Information processing device, method and program

Abstract

To accomplish the modeling of a seat that includes engaging structure in which the skin-side of the seat and the pad-side thereof are engaged with each other so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction while suppressing a reduction in precision in a simulation using the model of the seat obtained by the modeling, and an increase in arithmetic processing load.SOLUTION: A modeling unit executes a modeling process including a simulation performed using: a beam element 64 that has the engaging structure of a vehicular seat in which the skin-side of the vehicular seat and the pad-side thereof are engaged with each other so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction, the engaging structure being placed in such a way that the skin-side between the skin-side and the pad-side is arranged along the predetermined direction; and a member 70 which is placed at the pad-side between the skin-side and the pad-side and which is provided with a guide hole 74 into which the beam element 64 is inserted slidably.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As a technique applicable when simulating by modeling a sheet including a pad and a skin, Patent Document 1 describes a sewing analysis system that performs simulation of a sewing process based on a flat paper outer shape. In the technique described in Patent Document 1, beam elements forming a sewing line are created on temporarily sewn lines created on a first fabric and a second fabric, and the beam elements of the first fabric and the beam elements of the second fabric are connected by spring elements.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For the coupling between the skin and the pad of the sheet, for example, the first engagement structure 80 shown in FIG. 8, or the second engagement structure 100 shown in FIG. 9, etc. are adopted.

[0005] In the first engagement structure 80 shown in FIG. 8, a clip 82 is embedded on the pad side of the sheet. The clip 82 is made of resin, and a pair of standing portions 86A and 86B are erected from a base portion 84. The standing portions 86A and 86B each have a substantially L-shaped cross section, and the L-shaped tip portions are provided so as to face each other with a space therebetween. On the other hand, the base portion of a pulling member 90 is sewn into a fabric 88 that becomes the skin of the sheet, and a rail-shaped portion 92 made of resin is formed at the tip portion of the pulling member 90. The rail-shaped portion 92 has a substantially arrow shape in cross section, and this shape is continuous in a direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8) substantially parallel to the sewing line between the fabric 88 and the pulling member 90 (not shown).

[0006] In the first engaging structure 80, when the pad and the skin are joined, with the tip of the rail-shaped portion 92 entering the gap between the L-shaped tips of the standing portions 86A and 86B, when the rail-shaped portion 92 and the clip 82 are pressed in a direction approaching each other, the gap between the L-shaped tips of the standing portions 86A and 86B is widened by the rail-shaped portion 92, so that the rail-shaped portion 92 enters the space between the standing portions 86A and 86B, and as shown in FIG. 8, the clip 82 and the rail-shaped portion 92 are in a joined state. In the first engaging structure 80, in this joined state, the clip 82 and the pulling member 90 (rail-shaped portion 92) are slidable in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8.

[0007] Also, in the second engaging structure 100 shown in FIG. 9, the base of the pulling member 90 is sewn into the fabric 88 that becomes the skin of the sheet. At the tip of the pulling member 90, a first wire 102 made of metal and having a longitudinal direction in a direction approximately parallel to the sewing line between the fabric 88 and the pulling member 90 (the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9(B)) is provided. On the other hand, on the pad side of the sheet, a second wire 104 made of metal and having a longitudinal direction in a direction approximately parallel to the sewing line between the fabric 88 and the pulling member 90 (the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9(B)) when the pad and the skin of the sheet are joined is embedded. And a hog ring 106 made of metal and bent in a ring shape is hung over the first wire 102 and the second wire 104.

[0008] In the second engaging structure 100, with the skin and the pad of the sheet joined, the skin side of the sheet and the hog ring 106 are slidable in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9(B), and the pad side of the sheet and the hog ring 106 are also slidable in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9(B). Therefore, also in the second engaging structure 100, with the skin and the pad of the sheet joined, the skin side of the sheet and the pad side of the sheet are slidable in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9(B).

[0009] When modeling a sheet and performing a simulation, engagement structures such as the first engagement structure 80 and the second engagement structure 100 each have a large number of parts and a complex structure. Therefore, if a model that faithfully simulates the engagement structure is used, there is a problem that the computational load in the simulation increases. In response to this problem, for example, when the engagement structure is simply simulated with a spring element as described in Patent Document 1, the accuracy of the simulation decreases, and for example, wrinkles on the surface of the sheet cannot be accurately evaluated.

[0010] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above facts, and aims to obtain an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that can realize the modeling of a sheet including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction, while suppressing a decrease in accuracy and an increase in computational load in a simulation using the model of the sheet obtained by the modeling.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0011] The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect includes a modeling unit that performs a modeling process including simulating the engagement structure of the sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction, with a beam element arranged along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member arranged on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0012] The inventors of the present application have conceived that in a sheet including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction, the sliding movement between the skin side and the pad side of the sheet has a great influence on the presence or absence and degree of wrinkles on the skin of the sheet. And from the above facts, the inventors of the present application have conceived that if the sheet is modeled so as to reproduce the feature of the engagement structure that it can slide in a predetermined direction, the wrinkles on the skin of the sheet in the simulation can be accurately simulated.

[0013] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, an engagement structure of a sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction is simulated by a beam element arranged along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side of the sheet, and a member arranged on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0014] Thereby, with the beam element inserted into the guide hole, the skin side and the pad side of the sheet can slide relative to each other. Therefore, it is possible to model a sheet including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction while suppressing a decrease in the accuracy of simulation using the sheet model obtained by the modeling. Further, compared with modeling the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction faithfully to the actual structure, it is possible to model a sheet including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction while suppressing an increase in the computational load in simulation using the sheet model obtained by the modeling.

[0015] A second aspect is, in the first aspect, the engagement structure includes a rail-shaped portion provided along the predetermined direction at the tip of the skin side of the sheet, and a clip provided on the pad side of the sheet and slidably engaged with the rail-shaped portion in the predetermined direction. The modeling unit simulates the rail-shaped portion with the beam element arranged at the tip of the skin side of the sheet along the predetermined direction, and simulates the clip with the member arranged on the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0016] In the second aspect, for the above-described first engagement structure, the rail-shaped portion is simulated with a beam element, and the clip is simulated with a member provided with a guide hole. Thereby, compared with modeling the first engagement structure faithfully to the actual structure, it is possible to reduce the computational cost for modeling while reproducing the feature that the skin side and the pad side of the sheet can slide relative to each other.

[0017] In the third aspect, in the second aspect, the rail-shaped portion is provided at the tip of a draw material where the fabric that forms the surface skin of the sheet and the base are sewn together, and the modeling portion simulates the rail-shaped portion with a beam element arranged along the rail-shaped portion at the tip of a member that simulates the draw material.

[0018] As also shown in FIG. 8 described above, the rail-shaped portion that forms part of the first engagement structure is often provided at the tip of a draw material where the fabric that forms the surface skin of the sheet and the base are sewn together. In the third aspect, when the rail-shaped portion is provided at the tip of the draw material, the beam element that simulates the rail-shaped portion is arranged along the rail-shaped portion at the tip of a member that simulates the draw material. Thereby, when the rail-shaped portion that forms part of the first engagement structure is provided at the tip of the draw material, the sheet can be modeled more accurately.

[0019] In the fourth aspect, in the first aspect, the engagement structure includes a first wire provided along the predetermined direction on the surface skin side of the sheet, a second wire provided along the predetermined direction on the pad side of the sheet, and a hog ring spanned over the first wire and the second wire.

[0020] In the fourth aspect, instead of simulating the first wire and the second wire with beam elements respectively and simulating the hog ring with a member provided with a guide hole for the above-described second engagement structure, one of the surface skin side and the pad side is simulated with a beam element and the other is simulated with a member provided with a guide hole. Thereby, while reproducing the feature that the surface skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidable relative to each other, the arithmetic cost for modeling can be reduced as compared with the case of simulating the first wire and the second wire with beam elements respectively and simulating the hog ring with a member provided with a guide hole.

[0021] In the fifth aspect, in the first aspect, the modeling unit realizes providing the guide hole in the member by setting information for causing each of a plurality of nodes corresponding to the tip of the member to function as the guide hole.

[0022] In the fifth aspect, providing the guide hole in the member is realized by setting information for causing each of a plurality of nodes corresponding to the tip of the member to function as the guide hole. As a result, in modeling a seat including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction, the computational cost for modeling can be reduced as compared with the case of faithfully simulating the engagement structure.

[0023] The sixth aspect further includes a simulation unit that performs a simulation for predicting the appearance of the seat based on the model of the seat obtained by the modeling process by the modeling unit in the first aspect.

[0024] As described above, according to the first aspect, the seat can be modeled so as to suppress an increase in the computational load in the simulation using the model of the seat obtained by modeling the seat including the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are slidably engaged in a predetermined direction. And in the sixth aspect, since a simulation for predicting the appearance of the seat is performed based on the model of the seat, the computational cost in the simulation by the simulation unit can be reduced.

[0025] The seventh aspect is that, in the first aspect, the seat is a vehicle seat.

[0026] For a vehicle seat, the shape of the seat pad is complicated for stabilizing the posture of the seated occupant during vehicle travel, and accordingly, it has become difficult to design the seat skin so that wrinkles do not occur on the seat skin. Therefore, the present disclosure is suitable.

[0027] The information processing method according to the eighth aspect causes a computer to execute a modeling process including simulating the engagement structure of the sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, with a beam element disposed along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member disposed on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0028] According to the eighth aspect, similarly to the first aspect, it is possible to realize the modeling of the sheet including the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, while suppressing a decrease in accuracy and an increase in calculation load in the simulation using the model of the sheet obtained by the modeling.

[0029] The program according to the ninth aspect causes a computer to perform a modeling process including simulating the engagement structure of the sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, with a beam element disposed along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member disposed on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0030] According to the ninth aspect, similarly to the first aspect, it is possible to realize the modeling of the sheet including the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, while suppressing a decrease in accuracy and an increase in calculation load in the simulation using the model of the sheet obtained by the modeling.

Advantages of the Invention

[0031] The present disclosure has an effect that it is possible to realize the modeling of a sheet including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, while suppressing a decrease in accuracy and an increase in calculation load in the simulation using the model of the sheet obtained by the modeling.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0033] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a computer 10 according to an embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12, a memory 14 such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile storage unit 16 such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive), and an I / F (InterFace) unit 18. The CPU 12, the memory 14, the storage unit 16, and the I / F unit 18 are each connected to an internal bus 20 and can communicate with each other via the internal bus 20.

[0034] A display 30 and an information input unit 32 are connected to the computer 10. The display 30 displays an image representing the result of the modeling / simulation process executed by the computer 10. The information input unit 32 is composed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and is used when a user inputs various information and instructions to the computer.

[0035] Also, a modeling / simulation program 22 and component data 24 are stored in the storage unit 16 of the computer 10. The component data 24 includes data regarding each component of the skin, pad, and frame used in the manufacture of the vehicle seat (see FIG. 3). For example, the data regarding the skin includes various information such as the coordinates of the skin, the physical properties of the skin, and the sewing settings.

[0036] The computer 10 functions as the modeling unit 40 and the simulation unit 42 shown in FIG. 2 when the modeling / simulation program 22 is read from the storage unit 16 and expanded in the memory 14, and the modeling / simulation program 22 expanded in the memory 14 is executed by the CPU 12. Note that the computer 10 is an example of the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, and the modeling / simulation program 22 is an example of the program according to the present disclosure.

[0037] The modeling unit 40 performs a modeling process including simulating an engagement structure of a vehicle seat in which the skin side and the pad side of the vehicle seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction, with a beam element arranged along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member arranged on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

[0038] Further, the simulation unit 42 performs simulation processing for predicting the appearance of the vehicle seat based on the model of the vehicle seat obtained by the modeling process of the modeling unit 40. The result of the simulation processing by the simulation unit 42 is displayed on the display 30 and is used for work to confirm and evaluate the appearance of the vehicle seat, including, for example, the presence or absence and degree of wrinkles on the skin of the vehicle seat during the manufacture of the vehicle seat or when the occupant is seated.

[0039] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the modeling of the vehicle seat by the modeling unit 40 is performed by sequentially and virtually executing each process of (1) sewing, (2) hog ring processing, and (3) covering on the computer 10 based on the component data 24.

[0040] The sewing process is a process of simulating the stitching of the fabrics that form the skin of the vehicle seat. Note that the fabrics sewn in the sewing process include the fabrics that function as the pulling material 90 in the first engagement structure 80 (see FIG. 8) and the second engagement structure 100 (see FIG. 9). The modeling unit 40 simulates the stitching of the fabrics on the computer 10 by stretching a spring element between the fabrics to be stitched and performing a process of shortening (setting the length to 0) the length of the stretched spring element. By going through this sewing process, an aggregate 50 of skins (see FIG. 4) that forms the skin of the vehicle seat is obtained.

[0041] The hog ring processing step is a step of simulating the connection between the aggregate 50 of skins that forms the skin of the vehicle seat and the pad of the vehicle seat. In the hog ring processing step, the modeling unit 40 performs the engagement structure simulation processing shown in FIG. 6 on the portions (engagement structure portions) where the aggregate 50 of skins and the pad are connected by the first engagement structure 80 or the second engagement structure 100, thereby simulating the connection between the aggregate 50 of skins and the pad on the computer 10.

[0042] That is, in step 150 of the engagement structure simulation process, the modeling unit 40 searches for an engagement structure part for which the processes after step 154 have not been executed. In step 152, the modeling unit 40 determines whether or not an engagement structure part for which the processes after step 154 have not been executed has been extracted as a result of the search in step 150. If the determination in step 152 is affirmative, the extracted engagement structure part is set as the processing target and the process proceeds to step 154.

[0043] In step 154, as shown in FIG. 7(A), the modeling unit 40 sets a beam element 64 (see FIG. 7(B)) at the tip of a draw member simulation member 62 that simulates a draw member 90 on the skin side among the engagement structure parts 60 that are the processing target. In FIG. 7(A), a node located at the tip of the draw member simulation member 62 is denoted by the reference numeral "64".

[0044] In step 156, the modeling unit 40 sets information that causes a plurality of nodes 72 corresponding to the tip of a member 70 set on the pad side among the engagement structure parts 60 that are the processing target to function as guide holes 74 (see FIG. 7(B)) through which the beam element 64 can slide.

[0045] In step 158, the modeling unit 40 inserts the beam element 64 through the guide holes 74 set at the plurality of nodes 72 corresponding to the tip of the member 70 to couple the engagement structure parts 60 that are the processing target. As a result, when stress is applied in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 7(C) during, for example, the process of modeling a vehicle seat or during the simulation process after the vehicle seat model is completed, the draw member simulation member 62 on the skin side and the member 70 on the pad side slide in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 7(C).

[0046] Through the processes of steps 154 to 158 described above, when the engagement structure portion 60 to be processed is the first engagement structure 80, the rail-shaped portion 92 is simulated by the beam element 64, and the clip 82 is simulated by the member 70 provided with the guide hole 74. Then, the state where the clip 82 and the rail-shaped portion 92 are combined is simulated by inserting the beam element 64 into the guide hole 74. Further, when the engagement structure portion 60 to be processed is the second engagement structure 100, the skin side is simulated by the beam element 64, and the pad side is simulated by the member 70 provided with the guide hole 74. Then, the state where the hog ring 106 is stretched over the first wire 102 and the second wire 104 is simulated by inserting the beam element 64 into the guide hole 74.

[0047] When the processes of steps 154 to 158 are performed on the engagement structure portion 60 to be processed, the process returns to step 150. Then, when the above processes are performed on all the engagement structure portions in the vehicle seat, the determination in step 152 is negated and the engagement structure simulation process ends.

[0048] Through the above-described hog ring process, a pad with skin 52 (FIG. 5) in which the skin aggregate 50 and the pad of the vehicle seat are combined is obtained.

[0049] The covering process is a process of simulating the connection between the pad with skin 52 and the frame of the vehicle seat. The modeling unit 40 simulates the connection between the pad with skin 52 and the frame of the vehicle seat on the computer 10 by stretching a spring element over the connection portion between the pad with skin 52 and the frame of the vehicle seat and performing a process of shortening the length of the stretched spring element (setting the length to 0). Thereby, the model of the vehicle seat is completed.

[0050] As described above, in the present embodiment, the modeling unit 40 performs a modeling process including simulating an engagement structure of a vehicle seat in which the skin side and the pad side of the vehicle seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction, using a beam element 64 arranged along the predetermined direction on the skin side of the skin side and the pad side, and a member 70 arranged on the pad side of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole 74 through which the beam element 64 is slidably inserted. Thereby, modeling of a vehicle seat including an engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction can be realized while suppressing a decrease in accuracy and an increase in calculation load in simulation using the model of the vehicle seat obtained by the modeling.

[0051] Further, in the present embodiment, the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction includes a rail-shaped portion 92 provided along the predetermined direction at the tip of the skin side of the seat, and a clip 82 provided on the pad side of the seat and slidably engaged with the rail-shaped portion 92 in the predetermined direction (first engagement structure 80). Then, the modeling unit 40 simulates the rail-shaped portion 92 with a beam element 64 arranged at the tip of the skin side of the seat along the predetermined direction, and simulates the clip 82 with a member 70 arranged on the pad side of the seat and provided with a guide hole 74 through which the beam element 64 is slidably inserted. Thereby, compared with the case of faithfully modeling the first engagement structure 80 in an actual structure, it is possible to reduce the calculation cost for modeling while reproducing the feature that the skin side and the pad side of the seat are slidable.

[0052] Further, in the present embodiment, the rail-shaped portion 92 is provided at the tip of a draw material 90 whose base is sewn to a fabric 88 that becomes the skin of the seat, and the modeling unit 40 simulates the rail-shaped portion 92 with a beam element 64 arranged along the rail-shaped portion 92 at the tip of a draw material simulation member 62 that simulates the draw material. Thereby, when the rail-shaped portion 92 forming a part of the first engagement structure 80 is provided at the tip of the draw material 90, the seat can be modeled more accurately.

[0053] In addition, in the present embodiment, the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction includes a first wire provided along the predetermined direction on the skin side of the seat, a second wire provided along the predetermined direction on the pad side of the seat, and a hog ring spanned over the first wire and the second wire (second engagement structure 100). Thereby, when the first wire and the second wire are each simulated by beam elements and the hog ring is simulated by a member provided with a guide hole, the feature that the skin side and the pad side of the seat are slidable can be reproduced while reducing the calculation cost for modeling.

[0054] In addition, in the present embodiment, the modeling unit 40 realizes providing the guide hole 74 in the member 70 by setting information for causing each of a plurality of nodes corresponding to the tip of the member 70 to function as the guide hole 74. Thereby, in modeling the seat including the engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction, the calculation cost for modeling can be reduced as compared with the case of faithfully simulating the engagement structure.

[0055] In addition, the present embodiment further includes a simulation unit 42 that performs a simulation for predicting the appearance of the vehicle seat based on the model of the vehicle seat obtained by the modeling process by the modeling unit 40. Thereby, the calculation cost in the simulation by the simulation unit 42 can be reduced.

[0056] Note that, in the above embodiment, the mode in which the beam element 64 is arranged on the skin side of the vehicle seat and the member 70 provided with the guide hole 74 is arranged on the pad side of the vehicle seat has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the member 70 provided with the guide hole 74 may be arranged on the skin side of the vehicle seat, and the beam element 64 may be arranged on the pad side of the vehicle seat.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, an aspect in which the present disclosure is applied to the modeling of the first engagement structure 80 and the second engagement structure 100 has been described. However, the engagement structures to which the present disclosure is applicable are not limited to the first engagement structure 80 and the second engagement structure 100, and the present disclosure is applicable to any engagement structure in which the skin side and the pad side of the seat are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, an aspect in which the present disclosure is applied to the modeling / simulation of vehicle seats has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and for example, it can also be applied to the modeling / simulation of seats used in moving bodies other than vehicles.

[0059] In the above, an aspect in which the modeling / simulation program 22, which is an example of the program according to the present disclosure, is pre-stored (installed) in the storage unit 16 has been described. However, the program according to the present disclosure can also be provided in a form recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as an HDD, SSD, or DVD.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0060] 10 Computer (information processing device) 22 Modeling / simulation program (program) 40 Modeling unit 42 Simulation unit 60 Engagement structure unit 62 Drafting simulation member 64 Beam element 70 Member 72 Node 74 Guide hole 80 First engagement structure 82 Clip 88 Fabric 90 Drafting 92 Rail-shaped part 100 Second engagement structure 102 First wire 104 Second wire 106 Hog ring

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus including a modeling unit that performs a modeling process including simulating an engagement structure of the sheet in which a skin side and a pad side of the sheet are engaged so as to be slidable in a predetermined direction, the engagement structure including a beam element disposed along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member disposed on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

2. The engagement structure includes a rail-shaped portion provided along the predetermined direction at a tip portion of the skin side of the sheet, and a clip provided on the pad side of the sheet and engaged with the rail-shaped portion so as to be slidable in the predetermined direction. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modeling unit simulates the rail-shaped portion with the beam element disposed at the tip portion of the skin side of the sheet along the predetermined direction, and simulates the clip with the member disposed on the pad side and provided with the guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

3. The rail-shaped portion is provided at a tip portion of a pulling member in which a fabric serving as the skin of the sheet and a base are sewn together. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modeling unit simulates the rail-shaped portion with a beam element disposed along the rail-shaped portion at the tip portion of the member simulating the pulling member.

4. The engagement structure according to claim 1 includes a first wire provided along the predetermined direction on the skin side of the sheet, a second wire provided along the predetermined direction on the pad side of the sheet, and a hog ring spanned over the first wire and the second wire.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modeling unit realizes providing the guide hole in the member by setting information for causing each of a plurality of nodes corresponding to the tip portion of the member to function as the guide hole.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further including a simulation unit that performs a simulation for predicting an appearance of the sheet based on a model of the sheet obtained by the modeling process by the modeling unit.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is a vehicle seat.

8. An information processing method for causing a computer to execute a modeling process including simulating an engagement structure of the sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, the engagement structure including a beam element arranged along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member arranged on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

9. A program for causing a computer to perform a modeling process including simulating an engagement structure of the sheet in which the skin side and the pad side of the sheet are slidably engaged with each other in a predetermined direction, the engagement structure including a beam element arranged along the predetermined direction on one of the skin side and the pad side, and a member arranged on the other of the skin side and the pad side and provided with a guide hole through which the beam element is slidably inserted.

Images