Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which can change a height and an inclined angle of a seat cushion with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat 100 includes a seat cushion 110, a seat back 120, and a support part 20 which supports the seat cushion 110 in a manner that the seat cushion 110 can move from a floor 1 in a front-back direction and in a vertical direction. The support part 20 has: front upper rails 25 and rear upper rails 25 provided so as to be slidable in the front-back direction relative to the floor 1, the front upper rail 25 and the rear upper rail 25 being movable relative to each other; front links 21 in each of which one end and the other end are respectively supported by the front upper rail 25 and the seat cushion 110 in a manner that allows rotation in the front-back direction; and rear links 22 in each of which one end and the other end are respectively supported by the rear upper rail 25 and the seat cushion 110 in a manner that allows rotation in the front-back direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a vehicle seat in which a movable rail is provided slidably above a fixed rail, and the seat cushion is supported from the movable rail via a link mechanism (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1 is configured so that the height of the seat cushion can be changed via a pair of front and rear link mechanisms. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-151241 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is preferable that a vehicle seat be configured so that not only the height of the seat cushion but also the tilt angle of the seat cushion can be changed with a simple configuration. However, with a configuration in which the seat cushion is simply supported via a pair of front and rear link mechanisms, as in the vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to change the tilt angle of the seat cushion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A vehicle seat according to one aspect of the present invention includes a seat cushion disposed above a base, a seat back supported on a rear end of the seat cushion so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, and a support portion supporting the seat cushion so as to be movable in the front-rear direction and up-down direction from the base. The support portion includes a first movable body slidably disposed in the front-rear direction relative to the base, a second movable body slidably disposed in the front-rear direction relative to the base and movable in the front-rear direction relative to the first movable body behind the first movable body, a first link member having one end and the other end supported by the first movable body and the seat cushion so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, respectively, and a second link member supported behind the first link having one end and the other end supported by the second movable body and the seat cushion so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, respectively. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the height and inclination angle of the seat cushion of a vehicle seat can be changed with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] Enlarged view of the main part of Figure 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device that controls the operation of the support unit in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view showing a hip-up position of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is a side view showing a relaxed position of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] 1 is a side view showing a dive-down position of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9]6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the ECU of FIG. 5; [Figure 10] 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing by the ECU of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10. A vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various types of vehicles. Below, an example in which the vehicle seat is applied to a vehicle as a vehicle seat will be described. A vehicle seat may also be simply referred to as a seat.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of a vehicle seat (seat) 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view. In the following, the front-to-rear direction (length direction), left-to-right direction (width direction), and up-to-down direction (height direction) are defined as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part will be explained according to these definitions. The forward direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the direction in which the face of an occupant seated in the seat 100 faces. The front-to-rear direction of the seat 100 normally coincides with the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, but may differ from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle if, for example, the orientation of the seat 100 is changed.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the seat 100 includes a seat cushion 110 that supports the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 120 that supports the occupant's back, a headrest 130 that is provided on the upper part of the seat back 120 and supports the occupant's head, and a support part 20 that supports the seat cushion 110 so that it can move up and down and back and forth from the floor 1.

[0011] The seat cushion 110 extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, i.e., extends substantially horizontally, and has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view. The seat cushion 110 has a seat cushion frame 111 (only a portion of which is shown) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 110. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the seat cushion frame 111 has, for example, a pair of left and right vertical frames that extend in the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear horizontal frames that also extend in the left-right direction and connect the front ends and rear ends of the pair of left and right vertical frames, respectively, and the entire seat cushion has a generally rectangular frame shape in a plan view.

[0012] A substantially plate-shaped pressure-receiving member (not shown) is disposed inside (inside the frame) of the seat cushion frame 111. A resilient cushion pad 112 made of, for example, urethane foam material is provided around the periphery of the seat cushion frame 111, and the surface of the cushion pad 112 is covered with a cover 113. A seating surface 114 on which an occupant sits is formed on the upper surface of the seat cushion 110. Although not shown, an ottoman may also be provided at the front end of the seat cushion 110 so as to be rotatable up and down around a shaft extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum.

[0013] The seat back 120 has a seat back frame 121 (only a part of which is shown) that forms the framework of the seat back 120. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the seat back frame 121 has, for example, a pair of left and right vertical frames that extend in a substantially vertical direction, and a pair of upper and lower horizontal frames that also extend in the left and right direction and connect the upper ends and lower ends of the pair of left and right vertical frames, respectively, and has an overall substantially rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front.

[0014] A substantially plate-shaped pressure-receiving member (not shown) is disposed inside (inside the frame) of the seatback frame 121. A resilient back pad 122 made of, for example, urethane foam material is provided around the seatback frame 121, and the surface of the back pad 122 is covered with a skin 123. A seating surface 124 on which an occupant sits is formed on the front of the seatback 120.

[0015] The lower end of the seat back 120 is pivotally supported on the rear end of the seat cushion frame 111 via a reclining mechanism 180 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction around a shaft (not shown) extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum. The reclining mechanism 180 has an electric motor 18, and the seat back 120 rotates in the front-rear direction when driven by the electric motor 18. The electric motor 18 may be omitted, and the seat back 120 may be rotated in the front-rear direction manually.

[0016] A pair of left and right lower rails 14, 14 extend in the front-rear direction below the seat 100, i.e., on the upper surface of the floor 1. A pair of front and rear upper rails 25, 25 are slidably engaged with each of the lower rails 14. For convenience, the shapes of the lower rails 14 and the upper rails 25 are shown schematically in Figures 1 and 2.

[0017] 2 (an enlarged view of the left end of the support portion 20). As shown in FIG. 3, the lower rail 14 is formed by bending a metal plate so as to have a generally U-shape in front view, with an opening on the upper surface. More specifically, the lower rail 14 has a bottom surface portion 141 fixed to the floor 1, a pair of left and right side wall portions 142, 142 rising from both left and right end portions of the bottom surface portion 141, top surface portions 143, 143 extending inward in the left and right direction from upper ends of the side wall portions 142, 142, and generally L-shaped bent portions 144, 144 extending downward from both left and right end portions of the top surface portions 143, 143 and further extending outward in the left and right direction.

[0018] Similarly, the upper rail 25 is formed by bending a metal plate so as to have a generally U-shape in front view, with an opening at the bottom. More specifically, the upper rail 25 has an upper surface portion 251 extending generally horizontally, a pair of left and right side wall portions 252, 252 hanging down from both left and right ends of the upper surface portion 251, bottom surface portions 253, 253 extending outward in the left and right direction from the lower ends of the side wall portions 252, 252, and generally L-shaped bent portions 254, 254 extending upward from both left and right ends of the bottom surface portions 253, 253 and further extending inward in the left and right direction. The left and right side wall portions 252, 252 are disposed inside the left and right bent portions 144, 144 of the lower rail 14. The bent portion 254 of the upper rail 25 engages with the bent portion 144 of the lower rail 14, whereby the upper rail 25 is slidably supported on the lower rail 14.

[0019] 1 and 2, the support portion 20 has a pair of left and right front links 21, 21 and a pair of left and right rear links 22, 22, each extending substantially in the vertical direction. An upper end of the front link 21 is pivotally supported by the seat cushion frame 111 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, with a shaft 211 extending outward in the left-right direction from the front end of the seat cushion frame 111 as a fulcrum. A lower end of the front link 21 is pivotally supported by the front upper rail 25F so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, with a shaft 212 extending outward in the left-right direction from the front upper rail 25 (front upper rail 25F) as a fulcrum. The shafts 211, 212 are fixed to the front link 21, and the front link 21 rotates integrally with the shafts 211, 212.

[0020] The upper end of the rear link 22 is pivotally supported by the seat cushion frame 111 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, with a shaft 221 extending outward in the left-right direction from the rear end of the seat cushion frame 111 as a fulcrum. The lower end of the rear link 22 is pivotally supported by the rear upper rail 25 (rear upper rail 25R) so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, with a shaft 222 extending outward in the left-right direction from the rear upper rail 25 as a fulcrum. The shafts 221, 222 are fixed to the rear link 22, and the rear link 22 rotates integrally with the shafts 221, 222.

[0021] The left and right front links 21, 21 may be joined to both left and right ends of a link connection frame extending in the left-right direction. The left and right rear links 22, 22 may be joined to both left and right ends of a link connection frame extending in the left-right direction. In other words, the left and right front links 21, 21 may be integrated via the link connection frame. The left and right rear links 22, 22 may be integrated via the link connection frame.

[0022] The pair of left and right front upper rails 25F, 25F are fixed to both left and right ends of a connecting frame 26 extending in the left and right direction. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the connecting frame 26 extends in the left and right direction above the lower rails 14, and its left and right ends are fixed by welding or the like to inner side wall portions 252 of the upper rails 25. In this way, the left and right front upper rails 25F, 25F are integrated via the connecting frame 26. The pair of left and right rear upper rails 25R, 25R are also fixed to both left and right ends of a connecting frame 28 ( FIG. 4 ) extending in the left and right direction. In this way, the left and right rear upper rails 25R, 25R are integrated via the connecting frame 28.

[0023] 1 and 2, a lead screw 15 having a generally cylindrical shape and elongated in the front-rear direction is disposed inside the lower rail 14. As shown in Fig. 3, a threaded portion 15a is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the lead screw 15 over substantially the entire length thereof.

[0024] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, brackets 151 are fixed to the upper surface of the bottom surface portion 141 of the lower rail 14 near the front and rear ends of the lower rail 14. The brackets 151 rise upward from the upper surface of the bottom surface portion 141 and support the front and rear ends of the lead screw 15 while raising the lead screw 15 a predetermined height above the bottom surface portion 141. In this way, the lead screw 15 is fixed to the lower rail 14 via the brackets 151 so as not to be rotatable.

[0025] A reversible electric motor 27 is attached to the front surface of the front connecting frame 26. The electric motor 27 has a pair of output shafts, one protruding to the left and one protruding to the right. A shaft 27a extending in the left-right direction is connected to the output shafts, and when driven by the electric motor 27, the shaft 27a rotates about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, the gearbox 30, which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case member, is attached to the top surface portion 251 of the front upper rail 25F. For example, the gearbox 30 is fixed by a pair of front and rear bolts 30a that penetrate the top surface portion 251. The bottom surface of the gearbox 30 is located below the bottom surface of the lead screw 15 and above the bottom surface portion 141 of the lower rail 14. The lead screw 15 extends through the gearbox 30 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0027] Although not shown, a rotating body that screws onto the threaded portion 15a of the lead screw 15 is provided inside the gear box 30. The rotating body is, for example, a nut, and the nut is rotatably supported inside the gear box 30 around the axis of the lead screw 15. As the nut rotates in one direction or the opposite direction, the gear box 30 moves in the front-to-rear direction along the lead screw 15 together with the front upper rail 25F. Note that the rotating body may be something other than a nut as long as it screws onto the threaded portion 15a of the lead screw 15.

[0028] The shaft 27a of the electric motor 27 penetrates the side wall portion 252 of the front upper rail 25F and is inserted into the gear box 30. One or more gear units (e.g., worm gears or bevel gears) that convert rotation about a left-right axis into rotation about a front-rear axis are housed inside the gear box 30, particularly in the space above the lead screw 15. The tip of the shaft 27a meshes with the gear unit, and the rotation of the electric motor 27 is transmitted via the shaft 27a and the gear unit to a gear provided on the outer peripheral surface of a nut, for example. As a result, when the electric motor 27 is driven, the gear box 30 moves in the front-rear direction together with the front upper rail 25F, and the lower end of the front link 21 moves in the front-rear direction accordingly.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, an electric motor 29 is attached to the front surface of a connecting frame 28 disposed inside the left and right rear links 22. The electric motor 29 has a similar configuration to the electric motor 27. A gear box 30 similar to that of the front upper rail 25F is attached to the rear upper rail 25R. Rotation of the electric motor 29 is transmitted to the gear box 30 via a shaft 29a. As a result, when driven by the electric motor 29, the rear upper rail 25R moves in the front-rear direction along the lead screw 15, and the lower end of the rear link 22 moves in the front-rear direction accordingly.

[0030] A reversible electric motor 35 is attached to the rear surface and left end of the front connecting frame 26. The output shaft of the electric motor 35 protrudes to the left, and one end of a shaft 35a extending in the left-right direction is connected to this output shaft. The shaft 35a penetrates the left and right side wall portions 252 of the front upper rail 25F and extends to the left of the front upper rail 25F, and a pinion 36 is fixed to the other end of the shaft 35a. As a result, the pinion 36 rotates about an axis in the left-right direction when driven by the electric motor 35. Note that a reducer may be interposed between the electric motor 35 and the pinion 36 so that the rotation of the electric motor 35 is reduced in speed by the reducer and then transmitted to the pinion 36.

[0031] The shaft portion 212 of the left front link 21 protrudes a predetermined amount beyond the left end surface of the front link 21, and a gear 37 is coupled to this protruding portion so as to rotate integrally with the shaft portion 212. For example, the gear 37 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 212 by a spline connection. The gear 37 meshes with the pinion 36, and as the pinion 36 rotates, the front link 21 rotates in the front-rear direction via the gear 37. Note that while the gear 37 is configured in a substantially circular shape in FIG. 1 , the gear 37 is not limited to a circular shape and may be semicircular or fan-shaped as long as it is provided integrally with the front link 21. Although the gear 37 is provided around the shaft portion 212 in FIG. 1 , it may be provided at a position offset from the shaft portion 212 (for example, offset rearward). Instead of providing the gear 37 as a separate member of the front link 21, a gear portion may be provided on the front link itself.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, the electric motor 27 for driving the front upper rail, the electric motor 29 for driving the rear upper rail, and the electric motor 35 for driving the front link are provided below the seat 100 as actuators for driving the support portion 20 of the seat 100. These electric motors 27, 29, and 35 are located below the upper surface portion 251 of the upper rail 25. Therefore, the seat cushion 110 can be lowered to the lowest position (FIG. 8) without contact between the seat cushion 110 and the electric motors 27, 29, and 35. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, a recess 110a may be provided in the bottom surface of the seat cushion 110 to prevent the bottom surface of the seat cushion 110 from interfering with the motors, etc.

[0033] At least one of the front link 21 and the rear link 22 is provided with a spring to prevent rattle between the links 21 and 22. While detailed illustration is omitted, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 , a spring 24 is provided on the upper shaft 221 of the rear link 22, i.e., at a diagonal position of the shaft 212 driven via the gear 37. The spring 24 is, for example, a torsion spring. This allows the biasing force of the spring 24 to act on the shaft 221 of the rear link 22, which rotates freely, preventing rattle between the shaft 221. Not only the shaft 221 but also the shafts 211 and 212 rotate freely. Therefore, the rattle prevention spring 24 may be provided on the shaft 211 as well as the shaft 221. Furthermore, the rattle prevention spring 24 may be provided on the shaft 222, or all of the shafts 211, 212, 221, and 222 may have the same anti-rattle spring 24.

[0034] 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device 50 that controls the operation of the support unit 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 50 has an ECU 51, an operation unit 52, a position sensor 53, a camera 54, electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35, and an alarm unit 55. Signals from the operation unit 52, the position sensor 53, and the camera 54 are input to the ECU 51. Based on these input signals, the ECU 51 executes predetermined processing in accordance with a pre-stored program and outputs control signals to the electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35 and the alarm unit 55.

[0035] The operating unit 52 is provided, for example, on the side of the seat 100 so that it can be operated by an occupant seated in the seat 100. The operating unit 52 includes a forward / backward movement switch that commands forward / backward movement of the seat 100, a vertical movement switch that commands vertical movement, and a mode selection switch that selects a desired seat mode from a plurality of seat modes (seat postures).

[0036] The position sensor 53 includes a plurality of sensors that detect the current longitudinal position and vertical position of the seat 100, the tilt angle of the seat cushion 110, etc. The position sensor 53 may be a linear encoder, a magnetic sensor (Hall sensor), an optical encoder, a potentiometer (variable resistor), a limit switch, an inclination sensor, etc. A sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the electric motors 18, 27, 29, 35 may also be used as the position sensor 53.

[0037] The camera 54 is installed inside the vehicle cabin and captures images of obstacles or people around the seat 100 that may impede the movement of the seat 100. For example, the camera captures images of other seats 100 or occupants seated in other seats 100. These may be referred to as image capture targets.

[0038] The notification unit 55 is configured with a display unit and a speaker that notify the occupant of information by display or sound. The notification unit 55 may include a vibration actuator that generates vibrations in the seat 100, and notify the occupant of information via the vibration actuator.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows the seat 100 in a normal position (normal mode). In this embodiment, the seat 100 can be moved in the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions by driving the electric motors 18, 27, and 29 without changing the tilt angle of the seating surface 114 of the seat cushion 110. For example, when a command to move the seat 100 forward is issued from the operation unit 52, the ECU 51 outputs control signals to the electric motors 27 and 29 in response to the command from the operation unit 52, thereby moving the front upper rail 25F and the rear upper rail 25R forward by the same amount. When a command to move the seat 100 backward is issued from the operation unit 52, the ECU 51 outputs control signals to the electric motors 27 and 29 in response to the command from the operation unit 52, thereby moving the front upper rail 25F and the rear upper rail 25R backward by the same amount.

[0040] When a command to lower the seat 100 is issued from the operating unit 52, the ECU 51 outputs control signals to the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 in response to the command from the operating unit 52, causing the front link 21 to rotate forward by a predetermined amount. At this time, the distance from the front upper rail 25F to the rear upper rail 25R is reduced to a predetermined distance so that the inclination angle of the seating surface 114 of the seat cushion 110 is not changed. Furthermore, while maintaining the distance from the front upper rail 25F to the rear upper rail 25R at the predetermined distance, the front upper rail 25F and the rear upper rail 25R are simultaneously moved rearward so that the position of the seat cushion 110 in the fore-and-aft direction is not changed.

[0041] This allows the seat cushion 110 to be lowered. In this case, the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, 35 so that the seat cushion 110 is lowered while maintaining a constant position in the front-to-rear direction, and adjusts the drive amount and drive timing of each of the electric motors 27, 29, 35. When a command to raise the seat 100 is received from the operation unit 52, the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, 35 so that the operation is the reverse of that during the above-mentioned lowering, and adjusts the drive amount and drive timing of each of the electric motors 27, 29, 35.

[0042] In this embodiment, the seat 100 can be moved not only in the front-rear and up-down directions but also from the normal position to various other positions, such as by changing the tilt angle of the seating surface of the seat cushion 110, by driving the electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35. Some of the positions that the seat 100 can achieve are described below.

[0043] 6 is a side view of the seat 100 in the hip-up position. When a hip-up mode command is issued via the operation unit 52, or when a command to raise the rear end of the seat cushion 110 is issued, the seat 100 changes from the normal position to the hip-up position. In this case, the rear upper rail 25R moves forward by a predetermined amount due to the drive of the electric motor 29. As a result, the rear link 22 rises while rotating around the shafts 221 and 222 as a fulcrum. As a result, the rear end of the seat cushion 110 rises around the shaft 211 of the front link 21 as a fulcrum, and the seat 100 assumes the hip-up position.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a side view of the seat 100 in the relaxed position. When a command to switch to the relaxed mode is issued via the operating unit 52, or when a command to lower the rear end of the seat cushion 110 and rotate the seat back 120 rearward is issued, the seat 100 transitions from the normal position to the relaxed position. In this case, the electric motor 29 drives the rear upper rail 25R to move rearward by a predetermined amount. This causes the rear link 22 to tilt while rotating around the axles 221 and 222 as a fulcrum. As a result, the rear end of the seat cushion 110 descends around the axle 211 of the front link 21 as a fulcrum. Furthermore, the electric motor 18 drives the seat back 120 to rotate rearward by a predetermined amount, and the seat 100 transitions to the relaxed position.

[0045] 8 is a side view of the seat 100 showing the dive-down position. In the dive-down position, the entire seat is tilted forward to create a flat space above the seat 100. When the dive-down mode is commanded via the operation unit 52, or when a command is given to move the seat cushion 110 forward and downward and to rotate the seat back 120 forward, the seat 100 transitions from the normal position to the dive-down position.

[0046] In this case, the front link 21 is rotated forward by the driving of the electric motor 35 until the seat cushion 110 reaches its maximum lowered position. The maximum lowered position is, for example, a position where the bottom surface of the seat cushion 110 abuts against the upper surface of the upper rail 25. Furthermore, the rear upper rail 25R is moved forward by a predetermined amount by the driving of the electric motor 29. As a result, the rear link 22 is tilted while rotating about the shafts 221, 222 as fulcrums, and the seat cushion 110 becomes approximately horizontal. Furthermore, the seat back 120 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount by the driving of the electric motor 18, and the seat 100 assumes a dive-down position.

[0047] The seat 100 can be changed to various positions other than those described above. When the seat 100 is at risk of becoming stuck while changing its position to a predetermined position, the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 to prevent the seat 100 from becoming stuck. For example, when there is a risk of the seat 100 becoming stuck if the upper rail 25 slides before the front link 21 rotates, the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 to rotate the upper rail 25 before the front link 21 rotates or simultaneously with the front link 21. A stopper that restricts the rotation angle of the links 21 and 22 may be provided to prevent the seat 100 from becoming stuck.

[0048] When a command is issued to change the seat 100 to a predetermined position, the ECU 51 may automatically suspend the operation of the seat 100 to avoid interference with an obstacle or a person. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the ECU 51 in this case. The processing shown in this flowchart is started when, for example, the relaxation mode of Fig. 7 is commanded in the normal position. Note that even when a mode other than the relaxation mode is commanded, if a command is issued to lower the seat cushion 11, the same processing as that shown in Fig. 9 is executed.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 9, first, in step S1, the ECU 51 outputs a control signal to the electric motor 29 to move the rear upper rail 25R rearward. This causes the rear end of the seat cushion 110 to lower. In step S2, the ECU 51 detects the height of the seat cushion 110 based on a signal from the position sensor 53, and determines whether the height of the seat cushion 110 has reached a predetermined height. In other words, it determines whether the height of the seat cushion 110 is equal to or less than the predetermined height. If the result in step S2 is negative, the process returns to step S1, and the same process is repeated. If the result in step S2 is positive, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0050] In step S3, the ECU 51 outputs a control signal to the electric motor 29 to stop driving the electric motor 29. This stops the lowering of the seat cushion 110. Next, in step S4, the ECU 51 outputs a control signal to the notification unit 55 to notify that the lowering of the seat cushion 110 has been temporarily stopped and that a command to lower the seat cushion 110 needs to be issued again to continue the lowering of the seat cushion 110. The command to lower the seat cushion 110 again is, for example, a command for the relaxation mode issued by again operating the operation unit 52. Note that instead of issuing a command via the operation unit 52, a command to lower the seat cushion 110 again may be issued in another manner, for example, by voice command, gesture command, or the like.

[0051] Next, in step S5, the ECU 51 determines whether or not a command to lower the seat cushion 110 has been issued again. If the result in step S5 is negative, the process returns to step S3, and the same processing is repeated. If the result in step S5 is positive, the process proceeds to step S6, and the ECU 51 outputs a control signal to the electric motor 29 to lower the seat cushion 110, as in step S1.

[0052] According to the processing in FIG. 9, when the height of the seat cushion 110 reaches a predetermined height in response to a command to lower the seat cushion 110, the lowering operation of the seat cushion 110 is temporarily stopped, and information about the temporary stop is displayed to the occupant. This prompts the occupant to check for the presence of an obstacle or a person (for example, the legs of a rear seat occupant) below the seat 100, and to issue a command to lower the seat again after checking. This makes it possible to prevent the seat 100 from accidentally pinching an obstacle or a person (which may be collectively referred to as an object).

[0053] The ECU 51 may determine whether or not there is a risk of the seat 100 coming into contact with a surrounding object when changing the position or posture of the seat 100, based on an image from the camera 54. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the ECU 51 in this case. The processing in Fig. 10 is started when a command to move the seat 100 is issued from the operation unit 52.

[0054] 10, first, in step S11, control signals are output to the electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35 so that the seat 100 moves in response to a command from the operation unit 52. Next, in step S12, the distance between the seat 100 and an object around it is calculated based on an image captured by the camera 54. Note that the distance between the seat 100 and the object may also be calculated based on an image other than that captured by the camera 54.

[0055] Next, in step S13, it is determined whether the distance calculated in step S12 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. That is, it is determined whether there is a risk of collision between the seat 100 and the object. If the result in step S13 is negative, the process returns to step S11, and the same processing is repeated. If the result in step S13 is positive, the process proceeds to step S14, and a control signal is output to the electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35 to stop the approaching operation of the seat 100. In this case, the drive of all the electric motors 18, 27, 29, and 35 may be stopped, or the drive of only the predetermined electric motors involved in the approaching operation to the object may be stopped.

[0056] Next, in step S15, the occupant is notified via the notification unit 55 that the approaching movement of the seat 100 has stopped. This makes it possible to avoid a collision between the seat 100 and the object. After step S15, the occupant moves the object away from the seat 100. In this state, if the occupant again commands the movement of the seat 100 via the operation unit 52, the seat 100 resumes moving. Instead of stopping the approaching movement in step S14, a control signal may be output to the electric motors 18, 27, 29, 35 so that the seat 100 moves away from the object.

[0057] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved. (1) A vehicle seat (seat) 100 includes a seat cushion 110 disposed above a floor 1, a seat back 120 supported on a rear end of the seat cushion 110 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, and a support portion 20 that supports the seat cushion 110 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction and up-down from the floor 1 (FIG. 1). The support portion 20 includes a front upper rail 25F provided to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the floor 1, a rear upper rail 25R provided behind the front upper rail 25F so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the floor 1 and movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front upper rail 25F, a front link 21 having one end and the other end supported by the front upper rail 25F and the seat cushion 110 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, respectively, and a rear link 22 behind the front link 21 having one end and the other end supported by the rear upper rail 25R and the seat cushion 110 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, respectively (FIG. 1).

[0058] With this configuration, the front link 21, the pair of front and rear upper rails 25F, 25R, the rear link 22, and the seat cushion 110 form a so-called four-joint link. Here, the pair of front and rear upper rails 25F, 25R are provided so as to be able to move independently in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the distance between the front and rear upper rails 25F, 25R can be changed as needed, thereby allowing the seat cushion 110 to move in the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions and further allowing the tilt angle of the seat cushion 110 to be changed.

[0059] (2) The support portion 20 further includes lower rails 14 extending in the front-rear direction on the floor 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The front upper rail 25 extends in the front-rear direction so as to engage with the lower rail 14, and the rear upper rail 25 extends in the front-rear direction at a distance from the front upper rail 25 so as to engage with the lower rail 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4). By providing the front and rear upper rails 25, 25, to which different links 21, 22 are connected, at a distance from each other in this manner, various movements of the seat cushion 110 can be easily achieved.

[0060] (3) The front link 21 is configured as a drive link that is driven to rotate in the fore-and-aft direction (FIG. 1). The support portion 20 further includes an electric motor 27 that generates a drive force to move the front upper rail 25F in the fore-and-aft direction, an electric motor 29 that generates a drive force to move the rear upper rail 25R in the fore-and-aft direction, an electric motor 35 that generates a drive force to rotate the front link 21, and an ECU 51 that controls the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 (FIG. 5). As a result, the seat cushion 110 can be operated in a variety of ways by the ECU 51 controlling the three electric motors 27, 29, and 35.

[0061] (4) Front upper rails 25F are provided on the left and right sides, and rear upper rails 25R are provided on the left and right sides (FIG. 4). The support portion 20 further includes a connecting frame 26 that extends in the left-right direction and connects the pair of left and right front upper rails 25F, 25F, and a connecting frame 28 that extends in the left-right direction and connects the pair of left and right rear upper rails 25R, 25R (FIG. 4). The electric motor 27 is attached to the connecting frame 26, the electric motor 29 is attached to the connecting frame 28, and the electric motor 35 is attached to the connecting frame 26. As a result, the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 are all disposed on the upper rail 25 side, making it possible to easily provide a space below the seat cushion 110 to allow the seat cushion 110 to move.

[0062] (5) The seat 100 further includes an operating unit 52 that commands the raising and lowering of the seat cushion 110 in response to a command from the occupant, and a position sensor 53 that detects the height of the rear end of the seat cushion 110 (FIG. 5). When a command to lower the seat cushion 110 is issued by the operating unit 52, the ECU 51 stops the lowering operation when the height detected by the position sensor 53 reaches a predetermined height. Thereafter, when a command to lower the seat cushion 110 is issued again by the operating unit 52, the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, 35 to continue the lowering operation (FIG. 9). This prevents the rear end of the seat 100 from coming into contact with the feet, etc., of a rear seat occupant as the seat cushion 110 lowers.

[0063] (6) The seat 100 is further equipped with a camera 54 that detects the degree of approach between the seat 100 and an object (object or person) around the seat 100 (FIG. 5). When the camera 54 detects that the seat 100 is approaching an object to a predetermined degree or more (the distance to the object is equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance), the ECU 51 controls the electric motors 27, 29, and 35 to prevent the approach (FIG. 10). This makes it possible to prevent contact between the seat 100 and the object around it.

[0064] (7) The seat 100 further includes a spring 24 that biases at least one of the front link 21 and the rear link 22 (e.g., the rear link 22) in a predetermined rotational direction (FIG. 1). This prevents the links 21 and 22 from rattling, providing a comfortable seating experience for the occupant sitting in the seat 100.

[0065] In the above embodiment, one end and the other end of the front link 21 serving as the first link member are supported by the seat cushion 110 and the front upper rail 25F to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. However, the first movable body may be any other than the front upper rail 25F as long as it is provided so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the floor 1 (base). In other words, the first movable body may have any configuration as long as it is provided so as to be movable integrally with the front upper rail 25F (first upper rail). In the above embodiment, one end and the other end of the rear link 22 serving as the second link member are supported by the seat cushion 110 and the rear upper rail 25R to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. However, the second movable body may be any other configuration as long as it is provided so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the floor 1. In other words, the second movable body may have any configuration as long as it is provided so as to be movable integrally with the rear upper rail 25R (second upper rail).

[0066] In the above embodiment, the front upper rail 25F and the rear upper rail 25R are each configured to have a substantially U-shaped cross section and engage with the lower rail 14, but the configuration of the first upper rail and the second upper rail is not limited to that described above. In the above embodiment, the front link 21 is configured to be a driving link member and rotated by the electric motor 35, but the rear link 22 may be configured to be a driving link member and driven by an electric motor. In the above embodiment, the front upper rail 25F is driven by the electric motor 27 (first actuator), the rear upper rail 25R is driven by the electric motor 29 (second actuator), and the front link 21 is driven by the electric motor 35 (third actuator), but the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator may be other than electric motors.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the electric motors 27, 35 are attached to the connecting frame 26 (first connecting portion) connecting the pair of left and right front upper rails 25F, 25F, but the electric motors 27, 35 may be attached to other members. In the above embodiment, the electric motor 29 is attached to the connecting frame 28 (second connecting portion) connecting the pair of left and right rear upper rails 25R, 25R, but the electric motor 29 may be attached to other members. In the above embodiment, a command to raise or lower the seat cushion 110 is issued by operating the operating unit 52, but the configuration of the command unit is not limited to the above. In the above embodiment, the position sensor 53 detects the height of the rear end of the seat cushion 11, but the height detection unit may have any configuration.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the distance from the seat 100 to surrounding objects is calculated based on images acquired by the camera 54, but a device other than a camera may be used as a proximity detection unit that detects the degree of proximity between the vehicle seat and surrounding objects or people. Therefore, when the proximity detection unit detects an approaching movement of the vehicle seat of a predetermined degree or more, the ECU 51 serving as a control unit controls the actuator to avoid the approaching movement (to stop the approach or move in a direction away from the seat). In the above embodiment, the shaft portion 221 of the rear link 22 is provided with the spring 24 for preventing rattle, but the biasing member may be provided somewhere other than the shaft portion, and the configuration of the biasing member is not limited to that described above.

[0069] In the above embodiment, a single lead screw 15 is supported non-rotatably from the lower rail 14. However, a pair of front and rear lead screws 15, 15 may be rotatably supported from the lower rail 14, and a pair of front and rear nuts may be threadedly engaged with the pair of front and rear lead screws 15, 15 so as to be non-rotatable but slidable, and the pair of front and rear nuts may be supported from a pair of front and rear upper rails 25, 25. In this case, the pair of front and rear lead screws 15, 15 may be rotationally driven by an actuator such as an electric motor. A nut may be disposed on the lower rail side, and a rotatable lead screw may be provided on the upper rail side.

[0070] Although an example in which the vehicle seat 100 is applied to a vehicle has been described above, the vehicle seat of the present invention can also be applied to vehicles other than vehicles, such as aircraft and ships.

[0071] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. One or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can also be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 floor, 2 support part, 20A lower slide mechanism, 20B intermediate slide mechanism, 20C upper slide mechanism, 21 lower member, 22 intermediate member, 23 upper member, 50 vehicle (vehicle), 51 recess, 52 support frame, 53 side wall, 55 lid, 100 vehicle seat, 100F front row seat, 100R rear row seat, 102 ECU, 110 seat cushion, 120 seat back, 140 ottoman, 210 lower frame, 213 lower rail, 220 intermediate frame, 222 upper rail, 223 lower rail, 225 electric motor, 230 upper frame, 232 upper rail, 235 electric motor, SF1, SF2 inclined surface, SP0 storage space, SP4 space, BT1, BT2, BT3 battery

Claims

1. a seat cushion disposed above the base; a seat back supported on a rear end of the seat cushion so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction; a support portion that supports the seat cushion so as to be movable in the front-rear direction and in the up-down direction from the base portion, The support portion is a first movable body provided slidably in a front-rear direction relative to the base; a second moving body that is slidable in a front-rear direction with respect to the base and is provided behind the first moving body so as to be movable in a front-rear direction relative to the first moving body; a first link member whose one end and the other end are supported by the first moving body and the seat cushion, respectively, so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction; A vehicle seat characterized by having a second link member, one end and the other end of which are supported rearward of the first link member by the second movable body and the seat cushion, respectively, so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, The support portion further includes a lower rail extending in the front-rear direction on the base portion, the first movable body has a first upper rail extending in the front-rear direction so as to engage with the lower rail, The vehicle seat is characterized in that the second movable body has a second upper rail extending in the front-rear direction and spaced apart from the first upper rail so as to engage with the lower rail.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, the first link member or the second link member is a driving link member that is driven to rotate in a front-rear direction, The support portion is a first actuator that generates a driving force that moves the first moving body in a forward and backward direction; a second actuator that generates a driving force that moves the second moving body in the front-rear direction; a third actuator that generates a driving force that rotates the driving link member; A vehicle seat, further comprising: a control unit that controls the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, the first moving body is a pair of left and right first moving bodies, the second moving body is a pair of left and right second moving bodies, the support portion further includes a first connecting portion extending in the left-right direction and connecting the pair of left and right first moving bodies, and a second connecting portion extending in the left-right direction and connecting the pair of left and right second moving bodies, the first actuator is attached to the first coupling portion; the second actuator is attached to the second coupling portion; The vehicle seat, wherein the third actuator is attached to the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, a command unit that commands the raising and lowering of the seat cushion in response to a command from an occupant; a height detection unit that detects the height of the rear end of the seat cushion, The control unit, when instructed by the command unit to lower the seat cushion, stops the lowering operation when the height detected by the height detection unit reaches a predetermined height, and thereafter, when instructed by the command unit to lower the seat cushion again, controls the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator to continue the lowering operation.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, a proximity detection unit that detects the degree of proximity between the vehicle seat and an object or person around the vehicle seat, The control unit controls the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator to avoid an approaching movement of the vehicle seat of a predetermined degree or more when the approach detection unit detects the approaching movement of the vehicle seat.

7. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The vehicle seat further comprises a biasing member that biases at least one of the first link member and the second link member in a predetermined rotational direction.

Images