JP7674643B2 - Vehicle seats - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and in particular to a vehicle seat equipped with a seat back frame having a headrest guide.

A vehicle seat includes a seat cushion, a seat back, and a headrest, and a frame member that forms the framework of the seat back and the seat cushion is provided. The frame member is composed of an arch-shaped framework, and a headrest guide is provided on the upper part of the frame member, through which a stay hanging down from the headrest is inserted. The headrest guide is attached by welding to a recess formed by pressing or the like on the upper part of the frame member. Patent Document 1 discloses a headrest guide (referred to as a support bracket in Patent Document 1) that is attached to a fitting portion formed on the frame member.

JP 2013-248953 A

Conventionally, when fixing a headrest guide to a frame member by welding, even if there is a recess or a fitting, complex operations are required, making it difficult to mechanize the installation of the headrest guide. For this reason, there was a demand for a simpler structure for fixing the headrest guide to the frame member (seat back frame).

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle seat with a seat back that has a relatively simple structure and that fixes a headrest guide to a seat back frame.

The problem is solved by a vehicle seat comprising a seat back, a headrest provided on the seat back, and a seat back frame forming the skeleton of the seat back, wherein the seat back frame has a pair of back side frames, an upper frame connecting the pair of back side frames, and a headrest guide that holds a stay of the headrest, wherein the upper frame has a plate-shaped first pan frame and a plate-shaped second pan frame, wherein the first pan frame supports the headrest guide by sandwiching it from the front of the seat back, and the second pan frame supports the headrest guide from the rear of the seat back, and wherein at least one end of the first pan frame and the second pan frame is provided with a hook portion, and the hook portion is hooked to the other end where the hook portion is not provided .

According to the vehicle seat described above, the headrest guide is supported by being sandwiched between the first pan frame and the second pan frame from the front-rear direction. If the first pan frame and the second pan frame are joined together while the headrest is sandwiched between them from the front-rear direction, the headrest guide can also be fixed in place. This allows the headrest guide to be fixed to the seat back frame with a relatively simple structure.

In addition, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, at least one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame has a hat-shaped longitudinal cross section, the first pan frame has a bulge portion and a flange portion, the flange portion being formed from at least one of the upper end and lower end of the bulge portion, the first pan frame has a hook-shaped first hook portion which is the hook portion at the upper end of the first pan frame, and the second pan frame has a hook-shaped second hook portion formed at the upper end of the second pan frame at a position avoiding the first hook portion of the first pan frame, and the first hook portion of the first pan frame is hooked onto an end of the second pan frame, and the second hook portion of the second pan frame is hooked onto the end of the first pan frame .
Since at least one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame has a hat-shaped cross section, the rigidity of the first pan frame and the second pan frame is improved.

In addition, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the hat-shaped brim of one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame having the hat-shaped longitudinal cross section is joined to the other, and the first pan frame and the second pan frame form a holder portion supporting the headrest guide.
By using the flange portion for bonding, the first pan frame and the second pan frame can be bonded more firmly.

In addition, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, a recess extending in the vertical direction to match the outer shape of the headrest guide is formed in each of the first pan frame and the second pan frame at a position opposite to each other, and the holder portion of the upper frame is formed by the recesses arranged opposite to each other in the first pan frame and the second pan frame, and the upper end of the recess is formed below the upper ends of the first pan frame and the second pan frame .
By inserting the headrest guides into the recesses disposed opposite each other, it is possible to prevent the headrest guides from shifting in position in the seat width direction.

In addition, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, a flange portion is formed around an opening into which the headrest guide is inserted in at least one of the recesses formed in the first pan frame and the second pan frame, and the position of the flange portion is preferably formed at approximately the same height as the upper end of the bulge portion of the first pan frame .
By forming a flange portion around the periphery of the opening into which the headrest guide is inserted, the periphery of the opening is reinforced.

In addition, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the first pan frame and the second pan frame may be joined by welding , and the welded joint may be provided below the second pan frame .
The first pan frame and the second pan frame are joined by welding to provide a stronger bond. In addition, by joining the first pan frame and the second pan frame by welding, the headrest guide sandwiched between them is fixed, so that the process of fixing the headrest guide to the frame can be eliminated.

In the vehicle seat described above, it is further preferable that the first pan frame and the second pan frame are formed from different materials.
By forming the first pan frame and the second pan frame from different materials, it is possible to reduce the weight of either the first pan frame or the second pan frame or to increase its strength.

In the above vehicle seat, it is even more preferable that the second pan frame has a hole formed between the accommodating portions that accommodate the holder portions .

In the above vehicle seat, it is more preferable that the first pan frame is made of high tensile steel.
The first pan frame that is clamped from the front is made of high tensile steel, making it possible to form a frame that is lighter and stronger than if it were made of iron.

In the above vehicle seat, it is even more preferable that the second pan frame has a notch formed on an outer side in the seat width direction of the accommodation portion that accommodates the holder portion .

According to the above vehicle seat, the headrest guide is supported by being sandwiched between the first pan frame and the second pan frame from the front-rear direction. If the first pan frame and the second pan frame are fixed together while the headrest is sandwiched between them from the front-rear direction, the headrest guide can be fixed together. Therefore, for example, it becomes possible to easily assemble the headrest guide.
In addition, since either one or both of the first pan frame and the second pan frame have a hat-shaped cross section, the rigidity of the first pan frame and the second pan frame is improved.
Furthermore, by using the flange portion for bonding, the first pan frame and the second pan frame can be bonded more firmly.
By inserting the headrest guides into the recesses disposed opposite each other, it is possible to suppress misalignment in the seat width direction.
By forming a flange portion around the periphery of the opening into which the headrest guide is inserted, the periphery of the opening is reinforced.
The first pan frame and the second pan frame are bonded together by welding, so that the bond is stronger. In addition, the headrest guide sandwiched between the first pan frame and the second pan frame is fixed by welding the first pan frame and the second pan frame together, so that the process of fixing the headrest guide to the frame as in the conventional method can be eliminated.
By forming the first pan frame and the second pan frame from different materials, it is possible to reduce the weight of either one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame and to increase the strength of the either one. In addition, by using an inexpensive material, it is possible to reduce the cost of forming the frame.
Fixing the components with structural adhesive reduces the amount of welding required during assembly, making it easier to assemble the frame.
The first pan frame that is clamped from the front is made of high tensile steel, making it possible to form a frame that is lighter and stronger than if it were made of iron.
By forming the second pan frame that is clamped from the rear from resin or aluminum, a cheaper and lighter frame can be formed compared to a steel frame.

1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat frame of a vehicle seat, as viewed obliquely from the front. 1 is a front view of an upper frame of a seat back frame. FIG. 1 is a rear view of the upper frame of the seatback frame. FIG. This is an oblique view showing the inside of the first pan frame that constitutes the upper frame. This is an oblique view showing the inside of the second pan frame that constitutes the upper frame. FIG. 7 is an end view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of the upper frame.

Hereinafter, the configuration of a vehicle seat according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is for the purpose of making the present invention easier to understand, and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.
In the following description, the contents regarding the materials, shapes and sizes of the seat components are merely examples and do not limit the present invention.

In the following, a vehicle seat mounted on a vehicle will be given as an example of a vehicle seat, and an example of its configuration will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to vehicle seats mounted on vehicles that have wheels and travel on land, such as automobiles and trains, and may also be applied to seats mounted on aircraft, ships, and other vehicles that travel other than on land, for example.

In the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat, which coincides with the direction of travel when the vehicle is traveling. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat, which coincides with the left-right direction as seen by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat. The "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle seat, which coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal plane. In addition, when the term "outside" is used simply, it refers to the side closer to the outside in the direction from the center of the vehicle seat alone to the outside, and when the term "inside" is used, it refers to the side closer to the center in the direction from the outside to the center of the vehicle seat alone.

The shape, position, and posture of each part of the vehicle seat described below will be explained assuming that the vehicle seat is in the seated position described below, unless otherwise specified.

<Vehicle seat S>
The basic configuration of a vehicle seat according to this embodiment (hereinafter, vehicle seat S) will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle seat S, and for convenience of illustration, a cushion trim cover T and a pad P are removed from a portion of the vehicle seat S in Fig. 1.

The vehicle seat S is placed on the vehicle floor and is a seat in which a vehicle occupant sits. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat S is used as a front seat that corresponds to the front seat of the vehicle. However, this is not limited to this, and the vehicle seat S can also be used as a rear seat, and can also be used as a second-row middle seat or a third-row rear seat in a vehicle that has three rows of seats in the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main components of a vehicle seat S are a seat back 1, which serves as a backrest supporting the back of a seated occupant, a seat cushion 2, which serves as a seating portion supporting the buttocks of the seated occupant, and a headrest 3, which is disposed on top of the seat back 1 and supports the head of the seated occupant. The seat back 1 and the seat cushion 2 are connected to sandwich a reclining mechanism 7 (see FIG. 2). The seat back 1 is connected to the seat cushion 2 so that it can rotate and adjust the angle. The reclining mechanism 7 adjusts the tilt angle of the seat back 1.

<Seat frame F>
As shown in FIG. 2 , a seat frame F is provided inside the vehicle seat S. The seat frame F is composed of a seat back frame 10 that forms the skeleton of the seat back 1 and a seat cushion frame 20 that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 2.
In the following, first, the configuration other than the seat back frame 10, such as the seat cushion frame 20, will be described, and the details of the seat back frame 10 will be described after that.

<Seat cushion frame 20>
The seat cushion frame 20 is formed in a rectangular frame shape, and cushion side frames 21 are provided on the sides thereof. The seat cushion frame 20 also has a front connecting frame 22 that connects the cushion side frames 21 at the front, and a rear connecting frame 23 that connects them at the rear. The front connecting frame 22 and the rear connecting frame 23 at the front and rear of the vehicle seat S are made of round pipes. A cushion pan frame 24 is provided in front of the front connecting frame 22. Although not shown, a pressure-receiving member is attached to bridge between the cushion pan frame 24 and the rear connecting frame 23, and the pressure-receiving member supports the buttocks of a seated occupant from below.

<Headrest 3 and headrest frame 30>
The headrest 3 is attached to the upper part of the seat back 1 so as to support the head of a seated occupant. A headrest frame 30 that forms the framework of the headrest 3 is provided inside the headrest 3, and two headrest stays 31 (also called headrest pillars) that hang down from the lower part of the headrest 3 are provided on both the left and right ends of the headrest frame 30. The headrest 3 is attached to the seat back frame 10 by inserting the headrest stays 31 into headrest guides 17 that are attached to an upper frame 12 of the seat back frame 10, which will be described later.

<Pad P and cushion trim cover T>
A pad P and a cushion trim cover T (cushion cover) are provided on the outer sides of the seat back frame 10, the seat cushion frame, and the headrest frame 30 to form the seat back 1, the seat cushion 2, and the headrest 3. The pad P is a urethane base material formed by foam molding using, for example, a urethane foam material, and the cushion trim cover T is made of a skin material such as cloth, synthetic leather, or genuine leather.

<Slide rail 4>
2, a slide rail 4 is provided below the vehicle seat S. The slide rail 4 allows the vehicle seat S to be attached to the vehicle body floor BF in a state in which the vehicle seat S can slide in the front-rear direction.

The slide rail 4 is a device for sliding the vehicle seat S in the front-rear direction and has a known structure (the structure of a typical slide rail mechanism). The slide rail 4 has a lower rail that is fixed onto the vehicle body floor BF, and an upper rail that can slide relative to the lower rail. The upper rail can slide relative to the lower rail that is fixed to the vehicle body.

<Reclining mechanism 7>
A reclining mechanism 7 is provided between the lower end of the seat back 1 and the rear end of the seat cushion 2. More specifically, the reclining mechanism 7 connects a seat back frame 10 of the seat back 1 and a seat cushion frame 20 of the seat cushion 2. The reclining mechanism 7 makes it possible to adjust the angle of the seat back 1 (seat back frame 10) relative to the seat cushion 2 (seat cushion frame 20). The reclining mechanism 7 can lock the seat back 1 at a predetermined angle to maintain the inclined state. In addition, the seat back 1 can be tilted forward or backward by releasing the lock.

The seat back frame 10 of the vehicle seat S of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 9.

<Seat back frame 10>
2, the seatback frame 10 is formed in a rectangular frame shape as a whole, and includes a pair of backside frames 11 arranged on both sides, an upper frame 12, and a lower frame 16. The upper frame 12 is arranged between the pair of backside frames 11 and connects upper ends of the backside frames 11. The lower frame 16 is arranged between the pair of backside frames 11 and connects lower ends of the pair of backside frames 11.

<Headrest guide 17>
The headrest guide 17 is a tubular member having an insertion opening 17a through which the headrest stay 31 is inserted. A head 17b having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of an opening (upper opening 15a) of a holder portion 15 of the upper frame 12 described later is provided at the upper portion of the headrest guide 17. This prevents the headrest guide 17 from falling off to the underside of the upper frame 12 even when the headrest guide 17 is inserted into the holder portion 15 of the upper frame 12.
The headrest guide 17 is made of a strong metal member in order to maintain the holding strength of the headrest 3 and suppress rattling. The headrest guide 17 is not limited to being made of metal and may be made of resin.

<Upper frame 12>
The upper frame 12 is composed of a plate-shaped first pan frame 13 and a plate-shaped second pan frame 14. The first pan frame 13 is located on the front side of the seat back 1, and the second pan frame 14 is located on the rear side of the seat back 1, behind the first pan frame 13.
7 , the first pan frame 13 sandwiches the headrest guide 17 from the front of the seat back 1, and the second pan frame 14 sandwiches the headrest guide 17 from the rear of the seat back 1, thereby supporting the headrest guide 17. The first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 form a cylindrical holder portion 15 that holds the headrest guide 17. The headrest guide 17 is attached by inserting it into the holder portion 15.

The first pan frame 13 is formed with a bulging portion 13a that bulges toward the front of the seat. The bulging portion 13a is formed along the longitudinal direction of the first pan frame 13 so as to extend in the width direction of the vehicle seat S. A flange portion 13b that joins with the second pan frame 14 is formed at the top-bottom end of the bulging portion 13a, and as shown in Fig. 7, the first pan frame 13 is formed to have a hat-shaped longitudinal section by the bulging portion 13a and the flange portion 13b.
The hat shape also includes a cap shape. In other words, the hat shape also includes a case where a flange portion 13b is formed from at least one of the upper end and the lower end of the bulging portion 13a.
In the present embodiment, only the first pan frame 13 has a hat-shaped cross section, but the second pan frame 14 may have a hat-shaped cross section. Both the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 may have a hat-shaped cross section, and a closed cross section structure (also called a "Monaka structure") having a hollow portion may be formed by joining the flanges of both the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each of the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 has two recesses 13c and 14c extending in the vertical direction, which are formed in positions facing each other. The recesses 13c and 14c are formed to match the external shape of the headrest guide 17. The holder portion 15 that holds the headrest guide 17 is formed by arranging the recesses 13c and 14c facing each other and joining the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14.

The holder portion 15 forms a cylindrical space with the recesses 13c and 14c, and has openings at the top and bottom (upper opening 15a, lower opening 15b). In other words, the upper opening 15a of the holder portion 15 is composed of the opening 13d of the recess 13c and the opening 14d of the recess 14c shown in FIG. 5. The headrest guide 17 is attached by being inserted through the upper opening 15a of the holder portion 15.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the second pan frame 14, a flange portion 14e is formed around the opening 14d. As shown in FIG. 8, the position of the flange portion 14e is formed at approximately the same height as the upper end of the bulge portion 13a of the first pan frame 13, and by abutting against the head portion 17b of the headrest guide 17, the headrest guide 17 is prevented from falling off to the underside of the upper frame 12. In addition, by providing the flange portion 14e, the periphery of the opening 14d is reinforced. Note that this flange portion may be formed around the opening 13d on the first pan frame 13 side.

To reduce weight, the second pan frame 14 has a hole 14h between the two recesses 14c. Also, a notch 14i is formed on the outer side of the recess 14c in the width direction.

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, a hook-shaped hook portion 13g is formed on a part of the upper end and lower end of the first bread frame 13, which hooks onto the upper end and lower end of the second bread frame. Also, as shown in Figure 6, a hook-shaped hook portion 14g is formed on the upper end and lower end of the second bread frame 14 at a position that avoids the hook portion 13g of the first bread frame 13. By hooking the hook portion 13g of the first bread frame 13 to the end of the second bread frame and the hook portion 14g of the second bread frame 14 to the end of the first bread frame, it is possible to suppress the vertical positional deviation of the second bread frame 14 relative to the first bread frame 13.

The first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 are bonded together by welding. The welding is performed using multiple welding holes 14f formed in the second pan frame 14.

The first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 may be bonded and joined by an adhesive. The adhesive is a structural adhesive, and is preferably a high-toughness or high-viscosity type. In the case of a high-toughness structural adhesive, cracking of the adhesive due to twisting of the frame, etc. is suitably suppressed, and the durability of the bond can be improved. In the case of a high-viscosity type, dripping during bonding can be suppressed. An example of a structural adhesive is one that contains an epoxy resin as its main component.

In this embodiment, the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 are made of iron and are formed by pressing steel plates. The first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 are not limited to being made of iron, and the first pan frame 13 and the second pan frame 14 may be made of different materials.

For example, the first pan frame 13 may be made of high tensile steel. High tensile steel is taut even when thin, so it can be made thinner than steel plate, making it possible to reduce weight while maintaining rigidity. The second pan frame 14 may be made of high tensile steel.

The second pan frame 14 may also be made of resin or aluminum. This allows for a cheaper and lighter upper frame to be formed compared to an iron upper frame.

Another example of the upper frame 12 will be described. The upper frame 12A shown in FIG. 9 is also a member attached to the top of the seat back frame 10, and is provided to span the upper end of the back side frame 11. As with the upper frame 12 shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, the headrest guide 17 is held by sandwiching it between the first pan frame 13A and the second pan frame 14A. Recesses 13Ac, 14Ac extending in the vertical direction are formed in the first pan frame 13A and the second pan frame 14A, respectively, and by arranging them opposite each other, a holder portion 15A that holds the headrest guide 17 is formed.

The first pan frame 13A and the second pan frame 14A both have a hat-shaped cross section with bulges 13Aa, 14Aa and flanges 13Ab, 14Ab. The first pan frame 13A and the second pan frame 14A are welded together at their flanges 13Ab, 14Ab, or joined using a structural adhesive to form a closed cross-sectional structure (monaka structure). By forming the first pan frame 13A and the second pan frame 14A in this way, the upper frame 12A that holds the headrest guide 17 can be easily assembled while maintaining the rigidity of the upper frame.

The vehicle seat S of this embodiment has been described above using the drawings. Note that, in this embodiment, the first pan frame 13 has a hat-shaped cross section, but the second pan frame 14 may have a bulging portion that bulges out toward the rear of the seat, and may be configured so that the cross section is hat-shaped.

S Vehicle seats (vehicle seats)
F seat frame T cushion trim cover P pad 1 seat back 2 seat cushion 3 headrest 4 slide rail 7 reclining mechanism 10 seat back frame 11 back side frame 12, 12A upper frame 13, 13A first pan frame 13a, 13Aa bulge 13b, 13Ab flange 13c, 13Ac recess 13d opening 14 second pan frame 14Aa bulge 14Ab flange 14c, 14Ac recess 14d opening 14e flange 14f welding hole 14g hook 14h hole 14i notch 15 holder 15a upper opening 15b lower opening 16 lower frame 17 headrest guide 17a insertion hole 17b head 20 seat cushion frame 21 Cushion side frame 22 Front connecting frame 23 Rear connecting frame 24 Cushion pan frame 30 Headrest frame 31 Headrest stay

Claims (10)

A vehicle seat including a seat back, a headrest provided on the seat back, and a seat back frame forming a framework of the seat back,
The seat back frame is
The seat belt has a pair of back side frames, an upper frame that connects the pair of back side frames, and a headrest guide that holds a stay of the headrest,
The upper frame has a plate-shaped first pan frame and a plate-shaped second pan frame, and the first pan frame supports the headrest guide from the front of the seat back, and the second pan frame supports the headrest guide from the rear of the seat back by sandwiching the headrest guide .
This vehicle seat is characterized in that a hook portion is provided on at least one end of the first pan frame and the second pan frame, and the hook portion is hung on the other end where the hook portion is not provided . At least one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame has a hat-shaped longitudinal cross section,
The first pan frame includes a bulge portion and a flange portion,
The flange portion is formed from at least one of an upper end and a lower end of the bulging portion,
The first pan frame has a hook-shaped first hook portion which is the hook portion at the upper end of the first pan frame,
The second pan frame has a hook-shaped second hook portion formed at an upper end of the second pan frame at a position avoiding the first hook portion of the first pan frame,
The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the first hooking portion of the first pan frame is hooked onto an end portion of the second pan frame, and the second hooking portion of the second pan frame is hooked onto an end portion of the first pan frame . The vehicle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the hat-shaped flange of one of the first pan frame and the second pan frame, which has the hat-shaped longitudinal section, is joined to the other, and the first pan frame and the second pan frame form a holder portion that supports the headrest guide. The first pan frame and the second pan frame each have a recess extending in the vertical direction in accordance with the outer shape of the headrest guide, the recess being formed at a position facing each other,
The holder portion of the upper frame is formed by the recesses arranged opposite to each other in the first pan frame and the second pan frame ,
4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3 , wherein an upper end of the recess is formed below upper ends of the first pan frame and the second pan frame . In at least one of the recesses formed in the first pan frame and the second pan frame, a flange portion is formed around an opening into which the headrest guide is inserted ,
5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the flange portion is formed at substantially the same height as an upper end of the bulging portion of the first pan frame . The first pan frame and the second pan frame are joined by welding ,
6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the joint portion formed by welding is provided below the second pan frame . The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first pan frame and the second pan frame are made of different materials. 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 3 , wherein the second pan frame has holes formed between the accommodating portions that accommodate the holder portions . The vehicle seat according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the first pan frame is made of high tensile steel. The vehicle seat according to claim 8 , wherein the second pan frame has a notch formed on an outer side in a seat width direction of the accommodation portion that accommodates the holder portion .