WO2010095165A1 - Air-conditioned mattress - Google Patents

Abstract

An air-conditioned mattress which allows a user to comfortably sleep thereon in both high and low ambient temperatures. The air-conditioned mattress has a body (102) having a substantially flat shape and also has an air flow tube (3) having a substantially tubular shape. The body (102) has a spacer (10) for securing an air flow path (15) in which air flows, a heater wire (111) mounted in the spacer (10), a cover (6) having a moisture permeable upper cover (6a) which covers the spacer (10) and from which air is less likely to leak and also having a lower cover (6b) from which air is less likely to leak, and an air flow opening (6c) formed on that end of the cover (6) at which the user's head is positioned and allowing outside air to flow into or flow out of the body (102). At portions near opposite ends of the body (102) which are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the body (102) are arranged non-air-conditioned sections (160) using solid cotton. The air flow tube is mounted to that end of the cover at which the user's feet are positioned. Fans (3) for causing air to flow in the air flow path are arranged at opposite ends of the air flow tube.

Description

Air conditioning mat

The present invention relates to an air-conditioning mat that is laid down and used, for example, at bedtime.

In the conventional electric bedding, the heater wire is placed in the cloth. The user usually sleeps with a sheet on the electric bedding.

International Publication No. 2007/094130 International Publication No. 2007/122816

However, the above conventional electric bedding has a large space between the heater wires, so if you lay a bed with sheets on it, the body part in contact with the heater wire will be heated, and the part away from the heater wire will not be heated. The distribution of was uneven. Further, the conventional electric bedding has a safety problem because the body presses the heater wire and a high AC voltage for household use is directly applied to the heater wire. In addition, when the ambient temperature is high, the body part in contact with the bedclothes has a high humidity due to sweat that has come out of the body, and the body temperature cannot be dissipated due to the heat of vaporization of sweat, resulting in a problem that the body part is stuffy and hard to sleep. Furthermore, the conventional electric bedclothes are used only in winter, and are unnecessary in summer.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning mat that can be used throughout the year, eliminating the disadvantages of the conventional electric bedclothes described above.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. A spacer for securing an air flow passage having a height of at least 5 mm through which air flows, and a moisture permeability that prevents the air covering the upper side of the spacer from leaking easily. A heating sheet provided with a cover part including an upper cover part having a lower cover part that covers the lower side of the spacer, and a heater wire disposed between the spacer and the lower cover part And a substantially flat main body portion, a fan for allowing air provided at one end portion of the cover portion to flow through the air flow passage, and the one end portion of the cover portion. An air circulation port provided at the other end, a fan control unit for controlling the rotational speed of the fan, and a heater control unit for controlling the power supplied to the heater wire, Ambient temperature When the air flow is high, the fan is rotated to circulate the outside air through the air flow passage, and sweat generated from the body in contact with the air conditioning mat passes through the upper cover portion and is discharged from the air circulation port portion or the fan. When the ambient temperature is low, the air in the air flow passage is heated by flowing an electric current through the heater wire provided in the heating sheet.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and includes a frame-shaped portion, and a column, a wall, or a standing portion composed of a column and a wall, one end of which is erected from the frame-shaped portion. A projecting part having an upright connecting part for connecting the other end of the upstanding part, and a flexible connecting part having flexibility for connecting the adjacent projecting part, and the convex part is at least per square meter. 100 are formed, and the convex part and the flexible connecting part are integrally formed of plastic, a spacer for securing an air flow passage through which air flows, and an upper side of the spacer, which is difficult to leak air. A substantially flat main body comprising an upper cover portion having moisture permeability, a cover portion including a lower cover portion that hardly leaks air covering the lower side of the spacer, and a heater wire disposed in the spacer. Part and one of the cover parts A fan for circulating the air provided in the part to the air flow passage, an air circulation port provided in the other end opposite to the one end of the cover part, and the rotational speed of the fan A fan control unit for controlling the electric power and a heater control unit for controlling the electric power supplied to the heater wire, and when the ambient temperature is high, the fan is rotated so that the outside air flows into the air flow passage. When sweat from the body in contact with the air conditioning mat is discharged from the air circulation port or the fan through the upper cover, and when the ambient temperature is low, current is passed through the heater wire The air in the air flow passage is heated.

According to the air-conditioning mat of the present invention, when the ambient temperature is high, the outside air is circulated through the space secured by the spacer to evaporate sweat from the body in contact with the air-conditioning mat, and the body is cooled by the heat of vaporization at that time. So you can sleep comfortably without getting muddy. When the ambient temperature is low, by providing a space between the heater wire and the body, the entire body part in contact with the air-conditioning mat can be warmed almost uniformly.

In addition, since conventional electric bedding has a wide space of about 5 cm between the heater wires, the body is locally heated only where the heater wires are located. For this reason, blood circulation in the locally heated area becomes too good and this triggers, for example, it makes the body feel itchy, thirst, makes the body dull, and tends to catch a cold. . On the other hand, in the air-conditioning mat according to the present invention, the air in the space formed by the spacers is heated by the heater wires, so that the entire air-conditioning mat can be warmed almost uniformly, so that problems due to local heating can be eliminated. Further, since the body is heated through the space, the distance between the heater wires can be increased as compared with the conventional direct heating method, and the total length of the heater wires can be shortened accordingly.

FIG. 1A is a schematic partial front view of a spacer used in the air conditioning mat of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic partial side view of the spacer. 2A is a schematic perspective view of one convex portion of the spacer, and FIG. 2B is a schematic partial perspective view of the spacer shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the air conditioning mat according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a schematic front view of the air conditioning mat according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view thereof. FIG. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the air-conditioning mat according to the first embodiment, taken along arrow AA. FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a joined state between the main body and the air circulation cylinder. FIG. 7A is a schematic front view of an air conditioning mat according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of the air conditioning mat.

Explanation of symbols

1,100 Air conditioning mat
2,102 Main body part 3 Air circulation tube part 3a Opening part 4 Fan 5 Controller part 6 Cover part 6a Upper cover part 6b Lower cover part 6c Air circulation port part 7 Middle sheet 8 Heating sheet 10 Spacer 11, 111 Heater wire 15 Air circulation Road 20 Convex part 21 Frame-like part 22 Standing part 23 Standing connection part 26 Flexible connection part 160 Non-air-conditioning part

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, the spacer used for the air-conditioning mat of this invention demonstrated below is demonstrated.
1A is a schematic partial front view of a spacer used in the air conditioning mat of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a schematic partial side view of the spacer, and FIG. 2A is a schematic of one convex portion of the spacer. FIG. 2B is a schematic partial perspective view of the spacer shown in FIG.
The spacer 10 includes a plurality of convex portions 20 and a flexible connecting portion 26 that connects the frame-like portions 21 of the adjacent convex portions 20. The convex part 20 has a large number of frame-like parts 21 formed on the side in contact with the body, and an upright part 22 composed of four columns formed so that one end is connected to the frame-like part 21 and rises from the frame-like part 21. And an upright connecting portion 23 for connecting the other end of the upright portion 22. In the present spacer 10, the side on which the frame-shaped portion 21 is formed is a side that comes into contact with the body, and the side on which the standing connection portion 23 is formed is the side of the bedding. The frame-shaped part 21 is formed in a frame shape having a substantially square front shape. The four columns formed to stand up from the four corners of the frame-like portion 21 are the standing portion 22. This column is formed in a tapered shape so as to incline toward the inside of the frame-shaped portion 21 and to become narrower as it approaches the tip portion. A flexible connecting portion 26 is formed at the center of each side of the frame-like portion 21. The many convex portions 20 and the flexible connecting portions 26 are integrally formed of resin, for example, soft polyethylene.

The flexible connecting part 26 is for connecting the frame-like part 21 and the frame-like part 21 of the adjacent protrusions 20, and is formed by a strip-like member. Thus, by forming the flexible connecting portion 26 in a band shape, the flexible connecting portion 26 can be flexible. For example, when the spacer is used for an air-conditioning mat laid on a chair, bedding, or the like, it is necessary to form the spacer so that the convex portion 20 is not crushed even if the weight of the human body is applied in order to secure an air flow path. In the spacer 10 of the present embodiment, the convex portion 20 is provided with a strength that does not crush even when the weight of the human body is applied, and the flexible connecting portion 26 uses a belt-like member so that it can be easily deformed. . Each of the protrusions 20 of the present spacer connected by the flexible connecting portion 26 can move almost independently, so that the spacer 10 as a whole is rich in flexibility.

For example, when the present spacer is used for an air conditioning mat or the like that is laid on a very soft sofa or the like, the flexible connecting portion 26 of the present spacer is approximately 180 on the side of the frame-shaped portion without deformation of the convex portion. It is desirable to form it so that it bends. Thereby, a spacer deform | transforms freely along the shape of a body, and a required space can be ensured easily.

Further, the frame portion of the convex portion of the spacer is about 10 mm long × 10 mm wide × 0.6 mm thick, the height of the convex portion is about 10 mm, and the interval between the adjacent convex portions is about 16.5 mm. The flexible connecting portion is approximately 5 mm long × 3 mm wide × 0.6 mm thick. The present spacer is not limited to this. For example, the spacer may have any size as long as at least 100 convex portions are formed per square meter. If the number of protrusions is less than this, the size of the protrusions will increase and the flexibility will be lost, or if the size of the protrusions will be reduced, the length of the flexible connecting part will become too long and air will flow. This is because it is difficult to secure a space to perform.

Further, the frame-shaped portion is not limited to a quadrangular shape, and may be a circular shape or a polygonal shape. The standing portion is not limited to a column, and a space of 5 mm to 50 mm can be maintained between the frame-shaped portion and the standing connection portion. Two opposing walls may be used, or a combination of a pillar and a wall may be used. This is because if the height is lower than 5 mm, the air resistance increases, which is not practical, and even if the height is higher than 50 mm, it only increases and the effect of the spacer does not change. Furthermore, the upright connecting portion is not limited to a flat surface, and may be raised in a semicircular shape, for example, and when the upright portion is composed of four pillars, it is formed in an X shape that connects the pillars by crossing them. Also good. The spacer of the present embodiment described above has been internationally filed by the present applicant and has already been published internationally (International Publication No. 2007/094130).

(1st Embodiment) Next, the air-conditioning mat which is 1st Embodiment of this invention using the said spacer is demonstrated. The air-conditioning mat according to the first embodiment is an electric bedding used when a person goes to bed. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the air conditioning mat according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4A is a schematic front view of the air conditioning mat according to the first embodiment, FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic partial sectional view taken along the line AA of the air conditioning mat according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a schematic partial sectional view showing a joined state between the main body and the air circulation cylinder.

The air-conditioning mat 1 according to the present embodiment has an overall shape that is substantially flat, a main body 2 that has a substantially rectangular front shape, and a plastic air circulation cylinder that is substantially cylindrical. 3, a fan 4, and a controller unit 5. The main body 2 is disposed on the lower side of the spacer 10, the cover portion 6 covering the spacer 10, the middle sheet 7 made of moisture-permeable thin urethane sheet or the like disposed on the upper side of the spacer 10, and the like. And a heating sheet 8 provided with a heater wire 11. The cover portion 6 includes an upper cover portion 6a that covers the upper side of the spacer 10 and that is hard to leak air and has moisture permeability, and a lower cover portion 6b that covers the lower side of the spacer 10 and is hard to leak air. The air circulation tube portion 3 is provided at one end portion orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 2 (the end portion on the side where the foot is located when a person goes to sleep, hereinafter also simply referred to as a foot side end portion). Yes. In addition, fans 4 and 4 that rotate so as to discharge air in the air circulation cylinder 3 are provided at both ends of the air circulation cylinder 3 that is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The cross section of this portion is formed in a substantially rectangular shape having a low height and a wide width so that the portion excluding both ends of the air circulation tube portion 3 has substantially the same height (thickness) as the main body portion 2. . Thereby, even if it puts on the futon, since the height is low, it can prevent that a sleeper trips over. Moreover, the air circulation cylinder part 3 fulfill | performs the function as a buffer part for smoothly connecting the air delivery port of a circular fan, and a flat air flow path.

Further, in the vicinity of the other end portion (the end portion on the side where the head is located when a person goes to sleep) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 2, an air circulation port portion 6 c is provided between the upper cover portion 6 a and the lower cover 6 b. , 6c are formed. The air circulation ports 6c and 6c are provided with a cloth having good air circulation, such as a mesh. In addition, you may make it form this air circulation opening part only in the upper cover part 6a. Further, the edges of the upper cover portion 6a and the lower cover portion 6b of the other end are sewn. Since the edges of the upper cover portion 6a and the lower cover portion 6b are also sewn at both side end portions parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cover portion 6, air does not leak from the both end portions of the cover portion 6. The controller unit 5 corresponds to the fan control unit and the heater control unit of the present invention, and controls the number of rotations of the fan and the current flowing through the heater wire.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cross-sectional structure of the main body 2 of the air conditioning mat 1 includes an upper cover portion 6a, a middle sheet 7, a spacer 10, a heating sheet 8, and a lower cover portion 6b in order from the side in contact with the body. It is configured like this. The heater wire 11 of the heating sheet 8 is arranged as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 4A and is connected to the controller unit 5 including the heater control unit. Commercial power is supplied to the controller unit 5. The fan 4 is connected to a controller unit 5 including a fan control unit by a connection line (not shown). Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the air circulation tube portion 3 is provided with an opening 3 a for inserting the foot side end portion of the cover portion 6. That is, the upper cover portion 6a, the lower cover portion 6b, and the spacer 10 covered with both the cover portions 6a and 6b are inserted into the opening 3a of the air circulation tube portion 3, and as shown in FIG. 6a is bent along the inner wall of the air circulation cylinder 3 in the air circulation cylinder 3 and is adhered to the inner wall of the air circulation cylinder 3 with an adhesive. Similarly, the lower cover portion 6b is also bent and bonded to the inner wall of the air circulation tube portion 3 with an adhesive. Thereby, the air-conditioning mat according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which air can flow between the air flow tube portion 3 and the air flow passage 15.

Since the air conditioning mat 1 of the present embodiment is configured as described above, when the room temperature is high, the controller unit 5 is operated to rotate the fan 4 in the direction in which the air in the air circulation tube unit 3 is discharged. Thereby, the inside of the air flow passage 15 formed by the spacer 10 becomes negative pressure, outside air is taken in from the air circulation port portion 6 c, and the outside air flows into the air flow passage 15 and passes through the air circulation cylinder portion 3. It is discharged to the outside by the fan 4. That is, a sleeping person using the air-conditioning mat 1 is cooled by the air flowing in the air flow passage, and the sweat discharged from the sleeping gland of the sleeping person passes through the upper cover 6a portion and the middle sheet 7 having moisture permeability. However, since the sleeper who is discharged to the outside by the air flowing through the air flow passage is cooled by the heat of vaporization at that time, he can take a comfortable sleep. Moreover, by making the inside of the air flow passage 15 have a negative pressure, the cover portion does not swell by the fan as in the case where the inside is made a positive pressure, and the comfort of use can be improved.

The middle sheet 7 is provided to prevent a slight decrease in touch caused mainly by the spacer. Further, when the middle sheet is thickened, the cooling effect by the air flowing through the air flow passage can be suppressed, and overcooling can be prevented when the outside air temperature decreases. However, the middle sheet can be omitted. For example, the middle sheet may be omitted if there is other over-cooling prevention means such as an outside air temperature sensor.

Next, when the room temperature is low, the controller unit 5 is operated to apply a voltage to the heater wire 11 of the heating sheet 8. At this time, of course, the fan 4 is not rotated. The air staying in the air flow passage is warmed by the heater wire 11, and as a result, the middle sheet and the upper cover are warmed. Unlike the conventional electric bedding, instead of heating the body partly and directly with the heater wire, the top cover of the air conditioning mat is heated almost uniformly, eliminating various problems caused by partial direct heating. Also, you can go to bed comfortably without the bumpy feeling caused by the heater wire.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 7A is a schematic front view of an air conditioning mat according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the air conditioning mat taken along the line BB. The air-conditioning mat 100 of the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that air is not flowed by using a common bedding member such as solid cotton in a portion near both ends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the air-conditioning mat 100. Thus, the width of the portion of the main body 102 through which the air flows is narrowed and the heater wire 111 is wired inside the spacer 10 without using the heating sheet 8. Since the other points are the same as those of the first embodiment, those having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. To do.

Non-air-conditioning formed so that air is not circulated by using, for example, polyester fiber or cotton made of felt made of felt, etc., at portions near both ends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body 102 of the air-conditioning mat 100 of the present embodiment. A portion 160 is provided. Therefore, the main body 102 to be air-conditioned is narrowed accordingly. This is because a sleeping person generally sleeps in the center of the mat and does not need much air-conditioning function near the ends parallel to the longitudinal direction. As a result, the air conditioning mat 100 can be reduced in cost because the spacers can be downsized and the heater wires can be shortened. Further, since it is possible to reduce the amount of air blown through the air flow passage 15, noise of the fan 3 can be reduced, and power consumption for rotating the fan and power consumption of the heater wire can be suppressed.

The convex part 20 of the spacer 10 is composed of the four pillars as described above, and the inside thereof is hollow, so that the heater wire can be easily passed therethrough. Since the wire diameter of the heater wire is as thin as about 1 mm, the increase in air resistance when air is circulated through the air flow passage is slight and does not significantly affect the air conditioning capability. The air-conditioning mat of this embodiment can be manufactured at a lower cost than the method using a heating sheet. Since other operations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the range of the summary.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the spacer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used has been described. However, the spacer of the present invention is not limited to that shown in FIGS. As long as it has, what kind of thing may be sufficient.

Further, in the above embodiment, the cross section of the portion excluding both ends of the air flow cylinder portion 3 is formed to be substantially rectangular, but if the air flow cylinder portion is a hollow cylinder, The cross section of this part may be circular or elliptical. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the fans are provided at both ends of the air circulation cylinder portion has been described. However, the fans may be provided only at either one of the both ends. Further, in the above embodiment, the portion excluding both ends of the air circulation tube portion 3 is formed to have substantially the same height (thickness) as the main body portion, but the both ends of the air circulation tube portion 3 are excluded. The portion may be higher than the main body. Moreover, you may make the both ends the same height as the height of a main-body part using the fan reduced in size. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the air circulation tube portion 3 is provided has been described. However, the air circulation tube portion 3 can be omitted. In this case, the fan is provided at the foot side end of the main body (cover).

In the above embodiment, the case where the air-conditioning mat is an electric bedding has been described. However, the air-conditioning mat may be used for an animal such as a pet.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the ambient temperature is high, the outside air is circulated through the space secured by the spacers to evaporate sweat from the body in contact with the air conditioning mat. Because the body is cooled, you can sleep comfortably without getting muddy. Further, when the ambient temperature is low, by providing a space between the heater wire and the body, the whole body part in contact with the air conditioning mat can be warmed almost uniformly. Therefore, the present invention can be used as an air-conditioning mat for a bedclothing for sleeping that can be used throughout the year.

Claims (7)

A spacer for securing an air flow passage having a height of at least 5 mm through which air flows, an upper cover portion having moisture permeability that prevents the air covering the upper side of the spacer from leaking, and the air covering the lower side of the spacer are unlikely to leak. A substantially flat main body portion comprising: a cover portion including a lower cover portion; and a heating sheet provided with a heater wire disposed between the spacer and the lower cover portion;
A fan for circulating air provided at one end of the cover portion through the air flow passage;
An air circulation port provided at the other end opposite to the one end of the cover;
A fan control unit for controlling the rotational speed of the fan;
A heater control unit for controlling the power supplied to the heater wire;
Comprising
When the ambient temperature is high, the fan is rotated to circulate the outside air through the air flow passage, and sweat from the body in contact with the air conditioning mat passes through the upper cover portion and the air circulation port portion or the fan. The air conditioning mat is characterized in that when the ambient temperature is low, the air in the air flow passage is heated by passing an electric current through the heater wire provided in the heating sheet. The spacer includes a frame-shaped portion, a pillar formed so that one end thereof stands up from the frame-shaped portion, a wall or a standing portion composed of a column and a wall, and an upright connecting portion that connects the other end of the upright portion. A convex portion having,
A flexible connecting portion that connects the adjacent convex portions, and
At least 100 convex portions are formed per square meter,
The air conditioning mat according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion and the flexible connecting portion are integrally formed of plastic. A convex part having a frame-like part, a pillar formed so that one end rises from the frame-like part, a wall or a standing part composed of a pillar and a wall, and an upright connecting part that connects the other end of the upright part; ,
A flexible connecting portion that connects the adjacent convex portions, and
At least 100 convex portions are formed per square meter,
The convex portion and the flexible connecting portion are integrally formed of plastic, and a spacer for securing an air flow passage through which air flows,
An upper cover portion that covers the upper side of the spacer and has moisture permeability that prevents air from leaking, and a cover portion that includes a lower cover portion that covers the lower side of the spacer and hardly leaks air,
A heater wire arranged in the spacer;
A substantially flat main body comprising:
A fan for circulating air provided at one end of the cover portion through the air flow passage;
An air circulation port provided at the other end opposite to the one end of the cover;
A fan control unit for controlling the rotational speed of the fan;
A heater control unit for controlling the power supplied to the heater wire;
Comprising
When the ambient temperature is high, the fan is rotated to circulate the outside air through the air flow passage, and sweat from the body in contact with the air conditioning mat passes through the upper cover portion and the air circulation port portion or the fan. The air conditioning mat is characterized in that when the ambient temperature is low, the air in the air flow passage is heated by flowing an electric current through the heater wire. The one end portion of the cover portion is connected to an air flow tube portion formed in a cylindrical shape for flowing air through the air flow passage, and the fan is at least one end portion of the air flow tube portion. The air-conditioning mat according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the air-conditioning mat is attached to the air-conditioning mat. The air-conditioning mat according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the air circulation tube portion other than the end portion to which the fan is attached is formed at substantially the same height as the main body portion. The non-air-conditioning part using general bedding materials, such as solid cotton, is formed in the site | part near the both ends located so as to be orthogonal to the said one edge part of the said cover part, The thru | or 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The air conditioning mat according to any one of 5. The air-conditioning mat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fan rotates in a direction to discharge the air in the air flow passage to the outside.

Images