Air Conditioned Seat Device And Air Conditioning System Using The Same

• US 20070193279A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shigeoka, Takehiko, Nakano, Koichi, Asami, Naohito, Arima, Satoshi, Shiratake, Akira, Yoneno, Noriyuki, Nitta, Hiroaki, Nozawa, Shintarou, Kikutani, Fumitaka
• Application Number:
  US10/592,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5692 Refrigerating means

Abstract

An air conditioned seat device has a support member, an air blower, a skin configured to form a seating surface, an air layer member, and an air-impermeable sheet member. The support member is provided with a duct for air. The air blower takes in air from the outside and passes the air through the duct. The skin passes air sent from the air blower. The air layer member, provided between the support member and skin, temporarily stores air supplied from the duct to form an air layer. The sheet member covering the air layer member is provided with an air flow-out opening configured to induce air to flow out from the air layer.

Claims

1. An air conditioned seat device, comprising:

a support member including a first duct through which air passes;

a first air blower configured to take in air from an outside and pass the air through the first duct;

a skin configured to pass the air sent from the first air blower, the skin forming a seating surface;

an air layer member configured to temporarily store the air supplied from the first duct to form an air layer, the air layer member being provided between the support member and the skin; and

an air-impermeable, sheet member covering the air layer member, the sheet member being provided with an air flow-out opening configured to induce the air to flow out from the air layer.

2. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet member includes a heating element.

3. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, wherein the heating element is a PTC heater with a self-temperature-control function, having an electrode and heating element material disposed on an insulated substrate.

4. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit configured to control energization for the heating element and driving of the first air blower, wherein the control unit drives the first air blower after a predetermined time elapses from starting energization of the heating element.

5. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit configured to control energization of the heating element and driving of the first air blower, wherein the control unit drives the first air blower intermittently after starting energization of the heating element.

6. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit configured to control energization of the heating element and driving of the first air blower, wherein the control unit performs energization of the heating element and driving of the first air blower alternately to send air from the first duct intermittently.

7. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a surface temperature sensor configured to sense temperature near the skin,

wherein the control unit stops the first air blower when output from the surface temperature sensor becomes lower than a predetermined value.

8. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a surface temperature sensor configured to sense temperature near the skin; and

a control unit configured to control energization of the heating element and driving of the first air blower, wherein the control unit drives the first air blower when output from the surface temperature sensor becomes at least a first value after starting energization of the heating element.

9. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit stops the first air blower when output from the surface temperature sensor becomes a second value which is lower than the first value.

10. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 2, wherein the air conditioned seat device has a back portion and a seating portion, and a disposition pattern of the heating element at the back portion differs from that at the seating portion.

11. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, further comprising an air conditioning unit configured to condition air sent from the first air blower to the first duct.

12. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 11, wherein the air conditioning unit dehumidifies air sent from the first air blower to the first duct.

13. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 12, wherein the air conditioning unit has a first dehumidifier configured to dehumidify air with adsorption and a first heater unit configured to heat the first dehumidifier.

14. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising a control unit configured to control energization of the first heater unit and driving of the first air blower, wherein the control unit repeatedly performs a recycle mode that activates the first heater unit and recovers dehumidification performance of the first dehumidifier, and a dehumidify mode that dehumidifies air sent from the first air blower;

and additionally controls an energizing amount for the first heater unit in the recycle mode so as to be maximized immediately after starting operation.

15. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit controls duration of the recycle mode so as to be maximized immediately after starting operation.

16. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit controls so that energization time for the first heater unit in the recycle mode is maximized immediately after starting operation.

17. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit performs intermittent control of energization time for the first heater unit in the recycle mode so as to be maximized immediately after starting operation.

18. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a second air blower configured to take in air from an outside and pass the air through a second duct, different from the first duct;

a second dehumidifier configured to dehumidify the air sent from the second air blower;

a second heater unit configured to heat the second dehumidifier; and

a control unit configured to control at least energization for the first heater unit and the second heater unit, wherein the control unit, during energization of the first heater unit, performs one of stopping energization for the second heater unit and controlling an energizing amount.

19. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a dry air temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of air dehumidified by the air conditioning unit; and

a control unit configured to accept output from the dry air temperature sensor, wherein the control unit restricts an energizing amount for the first heater unit when output from the dry air temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

20. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a dry air humidity sensor configured to sense humidity of air dehumidified by the air conditioning unit; and

a control unit configured to accept output from the dry air humidity sensor, wherein the control unit restricts an energizing amount for the first heater unit when output from the dry air humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

21. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of the first dehumidifier; and

a control unit configured to accept output from the temperature sensor, wherein the control unit restricts an energizing amount for the first heater unit when output from the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

22. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

an outside air temperature sensor configured to sense temperature outside the air conditioned seat device; and

a control unit configured to accept output from the outside air temperature sensor, wherein the control unit restricts an energizing amount for the first heater unit when output from the outside air temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

23. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 13, further comprising:

an outside air humidity sensor configured to sense humidity outside the air conditioned seat device; and

a control unit configured to accept output from the outside air humidity sensor, wherein the control unit restricts an energizing amount for the first heater unit when output from the outside air humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

24. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 7, wherein the air conditioning unit adjusts temperature of air sent from the first air blower to the first duct.

25. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible pad covering the sheet member, the flexible pad being provided between the sheet member and the skin, and passing air from the air flow-out opening.

26. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the air layer member includes a porous body with elasticity and air permeability.

27. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is made of an air-impermeable elastic body and is provided with a vent groove communicating with the seating surface from a side of the support member, and the first duct communicates with the vent groove.

28. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the skin is provided with an outlet for blowing out air.

29. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 28, wherein the air conditioned seat device has a back portion and a seating portion, and a disposition pattern of the outlet at the back portion differs from that at the seating portion.

30. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the skin is made of air-permeable seat surface material.

31. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 27, wherein a part covering at least a part of at least the vent groove in the skin is air-impermeable.

32. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 27, comprising air-impermeable surface material covering at least a part of the vent groove.

33. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, wherein the first duct is made of material with an elastic modulus equal to or smaller than that of the support member.

34. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an air volume sensor configured to sense air volume of a third air blower provided at an outside air conditioning device that air-conditions a space in which the air conditioned seat device is placed; and

a control unit configured to set air volume of the first air blower according to output from the air volume sensor.

35. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 34, wherein the air conditioned seat device is mounted on an automobile and further has a vehicle speed sensor configured to sense traveling speed of the automobile, and the control unit sets blow volume of the first air blower according to output from the vehicle speed sensor.

36. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 34, wherein the air conditioned seat device is mounted on an automobile having an engine and further has an engine revolution sensor configured to sense revolutions speed of the engine, and the control unit sets blow volume of the first air blower according to output from the engine speed sensor.

40. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a surface temperature sensor for sensing temperature near the skin,

wherein the control unit stops the first air blower when output from the surface temperature sensor becomes lower than a predetermined value.

41. The air conditioned seat device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a surface temperature sensor for sensing temperature near the skin,

wherein the control unit stops the first air blower when output from the surface temperature sensor becomes lower than a predetermined value.

37. An air conditioning system, comprising:

an air conditioned seat device, including;

a support member having a first duct through which air passes;

a first air blower configured to take in air from an outside and pass the air through the first duct;

a skin configured to pass the air sent from the first air blower, the skin forming a seating surface;

an air layer member configured to temporarily store the air supplied from the first duct to form an air layer, the air layer member being provided between the support member and the skin; and

an air-impermeable, sheet member covering the air layer member, the sheet member being provided with an air flow-out opening configured to induce the air to flow out from the air layer; and

an outside air conditioning device configured to air-condition a space in which the air conditioned seat device is placed, the outside air conditioning device having a third air blower; and

a control unit configured to control operation of the air conditioned seat device and the outside air conditioning device,

wherein the air conditioned seat device further has an air volume sensor configured to sense air volume of the third air blower, and the control unit sets blow volume of the first air blower according to the blow volume of the third air blower.

38. The air conditioning system according to claim 37, wherein the air conditioned seat device is mounted in a cabin of an automobile, and the outside air conditioning device air-conditions the inside of the cabin, the air conditioning system further has a vehicle speed sensor configured to sense traveling speed of the automobile, and the control unit sets blow volume of the first air blower according to output from the vehicle speed sensor.

39. The air conditioning system according to claim 37, wherein the air conditioned seat device is mounted in a cabin of an automobile, and the outside air conditioning device air-conditions the inside of the cabin, the air conditioning system further has an engine revolution sensor configured to sense revolutions speed of the engine, and the control unit sets blow volume of the first air blower according to output from the engine speed sensor.