초록 ▼

The present invention discloses an air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat (12), and a method for the operation thereof. The air supply mechanism comprises a control device (24), for driving a fan (38) and a heating element (39) connected downstream of the fan (38). When the air supply mechanism is

The present invention discloses an air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat (12), and a method for the operation thereof. The air supply mechanism comprises a control device (24), for driving a fan (38) and a heating element (39) connected downstream of the fan (38). When the air supply mechanism is switched on, the control device (24) switches on a heating element (39) and at the same time carries out a starting control of a fan (38) in such a manner that the fan (38) starts and is operated at minimum blower speed for a predetermined period of time before the blower speed is raised to a predetermined working point and subsequently the blower speed is regulated as a function of the driving speed. In this manner, a seat occupant does not experience an initial sensation of draft due to a powerful discharge of relatively cold air but rather experiences a pleasant warmth even directly after the mechanism is switched on.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat, with an air discharging opening which is provided in an upper region of the vehicle seat and via which a head, shoulder, and neck region of a vehicle occupant can be subjected to an air flow in order to reduce undesirable draf

The invention claimed is: 1. An air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat, with an air discharging opening which is provided in an upper region of the vehicle seat and via which a head, shoulder, and neck region of a vehicle occupant can be subjected to an air flow in order to reduce undesirable draft phenomena, comprising: a fan, a heating element, and a control device, which regulates an airflow of the fan by regulating a blower speed of the fan, wherein the airflow is heatable via the heating element, and wherein the control device is designed so that, in response to a switching-on signal for the air supply mechanism, the heating element is switched on and the fan is started by way of a short high voltage pulse, the fan is operated at minimum blower speed by way of an operating voltage below said short high voltage pulse for a predetermined period of time after the fan has started, and the fan is operated as a function of driving speed after said predetermined period of time has passed. 2. The air supply mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan is operated at the lowest blower speed for said predetermined period of time, and wherein an operating voltage is then brought up to a predetermined working point after said predetermined period of time has passed. 3. The air supply mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the short, high voltage pulse is designed in such a manner that it is precisely sufficient to allow the fan to start. 4. The air supply mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined period of time is designed in such a manner that the heating element can be completely heated up within that predetermined period of time. 5. The air supply mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control device selects the predetermined period of time as a function of a determined external temperature, and wherein new determinations take place at regular intervals. 6. The air supply mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is designed in such a manner that the heating element can be completely heated up within that predetermined period of time. 7. A method for operating an air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat, with an air discharging opening provided in an upper region of the vehicle seat and via which a head, shoulder and neck region of a seat occupant can be subjected to an air flow in order to reduce undesirable draft phenomena, the air flow being regulatable with a control device by regulating a blower speed of a fan and heatable via a heating element, comprising: detecting whether there is a switching-on signal for the air supply mechanism, and if there is no switching-on signal, returning to a beginning of the method, switching on the heating element and starting the fan by way of a short high voltage pulse when the switching-on signal is present, operating the fan at minimum blower speed by way of an operating voltage below said short high voltage pulse for a predetermined period of time after the fan has started, detecting a driving speed of the vehicle, operating the fan, and therefore the blower speed, as a function of the driving speed after said predetermined period of time has passed, and checking whether a switching-off signal is present, and then returning to the beginning of the method when the switching-off signal is present, and again detecting the driving speed of the vehicle and operating the fan as a function of the driving speed when the switching-off signal is absent. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein, after expiry of the predetermined period of time, the fan is driven at an increasing operating voltage, so that the blower speed is brought up to a predetermined working speed. 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising automatically detecting an external parameter value in a first additional step, and setting the working point of the fan as a function of the external parameter in a second additional step. 10. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising automatically detecting an external parameter value in a first additional step, and setting the working point of the fan as a function of the external parameter in a second additional step. 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the external parameter value is an external temperature. 12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second additional steps are carried out anew at regular intervals during a driving mode.