Vehicular seat device

Abstract

To decrease size in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of a rotation member, and to efficiently cool a seat cushion, in a vehicular seat device in which the rotation member is rotatably supported by a base member through a rotation supporting portion.SOLUTION: A rotation driving actuator 55 and a connection port 67 formed on a pressure-receiving member 19 are disposed inside a rotation supporting portion 36 in a plane view, and a blower 69 of an air-conditioner 68 supplying air to a seat cushion 11a from a lower side is connected to the connection port 67.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat device comprising a base member, a rotating member rotatably supported on the base member via an annular rotating support portion, a seat cushion frame provided on the rotating member, a pressure-receiving member supported by the seat cushion frame and receiving the load of the seat cushion, and a rotational drive actuator that exerts power to rotate the rotating member. [Background technology]

[0002] Such a vehicle seat device is known, for example, from Patent Document 1. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle seat device including an air conditioner that supplies cooling air to a seat cushion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-123044 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-43292 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the device disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, an arc-shaped rotating gear is fixed to a rotating mechanism main body (corresponding to the base member of the present invention) that supports a rotating ring (corresponding to the rotating member of the present invention), a rotation drive actuator is attached to a bracket extending from the rotating ring and disposed outside the rotating mechanism main body, and an output gear of the actuator is meshed with the rotating gear. This results in an increase in size of the vehicle seat device in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member.

[0005] Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is also a vehicle seat device equipped with an air conditioning device. In this case, it is desirable to efficiently supply cooling air to the seat cushion to improve the cooling efficiency.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle seat device that enables miniaturization in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member and efficient cooling of the seat cushion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a vehicle seat device comprising a base member, a rotating member rotatably supported on the base member via a ring-shaped rotating support portion, a seat cushion frame provided on the rotating member, a pressure-receiving member supported by the seat cushion frame and receiving the load of the seat cushion, and a rotational drive actuator that exerts power to rotate the rotating member, wherein the rotational drive actuator and a connection port formed in the pressure-receiving member are positioned inside the rotational support portion in a planar view, and a blower of an air conditioning device that supplies air from below to the seat cushion is connected to the connection port.

[0008] In addition to the configuration of the first characteristic, the present invention has a second characteristic in that the rotation drive actuator is arranged so as to avoid a position overlapping with the connection port and the blower in a plan view.

[0009] A third feature of the present invention is that, in addition to the configuration of the second feature, an actuator support plate supporting the rotational drive actuator is fixed to the rotating member side, avoiding a position that overlaps with the connection port and the blower in a plan view.

[0010] A fourth feature of the present invention is that, in addition to the configuration of the third feature, the seat cushion frame has a pair of side frames extending parallel to each other with a gap between them, and the rotational drive actuator, the connection port and the blower are arranged at positions offset in the longitudinal direction of the side frames in a plan view.

[0011] A fifth feature of the present invention is that, in addition to the configuration of the fourth feature, the rotational drive actuator is positioned in a position forward of the center of rotation of the rotating member when the seat cushion frame is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion facing the front of the vehicle, and the connection port and the blower are positioned in a position rearward of the rotational drive actuator.

[0012] The present invention has a sixth feature in that, in addition to the configuration of any of the first to fifth features, the connection port is formed in the pressure-receiving member in a shape that surrounds the center of rotation of the rotating member in a planar view.The present invention has a seventh feature in that, in addition to the configuration of the sixth feature, the blower is attached to the underside of the pressure-receiving member while being positioned directly below the connection port.

[0013] The present invention has an eighth feature in that, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first to sixth features, a seating sensor is attached to the pressure-receiving member at a position above the rotational drive actuator and avoiding overlapping with the connection port and the blower in a planar view.

[0014] Furthermore, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first to eighth features, the present invention has a ninth feature in that the rotational drive actuator is arranged rearward of other actuators arranged corresponding to the front part of the seat cushion frame while avoiding overlapping with the other actuators in a plan view when the seat cushion frame is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion facing the front of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to a first feature of the present invention, the rotational drive actuator is positioned inside the rotational support part in a planar view, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the vehicle seat device in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotating member, and the connection port to which the air conditioning unit blower is connected is positioned inside the rotational support part in a planar view and formed in the pressure-receiving member, so that cooling air can be effectively sent to each part of the seat cushion, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0016] According to the second feature of the present invention, the rotation drive actuator, the connection port, and the blower do not overlap vertically, so that the vehicle seat apparatus can be made more compact in the vertical direction.

[0017] According to the third feature of the present invention, the actuator support plate fixed to the rotating member does not overlap vertically with the connection port and the blower, and the rotational drive actuator is supported on the actuator support plate, which contributes to making the vehicle seat device more compact in the vertical direction.

[0018] According to a fourth feature of the present invention, the rotational drive actuator, the connection port, and the blower are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of a pair of side frames provided on the seat cushion frame, thereby avoiding an increase in size of the vehicle seat device in the lateral direction perpendicular to the side frames.

[0019] According to a fifth feature of the present invention, when the seat cushion frame is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion facing the front of the vehicle, the rotational drive actuator is positioned forward of the center of rotation of the rotating member, and the connection port and the blower are located rearward of the rotational drive actuator, thereby avoiding an increase in size of the vehicle seat device in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] According to the sixth feature of the present invention, the connection port is shaped to surround the center of rotation of the rotating member in a planar view, so that the connection port is positioned at a position corresponding to approximately the center of the seat cushion, thereby enabling cooling air to be sent to each part of the seat cushion more effectively, thereby further improving cooling efficiency.

[0021] According to the seventh feature of the present invention, the blower is attached to the underside of the pressure-receiving member directly below the connection port, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the air conditioning unit while eliminating the need for special parts to support the blower, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0022] According to an eighth feature of the present invention, the seating sensor is mounted on the pressure-receiving member above the rotational drive actuator and avoiding overlapping with the connection port and the blower in a planar view, thereby minimizing the reduction in strength of the pressure-receiving member at the portion where the seating sensor is mounted.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the ninth feature of the present invention, when the seat cushion frame is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion facing the front of the vehicle, the rotational drive actuator and other actuators do not overlap in the vertical direction, which contributes to making the vehicle seat apparatus more compact in the vertical direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle seat device according to a first embodiment with a seat body omitted; [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of a main part of the vehicle seat device as viewed from above. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a side view of a main part of the vehicle seat device as seen from the direction of an arrow 3 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view of a main part of the vehicle seat device as viewed from above with a seat cushion frame omitted. FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. [Figure 6]6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the vehicle seat device taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 2 of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In the following description, the terms "front / rear," "left / right," and "up / down" refer to directions as viewed from a seated occupant in a seat position facing forward.

[0026] First, in FIG. 1, a seat body 11 of a vehicle seat device includes a seat cushion 11a supported by a seat cushion frame 16, a seat back 11b supported by a seat back frame 17 connected to the seat cushion frame 16 and positioned above the seat cushion 11a, and a headrest 11c supported by a guide tube 18 provided on the seat back frame 16 so as to be adjustable in height, and the seat cushion frame 16 and the seat back frame 17 are rotatable together with the seat body 11.

[0027] 2 and 3, the seat cushion frame 16 has a pair of side frames 16a arranged to extend in a straight line in the fore-and-aft direction and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing toward the front of the vehicle, a pan frame 16b connecting the front ends of the side frames 16a, a rear pipe 16c connecting the rear ends of the pair of side frames 16a, and a front pipe 16d connecting the front portions of the pair of side frames 16a so as to overlap partially with the rear portion of the pan frame 16a.

[0028] The seatback frame 17 has a pair of seatback side frames 16a extending in the vertical direction and aligned at positions spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, an upper frame 17b connecting the upper ends of the seatback side frames 16a, and a lower frame 17c connecting the lower ends of the pair of seatback side frames 16a.

[0029] A pressure-receiving member 19 that receives a load from above the seat cushion 11a is attached to the seat cushion frame 16. The pressure-receiving member 19 has a plate-shaped pressure-receiving member main body 19a extending between the pair of side frames 16a and approximately parallel to the side frames 16a, a pair of inclined side portions 19b extending toward the pair of side frames 16a while inclining from the pressure-receiving member main body 19a so as to become higher toward the pair of side frames 16a, front mounting portions 19c extending forward from multiple positions at the front portion of the pressure-receiving member main body 19a and engaging with the front pipe 16d of the seat cushion frame 16, and a rear mounting portion 19d extending rearward from the rear end portion of the pressure-receiving member main body 19a while inclining upward toward the rear and engaging with the rear pipe 16c of the seat cushion frame 16.

[0030] This pressure-receiving member 19 is made of resin into which a plurality of metal wires 20 are insert-molded and arranged at intervals in the width direction. The front mounting portion 19c has a plurality of front mounting pieces 21 that engage with a plurality of positions of the connecting pipe 16d from above, and the rear mounting portion 19d has a plurality of rear mounting pieces 22 that engage with the rear pipe 16c from above. The front mounting pieces 21 and the rear mounting pieces 22 are reinforced with the wires 20. Thus, this pressure-receiving member 19 bends under the weight of the occupant and can elastically support the occupant.

[0031] A back-side pressure-receiving member 24 made of resin or the like and capable of elastic deformation is disposed between the pair of seatback side frames 16a, and this back-side pressure-receiving member 24 is bridged between the left and right seatback side frames 16a via an upper connecting wire 25 and a lower connecting wire 26.

[0032] Referring also to Figures 4 to 6, the seat cushion frame 16 is mounted on a rotating member 30 which is rotatably supported by a base member 29 which is movable along a pair of slide rails 13, and a cover member 31 which covers a portion of the rotating member 30 from above is fixed to the base member 29.

[0033] The base member 29 has a first bottom wall portion 29a which is annular, a cylindrical first side wall portion 29b which rises upward from the outer periphery of the first bottom wall portion 29a, and a first flange portion 29c which protrudes outward from the upper end portion of the first side wall portion 29b, and the first flange portion 29c is formed in a rectangular shape.

[0034] The cover member 31 has an annular second bottom wall portion 31a that abuts against the first bottom wall portion 29a of the base member 29 from above, a cylindrical second side wall portion 31b that rises slightly upward from the outer periphery of the second bottom wall portion 31a, a first tapered portion 31c that is formed so that its diameter increases toward the top and is connected to the upper end of the second side wall portion 31b, an annular flat wall portion 31d that protrudes laterally from the upper end of the first tapered portion 31c, and a cylindrical third side wall portion 31e that rises upward from the outer periphery of the flat wall portion 31d, and the second bottom wall portion 31a is joined to the first bottom wall portion 29a of the base member 29 with a plurality of rivets 32.

[0035] The rotating member 30 has a second tapered portion 30a arranged at a position facing the first tapered portion 31c of the cover member 31 from the outside and formed so as to have a larger diameter toward the top, a cylindrical fourth side wall portion 30b rising upward from the upper end of the second tapered portion 30a so as to face the third side wall portion 31e of the cover member 31 from the outside, and a second flange portion 30c projecting outward from the fourth side wall portion 30b, the second flange portion 30c being formed in a rectangular shape. In addition, a support member 33 extending parallel to the slide rail 13 is fastened to the second flange portion 30c by a plurality of first bolts 34 and first nuts 35.

[0036] Referring to Figure 6, the rotating member 30 is rotatably supported on the base member 29 via a rotation support portion 36, and this rotation support portion 36 is held at multiple points in the circumferential direction of an annular retainer 38 in a recess 37 formed in the first bottom wall portion 29a and the first side wall portion 29b of the base member 29 so as to have a substantially L-shaped cross section, and balls 39 are housed in the recess 37 and are positioned between the base member 29 and the rotating member 30. An annular recess 40 for rolling the balls 39 is formed in the first tapered portion 31c of the rotating member 30.

[0037] Incidentally, in the central portion of the rotating member 30, a circular accommodating portion 41 constituted by the second tapered portion 30a and the fourth side wall portion 30b of the rotating member 30 is formed so as to be open upward and downward, and the cover member 31 is accommodated and positioned within the accommodating portion 41.

[0038] The slide rails 13 extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction parallel to each other with a gap in the left-right direction, and are composed of a fixed rail 45 and a movable rail 46 slidably fitted to the fixed rail 45. The first flange 29c of the base member 29 is fastened to the movable rail 46 by a plurality of second bolts 47 and second nuts 48. The front part of the fixed rail 45 along the vehicle longitudinal direction is fixed to a floor surface 49 of the vehicle via a front bracket 50, and the rear part of the fixed rail 45 is fixed to the floor surface 49 via a rear bracket 51. Moreover, the front bracket 50 is formed higher than the rear bracket 51, and the slide rail 13 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction at an incline so as to become lower toward the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0039] The rotating member 30 is rotationally driven by the power exerted by a rotational drive actuator 55, and an input gear 57 that meshes with an output gear 56 that rotates by the rotational power exerted by the rotational drive actuator 55 fixed to the rotating member 30 side is provided on the base member 29 side.

[0040] The rotation drive actuator 55 includes an electric motor 58 having a rotation axis extending in the vehicle width direction, a gear box 60 connected to a case 59 of the electric motor 58, and an output shaft 61 protruding from the gear box 60 with its rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis C of the rotating member 30, and the output gear 56 is provided on the output shaft 61. A gear reduction mechanism (not shown) is housed in the gear box 60, which reduces the speed of the rotational power of the electric motor 58 while changing the rotation direction by 90 degrees and transmits the rotational power to the output shaft 61, and this gear reduction mechanism includes a worm gear so as to prevent the rotational power from the output shaft 61 side from being transmitted to the electric motor 58 side.

[0041] In this embodiment, the rotating member 30 is rotated within a range of 180 degrees, and the input gear 57 has a gear portion 57a ​​on its inner periphery, is formed in an arc shape spanning approximately 180 degrees, and is fixed to the lower surface of the inner periphery of the first bottom wall portion 29a of the base member 29 so that the gear portion 57a ​​protrudes radially inward from the inner periphery of the first bottom wall portion 29a. As a result, the gear portion 57a ​​is disposed facing the rotation axis C of the rotating member 30.

[0042] When fixing the input gear 57 to the base member 29, some of the multiple rivets 32 that connect the second bottom wall portion 31a of the cover member 31 to the first bottom wall portion 29a of the base member 29 are used to connect the second bottom wall portion 31a and the input gear 57 together to the first bottom wall portion 29a, sandwiching the first bottom wall portion 29a.

[0043] An actuator support plate 62 is attached to the rotating member 30, and the rotation drive actuator 55 is supported on the actuator support plate 62.

[0044] The actuator support plate 62 is disposed in front of the rotation axis C of the rotating member 30 and behind the pan frame 16b and the front pipe 16d, has coupled plate parts 62a at both ends which are coupled to the upper surface of the third flange part 30c of the rotating member 30, and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slide rail 13. Between the pair of coupled plate parts 62a, an actuator accommodating part 62b is formed which is recessed so as to enter the accommodating part 41 whose upper end opening is lower than the support member 33, and the rotation drive actuator 55 is attached to the upper surface of this actuator accommodating part 62b. As a result, the rotation drive actuator 55 is disposed below the pressure receiving member 19 while avoiding interference with the pressure receiving member 19.

[0045] Meanwhile, an annular slider 63 is interposed between the first tapered portion 31c of the cover member 31 and the second tapered portion 30a of the rotating member 30, which is in sliding contact with the tapered portions 31c, 30a, respectively. This slider 63 is used to make the cover member 31 and the rotating member 30 compatible with a vehicle seat device in which the rotating member 30 is rotated by human power instead of the electric force of the rotation drive actuator 55. In a vehicle seat device in which rotation by human power is possible, an annular member constituting a part of a mechanism for suppressing rattling of the rotating member 30 in a locked state in which the rotation of the rotating member 30 is prevented is interposed between the first tapered portion 31c and the second tapered portion 30a instead of the slider 63.

[0046] 6 and 7, a bag member 65 made of a flexible material is provided between the pressure-receiving member main body 19a of the pressure-receiving member 19 and the seat cushion 11a, and a plurality of air vents (not shown) are formed in the upper surface of the bag member 65 facing the seat cushion 11a. Also, an air inlet 66 is formed in the lower surface of the bag member 65.

[0047] On the other hand, a connection port 67 corresponding to the air inlet 66 is formed in the pressure-receiving body 19a of the pressure-receiving member 19, and a blower 69 of an air conditioning device 68 that supplies air to the seat cushion 11a from below is connected to the connection port 67.

[0048] The rotational drive actuator 55 and the connection port 67 formed in the pressure-receiving member 19 are positioned inside the rotation support portion 36 provided between the rotating member 30 and the base member 29 in a plan view, and in this embodiment, inside the inner peripheral edge of the rotating member 30, i.e., the peripheral edge of the lower end portion of the second tapered portion 30a.

[0049] Moreover, the rotational drive actuator 55 is positioned so as to avoid a position that overlaps with the connection port 67 in a planar view, and in particular, the actuator support plate 62 that supports the rotational drive actuator 55 is fixed to the rotating member 30 side so as to avoid a position that overlaps with the connection port 67 in a planar view.

[0050] In addition, the rotational drive actuator 55 and the connection port 67 are positioned at positions offset in the longitudinal direction of a pair of the side frames 16a of the seat cushion frame 16. In this embodiment, the rotational drive actuator 55 and the actuator support plate 62 are positioned at a position forward of the rotation center C of the rotating member 30 when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing toward the front of the vehicle, and the connection port 67 is positioned at a position rearward of the rotational drive actuator 55.

[0051] The connection port 67 is formed in the pressure-receiving member 19 in a shape that surrounds the center of rotation C of the rotating member 30 in a planar view, and the blower 69 is attached to the underside of the pressure-receiving member main body 19a of the pressure-receiving member 19 while being positioned directly below the connection port 67, and the discharge pipe 70 of the blower 69 is fitted into the connection port 67 and the air inlet port 66 so as to supply air into the bag member 67.

[0052] As described above, by arranging the blower 69 directly below the connection port 67, the blower 69, together with the connection port 67, is arranged at a position offset from the rotational drive actuator 55 and the actuator support plate 62 in the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a so as to avoid a position where it overlaps with the rotational drive actuator 55 and the actuator support plate 62 in a planar view.When the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing the front of the vehicle, the rotational drive actuator 55 is arranged forward of the rotation center C of the rotating member 30, while the blower 69 is arranged rearward of the rotational drive actuator 55.

[0053] A seating sensor 71 for detecting that an occupant sits on the seat cushion 11a is attached on the pressure-receiving member main body 19a of the pressure-receiving member 19. This seating sensor 71 is disposed at a position above the rotation drive actuator 55 and avoiding overlapping with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in a plan view, and in this embodiment, the seating sensor 71 is disposed at a position shifted forward of the blower 69 when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position in which the occupant on the seat cushion 11a faces the front of the vehicle.

[0054] Incidentally, this vehicle seat device includes, in addition to the rotation drive actuator 55, a seat front tilt actuator 73 that exerts power to move the front of the seat cushion 11a up and down, and the seat front tilt actuator 73, which is an actuator different from the rotation drive actuator 55, is disposed at a position corresponding to the front of the seat cushion frame 16 when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position in which the occupant on the seat cushion 11a faces the front of the vehicle, so as to avoid overlapping with the rotation drive actuator 55 and the actuator support plate 62 in a plan view. In other words, the rotation drive actuator 55 and the actuator support plate 62 are disposed rearward of the seat front tilt actuator 73 when the seat cushion frame 16 is in the forward-facing position.

[0055] 7, a movable support member 76 having a rear end rotatably supported by the side frame 16a via a support shaft 75 is disposed on the pan frame 16b, and the seat front tilt actuator 73 for rotating the movable support member 76 up and down is disposed below the pan frame 16b and attached to the pan frame 16b. That is, when the seat cushion frame 16 is in the forward-facing position, the rotation drive actuator 55 is disposed at a position rearward of the pan frame 16b, whereas the seat front tilt actuator 73 is disposed below the pan frame 16b.

[0056] The movable support member 76 is interposed between the front of the seat cushion 11a and the bag member 65 and the pan frame 16b, and by rotating the movable support member 76 up and down with the seat front tilt actuator 73, the front of the seat cushion 11a moves up and down.

[0057] Moreover, while the seat front tilt actuator 73 is disposed closer to one of the side frames 16a than the center between the pair of side frames 16a, the rotation drive actuator 55 is disposed closer to the center between the pair of side frames 16a than the seat front tilt actuator 73. That is, in this embodiment, the seat front tilt actuator 73 is disposed closer to the left side frame 16a than a center line CL that passes through the rotation center of the rotating member 30 and extends parallel to the side frame 16a, and the rotation drive actuator 55 is disposed at a position where the center line CL passes through approximately its center.

[0058] Furthermore, while the rotation drive actuator 55 is positioned inside the rotation support portion 36 in a planar view, the seat front tilt actuator 73 is positioned outside the rotation support portion 36 in a planar view. In FIG. 2, if the inner circumference of the rotation support portion 36 is shown by a virtual circle CI and the outer circumference of the rotation support portion 36 is shown by a virtual circle OC, the rotation drive actuator 55 is located inside the virtual circle CI and the seat front tilt actuator 73 is located outside the virtual circle OC.

[0059] This vehicle seat device also includes a slide actuator 80 that exerts a force to slide the seat body 11 back and forth along the slide rail 13 together with the base member 29, a seat tilt actuator 81 that moves the seat body 11 up and down together with the seat cushion frame 16 and the seatback frame 17, and a tilt actuator 82 that exerts a force to tilt the seat back 11b back and forth together with the seatback frame 17.

[0060] In order to slide the base member 29 and the seat body 11 along the guide rail 13, a feed screw 83 extending along the longitudinal direction of the rails 45, 46 is accommodated between the fixed rail 45 and the movable rail 46, and this feed screw 83 passes through nuts 84 fixed to multiple points on the fixed rail 45 while being screwed into those nuts 84.

[0061] Meanwhile, an actuator case 85 is provided between the front ends of the pair of movable rails 46, and the slide actuator 80 is housed and fixed in this actuator case 85. This slide actuator 80 is an electric motor whose rotation axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the pair of slide rails 13, and an output shaft 86 of the slide actuator 80 extends from the slide actuator 80 on both sides.

[0062] The outer end of the output shaft 86 is connected to the feed screw 83 via a rotation direction conversion mechanism 87, and when the feed screw 83 rotates due to operation of the slide actuator 80, the movable rail 46, i.e., the base member 29, slides back and forth along the slide rail 13.

[0063] In order to move the seat body 11 up and down together with the seat, both ends of a front link 91 are rotatably connected to the front part of a link support member 90 which is fixed on the support member 33 which is fixed on the second flange portion 30c of the rotating member 30 and extends long in the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a, and to the side frame 16a, and both ends of a rear link 92 are rotatably connected to the rear part of the link support member 90 and to the side frame 16a.

[0064] The seat tilt actuator 81 is attached to the outer surface of one of the pair of side frames 16a, and operation of this seat tilt actuator 81 causes the front link 91 and the rear link 92 to rotate, thereby moving the seat body 11 up and down together with the seat cushion frame 16 and the seat back frame 17.

[0065] The tilt actuator 82 is attached to the lower inside of one of a pair of seatback side frames 17a of the seatback frame 17, and in this embodiment, when the seatback frame 16 is in the forward-facing position, the seat tilt actuator 81 is attached to the outer surface of the left side frame 16a, and the tilt actuator 82 is attached to the lower inside of the right seatback side frame 17a.

[0066] Thus, the rotational drive actuator 55, the seat front tilt actuator 73, the slide actuator 80, the seat tilt actuator 81 and the tilt actuator 82 are positioned so as to avoid overlapping with each other in a planar view.

[0067] The operation of the rotational drive actuator 55, the seat front tilt actuator 73, the slide actuator 80, the seat tilt actuator 81 and the tilt actuator 82 is controlled by an ECU 95, which is disposed below the pan frame 16b and fixedly supported on the pan frame 16b.

[0068] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. The rotating member 30 is rotatably supported on the base member 29 via the annular rotating support portion 36. A rotation drive actuator 55 that exerts power to rotate the rotating member 30 and a connection port 67 formed so that a blower 69 of an air conditioning unit 68 is connected to a pressure-receiving member 19 that is supported by a seat cushion frame 16 provided on the rotating member 30 and receives the load of the seat cushion 11a are arranged inside the rotating support portion 36 in a plan view. Therefore, the vehicle seat device can be made smaller in size in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis C of the rotating member 30, and cooling air can be effectively sent to each part of the seat cushion 11a, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0069] Furthermore, since the rotational drive actuator 55 is positioned to avoid overlapping with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in a planar view, the rotational drive actuator 55 does not overlap with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in the vertical direction, and the vehicle seat device can be made more compact in the vertical direction.

[0070] Furthermore, the actuator support plate 62 that supports the rotational drive actuator 55 is fixed to the rotating member 30 side, avoiding a position that overlaps with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in a planar view. Therefore, the actuator support plate 62 fixed to the rotating member 30 side does not overlap with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in the vertical direction, and the rotational drive actuator 55 is supported by the actuator support plate 62, which contributes to making the vehicle seat device more compact in the vertical direction.

[0071] The seat cushion frame 16 has a pair of side frames 16a extending parallel to each other with a gap between them, and the rotational drive actuator 55, the connection port 67 and the blower 69 are arranged at positions offset in the longitudinal direction of the side frames 16a in a plan view, thereby avoiding an increase in size of the vehicle seat device in the lateral direction perpendicular to the side frames 16a.

[0072] In addition, the rotational drive actuator 55 is positioned in front of the rotation center C of the rotating member 30 when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing the front of the vehicle, and the connection port 67 and the blower 69 are positioned in a rearward position of the rotational drive actuator 55, so that it is possible to avoid an increase in size of the vehicle seat device in the vehicle width direction.

[0073] Furthermore, since the connection port 67 is formed in the pressure-receiving member 19 in a shape that surrounds the rotation center C of the rotating member 30 in a planar view, the connection port 67 is positioned at a position that corresponds to approximately the center of the seat cushion 11a, and cooling air can be sent more effectively to each part of the seat cushion 11a, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency.

[0074] Furthermore, since the blower 69 is positioned directly below the connection port 67 and attached to the underside of the pressure-receiving member 19, the air conditioning unit 68 can be made more compact, and no special parts are required to support the blower 69, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0075] Furthermore, since the seating sensor 71 is attached to the pressure-receiving member 19 at a position above the rotational drive actuator 55 and avoiding overlapping with the connection port 67 and the blower 69 in a planar view, it is possible to minimize a decrease in the strength of the pressure-receiving member 19 at the portion where the seating sensor 71 is attached.

[0076] In addition, the seat front tilt actuator 73, which is another actuator separate from the rotational drive actuator 55, is positioned so as to avoid overlapping with the rotational drive actuator 55 in a planar view. Therefore, the rotational drive actuator 55 and the seat front tilt actuator 73 do not overlap vertically, which prevents the vehicle seat apparatus from becoming too tall.

[0077] Moreover, when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing the front of the vehicle, the rotational drive actuator 55 is disposed behind the seat front tilt actuator 73 disposed in front of the actuator support plate 62 to which the rotational drive actuator 55 is attached and fixed to the rotating member 30 and corresponding to the front of the seat cushion frame 16. In this embodiment, the rotational drive actuator 55 is disposed behind the pan frame 16b at the front of the seat cushion frame 16, and the seat front tilt actuator 73 is disposed below the pan frame 16b. This prevents the rotational drive actuator 55 and the seat front tilt actuator 73 from overlapping in the vertical direction, thereby contributing to the vertical compactness of the vehicle seat device and the vehicle width direction compactness of the vehicle seat device.

[0078] In addition, since the seat front tilt actuator 73 is positioned closer to one of the side frames 16a than the center between the pair of side frames 16a, and the rotational drive actuator 55 is positioned closer to the center between the pair of side frames 16a than the seat front tilt actuator 73, the rotational drive actuator 55 and the seat front tilt actuator 73 can be positioned compactly together at a position closer to one side between the pair of side frames 16a.

[0079] Furthermore, since the rotation drive actuator 55 is positioned inside the rotation support portion 36 and the seat front tilt actuator 73 is positioned outside the rotation support portion 36, the rotation drive actuator 55 and the seat front tilt actuator 73 can be effectively positioned so as to avoid mutual interference between them.

[0080] Furthermore, since an ECU 95 which controls the operation of the rotational drive actuator 55, the seat front tilt actuator 73, the slide actuator 80, the seat tilt actuator 81 and the tilt actuator 82 is arranged below the pan frame 16b, this contributes to making the vehicle seat device more compact in the lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a, while preventing the vehicle seat device from becoming larger in the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a due to the arrangement of the seat front tilt actuator 73 and the ECU 95.

[0081] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Parts corresponding to those in the first embodiment are simply shown with the same reference symbols, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0082] A blower 97 of an air conditioning unit 96 is connected to the connection port 67 formed in the pressure-receiving body 19a of the pressure-receiving member 19, and the air conditioning unit 96 includes the blower 97 disposed below the pan frame 16b of the seat cushion frame 16 and attached to the pan frame 16b, a duct 98 extending from the blower 97 toward the connection port 67 so as to guide air from the blower 97, and a connection pipe 99 connected to the end of the duct 97 opposite the blower 97 and inserted into the connection port 67.

[0083] Furthermore, when the seat cushion frame 16 is in a forward-facing position with the occupant on the seat cushion 11a facing the front of the vehicle, the rotational drive actuator 55 is disposed rearward of the front pan frame 16b of the seat cushion frame 16, the seat front tilt actuator 73 and ECU 95 are disposed below the pan frame 16b, and the blower 97 is attached to the pan frame 16b at a position that avoids overlapping with the seat front tilt actuator 73 and the ECU 95 in a plan view.

[0084] According to this second embodiment, while contributing to making the vehicle seat device more compact in the lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a of the seat cushion frame 16, the arrangement of the seat front tilt actuator 73 and the blower 97 can avoid the vehicle seat device becoming larger in size in the longitudinal direction of the side frame 16a.

[0085] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention described in the claims.

[0086] For example, in the above embodiment, a plate-shaped pressure-receiving member 19 is used, but the present invention can also be applied to a pressure-receiving member in which a plurality of sheet springs made of bent metal wire are connected by connecting members made of resin. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 11a...Seat cushion 16...Seat cushion frame 16a...Side frame 19...Pressure-receiving member 29...Base material 30...Rotating member 36...Rotation support part 55...Rotational drive actuator 62...Actuator support plate 67...Connection port 68,96...Air conditioner 69,97...Blower 71...Seating sensor 73...Actuator for tilting the seat forward, which is another actuator C...Center of rotation

Claims

1. A vehicle seat device comprising a base member, a rotating member rotatably supported on the base member via an annular rotating support portion, a seat cushion frame provided on the rotating member, a pressure receiving member supported by the seat cushion frame and receiving the load of the seat cushion, and a rotational drive actuator that generates power to rotate the rotating member, The pressure-receiving member has a plate-shaped pressure-receiving member body, The aforementioned rotary drive actuator is provided with an output gear that rotates using the rotational power generated by the rotary drive actuator. The base member is provided with an input gear that is formed in an arc shape and meshes with the output gear. The aforementioned input gear is a vehicle seat device located below the pressure-receiving member body.

2. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the input gear is positioned inward in the width direction from the outer end in the width direction of the pressure receiving member.

3. The vehicle seat device according to Claim 1, wherein the input gear is formed in an arc shape extending approximately 180 degrees and has a gear portion on its inner circumference, and the gear portion is fixed to the lower surface of the inner circumference of the first bottom wall portion of the base member such that it protrudes radially inward from the inner circumference of the first bottom wall portion.

4. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation drive actuator is arranged on the inner side of the inner circumference of the rotation support portion.

5. The vehicle seat device according to claim 4, wherein a seat sensor is mounted on the pressure receiving member, and the seat sensor is positioned inside the inner circumference of the rotation support portion.

6. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein another actuator, different from the rotation drive actuator, is arranged on the outer circumference of the rotation support portion for driving a part of the vehicle seat device.

7. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving member body has a connection port that penetrates the pressure receiving member body.

8. The vehicle seat device according to claim 7, wherein the input gear is located outside the connection port in a plan view.

9. The rotary drive actuator and the connection port are arranged inside the rotary support portion in a plan view, The vehicle seat device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a blower of an air conditioning unit that supplies air to the seat cushion from below is connected to the connection port.

10. The vehicle seat device according to claim 9, wherein the input gear is located inside the rotating support portion in a plan view.

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