Riding seat

Abstract

To provide a saddle seat that reduces the number of parts and improves recyclability. [Solution] In a vehicle saddle seat equipped with a seating member (11) and made of a single material such as an elastomer resin, the seating member (11) is configured to have a seating surface portion (11A) at the top and a vehicle body mounting portion (12) at the bottom that connects to the vehicle body frame. Furthermore, the vehicle body mounting portion (12) is configured to have an elastically deformable portion. In addition, the vehicle body mounting portion has a curved portion that curves inward in the vehicle width direction, and a rib (22b) extending in the direction of the vehicle body mounting portion is formed on the outer surface of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle seat used in vehicles including motorcycles, automobiles and the like. [Background Art]

[0002] In motorcycles (bikes) that use an engine or a motor as a power source, a straddle seat is generally used. Conventionally, as an invention relating to a straddle seat, there is, for example, one described in Patent Document 1. The vehicle seat (straddle seat) described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is made for the purpose of providing a vehicle seat that can reduce the number of parts and man-hours and be manufactured with high productivity. It comprises a surface layer constituting a buffer member, and a support portion integrally formed on the back side of the surface layer and supporting the surface layer, the surface layer is formed of an elastomer-based resin, and a hard resin is integrally formed with the surface layer in the support portion. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-341560 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] In motorcycles, from the viewpoint of material recycling, there is a demand for straddle seats that use urethane materials as little as possible. In addition, for straddle seats, there is also a demand for the performance of allowing comfortable seating even in winter when the temperature is low. The vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1 has the surface layer formed of an elastomer-based resin, so it has the advantages of good productivity and no requirement for urethane materials. However, for vehicle seats, further reduction in the number of parts is required in order to improve recyclability.

[0005] This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its objective is to provide a saddle seat that can reduce the number of parts and improve recyclability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is: A saddle seat for a vehicle, equipped with a seating member that supports the seated position of the occupant, The above seating member is, It has a seating surface at the top, A key feature is the provision of a body mounting section at the lower part that connects to the vehicle body frame.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is a saddle seat described in claim 1, The vehicle body mounting portion is characterized by being configured to be elastically deformable.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 2, The vehicle body mounting portion is characterized by having a curved portion that curves inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 3, The outer surface of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction is characterized by having a first rib that extends in the extending direction of the vehicle body mounting portion.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 3, On the inner surface of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction, a recess is formed that is recessed outward in the vehicle width direction. A second rib is formed within the recess.

[0011] The invention described in claim 6 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 5, A base portion is provided on the lower surface of the seating member. The vehicle body mounting portion is characterized in that it is formed on the base portion from top to bottom.

[0012] The invention described in claim 7 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 6, The base portion has a recess formed in the outward direction in the width direction of the vehicle. The recess is characterized by having a third rib that extends in the direction of extension of the vehicle body mounting portion.

[0013] The invention described in claim 8 is, in the saddle seat described in claim 7, The second rib and the third rib are characterized by being positioned so as not to overlap in the vertical direction.

[0014] The invention described in claim 9 is a saddle seat described in any one of claims 1 to 8, The seating member has a seating surface and side portions extending downward from both sides of the seating surface. The surface of the boundary between the seating surface and the side portion is characterized by having a groove that extends along the boundary.

[0015] The invention described in claim 10 is a saddle seat described in claim 9, The groove is characterized in that it is positioned so as not to overlap with the vehicle body mounting portion in the vertical direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 1, the entire seat can be constructed from a single component, thus reducing the number of parts and improving recyclability. Furthermore, because it has a vehicle body mounting portion, the seat can be easily attached and secured to the vehicle frame.

[0017] According to the invention described in claim 2, the vehicle body mounting portion can flex when the seating pressure of the occupant is applied to the seating member, thereby improving the cushioning of the seat.

[0018] According to the invention of claim 3, the provision of the curved portion makes the vehicle body attachment portion easily flexible, thereby improving the cushioning property of the seat.

[0019] According to the invention of claim 4, excessive flexing of the vehicle body attachment portion can be easily suppressed by the rib (the first rib 22b).

[0020] According to the invention of claim 5, excessive flexing of the vehicle body attachment portion can be easily suppressed by the rib (the second rib 21b).

[0021] According to the invention of claim 6, the provision of the pedestal portion makes it easy to improve the shape stability of the vehicle body attachment portion relative to the seating member.

[0022] According to the invention of claim 7, the provision of the rib (the third rib 22c) makes it easy to prevent excessive flexing of the vehicle body attachment portion.

[0023] According to the invention of claim 8, since the vehicle body attachment portion is disposed overlapping the relatively low-strength groove in the seating portion, it is easy to avoid a decrease in the strength of the seat.

[0024] According to the invention of claim 9, the provision of the groove portion makes the seating portion easily flexible when seated, thereby improving the cushioning property of the seat.

[0025] According to the invention of claim 10, it is possible to avoid disposing the vehicle body attachment portion in a relatively low-strength portion, thereby improving the durability of the seat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] [Figure 1] The figures show an external configuration of a straddle-type seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is an upper perspective view and (B) is a lower perspective view. [Figure 2] (A) is a plan view showing the configuration of the straddle-type seat according to the embodiment, and (B) is a side view thereof. [Figure 3] It is a front view showing the configuration of the straddle-type seat of the embodiment. [Figure 4]This is a cross-sectional side view of the saddle sheet along the EE line in Figure 2(A). [Figure 5] (A) is a cross-section view along line AA in Figure 2(B), and (B) is a cross-section view along line BB in Figure 2(B). [Figure 6] (A) is a cross-section view along line CC in Figure 4, and (B) is a cross-section view along line DD in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the saddle seat for a motorcycle (so-called bike, motorbike, or motorcycle) will be used as an example for explanation, but it is not limited to that. It can be used as a seat for snowmobiles, jet skis, bicycles, mopeds, construction vehicles, military vehicles, industrial vehicles, railway vehicles, and other vehicles such as tillers and tractors. In the following explanation, the direction of travel of the vehicle will be referred to as the front, and the direction opposite to the direction of travel will be referred to as the rear.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the saddle seat 10 of this embodiment consists of a saddle-shaped seating portion 11 and a vehicle mounting portion 12 provided on the lower side of the seating portion 11 for attaching the seating portion 11 to a vehicle frame (not shown). Furthermore, the saddle seat 10 of this embodiment is constructed as a molded product in which the seating portion 11 and the vehicle body mounting portion 12 are integrated from a single material. The seating portion 11 is formed with a thickness set to have appropriate elasticity and strength to support the weight of the occupant (seater). As for the material that constitutes such a saddle seat 10, for example, an elastomer resin or a material having equivalent properties can be considered. Since the saddle seat 10 is formed from an elastomer material, there is no need to use urethane material, thus meeting the requirements from the standpoint of material recycling.

[0029] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the saddle seat 10 of this embodiment, with (A) being a perspective view of the top side of the saddle seat 10 and Figure 1(B) being a perspective view of the bottom side of the saddle seat 10. Figure 2(A) is a plan view of the saddle seat 10, and Figure 2(B) is a side view of the saddle seat 10. Figure 3 shows a front view of the saddle seat 10 as seen from the front.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1(A), the seating portion 11 of the saddle seat 10 in this embodiment has a seating surface portion 11A and side portions 11B that hang downward from both ends of the seating surface portion 11A. The boundary between the seating surface portion 11A and the side portions 11B on both sides is formed in a curved shape to improve seating comfort, and a groove 11C is formed along the curved portion that is continuous in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1(B) and 5(B), on the back side of the seating portion 11, a convex ridge portion 11D that bulges downward is formed in the area corresponding to the groove 11C, and is continuous in the front-to-back direction, similar to the curved portion.

[0031] As described above, by providing a groove 11C at the boundary between the seat surface 11A and the side portions 11B on both sides, the seat surface 11A can bend downward more easily when an occupant sits on the seat 11, thereby improving the cushioning of the seat. Furthermore, by providing a raised ridge 11D on the back surface of the seat surface 11A that corresponds to the groove 11C on the front side, it is possible to make the seat surface 11A more flexible downward while suppressing the decrease in strength that occurs when the groove 11C is formed. Furthermore, the presence of the groove 11C can improve the aesthetic appeal of the seat. To further enhance the aesthetic appeal, a line-like pattern of a different color from the surface color of the seating area 11 may be applied along the groove 11C.

[0032] In this embodiment, the vehicle body mounting portions 12 of the saddle seat 10 are provided in a total of four locations, as shown in Figures 1(A) and (B): one pair on the front side (reference numeral 12A) and one pair on the rear side (reference numeral 12B). Furthermore, although not particularly limited, depending on the shape of the vehicle body frame to which it is attached and the relationship between the mounting position and the rear vehicle body mounting portion 12B, the rear vehicle body mounting portion 12B is set to be at a higher position than the front vehicle body mounting portion 12A. In addition, as shown in Figure 1(B), the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B are provided on the lower surface of the side portion 11B and the lower surface of the seating surface portion 11A, respectively.

[0033] Furthermore, the four vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B are positioned so as not to overlap with the groove 11C in the vertical direction. In other words, the groove 11C is positioned so as not to overlap with the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B. This prevents a decrease in the strength of the seat from occurring due to the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B overlapping with the groove 11C, which has relatively lower strength among the seating portions 11. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B are located at positions approximately equidistant from the center position of the seating portion 11 where the weight of the occupant is applied. Therefore, the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B can be designed to be the same size to have the same strength, thereby reducing the design burden compared to when they are of different sizes.

[0034] Next, the configuration of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 will be explained using Figures 3 to 6. Of these, Figure 3 is a front view of the saddle seat 10 of the embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line EE in Figure 2(A). Also, Figure 5(A) is a cut end view along line AA in Figure 1(B), Figure 5(B) is a cut end view along line BB in Figure 1(B), Figure 6(A) is an end view along line CC in Figure 4, and Figure 6(B) is an end view along line DD in Figure 4.

[0035] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, each vehicle body mounting portion 12 consists of a base portion 21 provided on the lower surface of the side portion 11B or the seating surface portion 11A, and a connecting portion 22 formed to protrude downward from the base portion 21 and to connect to the vehicle body frame. The base portion 21 and the connecting portion 22 are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the portion of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 that is higher than the lower end of the side portion 11B is referred to as the base portion 21, and the portion of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 that is lower than the lower end of the side portion 11B is referred to as the connecting portion 22. The presence of the base portion 21 improves the shape stability of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 relative to the seating surface 11.

[0036] Furthermore, along the lower edge of the side portion 11B of the vehicle body mounting portion 12, ribs 23a and 23b are formed on the inner surface of the vehicle body mounting portions 12A and 12B in a direction that is horizontal or at a predetermined angle to the horizontal. The portion above these ribs 23a and 23b can be considered as the base portion 21, and the portion below the ribs 23a and 23b can be considered as the connecting portion 22. As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the connecting portion 22 is provided with a through hole 22d through which a fixing bolt is inserted. In addition, a fixing portion with a similar through hole is provided on the vehicle frame side (not shown). The saddle seat 10 is connected to and fixed to the vehicle frame via the connecting portion 22 by aligning the through hole 22d of the connecting portion 22 with the through hole 22d of the connecting portion 22, inserting a bolt, and screwing on a nut.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 6(A), the base portion 21 is provided with a recess 21a that is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction, and as shown in Figures 4 and 6(B), a rib (second rib) 21b is provided within this recess 21a that extends in the direction of extension of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 (approximately vertical direction). The presence of the recess 21a and the rib 21b makes it possible to reduce the weight of the base portion 21 while maintaining its strength. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 6(B), the connecting portion 22 is provided with a curved portion 22a that curves inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end, and as shown in Figure 2(B), a rib (first rib) 22b extending in the extending direction of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 is provided on the outer surface of this curved portion 22a.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 6(A), a rib (third rib) 22c extending in the direction of extension of the vehicle body mounting portion 12 is provided on the inside of the curved portion 22a of the vehicle body mounting portion 12. In this way, the presence of the curved portion 22a makes the vehicle body mounting portion 12 more flexible. Therefore, the curved portion 22a becomes an elastically deformable part of the vehicle body mounting portion 12, and the elastic deformation of the curved portion 22a can improve the cushioning of the seat. In addition, the presence of the rib 22c on the inside of the curved portion 22a prevents the vehicle body mounting portion 12 from bending too much. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the inner rib 22c of the curved portion 22a of the joint portion 22 is positioned so as not to overlap vertically with the rib 21b of the base portion 21. This improves the overall shape stability of the vehicle body mounting portion 12.

[0039] As described above, the saddle seat 10 of this embodiment includes a seating member 11 that supports the seated position of the occupant. The seating member 11 has a seating surface portion 11A at the top and a vehicle mounting portion 12 at the bottom that connects to the vehicle frame. Therefore, the entire seat can be constructed from a single component, reducing the number of parts and improving recyclability. In addition, because it has a vehicle mounting portion 12, the seat can be easily attached and secured to the vehicle frame.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described above based on embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the front body mounting portion 12A and the rear body mounting portion 12B are provided at positions approximately equidistant from the center of gravity where the weight of the occupant of the seating portion 11 is applied, and the body mounting portions 12A and 12B are set to the same size. However, the body mounting portions 12A and 12B may be provided at different distances from the center of gravity where the weight of the occupant is applied, in which case it is preferable to set the size of the body mounting portion provided closer to the center of gravity to be larger than the size of the body mounting portion provided further from the center of gravity. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10 Riding Sheets 11 Seating area 11 11A Seating surface part 11B Side section 11C Groove 11D Convex part 12, 12A, 12B Body mounting section 21 Base 21a Recess 21b Rib (2nd rib) 22 Joint 22a Curved section 22b Rib (1st rib) 22c Rib (3rd Rib) 22d through hole 23a, 23b Ribs

Claims

1. A saddle seat for a vehicle, equipped with a seating member that supports the seated position of the occupant, The aforementioned seating member is It has a seating surface at the top, A saddle seat characterized by having a vehicle mounting section at the bottom that connects to the vehicle frame.

2. The saddle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle body mounting portion is configured to be elastically deformable.

3. The saddle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the vehicle body mounting portion has a curved portion that curves inward in the vehicle width direction.

4. The saddle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that a first rib extending in the extending direction of the vehicle body mounting portion is formed on the outer surface of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction.

5. On the inner surface of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction, a recess is formed that is recessed outward in the vehicle width direction. The saddle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that a second rib is formed in the recess.

6. A base portion is provided on the lower surface of the seating member. The saddle seat according to claim 5, characterized in that the vehicle body mounting portion is formed on the base portion from above to below.

7. The base portion has a recess formed in the outward direction in the width direction of the vehicle. The saddle seat according to claim 6, characterized in that a third rib extending in the extending direction of the vehicle body mounting portion is formed in the recess.

8. The saddle seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the second rib and the third rib are positioned so as not to overlap in the vertical direction.

9. The seating member has a seating surface and side portions extending downward from both sides of the seating surface. The saddle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a groove extending along the boundary portion is provided on the surface of the boundary portion between the seating surface portion and the side portion.

10. The saddle seat according to claim 9, characterized in that the groove portion is positioned so as not to overlap with the vehicle body mounting portion in the vertical direction.

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