Seat device and vehicle

Abstract

To take out an ottoman from a storage position while moving a seat main part rearward with a simple and inexpensive structure.SOLUTION: A seat device 2 includes: a seat main part 3 having a seat cushion 31 and a seat back 32 provided at a rear end of the seat cushion 31; and a slide device 4 which may slide the seat main part 3 in a front-back direction. The seat device 2 includes: an ottoman 100 which is provided at a front end of the seat cushion 31 and may rotate around a first shaft part extending in a lateral direction in a vertical direction; and an ottoman operation part 101 which contacts with the ottoman 100 to apply a force for rotating the ottoman 100 upward when the seat body 3 is slid backward to a predetermined position through the slide device 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat device and a vehicle equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of this type of device, a vehicle seat in which an ottoman is attached to the front end of a seat cushion that is movable in the fore-and-aft direction is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1 is configured to move the seat cushion rearward, and then control a drive motor connected to the ottoman to move the ottoman from a stored position below the seat cushion to a use position in front of the seat cushion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-000274 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1 requires the occupant to move the seat body rearward and then rotate the ottoman using the drive motor, which requires two operations and takes time to arrange the seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is a seat device comprising a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back provided at the rear end of the seat cushion, and a slide portion that can slide the seat body in the front-to-rear direction, characterized in that it also comprises an ottoman that is provided at the front end of the seat cushion and can rotate in the up-and-down direction around an axis portion extending in the left-to-right direction, and an ottoman operating portion that abuts against the ottoman and applies a force to rotate the ottoman upward when the seat body slides rearward to a predetermined position via the slide portion.

[0006] According to the invention of claim 1, the ottoman can be made to appear in conjunction with the sliding movement of the seat body with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

[0007] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the seat device described in claim 1, the ottoman has a first ottoman that is rotatable in the vertical direction at the front end of the seat cushion around a first axis portion extending in the left-right direction, and a second ottoman that is rotatable in the vertical direction at the front end of the first ottoman around a second axis portion extending in the left-right direction.

[0008] According to the invention of claim 2, the ottoman can be made to appear in stages, and the length of the ottoman in the front-to-rear direction when in the use position can also be increased.

[0009] The invention according to claim 3 is the seat device according to claim 2, wherein when the seat cushion moves to the first position, the ottoman operating portion abuts against the first ottoman to start rotating the first ottoman upward, and when the seat cushion moves to a position rearward of the first position, When the seat back moves to the second position, it abuts against the second ottoman, causing the second ottoman to start moving upward.

[0010] According to the invention of claim 3, the first and second ottomans can be moved in stages from the stored position to the use position in conjunction with the sliding movement of the seat body.

[0011] The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the seat device described in claim 2, the ottoman further has a first biasing portion that biases the first ottoman toward the storage position and a second biasing portion that biases the second ottoman toward the storage position, and the first biasing portion and the second biasing portion have different biasing forces.

[0012] According to the invention of claim 4, the first and second ottomans can be moved in stages by adjusting the biasing forces of the first and second biasing portions.

[0013] The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the seat device described in claim 1, the sliding portion has a lower rail fixed to the floor and an upper rail that moves on the lower rail to slide the seat body in the fore-and-aft direction, and the ottoman operating portion is provided on the lower rail.

[0014] According to the invention of claim 5, the rotation of the ottoman can be linked to the sliding movement of the seat body with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

[0015] The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, in the seat device described in claim 5, the slide portion further has a movement restriction portion that restricts movement of the upper rail and an operating portion that operates the movement restriction portion, and the operating portion is arranged on the side of the seat body.

[0016] According to the invention of claim 6, a person seated in the seat body can easily operate the interlocking of the seat body and the ottoman.

[0017] The invention according to claim 7 is the seat device according to claim 5, wherein the slide portion further includes an electric slide mechanism that electrically moves the upper rail.

[0018] According to the invention of claim 7, the seat body can be slid more smoothly than when slid manually, and the ottoman linked to this can also be moved more smoothly.

[0019] The invention of claim 8 is characterized in that, in the seat device described in claim 7, the seat body further has an electric reclining mechanism that electrically tilts the seat back around an axis extending in the left-right direction, and further has a control unit that controls the electric reclining mechanism so that the seat back tilts in accordance with the movement of the upper rail by the electric slide mechanism.

[0020] According to the invention of claim 8, the seat back can be reclined in conjunction with the sliding of the seat cushion, and the ottoman can also be reclined in conjunction with the sliding of the seat cushion.

[0021] The invention according to claim 9 is a vehicle equipped with the seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

[0022] According to the invention of claim 9, even in a passenger seat installed in a vehicle, the ottoman can be made to appear in conjunction with the sliding movement of the seat body with a simple and inexpensive configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, the ottoman can be brought out from the stored position while the seat body is moved rearward with a simple and inexpensive configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which a seat device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device mounted on the vehicle of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3A]FIG. 1 is a side view of the ottoman in a stowed position. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is a side view of the ottoman in the use position. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an ottoman operating portion attached to a slide device. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls the driving of the seat device. [Figure 6A] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the seat device when the seat mode is changed from a drive mode to a relax mode. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the operation following FIG. 6A. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a diagram for explaining the operation following FIG. 6B. [Figure 6D] FIG. 6D is a diagram for explaining the operation following FIG. 6C. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device according to a modified example, in which the ottoman is stored. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device according to a modified example, in which the ottoman is extended. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls the driving of the seat device. [Figure 9A] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the operation of extending the ottoman body from the storage position. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a diagram for explaining the operation following FIG. 9A. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9C is a diagram for explaining the operation following FIG. 9B. [Figure 9D] FIG. 9D is a diagram for explaining the operation following FIG. 9C. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state of a relaxation mode of a seat device according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls the driving of the seat device in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a side view showing the electronically controlled suspension of FIG. 11 in an extended state. [Figure 14] FIG. 12 is a side view showing the electronically controlled suspension of FIG. 11 in a contracted state. [Figure 15] 12 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device according to a modified example of the seat device of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls the driving of the seat device in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 16 is a side view showing a state in which the electronically controlled suspension and the variable damper of FIG. 15 are contracted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] [Seat device] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6D. A seat device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to seats such as sofas and massage chairs, as well as seats installed in various vehicles such as aircraft, trains, and automobiles. Below, an example in which the seat device is applied to a seat installed in an automobile vehicle will be described as an example.

[0026] Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle 1 to which a seat device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Fig. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the seat device 2 mounted on the vehicle 1 of Fig. 1. In the following, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown in the figure with reference to an occupant seated in the seat device 2, and the configuration of each part will be described in accordance with these definitions. That is, in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the seat device 2 correspond to the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the vehicle 1.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel vehicle having four wheels 10 on the front, rear, left and right sides, and includes a front seat 2F and a rear seat 2R located behind the front seat 2F. The front seat 2F has a driver's seat 2Fa located on the right side facing the steering wheel 11 and a passenger seat 2Fb located on the left side, and the rear seat 2R is configured as a bench seat divided into two halves in a 60:40 ratio.

[0028] The seat device 2 according to this embodiment can be applied to the driver's seat 2Fa and the passenger's seat 2Fb. The rear seat 2R is not limited to a bench seat divided into two halves, left and right, but may be an independent seat provided behind the driver's seat 2Fa and the passenger's seat 2Fb. When the rear seat 2R is an independent seat, the configuration of the seat device 2 can also be applied to the rear seat 2R. In the following, the driver's seat 2Fa and the passenger's seat 2Fb of the vehicle 1 will be described as the seat device 2.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the seat device 2 includes a seat body 3 on which an occupant sits, a slide device (slide portion) 4 that can slide the seat body 3 in the front-to-rear direction, a riser portion 5 interposed between the seat body 3 and the slide device 4, an ottoman 100 on which the feet of an occupant seated on the seat body 3 can be placed, an ottoman operating portion 101 that causes the ottoman 100 to appear in conjunction with the rearward movement of the seat body 3, and a control portion 6 that controls the operation of the seat body 3 and the slide device 4.

[0030] The seat body 3 includes a seat cushion 31 that supports the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 32 that is provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31 and supports the occupant's waist and back, a headrest 33 that is provided at the upper end of the seat back 32 and supports the occupant's head, and an electric reclining mechanism 34 that is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 and electrically tilts the seat back 32.

[0031] The seat cushion 31 comprises a seat cushion frame 31a which forms a skeleton of an approximately rectangular shape that follows the outer shape of the seat cushion 31, a cushion pad 31b made of a cushion material such as urethane foam, and a cushion covering material 31c made of synthetic leather, fabric, or the like, and is formed by attaching the cushion pad 31b to the seat cushion frame 31a and covering them with the cushion covering material 31c.

[0032] Like the seat cushion 31, the seat back 32 includes a seat back frame 32a that forms a substantially rectangular skeleton that conforms to the outer shape of the seat back 32, a back pad 32b made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam, and a back skin material 32c made of synthetic leather, fabric, or the like, and is formed by attaching the back pad 32b to the seat back frame 32a and covering them with the back skin material 32c.

[0033] The headrest 33 does not have a frame that forms a skeleton like the seat cushion 31 or the seat back 32, but is formed by covering a headrest pad 33b made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam formed into a predetermined shape with a headrest covering material 33c made of synthetic leather, fabric, etc. A headrest stay 33a is arranged inside the headrest 33, and the headrest is supported by the seat back frame 32a via the headrest stay 33a.

[0034] The electric reclining mechanism 34 tilts the seat back 32 around an axle extending in the left-right direction. The electric reclining mechanism 34 includes, for example, an axle 34a extending in the left-right direction at the lower end of the seat back frame 32a, a support portion 34b provided at the rear end of the seat cushion frame 31a and rotatably supporting the axle 34a, a tilting actuator 34c that applies a rotating force to the axle 34a to tilt the seat back 32 around the axle 34a, and a tilting operation portion 34d that drives the tilting actuator 34c.

[0035] The tilting actuator 34c may have, for example, a motor attached to the side of the seat cushion frame 31a and a gear train connected to the shaft 34a and meshing with the motor, and a configuration in which driving the motor applies a rotational force to the shaft 34a via the gear train. The tilting operation unit 34d is disposed on the side of the seat main body 3 and is operable by the occupant. In the seat device 2, the tilting operation unit 34d is disposed on the side of the seat cushion 31 so that it can be easily operated by the occupant while seated. When the occupant operates the tilting operation unit 34d, a tilt signal is output to the control unit 6, and the tilting actuator 34c is driven.

[0036] The slide device 4 includes a pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 that are provided extending in the front-to-rear direction on the floor 12 of the vehicle 1, a pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 that are slidably supported on the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41, a slide actuator 43 (electric slide mechanism) that slides the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, and a slide operating unit 44 that drives the slide actuator 43. The pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 are fixed to the floor 12, and the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 are connected to the seat cushion frame 31a via a riser portion 5.

[0037] The slide actuator 43 may have, for example, a screw shaft extending in the front-rear direction and rotatably supported on the lower rail 41, a screw nut threaded onto the screw shaft, a motor that rotates the screw nut via a gear train, and a housing that houses the screw nut and the motor and is connected to the upper rail 42, and the upper rail 42 connected to the housing is slid by driving the motor. By using the slide actuator 43, the slide actuator 43 forms a movement restricting unit that restricts movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42.

[0038] The slide operation unit 44 is arranged on the side of the seat body 3 and is configured to be operable by the occupant. In the seat device 2, it is arranged on the side of the seat cushion 31 so that the occupant can easily operate it while seated, and when the occupant operates the slide operation unit 44, a slide signal is output to the control unit 6, and the slide actuator 43 is driven.

[0039] The riser portion 5 is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 of the slide device 4, and connects the seat cushion 31 to the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42. By providing the riser portion 5, the sitting height of the seat cushion 31 relative to the floor 12 can be adjusted.

[0040] Fig. 3A is a side view of ottoman 100 in the storage position, and Fig. 3B is a side view of ottoman 100 in the use position. As shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, ottoman 100 includes a first ottoman 110 provided at the front end of seat cushion 31, a second ottoman 120 provided at the front end of first ottoman 110, a first rotation support part 130 interposed between the front end of seat cushion 31 and the rear end of first ottoman 110, and a second rotation support part 140 interposed between the front end of first ottoman 110 and the rear end of second ottoman 120.

[0041] The first ottoman 110 has a shorter length in a direction perpendicular to the axis than the second ottoman 120, and the ottoman 100 has such first and second ottomans 110, 120, which allows the ottoman 100 to have a bent portion. Therefore, for example, when the seat back 32 is reclined, the connecting portion (bent portion) between the first ottoman 110 and the second ottoman 120 can be positioned behind the knees of the occupant, allowing the occupant to assume a relaxed posture that matches the shape of their legs. Furthermore, by folding and storing the first and second ottomans 110, 120, the length of the ottoman 100 in the used state can be increased (the ottoman 100 can be made larger), thereby improving the sitting comfort of the seat device 2 using the ottoman 100.

[0042] The first ottoman 110 comprises a first ottoman frame 111 that forms a substantially rectangular skeleton that follows the external shape of the first ottoman 110, a first pad 112 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam, and a first skin material 113 made of synthetic leather, fabric, or the like, and is formed by attaching the first pad 112 to the first ottoman frame 111 and covering them with the first skin material 113. The first ottoman 110 formed in this way has a length in the front-to-rear direction that is shorter than the length in the left-to-right direction, and has a substantially rectangular shape that is longer in the left-to-right direction when viewed from above.

[0043] The first ottoman frame 111 has a substantially rectangular first frame portion 111a that forms the outer shape, and a first pressure-receiving plate 111b that is joined to the lower end of the first frame portion 111a inside the first frame portion 111a, with a first pad 112 disposed on the upper surface of the first pressure-receiving plate 111b. The lower surface of the first pressure-receiving plate 111b functions as a first engagement portion 114 that engages with the ottoman operating portion 101 while covered with a first skin material 113. The first engagement portion 114 is formed in a flat shape that is substantially parallel to the upper surface (placing surface) of the first ottoman 110, and is formed so that the ottoman operating portion 101 can slide in the front-to-rear direction.

[0044] Similar to the first ottoman 110, the second ottoman 120 comprises a second ottoman frame 121 that forms a substantially rectangular skeleton that follows the external shape of the second ottoman 120, a second pad 122 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam, and a second skin material 123 made of synthetic leather, fabric, or the like, and is formed by attaching the second pad 122 to the second ottoman frame 121 and covering them with the second skin material 123. The second ottoman 120 thus formed is longer in the direction perpendicular to the axis than the first ottoman 110, has a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction when viewed from above, and has a larger surface area than the first ottoman 110.

[0045] The second ottoman frame 121 has a substantially rectangular second frame portion 121a that forms the outer shape, and a second pressure-receiving plate 121b that is joined to the lower end of the second frame portion 121a inside the second frame portion 121a, with a second pad 122 disposed on the upper surface of the second pressure-receiving plate 121b. The lower surface of the second pressure-receiving plate 121b is covered with a second skin material 123 and functions as a second engagement portion 124 that engages with the ottoman operating portion 101.

[0046] The second engagement portion 124 has a notch 125 cut out toward the upper surface of the second ottoman 120 in approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction and extending in the left-to-right direction. The notch 125 is configured to have an upwardly inclined surface 125a that slopes upward from the lower surface toward the upper surface, a parallel surface 125b that is provided approximately parallel to the upper surface, and a downwardly inclined surface 125c that slopes downward from the parallel surface 125b toward the lower surface. The lower surfaces of both left and right sides (side panels) of the second frame portion 121a are formed to follow the above-mentioned shape of the second engagement portion 124, and the second ottoman 120 is configured to have a notch of the above-mentioned shape on its lower surface.

[0047] The first rotation support portion 130 is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the first ottoman 110 and supports the first ottoman 110 at the front end of the seat cushion 31 so that the first ottoman 110 can rotate up and down around a first shaft portion 131 extending in the left-right direction. Specifically, the first rotation support portion 130 includes: a first shaft portion 131 provided at the rear end of the first ottoman frame 111 and extending in the left-right direction; a pair of left and right first support portions 132, 132 provided at the front end of the seat cushion frame 31a and rotatably supporting the first shaft portion 131; and a first biasing portion 133 that biases the first ottoman 110 in the direction of arrow A below the seat cushion 31. The first biasing portion 133 is formed, for example, by a spiral spring and applies a biasing force to the first shaft portion 131 so as to bias it in the direction of arrow A.

[0048] The configuration of providing the first axle portion 131 and a pair of left and right first support portions 132, 132 is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a configuration in which the first axle portion 131 is provided at the front end of the seat cushion frame 31a and a pair of left and right first support portions 132, 132 are provided at the rear end of the first ottoman frame 111.

[0049] The second rotation support portion 140 is provided between the first ottoman 110 and the second ottoman 120 and supports the second ottoman 120 at the front end of the first ottoman 110 so that the second ottoman 120 can rotate up and down around a second shaft portion 141 extending in the left-right direction. Specifically, the second rotation support portion 140 includes: a second shaft portion 141 provided at the rear end of the second ottoman frame 121 and extending in the left-right direction; a pair of left and right second support portions 142, 142 provided at the front end of the first ottoman frame 111 and rotatably supporting the second shaft portion 141; and a second biasing portion 143 that biases the second ottoman 120 in the direction of arrow B below the seat cushion 31. The second biasing portion 143 is formed, for example, by a spiral spring and applies a biasing force to the second shaft portion 141 in the direction of arrow B.

[0050] As in the case of the first pivot support portion 130, the configuration of providing the second axle portion 141 and a pair of left and right second support portions 142, 142 is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a configuration in which the second axle portion 141 is provided at the front end of the first ottoman frame 111 and a pair of left and right second support portions 142, 142 are provided at the rear end of the second ottoman frame 121.

[0051] The first and second urging portions 133 and 143 use spiral springs with different urging forces, and in the seat device 2, the second urging portion 143 uses a spiral spring with a stronger urging force than the first urging portion 133 (urging force of the first urging portion 133<urging force of the second urging portion 143). Because the urging force of the second urging portion 143 is stronger than the urging force of the first urging portion 133, when the ottoman 100 is stored (when the seat main body 3 is slid forward), the second ottoman 120 starts to rotate before the first ottoman 110 rotates and assumes a bent position at an early stage, so that the ottoman 100 can be stored appropriately below the seat cushion 31.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ottoman actuation portion 101 attached to the slide device 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the ottoman actuation portion 101 includes a pair of left and right standing portions 150, 150 attached so as to stand from the tip ends of the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41, and a connecting portion 160 extending in the left-right direction and connecting the upper ends of the pair of left and right standing portions 150, 150 to each other.

[0053] The pair of left and right standing portions 150, 150 are fixed by welding or the like to the outer side surfaces of the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 at the tip ends of the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 so as not to interfere with the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42. Each of the pair of left and right standing portions 150, 150 is provided at a slight rearward inclination from the vertical direction so as to be perpendicular to the protruding direction of the curved surface portion 161 of the connecting portion 160. Note that each of the pair of left and right standing portions 150, 150 may be configured to be provided standing in the vertical direction.

[0054] The connecting portion 160 has a curved portion 161 that protrudes forward, and a flat portion 162 that extends rearward continuously from the upper end of the curved portion 161 and is capable of abutting with the first engagement portion 114 of the first ottoman 110 and the second engagement portion 124 of the second ottoman 120.

[0055] The curved surface portion 161 is formed into a curved shape with a predetermined radius of curvature so that it can be pressed continuously from the first engagement portion 114 of the first ottoman 110 to the second engagement portion 124 of the second ottoman 120. By providing the curved surface portion 161, the first engagement portion 114 of the first ottoman 110 and the second engagement portion 124 of the second ottoman 120 can be pressed smoothly.

[0056] The flat portion 162 is formed in a flat shape so as to be in surface contact with and able to slide on the first engagement portion 114, which is the underside of the first ottoman 110, and the upwardly inclined surface 125a and parallel surface 125b of the cutout portion 125 of the second ottoman 120. The provision of the parallel surface 125b makes it possible to disperse stress acting on the connecting portion 160 from the first and second ottomans 110, 120. Furthermore, rolling members such as casters may be provided on the flat portion 162 to facilitate sliding on the first engagement portion 114 and the cutout portion 125.

[0057] When the seat main body 3 moves from the initial position to the first position, the curved surface portion 161 of the ottoman operating unit 101 comes into contact with the first ottoman 110, causing the first ottoman 110 to start rotating upward. When the seat main body 3 further moves to the second position, the curved surface portion 161 comes into contact with the second ottoman 120, causing the second ottoman 120 to start rotating upward. The first position here refers to a position rearward of the initial position where the curved surface portion 161 can engage with the first engagement portion 114 of the first ottoman 110, and the second position refers to a position rearward of the first position where the curved surface portion 161 can engage with the second engagement portion 124 of the second ottoman 120. The initial position is a position when the seat main body 3 is set to a drive mode, which will be described later, and is a position where the occupant can operate the vehicle 1.

[0058] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the control unit 6 that controls the driving of the seat body 3 and the sliding device 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the control unit 6 is configured by a computer having a calculation unit 61 such as a CPU, a storage unit 62 such as a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0059] The calculation unit 61 has, as functional components, an information receiving unit 611 and an information output unit 612. The information receiving unit 611 receives various information, various commands, and the like. For example, the information receiving unit 611 receives various commands such as a tilt signal output when the occupant operates the tilt operation unit 34d, a slide signal output when the occupant operates the slide operation unit 44, a relax mode signal output when the occupant presses the relax mode switch SW2 that sets the seat main body 3 to the relax mode, and a drive mode signal output when the occupant presses the drive mode switch SW1 that sets the seat main body 3 to the drive mode. The information receiving unit 611 also receives various information from various sensors, timers, and the like.

[0060] The information output unit 612 outputs control signals to various devices based on the various information and commands received by the information receiving unit 611. For example, when the information receiving unit 611 receives a tilt signal, the information output unit 612 outputs a control signal to the tilt actuator 34c to drive the tilt actuator 34c. While the information output unit 612 is receiving the tilt signal, it continues to output the control signal to the tilt actuator 34c. In other words, the seat back 32 continues to tilt while the occupant is operating the tilt operating unit 34d.

[0061] Similarly, when the information receiving unit 611 receives a slide signal, the information output unit 612 outputs a control signal to the slide actuator 43 to drive the slide actuator 43. While the information output unit 612 is receiving the slide signal, it continues to output the control signal to the slide actuator 43. In other words, while the occupant is operating the slide operating unit 44, the seat main body 3 continues to slide.

[0062] Furthermore, when the information receiving unit 611 receives the drive mode signal, the information output unit 612 outputs control signals to the tilting actuator 34c and the slide actuator 43 to drive them so that the seat device 2 is in the drive mode stored in advance in the storage unit 62. That is, when the occupant presses the drive mode switch SW1, the state of the seat device 2 is changed to the drive mode.

[0063] Similarly, when the information receiving unit 611 receives the relaxation mode signal, the information output unit 612 outputs control signals to the tilting actuator 34c and the sliding actuator 43 to drive them so that the seat device 2 is in the relaxation mode stored in advance in the storage unit 62. That is, when the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2, the state of the seat device 2 is changed to the relaxation mode.

[0064] The storage unit 62 stores various programs and various data executed by the calculation unit 61. The storage unit 62 has a mode storage unit 621 that stores the state of the seat body 3 in various modes. The mode storage unit 621 stores various data related to the state of the seat body 3 and the sliding device 4 in the drive mode and the state of the seat body 3 and the sliding device 4 in the relax mode, as well as programs for changing to these modes.

[0065] Here, the drive mode refers to a state in which the seat cushion 31 is positioned in an initial position forward of the first position so that the occupant can operate the pedals, and the seat back 32 is upright so that the occupant can grip the steering wheel 11, allowing the occupant to drive the vehicle 1. The drive mode can be set for each occupant. The relax mode refers to a state in which the seat cushion 21 is slid rearward beyond the second position to expose the first and second ottomans 110, 120, and the seat back 32 is tilted rearward, allowing the occupant to stretch out, take a rest, take a nap, or relax.

[0066] The positional relationship between the initial position, the first position, and the second position is such that the first position is located behind the initial position, and the second position is located behind the first position, and the first position is located in a position that does not interfere with the occupant's individual setting of the drive mode.

[0067] 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating the operation of the seat apparatus 2 when transitioning from the drive mode to the relax mode. As shown in Fig. 6A, in the drive mode, the seat body 3 is positioned in the initial position and the ottoman 100 is also stored so that the occupant can drive the vehicle 1. When the occupant presses the relax mode switch SW2 from this state and a relax mode signal is output, the control unit 6 controls the driving of the slide actuator 43 to move the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 rearward.

[0068] When the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 move rearward, the seat cushion 31 connected thereto also moves rearward, and when the seat cushion 31 moves to the first position, the curved surface portion 161 of the ottoman operating part 101 abuts against the first engagement portion 114 of the first ottoman 110, as shown in Fig. 6B. When the seat cushion 31 moves further rearward, the curved surface portion 161 presses against the first engagement portion 114, causing the first ottoman 110 to rotate upward and emerge.

[0069] When the seat cushion 31 moves further rearward to the second position, the curved portion 161 abuts against the second engagement portion 124 of the second ottoman 120, as shown in Fig. 6C. During this time, only the first ottoman 110 is exposed, and if the driving of the slide actuator 43 is stopped at this timing, only the first ottoman 110 can be exposed.

[0070] As the seat cushion 31 moves further rearward, the curved portion 161 presses the second engagement portion 124, and the second ottoman 120 begins to rotate upward. As the seat cushion 31 moves further rearward, the curved portion 161 moves while pressing against the upward inclined surface 125a of the cutout portion 125 of the second ottoman 120, and as shown in Fig. 6D, the movement of the seat cushion 31, i.e., the movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, is stopped at the timing when the flat portion 162 of the ottoman operating portion 101 abuts against the upward inclined surface 125a. This timing may be detected by a timer (detection by time) or by providing a sensor.

[0071] The control unit 6 also controls the driving of the tilting actuator 34c to tilt the seat back 32 at the same timing as above. The control unit 6 controls the driving of the tilting actuator 34c to tilt the seat back 32 so that the seat back 32 is at a preset tilt angle. The tilt angle of the seat back 32 may also be detected using a timer (detected by time) or by providing a sensor. By setting the seat device 2 to this relaxation mode, the occupant can take a nap or rest with their body stretched out on the seat device 2.

[0072] When switching from the relaxation mode to the drive mode, the reverse of the above operation is performed. In this manner, in the seat device 2, the ottoman 100 can be extended by moving the seat cushion 31 rearward, and the ottoman can be retracted by moving the seat cushion 31 forward.

[0073] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved. (1) The seat device 2 includes a seat body 3 having a seat cushion 31 and a seat back 32 provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31, and a slide device 4 that allows the seat body 3 to slide in the front-rear direction (Fig. 2). The seat device 2 includes an ottoman 100 that is provided at the front end of the seat cushion 31 and is rotatable in the up-down direction around a first shaft portion 131 that extends in the left-right direction, and an ottoman operating portion 101 that comes into contact with the ottoman 100 and applies a force that rotates the ottoman 100 upward when the seat body 3 slides rearward to a predetermined position via the slide device 4 (Figs. 2 to 4).

[0074] With this configuration, the seat device 2 can reveal the ottoman 100 simply by sliding the slide device 4 rearward. That is, with a simple and inexpensive configuration, the ottoman 100 can be revealed in conjunction with the sliding movement of the seat body 3. This eliminates the need for a drive source for driving the ottoman 100, making it possible to simplify the configuration of the ottoman 100 and reduce its weight. As a result, it is possible to reduce the weight and cost of the seat device 2.

[0075] (2) The ottoman 100 includes a first ottoman 110 mounted on the front end of the seat cushion 31 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction about a first axle 131 extending in the left-right direction, and a second ottoman 120 mounted on the front end of the first ottoman 110 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction about a second axle 141 extending in the left-right direction (FIGS. 2 and 3A). This allows the ottoman 100 to be extended in stages. For example, it is possible to extend only the first ottoman 110, or to extend both the first and second ottomans 110 and 120. Furthermore, by folding and storing the first and second ottomans 110 and 120, the length of the ottoman 100 in the front-to-rear direction can be increased when in the use position.

[0076] (3) When the seat cushion 31 moves to the first position, the ottoman operating unit 101 abuts against the first ottoman 110, causing the first ottoman 110 to begin rotating upward, and when the seat cushion 31 moves to a second position rearward of the first position, the ottoman operating unit 101 abuts against the second ottoman 120, causing the second ottoman 120 to begin moving upward (FIGS. 6B and 6C). This allows the first and second ottomans 110, 120 to appear in stages from the stored position to the use position simply by sliding the seat main body 3 rearward.

[0077] (4) The ottoman 100 further includes a first biasing portion 133 that biases the first ottoman 110 toward the storage position and a second biasing portion 143 that biases the second ottoman 120 toward the storage position, and the first biasing portion 133 and the second biasing portion 143 have different biasing forces (FIGS. 3A and 3B). By adjusting the biasing forces of the first and second biasing portions 133 and 143, the first and second ottomans 110 and 120 can be moved in stages from the storage position to the use position or from the use position to the storage position. For example, by making the biasing force of the first biasing portion 133 weaker than the biasing force of the second biasing portion 143, the first ottoman 110 can be stored after the second ottoman 120 has been stored.

[0078] (5) The slide device 4 has a pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 fixed to the floor 12 and a pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 that move on the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 to slide the seat body 3 in the front-rear direction, and the ottoman operating portion 101 is provided on the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 (FIGS. 2 and 4). This allows the rotation of the ottoman 100 to be linked to the sliding movement of the seat body 3 with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

[0079] (6) The slide device 4 further includes a slide actuator 43 that restricts movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, and a slide operating unit 44 that operates the slide actuator 43 (FIG. 5). The slide operating unit 44 is disposed on the side of the seat main body 3 (FIG. 2). This allows an occupant seated in the seat main body 3 to easily operate the interlocking movement of the seat main body 3 and the ottoman 100.

[0080] (7) The slide device 4 further includes a slide actuator 43 that electrically moves the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 (FIG. 5). This allows the seat body 3 to slide more smoothly than when slid manually, and the ottoman 100, which is linked to the seat body 3, can also be moved more smoothly.

[0081] (8) The seat body 3 further includes an electric reclining mechanism 34 that electrically tilts the seat back 32 around a shaft 34a extending in the left-right direction (FIG. 2). The seat body 3 further includes a control unit 6 that controls the electric reclining mechanism 34 so that the seat back 32 tilts in response to movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 by a slide actuator 43 (FIG. 5). This makes it possible to recline the seat back 32 in conjunction with the sliding of the seat cushion 31, and also to recline the ottoman 100 in conjunction with this.

[0082] (9) The seat device 2 described above is mounted on a vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). The seat device 2 mounted on the vehicle 1 can also have a simple and inexpensive configuration, allowing the ottoman 100 to appear in conjunction with the sliding movement of the seat body 3.

[0083] The above embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the ottoman 100 is configured by two ottomans, the first and second ottomans 110 and 120. However, it may be configured by a single ottoman (e.g., the ottoman 100) or by two or more ottomans.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the ottoman operating portion 101 is provided on the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41, but the ottoman operating portion 101 may be provided on the floor 12 of the vehicle 1.

[0085] [Modification of seat device] Next, a description will be given of a modified example of the above-mentioned seat device 2. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ottoman 100 is caused to appear forward by sliding the seat body 3, but the ottoman may be caused to appear forward by moving the seat body 3 (seat cushion 31) upward.

[0086] For example, if the distance between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 is short, it becomes difficult to store the ottoman below the seat body 3, and a smaller ottoman is required. However, making the ottoman smaller may result in a decrease in comfort. Therefore, in this embodiment, the seat cushion 31 is rotated about its rear end to move the front end of the seat cushion 31 upward, thereby extending and retracting the ottoman, which is rotatably supported at the front end. This configuration makes it possible to easily extend and retract the ottoman even when the distance between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 is short, and furthermore, the length of the ottoman in the front-to-rear direction can be made longer than the distance between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1.

[0087] A seat device 2A according to a modified example will be described below with reference to Figures 7A to 10. Note that the following description will focus on differences from the seat device 2, and the same components as those in the seat device 2 will be assigned the same reference numerals as those in the seat device 2 and will not be described again.

[0088] 7A and 7B are side views showing a schematic configuration of the seat device 2A, with Fig. 7A showing a state in which the ottoman 200 is stored and Fig. 7B showing a state in which the ottoman 200 is extended. As shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the seat device 2A includes a seat body 3 on which an occupant sits, a slide device 4 that can slide the seat body 3 in the front-rear direction, a riser portion 5A interposed between the seat body 3 and the slide device 4, the ottoman 200 on which the feet of an occupant seated on the seat body 3 can be placed, a cushion support portion 210 that moves the front end of the seat cushion 31, and a control portion 6A that controls the driving of these components.

[0089] The seat body 3 includes a seat cushion 31, a seat back 32, a headrest 33, and an electric reclining mechanism (back support portion) 34. The slide device 4 includes a pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41, a pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, and a slide actuator 43.

[0090] The riser portion 5A is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4, and by providing the riser portion 5A, the sitting height of the seat cushion 31 relative to the floor 12 can be adjusted. The riser portion 5A also has an item storage section 52 that can be pulled out forward. The item storage section 52 is provided between the ottoman 200 in a stored state below the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12, and between the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41. By providing the item storage section 52, the space between the ottoman 200 in a stored state and the floor 12 can be effectively utilized.

[0091] Ottoman 200 is rotatably provided at the front end of seat cushion 31, and includes ottoman main body 201 and a third rotation support portion (ottoman support portion) 202 that rotatably supports ottoman main body 201. Ottoman main body 201 includes ottoman frame 203 that forms a substantially rectangular skeleton that follows the external shape of ottoman main body 201, ottoman pad 204 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam, and ottoman covering material 205 made of synthetic leather, fabric, or the like, and is formed by attaching ottoman pad 204 to ottoman frame 203 and covering them with ottoman covering material 205.

[0092] The ottoman frame 203 has a substantially rectangular frame portion 203a that forms the outer shape, and a pressure-receiving plate 203b that is joined to the lower end of the frame portion 203a inside the frame portion 203a, with the ottoman pad 204 disposed on the upper surface of the pressure-receiving plate 203b. The frame portion 203a is formed so that the length in a direction perpendicular to the third axle portion 206 of the third rotation support portion 202 (the so-called length in the front-to-rear direction) is longer than the distance H between the floor 12 and the third axle portion 206 in the drive mode, which will be described later. As a result, the length of the ottoman 200 in the direction perpendicular to the third axle portion 206 is also longer than the distance H, allowing the ottoman 200 to be made larger.

[0093] The third rotation support portion 202 is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the ottoman main body 201, and supports the rear end portion of the ottoman main body 201 at the front end portion of the seat cushion 31 so that the rear end portion of the ottoman main body 201 can rotate up and down around a third shaft portion 206 extending in the left-right direction. Specifically, the third rotation support portion 202 includes: a third shaft portion 206 provided at the rear end portion of the ottoman frame 203 and extending in the left-right direction; a pair of left and right support portions 207, 207 provided at the front end portion of the seat cushion frame 31a and rotatably supporting the third shaft portion 206; and an ottoman actuator 208 that applies a rotational force to the third shaft portion 206 to rotate the ottoman main body 201 around the third shaft portion 206.

[0094] The ottoman actuator 208 may, for example, have a motor attached to the side of the seat cushion frame 31a, and a gear train connected to the third shaft portion 206 and meshing with the motor, and may be configured such that by driving the motor, a rotational force is applied to the third shaft portion 206 via the gear train.

[0095] The cushion support portion 210 is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the riser portion 5A, and supports the rear end of the seat cushion 31 at the rear end of the riser portion 5A so that the rear end of the seat cushion 31 can rotate around a shaft portion 211 extending in the left-right direction. Specifically, the cushion support portion 210 includes: the shaft portion 211 provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31 so as to extend in the left-right direction; a pair of left and right support portions 212, 212 provided at the rear end of the riser portion 5A and which rotatably support the shaft portion 211; and a cushion actuator 213 which applies a rotating force to the shaft portion 211 to rotate the seat cushion 31 around the shaft portion 211.

[0096] The cushion actuator 213 may have, for example, a motor provided at the rear end of the riser portion 5A, and a gear train connected to the shaft portion 211 and meshing with the motor, and may be configured to apply a rotational force to the shaft portion 211 via the gear train by driving the motor.

[0097] Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a control unit 6A that controls the driving of the seat device 2A. As shown in Fig. 8, the control unit 6A is configured by a computer having a calculation unit 61A such as a CPU, a storage unit 62A such as a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0098] The calculation unit 61A has, as its functional configuration, an information receiving unit 611A and an information output unit 612A. The information receiving unit 611A receives various information and commands. For example, the information receiving unit 611A receives various commands such as a tilt signal, a slide signal, a relax mode signal, a drive mode signal, and an ottoman signal that is output when the occupant presses an ottoman switch SW3 that extends or retracts the ottoman main body 201. The information receiving unit 611A also receives various information from various sensors, timers, etc.

[0099] The information output unit 612A outputs control signals to various devices based on the various information and commands received by the information receiving unit 611A.

[0100] For example, when the information receiving unit 611A receives an ottoman signal, the information output unit 612A first outputs a control signal to the cushion actuator 213, driving the cushion actuator 213 so that the front end of the seat cushion 31 moves from a first height position to a second height position pre-stored in the storage unit 62A. Next, the information output unit 612A outputs a control signal to the ottoman actuator 208, causing the ottoman main body 201 to extend from the storage position to the use position. Thereafter, the information output unit 612A again outputs a control signal to the cushion actuator 213, driving the cushion actuator 213 so that the front end of the seat cushion 31 moves from the second height position pre-stored in the storage unit 62A to the first height position. These timings may be detected using a timer (detection in terms of time) or may be detected using a sensor (detection in terms of angle). In this way, when the occupant presses the ottoman switch SW3, the seat cushion 31 rotates and the ottoman main body 201 appears.

[0101] Furthermore, when information receiving unit 611A receives the relaxation mode signal, information output unit 612A outputs control signals to tilt actuator 34c, slide actuator 43, cushion actuator 213, and ottoman actuator 208 to drive them so as to assume the relaxation mode state pre-stored in storage unit 62A. That is, when the occupant presses relaxation mode switch SW2, the state of seat main body 3 is changed to the relaxation mode.

[0102] The storage unit 62A stores various programs executed by the calculation unit 61A, various data, and the like. The storage unit 62A stores data such as the position of the seat cushion 31 in the front-rear direction when the ottoman main body 201 is extended, and first and second height positions of the seat cushion 31. The first height position of the seat cushion 31 is the height position of the seat cushion 31 in drive mode and can be set arbitrarily by the occupant. The second height position is a position that is longer than the length of the ottoman main body 201 in a direction perpendicular to the third axis portion 206, and is a position where the ottoman main body 201 can be extended from the stored position.

[0103] The control unit 6A also has a mode storage unit 621A that stores the behavior (programs) of the seat body 3 in various modes. The mode storage unit 621A stores various data related to the behavior of the seat body 3 and ottoman 200 in the drive mode and the behavior of the seat body 3 and ottoman 200 in the relax mode, as well as programs for changing to these modes.

[0104] Here, the drive mode refers to a state in which the front end of the seat cushion 31 is positioned at a first height position so that the occupant can operate the pedals, and the seat back 32 is erected so that the occupant can grip the steering wheel 11, and the occupant can drive the vehicle 1. Note that, even in the modified example, the drive mode can be set for each occupant.

[0105] The relaxation mode is a state in which the ottoman body 201 is exposed with a space for arranging the ottoman body 201 secured in front of the seat cushion 31, and the seat back 32 is tilted backward, allowing the occupant to stretch out and take a rest, a nap, or relax. In the relaxation mode, the seat back 32 is tilted so that the angle θ between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 is equal to or greater than a first predetermined angle α (see FIG. 10 described below).

[0106] Figures 9A to 9D are figures explaining the operation of extending the ottoman main body 201 from the storage position, where Figure 9A is a figure showing the ottoman main body 201 in the storage position, Figure 9B is a figure showing the seat cushion 31 in the rotated position, Figure 9C is a figure showing the ottoman main body 201 in the extended position, and Figure 9D is a figure showing the ottoman main body 201 in the use position.

[0107] As shown in Fig. 9A, when the ottoman 200 is in a stored state (unused state), the ottoman main body 201 is stored below the seat cushion 31. When an occupant presses the ottoman switch SW3 in this state and an ottoman signal is output, the control unit 6A controls the driving of the slide actuator to move the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 rearward. This moves the seat main body 3 rearward, and a placement space is secured in front of the seat cushion 31 for the ottoman main body 201 to appear. Note that Fig. 9A shows a state in which the placement space for the ottoman main body 201 to appear has already been secured.

[0108] Once the arrangement space for the ottoman main body 201 is secured, as shown in FIG. 9B, the control unit 6A controls the drive of the cushion actuator 213 to rotate the seat cushion 31 upward around the shaft 211. The control unit 6A raises the seat cushion 31 until the front end of the seat cushion 31 is positioned at a second height position and stops the raising at the second height position. At this time, the angle θ formed between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 is smaller than the first predetermined angle α and equal to or greater than the second predetermined angle (predetermined angle) β (first predetermined angle α > θ ≥ second predetermined angle β). For example, the first predetermined angle α is 120 degrees, and the second predetermined angle β is 90 degrees.

[0109] When the front end of the seat cushion 31 is positioned at the second height position, as shown in Fig. 9C, the control unit 6A controls the driving of the ottoman actuator 208 to rotate the ottoman main body 201 forward around the third shaft portion 206. At this time, since the front end of the seat cushion 31 has been rotated to the second height position, the ottoman main body 201 can appear in the use position in front of the seat cushion 31.

[0110] When the ottoman main body 201 appears in front of the seat cushion 31, as shown in Fig. 9D, the control unit 6A again controls the driving of the cushion actuator 213 to rotate the seat cushion 31 downward around the shaft portion 211. The control unit 6A lowers the seat cushion 31 until the front end portion thereof is positioned at the first height position, and stops the lowering at the first height position.

[0111] By allowing the ottoman main body 201 to appear in this way, it is not necessary to make the ottoman 200 smaller, for example, even when the distance between the seat main body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 is short. Also, it is possible to increase the length of the ottoman main body 201 in the direction perpendicular to the third axis portion 206, thereby increasing the area on which the occupant's legs can be placed.

[0112] 10 is a diagram showing the state of the relaxation mode of the seat device 2A. When the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2 to output a relaxation mode signal, the control unit 6A controls the driving of the slide actuator 43, the tilt actuator 34c, the ottoman actuator 208, and the cushion actuator 213 to transition the state of the seat device 2A to the relaxation mode shown in FIG.

[0113] First, the control unit 6A controls the driving of the slide actuator to move the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 rearward to ensure a placement space for the ottoman main body 201. Next, the control unit 6A controls the driving of the tilting actuator 34c and the cushion actuator 213 to raise the front end of the seat cushion 31 and tilt the seat back 32 in conjunction with this.

[0114] When the front end of the seat cushion 31 rises to the second height position, the control unit 6A then controls the drive of the ottoman actuator 208 to move the ottoman main body 201 from the storage position to the use position. When the ottoman main body 201 reaches the use position, the control unit 6A then controls the drive of the tilting actuator 34c and the cushion actuator 213 to lower the seat cushion 31 to a third height position between the first height position and the second height position, while tilting the seat back 32 so that the angle θ between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle α.

[0115] 10, in the relaxation mode of the seat device 2A, unlike the relaxation mode of the seat device 2, the front end of the seat cushion 31 is located at the third height position, and the seat back 32 is tilted so that the angle θ between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle α, so that the seat main body 3 envelops the body of the occupant. In addition to this state, the seat device 2A has a large leg resting area of the ottoman main body 201, allowing the occupant to rest or take a nap more comfortably.

[0116] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved. (1) The seat device 2A includes a seat body 3 having a seat cushion 31 and a seat back 32 provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31, and an ottoman 200 stored below the seat cushion 31 (FIGS. 7A and 7B). The seat device 2A further includes a cushion support portion 210 that supports the seat cushion 31 so that the front end of the seat cushion 31 can move between a first height position where a user sits and a second height position that is higher than the first height position, and a third rotation support portion 202 that supports the ottoman body 201 so that the ottoman body 201 can rotate from below the seat cushion 31 to forward of the seat cushion 31 around a third shaft portion 206 extending in the left-right direction at the front end of the seat cushion 31 when the front end of the seat cushion 31 moves to the second height position (FIG. 9C). The length of the ottoman body 201 in a direction perpendicular to the third axis portion 206 is longer than the distance H between the third axis portion 206 and the floor 12 on which the seat body 3 is placed when the front end of the seat cushion 31 is positioned at the first height position (Figures 7A and 7B).

[0117] With this configuration, the seat device 2A can be attached to the seat body 3 without reducing the size of the ottoman body 201, even when the distance H between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 is short. Furthermore, because the front end of the seat cushion 31 is rotated to the second height position to move the ottoman body 201 forward of the seat cushion 31, the length of the ottoman body 201 in the direction perpendicular to the third shaft portion 206 can be made slightly shorter than the distance from the floor 12 to the second height position, and the ottoman body 201 can be made larger. As a result, the comfort of using the ottoman 200 is improved, allowing the occupant to feel more relaxed.

[0118] (2) The cushion support portion 210 supports the rear end of the seat cushion 31 rotatably about the shaft portion 211 extending in the left-right direction so that the front end of the seat cushion 31 can move between a first height position and a second height position (FIGS. 9A and 9B). This allows the ottoman body 201 to be attached to the seat body 3 with a simple configuration without reducing its size, even when the distance H between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 is short (FIGS. 7A and 7B).

[0119] (3) The seat apparatus 2A further includes an electric reclining mechanism 34 that supports the seat back 32 around a shaft 34a extending in the left-right direction so that the seat back 32 can tilt (FIGS. 7A and 7B). The electric reclining mechanism 34 tilts the seat back 32 in conjunction with the movement of the front end of the seat cushion 31 (FIG. 10). This allows the ottoman main body 201 to move from the stored position to the use position even when an occupant is seated in the seat main body 3.

[0120] (4) When the front end of the seat cushion 31 moves to the second height position, the electric reclining mechanism 34 tilts the seat back 32 so that the angle θ between the seat cushion 31 and the seat back 32 is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle β (FIG. 9B). This allows the ottoman body 201 to be extended from the stored position to the use position even when an occupant is seated on the seat body 3.

[0121] (5) The seat device 2A further includes an item storage section 52 that can be pulled out forward between the ottoman 200 stored under the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12 (FIG. 7A). This allows the space between the ottoman 200 in the stored state and the floor 12 to be effectively utilized.

[0122] (6) The cushion support portion 210, the third rotation support portion 202, and the electric reclining mechanism 34 each have an actuator that drives the seat cushion 31, the ottoman main body 201, and the seat back 32, respectively, and further include a control portion 6A that controls the driving of each of the actuators (FIG. 8). This allows the seat cushion 31, the ottoman main body 201, and the seat back 32 to be driven electrically. This makes it possible to change modes, etc., in a short time, reducing the burden on the occupant.

[0123] (7) The seat device 2A described above is mounted on a vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). This allows the ottoman 200 to be easily extended and retracted even when the distance between the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 and the seat body 3 is short. In addition, the length of the ottoman 200 in the front-rear direction can be made longer than the distance between the seat body 3 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1, thereby improving the sitting comfort of the seat device 2A using the ottoman 200.

[0124] The configuration of the seat device described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 10 can be summarized as follows. The seat apparatus includes a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back provided at a rear end of the seat cushion, and an ottoman stored below the seat cushion. The seat apparatus also includes a cushion support portion that supports the seat cushion so that a front end of the seat cushion can move between a first height position where a user is seated and a second height position higher than the first height position, and an ottoman support portion that supports the ottoman so that the ottoman can rotate from below the seat cushion to forward of the seat cushion around a shaft portion that extends in the left-right direction at the front end of the seat cushion when the front end of the seat cushion moves to the second height position. The length of the ottoman in a direction perpendicular to the shaft portion is longer than the distance between the shaft portion and the floor on which the seat body is placed when the front end of the seat cushion is located at the first height position.

[0125] The cushion support portion supports the rear end of the seat cushion rotatably around an axis extending in the left-right direction so that the front end of the seat cushion can move between a first height position and a second height position.

[0126] The above-mentioned seat device further includes a back support portion that supports the seat back around an axis extending in the left-right direction so that the seat back can tilt, and the back support portion tilts the seat back in conjunction with movement of the front end of the seat cushion.

[0127] The back support portion described above tilts the seat back so that the angle formed between the seat back and the seat cushion is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle when the front end of the seat cushion moves to the second height position.

[0128] The seat device described above further includes an item storage section that can be pulled out forward and is located between the ottoman stored under the seat cushion and the floor.

[0129] The cushion support portion, ottoman support portion, and back support portion each have an actuator that drives the seat cushion, ottoman, and seat back, respectively, and the seat device further includes a control unit that controls the driving of each of the plurality of actuators.

[0130] The vehicle is configured as a vehicle equipped with the above-described seat device.

[0131] The above embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the seat cushion 31 is rotated about the shaft 211 to move the front end of the seat cushion 31 to the second height position, but the seat cushion may be raised to move the front end thereof to the second height position.

[0132] In the above embodiment, the seat device 2A is configured as a seat device to be mounted on the vehicle 1, but the above-mentioned seat device 2A can be applied to seats such as sofas and massage chairs, and seats to be mounted on various vehicles such as airplanes, trains, and automobiles.

[0133] [Seat device] Recently, with the demand for more compact mobility, thin, light, and simple seats are sometimes required. However, when seats are made simple, it is difficult to change the seat configuration. Therefore, the seat device 2B according to this embodiment uses an electronically controlled suspension to change the seat configuration. This allows the seat device to change its configuration even when a thin, light, and simple seat is used.

[0134] A seat device 2B constituting such a seat will be described below with reference to Figures 11 to 14. Note that, in the following, components similar to those of the seat device 2 described above will be assigned the same reference numerals as those of the seat device 2, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0135] Fig. 11 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device 2B according to another embodiment. As shown in Fig. 11, the seat device 2B includes a seat body 3B on which an occupant sits, a slide device 4B that allows the seat body 3B to slide in the front-rear direction, a riser portion 5B interposed between the seat body 3B and the slide device 4B, a plurality of detectors 7 that detect the status inside the vehicle interior (cabin) in which the seat device 2B is placed, and a control unit 6B that controls the driving of each unit based on information detected by each of the plurality of detectors 7.

[0136] The seat body 3B includes a seat cushion 31, a seat back 32, and a headrest 33. Unlike the seat device 2, the seat body 3B does not have an electric reclining mechanism 34, and the seat back 32 is fixed to the rear end of the seat cushion 31 at a predetermined angle. The headrest 33 is also fixed to the upper end of the seat back 32. In this way, the seat device 2B has a simpler configuration than the seat device 2, omitting various electric mechanisms and the like.

[0137] The slide device 4B includes a pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41, a pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, and a stopper 45 that restricts movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42. Unlike the slide device 4, the slide device 4B does not include a pair of left and right slide actuators 43. Instead, the occupant operates the stopper 45 to release the restriction on the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, and moves the seat main body 3B via the released pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42. In this way, the slide device 4B also has a simple configuration in which an electric mechanism is omitted compared to the slide device 4.

[0138] A seat belt buckle 8 into which a seat belt is inserted is provided on one of the upper rails 42. The seat belt buckle 8 is provided on the left upper rail 42 in the case of the driver's seat 2Fa, and on the right upper rail 42 in the case of the passenger's seat 2Fb. The seat belt buckle 8 is attached to the rear of one of the upper rails 42.

[0139] The riser portion 5B includes a riser support portion (rotating support portion) 51 that rotatably supports the front portion of the seat cushion 31, and a riser drive portion (cushion drive portion) 53 that rotates the seat cushion 31 supported by the riser support portion 51.

[0140] The riser support portion 51 has a pair of left and right extension portions 511, 511 extending upward from the front portions of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42, a riser shaft portion (shaft portion) 512 provided at the front portion of the seat cushion 31 and extending in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right rotation support portions 513, 513 provided at the tip portions of the pair of left and right extension portions 511, 511 and rotatably supporting the riser shaft portion 512.

[0141] Each of the pair of left and right extension portions 511, 511 is formed in a hollow rectangular column shape and is joined to the upper surfaces of the pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 by welding or the like. The riser shaft portion 512 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and is joined to the front underside of the seat cushion frame 31a by welding or the like. The pair of left and right rotation support portions 513, 513 are formed to be able to support both left and right end portions of the riser shaft portion 512 and are provided integrally with the pair of left and right extension portions 511, 511. The riser support portion 51 configured in this manner rotatably supports the seat cushion 31 joined to the riser shaft portion 512 via the riser shaft portion 512.

[0142] The riser drive unit 53 includes a single electronically controlled suspension 531 interposed between the seat cushion 31 and one of the extension parts 511. One end of the electronically controlled suspension 531 in the extension direction is attached to the underside of the seat cushion 31 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and the other end of the electronically controlled suspension 531 in the extension direction is attached to the base end of one of the extension parts 511 (the joint with the upper rail 42) so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and is attached diagonally between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B. By disposing the electronically controlled suspension 531 diagonally, it is possible to shorten the distance between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B, thereby enabling the seat device 2B to be made more compact.

[0143] The electronically controlled suspension 531 is provided at the base end of one extension portion 511 extending from one upper rail 42 on the same side as the side on which the seat belt buckle 8 is provided. That is, the other end of the electronically controlled suspension 531 is attached to the front of one upper rail 42, and the seat belt buckle 8 is attached to the rear of the one upper rail 42. In this way, by locating the seat belt buckle 8 behind the electronically controlled suspension 531, it is possible to prevent the legs of an occupant seated in the rear seat 2R from directly contacting the electronically controlled suspension 531. Note that the electronically controlled suspension 531 used in the riser drive unit 53 can be a general electronically controlled suspension whose extension and contraction can be controlled by a control unit, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0144] The multiple detection units 7 include a first angle sensor 71 that detects the inclination angle of the seat cushion 31, a second angle sensor 72 that detects the inclination angle of the floor 12 of the vehicle 1, and a situation detection unit 73 (see FIG. 12) that detects the situation of the cabin 13 of the vehicle 1. The first angle sensor 71 detects the inclination angle of the seat cushion 31, i.e., the inclination angle of the seat main body 3B with respect to the horizontal direction, and outputs a first angle signal including information on the detected first inclination angle to the control unit 6B. The second angle sensor 72 detects the inclination angle of the floor 12, i.e., the inclination angle of the vehicle 1 with respect to the horizontal direction, and outputs a second angle signal including information on the detected second inclination angle to the control unit 6B. The situation detection unit 73 is composed of an imaging device (camera) that can capture an image of the cabin 13, captures an image of the interior of the cabin 13, and outputs an imaging signal including imaging information of the state of the seat main body 3B and items stored in the space between the seat main body 3B and the floor 12 to the control unit 6B.

[0145] Fig. 12 is a block diagram of a control unit 6B that controls the driving of the seat device 2B in Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 12, the control unit 6B is configured by a computer having a calculation unit 61B such as a CPU, a storage unit 62B such as a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0146] The calculation unit 61B has, as functional components, an information receiving unit 611B and an information output unit 612B. The information receiving unit 611B receives various types of information and various commands. For example, the information receiving unit 611B receives various types of information contained in the first angle signal output from the first angle sensor 71, the second angle signal output from the second angle sensor 72, and the image capture signal output from the situation detection unit 73. The information receiving unit 611B also receives various commands such as a relaxation mode signal output when the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2, and a drive mode signal output when the occupant presses the drive mode switch SW1.

[0147] The information output unit 612B outputs a control signal to the electronically controlled suspension 531 based on various information and commands received by the information receiving unit 611, thereby expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531 to change the posture and state of the seat main body 3B. For example, the information output unit 612B outputs a control signal to the electronically controlled suspension 531 based on information from the first and second angle signals and the imaging signal, thereby expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531 so that the relative angle between the vehicle 1 and the seat main body 3B becomes a preset angle. For example, the electronically controlled suspension 531 is expanded and contracted based on first and second tilt angle information obtained from the first and second angle signals so that the seat cushion 31 is slightly tilted backward with respect to the horizontal floor 12.

[0148] Furthermore, when the information receiving unit 611B receives a relax mode signal or a drive mode signal, the information output unit 612B extends or retracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 based on the imaging information obtained from the imaging signal and the first and second angle information obtained from the first and second angle signals. For example, when the relax mode signal is received and the imaging information detects that there is no object in the space between the seat main body 3B and the floor 12, the information output unit 612B contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and tilts the seat main body 3B based on the first and second angle information (see FIG. 14, described later). On the other hand, when the information receiving unit 611B receives a drive mode signal, the electronically controlled suspension 531 extends without referring to the imaging information and raises the seat main body 3B based on the first and second angle information (see FIG. 11).

[0149] The storage unit 62B stores various programs and various data executed by the calculation unit 61B. The storage unit 62B has a posture storage unit 621B that stores the posture of the seat main body 3B relative to the vehicle 1, and a mode storage unit 622B that stores the state of the seat main body 3B in various modes. The posture storage unit 621B stores various data related to the posture of the seat main body 3B relative to the vehicle 1, programs for setting this posture, etc. The mode storage unit 622B stores various data related to the state of the seat main body 3B in the drive mode and the state of the seat main body 3B in the relax mode, programs for changing to these modes, etc.

[0150] Here, the drive mode is a state in which the seat back 32 is raised so that the occupant can grip the steering wheel 11, and the drive mode is set when the occupant is driving the vehicle 1. The drive mode can be set for each occupant. The relax mode is a state in which the seat body 3B is tilted backward, and the relax mode is a state in which the vehicle 1 is stopped in the case of a manually driven vehicle, or a state in which automatic driving is set in the case of an automatic driving vehicle, and can be set when the occupant does not need to drive the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is a vehicle that can be set to automatic driving, and can be set to the relax mode when stopped or during automatic driving.

[0151] Fig. 13 is a side view showing a state in which the electronically controlled suspension 531 of Fig. 11 is extended, and shows another example of the drive mode of the seat device 2B shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a side view showing a state in which the electronically controlled suspension 531 of Fig. 11 is contracted, and shows the relax mode of the seat device 2B.

[0152] In the drive mode shown in FIG. 11, the seat body 3B is tilted slightly backward, allowing the occupant to drive in a relatively relaxed state. In the seat device 2B, the state of the seat body 3B shown in FIG. 11 is set as the default for the drive mode. On the other hand, in the drive mode shown in FIG. 13, the electronically controlled suspension 531 is extended to rotate the seat cushion 31 around the riser shaft portion 512, thereby changing the state to allow the occupant to drive in a state where they are closer to the steering wheel 11. This drive mode state is advantageous for short occupants. In this way, in the seat device 2B, the drive mode can be set for each occupant.

[0153] When the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2 from this state and a relaxation mode signal is output, the control unit 6B contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 to rotate the seat cushion 31 (seat main body 3B) around the riser shaft 512, as shown in Fig. 14. At this time, when the seat cushion 31 is rotated by a predetermined angle due to the contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531, the control unit 6B temporarily stops the contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531. Thereafter, when the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2 again, the control unit 6B outputs a restart start signal to the electronically controlled suspension 531, which contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 again, changing the state of the seat main body 3B to the relaxation mode.

[0154] The restart instruction (output of a restart start signal) to the electronically controlled suspension 531 may be configured to be activated by, for example, inputting a predetermined voice or detecting a predetermined gesture, instead of pressing the relaxation mode switch SW2 again.

[0155] In this manner, the seat device 2B can change the posture and state of the seat body 3B simply by expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531.

[0156] The seat device 2B according to this embodiment can achieve the following advantageous effects. (1) A seat device 2B includes a seat body 3B having a seat cushion 31 and a seat back 32 provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31 (FIG. 11). The seat device 2B includes a riser support portion 51 that is interposed between the seat body 3B and a slide device 4B attached to a floor 12 and rotatably supports the front end of the seat cushion 31 around a riser shaft 512 extending in the left-right direction, and a riser drive portion 53 that rotates the seat cushion 31 around the riser shaft 512 (FIG. 11). The riser support portion 51 includes a pair of left and right extension portions 511 that extend upward from a pair of left and right upper rails 42 of the slide device 4B attached to the floor 12, a riser shaft 512 provided at the front of the seat cushion 31, and a pair of left and right rotation support portions 513 that rotatably support the riser shaft 512. The riser drive unit 53 is composed of a single electronically controlled, retractable suspension 531 interposed between the seat cushion 31 and one of the extensions 511 (FIGS. 11 and 14).

[0157] This allows the posture and state of the seat body 3B to be changed simply by expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531. In other words, even when a thin, light, and simple seat is used, the state of the seat device can be easily changed.

[0158] (2) The seat device 2B further includes a first angle sensor 71 that detects the tilt angle of the seat cushion 31, a second angle sensor 72 that detects the tilt angle of the floor 12, and a control unit 6B that controls the extension and contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531 based on the tilt angles detected by the first and second angle sensors 71, 72 (FIG. 12). This allows the position of the seat body 3B to be set based on the relative angle between the floor 12 of the vehicle 1 and the seat cushion 31.

[0159] (3) One end of the electronically controlled suspension 531 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the extension 511, and the other end is rotatably connected to the underside of the seat cushion 31 (FIG. 11). This allows the electronically controlled suspension 531 to be disposed at an angle, thereby shortening the distance between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B. As a result, the size of the seat device 2B can be reduced.

[0160] (4) The electronically controlled suspension 531 is disposed obliquely between the underside of the seat cushion 31 and the extension 511 (FIG. 11). This allows the distance between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B to be shortened, thereby enabling the seat device 2B to be made more compact.

[0161] (5) The seat device 2B further includes a seat belt buckle 8 into which the seat belt is inserted and a slide device 4B that can move the seat main body 3B in the fore-and-aft direction (FIG. 11). The slide device 4B has a pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 fixed to the floor 12 and a pair of left and right upper rails 42, 42 that move on the pair of left and right lower rails 41, 41 to slide the seat main body 3B in the fore-and-aft direction (FIG. 1). The seat belt buckle 8 is attached to one of the upper rails 42 (FIG. 11). As a result, the seat belt buckle 8 is positioned behind the electronically controlled suspension 531, which prevents the legs of an occupant seated in the rear seat 2R from directly contacting the electronically controlled suspension 531.

[0162] (6) The seat device 2B further includes a situation detection unit 73 that detects the situation of the cabin 13 in which the seat body 3B is placed (FIG. 12). The control unit 6B controls the extension and contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531 based on the situation of the cabin 13 detected by the situation detection unit 73. This allows the posture and mode of the seat body 3B to be changed appropriately based on the situation of the cabin 13.

[0163] (7) The situation detection unit 73 is configured to be able to detect the state of the seat main body 3B, the position of the seat main body 3B in the cabin 13, and the presence or absence of an item stored in the space between the seat main body 3B and the floor 12. This makes it possible to appropriately change the posture and state of the seat main body 3B based on the situation of the cabin 13.

[0164] (8) When the seat cushion 31 rotates by a predetermined angle, the control unit 6B temporarily stops the rotation, and when a restart start signal is received, it controls the extension and contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531 so that the rotation resumes. This allows the position of the seat body 3B to be changed more safely.

[0165] (9) The above-described seat device 2B is mounted on a vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). This makes it possible to provide a vehicle 1 in which the posture and state of the seat body 3B can be changed simply by expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531. That is, even when a thin, light, and simple seat body 3B is used, it is possible to provide a vehicle 1 in which the state of the seat device 2B can be easily changed.

[0166] The configuration of the seat device described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14 can be summarized as follows. The seat device includes a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back provided at the rear end of the seat cushion. The seat device also includes a rotation support part interposed between the seat body and a floor on which the seat body is placed and supporting the front end of the seat cushion rotatably around a shaft extending in the left-right direction, and a cushion drive part that rotates the seat cushion around the shaft, the rotation support part having an extension part extending upward from the floor, a shaft part provided at the front of the seat cushion, and a rotation support part that rotatably supports the shaft part, and the cushion drive part is constituted by an expandable and contractible electronically controlled suspension interposed between the seat cushion and the floor or the extension part.

[0167] The above-mentioned seat device further includes a first angle sensor that detects the inclination angle of the seat cushion, a second angle sensor that detects the inclination angle of the floor, and a control unit that controls the extension and contraction of the electronically controlled suspension based on the inclination angles detected by the first and second angle sensors.

[0168] The electronically controlled suspension described above has one end rotatably connected to the lower end of the extension or the floor, and the other end rotatably connected to the lower surface of the seat cushion.

[0169] The electronically controlled suspension described above is disposed obliquely between the underside of the seat cushion and the floor or extension.

[0170] The seat device further includes a seat belt buckle into which the seat belt is inserted and a slide unit that can move the seat body in the fore-and-aft direction. The slide unit has a lower rail that is fixed to the floor and an upper rail that moves on the lower rail to slide the seat body in the fore-and-aft direction, and the seat belt buckle is attached to the upper rail.

[0171] The seat device further includes a situation detection unit that detects the situation of a cabin that the seat body is placed in. The control unit controls the extension and retraction of the electronically controlled suspension based on the situation of the cabin detected by the situation detection unit.

[0172] The above-mentioned situation detection unit is configured to be able to detect the state of the seat body, the position of the seat body in the cabin, and the presence or absence of an item stored in a storage unit provided between the seat body and the floor.

[0173] The control unit temporarily stops the rotation of the seat cushion when the seat cushion rotates by a predetermined angle, and controls the expansion and contraction of the electronically controlled suspension so that the rotation is resumed when a restart start signal is received.

[0174] The vehicle is configured as a vehicle equipped with the above-described seat device.

[0175] The above embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the riser drive unit 53 is described as using a single electronically controlled suspension 531 provided on one side in the left-right direction (the left side in the case of the driver's seat 2Fa, and the right side in the case of the passenger seat 2Fb) in the same direction as the side on which the seat belt buckle 8 is provided. However, the riser drive unit 53 may be configured to use a pair of left and right electronically controlled suspensions 531, 531. By using a pair of left and right electronically controlled suspensions 531, 531, the state of the seat main body 3B can be changed more stably.

[0176] In the above embodiment, the riser drive unit 53 is provided between the seat cushion 31 and the extension portion, but it may be provided between the seat cushion 31 and the upper rail 42. That is, it may be provided between the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12 via the upper rail 42.

[0177] In the above embodiment, the seat device 2B is configured as a seat device to be mounted on the vehicle 1, but the above-mentioned seat device 2B can be applied to seats such as sofas and massage chairs, and seats to be mounted on various vehicles such as airplanes, trains, and automobiles.

[0178] [Other Modifications of the Seat Device] Next, a modified example of the above-described seat device 2B will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the seat main body 3B is changed by the electronically controlled suspension 531, but a variable damper may also be used to absorb vibrations acting on the seat main body 3B.

[0179] For example, if the seat body 3B is made thin and light, there is a risk that the seating comfort of the seat device 2B will be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, an electronically controllable variable damper 9 is further provided to support the seat body 3B. With this configuration, the seating comfort of the seat device can be improved even when a lightweight and compact seat whose configuration can be changed by the electronically controlled suspension 531 is used.

[0180] A seat device 2C according to a modified example of the seat device 2B will be described below with reference to Figures 15 to 17. Note that the following description will focus on differences from the seat device 2B, and the same components as those in the seat device 2B will be assigned the same reference numerals as those in the seat device 2B and will not be described again.

[0181] Fig. 15 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a seat device 2C according to a modified example. As shown in Fig. 15, the seat device 2C includes a seat body 3B, a slide device 4B, a riser portion 5B, a plurality of detectors 7, a variable damper 9 that can change the damping force acting on a seat cushion 31, and a control unit 6C that controls the driving of each unit based on information detected by each of the plurality of detectors 7.

[0182] The seat body 3B includes a seat cushion 31, a seat back 32, and a headrest 33. The slide device 4B includes a pair of left and right lower rails 41, a pair of left and right upper rails 42, and a stopper 45 that restricts movement of the pair of left and right upper rails 42. The riser portion 5B includes a riser support portion (rotation support portion) 51 and a riser drive portion (cushion drive portion) 53. The multiple detection portions 7 include a first angle sensor 71, a second angle sensor 72, and a situation detection portion 73.

[0183] The variable damper 9 is interposed between the rear end of the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12 of the vehicle 1, and is provided upright in the vertical direction between the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12. One end of the variable damper 9 in the extension / contraction direction is supported on the underside (bottom) of the seat cushion 31 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and the other end is accommodated in a first recessed portion 14 formed in a recessed shape in the floor 12 of the vehicle 1, and is supported at the bottom of the first recessed portion 14 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. By accommodating the other end of the variable damper 9 in the first recessed portion 14, it is possible to shorten the distance between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B, thereby enabling the seat device 2B to be made more compact.

[0184] The first recessed portion 14 formed in the floor 12 is provided so as not to interfere with the multiple batteries 15a, 15b arranged below the floor 12, and in the vehicle 1, the first recessed portion 14 is formed between the batteries 15a, 15b. By accommodating the other end of the variable damper 9 in the first recessed portion 14 provided between the multiple batteries 15a, 15b, it is possible to use a variable damper 9 that takes into account the depth of the first recessed portion 14. For example, if the depth of the first recessed portion 14 is increased, it becomes possible to use a damper that has a long overall length and high variable performance.

[0185] The multiple batteries 15a, 15b housed in the floor 12 are configured to be removable via a lid 16 provided on the bottom of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, a second recess 17 is provided in the floor 12 in front of the first recess 14, and a control device (ECU) 18 having a control unit 6B is housed in the second recess 17. The second recess 17 is formed in a recessed shape in the floor 12, and the control device 18 is configured to be removable from the second recess 17 via a lid (not shown). By disposing the control device 18 in the second recess 17 of the floor 12 so that it can be removed, maintenance of the control device 18 is facilitated.

[0186] Fig. 16 is a block diagram of a control unit 6C that controls the driving of the seat device 2C of Fig. 15. As shown in Fig. 16, the control unit 6C is configured by a computer having a calculation unit 61C such as a CPU, a storage unit 62C such as a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0187] The calculation unit 61C has, as functional components, an information receiving unit 611C and an information output unit 612C. The information receiving unit 611B receives various information, various commands, and the like. For example, the information receiving unit 611B receives various information contained in the first angle signal output from the first angle sensor 71, the second angle signal output from the second angle sensor 72, and the image capture signal output from the situation detection unit 73. The information receiving unit 611B also receives various commands, such as a relaxation mode signal output when the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2, and a drive mode signal output when the occupant presses the drive mode switch SW1.

[0188] The information output unit 612B outputs control signals to the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 based on the various information and commands received by the information receiving unit 611, and expands and contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper to change the posture and state of the seat body 3B. For example, based on first and second tilt angle information obtained from the first and second angle signals, the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 are expanded and contracted so that the seat cushion 31 is positioned horizontally with the floor 12, which is horizontal.

[0189] Furthermore, when the information receiving unit 611C receives a relax mode signal or a drive mode signal, the information output unit 612C expands and contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 based on the imaging information obtained from the imaging signal and the first and second angle information obtained from the first and second angle signals.

[0190] For example, when the control unit 6C receives a relax mode signal and detects from the imaging information that there is no object in the space between the seat main body 3B and the floor 12, it contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9, and tilts the seat main body 3B based on the first and second angle information (see FIG. 17, which will be described later).On the other hand, when the control unit 6C receives a drive mode signal, it extends the electronically controlled suspension 531 without referring to the imaging information, and raises the seat main body 3B based on the first and second angle information (see FIG. 15).

[0191] The storage unit 62C stores various programs executed by the calculation unit 61C, various data, etc. The storage unit 62C has a posture storage unit 621C that stores the posture of the seat main body 3B relative to the vehicle 1, and a mode storage unit 622C that stores the state of the seat main body 3B in various modes. The posture storage unit 621C stores various data related to the posture of the seat main body 3B relative to the vehicle 1, programs for setting this posture, etc. The mode storage unit 622C stores various data related to the state of the seat main body 3B in the drive mode and the state of the seat main body 3B in the relax mode, programs for changing to these modes, etc.

[0192] The relative posture of the seat main body 3B with respect to the vehicle 1 stored in posture memory unit 621C is the same as that stored in mode memory unit 622B, but the program for changing the posture of the seat main body 3B is different from that stored in mode memory unit 622B. Similarly, the posture of the seat main body 3B in the drive mode and the relax mode stored in mode memory unit 622C is the same as that stored in mode memory unit 622B, but the program for changing the posture of the seat main body 3B to the drive mode and the relax mode is different from that stored in mode memory unit 622B.

[0193] Fig. 17 is a side view showing the state in which the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 of Fig. 15 are contracted, and shows the relaxation mode of the seat device 2C. When the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2 in the drive mode shown in Fig. 15 and a relaxation mode signal is output, the control unit 6C contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 and rotates the seat cushion 31 (seat main body 3B) around the riser shaft 512, as shown in Fig. 17.

[0194] At this time, when the seat cushion 31 rotates a predetermined angle due to the contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9, the control unit 6B temporarily stops the contraction of the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9. Thereafter, when the occupant presses the relaxation mode switch SW2 again, the control unit 6B outputs a restart start signal to the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9, which again contracts the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9, changing the state of the seat main body 3B to the relaxation mode.

[0195] In addition, the restart instruction (output of a restart start signal) for the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9 may be configured to be activated, for example, by inputting a predetermined voice or detecting a predetermined gesture, instead of by re-pressing the relaxation mode switch SW2.

[0196] To change from the Relax mode to the Drive mode, the reverse of the above operation is performed. In this way, in the seat apparatus 2C, the posture and state of the seat main body 3B can be changed simply by expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9, and the vibrations transmitted from the vehicle 1 to the seat main body 3B are suppressed by the variable damper 9 in both the Relax mode and the Drive mode.

[0197] The above-described seat device 2C can provide the following advantageous effects. (1) A seat apparatus 2C includes a seat body 3B having a seat cushion 31 and a seat back 32 provided at the rear end of the seat cushion 31. The seat apparatus 2C includes a riser support part 51 that is interposed between the seat body 3B and a floor 12 on which the seat body 3B is disposed and that rotatably supports the front end of the seat cushion 31 around a riser shaft part 512 extending in the left-right direction, a riser drive part 53 that rotates the seat cushion 31 around the riser shaft part 512, and a variable damper 9 that is interposed between the rear end of the seat cushion 31 and the floor 12 and that can change the damping force acting on the seat cushion 31.

[0198] This configuration makes it possible to improve the comfort of sitting on the seat body 3B even when a lightweight, compact seat whose configuration can be changed by the electronically controlled suspension 531 is used.

[0199] (2) The variable damper 9 is provided standing in the vertical direction, one end of the variable damper 9 is rotatably supported on the bottom of the seat cushion 31, and the other end of the variable damper 9 is accommodated in a first recessed portion 14 formed in a recessed shape in the floor 12. By accommodating the other end of the variable damper 9 in the first recessed portion 14 in this way, it is possible to shorten the distance between the seat cushion 31 and the slide device 4B, and it is possible to reduce the size of the seat device 2B.

[0200] (3) The first recessed portion 14 is provided so as not to interfere with the multiple batteries 15a, 15b arranged below the floor 12. By accommodating the other end of the variable damper 9 in the first recessed portion 14 provided between the multiple batteries 15a, 15b, it is possible to use a variable damper 9 that takes into account the depth of the first recessed portion 14. For example, if the depth of the first recessed portion 14 is increased, it becomes possible to use a damper with a long overall length and high variable performance.

[0201] (4) The variable damper 9 is configured by a damper whose characteristics can be changed, and the seat device 2C further includes a control unit 6C that changes the characteristics of the variable damper 9. This makes it possible to easily change the length of the variable damper and elastic characteristics such as viscosity.

[0202] (5) The seat device 2C further includes a control device 18 having a control unit 6C, and the recessed portion is a first recessed portion 14. The control device 18 is accommodated in a second recessed portion 17 formed in a recessed shape in the floor 12. This makes it easy to remove the control device 18, thereby facilitating maintenance.

[0203] (6) The above-described seat device 2C is mounted on a vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). This makes it possible to provide a vehicle 1 that can change the posture and state of the seat main body 3B and suppress vibrations acting on the seat main body 3B simply by expanding and contracting the electronically controlled suspension 531 and the variable damper 9. In other words, even when a thin, light, and simple seat main body 3B is used, it is possible to provide a vehicle 1 that can easily change the state of the seat device 2B and suppress vibrations acting on the seat main body 3B.

[0204] The configuration of the seat device 2C described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17 can be summarized as follows. The seat device 2C includes a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back provided at the rear end of the seat cushion. The seat device also includes a rotation support part interposed between the seat body and a floor on which the seat body is placed and supporting the front end of the seat cushion so that it can rotate around a shaft part extending in the left-right direction, a cushion drive part that rotates the seat cushion around the shaft part, and a variable damper interposed between the rear end of the seat cushion and the floor and capable of changing the damping force acting on the seat cushion.

[0205] The above-mentioned variable damper is installed upright in the vertical direction, one end of the variable damper is rotatably supported on the bottom of the seat cushion, and the other end of the variable damper is housed in a recess formed in the floor.

[0206] The recessed portion is provided so as not to interfere with the battery arranged below the floor.

[0207] The variable damper described above is configured by a damper whose characteristics can be changed, and the seat device 2C further includes a control unit 6C that changes the characteristics of the variable damper.

[0208] The above-described seat device further includes a control device having a control unit, the recessed portion is a first recessed portion, and the control device is accommodated in a second recessed portion formed in a recessed shape in the floor.

[0209] The vehicle is configured as a vehicle equipped with the above-described seat device.

[0210] The above embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the length of the variable damper 9 is changed based on the drive mode, the relax mode, and the position of the seat body 3B. However, in addition to the length, characteristics such as viscosity may be changed. For example, in the relax mode, the viscosity may be lowered and the elastic force may be increased to more easily absorb vibrations, and when the mode is changed to the drive mode, the viscosity may be increased and the elastic force may be decreased compared to the relax mode.

[0211] In the above embodiment, the seat device 2C is configured as a seat device to be mounted on the vehicle 1, but the above-mentioned seat device 2A can be applied to seats such as sofas and massage chairs, and seats to be mounted on various vehicles such as airplanes, trains, and automobiles.

[0212] 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]

[0213] 1 vehicle, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C seat device, 3, 3A, 3B seat body, 4, 4B slide device, 31 seat cushion, 32 seat back, 100 ottoman, 101 ottoman operating part, 131 first axis part

Claims

1. A seat device comprising: a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back provided at a rear end of the seat cushion; and a slide portion that allows the seat body to slide in a front-rear direction, an ottoman provided at a front end of the seat cushion and rotatable in the up-down direction around a shaft extending in the left-right direction; an ottoman operating portion that, when the seat body slides rearward to a predetermined position via the slide portion, contacts the ottoman and applies a force to rotate the ottoman upward.

2. The seat device according to claim 1, The seat device is characterized in that the ottoman includes a first ottoman that is rotatable in the vertical direction at the front end of the seat cushion around a first axis that extends in the left-right direction, and a second ottoman that is rotatable in the vertical direction at the front end of the first ottoman around a second axis that extends in the left-right direction.

3. 3. The seat device according to claim 2, The seat device is characterized in that when the seat cushion moves to a first position, the ottoman operating portion abuts against the first ottoman to start rotating the first ottoman upward, and when the seat cushion moves to a second position rearward of the first position, the ottoman operating portion abuts against the second ottoman to start moving the second ottoman upward.

4. 3. The seat device according to claim 2, The ottoman further includes a first biasing portion that biases the first ottoman toward a storage position and a second biasing portion that biases the second ottoman toward the storage position, The seat device, wherein the first biasing portion and the second biasing portion have different biasing forces.

5. The seat device according to claim 1, The slide portion has a lower rail fixed to a floor and an upper rail that moves on the lower rail to slide the seat body in the front-rear direction, The seat device is characterized in that the ottoman operating portion is provided on the lower rail.

6. 6. The seat device according to claim 5, The slide portion further includes a movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the upper rail, and an operating portion that operates the movement restricting portion, The seat device is characterized in that the operating portion is disposed on a side portion of the seat body.

7. 6. The seat device according to claim 5, The seat device according to claim 1, wherein the slide portion further includes an electric slide mechanism that electrically moves the upper rail.

8. The seat device according to claim 7, The seat body further includes an electric reclining mechanism that electrically tilts the seat back around a shaft portion extending in the left-right direction, The seat device further comprises a control unit that controls the electric reclining mechanism so that the seat back tilts in response to movement of the upper rail by the electric slide mechanism.

9. A vehicle equipped with the seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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