U.S. patent application number 11/793926 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-28 for air nozzle arranged in the head rest of a vehicle seat.
This patent application is currently assigned to Daimlerchrylser AG. Invention is credited to Claudio Bargheer, Karl Pfahler, Lothar Renner.
Application Number | 20080203781 11/793926 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35735028 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080203781 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bargheer; Claudio ; et
al. |
August 28, 2008 |
Air Nozzle Arranged In The Head Rest Of A Vehicle Seat
Abstract
A motor vehicle seat has a headrest which is supported by a
backrest. At a front side of the headrest, which faces toward the
seat occupant, the air nozzle opens out of an air supply device for
supplying the head, shoulder, and neck region of the seat occupant
with an air flow. The air nozzle is provided with guide elements
for directing the emerging airflow. Each component of the air
nozzle is arranged so as to be recessed with respect to the front
side of the headrest by a comfort dimension.
Inventors: |
Bargheer; Claudio;
(Holzgerlingen, DE) ; Pfahler; Karl; (Stuttgart,
DE) ; Renner; Lothar; (Nufringen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Assignee: |
Daimlerchrylser AG
Stuttgartd
DE
|
Family ID: |
35735028 |
Appl. No.: |
11/793926 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
December 8, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/13129 |
371 Date: |
December 7, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/180.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/809 20180201;
B60N 2/879 20180201; B60N 2/5635 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/180.13 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/72 20060101
A47C007/72 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 062 498.4 |
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. A motor vehicle seat comprising: a backrest, a headrest that is
supported by the backrest and having a front side that faces toward
a seat occupant, and an air nozzle of an air supply device opening
out of the front side for supplying a head, shoulder, and neck
region of the seat occupant with an airflow, wherein the air nozzle
includes guide elements for directing an emerging airflow, and
wherein the air nozzle is arranged so as to be recessed with
respect to the front side of the headrest by a comfort
dimension.
7. The motor vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air
nozzle comprises an encircling nozzle border arranged so as to be
recessed with respect to the front side of the headrest by the
comfort dimension.
8. The motor vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the guide
elements are for individual setting and are arranged on the air
nozzle so as to be adjustable, and wherein, in every setting, the
guide elements are arranged so as to be recessed with respect to
the front side of the headrest.
9. The motor vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide
elements end at a level of or behind a plane that is spanned by the
encircling nozzle border of the air nozzle.
10. The motor vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air
supply device is integrated into at least one of the headrest and
the backrest of the motor vehicle seat.
11. The motor vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the guide
elements end at a level of or behind a plane that is spanned by the
encircling nozzle border of the air nozzle.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a motor vehicle seat having an air
nozzle integrated into its headrest.
[0002] German document DE 101 63 051 B4 discloses a vehicle seat of
this type having a backrest that supports a headrest into which is
integrated an air supply device for supplying the head, shoulder
and neck region of the seat occupant with a preferably warm
airflow. Here, the air supply device comprises an air nozzle which
opens out at the front of the headrest that faces toward the seat
occupant. The warm airflow emerges via the air nozzle from the air
supply device and flows in the direction of the seat occupant.
Here, the air nozzle comprises horizontally-running guide elements,
that is to say guide elements which run in the vehicle transverse
direction, at the front side of the headrest, by means of which
guide elements the airflow emerging from the air supply device can
be individually set.
[0003] It is an object of the present invention to design the air
nozzle of the air supply device, and integrate it within the
headrest of the vehicle seat, in such a way as to provide an
improved level of comfort for the seat occupant.
[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by way of
a motor vehicle seat having the features claimed. Advantageous
embodiments of the invention are further claimed.
[0005] In the motor vehicle seat according to the invention, the
air nozzle is arranged so as to be recessed with respect to the
front side of the headrest by a so-called comfort dimension. The
air nozzle accordingly does not open out approximately flat in a
plane formed by the front side of the headrest, but is rather
arranged so as to be set back by this comfort dimension. In other
words, the air nozzle is arranged within a depression of the
headrest in order to thereby improve the seating comfort for the
seat occupant. If, for example, the seat occupant leans back with
his head against the preferably upholstered front side of the
headrest, then his positive impression of comfort is not adversely
affected by the air nozzle arranged on the front side of the
headrest. Here, the air nozzle is arranged such that the comfort
spacing, which is preferably in the range from 5 mm to 30 mm,
remains between the front side of the headrest and the
furthest-forward-projecting component of the air nozzle.
[0006] As one component of the air nozzle, an encircling nozzle
border is preferably arranged so as to be recessed with respect to
the front side of the headrest. This nozzle border delimits the air
outlet opening of the air nozzle at the peripheral side and forms
the transition region to the adjoining upholstery of the front side
of the headrest.
[0007] As further components of the air nozzle, horizontally and/or
vertically arranged air guide elements, which are in particular
surrounded by the encircling nozzle border, are preferably also
arranged so as to be recessed with respect to the front side of the
headrest. This ensures that no component which could adversely
affect the seating comfort of the seat occupant is arranged even in
the central region of the air nozzle. Here, the comfort dimension
between the front side of the headrest and the foremost point of
the air guide elements is maintained regardless of the selected
setting of the air guide elements.
[0008] Further advantages, features and details of the invention
can be gathered from the following description of a preferred
exemplary embodiment and on the basis of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a schematic perspective front view and
a schematic side view of the motor vehicle seat with the integrated
air supply device, with an air nozzle that opens out in the region
of the front side of the headrest;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a schematic detail view of the headrest of the
motor vehicle seat of FIG. 1; and
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section illustration through the
headrest along the line III-III in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate a schematic perspective front
view and a schematic side view of the backrest 10 of a motor
vehicle seat. In the backrest 10 shown in FIG. 1a, it is possible
to see substantially a rear-side lining part 12, a headrest 14, and
a back cushion 15. The motor vehicle seat is embodied here as an
integral seat, with the headrest 14 being arranged in front of the
backrest 10 so as to overlap the latter. Here, the headrest 14 can
be adjusted in height relative to the backrest 10 by guide means
(not shown). Arranged within the backrest 10 is an air supply
device 16 which comprises, as its main components, a schematically
indicated fan 18 at the lower end of the air supply device 16, and
an air duct 20 arranged above the fan 18. Provided within the air
duct 20, and at a distance above and at the pressure side of the
fan 18, is a heating element 22 (indicated by dashed lines in FIG.
1a), by means of which the airflow generated by the fan 18 can be
heated. At the upper end, the vertically-running duct 20 is angled
forward in an L-shape, and ends at an air nozzle 24, which will be
explained in more detail below, at the front side 26 of the
headrest 14. Via the air nozzle 24, the preferably warm airflow
generated by the air supply device 16 emerges in the direction of
the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant. It is
hereby possible, for example when traveling in an open-top motor
vehicle, to compensate the naturally occurring backflow or
turbulence, which is disturbing to the seat occupant, of the air
surrounding said vehicle. In order to be able--depending on the
size and seating position of the seat occupant--to direct the warm
airflow emerging from the air nozzle 24, the air nozzle 24
comprises guide elements 32 which will be explained in more detail
below.
[0013] Furthermore, in FIG. 1b, in a side view, the profile of the
back cushion 15 in the central symmetrical region 30 of the
backrest 10 is indicated by dashed lines. It can also be seen here
that the air supply device 16 or its air duct 20 and its fan 18 are
arranged entirely within the backrest 10, and only the air nozzle
24 can be seen from the outside.
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic perspective view of a detail
of the headrest 14 of the backrest 10 as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b.
At the front side 26, which faces toward the seat occupant, the air
nozzle 24 of the air supply device 16 opens out in a lower region
of the headrest 14. Here, the front side 26 of the headrest 14 is
provided with upholstery and is lined with an upholstered cover
28.
[0015] When viewed together with FIG. 3, which shows a schematic
section view through the headrest 14 along the line III-III in FIG.
2, it is possible to see the recessed arrangement of the air nozzle
24 with respect to the front side 26 of the headrest 14. Here, the
air nozzle 24 is arranged so as to be set back from the front side
26 of the headrest 14 by a so-called comfort dimension K which is
preferably between 5 mm and 30 mm. Here, the air duct 20 ends in
the region of an encircling nozzle border 34 which is embodied here
as an oval opening which is elongate in the vehicle transverse
direction. Some other geometric design of the encircling nozzle
border 34 would of course also be conceivable. In the exemplary
embodiment shown, the encircling nozzle border 34 is arranged with
its end side 36, which faces toward the seat occupant, so as to be
recessed with respect to the front side 26 of the headrest by the
comfort dimension K. A plurality of vertically-running guide
elements 32 are mounted within the nozzle border 34 or the air duct
20 so as to be pivotable about a respective pivot axis SV. By means
of these guide elements 32, the airflow emerging from the air
supply device 16 via the air nozzle 24 can be individually
directed. In the present exemplary embodiment, five vertical guide
elements 32 are provided, which guide elements are pivotably
coupled to one another for example by means of a connecting bar 40
or similar device. FIG. 3 illustrates the representatively
illustrated guide element 32 in a pivoting position perpendicular
to the plane E spanned by the encircling nozzle border 34, that is
to say in a position in which the airflow emerging from the air
supply device 16 flows straight through the guide elements 32
without deflection. In the illustrated pivoting position,
perpendicular to the plane E, of the guide element 32, the foremost
end of the latter is of course at the shortest distance from the
front side 26 of the headrest 14. The spacing between the front end
40 and the front side 26 of the headrest 14 would accordingly be
greater in an inclined pivoting position of the guide element 32.
But even in the case of the shortest possible spacing between the
front end 40 of the guide element 32, the latter is dimensioned and
arranged in such a way that it--as part of the air nozzle 24--is
arranged so as to be recessed with respect to the front side 26 of
the headrest 14 at least by the comfort dimension K. In the present
exemplary embodiment, the front end 40 of each guide element 32
additionally comes to rest in any case, regardless of its pivoting
position, at the level of or else behind the plane E spanned by the
encircling nozzle border 34 of the air nozzle 24. In other words,
every component of the air nozzle 24--that is to say both the
encircling nozzle border 34 and also each of the guide elements
32--is arranged so as to be set back from the front side 26 of the
headrest 14 by the comfort dimension K.
[0016] In the opening-out region at the front side of the nozzle
border 34, the air outflow opening widens in cross section. The
corresponding configuration of the upholstery of the front side 26
of the headrest 14 or of the upholstered cover 28 is made clear by
corresponding lines 42.
[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, in addition to the
guide elements 32 running in the vehicle vertical direction or
vertically-running guide elements 32, at least one further guide
element 44 is provided which extends at least approximately
horizontally or in the vehicle transverse direction. Here, the
horizontal guide element 44 is mounted within the encircling nozzle
border 34 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis SH. The airflow
emerging from the air supply device can be individually adjusted in
height by means of said at least one guide element 44. The guide
element 44 is also correspondingly designed and mounted within the
nozzle border 34 such that its front end 46 comes to rest in each
case so as to be set back from the front side 26 of the headrest 14
at least by the comfort dimension K regardless of the set pivoting
position. The front end 46 of the horizontal guide element 44
preferably comes to rest--as illustrated in FIG. 3--at the level of
or behind the plane E spanned by the encircling nozzle border
34.
* * * * *