Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat configured to enable change of a direction of a seat surface in accordance with a situation of an occupant.SOLUTION: The vehicular seat comprises an actuator 30 that can change a direction of a seat surface in a lateral direction by moving at least a portion of a seat, and a control device 100 that controls the actuator 30. The control device 100 has: getting-on / off detecting means 150 that detects getting on / off a vehicle of an occupant; getting on / off support means 160 that when the getting-on / off detecting means 150 detects the getting on / off the vehicle of the occupant, executes getting-on / off support control which points the seat surface toward a getting-on / off port of the vehicle by controlling the actuator 30; wakefulness detecting means 130 that detects wakefulness of a driver; and warning means 140 that when the wakefulness detecting means 130 detects deterioration in wakefulness of the driver, executes warming control of changing the direction of the seat surface by controlling the actuator 30. A change quantity of the direction of the seat surface at the time of executing the getting-on / off support control is larger than a change quantity of the direction of the seat surface at the time of executing the warning control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat whose seating surface can be turned from left to right. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known vehicle seats that are configured so that the orientation of the seat surface can be changed to the left or right. For example, Patent Documents 1-3 disclose vehicle seats in which the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back can be changed to the left or right by turning the orientation of a back panel or a plate-like member called a pressure-receiving member, which is disposed between the left and right side frames of the seat back, to the left or right.

[0003] As a mechanism for changing the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back, in addition to the mechanisms disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3, for example, a side support drive mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 4 can be used. Specifically, a cable pulling mechanism is provided so that the left and right side support devices constituting the side support drive mechanism are driven independently, and for example, by driving the left side support device, the left support member rotates forward, which makes it possible to push the left side part of the seat back forward. When the left side part of the seat back is pushed forward in this way, the seating surface of the seat back as a whole faces right, making it possible to change the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-049356 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-189141 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2015-058794 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2014-189127 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, it is desirable that the orientation of the seat surface of a vehicle seat can be changed depending on the situation of an occupant sitting in the vehicle seat.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat that allows the orientation of the seat surface to be changed depending on the situation of the occupant. Another object of the present invention is to propose various uses for a vehicle seat whose seat orientation can be changed. Another object is to improve comfort. Another object is to improve ease of getting on and off. Another purpose is to enhance the awakening effect. Another object of the present invention is to miniaturize the actuator for changing the orientation of the seat. Another object is to set the amount of change in the seat orientation to suit the passenger's preference. Another object of the present invention is to inform the occupant of the amount of change in the seat orientation that is currently set. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle seat includes an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the seat surface from left to right by moving at least a part of the seat, and a control device that controls the actuator, and the control device has a running posture support means that performs running posture support control that controls the actuator to orient the seat surface in the turning direction when the vehicle turns, and the running posture support means can be configured to control the actuator depending on the position of the seat within the vehicle when performing the running posture support control.

[0008] With this configuration, the orientation of the seat surface can be changed depending on the situation of the occupant.

[0009] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the vehicle seat includes a driver's seat and a second seat which is a seat other than the driver's seat, and the traveling posture support means can be configured to make the amount of change in orientation of the seat surface of the second seat greater than the amount of change in orientation of the seat surface of the driver's seat when executing the traveling posture support control.

[0010] According to this, since the passenger sitting in the second seat is not driving himself, he may not be able to take a posture according to the turning direction, but by making the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second seat larger than the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the driver's seat, the passenger sitting in the second seat can be well supported by the seat surface when the vehicle turns, thereby improving comfort.

[0011] In the vehicle seat described above, the second seat includes a passenger seat located to the right or left of the driver's seat, and a rear seat located behind the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and the driving posture support means can be configured to change the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the rear seat to be greater than or equal to the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the passenger seat when executing the driving posture support control.

[0012] According to this, by making the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the rear seat larger than that of the passenger seat, the seat surface can adequately support the passenger sitting in the rear seat, which has a poorer forward visibility than the passenger seat, thereby improving comfort.

[0013] In the vehicle seat described above, the driving posture support means can be configured to, when executing the driving posture support control, make the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode in which steering is automatic larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode in which steering is not automatic.

[0014] According to this, in the case of the automatic driving mode, since steering is not performed, it may not be possible to adopt a posture according to the turning direction, but by making the change in the orientation of the seat surface in the automatic driving mode larger than the change in the orientation of the seat surface in the manual driving mode, the occupant can be well supported by the seat surface when the vehicle turns, thereby improving comfort.

[0015] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device can be configured to have a boarding / alighting detection means for detecting an occupant getting on or off the vehicle, and a boarding / alighting support means for controlling the actuator to orient the seat surface toward the boarding / alighting door of the vehicle when the boarding / alighting detection means detects that the occupant has gotten on or off the vehicle.

[0016] According to this, since the seat surface can be moved significantly toward the entrance / exit side of the vehicle when the entry / exit support control is executed, it becomes easier to get on and off the vehicle seat. This can improve the ease of getting on and off.

[0017] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device has an alertness detection means for detecting the driver's alertness state, and a warning means for controlling the actuator to execute warning control to change the orientation of the seat when the alertness detection means detects a decrease in the driver's alertness state, and the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is executed can be configured to be greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is not executed.

[0018] According to this, the amount of change in the seat orientation when the warning control is executed can be increased, thereby enhancing the awakening effect.

[0019] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the control device has an alertness detection means for detecting the driver's alertness state, and a warning means for controlling the actuator to execute warning control to change the orientation of the seat when the alertness detection means detects a decrease in the driver's alertness state, and the driving posture support means is configured to, when executing the driving posture support control, make the amount of change in the orientation of the seat larger when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode in which steering is automatic than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode in which steering is not automatic, and the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when executing the warning control can be configured to be larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when executing the driving posture support control when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

[0020] According to this, the amount of change in the seat orientation when the warning control is executed can be increased, thereby enhancing the awakening effect.

[0021] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the control device has a boarding / alighting detection means for detecting an occupant getting on or off the vehicle, a boarding / alighting support means for controlling the actuator to execute boarding / alighting support control to turn the seat towards the boarding / alighting door of the vehicle when the boarding / alighting detection means detects the occupant getting on or off the vehicle, an alertness detection means for detecting the driver's alertness state, and a warning means for controlling the actuator to execute warning control to change the orientation of the seat when the alertness detection means detects a decrease in the driver's alertness state, and the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the boarding / alighting support control is executed can be configured to be greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is executed.

[0022] According to this, since the seat surface can be moved significantly toward the entrance / exit side of the vehicle when the entry / exit support control is executed, it becomes easier to get on and off the vehicle seat. This can improve the ease of getting on and off.

[0023] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device can be configured to have a traveling direction information acquisition means for acquiring information on the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a turning notification means for notifying an occupant of a turn by controlling the actuator to change the orientation of the seat before the vehicle turns based on the traveling direction information acquired by the traveling direction information acquisition means.

[0024] According to this, since it is possible to inform the occupants of the vehicle turning before the vehicle turns, it is possible to prevent the occupants from forgetting to turn at an intersection, etc., and to take a posture according to the turning direction in advance, thereby improving comfort.

[0025] The vehicle seat described above may have a seat central portion and left and right seat side portions provided on both the left and right sides of the seat central portion and protruding toward the occupant further than the seat central portion in a normal position, and the actuator may be configured to change the orientation of the seat surface by moving at least a portion of the seat side portions from the normal position in a direction toward or away from the occupant.

[0026] This allows the actuator for changing the orientation of the seat surface to be made smaller than in a configuration in which the orientation of the seat surface is changed by moving the entire seat.

[0027] The vehicle seat described above may have a first support portion that supports a first portion of the occupant and a second support portion that supports a second portion of the occupant different from the first portion, the actuator including a first actuator that changes the orientation of the seating surface of the first support portion from left to right, and a second actuator that changes the orientation of the seating surface of the second support portion from left to right, and the running posture support means may be configured to make the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the second support portion smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the first support portion when executing the running posture support control.

[0028] With this, when the vehicle turns, different parts of the occupant can be satisfactorily supported by the seat surfaces of the support parts that are oriented in appropriate directions, thereby improving comfort.

[0029] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device has a setting means for setting the amount of change in the orientation of the seat based on information input by operation of the occupant, and the traveling posture support means can be configured to control the actuator in accordance with the amount of change in the orientation of the seat set by the setting means when the setting means sets the amount of change in the orientation of the seat.

[0030] This allows the amount of change in the seat orientation to be set according to the passenger's preference.

[0031] In the vehicle seat described above, the setting means may be configured to be capable of setting the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface to any amount of change including zero.

[0032] This allows the amount of change in the seat orientation to be set according to the passenger's preference, including the option of not changing the seat orientation (not executing the traveling posture support control).

[0033] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device may have a display means for displaying information on the currently set amount of change in the orientation of the seat cushion on a display device.

[0034] This makes it possible to inform the occupant of the currently set amount of change in the seat orientation. Effect of the Invention

[0035] The orientation of the seat can be changed depending on the occupant's situation.

[0036] Also, by making the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second seat larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the driver's seat, comfort can be improved.

[0037] Also, by making the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the rear seat larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the passenger seat, comfort can be improved.

[0038] In addition, comfort can be improved by making the amount of change in the seat orientation in the automatic driving mode greater than the amount of change in the seat orientation in the manual driving mode.

[0039] Furthermore, by moving the seat surface significantly toward the entrance / exit side of the vehicle when the entry / exit support control is executed, the ease of entry / exit can be improved.

[0040] In addition, by increasing the amount of change in the seat orientation when the warning control is executed, the awakening effect can be enhanced.

[0041] Furthermore, since the control device has a turning notification means, comfort can be improved.

[0042] Furthermore, by changing the orientation of the seat surface by moving at least a part of the seat side portion, it is possible to reduce the size of the actuator for changing the orientation of the seat surface.

[0043] Furthermore, by making the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second support part smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the first support part when running posture support control is executed, comfort can be improved.

[0044] Furthermore, by controlling the actuator in accordance with the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface set by the setting means, the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface can be set to suit the preference of the occupant.

[0045] In addition, by allowing the amount of change in the seat orientation to be set to any amount including 0, the amount of change in the seat orientation can be set to suit the occupant's preferences, including the option of not changing the seat orientation.

[0046] Furthermore, by providing the control device with a display means, it is possible to inform the occupant of information regarding the currently set amount of change in the orientation of the seat cushion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat as a vehicle seat, in which (a) shows a driver's seat and a passenger seat, and (b) shows a rear seat. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a configuration for changing the orientation of the seat surface. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view of the vehicle seat, in which (a) shows the side frames in a normal position, and (b) shows the right side frame in a rotated forward position. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the door is opened and the right side frame is rotated backward. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 11 is a table showing an example of setting values ​​for a traveling posture support control and a warning control according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an operation during running posture support control. [Figure 9] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an operation during running posture support control. [Figure 10] 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating operations during warning control. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle seat, showing (a) the seat back tilted backward, (b) the front of the seat cushion raised, and (c) the seat back folded backward. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a vehicle seat according to another embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting values ​​of a traveling posture support control according to another embodiment. [Figure 14]FIG. 1A is a top view of a vehicle seat with a child seat attached, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram of the operation during driving posture support control. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle with a center seat facing backwards. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a control device according to another embodiment. [Figure 17] 13A is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to another embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for changing the orientation of the seat cushion. [Figure 18] 13A and 13B are tables showing an example of setting values ​​of a driving posture support control according to another embodiment and a control when the alertness state of an occupant has decreased. [Figure 19] 13 is a table showing an example of setting values ​​of a traveling posture support control according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom are based on the front, rear, left, right, top and bottom of a vehicle in which the vehicle seat is installed. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat of this embodiment is configured as a vehicle seat S to be mounted in a vehicle C (automobile) as an example of a vehicle.

[0049] The vehicle seat S includes a driver's seat S1 where the driver sits, and a second seat S2 which is a seat other than the driver's seat S1. In this embodiment, the second seat S2 includes a passenger seat S21 arranged to the left of the driver's seat S1, a rear seat S22 arranged behind the driver's seat S1, and a rear seat S23 arranged behind the passenger seat S21. The rear seats S22 and S23 are connected to each other and configured as an integrated seat. The passenger seat may be arranged to the right of the driver's seat. The rear seats S22 and S23 may be configured as independent seats that are not connected to each other.

[0050] The vehicle C includes a steering wheel SW operated by the driver and an operation panel OP provided on an instrument panel. In addition, doors DR that can be opened and closed relative to the vehicle body are provided on the outer left and right sides of each of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 (on the right side of the seats S1 and S22 and on the left side of the seats S21 and S23 in this embodiment) based on the left-right direction of the vehicle C. Passengers (including the driver) seated in each of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 can get in and out of the vehicle C through the entrance and exit doors of the vehicle C by opening the outer left and right doors DR.

[0051] The vehicle C is also equipped with an automatic driving system AS, and is configured to be able to execute an automatic driving mode in which the automatic driving system AS automatically performs steering, and a manual driving mode in which the automatic driving system AS does not automatically perform steering and steering by the driver is essential. Switching between the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode can be performed, for example, by the driver operating an operation panel OP. The automatic driving mode may be a mode in which the automatic driving system AS automatically performs steering and does not automatically perform acceleration or braking, or a mode in which the automatic driving system AS automatically performs at least one of acceleration and braking in addition to steering.

[0052] 2(a) and 2(b), each of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 includes a seat cushion SC, a seat back SB, and a headrest HR. The seat back SB of each of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 includes a seat center portion 11 that faces the back of the occupant, and left and right seat side portions 12 and 13 that are provided on both the left and right sides of the seat center portion 11 and that protrude toward the occupant side, specifically, forward, from the seat center portion 11 in the normal position (the position in FIG. 4(a)). The seat cushion SC has a seat cushion frame (not shown) built in. The seat cushion SC is configured by covering the seat cushion frame with a padding material such as urethane foam and a covering material such as fabric or leather.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, the seat back SB has a seat back frame FB built in. The seat back frame FB has a central frame 21 that constitutes the framework of the seat central portion 11, and side frames 22, 23 that constitute the framework of the left and right seat side portions 12, 13. The left and right side frames 22, 23 are each pivotably connected at their rear ends to the central frame 21, so that their front ends can swing back and forth. The seat back SB is constructed by covering the seat back frame FB with a padding material and a covering material.

[0054] An actuator 30 is disposed inside the seat back SB for changing the orientation of the seat surface, which is the front surface of the seat back SB, to the left and right. The actuators 30 are disposed on the left and right sides of the seat back SB, one each in correspondence with the left and right side frames 22, 23. The actuator 30 is configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left and right by rotating and moving a part of the seat back SB, specifically, the side frames 22, 23 which are parts of the seat side portions 12, 13. In detail, the actuator 30 is configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left and right by rotating and moving the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position (see FIG. 4(a)) forward in a direction toward the occupant, or backward in a direction away from the occupant.

[0055] The actuator 30 includes, for example, a motor 31 and a gear box 32. The motor 31 is, for example, a stepping motor, and is configured to be able to switch the rotation direction of the shaft between forward and reverse. The gear box 32 is a member that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 31 and transmitting it to the side frames 22, 23. The actuator 30 is fixed to the left and right portions of the center frame 21 by brackets (not shown).

[0056] As shown in FIG. 4(a), the seat side parts 12, 13 are in a normal position protruding a predetermined amount forward from the seat center part 11 when not in operation. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(b), when the vehicle C turns left, the motor 31 of the right actuator 30 rotates forward under the control of the control device 100 described later, and the side frame 22 rotates from the normal position to a forward position, which is a forward position. As a result, the seat side part 12 is pushed forward from the normal position and the front surface of the seat side part 12 faces left, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB faces left as a whole. When the seat side part 12 is returned to the normal position, the motor 31 of the right actuator 30 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the side frame 22 is rotated from the forward position shown in FIG. 4(b) to the normal position shown in FIG. 4(a).

[0057] Although not shown, when the vehicle C turns right, the motor 31 of the left actuator 30 rotates forward under the control of the control device 100, and the side frame 23 rotates from the normal position to the forward position. As a result, the seat side 13 is pushed forward from the normal position and the front surface of the seat side 13 faces right, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB faces right as a whole. When the seat side 13 is returned to the normal position, the motor 31 of the left actuator 30 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the side frame 23 rotates from the forward position to the normal position.

[0058] In this manner, the actuator 30 is configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB from left to right by rotating the side frames 22, 23 to push the seat side portions 12, 13 forward from their normal positions.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 4(b), the side frames 22, 23 can be rotated between a normal position (0) and a fifth forward position (5) which is the most forward rotated position, and can be rotated forward from the normal position to any position between the normal position and the fifth forward position by appropriately controlling the drive time of the actuator 30 (motor 31). Furthermore, in this embodiment, between the normal position and the fifth forward position, a first forward position (1) which is a position rotated forward from the normal position, a second forward position (2) which is a position rotated forward from the first forward position, a third forward position (3) which is a position rotated forward from the second forward position, and a fourth forward position (4) which is a position rotated forward from the third forward position are set.

[0060] 5, when the door DR is opened, the motor 31 of the actuator 30 on the door DR (entrance DE) side is rotated in the reverse direction by the control of the control device 100, and the side frame 22 on the entrance DE side is rotated from the normal position (see the two-dot chain line) to a rear position, which is a rear position. As a result, the front surface of the seat side portion 12 on the entrance DE side is made substantially flat against the front surface of the seat central portion 11, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB is generally oriented toward the entrance DE side. When the seat side portion 12 on the entrance DE side is returned to the normal position, the motor 31 of the actuator 30 on the entrance DE side is rotated in the forward direction, and the side frame 22 on the entrance DE side is rotated from the rear position to the normal position.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle seat S further includes a wheel speed sensor 91 for detecting the wheel speed of each wheel W, a steering angle sensor 92 for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel SW, a breathing sensor 93 for detecting the driver's wakefulness, an opening / closing detection sensor 94 for detecting the opening and closing of each door DR, and a control device 100 for controlling the actuator 30.

[0062] The breathing sensor 93 is a resistive pressure-sensitive sensor having a circular detection surface, and is provided between the padding and the covering material of the seat cushion SC of the driver's seat S1 (see FIG. 2(a)). The breathing sensor 93 is configured to deform downward in response to the magnitude of pressure applied from above, so that when the contact resistance increases, the electrical resistance value between the electrodes decreases. The breathing sensor 93 outputs an electrical signal related to this electrical resistance value to the control device 100.

[0063] The control device 100 is configured to be able to individually control the left and right actuators 30 provided on each of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23. The control device 100 has a lateral acceleration acquisition means 110, a running posture support means 120, an awakening state detection means 130, a warning means 140, a boarding / disembarking detection means 150, a boarding / disembarking support means 160, a setting means 170, a display means 180, and a storage device 190. The control device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like (not shown), and realizes each of these means by reading and executing programs and the like previously stored in the storage device 190.

[0064] The lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 is a means for acquiring the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle C. In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 calculates the lateral acceleration GC based on the wheel speed acquired from the wheel speed sensor 91 and the steering angle acquired from the steering angle sensor 92. Specifically, the lateral acceleration GC can be calculated by determining the vehicle body speed V from the wheel speed by a known method, and using the stability factor A, which is a constant specific to the vehicle, the wheelbase L of the vehicle C, the steering angle φ, and the turning radius R, according to the following formula. R = (1 + A 2 ) / (L / φ) GC=V 2 / R In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration GC is positive to the right and negative to the left.

[0065] The traveling posture support means 120 is a means for executing traveling posture support control for controlling the actuator 30 to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB in the turning direction when the vehicle C turns. Specifically, the traveling posture support means 120 drives the actuator 30 based on the lateral acceleration GC acquired by the lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 to rotate the side frames 22, 23, thereby changing the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB.

[0066] In detail, when the magnitude (absolute value) of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 starts the traveling posture support control, and as shown in Fig. 7, for example, for the driver's seat S1, the actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the first forward position (1), and the seat side parts 12, 13 are pushed forward to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB in the turning direction. Also, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2 that is greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 further rotates the actuator 30 forward for the driver's seat S1 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 to the second forward position (2), and the seat side parts 12, 13 are pushed further forward to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB in the turning direction.

[0067] In this way, the traveling posture support means 120 is configured to increase the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB, in this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is large, compared to when it is small. Note that the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is large when the turning is sharp or the vehicle speed is high, and is small when the turning is gentle or the vehicle speed is low.

[0068] In addition, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the second reset threshold Rth2 during the execution of the running posture support control, the running posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to a position before the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, and slightly returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB. The second reset threshold Rth2 is set to a value smaller than the second acceleration threshold GCth2 and larger than the first acceleration threshold GCth1. In addition, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the first reset threshold Rth1, the running posture support means 120 further reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the normal position, returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to the original position, and ends the running posture support control. The first reset threshold Rth1 is set to a value smaller than the first acceleration threshold GCth1.

[0069] Each threshold is set in advance by a driving test, a simulation, or the like. In addition, GCth1, GCth2, Rth1, and Rth2 are set as positive values. In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration GC occurring in the left direction, such as during a right turn, is treated as negative, so that during a right turn, for example, if GC≦-GCth1, it is determined that the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, and if GC>-Rth1, it is determined that the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is smaller than the first reset threshold Rth1.

[0070] The traveling posture support means 120 is configured to individually control the actuators 30 of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 in accordance with the positions of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 in the vehicle C when the traveling posture support control is executed. Specifically, the traveling posture support means 120 makes the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the second seat S2 larger than the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the driver's seat S1 when the traveling posture support control is executed. Furthermore, the traveling posture support means 120 makes the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the rear seats S22, S23 larger than the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the passenger seat S21 when the traveling posture support control is executed.

[0071] 7, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the passenger seat S21 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (1) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates the passenger seat S21 from the normal position to a position (1.5) intermediate between the first forward position and the second forward position. When the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates the passenger seat S21 to a position (2.5) intermediate between the second forward position and the third forward position.

[0072] Furthermore, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 rotates the rear seats S22, S23 from the normal position to the second forward position (2) by adding 1 to the rotation amount (1) of the driver's seat S1 to make the rotation amount larger than the rotation amount (1.5) of the passenger seat S21. Furthermore, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 rotates the rear seats S22, S23 from the normal position to the second forward position (3) by adding 1 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1 to make the rotation amount larger than the rotation amount (2.5) of the passenger seat S21.

[0073] Hereinafter, the intermediate position between the normal position (0) and the first forward position (1) is referred to as the first intermediate position (0.5), the intermediate position between the first forward position (1) and the second forward position (2) is referred to as the second intermediate position (1.5), the intermediate position between the second forward position (2) and the third forward position (3) is referred to as the third intermediate position (2.5), the intermediate position between the third forward position (3) and the fourth forward position (4) is referred to as the fourth intermediate position (3.5), and the intermediate position between the fourth forward position (4) and the fifth forward position (5) is referred to as the fifth intermediate position (4.5).

[0074] In addition, when executing the running posture support control, the running posture support means 120 is configured to make the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 in the automatic driving mode greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 in the manual driving mode.

[0075] 7, in the automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (1) in the manual driving mode, and rotates the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the second forward position (2). In addition, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (2) in the manual driving mode, and rotates the side frames 22, 23 to the third forward position (3).

[0076] In addition, in the case of the passenger seat S21 in the automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, and rotates the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the third intermediate position (2.5). In addition, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (3) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, and rotates the side frames 22, 23 to the fourth intermediate position (3.5).

[0077] In addition, in the case of the rear seats S22, S23 in the automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, and rotates them from the normal position to the third forward position (3). In addition, in the case of the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (3) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, and rotates them to the fourth forward position (4).

[0078] The driving posture support means 120 may be configured to operate the actuator 30 at a slower speed in the automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode when executing the driving posture support control. This can prevent the seat side portions 12 and 13 from suddenly operating, thereby suppressing discomfort to the occupants.

[0079] The awake state detection means 130 is a means for acquiring a signal from the breathing sensor 93 and detecting the awake state of the driver based on the signal from the breathing sensor 93. For example, as described in JP 2015-80521 A, the awake state detection means 130 can determine the awake state of the driver from the waveform of the breathing sensor 93. When the awake state detection means 130 determines that the awake state of the driver is lower than a predetermined standard because the value indicating the awake state satisfies a predetermined awake state threshold, the awake state detection means 130 outputs a signal indicating that to the warning means 140.

[0080] The warning means 140 is a means for executing warning control to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by controlling the actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 when the wakefulness detection means 130 detects a decrease in the wakefulness of the driver. Specifically, when the warning means 140 detects a decrease in the wakefulness of the driver by the wakefulness detection means 130, it starts warning control, alternately rotates the left and right actuators 30 of the driver's seat S1 forward and backward to alternately rotate the side frames 22, 23 forward and backward, and alternately changes the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB left and right.

[0081] In detail, the warning means 140 first rotates the right actuator 30 in the normal direction to rotate the side frame 22 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushes the seat side 12 forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left, then rotates the right actuator 30 in the reverse direction to rotate the side frame 22 backward from the fifth forward position (5) to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. Next, the warning means 140 rotates the left actuator 30 in the normal direction to rotate the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushes the seat side 13 forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right, then rotates the left actuator 30 in the reverse direction to rotate the side frame 23 backward from the fifth forward position (5) to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. The warning means 140 repeats this series of operations in the warning control. As a result, the warning means 140 tries to wake up the driver by shaking the driver's upper body from side to side.

[0082] In this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when the warning control is executed is set to be larger than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when the warning control is not executed. Specifically, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when the warning control is executed is larger than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when the vehicle C executes the running posture support control. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 7, the amount of rotation (5) of the side frames 22, 23 when the warning control is executed is larger than the amount of rotation (maximum 3) of the side frames 22, 23 when the running posture support control is executed when the vehicle C is in the autonomous driving mode.

[0083] The warning means 140 may be configured to operate the actuator 30 at a speed faster when executing the warning control than when executing the running posture support control by the running posture support means 120. For example, if the running posture support means 120 operates the actuator 30 at a speed that is 80% of the capacity of the actuator 30, the warning means 140 can be configured to operate the actuator 30 at a speed that is 100%.

[0084] The boarding / alighting detection means 150 is a means for detecting whether an occupant has boarded or alighted from the vehicle C. In this embodiment, the boarding / alighting detection means 150 acquires a signal from an opening / closing detection sensor 94 that detects whether the door DR is open or closed, and when it detects that the door DR is open based on the signal from the opening / closing detection sensor 94, it determines that an occupant has boarded or alighted from the vehicle C. When the boarding / alighting detection means 150 determines that an occupant has boarded or alighted from the vehicle C, it outputs a signal indicating this to the boarding / alighting support means 160.

[0085] The boarding / alighting support means 160 is a means for executing boarding / alighting support control by controlling the actuator 30 on the boarding / alighting door side of the seats S1, S21, S22, S23 when the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that an occupant has boarded or alighted from the vehicle C, thereby directing the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the boarding / alighting door side of the vehicle C.

[0086] Specifically, when the entry / exit detection means 150 detects that the door DR is open, the entry / exit support means 160 reverses the actuator 30 on the entry / exit door DE side of the vehicle seat S corresponding to the open door DR, rotating the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the rear position, and facing the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entry / exit door DE, as shown in Fig. 5. When the entry / exit detection means 150 detects that the door DR is closed, the entry / exit support means 160 forwards the actuator 30 on the entry / exit door DE side of the vehicle seat S corresponding to the closed door DR, rotating the side frames 22, 23 from the rear position to the normal position, and returning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the original orientation.

[0087] In this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the rear position when the entry / exit support control is executed is set to be larger than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the fifth forward position when the warning control is executed. Therefore, the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB when the entry / exit support control is executed is larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB when the warning control is executed.

[0088] The setting means 170 is a means for setting the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB based on information input by the occupant's operation, and can set the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface to any amount of change including 0. Specifically, the setting means 170 is configured to be able to set the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 for each of the seats S1, S21, S22, S23 based on information input by the occupant operating the operation panel OP. The amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 can be set as an amount of rotation from the normal position to any position between the normal position and the fifth forward position (5).

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, when the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 (the change amount of the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB), the traveling posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 according to the rotation amount set by the setting means 170. In other words, when the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23, the traveling posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 by giving priority to the set rotation amount.

[0090] For example, when the setting means 170 sets the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 to 0, the running posture support means 120 does not rotate the side frames 22, 23 (does not drive the actuator 30) and maintains them in the normal position even if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1. Also, the running posture support means 120 does not drive the actuator 30 and maintains them in the normal position even if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2. In other words, when the setting means 170 sets the amount of rotation to 0, the running posture support means 120 does not execute the running posture support control (turns it OFF).

[0091] Also, for example, for the driver's seat S1, when the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 to the third forward position (3), if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the traveling posture support means 120 rotates the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the third forward position by the rotation amount (3) set by the setting means 170, instead of the normal rotation amount (1) shown in Fig. 7. Also, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the traveling posture support means 120 does not rotate the side frames 22, 23, but maintains them in the third forward position.

[0092] The setting means 170 may be configured to be able to set the amount of change in the seat orientation separately for when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1 and when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2. The warning means 140 and the boarding / alighting support means 160 may be configured not to execute the control (turn off) when the setting means 170 prohibits the execution of the warning control or the boarding / alighting support control by an operation of the occupant.

[0093] The display means 180 is a means for displaying information on the currently set amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP as a display device. Specifically, when the setting means 170 sets the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface, the display means 180 displays the amount of change set by the setting means 170 on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP. Note that, when the setting means 170 has not set the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface, the display means 180 may or may not display the set value of the running posture support control on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP. Also, instead of the set value, the display means 180 may display the fact that the running posture support control is being executed (the fact that it is ON) on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP.

[0094] The storage device 190 is a device that stores values ​​acquired from the sensors 91 to 94, values ​​calculated by each means, threshold values, set values, and the like.

[0095] Next, the operation of the vehicle seat S configured as above will be described. When the vehicle C turns a curve or an intersection, a lateral acceleration GC is generated in the vehicle C. When the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than a first acceleration threshold GCth1, the running posture support means 120 executes a running posture support control for orienting the seating surfaces of the seat backs SB of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 in the turning direction.

[0096] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, during a left turn, the right actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 22 from the normal position to the first forward position (1) for the driver's seat S1, the second intermediate position (1.5) for the passenger seat S21, or the second forward position (2) for the rear seats S22 and S23, pushing the seat side 12 forward and facing the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. Also, during a right turn, the left actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 23 from the normal position to the first forward position (1), the second intermediate position (1.5) or the second forward position (2), pushing the seat side 13 forward and facing the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right.

[0097] Also, when the vehicle is turning sharply or the vehicle body speed is high, the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, during a left turn, the traveling posture support means 120 further rotates the right actuator 30 in the forward direction to rotate the side frame 22 to the second forward position (2) for the driver's seat S1, the third intermediate position (2.5) for the passenger's seat S21, or the third forward position (3) for the rear seats S22 and S23, and pushes the seat side 12 further forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB further to the left. During a right turn, the left actuator 30 further rotates in the forward direction to rotate the side frame 23 to the second forward position (2), the third intermediate position (2.5), or the third forward position (3), and pushes the seat side 13 further forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB further to the right.

[0098] This allows the seat surface of the seat back SB to adequately support the upper body of the occupant. In addition, for the driver's seat S1, the ends on the left and right opposite sides of the turning direction of the seat back SB can be pushed forward to reduce the distance between the steering wheel SW and the seat back SB, making steering easier.

[0099] Thereafter, when the turning becomes gentler or the vehicle speed becomes slower and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the second reset threshold Rth2, the traveling posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the first forward position (1), the second intermediate position (1.5) or the second forward position (2), and slightly returns the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB (see FIG. 8). When the turning ends and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the first reset threshold Rth1, the traveling posture support means 120 further reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB to the original (see FIG. 1).

[0100] On the other hand, when the driver's wakefulness state decreases while driving on a straight road or a road with gentle curves, the wakefulness detection means 130 calculates a value indicating the wakefulness state based on the signal acquired from the breathing sensor 93. Then, when it is determined that the driver's wakefulness state is lower than a predetermined standard because the value indicating the wakefulness state satisfies a predetermined wakefulness threshold, a signal indicating this is output to the warning means 140. In response to this signal, the warning means 140 executes warning control to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1.

[0101] Specifically, a series of operations shown in Fig. 10(a) to (d) are repeated. That is, as shown in Fig. 10(a), first, the right actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 22 from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), and the seat side portion 12 is pushed forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the right actuator 30 is rotated in the reverse direction to return the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original orientation. Next, as shown in Fig. 10(c), the left actuator 30 is rotated in the forward direction to rotate the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), and the seat side portion 13 is pushed forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 10(d), the left actuator 30 is rotated in the reverse direction to return the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original orientation. By repeating this series of operations, the driver's upper body can be greatly rocked left and right, so that the driver can be awakened.

[0102] In addition, the running posture support means 120 executes the running posture support control when the driver is turning, and in such a case, the driver is unlikely to be in a low state of wakefulness. Therefore, there is little chance that the running posture support control by the running posture support means 120 and the warning control by the warning means 140 interfere with each other. If the operating conditions for the running posture support control and the warning control are simultaneously satisfied, it is preferable to configure the system so that one of the controls, for example, the running posture support control, is given priority.

[0103] Also, when the vehicle C stops and the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that the door DR is open, the boarding / alighting support means 160 executes boarding / alighting support control to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB of the corresponding seat S1, S21, S22, S23 toward the boarding / alighting entrance DE of the vehicle C. Specifically, for example, when the door DR of the driver's seat S1 is opened, the boarding / alighting support means 160 reverses the right actuator 30 to rotate the side frame 22 from the normal position to the rear position, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB is orientated toward the boarding / alighting entrance DE. Thereafter, when the door DR of the driver's seat S1 is closed, the boarding / alighting support means 160 rotates the right actuator 30 forward to rotate the side frame 22 from the rear position to the normal position, so that the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB is restored to the original orientation.

[0104] According to the present embodiment described above, the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be appropriately changed depending on the situation in which the occupant is placed, specifically, the positions of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 in the vehicle C. This allows the occupant to be appropriately supported by the seat surface of the seat back SB depending on the situation in which the occupant is placed when the vehicle C turns.

[0105] In addition, since the passenger sitting in the second seat S2 is not driving himself, he may not be able to take a posture appropriate for the turning direction, but since the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB of the second seat S2 is made larger than that of the driver's seat S1, the passenger sitting in the second seat S2 can be satisfactorily supported by the seat surface of the seat back SB when the vehicle C turns. This improves comfort.

[0106] In addition, the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the rear seats S22, S23 is made larger than the change in the orientation of the seat surface of the passenger seat S21, so that the passenger sitting in the rear seats S22, S23, which have a poorer forward visibility than the passenger seat S21, can be satisfactorily supported by the seat surface of the seat back SB, thereby improving comfort.

[0107] In addition, since the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB is greater in the automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode, the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB can be changed according to the situation in which the occupant is placed, specifically, the driving mode of the vehicle C. In addition, in the automatic driving mode, the driver does not steer, so there are cases in which the driver cannot assume a posture according to the turning direction, but by making the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB greater in the automatic driving mode than in the manual driving mode, the occupant can be satisfactorily supported by the seating surface of the seat back SB when the vehicle C turns. This can improve comfort.

[0108] In addition, when it is detected that an occupant has got in or out of the vehicle C, the seat surface of the seat back SB is directed toward the entrance DE of the vehicle C, so that the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be changed to an appropriate orientation according to the situation in which the occupant is placed, specifically, the situation in which the occupant gets in or out of the vehicle C. In addition, when the getting-in / out support control is executed, the seat surface of the seat back SB can be moved significantly toward the entrance DE of the vehicle C, so that the occupant can get in and out of the vehicle seat S easily. This can improve the ease of getting in and out. In addition, if the opening / closing detection sensor 94 outputs a signal indicating that the door DR is open even in a so-called half-open state, the seat surface of the seat back SB is directed toward the entrance DE even in a half-open state, so that the occupant can be informed that the door DR is half-open.

[0109] In addition, when a decrease in the driver's wakefulness is detected, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1 is increased, so that the orientation of the seat back SB can be appropriately changed according to the situation in which the occupant is placed, specifically, the driver's wakefulness. In addition, since the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1 when the warning control is executed can be increased, the wakefulness effect can be enhanced.

[0110] In addition, since the actuator 30 changes the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by rotating and moving the side frames 22, 23 that are part of the seat side portions 12, 13, the actuator 30 can be made smaller than, for example, a configuration in which the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back is changed by moving the entire seat.

[0111] In addition, since the control device 100 has a setting means 170 and the traveling posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 by prioritizing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 set by the setting means 170, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be set according to the preference of the occupant.

[0112] In addition, since the setting means 170 can set the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB to any amount of change including 0, the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB can be set to suit the occupant's preference, including the option of not changing the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB (not executing traveling posture support control).

[0113] Furthermore, since the control device 100 has the display means 180, information on the currently set amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be displayed on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP to inform the occupant.

[0114] Although one embodiment of the invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified appropriately. For example, the control device may be configured to correct the amount of rotation of the side frames in accordance with the inclination angle of the seat back or the seat cushion.

[0115] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 11(a), in a vehicle seat S, a lower part of a seat back SB is rotatably connected to a rear part of a seat cushion SC via a reclining mechanism RL, and the seat back SB can be tilted forward and backward with respect to the seat cushion SC, and the control device may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frames by, for example, adding 1 to a normal amount of rotation when the tilt angle of the seat back SB becomes equal to or greater than a back angle threshold (first back angle threshold). Also, as shown in Fig. 11(b), in a vehicle seat S, a front part of the seat cushion SC can be moved up and down by a tilt mechanism TL to change the tilt angle of the seat cushion SC's seat surface, and the control device may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frames by, for example, adding 1 to a normal amount of rotation when the tilt angle of the seat cushion SC becomes equal to or greater than a cushion angle threshold. Specifically, for the driver's seat S1, when the inclination angle of the seat back SB or the seat cushion SC is equal to or greater than a threshold value, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than a first acceleration threshold GCth1, the amount of rotation of the side frame may be increased by 1 to the normal amount of rotation (1) (see FIG. 7), and the side frame may be rotated from the normal position to the second forward position (2).

[0116] 11(c), when the seat back SB is substantially flat with respect to the seat cushion SC, specifically, when the inclination angle of the seat back SB is equal to or greater than a second back angle threshold value that is greater than the first back angle threshold value described above, the rotation amount of the side frame may be increased by, for example, adding 2 to the normal rotation amount. For example, for the passenger seat S21, when the inclination angle of the seat back SB is equal to or greater than the second back angle threshold value and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold value GCth1, the rotation amount of the side frame may be increased by adding 2 to the normal rotation amount (1.5) (see FIG. 7) to rotate the side frame from the normal position to the fourth intermediate position (3.5).

[0117] In the above embodiment, the second seat S2 includes the passenger seat S21 and the rear seats S22 and S23, but is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, the second seat S2 may include the passenger seat S21, a center seat S24 arranged behind the driver's seat S1, a center seat S25 arranged behind the passenger seat S21, a third row seat S26 arranged behind the center seat S24, and a third row seat S27 arranged behind the center seat S25.

[0118] In this case, an example of the set value of the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 in the running posture support control will be described. As shown in FIG. 13, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the control device 100 (running posture support means) increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount (1) of the driver's seat S1 for the center seats S24, S25, and rotates them from the normal position to the third intermediate position (2.5). When the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the control device 100 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates them to the fourth intermediate position (3.5). When the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the control device 100 adds 1.5 to the rotation amount (2 or 3) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode.

[0119] Furthermore, for the third row seats S26, S27, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the control device 100 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (1) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates them from the normal position to the second forward position (2). When the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the control device 100 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates them to the fourth intermediate position (3.5). When the vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, the control device 100 adds 1.5 to the rotation amount (2 or 3) of the driver's seat S1 in the autonomous driving mode.

[0120] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, passengers enter and exit the third-row seats S26, S27 through doors DR (entrances) provided on the left and right outer sides of the center seats S24, S25. In other words, no doors for entering and exiting the third-row seats S26, S27 are provided on either the left or right side. In this configuration, the control device 100 (entrance and exit support means) does not execute the entry and exit support control (see Fig. 5) for the third-row seats S26, S27.

[0121] The control device 100 may further include an attachment detection means for detecting whether or not a child seat is attached to the vehicle seat S, and the running posture support means may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when performing the running posture support when the attachment detection means detects that a child seat is attached to the vehicle seat S. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 14(a), when a child seat S3 is attached to the center seat S24 and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC during left turning is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 may be increased by adding 1 to the normal amount of rotation (2.5) (see Fig. 13), for example, to rotate the side frames 22 from the normal position to a fourth intermediate position (3.5) as shown in Fig. 14(b). In addition, the control device 100 may be configured not to drive the actuator 30 of the vehicle seat S to which the child seat S3 is attached (not to change the orientation of the seat surface) when the attachment detection means detects that a child seat S3 is attached to the vehicle seat S.

[0122] Also, as shown in Fig. 15, the center seats S24, S25 may be provided rotatably with respect to the vehicle body so as to face backward. In this case, the control device 100 further includes a direction detection means for detecting the direction of the center seats S24, S25, and when the direction detection means detects that the center seats S24, S25 face backward, the traveling posture support means rotates the side frame 23 when turning left and rotates the side frame 22 when turning right, in the opposite manner to when the center seats S24, S25 face forward. Also, for example, when the center seats S24 face forward (see Fig. 12), the side frame 22 on the boarding / alighting door side rotates during boarding / alighting support control, but when the direction detection means detects that the center seats S24 face backward, the boarding / alighting support means rotates the side frame 23 that has moved to the boarding / alighting door (door DR) side, in the opposite manner to when the center seats S24 face forward.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 16, the control device 100 may further include a traveling direction information acquisition means 210 and a turning notification means 220. The traveling direction information acquisition means 210 is a means for acquiring information on the traveling direction of the vehicle C. Specifically, the traveling direction information acquisition means 210 acquires information on the traveling direction of the vehicle C, more specifically, information on curves, intersections, and the like in the traveling direction of the vehicle C, from the car navigation system NS mounted in the vehicle C.

[0124] The turning notification means 220 is a means for executing turning notification control to notify an occupant of a turning motion by controlling the actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB before the vehicle C actually turns, based on the traveling direction information acquired by the traveling direction information acquisition means 210. Specifically, the turning notification means 220 executes turning notification control when the traveling direction information acquisition means 210 detects information on a curve, an intersection, or the like in the traveling direction of the vehicle C.

[0125] Specifically, the turning notification means 220 predicts the turning direction of the vehicle C from the information on the traveling direction of the vehicle C detected by the traveling direction information acquisition means 210. Then, when the predicted turning direction is to the left, the turning notification means 220 rotates the right actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 forward to rotate the side frame 22 forward from the normal position to a first intermediate position (0.5), pushes the seat side 12 forward to turn the seating surface of the seat back SB to the left, and then rotates the right actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the reverse direction to rotate the side frame 22 backward from the first intermediate position to the normal position, thereby returning the orientation of the seating surface of the seat back SB to its original position. Also, when the predicted turning direction is to the right, the turning notification means 220 rotates the left actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the normal direction to rotate the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the first intermediate position (0.5), pushes the seat side 13 forward to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right, and then rotates the left actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the reverse direction to rotate the side frame 23 backward from the first intermediate position to the normal position, and returns the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original orientation. The turning notification means 220 repeats this series of operations several times in the turning notification control. This allows the seat side 12, 13 to push the driver several times in the turning direction, so that the driver can be notified of the turning, specifically, that he or she should turn and the turning direction.

[0126] According to this configuration, the driver can be notified of the turn of the vehicle C before the vehicle C turns, which reduces the risk of forgetting to turn at an intersection or allows the driver to take a posture according to the turning direction in advance, thereby improving comfort. Incidentally, since it is desirable that the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 be at a level that does not cause discomfort to the driver, an example has been described here in which the amount of rotation is set to a small amount, for example, the first intermediate position (0.5), but the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 is not limited to this.

[0127] The turning notification means 220 may be configured to change the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 depending on the position of the vehicle C from a turning start point such as the entrance to a curve or an intersection. For example, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a first intermediate position (0.5) at a first point before the turning start point, for example, 50 m before the turning start point, to rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a first forward position (1) at a second point closer to the turning start point than the first point, for example, 25 m before the turning start point, and to rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a second forward position (2) at a third point closer to the turning start point than the second point, for example, 15 m before the turning start point. In this way, by increasing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 and gradually increasing the amount of forward pushing of the seat side parts 12, 13 as the turning start point is approached, it is possible to effectively notify the driver of the turning and to further suppress the driver forgetting to turn. In this case, when the turning notification means 220 detects that the driver has started preparing to turn by operating a turn signal, for example, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to reduce the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 at the second point or the third point, or may be configured not to drive the actuator 30 at the second point or the third point. This makes it possible to limit unnecessary operation of the actuator 30, thereby suppressing discomfort to the driver.

[0128] Also, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to notify the driver of a turn by gradually increasing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 as the vehicle approaches the entrance to a curve or an intersection, and gradually increasing the amount of forward pushing of the seat side parts 12, 13, instead of notifying the driver of a turn by pushing the driver in the turning direction several times with the seat side parts 12, 13. In this case, the control device 100 may be configured to gradually increase the amount of forward pushing of the seat side parts 12, 13 by the turning notification control before the vehicle C starts turning, and to continue to execute the running posture support control as it is, without returning the seat side parts 12, 13 to the normal position, once the vehicle C starts turning.

[0129] The turning notification means 220 may also be configured to execute turning notification control for the second seat S2 other than the driver's seat S1. In this case, it is preferable that the turning notification means 220 is configured to gradually increase the pushing amount of the seat side parts 12, 13 by the turning notification control for the second seat S2 before starting turning, and to continuously execute the running posture support control without returning the seat side parts 12, 13 to the normal position after starting turning. This can prevent sudden operation of the seat side parts 12, 13 of the second seat S2, thereby improving comfort.

[0130] Also, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to, when the predicted turning direction is to the left, rotate the left actuator 30 in the same direction as the turning direction forward to rotate the side frame 23 forward and push the seat side portion 13 forward, and then rotate the left actuator 30 in the reverse direction to rotate the side frame 23 backward and return the seat side portion 13 to its original position, and repeat this operation several times. When the predicted turning direction is to the right, the right actuator 30 is driven. In this way, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to push the driver with the seat side portions 12, 13 on the turning direction side.

[0131] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to control the actuator 30 according to the amount of rotation set by the setting means 170 when the setting means 170 sets the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 (the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB) through the operation of the occupant. Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to turn off the turning notification control when the setting means 170 prohibits the execution of the turning notification control through the operation of the occupant.

[0132] 17(a), the vehicle seat S may have a plurality of support parts S11-S14 for supporting different parts of the occupant, and the orientation of the seat surface of each of the support parts S11-S14 may be individually changeable. Specifically, the seat back SB has a lumbar support part S11 for supporting the lumbar part of the occupant, a shoulder support part S13 arranged on the lumbar support part S11 for supporting the shoulders of the occupant, and a chest support part S12 arranged between the lumbar support part S11 and the shoulder support part S13 for supporting the chest of the occupant (the part between the lumbar part and the shoulders), and the headrest HR has a head support part S14 for supporting the head of the occupant.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 17(b), a pair of left and right support members 42, 43 and actuators 30A, 30B are disposed on both the left and right sides of each of the support portions S11 to S14. The support members 42, 43 are plate-shaped members, and their left and right inner ends are rotatably connected to the frames (not shown) of the seat back SB and the headrest HR, so that their left and right outer ends can swing back and forth. The actuators 30A, 30B are configured to move the corresponding support members 42, 43 by rotating them back and forth, thereby pushing the seat surfaces of the corresponding support parts S11 to S14 forward or back, and changing the orientation of the seat surfaces of the corresponding support parts S11 to S14 from left to right. Here, the waist is an example of a first part of the occupant, the waist support part S11 is an example of a first support part, and the actuators 30A, 30B of the waist support part S11 are an example of a first actuator. In addition, the shoulders, chest and head are examples of a second part different from the first part of the occupant, the chest support part S12, the shoulder support part S13 and the head support part S14 are examples of a second support part, and the actuators 30A, 30B of the support parts S12 to S14 are examples of a second actuator.

[0134] The control device 100 is configured to be able to individually control the drive amount of the total of eight actuators 30A, 30B arranged at each of the support portions S11 to S14. This allows the vehicle seat S to individually change the orientation of the seat surface of each of the support portions S11 to S14.

[0135] Furthermore, the running posture support means of the control device 100 is configured to make the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surfaces of the support units S12-S14 smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seating surface of the lumbar support unit S11 when executing the running posture support control. Specifically, when executing the running posture support control, the running posture support means drives the actuators 30A, 30B of the support units S12-S14 with a drive amount obtained by multiplying the drive amount of the actuators 30A, 30B of the lumbar support unit S11 by a coefficient smaller than 1. As an example, the actuators 30A, 30B of the chest support section S12 are driven by an amount obtained by multiplying the amount of drive of the actuators 30A, 30B of the waist support section S11 by a coefficient 0.9, the actuators 30A, 30B of the shoulder support section S13 are driven by an amount obtained by multiplying the amount of drive of the actuators 30A, 30B of the waist support section S11 by a coefficient 0.8, and the actuators 30A, 30B of the head support section S14 are driven by an amount obtained by multiplying the amount of drive of the actuators 30A, 30B of the waist support section S11 by a coefficient 0.5. Here, the coefficients can be set in advance by running tests, simulations, etc.

[0136] With this configuration, different parts of the occupant can be satisfactorily supported by the seating surfaces of the support portions S11 to S14 that are oriented in appropriate directions when the vehicle C turns, thereby improving comfort.

[0137] The traveling posture support means may be configured to make the driving amounts of the actuators 30A, 30B of the support units S11 to S14 equal to each other when the driving amount of the actuators 30A, 30B (the change amount of the orientation of the seat surface) is small when performing the traveling posture support control, and to make the driving amounts of the actuators 30A, 30B of the support units S12 to S14 smaller than the driving amount of the actuators 30A, 30B of the lumbar support unit S11 by multiplying the driving amount by a coefficient, for example. Also, the traveling posture support means may be configured to operate the actuators 30A, 30B of the head support unit S14 at a slower speed than the actuators 30A, 30B of the other support units S11 to S13. This can prevent the occupant from feeling uncomfortable.

[0138] In the above embodiment, the awake state detection means 130 is configured to detect the awake state of the driver sitting in the driver's seat S1, but is not limited thereto. For example, a breathing sensor may be provided on a second seat other than the driver's seat, and the awake state detection means may be configured to detect the awake state of the occupant sitting in the second seat, specifically, whether the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep or not, based on a signal from the breathing sensor provided on the second seat. In this case, the running posture support means may be configured to, in the running posture support control, make the rotation amount of the side frame larger than the rotation amount when the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep (lowering of the occupant's wakefulness) when the awake state detection means detects that the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep. For example, as shown in FIG. 18(a), the traveling posture support means may be configured to add 0.5 to the rotation amount of the side frame of the passenger seat S21 when the passenger sitting in the passenger seat S21 is asleep, and to add 1.5 to the rotation amount of the side frame of the rear seat S22, S23 when the passenger sitting in the rear seat S22, S23 is asleep. Also, as shown in FIG. 18(b), the traveling posture support means may be configured to add 1.5 to the rotation amount of the side frame when the passenger sitting in the center seat S24, S25 or the third row seat S26, S27 is asleep. Note that the traveling posture support means may be configured to operate the actuator at a slower speed when the passenger sitting in the second seat other than the driver's seat is asleep than when the passenger is not asleep. In addition, when executing the driving posture support control, the driving posture support means may be configured to drive the actuator of only the driver's seat and not drive the actuator of the second seat if the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep.

[0139] In the above embodiment, the running posture support means 120 is configured to determine whether a turn of a predetermined amount or more has been made based on the lateral acceleration GC, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the running posture support means may be configured to determine whether a turn of a predetermined amount or more has been made based on the steering angle. Specifically, when the magnitude of the steering angle is equal to or greater than the steering angle threshold, the running posture support means may be configured to determine that a turn of a predetermined amount or more has been made and execute the running posture support control. In this case, the set value of the running posture support control may be set in multiple stages according to the magnitude of the steering angle so that the set value is larger when the turn is sharp and is smaller when the turn is gentle. In addition to the magnitude of the steering angle, the vehicle speed may be taken into account. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, when the driving posture support control is executed, the driver's seat S1 may be configured to rotate to the first forward position (1) when the turning is gentle during low-speed driving (small steering angle), to rotate to the second forward position (2) when the turning is sharp during low-speed driving (large steering angle), to rotate to the second intermediate position (1.5) when the turning is gentle during high-speed driving (small steering angle), and to rotate to the third forward position (3) when the turning is sharp during high-speed driving (large steering angle). Note that, as an example, the small steering angle is a case where the steering angle is equal to or greater than the first steering angle threshold, and the large steering angle is a case where the steering angle is equal to or greater than the second steering angle threshold that is greater than the first steering angle threshold. In addition, low-speed driving is a case where the vehicle speed V is less than the speed threshold Vth, and high-speed driving is a case where the vehicle speed V is equal to or greater than the speed threshold Vth.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the traveling posture support means 120 is configured to make the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the rear seats S22, S23 larger than the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 of the passenger seat S21 when executing the traveling posture support control, but is not limited to this. For example, the traveling posture support means may be configured to make the rotation amount of the side frames of the rear seats equal to the rotation amount of the side frames of the passenger seat (to be the same rotation amount) when executing the traveling posture support control.

[0141] The control device 100 may be configured to control the actuator 30 to inform the occupant that the driving mode of the vehicle C has been switched from one of the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode to the other by the occupant operating the operation panel OP, for example. For example, when the driving mode is switched, the control device 100 may be configured to first rotate the right actuator 30 in the normal and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 12 forward and return it, and then rotate the left actuator 30 in the normal and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 13 forward and return it once or several times. This operation may be, for example, a small rotation amount from the normal position to the first intermediate position (0.5), and may be a speed at which the actuator 30 is operated at a speed faster than that when the traveling posture support control by the traveling posture support means 120 is executed.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the warning means 140 is configured to alternately rotate the left and right actuators 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the forward and reverse directions during warning control to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB alternately to the left and right, but the operation pattern of the actuators during warning control is not limited to this. For example, the right actuator 30 may be rotated forward a little, then temporarily stopped, and then further rotated forward to push the seat side part 12 forward in two steps, and then the right actuator 30 is reversed to return the seat side part 12 to its original position, and then the left actuator 30 is rotated forward a little, then temporarily stopped, and then further rotated forward to push the seat side part 13 forward in two steps, and then the left actuator 30 is reversed to return the seat side part 13 to its original position. Alternatively, the right actuator 30 may be reciprocated twice in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 12 forward twice, and then the left actuator 30 may be reciprocated twice in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice. Alternatively, the right actuator 30 may be reciprocated twice in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 12 forward twice, and then the left actuator 30 may be reciprocated once in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 13 forward once, and then the right actuator 30 may be reciprocated once in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 12 forward once, and then the left actuator 30 may be reciprocated twice in a forward and reverse direction to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice. Alternatively, the right actuator 30 may be rotated forward and backward once to push the seat side portion 12 forward once, and then the left actuator 30 may be rotated forward and backward and forward and backward twice to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice. This operation may be repeated.

[0143] In the above embodiment, the wakefulness detection means is exemplified as a means for detecting the wakefulness of an occupant based on a signal from the breathing sensor 93, but is not limited thereto. For example, the wakefulness detection means may be any appropriate means available to those skilled in the art, such as a means for detecting the wakefulness from an image of the occupant's face or a means for detecting the wakefulness from data on the occupant's heart rate.

[0144] In the above embodiment, the entry / exit detection means is exemplified as a means for detecting that an occupant has entered or exited the vehicle C when it is detected that the door DR has been opened based on a signal from the opening / closing detection sensor 94, but is not limited thereto. The entry / exit detection means may be a means for predicting that an occupant will enter or exit the vehicle and for activating the entry / exit support means early, for example, a means for detecting that an occupant has entered or exited the vehicle when the door is unlocked.

[0145] 5, the vehicle seat S may be configured to blow conditioned air such as cold air or warm air from the surface of the seat side portion 12 to the left and right outside, that is, toward the occupant about to get into the vehicle C, when the ingress / egress support control is executed and particularly when the occupant gets into the vehicle C. Specifically, the control device 100 has a seating detection means for detecting whether or not the occupant is sitting in the vehicle seat S, and when the ingress / egress support means detects that the door DR is opened and detects that the occupant is not sitting in the vehicle seat S, the ingress / egress support means performs an operation of directing the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entrance / egress door DE since it is time to get in, and performs an operation of blowing conditioned air from the surface of the seat side portion 12. On the other hand, when the entry / exit support means detects that the door DR is open and the seating detection means detects that the occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S, the entry / exit support means performs an operation of directing the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entrance / exit door DE, and does not perform an operation of blowing conditioned air from the surface of the seat side portion 12. This configuration can improve the comfort of the occupant who is about to enter the vehicle C. The seating detection means can detect whether or not the occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S, for example, based on an output signal from a weight detection sensor or a pressure detection sensor provided on the seat cushion SC.

[0146] In the above embodiment, the actuator 30 is configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by moving the side frames 22, 23 that are part of the seat side parts 12, 13, but is not limited thereto. For example, the actuator may be configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by moving the entire seat side part. The actuator may be configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back by moving the entire seat back, for example by rotating it. The actuator may be configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion, not the seat back. The orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion can be changed, for example, by moving at least a part of the seat cushion. The vehicle seat may be configured to be able to change both the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back and the orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion. The actuator may be configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface by moving the entire seat, for example by rotating it.

[0147] The mechanism for changing the orientation of the seat surface of the vehicle seat to the left and right is not limited to the mechanism described in the above embodiment. For example, a mechanism for changing the orientation of the seat surface to the left and right by turning a plate-shaped member disposed between the left and right side frames to the left and right as described in Patent Documents 1-3 may be used. Also, a side support device of a side support drive mechanism as described in Patent Document 4 may be used.

[0148] In addition, in the above embodiment, a vehicle seat S installed in an automobile is given as an example of a vehicle seat, but this is not limited to this, and the vehicle seat may be a seat installed in a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railway vehicle, a ship, or an aircraft.

[0149] Furthermore, the elements described in the above-described embodiment and modified examples may be implemented in any combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0150] 11 Center of seat 12,13 Seat side 22,23 Side frame 30, 30A, 30B Actuator 100 Control device 120 Running posture support means 130 Awakening state detection means 140 Warning measures 150 Getting on and off detection means 160 Boarding and alighting assistance means 170 Setting Method 180 Display means 210 Traveling direction information acquisition means 220 Turn notification means C Vehicle DE boarding gate DS display screen OP Operation Panel S Vehicle seat S1 Driver's seat S2 2nd sheet S11 Lumbar support S12 Chest support S13 Shoulder support S14 Head support S21 passenger seat S22, S23 rear seats

Claims

[Claim 1] an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the seat surface from side to side by moving at least a portion of the seat; A control device for controlling the actuator, The control device includes: a boarding / alighting detection means for detecting whether a passenger is getting on or off the vehicle; a boarding / alighting support means for executing boarding / alighting support control for directing the seat surface toward an entrance / exit side of the vehicle by controlling the actuator when the boarding / alighting detection means detects that the occupant has boarded or alighted from the vehicle; An awakening state detection means for detecting an awakening state of a driver; a warning means for executing a warning control by controlling the actuator to change the orientation of the seat when the wakefulness detection means detects a decrease in the wakefulness of the driver; a running posture support means for controlling the actuator when the vehicle turns to perform a running posture support control for directing the seat surface in the turning direction, a change amount of the seat orientation when the entry / exit support control is executed is larger than a change amount of the seat orientation when the warning control is executed, The driving posture support means is configured to, when executing the driving posture support control, make a change amount of the seat orientation larger when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode in which steering is automatically performed than a change amount of the seat orientation when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode in which steering is not automatically performed, A vehicle seat characterized in that the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is executed is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the driving posture support control is executed when the vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode.

Images