JP7838442B2 - Vehicle seats - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to seats for vehicles.

Seats installed in vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with a lifting device that moves the cushion frame up and down, such as a lifter device. The lifting device has a link connecting the cushion frame and a support member (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-202796 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-176775

In a vehicle seat equipped with the aforementioned link, if an impact occurs to the seat from the rear of the vehicle, the cushion frame moves downward and contacts the support member, bottoming out. As a result, the load is directly transmitted to the back frame connected to the cushion frame, potentially causing deformation of the back frame.

One aspect of this disclosure aims to provide a vehicle seat that can suppress the transmission of load to the back frame when an impact occurs.

One aspect of this disclosure is a vehicle seat (1) comprising a seat cushion (2), a seat back (3), a cushion frame (4) supporting the seat cushion (2), a back frame (5) supporting the seat back (3), and a lifting device (7) configured to raise and lower at least a portion of the seat cushion (2).

The lifting device (7) comprises a support member (71A) positioned below the cushion frame (4), a link (75) rotatably connected to both the cushion frame (4) and the support member (71A), and a stopper (714) provided on one of the support member (71A) and the link (75). The stopper (714) has a guide surface (714A) configured to rotate the link (75) while shifting it in the seat width direction by contacting the other support member (71A) and link (75) when the link (75) rotates downward.

With this configuration, when an impact occurs to the vehicle seat (1), the guide surface (714A) of the stopper (714) causes the load-bearing link (75) to rotate while shifting relative to the support member (71A) in the seat width direction. As a result, the link (75) deforms not only in the vertical direction but also in the seat width direction, increasing the amount of energy absorbed by the link (75). Consequently, the transmission of load to the back frame (5) is suppressed.

In one aspect of this disclosure, the stopper (714) may be provided on the support member (71A). The guide surface (714A) may face the link (75) in the vertical direction and extend in both the sheet width direction and the vertical direction. With this configuration, since the stopper (714) is not provided on the link (75), it becomes easier to adjust the rigidity of the link (75).

In one aspect of this disclosure, the stopper (714) may be a triangular protrusion whose apex is located inside the support member (71A) and whose base is formed by the upper end of the support member (71A) when viewed from the sheet width direction. With such a configuration, a stopper (714) having sufficient strength to withstand a load can be formed relatively easily.

In one aspect of this disclosure, the link (75) may be a driven-rotating link. With this configuration, the energy absorption of the link (75), which tends to bottom out the cushion frame (4) due to its low rotational resistance, can be increased. Therefore, the effect of suppressing the transmission of load to the back frame (5) can be enhanced.

In one aspect of this disclosure, the link (75) may be positioned to overlap the back frame (5) in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the link (75) deforms below the back frame (5), thereby promoting the effect of suppressing the transmission of load to the back frame (5).

The symbols within the parentheses above are merely examples illustrating the correspondence with the specific configurations described in the embodiments below, and this disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations indicated by the symbols within the parentheses above.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle seat in an embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the cushion frame, sliding mechanism, and lifting mechanism in the vehicle seat shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the area around the first link in the lifting device shown in Figure 2. Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of the area around the first link in the lifting device of Figure 2, and Figure 4B is a schematic perspective view of the state in Figure 4A where an impact occurs to the vehicle seat. Figure 5A is a schematic perspective view of the first link and first support member in a lifting device different from Figure 2, and Figure 5B is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle seat in the state when an impact occurs in Figure 5A.

Embodiments to which this disclosure applies will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[1. First Embodiment]
[1-1. Structure]
The vehicle seat 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a seat cushion 2, a seat back 3, a cushion frame 4, a back frame 5, a first sliding device 6A, a second sliding device 6B, and a lifting device 7.

The vehicle seat 1 of this embodiment is used as a seat in a passenger car. The directions in the following description and in each drawing refer to the directions when the vehicle seat 1 is assembled in a vehicle (i.e., a passenger car). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seat width direction coincides with the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the front of the seat coincides with the front of the vehicle.

The seat cushion 2 is the part that supports the seated person's buttocks, etc. The seat back 3 is the part that supports the seated person's back. The cushion frame 4 supports the seat cushion 2. The back frame 5 supports the seat back 3.

<Cushion Frame>
The cushion frame 4 includes a first side frame 41, a second side frame 42, and a front panel 43.

The first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 are panel-shaped members that extend in the front-rear direction of the seat and are spaced apart from each other in the seat width direction. The first side frame 41 is positioned to the left of the second side frame 42. The front panel 43 is positioned to straddle the front end of the first side frame 41 and the front end of the second side frame 42.

<Back frame>
The back frame 5 includes a third side frame 51, a fourth side frame 52, an upper panel 53, and a lower panel 54.

The third side frame 51 and the fourth side frame 52 extend vertically and are spaced apart from each other in the sheet width direction. The third side frame 51 is positioned to the left of the fourth side frame 52. The thickness direction of the third side frame 51 and the fourth side frame 52 is parallel to the sheet width direction.

The upper panel 53 connects the upper end of the third side frame 51 and the upper end of the fourth side frame 52 in the seat width direction. The lower panel 54 connects the third side frame 51 and the fourth side frame 52 in the seat width direction, below the upper panel 53.

<Slide device>
The first sliding device 6A and the second sliding device 6B each slide the cushion frame 4 in the front-to-back direction of the seat.

The first sliding device 6A has a movable rail 61A connected to the first side frame 41 and a fixed rail 62A that slidably supports the movable rail 61A. The second sliding device 6B has a movable rail 61B connected to the second side frame 42 and a fixed rail 62B that slidably supports the movable rail 61B.

The first sliding device 6A and the second sliding device 6B are positioned apart from each other in the seat width direction. The first sliding device 6A is located to the left of the second sliding device 6B. Both the first and second sliding devices 6A and 6B are positioned below the cushion frame 4 and support the cushion frame 4 via the lifting device 7.

<Lifting device>
The lifting device 7 is configured to raise and lower the entire seat cushion 2 by moving the cushion frame 4 vertically. The lifting device 7 is operated by manual operation by the seated person or by the driving force of an actuator.

As shown in Figure 2, the lifting device 7 comprises a first support member 71A, a second support member 71B, a third support member 71C, a fourth support member 71D, a first connecting rod 72, a second connecting rod 73, a first link 75, a second link 76, a third link 77, a fourth link 78, and an operating mechanism 79.

(Support member)
The first support member 71A, the second support member 71B, the third support member 71C, and the fourth support member 71D are each positioned below the cushion frame 4.

The first support member 71A is fixed to the movable rail 61A of the first slide device 6A below the first side frame 41. The second support member 71B is fixed to the movable rail 61A of the first slide device 6A below the first side frame 41 and in front of the seat than the first support member 71A.

The third support member 71C is fixed to the movable rail 61B of the second slide device 6B below the second side frame 42. The fourth support member 71D is fixed to the movable rail 61B of the second slide device 6B below the second side frame 42 and in front of the seat than the third support member 71C.

As shown in Figure 3, the first support member 71A has a bottom wall 711, a first side wall 712, a second side wall 713, and a stopper 714. The bottom wall 711 is fixed to the upper surface of the movable rail 61A, for example, by bolts.

The first side wall 712 extends upward from the outer (i.e., left) end of the bottom wall 711 in the sheet width direction. The upper end of the first side wall 712 overlaps the first side frame 41 from the outer side in the sheet width direction, but it is not connected to the first side frame 41.

The second side wall 713 extends upward from the inner (i.e., right) end of the bottom wall 711 in the sheet width direction. The upper end of the second side wall 713 is located below the first side frame 41. The first link 75 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the second side wall 713 by a shaft member 8.

The stopper 714 is a curved portion that protrudes inward in the seat width direction from the second side wall 713. The stopper 714 includes the upper end of the second side wall 713 and is located in a region behind the seat relative to the shaft member 8. The stopper 714 is located in front of the seat relative to the first connecting rod 72.

The stopper 714 has a guide surface 714A configured to contact the first link 75 as it rotates downward around the shaft member 8, thereby causing the first link 75 to rotate while shifting in the sheet width direction.

The guide surface 714A faces the first link 75 in the vertical direction and extends in both the sheet width direction and the vertical direction. The guide surface 714A is a part of the upper end surface of the stopper 714. The guide surface 714A is a region of the upper end surface of the stopper 714 that extends from the outer and upper part in the sheet width direction to the inner and downward part in the sheet width direction.

As shown in Figure 4A, the stopper 714 is a triangular protrusion whose apex is located inside the first support member 71A and whose base is formed by the upper end of the first support member 71A, when viewed from the sheet width direction.

The guide surface 714A corresponds to the upper half of the triangular base. In other words, the guide surface 714A is the region of the upper end surface of the stopper 714 that is above the longitudinal centerline L of the stopper 714.

(Connecting rod)
The first connecting rod 72 and the second connecting rod 73 shown in Figure 2 extend in the width direction of the sheet and are rotatably connected to the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42, respectively.

The first connecting rod 72 is positioned behind the seat compared to the second connecting rod 73. Both the first connecting rod 72 and the second connecting rod 73 are cylindrical tubes, each positioned so that its central axis is parallel to the seat width direction.

(First link)
The first link 75 is a plate-shaped member that connects the first support member 71A and the first connecting rod 72.

The first link 75 is rotatably connected to the cushion frame 4 by the first connecting rod 72. The first link 75 rotates via the first connecting rod 72, which is connected to the third link 77, driven and rotated by the actuation mechanism 79. In other words, the first link 75 is a driven-rotation link.

As shown in Figure 3, the first link 75 is positioned to overlap the third side frame 51 of the back frame 5 in the vertical direction. The first link 75 is positioned to overlap the first side frame 41 and the first support member 71A of the cushion frame 4 from the inside in the seat width direction.

As shown in Figure 4A, the first link 75 has a body 751 and a flange 752. The body 751 is a plate-shaped portion having a plate surface that intersects (specifically, perpendicular to) the sheet width direction.

The rear end of the main body 751 is fixed to the first connecting rod 72, for example, by welding. The first connecting rod 72 penetrates the main body 751 in the thickness direction. The front end of the main body 751 is rotatably connected to the first support member 71A by the shaft member 8.

The flange 752 is a plate-shaped portion that protrudes inward in the sheet width direction (i.e., away from the first side frame 41) from the upper end of the main body 751. The plate surface of the flange 752 is parallel to the sheet width direction.

The rear end of the flange 752 is fixed to the outer surface of the first connecting rod 72, for example, by welding. The flange 752 overlaps the first connecting rod 72 from above. The front end of the flange 752 is located above the shaft member 8. The flange 752 increases in width towards the rear of the seat.

As shown in Figure 4B, when an impact occurs to the vehicle seat 1 and the cushion frame 4 sinks, the first link 75 rotates so as to tilt backward to the seat while contacting the guide surface 714A of the stopper 714 on the first support member 71A. The guide surface 714A causes the lower end of the first link 75 to slide inward in the seat width direction. As a result, the first link 75 tilts while undergoing twisting deformation in the seat width direction.

Furthermore, during normal operation of raising and lowering the cushion frame 4, the first link 75 does not come into contact with the stopper 714. In other words, when the cushion frame 4 is in its lowest position, the first link 75 is positioned above the stopper 714.

(Link 2, Link 3, and Link 4)
The second link 76 shown in Figure 2 connects the second connecting rod 73 and the second support member 71B. The second link 76 works in cooperation with the first link 75 to move the first side frame 41 up and down.

The third link 77 connects the first connecting rod 72 and the third support member 71C. The third link 77 is connected to the first link 75 via the first connecting rod 72 and operates in synchronous motion with the first link 75.

The fourth link 78 connects the second connecting rod 73 and the fourth support member 71D. The fourth link 78 is connected to the second link 76 via the second connecting rod 73 and operates synchronously with the second link 76. Furthermore, the fourth link 78 works in cooperation with the third link 77 to move the second side frame 42 up and down.

(Operating mechanism)
The operating mechanism 79 is mounted on the second side frame 42. The operating mechanism 79 includes a gear mechanism and a brake mechanism.

The gear mechanism rotates the third link 77 by the driving force input from the operating lever or actuator. This causes the first link 75, the second link 76, and the fourth link 78 to rotate in response. The brake mechanism prevents the gear mechanism from reversing due to the weight of the occupant on the seat cushion 2.

[1-2. Effects]
According to the embodiments described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1a) When an impact occurs to the vehicle seat 1, the load-bearing first link 75 rotates while shifting in the seat width direction relative to the first support member 71A due to the guide surface 714A of the stopper 714. As a result, the first link 75 deforms not only in the vertical direction but also in the seat width direction, increasing the amount of energy absorbed by the first link 75. Consequently, the transmission of load to the back frame 5 is suppressed.

(1b) Since the stopper 714 is provided on the first support member 71A, the stopper 714 is not provided on the first link 75. Therefore, the rigidity of the first link 75 can be easily adjusted.

(1c) Because the first link 75 is a driven rotation link, its low rotational resistance makes it prone to bottoming out the cushion frame 4. Therefore, the energy absorption capacity of the first link 75 can be increased. This promotes the suppression of load transmission to the back frame 5.

(1d) Because the first link 75 overlaps the back frame 5 in the vertical direction, the first link 75 deforms below the back frame 5, thereby promoting the effect of suppressing the transmission of load to the back frame 5.

(1e) Because the stopper 714 has a triangular protrusion, it is relatively easy to form a stopper 714 that has sufficient strength to withstand the load.

[2. Other Embodiments]
While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and can take various forms.

(2a) In the vehicle seat of the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 5A, instead of providing a stopper 714 on the first support member 71A, a stopper 753 may be provided on the first link 75. The stopper 753 has a guide surface 753A configured to rotate the first link 75 while shifting it in the seat width direction by contacting the second side wall 713 of the first support member 71A when the first link 75 rotates downward.

The stopper 753 is a curved portion of the first link 75 that protrudes outward in the seat width direction from the main body 751. The stopper 753 includes the lower end of the main body 751 and is located in a region behind the seat relative to the shaft member 8. The guide surface 753A is a curved surface on the outer surface of the stopper 753 that faces the second side wall 713 in the vertical direction.

As shown in Figure 5B, when an impact occurs to the vehicle seat, the first link 75 rotates so as to tilt backward to the seat, while the guide surface 753A of the stopper 753 comes into contact with the second side wall 713 of the first support member 71A. The guide surface 753A slides inward in the seat width direction due to contact with the second side wall 713. Therefore, the first link 75 tilts while undergoing twisting deformation in the seat width direction.

(2b) In the vehicle seat of the above embodiment, the stopper may be provided on the third link or the third support member. That is, the stopper may rotate the drive rotation link while shifting it in the seat width direction.

(2c) In the vehicle seat of the above embodiment, the stopper may be provided on the second link or the second support member. That is, the stopper may rotate a link that does not overlap the back frame in the vertical direction while shifting it in the seat width direction.

(2d) The lifting device in the vehicle seat of the above embodiment may be a tilt device that swings a part of the seat cushion (e.g., the front end) vertically. In other words, this disclosure is also applicable to vehicle seats equipped with a tilt device.

(2e) The vehicle seat of the above embodiment can also be applied to seats used in automobiles other than passenger cars, and to seats used in vehicles other than automobiles, such as railway cars, ships, and aircraft.

(2f) The functions of one component in the above embodiment may be distributed among multiple components, or the functions of multiple components may be integrated into one component. Furthermore, some parts of the configuration of the above embodiment may be omitted. Also, at least some parts of the configuration of the above embodiment may be added to, substituted for, or otherwise modified in other above embodiments. Any aspect of the technical concept specified by the wording of the claims constitutes an embodiment of this disclosure.

1...Vehicle seat, 2...Seat cushion, 3...Seat back,
4...Cushion frame, 5...Back frame, 6A, 6B...Sliding device,
7... Lifting device, 8... Shaft member, 41... First side frame, 42... Second side frame,
51...Third side frame, 61A, 61B...Movable rails,
62A, 62B...fixed rail, 71A...first support member, 71B...second support member,
71C...Third support member, 71D...Fourth support member, 72...First connecting rod,
73...Second connecting rod, 75...First link, 76...Second link, 77...Third link
78...Fourth link, 79...Actuating mechanism, 711...Bottom wall, 712...First side wall,
713...Second side wall, 714...Stopper, 714A...Guide surface, 751...Main body,
752...Flange, 753...Stopper, 753A...Guide surface.

Claims (4)

Seat cushion and,
The seatback and,
A cushion frame that supports the aforementioned seat cushion,
A back frame that supports the aforementioned seat back,
A lifting device configured to raise and lower at least a portion of the seat cushion,
Equipped with,
The aforementioned lifting device is
A support member positioned below the cushion frame,
Links rotatably connected to the cushion frame and the support member,
A stopper provided on the support member ,
It has,
The stopper has a guide surface configured to contact the link as the link rotates downward , thereby causing the link to rotate while shifting in the sheet width direction .
The guide surface faces the link in the vertical direction and extends in both the width direction and the vertical direction , in a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,
The stopper is a triangular protrusion, viewed from the width direction of the seat, with its apex located inside the support member and its base formed by the upper end of the support member, for a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2 ,
The aforementioned link is a driven rotating link, for a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2 ,
The aforementioned link is positioned to overlap the back frame in the vertical direction with the vehicle seat.