CN113119824A

CN113119824A - Exhaust bag for a vehicle seat climate system

Info

Publication number: CN113119824A
Application number: CN201911408987.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陆万意; 俞易非; 项前
Original assignee: Lear Corp
Current assignee: Lear Corp
Priority date: 2019-12-31
Filing date: 2019-12-31
Publication date: 2021-07-16

Abstract

The present application relates to an exhaust pocket for a vehicle seat climate system. A blower system includes a thermoelectric device and a blower adapted to move air through the thermoelectric device. The blower moves air into the exhaust pocket. The vent bag has a flexible body. The flexible body defines an interior space. A spacer is located in the interior space.

Description

Exhaust bag for a vehicle seat climate system

Background

The invention also relates to an exhaust for a seat climate system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible exhaust bag for a seat climate system.

Some vehicle seats include a climate system for seat occupant comfort. These climate systems may include an air circulation system, a heater, and a cooler. One type of seat climate system uses thermoelectric devices (thermoelectric devices) to cool the seat for the occupant. A thermoelectric device generates waste heat, and a blower (blower) is used to move air through the hot side of the thermoelectric device to remove the waste heat. The waste heat is typically rejected to below the seat, away from the thermoelectric device. For seat climate systems, it would be advantageous to have an improved exhaust.

Summary of The Invention

The present invention relates to blower systems. The blower system includes a thermoelectric device and a blower adapted to move air through the thermoelectric device. The blower moves air into the exhaust pocket. The vent bag has a flexible body. The flexible body defines an interior space. A spacer (spacer) is disposed in the interior space.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a seat blower system. The seat blower system includes a seat foam. A blower system is attached to the seat foam. The blower system includes a blower operable to move air through into the exhaust pocket. The vent bag has a flexible body defining an interior space with a spacer located therein.

Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat assembly.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the B surface of a prior art seat foam suitable for use in the seat assembly shown in fig. 1 and including a prior art seat climate system.

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 showing a seat foam including a seat climate system having an exhaust pocket according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a seat blower system from the seat climate system shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of fig. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the seat assembly mounted relative to the vehicle floor.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a seat assembly, generally designated 10. The illustrated seat assembly 10 is a vehicle bench seat, but may be any desired type of seat. The seat assembly 10 includes a seat 12 and a seat back 14. The seat 12 includes a seat a surface 16, the seat a surface 16 being adapted to support a seat occupant (not shown).

Referring to fig. 2, a plan view of a prior art seat foam 18 is illustrated from below. The prior art seat foam 18 is suitable for use on the seat 12 of the seat assembly 10 to provide cushioning to the seat occupant. The prior art seat foam 18 includes a prior art seat climate system, generally indicated at 20. The prior art seat climate system 20 includes a first prior art blower system 22a and a second prior art blower system 22b, and is operable to increase the comfort of a seat occupant on either end of the seat assembly 10. The first and second prior

art blower systems

22a and 22b include substantially identical components, and only the first prior art blower system 22a will be described in detail.

The first prior art blower system 22a includes a blower 24. The blower 24 is operable to draw in ambient air and discharge the air into the air passage 26. Air moves through the air passage 26, past the thermoelectric device 28, and exits the first prior art blower system 22a through the exhaust 30. Both the air passage 26 and the vent 30 are made of molded plastic, which allows them to remain in place relative to the prior art seat foam 18 and maintain a cross-sectional opening for air to flow through. The thermoelectric device 28 is operable to cool portions of the seat assembly 10 for the comfort of a seat occupant. The first prior art blower system 22a is used to remove waste heat from the thermoelectric device 28 and discharge the waste heat through an exhaust 30 located at a position below the seat assembly 10, thereby keeping the waste heat away from the seat occupant and away from the air intake of the blower 24.

Referring now to fig. 3, a plan view of the seat foam 32 is shown from below. The seat foam 32 is substantially identical to the prior art seat foam 18 and is adapted for use on the seat 12 of the seat assembly 10 to provide cushioning to a seat occupant. In accordance with the present invention, the seat foam 32 includes a seat climate system, generally indicated at 34. The seat climate system 34 includes a first blower system 36a and a second blower system 36b, and is operable to increase the comfort of seat occupants at either end of the seat assembly 10. The first and

second blower systems

36a and 36b include substantially identical components, and only the first blower system 36a will be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 4, a plan view of the first blower system 36a from above is illustrated. The first blower system 36a includes a blower 38, the blower 38 being operable to draw in ambient air and discharge the air into an air passage 40. Air moves through the air passage 40, past the thermoelectric device 42 and into the exhaust pocket 44. Exhaust pocket 44 extends from pocket inlet 46 to pocket outlet 48, with exhaust entering exhaust pocket 44 at pocket inlet 46 and exhaust exiting exhaust pocket 44 from pocket outlet 48.

The illustrated thermoelectric device 42 may operate similar to the thermoelectric device 28 described previously to cool portions of the seat assembly 10 for the comfort of the seat occupant. Similarly, first blower system 36a is used to remove waste heat from thermoelectric device 42 and discharge the waste heat through exhaust pocket 44. The illustrated first blower system 36a is one example of a system in which the present invention described herein may be used, but the present invention may be used with other desired types of air moving systems. For example, the blower 38 may be operated to pull air through the thermoelectric device 42, or the blower 38 may be operated to move air through other desired types of air passages.

Referring to FIG. 5, a schematic cross-sectional view of the vent bag 44 is illustrated, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4. The vent bag 44 includes a flexible body 50 defining an interior space 52. The flexible body 50 is shown as being made of a polyurethane film, but the flexible body 50 may be made of any desired material. A spacer 54 is disposed in the interior space 52. The spacer 54 is illustrated as being made of polyester mesh (polyester mesh), but the spacer 54 may be made of any desired material. Spacers 54 maintain separation between the sides of flexible body 50 and allow air to flow from bag inlet 46 to bag outlet 48 through vent bag 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior space 52 is larger than the spacer 54, which allows the spacer 54 to move within the interior space 52 relative to the flexible body 50. In addition, the illustrated spacer 54 extends out of the interior space 52 through the bag outlet 48. However, the spacers 54 may be any other desired size.

The vent bag 44 includes a cover layer 56, the cover layer 56 being located on an outer surface of the flexible body 50 opposite the interior space 52. The illustrated cover layer 56 is made of fleece fabric, but the cover layer 56 may be made of any desired material. The cover layer 56 provides a protective layer for the flexible body 50. The vent bag 44 also includes a plurality of optional tabs 58 extending from the cover layer 56. The tabs 58 are used to properly position the vent bag 44 on the seat foam 32.

The vent bag 44 includes a connector 60, the connector 60 being attached to the flexible body 50 at the bag inlet 46. The connector 60 is adapted to attach the exhaust pocket 44 to the thermoelectric device 42 so as to allow air to move from the thermoelectric device 42 into the interior space 52. The illustrated connector 60 is molded from plastic, but may be made from any desired material and by any desired method. In the illustrated embodiment, the bag outlet 48 is an opening in the flexible body 50 that allows air to travel from the interior space 52 to the exterior of the flexible body 50. However, the bag outlet 48 may include any desired shape or configuration.

The vent bag 44 includes an adhesive 62, the adhesive 62 being located on an outer surface of the flexible body 50 on a side opposite the cover layer 56. The illustrated adhesive 62 is a double-sided tape, but the adhesive 62 can be any desired adhesive. When the first blower system 36a is attached to the seat foam 32, as shown in fig. 3, an adhesive 62 is used to attach the vent bag 44 to the B-surface 64 of the seat foam 32. The B surface 64 is opposite the a surface 16 on which the seat occupant sits. This allows the vent bag 44 to remain in a desired position relative to the seat foam 32 during further processing and use of the seat foam 32.

As shown in fig. 3, the bag outlet 48 is located at the rear end 66 of the seat foam 32. As a result, waste heat from the thermoelectric device 42 is discharged into the space behind the seat assembly 10, rather than beneath the seat assembly 10. The vent bag 44 may have any desired size and shape, and the bag outlet 48 may be located at any desired location relative to the seat foam 32.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of a portion of the seat assembly 10 mounted adjacent a vehicle floor 68 is illustrated. As shown, there is a channel 70 between the seat assembly 10 and the vehicle floor 68. A first portion of the channel 70 is defined between the vehicle floor 68 and the B-surface 64 of the seat foam 32, and a second portion of the channel 70 is defined between the seat back 14 and the vehicle floor 68. The vent bag 44 is preferred over a molded plastic vent because the flexible body 50 allows the vent bag 44 to match the contour of the B surface 64 of the seat foam 32. This allows the vent bag 44 to fit into the relatively small channel 70 and accommodate small misalignments between the seat assembly 10 and the vehicle floor 68 without damaging the vent bag 44.

The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims

1. A blower system comprising:

A thermoelectric device and a blower adapted to move air through the thermoelectric device and into a vent bag having a flexible body defining an interior space in which spacers are located.

2. The blower system of claim 1, wherein the interior space is larger than the spacer.

3. The blower system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust bag has a bag inlet where air enters the interior space and a bag outlet where air exits the interior space, and wherein the spacer extends through the bag outlet.

4. The blower system of claim 1, wherein the vent bag is attached to a B-surface seat assembly, the B-surface seat assembly comprising seat foam, and wherein the pocket of the vent bag An outlet is positioned adjacent the rear end of the seat foam.

5. A seat blower system comprising:

seat foam; and

A blower system attached to the seat foam, the blower system including a blower operable to move air into an exhaust bag having a flexible body defining an interior space, wherein , the spacer is located in the inner space.

6. The seat blower system of claim 5, wherein the exhaust bag is attached to a B-surface of the seat foam.

7. The seat blower system of claim 6, wherein the exhaust pocket matches the contour of the B-surface of the seat foam.

8. The seat blower system of claim 5, wherein the interior space is larger than the spacer.

9 . The seat blower system of claim 5 , wherein the exhaust bag has a bag inlet where air enters the interior space and a bag outlet where air exits the interior space. 10 . the interior space, and wherein the spacer extends through the bag outlet.

10. The seat blower system of claim 5, wherein the exhaust pocket includes a pocket outlet located adjacent a rear end of the seat foam.