Seat for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a seat for vehicle capable of holding electronic equipment in a state where power is supplied by a non-contact power supply device.SOLUTION: A seat S for vehicle has a storage portion storing a non-contact power supply device B supplying power to transportable electronic equipment D, and has a holder 1 holding the electronic equipment D so that the power is supplied by the non-contact power supply device B in the storage portion. The holder 1 holds the electronic equipment D in a state where the electronic equipment B is positioned inside of the edge portion of the holder 1. On the edge portion of the holder 1, a side wall portion 5 rising from a bottom wall portion of the holder is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a holder for holding a portable electronic device, and more particularly to a vehicle seat capable of holding an electronic device in a state in which it can be powered by a contactless power supply housed in the holder. [Background technology]

[0002] Some vehicle seats are equipped with a holder for holding electronic devices brought by a seated person (a passenger of the vehicle). For example, a configuration is already known in which a holder is provided at the side of the vehicle seat and the seated person's information terminal (specifically, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, or the like) is held by the holder.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, technology has been developed for feeding power (i.e., charging) to electronic devices using a non-contact power feeding device. One example of this is the device described in Patent Document 1 (strictly speaking, a non-contact charging device). According to the charging device described in Patent Document 1, an electronic device is placed on the charging device and an electromagnetic coil in the charging device is energized, thereby charging the electronic device. By using such a device, it is possible to feed power (charge) to an electronic device held in the holder while the vehicle is operating. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-146705 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when power is supplied to an electronic device placed on the charging device as in the charging device described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the electronic device may move unintentionally and fall off the contactless power supply device. In such a case, power cannot be properly supplied from the contactless power supply device to the electronic device while the vehicle is in operation.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to provide a vehicle seat that is capable of holding an electronic device in a state where it is powered by a contactless power supply device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which comprises a storage section that houses a contactless power supply that supplies power to a portable electronic device, and a holder that has the storage section and holds the electronic device so that it is powered by the contactless power supply in the storage section, wherein the holder holds the electronic device in a state where the electronic device is positioned inside an edge of the holder, and the edge is provided with a side wall portion that rises from a bottom wall portion of the holder.

[0008] In the vehicle seat of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the holder having a storage section for storing the non-contact power supply holds the electronic device inside the edge of the holder. The edge is provided with a side wall section rising from the bottom wall of the holder. With this configuration, the electronic device held in the holder is locked by the side wall section even if it tries to move toward the outside of the edge of the holder. This makes it difficult for the electronic device to fall out of the holder, and the electronic device continues to be held in the holder in a state where it can be powered by the non-contact power supply.

[0009] The vehicle seat may further include an armrest disposed at an end portion in a width direction of the vehicle seat, and the holder may be provided on an upper portion of the armrest. In the above configuration, the holder is provided on the upper part of the armrest, i.e., near the seat occupant's hands, so that the electronic device can be more easily set in and removed from the holder. Also, if the holder is placed in the above position, the electronic device can be used while still being held in the holder.

[0010] In the vehicle seat described above, it is further preferable that the side wall portion is provided around the entire periphery of the edge portion. In the above-described configuration, since the side wall portion is provided around the entire periphery of the edge portion of the holder, the effect of making it difficult for the electronic device to fall off the holder is more pronounced.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, it is further preferable that the side wall portion provided around the entire circumference of the edge portion has an opposing surface that faces the electronic device when the electronic device is held in the holder, and the shape of a predetermined portion of the side wall portion is such that the distance between the opposing surface and the electronic device in the predetermined portion is wider than the distance in portions of the side wall portion other than the predetermined portion. In the above configuration, the distance between the electronic device and the opposing surface at a specific portion of the sidewall provided around the entire periphery of the edge of the holder is wider than the distance at other portions (portions other than the specific portion). In other words, the space formed between the electronic device and the sidewall is wider at the specific portion. This makes it possible to easily remove the electronic device from the holder by utilizing the space.

[0012] In the vehicle seat described above, it is even more preferable that the holder detachably holds the non-contact power supply device in the accommodation portion, and the accommodation portion is surrounded by the side wall portion. In the above configuration, the housing section that houses the non-contact power supply device is surrounded by the side wall section, so that the detachable non-contact power supply device, like the electronic device, is less likely to fall off the holder and can be properly stored in the housing section.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the holder has a step formed in the bottom wall portion and a first bottom surface and a second bottom surface adjacent to each other via the step, the first bottom surface is located lower than the second bottom surface by the amount of the step, the accommodating portion is a space located above the first bottom surface and below the second bottom surface, and it is even more preferable that the step abuts the non-contact power supply device when it is accommodated in the accommodating portion. In the above configuration, a step is formed in the bottom wall portion, and two bottom surfaces (a first bottom surface and a second bottom surface) are arranged side by side with the step interposed therebetween. The housing portion is located above the first bottom surface and below the second bottom surface. The non-contact power supply device housed in the housing portion abuts against the step. This allows the step to restrict movement of the non-contact power supply device within the housing portion.

[0014] In the above vehicle seat, it is even more preferable that the holder has an opening formed in the bottom wall portion, and a power supply cable connected to the contactless power supply device is passed through the opening. With the above-described configuration, it is possible to easily connect the power supply cable to the non-contact power supply device in the housing by utilizing the opening formed in the bottom wall of the holder.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned vehicle seat, it is even more preferable that the vehicle seat has an armrest arranged at a widthwise end of the vehicle seat, and the holder has a fixing hole formed in the bottom wall portion, the fixing hole being a hole formed for fixing the holder to the armrest, and being formed in a position adjacent to the opening in the bottom wall portion. In the above configuration, the hole (fixing hole) for fixing the holder to the armrest is formed in the bottom wall at a position adjacent to the opening for inserting the cable. In other words, the holder is fixed to the armrest near the opening of the bottom wall. This makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the bottom wall near the opening. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the electronic device is less likely to fall off the holder while the vehicle is in operation, and the electrical device can be continuously held in a state in which it can be powered by the contactless power supply. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, it is possible to more easily set and remove the electronic device in the holder, and it is also possible to use the electronic device while it is still held in the holder. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, by providing the side wall portion around the entire periphery of the edge portion of the holder, the effect of making it difficult for the electronic device to fall off the holder is more pronounced. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the electronic device can be easily removed from the holder at a predetermined portion of the side wall portion provided around the entire periphery of the edge of the holder. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the detachable non-contact power supply device is less likely to fall off the holder and can be properly stored in the storage portion. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the movement of the non-contact power supply device within the accommodation portion is restricted. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the opening formed in the bottom wall of the holder can be used to easily connect the power supply cable to the non-contact power supply device in the accommodation portion. Furthermore, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, by fixing the holder to the armrest near the opening in the bottom wall, it is possible to improve the rigidity in the vicinity of the opening in the bottom wall. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a view showing the holder fixed to the armrest. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the holder in a state in which the contactless power supply device is accommodated. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the holder with the contactless power supply device removed. [Diagram 5]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section AA of FIG. [Figure 6] 11 is an enlarged view of a specific portion of an edge of the holder when the electronic device is held in the holder; FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a holder according to a modified example. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] A vehicle seat according to one embodiment of the present invention (the present embodiment) will be described below. Note that, in the following, a vehicle seat will be taken as an example of a vehicle seat. However, the present invention can also be applied to vehicle seats other than vehicle seats, for example, vehicle seats installed in ships and aircraft.

[0019] The embodiment described below is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0020] In the following description, the term "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of a vehicle seat, which coincides with the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0021] A vehicle seat (hereinafter, vehicle seat S) according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. Fig. 1 is an external view of the vehicle seat S according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a view showing the holder 1 in a state where it is fixed to an armrest Sa. Fig. 3 is a top view showing the holder 1 in a state where a non-contact power supply B is housed. Fig. 4 is a view showing the holder 1 in a state where the non-contact power supply B has been removed. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along line AA in Fig. 3. In this figure, an electronic device D held by the holder 1 is shown by a two-dot chain line. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a specific portion of the edge of the holder 1 in a state where the electronic device D is held.

[0022] The vehicle seat S is a seat installed in a vehicle and has an armrest Sa disposed at an end in the width direction (seat width direction) of the seat. The vehicle seat S has a structure substantially similar to that of a known vehicle seat, except that the vehicle seat S is provided with a holder 1 described later.

[0023] 1, a shallow box-shaped holder 1 is fixed to the upper part of the armrest Sa, more precisely, to the front end portion of the upper surface of the armrest Sa. This holder 1 is a resin molded product for holding an electronic device D, and has an open upper end. Here, the electronic device D is a portable device, such as a terminal carried by a seat occupant (i.e., a passenger), for example, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a video player, or a music player. In the following, a smartphone brought into the vehicle by a passenger will be described as an example of the electronic device D.

[0024] The holder 1 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and houses a non-contact power supply device B therein. The non-contact power supply device B is a device that supplies power to a smartphone (electronic device D), and is specifically configured by a known wireless charger. This non-contact power supply device B has a plate-like (pad-like) outer shape and is substantially rectangular in a plan view. In addition, the non-contact power supply device B charges another device (electronic device D) in a vehicle while receiving power from a power source (not shown) through a power supply cable C.

[0025] When the smartphone is placed on the surface of the non-contact power supply B, the electromagnetic coil in the non-contact power supply B is energized to charge the smartphone. The non-contact power supply B according to this embodiment is of a portable size and is detachably attached to the holder 1.

[0026] The holder 1 holds the smartphone so that power is supplied by the non-contact power supply B housed in the holder 1. More specifically, the non-contact power supply B is housed in the holder 1 in a horizontal position (flat state) with respect to the vehicle floor as shown in FIG. 2. The smartphone is placed directly above the non-contact power supply B so as to overlap with the non-contact power supply B. The holder 1 holds the smartphone in the above-mentioned arrangement position. That is, the smartphone is placed on the non-contact power supply B in a horizontal position similar to that of the non-contact power supply B, and is placed inside the edge of the holder 1. That is, the holder 1 holds the smartphone in a state where the smartphone is located inside the edge. Here, the edge of the holder 1 refers to the edge portion of the holder 1 when the holder 1 is viewed from above, or more precisely, the portion surrounding a substantially rectangular opening formed at the upper end of the holder 1.

[0027] In this embodiment, the smartphone, which is the electronic device D, is slightly larger than the contactless power supply B. More specifically, the length of the smartphone in the longitudinal direction is slightly larger than the length of the electronic device D in the longitudinal direction.

[0028] Next, the detailed structure of the holder 1 will be described. The holder 1 has a bottom wall 2 and a side wall 5 that rises substantially vertically from the bottom wall 2. A non-contact power supply device B is placed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2. That is, the space located above the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 (strictly speaking, a first bottom surface 3 described later) forms a storage section 9 that stores an electronic device D. As described above, the holder 1 holds the non-contact power supply device B in the storage section 9 in a detachable state. The configuration of the bottom wall 2 will be described later.

[0029] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the side wall 5 is provided continuously around the entire periphery of the edge of the holder 1. A smartphone (electronic device D) is placed in the inner space of the side wall 5. Here, the size of the inner space of the side wall 5 when viewed from above is slightly larger than the planar size of the smartphone. Therefore, while the smartphone is held in the holder 1, the side wall 5 restricts the smartphone from shifting (displacing). That is, even if the smartphone tries to move toward the outside of the edge of the holder 1, it is locked by the side wall 5 as shown in Fig. 5. This makes it difficult for the smartphone to fall off the holder 1 while the vehicle is running, and makes it possible to hold the smartphone in the holder in a state in which it can be powered by the non-contact power supply B.

[0030] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned effect (effect of preventing the smartphone from falling off) is more prominently exhibited by providing the side wall portion 5 continuously around the entire circumference of the edge portion of the holder 1. However, this is not limited to this, and the side wall portion 5 may be provided only on a part of the entire circumference of the edge portion of the holder 1, or the side wall portion 5 may be provided intermittently along the entire circumference of the edge portion of the holder 1.

[0031] Moreover, each portion of the side wall portion 5 provided around the entire circumference of the edge of the holder 1 has an opposing surface 5f that faces the smartphone when the smartphone is held by the holder 1. In this embodiment, in a predetermined portion of the side wall portion 5 provided around the entire circumference of the edge of the holder 1, the distance between the opposing surface 5f and the side end of the smartphone (the distance indicated by symbol d in FIG. 6) is larger than the distance in portions other than the predetermined portion.

[0032] Specifically, the side wall portions 5 are arranged to form a substantially rectangular frame when viewed from above, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. At a corner portion located at the rear and on the outer side in the sheet width direction (hereinafter, rear outer corner portion 5a), the side wall portions 5 intersect at an acute angle, unlike the remaining three corner portions. That is, at the rear outer corner portion 5a among the edges of the holder 1, the side wall portions 5 are bent along a path that is somewhat longer than the shortest bending path (to be more easily understood, the path when bending at 90 degrees). For this reason, as shown in Fig. 6, at the rear outer corner portion 5a, the side wall portions 5 are somewhat spaced apart from the side edge of the smartphone compared to other portions.

[0033] As described above, the shape of the rear outer corner 5a of the side wall 5 is such that the distance between the smartphone and the opposing surface 5f at the rear outer corner 5a is wider than the distance at any other portion than the rear outer corner 5a. This makes the space between the smartphone and the side wall 5 wider at the rear outer corner 5a. Therefore, by using the space at the rear outer corner 5a when removing the smartphone from the holder 1, it becomes easier to remove the smartphone.

[0034] The location where the space between the smartphone and the side wall 5 is increased is not limited to the rear outer corner 5a, but may be another location. The shape for increasing the distance between the smartphone and the side wall 5 is not limited to the shape shown in Fig. 6 (i.e., a shape where the side wall 5 intersects at an acute angle), but may be another shape, for example, a shape where the side wall 5 is curved in a circular shape (strictly speaking, a fan shape) when viewed from above.

[0035] Furthermore, in order to make it easier to remove the smartphone, the portion of the side wall 5 that faces the fingers that are placed on the side edge of the smartphone when removing it may be cut out, or the side wall 5 may be missing in that portion.

[0036] Next, the structure of the bottom wall 2 will be described again. The space above the bottom wall 2 forms a storage section 9, in which the non-contact power supply B is stored in a detachable manner. A side wall section 5 rises from the bottom wall 2 and is provided around the entire periphery of the edge of the holder 1. Therefore, the storage section 9 is surrounded by the side wall section 5. This makes it difficult for the non-contact power supply B to fall off the holder 1, similar to the smartphone, and allows it to be properly stored in the storage section 9.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 5, the bottom wall 2 has two steps 6 at the front and rear. The steps 6 can effectively prevent the non-contact power supply B from shifting (displacement) in the housing 9. More specifically, the two steps 6 at the bottom wall 2 are symmetrically formed at the front and rear as shown in Fig. 5. The steps 6 divide the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 into two regions having different heights. That is, the bottom wall 2 has a first bottom surface 3 and a second bottom surface 4 adjacent to each other with the step 6 interposed therebetween.

[0038] The first bottom surface 3 is a surface located between two front and rear steps 6, and is located lower than the second bottom surface 4 by the amount of the step 6. The length of the first bottom surface 3 in the front-rear direction is approximately equal to the longitudinal length of the non-contact power supply B, and the length of the first bottom surface 3 in the sheet width direction is approximately equal to the lateral length of the non-contact power supply B. The second bottom surface 4 is a surface located outside the step 6 in the front-rear direction, and is located higher than the first bottom surface 3 by the amount of the step 6. Incidentally, the height of the step 6 is approximately equal to the thickness of the non-contact power supply B.

[0039] The space located above the first bottom surface 3 and below the second bottom surface 4 forms the accommodation section 9. That is, the non-contact power supply device B is placed on the first bottom surface 3 and accommodated between the first bottom surface 3 and the second bottom surface 4 in the height direction of the holder 1 (in other words, within the range from the lower end to the upper end of the step 6).

[0040] The non-contact power supply B is accommodated in the accommodation section 9 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the front-rear direction. As described above, the length of the first bottom surface 3 in the front-rear direction is substantially equal to the longitudinal length of the non-contact power supply B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the non-contact power supply B is accommodated in the accommodation section 9, each of the two front and rear steps 6 comes into contact with the longitudinal end faces of the non-contact power supply B. As a result, positional deviation (displacement) of the non-contact power supply B in the accommodation section 9 is effectively suppressed.

[0041] Meanwhile, two types of through holes are formed in the bottom wall 2 as shown in Fig. 4. One of the through holes is an opening 7 that is substantially rectangular in top view. This opening 7 is formed to pass a power supply cable C that is connected to the non-contact power supply device B housed in the housing portion 9. By forming the opening 7 in the bottom wall 2 in this way, it becomes possible to easily connect (join) the power supply cable C to the non-contact power supply device B in the housing portion 9. In this embodiment, the opening 7 is formed in the front end portion of the first bottom surface 3.

[0042] The other through hole is a fixing hole 8 that is circular in top view. This fixing hole 8 is a hole that fixes the holder 1 to the armrest Sa. That is, the holder 1 is fixed to the armrest Sa by inserting a screw or a bolt into the fixing hole 8. In this embodiment, a plurality of fixing holes 8 are formed in the bottom wall portion 2, specifically, one each at the front end, the center, and the rear end of the first bottom surface 3. The formation locations and number of the fixing holes 8 are not limited to the above, and can be set arbitrarily.

[0043] 4, one of the fixing holes 8 (specifically, the fixing hole 8 formed in the front end portion of the first bottom surface 3) is formed in a position adjacent to the opening 7 in the bottom wall portion 2. In other words, the holder 1 is fixed to the armrest Sa near the opening 7 in the bottom wall portion 2. As a result, the rigidity of the bottom wall portion 2 near the opening 7 is increased.

[0044] In this embodiment, the holder 1 is fixed to the upper surface of the armrest Sa, but the fixing position of the holder 1 is not particularly limited, and the holder 1 may be fixed to another location in the vehicle seat S (for example, a location on the seat back or the seat cushion that is suitable for fixing the holder 1). However, if the holder 1 is fixed to the upper surface of the armrest Sa, the smartphone is held near the hands of the seated person, and therefore the smartphone can be used while being held in the holder 1 (i.e., while being charged by the non-contact power supply B).

[0045] In the present embodiment, the holder 1 is always fixed to the armrest Sa and cannot be removed. However, the holder 1 may be detachable from the armrest Sa (hereinafter, a modified example). The modified example will be described below with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a holder 1x according to the modified example. The holder 1x according to the modified example is similar to the holder 1 according to the previous embodiment (the holder 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6) except that the holder 1x according to the modified example is detachable from the armrest Sa. On the other hand, in the modified example, as shown in FIG. 7, the holder 1x has a convex connector (hereinafter, a convex connector 5c) protruding from its bottom surface. When the non-contact power supply B is held in the holder 1x, the convex connector 5c is electrically connected to the non-contact power supply B. In addition, a concave connector (hereinafter, a concave connector Sh) into which the convex connector 5c can be freely inserted and removed can be provided on the upper surface of the armrest Sa. A power supply cable C extending from a power source (not shown) is connected to the concave connector Sh. When the convex connector 5c is inserted into the concave connector Sh, power is supplied from the power source through the concave connector Sh and the convex connector 5c to the non-contact power supply B in the holder 1x. Also, by removing the convex connector 5c from the concave connector Sh, the holder 1x fixed to the armrest Sa can be removed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1,1x holder 2 Bottom wall 3 First bottom surface 4 Second bottom 5 Side wall 5a Rear outer corner part (designated part) 5c Convex connector 5f Opposite surface 6 steps 7 Openings 8 fixing hole 9 Storage section B Non-contact power supply C Power supply cable D Electronic equipment S Vehicle seats (vehicle seats) Sa Armrest Sh Concave Connector

Claims

1. a housing section for housing a non-contact power supply device that supplies power to a portable electronic device; a holder that includes the housing and holds the electronic device so that the electronic device is supplied with power by the non-contact power supply device in the housing, the holder holds the electronic device in a state where the electronic device is positioned inside an edge of the holder; A vehicle seat, characterized in that the edge portion is provided with a side wall portion rising from a bottom wall portion of the holder.

2. an armrest disposed at an end of the vehicle seat in a width direction; 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the holder is provided on an upper portion of the armrest.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the side wall portion is provided around the entire periphery of the edge portion.

4. the side wall portion provided around the entire periphery of the edge portion has an opposing surface that faces the electronic device when the electronic device is held by the holder, The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shape of a predetermined portion of the side wall portion is such that the distance between the opposing surface and the electronic device at the predetermined portion is wider than the distance at any other portion of the side wall portion.

5. The holder holds the non-contact power supply device in the housing portion in a detachable state, 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion is surrounded by the side wall portion.

6. the holder has a step formed in the bottom wall portion, and a first bottom surface and a second bottom surface adjacent to each other via the step, the first bottom surface is located lower than the second bottom surface by the amount of the step; the storage section is a space located above the first bottom surface and below the second bottom surface, The vehicle seat according to claim 5 , wherein the step abuts against the non-contact power supply device when the non-contact power supply device is accommodated in the accommodation portion.

7. the holder has an opening formed in the bottom wall portion, 7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a power supply cable connected to the non-contact power supply device is passed through the opening.

8. an armrest disposed at an end of the vehicle seat in a width direction; The holder has a fixing hole formed in the bottom wall portion, The vehicle seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the fixing hole is a hole formed for fixing the holder to the armrest, and is formed in a position adjacent to the opening in the bottom wall portion.

Images