Headrest for a vehicle seat and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A headrest includes a skeleton, a tension member, a skin, and a core. The skeleton has a pair of main skeleton portions arranged at intervals from each other in a first direction and each extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tension member has a tension portion arranged so as to extend between the pair of main skeleton portions. The skin is configured as a bag, and accommodates the pair of main skeleton portions and the tension member inside the bag. The core is formed by embedding the pair of main skeleton portions and the tension member, and is made of a material having fluidity, and the material is injected into the inside of the bag from a specific portion in the skin, i.e., a portion opposite to the tension portion at intervals in a third direction intersecting both the first direction and the second direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to headrests for vehicle seats and methods of manufacturing the same. Background Technology

[0002] The upper part of the vehicle seat is equipped with a headrest to protect the neck or head of the occupant. The headrest consists of a frame made of bent metal tubing, a core (pad) arranged to cover the area around the frame, and a cover covering the outer surface of the core.

[0003] In the manufacture of headrests, a one-piece foam molding method is sometimes used. This method involves placing a bag-shaped outer skin and part of the frame inside a molding die, and then injecting core-forming material into the inside of the bag to manufacture the headrest. When headrests are manufactured using this method, a problem sometimes arises: the injected material, under high pressure, impacts the portion of the outer skin in the direction of injection, causing over-permeation in that area. This results in the portion where the core-forming material has over-permeated becoming harder than other parts of the outer skin (leading to hard spots), thus degrading quality.

[0004] Regarding this type of problem, Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose a structure in which a mesh member is provided inside a bag formed from an outer skin. The technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 employs a structure in which a mesh strip member is provided on the outer skin near the interior of the material injection hole of the bag body, which is provided for injecting the material used to form the core. Furthermore, in the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when injecting the material used to form the core during manufacturing, an intermediate member before core formation is arranged such that the material injection hole faces vertically upwards, and a nozzle is inserted from above through the material injection hole into the inside of the bag body to inject the material.

[0005] Furthermore, the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 employs a structure in which a mesh-like bag-shaped member is provided to surround the nozzle outlet that has been inserted into the bag body formed from the outer skin. In the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4, when injecting the raw material for core formation during manufacturing, the intermediate member before core formation is arranged such that the raw material injection hole faces laterally (approximately horizontally backward), and the nozzle is inserted laterally through the raw material injection hole into the inside of the bag body to inject the raw material.

[0006] In Patent Documents 1 to 4, because the raw material ejected from the injection nozzle passes through a mesh-like component (a strip-like component or a bag-like component), the injection pressure can be eased, and excessive penetration of the raw material into a part of the epidermis can be suppressed.

[0007] Existing technical documents

[0008] Patent documents

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3451562

[0010] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6796001

[0011] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent No. 6431812

[0012] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent No. 6660948 Summary of the Invention

[0013] However, regarding the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4, it is believed that when injecting the raw material for core formation, the mesh-like component may be punctured by the distal end of the nozzle, or the connection between the mesh-like strip component and the skin may detach. That is, in the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, although the nozzle is inserted into the raw material injection hole from above, if the insertion angle of the nozzle deviates or the insertion depth increases, the mesh-like strip component may be punctured by the distal end of the nozzle or detach from the skin.

[0014] Furthermore, in the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4, although the nozzle is inserted into the raw material injection hole laterally, it can be inferred that when the nozzle is inserted, the mesh bag-like component inside the bag body has already drooped downwards due to its own weight. When the nozzle is inserted in this state, the mesh bag-like component may also be punctured by the distal part of the nozzle, or the fixing part between it and the skin may fall off.

[0015] As described above, if the mesh component (strip component, bag component) is punctured or the fixing part between it and the skin is detached when the nozzle is inserted, the injection pressure of the material from the nozzle will not be relieved, and the material will collide with a part of the skin and create a hard spot.

[0016] The purpose of this invention is to provide a headrest for a vehicle seat that can suppress the generation of hard spots and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0017] One aspect of the present invention relates to a headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising a frame, a tension member, a cover, and a core. The frame has a pair of main frame portions spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tension member has a tension portion extending between the pair of main frame portions. The cover is configured as a pocket, and the pair of main frame portions and the tension member are housed within the pocket. The core is made of a fluid material and formed such that the pair of main frame portions and the tension member are embedded therein. The material is injected into the pocket from a specific portion in the cover, the specific portion being a portion spaced apart from the tension portion in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions.

[0018] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a headrest for use in a vehicle seat, comprising the following steps.

[0019] (i) A fixing step in which a tension member is fixed to at least one of the pair of main skeletons relative to a skeleton having a pair of main skeletons, the pair of main skeletons being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the tension member having a tension portion extending between the pair of main skeletons.

[0020] (ii) The placement step involves placing the bag body formed by processing the skin into a bag shape, and the pair of main skeleton parts and the tension member contained inside the bag body into a forming mold.

[0021] (iii) The forming step involves injecting a fluid material into the interior of the bag body from a specific portion of the skin to form a core by embedding the pair of main skeleton portions and the tension member, wherein the specific portion is a portion that faces the tension member at a distance from each other in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the external structure of the headrest according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a bottom view of the headrest.

[0024] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional diagram showing the skeleton and tension straps in the headrest.

[0025] Figure 4 It means Figure 3 A sectional view of the section along line IV-IV.

[0026] Figure 5 It means Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the VV line section.

[0027] Figure 6 It means Figure 1 A sectional view of the section along line VI-VI.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view showing the raw material injection process in the manufacture of a headrest.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a front view showing the skeleton and tension straps in the headrest involved in variation example 1.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a front view showing the skeleton and tension-formed body in the headrest involved in variation example 2. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to any of the following embodiments except for its essential structure.

[0032] In the attached diagram, the X direction corresponds to the "second direction", the Y direction corresponds to the "first direction", and the Z direction corresponds to the "third direction".

[0033] 1. Structure of headrest 1

[0034] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of the headrest 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Furthermore, the headrest 1 is installed in a vehicle seat.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the headrest 1 includes a frame 10, a skin 11, and a core 12. The core 12 is formed of a foamed resin (e.g., foamed polyurethane) and is formed in such a way that it encapsulates a portion of the frame 10. The skin 11 is formed in such a way that it covers the outer surface of the core 12.

[0036] Furthermore, the headrest 1 involved in this embodiment is a so-called saddle-shaped headrest. When installed in a vehicle seat, the thickness of the core 12 in the Z direction is thinner in the rear part 1a located on the upper part of the seat compared to the front part 1b located along the front part of the seat.

[0037] like Figure 2As shown, when viewing the headrest 1 from the lower surface side, three holes 11b to 11d are provided in the lower surface 11a of the skin 11. These three holes 11b to 11d are located in the rear part 1a of the headrest 1. Holes 11b and 11c among the three holes 11b to 11d are holes through which the feet of the skeleton 10 pass (skeleton through holes). Furthermore, hole 11d is a hole (injection site) for injecting the material forming the core 12 into the skin 11.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the skeleton through holes 11b and 11c are located in the rear part 1a of the headrest 1, on the rear side in the X direction, and are spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. The material injection hole 11d is located in the rear part 1a of the headrest 1, on the front side in the X direction, which is closer to the skeleton through holes 11b and 11c than the skeleton through holes 11b and 11c, that is, in the middle part between the skeleton through holes 11b and 11c in the Y direction.

[0039] 2. Structure of the skeleton 10 and the tension belt 13

[0040] use Figure 3 and Figure 4 Explain the structure of the skeleton 10 and the tension tape 13.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, the skeleton 10 integrally forms a pair of legs 10a and 10b, a pair of main parts (main skeleton parts) 10c and 10d, and a connecting part 10e. The skeleton 10 is formed of a metal tube. The pair of legs 10a and 10b each extend along the Z direction and are arranged spaced apart from each other in the Y direction.

[0042] The upper part of the main part 10c in the Z direction of the foot part 10a is connected to the foot part 10a and is provided extending along the X direction. The upper part of the main part 10d in the Z direction of the foot part 10b is connected to the foot part 10b, extends along the X direction, and is provided at a distance from the main part 10c in the Y direction.

[0043] The connecting portion 10e is bent to have a U-shape when viewed from the front in the X direction. One end of the connecting portion 10e is connected to the front end of the main portion 10c, and the other end of the connecting portion 10e is connected to the front end of the main portion 10d. Moreover, the connecting portion 10e is arranged in a downward orientation in the Z direction from the portion connected to the main portions 10c and 10d.

[0044] Tension strip (tension member) 13, for example, is a strip-shaped (strip-shaped) member (non-woven fabric substrate adhesive strip) formed with non-woven fabric as the substrate, one of its main surfaces (the lower main surface in the Z direction) includes the adhesive surface. Figure 3As shown, the tension band 13 extends between the main part 10c and the main part 10d of the frame 10.

[0045] Furthermore, a strip on the substrate surface (the main surface opposite to the side containing the adhesive surface) without a release layer containing silicone resin or the like is used as the tension strip 13. The reason is that the raw material used for core formation is not repelled by the tension strip 13 when forming the core 12, which will be described later.

[0046] like Figure 4 As shown, the tension band 13 includes adhesive portions (fixing portions) 13a and 13b and a tension portion 13c. Adhesive portion 13a is bonded and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the main portion 10c using an adhesive surface. Adhesive portion 13b is bonded and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the main portion 10d using an adhesive surface. The tension portion 13c is connected to adhesive portions 13a and 13b and extends between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d.

[0047] 3. Positional relationship between the raw material injection hole 11d of the skin 11 and the tension belt 13

[0048] use Figure 5 and Figure 6 Explain the positional relationship between the raw material injection hole 11d of the skin 11 and the tension belt 13.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, the tension portion 13c of the tension belt 13 is positioned in the X direction as including the material injection hole 11d (material injection site) provided on the lower surface 11a of the skin 11, as indicated by arrow A, facing in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the main portions 10c and 10d in the X direction (in...) are... Figure 5 The tensioned part 13c is set in a manner that roughly covers the entire area along the long side (the diagram of the main part 10c is omitted).

[0050] Furthermore, the material injection hole 11d in the skin 11 and the tension portion 13c of the tension band 13 are arranged spaced apart from each other. The Z-direction distance between the material injection hole 11d and the tension portion 13c is set to be greater than the insertion depth of the nozzle used to inject material during the formation of the core 12. That is, it is set so that the distal end of the nozzle inserted from the material injection hole 11d during the formation of the core 12 will not reach the tension portion 13c. For example, if the nozzle is inserted from the material injection hole 11d by X mm, the Z-direction distance between the material injection hole 11d and the tension portion 13c is set to (X + α) mm. In this case, "α" is specified taking into account the insertion depth of the nozzle during manufacturing or manufacturing deviations of various parts of the headrest 1. As an example, assuming the insertion depth of the nozzle is 32 mm to 33 mm, the Z-direction distance between the material injection hole 11d and the tension portion 13c is set to 35 mm to 40 mm or more.

[0051] like Figure 6 As shown, the tension portion 13c of the tension belt 13 extends in the Y direction between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d in the skeleton 10. Furthermore, a material injection hole 11d is provided in the middle portion between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d of the skeleton 10 in the Y direction on the lower surface 11a of the skin 11. Therefore, the tension portion 13c of the tension belt 13 is also positioned in the Y direction to include a position opposite to the material injection hole 11d provided on the skin 11 in the Z direction, as indicated by arrow B.

[0052] 4. Manufacturing method of headrest 1

[0053] use Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 Explain the manufacturing method of headrest 1.

[0054] <Steps of Skeleton Formation>

[0055] The metal tube is bent to form a shape like Figure 3 The skeleton 10 shown includes feet 10a, 10b, main body 10c, 10d and connecting part 10e.

[0056] <Steps for extending the tension belt>

[0057] Next, as Figure 4 As shown, the nonwoven fabric substrate adhesive tape (tension band 13) is bonded to the main portions 10c and 10d of the skeleton 10. This completes the fixation of the tension band 13, which has a tension portion 13c extending between the main portions 10c and 10d.

[0058] <Epidermal wrapping steps>

[0059] like Figure 7As shown, a bag-shaped skin 11 is fitted over the main portions 10c and 10d of the skeleton 10 and around the connecting portion 10e. The raw material injection hole 11 of the skin 11, which is shaped like a bag, is fitted over the skeleton 10 in this way, with a portion of the tension portion 13c of the tension belt 13 facing each other.

[0060] Furthermore, with the skin 11 fitted onto the skeleton 10, the skeleton 10, skin 11, and anti-permeability strip 13 are provided such that the distance between the raw material injection hole 11d and the tensioned part 13c in the Z direction reaches 35mm to 40mm or more.

[0061] Next, the skeleton 10, the skin 11 and the tension band 13 are inserted into the internal space (cavity) 100a of the forming mold 100.

[0062] Furthermore, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the forming mold 100 is composed of a combination of multiple (e.g., two) molds.

[0063] <Raw Material Filling Steps>

[0064] The nozzle 101 is inserted into the molding die 100, and the raw material for core formation (e.g., polyurethane) is filled from the distal opening 101a of the nozzle 101 into the internal space 100a (the interior of the skin 11) (arrow C1). In addition, as an example, the nozzle 101 is inserted into the interior from the raw material injection hole 11d by about 32 mm to 33 mm.

[0065] Although the core-forming material ejected from the distal opening 101a of the nozzle 101 travels towards the portion opposite to the material injection hole 11d (the portion indicated by arrow D), its flow direction is dispersed by the tension portion 13c of the tension belt 13 located in the middle (arrow C2). As a result, the injection pressure of the material is eased, local penetration into the portion indicated by arrow D in the skin 11 is suppressed, and hard spots can be prevented.

[0066] The raw material for core formation is injected until the predetermined volume, i.e., the volume inside the skin 11, is reached. As a result, the skin 11 will adhere tightly to the inner surface 100b of the forming mold 100 without gaps.

[0067] Finally, it is removed from the forming mold 100, completing the manufacturing of the headrest 1.

[0068] 5. Effects

[0069] In the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment, a tension band 13 is extended between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d in the frame 10. Furthermore, the region of the tension band 13 between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d, where the tension portion 13c is extended, is configured to include a position that is spaced apart from the material injection hole 11d in the skin 11. Therefore, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method, when the material for forming the core 12 is injected, even if the nozzle is inserted from the material injection hole 11d, the tension band 13 will not be punctured or detached by the distal end of the nozzle. Thus, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method, when the material for forming the core is injected, the tension portion 13c of the tension band 13 prevents the material from reaching a portion of the skin 11 at a high injection pressure, thereby preventing the formation of localized hard spots in the skin 11.

[0070] Furthermore, in the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 4, since a mesh member is fixed around the material injection hole in the skin, it can be inferred that when the material for core formation is injected, the material will collide with the mesh member. Due to the injection pressure, the portion around the material injection hole in the skin will be pulled into the interior of the bag along with the mesh member. In this case, for the completed headrest, the material injection hole and its surrounding portion become recessed, resulting in a decrease in appearance quality.

[0071] However, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment, the tension band 13 is fixed to the frame 10 with a higher rigidity than the skin 11 instead of the skin 11. Therefore, when the raw material for core formation is injected, even if the injection pressure of the raw material acts on the tension band 13, there will be no appearance quality problems as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents 1 to 4.

[0072] Furthermore, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment, the fixing portions 13a and 13b of the tension strap 13 are fixed to the main portions 10c and 10d, respectively. Therefore, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method, even when the raw material for core formation is injected, the tension strap 13 can be prevented from detaching from the frame 10 or from shifting in position relative to the main portions 10c and 10d. As a result, the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method can more reliably suppress the formation of hard spots in the epidermis 11.

[0073] Furthermore, in the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment, a tension member 13 is used as the tension member, one of its main surfaces including an adhesive surface. Therefore, when the tension member 13 is fixed to the main parts 10c and 10d of the frame 10, no cumbersome operations are required, and the number of processes can be reduced during manufacturing. As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0074] Furthermore, the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment are so-called saddle-shaped headrests, which have a structure in which the thickness of the rear portion 1a in the Z direction is thinner than the thickness of the front portion 1b in the Z direction. Even with this structure, the flow direction of the injected core-forming material is dispersed by the tension band 13, and the injection pressure of the material is moderated by the tension band 13. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the material from reaching a portion of the epidermis 11 at a high injection pressure, thereby suppressing the formation of hard spots.

[0075] As described above, the headrest 1 and its manufacturing method according to this embodiment can be manufactured without cumbersome operations and the generation of hard spots can be suppressed.

[0076] [Variation Example 1]

[0077] use Figure 8 This section describes the headrest involved in variation example 1. Furthermore, in... Figure 8 In this illustration, only the frame 10 and tension band (tension member) within the headrest structure are shown. Figure 8 In this embodiment, the components marked with the same symbols as those in the above embodiments have the same structure as those in the above embodiments.

[0078] like Figure 8 As shown, in the headrest involved in this modified example, the tension band 23 also extends between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d of the frame 10. The tension band 23 is similar to the tension band 13 in the above embodiment, with one main surface including an adhesive surface. For example, it can be a non-woven fabric substrate adhesive band.

[0079] The tension band 23 is wound at least one turn between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d. The tension band 23 is bonded to the areas (bonded portions 23a and 23b) that respectively abut against the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d using the adhesive surface. In the headrest according to this modified example, the adhesive portions 23a and 23b of the tension band 23 also correspond to "fixed portions".

[0080] Furthermore, the portion of the tension band 23 between the adhesive portions 23a and 23b in the Y direction has two layers of tension portions 23c and 23d. The two layers of tension portions 23c and 23d are bonded to each other through adhesive surfaces. The two layers of tension portions 23c and 23d are configured to cover the area containing the position opposite to the material injection hole 11d (injection site) provided on the skin 11.

[0081] Furthermore, the lower side of the tension portion 23d in the Z direction within the two layers of tension portions 23c and 23d has an overlapping portion 23e, in which one end edge of the tension band 23 overlaps with the other end edge. In the overlapping portion 23e, the end edges are bonded to each other by adhesive surfaces.

[0082] The headrest with the tension band 23 having the structure described above is similar to the headrest 1 described in the above embodiment. When manufacturing this headrest, the flow direction of the core forming material injected from the material injection hole 11d is dispersed by colliding with the tension portion 23d of the tension band 23. As a result, the headrest according to this modified example can also suppress the formation of hard spots in the skin 11.

[0083] Furthermore, in this modified example, the headrest employs a tension strap 23 wrapped once between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d. Therefore, the extended arrangement of the tension portions 23c and 23d between the main portions 10c and 10d can be maintained more reliably. Moreover, since the tension portions 23c and 23d of the tension strap 23 are bonded to each other, it is possible to more reliably prevent the tension strap 23 from detaching from the main portions 10c and 10d or from shifting its position during material injection.

[0084] Furthermore, although the structure in this modified example is that the tension belt 23 is wound around the main part 10c and the main part 10d of the skeleton 10 once, a structure with more than two turns can also be used.

[0085] [Variation Example 2]

[0086] use Figure 9 This explains the headrest involved in variation example 2. Furthermore, in... Figure 9 In addition to the tension-formed body 33 within the headrest structure, it also has the same structure as in the above-described embodiment.

[0087] The headrest in this variation does not use the tension bands (strip members) 13 and 23 as in the above-described embodiments and variation 1, but instead uses a tension-formed body (tension member) 33 obtained by resin molding. The tension-formed body 33 is formed from a resin material that does not exclude the raw materials used for core formation (e.g., polystyrene, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin, etc.).

[0088] like Figure 9 As shown, the tension-formed body 33 integrally forms locking portions 33a and 33b and a tension portion 33c. Furthermore, the tension-formed body 33 in… Figure 9 The length of the main body 10c and 10d in the skeleton 10, from the side closest to the user on the paper towards the inside (X direction), is set to be approximately the same as or slightly shorter than the length of the main body 10c and 10d in the skeleton 10. However, the length of the stretch-formed body 33 is set to cover at least the area opposite to the raw material injection hole 11d (injection site) provided on the skin 11.

[0089] The locking part (fixing part) 33a and the locking part (fixing part) 33b each have a C-shaped cross-sectional shape with an upper opening in the Z direction. The cross-sectional shape of the locking part 33a and the locking part 33b is formed at an angle of less than 180° from the upper opening, so that when locked to the main parts 10c and 10d of the skeleton 10, they are not easy to fall off from the main parts 10c and 10d.

[0090] The tension portion 33c has a generally flat plate shape. However, in addition to a flat plate shape, the tension portion 33c can also have a protruding plate shape that protrudes upward or downward along the Z direction, or a corrugated plate shape, etc.

[0091] The locking parts 33a and 33b are respectively locked to the main parts 10c and 10d, so as to secure the parts having the following characteristics. Figure 9 The tension-formed body 33, as shown, is mounted on the skeleton 10. Furthermore, considering that it is less likely to detach during the injection of the material used for core formation, it is ideal that... Figure 9 As shown, the locking parts 33a and 33b are locked to the main parts 10c and 10d from below in the Z direction. However, depending on the strength of the locking, the locking parts 33a and 33b can also be locked to the main parts 10c and 10d from above in the Z direction.

[0092] The headrest with the tension-formed body 33 having the structure described above is similar to the headrest 1 according to the above embodiment and the headrest according to the above modified example 1. When manufacturing this headrest, the flow direction of the core forming material injected from the material injection hole 11d is dispersed by colliding with the tension portion 33c of the tension-formed body 33. As a result, the headrest according to this modified example can also suppress the formation of hard spots in the skin 11.

[0093] [Other variations]

[0094] In the above embodiments and modified example 1, although an adhesive strip (tension strip 13, 23) with an adhesive surface on its main surface was used as an example of a tension member, in this invention, a strip member (strip member) without an adhesive surface can also be used. In this case, adhesive can be used for fixing to the main parts 10c, 10d of the skeleton 10 or for joining the strip members to each other. Additionally, a binding device, such as... Figure 8 The end edges of the strip-shaped members are joined together as shown.

[0095] In the above embodiments, although as Figure 4 As shown, a structure is adopted in which the tension portion 13c of the tension band 13 is extended externally to the main portion 10c and 10d respectively in the upper part of the Z direction. However, in the present invention, a structure in which the main portion 10c and 10d are extended externally in the lower part of the Z direction can also be adopted.

[0096] In the above embodiments and variations 1 and 2, although tubes were used as constituent components of the skeleton 10, solid metal rods or the like can also be used in the present invention.

[0097] In the above embodiments and variations 1 and 2, although the constituent materials of the skin 11 are not specifically mentioned, in the present invention, various materials such as vinyl chloride, fabric, synthetic leather / artificial leather, and genuine leather can be used.

[0098] In the above embodiments and the above-described variation 1, although specific dimensions related to the width of the tension bands 13 and 23 are not specifically addressed, they can be appropriately set according to the distance between the main parts 10c and 10d of the skeleton 10 in the headrest 1 and the material injection hole 11d of the skin 11, for example, they can be set to about 30mm to 50mm. The thickness of the tension bands 13 and 23 can also be appropriately set according to the relationship with the injection pressure of the material used to form the core; for example, 0.1mm or more is sufficient, and it can be set to less than 1mm.

[0099] In addition, regarding the tension belt, a narrow belt or thin rope can be spirally wound multiple times between the main part 10c and the main part 10d to cover the area including the position opposite to the raw material injection hole 11d.

[0100] In the above embodiments and modified example 1, although a non-woven fabric substrate adhesive tape was used as the tension tape 13 and 23, in this invention, an adhesive tape having a substrate made of Japanese paper, cloth, or pulp can also be used. However, in this case, it is important to use a tape whose surface side of the substrate does not have a release layer (a layer containing silicone resin) formed (specifically, a tape whose adhesive surface is covered by release paper before being bonded to the skeleton 10), so that the material for core formation is not repelled by the tension tape when injected. The reason is that if the material is repelled by the release layer of the tape, voids or the like may be generated around the tape in the finished product.

[0101] In the above embodiments and variations 1 and 2, although the following structure was used as an example, in which a circular raw material injection hole 11d is still retained in the lower surface 11a of the skin 11 in the completed headrest 1, in the present invention, the raw material injection hole can also be blocked after the core is completed. Furthermore, in the case where the raw material injection hole is blocked after the core is formed, as described above, the blocked hole mark is inferred to be the "injection site".

[0102] In the above embodiments, although as Figure 2As shown, the material injection hole 11d is provided in the X direction, further forward than the skeleton through holes 11b and 11c. However, in this invention, the material injection hole 11d can also be provided on the straight line connecting the skeleton through holes 11b and 11d. In this case, by providing a tension portion of the tension member between the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d, the same effect as the above-described embodiment and the above-described modifications 1 and 2 can be obtained.

[0103] Although in the above embodiments and Modification 1, the tension strips 13 and 23 are bonded to the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d, and in Modification 2, the tension-formed body 33 is secured to the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d, in this invention, metal sheets or the like can also be joined (welded, brazed) to the main portion 10c and the main portion 10d. In this case, the same effect as in the above embodiments and Modifications 1 and 2 can also be obtained.

[0104] [Summarize]

[0105] One aspect of the present invention relates to a headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising a frame, a tension member, a cover, and a core. The frame has a pair of main frame portions spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tension member has a tension portion extending between the pair of main frame portions. The cover is configured as a pocket, and the pair of main frame portions and the tension member are housed within the pocket. The core is made of a fluid material and formed such that the pair of main frame portions and the tension member are embedded therein. The material is injected into the pocket from a specific portion in the cover, the specific portion being a portion spaced apart from the tension portion in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions.

[0106] In the headrest described above, a tension member extends between a pair of main frame portions. Furthermore, the tension portion of the tension member is positioned such that it faces the injection site (the part in the skin where the core-forming material is injected) at a distance from the injection site. Therefore, in the headrest described above, when the core-forming material is injected during manufacturing, the tension member will not be punctured by the distal end of the nozzle even when the nozzle is inserted from the injection site. Thus, in the headrest described above, when the core-forming material is injected, the tension member prevents the material from reaching a portion of the skin at a high injection pressure, thereby preventing the formation of hard spots.

[0107] Furthermore, in the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 4, since a mesh member is fixed around the material injection hole in the skin, it can be inferred that when the material for core formation is injected, the material will collide with the mesh member. Due to the injection pressure, the portion around the material injection hole in the skin will be pulled into the interior of the bag along with the mesh member. In this case, for the completed headrest, it can be inferred that the material injection hole and its surrounding portion become recessed, resulting in a decrease in appearance quality.

[0108] However, in the headrest described above, the tension member is extended between the main frame parts of the high-rigidity frame. Therefore, when the material for core formation is injected, even if the injection pressure of the material is applied to the tension member, the tension member will not be punctured or fall off, and the appearance quality will not be reduced as in the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4.

[0109] In the headrest of the vehicle seat described above, the tension member may also have a fixing part that is fixed to the pair of main frame parts respectively.

[0110] In the headrest described above, the fixed parts of the tension members are respectively fixed to a pair of main frame parts. Therefore, for the headrest described above, even when subjected to the injection pressure of the material for core formation, the tension members can be prevented from detaching from the frame or causing positional displacement. As a result, the headrest described above can more reliably suppress the formation of hard spots in the epidermis.

[0111] In the headrest of the vehicle seat described above, the tension member can also be a strip member, one of its main surfaces including an adhesive surface, the fixing part having the adhesive surface, and being respectively bonded to the pair of main frame parts through the adhesive surface, and the tension member being fixed to the pair of main frame parts.

[0112] In the headrest described above, a strip-shaped member (strip-shaped member) with a main surface including an adhesive surface is used as a tension member. Therefore, when fixing the tension member to the frame, no complicated work is required, which can reduce the number of processes during manufacturing.

[0113] In the headrest of the vehicle seat described above, the tension member is wound at least once between the pair of main frame parts such that the adhesive surface faces inward.

[0114] In the headrest described above, a strip member with an adhesive surface on its main surface is wound at least once between a pair of main frame parts, thus improving the fixing strength of the strip member relative to the frame. Consequently, for the headrest described above, when injecting the raw material for core formation, it is possible to more reliably prevent the strip member (tension member) from detaching from the frame or causing positional displacement, thereby more reliably suppressing the formation of hard spots in the epidermis.

[0115] In the headrest of the vehicle seat described above, one end edge of the tension member in the winding direction is configured to overlap with another part of the tension member that is different from the one end edge, and the overlapping part is bonded by the adhesive surface.

[0116] In the headrest described above, one end edge of the strip member is bonded to the adhesive surface at the point where it overlaps with another part. Therefore, even if the injection pressure when injecting the raw material for core formation is applied to the strip member (tension member), the strip member can be more reliably prevented from detaching from the frame or causing positional displacement.

[0117] In the headrest of the vehicle seat described above, the frame may also have a connecting part having a U-shape in a downward orientation toward the third direction, connecting the ends of the pair of main frame parts to each other, the connecting part in the frame being housed inside the pocket and embedded in the core, and the headrest being a saddle-shaped headrest.

[0118] The headrest described above is a so-called saddle-shaped headrest, and it has the following structure: the thickness in the third direction of the portion where a pair of main frame parts are arranged is thinner than the thickness in the third direction of the portion where the connecting parts are arranged. With this structure, the flow direction of the injected core-forming material is also dispersed by the tension member. Furthermore, the injection pressure of the material is moderated by the tension member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the material from reaching a portion of the epidermis at a high injection pressure, thereby suppressing the formation of hard spots.

[0119] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a headrest for use in a vehicle seat, comprising the following steps.

[0120] (i) A fixing step in which a tension member is fixed to at least one of the pair of main skeletons relative to a skeleton having a pair of main skeletons, the pair of main skeletons being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the tension member having a tension portion extending between the pair of main skeletons.

[0121] (ii) The placement step involves placing the bag body formed by processing the skin into a bag shape, and the pair of main skeleton parts and the tension member contained inside the bag body into a forming mold.

[0122] (iii) The forming step involves injecting a fluid material into the interior of the bag body from a specific portion of the skin to form a core by embedding the pair of main skeleton portions and the tension member, wherein the specific portion is a portion that faces the tension member at a distance from each other in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions.

[0123] In the headrest manufacturing method described above, with the bag body (a component formed by processing the skin into a bag shape) and a portion of the skeleton housed inside the bag body placed in a forming mold, a tension member is extended and positioned opposite the injection point (the part in the skin where the raw material for forming the core is injected). Therefore, even when a nozzle is inserted from the injection point, the tension member will not be punctured or detached by the distal end of the nozzle. Furthermore, during the core forming step, the flow direction of the injected raw material is dispersed by colliding with the tension member, thus preventing the raw material from reaching a portion of the skin at a high injection pressure, thereby preventing the formation of hard spots.

[0124] Furthermore, as described above, in Patent Documents 1 to 4, since the mesh member is fixed around the material injection hole in the skin, it can be inferred that the injected material will collide with the mesh member. Due to the injection pressure, the portion around the material injection hole in the skin will be pulled into the interior of the bag along with the mesh member. In this case, for the completed headrest, the material injection hole and its surrounding portion become recessed, resulting in a decrease in appearance quality.

[0125] In contrast, in the headrest manufacturing method described above, since the tension member is fixed to a highly rigid frame, even when the raw material for core formation is injected, the injection site and its surrounding parts will not be pulled into the pocket, and the appearance quality problems mentioned above will not occur.

[0126] In the headrest manufacturing method described above, the tension member can also be a strip member, one of whose main surfaces includes an adhesive surface. In the fixing step, the tension member is fixed to the pair of main frame parts by bonding the adhesive surface to the pair of main frame parts respectively.

[0127] In the headrest manufacturing method described above, a strip-shaped member (strip-shaped member) with a main surface including an adhesive surface is used as a tension member for a pair of main frame parts respectively fixed in the frame. Therefore, compared with the case of fixing by sewing or the like, when the tension member is fixed to the frame, there is no need for cumbersome operations, and the number of processes can be reduced during manufacturing.

[0128] In the headrest manufacturing method described above, during the fixing step, the tension member can be wound at least once between the pair of main frame parts with the adhesive surface facing inward. One end edge of the tension member in the winding direction is configured to overlap with another part different from the first end edge, and the overlapping part is bonded by the adhesive surface.

[0129] In the headrest manufacturing method described above, a strip member with a main surface including an adhesive surface is wound around a pair of main frame parts at least once and fixed, thereby improving the fixing strength of the strip member relative to the frame.

[0130] Furthermore, in the headrest manufacturing method described above, one end edge of the strip member is bonded to the adhesive surface at the part overlapping with another part. Therefore, even if the injection pressure of the raw material for core formation is applied to the strip member (tension member), the strip member can be more reliably prevented from detaching from the frame or causing positional displacement.

[0131] As described above, the above methods enable manufacturing without cumbersome work sites and suppress the generation of hard spots.

Claims

1. A headrest for a vehicle seat, characterized in that... include: The skeleton has a pair of main skeleton parts that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extends along a second direction that intersects the first direction; A tension member having a tension portion extending between the pair of main frame portions; The outer skin is configured as a bag body, and the pair of main skeleton parts and the tension member are housed inside the bag body; as well as The core, made of a fluid material, is formed by embedding the pair of main skeleton portions and the tension member. The material is injected into the interior of the bag from a specific portion in the outer skin. This specific portion is located in a third direction, intersecting the first and second directions, and is spaced apart from the tension member. The tension member is a strip member, and the tension portion is configured to cover approximately the entire region along the long side of the pair of main skeleton portions in the second direction.

2. The headrest for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tension member has a fixing part that is fixed to the pair of main frame parts respectively.

3. The headrest for a vehicle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that, One of the main surfaces of the tension member serving as the strip-shaped member includes an adhesive surface. The fixing part has the adhesive surface, and is respectively bonded to the pair of main frame parts through the adhesive surface, and the tension member is fixed to the pair of main frame parts.

4. The headrest for a vehicle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tension member is wound at least once between the pair of main skeleton parts such that the adhesive surface faces inward.

5. The headrest for a vehicle seat according to claim 4, characterized in that, One end edge of the tension member in the winding direction is configured to overlap with another part of the tension member that is different from the first end edge, and the overlapping part is bonded by the adhesive surface.

6. The headrest for a vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The skeleton also has a connecting portion having a U-shape in a downward orientation in the third direction, connecting the ends of the pair of main skeleton portions to each other. The connecting portion in the skeleton is housed inside the bag body and is embedded in the core. The headrest is a saddle-shaped headrest.

7. A method for manufacturing a headrest, specifically a method for manufacturing a headrest installed in a vehicle seat, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: The fixing step involves fixing a tension member to at least one of the pair of main skeleton parts relative to a skeleton having a pair of main skeleton parts. The pair of main skeleton parts are spaced apart from each other in a first direction and each extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The tension member has a tension portion extending between the pair of main skeleton parts. The placement step involves placing the bag body formed by processing the skin into a bag shape, the pair of main skeleton parts and the tension member contained inside the bag body into a forming mold; as well as The forming process involves injecting a fluid material into the interior of the bag body from a specific location within the outer skin, thereby forming a core by embedding the pair of main skeleton parts and the tension member. The specific location is a portion of the core that faces the tension member at a distance from it in a third direction, which intersects the first and second directions. The tension member is a strip member. In the fixing step, the tension portion is arranged such that it covers approximately the entire area along the long side of the pair of main skeleton portions in the second direction.

8. The method for manufacturing a headrest according to claim 7, characterized in that, One of the main surfaces of the tension member serving as the strip-shaped member includes an adhesive surface. In the fixing step, the tension member is fixed to the pair of main frame parts by bonding the adhesive surfaces to the pair of main frame parts respectively.

9. The method for manufacturing a headrest according to claim 8, characterized in that, In the fixing step, the tension member is wound at least once between the pair of main skeleton parts with the adhesive surface facing inward, one end edge of the tension member in the winding direction is configured to overlap with another part different from the first end edge, and the overlapping part is bonded by the adhesive surface.

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