Seat side shield

Abstract

To provide a seat side shield which can appropriately prevent damage due to contacting with a control lever.SOLUTION: A seat side shield 1 includes a projected contact rib 4 which forms a contact face with a control lever 10 on an outside surface 2B facing the control lever 10 in a seat width direction. The contact rib 4 includes a wayside rib 4A which extends along an upper edge part 2A that is an edge part in a side where the control lever 10 on the outside surface 2B is pulled up in a seat front-back direction. The contact rib 4 includes a bent rib 4B which extends bending downward from the front part of the wayside rib 4A. The bent rib 4B forms a contact face with the control lever 10 at an initial position before operation. The wayside rib 4A forms a contact face with the control lever 10 that is rotated from the initial position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat side shield, and more particularly to a seat side shield having a protruding contact rib that forms a contact surface with an operating lever on an outer surface facing an operating lever in a seat width direction. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a seat side shield that covers the outer surface of a seat cushion. A rotating reclining lever is disposed on the outer side of the seat side shield. A protruding contact rib (bead) is formed on the outer surface of the seat side shield adjacent to the reclining lever to prevent damage caused by contact with the reclining lever.

[0003] The contact rib extends in the lever operation direction so as to form a contact surface with the reclining lever over the entire range of motion of the reclining lever. Specifically, the contact rib is formed in an area close to the rotation center of the reclining lever. This allows the contact rib to contact the lever base even if the lever tip falls above the seat side shield when the reclining lever is operated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6334307 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the distance from the contact rib to the lever tip is long. Therefore, the lever tip is easily deflected so as to come into contact with the outer surface of the seat side shield due to an external force applied when the lever is operated. Therefore, the present invention provides a seat side shield that can appropriately prevent damage caused by contact with the operating lever. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means for solving the above problems, the sheet side shield of the present invention employs the following means.

[0007] That is, a first invention of the present invention is a seat side shield having a protruding abutment rib on its outer surface facing an operating lever in the seat width direction, which forms a contact surface with the operating lever, wherein the abutment rib has a linear rib extending in the front-to-rear direction of the seat along the edge of the outer surface on the side where the operating lever is rotated, and a folded rib extending in a bent manner from the tip of the linear rib on the side away from the rotation center of the operating lever to the opposite side to the side where the operating lever is rotated, wherein the folded rib forms the contact surface with the operating lever when it is in an initial position before operation, and the linear rib forms the contact surface with the operating lever when it has been rotated from the initial position.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the initial position of the operating lever is far away from the edge of the outer surface of the seat side shield, the bent rib extending in a bent shape from the tip of the linear rib can appropriately support the operating lever at a position away from the center of rotation. This makes it possible to appropriately prevent the operating lever from coming into contact with the outer surface. In addition, the linear rib extending along the edge of the outer surface of the seat side shield can support the operating lever rotated from the initial position at a position close to the edge of the outer surface. This makes it possible to appropriately prevent the operating lever from coming into contact with the edge of the outer surface.

[0009] A second invention of the present invention is a seat side shield according to the first invention, wherein the operating lever has a pull-up lever structure that is rotated from the initial position toward above the seat, and an upper surface of a handle portion extending from the rotation center of the operating lever toward the outside in the rotation radial direction is an inclined surface that extends obliquely upward toward the inside in the rotation radial direction, the abutment rib is formed in a position that does not protrude from the arrangement of the operating lever in the initial position in a side view seen from the outside in the seat width direction, and the linear rib extends parallel to the inclined upper surface of the operating lever in the initial position.

[0010] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the abutment rib can be configured to maintain its appearance when it is covered by the operating lever in the initial position. Moreover, the linear rib extending parallel to the inclined upper surface of the handle part of the operating lever supports the operating lever rotated from the initial position at a position close to the edge of the outer surface, thereby appropriately preventing the operating lever from contacting the edge of the outer surface of the operating lever.

[0011] A third invention of the present invention is a seat side shield according to the first invention, wherein the operating lever has a pull-up lever structure in which a handle portion extends from the rotation center toward the front of the seat and is rotated from the initial position toward the upper side of the seat, and an upper edge portion forming the edge of the outer surface has a slanted portion that extends diagonally upward toward the rear so that the handle portion passes through when the operating lever is pulled up, and the linear rib extends diagonally upward along the slanted portion of the outer surface.

[0012] According to the third invention, even if the seat side shield has a diagonally upward shape such that the handle portion falls upward when the operating lever is pulled up, the abutment rib can be formed so as to properly support the operating lever at a position close to the edge of the outer surface.

[0013] A fourth invention of the present invention is a seat side shield according to any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the track-side rib also forms the contact surface with the operating lever when it is operated to a full stroke position.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the contact rib can support the operating lever so as not to come into contact with the outer surface of the seat side shield over the entire range of motion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a seat side shield according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the operating lever detached from the seat side shield. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the operating lever as seen from the back side of the lever. [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the operating lever is operated to an intermediate position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a side view showing a state in which the operating lever is operated to a full stroke position. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] First Embodiment (Schematic configuration of seat side shield 1) First, the configuration of a sheet side shield 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. In the following description, when directions such as front, back, up, down, left and right are indicated, they refer to the respective directions shown in each figure. In addition, in the following description, when a specific reference figure is not indicated or when there is no reference number corresponding to a reference figure, any of Figures 1 to 10 will be appropriately referred to.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the seat side shield 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a resin seat shield that covers the left side surface of a seat cushion SC of a seat S that constitutes the left seat of an automobile. The seat side shield 1 is integrally assembled with the seat cushion SC.

[0019] The seat side shield 1 has a side plate portion 2 that covers the left side surface of the seat cushion SC from the outside (left side) in the seat width direction, and an eaves portion 3 that protrudes from an upper edge portion 2A of the side plate portion 2 to the inside (right side) in the seat width direction. The eaves portion 3 is formed so as to protrude in an eaves shape along the upper edge portion 2A of the side plate portion 2.

[0020] The rear portion of the seat side shield 1 is formed to bulge upward so as to cover, from the outside in the seat width direction, the joint between the seat back SB and the seat cushion SC of the seat S. Accordingly, the upper edge portion 2A of the seat side shield 1 is formed as an inclined portion A1 that extends obliquely upward from the middle portion in the seat front-rear direction to the rear region of the seat.

[0021] An operating lever 10 is provided next to the outer side of the rear portion of the seat side shield 1, which bulges out above the seat. The operating lever 10 is configured as a reclining lever for unlocking a recliner (not shown) that connects the seat back SB and the seat cushion SC.

[0022] The operating lever 10 is rotatably connected to the recliner by an operating shaft (not shown) that passes through the central axis of the recliner (not shown) and extends in the seat width direction. This allows the user to unlock the recliner (not shown) by pulling up a handle 11 that extends from the rotation center 10R of the operating lever 10 toward the front of the seat.

[0023] In the initial state before being pulled up by the user, the operating lever 10 is held in an initial position in which the handle portion 11 is directed straight forward toward the front of the seat by the biasing force of a spring (not shown). When the handle portion 11 is pulled up against the biasing force of the spring from the initial position, the operating lever 10 unlocks the recliner (not shown).

[0024] When the user releases the operation of pulling up the operating lever 10, the operating lever 10 is returned to its initial position by the spring force. The operation of pulling up the operating lever 10 can be performed by an occupant sitting on the seat S. Therefore, when the operating lever 10 is pulled up, the handle portion 11 can be subjected to a force pulling it inward in the seat width direction in addition to a force pulling it upward on the seat.

[0025] In such a case, since the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10 is located away from the rotation center 10R, the handle portion 11 is likely to bend inward in the seat width direction with the rotation center 10R as a fulcrum due to the force. This bending of the handle portion 11 may cause the handle portion 11 to come into contact with the outer surface 2B or upper edge portion 2A of the side plate portion 2, resulting in damage. Therefore, a protruding contact rib 4 (bead) is formed on the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 to form a partial contact surface with the handle portion 11, in order to prevent damage caused by the contact of the handle portion 11. Here, the upper edge portion 2A corresponds to the "edge portion" of the present invention.

[0026] The contact rib 4 is configured to prevent the handle portion 11 from contacting the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 not only when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position shown in Fig. 2, but also when it is in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 7 or the full stroke position shown in Fig. 9. The specific configuration of the contact rib 4 will be described in detail below together with the configuration of the operating lever 10.

[0027] (Details of the composition) 2 and 3, the contact rib 4 is formed in a horizontal L-shape in a side view, having a linear rib 4A extending in the front-rear direction of the seat along an upper edge 2A of the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1, and a bent rib 4B extending in a bent shape downward from a front end of the linear rib 4A. The linear rib 4A is formed to extend obliquely upward toward the rear along a region of the upper edge 2A of the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 where the obliquely upward portion A1 is formed.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 2, in detail, the rail-side rib 4A is formed to extend parallel to the upper surface 11A of the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10 at a position lower than the upper surface 11A in the initial position. The upper surface 11A of the handle portion 11 is shaped to extend diagonally downward in a straight line from the inner edge to the outer edge in the seat width direction (see Fig. 5). The upper surface 11A of the handle portion 11 is also shaped to extend diagonally upward in a straight line from its front edge to its rear edge (i.e., toward the inside in the rotation radius direction).

[0029] The linear rib 4A is formed so as to extend parallel to the inner edge of the upper surface 11A of the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10 in the initial position at a position lower than the inner edge in the seat width direction. The linear rib 4A is formed so as to have a uniform protruding height over the entire extension direction extending in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0030] The bent rib 4B is formed so as to extend downward in a bent shape from the front end of the line-side rib 4A in a continuous manner with the line-side rib 4A. The bent rib 4B extends in a direction perpendicular to the line-side rib 4A. The bent rib 4B may be formed so as to extend in an arc shape curved around the rotation center 10R of the operating lever 10. The bent rib 4B is formed so as to have a uniform protruding height over the entire area in the extension direction extending in the up-down direction.

[0031] The bent rib 4B forms a contact surface with the handle portion 11 when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position. The track-side rib 4A forms a contact surface with the handle portion 11 when the operating lever 10 is pulled up from the initial position. The contact rib 4 having the bent rib 4B and track-side rib 4A is formed at a position that does not protrude from the outer edge of the operating lever 10 in the initial position in a side view seen from the outside in the seat width direction.

[0032] The handle 11 of the operating lever 10 has a bottom surface 11B on which the user's finger is hooked when pulling up the lever, and extends in a straight line from the edge of the top surface 11A, which slopes downward to the left, to the right (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 2, the outer shape of the handle 11 formed by the top surface 11A and the bottom surface 11B tapers toward the front of the seat (outside in the direction of the turning radius).

[0033] Specifically, when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position, the handle 11 has a tapered shape with a bottom surface 11B that forms a slope that extends diagonally upward toward the rear. The handle 11 has a protruding plate 11D that extends straight down from the edge of the bottom surface 11B on the right side (see FIG. 5).

[0034] The protruding plate 11D extends perpendicularly to the bottom surface 11B along the right edge of the bottom surface 11B. As shown in Fig. 2, the protruding plate 11D is formed in a tapered shape such that the amount of protrusion from the bottom surface 11B gradually decreases toward the front of the seat so that the protruding plate 11D has an external shape in which the lower edge extends horizontally in the front-rear direction of the seat when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, a honeycomb-structured reinforcing rib 11C is formed in a recess on the back side of the lever of the outer portion formed by the top surface 11A and bottom surface 11B of the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10. The reinforcing rib 11C is formed to fit within the recess, and is shaped so that it does not protrude to the right as far as the position where the protruding plate 11D is formed (see Figs. 5 to 6, 8, and 10).

[0036] The right side surface of the protruding plate 11D, which is the lever rear side surface, functions as an abutment surface with the abutment rib 4 of the seat side shield 1 described above in Figures 2 and 3. Specifically, when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position shown in Figure 2, the front end portion of the right side surface of the protruding plate 11D (the portion forward of the center in the longitudinal direction of the handle portion 11) abuts against the bent rib 4B of the abutment rib 4 from the left side (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0037] As the operating lever 10 is operated from the initial position to the intermediate position shown in Fig. 7, the protruding plate 11D slides above the seat along the bent rib 4B and transitions to a state in which it abuts against the trackside rib 4A from the left side (see Fig. 8). As the operating lever 10 is operated to the full stroke position shown in Fig. 9, the protruding plate 11D slides above the seat along the trackside rib 4A, shifting the abutment position with the trackside rib 4A toward the rear of the seat (see Fig. 10).

[0038] As a result, even when the operating lever 10 is operated to the full stroke position, the protruding plate 11D maintains a state in which it can abut the trackside rib 4A from the left side. In this way, the operating lever 10 is configured to abut the protruding plate 11D against the abutment rib 4 formed on the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 over the entire range of its movement.

[0039] Specifically, when the operating lever 10 is in the initial position shown in Fig. 2, a portion of the handle portion 11 near the tip of the handle portion 11 is abutted against the bent rib 4B from the left side. This appropriately restricts the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10, which is located away from the rotation center 10R, from bending inward in the seat width direction with the rotation center 10R as the fulcrum. As a result, contact between the operating lever 10 and the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 is prevented.

[0040] 7 and 9, even if the handle portion 11 of the operating lever 10 passes above the outer surface 2B (bent rib 4B) of the seat side shield 1 by pulling up the operating lever 10, the portion that overlaps with the outer surface 2B in a side view is abutted against the track rib 4A. The track rib 4A is formed to extend along the upper edge portion 2A of the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1.

[0041] Therefore, the inward deflection of the operating lever 10 in the seat width direction with the rotation center 10R of the operating lever 10 as a fulcrum is restricted at a position close to the upper edge 2A by the abutment with the linear rib 4A extending along the upper edge 2A of the seat side shield 1. As a result, contact between the operating lever 10 and the upper edge 2A of the outer surface 2B of the seat side shield 1 can be appropriately prevented.

[0042] To summarize the above, the seat side shield 1 according to this embodiment has the following configuration: In the following, the reference characters in parentheses correspond to the respective components shown in the above embodiment.

[0043] That is, the seat side shield (1) has a protruding contact rib (4) that forms a contact surface with the operating lever (10) on an outer surface (2B) that faces the operating lever (10) in the seat width direction. The contact rib (4) has a linear rib (4A) that extends in the front-rear direction of the seat along an edge (2A) of the outer surface (2B) on the side where the operating lever (10) is rotated.

[0044] The contact rib (4) also has a bent rib (4B) that extends in a bent shape from the tip of the track rib (4A) on the side away from the rotation center (10R) of the operating lever (10) to the side opposite to the side on which the operating lever (10) is rotated. The bent rib (4B) forms a contact surface with the operating lever (10) in its initial position before operation. The track rib (4A) forms a contact surface with the operating lever (10) rotated from its initial position.

[0045] According to the above-mentioned configuration, even if the initial position of the operating lever (10) is far away from the edge (2A) of the outer surface (2B) of the seat side shield (1), the bent rib (4B) extending in a bent shape from the tip of the rail-side rib (4A) can appropriately support the operating lever (10) at a position away from the rotation center (10R). This can appropriately prevent the operating lever (10) from contacting the outer surface (2B).

[0046] In addition, the linear rib (4A) extending along the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B) of the seat side shield (1) can support the operating lever (10) rotated from the initial position at a position close to the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B), thereby appropriately preventing the operating lever (10) from contacting the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B).

[0047] The operating lever (10) has a pull-up type lever structure that is rotated from an initial position toward above the seat. Moreover, the upper surface (11A) of the handle portion (11) extending from the rotation center (10R) of the operating lever (10) toward the outside in the rotation radius direction is an inclined surface that extends obliquely upward toward the inside in the rotation radius direction.

[0048] The contact rib (4) is formed at a position that does not protrude from the position of the operating lever (10) in the initial position in a side view seen from the outside in the seat width direction. The linear rib (4A) is shaped to extend parallel to the inclined upper surface (11A) of the operating lever (10) in the initial position.

[0049] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the abutment rib (4) can be configured to maintain its appearance when it is covered by the operating lever (10) in the initial position. Moreover, the linear rib (4A) extending parallel to the inclined upper surface (11A) of the handle portion (11) of the operating lever (10) supports the operating lever (10) rotated from the initial position at a position close to the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B), thereby appropriately preventing the operating lever (10) from contacting the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B).

[0050] The operating lever (10) has a pull-up lever structure in which a handle portion (11) extends from a rotation center (10R) toward the front of the seat and is rotated from an initial position toward the top of the seat. An upper edge portion (2A) forming an edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B) has an inclined portion (A1) that extends obliquely upward toward the rear so that the handle portion (11) can be pulled upward as the operating lever (10) is pulled up. A linear rib (4A) extends obliquely upward along the inclined portion (A1) of the outer surface (2B).

[0051] According to the above configuration, even if the seat side shield (1) has an obliquely upward shape such that the handle portion (11) falls upward when the operating lever (10) is pulled up, the abutment rib (4) can be formed so as to properly support the operating lever (10) at a position close to the edge portion (2A) of the outer surface (2B).

[0052] The rail-side rib (4A) also forms a contact surface with the operating lever (10) when it is operated to the full stroke position. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the contact rib (4) can support the operating lever (10) so as not to contact the outer surface (2B) of the seat side shield (1) over the entire range of motion.

[0053] Other embodiments Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various forms other than the above embodiment.

[0054] 1. The seat side shield of the present invention may cover the right side of a seat cushion. The seat side shield may be applied to seats installed in vehicles other than automobiles, such as trains, as well as seats installed in vehicles other than vehicles, such as airplanes and ships. The seat side shield may also be applied to seats installed in various facilities, such as event venues, or seats used for purposes other than vehicles, such as massage seats.

[0055] 2. The operating lever may be a pull-up type lever structure or a push-down type lever structure. When the operating lever is a push-down type lever structure, the edge of the outer surface of the seat side shield on the side where the operating lever is rotated is the lower edge. The direction in which the bent rib extends in a bent manner from the linear rib is upward. The operating lever may also be a rearward-facing type lever structure in which the handle portion extends from the rotation center toward the rear of the seat.

[0056] 3. The track rib may extend in a straight line, or may extend in a curved or stepped manner. The track rib may be formed to extend parallel to the edge of the outer surface of the seat side shield. The track rib may function as a contact surface in a part of the movable range of the operating lever, but may not function as a contact surface when the operating lever is operated to the full stroke position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1 Seat side shield 2 Side plate part 2A Upper edge (edge) A1 Sloping section 2B External surface 3 Eaves 4 Contact rib 4A Railway Rib 4B folded rib 10 Operating lever 10R Rotation Center 11 Handle 11A Top 11B Bottom 11C Reinforcement rib 11D overhang plate S Seat SB seat back SC seat cushion

Claims

1. A seat side shield having a protruding contact rib that forms a contact surface with the operating lever on an outer surface facing the operating lever in the seat width direction, A seat side shield in which the abutment rib has a linear rib extending in the front-to-rear direction of the seat along the edge of the outer surface on the side where the operating lever is rotated, and a bent rib extending in a bent manner from the tip of the linear rib on the side away from the rotation center of the operating lever to the side opposite the side where the operating lever is rotated, the bent rib forming the abutment surface with the operating lever when it is in an initial position before operation, and the linear rib forming the abutment surface with the operating lever when it has been rotated from the initial position.

2. The seat side shield according to claim 1, The operating lever has a pull-up type lever structure that is rotated from the initial position toward above the seat, and an upper surface of a handle portion that extends from the rotation center of the operating lever toward an outer side in a rotational radial direction is an inclined surface that extends obliquely upward toward an inner side in the rotational radial direction, A seat side shield in which the abutment rib is formed at a position that does not protrude from the arrangement of the operating lever in the initial position when viewed from the outside in the seat width direction, and the linear rib extends parallel to the inclined upper surface of the operating lever in the initial position.

3. The seat side shield according to claim 1, The operating lever has a handle portion extending from the rotation center toward the front of the seat and has a pull-up type lever structure that is rotated from the initial position toward the upper side of the seat, an upper edge portion forming the edge portion of the outer surface has an inclined portion that extends obliquely upward toward the rear so that the handle portion can be pulled upward when the operating lever is pulled up; The linear rib extends obliquely upward along the inclined portion of the outer surface.

4. The seat side shield according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A seat side shield, in which the track-side rib also forms the contact surface with the operating lever when it is operated to a full stroke position.

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