Seat Ventilation Bellows Mounting for Low Gas Flow Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ventilation systems for seat support elements, such as those in vehicle seats, face challenges in facilitating the installation and removal of the ventilation device, particularly due to complex mounting of the bellows which leads to gas flow losses between the fan and the padding.
Innovation Solution
A seat support element with a bellows that features a fastening tab passing through an orifice in the frame, allowing for secure attachment to the frame, enabling easy installation and removal of the fan, and reducing gas flow losses by being pressed against the frame, while maintaining fluid communication between the fan and the padding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bellows is used to ensure sealing between the fan outlet and the padding, then gas flow sealing is improved, but the mounting complexity increases and the fan cannot be independently mounted or removed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the ventilation device into separable modules: the fan can be independently mounted on the frame, while the bellows is separately mounted on the frame via fastening tabs. This segmentation allows the fan to be removed for maintenance without removing the bellows, reducing mounting complexity while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows is pre-mounted on the frame using fastening tabs that pass through orifices in the frame before the fan is installed. This preliminary action simplifies the overall assembly process and enables independent fan installation/removal while ensuring the bellows is already in position for proper sealing.
2Loss of energy
If the bellows is firmly mounted to the frame to limit gas flow losses, then sealing performance is improved, but the installation process becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is designed with fastening tabs that can be easily inserted and secured to the frame, providing a dynamic and flexible mounting solution. The tabs pass through orifices in the frame and can be quickly attached, making installation simple while ensuring the bellows is firmly held against the frame to minimize gas flow losses.
3Device complexity
If the fan is permanently integrated with the bellows, then assembly is simplified, but maintenance and removal operations become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation device is segmented into separate components: the fan mounted on the frame and the bellows separately mounted on the frame via fastening tabs. This segmentation enables the fan to be independently removed for maintenance while the bellows remains installed, significantly improving ease of repair and maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the fan to be easily removed and replaced (discarded and recovered) without affecting the bellows or other parts of the ventilation device. This facilitates maintenance operations where the fan can be swapped out for service or replacement while the rest of the system remains intact.
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
This solution simplifies the installation and removal of the ventilation device, reduces gas flow losses, and ensures effective ventilation of the seat surface, enhancing occupant comfort by maintaining fluid communication between the fan and padding across different positions of the padding relative to the frame.
Implementation Method 1
a fan, mounted on the frame and arranged to emit a gas flow toward the padding
Implementation Method 2
a bellows extending between the fan and the internal surface of the padding to transmit said gas flow from the fan to the padding
Data Source
AI summary
A seat support element having a frame and a padding mounted on the frame, extending between an internal surface, near the frame on an external side of the frame, and an external surface, opposite the internal surface and defining a bearing surface for an occupant of the seat. The support element includes a ventilation device for the bearing surface which includes a fan mounted on the frame and arranged to emit a gas flow toward the padding, and a bellows extending between the fan and the internal surface of the padding to transmit the gas flow of the fan to the padding. The bellows has a fastening tab passing through an orifice passing through the frame on the external side to an internal side of the frame, the fastening tab being attached to the frame on the internal side of the frame.