Air conditioning device

• US 10,639,958 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tsuzaki, Atsushi, Murahata, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruppert, Eric S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weiland, Hans R
• Application Number:
  US15/730,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20180105014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00464 The ventilator being of the axial type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00521 Mounting or fastening of components in housings, e.g. heat exchangers, fans, electronic regulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means

Abstract

An air conditioning device is provided. The air conditioning device comprises a fan and is provided on an underside of a seating surface of a vehicle seat. The fan comprises a case module and a restrictor. The case module comprises a first case and a second case. The first case is located at a side of the fan where the seating surface is located. The second case is located at a side of the fan opposite to the seating surface and is assembled to the first case. The restrictor is configured to restrict assembling of the first case and the second case to each other when an orientation of the second case with respect to the first case is different from a specified orientation.

Claims

1. An air conditioning device provided on an underside of a seating surface of a vehicle seat, the air conditioning device comprising:

a fan that comprises a case module and a restrictor,

the case module comprising a first case and a second case, the first case being located at a side of the fan where the seating surface is located, and the second case being located at a side of the fan opposite to the seating surface and being assembled to the first case,

the restrictor projects from a generally planar interior surface of one of the first case and the second case, in a direction transverse to the planar interior surface of the one of the first and second cases, is spaced from peripheral portions of the first and second cases and has a structure that restricts assembly of the first case and the second case to each other when an orientation of the second case with respect to the first case is different from a specified orientation, and

a plurality of spaced projections on the one of the first and second cases, that extend towards the other of the first and second cases, the restrictor extending from an outer peripheral portion of a free end of at least one of the projections and preventing the first and second cases from abutting when corresponding surfaces of the other of the first and second cases is in an orientation different from the specified orientation.

2. The air conditioning device according to claim 1,

wherein the restrictor comprises at least one rib provided in a first one of the first case and the second case, and extending from an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the plurality of projections, the rib extending about a portion of the periphery of the projection,

wherein when the orientation of the second case with respect to the first case is different from the specified orientation, the at least one rib abuts a second one of the first case and the second case, thereby restricting assembly of the first case and the second case to each other.

3. The air conditioning device according to claim 2,

wherein the first case comprises a stopper and the second case comprises a stopped portion, and the stopper and the stopped portion are assembled to each other via a securing member, and

wherein the at least one rib surrounds at least a part of the securing member when viewed horizontally from one side of an outer circumference of the at least one rib.

4. The air conditioning device according to claim 2,

wherein a harness is routed in a rear side of the air conditioning device, and

wherein a material of a surface of the at least one rib that contacts the harness includes resin.

5. The air conditioning device according to claim 2,

wherein an outer circumferential surface of the at least one rib has an arcuate shape.

6. The air conditioning device according to claim 2, a surface of the at least one rib includes a resin.

7. The air conditioning device according to claim 2, wherein the first case comprises a resin.

16. The air-conditioning device according to claim 1, at least one of the plurality of spaced projections comprises a discrete apertured structure extending from a generally planar surface of one of the first and second cases.

8. An air conditioning device provided on an underside of a seating surface of a vehicle seat, the air conditioning device comprising:

a fan that comprises a case module and a restrictor,

the case module comprising a first case and a second case, the first case being located at a side of the fan where the seating surface is located, and the second case being located at a side of the fan opposite to the seating surface and being assembled to the first case, each of first case and second case comprising generally parallel, generally planar peripheral portions with a gap between the peripheral portion of the first case and the peripheral portion of the second case in an assembled condition, the gap providing airflow into the region between the first and second cases and

the restrictor extends in a direction transverse to the planar surfaces of first and second cases and has a structure that restricts assembly of the first case and the second case to each other when an orientation, in a direction parallel to the generally planar peripheral portion of the second case with respect to the first case is different from a specified orientation, the restrictor being positioned inwardly of a periphery of one of the first case and the second case.

9. The air conditioning device according to claim 8, wherein the restrictor comprises at least one rib provided in a first one of the first case and the second case, and, when the orientation of the second case with respect to the first case is different from the specified orientation, the at least one rib abuts a second one of the first case and the second case, thereby restricting assembly of the first case and the second case to each other.

10. The air conditioning device according to claim 9, wherein the first case comprises a stopper and the second case comprises a stopped portion, and the stopper and the stopped portion are assembled to each other via a securing member, and the at least one rib surrounds at least a part of the securing member when viewed horizontally from one side of an outer circumference of the at least one rib.

11. The air conditioning device according to claim 9, wherein a harness is routed in a rear side of the air-conditioning device and wherein a contact surface of the at least one rib that contacts the harness includes resin.

12. The air conditioning device according to claim 9, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the at least one rib has an arcuate shape.

13. The air conditioning device according to claim 8, the gap extending over an entire circumference of the peripheral portion of the first case and peripheral portion of the second case.

14. The air conditioning device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one rib comprises a plurality of discrete ribs spaced about a periphery of the first one of the first case and the second case.

15. The air conditioning device according to claim 8, the gap being defined by a plurality of discrete projections extending from one of the first case and the second case towards an other of the first case and the second case.

17. An air conditioning device for a vehicle seat, the air conditioning device comprising:

an upper case including;

a centrally located vent hole defining a central axis,

a first seating,

a first screw hole located in the first seating,

a first rib extending downward from the first seating, and extending along a first arc of less than 180 degrees with respect to the first screw hole,

a first bushing located adjacent to the first seating;

a second seating located at approximately 90 degrees from the first seating with respect to the central axis,

a second screw hole located in the second seating,

a second rib extending downward from the second seating, and extending along a second arc of less than 180 degrees with respect to the second screw hole,

a second bushing located adjacent to the second seating;

a third seating located at approximately 90 degrees from the second seating with respect to the central axis,

a third screw hole located in the third seating,

a third bushing located adjacent to the third seating;

a fourth seating located at approximately 90 degrees from the third seating with respect to the central axis,

a fourth screw hole located in the fourth seating, and

a fourth bushing located adjacent to the fourth seating; and

a lower case including;

a central portion, and

a flat portion including;

a first through hole alignable with the first screw hole,

a first outer peripheral section shaped to mate with the first rib,

a first auxiliary through hole alignable with the first bushing,

a second through hole alignable with the second screw hole,

a second outer peripheral section shaped to mate with the second rib,

a second auxiliary through hole alignable with the second bushing,

a third through hole alignable with the third screw hole,

a third auxiliary through hole alignable with the third bushing,

a fourth through hole alignable with the fourth screw hole, and

a fourth auxiliary through hole alignable with the fourth bushing, and a central portion.

18. The air conditioning device of claim 17,

wherein the seatings and bushing are sized to provide a generally uniform vertical gap between the upper case and the flat portion of the lower case after assembly of the upper case to the lower case, such that inlet air flows through the gap when the air conditioning device is operated.

19. The air conditioning device of claim 18,

wherein the central portion of the lower case includes:

a central hole,

two curved slots, and

radially oriented straight slots.

20. The air conditioning device of claim 19, further comprising:

a wiring harness attached to the lower case.