Vehicle seat

Abstract

In a vehicle seat in which a safety airbag module is placed in a seat back, a load that can be applied to the back side of the seat back is prevented from being applied to the safety airbag module. The vehicle seat (1, 300, 400) includes a seat back frame (19) including a pair of side members (26, 301) extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seat back, a plate member (20, 402) located at the back of the seat back frame and including an extension (32, 410) extending in an outer side direction from the side member located at the outer side of the seat back frame, a mounting member connected to the outer side member, and a safety airbag module (23) located at the front side of the extension and connected to the outer side member by the mounting member, a gap (S) being defined between the safety airbag module and the extension.

Description

[0001] The present application is a divisional application of the PCT / FI2019 / 050576 filed on April 2, 2019 with the title "Vehicle seat" and application number 201980024405.X. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to a vehicle seat equipped with an airbag. BACKGROUND

[0003] A known vehicle seat suitable for a rear seat is provided with an airbag module placed in a seat back that is movable between an upright position in which the seat back faces forward to support the back of a seat occupant and a stowed position in which the seat back is tilted forward so that the back of the seat back is continuous with the floor surface of the cargo compartment (see, for example, patent document 1). The seat back of the vehicle seat disclosed in patent document 1 comprises a rear frame serving as a structural frame and a plate-like back plate attached to the back side of the rear frame. The rear frame comprises a pipe member of metal bent into a substantially rectangular shape, and the back plate is a plate member of substantially rectangular shape and covers the back side of the pipe member.

[0004] The back plate is provided with an extension that extends from the rear frame in the outer side direction, and the extension is provided with a plurality of bosses that protrude toward the side surface of the rear frame to fasten the airbag module to the protruding top surface of the bosses.

[0005] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0006] PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0007] Patent document 1: JP 5169864 B SUMMARY

[0008] Problems to be solved by the Invention

[0009] Since the airbag module is fixed directly to the back plate, the load that can be applied to the back side of the seat back tends to be applied to the airbag module, and can even cause the position of the airbag module to change.

[0010] In view of this problem of the prior art, the main object of the present application is to provide a vehicle seat having an airbag module placed in the seat back thereof, in which the load that can be applied to the back side of the seat back is prevented from being applied to the airbag module.

[0011] Means for solving the problem

[0012] To achieve this object, one aspect of the present application provides a vehicle seat (1, 300, 400) including: a seatback frame (19) including a pair of side members (26, 301) extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seatback; a plate member (20, 402) located behind the seatback frame and including an extension (32, 410) extending in an outboard direction from the side member located at an outboard side of the seatback frame; a mounting member connected to the outboard side member; and an airbag module (23) located in front of the extension and connected to the outboard side member by the mounting member, a gap (S) being defined between the airbag module and the extension.

[0013] According to this arrangement, since the gap is defined between the airbag module and the extension, the load applied to the extension is prevented from being transmitted to the airbag module, so that movement of the airbag module can be prevented.

[0014] In another aspect of the present application, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (36, 302) directly connected to the outboard side member (26) and a second mounting member (47, 303) directly connected to the airbag module, and the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting member by a fastener (72), the plate member being provided with a through-hole (74) passing through an axis of the fastener.

[0015] According to this arrangement, the second mounting member can be fastened to the first mounting member from the rear of the disc-shaped frame by inserting a tool into the through-hole. Thus, the airbag module can be easily assembled to the side member.

[0016] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (64) inclined toward a rear end portion thereof in an inboard direction, and is provided with a fastening portion (65) to which the second mounting portion is fastened.

[0017] According to this arrangement, the fastening portion is provided on the inclined wall inclinedly facing the rear. Thus, the fastening portion can be positioned to be visually recognizable from the rear side of the plate member.

[0018] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, a rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion (69) extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in a forward direction, a front portion of the fastened portion being connected to the second mounting member.

[0019] According to this arrangement, since the airbag module is located in front of the fastened portion, the airbag is less likely to contact the fastener when the airbag is deployed in the forward direction. Thus, deformation of the airbag at the time of deployment can be prevented.

[0020] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the outer member (301) has an extension wall (305) extending in the outer side direction and having an upwardly facing surface, and

[0021] The mounting member includes a first mounting member connected to the outer side of the outer member, and a second mounting member (303) having an upper end provided with an upper wall (311) extending in the inner side direction along the upwardly facing surface of the extension wall and fastened to the extension wall, and a lower end engaged with the first mounting member.

[0022] According to this arrangement, since the airbag module can be fastened to the side member by inserting a tool downward, the airbag module can be connected to the side member without being obstructed by the panel member.

[0023] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the extension portion is provided with a raised piece (411) raised in the forward direction thereof, and

[0024] The mounting member includes a first mounting member (401) connected to the outer side of the outer member, and a second mounting member (403) having a front end engaged with the first mounting member and a rear end fastened to the rear side of the raised piece, the second mounting member having the airbag module directly connected thereto.

[0025] According to this arrangement, since the second mounting member is connected to the side member and the panel member, the position of the airbag module can be further stabilized. In addition, since the second mounting member is fastened to the rear surface of the raised piece, the second mounting member can be visually recognized from the back surface of the panel member at the time of fastening. Thus, the second mounting member can be easily fixed to the raised piece.

[0026] Another aspect of the present application provides a vehicle seat (1, 200, 300) including: a seat back frame (19) including a pair of side members (26) extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seat back (5); a plate member (20) located behind the seat back frame (19) and including an extension (32) extending in an outer side direction from the side member located at the outer side of the seat back frame; a mounting member (36, 37, 101, 102, 201, 202) connected to the outer side member; and an airbag module (23) located in front of the extension and connected to the outer side member by the mounting member.

[0027] According to this arrangement, the airbag module is connected to the side member having higher rigidity than the plate member. As the thickness of the plate member can be reduced compared to the case where the airbag module is supported by the plate member, the weight of the seat back can be reduced, and the airbag module can be supported in a stable manner.

[0028] In another aspect of the present application, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (36, 101, 201) directly connected to the outer side member and a second mounting member (37, 102, 202) directly connected to the airbag module, and the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting member by a fastener (72), the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (64) inclined toward a rear end portion thereof in an inner side direction, and is provided with a fastening portion (65) to which the second mounting portion is fastened.

[0029] According to this arrangement, as the fastener is provided on the inclined wall, the head of the fastener can be made to protrude toward the airbag module to a minimum. Thereby, the airbag can be deployed more reliably.

[0030] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the plate member is provided with a through-hole (74) passing through along the axis of the fastener.

[0031] According to this arrangement, the second mounting member can be fastened to the first mounting member from the rear of the disc-shaped frame by inserting a tool into the through-hole. Thereby, the airbag module can be easily assembled to the side member. Further, the fastening portion is provided on the inclined wall inclinedly facing the rear. Thereby, the fastening portion provided on the inclined wall can be visually recognized from the rear, thereby facilitating fastening of the fastener.

[0032] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion (69, 212) extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in a forward direction, a front portion of the fastened portion being connected to the second mounting member.

[0033] According to this arrangement, since the airbag module is located on the front side of the fastened portion, the airbag is prevented from contacting the fastening member when the airbag deploys in the forward direction. Therefore, the airbag can be deployed more reliably.

[0034] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member includes a pair of first mounting members located on the outer side member in one above the other.

[0035] According to this arrangement, since the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting member provided at two positions one above the other, the airbag module and the side member can be connected to each other in a highly secure manner.

[0036] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the seat back is movable between a use position in which the seat back faces forward and a stowed position in which the back side of the seat back extends parallel to the floor surface, and the plate member is provided with a closing member (75) that closes the tool hole.

[0037] According to this arrangement, the closing member allows the back side of the seat back to be flatter. Thereby, the stability of a cargo placed on the back of the seat back in the stowed position can be improved.

[0038] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the mounting member includes a first mounting member directly connected to the outer side member and a second mounting member directly connected to the airbag module, and the first mounting member is provided with a rear wall portion (105) extending laterally on the outer side of the outer side member, the second mounting member being fastened to the rear wall portion by a fastening member.

[0039] According to this arrangement, the fastened portion is formed on the rear wall portion having a main plane toward the front-rear direction, thereby allowing a tool to pass through the through-hole of the disc-shaped frame from the rear portion to the front portion to fasten the first mounting member and the second mounting member to each other. Therefore, the direction in which the tool is inserted is apparent to the worker, and the assembly of the airbag module is facilitated.

[0040] Yet another aspect of the present application provides a vehicle seat (1, 200, 300) comprising: a seat back frame (19) providing a structural frame of a seat back (5); a plate member (20) located behind the seat back frame and including an extension (32) extending in an outboard direction from a side member located at an outboard side of the seat back frame; a mounting member (36, 47, 101, 102, 201, 202) connected to the seat back frame; an airbag module (23) located at a front side of the extension and connected to the seat back frame by the mounting member; wherein the mounting member includes a first mounting member (36, 101, 201) directly connected to the seat back frame and a second mounting member (37, 102, 202) directly connected to the airbag module, and the second mounting member is fastened to the first mounting member by a fastener (72), and the plate member is provided with a through hole (74) passing through an axis of the fastener.

[0041] According to this arrangement, the airbag module is connected to the seat back frame having higher rigidity than the plate member. As a result, the thickness of the plate member can be made thinner compared to the case where the airbag module is supported by the plate member, so that the weight of the seat back can be reduced, and the airbag module can be supported in a stable manner. In addition, by inserting a tool into the through hole, the second mounting member can be fastened to the first mounting member from the back of the disc-shaped frame, so that the airbag module can be easily assembled to the side member.

[0042] In yet another aspect of the present application, preferably, the seat back frame includes a pair of side members (26) extending vertically at both sides thereof, and the first mounting member is connected to the side members in an outboard direction.

[0043] According to this arrangement, by connecting the first mounting member to the side members, the airbag module can be connected to the seat back from a lateral direction. Therefore, the airbag can be deployed through a gap defined between the seat occupant and a side wall of the cabin, so that the seat occupant can be effectively protected.

[0044] Yet another aspect of the present application provides a vehicle seat (1) including: a seatback frame (19) including a pair of side members (26) extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seatback (5); a plate member (20) located at a rear of the seatback frame and including an extension (32) extending in an outer side direction from the side member located at an outer side of the seatback frame; a mounting member (201, 202) connected to the seatback frame; and an airbag module (23) located at a front side of the extension and connected to the seatback frame by the mounting member; wherein the mounting member includes a first mounting member (201) directly connected to the seatback frame and a second mounting member (202) directly connected to the airbag module, and the first mounting member is located between the outer side member and the plate member and is in contact with a front surface of the plate member.

[0045] According to this arrangement, the first mounting member is connected to the side frame and is in contact with the front surface of the plate member. Since the airbag module is connected to the side member, the airbag module can be supported in a stable manner. Compared to a case where the airbag module is supported only by the plate member, the thickness of the plate member can be reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the seatback while supporting the airbag module in a stable manner. Furthermore, by having the first member in contact with the plate member, the plate member can be reinforced.

[0046] In yet another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member is provided with an abutting portion (208) that abuts the front surface of the extension.

[0047] According to this arrangement, the extension, which is originally prone to deformation, can be reinforced by the abutting portion.

[0048] In yet another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member and the second mounting member are fastened to each other via a fastener (216), and the plate member is provided with a through-hole that passes through an axis of the fastener (220).

[0049] According to this arrangement, since a tool can be inserted into the through-hole from a rear of the plate member to fasten the second mounting member and the first mounting member to each other, assembly of the airbag module is facilitated.

[0050] In yet another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (207) that is inclined forward toward an inner side thereof, and the second mounting member is fastened to the inclined wall of the first mounting member.

[0051] According to this arrangement, since the fastening portion can be provided on the inclined wall inclined rearward, fastening from the rear of the panel member is facilitated. Further, since the inclined wall is inclined forward from the abutment portion that supports the inclined wall by the panel member, the head of the fastener is prevented from protruding rearward from the rear surface of the panel member, so that the back height of the seat back can be made flat.

[0052] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the abutment portion has a plate shape extending along the front surface of the extension portion.

[0053] According to this arrangement, the contact area between the abutment portion and the extension portion can be maximized, so that the extension portion can be reinforced by the abutment portion in a more reliable manner.

[0054] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the first mounting member is welded to the panel member at the abutment portion.

[0055] According to this arrangement, the abutment portion and the extension portion are firmly connected, so that the extension portion can be reinforced by the abutment portion in a more reliable manner.

[0056] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the panel member extends beyond the abutment portion in the outer side direction, and is bent forward along the outer side end surface of the abutment portion.

[0057] According to this arrangement, since the panel member is bent forward at its outer side edge, the rigidity of the panel member can be increased. In addition, since the panel member is bent along the outer side edge of the abutment portion, no gap is generated between the abutment portion and the bent portion of the outer side edge of the panel member, so that the portion of the panel member adjacent to its outer side edge can be reinforced by the abutment portion in a reliable manner. Thus, the deformation of the portion of the panel member adjacent to its outer side edge is prevented in a more reliable manner.

[0058] Still another aspect of the present application provides a vehicle seat (500) including: a seat back frame (19) including a pair of side members (26) extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seat back (5); a mounting member (501, 502) connected to the side member; an airbag module (23) connected to the side member by the mounting member; a cushion member (21) arranged on a front side of the airbag module; a skin member (22) covering a front side of the cushion member and provided with a weak portion (57) configured to be torn under a load exceeding a prescribed value; a passage (502) provided in the cushion member to communicate the airbag module with the weak portion; a wire member (502) having one end connected to the side member, an engaging portion (521) arranged on the front side of the airbag module, and the other end connected to the side member; and a webbing passing through the passage and having one end connected to the weak portion and the other end connected to the engaging portion.

[0059] According to this arrangement, the webbing is connected to the joint located in front of the airbag module. Since the joint is located in front of the airbag module so as to be clearly visible from the side of the seat back, it is possible to easily confirm that the webbing is connected to the proper position of the wire member.

[0060] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the mounting member includes a hook (510) engaged with the joint.

[0061] According to this arrangement, by engaging the mounting member to the wire member, the movement of the airbag module is restricted, and the position of the airbag module is kept fixed at the time of fastening. This contributes to the assembly of the airbag module. Furthermore, since the airbag module is engaged to the wire member connecting the webbing to the side member, it is not necessary to provide a separate engaging member on the side member, thereby simplifying the structure.

[0062] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (501) connected to the outer side of the outer side member and a second mounting member (502) connected to the airbag module, the second mounting member being provided with a fastening portion (504), and the first mounting member being provided with a fastened portion (506) capable of being fastened to the fastening portion in such a manner that the airbag module can be placed in a position in which the fastening portion and the fastened portion are aligned with each other by engaging the hook to the wire member and rotating the airbag module about the axis of the wire member.

[0063] According to this arrangement, by engaging the hook to the wire member and rotating the airbag module, the airbag module can be guided to a position in which the fastening portion and the fastened portion are aligned with each other. Thus, the airbag module can be easily placed in the proper position to easily fasten the airbag module to the side member.

[0064] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the fragile portion and the joint extend vertically substantially in parallel with each other.

[0065] According to this arrangement, the webbing can be arranged along the fragile portion, thereby enabling the load due to the inflation of the airbag to be concentrated on the fragile portion in an effective manner.

[0066] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the hook is provided on the front edge of the second support member, and the fastening portion is provided on the rear edge of the second support member.

[0067] According to this arrangement, since the second support member is engaged to the wire member at its front edge and is fastened to the side member at its rear edge, the second support member and the side member can be firmly connected to each other. As a result, movement of the airbag module relative to the side member is minimized, and the position of the airbag module at the time of deployment can be stabilized.

[0068] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the vehicle seat further includes a plate member (20) extending in the outboard direction from the rear edge of the outboard member, and a first mounting member (501) is provided on the outboard side of the outboard member, a through-hole (74) through which the axis of the fastener passes is provided on the plate member, and the fastening portion and the fastened portion are fastened to each other by the fastener.

[0069] According to this arrangement, by inserting a tool into the through-hole from the rear to the front, the fastener can be accessed from the rear of the plate member. In this way, by fastening the first mounting member and the second mounting member to each other from the rear of the plate member, the assembly work of the airbag module is facilitated.

[0070] In still another aspect of the present application, preferably, the airbag module is configured so that the airbag (41) deploys in the forward direction, and the airbag is positioned forward of the fastening portion.

[0071] According to this arrangement, the airbag is prevented from contacting the fastener at the time of deployment, and thus deformation of the airbag due to such contact between the airbag and the fastener can be prevented, and thus the airbag can be deployed more reliably.

[0072] Effects of the Invention

[0073] In such an arrangement in a vehicle seat having an airbag module arranged in the seat back thereof, since there is a gap between the airbag module and the disc-shaped frame, a load that can be applied to the back side of the seat back is prevented from being applied to the airbag module.

[0074] In such an arrangement, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (36, 302) directly connected to the outboard member (26) and a second mounting member (47, 303) directly connected to the airbag module, and the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting member by a fastener (72), the plate member is provided with a through-hole (74) through which the axis of the fastener passes, and the second mounting member can be fastened to the first mounting member from the rear of the disc-shaped frame by inserting a tool into the through-hole. Thereby, the airbag module can be easily assembled to the side member.

[0075] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (64) inclined toward the rear end portion in the inner side direction, and is provided with a fastening portion (65) to which the second mounting portion is fastened, the fastening portion being provided on the inclined wall inclined toward the rear. Thus, the fastening portion can be positioned to be visually recognizable from the back side of the panel member.

[0076] In such an arrangement, the rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion (69) extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in the forward direction, the front portion of the fastened portion being connected to the second mounting member, and since the airbag module is located forward of the fastened portion, the airbag is less likely to come into contact with the fastening member when the airbag deploys in the forward direction. Thus, deformation of the airbag upon deployment can be prevented.

[0077] In such an arrangement, the outer side member (301) is provided with an extending wall (305) extending in the outer side direction and having an upwardly facing surface, and the mounting member includes a first mounting member connected to the outer side of the outer side member; and a second mounting member (303) having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having an upper wall (311) extending in the inward direction along the upwardly facing surface of the extending wall and fastened to the extending wall, the lower end being engaged with the first mounting member, and since the airbag module can be secured to the side member by inserting a tool downward, the airbag module can be connected to the side member without being obstructed by the panel member.

[0078] In such an arrangement, the extending portion is provided with a raised tab (411) raised in the forward direction therefrom, and the mounting member includes a first mounting member connected to the outer side of the outer side member; and a second mounting member (403) having a front end engaged by the first mounting member (401) and a rear end fastened to the rear side of the raised tab, the second mounting member having the airbag module directly connected thereto, and since the second mounting member is connected to the side member and the panel member, the position of the airbag module can be further stabilized. In addition, since the second mounting member is fastened to the rear surface of the raised tab, the second mounting member can be visually recognized from the back of the panel member upon fastening. Thus, the second mounting member can be easily secured to the raised tab.

[0079] In such an arrangement, the airbag module is connected to the side member having higher rigidity than the disc-shaped frame, the weight of the seat back can be reduced, and the airbag module can be supported in a stable manner.

[0080] In such an arrangement, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (36, 101, 201) directly connected to the outer side member and a second mounting member (37, 102, 202) directly connected to the airbag module, and the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting member by a fastener (72), the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (64) inclined toward a rear end portion in an inner side direction, and is provided with a fastening portion (65) to which the second mounting portion is fastened, and since the fastener is provided with the inclined wall, protrusion of the head of the fastener toward the airbag module can be minimized. Thus, the airbag can be deployed more reliably.

[0081] In such an arrangement, a through hole (74) is provided in the plate member to pass through the axis of the fastener, and the second mounting member can be fastened to the first mounting member from the rear of the disc-shaped frame by inserting a tool into the through hole. Thus, the airbag module can be easily assembled to the side member. Further, the fastening portion is provided on the inclined wall inclined toward the rear. Thus, the fastening portion provided on the inclined wall can be visually recognized from the rear, thereby facilitating fastening of the fastener.

[0082] In such an arrangement, the rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion (69, 212) extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in a forward direction, the front portion of the fastened portion is connected to the second mounting member, and since the airbag module is located on the front side of the fastened portion, the airbag is less likely to contact the fastener when the airbag deploys in the forward direction. Thus, the airbag can be deployed more reliably.

[0083] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member includes a pair of first mounting members located on the outer side member in one on top of the other, and since the second mounting member is connected to the first mounting members provided at two positions one on top of the other, the airbag module and the side member can be connected to each other in a highly secure manner.

[0084] In such an arrangement, the seat back can be moved between a use position in which the seat back faces forward and a stowed position in which the back side of the seat back extends parallel to the floor surface, and the plate member is provided with a closure member (75) that closes the tool hole, the closure member allowing the back side of the seat back to be flatter. Thus, the stability of goods placed on the back of the seat back in the stowed position can be improved.

[0085] In such an arrangement, the mounting member includes a first mounting member directly connected to the outer side member and a second mounting member directly connected to the airbag module, and the first mounting member is provided with a rear wall portion (105) extending laterally on the outer side of the outer side member, the second mounting member is fastened to the rear wall portion by a fastener, a fastening portion is formed on the rear wall portion having a main plane in the front-rear direction, so that a tool can pass through a through-hole of the disc-shaped frame from the rear to the front to fasten the first mounting member and the second mounting member to each other. Therefore, the insertion direction of the tool is obvious to the worker, and the assembly of the airbag module becomes easy.

[0086] In such an arrangement, the airbag module is connected to the seat back frame having higher rigidity than the disc-shaped frame, the weight of the seat back can be reduced, and the airbag module can be supported in a stable manner.

[0087] In such an arrangement, the seat back frame includes a pair of side members (26) extending vertically on both sides thereof and the first mounting member is directly connected to the side members on the outer side, by connecting the first mounting member to the side members, the airbag module can be connected to the seat back from the lateral direction. Thereby, the airbag can be deployed through a gap defined between the seat occupant and the side wall of the cabin, thereby effectively protecting the seat occupant.

[0088] In such an arrangement, connecting the first side member to the side frame in the vehicle seat having the airbag module installed in the seat back can reduce the weight of the seat back, and can support the airbag module in a stable manner. Furthermore, by abutting the first mounting member against the panel member, the panel member can be reinforced by the first mounting member.

[0089] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member is provided with an abutting portion (208) abutting against a front surface of the extension portion, the extension portion originally prone to deformation can be reinforced by the abutting portion.

[0090] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member and the second mounting member are fastened to each other via a fastener (216) and the panel member is provided with a through-hole passing along an axis of the fastener (220), since the through-hole can be inserted from the rear of the panel member to fasten the second mounting member and the first mounting member to each other, the assembly of the airbag module is facilitated.

[0091] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall (207) inclined forward toward an inner side thereof and the second mounting member is fastened to the inclined wall of the first mounting member, since the fastening portion can be provided on the inclined wall inclined toward the rear, fastening from the rear of the panel member is facilitated. Further, since the inclined wall is inclined forward from the abutment portion supporting the inclined wall by the panel member, the head of the fastening member is prevented from protruding rearward from the rear surface of the panel member, so that the back height of the seat back can be made flat.

[0092] In such an arrangement, the abutment portion has a plate shape extending along the front surface of the extension portion, the contact area between the abutment portion and the extension portion can be maximized, so that the extension portion can be reinforced by the abutment portion in a more reliable manner.

[0093] In such an arrangement, the first mounting member is welded to the panel member at the abutment portion, the abutment portion and the extension portion are firmly connected to each other, so that the extension portion can be more reliably reinforced by the abutment portion.

[0094] In such an arrangement, the panel member extends beyond the abutment portion in the outer side direction and is bent forward along the outer side end surface of the abutment portion, since the panel member is bent forward at its outer side edge, the rigidity of the panel member can be enhanced. In addition, since the panel member is bent along the outer side edge of the abutment portion, no gap is generated between the abutment portion and the bent portion of the outer side edge of the panel member, so that the portion of the panel member adjacent to its outer side edge can be reinforced by the abutment portion in a reliable manner. Thus, the deformation of the portion of the panel member adjacent to its outer side edge is prevented in a more reliable manner.

[0095] In such an arrangement, the webbing is engaged by the engagement portion located in front of the airbag module in the vehicle seat provided with the airbag module, the components housed in the seat back can be positioned to be clearly visible.

[0096] In such an arrangement, the mounting member includes a hook (510) engaged with the engagement portion, by engaging the mounting member to the wire member, the movement of the airbag module is restricted, and the position of the airbag module at the time of fastening is kept fixed. This facilitates the assembly of the airbag module. Further, since the airbag module is engaged to the wire member connecting the webbing to the side member, a separate engagement member does not need to be provided on the side member, thus simplifying the structure.

[0097] In such an arrangement, the mounting member includes a first mounting member (501) connected to the outer side of the outer side member and a second mounting member (502) connected to the airbag module, the second mounting member is provided with a fastening portion (504) and the first mounting member is provided with a fastened portion (506), the fastened portion can be fastened to the fastening portion in such a way that by engaging the hook to the wire member and rotating the airbag module about the axis of the wire member, the airbag module can be placed in an arrangement in which the fastening member and the fastened portion are aligned with each other, by engaging the hook to the wire member and rotating the airbag module, the airbag module can be guided to a position in which the fastening portion and the fastened portion are aligned with each other. Thus, the airbag module can be easily placed in the proper position to easily fasten the airbag module to the side member.

[0098] In such an arrangement, the fragile portion and the engaging portion extend vertically substantially parallel to each other, the webbing can be arranged along the fragile portion, so that the load due to the inflation of the airbag can be concentrated on the fragile portion in an effective manner.

[0099] In such an arrangement, the hook is provided on the front edge of the second support member and the fastening portion is provided on the rear edge of the second support member, since the second support member is engaged to the wire member at its front edge and fastened to the side member at its rear edge, so that the second support member and the side member can be firmly connected to each other. As a result, the movement of the airbag module relative to the side member is minimized, and the position of the airbag module when deployed can be stabilized.

[0100] In such an arrangement, the vehicle seat further includes a plate member (20) extending from the rear edge of the outer side member in the outer side direction, and a first mounting member (501) is provided on the outer side of the outer side member, a through hole (74) is provided on the plate member along the axis of the fastener fastening the fastening portion and the fastened portion to each other, the fastener can be accessed from the rear of the plate member by inserting a tool into the through hole from the rear to the front. In this way, by fastening the first mounting member and the second mounting member to each other from the rear of the plate member, the assembly work of the airbag module is facilitated.

[0101] In such an arrangement, the airbag module is configured to deploy the airbag (41) in the forward direction and is located forward of the fastening portion, preventing the airbag from contacting the fastener when deployed, so that the airbag deformation due to such contact between the airbag and the fastener can be prevented, and the airbag can be deployed in a more reliable manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0102] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the present application in a use position;

[0103] Figure 2 diagram of a vehicle seat showing the transition of the vehicle seat from the use position (A) to the stowed position (B);

[0104] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat of the first embodiment as viewed from the front;

[0105] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat of the first embodiment as viewed from the rear;

[0106] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V; Figure 1

[0107] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0108] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat according to the third embodiment of the present application;

[0109] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the upper left portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat of the third embodiment;

[0110] Figure 9 is a rear view of the upper portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat according to the fourth embodiment of the present application;

[0111] Figure 10 is a side view of the upper portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat of the fourth embodiment;

[0112] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the upper left end portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat of the fourth embodiment;

[0113] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the upper left portion of the seat back frame of the vehicle seat of the fourth embodiment;

[0114] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat according to the fifth embodiment of the present application;

[0115] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat of the fifth embodiment;

[0116] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the seat back of the vehicle seat of the fifth embodiment as viewed from the front;

[0117] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat of the fifth embodiment; and​

[0118] Figure 17 is an explanatory view showing the movement of the fixer when the airbag module is fastened in the vehicle seat of the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0119] Three embodiments of a vehicle seat according to the present application applied to a last row seat of a motor vehicle are described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front, rear, lateral and vertical directions are based on the forward direction of the motor vehicle. The vehicle seat is capable of changing its configuration and posture between a use position in which an occupant can be seated and a stowed position changed from the use position to expand the space available for cargo, and the following description of the various configurations will be based on the vehicle seat in the use position unless otherwise specified.

[0120] (First Embodiment)

[0121] As shown in Figure 1 , a vehicle seat 1 according to the present application constitutes the left side portion of a rear seat in the second row of a car having two rows of seats with one row behind the other. The vehicle seat 1 is located on a floor 2 of the car and includes a seat cushion 4 that supports the hips of a seat occupant, a seat back 5 that is supported by the rear portion of the seat cushion 4 and serves as a backrest, and a headrest 6 provided at the upper portion of the seat back 5. A substantially horizontal cargo floor 7 (see Figure 2 ) extending to a rear panel (rear door) is provided behind the vehicle seat 1.

[0122] The seat cushion 4 extends laterally and defines a seating surface 9 for two occupants. A pair of lower rails extending in the front-rear direction and connected to the upper surface of the floor 2 are located below the seat cushion 4. An upper rail is slidably engaged to each of the lower rails 10 so as to be slidable in the direction of extension of the lower rails 10. Thus, the seat cushion 4 is supported by the floor 2 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction via the lower rails 10 and the upper rail.

[0123] The seat back 5 extends in the vertical direction and has a substantially rectangular shape with a surface facing forward. A support surface 12 that supports the backs of two passengers is formed on the front surface of the seat back 5. The seat back 5 is pivotably connected at its lower end to the rear end of a frame structure forming the seat cushion 4 by a tilting mechanism known per se.

[0124] A pair of headrests 6 are provided laterally side by side at the upper end of the seat back 5. Each headrest 6 is connected at its lower end to the seat back 5 so as to be pivotable about an axis extending laterally.

[0125] A strap 15 extends from the lower portion of the outer side of the seat back 5 in the outer side direction. When the strap 15 is pulled in the outer side direction, the seat cushion 4 and the seat back 5 are capable of being moved from a use position for seating an occupant to a stowed position in which the seat back 5 is inclined rearward and the seat cushion 4 is inclined upward. Figure 2(A) Move to the stowed position used to expand the space. Figure 2 (B)) To accommodate cargo. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the use position, the seating surface 9 of the seat cushion 4 faces upward to support the occupant's buttocks, while the support surface 12 of the seat back 5 faces substantially forward to support the occupant's back. When the vehicle seat 1 is moved from the use position to the stowed position, the seat cushion 4 is lifted at its rear end and moved forward (B) Figure 2 (A) The double-dotted line), and causes the seating surface 9 to face forward. At the same time, the seat back 5 tilts forward by rotating about its lower end. Figure 2 (A) The double-dotted line extends from the supporting surface 12 of the seat back 5, which faces substantially downwards, and the back of the seat back 5 extends substantially horizontally. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the folded position, the back of the seat back 5 is continuous with the surface of the cargo floor 7, and cargo can be placed on the back of the seat back 5. Figure 2 As shown in (A), the headrest 6 can also rotate about an axis extending in the lateral direction relative to the seat back 5, so that when the vehicle seat 1 is moved from the use position to the folded position, the movement of the seat back 5 is not hindered by the headrest 6.

[0126] In this embodiment, a lever 17 is provided at the upper left end of the seat back 5. When the lever 17 is operated while the vehicle seat 1 is in the use position, the seat back 5 can pivot relative to the seat cushion 4, thereby allowing the seat occupant to adjust the angle of the seat back 5 relative to the seat cushion 4 to suit the occupant's body size.

[0127] Now for reference Figures 3 to 5 The structure of the seat back 5 is described below. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the seat back 5 is provided with a seat back frame assembly 18 serving as a structural frame, a pad member 21 supported by the seat back frame assembly 18, an outer skin member 22 disposed on the surface of the pad member 21 to form the outer surface of the seat back 5, and an airbag module 23 supported by the seat back frame assembly 18.

[0128] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the seat back frame assembly 18 forms the structural frame of the seat back 5 and includes a seat back frame body 19 having a generally rectangular frame structure and a disc-shaped frame 20 (plate member) located behind the seat back frame body 19. The seat back frame body 19 includes a pair of side frames 26 (side members) extending vertically along its sides, an upper frame 27 extending laterally between the upper ends of the left and right side frames 26, and a lower frame (not shown in the figures) extending laterally between the lower ends of the side frames 26. The upper side frame portion 26U and upper frame 27 forming the upper part of each side frame 26 are formed by bending a single tubular member 29 having a circular cross-section into an inverted U-shape or a gate shape. The lower side frame portion 26D forming the lower part of each side frame 26 is formed by metal plate members 30, each metal plate member 30 having a laterally oriented main plane. The two ends of the tubular member 29 are welded to the corresponding ends of the metal plate member 30 at their inwardly oriented sides. The front and rear edges of each metal plate member 30 are bent inward relative to the seat. The lower end of the side frame 26 is pivotally connected to the frame structure forming the seat cushion 4 via a tilting mechanism.

[0129] The disc-shaped frame 20 is a sheet metal member extending along the rear sides of the side frame 26 and the upper frame 27, and therefore has a main plane facing the front-rear direction. The disc-shaped frame 20 includes a disc-shaped frame base portion 31 and a disc-shaped frame extension portion 32. The base portion 31 covers the rear sides of the side frame 26, the upper frame 27, and the lower frame, and the extension portion 32 extends to the left (outer direction) beyond the left-side (outer) side frame 26 from the base portion 31. The disc-shaped frame 20 is welded to the upper frame 27 at its upper edge, to the lower frame at its lower edge, and to appropriate portions of the side frame 26 at each of its side edges. Multiple reinforcing ribs and lightening holes 31B may be provided in appropriate portions of the base portion 31.

[0130] A pair of brackets 36 (first mounting members) are directly connected to the left side frame 26, one on top of the other. A single retainer 37 (second mounting member) holding the airbag module 23 is directly connected to the two brackets 36. Thus, the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26 via the retainer 37 and the brackets 36. The airbag module 23 has a generally rectangular shape extending along the extension direction of the side frame 26 and has a pair of laterally oriented outer surfaces.

[0131] like Figure 5 As shown, the airbag module 23 includes an inflator 42 that releases gas into the airbag 41 to inflate and deploy the airbag 41, and a generally rectangular housing 43 that houses the airbag 41 and the inflator 42 therein. The inflator 42 has a generally cylindrical shape and is provided with an externally threaded portion 44 that projects radially outward from its outer peripheral surface.

[0132] The case 43 has a substantially rectangular shape, and includes a metal case main body 45 having an open left side, and a plastic cover main body 46 covering the open end of the case main body 45. Thus, the case main body 45 includes a substantially rectangular bottom wall and a side wall connected to the peripheral edge of the bottom wall. The bottom wall of the case 45 is provided at a predetermined position with a through-hole 48 passing therethrough in the thickness direction. The airbag 41 is folded and housed in the case main body 45.

[0133] The externally threaded portion 44 enters the through-hole 48 from the inside of the case main body 45, and projects outwardly. The airbag module 23 is connected to the retainer 37 by fastening the externally threaded portion 44 to the retainer 37.

[0134] The cover main body 46 has a substantially rectangular shape, and is formed as a plastic plate facing in the lateral direction. In the present embodiment, the peripheral edge of the cover main body 46 is provided with a tubular portion having a rectangular outer profile projecting toward the case main body 45 and fitting into the open end of the case main body 45. A plurality of locking claws projecting radially outwardly and arranged in the circumferential direction are formed on the peripheral face of the tubular portion. A plurality of through-holes are provided in the side wall of the case main body 45, and the locking claws are engaged respectively through these through-holes to connect the cover main body 46 to the case main body 45.

[0135] The cover main body 46 is provided with a weak portion 46W in the form of a groove extending along the front edge, the upper edge, and the lower edge thereof, and is provided with a hinge 46H composed of a thinned portion along the rear edge thereof. As a result, when a leftward load is applied to the cover main body 46, the cover main body 46 is torn at the weak portion 46W, so that the central portion of the cover main body 46 rotates about the hinge 46H to open the case main body 45.

[0136] The disc-shaped frame extension 32 extends to the left beyond the left side frame 26, and reaches the left side of the left end of the airbag module 23. The disc-shaped frame extension 32 is spaced rearwardly from the airbag module 23, thereby defining a gap S between the disc-shaped frame 20 and the airbag module 23 in the front-rear direction. The left edge of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 is bent forward to form a bent portion 32A bent forward to increase the rigidity of the disc-shaped frame 20. In the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 3 the upper edge of the disc-shaped frame 20 is also bent forward similarly to the left edge of the disc-shaped frame extension 32.

[0137] The pad member 21 is formed of a soft pad material such as polyurethane foam. As Figure 5As shown, the cushion member 21 includes a front surface portion 50 located behind the support surface 12 and a left side surface portion 51 extending rearward from the left edge of the front surface portion 50. The front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51 are each composed of a separate cushion member. The front surface portion 50 passes along the front side of the side frame 26, the bracket 36, and the retainer 37, and extends to the left front side of the airbag module 23. The left side surface portion 51 extends rearward from the left front portion of the airbag module 23, passes through the left side of the airbag module 23, and reaches a rear end portion that is substantially flush with the rear surface of the disc-shaped frame 20 in the front-rear direction.

[0138] The skin member 22 is formed by sewing together a plurality of sheet members such as cloth and leather. The skin member 22 has a front sheet 54 that covers the surface of the front surface portion 50 and a left side sheet 55 that covers the surface of the left side surface portion 51. The left edge of the front sheet 54 and the front edge of the left side sheet 55 are sewn together to form a sewn portion 57. The sewn portion 57 serves as a weak portion of the skin member 22, which can be torn at a smaller load than other sewn portions. As shown in FIG. 2, the sewn portion 57 extends vertically along the left front edge of the seat back 5. Figure 1

[0139] The rear surface of the disc-shaped frame 20 is fitted with a back sheet 58 formed of a sheet member such as cloth or leather similar to the material of the skin member 22. One end of the back sheet 58 is connected to the rear edge of the left side sheet 55 by a thread fastener 59.

[0140] The vehicle seat 1 is provided at a predetermined position with a sensor 60 for detecting a load applied to an occupant in the rear seat. The sensor 60 can be, for example, a tension sensor that detects the tension on a seat belt worn by an occupant seated on the rear seat or an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration applied to the vehicle seat 1. A control unit 61 is provided below the vehicle seat 1 and is electrically connected to the sensor 60 and the inflator 42 to control the operation of the inflator 42 in accordance with the load detected by the sensor 60. In the present embodiment, the control unit 61 is provided on the vehicle seat 1, but can also be provided at any other position on the vehicle body.

[0141] Details of the shapes of the brackets 36 and the retainer 37 are described below. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper and lower brackets 36 are each composed of a curved metal plate member and are substantially identical in shape. Therefore, only the upper bracket 36 is described in detail, and the lower bracket 36 is omitted in the following description. Figure 3

[0142] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper bracket 36 is composed of a curved metal plate member and has a front portion 62, a rear portion 63, and a left side portion 64. The front portion 62 is a portion that extends along the front side of the side frame 26. The rear portion 63 is a portion that extends along the rear side of the side frame 26. The left side portion 64 is a portion that extends along the left side of the side frame 26. Figure 5 ​​As shown, the support 36 includes a generally square, plate-shaped support base 62 generally oriented laterally; a support front wall 63 connected to the front edge of the support base 62; and a support inclined wall 64 connected to the rear edge of the support base 62.

[0143] The front wall 63 of the bracket has a plate-like shape extending to the right from the front edge of the bracket base 62 and is welded to the front surface of the metal plate member 30 forming the lower part 26D of the left frame.

[0144] like Figure 5 As shown, the inclined wall 64 of the bracket is plate-shaped and slopes rearward toward its right edge (inner edge). The rear edge of the inclined wall 64 is welded to the rear surface of the metal plate member 30. The inclined wall 64 is provided with bolt holes 65 (fastening parts) passing through it along its thickness direction. Nuts are welded to the front surface of the inclined wall 64 at positions aligned with the bolt holes 65.

[0145] The front portion of the support base 62 is composed of a support joining wall 66, which extends in both the front-rear and vertical directions on the portion of the support base 62 located to the right of the front edge of the support inclined wall 64. The rear edge of the support joining wall 66 and the front edge of the support inclined wall 64 are connected to each other by a connecting wall 67, which is inclined to the right towards its front edge. The front edge of the support joining wall 66 is connected to the front wall 63 of the support.

[0146] The retainer 37 is a curved metal plate component and includes a plate-shaped retainer base 68 extending in the front-rear and vertical directions, and a plate-shaped retainer inclined wall 69 connected to the rear edge of the retainer base 68 and inclined to the right toward its rear edge. The retainer base 68 is provided with bolt holes 68A passing through it in the thickness direction. The airbag module 23 is held on the left side surface of the retainer base 68 by fastening the external thread 44 of the inflator 42 to the bolt holes 68A.

[0147] A pair of bolt holes 70 pass through the retainer inclined wall 69 in the thickness direction. The retainer inclined wall 69 extends along the rear surface of the bracket inclined wall 64, and the retainer 37 is fastened to the bracket 36 by a pair of bolts 72 (fasteners) passing through the respective bolt holes 65 and 70.

[0148] The disc-shaped frame 20 is provided with a pair of tool holes 74 for tightening bolts 72. Each tool hole 74 is formed by a through hole passing through the disc-shaped frame 20 in the thickness direction and is located on the extension of the axis X of the corresponding bolt 72 passing through bolt holes 65 and 70. The tool holes 74 are sized to allow insertion of a tool (e.g., a universal wrench) for tightening the bolts 72. Figure 5 As shown, the disc-shaped frame 20 is provided with a pair of closing members 75 that close the corresponding tool holes 74.

[0149] The rear end of each bracket inclined wall 64 is in contact with the front surface of the disc-shaped frame 20. Accordingly, the bracket 36 is positioned between the side frame 26 and the disc-shaped frame 20.

[0150] As Figure 5 shown, the bracket engagement walls 66 of the upper and lower brackets 36 are provided at predetermined positions with engagement holes 77 therethrough in the thickness direction, respectively. A wire member 78 composed of a metal rod having a circular cross section and curved into a predetermined shape is engaged to the engagement holes 77. As Figure 3 shown, the wire member 78 is provided with a pair of hooks 90 located at both ends thereof in one above the other manner and engaged to the engagement holes 77, respectively, a pair of connecting portions 92 located one above the other and extending from the respective hooks 90 to the front end of the airbag module 23, and an engagement portion 94 extending vertically and connecting the front ends of the two connecting portions 92 to each other. The wire member 78 is connected to the bracket 36 by the hooks 90 provided at the respective ends of the wire member 78 and engaged to the engagement holes 77 of the respective brackets 36. The connecting portions 92 are connected at their rear ends to the respective hooks 90, extend through the space defined between the bracket engagement wall 66 and the retainer base 68, and reach the right front side of the airbag module 23. The front ends of the connecting portions 92 are bent to the left. In the present embodiment, the connecting portions 92 are pushed by the airbag module 23 toward the bracket engagement wall 66 in the space defined between the bracket engagement wall 66 and the retainer base 68. As a result, the wire member 78 is sandwiched between the bracket 36 and the retainer 37, thereby being held in place.

[0151] The skin member 22 is provided with a webbing 96. The webbing 96 is formed of a sheet-like member having a smaller stretchability than the skin member 22. One end of the webbing 96 is sewn to the front panel 54 and the left side panel 55 at the sewing portion 57. The webbing 96 extends from the front end thereof between the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51 toward the engagement portion 94 of the wire member 78. A hook 97 is provided at the other end of the webbing 96 and engaged to the engagement portion 94 of the wire member 78.

[0152] The operation mode of the vehicle seat 1 will be described below. When the sensor 60 Figure 1 detects that the load of an occupant applied to the rear seat has exceeded a predetermined value, the control unit 61 controls the inflator 42 to supply gas into the airbag 41. As a result, gas is released from the inflator 42 to inflate the airbag 41, with the result that the cover body 46 is pressed to the left. Thus, the fragile portion 46W Figure 5 is torn, and the case 43 is opened.

[0153] The airbag 41 is inflated by gas supplied from the inflator 42 in the leftward and rightward directions, passes between the front surface portion 50 and the left surface portion 51, and reaches the sewn portion 57. At this time, a load is applied to the webbing 96 due to the inflation of the airbag 41. Due to the load applied to the webbing 96, the sewn portion 57 breaks, and an opening is formed at the left upper end portion of the front surface of the seat back 5. The airbag 41 is inflated through the opening to the left front of the seat back 5, and deploys between the seat occupant and the cabin side wall.

[0154] The effect of the vehicle seat 1 will be described below. In the vehicle seat 1 including the airbag 41, when the airbag 41 is deployed, a load (reaction force) opposite to the direction of deployment of the airbag 41 is applied to the seat frame supporting the airbag module 23. In order to properly deploy the airbag 41 and stabilize the deployment of the airbag 41, it is required that the frame supporting the airbag module 23 has rigidity capable of sufficiently bearing the reaction force applied thereto when the airbag 41 is deployed.

[0155] The disc-shaped frame 20 is formed of a substantially flat metal plate member covering the rear surfaces of the left and right frames 26. In order to connect the airbag module 23 to the disc-shaped frame 20 and impart sufficient rigidity to the disc-shaped frame 20 to counteract the reaction force applied thereto when the airbag 41 is deployed, it is necessary to increase the plate thickness of the disc-shaped frame 20. However, when the plate thickness of the disc-shaped frame 20 is increased, the weight of the seat back frame assembly 18 is increased.

[0156] In the vehicle seat 1, the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26. The upper portion of the side frame 26 is formed of a pipe member 29. The lower portion of the side frame 26 is formed of a metal plate member 30 which is bent inwardly of the plate at its front and rear edges. Thus, the side frame 26 has higher rigidity than the plate-shaped disc-shaped frame 20. By connecting the airbag module 23 to the side frame 26, it is possible to reduce the plate thickness of the disc-shaped frame 20 compared to the case where the airbag module 23 is supported on the disc-shaped frame 20. Thus, the attitude of the airbag module 23 can be stabilized against the reaction force applied thereto when the airbag 41 is deployed, and the weight of the seat back 5 can be reduced.

[0157] Further, by providing the airbag module 23 on the left side of the side frame 26, it is possible to inflate the airbag 41 forward to deploy between the vehicle seat 1 and the cabin side wall. Thereby, the occupant is prevented from colliding with the side wall of the cabin, and thus it is possible to effectively improve the safety of the occupant.

[0158] As Figure 2As shown, when the vehicle seat 1 is placed in the stowed position, the rear surface of the seat back 5 is continuous with the surface of the cargo floor 7, and thus the area for placing cargo or luggage can be enlarged. In order to maximize this cargo area, it is preferable to increase the size of the disc-shaped frame 20 as much as possible. Therefore, it is conceivable to extend the disc-shaped frame 20 to the left side of the left side frame 26. However, when the size of the disc-shaped frame 20 is increased, it is difficult to access the left side surface of the side frame 26 from the rear of the seat back 5 after the cushion member 21 is installed on the front surface of the seat back frame assembly 18. Therefore, it becomes difficult to secure the airbag module 23 to the side frame 26.

[0159] As shown, a tool hole 74 is provided in the disc-shaped frame 20 of the vehicle seat 1, so that a tool can be inserted into the tool hole 74 from the rear of the disc-shaped frame 20, and the bolt 72 for fastening the anchor 37 to the bracket 36 can be tightened from the rear of the disc-shaped frame 20. Therefore, the airbag module 23 can be easily secured to the side frame 26 from the rear of the seat back 5. Figure 5

[0160] In addition, in the present embodiment, in contrast to a case where the bracket 36 is bent at two positions respectively to form a wall surface facing rearward and the fastening portion is provided on the wall surface (for example, as shown in Figure 6 , the number of bends of the bracket 36 can be reduced, and the wall surface having the fastening portion can be made clearly visible from the rear, since the wall surface to which the bolt 72 is fastened is inclined from the lateral direction. Therefore, the bolt holes 65 and 70 can be provided in portions that are clearly visible from the rear, without reducing the rigidity of the bracket 36.

[0161] The amount by which the head of the bolt 72 protrudes rearward is smaller when the bolt 72 is fastened to a wall surface inclined with respect to the lateral direction, as compared to a case where the bolt 72 is fastened to a wall surface extending in the lateral direction. In the present embodiment, the amount by which the head of the bolt 72 protrudes rearward can be reduced by inclining the bracket inclined wall 64 to which the bolt 72 is fastened, with respect to the lateral direction. Furthermore, since the rear surface of the bracket inclined wall 64 is inclined rearward, the head of the bolt 72 can be visually recognized from the rear of the disc-shaped frame 20, thereby facilitating the fastening operation of the anchor 37 and the bracket 36.

[0162] The disc-shaped frame 20 is provided with a pair of closure members 75 that close the tool holes 74. Therefore, the back surface of the seat back 5 can be made flatter, and the stability of luggage placed on the back surface of the seat back 5 can be improved when the vehicle seat 1 is in the stowed position. Furthermore, when the tool holes 74 are closed by the closure members 75 respectively, even if a liquid such as moisture from luggage is applied to the back surface of the seat back 5, the liquid can be prevented from dripping down and reaching the airbag module 23, even in the case where the vehicle seat 1 is in the stowed position.​

[0163] A gap S is provided between the disc-shaped frame 20 and the airbag module 23. Therefore, a load from luggage placed on the back surface of the seat back 5 is prevented from being directly applied to the airbag module 23, so that a change in the position of the airbag module 23 can be avoided.

[0164] The airbag module 23 is fastened to the retainer 37 in front of the bracket inclined wall 64, so that the deployed airbag 41 is prevented from contacting the bolts 72 that fasten the retainer 37 to the bracket 36, and deformation of the airbag 41 during deployment can be prevented. Thereby, the airbag 41 can be deployed more reliably.

[0165] In addition, two brackets 36 are provided on the side frame 26 in one above the other, and the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26 at two positions one above the other. Therefore, the connection between the airbag module 23 and the side frame 26 is strengthened, and the posture of the airbag 41 during deployment is more stable, compared to the case where the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26 at one position.

[0166] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 forms a surface that extends vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, and the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be more concentrated in the stitching portion 57. Figure 1 Figure 3 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 forms a surface that extends vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, and the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be more concentrated in the stitching portion 57.

[0167] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 forms a surface that extends vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, and the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be more concentrated in the stitching portion 57. Figure 5 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 94 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 forms a surface that extends vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, and the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be more concentrated in the stitching portion 57.

[0168] <Second Embodiment>

[0169] The vehicle seat 100 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the bracket 101 and the shape of the retainer 102, and is similar to the first embodiment in other respects. Therefore, the details of the shape of the bracket 101 and the shape of the retainer 102 are described in detail in the following disclosure, and the other parts of the vehicle seat 100 are omitted from the description. Similar to the first embodiment, the side frame 26 is provided with a pair of brackets 101 one above the other, but since the lower bracket 101 is identical to the upper bracket 101, only the upper bracket 101 is described in detail.

[0170] As​Figure 6 As shown, the bracket 101 of the second embodiment is, like the first embodiment, a curved sheet metal member, and includes a bracket base 103 located on the left side of the sheet metal member 30 so as to face in the lateral direction, a bracket front wall 104 composed of a plate-like member extending rightward from the front edge of the bracket base 103 and welded to the front edge of the sheet metal member 30, and a bracket rear wall 105 composed of a plate-like member extending rightward from the rear edge of the bracket base 103 and welded to the left side surface of the sheet metal member 30. In this embodiment, the free end (right edge) of the bracket rear wall 105 is provided with a flange 106 extending rearward, and the right edge of the bracket rear wall 105 is welded to the left side surface of the sheet metal member 30 at the flange 106. The bracket rear wall 105 is formed with a bolt hole 107 (fastening portion) passing therethrough in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). A nut is welded to a portion of the front surface of the bracket rear wall 105 that aligns with the bolt hole 107. Like the first embodiment, a bracket engagement wall 109 facing in the lateral direction and extending in the front-rear and vertical directions is provided at the front of the bracket base 103. The rear end of the bracket engagement wall 109 and the left edge of the bracket rear wall 105 are connected to each other by a connecting wall 110 inclined rightward toward the front end thereof.

[0171] Like the first embodiment, the holder 102 is a curved sheet metal member, and includes a substantially rectangular plate-like holder base 112 extending substantially parallel to the side surface of the sheet metal member, and a holder rear wall 114 (fastening portion) connected to the rear edge of the holder base 112 and extending rightward. A bolt hole 117 is provided on the holder rear wall 114. The holder 102 is arranged so that the holder rear wall 114 extends along the bracket rear wall 105, and is fastened to the rear surface of the bracket rear wall 105 by a bolt 119 passing through the two bolt holes 107 and 117, respectively.

[0172] Like the first embodiment, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 is provided with a pair of tool holes 120 for accessing the head of the bolt 119. The tool holes 120 each consist of a hole passing through the disc-shaped frame extension 32 on an extension line passing through the axis X of the corresponding bolt 119 that passes through the two bolt holes 107 and 117. In this embodiment, the tool holes 120 are located rearward of the bolt holes 107 and 117. Also, the tool holes 120 are closed by a closure member 75 similar to the first embodiment.

[0173] The airbag module 23 is fastened to the left side surface of the holder base 112, and a gap S is formed between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32.

[0174] As in the first embodiment, each of the bracket bases 103 is provided with an engagement hole 130, and a corresponding end of the wire member 78 is engaged to the engagement hole 130. The wire member 78 is inserted between the bracket engagement wall 109 and the retainer base 112 at its rear portion, and includes an engagement portion 94 that extends vertically at its front portion. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, a webbing 96 is provided that has one end sewn to the sewing portion 57, and the other end engaged to the engagement portion 94.

[0175] The effects of the vehicle seat 100 configured as described above are discussed below. By inserting a tool into the tool hole 120 from the rear portion to the front portion of the disc-shaped frame 20, the bolt 119 can be easily accessed. As a result, the bracket 101 and the retainer 102 can be fastened by tightening the bolt 119. In particular, in the vehicle seat 100 according to the second embodiment, since the bolt hole 107 is formed in the bracket rear wall 105 that faces in the front-rear direction, the tool insertion direction points in the forward direction, so that the worker can clearly recognize the insertion direction of the tool.

[0176] <Third Embodiment>

[0177] The vehicle seat 200 according to the third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments only in the shape of the bracket 201 and the shape of the retainer 202, and is similar to the first embodiment in other respects. Therefore, the details of the shape of the bracket 201 and the shape of the retainer 202 are described in detail in the following disclosure, and the other portions of the vehicle seat 200 are omitted from the description. Similarly to the first embodiment, the side frame 26 is provided with a pair of brackets 201 one above the other, but since the lower bracket 201 is identical to the upper bracket 201, only the upper bracket 201 is described in detail.

[0178] As Figure 7 shown, the bracket 201 is a curved metal plate member, and includes a connection portion 203 welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30, a bracket front portion 204 connected to the front edge of the connection portion 203, and a bracket rear portion 205 connected to the rear edge of the connection portion 203. The connection portion 203 has a plate shape that is generally rectangular with a surface facing in the lateral direction along the left side surface of the metal plate member 30. The right side surface of the connection portion 203 is welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30.

[0179] The bracket front portion 204 is connected to the front edge of the connection portion 203 at a rear end, and is inclined forward toward its left end before curving forward. A plate-shaped bracket engagement wall 206 is formed at the front end of the bracket front portion 204 so as to face in the lateral direction and extend in the front-rear and vertical directions.

[0180] The bracket rear portion 205 includes a bracket inclined wall 207 connected at a front end to a rear edge of the connecting portion 203, and an abutment portion 208 connected to a rear edge of the bracket inclined wall 207. The bracket inclined wall 207 is inclined leftward toward a rear end thereof. The bracket inclined wall 207 is in contact with a front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 at the rear end. As a result, the bracket 201 is positioned between the side frame 26 and the disc-shaped frame 20, and the bracket inclined wall 207 has a rear surface inclined rearward. The bracket inclined wall 207 is provided with a bolt hole 209 therethrough in a thickness direction.

[0181] The abutment portion 208 extends leftward along the front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32. The abutment portion 208 is in abutment with the front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 at a rear surface thereof, and is welded to the front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 at the rear surface. A left end of the abutment portion 208 is in abutment with and is welded to a right side surface of the curved portion 32A of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 at the same end portion. As a result, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 extends leftward from the abutment portion 208, and has the curved portion 32A curved forwardly along the left end face of the abutment portion 208 at a left edge of the abutment portion 208.

[0182] The holder 202 is a curved metal plate member, and includes a plate-shaped holder base 211 extending in a front-rear direction and a vertical direction, and a plate-shaped inclined wall 212 (a fastening portion) connected to a rear edge of the holder base 211 and inclined rearward toward a left end thereof.

[0183] The holder base 211 is provided with a bolt hole 213 at a prescribed position thereof, and the externally threaded portion 44 is fastened to the bolt hole 213. As a result, the airbag module 23 is connected to a left side surface of the holder base 211, and is held by the holder 202.

[0184] The holder inclined wall 212 is substantially parallel to the bracket inclined wall 207, and extends along a front surface of the bracket inclined wall 207. A bolt hole 214 is provided on the holder inclined wall 212. A nut is welded on the front surface of the bracket inclined wall 207 at a position aligned with the bolt hole 214. The bracket 201 and the holder 202 are fastened by a bolt 216 (a fastening member) passing through the two bolt holes 209 and 214. Thus, the airbag module 23 is held by the holder 202, and is supported by the side frame 26. As shown, the airbag module 23 is positioned in front of the disc-shaped frame extension 32, and a gap S is formed between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32. Figure 7

[0185] ​The disc-shaped frame extension 32 is provided with a pair of tool holes 220 for inserting a tool from the rear of the disc-shaped frame 20 and tightening the bolts 216. The tool holes 220 pass through the disc-shaped frame extension 32 and are provided on the extension line of the axis X of each bolt 216. The tool holes 220 are sized to allow insertion of a tool (e.g., a universal wrench) for tightening the bolts 216. A plastic closure member 75 is press-fitted into each tool hole 220 to close the tool hole 220.

[0186] The bracket engagement wall 206 of each bracket 201 is formed at a predetermined position with an engagement hole 225 passing therethrough in the thickness direction. A wire member 226 formed by bending a metal rod having a circular cross section is connected to the engagement hole 225. The wire member 226 is provided with a pair of hooks 227 formed at both ends thereof and engaged with the corresponding hook engagement hole 225, a connection portion 228 extending forward from each hook 227, and an engagement portion 229 connected between the free ends of the upper and lower connection portions 228, respectively. Each connection portion 228 extends forward between the bracket front portion 204 and the retainer base 211 and reaches the right front of the airbag module 23 before being bent to the left. In the present embodiment, each connection portion 228 is pressed against the bracket engagement wall 206 by the airbag module 23 in the space defined between the bracket front portion 204 and the retainer base 211. Thus, the wire member 226 is clamped by the bracket 201 and the retainer 202, thereby being held in place.

[0187] The skin member 22 is provided with a webbing 96. The webbing 96 is formed of a sheet member having less stretchability than the skin member 22. One end of the webbing 96 is sewn to the front panel 54 and the left side panel 55 at the stitching portion 57. The webbing 96 passes through the boundary between the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51 when extending from the one end thereof and reaches the engagement portion 229 of the wire member 226. A predetermined hook 97 is provided at the other end of the webbing 96 and is engaged with the engagement portion 229 of the wire member 226.

[0188] The effects of the vehicle seat 200 according to the third embodiment are discussed below. Each bracket 201 is welded to the metal plate member 30 at the connection portion 203 and to the disc-shaped frame 20 at the abutment portion 208. The airbag module 23 is fastened to the retainer 202 which is fastened to the bracket 201. Thus, since the airbag module 23 is supported by the side frame 26 and the disc-shaped frame 20, the posture of the airbag 41 at the time of deployment can be further stabilized.

[0189] The side frame 26 is provided with a bracket 201 at one position above another, and the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26 at two positions one above another. Thereby, compared with the case where the airbag module 23 is connected to the side frame 26 at one position, the connection between the airbag module 23 and the side frame 26 is strengthened, and the posture of the airbag 41 during deployment is more stable.

[0190] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 defines a surface extending vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, so that the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be concentrated into the stitching portion 57. Figure 1 Figure 7 As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 defines a surface extending vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, so that the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be concentrated into the stitching portion 57.

[0191] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 defines a surface extending vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, so that the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be concentrated into the stitching portion 57. Figure 8 As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 each extend vertically, and the webbing 96 is engaged to the stitching portion 57 and the engaging portion 229 at each end thereof. As a result, the webbing 96 defines a surface extending vertically and horizontally in front of the airbag module 23. Therefore, when the airbag 41 expands forward, a load is preferentially applied to the webbing 96, so that the load due to the expansion of the airbag 41 can be concentrated into the stitching portion 57.

[0192] In addition, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be strengthened by connecting the abutment portion 208 to the front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32. Therefore, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can provide sufficient rigidity that can withstand the rearward load applied thereto when the airbag 41 deploys. In addition, even when a cargo is placed on the back surface of the seatback 5 and the load generated thereby is applied to the disc-shaped frame extension 32 on the rear surface side, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can have sufficient rigidity, so that deformation of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be avoided.

[0193] In addition, since the abutment portion 208 has a plate shape extending along the front surface of the disc-shaped frame extension 32, a sufficient contact area between the abutment portion 208 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be ensured. Therefore, the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be more reliably strengthened by the abutment portion 208. In addition, since the abutment portion 208 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32 are welded to each other, the connection between the abutment portion 208 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32 is strengthened, so that the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be strengthened by the abutment portion 208 in a more reliable manner.

[0194] ​Furthermore, by providing the curved portion 32A on the disc-shaped frame 20, the rigidity of the disc-shaped frame 20 can be improved. Since the abutment portion 208 extends to the right side surface of the curved portion 32A, there is no gap between the abutment portion 208 and the curved portion 32A. Therefore, the vicinity of the left edge of the disc-shaped frame extension 32 can be more reliably reinforced by the abutment portion 208, and deformation of the portion of the disc-shaped frame 20 near its left edge can be more reliably prevented.

[0195] <Fourth Embodiment>

[0196] The vehicle seat 300 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the vehicle seat 300 of the first embodiment in the shape of the side frame 301, the shape of the bracket 302, the shape of the retainer 303, and the shape of the line member 304. Structures similar to those in the first embodiment are omitted in the following description. Similar to the first embodiment, the side frame 301 is provided with a pair of brackets 302, one on top of the other; however, since the lower bracket 302 is identical to the upper bracket 302, only the upper bracket 302 will be described in detail.

[0197] like Figure 9 and 10 As shown, the side frame 301 differs from the first embodiment in that the extension wall 305 (extension piece) extends to the left from the upper end of the side frame 301. The extension wall 305 has the shape of a plate extending generally horizontally, and therefore has a surface facing in the vertical direction. The extension wall 305 is provided with bolt holes 306 passing through it in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the extension wall 305 is formed from a portion of the metal plate member 30 forming the lower part 26D of the side frame, which extends upward at approximately the middle of its position relative to the front-rear direction and bends to the left at its upper end.

[0198] The bracket 302 is located below the extension wall 305 and is connected to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30. The bracket 302 includes: a plate-shaped bracket base 307 extending in the front-rear and vertical directions and having a surface facing in the transverse direction; a bracket front portion 308 extending to the right from the front edge of the bracket base 307; and a bracket rear portion 309 extending to the right from the rear edge of the bracket base 307. The bracket front portion 308 has a flange 308A extending forward at its right end, and is welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30 at this flange 308A. The bracket rear portion 309 has a flange 309A extending rearward at its right end, and is welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30 at this flange 309A.

[0199] The retainer 303 is a curved metal plate member, and includes a plate-shaped retainer base 310 having a surface facing in the lateral direction and extending in the extending direction of the side frame 26, a retainer upper wall 311 (upper wall piece) extending rightward along the upper surface of the extending wall 305 from the upper end of the retainer base 310, and a retainer engaging portion 312 connected to the lower end of the retainer base 310.

[0200] The retainer upper wall 311 is positioned above the extending wall 305, and the lower surface thereof is in contact with the upper surface of the extending wall 305. A bolt hole 313 is provided in the retainer upper wall 311. A nut is welded at a position of the lower surface of the extending wall 305 that is aligned with the bolt hole 306, and the retainer upper wall 311 and the extending wall 305 are fastened to each other by using a bolt 315 that passes through both of the bolt holes 306 and 313.

[0201] The retainer engaging portion 312 has a plate shape that extends rightward from the lower end of the retainer base 310 and then extends downward. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the retainer engaging portion 312 is formed by bending the retainer base 310 at the lower end thereof. Figure 10 and 12 As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the bracket base 307 is provided with a bracket engaging hole 317 (engaging portion) that passes through the same in the thickness direction at a position corresponding to the retainer base 310. The lower end of the retainer engaging portion 312 passes through the bracket engaging hole 317, and extends in the right and downward direction before reaching the right side of the bracket base 307. As a result, the lower end of the retainer 303 is engaged to the bracket 302.

[0202] The retainer base 310 is provided with a through hole. The airbag module 23 is fastened to the left side surface of the retainer base 310 so that the airbag module 23 extends along the left side surface of the retainer base 310, and the externally threaded portion 44 passes through the through hole. At the same time, as shown in Fig. 6, the airbag module 23 is positioned in front of the disc-shaped frame extension 32, and a gap S is defined between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32. Figure 11

[0203] The wire member 304 is a curved metal rod member, and is connected to the left side frame 26 at both ends thereof. A central portion of the wire member 304 is provided with a wire engaging portion 321 that extends in the extending direction of the side frame 26 (vertical direction). In the present embodiment, the wire member 304 is welded to the metal plate member 30 at both ends thereof, and the wire engaging portion 321 is positioned in front of the bracket front portion 308, to the right of the airbag module 23, and to the left of the side frame 26. Similar to the first embodiment, one end of the webbing 96 is sewn to the sewing portion 57, and the other end of the webbing 96 is engaged to the wire engaging portion 321 by using the hook 97.

[0204] As shown in Fig. 6, the airbag module 23 is positioned in front of the disc-shaped frame extension 32, and a gap S is defined between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32. Figure 9 ​As shown, an operation member 325 is provided at the upper left end of the seat back 5, and the operation member 325 includes a lever 17 for adjusting the rotation angle of the seat back 5 with respect to the seat cushion 4. The operation member 325 is connected to the reclining mechanism by a wire (not shown in the drawings), and performs a function of transmitting an input provided by an occupant through manipulation of the lever 17 to the reclining mechanism. A pad member 21 that covers the upper surface of the seat back 5 is formed with a vertically extending passage 328 at a position corresponding to the operation member 325. In the present embodiment, the passage 328 is formed between the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51. The lower end of the operation member 325 is inserted into the passage 328, and the extension wall 305 is positioned below the operation member 325.

[0205] The effects of the vehicle seat 300 according to the fourth embodiment will be discussed below. In this vehicle seat 300, as in the first embodiment, the airbag module 23 is positioned in front of the disc-shaped frame extension 32, and a gap S is provided between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 32. Thereby, the load applied to the back surface of the seat back 5 is prevented from easily being transmitted to the airbag module 23.

[0206] The extension wall 305 and the upper wall 311 of the retainer are fastened to each other by tightening the bolt 315 downward. The fastening work for tightening the bolt 315 can be performed by inserting a tool downward into the seat back 5 from above. Thereby, the disc-shaped frame 20 does not interfere with the fastening operation, and contributes to the assembly of the airbag module 23.

[0207] Further, the pad member 21 is formed with the passage 328 that extends from above and reaches the extension wall 305. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a separate passage in the pad member 21 to allow access to the tool, and thus it is possible to simplify the structure of the vehicle seat 300.

[0208] The retainer 303 is fastened to the side frame 26 at its upper portion, and is engaged by the bracket engagement hole 317 at its lower portion. Therefore, the retainer 303 is connected to the side frame 26 at both its upper and lower portions, so that the retainer 303 and the side frame 26 are more firmly connected to each other than when the retainer 303 is connected to the side frame 26 at only one of the upper and lower portions. Therefore, it is possible to make the connection between the airbag module 23 and the side frame 26 firm, and thus it is possible to stabilize the posture of the airbag 41 at the time of deployment.

[0209] <Fifth Embodiment>

[0210] The vehicle seat 400 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the shapes of the bracket 401, the disc frame 402, and the retainer 403; otherwise, it is similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, the details of the shapes of the bracket 401, the disc frame 402, and the retainer 403 are described in detail in the following disclosure, and other parts of the vehicle seat 400 are omitted from this description. Similar to the first embodiment, the side frame 26 is provided with a pair of brackets 401, one on top of the other; however, since the lower bracket 401 is identical to the upper bracket 401, only the upper bracket 401 is described in detail.

[0211] like Figure 13 As shown, the bracket 401 includes a generally square, plate-shaped bracket base 405, the bracket base 405 having a surface extending laterally and vertically; a bracket front wall 406 extending to the right from the front edge of the bracket base 405; and a bracket rear wall 407 extending to the right from the rear edge of the bracket base 405. A flange 406A extends forward from the right edge of the bracket front wall 406, and the bracket front wall 406 is welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30 at the flange 406A. A flange 407A extends rearward from the right edge of the bracket rear wall 407, and the bracket rear wall 407 is welded to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30 at the flange 407A. The bracket base 405 is provided with a bracket engagement hole 408 passing through it in the thickness direction at a predetermined position.

[0212] Similar to the first embodiment, the disc frame 402 includes a disc frame extension 410 extending to the left side of the left frame 26. A lifting piece 411 is provided on the disc frame extension 410. The lifting piece 411 is formed by cutting material from the plate member forming the disc frame extension 410 at the rear end of a U-shaped bracket 401 having an open side facing right, and lifting the piece defined by the cut in a forward direction. The lifting piece 411 is plate-shaped, having a main plane sloping forward toward its outer end. The lifting piece 411 has a generally square shape, having an upper edge, a lower edge, and a left edge, and is connected to the base material of the disc frame 402 along its right end. Bolt holes 412 are provided at predetermined positions on the lifting piece 411, passing through it in the thickness direction.

[0213] like Figure 14As shown, the same as the first embodiment, the holder 403 is formed of a bent metal plate member, and the holder 403 is provided with a plate-shaped holder base 414 extending in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction, an inclined wall 415 connected to a rear edge of the holder base 414 and inclined toward the rear direction, and a pair of holder engagement walls 416 one above the other and connected to a front edge of the holder base 414. As in the first embodiment, the airbag module 23 is fastened to the holder base 414 at a predetermined position. The airbag module 23 is positioned in front of the disc-shaped frame extension 410, and a gap S is formed between the airbag module 23 and the disc-shaped frame extension 410.

[0214] The holder inclined wall 415 extends along the front surface of the lifting piece 411. The bolt holes 417 pass through them in the thickness direction. The holder inclined wall 415 and the lifting piece 411 are fastened to each other by using the bolt 418 that passes through the two bolt holes 412 and 417. As a result, the rear portion of the holder 403 is connected to the disc-shaped frame 402.

[0215] Each of the holder engagement walls 416 enters the holder engagement hole 408 from the left side of the holder base 405, and extends to the right side of the holder base 405 before being engaged by the edge of the holder engagement hole 408. Thereby, the holder engagement wall 416 is restricted from moving to the left, and the front portion of the holder 403 is connected to the holder 401. In this embodiment, for each holder 401, the holder engagement wall 416 is provided in the front edge of the holder base 414 to correspond to the holder engagement hole 408 of the holder 401.

[0216] In this embodiment, a back plate 420 is provided behind the disc-shaped frame 402 to cover the lifting piece 411 from the rear. The back plate 420 is a plastic plate substantially the same shape as the disc-shaped frame 402, and extends along the rear surface of the disc-shaped frame 402 to face the front-rear direction. A plurality of plate engagement portions 421 project forward along the left edge of the back plate 420. A plurality of holes are arranged along the rear edge of the left side sheet 55, and the left side sheet 55 is attached to the back plate 420 by engaging the plate engagement portions 421 with these holes of the left side sheet 55. The back plate 420 is fastened to the disc-shaped frame 402 at a predetermined position.

[0217] In this embodiment, no wire member is provided, and a webbing 423 is engaged to the holder 401. More specifically, similar to the first embodiment, the webbing 423 is sewn to the sewing portion 57 at one end thereof, and reaches the holder engagement hole 408 after passing through a portion between the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51. The other end 423A of the webbing is provided with a prescribed hook 424 that engages with the holder engagement hole 408.

[0218] The effects of the vehicle seat 400 according to the fifth embodiment will now be discussed. In this vehicle seat 400, as in the first embodiment, the airbag module 23 is located in front of the disc frame extension 410, and a gap S is defined between the airbag module 23 and the disc frame extension 410. Therefore, the load applied to the back of the seat back 5 is less likely to be transmitted to the airbag module 23.

[0219] Because the retainer tilt wall 415 is fastened to the rear surface of the lifting plate 411, the retainer tilt wall 415 and the lifting plate 411 can be arranged so that they are visually identifiable from behind the disc frame 402 when fastened. Furthermore, because the retainer 403 is connected to the side frame 26 and the disc frame 402, the airbag 41 can be stably supported by the seat back frame assembly 18.

[0220] <Sixth Embodiment>

[0221] The vehicle seat 500 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention differs from the vehicle seat 500 of the first embodiment in the shape of the bracket 501 and the retainer 502. Details of the shape of the bracket 501 and the retainer 502 are described below.

[0222] like Figure 15 As shown, the upper bracket 501U is a curved sheet metal member welded at its rear end to the tubular member 29 forming the upper part 26U of the side frame, and extends obliquely to the left and forward. The lower bracket 501D is a curved sheet metal member similar to the upper bracket 501U, and is welded at its rear end to the rear surface of the sheet metal member forming the upper part 26D of the side frame. A bracket inclined wall 503 is formed at the front of the upper bracket 501U, and another bracket inclined wall 503 is similarly formed at the front of the lower bracket 501D. Each bracket inclined wall 503 is provided with a bolt hole 504 (fastening part) passing through it in the thickness direction. Nuts are welded to the front surface of the bracket inclined wall 503 at positions aligned with the bolt holes 504.

[0223] The retainer 502 is a curved metal plate member extending in the front-rear and vertical directions, and is provided with a plate-shaped retainer base 505 facing the lateral direction, a plate-shaped retainer inclined wall 506 connected to the rear edge of the retainer base 505 and inclined to the right towards its rear end, and a retainer front portion 507 connected to the front edge of the retainer base 505. The retainer base 505 is provided with bolt holes 508 passing through it in the thickness direction. By fastening the external thread 44 of the inflator 42 to the bolt holes 508, the airbag module 23 can be held on the left side surface of the retainer base 505.

[0224] The fixer inclined wall 506 is formed with a bolt hole 509. The fixer inclined wall 506 (fastened portion) extends along the rear surface of the bracket inclined wall 503, and is fastened to the bracket inclined wall 503 by a bolt 72 (fastening member) passing through the two bolt holes 504 and 509. As a result, the fixer 502 is fixedly connected to the bracket 501.

[0225] The fixer front portion 507 has a plate shape that is inclined forward from the front edge of the fixer base 505 toward the right end thereof. As shown in Figure 16 the front edge of the fixer front portion 507 extending in the vertical direction is provided at the center with a hook 510 in the form of a plate that is curled in an arc shape to the right at the free end thereof.

[0226] The disc-shaped frame 20 is provided with a pair of tool holes 74 for allowing access to the heads of the bolts 72. The tool holes 74 pass through the disc-shaped frame 20 respectively, and are disposed on the extension lines of the axes X of the corresponding bolts 72. The tool holes 74 are sized to allow insertion of a tool (e.g., a universal wrench) for tightening the bolts 72. The disc-shaped frame 20 is provided with a pair of plastic closure members 75 for closing the tool holes 74.

[0227] As shown in Figure 15 the wire member 520 is connected to the left side frame 26. The wire member 520 is formed by bending a metal rod having a circular cross section, and is welded at one end thereof to the left side surface of the metal plate member 30, and at the other end thereof to the front surface of the tube member 29. The wire member 520 is provided at a substantially central portion thereof with an engaging portion 521 that extends vertically along the extension direction of the left side frame 26. The engaging portion 521 is located forward of the airbag module 23, to the left of the side frame 26, to the right of the fixer base 505, and forward of the bracket inclined wall 503. The hook 510 engages with the wire member 520 such that the fixer 502 is engaged to the wire member 520 at the front end thereof, and is fastened to the bracket 501 at the rear end thereof.

[0228] The skin member 22 is provided with a webbing 96. The webbing 96 is formed of a sheet-like member that is less stretchable than the skin member 22. One end of the webbing 96 is sewn to the front panel 54 and the left side panel 55 at the sewing portion 57.

[0229] Since the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51 are formed of separate cushioning materials, a passage 522 is defined therebetween. The webbing 96 extends from one end thereof through the passage 522 defined between the front surface portion 50 and the left side surface portion 51, and to the engaging portion 521 of the wire member 520. A hook 97 is provided at the other end of the webbing 96, and engages with the engaging portion 521 of the wire member 520.

[0230] The effects of the vehicle seat 500 will now be discussed. The webbing 96 is connected to a joint 521 located in front of the airbag module 23. Since the joint 521 is located in front of the airbag module 23, it can be easily visually identified from the side. Therefore, the proper position of the webbing 96 connected to the wire member 520 can be easily confirmed.

[0231] like Figure 17 As shown, after the hook 510 is engaged with the joint 521, the retainer 502 rotates counterclockwise (in the direction of the arrow) about the axis of the vertically extending joint 521. As a result, the retainer 502 is guided relative to the bracket 501 to the proper position where the two bolt holes 504 and 509 are aligned with each other. Figure 17 (Double-dotted lines in the diagram). This allows for easy and accurate positioning of the retainer 502 and the airbag module 23. Therefore, the bolt 72 can pass through the two bolt holes 504 and 509 and be easily tightened, allowing the airbag module 23 to be easily connected to the side frame 26. Furthermore, since the hook 510 is engaged with the joint 521, rearward movement of the airbag module 23 is prevented, thereby enabling easy and accurate positioning of the airbag module 23.

[0232] The wire member 520 serves not only to guide the airbag module 23, which will be correctly positioned and connected to the side frame 26, but also to support the end of the webbing 96 in order to properly concentrate the load generated by the inflation of the airbag 41. Therefore, the wire member 520, which supports the webbing 96 by connecting it to the side frame 26, also serves to position the airbag module 23. Thus, the need for a separate component for positioning the airbag module 23 can be eliminated, and the structure of the vehicle seat 500 can be simplified.

[0233] In this embodiment, even after the airbag module 23 is assembled, the front edge of the restraint 502 is engaged by the wire member 520, such as Figure 15 As shown, the rear edge of the retainer 502 is fastened to the side frame 26 by bolts 72. Since the retainer 502 is connected to the side frame 26 at both the front and rear, the retainer 502 and the side frame 26 are securely connected to each other, thus preventing movement of the airbag module 23 relative to the side frame 26. This ensures the stability of the airbag 41 during deployment.

[0234] When the bolt 72 is fastened to a wall inclined with respect to the lateral direction, the amount of protrusion of the head of the bolt 72 toward the rear is reduced, as compared to the case where the bolt 72 is fastened to a wall extending in the lateral direction. In the present embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the head of the bolt 72 toward the rear is reduced by inclining the bracket inclined wall 503, on which the bolt 72 is fastened, with respect to the lateral direction. Further, since the rear surface of the bracket inclined wall 503 is inclined toward the rear, the head of the bolt 72 can be visually recognized easily from the rear of the disc-shaped frame 20, thereby facilitating the fastening work of the holder 502 and the bracket 501.

[0235] The present application has been described in accordance with specific embodiments, but the present application is not limited to these embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present application. In the above-described embodiments, the present application is applied to the rear seat of the second row, but can be applied to the rear seat of the third row or a further rear row instead of the second row. Further, the webbing and the wire member are not essential to the present application, and it is also possible to use a plurality of webbings or a plurality of wire members within the scope of the present application.

[0236] In the sixth embodiment, the hook 510 is formed by bending the front end of the metal plate member, but the hook 510 can be any form as long as the hook 510 is pivotably engaged with the engagement portion 521. For example, the hook 510 can be formed of a pair of plate members bent along the left and right side surfaces of the engagement portion 521 to pivotably support the engagement portion 521 from the rear.

[0237] Glossary

[0238] 1: vehicle seat 5: seat back

[0239] 19: seat back frame body 20: disc-shaped frame (plate)

[0240] 23: airbag module 26: side frame (side member)

[0241] 32: disc-shaped frame extension 36: bracket (first mounting member)

[0242] 47: holder (second mounting member) 64: bracket inclined wall

[0243] 65: bolt hole (fastening portion) 100: vehicle seat of second embodiment

[0244] 101: bracket (first mounting member) 102: holder (second mounting member)

[0245] 105: bracket rear wall (rear wall portion) 107: bolt hole (fastening portion)

[0246] 119: bolt (fastener) 200: vehicle seat of third embodiment

[0247] 202: retainer (second mounting member) 216: bolt (fastener)

[0248] 220: tool hole (through hole) 300: vehicle seat of fourth embodiment

[0249] 301: side frame 302: bracket (first mounting member)

[0250] 303: retainer (second mounting member) 305: extension wall

[0251] 311: retainer upper wall

[0252] 312: retainer joint (joint)

[0253] 400: vehicle seat of fifth embodiment 401: bracket (first mounting member)

[0254] 402: disc-shaped frame 403: retainer (second mounting member)

[0255] 410: disc-shaped frame extension (extension) 411: lift tab

[0256] 500: vehicle seat of sixth embodiment 501: bracket (extension member)

[0257] 502: retainer (mounting member) 504: bolt hole (fastening portion)

[0258] 506: retainer inclined wall (fastened portion) 510: hook

[0259] 520: wire member 521: joint

[0260] 522: passage S: gap

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising: a seatback frame including a pair of side members extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seatback; the pair of side members including an outboard side member disposed on an outboard side and an inboard side member disposed on an inboard side, a mounting member connected to the outboard side member of the seatback frame; and an airbag module connected to the outboard side member by the mounting member, wherein the mounting member includes a first mounting member directly connected to the outboard side member, and a second mounting member directly connected to the airbag module, wherein the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall inclined toward a rear end portion thereof in an inboard side direction, the inclined wall is provided with a fastening portion to which the second mounting member is fastened via a fastener, and wherein a rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in a forward direction.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a wire member having one end connected to the outboard side member, an engaging portion arranged on a front side of the airbag module, and the other end connected to the outboard side member, wherein the second mounting member including a hook engaging with the engaging portion.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein, By engaging the hook to the wire member and rotating the airbag module about an axis of the wire member, the airbag module can be placed in a position in which the fastening portion and the fastened portion are aligned with each other.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, further comprising a pad member arranged on a front side of the airbag module; an outer skin member covering a front side of the pad member, and provided with a fragile portion configured to be torn under a load exceeding a prescribed value; a passage provided in the pad member to communicate the airbag module with the fragile portion; and a webbing passing through the passage and having one end connected to the fragile portion and the other end connected to the engaging portion.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4, wherein, The fragile portion and the engaging portion extend vertically substantially in parallel with each other.

6. A vehicle seat comprising: a seatback frame including a pair of side members extending vertically along both sides thereof and providing a structural frame of a seatback; the pair of side members including an outboard side member disposed on an outboard side and an inboard side member disposed on an inboard side, a mounting member connected to the outboard side member of the seatback frame; an airbag module connected to the outboard side member by the mounting member, a plate member located rearward of the seatback frame, the plate member including an extension portion extending in an outboard side direction relative to the outboard side member, wherein the mounting member includes a first mounting member directly connected to the outboard side member, and a second mounting member directly connected to the airbag module, wherein the first mounting member is provided with an inclined wall inclined toward a rear end portion thereof in an inboard side direction, the inclined wall is provided with a fastening portion to which the second mounting member is fastened via a fastener, and wherein a rear end portion of the second mounting member is provided with a plate-shaped fastened portion extending along the inclined wall, and the airbag module is provided with an airbag configured to deploy in a forward direction. The first mounting member is provided outside the outer member, and A through hole is provided in the plate member along an axis of the fastener that fastens the first mounting member and the second mounting member to each other.

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