Vehicle seat

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle seat which can change bodily sensation to be felt by an occupant by changing support feeling of an upper half body upper side and an upper half body lower side of the occupant seated on a seat.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat 10 includes: a back frame 14 forming a framework of a seat back 12 supporting a back part of an occupant; an upper pressure receiving part 30 which is provided at the upper side in a seat vertical direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame 14; and a lower pressure receiving part 40 which is provided at the lower side in the seat vertical direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame 14. Further, the vehicle seat 10 includes: a connection part 50 which connects the upper pressure receiving part 30 with the lower pressure receiving part 40; a rotary shaft part 70 which allows the connection part 50 to rotate around a shaft 72 along a seat width direction; and a movable mechanism 80 which varies a position of the rotary shaft part 70 in the seat vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the popularity of electric vehicles has been increasing, and there is a desire to improve the added value in electric vehicles. As one measure to improve the added value, there are improvements in riding comfort, prevention of dizziness due to sudden acceleration, and improvement of refreshing feeling compared to gasoline vehicles and hybrid vehicles. Patent Document 1 discloses a lumbar support device that holds a driver in a stable posture by pushing out the part that supports the driver's waist forward.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The conventional lumbar support device described in Patent Document 1 can adjust the sense of support for the waist, but it is difficult to perform adjustments that change the riding comfort or adjust the sense of support corresponding to acceleration and deceleration. In addition, since the part that supports the waist is adjusted, it is difficult to adjust the sense of support for the upper part of the upper body, and there is room for improvement in terms of the physical sensation that can be felt by the seated occupant.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and an object thereof is to obtain a vehicle seat capable of changing the physical sensation felt by an occupant by adjusting the sense of support for the upper part and the lower part of the upper body of the occupant sitting on the seat.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vehicle seat according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a back frame that forms a framework of a seat back for supporting the back of an occupant, an upper pressure receiving portion provided on the upper side in the seat up-and-down direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame, a lower pressure receiving portion provided on the lower side in the seat up-and-down direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame, a connecting portion that connects the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion, a rotating shaft portion that enables the connecting portion to rotate about an axis along the seat width direction, and a variable mechanism that varies the position of the rotating shaft portion in the seat up-and-down direction.

[0007] In the vehicle seat according to the first aspect of the present invention, the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion are connected by the connecting portion, and the connecting portion is enabled to rotate about an axis along the seat width direction by the rotating shaft portion. Therefore, when an occupant sits on the vehicle seat and the upper half of the upper body corresponding to the upper side of the seat enters the seat, the upper pressure receiving portion is pushed rearward of the seat and the connecting portion rotates about the axis, and the lower pressure receiving portion moves forward of the seat, so that the lower half of the upper body corresponding to the lower side of the seat is supported by the lower pressure receiving portion. Conversely, when the lower half of the upper body corresponding to the lower side of the seat enters the seat, the lower pressure receiving portion is pushed rearward of the seat and the connecting portion rotates reversely about the axis, and the upper pressure receiving portion moves forward of the seat, so that the upper half of the upper body corresponding to the upper side of the seat is supported by the upper pressure receiving portion.

[0008] And, in the vehicle seat according to the first aspect of the present invention, since it is provided with a variable mechanism that varies the position of the rotating shaft portion in the seat up-and-down direction, by changing the position of the rotating shaft portion, it is possible to make it easier or more difficult for the upper half of the upper body or the lower half of the upper body of the occupant to enter the seat, and it is also possible to strengthen or weaken the support of the upper half of the upper body or the lower half of the upper body of the occupant by the lower pressure receiving portion or the upper pressure receiving portion. Thus, according to the vehicle seat of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to change the body feeling felt by the occupant by adjusting the support feeling of the upper half of the upper body and the lower half of the upper body of the occupant sitting on the seat.

[0009] In the vehicle seat according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the variable mechanism includes a movable member that enables the rotation shaft portion to move in the seat vertical direction, and a drive source that moves the movable member.

[0010] In the vehicle seat according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the variable mechanism includes a movable member that enables the rotation shaft portion to move in the seat vertical direction and a drive source that moves the movable member, the rotation shaft portion can be moved in the seat vertical direction by the drive source.

[0011] In the vehicle seat according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect, the variable mechanism includes a switching drive switch that can be driven by switching the rotation direction of the drive source, and the rotation shaft portion is moved in the seat vertical direction by operating the switching drive switch.

[0012] In the vehicle seat according to the third aspect of the present invention, by switching the rotation direction of the drive source by operating the switching drive switch, the rotation shaft portion can be moved in an arbitrary direction in the vertical direction. Therefore, the occupant sitting on the seat can adjust the vertical position of the rotation shaft portion to an arbitrary position by operating the switching drive switch, so that the positions of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion in the seat front-rear direction can be adjusted according to the shapes of the upper bodies of various occupants. As a result, the body pressure can be dispersed according to the preferences of the occupant, so that the occupant sitting on the seat can feel a physical sensation according to the preferences of the occupant.

[0013] In the vehicle seat according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect, a position control unit is provided that controls the position of the rotation shaft portion by moving the drive source based on a signal from an acceleration sensor provided in the vehicle.

[0014] In the vehicle seat according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the position of the rotation shaft portion can be controlled based on a signal from the acceleration sensor, the acceleration feeling felt by the sitting occupant can be adjusted.

[0015] The vehicle seat according to the fifth aspect of the present invention has a frictional resistance set between the rotary shaft portion and the connection portion in the configuration of any one of the first to fourth aspects.

[0016] Normally, due to the swaying of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle during vehicle travel, the occupants sitting on the seat sway, and this swaying may cause the occupants to feel dizzy or the like. In the vehicle seat according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since a frictional resistance is set between the rotary shaft portion and the connection portion, the movement of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be restricted. Thereby, the swaying of the occupants sitting on the seat supported by the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be reduced, so that the occurrence of dizziness or the like in the occupants can be suppressed.

[0017] The vehicle seat according to the sixth aspect of the present invention has a regulating member for restricting the rotation of the rotary shaft portion disposed in the connection portion in the configuration of any one of the first to fifth aspects.

[0018] In the vehicle seat according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since a regulating member for restricting the rotation of the rotary shaft portion is disposed in the connection portion, the movement of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be restricted. Thereby, the swaying of the occupants sitting on the seat supported by the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be reduced, so that the occurrence of dizziness or the like in the occupants can be suppressed.

[0019] The vehicle seat according to the seventh aspect of the present invention includes a sway detection unit that detects the sway of the seat, and a rotation control unit that restricts the rotation of the rotary shaft portion based on the detection result of the sway detection unit, in the configuration of any one of the first to fifth aspects.

[0020] In the vehicle seat according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the rotation at the rotation shaft portion is restricted based on the detection result by the shake detection portion that detects the shake of the seat, the movement of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be restricted according to the shake of the seat. Thereby, since the shake of the seated occupant supported by the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can be reduced according to the shake of the seat, the occurrence of drunkenness or the like in the seated occupant can be suppressed.

[0021] The vehicle seat according to the eighth aspect of the present invention has, in the configuration of any one of the first to seventh aspects, at least one of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion being movable in at least one direction of the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction.

[0022] In the vehicle seat according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since at least one of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion can move in at least one direction of the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction, it is possible to realize a body pressure distribution that matches the preference of the seated occupant. Thereby, it is possible to make the seated occupant feel a physical sensation according to the preference of the occupant.

[0023] The vehicle seat according to the ninth aspect of the present invention has, in the configuration of any one of the first to eighth aspects, the back frame including a lower frame disposed on the lower side of the seat and an upper frame disposed on the upper side of the seat, the upper frame including a pair of side frames disposed in the seat width direction, the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion being connected to the pair of side frames between the pair of side frames, and the connecting portion being constituted by the pair of side frames.

[0024] In the vehicle seat according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion is constituted by a pair of side frames of the upper frame, and the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion are connected to the pair of side frames between the pair of side frames. Therefore, by rotating the upper frame by the rotation shaft portion, the position of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion in the seat front-rear direction can be adjusted.

Advantages of the Invention

[0025] As described above, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, there is an excellent effect that the physical sensation felt by the occupant can be changed by adjusting the support feeling on the upper side and the lower side of the upper body of the occupant sitting on the seat.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

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Figure 18

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] (First Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. The arrows FR, UP, and LH shown in the figures indicate the front side, upper side, and left side of the seat as seen from an occupant seated on the vehicle seat 10, respectively. Hereinafter, when simply explaining in the front-rear, up-down, and left directions, unless otherwise specified, the front and rear in the seat front-rear direction, the up and down in the seat up-down direction, and the left in the seat left-right direction are shown. Also, the seat left-right direction coincides with the seat width direction.

[0028] The vehicle seat 10 of the present embodiment includes a seat cushion (omitted) that supports the buttocks of the seated occupant from below, a seat back 12 (see FIG. 1) that stands upright from the seat rear end of the seat cushion to above the seat and supports the back of the seated occupant from the rear side, and a headrest (not shown) that supports the head of the seated occupant from the rear side. As the seat cushion and the headrest, known ones can be adopted, and detailed description thereof is omitted here. FIG. 1 is a perspective view seen from the obliquely front side schematically showing the vehicle seat 10, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view seen from the obliquely rear side schematically showing the vehicle seat 10.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat back 12 is configured by attaching a back pad (not shown), which is formed in a shape defined using urethane foam or the like, to a back frame 14 that forms the framework of the seat back 12, and attaching a skin (not shown) to the back pad.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the back frame 14 is a skeletal member made of, for example, metal and resin, and includes a pair of side frames 16, a lower panel 18, and an upper frame 20. The pair of side frames 16 extend in the seat vertical direction at both ends in the seat width direction. The lower panel 18 connects the lower ends of the pair of side frames 16 in the seat width direction. The upper frame 20 connects the upper ends of the pair of side frames 16 in the seat width direction.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the upper frame 20 includes an upper end portion 20A that extends in the seat width direction on the upper side, and a stay support portion 22 that supports a stay (not shown) of the headrest is attached to the upper end portion 20A. Further, the upper frame 20 includes a hypotenuse portion 20B that extends obliquely downward and outward from both ends in the seat width direction of the upper end portion 20A, and a lower end portion 20C that extends downward from the lower end of the hypotenuse portion 20B.

[0032] At the lower ends of the pair of side frames 16, a lower end shaft portion 24 that extends along the seat width direction is provided on the front side of the lower panel 18. Both ends of the lower end shaft portion 24 are fixed to the rear portion of the side frame of the seat cushion frame that forms the framework of the seat section. In the present embodiment, the lower end portions of the pair of side frames 16 are rotatably connected to the rear portion of the side frame of the seat cushion frame about the lower end shaft portion 24 via a reclining mechanism (not shown). Note that a conventionally well-known mechanism can be used as the reclining mechanism, and a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle seat 10 includes an upper runner plate 30 provided on the upper side of the seat and a lower runner plate 40 provided on the lower side of the seat as pressure-receiving portions disposed inside the back frame 14. The upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 are connected by an arm member 50 as a connecting portion. In the present embodiment, a runner member 60 is constituted by the upper runner plate 30, the lower runner plate 40, and the arm member 50.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 50 includes an arm body 50A extending in the vertical direction of the seat, and an upper end portion 50B and a lower end portion 50C provided at both upper and lower ends of the arm body 50A and extending forward. In the present embodiment, as an example, two arm members 50 are respectively attached to both sides in the seat width direction of the rear surfaces 30A and 40A of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40. The upper end portion 50B of the arm member 50 is attached to the rear surface 30A of the upper runner plate 30, and the lower end portion 50C is attached to the rear surface 40A of the lower runner plate 40.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a mounting method of the upper runner plate 30 and the upper end portion 50B of the arm member 50. Since FIG. 2 is schematically shown, the rear surfaces 30A and 40A are shown flat, but actually have the mounting structure shown in FIG. 3.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, the arm member 50 includes a fitting recess 52 that penetrates in the seat width direction on the front end surface of the upper end portion 50B and is circular in a side view with the front side open. The upper runner plate 30 has a protruding portion 32 formed on the rear surface 30A that protrudes toward the rear side and has a curved surface shape slightly smaller than the circular shape of the fitting recess 52 at the tip. The protruding portion 32 includes a hole portion 34 that penetrates in a substantially rectangular shape in the vertical direction, and the rear wall 36 forming the hole portion 34 constitutes the curved tip of the protruding portion 32.

[0037] In this embodiment, the arm member 50 is attached to the upper side runner plate 30 by fitting the fitting recess 52 of the arm member 50 into the rear wall 36 of the upper side runner plate 30 from the open side. Here, by forming the curved surface behind the rear wall 36 into a curved surface shape slightly smaller than the circular shape of the fitting recess 52, the fitting recess 52 can be fitted into the rear wall 36. The fitting recess 52 has elasticity to such an extent that it can be fitted to the rear wall 36 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the open side (the seat up-and-down direction). The lower end portion 50C of the arm member 50 has the same configuration as the upper end portion 50B, and the back surface 40A of the lower side runner plate 40 has the same configuration as the back surface 30A of the upper side runner plate 30. Therefore, also on the lower side of the seat, the arm member 50 is attached to the lower side runner plate 40 in the same manner.

[0038] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 50 includes a long hole 54 that penetrates in the seat width direction and extends in the seat up-and-down direction. The width of the long hole 54 in the minor axis direction is formed to be of a size through which a shaft 72 described later can be inserted, and the shaft 72 is movable along the major axis direction of the long hole 54. In FIG. 1, for the sake of convenience, the illustration of the long hole 54 is omitted.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle seat 10 includes a rotating shaft portion 70 that enables the arm member 50 to rotate about a shaft 72 along the seat width direction. The rotating shaft portion 70 includes a hollow shaft 72 that extends in the seat width direction. The diameter of the shaft 72 is formed to be slightly smaller than the width of the long hole 54 of the arm member 50 in the minor axis direction, and the shaft 72 is inserted into the long hole 54 of the arm member 50. The shaft 72 is slidable along the long hole 54 by a variable mechanism 80 described later, but is non-slidable when no force is applied by the variable mechanism 80.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a side view seen from the left side schematically showing the positional relationship between the upper body of the occupant P sitting on the vehicle seat 10 and the lumbar member 60. As shown in FIG. 4, when the upper side lumbar plate 30 is pushed in the direction of arrow F1 by the upper side P1 of the upper body including the vicinity of the scapula of the occupant P, the lumbar member 60 rotates in the clockwise direction indicated by arrow M about the axis 72. As a result, the lower side lumbar plate 40 comes out toward the front of the seat in the direction opposite to arrow F2. On the other hand, when the lower side lumbar plate 40 is pushed in the direction of arrow F2 by the lower side P2 of the upper body including the height position of the hip point HP of the occupant P, the lumbar member 60 rotates in the counterclockwise direction indicated by arrow M about the axis 72. As a result, the upper side lumbar plate 30 comes out toward the front of the seat in the direction opposite to arrow F1.

[0041] In the present embodiment, as an example, a frictional resistance is set between the axis 72 and the long hole 54. Specifically, for example, a frictional resistance body 74 having a larger frictional resistance than the other outer peripheral surfaces is interposed on at least the outer peripheral surface of the axis 72 at a position corresponding to the long hole 54. At this time, the frictional resistance is set so that the lumbar member 60 does not rotate due to the back-and-forth movement of the occupant P accompanying the back-and-forth movement of the vehicle during travel.

[0042] Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle seat 10 includes a variable mechanism 80 that varies the position of the rotary shaft portion 70 in the seat up-and-down direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the variable mechanism 80 moves the axis 72 in the seat up-and-down direction, that is, in the direction of arrow H. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the variable mechanism 80 includes a lead screw shaft 82 as a movable member that enables the rotary shaft portion 70 to move in the seat up-and-down direction, and a motor portion 84 as a drive source that moves the lead screw shaft 82 as a movable member.

[0043] The lead screw shaft 82 is provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40, and both ends in the seat vertical direction are supported by support brackets 86. The support brackets 86 disposed on the upper side are fixed to the lower end portion 20C of the upper frame 20, and the support brackets 86 disposed on the lower side are fixed to the lower end portion of the side frame 16. Thus, the lead screw shaft 82 is fixed to the back frame 14 by the support brackets 86.

[0044] The motor unit 84 includes a motor main body 84A and a motor shaft 84B rotated by the motor main body 84A. The motor unit 84 of the present embodiment is disposed substantially at the center in the vehicle width direction, and a geared motor or the like having an orthogonal axis is used as an example. The motor shaft 84B of the motor main body 84A is attached so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and in the present embodiment, it is attached so as to penetrate inside the shaft 72.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining the details of the variable mechanism 80. As shown in FIG. 5, worms 84C that rotate together with the motor shaft 84B are fixed to the tips on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the motor shaft 84B. Note that illustration of the teeth formed on the outer peripheral surface of the worm 84C is omitted. Further, the lead screw shaft 82 is provided with a slider portion 88 as a worm wheel that meshes with the lead screw shaft 82 on the inner surface and moves in the axial direction (seat vertical direction) of the lead screw shaft 82.

[0046] The slider portion 88 is formed with teeth (not shown) that mesh with the above-described worm 84C on the outer peripheral surface, and is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the worm 84C. Note that the above-described variable mechanism 80 is actually covered by a cover member 89 (see FIG. 6) provided outside the vehicle of the arm member 50. Further, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the variable mechanism 80 is described schematically, and thus illustration of the worm 84C and the like is omitted.

[0047] Here, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 are indirectly supported by the back frame 14 via the rotating shaft portion 70 and the variable mechanism 80.

[0048] When the motor shaft 84B is rotated by driving the motor main body portion 84A, the worm 84C is rotated together with the motor shaft 84B. When the worm 84C is rotated, the slider portion 88 is rotated about the axis of the lead screw shaft 82 and moved along the axial direction of the lead screw shaft 82. FIG. 6 is a rear view schematically showing the movement of the rotating shaft portion 70 in the vertical direction of the seat.

[0049] As an example, when the motor shaft 84B is rotated forward at the position shown in FIG. 6(B), for example, the slider portion 88 is moved upward. As shown in FIG. 6(A), as the slider portion 88 moves upward, the worm 84C meshed with the slider portion 88, the motor portion 84 including the motor shaft 84B to which the worm 84C is fixed, the rotating shaft portion 70 including the shaft 72 through which the motor shaft 84B is inserted, and the cover member 89 are also moved upward. Conversely, when the motor shaft 84B is rotated reversely, for example, the slider portion 88 is moved downward. As shown in FIG. 6(C), as the slider portion 88 moves downward, the worm 84C meshed with the slider portion 88, the motor portion 84 including the motor shaft 84B to which the worm 84C is fixed, the rotating shaft portion 70 including the shaft 72 through which the motor shaft 84B is inserted, and the cover member 89 are also moved downward.

[0050] Next, the configuration of the vehicle 100 on which the vehicle seat 10 is mounted will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the vehicle 100 on which the vehicle seat 10 is mounted. The vehicle 100 of the present embodiment includes, as shown in FIG. 7, a vehicle ECU 90, a switching drive switch 92, and the motor main body portion 84A described above.

[0051] The vehicle ECU 90 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit: processor) 90A, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 90B, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 90C, a storage 90D, a communication interface (communication I / F) 90E, and an input / output interface (input / output I / F) 90F. Each component uses known technology and is connected to be communicable with each other via a bus 90G.

[0052] Connected to the input / output I / F 90F are a switching drive switch 92 and the motor main body 84A etc. described above.

[0053] The switching drive switch 92 is disposed inside the vehicle 100, specifically at a position where it can be operated by an occupant seated on the vehicle seat 10. The switching drive switch 92 is a switch for switching and driving the rotation direction of the motor main body 84A. That is, by operating the switching drive switch 92, the forward rotation and reverse rotation of the motor main body 84A can be switched, so that, as shown in FIG. 6, the moving direction of the rotating shaft portion can be switched between the upward direction and the downward direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, as an example, the switching drive switch 92 is configured to be able to select an off state, an upward movement on state, and a downward movement on state. The vehicle ECU 90 stops, rotates forward, or rotates reversely the motor main body 84A based on the signal output from the switching drive switch 92. As shown in FIG. 6, a limit is provided for the moving range of the rotating shaft portion 70 according to the length of the lead screw shaft 82, and the vehicle ECU 90 controls the rotation of the motor main body 84A to move within the limit.

[0055] (Operation and Effect of the First Embodiment) Next, the operation and effect of the first embodiment will be described.

[0056] In the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment described above, the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 are connected by the arm member 50, and the arm member 50 is rotatable about the axis 72 along the seat width direction by the rotation shaft portion 70. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the occupant P sits on the vehicle seat 10, when the upper half upper side P1 corresponding to the upper side of the seat including the vicinity of the scapula enters the seat, the upper lumbar plate 30 is pushed in the direction of arrow F1 and the arm member 50 rotates in the clockwise direction indicated by arrow M about the axis 72. As a result, the lower lumbar plate 40 moves forward in the seat direction, which is the opposite direction to the arrow F2, so that the upper half lower side P2 corresponding to the lower side of the seat including the height position of the hip point HP of the occupant P is supported by the lower lumbar plate 40. Conversely, when the upper half lower side P2 enters the seat, the lower lumbar plate 40 is pushed in the direction of arrow F2 and the arm member 50 rotates in the counterclockwise direction indicated by arrow M about the axis 72, and the upper lumbar plate 30 moves forward in the seat direction, which is the opposite direction to the arrow F1, so that the upper half upper side P1 is supported by the upper lumbar plate 30.

[0057] And in the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, since the variable mechanism 80 for varying the position of the rotation shaft portion 70 is provided in the seat vertical direction, by changing the position of the rotation shaft portion 70, it is possible to make it easier or more difficult for the upper half upper side P1 of the occupant P or the upper half lower side P2 of the occupant P to enter the seat. Further, the support for the upper half upper side P1 and the upper half lower side P2 of the occupant P by the lower lumbar plate 40 or the upper lumbar plate 30 can be strengthened or weakened. Thus, according to the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, the physical sensation felt by the occupant P can be changed by adjusting the support feeling of the upper half upper side P1 and the upper half lower side P2 of the occupant P sitting on the seat. In this way, by changing the physical sensation of the occupant P sitting on the seat, the discomfort felt by the sitting occupant P can be reduced.

[0058] In addition, in the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, the variable mechanism 80 includes a lead screw shaft 82 as a movable member that enables the rotary shaft portion 70 to move in the seat vertical direction, and a motor main body portion 84A as a drive source for moving the lead screw shaft 82. Therefore, the rotary shaft portion 70 can be moved in the seat vertical direction by the motor main body portion 84A.

[0059] Also, in the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, by switching the rotation direction of the motor main body portion 84A by operating the switching drive switch 92, the rotary shaft portion can be moved in an arbitrary direction in the vertical direction. Therefore, the occupant P sitting on the seat can adjust the vertical position of the rotary shaft portion 70 to an arbitrary position by operating the switching drive switch 92. Thus, the positions of the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 in the seat front-rear direction can be adjusted according to the upper body shapes of various occupants P. Thereby, the body pressure can be dispersed according to the preference of the occupant P, so that the occupant P sitting on the seat can feel a physical sensation according to the preference of the occupant P.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a side view schematically showing the state of the lumbar member 60 when the rotary shaft portion 70 is moved. For example, an occupant P who prefers to be supported at the upper half upper side P1 near the scapula operates the switching drive switch 92 when sitting, so that, as shown in FIG. 8, the rotary shaft portion 70, that is, the shaft 72, is moved upward. Thereby, the lumbar member 60 is moved from the position shown by the solid line in the left figure to the position shown by the solid line in the right figure, that is, upward. Thereby, it is possible to facilitate the movement of the lower lumbar plate 40 rearward in the seat, so that it is possible to facilitate the movement of the upper lumbar plate 30 forward in the seat. Thereby, the support of the upper half upper side P1 near the scapula of the occupant P by the upper lumbar plate 30 can be strengthened.

[0061] Generally, when the vehicle is running, the occupant P sitting on the seat sways in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and this sway may cause the occupant P to feel dizzy or the like. In the vehicle seat 10 according to the first embodiment, since a frictional resistance is set between the rotary shaft portion 70 and the arm member 50, the movement of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be restricted. As a result, the sway of the seated occupant P supported by the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be reduced, so that the occurrence of dizziness or the like in the seated occupant P can be suppressed.

[0062] (Second Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13. The vehicle seat 10A according to the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, and detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted here, and only the different parts will be described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a vehicle 100A on which the vehicle seat 10A according to the second embodiment is mounted.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 9, the vehicle 100A of the present embodiment further includes an acceleration sensor 94 with respect to the vehicle 100 of the first embodiment. The acceleration sensor 94 is a sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 100A. As an example, a triaxial acceleration sensor can be used. The triaxial acceleration sensor can detect accelerations in three different directions, that is, the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the vehicle 100A, and can output a signal based on the acceleration to the vehicle ECU 90.

[0064] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle ECU 90 in FIG. 9. The vehicle ECU 90 realizes various functions by using the above-mentioned hardware resources. As shown in FIG. 10, the vehicle ECU 90 includes a position control unit 96 as a functional configuration. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 90A reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 90B or the storage 90D.

[0065] Based on the signal output from the acceleration sensor 94, the position control unit 96 controls the position of the rotary shaft portion 70 by moving the motor main body portion 84A. FIG. 11 is a side view schematically showing the state of the upper body of the occupant P seated on the seat when feeling an acceleration.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 11, when the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 10A feels an acceleration, that is, when the vehicle 100A accelerates, the upper upper body P1 moves rearward from the state shown by the two-dot chain line to the state shown by the solid line, so that the upper upper body P1 sinks into the seat and the lower upper body P2 is supported. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the position control unit 96 controls the position of the rotary shaft portion 70 in response to the acceleration of the vehicle 100A. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a series of processes in response to the acceleration in the vehicle seat 10A.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 12, in step S11, the position control unit 96 detects the signals output from the acceleration sensor 94 at predetermined intervals and determines whether the acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. Here, the signal output from the acceleration sensor 94 is a signal indicating the acceleration of the vehicle 100A. When the detected acceleration is less than the predetermined threshold value (step S11; NO), the position control unit 96 repeats the process of step S11 until the acceleration becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value. On the other hand, when the detected acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value (step S11; YES), in step S12, the position control unit 96 determines whether the setting of the vehicle seat 10A set based on the acceleration feeling desired by the occupant P is with an acceleration feeling.

[0068] In step S12, when it is determined that there is an acceleration feeling (step S12; YES), in step S13, the position control unit 96 moves the rotation center downward. FIG. 13 is a side view schematically showing the state of the upper body of the occupant P seated on the seat and the state of the lumbar member 60 when feeling the acceleration feeling. As shown in FIG. 13, by moving the rotation center, that is, the shaft 72, downward, the upper moment in the arm member 50 increases, so the lumbar member 60 rotates with the upper lumbar plate 30 rotating rearward. And with the rearward rotation of the upper lumbar plate 30, the lower lumbar plate 40 rotates forward.

[0069] As a result, the upper part P1 of the upper body of the occupant P moves rearward by the rearward rotation of the upper lumbar plate 30 and gets into the seat. Also, the lower part P2 of the upper body of the occupant P is more strongly supported by the lower lumbar plate 40 due to the forward rotation of the lower lumbar plate 40. Thus, the occupant P is in the state when feeling the acceleration feeling shown in FIG. 11, so an acceleration feeling can be obtained.

[0070] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S12 that there is no acceleration feeling (step S12; NO), in step S14, the position control unit 96 moves the rotation center upward. By moving the rotation center, that is, the shaft 72, upward, the lower moment in the arm member 50 increases, so the lumbar member 60 rotates with the upper lumbar plate 30 rotating forward. And with the forward rotation of the upper lumbar plate 30, the lower lumbar plate 40 rotates rearward (see FIG. 8).

[0071] As a result, the upper part P1 of the upper body of the occupant P moves forward by the forward rotation of the upper lumbar plate 30 and is more strongly supported by the upper lumbar plate 30. Also, the lower part P2 of the upper body of the occupant P gets into the seat due to the rearward rotation of the lower lumbar plate 40. Thus, the occupant P is in a state opposite to the state when feeling the acceleration feeling shown in FIG. 11, so the acceleration feeling can be suppressed. Note that the rotation center is moved by a predetermined amount of movement for each increase or decrease amount of the acceleration.

[0072] Returning to FIG. 12, in step S15, the position control unit 96 detects whether the detected acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. If the acceleration is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value (step S15; YES), the position control unit 96 transfers the process to step S12 and performs the processes after step S12. On the other hand, if the detected acceleration is less than the predetermined threshold value (step S15; NO), in step S16, the position control unit 96 returns the rotation center to the normal setting. That is, the position control unit 96 moves the shaft 72 to a substantially central portion in the seat vertical direction of the arm member 50. The position control unit 96 controls the position of the rotary shaft portion 70 as described above.

[0073] (Operation and Effect of Second Embodiment) Next, the operation and effect of the second embodiment will be described.

[0074] In the vehicle seat 10A of the second embodiment described above, since the position of the rotary shaft portion 70 can be controlled based on the signal from the acceleration sensor 94, the acceleration feeling felt by the occupant sitting on the seat can be adjusted. Note that the vehicle seat 10A of the second embodiment includes a switching drive switch 92 as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the switching drive switch 92 may not be provided.

[0075] (Third Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10B according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Note that the vehicle seat 10B according to the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment described above, and detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted here, and only the different parts will be described. FIG. 14 is a rear view schematically showing a main part of the vehicle seat 10B according to the third embodiment.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 14, the vehicle seat 10B of the present embodiment further includes a leaf spring 76 as a regulating member for regulating the rotation of the rotary shaft portion 70 with respect to the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment. The leaf spring 76 is disposed on the arm member 50 as an example, and is provided so as to connect the arm member 50 and the upper frame 20. Note that the leaf spring 76 is provided on the arm members 50 on both the left and right sides as an example.

[0077] (Operation and Effect of the Third Embodiment) Next, the operation and effect of the third embodiment will be described.

[0078] In the vehicle seat 10B of the third embodiment described above, since the leaf spring 76 for regulating the rotation of the rotary shaft portion 70 is provided on the arm member 50, the rotation of the arm member 50 can be regulated by the leaf spring 76. Therefore, the movement of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be regulated, so that the sway of the occupant in the vehicle longitudinal direction supported by the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be reduced. As a result, the occurrence of drunkenness or the like in the occupant sitting on the seat can be suppressed.

[0079] Note that the vehicle seat 10B of the third embodiment is an example in which the leaf spring 76 is provided in the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the leaf spring 76 may be provided in the vehicle seat 10A of the second embodiment.

[0080] (Fourth Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. Note that the vehicle seat 10C according to the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the vehicle seat 10 of the second embodiment, and detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted here, and only different portions will be described. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a vehicle 100C on which the vehicle seat 10C according to the fourth embodiment is mounted.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 15, the vehicle 100C of the present embodiment further includes a shake detection unit 98 with respect to the vehicle 100A of the second embodiment. The shake detection unit 98 is composed of a sensor that detects the shake of the vehicle seat 10C and is attached to the vehicle seat 10C. As an example, the shake detection unit 98 can use a triaxial acceleration sensor. The triaxial acceleration sensor is capable of detecting accelerations in three different directions, namely, the front-rear direction, the width direction, and the height direction of the vehicle seat 10C, and is capable of outputting a signal based on the acceleration to the vehicle ECU 90.

[0082] Also, in the present embodiment, as an example, the shaft 72 is fixedly attached to the arm member 50 so as not to rotate, and a motor (not shown) for rotating the shaft 72 is attached to the shaft 72. This motor is attached by a known technique so as to transmit the rotation of the motor shaft of the motor to the shaft 72.

[0083] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle ECU 90 in FIG. 15. The vehicle ECU 90 realizes various functions using the above hardware resources. As shown in FIG. 16, the vehicle ECU 90 is configured to include a rotation control unit 99 as a functional configuration. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 90A reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 90B or the storage 90D.

[0084] The rotation control unit 99 controls the rotation of the shaft 72 by moving the motor attached to the shaft 72 based on the signal output from the shake detection unit 98. The rotation control unit 99 controls the rotation of the arm member 50 fixed to the shaft 72 by controlling the rotation of the shaft 72. Specifically, the rotation control unit 99 rotates the shaft 72, that is, the arm member 50, so as to cancel out the front-rear shake of the vehicle seat 10C detected by the shake detection unit 98.

[0085] (Operations and Effects of the Fourth Embodiment) Next, the operations and effects of the fourth embodiment will be described.

[0086] In the vehicle seat 10C of the fourth embodiment described above, since the rotation of the shaft 72, that is, the arm member 50, is restricted based on the detection result by the shake detection unit 98 that detects the shake of the vehicle seat 10C, the movement of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be restricted according to the shake of the vehicle seat 10C. Thereby, since the front-back shake of the occupant supported by the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be reduced according to the shake of the vehicle seat 10C, the occurrence of drunkenness or the like in the seated occupant can be suppressed.

[0087] (Fifth Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10D according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 17. The vehicle seat 10D according to the present embodiment may have substantially the same configuration as any of the vehicle seats 10, 10A to 10C of the first to fourth embodiments described above. Detailed descriptions of the same configurations will be omitted here, and only the different parts will be described. FIG. 17 is a perspective view schematically showing the vehicle seat 10D according to the fifth embodiment as viewed from the obliquely front side. The arrows FR, UP, RH, and LH shown in the figure indicate the front side, upper side, right side, and left side of the seat as viewed from an occupant seated on the vehicle seat 10D, respectively. Hereinafter, when simply using the front-back, up-down, and left-right directions for description, unless otherwise specified, they indicate the front-back in the seat front-back direction, the up-down in the seat up-down direction, and the left-right in the seat left-right direction. Also, the seat left-right direction coincides with the seat width direction.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 17, in the vehicle seat 10D of the present embodiment, the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 are movable in the vertical direction and the front-back direction. Specifically, as an example, a known electric slide mechanism can be adopted for the attachment of the arm member 50 to the upper runner plate 30 and the attachment of the arm member 50 to the lower runner plate 40. Thereby, for example, when the occupant operates the operation switch, the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 can be moved in the vertical direction and the front-back direction with respect to the arm member 50.

[0089] (Operation and Effect of the Fifth Embodiment) Next, the operation and effect of the fifth embodiment will be described.

[0090] In the vehicle seat 10D of the fifth embodiment described above, since the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 can move in the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction, it is possible to realize a body pressure distribution that better suits the preferences of the occupant, and it is possible to make the occupant sitting on the seat feel a physical sensation according to the occupant's preferences.

[0091] In the vehicle seat 10D of the fifth embodiment, both the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 are movable in the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only the upper lumbar plate 30 or only the lower lumbar plate 40 may be movable in the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction. Also, it is not limited to being movable in the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction, and it may be movable in at least one of the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction.

[0092] (Sixth Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10E according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 18. Note that, regarding the same configuration as the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, the detailed description here is omitted, and only the different parts will be described. FIG. 18 is a front view schematically showing the vehicle seat 10E according to the sixth embodiment as seen from the front. Note that the arrows UP and LH shown in the figure indicate the upper side and the left side of the seat as seen from an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 10D, respectively.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 18, the back frame 14 of the vehicle seat 10E of the present embodiment includes an upper frame 21 disposed on the upper side of the seat and a lower frame 23 disposed on the lower side of the seat. The upper frame 21 includes, on the upper side, an upper end portion 21A extending in the seat width direction and side end portions 21B extending downward from both ends in the seat width direction of the upper end portion 21A, respectively.

[0094] As an example, the upper end portion 21A and the left and right side end portions 21B are integrally formed. In the present embodiment, an upper lumbar plate 30 is attached to the upper end portion 21A, and a lower lumbar plate 40 is attached between the left and right side end portions 21B. Note that the attachment method of the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 is not particularly limited, and it may be rotatable together with the rotation about the axis D extending in the vehicle width direction of the upper frame 20.

[0095] The lower frame 23 includes, on the lower side, a lower end portion 23A extending in the seat width direction and side lower frames 23B extending upward from both ends in the seat width direction of the lower end portion 23A, respectively. The left and right side end portions 21B are rotatably attached to the left and right side lower frames 23B about the axis D inside the upper end portions of the left and right side lower frames 23B.

[0096] The left and right side lower frames 23B are each rotatably connected to the rear portion of the side frame of the seat cushion frame via a bracket 25.

[0097] That is, in the present embodiment with respect to the above-described embodiment, the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 are attached to the upper frame 21 itself, and the side end portion 21B functions as the arm member 50, that is, the connecting portion, of the above-described embodiment. In the present embodiment, the upper lumbar plate 30 and the lower lumbar plate 40 are directly supported by the back frame 14. Although not shown, a rotation shaft portion 70 and a variable mechanism 80 are provided in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0098] (Operation and Effect of the Sixth Embodiment) Next, the operation and effect of the sixth embodiment will be described.

[0099] In the vehicle seat 10E of the sixth embodiment described above, the connecting portion is constituted by side end portions 21B as a pair of side frames of the upper frame 21, and the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 are connected to the pair of side end portions 21B between the pair of side end portions 21B. Therefore, when the upper frame 21 rotates by the rotating shaft portion 70, the positions of the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40 in the front-rear direction of the seat can be adjusted. Thus, even in the mode where the upper frame 20 directly supports the upper runner plate 30 and the lower runner plate 40, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiments can be obtained.

[0100] [Remarks] In the above-described embodiment, the variable mechanism 80 is a mechanism using a lead screw shaft 82 and a motor portion 84, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a known mechanism using hydraulic pressure, a spring, an electromagnet, or the like may be used to move the rotating shaft portion 70.

[0101] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications other than the above can be implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0102] 10 Vehicle seat 10A~10E Vehicle seats 12 Seat back 14 Back frame 20, 21 Upper frame 21B Side end portion (side frame) 23 Lower frame 30 Upper runner plate (upper pressure receiving portion) 40 Lower side runner plate (lower pressure receiving part) 50 Arm member (connection part) 70 Rotating shaft part 72 Shaft 76 Leaf spring (restricting member) 80 Variable mechanism 82 Lead screw shaft (movable member) 84 Motor part (driving source) 92 Switch for switching drive 94 Acceleration sensor 96 Position control part 98 Shaking detection part 99 Rotation control part

Claims

1. A back frame forming a framework of a seat back for supporting the back of an occupant, an upper pressure receiving portion provided above in the seat vertical direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame, a lower pressure receiving portion provided below in the seat vertical direction and directly or indirectly supported by the back frame, a connecting portion connecting the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion, a rotating shaft portion enabling the connecting portion to rotate about an axis along the seat width direction, a variable mechanism for varying the position of the rotating shaft portion in the seat vertical direction, and a vehicle seat including the same.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the variable mechanism includes a movable member enabling the rotating shaft portion to move in the seat vertical direction, and a drive source for moving the movable member.

3. The variable mechanism includes a switching drive switch capable of being driven by switching the rotation direction of the drive source, and the vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the rotating shaft portion is moved in the seat vertical direction by operating the switching drive switch.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, further including a position control portion for controlling the position of the rotating shaft portion by moving the drive source based on a signal from an acceleration sensor provided in a vehicle.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a frictional resistance is set between the rotating shaft portion and the connecting portion.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a regulating member for regulating rotation of the rotating shaft portion is disposed on the connecting portion.

7. a shake detection portion for detecting a shake of the seat, and a rotation control portion for regulating rotation of the rotating shaft portion based on a detection result by the shake detection portion. and the vehicle seat according to claim 1 including the same.

8. In the vehicle seat according to claim 1, at least one of the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion is movable in at least one direction of the seat vertical direction and the seat front-rear direction.

9. The back frame includes a lower frame disposed below the seat and an upper frame disposed above the seat, the upper frame includes a pair of side frames disposed in the seat width direction, the upper pressure receiving portion and the lower pressure receiving portion are connected to the pair of side frames between the pair of side frames, and the vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is constituted by the pair of side frames.

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