Vehicle Seat Preheating Using Cabin Warm-Air Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats experience temperature reduction when an occupant sits, leading to reduced comfort due to heat transfer from the seatback to the seat cushion, as observed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2022-020529.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle seat is equipped with a hole in the seat skin for air intake, seat ventilation to suck in warm air, an air conditioning system to discharge warm air into the cabin, and a drive control system to pre-heat the seat before occupancy, switching to a seat heater upon detection of the occupant boarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the air conditioning section discharges warm air into the vehicle cabin and the seat ventilation sucks in the warm air prior to boarding, then the interior of the vehicle seat is warmed and temperature reduction when occupant is seated is suppressed, but energy consumption increases due to pre-heating operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the seat interior by discharging warm air from the air conditioning section and sucking it into the seat interior through the seat ventilation, before the occupant boards the vehicle. This preliminary action prevents temperature reduction when the occupant sits, and the control section stops the warm air discharge upon detecting occupant boarding, thereby limiting energy consumption to only the necessary pre-heating period
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Pre-heating the seat through the air conditioning system and subsequent use of a seat heater enhances comfort by preventing temperature reduction and efficiently warming the seat, ensuring optimal comfort upon occupancy.
Implementation Method 1
an air conditioning section that discharges warm air or cold air into a vehicle cabin to adjust a temperature within the vehicle cabin
Implementation Method 2
seat ventilation that sucks air into the interior of the vehicle seat
Implementation Method 3
a seat heater that warms a surface of the vehicle seat on a side at which the occupant sits
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle including: a vehicle seat that have, at a surface thereof, a hole communicating with an interior thereof, an occupant being able to sit at the vehicle seat; seat ventilation configured to suck air into the interior of the vehicle seat; an air conditioning section configured to discharge warm air or cold air into a vehicle cabin to adjust a temperature within the vehicle cabin; a receiving section configured to receive an operation instruction for heating by the air conditioning section prior to boarding by the occupant; and a drive control section, in a case in which the operation instruction for heating has been received, configured to cause warm air to be discharged into the vehicle cabin by the air conditioning section, and to cause the warm air to be sucked in by the seat ventilation.