Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which enables a link to stably operate.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a slide rail 30 supported by a vehicle body of a vehicle; and a height adjustment mechanism 100 which moves up or down the seat cushion relative to the slide rail 30. The height adjustment mechanism 100 includes: a rear link 130 which is rotatably connected with the seat cushion and the slide rail 30; a rod 150 which moves in an axial direction to rotate the rear link 130 and moves up or down the seat cushion relative to the slide rail 30; and a support link 170 which is disposed so as to be arranged side by side with the rear link 130 in a rotation axial direction of the rear link 130 and is connected with the seat cushion coaxially with the rear link 130 in a rotatable manner. A rear end part 151 of the rod 150 is disposed between the rear link 130 and the support link 170 and is rotatably connected with the rear link 130 and the support link 170.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering a seat cushion. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering a seat cushion is known that includes a screw member that is movable in the axial direction, and that moves the screw member in the axial direction to raise and lower a side frame of the seat cushion relative to an upper rail (Patent Document 1). More specifically, this technology includes a pipe rotatably engaged with the upper rail and a second link plate joined to one end of the pipe, and one end of the screw member is rotatably connected to one end of the second link plate. The screw member moves back and forth, causing the second link plate to rotate back and forth to rotate the pipe, and the rotation of the pipe causes the first link plate joined to the pipe to rotate up and down to raise and lower the side frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 11-059244 A (Fig. 1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, since the link bears a large load acting on the seat cushion, it is desirable for the link to be able to operate stably.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat in which a link can operate stably. Another object of the present invention is to effectively utilize the space within the seat. Another object of the present invention is to improve the rigidity of the link. Another object of the present invention is to improve the mounting rigidity of the link. Another object of the present invention is to suppress interference between components. Another object of the present invention is to improve the mounting rigidity of an actuator that drives a rod. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle seat of the present invention is a vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion, a seat support member supported on the vehicle body, and a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises a first link rotatably connected to the seat cushion and the seat support member, a rod that moves axially to rotate the first link and raise and lower the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, and a second link that is arranged to be aligned with the first link in the rotation axis direction of the first link and is rotatably connected coaxially to the first link to the seat cushion or the seat support member, and one end of the rod is arranged between the first link and the second link and rotatably connected to the first link and the second link.

[0007] According to such a configuration, one end of the rod can be supported from both sides in the rotation axis direction by the first link and the second link, so that the links can operate stably without being twisted.

[0008] In the vehicle seat described above, the first link may have a first connecting portion connected to the seat cushion and a second connecting portion connected to the rod, and the second connecting portion may be configured to be positioned offset toward the second link relative to the first connecting portion in the rotation axis direction.

[0009] This allows space to be secured on the side opposite the second link of the second connecting portion, so that the first link can be positioned closer to the adjacent member by that space, allowing the space within the seat to be used effectively.

[0010] In the vehicle seat described above, the first link may have a bulge portion that bulges toward the second link in the pivot axis direction, and the second connecting portion may be formed in the bulge portion.

[0011] According to this, the rigidity of the first link can be improved by the bulging portion.

[0012] In the above-described vehicle seat, the seat cushion may include left and right side frames constituting left and right frames, and a connecting pipe connecting the left and right side frames, the connecting pipe having a recess that recesses toward the inside of the connecting pipe and is rotatably connected to the left and right side frames, and the second link may be fixed to a portion of the connecting pipe where the recess is formed in the pivot axis direction.

[0013] This can improve the mounting rigidity of the second link.

[0014] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the seat cushion includes left and right side frames constituting left and right frames, a front frame connecting front portions of the left and right side frames, a rear frame connecting rear portions of the left and right side frames, and an occupant support member spanning between the front frame and the rear frame, and the second link can be configured to be positioned between one of the left and right side frames and the occupant support member in the pivot axis direction.

[0015] This allows the space within the seat to be used effectively, and also prevents interference between the occupant support member and the second link.

[0016] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the height adjustment mechanism includes an actuator for moving the rod back and forth in the axial direction, and the vehicle seat further includes a bracket for attaching the actuator to the seat support member, the bracket having a first bracket fixed to the seat support member and a second bracket fixed to the first bracket and holding the actuator rotatably around an axis parallel to the rotation axis direction, the first bracket having a bead portion protruding upward, and the second bracket being fixed to the bead portion.

[0017] According to this, the rigidity of the first bracket is improved by the bead portion, and by fixing the second bracket to this part with high rigidity, the mounting rigidity of the second bracket can be improved, thereby improving the mounting rigidity of the actuator.

[0018] In the vehicle seat described above, the second bracket may have a first wall fixed to the bead portion and a pair of second walls rising from both left and right ends of the first wall and rotatably holding the actuator, and the second link may be configured to be positioned between the pair of second walls in the rotation axis direction.

[0019] According to this, the second link can be arranged compactly in the rotation axis direction, so that the space within the seat can be used effectively.

[0020] In the vehicle seat described above, the actuator may be configured to have a motor, a gear box that accommodates a gear for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the rod, and a housing that holds the motor and the gear box and is rotatably attached to the second bracket.

[0021] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, the seat support member may include a lower rail fixed to the body of the vehicle and an upper rail slidably engaged with the lower rail, and the first link may be configured to be rotatably connected to the upper rail. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, the link can operate stably.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the second connecting portion of the first link is disposed at a position shifted toward the second link with respect to the first connecting portion, thereby making it possible to effectively utilize the space within the seat.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by forming the second connecting portion in the bulge, the rigidity of the first link can be improved by the bulge.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by fixing the second link to the portion of the connecting pipe where the recess is formed, the mounting rigidity of the second link can be improved.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by disposing the second link between the side frame and the occupant support member, the space within the seat can be effectively utilized and interference between the occupant support member and the second link can be suppressed.

[0027] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by fixing the second bracket to the bead portion of the first bracket, the mounting rigidity of the actuator can be improved.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by disposing the second link at a position between the pair of second walls of the second bracket, it is possible to effectively utilize the space within the seat. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat as a vehicle seat according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat cushion frame and a slide rail. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a top view of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the left rear link as viewed from the inside in the left-right direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the left rear link and the support link and its surroundings. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a top view of the rod and its surroundings. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first actuator and the bracket and its surroundings. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a front view of the second bracket and the support link. [Figure 10] 13 is a view of the height adjustment mechanism as seen from the inside in the left-right direction. FIG. [Figure 11] 1A is a diagram showing the height adjustment mechanism from the inside in the left-right direction, with the seat cushion frame in the uppermost position (a) and the seat cushion frame in the lowermost position (b). [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a side frame, a rotating frame, a boost link, and a pinion gear. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a front view of the left side frame, front link, rotating frame and push-up link. [Figure 15] 4 is a perspective view of the periphery of the first actuator as viewed from the inside in the left-right direction. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the tilt mechanism as viewed from the inside in the left-right direction. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the rotating frame is pushed up. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, front, rear, left, right, up and down are based on the front, rear, left, right, up and down as seen from a person sitting in the vehicle seat. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat of this embodiment is configured as a vehicle seat S to be mounted in an automobile, and includes a seat cushion S1 and a seat back S2.

[0031] The seat cushion S1 includes a seat cushion frame F1 as shown in Fig. 2. The seat cushion frame F1 is a member that constitutes the framework of the seat cushion S1. The seat cushion S1 is constructed by covering the seat cushion frame F1 with a padding material such as urethane foam and a covering material such as fabric or leather.

[0032] The seat cushion frame F1 includes left and right side frames 11, 11, a front connecting pipe 12 as a front frame, a rear connecting pipe 13 as a rear frame and connecting pipe, and a pan frame 14. The left and right side frames 11, 11 are members constituting the left and right frames of the seat cushion S1, and are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other on the left and right. Each side frame 11 is formed by processing a metal plate, and has a cross-sectional shape with upper and lower ends extending inward in the left-right direction.

[0033] The front connecting pipe 12 is a member that connects front portions of the left and right side frames 11, 11, and the rear connecting pipe 13 is a member that connects rear portions of the left and right side frames 11, 11. The front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13 are formed from metal pipe material. In this embodiment, the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13 are connected to the left and right side frames 11, 11 so as to be rotatable.

[0034] 3, an occupant support member 15 is disposed in a spanning state between the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13. Note that the occupant support member 15 is not shown in FIG. The occupant support member 15 is a member that supports an occupant seated on the seat cushion S1 from below, and includes a seat spring 15A and a connecting member 15B.

[0035] The seat springs 15A are springs formed by bending a metal wire in a zigzag pattern so as to snake left and right, and three of them are arranged side by side. The connecting member 15B is a resin member that connects the three seat springs 15A, and is formed integrally with the three seat springs 15A by insert molding. The occupant support member 15 is installed between the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13 by hooking the front ends of the seat springs 15A to the front connecting pipe 12 and hooking the rear ends of the seat springs 15A covered by the connecting member 15B to the rear connecting pipe 13.

[0036] The pan frame 14 is a member that supports from below the thighs of an occupant sitting on the seat cushion S1, and is disposed so as to span between the front ends of the left and right side frames 11, 11. The pan frame 14 is formed by processing a metal plate.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 2, the vehicle seat S further includes slide rails 30, 30 as seat supporting members, a height adjustment mechanism 100, and a tilt mechanism 200.

[0038] The slide rails 30, 30 are mechanisms for adjusting the front-rear position of the seat cushion S1 by sliding the seat cushion S1 forward and backward, and are arranged on the left and right at a predetermined distance apart. Each slide rail 30 is supported by a vehicle body as the body of the vehicle, and includes a lower rail 31 and an upper rail 32. The lower rail 31 is formed by processing a metal plate and has a shape that extends long in the front-rear direction. The lower rail 31 is fixed to the floor of the vehicle body.

[0039] The upper rail 32 is formed by processing a metal plate and has a shape that extends long in the front-rear direction. The upper rail 32 is engaged with the lower rail 31 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The upper rail 32 is connected to the seat cushion frame F1 via links 110, 120, 130, and 140 described later, so that the upper rail 32 slides in the front-rear direction relative to the lower rail 31, whereby the seat cushion S1 slides in the front-rear direction relative to the vehicle body. On the top surface of the upper rail 32, a link connection portion 32A for connecting the links 110 and 120 is provided at the front end, and a link connection portion 32B for connecting the links 130 and 140 is provided at the rear end.

[0040] The height adjustment mechanism 100 is a mechanism for adjusting the height position of the seat cushion S1 by raising and lowering the seat cushion S1 relative to the slide rail 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the height adjustment mechanism 100 includes a left front link 110, a right front link 120, a left rear link 130 as a first link, a right rear link 140, a rod 150, a second actuator 160 as an actuator, and a support link 170 as a second link.

[0041] The front link 110 and the rear link 130 are rotatably connected to the left side frame 11 and the slide rail 30, thereby constituting a four-joint link mechanism together with the left side frame 11 and the slide rail 30. Similarly, the front link 120 and the rear link 140 are rotatably connected to the right side frame 11 and the slide rail 30 that constitute the seat cushion S1, thereby constituting a four-joint link mechanism together with the right side frame 11 and the slide rail 30.

[0042] 2, the upper ends of the front links 110, 120 are disposed on the outer side in the left-right direction of the side frame 11, and are rotatably connected to the vicinity of the center in the front-rear direction of the side frame 11 by a pin 191. In addition, the lower ends of the front links 110, 120 are disposed on the inner side in the left-right direction of a link connecting portion 32A provided on the upper rail 32, and are rotatably connected to the link connecting portion 32A by a pin 192.

[0043] The rear links 130, 140 have upper ends disposed inside the side frame 11 in the left-right direction and connected to the left and right ends of the rear connecting pipe 13 by welding, and are thereby rotatably connected to the rear of the side frame 11 as one unit with the rear connecting pipe 13. The rear links 130, 140 have lower ends disposed inside the link connecting portion 32B provided on the upper rail 32 in the left-right direction and are rotatably connected to the link connecting portion 32B by a pin 194.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, the left rear link 130 has a first connecting portion 131, a second connecting portion 132, and a connecting portion 133 that connects the first connecting portion 131 and the second connecting portion 132. The first connecting portion 131 is a portion that is connected to the left side frame 11 and the slide rail 30, and has a pipe insertion hole 131A through which the rear connecting pipe 13 is inserted, and a pin insertion hole 131B through which the pin 194 is inserted.

[0045] The second connecting portion 132 is a portion connected to the rod 150, and is formed in a lower portion of the rear link 130, specifically, in a range from a lower portion of the pin insertion hole 131B to a diagonally lower front portion of the pipe insertion hole 131A. The second connecting portion 132 is disposed at a position shifted to the right (toward the support link 170) with respect to the first connecting portion 131 in the left-right direction corresponding to the rotation axis direction of the rear link 130. A pin insertion hole 132A through which a pin 195 (see FIG. 4) is inserted is formed at the lower end of the second connecting portion 132. In addition, the rear link 130 has a bulging portion 134 that bulges toward the right side with respect to the first connecting portion 131 in the left-right direction, formed by the second connecting portion 132 and a connecting portion 133 that connects the second connecting portion 132 and the first connecting portion 131. For this reason, it can also be said that the second connecting portion 132 is formed in the bulging portion 134.

[0046] Incidentally, when the height position of the seat cushion S1 is lowered to a certain degree by height adjustment using the height adjustment mechanism 100, a part of the left upper rail 32 fits into the recess 135 formed on the rear side of the bulge 134 (see FIG. 11(b)). In other words, the recess 135 on the rear side of the bulge 134 serves as an escape portion to avoid interference with other components. This allows the rear link 130 to be disposed close to the slide rail 30, thereby making effective use of the space within the vehicle seat S.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 6, the support link 170 is arranged to be aligned with the rear link 130 in the left-right direction. More specifically, the support link 170 is arranged adjacent to the rear link 130 on the inner side in the left-right direction. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the support link 170 is arranged between one of the left and right side frames 11, 11 in the left-right direction, specifically, the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15. More specifically, the support link 170 is arranged in a space formed between the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15 in the left-right direction.

[0048] Returning to Fig. 6, the upper end of the support link 170 is connected to the left end of the rear connecting pipe 13 by welding, and is thereby connected to the rear of the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable integrally with the rear connecting pipe 13 and the rear links 130, 140 (see Fig. 2). In other words, the upper end of the support link 170 is connected to the rear of the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable coaxially with the rear links 130, 140. To explain further, a recess 13A that is elongated in the left-right direction and recessed toward the inside of the rear connecting pipe 13 is formed at the left end of the rear connecting pipe 13, and the upper end of the support link 170 is fixed by welding at a position where it overlaps in the left-right direction with the portion of the rear connecting pipe 13 where the recess 13A is formed.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7, the rod 150 is a member that rotates the rear link 130 by sliding in the axial direction, specifically, approximately back and forth, thereby driving the height adjustment mechanism 100 to raise and lower the seat cushion S1 relative to the slide rail 30. The rod 150 is formed in a bar shape that extends approximately back and forth, and a screw groove 153 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the front end 152. As shown in FIG. 6, the rear end 151, which is one end of the rod 150, is disposed between the lower end of the rear link 130 (the second connecting portion 132) and the lower end of the support link 170. The rear end 151 of the rod 150 is rotatably connected to the rear link 130 and the support link 170 by a pin 195 in a state where it is sandwiched between the lower end of the rear link 130 and the lower end of the support link 170. A collar 180 for adjusting the distance between the rear end 151 and the rear link 130 is disposed between the rear end 151 of the rod 150 and the rear link 130.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the second actuator 160 is a mechanism for driving the height adjustment mechanism 100 by moving the rod 150 back and forth approximately, and has a motor 161 that can rotate forward and backward, a gear box 162, and a housing 163. The motor 161 is fixed to a gear box 162 .

[0051] The gear box 162 is a member that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 161 and transmitting it to the rod 150, and has a rod insertion hole (not shown) through which the front end 152, which is the other end of the rod 150, is inserted. The gears housed in the gear box 162 include an input gear to which the rotational driving force is input from the shaft of the motor 161, an output gear that meshes with a screw groove 153 (see FIG. 7) of the rod 150 inserted into the gear box 162, and a transmission gear that reduces the rotational driving force input to the input gear and transmits it to the output gear. With this configuration, when the shaft of the motor 161 is rotationally driven in a first direction, the rod 150 slides approximately backward while rotating. Also, when the shaft of the motor 161 is rotationally driven in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the rod 150 slides approximately forward while rotating.

[0052] The housing 163 is a member that holds the motor 161 and the gear box 162, and is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate. The housing 163 has a base portion 163A, a pair of front and rear holding portions 163B, 163C that extend upward from the front and rear ends of the base portion 163A, and a pair of left and right mounting portions 163D, 163E (see FIG. 7) that extend rearward from the left and right ends of the rear holding portion 163C. The gear box 162 to which the motor 161 is fixed is disposed between the pair of holding portions 163B, 163C, and is fixed to the pair of holding portions 163B, 163C by screws 182 (see FIG. 8). In this way, the housing 163 holds the motor 161 and the gear box 162. A rod insertion hole 163H through which the front end portion 152 of the rod 150 is inserted is formed in the pair of holding portions 163B, 163C, and communicates with the rod insertion hole of the gear box 162. The pair of mounting portions 163D, 163E are portions that are rotatably attached to a second bracket 320, which will be described later.

[0053] The second actuator 160 is attached to the left slide rail 30 by a metal bracket 300 . The bracket 300 is a member for attaching the second actuator 160 to the slide rail 30 , and includes a first bracket 310 and a second bracket 320 .

[0054] The first bracket 310 is a member fixed to the slide rail 30, and has a first fixing portion 311, an extension portion 312 extending substantially downward from the inner end of the first fixing portion 311 in the left-right direction, and a second fixing portion 313 extending from the lower end of the extension portion 312 in the left-right direction inward. In addition, a bead portion 314 protruding substantially upward is formed in the first bracket 310 near the center in the front-rear direction. The bead portion 314 extends across the first fixing portion 311, the extension portion 312, and the second fixing portion 313, and its upper surface is a substantially flat surface. As shown in FIG. 8, the first bracket 310 is fixed to the slide rail 30 by the first fixing portion 311 being fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail 32 by fastening bolts 181, 181.

[0055] Returning to Fig. 4, the second bracket 320 is a member fixed to the first bracket 310, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section having a first wall 321 and a pair of left and right second walls 322, 322 rising from both the left and right ends of the first wall 321. As shown in Fig. 8, the pair of second walls 322, 322 of the second bracket 320 are disposed between a pair of mounting parts 163D, 163E formed on the housing 163, and are rotatably connected to the pair of mounting parts 163D, 163E by pins 196, 196. As a result, the pair of second walls 322, 322 of the second bracket 320 hold the second actuator 160 rotatably approximately up and down around the pins 196, 196 as axes parallel to the left-right direction. 9, the second bracket 320 is fixed to the first bracket 310 by fixing the first wall 321 to the upper surface of the bead portion 314 at the second fixing portion 313 of the first bracket 310 by fastening a bolt and a nut (not shown) or the like. The support link 170 is disposed at a position between the pair of second walls 322, 322 in the left-right direction.

[0056] Here, the operation of the height adjustment mechanism 100 will be described. When the motor 161 of the second actuator 160 is driven to rotate in the first direction from the state shown in FIG. 10 and the rod 150 slides substantially backward, the lower end of the left rear link 130 is pushed backward via the pin 195 by the rod 150, so that the rear link 130 rotates clockwise around the pin 194. As a result, the rear link 130 rises forward as shown in FIG. 11(a). At this time, the left and right rear links 130, 140 are connected by the rear connecting pipe 13, so that the right rear link 140 also rotates together with the rear link 130 and rises forward. Then, as the rear links 130, 140 rise forward, the front links 110, 120 also rotate and rise forward, so that the side frame 11 (seat cushion frame F1) can be raised relative to the slide rail 30. As a result, the height position of the seat cushion S1 can be increased.

[0057] On the other hand, when the motor 161 of the second actuator 160 is rotationally driven in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the state shown in FIG. 10, the rod 150 slides substantially forward, and the lower end of the left rear link 130 is pulled forward by the rod 150 via the pin 195, so that the rear link 130 rotates counterclockwise around the pin 194. As a result, the rear link 130 falls backward as shown in FIG. 11(b). At this time, the right rear link 140 also falls backward while rotating together with the rear link 130. Then, as the rear links 130 and 140 fall backward, the front links 110 and 120 also rotate and fall backward, and the side frame 11 (seat cushion frame F1) can be lowered relative to the slide rail 30. As a result, the height position of the seat cushion S1 can be lowered. At this time, a portion of the left upper rail 32 fits into a recess 135 on the rear side of the bulging portion 134 of the rear link 130, thereby preventing interference between the upper rail 32 and the rear link 130.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 12, the tilt mechanism 200 is a mechanism for adjusting the angle of the seat cushion S1 relative to the horizontal plane by raising and lowering the front part of the seat cushion S1. The tilt mechanism 200 includes a left rotating frame 210, a right rotating frame 220 as a rotating member, a left push-up link 230 (see Fig. 13), a right push-up link 240 as a push-up member, a pinion gear 250 as a driving member, and a first actuator 260. In this embodiment, the rotating frames 210 and 220 are formed substantially symmetrically, so that the following will describe the configuration of the right rotating frame 220 in detail, and the left rotating frame 210 will be given the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 13, the rotating frame 220 has a frame body 21 formed by processing a metal plate, and a pin 22 forming a sliding contact portion 22A. The frame main body 21 has a side portion 23 and a frame fixing portion 24 extending from the upper end of the side portion 23 toward the inside in the left-right direction. A pin insertion hole 23A through which the tip of the pin 22 is inserted is formed in the side portion 23. The pin 22 passes through a through hole 242 formed in the push-up link 240 and a through hole 11A formed in the side frame 11 from the inside in the left-right direction of the side frame 11, and is fixed to the side portion 23 by welding or the like in a state in which the tip is inserted into the pin insertion hole 23A. The through hole 11A of the side frame 11 is formed in an arc shape extending in the rotation direction centered on the pin 291 of the rotating frame 220. The through hole 11A is formed symmetrically in the left and right side frames 11, 11.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 14, the contacted portion 22A is an axis portion of the pin 22, and is provided so as to extend through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11 toward the inside in the left-right direction of the side frame 11. The outside end of the contacted portion 22A in the left-right direction, i.e., the tip surface 22B of the pin 22, is disposed inside in the left-right direction from the outer surface 121, which is the outside end of the front link 120 in the left-right direction. In other words, the pin 22 is disposed so as not to protrude outside in the left-right direction from the front link 120. Although not shown in the drawings, in this embodiment, the outside end in the left-right direction of the contacted portion 22A of the left rotating frame 210 is also disposed inside in the left-right direction from the outside end in the left-right direction of the outer surface of the front link 110.

[0061] 13, the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220 is disposed adjacent to one side of the right side frame 11 in the left-right direction, specifically, on the outer side, and the frame fixing portion 24 is disposed facing the upper surface of the side frame 11. The rotating frame 220 is connected to the right side frame 11 so as to be rotatable about a first axis L1 parallel to the left-right direction. More specifically, the rear end portion of the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220 is connected by a pin 291 to the vicinity of the center of the side frame 11 in the front-rear direction so as to be rotatable up and down.

[0062] 12, the pan frame 14 is disposed so as to span over the frame fixing parts 24, 24 of the left and right rotating frames 210, 220, and the left and right ends are fixed to the frame fixing parts 24, 24. The front ends of the rotating frames 210, 220 swing up and down relative to the side frames 11, causing the pan frame 14 that constitutes the front part of the seat cushion S1 to swing up and down.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 13, the push-up links 230, 240 are members for pushing up the rotating frames 210, 220 to cause the rotating frames 210, 220 to swing upward.

[0064] The push-up link 240 is a plate-like member that is long in the front-rear direction, and has a pipe insertion hole 241 , a through hole 242 , and a sector gear portion 243 . The pipe insertion hole 241 is a hole through which the front connecting pipe 12 is inserted, and is formed in the rear end portion of the push-up link 240 . The sector gear portion 243 is a portion with which the pinion gear 250 meshes, and is formed at the front end of the push-up link 240.

[0065] The through hole 242 is a long hole in the front-rear direction, and is formed between the pipe insertion hole 241 and the sector gear part 243 in the front-rear direction. The inner peripheral surface of the through hole 242 has a sliding contact part 245 on the lower side and a regulating part 246 on the upper side. The sliding contact part 245 is a part that abuts against the sliding contact part 22A of the rotating frame 220 from below and slides against the sliding contact part 22A when the rotating frame 220 is pushed up. The sliding contact part 245 is disposed between the sector gear part 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241 (the second axis L2 (see FIG. 16)) since the through hole 242 is formed between the sector gear part 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241 in the front-rear direction. The regulating part 246 faces the sliding contact part 245 in the up-down direction and is provided so as to sandwich the sliding contact part 22A between the sliding contact part 245 and the sliding contact part 245.

[0066] The push-up link 240 is disposed adjacent to the other side in the left-right direction of the right side frame 11, specifically, on the inside, so as to sandwich the right side frame 11 between the pivot frame 220 and the push-up link 240. The push-up link 240 and the side portion 23 of the pivot frame 220 are disposed so as to overlap in part when viewed from the left-right direction (see FIG. 16). The push-up link 240 is connected to the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable about a second axis L2 (see FIG. 16) that is parallel to the left-right direction and different from the first axis L1. More specifically, the push-up link 240 is connected to the front connecting pipe 12 by welding with the right end of the front connecting pipe 12 inserted into the pipe insertion hole 241, and thus the push-up link 240 is connected to the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable up and down together with the front connecting pipe 12.

[0067] The push-up link 230 is a plate-like member that is long in the front-rear direction, and has a pipe engagement portion 231 and a through hole 242. The pipe engagement portion 231 is a recess that opens downward and engages with the front connecting pipe 12 , and is formed at the rear end portion of the push-up link 230 . The through hole 242 is a long hole extending from front to back, and is formed at the front end of the push-up link 230. Similar to the through hole 242 of the right push-up link 240, the lower surface of the inner periphery of the through hole 242 serves as a sliding contact portion 245, and the upper surface serves as a restricting portion 246.

[0068] The push-up link 230 is disposed adjacent to the inside of the left side frame 11 in the left-right direction so as to sandwich the left side frame 11 between the pivot frame 210 and the push-up link 230. The push-up link 230 and the side portion 23 of the pivot frame 210 are disposed to overlap partially when viewed from the left-right direction, similar to the right push-up link 240 and the side portion 23 of the pivot frame 220 (see FIG. 16). The push-up link 230 is connected to the front connecting pipe 12 by welding with the pipe engagement portion 231 engaged with the left end portion of the front connecting pipe 12, and is thus connected to the side frame 11 so as to be vertically rotatable integrally with the front connecting pipe 12. The left and right push-up links 240, 240 are connected by the front connecting pipe 12 and therefore rotate integrally.

[0069] The pinion gear 250 is a member that rotates the push-up link 240, and is rotatably supported by the right side frame 11 at a position in front of the push-up link 240.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 15, first actuator 260 is a mechanism for driving tilt mechanism 200 by rotationally driving pinion gear 250, and mainly includes motor 261 capable of rotating forward and backward, and gear box 262. The gear box 262 is a member that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 261 and transmitting it to the pinion gear 250. The gears housed in the gear box 262 include an input gear to which the rotational driving force is input from the shaft of the motor 261, an output gear that meshes with the pinion gear 250, and a transmission gear that reduces the rotational driving force input to the input gear and transmits it to the output gear. With this configuration, when the shaft of the motor 261 is rotationally driven in the third direction, the pinion gear 250 rotates counterclockwise in the figure. Also, when the shaft of the motor 261 is rotationally driven in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, the pinion gear 250 rotates clockwise in the figure.

[0071] The first actuator 260 is attached to the third bracket 410 with a screw 281. Meanwhile, a fourth bracket 420 is attached by welding or the like to an inner surface in the left-right direction of the front end portion of the right side frame 11. The first actuator 260 is attached to the right side frame 11 via the brackets 410, 420 by fixing the third bracket 410 to the fourth bracket 420 with a screw 282.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first actuator 260 is attached closer to the right side frame 11 (one of the side frames 11) than the second actuator 160, specifically, on the inner side in the left-right direction of the right side frame 11. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2, the second actuator 160 is attached closer to the left side frame 11 (the other side frame 11) than the first actuator 260, specifically, on the upper surface of the upper rail 32 that constitutes the left slide rail 30. That is, in this embodiment, the first actuator 260 is disposed to the right of the vehicle seat S, and the second actuator 160 is disposed to the left of the vehicle seat S.

[0073] Here, the operation of the tilt mechanism 200 will be described. From the state shown in Fig. 16, when the motor 261 (see Fig. 15) of the first actuator 260 is rotationally driven in the third direction and the pinion gear 250 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, the right push-up link 240 rotates upward about the front connecting pipe 12. At this time, since the left and right push-up links 230, 240 are connected by the front connecting pipe 12, the left push-up link 230 also rotates upward together with the push-up link 240. Then, as shown in Fig. 17, the push-up links 230, 240 rotate upward, with the sliding contact portions 245 in sliding contact with the sliding contact portions 22A of the rotating frames 210, 220, pushing the rotating frames 210, 220 upward via the sliding contact portions 22A. This causes the rotating frames 210, 220 to swing upward about the pin 291, and accordingly, the pan frame 14 suspended between the rotating frames 210, 220 swings upward. As a result, the front part of the seat cushion S1 rises, and the angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion S1 with respect to the horizontal plane can be increased.

[0074] On the other hand, when the motor 261 of the first actuator 260 is rotationally driven in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction from the state shown in Fig. 17, and the pinion gear 250 rotates clockwise in the figure, the right push-up link 240 rotates downward about the front connecting pipe 12. At this time, the left push-up link 230 also rotates downward together with the push-up link 240. Then, as shown in Fig. 16, the rotating frames 210, 220 and the pan frame 14 swing downward about the pin 291 due to their own weight or the weight of the occupant while the sliding contact portion 22A slides against the sliding contact portion 245. As a result, the front portion of the seat cushion S1 descends, and the angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion S1 with respect to the horizontal plane can be reduced.

[0075] According to the present embodiment described above, in the height adjustment mechanism 100, the rear end 151 of the rod 150 is disposed between the rear link 130 and the support link 170 and is rotatably connected to the rear link 130 and the support link 170, so that the rear end 151 of the rod 150 can be supported from both sides in the rotation axis direction by the rear link 130 and the support link 170. This allows the links 130, 170 to operate stably without twisting.

[0076] In addition, since the second connecting portion 132 of the rear link 130 is disposed at a position shifted toward the support link 170 side with respect to the first connecting portion 131, a space can be secured on the opposite side of the second connecting portion 132 from the support link 170 side. As a result, the rear link 130 can be disposed closer to adjacent members such as the left slide rail 30 by that space, so that the space within the vehicle seat S can be used effectively.

[0077] Furthermore, because rear link 130 has bulge portion 134 in which second connecting portion 132 is formed, bulge portion 134 can improve the rigidity of rear link 130 compared to a configuration in which the rear link is in the shape of a flat plate.

[0078] Furthermore, since the support link 170 is fixed to the portion of the rear connecting pipe 13 where the recess 13A is formed, the mounting rigidity of the support link 170 can be improved.

[0079] In addition, since the support link 170 is disposed in the space formed between the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15 in the left-right direction, it is possible to effectively utilize the space within the vehicle seat S. In addition, interference between the occupant support member 15 and the support link 170 can be suppressed.

[0080] In addition, since the first bracket 310 has the bead portion 314 and the second bracket 320 is fixed to the bead portion 314, the rigidity of the first bracket 310 is improved by the bead portion 314, and by fixing the second bracket 320 to this portion with high rigidity, the mounting rigidity of the second bracket 320 can be improved. This makes it possible to improve the mounting rigidity of the second actuator 160.

[0081] In addition, since the support link 170 is disposed between the pair of second walls 322, 322 in the left-right direction, the support link 170 can be disposed compactly in the left-right direction. This allows the space inside the vehicle seat S to be used effectively.

[0082] Furthermore, in the tilt mechanism 200, the rotating frames 210, 220 are disposed on the outside of the side frame 11 in the left-right direction, and the push-up links 230, 240 are disposed on the inside of the side frame 11 in the left-right direction so as to sandwich the side frame 11 between the corresponding rotating frames 210, 220, so compared to a configuration in which a pair of rotating frames and push-up links are both disposed on the same left-right side of the side frames, it is not necessary to give as much consideration to the arrangement or shape so as not to interfere with the rotating frames 210, 220 and the corresponding push-up links 230, 240, for example. This allows each member to have a simple configuration, so the structure of the tilt mechanism 200 can be simplified.

[0083] In addition, since the sliding contact portions 245 of the push-up links 230, 240 push up the rotating frames 210, 220 while sliding against the sliding contact portions 22A extending inward in the left-right direction of the side frame 11 through the through holes 11A of the side frame 11, the rotating frames 210, 220 and the push-up links 230, 240 can be made smaller than in a configuration in which the sliding contact portions of the rotating frames extend toward the push-up links by passing above or below the side frames. This allows the tilt mechanism 200 to be made more compact.

[0084] In addition, since the push-up links 230, 240 have a regulating portion 246, when the rotating frames 210, 220 attempt to rotate upward due to, for example, a rear-end collision of the vehicle, the sliding contact portion 22A abuts against the regulating portion 246, thereby regulating the upward rotation of the rotating frames 210, 220.

[0085] Furthermore, since the rotating frames 210, 220 and the push-up links 230, 240 are arranged so as to overlap when viewed from the left-right direction, the tilt mechanism 200 can be made more compact compared to a configuration in which, for example, the rotating frames and the push-up links are arranged offset in the vertical direction.

[0086] In addition, since the sliding contact portion 245 is disposed between the sector gear portion 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241 (second axis L2) in the front-rear direction, the push-up link 240 can be made smaller in the front-rear direction compared to a configuration in which the sliding contact portion and the sector gear portion are disposed in the front-rear direction with the second axis in between. This allows the tilt mechanism 200 to be made compact.

[0087] Furthermore, since the tip surface 22B of the pin 22 forming the sliding contact portion 22A is disposed on the inner side in the left-right direction than the outer surface 121 of the front link 120, the amount of protrusion of the pin 22 (sliding contact portion 22A) outward in the left-right direction can be reduced. This allows the tilt mechanism 200 to be made more compact in the left-right direction.

[0088] In addition, since the first actuator 260 is positioned to the right of the vehicle seat S and the second actuator 160 is positioned to the left of the vehicle seat S, design freedom can be improved in terms of the size, position, and mounting method of the second actuator 160, compared to a configuration in which the two actuators are concentrated and mounted near one of the side frames.

[0089] Furthermore, since the first actuator 260 is attached to the inside in the left-right direction of the right side frame 11, design freedom can be improved compared to a configuration in which the first actuator is attached to the outside in the left-right direction of the side frame.

[0090] Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The specific configuration can be appropriately changed as described below without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the slide rail 30 is exemplified as a seat support member supported on the vehicle body, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the seat support member may be a bracket for fixing a vehicle seat to the floor of the vehicle body. Also, the seat support member may be the vehicle body itself.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the occupant support member 15 has the seat spring 15A and the connecting member 15B that connects the seat springs 15A, but is not limited to this. For example, the occupant support member may be composed of a plurality of seat springs arranged side by side without including a connecting member. In other words, the seat springs do not have to be connected. With reference to FIG. 3, when the occupant support member is composed of the seat springs 15A arranged side by side without including the connecting member 15B, the support link 170 can be arranged between the left side frame 11 and the seat spring 15A arranged closest to the left side frame 11 (the seat spring 15A arranged most left).

[0092] In addition, in the above embodiment, the second actuator 160 is attached to the left upper rail 32 via the bracket 300 consisting of two parts, and the first actuator 260 is attached to the right side frame 11 via the two brackets 410, 420, but this is not limiting. For example, the bracket for attaching the actuators may be composed of one part, or may be composed of three or more parts.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the sliding contact portion 245 and the restricting portion 246 of the push-up link 240 are provided in the through hole 242 that is closed when viewed from the left-right direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, referring to FIG. 13, the sliding contact portion 245 and the restricting portion 246 may be provided in a recess that is open at the front and recessed toward the rear when viewed from the left-right direction, instead of the through hole 242. The push-up link may be configured without the restricting portion and open above the sliding contact portion, for example, the upper surface of the push-up link may be the sliding contact portion. In the above embodiment, the rotating frame 220 has the sliding contact portion 22A that extends inward through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11, and the push-up link 240 is configured to push up the sliding contact portion 22A with the sliding contact portion 245, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the push-up link may have a sliding contact portion that passes through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11 and extends outward, and this sliding contact portion may be configured to push up the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220. Also, the push-up link may be configured to push up the frame fixing portion 24 of the rotating frame 220.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the first actuator 260 is attached near the right side frame 11, and the second actuator 160 is attached near the left side frame 11, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first actuator may be attached near the left side frame, and the second actuator may be attached near the right side frame. That is, the first actuator may be disposed to the left of the vehicle seat, and the second actuator may be disposed to the right of the vehicle seat. In this case, the rod and the support link of the height adjustment mechanism may be disposed to the right of the vehicle seat, and the push-up link having the pinion gear and the sector gear part of the tilt mechanism may be disposed to the left of the vehicle seat. In addition, both the first actuator and the second actuator may be disposed on the same left and right side of the vehicle seat. In addition, when disposed on the same side, one of the first actuator and the second actuator may be attached to the inside of the side frame in the left and right direction, and the other may be attached to the outside of the side frame in the left and right direction.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the support link 170 (second link) is connected to the side frame 11 constituting the seat cushion S1 via the rear connecting pipe 13 so as to be rotatable coaxially with the rear link 130 (first link), but this is not limited thereto. For example, the second link may be connected to a slide rail as a seat support member so as to be rotatable coaxially with the first link. Also, the second link may be connected to both the seat cushion and the seat support member so as to be rotatable coaxially with the first link. In the above embodiment, the support link 170 disposed between the two rear links 130, 140 is exemplified as the second link, but this is not limited thereto. For example, when the first link is one of the left and right rear links, the second link may be the other of the left and right rear links.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the rear link 130 as the first link is rotatably connected to the side frame 11 via the rear connecting pipe 13, but is not limited thereto. For example, the rear link 130 may be rotatably connected to the side frame by a pin or the like, similar to the front links 110, 120 of the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the rear link 130 as the first link has the first connecting portion 131, the second connecting portion 132, and the bulging portion 134, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first link may be a flat plate-like link, such as the rear link 140 of the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the rear link 130 is exemplified as the first link, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first link may be a front link.

[0097] Further, in the above embodiment, the vehicle seat S is provided with the tilt mechanism 200, but this is not limited thereto, and the vehicle seat S may be configured without the tilt mechanism.

[0098] In addition, in the above embodiment, a vehicle seat S installed in an automobile was given as an example of a vehicle seat, but the vehicle seat is not limited to this and may be a vehicle seat installed in a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railway car, a ship, or an aircraft. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 11 Side frame 12 Front connecting pipe 13 Rear connecting pipe 13A Recess 15 Occupant support member 30 Slide rail 31 Lower rail 32 Upper Rail 100 Height adjustment mechanism 130 Rear link 131 1st connection part 132 2nd connection part 134 Bulge 150 Rod 151 Rear end 160 Second Actuator 161 Motor 162 Gearbox 163 Housing 170 Support Links 300 Bracket 310 First Bracket 314 Bead part 320 Second Bracket 321 1st wall 322 Second wall S Vehicle seat S1 Seat Cushion

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a seat cushion, a seat support member supported on a vehicle body, and a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, The height adjustment mechanism includes: a link pivotably connected to the seat cushion and the seat support member; a rod that moves in an axial direction to rotate the link and raise and lower the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, The seat support member includes a lower rail fixed to a body of a vehicle and an upper rail slidably engaged with the lower rail, The link is: a first connecting portion connected to the upper rail so as to be rotatable about a first axis; A second connecting portion connected to the rod so as to be rotatable about a second axis, The vehicle seat, wherein the second axis is moved from a position in front of the first axis to a position behind the first axis by operation of the height adjustment mechanism.

2. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that the second axis is located forward of the first axis when the seat cushion is in the lowest position.

3. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that the second axis is located rearward of the first axis when the seat cushion is in the uppermost position.

4. The upper rail has a link connection portion to which the link is connected, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the link connection portion is disposed outboard of the link in the left-right direction.

5. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that the rod is positioned left-right inward from the link.

6. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that the first connecting portion is positioned outboard in the left-right direction from the second connecting portion.

7. The link is rotatably connected to the seat cushion about a third axis, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a distance from the first axis to the second axis is smaller than a distance from the first axis to the third axis.

8. The link is rotatably connected to the seat cushion about a third axis, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a distance from the first axis to the second axis is smaller than a distance from the second axis to the third axis.

9. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a second link arranged in line with the link in the left-right direction and rotatably connected to the seat cushion or the seat support member coaxially with the link.

10. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a pin connecting one end of the rod and the link.

Images