Vehicle seat

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle seat which can stably hold an armrest in a storage recess of a seat back and enables improvement of operability for drawing the armrest from the storage recess.SOLUTION: In a vehicle seat 10, an armrest 30 may rotate between a storage position where the armrest 30 is stored in a storage recess 18 of a right seat back 14R and a use position where the armrest 30 extends to the seat front from a lower part of the storage recess 18. A protruding part 46 provided at a ceiling part 18A of the storage recess 18 is fitted in a hole part 44 of a hard felt 40 provided at a tip 30A of the armrest 30 to hold the armrest 30 in the storage position. A belt-like member 48 provided at the tip 30A of the armrest 30 is pulled to the seat front to push down the hard felt 40 to the base end side of the armrest 30 while denting a part of an armrest pad 32 to release the fitting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat provided with an armrest.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an embedded armrest for an automobile seat in which the lower side of an armrest main body is pivotally mounted on a back frame inside a storage recess provided in a seat back so that the armrest main body can be inserted into and removed from the storage recess of the seat back from the upper side. In this armrest, by sewing with the folded end of one skin material overlapping the end of the other skin material, a rearward folding portion provided in the width direction of the top of the storage recess and a forward folding portion provided in the width direction of the upper part of the armrest main body are butted together to hold the armrest main body in the storage recess of the seat back. A strap for pulling the armrest main body out of the storage recess is provided on the upper part of the armrest main body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above prior art, the forward fall of the armrest main body during sudden deceleration of the vehicle is prevented by the above butting. In order to ensure the performance of preventing the forward fall, it is necessary to set the engagement strength of the above butting high. As a result, there is a risk that the operating force of the strap for pulling the armrest main body out of the storage recess becomes too high, so there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of improving the operability.

[0005] In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat capable of satisfactorily holding an armrest in a storage recess of a seat back and improving the draw-out operability of the armrest from the storage recess.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A vehicle seat according to a first aspect includes a seat cushion, a seat back having a storage recess formed in a front surface thereof, an armrest rotatable relative to the seat back between a storage position stored in the storage recess and a use position extending forward from a lower portion of the storage recess to the front of the seat, a hard member made of a material harder than a pad of the armrest and provided at a tip portion of the armrest, and a fitting portion provided at a ceiling portion of the storage recess. A lock portion that holds the armrest in the storage position by fitting the fitting portion into a fitted portion formed in the hard member, and a belt-like member provided at the tip portion that, when pulled forward of the seat, depresses a part of the pad while pushing down the hard member toward a base end side of the armrest to release the fitting.

[0007] In the vehicle seat according to the first aspect, the armrest is rotatable relative to the seat back between a storage position stored in a storage recess formed in the front surface of the seat back and a use position extending forward from a lower portion of the storage recess to the front of the seat. A hard member made of a material harder than the pad of the armrest is provided at the tip portion of the armrest. A fitting portion provided at the ceiling portion of the storage recess fits into a fitted portion formed in the hard member. Thereby, the armrest can be satisfactorily held in the storage position. Further, a belt-like member is provided at the tip portion of the armrest. By pulling this belt-like member forward of the seat, a part of the pad is depressed while the hard member is pushed down toward the base end side of the armrest to release the above-described fitting. Thereby, the armrest can be drawn out from the storage position to the use position. Moreover, since the hard member is pushed down as described above by the pulling operation of the belt-like member, the operability for releasing the above-described fitting (that is, the draw-out operability of the armrest) can be improved.

[0008] In the vehicle seat according to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the fitting portion is a convex portion that catches on the fitted portion.

[0009] In the vehicle seat according to the second aspect, the convex portion provided on the ceiling portion of the storage recess catches on the fitted portion of the rigid member provided at the tip of the armrest. As a result, the armrest can be satisfactorily held in the storage position.

[0010] In the vehicle seat according to the third aspect, in the first aspect or the second aspect, the belt-like member is disposed so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the seat above the seat of the rigid member in the stored state of the armrest, and both longitudinal ends of the belt-like member are sewn to the skin of the armrest at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tip of the armrest in the stored state.

[0011] In the vehicle seat according to the third aspect, in the stored state of the armrest, the belt-like member extends along the longitudinal direction of the seat above the seat of the rigid member. Both longitudinal ends of the belt-like member are sewn to the skin of the armrest at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tip of the armrest in the stored state. When the belt-like member is pulled forward of the seat, the rigid member engaged with the belt-like member is pushed downward toward the base end side of the armrest. As a result, the fitting between the fitting portion and the fitted portion can be satisfactorily released.

[0012] In the vehicle seat according to the fourth aspect, in the first aspect or the second aspect, one longitudinal end of the belt-like member is connected to the end of the rigid member on the front side of the seat in the stored state of the armrest.

[0013] In the vehicle seat according to the fourth aspect, one longitudinal end of the belt-like member is sewn to the end of the rigid member on the front side of the seat in the stored state of the armrest. When the belt-like member is pulled forward of the seat, the rigid member to which one longitudinal end of the belt-like member is sewn is pushed downward toward the base end side of the armrest. As a result, the fitting between the fitting portion and the fitted portion can be satisfactorily released.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] As described above, according to the vehicle seat according to the present invention, the armrest can be well held in the storage recess of the seat back, and the operability of pulling out the armrest from the storage recess can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the vehicle seat 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for the sake of clarity of the drawing. Also, the arrows FR, RH, and UP appropriately shown in each figure indicate the front, right, and upper directions of the vehicle seat 10, respectively.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment is a rear seat for three persons, and includes a seat cushion 12 on which the vehicle occupants sit, a seat back 14 that supports the backs of the occupants, and three headrests 16 that support the heads of the occupants.

[0018] The seat back 14 is, for example, a 6:4 split-foldable type, and is divided into a two-person seat back 14R and a one-person left seat back 14L. Two headrests 16 are attached to the upper end portion of the seat back 14R, and one headrest 16 is attached to the upper end portion of the left seat back 14L. An armrest 30 is attached to the left side portion of the seat back 14R. The seat back 14R and the left seat back 14L are rotatably connected to the floor portion of the vehicle (not shown) between the upright position shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the forward-fall position that overlaps the upper side of the seat cushion 12.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the right seat back 14R includes a seat back pad 20 made of a foam, a seat back skin 22 that covers the surface of the seat back pad 20, and a seat back frame 24 to which the seat back pad 20 is attached. The seat back pad 20 is formed of, for example, urethane foam, and has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front-rear direction of the right seat back 14R and is in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate with the front-rear direction of the right seat back 14R as the thickness direction.

[0020] The seat back skin 22 is formed into a bag shape by sewing a plurality of skin pieces made of a cloth material, leather, synthetic leather, or the like, and is put on the seat back pad 20. The seat back frame 24 is disposed on the back side of the seat back pad 20. This seat back frame 24 is formed, for example, by combining metal pipes and plate materials, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front-rear direction of the right seat back 14R.

[0021] The armrest 30 is in the shape of a long rectangular parallelepiped, and is rotatable with respect to the seat back 14R between a storage position (the position shown in FIGS. 2 to 5) where it is stored in a vertically long storage recess 18 formed on the front surface of the left side portion of the seat back 14R and a use position (the position shown in FIG. 1) where it extends forward from the lower portion of the storage recess 18. When the armrest 30 is in the storage position, the longitudinal direction of the armrest 30 coincides with the vertical direction of the right seat back 14R. When the armrest 30 is in the use position, the front-rear direction of the armrest 30 coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat 10.

[0022] The armrest 30 includes an armrest pad 32 made of a foam, an armrest skin 34 covering the surface of the armrest pad 32, and an armrest frame (not shown) embedded in the armrest pad 32 by integral foam molding. The armrest pad 32 corresponds to the "pad" in the present invention, and the armrest skin 34 corresponds to the "skin" in the present invention.

[0023] The armrest pad 32 is made of, for example, urethane foam, and is in the shape of a long rectangular parallelepiped with the longitudinal direction of the armrest 30 as its longitudinal direction. The armrest skin 34 is formed in a bag shape by sewing a plurality of skin pieces made of a cloth material, leather, synthetic leather, or the like, and is put on the armrest pad 32. The armrest frame is formed, for example, by joining metal pipes or plate materials, and is in the shape of a long rectangular frame with the front-rear direction of the armrest 30 as its longitudinal direction when viewed from the vertical direction of the armrest 30.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of left and right hinge brackets 36 (the right hinge bracket 36 is not shown) to which an armrest 30 is connected are provided on the seat back frame 24. Step bolts 38 having the left - right direction as the axial direction penetrate the left and right hinge brackets 36 respectively. Corresponding to the left and right step bolts 38, a pair of left and right weld nuts are provided at the base end portion (one end portion in the longitudinal direction) of the armrest 30. The left and right weld nuts are welded to the armrest frame. By screwing the left and right step bolts 38 into these weld nuts, the armrest 30 is rotatably connected to the right seat back 14R around the base end portion. In FIG. 3, the rotation center of the armrest 30 is denoted by reference sign C.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, a hard felt 40, which is a hard member, is provided at the tip portion 30A (the other end portion in the longitudinal direction) of the armrest 30. The hard felt 40 is formed in a rectangular plate shape by a felt material harder than the armrest pad 32 and the armrest skin 34, and is disposed at the tip portion of the armrest 30 in a posture where the plate - thickness direction is along the longitudinal direction of the armrest 30. The hard felt 40 is attached to the armrest skin 34 by means such as sewing. A rectangular hole portion 44 is formed in the central portion of the hard felt 40. This hole portion 44 penetrates the hard felt 40 and corresponds to the "fitted portion" in the present invention. Note that the shape of the hard felt 40 is not limited to a rectangular plate shape. For example, the shape of the hard felt 40 may be a U - shaped (substantially U - shaped) plate shape that opens toward the rear end side of the tip portion 30A of the armrest 30 in the stored state. In that case, the notch formed in the hard felt 40 becomes the "fitted portion" in the present invention.

[0026] Corresponding to the above-described hole portion 44, a convex portion 46 bulging toward the lower end side of the right seat back 14R is formed on the ceiling portion 18A of the storage recess 18 of the right seat back 14R. This convex portion 46 is formed by a part of the seat back pad 20 bulging downward, and corresponds to the "fitting portion" in the present invention. In a state where the armrest 30 is in the storage position, the convex portion 46 is configured to be fitted (caught) into the hole portion 44 so that the armrest 30 is held in the storage position. This convex portion 46 constitutes a locking portion 42 together with the hard felt 40.

[0027] In addition to the above-described hard felt 40, a belt-like member 48 is provided at the tip portion 30A of the armrest 30. The belt-like member 48 is formed in a long belt shape by a synthetic fiber such as polyester, for example, and is configured to be difficult to stretch. The belt-like member 48 is disposed so as to extend along the front-rear direction above the hard felt 40 in a state where the armrest 30 is stored. Both longitudinal ends of the belt-like member 48 are sewn to the armrest skin 34 at sewing portions S1 and S2 provided at both front-rear ends of the tip portion 30A of the armrest 30 in the stored state.

[0028] The middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like member 48 is disposed in contact with the hard felt 40 from above the right seat back 14R, and is disposed above the right seat back 14R with respect to the hole portion 44. In a state where the armrest 30 is in the storage position, a part of the belt-like member 48 is configured to enter the hole portion 44 together with the convex portion 46. In the present embodiment, the belt-like member 48 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction with respect to the hard felt 40, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the belt-like member 48 may be disposed offset to one side in the left-right direction with respect to the hard felt 40.

[0029] One end in the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped member 48 sewn to the front end of the tip portion 30A of the tip of the armrest 30 in the stored state is connected to a strap 50. The strap 50 is formed in a long strip shape from, for example, the same material as the strip-shaped member 48 and is folded in half. Both longitudinal ends of the strap 50 on the side opposite to the fold line of the double fold are sewn to the strip-shaped member 48 and the armrest skin 34 at the sewing portion S1.

[0030] When the armrest 30 is pulled out from the storage position to the use position, as indicated by the arrow P in FIG. 5, the strip-shaped member 48 is pulled forward via the strap 50. At this time, due to the tensile force applied to the strip-shaped member 48, a part of the armrest pad 32 is recessed toward the proximal end side of the armrest 30 (the lower end side of the right seat back 14R), and the hard felt 40 is pushed down toward the proximal end side of the armrest 30. As a result, the fitting state of the convex portion 46 with respect to the hole portion 44 of the hard felt 40 is released, and the armrest 30 is configured to be rotatable to the use position. In this embodiment, as described above, in the state where the armrest 30 is located at the storage position, a part of the strip-shaped member 48 is configured to enter the hole portion 44 together with the convex portion 46. Therefore, when the strip-shaped member 48 is pulled forward via the strap 50, the strip-shaped member 48 can be stretched (extended) to slightly recess the convex portion 46 upward of the right seat back 14R. This facilitates the release of the fitting state of the convex portion 46 with respect to the hole portion 44.

[0031] Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. In the vehicle seat 10 having the above configuration, the back of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion 12 is supported by the seat back 14. The frame of the armrest 30 of the armrest 30 is rotatably connected to the right seat back 14R. The armrest 30 is rotatable between a storage position where it is stored in a storage recess 18 formed on the front surface of the right seat back 14R and a use position where it extends forward from the lower part of the storage recess 18.

[0032] A hard felt 40 made of a material harder than the armrest pad 32 is provided at the tip 30A of the armrest 30. A convex portion 46 provided on the ceiling portion 18A of the storage recess 18 is fitted into a hole portion 44 formed in the hard felt 40. Thereby, since the engagement strength between the hole portion 44 and the convex portion 46 can be set high, the armrest 30 can be satisfactorily held in the storage position. As a result, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent the armrest 30 from tilting forward when the vehicle decelerates rapidly, and the armrest 30 from falling by its own weight when the right seat back 14R is raised.

[0033] The above effects will be supplemented and explained with reference to the comparative examples shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this comparative example, the hard felt 40 and the belt-like member 48 are not provided at the tip 30A of the armrest 30. Instead, a bulging portion 52 in which the seat back pad 20 bulges toward the lower end side of the right seat back 14R is provided on the ceiling portion of the storage recess 18. By crushing the bulging portion 52 with the armrest 30, the frictional force generated between the tip 30A of the armrest 30 and the ceiling portion 18A of the storage recess 18 is increased, and the armrest 30 is held in the storage position.

[0034] In the above comparative example, when the vehicle decelerates rapidly, the armrest 30 tilts forward due to inertia (see arrow FF in FIG. 6), and when the right seat back 14R in the tilted-forward state is raised, the armrest 30 falls downward due to its own weight (see arrow WF in FIG. 7). In addition, although a measure may be taken to interpose a felt or the like between the armrest 30 and the hinge bracket 36 to increase the frictional force between the armrest 30 and the hinge bracket 36, the armrest 30 tilts forward and falls by its own weight as described above. To prevent this, if the above frictional force is increased, the operating force of the strap 50 for pulling out the armrest 30 from the outside of the storage recess 18 becomes too high.

[0035] In this regard, in the present embodiment, the convex portion 46 of the ceiling portion 18A of the storage recess 18 is caught in the hole portion 44 of the rigid felt 40 made of a material harder than the armrest pad 32, so that the armrest 30 can be easily and favorably held in the storage position, and it becomes easier to prevent the above-mentioned forward fall and self-weight drop. Further, compared with the configuration in which the bulging portion 52 is provided at a conspicuous position of the right seat back 14R as in the above-mentioned comparative example, the influence on the appearance of the right seat back 14R is reduced.

[0036] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the belt-like member 48 provided at the tip portion 30A of the armrest 30 is engaged with the above-mentioned rigid felt 40. By pulling the belt-like member 48 forward while the armrest 30 is in the storage position, a part of the armrest pad 32 is recessed while pushing down the rigid felt 40 toward the proximal end side of the armrest 30 to release the above-mentioned fitting. Thereby, the armrest 30 can be pulled out from the storage position to the use position. Moreover, since the rigid felt 40 is pushed down as described above by the pulling operation of the belt-like member 48, the operability for releasing the above-mentioned fitting (that is, the pull-out operability of the armrest 30) can be improved.

[0037] Also, in the present embodiment, in the stored state of the armrest 30, the belt-like member 48 extends along the front-rear direction above the rigid felt 40. Both longitudinal ends of the belt-like member 48 are sewn to the skin of the armrest 30 at both front-rear ends of the tip portion of the armrest 30 in the stored state. When the belt-like member 48 is pulled forward, the rigid felt 40 engaged with the belt-like member 48 is pushed down toward the proximal end side of the armrest 30. Thereby, the fitting between the convex portion 46 and the hole portion 44 can be favorably released.

[0038] Next, a vehicle seat according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Regarding the configuration and operation that are basically the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are given and the description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like member 48 is sewn to the front end portion of the hard felt 40 in the stored state of the armrest 30 (see the sewing portion S3 in FIG. 8). A strap 50 is sewn to the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like member 48. In this embodiment, when the belt-like member 48 is pulled forward via the strap 50, the hard felt 40 to which one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like member 48 is sewn is pushed down toward the proximal end side of the armrest 30. Thereby, the fitting between the hole portion 44 and the convex portion 46 can be satisfactorily released.

[0039] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the case where the hole portion 44 formed in the hard felt 40 as the hard member is the "fitted portion" in the present invention and the convex portion 46 provided on the ceiling portion 18A of the storage recess 18 is the "fitting portion" in the present invention has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a convex portion formed on a hard member is the "fitted portion" in the present invention and a hole portion formed on the ceiling portion of the storage recess is the "fitting portion" in the present invention.

[0040] Further, in each of the above embodiments, the case where the hard felt 40 as the hard member is made of a felt material and the belt-like member 48 is made of a synthetic fiber has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the materials of the hard member and the belt-like member can be appropriately changed.

[0041] In addition, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the gist thereof. Of course, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0042] 10 Vehicle seat 12 Seat cushion 14 Seat back 18 Storage recess 18A Ceiling portion 30 Armrest 30A tip 32 armrest pad 34 armrest skin 40 hard felt 42 locking part 44 hole part (fitting part) 46 convex part 48 belt-shaped member

Claims

1. A seat cushion, a seat back having a storage recess formed in the front surface thereof, an armrest rotatable with respect to the seat back between a storage position stored in the storage recess and a use position extending forward from the lower portion of the storage recess to the front of the seat, a rigid member made of a material harder than the pad of the armrest and provided at the tip of the armrest, and a fitting portion provided at the ceiling portion of the storage recess, and a lock portion that holds the armrest in the storage position by fitting the fitting portion into a fitted portion formed in the rigid member, a belt-like member provided at the tip and, when pulled forward of the seat, depresses a part of the pad and pushes down the rigid member toward the base end side of the armrest to release the fitting, a vehicle seat provided with the above.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the fitting portion is a convex portion that catches on the fitted portion.

3. The belt-like member is disposed so as to extend along the front-rear direction of the seat above the seat of the rigid member in the stored state of the armrest, and both longitudinal ends are sewn to the skin of the armrest at both front-rear ends of the tip of the armrest in the stored state. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one longitudinal end of the belt-like member is connected to the front end of the rigid member on the front side of the seat in the stored state of the armrest.

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