Seat for vehicle

Abstract

To make it easy to apply a pressure on a crew member from a fluid encapsulation member, concerning a seat having a pad member, and the expandable / shrinkable fluid encapsulation member provided on the surface side of the pad member.SOLUTION: Seats 1, 101, 201, 301 for a vehicle each having a pad member 13, and an expandable fluid encapsulation member 9 provided on the surface side of the pad member, contain hard members 18, 218 harder to deform than the pad member, and provided on the back part side of the fluid encapsulation member. At the expansion time of the fluid encapsulation member, the hard members suppress deformation of the pad member against a pressure from the fluid encapsulation member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is known a vehicle seat configured to blow air from the surface on the occupant side (for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle seat of Patent Document 1, a ventilation passage is provided inside the seat cushion. When the blower blows air toward the ventilation passage, the air passes through the ventilation passage and blows out from the surface on the occupant side of the seat body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventor of the present application came up with the idea of providing a ventilation passage in the vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1, expanding and contracting an air cell which is a fluid encapsulating member, and performing massage and posture control of the occupant.

[0005] However, the inventor noticed that when the air cell expands, the pad may deform, the air cell may move toward the pad side, and it may become difficult for the pressure from the air cell to be applied to the occupant.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to make it easier for pressure to be applied from a fluid encapsulating member to an occupant in a seat including a pad member and a fluid encapsulating member provided on the surface side of the pad member and capable of expanding and contracting.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat (1, 101, 201, 301) including a pad member (13) and an inflatable fluid encapsulating member (9) provided on the front side of the pad member, including a rigid member (18, 218) provided on the back side of the fluid encapsulating member and more difficult to deform than the pad member, the rigid member suppressing deformation of the pad member against the pressure from the fluid encapsulating member when the fluid encapsulating member expands.

[0008] According to this aspect, the deformation of the pad member is suppressed by the rigid member. Thereby, the load generated by the expansion of the fluid encapsulating member is difficult to be transmitted to the pad member. Therefore, it becomes easier for the pressure from the fluid encapsulating member to be applied to the occupant.

[0009] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, a flow path (38, 138) passing through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member is provided, the rigid member has a cylindrical shape, and at least a part of the flow path is defined.

[0010] According to this aspect, since the rigid member resists when the load due to the expansion of the fluid encapsulating member is applied to the pad member, deformation of the flow path can be prevented.

[0011] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the pad member includes a pad body (16) constituting the back side, a flow path forming piece (17) superposed on the pad body and having a slit (25) for accommodating the rigid member, and an upper forming piece (19) superposed on the flow path forming piece, and the rigid member and the flow path forming piece are integrally molded products.

[0012] According to this aspect, the assembly of the vehicle seat is simplified.

[0013] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, it further has a sheet-like flow path forming member (117) having a flow path (138), and the rigid member (118) is provided between the pad member and the flow path forming member.

[0014] According to this aspect, a flow path can be easily formed in the vehicle seat.

[0015] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, the rigid member and the flow path forming member are adhered to form an integral body.

[0016] According to this aspect, the assembly of the vehicle seat becomes easy.

[0017] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, a flow path passing through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member is provided in the pad member, the rigid member (218) is provided between the back surface of the fluid encapsulating member and the front surface of the pad member, and the width of the rigid member in the vehicle width direction is larger than the width of the fluid encapsulating member in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] According to this aspect, since the flow path passes through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member, miniaturization of the vehicle seat can be achieved. Further, by supporting the fluid encapsulating member with the rigid member, the pressure applied to the pad member can be dispersed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the fluid from flowing hardly in the flow path due to the deformation of the pad member.

[0019] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, the rigid member and the fluid encapsulating member are rectangular in a front-back direction view, and the width of the rigid member in a direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction is larger than the width of the fluid encapsulating member in a direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction.

[0020] According to this aspect, the pressure applied to the pad member can be more dispersed, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the fluid from flowing hardly in the flow path.

[0021] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, a protruding wall (220) protruding in a direction away from the front surface of the pad member is provided at an edge of the rigid member.

[0022] According to this aspect, the movement of the fluid encapsulating member during expansion can be suppressed.

[0023] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, a plurality of the fluid encapsulating members are provided, and the flow path communicates between the adjacent fluid encapsulating members.

[0024] According to this aspect, it is possible to access through the flow path the gap between adjacent fluid encapsulating members where air is likely to stay.

Advantages of the Invention

[0025] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat including a pad member and an inflatable fluid encapsulating member (9) provided on the front side of the pad member, including a rigid member provided on the back side of the fluid encapsulating member and being more difficult to deform than the pad member, and the rigid member suppresses deformation of the pad member against the pressure from the fluid encapsulating member when the fluid encapsulating member expands. According to this aspect, the deformation of the pad member is suppressed by the rigid member. Thereby, the load generated by the expansion of the fluid encapsulating member is less likely to be transmitted to the pad member. Therefore, it becomes easier for the pressure from the fluid encapsulating member to be applied to the occupant.

[0026] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, a flow path passing through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member is provided, the rigid member has a cylindrical shape, and defines at least a part of the flow path. According to this aspect, since the rigid member counteracts when the load due to the expansion of the fluid encapsulating member is applied to the pad member, deformation of the flow path can be prevented.

[0027] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, the pad member includes a pad body constituting the back side, a flow path forming piece that is overlaid on the pad body and has a slit for accommodating the rigid member, and an upper forming piece overlaid on the flow path forming piece, and the rigid member and the flow path forming piece are integrally molded. According to this aspect, the assembly of the vehicle seat is simplified.

[0028] Further, in the above aspect, preferably, it further has a sheet-like flow path forming member having a flow path, and the rigid member is provided between the pad member and the flow path forming member. According to this aspect, a flow path can be easily formed in the vehicle seat.

[0029] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, according to the aspect in which the rigid member and the flow path forming member are adhered to form a single body, the assembly of the vehicle seat becomes easy.

[0030] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, a flow path passing through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member is provided in the pad member, the rigid member is provided between the back surface of the fluid encapsulating member and the front surface of the pad member, and the width of the rigid member in the vehicle width direction is larger than the width of the fluid encapsulating member in the vehicle width direction. According to this aspect, since the flow path passes through the back side of the fluid encapsulating member, the vehicle seat can be downsized. Further, by supporting the fluid encapsulating member with the rigid member, the pressure applied to the pad member can be dispersed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the fluid from becoming difficult to flow in the flow path due to the deformation of the pad member.

[0031] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, the rigid member and the fluid encapsulating member are rectangular when viewed in the front-back direction, and the width of the rigid member in the direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction is larger than the width of the fluid encapsulating member in the direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction. According to this aspect, the pressure applied to the pad member can be more dispersed, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the fluid from becoming difficult to flow in the flow path.

[0032] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, according to the aspect in which a protruding wall protruding in a direction away from the front surface of the pad member is provided at the edge of the rigid member, the movement of the fluid encapsulating member during expansion can be suppressed.

[0033] Also, in the above aspect, preferably, according to the aspect in which a plurality of the fluid encapsulating members are provided and the flow path communicates between the adjacent fluid encapsulating members, it is possible to access the gap between the adjacent fluid encapsulating members where air is likely to stay through the flow path.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0035] Hereinafter, an example in which the vehicle seat of the present invention is applied to a seat mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, with reference to the vehicle, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions will be defined for explanation.

[0036] <<First Embodiment>> As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 1 is placed on the floor 3 that defines the bottom of the vehicle compartment 2 of the vehicle so as to face the front of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the vehicle seat 1 constitutes the passenger seat on the driver's side.

[0037] The vehicle seat 1 has a seat cushion 5 coupled to the floor 3, a seat back 6 coupled to the rear portion of the seat cushion 5, and a headrest 7 provided above the seat back 6. The seat cushion 5 supports the buttocks and thighs of the seated occupant. The seat back 6 is located behind the waist and back of the seated occupant, and the headrest 7 is located behind the head of the seated occupant.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat 1 includes an air cell 9 as a fluid encapsulating member and an air cell driving device 10 for supplying and exhausting air to and from each of the air cells 9. A plurality of air cells 9 are provided inside the seat cushion 5. The air cells 9 are arranged in pairs on the left and right at positions corresponding generally to the left and right thighs of the occupant inside the seat cushion 5. In the present embodiment, the air cells 9 forming pairs on the left and right are provided so as to form rows (three rows in the present embodiment) in the front-rear direction. When the air cell driving device 10 is driven, the air cells 9 are respectively supplied and exhausted with air and repeatedly expand and contract, and the buttocks and thighs of the occupant are pressed. As a result, it is expected that the thighs of the occupant are massaged and a relaxation effect is brought to the occupant.

[0039] Furthermore, a flow path 38 (ventilation path) is formed inside the seat cushion 5 of the vehicle seat 1. This flow path 38 is a passage for guiding the air from a blower 39 (see FIG. 2) provided in the vehicle seat 1 to the seating surface of the seat cushion 5.

[0040] Next, the structure of the seat cushion 5 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the seat cushion 5 has a cushion frame 12 supported by the vehicle body and forming the skeleton of the seat cushion 5, a pad member 13 supported by the cushion frame 12, and a skin material 14 covering the surface of the pad member 13. The skin material 14 constitutes the design surface of the seat cushion 5 and is preferably composed of a stretchable cloth material that stretches due to the expansion of the air cell 9.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the pad member 13 includes a pad body 16 supported by the cushion frame 12, a flow path forming piece 17 laminated on a part of the upper surface of the pad body 16, a rigid member 18 coupled to the flow path forming piece 17, and an upper forming piece 19 laminated on the upper surfaces of the flow path forming piece 17 and the rigid member 18 and covered with the skin material 14. The pad body 16, the flow path forming piece 17, and the upper forming piece 19 are each elastically deformable and are formed of a foamed resin such as urethane foam. In the present embodiment, the pad body 16, the flow path forming piece 17, and the upper forming piece 19 are all composed of the same kind of material.

[0043] The pad body 16 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member that constitutes the lower part of the seat cushion 5 and is supported from below by the cushion frame 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pad body 16 is provided with a communication hole 21 penetrating vertically. As shown in FIG. 4, a duct 22 is coupled to the lower surface of the pad body 16. The duct 22 has a cylindrical shape with an inner hole. In the present embodiment, the duct 22 is constituted by a bellows pipe. The duct 22 is coupled to the pad body 16 in a state where its inner hole communicates with the communication hole 21. The pad body 16 is preferably provided with a connecting member 23 (for example, a hose nipple or the like) for connecting the duct 22 to the pad body 16.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, the flow path forming piece 17 has a sheet shape (that is, a plate shape). The flow path forming piece 17 is provided with a continuous slit 25 (also referred to as a groove) penetrating in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the slit 25 has a predetermined width when viewed in the vertical direction and has a Y shape that branches into two branches from the base end side (rear side) to the extending end side (front side). The base end of the slit 25 is provided at a position vertically aligned with the communication hole 21 when the flow path forming piece 17 is laminated on the pad body 16.

[0045] The rigid member 18 includes two branch portions 27 extending in the front-rear direction and a connecting portion 28 that connects the two branch portions 27 on the rear end side and extends in the front-rear direction, forming a Y shape corresponding to the slit 25. The rigid member 18 is sealed at the front and rear ends and is composed of a square pipe that branches into two on the rear end side. Cavities are formed in the internal portions of the branch portions 27 and the connecting portion 28 in their respective extending directions, and the rear end of the cavity of the branch portion 27 is connected to the front end of the cavity of the connecting portion 28. The front end of the cavity of the branch portion 27 and the rear end of the connecting portion 28 are respectively sealed. Thereby, a Y-shaped internal space 31 corresponding to the slit 25 is formed inside the rigid member 18. The rigid member 18 is composed of a material (such as plastic or metal) that is harder than, for example, the pad body 16, the flow path forming piece 17, and the upper forming piece 19, and is less likely to deform under external pressure.

[0046] The rigid member 18 has substantially the same thickness as the flow path forming piece 17 in the vertical direction. The rigid member 18 is fitted into the slit 25 and is accommodated in the slit 25. The outer wall of the rigid member 18 is joined to the wall surface that defines the slit 25. In the present embodiment, the rigid member 18 and the flow path forming piece 17 are integrally formed by integral foaming.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, a connecting portion through hole 33 communicating with the internal space 31 is provided in the rear portion of the lower wall of the connecting portion 28. The connecting portion through hole 33 is provided at a position that vertically overlaps the communication hole 21 when the flow path forming piece 17 is laminated on the pad body 16. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, branch portion connecting holes 34 communicating with the internal space 31 are provided on the front end side of the upper surface of the branch portion 27 so as to be arranged in the front-rear direction.

[0048] The upper forming piece 19 has a sheet-like (plate-like) shape extending along the seating surface of the seat cushion 5. A plurality of upper through holes 36 penetrating vertically are provided in the upper forming piece 19. In the present embodiment, the upper through holes 36 are arranged adjacent to each other left and right in the upper forming piece 19 to form a pair. Hereinafter, the pair of upper through holes 36 will be referred to as the upper through hole pair 36P. The upper through hole pair 36P is provided with a space left and right and arranged in a row front and back. The upper through hole pair 36P is provided in a row front and back along the portion corresponding to the thighs of the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 1, that is, the seated person.

[0049] When the upper forming piece 19 is laminated on the flow path forming piece 17, the upper through holes 36 are respectively aligned with the branch portion connection holes 34 and are in a vertically overlapping position.

[0050] When the flow path forming piece 17 is laminated on the pad body 16 and the upper forming piece 19 is laminated on the flow path forming piece 17, the inside of the duct 22, the inside of the connection portion through hole 33, the internal space 31 of the hard member 18, and the inside of the upper through hole 36 are connected, and a flow path 38 passing through each of them in order is formed.

[0051] A blower 39 (see FIG. 2) is connected to the duct 22. When the blower 39 is driven, air is sent into the duct 22 from the blower 39. The air sent into the duct 22 is discharged from the upper through holes 36 through the flow path 38. The air discharged from the upper through holes 36 passes through the skin material 14 and reaches the thighs of the seated person. In this way, the air from the blower 39 flows through the flow path 38 and reaches the seated person.

[0052] The air cell 9 is a bag-shaped member that can enclose air, which is a fluid, and is formed of an expandable material such as a rubber material. The air cell 9 expands when air is supplied. Also, when air is discharged while in a state where air is supplied, the air cell 9 contracts. The air cells 9 are respectively coupled to the upper surface (the surface side surface) of the upper forming piece 19.

[0053] In this embodiment, recesses 40 that are recessed downward are formed at positions corresponding to the air cells 9 on the upper surface of the upper forming piece 19. The recesses 40 are each substantially square in top view. The upper through-hole pairs 36P are provided at positions on the upper surface of the upper forming piece 19 that do not overlap with the recesses 40, that is, at positions avoiding the recesses 40. Therefore, the upper through-hole pairs 36P each open outside the recesses 40 on the upper surface of the upper forming piece 19. In this embodiment, the upper through-hole pairs 36P open between adjacent air cells 9. As a result, the flow path 38 communicates between adjacent air cells 9, and it is possible to access the space (gap) between adjacent air cells 9 through the flow path 38.

[0054] The air cells 9 are each coupled to the upper forming piece 19 in a state of being housed inside the recesses 40. That is, the air cells 9 are coupled to the upper surface side of the pad member 13 and covered from above by the skin material 14. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the air cells 9 each overlap the rigid member 18 in the vertical direction.

[0055] The air cells 9 are each coupled to a tube (not shown). The tubes each pass through the inside of the pad member 13 from the front side thereof and reach the back side of the pad member 13, and are connected to the air cell driving device 10.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, the air cell driving device 10 includes an air supply / discharge device 42 connected to the air cells 9 via tubes, and a control device 43 that controls the air supply / discharge device 42. The air supply / discharge device 42 supplies and discharges air to / from each of the air cells 9 based on a signal from the control device 43, and expands and contracts each of the air cells 9.

[0057] The intake and exhaust device 42 includes a solenoid valve 45 connected to each air cell 9 via a tube, and a pump 46. The solenoid valve 45 is a three-way valve having an intake port 45A, an exhaust port 45B, and a common port 45C. The intake port 45A of the solenoid valve 45 is connected to the pump 46 via a tube or the like. The exhaust port 45B is open to the atmosphere. The common port 45C is connected to the duct 22. The solenoid valve 45 switches between an intake position where the common port 45C is connected to the intake port 45A and an exhaust position where the common port 45C is connected to the exhaust port 45B based on signals from the control device 43. The pump 46 is driven based on a signal from the control device 43 to pump air into the tube.

[0058] The vehicle seat 1 is provided with a reception unit 48 (see FIG. 1) that receives drive instructions and stop instructions for the air cells 9 from the occupant. When there is an input corresponding to a drive instruction to the reception unit 48, the control device 43 drives the pump 46 and switches the solenoid valve 45 between the intake position and the exhaust position at predetermined intervals. When the solenoid valve 45 is in the intake position, the air pumped from the pump 46 flows into the tube, and the air cell 9 expands. When the solenoid valve 45 is in the exhaust position, the air inside the air cell 9 is discharged from the exhaust port 45B through the tube, and the air cell 9 contracts. As a result, the air cell 9 intermittently repeats expansion and contraction. When there is an input corresponding to drive stop to the reception unit 48, the control device 43 stops the pump 46 and sets the solenoid valve 45 to the exhaust position. Thereby, the air inside the air cell 9 is discharged from the exhaust port 45B, and the air cell 9 contracts. In this way, the control device 43 controls the opening and closing of each solenoid valve 45 to supply and exhaust air to and from the corresponding air cell 9 and cause it to expand and contract.

[0059] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. When there is an input corresponding to a drive instruction from the occupant to the reception unit 48, the air cell 9 expands and pushes up the occupant's thigh. As a result, the air cell 9 receives a reaction force and is pushed downward, and pressure is applied from the air cell 9 to the pad member 13.

[0060] A rigid member 18 is provided on the back side (lower side) of the air cell 9. The deformation of the pad member 13 is suppressed by the rigid member 18. Thereby, the movement of the air cell 9 downward (i.e., toward the pad member 13) can be prevented. Therefore, the load generated by the inflation of the air cell 9 is less likely to be transmitted to the pad member 13, and the pressure from the air cell 9 is more likely to be applied to the occupant, so it can be expected that the massage effect is enhanced.

[0061] Also, a part of the flow path 38 through which the air from the blower 39 flows is constituted by the rigid member 18. Since the rigid member 18 resists the pressure from the seated person and the pressure due to the inflation of the air cell 9, the portion of the flow path 38 defined by the rigid member 18 is less likely to be crushed, and the deformation of that portion of the flow path 38 is prevented. Thereby, the flow path 38 for allowing the air from the blower 39 to pass through is less likely to be crushed by the pressure from the seated person and the pressure due to the inflation of the air cell 9. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the air from the blower 39 from reaching the seated person with difficulty.

[0062] Also, by arranging the flow path 38 so as to overlap the air cell 9 in the front-back direction view and configuring the portion of the flow path 38 that overlaps the air cell 9 in the front-back direction view with the rigid member 18, it is not necessary to separately provide a rigid member on the back side of the air cell 9. Thereby, the number of parts of the vehicle seat 1 can be reduced.

[0063] Also, in the present embodiment, the rigid member 18 and the flow path forming piece 17 are integrally molded by integral foaming, and thus are an integrally molded product. Therefore, compared with the case where the rigid member 18 and the flow path forming piece 17 are configured separately, the number of parts can be reduced. Further, since the process of incorporating the rigid member 18 into the flow path forming piece 17 is not required, the assembly of the vehicle seat 1 is simplified.

[0064] In addition, in the present embodiment, upper through-hole pairs 36P are open between adjacent air cells 9. As a result, the flow path 38 provided in the pad member 13 communicates between adjacent air cells 9, and the air from the blower 39 passes through the flow path 38 and is blown between the adjacent air cells 9. In this way, when the air cell 9 is inflated, it is possible to blow air into the gap between adjacent air cells 9 through the flow path 38, thereby improving the comfort of the vehicle seat 1.

[0065] <<Second Embodiment>> The vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment has a different configuration of the seat cushion 5 as in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the seat cushion 5 of the vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 7, the seat cushion 5 of the vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment has a cushion frame 12 similar to that of the first embodiment that forms a skeleton. The seat cushion 5 also includes an air cell 9, a pad member 13, a skin material 14, a flow path forming member 117, and a rigid member 118.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 8, the pad member 13 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper surface and a lower surface. Different from the first embodiment, the pad member 13 is formed of an integral member. The pad member 13 is elastically deformable and is formed of a foamed resin such as urethane foam.

[0068] The rigid member 118 is a plate-shaped member and is formed of a material harder than the pad member 13 (for example, plastic, etc.) as in the first embodiment, and is less likely to deform under external pressure compared to the pad member 13. The rigid member 118 is disposed along the lower surface (back surface) of the pad member 13 and is in contact with the lower surface of the pad member 13.

[0069] The flow path forming member 117 is a sheet-like member. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the flow path forming member 117 is configured by overlapping and bonding two resin sheets. As shown in FIG. 8, a duct 22 is provided on one end side of the flow path forming member 117, and a plurality of openings 139 are formed on the other end side. Inside the flow path forming member 117, the two sheets are not partially bonded, and a flow path 138 (passage) is formed by the unbonded portion. The duct 22 is bonded to the flow path forming member 117 so that its interior communicates with the flow path 138.

[0070] The flow path forming member 117 extends rearward from the lower surface of the rigid member 118, passes through the rear surface of the pad member 13, and reaches the upper surface of the pad member 13. At this time, the duct 22 is located on the lower surface side of the pad member 13, and the opening 139 is located on the upper surface of the pad member 13. In the present embodiment, the rigid member 118 and the flow path forming member 117 are adhered to form an integral body. The flow path forming member 117 and the rigid member 118 are supported from below by the cushion frame 12 at both left and right edge portions.

[0071] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the openings 139 are provided in the flow path forming member 117 so as to be paired in the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the pair of openings 139 will be referred to as an opening pair 139P. The opening pair 139P is provided at intervals in the left-right direction and in rows in the front-rear direction.

[0072] The air cell 9 is provided between the flow path forming member 117 and the skin material 14 above the pad member 13. As shown in FIG. 8, the air cell 9 is disposed at a position avoiding the flow path 138 including the opening pair 139P. The air cell 9 is coupled to the upper surface of the flow path forming member 117. The air cell 9 is a bag-shaped member as in the first embodiment and is formed of a stretchable material such as a rubber material. Similar to the first embodiment, the air cell 9 is connected to the air supply and exhaust device 42 via tubes (not shown). The air cells 9 are arranged in pairs front and back with a space therebetween in the left-right direction. The air cells 9 are located below the left and right thighs of an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 1. The air supply and exhaust device 42 is controlled by the control device 43 as in the first embodiment to supply and exhaust air to and from the air cell 9. Thereby, the air cell 9 expands and contracts to massage the buttocks and thighs of the occupant.

[0073] The skin material 14 integrally covers the surfaces of the air cell 9 and the pad member 13 as in the first embodiment. The skin material 14 is made of a stretchable material that stretches when the air cell 9 expands. The skin material 14 is provided on the upper surface of the seat cushion 5 and constitutes the design surface of the seat cushion 5.

[0074] The duct 22 is connected to the blower 39 as in the first embodiment. When the blower 39 is driven, air is sent into the duct 22 by the blower 39. The air sent into the duct 22 reaches the seated person through the flow path 138. That is, the blower 39 blows air to the seated person through the flow path 138.

[0075] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 7, the air cell 9 is located above the pad member 13. Therefore, when the air cell 9 expands, pressure is applied to the pad member 13.

[0077] The rigid member 118 is located below the pad member 13 and below the air cell 9. Therefore, the rigid member 118 resists the pressure due to the expansion of the air cell 9, and the downward deformation of the pad member 13 is suppressed. As a result, the air cell 9 can be prevented from moving to the pad side (downward), and the pressure from the air cell 9 is more likely to be applied to the occupant.

[0078] Also, the flow path forming member 117 has a sheet shape. Thus, by disposing the flow path forming member 117 on the surface of the pad member 13, a flow path 38 for blowing air to the seated person can be easily formed without forming a passage inside the pad member 13.

[0079] Further, the rigid member 118 and the flow path forming member 117 are adhered and integrated. Therefore, compared with the case where the rigid member 118 and the flow path forming member 117 are separate bodies, the rigid member 118 and the flow path forming member 117 can be assembled to the pad member 13 at once, facilitating the assembly of the vehicle seat 101.

[0080] <<Third Embodiment>> The vehicle seat 201 according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape and position of the rigid member 218, and the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of the other configurations will be omitted.

[0081] The rigid members 218 are respectively accommodated in recesses 40 provided on the upper surface of the upper forming piece 19. The rigid members 218 have a flat plate shape that matches the recesses 40. In the present embodiment, the recesses 40 and the rigid members 218 are each rectangular (square) in a top view (i.e., a view from the front and back directions). The rigid members 218 are fitted into the recesses 40 and coupled to the upper forming piece 19.

[0082] The air cell 9 has a rectangular (square) shape similar to the rigid member 218. The width of the rigid member 218 in the left-right direction is larger than the width of the air cell 9 in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction). The width of the rigid member 218 in the front-rear direction (direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction) is larger than the width of the air cell 9 in the front-rear direction. The width of the rigid member 218 in the front-rear and left-right directions may be set to be sufficiently large so that the air cell 9 does not directly contact the pad member 13 when the air cell 9 expands.

[0083] In this embodiment, further, a protruding wall 220 protruding upward (i.e., in a direction away from the surface of the pad member 13) is provided at the edge of the rigid member 218. The protruding amount of the protruding wall 220 is set to be equal to or less than the depth of the recess 40. As a result, the protruding wall 220 is lower than the surface of the pad member 13 and the portion around the recess 40 where the rigid member 218 is provided. Therefore, the foreign object feeling received by the seated person can be suppressed by providing the rigid member 218.

[0084] Also, the thickness of the air cell 9 when contracted may be set to be larger than the protruding amount of the protruding wall 220. As a result, the protruding wall 220 is lower than the upper surface of the air cell 9 accommodated in the rigid member 218. Therefore, the foreign object feeling received by the seated person can be suppressed by providing the rigid member 218.

[0085] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 201 configured as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, on the upper surface of the pad body 16, the flow path forming piece 17 and the upper forming piece 19 are sequentially stacked.

[0086] When the blower 39 is driven, air flows into the duct 22. The air fed into the inside of the duct 22 reaches the upper surface of the pad member 13 through the communication hole 21, the slit 25, and the upper through hole 36. That is, the blower 39 blows air to the seated person through the flow path 38.

[0087] The flow path 38 passes through the back side of the air cell 9. Therefore, the vehicle seat 201 can be made compact, and the vehicle seat 201 can be downsized.

[0088] When the air intake and exhaust device 42 is driven and the air cell 9 expands, pressure is applied from the air cell 9 to the rigid member 218. The rigid member 218 is larger than the air cell 9 in top view, and when the air cell 9 expands, the air cell 9 is supported by the rigid member 218 and does not directly contact the pad member 13. This prevents the pressure due to the expansion of the air cell 9 from being directly applied to the pad member 13. Also, since the pressure is dispersed and applied to the pad member 13 by the rigid member 218, it becomes difficult for the pad member 13 to deform. As a result, the air cell 9 is supported from the back side by the rigid member 218, preventing the air cell 9 from moving toward the pad member 13 side, so that pressure from the air cell 9 is more likely to be applied to the seated person. Furthermore, since the pressure is dispersed and applied to the pad member 13 provided with the flow path 38, it is possible to prevent the flow path 38 from deforming and making it difficult for the air (fluid) sent by the blower 39 to pass through.

[0089] Since the width of the rigid member 218 in the left - right direction is larger than the width of the air cell 9 in the left - right direction, the air cell 9 can be reliably supported by the rigid member 218 in the left - right direction. Also, since the width of the rigid member 218 in the front - rear direction is larger than the width of the air cell 9 in the front - rear direction, the air cell 9 can be reliably supported in the front - rear direction. Also, by making the rigid member 218 larger, the pressure applied to the pad member 13 can be more dispersed. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the flow path 38 from deforming and making it difficult for the air (fluid) sent by the blower 39 to pass through.

[0090] In the present embodiment, the widths of the rigid member 218 in the front - rear and left - right directions are set to be sufficiently large so that the air cell 9 does not directly contact the pad member 13 when the air cell 9 expands. As a result, the air cell 9 is supported by the rigid member 218 over a wider range during expansion, and it is possible to prevent the air cell 9 from contacting the pad member 13 during expansion, so that the load due to the expansion of the air cell 9 can be effectively transmitted to the occupant.

[0091] Furthermore, a protruding wall 220 that protrudes toward the air cell 9 is provided at the edge of the rigid member 218. This suppresses the air cell 9 from expanding in the front-rear, left-right directions and contacting the pad member 13 when it expands. As a result, it is prevented that the air cell 9 contacts the pad member 13 when expanding, and the load due to the expansion of the air cell 9 can be more effectively transmitted to the occupant.

[0092] <<Fourth Embodiment>> The vehicle seat 301 according to the fourth embodiment has a seat cushion 5 with a structure different from any of the first to third embodiments. For other configurations, since they are the same as those in other embodiments, the description of other configurations will be omitted.

[0093] The seat cushion 5 of the vehicle seat 301 according to the fourth embodiment includes a cushion frame 12 serving as a skeleton, a pad member 313 supported by the cushion frame 12, an air cell 9 provided on the upper surface of the pad member 313, and a skin material 14 that covers the air cell 9 and the pad member 313 from above.

[0094] The cushion frame 12 is the same as that in the first embodiment. The pad member 313 is the same as that in the second embodiment, has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an upper surface and a lower surface, and is formed of an integral member. The pad member 313 is elastically deformable and is formed of a foamed resin such as urethane foam.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 11(A), a hanging groove 314 that is recessed downward is provided on the upper surface of the pad member 313. As shown in FIG. 11(B), the hanging groove 314 includes a U-shaped groove portion 315 that forms a U shape in a top view and a lateral groove portion 316 that extends left and right. The U-shaped groove portions 315 each extend front and rear and include two U-shaped groove vertical portions 315A that are paired left and right, and a U-shaped groove horizontal portion 315B that extends left and right and connects the rear ends of the U-shaped groove vertical portions 315A. The U-shaped groove horizontal portion 315B is located behind the lateral groove portion 316 and connects the left and right U-shaped groove vertical portions 315A. Hooks (not shown) for hooking the skin material 14 at appropriate positions are provided inside the hanging groove 314.

[0096] On the upper surface of the pad member 313, a recess 40 for accommodating the air cell 9 is provided. The recess 40 is the same as that in the first embodiment, is recessed downward, and is substantially square in a top view. In the present embodiment, a plurality of recesses 40 are provided in front of the U-shaped groove horizontal portion 315B and between the left and right U-shaped groove vertical portions 315A. The recesses 40 are arranged in pairs left and right and in rows (three rows in the present embodiment) front and back on the upper surface of the pad member 313.

[0097] On the upper surface of the pad member 313, through grooves 317 extending from the respective recesses 40 in the left and right outer directions and reaching the U-shaped groove portion 315 (more specifically, the U-shaped groove vertical portion 315A) are provided. In each of the U-shaped groove portions 315, through holes 318 penetrating the pad member 313 in the vertical direction are provided on the left and right outer sides of the through grooves 317.

[0098] The air cells 9 are respectively accommodated in the recesses 40. A tube 319 for supplying and exhausting air is connected to the inside of the air cell 9. The tubes 319 respectively pass through the through grooves 317 and the through holes 318, extend to the lower side of the pad member 313, and are respectively connected to the air supply and exhaust device 42. The tubes 319 are respectively bendable and are formed of a material harder than the pad member 313.

[0099] Similar to the first embodiment, a flow path 38 is formed inside the pad member 13. When the blower 39 is driven, the air sent from the blower 39 into the duct 22 reaches the seated person through the flow path 38. That is, the blower 39 blows air to the seated person through the flow path 38.

[0100] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 301 configured as described above will be described. In the vehicle seat 301 according to the present embodiment, since the tube 319 is provided so as to pass through the suspension groove 314, the number of holes and grooves for connecting the tube 319 to the air cell 9 can be reduced. Therefore, the configuration of the vehicle seat 301 is simplified.

[0101] With the above description of the specific embodiments completed, the present invention can be widely modified and implemented without being limited to the above embodiments.

[0102] In the above embodiment, an example in which the air cell 9 is provided in the seat cushion 5 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. The air cell 9 may be provided in the seat back 6. Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the vehicle seats 1, 101, 201, 301 are applied to the seats provided in a vehicle has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. The present invention can be applied to seats provided in vehicles other than automobiles (for example, buses, trucks, ships, airplanes, etc.).

[0103] In the above embodiment, as the fluid encapsulating member, the air cell 9 in which air as a fluid is encapsulated has been used, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. The fluid encapsulating member may be any member as long as it can supply and discharge the fluid and is a bag-shaped member that expands by encapsulating (introducing) a liquid. That is, the fluid encapsulating member may be a bag-shaped member that expands by introducing a liquid as the fluid.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the flow paths 38, 138 have been used to send wind to the seated person, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, the flow paths 38, 138 may be connected to a device (supply and discharge device) that supplies or discharges a fluid such as air, and may be used to supply or discharge the fluid near the surface of the vehicle seats 1, 101, 201, 301. For example, the flow paths 38, 138 may be used to discharge and collect the air near the surface of the vehicle seats 1, 101, 201, 301. The collected air may be used, for example, to determine the physical condition of the seated person.

[0105] Also in this case, the flow paths 38, 138 may communicate between the adjacent air cells 9. Thereby, when the air cell 9 expands, it is possible to access the gap between the adjacent air cells 9 through the flow paths 38, 138 and efficiently collect the air staying in the gap.

[0106] Further, the blower 39 may be coupled and held to each of the vehicle seats 1, or may be fixed to the vehicle body (for example, the floor 3).

Explanation of Signs

[0107] 1: Vehicle seat according to the first embodiment 9: Air cell (fluid encapsulating member) 13: Pad member 16: Pad body 17: Flow path forming piece 18: Rigid member 19: Upper forming piece 38: Flow path 101: Vehicle seat according to the second embodiment 117: Flow path forming member 118: Rigid member 138: Flow path 201: Vehicle seat according to the third embodiment 218: Rigid member 220: Protruding wall 301: Vehicle seat according to the fourth embodiment 313: Pad member

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle seat comprising a pad member and an inflatable fluid-sealing member provided on a front side of the pad member, a hard member which is provided on the back side of the fluid sealing member and is less likely to deform than the pad member, the hard member suppresses the deformation of the pad member against the pressure from the fluid sealing member when the fluid sealing member expands, The pad member is provided with an air conditioning passage for air conditioning that opens on the surface, and a fluid passage that is defined by a tube connected to the fluid sealing member and for supplying and / or discharging a fluid to the fluid sealing member, The pad member has a through hole for receiving the tube, The through hole is open at a position that avoids the opening of the air conditioning passage.

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