Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat that allows a headrest to be suitably assembled to a seatback.SOLUTION: A vehicular seat S has a seatback, and a headrest attached to the upper portion of the seatback. The headrest has a pillar 31 that supports the body of the headrest. The seatback has a back frame 20 to be a skeleton, and a pillar attachment 40 that is provided at the upper portion of the back frame 20 and attaches the pillar 31 to the back frame 20. The pillar attachment 40 has a first member 41 attached to the upper portion of the back frame 20 and a second member 42 that is attached to the first member 41 at a position not in contact with the back frame 20 and holds the pillar 31 together with the first member 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to the upper portion of the seat back.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to attach a headrest to the upper portion of a seat back, a vehicle seat has been known in which a pillar (headrest pillar) that supports the main body of the headrest is attached to a pillar attachment member provided at the upper portion of the seat back. Further, in order to preferably attach a pillar to a pillar attachment member, there is known one in which the pillar attachment member is divided into a first member and a second member (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, as an assembly procedure of the pillar attachment member when the pillar attachment member is divided, first, the first member is assembled to the upper portion of the back frame. Then, after assembling the pillar to the first member, the second member is assembled to the first member so as to sandwich the pillar. At this time, in vehicle seats such as those in Patent Documents 1 and 2, both the first member and the second member are configured to be attached to the back frame, and when assembling the second member to the first member, it is necessary to consider the alignment of the second member and the back frame. Therefore, there is a possibility that it is difficult to suitably assemble the second member to the first member. Therefore, a technique that enables the suitable assembly of the divided pillar attachment member has been demanded.

[0005] Further, in the case of a vehicle seat provided with a headrest rotation device that rotatably attaches a headrest to a seat back as in Patent Document 2, it has been demanded to suitably suppress the rattling of the pillar during the rotation operation of the headrest.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat capable of suitably assembling a headrest to a seat back. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat capable of suitably assembling a divided pillar attachment member to the upper part of a seat back. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat provided with a headrest rotation device, which can suitably suppress the rattling of a pillar during the rotation operation of the headrest.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] According to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the above problem is solved by a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to the upper part of the seat back, wherein the headrest has a pillar for supporting the main body of the headrest, and the seat back has a back frame serving as a skeleton and a pillar attachment member provided at the upper part of the back frame for attaching the pillar to the back frame. The pillar attachment member has a first member attached to the upper part of the back frame and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member. With the above configuration, a vehicle seat capable of suitably assembling a headrest to a seat back can be realized. In addition, the divided pillar attachment members can be suitably assembled to the upper part of the seat back. Specifically, the pillar attachment member has a first member attached to the upper part of the back frame and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member. Therefore, when assembling the second member to the first member, it is not necessary to consider the alignment between the second member and the back frame as in the prior art. As a result, the degree of freedom in the assembly work of the second member to the first member is increased.

[0008] At this time, the back frame preferably has a side frame disposed on the left and right sides in the seat width direction and an upper frame connecting the upper portions of the left and right side frames, and the pillar attachment member is disposed at a position behind the seat relative to the upper frame. With the above configuration, the front position of the seat back (back frame) can be made compact. That is, space can be secured at the position on the occupant side.

[0009] At this time, the back frame is attached to the upper frame, protrudes rearward of the seat from the upper frame, and has a frame reinforcing member that extends longitudinally in the seat width direction. It is preferable that the pillar mounting member is disposed at a position in front of the seat relative to the frame reinforcing member. With the above configuration, the pillar mounting member can be disposed between existing components in the seat front-rear direction. Therefore, an increase in the size of the vehicle seat can be suppressed.

[0010] At this time, the headrest is attached to the seat back so as to be rotatable in the seat front-rear direction. The pillar mounting member is formed between the first member and the second member and has a pillar insertion hole for inserting the pillar. The pillar rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole along with the rotation operation of the headrest. It is preferable that a portion of the pillar passing through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are formed to curve with substantially the same curvature. As described above, since a portion of the pillar passing through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are formed to curve with substantially the same curvature, the headrest can be rotated suitably. In addition, an increase in the size of the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be suppressed, and they can be arranged compactly.

[0011] At this time, the pillar mounting member has higher flexibility than the first member and the second member, and has a pillar contact member that contacts the pillar. It is preferable that the pillar contact member is provided so as to contact the outer surface of the pillar inside the pillar insertion hole. With the above configuration, when the pillar is assembled to the pillar mounting member, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed. Also, as described above, the flexible pillar contact member is provided so as to contact the outer surface of the pillar inside the pillar insertion hole. That is, the pillar contact member is interposed between the first member and the pillar. Therefore, the pillar can be suitably assembled to the first member.

[0012] At this time, it is preferable that the pillar contact member has a cylindrical shape through which the pillar can be inserted, and the pillar contact member has a plurality of ridges formed at different positions on its inner surface and protruding from the inner surface toward the pillar. Further, it is preferable that the ridge has a first ridge formed at one opening end or the periphery of the opening end of the pillar contact member, and a second ridge formed at the other opening end or the periphery of the opening end. With the above configuration, when the pillar is slidably assembled inside the pillar contact member, rattling of the pillar can be further suppressed.

[0013] At this time, it is preferable that the pillar contact member has a positioning portion formed on its outer surface and capable of being assembled to a positioned portion provided on the inner surface of the first member. With the above configuration, displacement between the first member and the pillar contact member can be suppressed.

[0014] At this time, it is preferable that the pillar contact member has a first contact member assembled to the first member, and a second contact member assembled to the second member and forming a cylindrical shape together with the first contact member. With the above configuration, the pillar contact member can be efficiently assembled to both the first member and the second member.

[0015] At this time, a headrest rotation device is provided for rotatably attaching the headrest to the seat back and locking the rotation operation of the headrest, and among the pillars, the portion passing through the pillar insertion hole, the pillar insertion hole, and the pillar contact member are curved with substantially the same radius of curvature centered on the rotation axis of the headrest. With the above configuration, rattling of the pillar can be preferably suppressed during the rotation operation of the headrest. Also, with the above configuration, the headrest can be preferably rotated. Also, the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be arranged compactly.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, a vehicle seat capable of suitably assembling a headrest to a seat back can be realized. Further, a divided pillar attachment member can be suitably assembled to the upper part of the seat back. Specifically, the degree of freedom in the assembly operation of the second member to the first member is increased. Further, according to the present invention, the front position of the seat back (back frame) can be made compact. That is, a space can be secured at the position on the occupant side. Further, according to the present invention, the pillar attachment member can be compactly arranged between existing components in the front-rear direction of the seat. Further, according to the present invention, the headrest can be suitably rotated. Further, an increase in the size of the pillar and the pillar attachment member can be suppressed, and they can be arranged compactly. Further, according to the present invention, when a pillar is assembled to the pillar attachment member, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed. Further, the pillar can be suitably assembled to the first member. Further, according to the present invention, the rattling of the pillar can be further suppressed by the pillar contact member. Further, according to the present invention, displacement between the first member and the pillar contact member can be suppressed. Further, according to the present invention, the pillar contact member can be efficiently assembled to both the first member and the second member. Further, according to the present invention, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed during the rotation operation of the headrest. Further, the pillar and the pillar attachment member can be arranged compactly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 8

Figure 9A

Figure 9B

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-11. This embodiment is a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest. The headrest has a pillar that supports the main body of the headrest. The seat back has a back frame serving as a skeleton and a pillar attachment member for attaching the pillar to the back frame. The pillar attachment member mainly has a first member attached to the upper part of the back frame and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member. It relates to an invention of a vehicle seat. Note that, with respect to the seat back of the vehicle seat, the side where the seated person sits is the front side of the seat.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat S of the present embodiment is a vehicle seat, and includes a seat body having a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, and a headrest 3. As shown in FIG. 2, a headrest rotation device 60 that rotatably attaches the headrest 3 to the seat back 2 and locks the rotation operation of the headrest 3 is mainly configured. Note that the vehicle seat S may further include a rail device that supports the seat body so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the vehicle body floor, a height link device that connects the seat body to the vehicle body floor so as to be movable up and down, and a reclining device that rotatably connects the seat back 2 to the seat cushion 1.

[0020] The vehicle seat S is a seat that can switch the headrest between the "normal position" shown in FIG. 9A and the "moved position" shown in FIG. 9B by using the headrest rotation device 60. Specifically, in the vehicle seat S, from the "normal position" in FIG. 9A, the headrest 3 rotates toward the front side of the seat by operating the headrest rotation device 60. Specifically, by driving the drive shaft 62a upward to rotate the rotation link 61, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) rotates together with the rotation link 61. As a result, the vehicle seat S moves to the "moved position" in FIG. 9B. At this time, the second rotation link 63 and the third rotation link 64 interposed between the rotation link 61 and the drive shaft 62a change their relative positions (by rotating), so that the headrest 3 (pillar 31) can be smoothly rotated.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat cushion 1 is a seating portion that supports the seated person from below, and is configured by placing a cushion material 1a on a cushion frame 10 serving as a skeleton and covering it with a skin material 1b. The seat back 2 is a backrest that supports the seated person from the rear, and is configured by placing a cushion material 2a on a back frame 20 shown in FIG. 2 that serves as a skeleton and covering it with a skin material 2b. The headrest 3 is a head part that supports the head of the occupant from the rear, and is configured by placing a cushion material 3a on a headrest frame 30 (pillar 31) shown in FIG. 2 that serves as a skeleton and covering it with a skin material 3b. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pillar attachment member 40 for attaching the pillar 31 that serves as the core material of the headrest 3 is assembled to the upper part of the back frame 20.

[0022] The cushion frame 10, although not shown, mainly consists of a substantially rectangular frame body, cushion side frames arranged on the left and right sides and extending in the front-rear direction of the seat, a pan frame installed at the front part of each cushion side frame, a connecting frame connecting the rear parts of each cushion side frame, and a plurality of elastic springs that are hooked to the pan frame and the connecting frame and extend in a serpentine shape in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the back frame 20 mainly consists of a substantially rectangular frame body, side frames 21 arranged on the left and right sides and extending in the vertical direction, an inverted U-shaped upper frame 22 connecting the upper end parts of each side frame 21, a plate-shaped lower frame connecting the lower end parts of each side frame 21, a plurality of connecting wires 23 respectively hooked to each side frame 21 and extending in a serpentine shape in the seat width direction, and a substantially rectangular support plate 24 held by the plurality of connecting wires 23 and supporting the seated person from the rear.

[0024] The back frame 20 further has a plate-shaped connecting plate 25 that connects the left and right frame extension parts 22b of the upper frame 22. A drive unit 62 is attached to the rear surface of the central part in the seat width direction of the connecting plate 25 via an attachment bracket 26 and a holder 27. Specifically, a U-shaped mounting bracket 26 is attached to the rear surface of the connecting plate 25 so as to protrude rearward of the seat. And a holder 27 is attached to the mounting bracket 26 so as to protrude upward. And the drive unit 62 is held by the holder 27.

[0025] The back frame 20 further has left and right mounting brackets 28 that are attached to the frame main body portion 22a, which is long in the seat width direction, of the upper frame 22 at a predetermined interval. Left and right rotation links 61 are attached to the left and right mounting brackets 28 via left and right rotation shafts 66, respectively. Left and right pillars 31 are attached to the left and right rotation links 61, respectively, and a second rotation link 63 and a third rotation link 64 are attached between the left and right rotation links 61.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the headrest frame 30 is mainly composed of an inverted U-shaped pillar 31 that serves as the core material of the headrest 3, and a front plate 32 and a rear plate 33 that are assembled to the pillar 31 and configured to sandwich the pillar 31 in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0027] The pillar 31 has a pillar main body portion 31a that extends in the seat width direction, and left and right pillar extension portions 31b that continuously extend downward from both left and right ends of the pillar main body portion 31a. The pillar extension portion 31b extends downward while curving rearward of the seat. Specifically, the pillar extension portion 31b extends further downward than the pillar mounting member 40 while being held by the pillar mounting member 40 provided on the upper frame 22. And the extending end portion of the pillar extension portion 31b is connected to the rotation link 61.

[0028] The front plate 32 and the rear plate 33 are assembled so as to sandwich the pillar 31, and after being assembled to each other, they are configured as an integral planar plate body. The headrest 3 is configured by placing a cushion material 3a on the planar plate body and covering it with a skin material 3b. And a part of the left and right pillar extension parts 31b extends so as to protrude downward from the main body of the headrest 3.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3 - 6A and B, the pillar attachment member 40 is a cylindrical metal member for attaching the pillar 31 to the back frame 20, and is assembled to the upper end of the upper frame 22. The pillar attachment members 40 are arranged left and right at a predetermined interval on the upper frame 22, and are arranged at a position behind the seat with respect to the upper frame 22.

[0030] Specifically, the pillar attachment member 40 has a first member 41 attached to the upper end of the upper frame 22, and a second member 42 attached to the first member 41 at a position not in contact with the upper frame 22, and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member 41. In other words, the pillar attachment member 40 can be divided into the first member 41 and the second member 42, and by assembling four bolts 43 (assembly members) from behind the seat in a state where the first member 41 and the second member 42 are combined, an integral structure is formed. Note that by adopting a configuration in which the pillar attachment member 40 can be divided, even when the pillar 31 is formed in a curved shape, the pillar 31 can be suitably assembled to the pillar attachment member 40.

[0031] On the front surface of the first member 41, attachment recesses 41a (attachment parts) for attaching to the upper frame 22 are formed along the seat width direction. A plurality of attachment holes 42a for assembling the bolts 43 are formed on the rear surface of the second member 42. Also, on the rear surface of the first member 41, at positions corresponding to the respective attachment holes 42a, attachment recesses 41b for assembling the bolts 43 are formed. That is, the attachment holes 42a and the attachment recesses 41b communicate with each other.

[0032] The pillar attachment member 40 is formed between the first member 41 and the second member 42, and has a pillar insertion hole 44 for inserting the pillar 31. In other words, a first split hole 44a and a second split hole 44b are formed in the first member 41 and the second member 42, respectively. In the above configuration, the pillar 31 rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole 44 along with the rotation operation of the headrest 3. Looking at FIGS. 9A and 9B, it can be seen that the portion of the pillar 31 passing through the pillar insertion hole 44 and the pillar insertion hole 44 are formed to curve with substantially the same curvature.

[0033] The pillar attachment member 40 has higher flexibility than the first member 41 and the second member 42, and further has a pillar contact member 50 that contacts the pillar 31. The pillar contact member 50 is made of a resin member and is provided so as to contact the outer surface of the pillar 31 inside the pillar insertion hole 44.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6A and 6B, the pillar contact member 50 has a cylindrical shape through which the pillar 31 can be inserted. Specifically, it has a first contact member 51 assembled to the first member 41 and a second contact member 52 assembled to the second member 42 and forming a cylindrical shape together with the first contact member 51. More specifically, the first contact member 51 is assembled to the first split hole 44a formed on the rear surface of the first member 41. Also, the second contact member 52 is assembled to the second split hole 44b formed on the front surface of the second member 42.

[0035] The pillar contact member 50 has a plurality of ridges 53 formed at different positions on its inner surface and protruding from its inner surface toward the pillar 31. That is, a plurality of ridges 53 are formed on the rear surface of the first contact member 51 and the front surface of the second contact member 52, respectively.

[0036] The raised portion 53 has a first raised portion 53a formed around one opening end 50a of the pillar contact member 50 and a second raised portion 53b formed around the other opening end 50b. A plurality of the first raised portion 53a and the second raised portion 53b are formed at different positions in the circumferential direction of the pillar contact member 50, respectively. For example, three are formed at predetermined intervals. With the above configuration, when the pillar 31 is slidably assembled inside the pillar contact member 50, rattling of the pillar 31 can be suppressed. It is also possible to adjust so that the pillar 31 is not slid more than necessary. Note that the raised portion 53 may be formed at the opening end 50a of the pillar contact member 50.

[0037] In the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A, the pillar contact member 50 has a positioning convex portion 54 formed on its outer surface and can be assembled to a positioning concave portion 45 provided on the inner surface of the pillar mounting member 40. That is, two positioning convex portions 54 that can be assembled to the positioning concave portion 45 formed in the first member 41 are formed on the outer surface (front surface) of the first contact member 51. Two positioning convex portions 54 that can be assembled to the positioning concave portion 45 formed in the second member 42 are also formed on the outer surface (rear surface) of the second contact member 52. With the above configuration, displacement between the pillar mounting member 40 and the pillar contact member 50 can be suppressed.

[0038] Also, in the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, among the pillars 31, the portion passing through the pillar insertion hole 44, the pillar insertion hole 44, and the pillar contact member 50 are curved with substantially the same radius of curvature centered on the rotation axis (rotation axis 66) of the headrest 3. Therefore, rattling of the pillar 31 can be suppressed during the rotation operation of the headrest 3. Also, the pillar 31 and the pillar mounting member 40 can be arranged compactly.

[0039] In the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the back frame 20 is attached to the upper frame 22, protrudes rearward of the seat from the upper frame 22, and has a frame reinforcing member 29 (for example, a reinforcing wire) that extends longitudinally in the seat width direction. And the pillar attachment member 40 is disposed at a position in front of the seat with respect to the frame reinforcing member 29. Therefore, the pillar attachment member 40 can be compactly arranged between the existing components in the front-rear direction of the seat. And the enlargement of the vehicle seat S can be suppressed.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 8, the headrest rotation device 60 is a device that can be switched between a "normal position" of the headrest 3 and a "moved position" where the headrest 3 is moved to a position closer to the front of the seat than the "normal position". Specifically, the headrest rotation device 60 includes a rotation link 61 that connects the back frame 20 and the pillar 31 and is attached so as to be rotatable together with the pillar 31 with respect to the back frame 20, and a drive unit 62 (drive shaft 62a) that is attached to the back frame 20 (connection plate 25) and moves up and down to rotate the rotation link 61. And a second rotation link 63 and a third rotation link 64 that are interposed between the rotation link 61 and the drive shaft 62a and rotate to convert the up-and-down movement of the drive shaft 62a into the rotation movement of the rotation link 61. The second rotation link 63 and the third rotation link 64 are connected by a link connection member 65 that is long in the seat width direction.

[0041] The rotation link 61 has a bent shape bent in the seat width direction and is a link member that extends in the front-rear direction of the seat, and is arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction inside the upper frame 22. The front end portion of the rotation link 61 is rotatably attached to the upper frame 22 (attachment bracket 28) via a rotation shaft 66. Also, the rear end portion of the rotation link 61 is rotatably attached to the third rotation link via a third rotation shaft 68. Further, a pillar 31 is assembled to the rear end portion of the rotating link 61.

[0042] Specifically, the rotating link 61 has a first wall portion 61a attached to a rotating shaft 66, a second wall portion 61b bent from the rear end portion of the first wall portion 61a and extending inward in the seat width direction, a third wall portion 61c bent from the extending end portion of the second wall portion 61b and extending rearward of the seat, and a fourth wall portion 61d bent from the extending end portion of the third wall portion 61c and extending outward in the seat width direction. A third rotating shaft 68 is attached to the third wall portion 61c. Further, a pillar 31 is assembled to the fourth wall portion 61d via an assembly bracket 61e.

[0043] The drive unit 62 is a motor-type unit capable of raising and lowering a drive shaft 62a, is provided inside the upper frame 22, and is disposed between the left and right pillar extension portions 31b in the seat width direction. More specifically, the drive unit 62 is held with respect to the upper frame 22 (connecting plate 25) via a holder 27.

[0044] The drive unit 62 includes a drive shaft 62a capable of raising and lowering and a drive motor 62b for driving the drive shaft 62a inside the unit body, and is connected to a vehicle body power source (not shown). More specifically, at the tip of the drive shaft of the drive motor 62b, a wheel gear 62c that rotates around an axis along the left-right direction corresponding to the driving operation of the drive motor 62b and a worm gear 62d that meshes with the wheel gear 62c and rotates around an axis along the front-rear direction corresponding to the rotation operation of the wheel gear 62c are respectively attached. And the drive shaft 62a is engaged with the worm gear 62d at the screw gear portion on its outer surface, and thus performs a lifting operation while rotating around an axis along the vertical direction corresponding to the rotation operation of the worm gear 62d.

[0045] Above the upper part of the drive shaft 62a, a ring-shaped stopper 62e for defining the operating range of the drive shaft 62a is attached. Also, at the upper end of the drive shaft 62a, a second rotating link 63 is attached via a second rotating shaft 67 so as to be rotatable.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, the second rotating link 63 is a link member extending in the front-rear direction of the seat, and is disposed between the left and right rotating links 61, and is disposed directly above the drive unit 62. The front end of the second rotating link 63 is rotatably attached to the drive shaft 62a via the second rotating shaft 67. Also, the rear end of the second rotating link 63 is rotatably attached to the third rotating link 64 via a link connecting member 65.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A, the third rotating link 64 is a link member extending in the front-rear direction of the seat, and is disposed between the rotating link 61 and the second rotating link 63 in the seat width direction, and is arranged symmetrically. Note that the third rotating link 64 extends while inclining upward from its front end to its rear end. On the other hand, the second rotating link 63 extends while inclining downward from its front end to its rear end.

[0048] The front end of the third rotating link 64 is rotatably attached to the rotating link 61 via a third rotating shaft 68. Also, the rear end of the third rotating link 64 is rotatably attached to the second rotating link 63 via a link connecting member 65.

[0049] The link connecting member 65 is a pipe-shaped member extending longitudinally along the seat width direction, and is a member serving as the rotating shaft of the second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A, it can be seen that the portions connected to the link connecting member in the left and right second rotation links 63 and the portions connected to the link connecting member in the third rotation link overlap each other in a side view of the seat.

[0050] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, the portion where the pillar 31 is connected in the rotation link 61, the second rotation link 63, and the third rotation link 64 are arranged between the left and right pillar extension portions 31b in the seat width direction. Therefore, the rotation link 61, the second rotation link 63, and the third rotation link 64 can be arranged compactly in the seat width direction.

[0051] Also, in the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 9A, the rotation link 61 is rotatably attached to the upper frame 22 via the attachment bracket 28 and extends so as to straddle the upper frame 22 in a side view of the seat. Further, the rotation link 61 extends so as to straddle the drive shaft 62a in a side view of the seat. Therefore, the rotation link 61 can be extended in length in a side view of the seat. As a result, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) can be efficiently rotated in the front-rear direction along with the rotation operation of the rotation link 61.

[0052] Also, in the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 9A, the front end portion of the rotation link 61 is arranged at a position in front of the seat with respect to the upper frame 22 and at a position above the rear end portion of the rotation link 61. And the rear end portion of the rotation link 61 is arranged at a position behind the seat with respect to the upper frame 22. Therefore, while arranging the rotation link 61 compactly, the rotation link 61 can be extended in length in a side view of the seat. As a result, the headrest 3 can be efficiently rotated by the rotation link 61.

[0053] Also, in the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 9A, the second rotation link 63 is arranged at a position behind the seat with respect to the upper frame 22. Therefore, the front position of the seat back 2 (back frame 20) can be made more compact. That is, space can be secured at the position on the seated person's side.

[0054] <Headrest rotation operation> Next, based on FIGS. 9A and 9B, the operation of rotating the headrest 3 from the "normal position" to the "moved position" will be described. When the vehicle seat S is in the "normal position" shown in FIG. 9A, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) is supported by a pillar attachment member 40 provided on the back frame 20. Also, the headrest 3 is locked (held) in an upright posture by a headrest rotation device 60. At this time, the portion (rear end portion) of the rotation link 61 where the second rotation link 63 is connected and the portion (front end portion) of the second rotation link 63 where the drive shaft 62a is connected are arranged at positions overlapping in the vehicle front-rear direction. In other words, the rear end portion of the rotation link 61 is arranged directly below the second rotation link 63.

[0055] When moving the vehicle seat S from the "normal position" to the "moved position", for example, the seated person operates an operation switch (not shown) provided on the vehicle seat S. By the seated person operating the operation switch, the drive unit 62 starts to drive. Specifically, by driving the drive shaft 62a upward to rotate the rotation link 61, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) rotates together with the rotation link 61. As a result, the vehicle seat S moves to the "moved position" shown in FIG. 9B. At this time, by the relative positional change (rotation) of the second rotation link 63 and the third rotation link 64, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) can be rotated smoothly. Note that when the headrest 3 is in the "moved position", the drive shaft 62a is in a state of being driven to the uppermost position. That is, the lower end portion of the drive shaft 62a abuts against the main body of the drive unit 62 to restrict movement. Also, when the headrest 3 is in the "moving position", the rear end portion of the rotation link 61 is disposed at a position behind the seat with respect to the front end portion of the second rotation link 63.

[0056] By the above-described series of operations, the vehicle seat S (headrest 3) is switched from the "normal position" to the "moving position". With the above-described configuration, while the headrest rotation device 60 is compactly arranged in the seat front-rear direction, the lifting motion of the drive shaft 62a can be smoothly converted into the rotation motion of the rotation link 61. Also, rattling of the pillar 31 can be suppressed during the rotation operation of the headrest 3.

[0057] <Other Embodiments> In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat S includes the pillar attachment member 40 and the headrest rotation device 60, but it can be changed without particular limitation. For example, the vehicle seat S may be a seat that includes the pillar attachment member 40 and does not include the headrest rotation device 60. Also, for example, the vehicle seat S may be a seat that includes the headrest rotation device 60 and does not include the pillar attachment member 40.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the pillar attachment member 40 is configured to be divisible into a first member 41 and a second member 42 in the seat front-rear direction, but it can be changed without particular limitation. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the pillar attachment member 140 may be configured to be divisible into a first member 141, a second member 142, and a third member 143. In that case, it is preferable that the first member 141 is attached to the upper portion of the back frame 120, and the second member 142 and the third member 143 are attached to the first member 141 so as to be arranged in the seat width direction. That is, it is preferable that the left pillar 131 is sandwiched by the first member 141 and the second member 142, and the right pillar 131 is sandwiched by the first member 141 and the third member 143. Note that the second member 142 and the third member 143 may be arranged in contact with each other (see FIG. 10), or may be arranged at a predetermined interval apart (see FIG. 11).

[0059] Also, for example, the pillar attachment member may be configured to be divisible into a first member and a second member in the seat width direction or the seat vertical direction. Alternatively, the pillar attachment member may be configured to be divisible into N (N is a natural number of 4 or more) parts.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the pillar attachment member 40 is formed of a metal material and the pillar contact member 50 is formed of a resin material, but it is not particularly limited and various materials may be adopted. Preferably, the pillar contact member 50 is made of a material having higher flexibility than the pillar attachment member 40.

[0061] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest rotation device 60 is mainly composed of a rotation link 61, a motor-driven drive unit 62, a second rotation link 63, and a third rotation link 64, but it is not limited to the combination of the rotation link mechanism and the lifting unit and can be changed. For example, the headrest rotation device 60 may rotate the headrest 3 using a known rotation member instead of the rotation link mechanism. Also, for example, the headrest rotation device 60 may be provided with a known driving means (for example, a hydraulic type or the like, a driving unit other than the motor type) instead of the driving unit 62. Alternatively, it may be provided with a biasing means such as a biasing spring instead of the driving unit 62.

[0062] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest rotation device 60 includes a second rotation link 63 and a third rotation link 64 that convert the lifting operation of the drive unit 62 into the rotation operation of the rotation link 61, but it is not necessarily provided with a plurality of rotation links 63 and 64. For example, the headrest rotation device 60 may be configured to smoothly rotate the headrest 3 by one second rotation link 63.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the invention of the vehicle seat has been described, but it may also be the invention of the manufacturing method of the vehicle seat. For example, a manufacturing method of a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to the upper part of the seat back, the method including a step of attaching a first member of a pillar attachment member to the upper part of a back frame serving as a skeleton of the seat back, a step of attaching a pillar serving as a core material of the headrest to the first member, and a step of assembling a second member so as to sandwich the pillar with respect to the first member, may also be the invention of the manufacturing method of the vehicle seat. At this time, it is preferable that the second member is attached to the first member at a position where it does not contact the back frame. According to the above method, a vehicle seat capable of suitably assembling the divided pillar attachment members to the upper part of the seat back can be manufactured.

[0064] In the above embodiment, a vehicle seat used for an automobile has been described as a specific example. However, it is not particularly limited, and in addition to vehicle seats for trains, buses, etc., it can also be used as vehicle seats for airplanes, ships, etc.

[0065] In this embodiment, the vehicle seat according to the present invention has been mainly described. However, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from its gist, and it goes without saying that equivalents of the present invention are included therein.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0066] S Vehicle seat Sa Seat frame 1 Seat cushion 1a, 2a, 3a Cushion material 1b, 2b, 3b skin materials 2 seat backs 3 headrests 10 cushion frames 20, 120 back frames 21 side frames 122 upper frames 22a frame main body parts 22b frame extension parts 23 connecting wires 24 support plates 25 connecting plates 26 mounting brackets 27 holders 28 mounting brackets 29 frame reinforcement members 30, 130 headrest frames 31, 131 pillars (headrest pillars) 31a pillar main body parts 31b pillar extension parts 32 front plates 33 rear plates 40, 140 pillar mounting members 41, 141 first members 41a mounting recesses (mounting parts) 41b assembly recesses (assembly parts) 42, 142 second members 42a assembly holes (assembly parts) 43 bolts (assembly members) 44 pillar insertion holes 44a first split holes 44b second split holes 45 positioning recesses (positioned parts) 50 pillar contact members 50a first split holes 50b second split holes 51 first contact members 52 second contact members 53 raised parts 53a first raised parts 53b second raised parts 54 Positioning convex part (positioning part) 60 Headrest rotation device 61 Rotation link (first rotation link, rotation member) 61a First wall part 61b Second wall part 61c Third wall part 61d Fourth wall part 61e Assembly bracket 62 Drive unit 62a Drive shaft (drive member) 62b Drive motor 62c Wheel gear 62d Worm gear 62e Stopper 63 Second rotation link (second rotation member) 64 Third rotation link (second rotation member) 65 Link connection member 66 Rotation shaft (first rotation shaft) 67 Second rotation shaft 68 Third rotation shaft 143 Third member

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, a headrest rotation device that rotatably attaches the headrest to the seat back and locks the rotation of the headrest; a plate member disposed at a position corresponding to the headrest rotating device in the seat front direction, the plate member being disposed at a portion of the seat back closer to the front of the seat than the headrest rotating device; The vehicle seat, wherein the plate member is provided so as to protect the headrest rotation device from the front side of the seat.

2. A vehicle seat as described in Claim 1, characterized in that a recess is formed in the portion of the plate member that faces the headrest rotation device in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, by recessing a portion of the plate member.

3. The recess of the plate member is The plate member has an upper end portion facing the headrest rotation device, the upper end portion being recessed, 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the headrest is disposed at a position overlapping a part of the headrest rotation device when the seat is viewed from the front.

4. The recess of the plate member is The plate member is formed to penetrate the plate member in the seat front-rear direction, 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the headrest is provided so as to suppress interference with components of the headrest rotation device.

5. The seat back has a back frame as a skeleton, 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the plate member is attached to a frame main body portion of the back frame.

6. The back frame has side frames arranged on the left and right sides in the seat width direction, and an upper frame connecting upper portions of the left and right side frames, 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the plate member is attached to the upper frame.

7. The headrest has a pillar that supports a main body of the headrest, 7. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the plate member is disposed at a position lower than a lower end of the pillar.

8. The seat back is provided on an upper portion of the back frame and has a pillar mounting member for mounting the pillar to the back frame, The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the pillar mounting member is disposed at a position rearward of the recessed portion of the plate member.

9. A vehicle seat as described in Claim 8, characterized in that the pillar mounting member is configured to cover the base end portion of the pillar that protrudes from the headrest.

10. A seat body having a seat cushion, the seat back, and the headrest, The seat cushion includes a cushion frame, a cushion material, and a cover material that covers the cushion frame and the cushion material, the seat back includes a back frame, a cushion material, and a cover material that covers the back frame and the cushion material, the headrest includes a pillar serving as a framework, a cushion material, and a skin material covering the pillar and the cushion material, a rail device that supports the seat body so that the seat body can move back and forth relative to the vehicle floor; a height link device that connects the seat body to the vehicle floor so that the seat body can be raised and lowered; 10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a reclining device that rotatably connects the seat back to the seat cushion.

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