to vibrations transmitted to the first bellows hose 41, and the first bellows hose 41 absorbs vibrations through the expansion and contraction deformation of the expandable portion 91. In the above example, the peaks m and valleys v are shown arranged at a predetermined pitch along the central axis x1, but the example is not limited to this, and each of the peaks m and valleys v may be formed in a helical shape.

[0059] As shown in Figure 7A, the bent portion 92 has a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41. The bent portion 92 hardly changes its external shape with respect to vibration and has a narrower range of expansion and contraction compared to the expandable portion 91.

[0060] As shown in Figure 7B, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in a plane containing the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41, it has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axis x1 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axis x1. The outer bent portion 95 is located outside the curve of the first bellows hose 41, and the inner bent portion 96 is located inside the curve of the first bellows hose 41. Therefore, in a direction parallel to the central axis x1, the length of the outer bent portion 95 is longer than the length of the inner bent portion 96.

[0061] The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the first bellows hose 41, and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the first bellows hose 41. The first surface 95a is provided with a planar region 95a1 having a flat surface. The planar region 95a1 converts vibrations transmitted to the first bellows hose 41 into sound by vibrating the flat surface portion. By converting vibrations into sound in the planar region 95a1 in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the first bellows hose 41 can be attenuated. The sound converted and generated in the planar region 95a1 originates from the underside of the seat portion 11 of the seat 10, so it is unlikely to reach the occupant's ears. Therefore, vibrations can be attenuated without causing discomfort to the occupant.

[0062] Figure 8A is a side view of the second bellows hose of the vehicle seat air conditioning system in the embodiment. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose shown in Figure 8A.

[0063] As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the second bellows hose 62 has two ends 93a and 93b, an expandable and retractable section 91, and a bendable section 92 that is less expandable and retractable than the expandable and retractable section 91. For example, one end 93a of the two ends 93a and 93b is connected to the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50, and the other end 93b is connected to the rear duct 70.

[0064] One end 93a, the expandable portion 91, the bent portion 92, and the other end 93b are arranged along the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. In this example, one end 93a, the first expandable portion 91a, the multiple bent portions 92a, 92b, 92c, the second expandable portion 91b, and the other end 93b are connected in this order.

[0065] Note that the central axis x2 is the axis of the hose when the second bellows hose 62 is used as piping. In this example, the central axis x2 bends along with the bending of the second bellows hose 62. The plane containing the central axis x2 in this example is the XZ plane.

[0066] As shown in Figure 8B, the second bellows hose 62 has an outer wall surface 97 located on the outside of the hose and an inner wall surface 98 located on the inside of the hose. The wall thickness of the second bellows hose 62 is represented by the distance between the outer wall surface 97 and the inner wall surface 98.

[0067] The expandable portion 91 has a pleated shape composed of multiple peaks m and multiple valleys v. The multiple peaks m and multiple valleys v are arranged alternately and periodically along the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. Each of the peaks m and valleys v is circular when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis x2, and the diameter of the peak m is larger than the diameter of the valley v. The expandable portion 91 is deformable in response to vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62, and the second bellows hose 62 absorbs vibrations through the expansion and contraction deformation of the expandable portion 91. In the above example, the peaks m and valleys v are shown arranged at a predetermined pitch along the central axis x2, but the example is not limited to this, and each of the peaks m and valleys v may be formed in a helical shape.

[0068] As shown in Figure 8A, the bent portion 92 has a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. The bent portion 92 hardly changes its external shape with respect to vibration and has a narrower range of expansion and contraction compared to the expandable portion 91.

[0069] As shown in Figure 8B, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in a plane containing the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62, it has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axis x2 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axis x2. The outer bent portion 95 is located outside the curve of the second bellows hose 62, and the inner bent portion 96 is located inside the curve of the second bellows hose 62. Therefore, in the direction parallel to the central axis x2, the length of the outer bent portion 95 is longer than the length of the inner bent portion 96. The outer bent portion 95 is provided with a plurality of peaks m and a plurality of valleys v. Vibrations can be absorbed by the expansion and contraction of these plurality of peaks m and valleys v.

[0070] The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the second bellows hose 62, and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the second bellows hose 62. The first surface 95a is provided with a planar region 95a1 having a flat surface. The planar region 95a1 converts vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 into sound by vibrating the flat surface portion. By converting vibrations into sound in the planar region 95a1 in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 can be attenuated. The sound converted and generated in the planar region 95a1 originates from the underside of the seat portion 11 of the seat 10, so it is unlikely to reach the occupant's ears. Therefore, vibrations can be attenuated without causing discomfort to the occupant.

[0071] [Variations of the corrugated hose] Variations 1 of the first corrugated hose 41 and variations 1 and 2 of the second corrugated hose 62 will be explained with reference to Figures 9 to 11.

[0072] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the first bellows hose in a modified example 1 of the embodiment.

[0073] As shown in Figure 9, the first bellows hose 41 of the modified example 1 also has both ends 93a, 93b, an expandable / contractible section 91, and a bent section 92 that is less expandable / contractible than the expandable section 91. The configuration of both ends 93a, 93b and the expandable section 91 is the same as in the embodiment.

[0074] The bent portion 92 has a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41. Furthermore, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in the plane containing the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41, it has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axis x1 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axis x1.

[0075] The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the first bellows hose 41, and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the first bellows hose 41. The first surface 95a is provided with a planar region 95a1 having a flat surface.

[0076] In Modification 1, the outer bent portion 95 of the first bellows hose 41 has a thin-walled portion 95t that is thinner than the inner bent portion 96. In this Modification 1, the second surface 95b is recessed toward the first surface 95a and has a concave curved shape. For example, the thickness of the thinnest part of the outer bent portion 95 is 0.5 to 0.9 times the thickness of the inner bent portion 96. Because the outer bent portion 95 is thinner, vibrations transmitted to the first bellows hose 41 are more easily converted into sound. By converting vibrations into sound using the thin-walled portion 95t in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the first bellows hose 41 can be attenuated. In the configuration of Figure 9, only the left bent portion 92 of the two bent portions 92 has a thin-walled portion 95t, but it may also be provided in the right bent portion 92, or in both bent portions 92.

[0077] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose in a modified example 1 of the embodiment.

[0078] As shown in Figure 10, the second bellows hose 62 of the modified example 1 also has both ends 93a, 93b, an expandable / contractible section 91, and a bent section 92 that is less expandable / contractible than the expandable section 91. The configuration of both ends 93a, 93b and the expandable section 91 is the same as in the embodiment.

[0079] The bent portion 92 has a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. Furthermore, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in the plane containing the central axis x1 of the second bellows hose 62, it has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axis x2 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axis x2.

[0080] The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the second bellows hose 62, and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the second bellows hose 62. The first surface 95a is provided with a planar region 95a1 having a flat surface.

[0081] In Modification 1, the outer bent portion 95 of the second bellows hose 62 has a thin-walled portion 95t that is thinner than the inner bent portion 96. In this Modification 1, the second surface 95b is recessed toward the first surface 95a and has a concave curved shape. For example, the thickness of the thinnest part of the outer bent portion 95 is 0.5 to 0.9 times the thickness of the inner bent portion 96. Because the outer bent portion 95 is thinner, vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 are more easily converted into sound. By converting vibrations into sound using the thin-walled portion 95t in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 can be attenuated. In the configuration of Figure 10, only the middle bent portion 92 of the three bent portions 92 has a thin-walled portion 95t, but this may be provided in the other bent portions 92, or in all of the bent portions 92.

[0082] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the second bellows hose in a modified example 2 of the embodiment.

[0083] As shown in Figure 11, the second bellows hose 62 of the modified example 2 also has both ends 93a and 93b, an expandable and retractable section 91, and a bent section 92 that is less expandable and retractable than the expandable section 91. One end 93a, the expandable section 91, the bent section 92, and the other end 93b are arranged along the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. In this example, one end 93a, the bent section 92, the expandable section 91, and the other end 93b are connected in this order. The configuration of both ends 93a and 93b and the expandable section 91 is the same as in the embodiment.

[0084] The bent portion 92 has an arc shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62. Furthermore, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in the plane containing the central axis x2 of the second bellows hose 62, it has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axis x2 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axis x2.

[0085] The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the second bellows hose 62 and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the second bellows hose 62. The first surface 95a is provided with a curved surface region 95a2 having a curved surface.

[0086] In Modification 2, the outer bent portion 95 of the second bellows hose 62 has a thin-walled portion 95t that is thinner than the inner bent portion 96. In this Modification 2, the second surface 95b is recessed toward the first surface 95a and has a concave curved shape. Because the outer bent portion 95 is thinner, vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 are more easily converted into sound. By converting vibrations into sound using the thin-walled portion 95t in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the second bellows hose 62 can be attenuated.

[0087] (Summary) An example of a vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 according to one aspect of this disclosure is given below.

[0088] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 1 includes a blower 50 located below the seat portion 11 of the seat 10, a first air passage 40 connected to the seat portion 11 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50, and a second air passage 60 connected to the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70 located on the back of the seat 10. The first air passage 40 includes an air passage with a first bellows hose 41 as the flow path, and the second air passage 60 includes an air passage with a second bellows hose 62 as the flow path.

[0089] In this way, by including the first ventilation passage 40 with the first bellows hose 41 as the flow path, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first ventilation passage 40 are attenuated by the first bellows hose 41, thereby suppressing the transmission of such vibrations to the seat 11. Furthermore, by including the second ventilation passage 60 with the second bellows hose 62 as the flow path, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the second ventilation passage 60 are attenuated by the second bellows hose 62, thereby suppressing the transmission of such vibrations to the seat 10 via the rear duct 70. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0090] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 2 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 1, wherein the first air passage 40 includes a flow path switching mechanism 45 fixed to the seat portion 11, and the first bellows hose 41 may be provided between the flow path switching mechanism 45 and the intake port 51 of the blower 50.

[0091] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first air passage 40 are attenuated by the first bellows hose 41, and the transmission of these vibrations to the seat 11 via the flow path switching mechanism 45 can be suppressed. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupants.

[0092] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 in Example 3 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 1 or 2, wherein the rear duct 70 is fixed to the seat back 13 of the seat 10, and the second bellows hose 62 may be provided between the exhaust port 52 of the blower 50 and the rear duct 70.

[0093] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the second air passage 60 are attenuated by the second bellows hose 62, preventing the vibrations from being transmitted to the seat back 13 via the rear duct 70. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0094] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 in Example 4 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in any of Examples 1 to 3, and the blower 50 may be supported so as to be displaceable relative to the seat portion 11.

[0095] With this configuration, the position-displaceable support structure can suppress the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the seat 11. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupant.

[0096] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 in Example 5 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 4, and the blower 50 may be suspended from the seat portion 11 via a cushioning member 55.

[0097] With this configuration, the vibrations of the blower 50 are dampened by the damping member 55, and the transmission of these vibrations to the seat 11 can be suppressed. This prevents the vibrations of the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0098] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 in Example 6 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 5, and the cushioning member 55 may be a damper bush.

[0099] With this configuration, the vibrations of the blower 50 are dampened by the damper bush, preventing them from being transmitted to the seat 11. This prevents the vibrations of the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0100] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 in Example 7 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 4, wherein the expandable and retractable distances d1 and d2 of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62, respectively, may be longer than the maximum travel distance dp of the blower 50.

[0101] With this configuration, for example, even if the blower 50 moves forward or backward, the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 can absorb the distance moved. Furthermore, even in the absorbed state, the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 can expand and contract further. Therefore, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first air passage 40 are attenuated by the first bellows hose 41, and vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the second air passage 60 are attenuated by the second bellows hose 62. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0102] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 8 is a vehicle seat air conditioning system described in any of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 may each have an expandable / contractible portion 91 and a bent portion 92 that is less expandable / contractible than the expandable / contractible portion 91.

[0103] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 are attenuated by the expansion and contraction of the expandable section 91, thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the seat 10. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0104] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 9 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 8, wherein the bent portion 92 of at least one of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 may have a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axes x1 and x2 of the bellows hose.

[0105] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 are attenuated by the bend 92, thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the seat 10. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0106] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 10 is the vehicle seat air conditioning system described in Example 8 or Example 9, wherein the bent portion 92 of at least one of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 has, when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in a plane containing the central axes x1 and x2 of the bellows hose, an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axes x1 and x2, and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axes x1 and x2. The outer bent portion 95 has a first surface 95a included in the outer wall surface 97 of the bellows hose and a second surface 95b included in the inner wall surface 98 of the bellows hose. A planar region 95a1 may be provided on the first surface 95a.

[0107] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be converted into sound by vibrating in the planar region 95a1. By converting vibrations into sound in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be attenuated. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0108] The vehicle seat air conditioning device 1 of Example 11 is the vehicle seat air conditioning device described in Example 10, and the second surface 95b may have a concave curved shape.

[0109] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be more efficiently converted into sound at the outer bend 95. By converting vibrations into sound in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be attenuated. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0110] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 12 is a vehicle seat air conditioning system described in any of Examples 8 to 11, wherein the bent portion 92 of at least one of the first bellows hose 41 and the second bellows hose 62 has an outer bent portion 95 located outside the central axes x1 and x2 and an inner bent portion 96 located inside the central axes x1 and x2 when the bent portion 92 is viewed in cross-section in a plane including the central axes x1 and x2 of the bellows hose. The outer bent portion 95 may have a thin-walled portion 95t that is thinner than the inner bent portion 96.

[0111] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be converted into sound by vibrating the thin-walled section 95t. By converting vibrations into sound in this way, the vibrations transmitted to the corrugated hose can be attenuated more efficiently. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0112] The vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 of Example 13 is a vehicle seat air conditioning system described in any of Examples 8 to 12, wherein the first bellows hose 41 includes two bent portions 92 provided along the central axis x1 of the first bellows hose 41, and the expandable portion 91 may be provided between the two bent portions 92.

[0113] With this configuration, vibrations transmitted from the blower 50 to the first bellows hose 41 are attenuated by the two bends 92 and the expansion / contraction section 91 between the two bends, thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the seat 10. This prevents vibrations from the blower 50 from being transmitted to the occupant.

[0114] The seat 10 of Example 14 comprises a vehicle seat air conditioning unit 1 as described in any of Examples 1 to 13, an intake port 20 into which air is drawn towards the vehicle seat air conditioning unit 1, and an outlet port 80 from which air is blown out of the vehicle seat air conditioning unit 1.

[0115] According to this, it is possible to provide a seat 10 equipped with a vehicle seat air conditioning system 1 that suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0116] The vehicle in Example 15 includes the seat 10 described in Example 14 and a control unit for controlling the vehicle seat air conditioning system 1.

[0117] According to this, it is possible to provide a vehicle equipped with a seat 10 that suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the blower 50 to the occupants.

[0118] (Other Modifications, etc.) The vehicle seat air conditioning system relating to this disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments described above, but this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications to the embodiments that a person skilled in the art can conceive of may also be included in the scope of this disclosure, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0119] Furthermore, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to the embodiments that a person skilled in the art could conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0120] This disclosure can be used, for example, in vehicle seats, vehicle sofas, etc.

[0121] 1. Vehicle seat air conditioning system 10. Seat 11. Seat portion 13. Seat back 15. Headrest 20. Intake 21. First intake 22, 22a. Second intake 31. First intake passage 32, 32a. Second intake passage 40. First ventilation passage 41. First bellows hose 45. Flow path switching mechanism 50. Blower 51. Intake port 52. Exhaust port 55. Cushioning member 60. Second ventilation passage 62. Second bellows hose 70. Rear duct 75. Discharge passage 80. Discharge port 91, 91a, 91b. Expandable section 92, 92a, 92b, 92c. Bent section 93a, 93b. End section 95. Outer bent section 95a. First surface 95a1. Planar area 95a2. Curved area 95b. Second surface 95t. Thin-walled section 96 Inner curved section 97 Outer wall surface 98 Inner wall surface d1, d2 Expandable distance dp Maximum movement distance m Peak section v Valley section x1, x2 Central axis

Claims

1. A vehicle seat air conditioning system comprising: a blower located on the underside of the seat portion; a first air passage connected to the intake port of the seat portion and the blower, respectively; and a second air passage connected to the exhaust port of the blower and a rear duct located on the back of the seat, wherein the first air passage includes an air passage with a first bellows hose as the flow path, and the second air passage includes an air passage with a second bellows hose as the flow path.

2. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the first air passage includes a flow path switching mechanism fixed to the seat portion, and the first bellows hose is provided between the flow path switching mechanism and the air intake port of the blower.

3. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the rear duct is fixed to the seat back of the seat, and the second bellows hose is provided between the exhaust port of the blower and the rear duct.

4. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the blower is supported so as to be displaceable relative to the seat portion.

5. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4, wherein the blower is suspended from the seat via a buffer member.

6. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 5, wherein the cushioning member is a damper bush.

7. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 4, wherein the expandable distance of the first bellows hose and the second bellows hose is longer than the maximum travel distance of the blower.

8. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first bellows hose and the second bellows hose each have an expandable / contractible portion and a bendable portion that is less expandable / contractible than the expandable / contractible portion.

9. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the bent portion of at least one of the first bellows hose and the second bellows hose has a trapezoidal or triangular shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the central axis of the bellows hose.

10. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the bent portion of at least one of the first bellows hose and the second bellows hose has, when the bent portion is viewed in cross-section in a plane including the central axis of the bellows hose, an outer bent portion located outside the central axis and an inner bent portion located inside the central axis, the outer bent portion has a first surface included in the outer wall surface of the bellows hose and a second surface included in the inner wall surface of the bellows hose, and a planar area is provided on the first surface.

11. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 10, wherein the second surface has a concave curved shape.

12. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the bent portion of at least one of the first bellows hose and the second bellows hose has, when the bent portion is viewed in cross-section in a plane including the central axis of the bellows hose, an outer bent portion located outside the central axis and an inner bent portion located inside the central axis, and the outer bent portion has a thin-walled portion that is thinner than the inner bent portion.

13. The vehicle seat air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the first bellows hose includes two bent portions provided along the central axis of the first bellows hose, and the expandable portion is provided between the two bent portions.

14. A seat comprising: a vehicle seat air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; an intake port from which air is drawn toward the vehicle seat air conditioning device; and an outlet from which air is blown out of the vehicle seat air conditioning device.

15. A vehicle comprising the seat described in claim 14 and a control unit for controlling the vehicle seat air conditioning system.

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