Blower for a motor vehicle seat

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat and fan module for a such motor vehicle seat.

To increase the comfort in a motor vehicle, includes heated and ventilated Seats already standard. However, the seat heating and seat ventilation are usually separate systems. The cost of assembly by the necessary electrical wiring and the number of components is very large. On considerable effort is also required when the lateral cheeks heated or to be ventilated. The heating by a looped filament or conveyed in the form of a film heating element, a selective non-homogeneous Heat transfer. In particular when heating wires, the danger of "hot spots ", ie heated places with low heat dissipation.

A major problem of the motor vehicle manufacturers is that consuming comfort is expensive and therefore only offered as an option may be because it is not desired in the associated costs of all customers becomes. Optional extras lead but to the logistical automobile manufacturers Issues and problems in warehousing, which in turn on the Cost impact.

A heated high comfort motor vehicle seat, because of the associated Costs are offered only as an option. To the mentioned Problems at the manufacturer of motor vehicles is to minimize the present Invention, therefore, consider the following approach:

It is offered a "unit headquarters" in which already without significant additional effort all precautions have been taken to a "comfort heating" without effort retrofit by all the components required for this purpose, with the exception of expensive Aggregates are already provided. If necessary, then the motor vehicle seat be easily retrofitted.

In a motor vehicle seat according to claim 1, in the already for the air and integrated distribution integrated attachment knit, it has been found, that this knitted fabric, even without an inserted fan module and also in summer mode ie without heating, is advantageous because there is an exchange of air between the surface portions permits and the resultant while sitting is distributed moisture and discharged to the outside. It means for the producer the motor vehicle virtually no overhead, the automobile seat for "Comfort Heating" prepare, order to upgrade them if necessary.

It is not without problems, a fan module with a heat output of approximately 300 Watt to build so that it is suitable for retrofitting in a "unit headquarters." Understandably it can be the buyer who is not interested in the "comfort heating" is not be expected to accept a motor vehicle seat, the optically already signaled that he has such special equipment is not made. The unit Seat must therefore be designed so that it firstly acceptable without comfort heating, by adapting to the fan module not involve significant additional costs causes, and yet allows easy retrofitting. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 1, all appear to meet these demands.

The fan module of claim 2 is adapted to the above needs by it has a construction having a small overall height, due to the radial fan and arranged in a plane other components.

Reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, the invention explained in more detail. Show it:<sl><li>FIG. 1 (1a to 1f) the motor vehicle seat in various views,</li><li>FIG. 2, the cell structure of the fabric in detail view</li><li>FIG. 3, the fan module with the cover removed.</li></sl>

The motor vehicle seat comprises in the usual form of a seat cushion and a backrest part 1 2. Both the seat cushion part 1 and the backrest 2 are essentially particularly advantageously from a supporting body 3 made of hard foam, for example, Polyurethane, as well as a spring core seat, in which the necessary mounting rails and frame are integrated. On the surface of the rigid foam is a knitted fabric 4 adhered to the outer cover 5, for example, Velor or leather is.

In the rigid foam air flow channels 6 are provided in a chamber 7 open and their entire lengths to the knitted fabric 4 are open.

Between the chamber 7 and the air outlet channel of the blower module is an elastic Seal 14 is provided to prevent the transmission of vibrations. The fabric 4 has a thickness of about 1 cm and consists of individual honeycomb Cells of approximately 1 cc. The cells are interconnected via fiber connected, which can not be fully compress under load So that air blown into the air chamber 7 over the entire surface of the fabric 4 distributed evenly and can emerge at any point of reference. 5

The in FIG. 2 shown in detail knitted 4 consists for example of a honeycomb Nylon braid with a base layer 4a and a cover 4b and a plurality of spacers 4c between these layers 4a, 4b. Primary and topcoat 4a, 4b are provided at their edges to related cells of about 60 sq mm. They are formed by a formed of about 20 filaments yarn, of a having a diameter of about 0.05 mm. At least at the corner points are the Cells of the opposing layers 4a, 4b by spacers 4c the same material and connected to one another in the unloaded state on a Distance of about 1 cm held. The spacers are preferably arcuate 4c formed to give the knitted fabric 4 a predetermined elasticity. It is desirable to elasticity or flexibility, the initial in a Planographic printing from 0 to about 20 g / sq cm practically still results in no deformations and then at a rising surface pressure of up to 100 g / qcm to an approximately linear approximation of the two layers 4a, 4b leads, but even at maximum Wing loading is still an exchange of air between the two Layers allows.

Thus, the air blown from the blower module 8 air (warm or cold air) as evenly as possible in the air flow channels 6 remote areas distributed, it must be ensured that the flow resistance per unit area of ​​the O-berflächenbezugs 5 is significantly larger than that of the fabric 4. In an O-berflächenbezug of leather, in the leather a plurality of through holes at a mutual distance of approximately 4 mm and a diameter of about 1 mm provided.

In the illustrated embodiment, both the seat cushion part 1, as well as the back part 2 provided with a fan module 8, each in a chamber 9 or recess in the lower part of the seat cushion part 1 and the rear part of the Backrest 2 are provided. Both with and without the inserted fan module 8, the chamber 9 closed by a cover, not shown, having the necessary recesses for the fan module 8 and the outside flush with the seat contour, and only one or more, preferably laterally disposed air intake openings which are connected via corresponding Channels to the fan module 8 lead.

The seat cushion part 1 is in the corner to the backrest 2 with a box-shaped Vent 16 is provided to emerge at this point either in addition to air leave. The vent 16 whose input is connected to the air flow channel 6 and the output side finished with a grid 17th

The fan module 8 is illustrated in FIG. 3 shown in greater detail. It consists of a flat Box of about 3 cm height in the side by side a radial fan 10, a preferably constructed of PTC elements heater 11, a on a board constructed electrical control 12 and in each case one temperature sensor 13a or 13b are arranged. On the outer periphery of the box is a number of fastener tabs 14 provided, which serve the box with corresponding counterparts to connect the supporting body. 3 The temperature sensors 13a and 13b are each provided in the cold or hot air path and with the electronic control 12. The electronic controller 12 is still on unspecified illustrated lines with motor vehicle electrical system, the centrifugal fan 10, and the corresponding preferably connected Inappropriate in the seating area controls on the heating power and the fan speed independently can be set.

The electronic controller 12 operates with the following functional profile:

Winter operation - Heating:

Immediately after turning on the heater, the radial fan 10 runs over about 5 sec slowly to the set rated speed, the still present in the seat Cold air escape slowly let. The desired temperature is controlled delivered to the heating coil, wherein the control is designed such that it is taken into consideration that the generator is not overloaded. It will taken thus may be less heat output, as it requests the user. The speed of the centrifugal fan 10 is either independently adjustable or at least partially coupled to the heat output, wherein at higher heat outputs also automatically adjusts the speed of the radial fan 10 is increased.

Summer operation - Cooling:

In summer mode, the radial fan 10 runs at first after switching on about 3 min to suction and then blowing operation. The radial fan So can be in two directions to operate that can be activated by voltage reversal are. The air intake can for summer operation also to the refrigerant compressor of the his motor vehicle connected.

By using a radial fan 10 has succeeded in the fan module 8 very flat form, to accommodate it even in the backrest can. The radial fan 10 sucks the air from an opening immediately below it in the box on, she pushes through to the PTC heating elements along guided Channels in the Ausblastrakt and an unillustrated cover of the box in the air flow channels 6, which are arranged in the rigid foam of the supporting body 3 are.

Is not a motor vehicle in the original delivery, or not been provided on all seats with a fan module 8 and it must be retrofitted be, this retrofit is very easy. For this purpose, one needs simply remove the lid of the chamber 7, to use the blower module 8 and preferably also already installed control and supply lines to join.