Vehicle seat

Abstract

To improve occupant's seating feeling in a seat having hardness that partially varies.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat S includes: a seat frame Sa; a S spring 23a which is installed on the seat frame Sa and receives a load of an occupant; and a seat back pad 2a having multiple areas respectively formed by different materials and disposed between a skin material of the seat and the S spring 23a. The S spring 23a is disposed at a position facing a border part 41 of the multiple areas formed by the different materials which is included in the seat back pad 2a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a seat pad with partially different hardnesses. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicle seats in which the hardness of the seat pad varies depending on the part that supports the occupant are known. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a vehicle seat in which the inside and outside side support parts are formed with foams of different hardness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4300377 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, since there is a large change in hardness at the boundary between different foams in the seat pad, this can cause discomfort at the boundary and impair the seating comfort of the seat.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle seat that can improve the seating comfort of an occupant in a seat that has different hardness levels in some parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problem is solved by a vehicle seat comprising a seat frame, a pressure-receiving member that is mounted on the seat frame and receives the load of an occupant, and a seat pad that has multiple areas made of different materials and is positioned between the seat cover material and the pressure-receiving member, and the pressure-receiving member is positioned opposite the boundary between the multiple areas.

[0007] According to the vehicle seat described above, the boundary between the regions of the seat pad made of different materials is supported by the pressure-receiving member, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary, thereby improving the seating comfort of the occupant in a seat with locally varying hardness.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above-described vehicle seat, the seat frame may be a seat back frame that forms the skeleton of a seat back that constitutes the backrest surface, the pressure-receiving member may be mounted across the seat back frame in the seat width direction, the skin material may be a skin material that covers the seat back, the seat pad may be a seat back pad that is disposed between the skin material and the pressure-receiving member, and the boundary portion may be provided along the seat width direction, and the boundary portion may overlap with at least a portion of the pressure-receiving member in the seat up-down direction. By doing so, even if the seat back pad arranged inside the seat back, which serves as the backrest surface for the occupant, has multiple areas made of different materials, the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundaries between the areas can be reduced.

[0009] In the vehicle seat described above, a front end of the boundary portion on the front side of the seat and a rear end of the boundary portion on the rear side of the seat may be positioned differently in the up-down direction of the seat. This reduces the difference in hardness between the boundary between the regions made of different materials in the seat back pad and the surrounding area, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary.

[0010] In the vehicle seat described above, the connecting surface between the front end and the rear end may have a stepped structure. This allows the hardness of the boundary portion and its surrounding area to change gradually, thereby preventing a sudden change in hardness between the boundary portion and its surrounding area, thereby reducing the sense of discomfort at the boundary portion.

[0011] In the vehicle seat described above, the connecting surface between the front end and the rear end may have a sloped structure. This allows the hardness change between the boundary and its surroundings to be gradient, which makes it possible to smooth the hardness change between the boundary and its surroundings, thereby reducing the sense of discomfort at the boundary.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above-described vehicle seat, the pressure-receiving member may be a first pressure-receiving member, and a second pressure-receiving member may be provided that is spanned across the seat back frame in the seat width direction and is provided below the first pressure-receiving member, and one of the front end portion and the rear end portion may be positioned between the first pressure-receiving member and the second pressure-receiving member, and the other may be positioned at a height that overlaps with the first pressure-receiving member. By doing so, the rear end of the boundary portion of the seat is supported more strongly by the pressure-receiving member than the front end of the boundary portion of the seat, thereby smoothing the change in hardness at the boundary portion and reducing discomfort.

[0013] In the vehicle seat described above, the hardness of the seatback pad in a region below the boundary portion may be higher than the hardness of the region above the boundary portion. This allows the lower part of the occupant's upper body to be stably supported, making it easier for the occupant to maintain their posture. In addition, the upper part of the occupant's upper body is supported softly, improving riding comfort.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-described vehicle seat, the seat frame may be a seat cushion frame that forms the skeleton of a seat cushion that constitutes the seating surface, the pressure-receiving member may be mounted across the seat cushion frame in the seat width direction, the skin material may be a skin material that covers the seat cushion, the seat pad may be a seat cushion pad that is disposed between the skin material and the pressure-receiving member, and the boundary portion may be provided along the seat width direction, and the boundary portion may overlap with at least a portion of the pressure-receiving member in the seat front-rear direction. This reduces the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundaries between the regions, even when the seat cushion pad arranged inside the seat cushion, which serves as the seating surface for the occupant, has multiple regions made of different materials.

[0015] In the vehicle seat described above, a hanging portion of the cover material may be attached to a groove formed in the boundary portion. The skin material can be tucked into the boundary portion, which prevents the skin material from sagging at the boundary portion, thereby reducing the discomfort at the boundary portion.

[0016] In the vehicle seat described above, the boundary portion may be a compatible portion where the materials of the plurality of regions are compatible with each other. This makes it possible to widen the surface to which the load is input at the boundary, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary between the regions made of different materials.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, even when a seat back pad is provided with a plurality of regions made of different materials, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary between the regions.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the difference in hardness between the boundary portion of the regions made of different materials and the surrounding area.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a sudden change in hardness between the boundary portion and its surroundings, thereby reducing the discomfort felt at the boundary portion.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, the hardness change at the boundary and between the boundary and its surroundings can be smoothed, thereby reducing the discomfort felt at the boundary.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, the hardness change at the boundary can be smoothed to reduce discomfort.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to facilitate the maintenance of posture of an occupant and improve riding comfort.

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, even when a seat cushion pad is provided with a plurality of regions made of different materials, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary between the regions.

[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, sagging of the skin material at the boundary portion can be prevented, and discomfort at the boundary portion can be reduced.

[0026] According to one aspect of the present invention, the surface to which a load is input at the boundary portion can be widened, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat frame according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the seat back pad taken along line IV-IV. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a VV cross-sectional view of the seat back pad. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion pad taken along line VII-VII. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion pad taken along line VIII-VIII. [Figure 9] FIG. 5 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a first modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a second modified example. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a third modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad according to a sixth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] A vehicle seat S according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 14. Note that the embodiment described below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. First, an overview of each drawing will be described.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat S according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat frame Sa that forms the framework of the vehicle seat S. As shown in FIG.

[0030] 3 is a front view of a seat back pad 2a which is a cushioning material of the seat back 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the seat back pad 2a taken along line IV-IV, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the seat back pad 2a taken along line VV.

[0031] 6 is a top view of a seat cushion pad 1a which is a cushioning material of the seat cushion 1, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion pad 1a taken along line VII-VII, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion pad 1a taken along line VIII-VIII.

[0032] 9 to 14 are VV cross-sectional views of seat back pads 2a according to first to sixth modified examples, respectively.

[0033] <Configuration of the vehicle seat S and seat frame Sa> First, the configuration of a vehicle seat S and a seat frame Sa according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat S of this embodiment is mainly composed of a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2 arranged on the upper surface side of the seat cushion 1, and a headrest 3 arranged on the upper surface side of the seat back 2, and the interior of the vehicle seat S is provided with a seat frame Sa which serves as the skeleton shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] In the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction as seen from the perspective of a seated person in the vehicle seat S, and is the direction that coincides with the direction of travel of the vehicle. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat S, and is the same as the left-right direction as seen from the perspective of a seated person in the vehicle seat S. Additionally, the "up-down direction" refers to the height direction of the vehicle seat S, and is the same as the up-down direction as seen from the front of the vehicle seat S.

[0036] The seat cushion 1 is a seating portion that supports the occupant from below, and is configured by placing a seat cushion pad 1a on a cushion frame 10, which serves as the skeleton shown in Figure 2, and covering the seat cushion pad 1a with a surface 1b.

[0037] The seat back 2 is a backrest portion that supports the back of the occupant from behind, and is configured by placing a seat back pad 2a on a seat back frame 20, which serves as the skeleton shown in Figure 2, and covering the seat back pad 2a with a skin 2b.

[0038] The headrest 3 is a head support that supports the occupant's head from behind, and is configured by placing a headrest pad 3a on a pillar (not shown) that serves as a core material, and covering the headrest pad 3a with a surface 3b.

[0039] The cushion frame 10 is made up of a substantially rectangular frame body that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 1, and as shown in FIG. 2, includes cushion side frames 11 arranged on the left and right sides, pan frames 12 as plate-shaped frames installed on the upper surfaces of the front sides of each cushion side frame 11, frame connecting pipes 13 as connecting members installed near the rear end portions of each cushion side frame 11, and S springs 14a and 14b that connect each cushion side frame 11 at approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction.

[0040] The S springs 14a and 14b are pressure-receiving members that support from below an occupant seated on the seat cushion 1. The S spring 14a and the S spring 14b, which is located further forward of the S spring 14a, are respectively supported by and span the cushion side frames 11 on both sides.

[0041] The cushion side frames 11 are made of sheet metal members extending in the front-rear direction, and the left cushion side frame 11 and the right cushion side frame 11 are parallel to each other and spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, a reclining mechanism 15 is provided between the cushion side frame 11 and the seat back frame 20 to rotatably connect the seat back 2 to the seat cushion 1.

[0043] The reclining mechanism 15 is a known mechanism and includes a connecting shaft 16 that serves as the rotation axis of the reclining mechanism 15, a spiral spring 17 that biases the seat back frame 20 to an upright position, and a spring locking member 18 that locks the extended end of the spiral spring 17.

[0044] The connecting shaft 16 is made of a pipe member having a substantially circular cross section that connects the left and right ends of the cushion side frame 11 and the seat back frame 20 together.

[0045] The connecting shaft 16 is connected by being inserted through a shaft through-hole (not shown) provided at the lower end of each of the left and right ends of the seat back frame 20 and a shaft insertion hole (not shown) provided at the rear end of each of the left and right ends of the cushion side frame 11.

[0046] The spiral springs 17 are made of spiral-shaped linear members and are provided at the rear ends of the left and right outer surfaces of the cushion side frames 11. One end of the spiral springs 17 is hooked onto a spring locking member 18 and fixed to the lower end of the left and right outer side of the seat back frame 20, and the other end of the spiral springs 17 is hooked onto a spring locking portion (not shown) provided on the left and right outer surfaces of the cushion side frames 11 and fixed.

[0047] The spring locking member 18 is made of a sheet metal member bent into an approximately L-shape, and the upper end of the spring locking member 18 is fixed to the seat back frame 20, and the lower end is provided with bent portions 18a bent outward to the left and right, and one end of the spiral spring 17 is hooked onto the bent portions 18a.

[0048] In addition, an operating lever (not shown) is attached to the outside of the cushion side frame 11, and by operating this operating lever, the connecting shaft 16 rotates, causing the seat back 2 to rotate relative to the seat cushion 1.

[0049] 2, the seatback frame 20 is a generally rectangular frame body, and includes an upper frame 21 which is a hollow cylinder formed in a generally inverted U shape on the upper side, left and right side frames 22 which are arranged on the left and right sides and connected to the upper frame 21, S-springs 23a and 23b which are installed at the approximate center of the inner surface of each side frame 22, and a lower frame 30 which is installed at the lower end of the inner surface of each side frame 22. The side frames 22 and the lower frame 30 may be configured as a single unit.

[0050] The left and right side frames 22 are formed by bending sheet metal members inward laterally in a generally U-shape, extending vertically and spaced apart in the left-right direction while remaining parallel to each other. The left and right side frames 22 are formed so as to extend continuously from the top to the bottom and gradually protrude forward, and include forward bent portions 22a bent inward laterally from the front end and rear bent portions 22b bent inward laterally from the rear end.

[0051] The left and right side frames 22 are provided on their left and right inner surfaces with recesses 22c recessed inwardly to the left and right, and the recesses 22c are formed with through holes that penetrate in the up-down direction.

[0052] The S springs 23a and 23b are pressure-receiving members that support the back and waist of the occupant from behind. In this embodiment, the pressure-receiving members are made of a metal elastic member, but this is not limited to this. For example, the pressure-receiving members may be made of resin, fabric, or the like, and may not be elastically deformable. Furthermore, the S springs 23a and the S springs 23b, which are positioned below the S spring 23a in the seat, are connected to the left and right side frames 22 by having their left and right ends inserted into and latched into through-holes in the recesses 22c.

[0053] The lower frame 30 is formed by bending a sheet metal member forward in an approximately U-shape, and as shown in Figure 2, is composed of a frame main body portion 31 extending in the left-right direction and a frame bending portion 32 formed by bending both the left and right ends.

[0054] The frame bent portion 32 is disposed so as to abut against the inner surface of the side frame 22, and the upper end of the frame bent portion 32 and the lower end of the side frame 22 are fixed by welding.

[0055] The frame bending portion 32 is provided with a shaft through-hole (not shown) that penetrates in the left-right direction, and the connecting shaft 16 is fitted through the shaft through-hole to connect the frame bending portion 32. The spring locking member 18 is fixed to the outer surface of the frame bending portion 32 by a fastening bolt 38.

[0056] 2, the frame main body 31 has an upper flange 33a and a lower flange 33b that protrude forward. The upper flange 33a and the lower flange 33b are provided at the upper end and the lower end of the frame main body 31, respectively, and extend in the left-right direction.

[0057] Next, the configurations of the seat back pad 2a and the seat cushion pad 1a will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0058] <Configuration of seat back pad 2a> First, the details of the seatback pad 2a will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. As shown in Figure 3, the seatback pad 2a includes a lower cushion region 40 that supports the lower upper part of the occupant's body, an upper cushion region 42 that supports the upper part of the occupant's body, a right cushion region 44 that supports the right side of the occupant's upper body, and a left cushion region 46 that supports the left side of the occupant's upper body, and each region is separated by a groove 48. In addition, a headrest through-hole 52 through which a pillar of the headrest 3 is inserted is formed in the upper surface of the upper cushion region 42. A suspending wire 54 for suspending the seat front surface skin 2b is embedded in the seatback pad 2a.

[0059] The lower cushion region 40 includes a lower first cushion region 40a and a lower second cushion region 40b formed from different materials, and the boundary between the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b is a boundary portion 41. Here, the lower first cushion region 40a is located above the lower second cushion region 40b. For example, the lower first cushion region 40a is a lumbar support region that supports the lumbar vertebrae of the occupant, and in this case, the boundary portion 41 is located above the lumbar support region.

[0060] The first lower cushion region 40a and the second lower cushion region 40b may be made of the same material that is molded to have different properties such as hardness, density, and rebound resilience during foam molding, or may be made of materials that have different properties such as hardness, density, and rebound resilience during foam molding, or may be three-dimensional reticulated elastic bodies with different structures. For example, the first lower cushion region 40a and the second lower cushion region 40b may be molded from different synthetic resin materials such as polyurethane (PUR), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP).

[0061] Alternatively, the materials of the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b may be selected so that the hardness of the lower first cushion region 40a is higher than that of the lower second cushion region 40b. For example, the lower first cushion region 40a may be molded using PP (polypropylene) bead foam, and the lower second cushion region 40b may be molded using polyurethane foam. By making the hardness of the lower first cushion region 40a higher than that of the lower second cushion region 40b, the region supporting the occupant's lumbar vertebrae can be made harder, while the region supporting the upper body above the lumbar vertebrae can be made softer. This allows the occupant's posture to be supported in a stable manner, and the upper part of the occupant's body, such as around the shoulders, sinks into the seat, reducing strain and improving seating comfort.

[0062] In the example shown in FIG. 3, the boundary 41 between the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b is wavy when viewed from the front of the seat, but is not limited to this and may be formed into other curved or straight lines, or a composite shape (e.g., a folded line) consisting of a combination of two or more different curves or straight lines.

[0063] Furthermore, the boundary 41 between the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b may be a joint formed by bonding the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b together after molding them, or may be an impregnation layer formed by one layer permeating into the other layer during molding of the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b.Furthermore, the boundary 41 may be a compatible portion formed by mixing and hardening the molding materials of the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b.

[0064] 3 to 5, a press felt 50 is attached to the back surfaces (surfaces on the seat rear side) of the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b. The press felt 50 is disposed at a position overlapping the boundary portion 41 in the seat up-down direction. This increases the strength of the periphery of the boundary portion 41.

[0065] The upper cushion region 42, the right side cushion region 44, and the left side cushion region 46 may be molded from the same material as the lower first cushion region 40a or the lower second cushion region 40b, or may be molded from a material different from either of them.

[0066] Here, the positional relationship between the boundary portion 41 and the S springs 23a and 23b, which are pressure-receiving members, will be described with reference to Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the boundary portion 41 and the S spring 23a are arranged in a position where they at least partially overlap in the up-down direction of the seat. Here, the front end portion 41a is the end portion of the boundary portion 41 on the front side of the seat, and the rear end portion 41b is the end portion of the boundary portion 41 on the rear side of the seat. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the front end portion 41a and the rear end portion 41b are at approximately the same position in the up-down direction of the seat, and both the front end portion 41a and the rear end portion 41b are arranged in a position where they overlap at least a portion of the S spring 23a in the up-down direction of the seat.

[0067] 5, the boundary portion 41 is arranged at a position overlapping with the S spring 23a in the seat up-down direction, but the boundary portion 41 may be arranged at a position overlapping with the S spring 23b in the seat up-down direction. Other configuration examples of the arrangement of the boundary portion 41, the S spring 23a, and the S spring 23b will be described later.

[0068] 5, the boundary portion 41 and the S-spring 23a are disposed at positions facing each other in the up-down direction of the seat, so that the boundary portion 41, which receives the load of the occupant, can be supported by the S-spring 23a. The boundary portion 41 is a portion where the hardness changes from that of the lower first cushion region 40a to that of the lower second cushion region 40b, and by supporting the boundary portion 41 with the S-spring 23a as described above, the change in hardness around the boundary portion 41 can be alleviated.

[0069] <Configuration of seat cushion pad 1a> Next, the seat cushion pad 1a will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the seat cushion pad 1a includes a front cushion region 60 that supports the thighs of the occupant, a rear cushion region 62 that supports the buttocks of the occupant, a right side cushion region 64 that supports the right leg of the occupant, and a left side cushion region 66 that supports the left leg of the occupant, and each region is separated by a groove 68.

[0070] The front cushion region 60 includes a front first cushion region 60a and a front second cushion region 60b formed from different materials, and the boundary between the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b is a boundary portion 61. Here, the front second cushion region 60b is located forward of the front first cushion region 60a. For example, the front first cushion region 60a is an ischial tuberosity support region that supports the ischial tuberosities of the occupant, and in this case, the boundary portion 61 is located forward of the ischial tuberosity support region.

[0071] The front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b may be members made of the same raw material that are molded to have different properties such as hardness, density, and rebound resilience during foam molding, or may be members molded from raw materials that have different properties such as hardness, density, and rebound resilience during foam molding, or may be three-dimensional reticulated elastic bodies with different structures. For example, the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b may be molded from different synthetic resin raw materials such as polyurethane (PUR), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP).

[0072] Alternatively, the materials of the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b may be selected so that the hardness of the first cushion region 60a is higher than that of the second cushion region 60b. In this case, for example, the first cushion region 60a may be molded using PP (polypropylene) bead foam, and the second cushion region 60b may be molded using polyurethane foam. By making the hardness of the first cushion region 60a higher than that of the second cushion region 60b, the region supporting the occupant's ischial tuberosities can be made harder, while the region supporting the area in front of the occupant's ischial tuberosities can be made softer. This allows the occupant's posture to be stabilized, and the front of the occupant's thighs to sink into the seat, reducing strain and improving seating comfort.

[0073] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the boundary 61 between the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b is wavy when viewed from above the seat, but is not limited to this and may be formed into other curved or straight lines, or a composite shape (for example, a folded line) consisting of a combination of two or more different curves or straight lines.

[0074] Furthermore, the boundary 61 between the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b may be a joint formed by bonding the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b together after molding them, or may be an impregnated layer formed by one layer permeating into the other layer during molding of the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b. Furthermore, the boundary 61 may be a compatible portion formed by mixing and hardening the molding materials of the front first cushion region 60a and the front second cushion region 60b.

[0075] The rear cushion region 62, right side cushion region 64, and left side cushion region 66 may be molded from the same material as the front first cushion region 60a or the front second cushion region 60b, or may be molded from a material different from either of them.

[0076] Here, the positional relationship between the boundary portion 61 and the S springs 14a and 14b, which are pressure-receiving members, will be described with reference to Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8, the boundary portion 61 and the S springs 14b are arranged in positions where they at least partially overlap in the seat front-rear direction. Here, the upper end portion 61a is the end portion of the boundary portion 61 on the upper side of the seat, and the lower end portion 61b is the end portion of the boundary portion 61 on the lower side of the seat. In the example shown in Fig. 8, the upper end portion 61a and the lower end portion 61b are at approximately the same position in the seat front-rear direction, and both the upper end portion 61a and the lower end portion 61b are arranged in positions where they overlap at least partially with the S springs 14b in the seat front-rear direction.

[0077] In the example shown in Figure 8, the boundary portion 61 is positioned at a position that overlaps with the S spring 14b in the front-to-back direction of the seat, but the boundary portion 61 may also be positioned at a position that overlaps with the S spring 14a in the front-to-back direction of the seat.

[0078] 8, the boundary portion 61 and the S-springs 14b are arranged at positions where they overlap in the front-rear direction of the seat, so that the boundary portion 61, which receives the load of the occupant, can be supported by the S-springs 14b. The boundary portion 61 is a region where the hardness changes from that of the front first cushion region 60a to that of the front second cushion region 60b, and being supported by the S-springs 14b as described above makes it possible to alleviate the change in hardness around the boundary portion 61.

[0079] <Modification> Next, modified examples of the seat back pad 2a will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 14. Note that the examples shown in Figures 9 to 14 differ from the above-described seat back pad 2a in terms of the configuration of the boundary portion 41 of the seat back pad 2a, but are common in other respects. Therefore, the following will focus on the differences and omit a description of the commonalities.

[0080] FIG. 9 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a first modified example. As shown in FIG. 9, in the seat back pad 2a according to the first modified example, the front end 41a and the rear end 41b of the boundary portion 41 are located at different heights in the seat vertical direction, and the connection surface between the front end 41a and the rear end 41b forms a stepped structure (in other words, the front end 41a and the rear end 41b are connected in a stepped structure (step-like)). The front end 41a is located between the S springs 23a and 23b in the seat vertical direction, and the rear end 41b is located at a position overlapping the S spring 23a in the seat vertical direction. The boundary portion 41 shown in FIG. 9 may be configured as an impregnated layer or a bonding portion.

[0081] In this way, by making the boundary portion 41 have a stepped structure in which the front end portion 41a and the rear end portion 41b have different heights in the seat vertical direction and by having one end portion (in this example, the rear end portion 41b) face the S-spring 23a, the hardness of the boundary portion 41 and its surrounding area in the seat back pad 2a changes gradually, preventing a sudden change in hardness between the boundary portion and its surrounding area. This makes it possible to mitigate the change in hardness around the boundary portion 41.

[0082] FIG. 10 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a second modified example. As shown in FIG. 10, in the seat back pad 2a according to the second modified example, the front end 41a and the rear end 41b of the boundary portion 41 are located at different heights in the seat vertical direction, and the connection surface between the front end 41a and the rear end 41b has a gradient structure (in other words, the front end 41a and the rear end 41b are connected in a gradient structure). The front end 41a is located between the S springs 23a and 23b in the seat vertical direction, and the rear end 41b is located at a position overlapping the S spring 23a in the seat vertical direction. The boundary portion 41 shown in FIG. 10 may be configured as an impregnated layer or a bonding portion.

[0083] In this way, by making the boundary portion 41 have a gradient structure in which the front end portion 41a and the rear end portion 41b have different heights in the seat up-down direction and by having one end portion (in this example, the rear end portion 41b) face the S-spring 23a, the change in hardness between the boundary portion 41 and its surroundings in the seatback pad 2a can be smoothed, and abrupt changes in hardness between the boundary portion and its surroundings can be prevented. This makes it possible to mitigate the change in hardness around the boundary portion 41.

[0084] Fig. 11 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a third modified example. As shown in Fig. 11, in the seat back pad 2a according to the third modified example, the boundary portion 41 has a gradient structure similar to that of the second modified example, but differs from the second modified example in the following respects. That is, the third modified example differs from the second modified example in that a groove portion 58 is provided in the front end portion 41a of the boundary portion 41, and further in that a suspending portion 59 such as a wire for suspending an upholstery material is provided in the groove portion 58.

[0085] As in the second modification, the third modification also has a gradient structure in which the front end 41a and the rear end 41b of the boundary portion 41 have different heights in the seat up-down direction, and one end (in this example, the rear end 41b) faces the S-spring 23a. This allows for a smooth change in hardness between the boundary portion 41 and its surroundings in the seatback pad 2a, preventing a sudden change in hardness between the boundary portion and its surroundings. This reduces the change in hardness around the boundary portion 41. Furthermore, in the third modification, a groove 58 is provided in front of the boundary portion 41 to prevent the occupant from coming into contact with the boundary portion 41, thereby reducing discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary portion 41.

[0086] In the above first to third modified examples, the front end 41a is positioned between the S spring 23a and the S spring 23b, and the rear end 41b is positioned so as to overlap the S spring 23a in the vertical direction, but it is also possible to position the front end 41a so as to overlap the S spring 23a or the S spring 23b in the vertical direction, and to position the rear end 41b between the S spring 23a and the S spring 23b.

[0087] Fig. 12 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a fourth modified example. As shown in Fig. 12, the seat back pad 2a according to the fourth modified example has a boundary portion 41 with a groove portion 58 similar to that of the third modified example. However, the fourth modified example differs from the third modified example in the following respect. That is, the fourth modified example differs from the third modified example in that the boundary portion 41 is a compatible portion where the material of the lower first cushion region 40a and the material of the lower second cushion region 40b are compatible with each other.

[0088] In this way, in the fourth modified example, by arranging the boundary portion 41 opposite the S-spring 23a, the hardness change between the boundary portion 41 and its surrounding area in the seatback pad 2a is smoothed, and abrupt changes in hardness between the boundary portion and its surrounding area can be prevented. Also, by making the boundary portion 41 a compatible portion and increasing the load input area of the boundary portion 41, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant at the boundary portion 41. Also, in the fourth modified example, the upholstery material can be tucked in the tuck-in portion 59 provided in the groove portion 58 provided in the boundary portion 41. This prevents sagging of the upholstery material at the boundary portion 41, thereby reducing the discomfort felt at the boundary portion 41.

[0089] FIG. 13 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a fifth modified example. As shown in FIG. 13, in the seat back pad 2a according to the fifth modified example, all surfaces of the lower first cushion region 40a except for the rear surface (surface toward the rear of the seat) are covered with the lower second cushion region 40b, and the boundary 41 between the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b does not reach the front surface of the seat back pad 2a. In the example shown in FIG. 13, at least one of the rear end portions 41b of the boundary portion 41 is located in a position facing the S spring 23a. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the rear end portion 41b on the lower side of the boundary portion 41 is located below the S spring 23b, but the rear end portion 41b may be located in a position facing the S spring 23b.

[0090] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 13, all surfaces of the lower first cushion region 40a except for the rear surface are covered by the lower second cushion region 40b, but it is also possible to cover all surfaces of the lower first cushion region 40a except for the front surface with the lower second cushion region 40b so that the boundary portion 41 does not reach the rear surface of the seat back pad 2a.

[0091] Fig. 14 shows a VV cross-sectional view of a seat back pad 2a according to a sixth modified example. As shown in Fig. 14, in the seat back pad 2a according to the sixth modified example, the front end 41a of the boundary 41 between the lower first cushion region 40a and the lower second cushion region 40b is positioned to face the S spring 23b, and the rear end 41b is positioned to face the S spring 23a. Furthermore, without being limited to the example shown in Fig. 14, the front end 41a of the boundary 41 may be positioned to face the S spring 23a, and the rear end 41b may be positioned to face the S spring 23b.

[0092] The configurations of the above-described first to sixth modified examples may also be applied to the boundary portion 61 of the seat cushion pad 1a in the same manner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] S vehicle seat Sa seat frame 1 seat cushion 1a Seat cushion pad 1b Epidermis 2 seat backs 2a Seat back pad 2b Epidermis 3 Headrest 3a Headrest pad 3b Epidermis 10 Cushion Frame 11 Cushion side frame 12 Pan Frame 13 Frame connecting pipe 14a, 14b S spring (pressure receiving member) 15 Reclining mechanism 16 Connecting shaft 17 Spiral Spring 18 Spring locking member 18a Bending part 20 Seat back frame 21 Upper frame 22 Side frame 22a Forward bending part 22b Rear bend 22c recess 23a, 23b S spring (pressure receiving member) 30 Lower Frame 31 Frame body 32 Frame bending part 33a Upper flange 33b Lower flange 38 Fastening bolt 40 Lower cushion area 40a Lower first cushion area 40b Lower second cushion area 41 Boundary 41a Front end 41b Rear end 42 Upper cushion area 44 Right side cushion area 46 Left side cushion area 48 Groove 50 Press Felt 52 Headrest through hole 54,56 Lifting wire 58 Groove 59 Hanging section 60 Front cushion area 60a Front first cushion area 60b Front second cushion area 61 Boundary 61a Upper end 61b Lower end 62 Posterior cushion area 64 Right side cushion area 66 Left side cushion area 68 Groove

Claims

1. The seat frame and a pressure-receiving member that is installed on the seat frame and receives the load of an occupant; a seat pad having a plurality of regions each made of a different material and disposed between a seat cover material and the pressure-receiving member; the seat pad includes a central cushion region that supports an occupant, a right side cushion region that is separated by a groove and supports a right side of the occupant, and a left side cushion region that is separated by the groove and supports a left side of the occupant, The boundary portion of the plurality of regions made of different materials has a front surface side end portion which is an end portion on a front surface side of the seat pad and a back surface side end portion which is an end portion on a back surface side of the seat pad, the front surface side end and the back surface side end are disposed at different positions in a direction toward the occupant, the boundary portion is a compatible portion where the materials of the plurality of regions made of different materials are compatible with each other, The vehicle seat is characterized in that the pressure-receiving member is disposed at a position opposite to the boundary portion.

2. A second groove portion is provided on the surface side of the boundary portion, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a hanging portion of the cover material is attached to the second groove portion.

3. A vehicle seat as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection surface between the front side end and the back side end has a gradient structure.

4. A vehicle seat as described in Claim 3, characterized in that the surface side end is located farther from the center of the seat pad than the back side end, and the connection surface has the gradient structure when viewed in cross section of the seat pad.

5. The plurality of regions made of different materials are provided in the central cushion region, 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the right-side cushion region and the left-side cushion region are formed of a material different from that of any of the plurality of regions of the central cushion region.

6. The seat frame has a seat cushion frame that forms the framework of the seat cushion, which is the seating portion, and a seat back frame that forms the framework of the seat back that constitutes the backrest surface, a reclining mechanism that rotatably connects the seat back to the seat cushion frame and the seat back frame is provided between the seat cushion frame and the seat back frame; a cushion-side pressure-receiving member serving as the pressure-receiving member is mounted on the seat cushion frame, and a seat cushion pad serving as the seat pad is placed on the cushion-side pressure-receiving member; the seat cushion pad is covered with a seat cushion covering material as the covering material, a back-side pressure-receiving member serving as the pressure-receiving member is installed on the seat back frame, and a seat back pad serving as the seat pad is placed on the seat back frame; The seat back pad is covered with a seat back skin material as the skin material, A headrest is disposed on the upper surface side of the seat back, A headrest pad is placed on the pillar of the headrest, 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the headrest pad is covered with a headrest covering material.

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