FR3148180A1 - Air diffuser seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat (1) comprising a seat (10) and a backrest (20), at least one of which comprises a frame-shaped framework with four structural branches, covered at least in part with a padding (12, 22). According to the invention, a first of the structural branches (112) of said framework is at least in part hollow to delimit an air duct, at least one end of which forms an air inlet, said first structural branch having several air outlet holes (113). Abstract: Fig.3

Description

Air diffuser seat Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the ventilation of motor vehicle interiors.

It relates more particularly to a seat and a motor vehicle comprising such a seat.

State of the art

A car usually has two rows of seats, one in the front with a driver's seat and one in the passenger's seat, and one in the back.

It is also usually equipped with a ventilation circuit to blow air into the passenger compartment, for example to heat or cool the passenger compartment, or to demist the windows.

This ventilation circuit usually includes air vents located in the dashboard, which allow air to be blown towards the front passengers of the vehicle.

In order to blow air towards the rear passengers, it is known to position a central console between the front seats and place other air vents there.

A disadvantage of these rear air vents is that they do not effectively cool or warm the rear passengers' feet. Furthermore, they necessarily increase the volume of the central console, which then visually forms, with the seats, a potentially oppressive wall for the rear passengers.

Presentation of the invention

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the present invention proposes to place the vents directly in the front seats, at the rear of them.

More particularly, the invention proposes a seat comprising a seat and a backrest, this seat or this backrest comprising a frame in the form of a frame with four structural branches, which is covered at least in part with a padding, a first of the structural branches of said frame being at least in part hollow to delimit an air circulation duct and having at least one air inlet and a plurality of air outlet holes.

A seat (or back) frame generally comprises two sides joined together by two extension bars.

Here, the invention therefore proposes to replace one of these extension bars with a hollow and pierced structural element, which brings the air from the ventilation circuit towards the passengers located at the rear of the seat.

This structural element thus has several functions.

Its primary function is to ensure the rigidity of the frame. Without it, the frame would no longer be sufficiently rigid to meet the required rigidity standards.

Its second function is to channel air towards the rear passengers, while ensuring gentle diffusion of air.

A possible third function is to serve as a footrest for rear passengers.

A possible fourth function is to visually lighten the view that rear passengers have of the seat in front of them, by removing the trim around the structural element.

Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the seat according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:
- the first structural branch belongs to the frame of the seat;
- said frame comprises two sides and a crosspiece extending between first ends of the two sides, the first structural branch extending lengthwise between second ends of the two sides and having several air outlet holes distributed over its length and/or its width;
- a junction end piece is provided which is connected by a first end to said mouth, which is adapted to be connected by a second end to a motor vehicle ventilation circuit, and which passes under one of the sides;
- means are provided for fixing the seat to a floor;
- said frame is mounted to move relative to said fixing means;
- a junction end piece is provided which is connected by a first end to said mouth, which is adapted to be connected by a second end to a motor vehicle ventilation circuit, and which comprises an elastically deformable part, for example in the form of a bellows;
- the air outlet holes open onto an area of the first structural branch not covered by the trim;
- a connecting arm is provided between the backrest frame and the seat frame;
- the frame of the seat comprises an intermediate part which is located between the sides, the first structural branch and the crosspiece, and on which the connecting arm is mounted;
- the seat and backrest upholstery define a free space between them.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a ventilation circuit and a seat as mentioned above, the mouth of the first structural branch of which communicates with the ventilation circuit.

Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

Detailed description of the invention

The description which follows with reference to the attached drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

On the attached drawings:

is a schematic perspective view of part of a seat according to the invention;

is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the frame of the seat of the ;

is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the seat frame of the ;

is a schematic perspective view of the headquarters of the , represented from another angle;

is a schematic perspective view of part of the frame of the seat of the .

On the , a seat 1 is shown intended to be installed in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. This motor vehicle could be of any type. It could typically be a coach, a truck, a wagon, an airplane, etc. But preferably, it will be a car, the passenger compartment of such a car having in fact a reduced volume to which the seat 1 will be specially adapted.

Here, we will consider that this car has a driving position (including a steering wheel and a dashboard), a driver's seat located opposite the driving position, a passenger seat located next to the driver's seat, and one or more rear seats (armchairs and/or bench seats) located behind the driver and passenger seats. In other words, the seats are distributed over at least two rows located one behind the other.

Seat 1 shown in the belongs to the front row: this is the driver's seat or the passenger seat.

In the description, the terms “front” and “rear” will be used in relation to the motor vehicle, the front part of an element designating the part of this element which is located on the hood side of the vehicle and the rear part designating the part of this element which is located on the opposite side.

The terms “low” and “high” (or lower and “upper”) will be used interchangeably, with the lower part of an element designating the part of that element which is located on the floor side of the vehicle and the upper part designating the part of that element which is located on the roof side of the vehicle.

A “longitudinal axis” will be an axis oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle when the steering wheel is in the neutral position.

A “transverse axis” will be an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axes, extending horizontally when the vehicle is located on a horizontal road.

A “normal axis” will be an axis orthogonal to the aforementioned axes, extending vertically when the vehicle is located on a horizontal road.

It will also be considered that the motor vehicle has a ventilation circuit. Such a ventilation circuit includes, for example, from upstream to downstream, an air intake, an air filter, a blower adapted to circulate the air in the circuit, a possible air conditioning evaporator, a heating radiator and separate air circulation lines through which this ventilation circuit opens into the passenger compartment.

Here we will consider that it comprises a first line which opens at the rear of the windshield, a second line which opens into the dashboard to ventilate the front of the passenger compartment, and another third line which extends into a central console located between the two front seats to ventilate the rear of the passenger compartment.

The present invention relates more specifically to the downstream part of this third line, which is integrated into the seat 1.

As shown in the , this seat 1 comprises several components, including in particular a seat 10 and a backrest 20.

The seat 10 and the backrest 20 each comprise at least one frame 11, 21 ( ) on which a trim 12, 22 is attached ( ), typically a piece of foam that has been expanded to the desired shape.

Here, these two frames 11, 21 have frame shapes with at least four structural branches.

By "structural" we mean that each of these branches is essential to the rigidity of the seat (the seat does not meet rigidity standards without one or the other of them).

The two frames 11, 21 thus comprise two lateral flanks 110 (forming two first branches) presented here in the form of substantially flat plates, oriented vertically and longitudinally. They also comprise two crosspieces 111, 112 forming the other two branches of the frame.

The invention relates more specifically to one of these two crosspieces, which has an air conduit function.

In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, it will be considered that this crosspiece is the rear crosspiece 112 of the frame 11 of the seat 10. As a variant, it could also have been the lower crosspiece of the frame 21 of the backrest 20.

According to the invention, this rear cross member 112 is at least partly hollow to delimit an air duct connected to the aforementioned third air circulation line.

For this, the rear crosspiece 112 has an end which forms an air inlet opening 114, and it has air outlet holes 113.

In practice, it has a U shape whose branches are fixed respectively to the two lateral sides 110, preferably by welds.

It forms a single piece, preferably made of metallic material, typically aluminum or steel.

It is completely hollow and is closed at its end opposite the mouth 114 (see ).

It is profiled in the sense that it has straight sections (in section planes perpendicular to its mean line) of almost identical shapes from one end to the other. These straight sections are of substantially rectangular shapes. Consequently, the central part of this rear cross member 112, which forms the base of the aforementioned U, has four faces, one of which is turned towards the rear.

This rear crossmember 112 here comprises a plurality of air outlet holes 113, distributed over its entire rear face, over several lines (over its length) and over several columns (over its width, i.e. at different heights relative to the floor). These holes are therefore distributed in two dimensions. They thus make it possible to properly disperse the air flow over the entire width of the seat 1, so as to properly ventilate the rear part of the passenger compartment (and in particular to properly cool or warm the feet of the passenger seated behind this seat 1).

Preferably, the rear cross member 112 is not covered by the seat trim 10, so that the outlets 113 remain visible.

Alternatively, it could be provided that the fabric of the upholstery covers this rear cross member to hide it. However, this variant is not preferred, in particular because in the illustrated embodiments, the rear cross member 112 is, in its central part, located at a distance from the seat upholstery and can therefore serve as a footrest for the passenger located behind the seat 1. For this, the upholstery 12, 22 of the seat 10 and backrest 20 are hollowed out so as to delimit a space between them, located above the rear cross member 112.

The mouth 114 of the rear cross member 112 is connected to the third air circulation line by a junction end piece 40 visible on the . This end piece has three parts, including a first end part 43 which is fixed to the mouth 114 (here it is fitted there), a second end part 41 which is fixed to the third air circulation line (here it is fitted into a duct provided in the central console), and an intermediate part 42.

The two end portions 41, 43 extend orthogonally to each other. They also extend here at different heights relative to the floor of the vehicle, so that the second end portion 41 can pass under one of the sides 110 while the first end portion 43 extends higher, at the height of the rear crossmember 112.

The second end part 41 has two right-angled bends for this purpose (these two bends being located in orthogonal planes).

As will be described in more detail below, the frame of the seat 10 is mounted to move relative to the floor of the vehicle (here along a longitudinal axis and along a normal axis).

In order not to obstruct this movement, the intermediate part 42 of the junction end piece 40 is elastically deformable. It could for example be a simple tube made of a very elastic material. Here it is rather a flexible bellows, for example made of plastic or rubber, which is not only extensible but also deformable in shear to form an S when the seat rises.

The junction end piece 40 can be made from a single material, or from several materials (so that the bellows is more flexible than the rest of the end piece).

The rest of seat 1 can now be described in more detail.

In the embodiment of the , the seat 1 is designed to be able to slide relative to the floor of the motor vehicle, from front to rear (along a longitudinal axis A1).

The frame 11 comprises for this purpose two slides 115 each formed of a movable rail placed under the lower edge of one of the two sides 110 and a fixed rail comprising means of fixing to the floor of the vehicle (in this case these are means of screwing to the floor). The movable rails are then shaped to be able to slide freely in the fixed rails. Means are also provided for blocking the sliding of the movable rails relative to the fixed rails (these may for example be notches carried by the movable rails and adapted to engage in notches in the fixed rails), and release means adapted to actuate the blocking means to release the sliding of the movable rails relative to the fixed rails (here, these release means are in the form of a manually operable spreader 116).

Seat 1 is further designed to be able to move up or down relative to the floor of the motor vehicle (along a normal axis A2).

The frame 11 therefore comprises two pairs of connecting rods (not visible) each articulated, on one side, on one of the movable rails and, on the other, on one of the two flanks 110. The flanks 110 can thus have a joint rotary translation movement around two transverse axes (which allows it to rise while moving backwards and maintaining its inclination). Means are also provided for blocking the pivoting of the connecting rods, and release means adapted to be operated manually to release the pivoting of the connecting rods in order to adjust the height of the seat 10 as needed.

Here, as shown in the , the frame 21 of the backrest 20 comprises two parallel sides, a lower crosspiece and an upper joining element, which together form a frame supporting the upholstery of the backrest.

This frame 21 is mounted on the frame 11 of the seat 10 by means of a connecting arm 30.

This connecting arm 30 is here fixed on the side of its lower end on the frame 11 of the seat 10. It can thus be welded to an element located in the space delimited by the sides 110 and the front 111 and rear 112 crosspieces. In practice, it is here welded to an intermediate crosspiece 111A located parallel to the front 111 and rear 112 crosspieces and to a metal base 117 fixed between the sides 110.

The connecting arm 30 has a width less than or equal to half the overall width of the seat 1. Thus, as shown in , two empty spaces 50 are left free on either side of this arm, between the backrest and seat linings. These empty spaces 50 open up the view that the rear passengers of the vehicle have, which makes this view less oppressive. They also allow the rear passengers to benefit from more space to use the rear crossmember 112 as a footrest.

The connecting arm 30 is articulated on its upper end on the frame 21 of the backrest 20. This articulation makes it possible to create a pivot connection between the connecting arm 30 and the lower crosspiece of the frame 21 of the backrest 20. It makes it possible to adjust the inclination of the backrest relative to the seat. Locking means make it possible to lock the articulation, and actuating means make it possible to release this articulation if necessary to adjust the inclination of the backrest. A lever 116A arranged on the side of the backrest may allow the user to actuate these actuating means.

On the , a second embodiment of the seat 1 is shown, in which the latter benefits from the various mobilities described above (tilting of the backrest, sliding of the seat, adjustment of the height of the seat), as well as additional mobility.

In this second embodiment, the file 20 is identical to that illustrated in the .

The seat 10 differs, however, from that described above in that it comprises two distinct parts, namely a peripheral part and a central part mounted so as to be able to rotate relative to the peripheral part 200, at the centre thereof.

In this second embodiment, the central part of the seat and the backrest are in fact designed to pivot around the normal axis A2, so that the occupant can sit facing the road, can pivot his seat by 90° to face the door (which makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle), and can also turn the seat completely around to sit facing the road (and facing the rear passengers).

For this, the frame and the seat upholstery are each made in two separate parts.

As shown in the , the peripheral portion 12A of the trim 12 of the seat 10 has an outer edge of rectangular shape (with rounded corners) and a central opening of identical shape to that of the central portion 12B of the trim 12. The latter has an outer edge of circular shape. Thus, the trim of the seat 10 has a standard shape externally, except that it is formed in two parts.

As shown in the , the peripheral part of the frame 11 of the seat 10 is almost identical to the frame illustrated in the . It differs from the latter in that it is devoid of an intermediate crosspiece (111A) and in that it comprises a tubular support 118A which is fixed to the sides 110, between them, in a central position. This tubular support 118A has a cylindrical external face of revolution around the normal axis A2.

The central part of the frame 11 of the seat 10 comprises a base 118 here formed by a tube folded so as to form a sort of ring in a horizontal plane, around the normal axis A2.

Means are further provided for mounting the base 118 on the tubular support 118A, allowing these two elements to pivot relative to each other around the normal axis A2.

Preferably, the pivoting is combined with a translation along this normal axis A2, so that the movement of the central part relative to the peripheral part of the seat 10 is not circular but helical around the normal axis A2.

Thus, when the central part of the seat 10 pivots from its position of use facing the road to its side position facing the door, it also rises. This elevation facilitates the user's entry into and exit from the vehicle.

To ensure this helical movement, three helical grooves 118B are provided in a hollow in the cylindrical external face of the tubular support 118A. The base 118 carries in correspondence three feet projecting downwards, on which are mounted rollers engaged in the helical grooves 118B. These rollers are thus provided to navigate in these grooves 118B and guide the central part of the seat when it pivots relative to the peripheral part.

Means for locking this mobility are also provided, which are recalled in a locked state in which they block the central part relative to the peripheral part, and which can be moved into an unlocked state in which they release the rotational mobility of the central part relative to the peripheral part. These locking means comprise for example a lug which is mounted movably on the base 118 and which is adapted to engage in an opening provided in the tubular support 118A to lock the seat in the forward-facing use position. A lever arranged on the backrest can, using a cable, allow the user to maneuver the lug to remove it from the opening and release the rotation of the central part.

The connecting arm is mounted on the base 118 so as to pivot jointly with the central part of the seat 10.

It could be provided that the connecting arm 30 is rigidly fixed to the base 118.

However, here, a joint makes it possible to create a pivot connection between the connecting arm 30 and the base 118. This joint makes it possible to tilt the backrest 20 backwards, in line with the seat, so that the occupant can lie down on his seat 1. Locking means make it possible to lock the joint in the use position, and actuating means make it possible to release this joint if necessary to lay down the backrest or return it to the use position. A lever arranged on the backrest may, using a cable, allow the user to operate these actuating means.

The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown, but those skilled in the art will be able to provide any variation in accordance with the invention.

Claims (10)

Seat (1) comprising a seat (10) and a backrest (20), at least one of the seat (10) and the backrest (20) comprising a frame (11, 21) in the form of a frame with four structural branches, covered at least in part with a padding (12, 22),
characterized in that a first of the structural branches (112) of said frame (11) is at least partly hollow to delimit an air duct and has at least one air inlet opening (114) and a plurality of air outlet holes (113). Seat (1) according to claim 1, in which the first structural branch (112) belongs to the frame (11) of the seat (10). Seat (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said frame (11) comprises two sides (110) and a crosspiece (111) extending between first ends of the two sides (110), the first structural branch (112) extending lengthwise between second ends of the two sides (110), said plurality of air outlet holes (113) being distributed along its length and/or its width. Seat (1) according to claims 2 and 3, in which a junction end piece (40) is provided which is connected by a first end to said mouth (114), which is adapted to be connected by a second end to a motor vehicle ventilation circuit, and which passes under one of the sides (110). Seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which:
- means are provided for fixing the seat (10) to a floor,
- said frame (10) is mounted to move relative to said fixing means, and
- a junction end piece (40) is provided which is connected by a first end to said mouthpiece (114), which is adapted to be connected by a second end to a motor vehicle ventilation circuit, and which comprises an elastically deformable part (42), for example in the form of bellows. Seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the air outlet holes (113) open onto an area of the first structural branch (112) not covered by the trim. Seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which a connecting arm (30) is provided between the frame (21) of the backrest (20) and the frame (11) of the seat (10). Seat (1) according to claims 2, 3 and 7, in which the frame (11) of the seat (10) comprises an intermediate part (118) which is located between the sides (110), the first structural branch (112) and the crosspiece (111), and on which the connecting arm (30) is mounted. Seat (1) according to one of claims 7 and 8, in which the fittings (12, 22) of the seat (10) and of the backrest (20) delimit between them a free space (50). Motor vehicle comprising a ventilation circuit, characterized in that it comprises a seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, the mouth (114) of the first structural branch (112) of which communicates with the ventilation circuit.