Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which blows air onto a seated person from a seating surface to improve comfort of the seated person and apply an appropriate amount of stimuli to the seated person to facilitate blood flow and thereby reduce fatigue of the seated person.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat 1 includes: a pad 11 formed with a ventilation flue 31; a skin material 16 which covers the pad 11; and a movable body 50 disposed between the pad 11 and the skin material 16 and protruding from a seating surface. The movable body 50 is disposed at a position which does not overlap with the ventilation flue 31 when viewed from the seating surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat having a fluid bladder that is inflated and deflated by a fluid. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a vehicle seat that is provided with a blower and a ventilation passage in the seat, and that can guide the air blown by the blower to the seating surface and blow it against the seated person. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat in which a ventilation passage is formed in a pad inside the seat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-110702 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, the comfort of the seated person can be increased by blowing air that has been adjusted to an appropriate temperature to the seated person. However, further improvements have been desired to increase the comfort of the seated person who sits in the vehicle seat for a long period of time. That is, there has been a demand for a vehicle seat that can increase comfort by blowing air to the seated person from the seating surface, and can promote blood flow by providing an appropriate stimulation to the seated person, thereby effectively reducing the fatigue of the seated person.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a vehicle seat that increases comfort by blowing air to the occupant from the seating surface, and promotes blood flow by providing a moderate stimulation to the occupant, thereby reducing fatigue of the occupant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which is provided with a pad in which a ventilation passage is formed for air blown out from the seating surface, a cover material covering the pad, and a movable body disposed between the pad and the cover material and protruding from the seating surface, wherein the movable body is disposed in a position that does not overlap with the ventilation passage when viewed from the seating surface.

[0007] According to the above configuration, the comfort of the seated occupant can be increased by blowing air to the seated occupant, and the movable body can be protruded from the seating surface to provide stimulation to the seated occupant. The movable body is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the ventilation passage when viewed from the seating surface. This prevents the movable body from sinking into the ventilation passage formed in the pad. Therefore, the movable body can provide an appropriate stimulation to the seated occupant, and the fatigue of the seated occupant can be reduced by promoting blood flow. In addition, the movable body can be prevented from blocking the ventilation passage. Therefore, an appropriate amount of air can be blown to the seated occupant.

[0008] It is also preferable that the vehicle seat includes a plurality of the movable bodies, and an outlet for air blown out through the ventilation passage is positioned between the plurality of the movable bodies as viewed from the seating surface. According to the above configuration, it is possible to blow an appropriate amount of air from the air outlet to the seated occupant without being affected by the movement of the movable body.

[0009] It is also preferable that the vehicle seat includes a seating sensor that detects a seating state, and the movable body is disposed at a position overlapping the seating sensor when viewed from the seating surface. According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress missed detection by the seat sensor due to the movement of the movable body.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the movable body is a plurality of fluid bags that expand and contract with a fluid, the plurality of fluid bags being stacked between the pad and the skin material, and the fluid bag located on the pad side having higher rigidity than the fluid bag located on the skin material side. According to the above configuration, the fluid bag on the pad side, which has high rigidity, supports the fluid bag on the skin side, thereby preventing the fluid bag on the skin side from sinking into the pad. As a result, the fluid bag can provide an appropriate stimulation to the seated person, and the fatigue of the seated person can be reduced by promoting blood flow.

[0011] It is also preferable that the fluid bag located on the pad side has a larger size than the fluid bag located on the skin side. According to the above configuration, the fluid bag on the pad side, which has a larger dimension, supports the fluid bag on the skin side, thereby preventing the fluid bag on the skin side from sinking into the pad. Therefore, the fluid bag can provide an appropriate stimulation to the seated person, and the fatigue of the seated person can be reduced by promoting blood flow.

[0012] It is also preferable that the stacked fluid bags are welded to each other. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the fluid bag on the skin side is firmly fixed to the fluid bag on the pad side, so that the fluid bag on the skin side is prevented from sinking into the pad, and therefore the fluid bag can provide an appropriate stimulation to the seated person, and the fatigue of the seated person can be reduced by promoting blood flow.

[0013] In addition, it is preferable that the vehicle seat is equipped with a control device that controls the protruding movement of the movable body, the movable body having a first movable body arranged at a front position of the seat cushion of the vehicle seat and a second movable body arranged at a rear position of the seat cushion, and the control device acquires a collision prediction signal that predicts a vehicle collision, and controls the protruding movement of the first movable body and the second movable body based on the collision prediction signal so that the front side of the seat cushion is higher than the rear side. According to the above configuration, when a frontal collision of the vehicle is predicted, the first movable body and the second movable body are controlled so that the front side of the seat cushion is higher than the rear side, so that it is possible to suppress the forward movement of the waist of the seated person (submarine phenomenon), thereby improving the safety of the seated person.

[0014] In addition, it is preferable that the vehicle seat is equipped with a cushion airbag that is activated when the vehicle collides, and the control device controls the protruding movement of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the front side of the seat cushion is higher than the rear side based on the collision prediction signal before the cushion airbag is activated. According to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to suppress the submarine phenomenon at a stage when a vehicle collision is predicted before the cushion airbag is deployed, thereby improving the safety of the seated occupant.

[0015] It is also preferable that the movable body has a third movable body arranged on a seat back of the vehicle seat, and the control device controls the third movable body to protrude based on the collision prediction signal. According to the above-described configuration, the third movable body disposed in the seat back expands before a rear-end collision occurs, making it possible to increase safety against impacts during a rear-end collision. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase comfort by blowing air at an appropriate temperature onto the occupant from the seating surface, and to reduce fatigue of the occupant by providing a moderate stimulation to the occupant. Also, it is possible to blow an appropriate amount of air to the seated occupant without being affected by the movement of the movable body. It is also possible to prevent the seat sensor from missing detection due to the movement of the movable body. In addition, it is possible to suppress forward movement of the seated occupant's lower back (submarine phenomenon) during a frontal collision, thereby improving the safety of the seated occupant. It is also possible to improve safety against impacts during rear-end collisions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a basic configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 4 is an explanatory diagram of a ventilation device and a ventilation passage of the seat cushion. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of a pad main body, a first cover member, and a second cover member of the seat cushion. FIG. [Figure 4] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a contracted state and an expanded state of the fluid bag. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vehicle seat according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the vehicle seat. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the airbag is deflated, in which a main part of the seat cushion is enlarged. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the front of the airbag is inflated, and is an enlarged view of a main portion of the seat cushion. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a basic configuration of a vehicle seat according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, the present embodiment) will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. This embodiment relates to a vehicle seat having a pad in which a ventilation passage for air sent out from the seating surface is formed, a cover material covering the pad, and a movable body disposed between the pad and a display material and protruding from the seating surface, the movable body being disposed at a position not overlapping with the ventilation passage as viewed from the seating surface. In the following embodiment, a vehicle seat according to the present invention will be described as an example, where the vehicle seat is applied to a vehicle seat.

[0019] In the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction as seen by a person sitting in the vehicle seat, and corresponds to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat, and corresponds to the left-right direction as seen by a person sitting in the vehicle seat. In addition, in the following, "left" refers to the left as seen by the person sitting in the vehicle seat, and similarly, "right" refers to the right as seen by the person sitting in the vehicle seat. In addition, the "height direction" refers to the height direction of the vehicle seat, and corresponds to the up-down direction as seen by the vehicle seat from the front.

[0020] <Main components of vehicle seat S> Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a vehicle seat S. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle seat S mainly includes a seat cushion S1, a seat back S2, and a headrest S3.

[0021] The seat cushion S1 is mainly composed of a seat cushion frame 10 (see FIG. 2) that constitutes the framework of the seat cushion S1, a seat cushion pad 11 that covers the seat cushion frame 10, and a cover material 16. The seat back S2 is mainly composed of a seat back frame (not shown) that constitutes the framework of the seat back S2, and a pad (not shown) and a covering material (not shown) that cover the seat back frame.

[0022] The seat cushion pad 11 of the seat cushion S1 has an air passage 31 through which air sent out by the air blower 40 (see FIG. 2) passes. The air passage 31 is formed with an inlet 32 ​​through which the air sent out by the air blower 40 flows in, and a plurality of outlets 33 through which the air is blown out from below toward a seated occupant. The inlet 32 ​​of the seat cushion S1 is formed at the center in the seat width direction, on the rear side. The outlets 33 of the seat cushion S1 are formed four on each side, forward of the inlet 32. The air passage 31 of the seat cushion S1 extends from the inlet 32 ​​to the outlets 33 approximately parallel to the seating surface.

[0023] Similarly to the seat cushion S1, the seat back S2 also has an air passage 31, an inlet 32, and an outlet 33 formed therein. The arrangement of the ventilation passage 31, the inlet 32, and the outlet 33 is not limited to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. It is sufficient if the comfort of the seated occupant can be increased by blowing the air blown out by the blower 40 to the seated occupant.

[0024] A seating sensor 34 for detecting a seated state is built in between the seat cushion pad 11 and the cover material 16 of the seat cushion S1. In other words, the seating sensor 34 can detect that an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S. The seating sensor 34 is a sensor capable of detecting a load applied to the vehicle seat S when an occupant is seated, and is, for example, a weight sensor. Further, a control circuit 35 that controls electrical components (various sensors and actuators) arranged in the vehicle seat S is arranged in the seat cushion S1. The seating sensor 34 and the control circuit 35 are electrically connected by a harness 36. In other words, a detection signal of the seating sensor 34 is output to the control circuit 35 via the harness 36.

[0025] A plurality of fluid bags 50 that expand when compressed air is injected and contract when the compressed air is discharged are disposed between the seat cushion pad 11 and the cover material 16. The fluid bags 50 are mainly composed of a first fluid bag 50a and a second fluid bag 50b disposed in the seat cushion S1, and a third fluid bag 50c and a fourth fluid bag 50d disposed in the seat back S2. The fluid bag 50 corresponds to a movable body, and the first fluid bag 50a, the second fluid bag 50b, and the third fluid bag 50c correspond to a first movable body, a second movable body, and a third movable body, respectively.

[0026] The first fluid bladder 50a is disposed at a position on the front side of the seat cushion S1. The first fluid bladder 50a mainly supports the thighs of the seated occupant. The first fluid bladder 50a protrudes from the seating surface by inflating, and provides an appropriate stimulation to the thighs of the seated occupant. The second fluid bag 50b is disposed at a rear side position of the seat cushion S1. The second fluid bag 50b mainly supports the buttocks of the seated person. The second fluid bag 50b protrudes from the seating surface by expanding, and provides an appropriate stimulation to the buttocks of the seated person. As shown in FIG. 1, it goes without saying that one or more additional fluid bags 50 may be disposed between the first fluid bag 50a and the second fluid bag 50b.

[0027] The third fluid bag 50c is disposed in the center of the seat back S2 in the seat width direction. The third fluid bag 50c mainly supports the lumbar region of the seated occupant. The third fluid bag 50c protrudes forward by inflating, and provides an appropriate stimulation to the lumbar region of the seated occupant. The fourth fluid bladder 50d is disposed on both sides of the seat back S2 in the seat width direction. The fourth fluid bladder 50d mainly supports the torso of the seated occupant from the sides.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid bag 50 is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the ventilation passage 31 when viewed from the seating surface. This makes it possible to suppress the obstruction of the flow of air passing through the ventilation passage 31 when the fluid bag 50 is inflated. In addition, when the fluid bag 50 is inflated, it protrudes upward without sinking downward, and can effectively stimulate the seated person. In other words, if the fluid bag 50 is disposed at a position directly above the ventilation passage 31, the fluid bag 50 is buried in the ventilation passage 31 without protruding from the seating surface when inflated, and cannot provide an appropriate stimulus to the seated person. Therefore, by disposing the fluid bag 50 at a position that does not overlap with the ventilation passage 31 when viewed from the seating surface, it operates to protrude from the seating surface when inflated, and can provide an appropriate stimulus to the seated person.

[0029] The fluid bag 50 is disposed at a position overlapping the seating sensor 34 when viewed from the seating surface. As a result, the seating sensor 34 detects the body pressure of the seated person and outputs a detection signal when the fluid bag 50 is contracted, and detects the expansion pressure of the fluid bag 50 in addition to the body pressure of the seated person when the fluid bag 50 is expanded. In other words, by disposing the fluid bag 50 at a position overlapping the seating sensor 34 when viewed from the seating surface, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of missed detection of the seated person.

[0030] In addition, the fluid bag 50 is disposed at a position not overlapping with the harness 36 that electrically connects the seating sensor 34 and the control circuit 35 when viewed from the seating surface. This makes it possible to prevent the harness 36 from being damaged by the body pressure load received when the seated person is seated and the inflation pressure generated when the fluid bag 50 is inflated.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 2, a blower 40 and a duct 43 are disposed below the seat cushion S1. As indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, air sent out from the blower 40 passes through the duct 43 and an air passage 31 formed in the seat cushion pad 11, and is blown out from the upper surface of the seat cushion pad 11 toward a seated occupant. Note that the cover material 16 may be made of a breathable material, or may have a mesh-like fiber member that can exhaust air disposed at a position corresponding to the air outlet 33.

[0032] The blower 40 is, for example, a sirocco fan, and includes a housing 41, an impeller 42, and a motor (not shown) for rotating the impeller 42. The housing 41 includes a housing body 41a in which the impeller 42 and the motor are housed, and a cylindrical blowing section 41b extending rearward from the housing body 41a. An intake port 40a for sucking air is formed on the upper surface of the housing body 41a. The blower 40 is attached to the seat cushion frame 10 via a bracket 47. The blower 40 is also connected to the ventilation passage 31 formed in the seat cushion pad 11 via a duct 43 or the like.

[0033] The duct 43 is a tubular member and has a first pipe section 44 extending forward and backward, and a second pipe section 45 bending from the rear end of the first pipe section 44 and extending upward. The second pipe section 45 has a flexible and expandable bellows section 46. The front end of the first pipe section 44 of the duct 43 is connected to the blowing section 41b of the blower 40, and the upper end of the second pipe section 45 is connected to the inlet 32 ​​formed in the seat cushion pad 11 via a tubular connecting member.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the seat cushion pad 11 of the seat cushion S1. As shown in Fig. 3, the seat cushion pad 11 mainly comprises a pad main body 12, a first cover member 13, and a second cover member 14. The pad main body 12, the first cover member 13, and the second cover member 14 are formed of urethane foam. The seat cushion pad 11 is used in a state in which the first cover member 13 and the second cover member 14 are placed on the pad main body 12 and overlapped.

[0035] The pad body 12 has a central portion 12a, and side portions 12b are integrally formed on both the left and right sides of the central portion 12a. The central portion 12a is formed with a cover attachment portion 12c on which the first cover member 13 and the second cover member 14 are placed, and an inlet 32 ​​through which air flows in.

[0036] A first engaging portion 12d is formed on the left and right side surfaces of the cover mounting portion 12c, and engages with an engaged portion 13a formed on a first cover member 13, which will be described later. A second engaging portion 12e is formed in front of the cover mounting portion 12c, and engages with an engaged portion 14a formed on a second cover member 14, which will be described later.

[0037] The first cover member 13 and the second cover member 14 are members that are placed on the upper surface of the cover attachment portion 12c of the pad body 12 to form an air passage 31 between them and the pad body 12.

[0038] The first cover member 13 is a plate-shaped member. The first cover member 13 has ventilation holes 13b formed therein. The ventilation holes 13b form a ventilation passage 31 between the upper surface of the pad main body 12 and the lower surface of the second cover member 14. To explain in detail, air flowing in from an inlet 32 ​​formed in the pad main body 12 passes through the ventilation holes 32b and is blown out from an outlet 33 formed in the second cover member 14 described later. On the left and right side surfaces of the first cover member 13, engaged portions 20a that engage with the first engaging portions 12d of the pad body 12 are formed.

[0039] As described above, the ventilation passage 31 (ventilation hole 13b) extends from the inlet 32 ​​to the outlet 33, approximately parallel to the seating surface. The ventilation passage 31 is formed at a position that does not overlap with the fluid bag 50 when viewed from the seating surface. This makes it possible to prevent the ventilation passage 31 from being blocked even when the fluid bag 50 expands, so that the air sent out by the blower 40 can be blown to the seated occupant. Furthermore, the presence of the ventilation passage 31 causes the fluid bag 50 to protrude upward without descending downward. This makes it possible to provide an appropriate stimulus to the thighs or buttocks of the seated occupant.

[0040] The second cover member 14 is a plate-shaped member. Four air outlets 33 are formed on each of the left and right sides of the second cover member 14. The air outlets 33 are formed at positions that do not overlap with the fluid bags 50 when viewed from the seating surface. In detail, as shown in FIG. 1, the air outlets 33 are formed so as to be positioned between the multiple fluid bags 50. The air outlets 33 are also formed so as to be positioned forward of the fluid bags 50. This makes it possible to prevent the flow of air blown out from the air outlets 33 from being obstructed by the fluid bags 50 disposed on the seat cushion pad 11.

[0041] The second cover member 14 is formed with a seating sensor mounting portion 14b for mounting the seating sensor 34. The seating sensor mounting portion 14b is formed at a position overlapping the fluid bag 50 when viewed from the seating surface. This allows the seating sensor 34 to reliably detect the load applied when an occupant sits on the seat. The second cover member 14 has an engaged portion 14a formed in front thereof, which is adapted to engage with the second engaging portion 12e of the pad body 12. As shown in FIG.

[0042] When assembling the seat cushion pad 11 configured in this manner, first, an adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the pad main body 12, which is the upper surface of the cover attachment portion 12c. Then, the first cover member 13 is placed on the cover attachment portion 12c while engaging the first engagement portion 12d of the pad main body 12 with the engaged portion 13a of the first cover member 13. The first cover member 13 is fixed to the pad main body 12 by the adhesive.

[0043] Next, an adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the first cover member 13. Then, the second cover member 14 is placed on the first cover member 13 while engaging the second engaging portion 12e of the pad body 12 with the engaged portion 14a of the second cover member 14. The second cover member 14 is fixed to the first cover member 13 and the pad body 12 by the adhesive.

[0044] This completes the assembly of the seat cushion pad 11. It is then possible to guide the air blown out by the blower 40 to the seating surface without incorporating an air duct for passing air inside the seat cushion pad 11. Therefore, when a seated person sits down, they can sit comfortably without feeling uncomfortable due to the presence of the air duct.

[0045] Although the seat cushion pad 11 of the seat cushion S1 has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to the pad of the seat back S2. In this case, the first cover member 13 and the second cover member 14 are arranged on the front surface of the pad main body 12 (the surface on the seat occupant side) so as to overlap each other.

[0046] <Layered structure of fluid bag> Next, the layered structure of the fluid bag 50 will be described. Fig. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the seat back S2. As shown in Fig. 4, the fluid bag 50 located between the seat back pad 21 and the skin material 22 is laminated. In other words, the fluid bag 50 has a large diameter fluid bag 52 arranged on the seat back pad 21 side and a small diameter fluid bag 51 arranged on the skin material 22 side.

[0047] The large diameter fluid bag 52 and the small diameter fluid bag 51 expand when a fluid is injected and contract when the fluid is discharged. In this embodiment, the fluid is compressed air, but is not limited to this. The fluid may be a liquid. In other words, the large diameter fluid bag 52 and the small diameter fluid bag 51 may be either a compressed air bag that expands and contracts with compressed air or a liquid bag that expands and contracts with liquid, or may be a combination of a compressed air bag and a liquid bag. By combining a compressed air bag with a liquid bag that has lower elasticity than compressed air, it is possible to appropriately adjust the elasticity or rigidity of the fluid bag 250.

[0048] The large diameter fluid bag 52 has a larger size, shape and capacity than the small diameter fluid bag 51. The area where the large diameter fluid bag 52 abuts against the seat back pad 21 is larger than the area where the small diameter fluid bag 51 abuts against the upholstery material 22. The large diameter fluid bag 52 has higher rigidity than the small diameter fluid bag 51. As described above, when the large diameter fluid bag 52 and the small diameter fluid bag 51 are inflated, the large diameter fluid bag 52 functions as a base material that supports the small diameter fluid bag 51, and suppresses the small diameter fluid bag 51 from being displaced toward the seat back pad 21. Therefore, the small diameter fluid bag 51 protrudes forward (toward the seated person), causing the fluid bag 50 to protrude, making it possible to provide an appropriate stimulus to the seated person.

[0049] The large diameter fluid bag 52 and the small diameter fluid bag 51 may be secured to each other in a stacked state by welding. This allows the large diameter fluid bag 52 to more firmly support the small diameter fluid bag 51. The large diameter fluid bag 52 and the small diameter fluid bag 51 may also be secured to each other by bonding them with an adhesive.

[0050] <Second embodiment> Next, a vehicle seat S100 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle seat S is described in which the ventilation passage 31 is formed and air is sent to the seated occupant to increase the comfort of the seated occupant. In contrast, the vehicle seat S100 according to the second embodiment has a built-in fluid bladder 150 and an airbag device 160. The protruding operation of the fluid bladder 150 is controlled based on the determination results of the collision prediction unit 142a and the collision determination unit 142b, and the airbag device 160 is activated to improve the safety of the seated occupant.

[0051] <<Functional configuration of the control unit>> 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle seat S100. A control circuit 140 that controls the entire vehicle seat S100 communicates through an in-vehicle network to obtain detection values ​​of various sensors. The various sensors include an external sensor 137 and a collision sensor 138 in addition to the seating sensor 134 described above.

[0052] The external sensor 137 is a sensor that detects the external situation, which is information about the surroundings of the vehicle. In particular, the external sensor 137 can be configured with a lidar that measures the scattered light relative to the light irradiated in all directions of the vehicle to measure the distance from the vehicle to surrounding obstacles. The external sensor 137 can also be configured with a radar that detects other vehicles and obstacles around the vehicle by irradiating electromagnetic waves and detecting reflected waves. The external sensor 137 can further be configured with an optical sensor that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle. The collision sensor 138 is a sensor that detects a vehicle collision. In detail, the collision sensor 138 is an acceleration sensor attached to the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle.

[0053] The control circuit 140 is composed of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle seat S100. The control circuit 140 functions as an acquisition unit 141, a determination unit 142, and a drive unit 143, which will be described later. The control circuit 140 corresponds to a control device. The acquiring unit 141 acquires detection values ​​of various sensors as described above. The acquiring unit 141 has an ADC (analog-digital converter) and can convert analog signals output by various sensors into digital signals. The acquiring unit 141 also has a noise removal filter and can improve the signal-to-noise ratio (S / N ratio) by removing signals in a frequency band consisting of noise components.

[0054] The determination unit 142 has a collision prediction unit 142a and a collision determination unit 142b. The collision prediction unit 142a detects objects around the vehicle based on the detection value of the external sensor 137. The collision prediction unit 142a then determines the type of the detected object (e.g., a pedestrian or another vehicle) from the characteristics of the object. The collision prediction unit 142a then calculates the collision probability between the detected object and the vehicle. The collision probability is calculated taking into account the approach speed of the stage to the vehicle. The collision prediction unit 142a may determine the collision type (frontal collision, rear collision, side collision) between the vehicle and the object, and calculate the collision probability in the case of a specific collision (e.g., frontal collision).

[0055] The collision prediction unit 142a compares the calculated collision probability with a predetermined threshold value and outputs a collision prediction result to the driving unit 143. The collision prediction result includes information capable of identifying the collision type. The collision prediction result corresponds to a collision prediction signal.

[0056] The collision determination unit 142b acquires acceleration signals, which are detection values ​​of the collision sensors 138 attached to the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle. The collision determination unit 142b compares the acceleration signals with a predetermined threshold value and outputs a collision determination result to the drive unit 143. The collision determination result includes information that can identify the type of collision.

[0057] When the driving unit 143 receives the collision prediction result from the collision prediction unit 142a, it controls an actuator 153 which is a supply source of compressed air and a solenoid valve 154 which adjusts the flow rate of the compressed air. The fluid bag 150 expands due to the supply of compressed air. The driving unit 143 activates the airbag device 160 when the collision determination result is input from the collision determination unit 142b.

[0058] The operation of fluid bladder 150 when a vehicle collision is predicted will now be described. Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat S100. As shown in Fig. 6, between the seat cushion pad 111 and the cover material 116 of the seat cushion S101, a first fluid bag 150a is disposed at a position on the front side of the seat cushion S101, and a second fluid bag 150b is disposed at a position on the rear side.

[0059] When the driving unit 143 receives a collision prediction result indicating a frontal collision from the collision prediction unit 142a, the driving unit 143 inflates the first fluid bag 150a built in the seat cushion S101 and contracts the second fluid bag 150b, as shown in Fig. 7. This causes the front of the seat cushion S101 to protrude upward and become relatively higher than the rear. This makes it possible to suppress the phenomenon (submarine phenomenon) in which a seated occupant floats up from the seat cushion S101 and moves forward during a frontal collision.

[0060] Although the driving unit 1053 has been described as inflating the first fluid bladder 150a and contracting the second fluid bladder 150b, the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, only one of the control for expanding and protruding the first fluid bladder 150a and the control for contracting the second fluid bladder 150b may be performed.

[0061] When a collision prediction result indicating a rear-end collision is input from the collision prediction unit 142a, the drive unit 143 inflates the third fluid bladder 150c built into the seat back S102. In this way, the third fluid bladder 150c inflates before the occurrence of a rear-end collision, so that safety against impacts during a rear-end collision can be improved.

[0062] When a collision prediction result indicating a side collision is input from the collision prediction unit 142a, the driving unit 143 does not inflate the fourth fluid bag 150d built into the seat back S102. This makes it possible for the seated occupant to be protected from impact by an airbag device (not shown) disposed to the side of the seated occupant without interference from the fourth fluid bag 150d.

[0063] Next, the operation of the fluid bladder 150 and the airbag device 160 when a vehicle collision is determined will be described. Returning to FIG. 6, the seat cushion S101 incorporates an airbag device 160. The airbag device 160 inflates to protect a seated occupant when the vehicle receives an impact from the front due to a frontal collision or the like. The airbag device 160 has an airbag body 161, an inner bag 162 housed in the airbag body 161, and a gas generator 163 housed in the inner bag 162 and supplying inflation gas. The airbag device 160 corresponds to a cushion airbag.

[0064] When the collision determination result indicating a frontal collision is input from the collision determination unit 142b, the drive unit 143 activates the airbag device 160 built into the seat cushion S101 as shown in FIG. When the vehicle collides frontally and the driving unit 143 activates the airbag device 160, the gas generator 163 generates high-pressure gas for inflation. As a result, the inner bag 162 housing the gas generator 163 is inflated. The inner bag 162 is formed with a discharge hole 162a capable of discharging high-pressure gas. Therefore, the front part 161a of the airbag body 161 is inflated by the high-pressure gas discharged from the discharge hole 162a of the inner bag 162. Meanwhile, the rear part 161b of the airbag body 161 is maintained in a contracted state by the weight of the seated person. The discharge hole 162a is located in the area from the front of the thighs to the back of the knees of the seated person. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a phenomenon (submarine phenomenon) in which the seated person moves forward while being lifted up from the seat cushion S101 during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0065] <<Processing flow of the control circuit 140>> Next, the operation of the control circuit 140 will be described. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control circuit 140 in accordance with a prestored program. This flowchart is repeated periodically at predetermined time intervals. First, the control circuit 140 acquires output signals from various sensors installed in the vehicle (step S10).

[0066] Next, the control circuit 140 judges whether the acceleration signal detected by the collision sensor 138 is greater than a predetermined threshold value TH1 (step S11). Here, the control circuit 140 compares the acquired acceleration signal with the threshold value TH1 for a frontal collision, but the same applies to the cases of a rear-end collision and a side collision.

[0067] If it is determined that the acceleration signal is not greater than the threshold value TH1 (step S11: No), the control circuit 140 calculates the collision probability based on the external signal detected by the external sensor 137 (step S12). The control circuit 140 calculates the collision probability of a frontal collision based on the acquired external signal. Next, the control circuit 140 determines whether or not the collision probability is greater than a predetermined threshold value TH2 (step S13). The control circuit 140 compares the collision probability with the threshold value TH2 for a frontal collision.

[0068] If it is determined that the collision probability is greater than the threshold value TH2 (step S13: Yes), the control circuit 140 controls the first fluid bladder 150a to inflate (step S14). At this time, the control circuit 140 may control the second fluid bladder 150b to contract. As a result, the front of the seat cushion S101 protrudes upward and becomes relatively higher than the rear. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the collision probability is greater than the threshold value TH2 (step S13: No), the control circuit 140 controls the first fluid bladder 150a to contract (step S15), and ends the process.

[0069] Moreover, if it is determined that the acceleration signal is greater than the threshold value TH1 (step S11: Yes), the control circuit 140 activates the airbag device 160 built into the seat cushion S101 (step S16), and ends the process.

[0070] In this way, the control circuit 140 controls the first fluid bag 150a to inflate and project the front of the seat cushion S101 upward at a timing when the collision is predicted before the vehicle actually collides, thereby making it possible to more effectively suppress the occurrence of the submarine phenomenon.

[0071] <Third embodiment> Hereinafter, a vehicle seat S200 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, quilting has been applied to the covering material of vehicle seats in order to improve the design of the vehicle seats. However, further improvements have been desired for quilted vehicle seats. Specifically, there has been a demand for a vehicle seat that can further improve the design by providing a fluid bag between the cover material and the pad that can expand and contract when a fluid is supplied thereto, thereby highlighting the uneven shape formed by the quilting.

[0072] <<Basic structure of vehicle seats>> Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a vehicle seat S200. As shown in Fig. 10, the vehicle seat S200 mainly includes a seat cushion S201, a seat back S202, and a headrest S203.

[0073] The seat cushion S201 is mainly composed of a seat cushion frame (not shown) that constitutes the skeleton of the seat cushion S201, a pad (not shown) that covers the seat cushion frame, and a cover material 222. The seat back S202 is mainly composed of a seat back frame (not shown) that constitutes the framework of the seat back S202, a pad (not shown) that covers the seat back frame, and a cover material 222.

[0074] A quilting pattern 223 is formed on the cover material 222 of the seat cushion S201 and the seat back S202. The quilting pattern 223 has convex portions 224 and concave portions 225. The convex portions 224 and the concave portions 225 are regularly arranged in a lattice pattern. The quilting pattern 223 can be formed by a known quilting process including a process of sewing the cover material 222 made of a laminate. By quilting the cover material 222, the cushioning property and decorativeness of the vehicle seat S200 can be improved.

[0075] A plurality of fluid bladders 250 are disposed between the pad and the cover material 222. The fluid is compressed air in this embodiment, but is not limited to this. The fluid may be liquid. In other words, the plurality of fluid bladders 250 may be either compressed air bladders that are expanded by compressed air or liquid bladders that are expanded by liquid, or a combination of compressed air bladders and liquid bladders. By combining a compressed air bladder with a liquid bladder that has lower elasticity than compressed air, it is possible to appropriately adjust the elasticity or rigidity of the fluid bladder 250.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 10, the fluid bag 250 is disposed at a position not overlapping with the recessed portion 225 of the quilting pattern 223 when viewed from the seating surface. In other words, the fluid bag 250 is disposed at a position overlapping with the protruding portion 224 of the quilting pattern 223. This prevents the upholstery material 222 from deforming due to the expansion of the fluid bag 250, and prevents the regular uneven shape of the quilting pattern 223 from being distorted. When the fluid bag 250 expands, the protruding portion 224 of the quilting pattern 223 can be accentuated while maintaining the regularity of the uneven shape of the quilting pattern 223. This makes it possible to prevent the decorativeness of the quilting pattern 223 from being reduced due to the expansion and contraction of the fluid bag 250.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment, a vehicle seat used in an automobile was used as an example of a vehicle seat, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to other vehicle seats, such as seats used in ships and aircraft. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10 Seat cushion frame 11 Seat cushion pad 12 Pad body 12a central part 12b Side 12c Cover mounting part 12d First engaging part 12e Second engaging part 13 First cover member 13a Engaged part 13b Ventilation hole 14 Second cover member 14a Engaged part 14b Seat sensor mounting part 16 Skin material 21 Seat back pad 22 Skin material 31 Ventilation duct 32 Inlet 33 Air outlet 34 Seat Sensor 35 Control circuit 36 Harness 40 Blower 40a Intake port 41 Case 41a Main unit 41b Air outlet 42 Impeller 43 Duct 44 First pipe section 45 Second pipe section 46 Bellows section 47 Bracket 50 fluid bag 50a First fluid bag 50b Second fluid bag 50c third fluid bag 50d Fourth fluid bag 51 Small diameter fluid bag 52 Large diameter fluid bag S Vehicle seats (vehicle seats) S1 Seat Cushion S2 seat back S3 Headrest 111 Seat cushion pad 116 Skin material 134 Seat Sensor 137 External Sensor 138 Collision Sensor 140 Control circuit (control device) 141 Acquisition Department 142 Judgment section 142a Collision Prediction Section 142b Collision determination section 150 fluid bag 150a First fluid bag 150b Second fluid bag 150c third fluid bag 150d Fourth fluid bag 160 Airbag device 161 Airbag body 161a Anterior part 161b Posterior part 162 Inner Bag 162a Discharge hole 163 Gas Generator S100 Vehicle seats (vehicle seats) S101 Seat Cushion S102 seat back 222 Skin material 223 Quilting Patterns 224 Convex 225 Recess 250 fluid bag S200 Vehicle seats (vehicle seats) S201 seat cushion S202 seat back S203 Headrest

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising: a pad in which a ventilation passage for air discharged from a seating surface is formed; a skin material covering the pad; and a movable body disposed between the pad and the skin material and protruding from the seating surface, The vehicle seat, wherein the movable body is disposed at a position not overlapping with the ventilation passage when viewed from the seating surface.

2. The vehicle seat includes a plurality of the movable bodies, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein an outlet for the air discharged through the ventilation passage is disposed between the plurality of movable bodies as viewed from the seating surface.

3. The vehicle seat includes a seating sensor that detects a seating state, 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is disposed at a position overlapping the seating sensor when viewed from the seating surface.

4. The movable body is a plurality of fluid bags that expand and contract by a fluid, the plurality of fluid bags are layered between the pad and the cover material, 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the fluid bag located on the pad side has a higher rigidity than the fluid bag located on the skin side.

5. 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the fluid bag located on the pad side has a larger size than the fluid bag located on the skin side.

6. 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of stacked fluid bags are welded to one another.

7. The vehicle seat includes a control device that controls a protruding operation of the movable body, the movable body includes a first movable body disposed at a position on a front side of a seat cushion of the vehicle seat and a second movable body disposed at a position on a rear side of the seat cushion, The control device is characterized in that it acquires a collision prediction signal that predicts a vehicle collision, and controls the protruding movement of the first movable body and the second movable body based on the collision prediction signal so that the front side of the seat cushion is higher than the rear side.

8. The vehicle seat includes a cushion airbag that is activated when the vehicle crashes, The vehicle seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the control device controls the protruding movement of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the front side of the seat cushion is higher than the rear side based on the collision prediction signal before the cushion airbag is activated.

9. the movable body includes a third movable body disposed on a seat back of the vehicle seat, 9. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the control device controls the third movable body to protrude based on the collision prediction signal.

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