The invention relates to a mounting apparatus for mounting a fan arrangement on a seat, for example a seat of a car, truck or airplane.
When installing seats, upholsterers or vehicle fitters work in part in rough fashion with hammers, in order to pull the seat covering onto the seat. With seats that have a built-in fan for ventilating the seat, damage to the fan can therefore occur.
An object of the invention is therefore to make available a novel mounting apparatus for mounting a fan arrangement on a seat.
This object is achieved by a mounting apparatus having a generally cylindrical installation sleeve element which secures within the seat, and a concentrically smaller cylindrical fan arrangement which slides into, and latches within, the installation element. Protective grills or grids are provided at each axial end of the apparatus to protect against insertion of fingers or other body parts into the path of blades of the fan. Spring elements are provided to maintain the fan securely within the sleeve.
Further details and advantageous refinements of the invention are evident from the exemplifying embodiments, in no way to be understood as a limitation of the invention, that are described below and depicted in the drawings.
The outside diameter of tubular installation part 14 is preferably in the range from 4 to 10 cm, more preferably in the range from 6 to 8 cm.
Tubular installation part 14 preferably has at least one spring element 28 for a latching connection, more preferably at least two spring elements 28.
A cutout 26 is provided at second end 12 in order to enable the passage of wires in this region.
Arranged on tubular housing part 54 are latching elements 66 that can deflect radially outward upon insertion of a tubular part 84 (see
An aperture 64, which serves to guide wires 92 of motor 80 (see
Elongated opening 62 preferably extends over at least half the axial extent between first end 51 and second end 52 of tubular housing part 62.
A cutout 68 having a predetermined shape is provided in tubular housing part 54, cutout 68 preferably being open toward first side 51.
For increased comfort, lateral bolsters 102 are preferably provided on seat surface 101, and lateral bolsters 104 on backrest 103, in order to offer lateral retention. On the right side, an opening 108 is provided in backrest 103 and an opening 110 is provided in seat surface 101. Corresponding openings 108, 110, into each of which an installation element 10′, 10″ is inserted, are provided on the left side.
After insertion into vehicle seat 100, installation element 10 is preferably secured both against axial shifting (in both directions) and against rotation in opening 108.
With simple seats 100, seat side 114 of
Layer 121 is a knitted spacer fabric, i.e. is intended to produce a spacing between base layer 112 and installation 10 and to make seat 10 softer.
Layer 122 is on layer 121 and is made, for example, of foam, in particular recycled foam.
A perforated leather covering is used, for example, as outermost layer 123.
Layers 121, 122, and 123 are preferably air-permeable, for example as a result of perforations.
When covering seats 100, seat manufacturers in some cases work roughly with rubber hammers so that the coverings can be stretched on with no creases. In such cases, protective grid 18 must be of correspondingly stable design.
Because back side 116 of the seat is still accessible once front side 114 of seat 100 has been covered, fan arrangement 40 can be installed after seat 100 has been upholstered. This additionally reduces the risk of damage to fan arrangement 40, and also allows later access to fan arrangement 40, for example for repair purposes. In addition, chemicals such as spray adhesives or impregnation agents can be applied onto seat 100 before fan arrangement 40 is installed in installation element 10. This is a great advantage over previous fans, with which installation had to be accomplished before seat 100 was covered; and with previous fans each fan then needed, for example, to be covered over with a cardboard lid.
Fan arrangement 40 is slid from back side 116 into installation element 10 and latched to it. For this, preferably transverse pegs 60 of fan housing 50 (see
Since installation element 10 can no longer be held from seat side 114, because of layers 121, 122, 123, it is advantageous if installation element 10 is arranged or secured in cutout 108 axially non-displaceably and also non-rotatably. It is thereby easily possible to insert fan arrangement 40 into the installation element with one hand and mount it by rotation.
After the installation of fan arrangement 40, a lining 124 can optionally be applied on back side 116.
In an alternative embodiment, fan housing 50 can be connected to flange 88 directly via struts 86.
Wires 92 of motor 80 must be passed or threaded or pulled through cutout (window) 64′ (see
With the variant according to
Air guidance part 84 is then introduced into fan housing 50, axial movement being limited by the at least one stop 57 as soon as air guidance part 84 abuts against the at least one stop 57.
Contact surface 67 is preferably not perpendicular to the rotation axis of fan 81, in order to reduce the play at end surfaces 84′ of air guidance part 84 which are perpendicular to the rotation axis of fan 81.
Many variants and modifications are of course possible in the context of the present invention.
For example, the arrangement with transverse pegs 60 on fan housing 50 and spring elements 28 on installation element 28 can also be embodied the other way around, so that transverse pegs 60 are arranged on the inner side of installation element 28 and the latching elements are arranged on fan housing 50, for example at the corresponding locations as in the exemplifying embodiment above. Latching of fan housing 50 in installation element 28 is possible in this manner as well.
The description and the drawings show a mounting apparatus 30 for mounting a fan arrangement 40 on a seat 100, which mounting apparatus 30 comprises an installation element 10 and a fan housing 50 for fan arrangement 40, fan housing 50 comprising a tubular housing part 54 having a first housing part end 51 and a second housing part end 52 located opposite it, a protective grid 56 being provided at second housing part end 52, said grid being implemented to enable the transport of air through tubular housing part 54, and installation element 10 comprising a tubular installation part 14 having a first installation part end 11 and a second installation part end 12 located opposite it, a protective grid 18 being provided at first installation part end 11, said grid being implemented to enable the transport of air through tubular installation part 14; at least one outwardly projecting flange 20, which is implemented to form, upon installation of installation element 10 with a surface 22 facing toward second installation part end 12, a stop relative to an element of seat 100, being provided at first installation part end 11 on the outer side of tubular installation part 14; and installation element 10 being embodied in such a way that after installation thereof on a seat 100, introduction of tubular housing part 54 of fan housing 40 into tubular housing part 54 from second installation part end 12 is possible.
Preferably the installation element comprises at least one mounting element 24, 22 that is implemented to secure installation element 10 axially in an aperture of seat 100.
Preferably the at least one mounting element 24, 22 is implemented to secure installation element 10 against rotation in an aperture of seat 100.
Preferably the at least one mounting element 24, 22 comprises a hook-shaped element 24 that is implemented to enable introduction of installation element 10 into the aperture of seat 100 in a direction from first installation part end 11 toward second installation part end 12, but to counteract a movement in the opposite direction.
Preferably the radial extent of flange 20 is smaller in a first angular region than in a second angular region, preferably no flange being provided in at least one third angular region.
Preferably installation element 10 is provided for mounting a fan arrangement 40 having connecting wires 92, a first cutout 26 being provided at second installation part end 12 in order to enable connecting wires 92 to be arranged in said first cutout 26 upon mounting of fan arrangement 40.
Preferably the installation element is implemented to enable, for installation of fan arrangement 40, a rotary movement of fan housing 50 relative to installation element 10, first cutout 26 being sufficiently large that in the context of the rotary movement, a rotary movement of the connecting wires inside first cutout 26 is possible.
Preferably fan housing 50 comprises radially outwardly projecting connecting parts 60; tubular installation part 14 comprises spring elements 28 for a latching connection in order to bring about, together with the radially protruding connecting parts, a latching connection between installation element 10 and fan arrangement 40 upon mounting of fan housing 50.
Preferably fan housing 50 comprises at second housing part end 52 an outwardly projecting collar 58 in order to enable fan housing 50 to be grasped and turned by hand. Radially outer contour 59 of collar 58 is preferably of undulating configuration.
Preferably fan housing 50 is implemented to receive a fan 81 having connecting wires 92; and fan housing 50 comprises a second aperture 64, 64′ that is implemented to enable passage of connecting wires 92 through second aperture 64, 64′.
Preferably second aperture 64, 64′ is arranged at least in part on that half of tubular housing part 54 which faces toward second housing part end 52.
Preferably second aperture 64, 64′ of fan housing 50 is implemented to prevent connecting wires 92 from slipping out of second aperture 64, 64′ toward first housing part end 51.
Preferably fan housing 50 comprises an elongated opening 62 that extends from first housing part end 51 of tubular housing part 54 toward second housing part end 52 in order to enable wires to be laid into elongated opening 62 from first housing part end 51. The length of elongated opening 62 is preferably greater than half the axial extent of tubular housing part 54.
Preferably elongated opening 62 is connected, at its end facing toward second housing part end 52 of tubular housing part 54, to second aperture 64, second aperture 64 comprising, with respect to elongated opening 62, an enlargement 64 in a circumferential direction in order to prevent wires from slipping out of elongated opening 62.
Preferably the fan housing is implemented to enable introduction of a tubular air guidance part 84 into tubular housing part 54.
Preferably fan housing 50 comprises, on tubular housing part 54, latching elements 66 that are implemented to enable axial securing of tubular air guidance part 84 in tubular housing part 54. Latching elements 66 preferably have a contact surface 67 that is implemented to interact with a contact countersurface 84′ of tubular air guidance part 84 in such a way that contact surface 67 and contact countersurface 84′ are not parallel to one another, in order to reduce play between fan housing 50 and air guidance part 84.
Preferably fan housing 50 is connected to a tubular air guidance part 84 that is arranged at least in part in tubular housing part 54.
Preferably tubular air guidance part 84 comprises struts 86, 86′ on which an electric motor 80 having connecting wires 92 is mounted. At least one strut 86′ preferably comprises a first channel 89 for guidance of connecting wires 92 in first channel 89.
Preferably a mounting apparatus having a second aperture has an air guidance part 84 that comprises at the outer periphery a second channel 98, and connecting wires 92 extend from electric motor 80 through second channel 98 to second aperture 64 and through the latter to the outer side of tubular housing part 54, in order to enable electrical contacting of electric motor 80. Second channel 98 preferably extends over at least 50% of the axial extent of the air guidance part.
Preferably fan housing 50 is connected, preferably releasably connected, to the installation element. Connecting wires 92 preferably extend through second channel 98, through second aperture 64, and through first cutout 26.
Preferably the mounting apparatus is connected to a vehicle seat. The vehicle seat is preferably connected to a vehicle.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20 2012 103 921.4 | Oct 2012 | DE | national |
This application is a section 371 of International Application PCT/EP2013/062450, filed 2013 Jun. 14, and further claims priority from German application 20 2012 103 921.4, filed 2012 Oct. 12.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2013/062450 | 6/14/2013 | WO | 00 |