Vehicle seats

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and provides a vehicle seat that prevents passengers from taking a sitting posture that is not a pre-recommended sitting posture, thereby improving the seating comfort. In the vehicle seat (10), there is a storage portion (22), which is formed in the interior of the seat cushion (20) as a bag-shaped bag made of a flexible non-air-permeable material, and stores powder, wherein the powder is fluidized by supplying gas to the storage portion (22), and the shape of the storage portion (22) is softened; and the powder is solidified by sucking gas from the storage portion (22), and the shape of the storage portion (22) is hardened. In addition, the storage portion (22) has a rigid inclined plate (24) that is inclined downward from the outer peripheral surface side of the seat cushion (20) toward the central side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat to be installed in a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In the past, vehicle seats were manufactured based on the seating posture recommended by the manufacturer without considering the individual seating posture of the occupants. When the occupants do not sit in the seating posture recommended by the manufacturer, various parts of the occupants' bodies will feel tired. In addition, such vehicle seats do not consider the body shape of the occupants.

[0003] In order to solve this problem, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat, in which a bag body formed of a flexible non-air-permeable material and filled with powder in a flowing state is arranged on the seat and backrest. The vehicle seat disclosed in Patent Document 1 causes the powder in the bag body to flow by the weight of the seated person, and the surfaces of the seat and backrest are formed into concave and convex surfaces that match the seat posture of the occupant, and the position of the powder in the bag body is fixed by sucking air from the bag body, thereby maintaining the concave and convex surfaces of the seat and backrest surfaces.

[0004] In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle seat in which a plurality of airtight bags filled with foamed plastic particles as powder are arranged between a surface member and a cushioning body. The vehicle seat disclosed in Patent Document 2 reduces pressure in the plurality of airtight bags to make the foamed plastic particles adhere to each other and solidify, thereby maintaining the entire surface of the surface member with a concave-convex surface that matches the seating posture of the occupant.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-229930

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 4-115448 Summary of the invention

[0009] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0010] However, when the seating posture of the occupant is not the pre-recommended seating posture, the vehicle seats disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 will maintain the special seating posture.

[0011] Here, in a vehicle seat installed in a vehicle, when the seating posture of an occupant is not a pre-recommended seating posture, it is desirable for the occupant to return to the pre-recommended seating posture from the perspective of safety.

[0012] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a vehicle seat that prevents an occupant from taking a sitting posture that is not a pre-recommended sitting posture, thereby improving the seating comfort.

[0013] Means of solving problems

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the vehicle seat of the present invention has a seat cushion for supporting the buttocks of the occupant and a seat back for supporting the back of the occupant, and in the vehicle seat, there is: a storage portion, which is formed in the interior of the seat cushion as a bag-like shape with a flexible non-air-permeable material and stores powder; and an air supply and suction portion, which supplies gas to the storage portion and inhales gas from the storage portion, wherein the air supply and suction portion fluidizes the powder stored in the storage portion and softens the shape of the storage portion by supplying gas to the storage portion; and solidifies the powder stored in the storage portion by inhaling gas from the storage portion, and hardens the shape of the storage portion, and at least one end portion of the periphery of the storage portion has a rigid inclined portion that is inclined downward from the outer peripheral surface side of the seat cushion toward the central side of the seat cushion.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the passenger from taking a sitting posture that is not a pre-recommended sitting posture, thereby improving the seating comfort. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle interior of a vehicle having a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a conceptual longitudinal cross-sectional view of a seat cushion for a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the front-rear direction of the vehicle being the cross-sectional direction;

[0020] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 It is a longitudinal cross-sectional conceptual diagram when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the front-rear direction of the vehicle being the cross-sectional direction;

[0022] 6( a )-( b ) are conceptual cross-sectional views of a vehicle seat according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Explanation of symbols

[0024] 1: vehicle; 3: front seat; 4: rear seat; 10: vehicle seat; 20: seat cushion; 21: seat surface; 21a: surface component; 21b: seat pressure sensor; 22: storage part; 22a: connection part; 22b: fixing part; 23: air supply and suction part; 24: rigid inclined plate (rigid inclined part); 25: circulation pipe; 30: seat back; 40: headrest; 50: occupant; 100: controller; 101: camera for external camera; 102: camera for internal camera DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] (Implementation Method)

[0026] Combine the following Figure 1 to Figure 6(b) , a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. However, the embodiments described below are only examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the content of the present invention. In addition, all the structures and actions described in each embodiment are not necessarily necessary as the structures and actions of the present invention. In addition, the same reference symbol is attached to the same component, and repeated description is omitted.

[0027] [Schematic structure of vehicle seat]

[0028] Use below Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a schematic structure of a vehicle seat 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0029] Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a vehicle 1 having a vehicle seat 10. Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the vehicle seat 10 .

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, in the vehicle 1, a front seat 3 is arranged further rearward than a dashboard 2, and a rear seat 4 is arranged further rearward than the front seat 3. In addition, the front seat 3 has a front seat 3a for a driver's seat and a front seat 3b for a passenger seat. The vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment can be applied to at least one of the front seat 3 or the rear seat 4.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle seat 10 includes a seat cushion 20 fixed to a structure of a vehicle body, a seat back 30 provided to extend upward from a rear end side of the seat cushion 20 , and a headrest 40 provided at an upper end of the seat back 30 .

[0032] In addition, the seat cushion 20 supports the buttocks and legs of the occupant, and the seat back 30 supports the waist and back of the occupant. The headrest 40 supports the head of the occupant.

[0033] [Seat cushion structure]

[0034] The following is based on Figure 3, the structure of the seat cushion 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 3 1 is a conceptual diagram of a longitudinal section of a seat cushion 20 of a vehicle seat 10, with the front-rear direction of the vehicle as the section direction. Figure 1 and Figure 2 .

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, the seat cushion 20 includes a seat surface 21 on which the buttocks and legs of the occupant come into contact, a bag-shaped storage portion 22 for storing powder, and an air supply and suction portion 23 for supplying and sucking gas to and from the storage portion 22 .

[0036] Furthermore, a seat pressure sensor 21 b for detecting pressure applied to the seat cushion 20 is provided below the seat cushion 20 at a support portion (not shown) that supports the seat cushion 20 .

[0037] The seat surface 21 is covered with a surface member 21 a such as cloth, genuine leather, or synthetic leather.

[0038] The storage portion 22 is provided below the seat surface 21 on the side opposite to the buttocks of the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 10 , and is formed of a bag body made of a flexible non-air-permeable material.

[0039] The storage section 22 also has a connection section 22 a for allowing the gas delivered and sucked by the gas supply and suction section 23 to flow inside.

[0040] In the present embodiment, the gas conveyed and sucked into the storage section 22 corresponds to air (external air), but a medium gas serving as a medium for enhancing fluidization or solidification of powder may be used.

[0041] Since the storage part 22 is a bag body made of a flexible non-air-permeable material, the airtightness of the interior is maintained. When the interior of the storage part 22 is filled with gas through the air supply and suction part 23, the shape of the storage part 22 expands and deforms. By expanding and deforming the shape of the storage part 22, the powder is stored in the storage part 22 in a flowable state.

[0042] When the gas is exhausted from the storage part 22 by the air supply and suction part 23, the storage part 22 contracts and deforms. The contraction and deformation of the storage part 22 causes the powders to adhere to each other, so that the powders are stored in the storage part 22 in a fixed state.

[0043] Below the front part of the storage part 22, there is a rectangular rigid inclined plate 24 (rigid inclined surface part), which has a rigid body inclined from the outer peripheral surface side to the central side of the seat cushion 20. The rigid inclined surface part 24 is a member such as steel, wood or reinforced plastic, and supports the bottom surface of the front part of the storage part 22 in a swingable state.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the rigid inclined plate 24 is provided below the front surface of the storage section 22 . However, the rigid inclined plate 24 may be provided from the front surface of the storage section 22 to below the center portion.

[0045] A fixing portion 22b is provided on the bottom surface of the storage portion 22 except the front portion. The fixing portion 22b is fixed to the inside of the seat cushion 20 in a non-swingable state. The fixing portion 22b restricts movement of the bottom surface of the storage portion 22 except the front portion.

[0046] The air supply and suction unit 23 is composed of, for example, a compressor, and is connected to the connection unit 22a of the storage unit 22 via the flow pipe 25. The air supply and suction unit 23 supplies and sucks gas to and from the storage unit 22 based on a control signal from a controller 100 described later.

[0047] The gas supply and suction unit 23 supplies gas to the storage unit 22 via the flow pipe 25, thereby expanding and deforming the shape of the storage unit 22, thereby fluidizing the stored powder. As the stored powder is fluidized, the shape of the storage unit 22 softens.

[0048] On the other hand, the air supply and suction unit 23 draws gas from the storage unit 22 through the flow pipe 25, thereby shrinking and deforming the shape of the storage unit 22, thereby solidifying the stored powder. As the stored powder solidifies, the shape of the storage unit 22 hardens.

[0049] [Electrical structure of vehicle seat]

[0050] Next, based on Figure 4 The electrical configuration of the vehicle seat 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 4 It is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vehicle seat 10 .

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, the vehicle seat 10 includes a controller 100 .

[0052] The controller 100 is communicatively connected to the seat pressure sensor 21 b , the air supply and intake unit 23 , an exterior camera 101 for capturing images of the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 , and an interior camera 102 for capturing images of passengers in the vehicle 1 .

[0053] The in-vehicle imaging camera 102 constitutes a posture detection unit that detects the posture of the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 10. In addition, the seat pressure sensor 21b can also estimate the posture of the seated occupant from the pressure distribution.

[0054] The controller 100 is composed of a processor, memory, and storage (not shown), and comprehensively controls various components included in the vehicle seat 10, and executes control processing for realizing various functions of the vehicle seat 10. The processor calls out the programs of this embodiment from the storage and expands them in the memory, and executes these programs in a predetermined order, thereby executing the seat cushion processing corresponding to the seating posture of the occupant.

[0055] Specifically, when the pressure applied to the seat cushion 20 is obtained from the seat pressure sensor 21b, or the image of the occupant is obtained from the in-vehicle camera 102, the controller 100 detects the seat posture of the occupant based on the obtained pressure or image. Then, the controller 100 performs the supply and suction control of causing the air supply and suction unit 23 to deliver and suck gas based on the detected seat posture.

[0056] [Explanation of a method for preventing passengers from taking a seat in a non-recommended seat position]

[0057] Next, use Figure 5 A description will be given of a method of preventing the occupant from taking a sitting posture other than the pre-recommended sitting posture in the vehicle seat 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 1 is a conceptual longitudinal cross-sectional view of a state where an occupant 50 is seated on the vehicle seat 10 and the front-rear direction of the vehicle is set as the cross-sectional direction. Figure 3 .

[0058] When the controller 100 causes the air supply and intake unit 23 to suck air from the storage unit 22 (when the shape of the storage unit 22 is hardened), if it is determined that the sitting posture of the occupant 50 is a state of shallowly sitting in front of the seat surface 21 (a sitting posture that is not recommended), the controller 100 supplies air to the inside of the storage unit 22 through the air supply and intake unit 23 to soften the shape of the storage unit 22. As a result, the occupant 50 can easily change the sitting posture.

[0059] When the shape of the storage portion 22 softens, the rigid inclined plate 24 causes the buttocks of the occupant 50 to gradually slide down toward the rear of the seat surface 21 .

[0060] The buttocks of the occupant 50 slide down toward the rear of the seat surface 21 , causing the powder to flow toward the front end side of the storage portion 22 .

[0061] Then, if Figure 5 As shown, the powder is deflected toward the front end of the storage portion 22, so that the front end of the storage portion 22 forms a convex portion with respect to the seat surface 21. As a result, the seat surface 21 on the front side of the seat cushion 20 is raised by the convex portion of the storage portion 22.

[0062] The seat surface 21 on the front side of the seat cushion 20 is raised, and it is possible to prevent the seated posture of the occupant 50 from returning to a state where the occupant 50 is sitting shallowly in front of the seat surface 21 again.

[0063] Thereafter, the controller 100 draws gas from the interior of the storage section 22 via the air supply and suction section 23 to harden the shape of the storage section 22 .

[0064] This can prevent the occupant 50 from sitting shallowly in front of the seat surface 21 (not a recommended sitting posture), while maintaining the surface shape of the seat cushion 20 in a shape that matches the sitting posture of the occupant 50 when sitting, thereby improving the seating comfort.

[0065] In addition, the seat surface 21 on the front side of the seat cushion 20 is raised, and it is also possible to cope with the inertial force (so-called front-rear G) generated by the gravitational acceleration in the front-rear direction when the vehicle is running.

[0066] Furthermore, the seat surface 21 on the front side of the seat cushion 20 is raised, so that a so-called front dive phenomenon in which the occupant 50 dives in front of and below the seat cushion 20 during a frontal collision of the vehicle 1 can be prevented.

[0067] In addition, if Figure 5 As shown, even if the powder is in a state of being biased toward the front end of the storage section 22, the controller 100 delivers gas to the interior of the storage section 22 via the air supply and suction section 23 to soften the shape of the storage section 22, thereby causing the powder to flow downward along the rigid inclined plate 24 by its own weight.

[0068] Therefore, when the occupant 50 stands up from the seat cushion 20 and leaves the seat cushion 20 , the shape of the storage portion 22 softens, so that the powder stored in the storage portion 22 can be returned to an initial state without deviation, and the recovery property of the shape of the storage portion 22 can be improved.

[0069] Furthermore, when the occupant 50 starts to sit on the seat cushion 20 , the controller 100 supplies air to the interior of the storage portion 22 via the air supply and intake portion 23 , thereby softening the shape of the storage portion 22 .

[0070] This also makes it possible to prevent the occupant 50 from sitting shallowly in front of the seat surface 21 (not a recommended sitting posture) from the very beginning when the occupant 50 sits on the seat cushion 20 .

[0071] [Modifications]

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, the rectangular rigid inclined plate 24 is provided below the front surface of the storage portion 22, but the rigid inclined plate may be provided in a substantially truncated cone shape.

[0073] Figures 6(a)-(b) are conceptual cross-sectional views of a vehicle seat, Figure 6(a) is a conceptual longitudinal cross-sectional view with the front-rear direction of the vehicle as the cross-sectional direction, and Figure 6(b) is a conceptual cross-sectional view with the width direction of the vehicle as the cross-sectional direction.

[0074] In this modification, as shown in the figure, it is composed of a substantially truncated cone-shaped peripheral wall. In addition, the storage portion 22 is arranged on the inner surface side of the substantially truncated cone-shaped peripheral wall.

[0075] In this variation, if Figure 3 and Figure 5 As described in the above, it is possible to prevent the occupant from sitting shallowly in front of the seat surface 21 (not a recommended sitting posture), and at the same time, the surface shape of the seat cushion 20 is kept in a shape that matches the sitting posture of the occupant 50 when sitting, thereby improving the sitting comfort. In addition, it is possible to cope with the so-called front-rear G and the so-called front dive phenomenon, and improve the restorability of the shape of the storage portion 22.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 6( b ), the rigid inclined plate 24 having a substantially truncated cone shape is inclined downward from both end sides in the left-right direction toward the center side of the seat cushion 20 .

[0077] When the controller 100 causes the air supply and suction unit 23 to draw air from the storage unit 22 (when the shape of the storage unit 22 is hardened), if it is determined that the seated posture of the occupant 50 is a state of sitting at one end of the left-right direction of the seat surface 21 (a sitting posture that is not recommended), the controller 100 supplies air to the inside of the storage unit 22 through the air supply and suction unit 23 to soften the shape of the storage unit 22. As a result, the occupant 50 can easily change the seated posture.

[0078] When the shape of the storage portion 22 softens, the rigid inclined plate 24 causes the buttocks of the occupant 50 to gradually slide down toward the center of the seat surface 21 , and the seated posture of the occupant 50 can be corrected to a state where the occupant 50 sits in the center of the seat surface 21 (recommended sitting posture).

[0079] In addition, when the passenger 50 sits in the center of the seat surface 21 from the beginning (recommended sitting posture), the powder flows toward the left and right end sides of the storage section 22, and the left and right end sides of the storage section 22 form convex portions relative to the seat surface 21.

[0080] Therefore, it is also possible to cope with the inertial force (so-called lateral G) in the left and right directions caused by the gravitational acceleration when the vehicle is traveling.

[0081] Thus, also in this modification, the seating posture of the occupant is prevented from being different from the pre-recommended seating posture, and the surface shape of the seat cushion 20 is maintained in a shape matching the seating posture of the occupant 50 when sitting, thereby improving the seating comfort.

[0082] Furthermore, by softening the shape of the storage portion 22 , the powder stored in the storage portion 22 can be returned to an initial state without any deviation, and the recovery property of the shape of the storage portion 22 can be improved.

[0083] As described above, in the present embodiment, a storage portion 22 is provided inside the seat cushion 20 of the vehicle seat 10, which is formed in a bag-like shape of a flexible non-air-permeable material and stores powder. In addition, the storage portion 22 has a rigid inclined plate 24 inclined downward from the outer peripheral surface side of the seat cushion toward the central side of the seat cushion at at least one end of the periphery. The shape of the storage portion 22 is switched between softening and hardening via the air supply and suction portion 23. When the shape of the storage portion 22 softens, the occupant 50 changes the sitting posture.

[0084] This also prevents the occupant's sitting posture from being different from the pre-recommended sitting posture, and maintains the surface shape of the seat cushion 20 in a shape that matches the sitting posture of the occupant 50 when sitting, thereby improving the seating comfort.

[0085] In addition, in the present embodiment, the powder contained in the storage portion 22 can flow downward along the rigid body slope portion 24 by its own weight, so the shape of the storage portion 22 can also improve the restorability.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat having a seat cushion for supporting the buttocks of an occupant and a seat back for supporting the back of the occupant, wherein: A storage portion formed in the seat cushion as a bag of flexible non-air-permeable material, the storage portion storing powder; an air supply and suction part, which supplies gas to the storage part and sucks gas from the storage part; a rigid body inclined portion disposed below the front portion of the storage portion; and a fixing portion fixed to the inside of the seat cushion in a non-swingable state on the bottom surface of the storage portion except for a portion having the rigid body inclined portion below, in, The gas supply and suction part fluidizes the powder stored in the storage part by supplying gas to the storage part and softens the shape of the storage part; and solidifies the powder stored in the storage part and hardens the shape of the storage part by sucking gas from the storage part. The rigid body inclined surface portion has an inclined surface that is inclined downward from an end portion on the front side of the seat cushion toward a center side of the seat cushion. When the shape of the storage portion softens, the inclined surface causes the occupant's buttocks to slide backward on the seat surface of the seat cushion, and the powder flows toward the front end of the storage portion, causing the end of the front side of the storage portion to bulge relative to the seat surface.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein: The rigid body inclined surface portion is arranged from the front portion to the lower portion of the central portion of the storage portion.

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