Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat as one example which can solve the problem in an electric connector and an electric socket in which they are likely to deteriorate in workability when work for connecting the electric connector and the electric socket which have been built in a seat back to each other is executed, after a seat main body is mounted on a vehicle.SOLUTION: In a state where a headrest is not yet mounted on an upper frame 43, a socket 5 in a state of being connected to the upper frame 43 is held on the upper frame 43. When a headrest stay is inserted into a support bracket 45, a connector provided at a lower end side of the headrest stay is connected to the socket 5 provided at a lower end side of the support bracket 45. In short, with respect to the vehicular sheet 1, when work for mounting the headrest on the upper frame 43 is completed, the work for connecting the connector to the socket 5 is completed, without requiring a worker to perform work for connecting additionally.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat installed in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in the headrest wiring structure described in Patent Document 1, an assembly worker must insert the headrest stay into the support bracket, and then fit an electrical socket into the electrical connector provided on the lower end side of the headrest stay.

[0003] The headrest stay is a rod-shaped member extending from the headrest body. The support bracket is a cylindrical member into which the headrest stay is inserted. In many cases, a resin headrest support is interposed between the headrest stay and the support bracket. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-30654 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, in the case of a vehicle seat for a vehicle, after the portion of the vehicle seat other than the headrest (hereinafter referred to as the seat main body) is assembled to the vehicle, the headrest is assembled to the seat main body.

[0006] Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, after the seat body is assembled into the vehicle, the assembly worker must assemble the headrest to the seat body and connect the headrest's electrical connector to the electrical socket.

[0007] Since the electrical connector and the electrical socket are usually built into the seat back, there is a high possibility that the workability will be reduced if the electrical connector and the electrical socket are connected after the seat body is assembled to the vehicle. The present disclosure discloses an example of a vehicle seat that takes this into consideration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A vehicle seat to be installed in a vehicle has the following components: That is, the constituent elements are an upper frame (43) constituting a part of the back frame (4), the upper frame (43) extending in the seat width direction at the upper end side of the back frame (4), a support bracket (45) provided on the upper frame (43) and into which a stay (32) of the headrest (3) is inserted so as to be freely displaceable, the support bracket (45) being a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, a connector (34) provided on the lower end side of the stay (32), the connector (34) for making an electrical connection, and a socket (5) whose connection portion (54) with the connector (34) is provided on the lower end side of the support bracket (45), the socket (5) having a locking portion (52) that can be detachably locked to a locking portion (49A) provided on the upper frame (43), and when the connector (34) and the socket (5) are connected, the locking portion (52) and the locking portion (49A) are in a non-locked state.

[0009] As a result, in the vehicle seat, before the headrest (3) is assembled to the back frame (4), the socket (5) is held by the back frame (4) while being connected to the back frame (4).

[0010] When the stay (32) of the headrest (3) is inserted into the support bracket (45), the connector (34) provided on the lower end side of the stay (32) is connected to the socket (5) provided on the lower end side of the support bracket (45).

[0011] In other words, in this vehicle seat, once the work of assembling the headrest (3) to the seat body is completed, the work of connecting the connector (34) to the socket (5) is completed without the assembly worker having to perform a separate work of connecting the connector (34) to the socket (5).

[0012] Therefore, in this vehicle seat, even in a procedure in which the headrest is assembled to the seat body after the seat body is assembled to the vehicle, it is possible to easily connect the connector (34) and the socket (5).

[0013] The vehicle seat may have the following configuration, for example. That is, the locking portion (52) is elastically deformable between a state in which it can be locked with the locked portion (49A) and a state in which it cannot be locked with the locked portion (49A), and when the connector (34) and the socket (5) are connected, the locking portion (52) is in a state in which it cannot be locked, and further, when the connector (34) and the socket (5) are connected and the socket (5) is displaced upward, it is desirable that the locking portion (52) comes into contact with the upper frame (43) to restrict the upward displacement of the socket (5).

[0014] Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a retaining portion (55) for maintaining the connection between the connector (34) and the socket (5) by engaging with the stay (32). Incidentally, the symbols in each of the parentheses above are examples showing the correspondence with the specific configurations, etc. described in the embodiments described below, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations, etc. shown by the symbols in the parentheses above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a view showing a seat back of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing a connection structure between a seat back and a headrest; [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a socket according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the structure of a socket, a headrest stay, etc. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the structure of a socket, a headrest stay, etc. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the structure of a socket, a headrest stay, etc. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the structure of a socket, a headrest stay, etc. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams of a procedure for assembling the headrest. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams of a procedure for assembling the headrest. [Figure 10] 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams of a procedure for assembling the headrest. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The following "embodiments of the invention" are examples of embodiments that fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. In other words, the invention-specific matters described in the claims are not limited to the specific configurations and structures shown in the following embodiments.

[0017] In this embodiment, a vehicle seat according to the present disclosure is applied to a seat mounted in a vehicle such as a car. Arrows and diagonal lines indicating directions are added to each figure to facilitate understanding of the relationships between the figures and the shapes of components or parts.

[0018] Therefore, the vehicle seat is not limited to the orientation shown in each drawing. The orientation shown in each drawing is the orientation when the vehicle seat according to this embodiment is assembled to a vehicle. Diagonally shaded drawings do not always represent cross-sectional views.

[0019] At least one of a component or part that is described with a reference numeral is provided unless otherwise specified, such as "one." The vehicle seat shown in the present disclosure includes at least one of the components such as the component or part that is described with a reference numeral and the structural parts shown in the drawings.

[0020] (First embodiment) <1. Overview of vehicle seats> As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle seat 1 includes at least a seat back 2, a seat cushion (not shown), and a headrest 3. The seat cushion is a portion for supporting the buttocks of a seated occupant. The seat back 2 is a portion for supporting the back of the seated occupant. The headrest 3 is a portion for supporting the back of the head of the seated occupant.

[0021] The seat back 2 is composed of a back frame 4, a cushioning material (not shown), a cover (not shown), etc. The back frame 4 forms the skeleton of the seat back 2. The cushioning material is made of urethane foam or the like, and is a shock-absorbing material that is elastically deformable. The cover is a member that covers the cushioning material.

[0022] The back frame 4 has at least two side frames 41 and 42, an upper frame 43, and a lower frame 44. The side frame 41 is a member disposed at one end of the seat width direction and extending in the vertical direction. The side frame 42 is a member disposed at the other end of the seat width direction and extending in the vertical direction.

[0023] The upper frame 43 is a member that extends in the seat width direction and connects the upper ends of the two side frames 41, 42. The lower frame 44 is a member that extends in the seat width direction and connects the lower ends of the two side frames 41, 42. The back frame 4 is formed in a rectangular frame shape by the above-mentioned frames 41 to 44.

[0024] <2. Headrest Surroundings Configuration> 2.1 Headrest fixing structure 2, the headrest 3 includes at least a headrest main body 31 and at least one (two in this embodiment) headrest stay 32, 33. The headrest main body 31 is the part that comes into contact with the back of the head of a seated occupant.

[0025] The headrest stays 32, 33 are members that support the headrest main body 31. The headrest stays 32, 33 according to this embodiment are pipe-shaped members that extend downward from the headrest main body 31.

[0026] Electrical equipment (not shown) is disposed inside the headrest main body 31. Electrical wires (hereinafter referred to as harnesses) connected to the electrical equipment are routed inside the headrest stay 32.

[0027] A connector 34 is provided on the lower end side of the headrest stay 32. The connector 34 is provided with a terminal (not shown) for electrically connecting the harness routed inside the headrest stay 32 to another harness H.

[0028] The upper frame 43 is provided with support brackets 45, 46 in the same number as the headrest stays 32, 33. Each support bracket 45, 46 is a member into which the corresponding headrest stay 32, 33 is inserted so as to be freely displaceable. The support brackets 45, 46 are configured in a cylindrical shape (a rectangular cylindrical shape in this embodiment) that extends in the vertical direction.

[0029] Resin headrest supports 47, 48 are interposed between the headrest stays 32, 33 and the support brackets 45, 46. The headrest supports 47, 48 maintain the positions of the headrest stays 32, 33 relative to the support brackets 45.

[0030] 1, a socket 5 is attached to the lower end side of the headrest stay 32. The socket 5 is a member having a terminal (not shown) that is electrically connected to the terminal of the connector .

[0031] When the socket 5 is attached to the lower end side of the headrest stay 32, the terminals of the connector 34 and the terminals of the socket 5 are electrically connected. Hereinafter, this state will be referred to as "a state in which the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected."

[0032] <2.2 Socket details> 3, the socket 5 has a socket body 51 and locking portions 52, 53. In this embodiment, the socket body 51 and the locking portions 52, 53 are integrally molded from resin to form a single unit.

[0033] The socket body 51 is a casing that houses terminals (not shown) that are electrically connected to terminals of the connector 34. The socket body 51 is provided with a fitting opening 54 that forms a connection portion with the connector 34.

[0034] 2, the fitting opening 54 is located on the lower end side of the support bracket 45, on an extension line in the extension direction of the support bracket 45. The locking portions 52 and 53 are members that can be detachably locked to locked portions 49A and 49B (see FIG. 4) provided on the upper frame 43.

[0035] The locking portions 52 and 53 are hook-shaped arms that can elastically deform between a state where they can be locked with the locked portions 49A and 49B (see FIG. 5) and a state where they cannot be locked with the locked portions 49A and 49B (see FIG. 4).

[0036] When the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected, as shown in FIG. 1, the locking portions 52 and 53 are in a state where they cannot be locked with the locked portions 49A and 49B, and the locking portions 52 and 53 are in a non-locked state with the locked portions 49A and 49B.

[0037] Specifically, when the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected, the upper ends of the locking portions 52 and 53 are positioned at positions offset from the locking holes that form the locked portions 49A and 49B (see Figure 6).

[0038] Furthermore, when the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected and the socket 5 is displaced upward, that is, when the headrest 3 is displaced upward, as shown in Figure 6, the upper ends of the engagement portions 52, 53 come into contact with the upper frame 43, thereby restricting the upward displacement of the socket 5.

[0039] That is, before the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected, that is, before the headrest stays 32, 33 are inserted into the support brackets 45, 46 (see Figure 5), the locking portions 52, 53 function as temporary fixing portions that temporarily fix the socket 5 to the upper frame 43.

[0040] After the connector 34 and the socket 5 are connected, the socket 5 moves vertically together with the headrest stay 32 (see Figure 4), and the locking portions 52, 53 function as stoppers that prevent the headrest stay 32 from moving excessively upward (see Figure 6).

[0041] 4, the socket body 51 is provided with a retaining portion 55 such as a snap retainer (also called a potbelly pin). The retaining portion 55 maintains the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5 by engaging with the socket body 51 and the headrest stay 32 (see FIG. 7).

[0042] The retaining portion 55 fits into a groove (not shown) in the socket body 51 and is locked to the socket body 51. When the headrest stay 32 is inserted into the socket body 51, the retaining portion 55 comes into contact with the tapered portion 32A provided at the lower end of the headrest stay 32.

[0043] As a result, the retaining portion 55 is elastically deformed so as to expand to an extent that it can be engaged with the headrest stay 32. Thereafter, when the retaining portion 55 fits into the engaging groove 32B provided in the headrest stay 32, the retaining portion 55 contracts so as to return to its pre-deformation state, thereby completing the engagement between the retaining portion 55 and the headrest stay 32.

[0044] 3. Features of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment <3.1 Headrest assembly procedure> When assembling the vehicle seat of this embodiment into a vehicle, a worker (including an automatic assembly device) first assembles the portion of the vehicle seat 1 other than the headrest 3 (hereinafter referred to as the seat body 6) into a predetermined position inside the vehicle cabin.

[0045] In this state, as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest 3 is not attached to the seat body 6, and the socket 5 is locked and fixed to the upper frame 43 via the locking portions 52, 53.

[0046] In other words, when the vehicle seat 1 is delivered from the vehicle seat manufacturer to the vehicle assembly line, the headrest 3 is not attached to the seat body 6, and the socket 5 is locked and fixed to the upper frame 43 via the locking portions 52 and 53.

[0047] Next, the worker inserts each headrest stay 32, 33 into the corresponding support bracket 45, 46. This causes the connector 34 provided at the lower end of the headrest stay 32 to fit into the fitting opening 54 of the socket 5, completing the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5 and completing the engagement between the retaining portion 55 and the locking groove 32B.

[0048] Furthermore, when the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5 is completed and the engagement between the anti-slip portion 55 and the locking groove 32B is completed, the socket 5 is still locked to the upper frame 43 via the locking portions 52 and 53 (see Figure 9).

[0049] When the headrest 3 (headrest stay 32) is further pushed downward from the state shown in FIG. 9, the engagement between the locking portions 52, 53 and the upper frame 43 is released (see FIG. 10).

[0050] As a result, the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5 is completed, and after the engagement between the locking portions 52, 53 and the upper frame 43 is released, the socket 5 and the headrest stay 32 are displaced integrally relative to the upper frame 43.

[0051] 3.2 Effects of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment In the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, before the headrest 3 is assembled to the back frame 4, the socket 5 is held by the back frame 4 in a state where it is connected to the back frame 4.

[0052] When the headrest stay 32 is inserted into the support bracket 45 , the connector 34 provided on the lower end side of the headrest stay 32 is connected to the socket 5 provided on the lower end side of the support bracket 45 .

[0053] In other words, in the vehicle seat 1, once the work of assembling the headrest 3 to the seat body 6 is completed, the connection work between the connector 34 and the socket 5 is completed without a separate work by the worker.

[0054] Therefore, in the vehicle seat 1, even if the headrest 3 is assembled to the seat body 6 after the seat body 6 has been assembled to the vehicle, it is possible to easily connect the connector 34 and the socket 5.

[0055] In this embodiment, the locking portions 52, 53 for temporarily fixing the socket 5 to the upper frame 43 also function as stoppers, eliminating the need to provide a separate stopper.

[0056] The vehicle seat 1 includes a retaining portion 55 that engages with the headrest stay 32 to maintain the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5. As a result, after the connection between the connector 34 and the socket 5 is completed, the socket 5 and the headrest stay 32 are reliably displaced integrally.

[0057] (Other embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, the locking portions 52, 53 for temporarily fixing the socket 5 to the upper frame 43 also function as stoppers. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. That is, the present disclosure may be configured such that, for example, stoppers are provided separately from the locking portions 52, 53.

[0058] The locking portions 52, 53 in the above-described embodiments are configured as hook-shaped arms. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. That is, the present disclosure may also be configured such that the locking portions 52, 53 are locked and fixed using, for example, frictional force.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle seat according to the present disclosure is applied to a vehicle. However, the application of the invention disclosed in this specification is not limited thereto. That is, the present disclosure can also be applied to seats used in vehicles such as railway cars, ships, and aircraft, as well as stationary seats used in theaters, homes, etc.

[0060] Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments as long as it conforms to the spirit of the disclosure described in the above-described embodiments. Therefore, the present disclosure may be a configuration in which at least two of the above-described embodiments are combined, or a configuration in which any of the components illustrated or described with reference numerals in the above-described embodiments is eliminated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1... Vehicle seat 3... Headrest 4... Back frame 5... Socket 6... Seat body 31... Headrest body 32... Headrest stay 32A... Tapered section 32B: Locking groove 34: Connector 41, 42: Side frame 43... Upper frame 45, 46... Support bracket 47, 48... Headrest support 49A... Locking part 51... Socket body 52... Locking portion 54... Fitting opening

Claims

1. In a vehicle seat to be mounted on a vehicle, an upper frame that constitutes a part of the back frame and extends in the seat width direction at an upper end side of the back frame; a support bracket provided on the upper frame, into which a headrest stay is displaceably inserted, the support bracket having a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction; a connector provided on a lower end side of the stay for electrical connection; a socket having a connection portion with the connector provided on a lower end side of the support bracket, the socket having a locking portion that can be detachably locked to a locked portion provided on the upper frame, When the connector and the socket are connected, the engaging portion and the engaged portion are in an unlocked state.

2. the locking portion is elastically deformable between a state in which it can be locked with the locked portion and a state in which it cannot be locked with the locked portion, and when the connector and the socket are connected, the locking portion is in the state in which it cannot be locked; Furthermore, when the connector and the socket are connected and the socket is displaced upward, the engaging portion contacts the upper frame to restrict the socket from displacing upward.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a retaining portion for retaining the connector and the socket in a connected state by engaging with the stay.

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