U.S. patent application number 11/793035 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-08 for backrest for a motor vehicle seat with an air supply device.
This patent application is currently assigned to DaimlerChrysler AG. Invention is credited to Gerhard Flory, Karl Pfahler, Lothar Renner.
Application Number | 20090008970 11/793035 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36588236 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090008970 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Flory; Gerhard ; et
al. |
January 8, 2009 |
Backrest For A Motor Vehicle Seat With An Air Supply Device
Abstract
A backrest for a motor vehicle seat is described. The rear side
of the seat is covered by a planar lining part within which an air
supply device for supplying the head, shoulder and neck region of a
seat occupant with an airflow is integrated. The air supply device
comprises a housing. Fitted together from at least two housing
parts, with one of these housing parts being directly supported by
the lining part of the backrest.
Inventors: |
Flory; Gerhard; (Annweiler,
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: |
DaimlerChrysler AG
Stuttgart
DE
|
Family ID: |
36588236 |
Appl. No.: |
11/793035 |
Filed: |
November 26, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
November 26, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/12668 |
371 Date: |
April 23, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/180.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/5657 20130101;
B60N 2/5621 20130101; B60N 2/58 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/180.14 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/74 20060101
A47C007/74 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 060 460.6 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A backrest for a motor vehicle seat, comprising: a planar
lining part for covering a rear side of the backrest; an air supply
device integrated within the backrest for supplying a head, a
shoulder and a neck region of a seat occupant with an airflow; and
a housing of the air supply device formed from at least two housing
parts adapted for fitting together, a first one of the at least two
housing parts being supported by the planar lining part of the
backrest.
11. The backrest as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lining part of
the backrest is formed integrally with the first one of the at
least two housing parts of the air supply device.
12. The backrest as claimed in claim 10, wherein a second housing
part of the air supply device is releasably connectable to the
first one of the at least two housing parts which is assigned to
the lining part of the backrest.
13. The backrest as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air supply
device further comprises a fan which is arranged within the
housing.
14. The backrest as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fan is
pre-assembleable on a second housing part of the air supply device
before assembly of the housing.
15. The backrest as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second housing
part of the air supply device is fastenable in a vibrationally
decoupled manner to the first housing part supported by the lining
part of the backrest.
16. The backrest as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lining part of
the backrest comprises, an air inlet opening for the fan adjacent
to an associated housing part.
17. The backrest as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air supply
device comprises a heating element arranged within the housing.
18. The backrest as claimed in claim 17, wherein the heating
element is assembleable on a second of the housing parts of the air
supply device, before the housing is assembled.
19. A ventilation system for a vehicle seat, comprising: an air
supply device extending substantially along a backrest of the
vehicle seat; a housing of the air supply device defining an air
passage delivering air to portions of the backrest; a first portion
of the housing for attachment to a lining part covering a rear side
of the backrest; and a second portion of the housing connectable to
the first portion.
20. The ventilation system according to claim 19, further
comprising a fan for motivating air along the air passage of the
air supply device.
21. The ventilation system according to claim 19, further
comprising a heater for heating air flowing in the air passage of
the air supply device.
22. The ventilation system according to claim 19, wherein the air
supply device delivers air to at least one of a head, a shoulder
and a neck region of an occupant.
23. The ventilation system according to claim 19, wherein the first
and second portions of the housing are releasably connectable.
24. The ventilation system according to claim 19, wherein the first
portion of the housing is attacheable to the lining part prior to
assembly thereof with the backrest.
25. The ventilation system according to claim 19, wherein the first
portion of the housing is unitary with the lining part of the
backrest.
26. The ventilation system according to claim 20, wherein the fan
is adapted for assembly to the second portion of the housing prior
to assembly of the first and second portions of the housing.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a National Phase of PCT International
Application No. PCT/EP2005/012668, filed Nov. 26, 2005, which
claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to European Patent
Application No. 10 2004 060 460.6 filed Dec. 16, 2004, the entire
disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a backrest for a motor vehicle seat
having a rear side covered with a planar lining part, and having an
air supply device to supply an airflow to the head, shoulder and
neck regions.
[0003] German Patent Document DE 100 54 010 C1 discloses a motor
vehicle seat with a backrest, the rear side of which is lined by a
planar plastic part, with an air supply device for supplying the
head, shoulder and neck region of a seat occupant with a preferably
hot airflow being integrated within the backrest. In this case, the
air supply device comprises a housing, through which a hot air flow
can be conveyed from a lower region of the seat as far as an air
outlet opening on the front side of the head restraint.
[0004] It is one object of the present invention to provide a
backrest providing ventilation as described above, in which the air
supply device and its housing can be assembled in a simple manner
and can easily be integrated within the backrest.
[0005] This object is achieved according to examples of the
invention by a backrest as described below. Additional advantageous
embodiments of the invention are indicated in the claims, drawings
and specification.
[0006] In the case of the backrest according to the invention, the
housing of the air supply device is formed from at least two
housing parts which can be fitted together and of which one is
directly supported by the rear lining part of the backrest. By
this, the housing or the housing parts of the air supply device can
be equipped in a simple manner with the associated components of
the air supply device, and subsequently the at least two housing
parts are fitted together, after which the assembled housing of the
air supply device is entirely supported by the lining part of the
backrest. As a result, the entire housing of the air supply device
can therefore be fastened to the rear lining part of the backrest,
and, independently thereof, the further parts of the backrest--for
example the backrest frame, the upholstery and the seat cover--can
be assembled independently thereof. The assembly of the backrest
and of the rear lining part, including the housing of the air
supply device, is subsequently very simple in terms of
manufacturing to realize. In addition, the arrangement of the at
least one housing part of the air supply device on the lining part
can achieve a particularly space-saving arrangement of the air
supply device within the backrest, and therefore the backrest
cushion can have a relatively large depth in the region in front of
the housing.
[0007] It is particularly advantageous in one example to configure
the lining part and the associated housing part of the air supply
device to be integral. This configuration makes it possible to use
the wall of the lining part simultaneously as the wall of the
associated housing part. The lining part or the exemplary integral
housing part is preferably formed from a plastic.
[0008] In addition, it has proven advantageous for at least a
further housing part of the air supply device to be fastened using
a releasable connection to that housing part which is assigned to
the lining part of the backrest. In particular, a clip connection
or latching lug connection may be used as an exemplary releasable
connection.
[0009] Before the at least two housing parts are assembled, the
housing can be fitted with components, such as, for example, a fan
or a heating element of the air supply device. These components are
preferably preassembled on the further housing part before this
further housing part is fitted together to the housing part
assigned to the lining part of the backrest. The two housing parts
are preferably decoupled in terms of vibration from each other by
suitable devices, and therefore vibrations caused by the fan cannot
pass to the lining part of the backrest.
[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Further advantages, features and details of the invention
emerge from the description below of a preferred exemplary
embodiment and with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1a, b show a schematic, perspective front view and a
schematic side view of the backrest of the motor vehicle seat with
the integrated air supply device according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from the bottom front of the
inside of the lining part of the backrest together with that
housing part of the air supply device supported by the lining part
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the inside of the lining part
with the integrally formed housing part of the air supply device
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the further housing part of the
air supply device with integrated heating element and fan, which
housing part can be fitted together with the housing part assigned
to the lining part of the backrest, according to an embodiment of
the invention and
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view obliquely from the bottom of
the inside of the lining part of the backrest together with the
housing of the air supply device that is supported by the lining
part, according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate the backrest 10 of a motor
vehicle seat in a schematic, perspective front view and in a
schematic side view, respectively. In FIG. 1a, a substantially
planar lining part 12 (explained in more detail below), a head
restraint 14 and a backrest cushion 15 can be seen in front of the
backrest 10. The motor vehicle seat is designed here as an integral
seat, with the head restraint 14 being arranged in front of the
backrest 10 and overlapping therewith. The head restraint 14 can be
adjusted in height in relation to the backrest 10 via a guide (not
shown). An exemplary air supply device 16 which comprises, among
other components, a fan 18 (indicated schematically) at the lower
end of the air supply device 16 and an air duct 20 arranged above
the fan 18, is arranged within the backrest 10. A heating element
22 (indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1a) is provided within the
air duct 20 at a distance above the fan 18 and on the delivery side
thereof, the heating element being able to heat the air flow
produced by the fan 18. At the upper end, the air duct 20, which
runs vertically, is angled forward in an L-shaped manner and ends
at an air discharge opening 24 on the front side 26 of the head
restraint 14. The air duct 20 is combined with the housing 28 of
the fan 18 to form a housing 30 (described in more detail below) of
the air supply device 16. Furthermore, the profile of the backrest
cushion 15 in the central surface region of the backrest 10 is
indicated by dashed lines in the side view of FIG. 1b. It can also
be seen from this drawing that the air supply device 16 or its
housing 30--including the air duct 20 and the housing 28 of the fan
18--is arranged entirely within the backrest 10 and only the air
discharge opening 24 is visible from the outside. In addition, it
can be seen that the planar lining part 12, which is fastened on
the rear side of the backrest 10, borders the backrest cushion 15
in the region of a joint gap 32. The lining part 12 is produced in
this exemplary embodiment from a thermoplastic, however, other
plastics or metal sheets or the like would likewise be usable.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates the inside of the lining part 12 in a
perspective view from the bottom front. The lining part 12 is
fastened to the rear side of a backrest frame (not illustrated) of
the backrest 10 via spacer and fastening elements 34 arranged on
the edge in the region of the joint gap 32 (FIG. 1b). A first
housing part 36 is arranged in a central region of the lining part
12, which housing part, in the present case, is formed integrally
with the lining part 12 of the backrest 10. However, in another
embodiment, the first housing part 36 may be fastened to the lining
part 12 as a separate part. In the present exemplary embodiment,
the first housing part 36 comprises a part 38 of the housing 28 for
the fan 18 and a part 40 of the air duct 20. A recess 42 which
serves to receive the heating element 22 (FIGS. 1A and 1b) can be
seen in the part 40 of the first housing part 36. The first housing
part 36 ends upward approximately halfway up the air duct 20. In
the present exemplary embodiment, the part 38 of the housing 28 for
the fan 18, which part is configured in an oval manner here,
comprises a suction opening 44 for the fan 18, which is designed as
an axial ventilator and passes through the lining part 12. A
covering which can be opened and is in the form of a blind, a
roller shutter, a slatted assembly or the like can be provided to
cover this suction opening 44.
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates, in a plan view, the central region of
the inside of the lining part 12 with the integrally formed first
housing part 36. In conjunction with FIG. 4, in which a second
housing part 46 can be seen in plan view, the interaction of the
two exemplary housing parts 36, 46 is clear. In the lower region up
to approximately half of its length, the second housing part 46 is
designed as an essentially open half shell, which can be fitted
together with the first housing part 36. Above a joint gap 48, the
second housing part 46 forms the housing 30 of the air supply
device 16 by itself. In the lower region, in which the second
housing part 46 is designed as a substantially open half shell
matched to the first housing part 36, a recess 50 may be provided
in which the heating element 22 is preassembled. In the lower oval
region, the fan 18 of the air supply device 16 is already
preassembled within the half shell of the second housing part
46.
[0020] In this embodiment, the essential components--namely the fan
18 and the heating element 22--are already preassembled within the
second housing part 46, such that the latter can be assembled
together with the first housing part 36 on the lining part 12, and
the housing 30 of the air supply device 16 is therefore completed.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the second housing part 46 can
be fastened to the first housing part 36 by a releasable
connection, such as a latching connection, a clip connection or the
like. Sound insulation in the form of an elastomeric element (not
illustrated) arranged in the region of the encircling joint gap is
preferably provided between the two housing parts 36, 46, and
therefore vibrations produced by the fan 18 cannot be transmitted
to the lining part 12. Instead of the two partial shells 36, 46
shown here, the housing 30 may, in another exemplary embodiment,
also be divided in another way into two or more housing parts which
can be fitted together, with, however, at least one of these
housing parts being fastened directly to the lining part 12, or
being formed integrally therewith.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from the bottom front of the
inside of the lining part 12 with the completed housing 30 of the
air supply device 16 fastened thereto. In the lower region of the
exemplary housing 30, the two half shells of the first housing part
36 and of the second housing part 46 have been fitted together, and
the second housing part 46 has therefore been fastened to the
lining part 12. The now completed housing 30 of the air supply
device 16 can be connected to a power supply via a line (not
illustrated), and therefore the fan 18 and the heating element 22
can be correspondingly operated. The lining part 12 which is
completed to this extent can now be fitted together with the air
supply device 16 on the rear side of the backrest 10.
* * * * *