Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat with a seat heater which does not provide discomfort to a seating person even when the seat heater is attached thereto.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat S includes a seat heater 40 between a cushioning material 2b and a surface cover material 2c, and a housing recessed part 24 for housing the seat heater 40 is formed at cushion side parts 21 located at left and right outer sides of the cushioning material 2b. Each housing recessed part 24 is disposed in a range, in which the cushion side part 21 contacts with the cushion frame 2a, in a seat width direction so as to be positioned at the inner side of an outer end portion of the range in the seat width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat equipped with a seat heater. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Vehicle seats are known in which a seat heater is attached to a seat body to improve the comfort of a seat occupant. One example of such a vehicle seat is known, which includes a seat body constructed by placing a cushioning material on a skeleton frame and covering it with a skin material, and has a seat heater attached between the cushioning material and the skin material (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the vehicle seat with a seat heater described in Patent Document 1, the seat heater is mainly composed of a seat base material, a heater wire attached to the seat base material and connected to an electric wire, and a thermostat that adjusts the temperature of the heater wire. The seat heater is attached to both the seat back and the seat cushion. The heater wire has a first heater wire and a second heater wire arranged in parallel to each other, for example, the first heater wire is arranged in the main body portion of the seat back, and the second heater wire is arranged in the bolster portions on both sides of the seat back.

[0004] With the above configuration, when the thermostat is activated, only the first heater wire can be energized, and when the thermostat is deactivated, both the first heater and the second heater wire can be energized. In addition, even if the second heater wire in the left and right bolster parts is deformed due to an external impact, etc., the first heater wire in the main body part of the seat back retains its heating function, so the heating function of the entire seat back is not lost. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2007 / 097445 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in a vehicle seat with a seat heater such as that described in Patent Document 1, the seat heater is attached between the cushion material and the cover material, which can cause unevenness to form on the seating surface of the seat back or seat cushion, which can cause the occupant to feel uncomfortable. Generally, in the central portion of the seat width direction of the seat back or seat cushion, a cotton-like wadding material is attached to the backside of the cover material to improve the seating comfort of the seat occupant, but in many cases, a relatively thin wadding material is attached to the side bolster portion, or no wadding material is attached at all. Therefore, particularly in the side bolster area, there is a risk that the installation of the seat heater may cause an uncomfortable feeling to the seat occupant.

[0007] Furthermore, in a vehicle seat with a seat heater as disclosed in Patent Document 1, at least a plurality of electric wires, a plurality of heater wires, and a thermostat are attached to the seat base material, so if the electric wires or the connection between the electric wires and the heater wires are deformed by an external impact, there is a risk that the heater function may not be maintained sufficiently. Furthermore, if the thermostat loses its function due to an external impact, there is a risk that the temperature of the seat heater cannot be adjusted.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat with a seat heater that does not cause an occupant to feel uncomfortable even when the seat heater is installed. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat with a seat heater that does not cause an occupant to feel uncomfortable, particularly in the side bolster area. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat with a seat heater that can suppress deformation of the seat heater and fully maintain its heating function, even when an impact is applied from the outside, for example. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which is constructed by placing a cushion material on a skeleton frame and covering it with a skin material, and has a seat heater between the cushion material and the skin material, and the cushion material has a cushion main body portion in the center of the seat width direction and cushion side portions on the left and right outsides of the cushion main body portion, and a storage recess for storing the seat heater is formed in the cushion side portions, and the storage recess is positioned within a range in the seat width direction where the cushion material abuts against the frame, and is positioned so as to be located more inward than the outer end portion of the range in the seat width direction. As described above, a storage recess for storing the seat heater is formed in the cushion side portion, so that no unevenness is created on the seating surface of the seat, and a vehicle seat with a seat heater can be realized that does not cause discomfort to the seat occupant. In particular, in the side portions of the cushion, a thin wadding material is generally attached to the back surface of the covering material, or in many cases no wadding material is attached at all, so the effect of the present invention is particularly pronounced since the impact of the seating comfort due to the installation of the seat heater is significant. In addition, since the storage recess is disposed within the range in the seat width direction where the cushion material abuts against the frame and is disposed inside the outer end portion of the range in the seat width direction, the portion where the storage recess is formed is appropriately supported by the frame and excessive elastic deformation in the portion is suppressed, thereby suppressing deformation of the seat heater and maintaining the heater function appropriately.

[0010] In this case, the frame has left and right side frame portions arranged on the sides in the seat width direction, and the storage recess is preferably arranged at a position overlapping with the portion of the side frame portion that protrudes most toward the cushion material. With the above-described configuration, the portion of the cushion material in which the storage recess is formed is more suitably supported by the portion of the side frame with high support rigidity.

[0011] In this case, the cushion side portion is formed so as to protrude toward the upholstery material as it moves toward the outside in the seat width direction, and the storage recess is preferably positioned further inward in the seat width direction than the portion of the cushion side portion that protrudes most toward the upholstery material. With the above-described configuration, the storage recess is formed to avoid the portion of the cushion side portion that protrudes most toward the seat occupant, so that deformation of the seat heater stored in the storage recess is further suppressed.

[0012] In this case, it is preferable that the seat heater includes a sheet-shaped seat base material and a heater wire attached to the seat base material, and that the heater wire is arranged so as not to protrude from the storage recess. In addition, it is preferable that the frame has left and right side frame portions arranged on the sides in the seat width direction, and the heater wire is arranged so as to be located more inward than the outer end portions of the side frame portions in the seat width direction. Preferably, the storage recess is formed so as to become deeper from both end portions toward a central portion in the seat width direction, and the heater wire is disposed in the storage recess at a position on the central portion side. With the above-described configuration, deformation of the heater wire, which is important in a seat heater, is further suppressed.

[0013] In this case, it is preferable that the storage recess is provided with a connecting portion where the seat cushion and the seat back are connected, and is formed to extend along an extension direction perpendicular to the seat width direction of the cushion side portion, and is formed to become wider in the extension direction as it moves away from the connecting portion. Generally, the seat front and center portions of the side bolsters of a seat cushion are portions where the buttocks of a seated person are supported and where the seated load is applied. Therefore, the front and central portions of the seat are areas that should be preferably heated by the seat heater, and at the same time, deformation of the seat heater should be suppressed, and the effect on seating comfort should be minimized. Therefore, by configuring the storage recess as described above, it is possible to realize a suitable shape and arrangement for the seat heater, and to suppress deformation of the seat heater. Also, the effect on seating comfort can be suppressed.

[0014] In this case, it is preferable that the storage recesses are provided in the left and right cushion side portions and are formed symmetrically with respect to the cushion main body portion. With the above-described configuration, the seat heaters (seat base material) arranged on the left and right cushion side portions can be shared.

[0015] In this case, it is preferable that the seat heater is attached by adhesion onto the surface of the storage recess. With the above-described configuration, the seat heater can be easily positioned, facilitating the assembly work.

[0016] In this case, the seat heater has a central heater portion arranged in the cushion main body portion and a side heater portion arranged in the cushion side portion, and it is preferable that the central heater portion is formed with a positioning portion for placing it at a predetermined position on the cushion main body portion. With the above-described configuration, the central heater portion is positioned by the positioning portion, and the side heater portions are positioned by the storage recesses, making it easier to assemble the entire seat heater.

[0017] In this case, it is preferable that the side heater portion has a first side heater portion and a second side heater portion arranged at a distance from each other, and the cushion side portion is formed with a first storage recess and a second storage recess for respectively storing the side heater portions, and a connecting recess for connecting the first storage recess and the second storage recess. Generally, luxury vehicle seats have multiple seat heaters attached to the side bolster area, but the above configuration makes it possible to achieve a good seating comfort even when multiple seat heaters are attached, and also makes it possible to suppress deformation of the seat heaters. Furthermore, by forming the connecting recess as described above, the positioning of the seat heater can be easily performed.

[0018] In this case, it is preferable that a side support device is provided that can move the cushion side portion between a predetermined position and a protruding position in which the cushion side portion protrudes toward the upholstery material from the predetermined position, and that the storage recess is positioned at a position overlapping with the side support device. Generally, the portion of the side bolster that is supported by the side support device is the portion that is most likely to come into contact with a seated occupant. Therefore, this portion is a portion that should be preferably heated by the seat heater, and at the same time, it is a portion where deformation of the seat heater should be suppressed and the effect on seating comfort should be minimized. Therefore, by forming a storage recess in this portion, it is possible to suppress deformation of the seat heater while still ensuring the comfort of the seat occupant with the seat heater, and also to suppress the effect on the seating comfort.

[0019] In this case, it is preferable that the storage recess is positioned at a position that overlaps with the portion of the cushion side portion that protrudes most toward the upholstery material side when moved to the protruding position, and is formed so as to be deepest at the portion that overlaps with the most protruding portion. With the above-described configuration, in a vehicle seat equipped with a side support device, the seat heater can be suitably attached to the side bolster portion, and deformation of the seat heater can be suppressed. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the invention of claim 1, it is possible to realize a vehicle seat with a seat heater in which the seating surface of the seat is free of unevenness and the seated occupant does not feel uncomfortable. In particular, in the side portions of the cushion, the effect of the seating comfort due to the installation of the seat heater is more significant, so the effect of the present invention is more prominent. Furthermore, the portion of the cushion where the storage recess is formed is properly supported by the frame, and excessive elastic deformation at that portion is suppressed, which in turn suppresses deformation of the seat heater and allows the heater function to be properly maintained. According to the invention of claim 2, the portion of the cushion material where the storage recess is formed is more suitably supported by the portion of the side frame with high support rigidity. According to the invention of claim 3, the deformation of the seat heater stored in the storage recess is further suppressed.

[0021] According to the invention as defined in claims 4, 5 and 6, deformation of the heater wire, which is important in a seat heater, is further suppressed. According to the invention of claim 7, the configuration of the storage recess makes it possible to realize a suitable shape and arrangement of the seat heater, and also makes it possible to suppress deformation of the seat heater. According to the invention of claim 8, the seat heaters (seat base material) arranged on the left and right cushion side portions can be shared.

[0022] According to the inventions of claims 9 and 10, the positioning of the seat heater can be easily performed, and the work of assembling the seat heater can be easily performed. According to the invention of claim 11, even if a plurality of seat heaters are installed, a good seating feeling can be achieved, and deformation of the seat heaters can be suppressed. Also, the positioning of the seat heaters can be improved. According to the invention of claim 12, by forming the storage recess, it is possible to suppress deformation of the seat heater while ensuring the comfort of the seat occupant with the seat heater. According to the invention of claim 13, in a vehicle seat equipped with a side support device, the seat heater can be suitably attached to the side bolster portion, and deformation of the seat heater can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat with a seat heater according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the seat cushion, illustrating that a storage recess is formed in the cushion material. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] 5(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a side support device of a vehicle seat according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a seat cushion of a vehicle seat according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the seat heater in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment relates to a vehicle seat having a seat heater between a cushion material and an upholstery material, in which a storage recess for storing the seat heater is formed in the cushion side portions on the left and right outer sides of the cushion material, and this storage recess is positioned within the range where the cushion material abuts against the frame in the seat width direction, and is positioned so as to be located more inward than the outer end portion of that range in the seat width direction. In addition, the side of the seat back of the vehicle seat on which an occupant sits is the front side of the seat.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat S of this embodiment is mainly composed of a seat body having a seat back 1, a seat cushion 2, a headrest 3, and a seat connecting portion 4 to which the seat back 1 and the seat cushion 2 are connected, and a sheet-shaped seat heater 40 attached inside the seat body. The seat heater 40 is connected to a power source and a control device via a harness.

[0026] The seat back 1 is a backrest portion that supports the back of a seated occupant from behind, and as shown in FIG. 1, is configured by placing a cushion material 1b on a back frame (not shown) that serves as the skeleton, and covering it with a cover material 1c. The back frame is made up of a rectangular frame body that serves as the skeleton, and is mainly composed of an upper frame and a lower frame that extend along the seat width direction with a predetermined gap between them in the vertical direction, left and right side frames that extend downward from both ends of the upper frame in the seat width direction and are connected to both ends of the lower frame, and a number of elastic springs that connect the left and right side frames.

[0027] The seat cushion 2 is a seating portion that supports an occupant from below, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is configured by placing a cushion material 2b on a cushion frame 2a that serves as a skeleton, and covering it with a cover material 2c. The cushion frame 2a consists of a rectangular frame body that serves as the skeleton, and is mainly composed of side frame portions 2aa arranged on the left and right sides, a plate-shaped pan frame that connects the front portions of each side frame portion 2aa, a rear connecting frame that connects the rear portions of each side frame portion 2aa, and a number of elastic springs that are hooked onto the pan frames and the rear connecting frame.

[0028] The cushion material 2b is a pad member made of urethane foam or the like, and is mainly composed of a cushion main body portion 20 located in the center of the seat width direction, and left and right cushion side portions 21, 22 located outside the cushion main body portion 20 in the seat width direction, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The cushion side portions 21, 22 are so-called side bolster portions, which are provided so as to protrude upward from the cushion main body portion 20; more specifically, they are formed so as to protrude further upward (towards the upholstery material 2c) as they move outward in the seat width direction, and are positioned so as to envelop the seated occupant from the left and right outer sides. A hanging groove 23 for hanging the cover material 2c is formed on the upper surface of the portion between the cushion main body 20 and the cushion side portions 21, 22. Further, a storage recess 24 for storing the side heater portions 40b, 40c of the seat heater 40 is formed on the upper surfaces of the cushion side portions 21, 22. The details will be described later.

[0029] The cover material 2c is made of a stretchable nylon material or the like, and is formed into a shape capable of covering the cushion material 2b from above. Specifically, the cover material 2c is divided at positions corresponding to the cushion main body portion 20 and the cushion side portions 21, 22, and the divided cover materials 2c are sewn together and connected inside the hanging groove 23. At a position on the back surface of the cover material 2c corresponding to the cushion body 20, a cotton-like wadding material 2ca is sewn and attached over substantially the entire surface.

[0030] The headrest 3 is a head portion that supports the head of an occupant from behind, and as shown in FIG. 1, is configured by placing a cushion material 3b on a core material (not shown) and covering it with a skin material 3c, and is supported by a headrest pillar provided on a back frame (not shown).

[0031] The seat heater 40 is a planar heating element that warms the seat body, and is attached inside the seat back 1 and the seat cushion 2 as shown in FIG. 1, and more specifically, is attached between the cushion materials 1b, 2b and the cover materials 1c, 2c as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the seat heater 40 is mainly composed of a sheet-shaped sheet base material 41, electric wires 42 attached to the sheet base material 41 and connected to a power source, a heater wire 43 connected to the electric wire 42, a temperature measurement sensor 44 connected to the electric wire 42, and a temperature adjustment device 45 connected to the electric wire 42.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, the seat heater 40 is mainly composed of a substantially rectangular central heater portion 40a placed on the upper surface of the cushion main body portion 20, and substantially L-shaped side heater portions 40b, 40c placed on the upper surfaces of the left and right cushion side portions 21, 22. At the rear end portion of the central heater portion 40a, electric wires 42, a heater wire 43, a temperature measuring sensor 44, and a temperature adjusting device 45 are densely arranged.

[0033] The seat base material 41 is made of a stretchable fabric material and serves as the base of the seat heater 40 . At the front and rear ends of the central portion of the sheet base material 41 in the sheet width direction, a V-shaped notch 41d is formed as a positioning portion. When the seat heater 40 is properly placed on the cushion material 2b, the V-shaped mark of each cutout portion 41d and a T-shaped mark (not shown) provided on the cushion material 2b are aligned.

[0034] The electric wires 42 supply electricity from a power source to the heater wire 43, the temperature measurement sensor 44, and the temperature adjustment device 45, and a harness 42a is formed by bundling a plurality of the electric wires 42 at one end portion. One end of the harness 42a is attached to the seat base material 41, and the other end extends so as to protrude from above the seat base material 41 and is connected to a power source and a control device.

[0035] The heater wire 43 is adhesively fixed onto the seat base material 41, and extends in a serpentine manner from the rear end portion of the cushion material 2b toward the front side of the seat, bends and folds back at the front end portion of the cushion material 2b, and then extends back to the rear end portion again. The heater wire 43 includes a first heater wire 43a, a second heater wire 43b, and a third heater wire 43c, which are each connected to the electric wire 42 and arranged in parallel with one another. The first heater wire 43a is arranged in the central heater portion 40a, and the second heater wire 43b and the third heater wire 43c protrude outward in the seat width direction from the rear end portion of the central heater portion 40a and are arranged in the left side heater portion 40b and the right side heater portion 40c, respectively. Although the heater wire 43 is fixed onto the sheet base material 41 by an adhesive, it may be fixed so as to be folded inside the sheet base material 41.

[0036] The temperature measuring sensor 44 is a thermistor that measures the temperature of the heater wire 43, and outputs an output signal based on the measurement result of the heater temperature to the control device. The temperature control device 45 is a thermal thermostat that adjusts the temperature of the heater wire 43, and maintains the heater temperature below a certain value by cutting off the supply of electricity to the heater wire 43 when the heater temperature exceeds a predetermined value. The control device (not shown) corresponds to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), which receives an output signal detected by the temperature measurement sensor 44 and compares the heater temperature with a set value to control the supply of electricity from the power source to each heater wire 43.

[0037] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, the seat heater 40 is made up of a central heater portion 40a and left and right side heater portions 40b, 40c. Therefore, the seat cushion 2 is divided in the seat width direction into a central portion and left and right side bolster portions, and the seat is provided with a seat heater that can be heated independently.

[0038] In the above configuration, the seat heater 40 includes a first heater wire 43a, a second heater wire 43b, and a third heater wire 43c that are arranged in parallel with each other. Therefore, even if the second heater wire 43b or the third heater wire 43c is deformed due to an external impact or the like, the first heater wire 43a retains its heating function, so that the heating function of the entire seat heater is not lost.

[0039] <Storage recess for seat heater> Next, the storage recess 24 formed in the cushion side portions 11 and 12 of the cushion material 2b will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the storage recess 24 is a stepped portion for storing the left and right side heater sections 40b, 40c of the seat heater 40, and consists of a recess with an approximately C-shaped cross section, extending along the extension direction of the cushion side sections 21, 22, in other words, along the front-to-rear direction of the seat. More specifically, the left and right storage recesses 24 are roughly L-shaped in a plan view, and extend outward in the seat width direction from the rear end portion of the cushion main body 20 and extend in the seat front-rear direction along the left and right cushion side portions 11, 12, respectively. The left and right storage recesses 24 are formed symmetrically with respect to the cushion main body 20.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the storage recess 24 is formed deep enough so that the heater wire 43 does not protrude outward from the opening of the storage recess 24 when the seat heater 40 is stored therein. The storage recess 24 is formed so as to become deeper from the left and right side wall portions 24a toward the center portion in the seat width direction; in other words, the bottom wall portion 24b is formed so as to have a generally V-shaped vertical cross section. At this time, it is preferable that the heater wire 43 is disposed at a position close to the center of the storage recess 24 in the seat width direction.

[0041] 2, the storage recess 24 is disposed within a range in the seat width direction where the cushion material 2b (cushion side portion 21) abuts against the cushion frame 2a (side frame portion 2aa). More specifically, the storage recess 24 is disposed so as to be located inside the outer end portion of the range in the seat width direction. In this case, it is preferable that the heater wire 43 is disposed so as to be located more inward than the outer end portions of the side frame portions 2aa in the seat width direction. The storage recess 24 is disposed at a position overlapping with a protruding portion 2ab of the side frame portion 2aa that protrudes most toward the cushion side portion 21 (upward) in the up-down direction.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the storage recess 24 is disposed on the inner side in the seat width direction than the portion of the cushion side portion 11 that protrudes most toward the upholstery material 2c (upward). The storage recess 24 is disposed at a position above the upper surface of the cushion main body 10 in the up-down direction.

[0043] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, the storage recess 24 extends continuously along the extending direction of the cushion side portion 21 (the seat front-rear direction). Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5(a) and 5(b), the storage recess 24 is formed so as to become wider from the rear end portion of the cushion side portion 21 toward the approximate center portion in the extension direction. Generally, the seat center portion of the cushion side portion 21 of the seat cushion 2 is the portion where the buttocks of a seated person are supported and where the seated load is applied. Therefore, the central portion of the seat is a portion that is desired to be suitably heated by the seat heater 40, and is also a portion where deformation of the seat heater 40 is desired to be suppressed. Therefore, by adopting the above-described shape and arrangement of the storage recess 24, a suitable shape and arrangement of the seat heater 40 can be realized and deformation of the seat heater 40 can be suppressed.

[0044] In the above configuration, as shown in Figs. 5(b) and 5(c), the storage recess 24 is formed so as to gradually narrow from the approximate center portion of the cushion side portion 21 toward the front portion in the extension direction. Generally, the seat front portion of the cushion side portion 21 is the portion on which a seated person straddles and to which repeated seating load is applied. Therefore, the front part of the seat is the part that should be warmed appropriately by the seat heater 40 and at the same time, should be prevented from deformation of the seat heater 40. On the other hand, since the seat occupant does not always touch this part, the area of ​​the seat heater 40 may be made somewhat smaller. Therefore, by adopting the above-described shape and arrangement of the storage recess 24, a suitable shape and arrangement of the seat heater 40 can be realized and deformation of the seat heater 40 can be suppressed.

[0045] <Second embodiment of vehicle seat> Next, a second embodiment of the vehicle seat will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Note that the description overlapping with the vehicle seat S described above will be omitted. The vehicle seat S2 of the second embodiment is significantly different in that it is provided with a side support device 70 in the side bolster portion of the seat cushion 2 that can move the cushion side portion 121 between a normal position and a protruding position shown in Figure 6 in which the cushion side portion 121 protrudes toward the upholstery material 102c (upward) from the normal position.

[0046] The side support device 70 is made up of an air cell drive unit, and is attached between the side frame portion 102aa and the cushion side portion 121 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the side support device 70 is disposed at a position overlapping with the storage recess 124 in the up-down direction. The side support device 70 is mainly composed of a fixed plate 71 fixed to the side frame portion 102aa, a movable plate 73 attached to the fixed plate 71 so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis 72, and an air cell 74 that connects the fixed plate 71 and the movable plate 73 and that can push the movable plate 73 up toward the cushion side portion 121 by expanding.

[0047] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 6, when the cushion side portion 121 moves to the protruding position, the storage recess 124 is positioned at a position overlapping with the portion of the cushion side portion 121 that protrudes most toward the upholstery material 102c side (diagonally upward inward). At this time, the storage recess 124 is formed so as to be deepest at the position overlapping with the most protruding portion. Generally, the portion of the side bolster that is supported by the side support device 70 is the portion that is most likely to come into contact with a seated occupant. Therefore, this portion that is likely to come into contact is the portion that is desired to be suitably heated by the seat heater 140, and is also the portion where deformation of the seat heater 140 is desired to be suppressed. Therefore, by forming the storage recess 124 in this portion that is likely to come into contact, it is possible to suppress deformation of the seat heater 140 while ensuring the comfort of the seat occupant with the seat heater 140.

[0048] In addition, in the above configuration, when the cushion side portion 121 moves to the protruding position, the cover material 102c is pushed toward the seat occupant, and this may cause unevenness on the seating surface due to the influence of the installation of the seat heater 140. In other words, this may cause the seat occupant to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the effect of forming the storage recess 124 becomes even more pronounced in a seat equipped with the side support device 70.

[0049] <Third embodiment of vehicle seat> Next, a third embodiment of the vehicle seat will be described with reference to FIGS. The vehicle seat S3 of the third embodiment is significantly different in that the cushion side portion 221 is provided with a first side heater portion 240ba and a second side heater portion 240bb that are spaced apart from each other. The first side heater portion 240ba and the second side heater portion 240bb each extend along the extension direction of the cushion side portion 221 (the seat front-rear direction), and the second side heater portion 240bb is configured independently of the first side heater portion 240ba.

[0050] The cushion side portion 221 is formed with a first storage recess 224a and a second storage recess 224b for storing the first side heater portion 240ba and the second side heater portion 240b, respectively, and a connecting recess 224c for connecting the first storage recess 224a and the second storage recess 224b. Therefore, while luxury vehicle seats generally have multiple seat heaters 240 attached to the side bolster portion, the configuration of the storage recess 224 described above makes it possible to achieve a good seating comfort even when multiple seat heaters 240 are attached, and also makes it possible to suppress deformation of the seat heaters 240. Furthermore, by forming the connecting recess 224c as described above, the positioning of the seat heater 240 becomes easier.

[0051] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat S is a seat having side bolster portions (cushion side portions 21, 22), and the seat heater 40 is attached to the cushion main body portion 20 and the cushion side portions 21, 22, but is not particularly limited thereto, and for example, the seat may not have side bolster portions. In this case, the seat heater 40 only needs to be attached to the cushion main body 20, and the cushion main body 20 can be divided into three regions in the seat width direction, with each heater wire 43 extending and disposed in each region.

[0052] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the seat rear portion of the cushion side portion 21 is supported by the side frame portion 2aa without protruding outward beyond the side frame portion 2aa in the seat width direction. Therefore, in the seat rear portion of the cushion side portion 21, the storage recess 24 does not necessarily have to be formed since the deformation of the cushion material is relatively small.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the seat heater 40 is attached by adhering it to the surface of the storage recess 24 with double-sided tape, but this is not particularly limited and it may be attached by sewing or may be simply placed on top and stored.

[0054] In the above embodiment, a vehicle seat used in an automobile was described as a specific example, but without being limited thereto, the present invention can also be used as a vehicle seat used in a train, a bus, etc., as well as a vehicle seat used in an airplane, a ship, etc. In addition to being used as vehicle seats, the seat can also be widely used indoors or outdoors in commercial facilities such as movie theaters and planetariums, and public facilities such as hospital waiting rooms.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the vehicle seat according to the present invention has been mainly described. However, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. 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. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] S, S2, S3 Vehicle seats 1 Seat back 1b, 2b, 3b cushioning material 1c, 2c, 3c, 102c skin material 2ca wadding material 2 Seat cushion 2a Cushion frame (frame) 2aa, 102aa Side frame part 2ab protruding part 3 Headrest 4 Seat connection part (connection part) 20 Cushion body 21, 22, 121, 221 Cushion side part 23 Hanging groove 24,124,224 Storage recess 24a Side wall part 24b Bottom wall 224a First storage recess 224b Second storage recess 224c Connection recess 40,140,240 Seat heater 40a Central heater section 40b, 40c Side heater section 240ba 1st side heater section 240bb 2nd side heater section 41 Sheet substrate 41d Notch 42,142 Electric wire 42a Harness 43 Heater wire 43a 1st heater wire 43b Second heater wire 43c 3rd heater wire 44 Temperature measurement sensor 45,145 Temperature control device 70 Side support device 71 Fixing plate 72 Rotating axis 73 Movable Plate 74 Air Cell

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a cushion material placed on a skeleton frame and covered with a skin material, the vehicle seat having a seat heater between the cushion material and the skin material, The cushion material has a cushion main body portion located in a central portion in a seat width direction and cushion side portions located on the left and right outer sides of the cushion main body portion, A storage recess for storing the seat heater is formed in the cushion side portion, The storage recess is disposed within the range in the seat width direction where the cushion material abuts against the frame, and is disposed so as to be located more inward than the outer end portion of the range in the seat width direction.

2. The frame has left and right side frame portions disposed laterally in a seat width direction, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the storage recess is disposed at a position overlapping a portion of the side frame that protrudes most toward the cushion material.

3. The cushion side portion is formed so as to protrude toward the skin material as it moves toward an outer side in a seat width direction, 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the storage recess is disposed on the inner side in the seat width direction relative to a portion of the cushion side portion that protrudes most toward the upholstery material side.

4. The seat heater is The heater includes a sheet-shaped base material and a heater wire attached to the sheet base material, 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the heater wire is arranged so as not to protrude from the storage recess.

5. The frame has left and right side frame portions disposed laterally in a seat width direction, 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the heater wire is disposed so as to be positioned more inward than outer end portions of the side frame portions in a seat width direction.

6. The storage recess is formed so as to become deeper from both end portions toward the center portion in the seat width direction, 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the heater wire is disposed at a position on the central portion side of the storage recess.

7. A connecting portion is provided for connecting the seat cushion and the seat back, The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the storage recess is formed to extend along an extension direction perpendicular to the seat width direction of the cushion side portion, and is formed to become wider as it moves away from the connecting portion in the extension direction.

8. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the storage recesses are provided on the left and right cushion side portions and are formed symmetrically with respect to the cushion main body portion.

9. 9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat heater is attached by being adhered to a surface of the storage recess.

10. The seat heater has a central heater portion disposed in the cushion main body portion and a side heater portion disposed in the cushion side portion, 10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the central heater portion is formed with a positioning portion for arranging the central heater portion at a predetermined position on the cushion main body portion.

11. the side heater portion includes a first side heater portion and a second side heater portion that are spaced apart from each other; 11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the cushion side portion is formed with a first storage recess and a second storage recess for respectively storing the side heater portion, and a connecting recess for connecting the first storage recess and the second storage recess.

12. a side support device capable of moving the cushion side portion between a predetermined position and a protruding position where the cushion side portion protrudes toward the upholstery material from the predetermined position; 12. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the storage recess is disposed at a position overlapping with the side support device.

13. The storage recess is When the cushion side portion is moved to the protruding position, the cushion side portion is disposed at a position overlapping a portion of the cushion side portion that protrudes most toward the upholstery material side, and 13. The vehicle seat according to claim 12, characterized in that the seat is formed to be deepest at a position overlapping with the most protruding portion.

Images