Cooling And Heating Apparatus For Vehicle Seats And Method Of Controlling The Same

Abstract

A cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats and a method of controlling the same, which can control the cooling or heating temperature by sensing the temperature of air before the air is introduced into a cooling and heating module. The apparatus includes: a blower fan installed in a housing so as to forcibly blow cool or hot air to an air supply channel of a vehicle seat; a temperature sensor mounted in the housing at a location at which the temperature sensor comes into contact with sucked air and senses a temperature of the sucked air; and a control unit receiving a temperature signal from the temperature sensor and controlling a cooling or heating temperature according to a characteristic value that corresponds to a state of the sucked air and is selected from characteristic values stored therein.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0001051, filed on Jan. 4, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to in general, to a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats and a method of controlling the apparatus and, more particularly, to a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats and a method of controlling the apparatus, which can control the cooling or heating temperature by sensing the temperature of air before the air is introduced into a cooling and heating module.

BACKGROUND

[0003] A vehicle is generally provided with an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-conditioning) system that is an air conditioning apparatus, in which the HVAC system can perform a variety of air conditioning functions, such as ventilation, cooling and heating, in the vehicle when a driver operates the system, thereby providing a comfortable air-conditioned environment to a driver and passengers of the vehicle. The HVAC system can be actuated when a driver or a passenger manipulates a control switch that is provided in a lower part of a right side of a steering wheel. In the HVAC system, an air ventilation passage can be controlled and an air conditioner compressor can be started by operating an automatic temperature control unit.

[0004] Further, a vehicle seat that provides a comfortable sitting feel to a person by a cushion is also provided with a variety of handy functional devices. In recent years, a cooling and heating apparatus has been installed in the vehicle seat. In an initial stage, vehicle seat heating apparatuses are generally used in which a heating wire is installed in a vehicle seat and provides a comfortable warm environment to a driver who drives in a winter season. However, such vehicle seat heating apparatuses are problematic in that they cannot perform a cooling operation although they can perform an efficient heating operation.

[0005] To overcome the above-mentioned problem, a thermoelement assembly is used to selectively cool or heat the vehicle seat. In a vehicle seat air conditioning apparatus using the thermoelement assembly as a heat source, a functional mesh is provided in which an air passage or an air ventilation structure that can allow air to freely pass is formed and air generated by the thermoelement assembly used as the heat source is supplied (blown) to the functional mesh so that the surface of the functional vehicle seat can be retained at a temperature desired by a person.

[0006] However, the conventional cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats is problematic in that a temperature sensor is mounted to a heat exchanger and senses the cooling or heating temperature and controls the temperature of heat that is dissipated from the heat exchanger based on the sensed temperature, so that the conventional cooling and heating apparatus cannot precisely control the temperature of air that is provided to a user.

[0007] Further, another problem of the conventional cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats resides in that the temperature of air that has just passed through the heat exchanger is different from the temperature of air that is discharged from a vehicle seat, so that the conventional cooling and heating apparatus cannot precisely control the temperature of air that is provided to a user.

SUMMARY

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present invention is intended to propose a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats and a method of controlling the apparatus, which senses the temperature of air before the air is introduced into a cooling and heating module and controls the operational temperature of the cooling and heating module based on the sensed temperature, thereby improving the satisfaction of users.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats, comprising: a blower fan installed in a housing so as to forcibly blow cool or hot air to an air supply channel that is provided in a vehicle seat; a temperature sensor that is mounted in the housing at a location at which the temperature sensor comes into contact with air sucked by the blower fan and that senses a temperature of the sucked air; and a control unit receiving a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the sucked air sensed by the temperature sensor and controlling a cooling or heating temperature according to a characteristic value that corresponds to a state of the sucked air and is selected from characteristic values stored therein.

[0010] In one embodiment, the housing may be provided with a cooling and heating module for performing a heat exchanging operation with the air blown by the blower fan.

[0011] Further, it is preferred that the temperature sensor be placed between the blower fan and the cooling and heating module.

[0012] Further, when the cooling and heating apparatus is installed in each of a back part and a seat part of vehicle seat, the control unit may independently control the respective cooling and heating apparatuses.

[0013] Further, it is preferred that the cooling and heating module be formed using a peltier element.

[0014] Further, it is preferred that the temperature sensor be mounted to a through hole that is formed in a predetermined portion of the housing.

[0015] Further, it is preferred that the temperature sensor be mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being mounted to an inner surface of the housing a bonding material.

[0016] Further, it is preferred that the mounting plate be made of a transparent material.

[0017] Further, it is preferred that the temperature sensor be mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being provided with a fixing hole so as to be engaged with a fixing protrusion that is formed on an inner surface of the housing.

[0018] Further, it is preferred that a heat insulating hole be formed through the housing on a surface on which the cooling and heating module comes into contact with the housing.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats, the method comprising: a sensing step of sensing a temperature of air that has been sucked by the blower fan but is not yet cooled or heated by the cooling and heating module; a determining step of determining whether the temperature of air sensed in the sensing step is included within a preset temperature range; and a controlling step of controlling the operation of the cooling and heating module so as to increase or reduce the cooling or heating capacity of the cooling and heating module according to a characteristic value corresponding to a state of the sucked air when the determining step determines that there is a temperature difference between the sensed temperature of air and the preset temperature range.

[0020] In an embodiment, the controlling step may be performed by controlling the voltage of a peltier element that forms the cooling and heating module or by controlling the rotating speed of the blower fan.

[0021] As described above, the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats and the method of controlling the apparatus according to the present invention is advantageous in that the apparatus and method can sense an air temperature that is equal to that of air which comes into contact with a user, that is, the apparatus and method can sense the temperature of air that is not yet cooled or heated by the cooling and heating module, and the apparatus and method can control the operation of the cooling and heating module based on the sensed temperature of the air, thereby improving the satisfaction of users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a temperature sensor mounting part shown in FIG. 2;

[0026] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of controlling the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Hereinbelow, preferred embodiments of a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a temperature sensor mounting part shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed in a vehicle seat 1. Here, the cooling and heating apparatus 10 is installed in at least one of the back part 1a and the seat part 1b of the vehicle seat 1. When the cooling and heating apparatus 10 is installed in only one of the back part 1a and the seat part 1b of the vehicle seat 10, it is preferred that the apparatus be configured in such a way that the processed air of the apparatus can be guided from a part having the apparatus to another part having no apparatus so that the processed air can be discharged from both parts to a user who sits in the vehicle seat. Further, when the cooling and heating apparatus 10 is installed in each of the back part 1a and the seat part 1b of the vehicle seat 1, it is preferred that the cooling and heating apparatuses 10 of respective parts be configured in such a way that the apparatuses can independently control the cooling or heating temperatures thereof according to the temperatures of inlet air that are sensed by respective temperature sensors 40 which will be described later herein, although the cooling and heating apparatuses 10 of the respective parts may be controlled to provide the same cooling or heating temperature.

[0033] The cooling and heating apparatus 10 includes a blower fan 11 that is installed in a housing 13 so as to forcibly guide processed cool or hot air to an air supply channel 17 which is provided in the vehicle seat 1, a cooling and heating module 20 that performs a heat exchange operation with air blown by the blower fan 11, a temperature sensor 40 that is placed between the blower fan 13 and the cooling and heating module 20, and a control unit 50 that receives a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of air sensed by the temperature sensor 40 and controls the cooling or heating temperature of the cooling and heating module 20. Here, the cooling and heating module 20 is typically configured in the form of a heat exchanger. In the present invention, the cooling and heating module 20 will be described as a heat exchanger using a peltier element, as an example.

[0034] The temperature sensor 40 is inserted into the housing 13 through a through hole 14 that is formed through the housing 13, and the sensor 40 is fixed to the housing 13 in the inserted state. Here, the inside end having the temperature sensor 40 has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole 14, thereby preventing the inserted temperature sensor 40 from being undesirably removed from the through hole 14.

[0035] In the present invention, the cooling and heating module 20 is described as a heat exchanger using a peltier element, as an example. However, it should be understood that the cooling and heating module 20 of this invention may be configured in the form of a variety of heat exchangers, in addition to the heat exchanger using the peltier element.

[0036] When the cooling and heating module 20 using the peltier element is installed in the apparatus 10, the air supply channel 17 and an air outlet channel 19 are formed in the housing 13 so as to guide cool or hot air processed by the peltier element to the vehicle seat 1.

[0037] Further, a heat insulating hole 18 is formed through the housing 13 at a location at which the cooling and heating module 20 comes into contact with the housing 13. Here, the heat insulating hole 18 functions to restrict the heat of the cooling and heating module 20 from being transferred to the temperature sensor 40 through the housing 13.

[0038] Hereinbelow, a method of controlling the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the method includes a sensing step S1 of sensing a temperature of air that has been sucked by the blower fan 11 after the cooling and heating apparatus of a ventilative vehicle seat was turned on, but the air is not yet cooled or heated by the cooling and heating module 20, a determining step S2 of determining whether the temperature of air sensed in the sensing step S1 is included within a preset temperature range, and a controlling step S3 of controlling the operation of the cooling and heating module 20 so as to increase or reduce the cooling or heating capacity of the cooling and heating module 20 when the determining step S2 determines that there is a temperature difference between the sensed temperature of air and the preset temperature range. However, when the determining step S2 determines that there is no temperature difference between the sensed temperature of air and the preset temperature range, a present state maintaining step S4 is performed to maintain the present state of the apparatus. In the method, the controlling step S3 is performed by controlling the voltage of the peltier element that forms the cooling and heating module 20 or by controlling the rotating speed of the blower fan 11. After the controlling step S3 is ended, the sensing step S1 is performed again.

[0039] When the blower fan 11 of the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats starts to blow air, the blown air passes over the temperature sensor 40 and is guided to the cooling and heating module 20. In the above state, the temperature sensor 40 performs the sensing step S1 of sensing the temperature of the blown air. In the determining step S2, it is determined whether the sensed temperature of air is included within the preset temperature range or not. When it is determined that the sensed temperature of air is included within the preset temperature range, the operation of the cooling and heating module 20 and the operation of the blower fan 11 are maintained in respective present states.

[0040] However, when it is determined that the sensed temperature of air is not included within the preset temperature range, the controlling step S3 is performed in which the cooling or heating capacity of the cooling and heating module 20 is increased or reduced based on a characteristic value corresponding to the temperature of sucked air. Here, the characteristic value means a value that is produced by previously programming the heat exchanging characteristics of sucked air in the control unit 50 according to properties of the sucked air. The characteristic value is a value that is produced by a previous calculation which was performed based on the characteristics of the cooling and heating module 20 according to the temperature of sucked air and the temperature difference between the sucked air and the preset temperature range. The characteristic value is a reference value that can be used to provide a constant cooling or heating temperature even when the temperature of sucked air varies. In other words, the characteristic value is the reference value that can be used as a value for quickly and greatly increasing the cooling or heating capacity of the cooling and heating apparatus in proportion to the value of the temperature difference.

[0041] The air that is discharged from the vehicle seat 1 to a user is equal to the air that is sucked by the blower fan 11 so that the air sensed by the temperature sensor 40 is most similar to the air discharged from the vehicle seat 1.

[0042] In the present invention, the operation of the cooling and heating module 20 and the operation of the blower fan 11 can be controlled in response to a variation in the air that is introduced into the cooling and heating module 20 so that the temperature of air can be quickly controlled.

[0043] In the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats, the temperature sensor 20 is placed at a location in front of the cooling and heating module 20, thereby sensing the temperature of practically sucked air. Further, the heat exchanging characteristics of the cooling and heating module 20 are determined according to the temperature of air sucked into the cooling and heating module 20 and are programmed in the control unit 50 so that, even when the temperature of sucked air quickly varies, the control unit 50 can control the operational power of the cooling and heating module 20 or the cooling or heating capacity of the module 20 so as to discharge constant temperature air (to the vehicle seat). Here, it is preferred that the control of the capacity of the cooling and heating module 20 be realized by controlling the voltage of the peltier element that forms the cooling and heating module 20 or by controlling the rotating speed of the blower fan 11.

[0044] Further, when the cooling and heating apparatus is configured in such a way that respective cooling and heating apparatuses are installed in the back part 1a and in the seat part 1b of the vehicle seat 1, it is preferred that the respective apparatuses 10 be independently controlled using respective characteristic values that are stored in the control unit 50.

[0045] Further, in a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a second embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor 40 is mounted to a surface of a mounting plate 15, as shown in FIG. 4. The mounting plate 15 is mounted to an inner surface of the housing 13 using a bonding material 15a, such as a double-sided tape. Here, it is preferred that the mounting plate 15 be made of a transparent material.

[0046] When the temperature sensor 40 is mounted to the housing the above-mentioned mounting structure, work efficiency during a process of producing the apparatus can be increased and production cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

[0047] With the exception of the structure for mounting the temperature sensor 40 to the housing 13, the general shape and operation of the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the second embodiment of the present invention remain the same as in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Further, in a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a third embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor 40 is mounted to a surface of a mounting plate 16, as shown in FIG. 5. A fixing hole 16b is formed through the mounting plate 16, and a fixing protrusion 16a is provided on the inner surface of the housing 13 so as to be inserted into the fixing hole 16b. Here, to prevent the mounting plate 16 from being undesirably removed from the fixing protrusion 16a, the end of the fixing protrusion 16a may be configured to have a diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the fixing hole 16b or the end of the fixing protrusion 16a may be welded to the mounting plate 16 after inserting the fixing protrusion 16a into the fixing hole 16b.

[0049] With the exception of the structure for mounting the temperature sensor 40 to the housing 13, the general shape and operation of the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to the third embodiment of the present invention remain the same as in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] In a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor 40 is mounted to the housing 13 by being inserted into a through hole 14 that is formed through the housing 13, as shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 40 is mounted to a base 41. Radial protrusions 42 are formed in the base 41 by extending from the base 41 in radial directions. Further, radial slots 14b are formed in the through hole 14 so as to receive the respective radial protrusions 42 therein. To mount the temperature sensor 40 to the housing, the temperature sensor 40 that is mounted to the base 41 is inserted into the through hole 14. In the above state, the radial protrusions 42 pass through the respective radial slots 14b and are inserted into the housing 13. When the base 41 is rotated at a predetermined angle after the radial protrusions are completely inserted into the housing 13, the radial protrusions 42 are caught by the edge of the through hole 14 so that the inserted state of the temperature sensor 40 inside the housing can be maintained.

[0051] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats, comprising: a blower fan installed in a housing so as to forcibly blow cool or hot air to an air supply channel that is provided in a vehicle seat; a temperature sensor that is mounted in the housing at a location at which the temperature sensor comes into contact with air sucked by the blower fan and that senses a temperature of the sucked air; and a control unit receiving a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the sucked air sensed by the temperature sensor and controlling a cooling or heating temperature according to a characteristic value that corresponds to a state of the sucked air and is selected from characteristic values stored therein.

2. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a cooling and heating module for performing a heat exchanging operation with the air blown by the blower fan.

3. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor is placed between the blower fan and the cooling and heating module.

4. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 2, wherein, when the cooling and heating apparatus is installed in each of a back part and a seat part of vehicle seat, the control unit independently controls the respective cooling and heating apparatuses.

5. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cooling and heating module is formed using a peltier element.

6. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a through hole that is formed in a predetermined portion of the housing.

7. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being mounted to an inner surface of the housing a bonding material.

8. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 7, wherein the mounting plate is made of a transparent material.

9. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being provided with a fixing hole so as to be engaged with a fixing protrusion that is formed on an inner surface of the housing.

10. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 5, wherein a heat insulating hole is formed through the housing on a surface on which the cooling and heating module comes into contact with the housing.

11. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a through hole that is formed in a predetermined portion of the housing.

12. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being mounted to an inner surface of the housing a bonding material.

13. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 12, wherein the mounting plate is made of a transparent material.

14. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate being provided with a fixing hole so as to be engaged with a fixing protrusion that is formed on an inner surface of the housing.

15. The cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, wherein a heat insulating hole is formed through the housing on a surface on which the cooling and heating module comes into contact with the housing.

16. A method of controlling a cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 1, the method comprising: a sensing step of sensing a temperature of air that has been sucked by a blower fan but is not yet cooled or heated by a cooling and heating module; a determining step of determining whether the temperature of air sensed in the sensing step is included within a preset temperature range; and a controlling step of controlling an operation of the cooling and heating module so as to increase or reduce a cooling or heating capacity of the cooling and heating module according to a characteristic value corresponding to a state of the sucked air when the determining step determines that there is a temperature difference between the sensed temperature of air and the preset temperature range.

17. The method of controlling the cooling and heating apparatus for vehicle seats as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controlling step is performed by controlling a voltage of a peltier element that forms the cooling and heating module or by controlling a rotating speed of the blower fan.