Vehicle seat device

Abstract

To enable adjustment of a rotation position of a seat cushion to be performed by occupant's manual operation in a vehicle seat device.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat device 1 has a rotation device 2 which is provided between a floor 5 and a seat cushion 11 and supports the seat cushion rotatably relative to the floor. The rotation device has: a base part 51 provided on the floor; a rotation part 52 which is provided at the seat cushion and rotatably supported by the base part; an electric actuator 53 which rotates the rotation part relative to the base part; and a rotation lock device 54 which selectively prohibits rotation of the rotation part relative to the base part. The rotation lock device is changed between a lock state and an unlock state by manual operation. When the rotation lock device is unlocked and no electric power is supplied to the electric actuator, the electric actuator allows rotation of the rotation part relative to the base part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat device that can rotate around a vertical axis relative to a floor. The vehicle seat device has a base portion that is attached to the floor via a slide device, a rotating portion that is attached to a seat cushion and rotatably supported on the base portion, and an electric actuator that rotates the rotating portion relative to the base portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-132093 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In cases where the power supply to the electric actuator is interrupted or the electric actuator breaks down, it is desirable for the occupant to be able to manually adjust the rotation position of the seat cushion.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat device that allows an occupant to manually adjust the rotational position of a seat cushion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat device (1) that includes a rotation device (2) that is provided between a floor (5) and a seat cushion (11) and that rotatably supports the seat cushion relative to the floor, the rotation device including a base portion (51) that is provided on the floor, a rotation portion (52) that is provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported on the base portion, an electric actuator (53) that rotates the rotation portion relative to the base portion, and a rotation lock device (54) that selectively prohibits rotation of the rotation portion relative to the base portion, the rotation lock device being manually operated between a locked state and an unlocked state, and when the rotation lock device is unlocked and power is not supplied to the electric actuator, the electric actuator allows rotation of the rotation portion relative to the base portion.

[0007] According to this aspect, when the locking device is released and power is not supplied to the electric actuator, the occupant can manually rotate the rotating part relative to the base part, thereby enabling the occupant to manually adjust the rotational position of the seat cushion.

[0008] In the above aspect, the electric actuator may not have a worm reducer.

[0009] According to this aspect, when a load is applied to the rotating portion, the electric actuator can allow the rotating portion to rotate relative to the base portion.

[0010] In the above aspect, the rotation locking device has a locking claw (121) that is displaceably supported on one of the base portion and the rotating portion and displaces between a locked position engaged with the other of the base portion and the rotating portion and an unlocked position spaced apart from the other of the base portion and the rotating portion, a locking claw sensor (156) that detects the position of the locking claw is provided on one of the base portion and the rotating portion, and the electric actuator may be driven when the locking claw is in the unlocked position.

[0011] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an overload from being applied to the electric actuator.

[0012] In the above aspect, the locking claw sensor may have a lever (157) that is pushed and displaced by the locking claw, and may detect the position of the locking claw based on the position of the lever.

[0013] According to this aspect, the configuration of the lock claw sensor can be simplified.

[0014] In the above aspect, the base portion has a base plate (56) with surfaces facing up and down and a ring-shaped fixed member (66) extending upward from the base plate, the rotating portion has a rotating plate (71) rotatably supported on the upper surface of the base plate, the fixed member extends above the outer periphery of the rotating plate, and a sliding member (85) may be provided between the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotating plate and the fixed member.

[0015] According to this aspect, the outer periphery of the rotating plate contacts the fixed member via the sliding member, so tilting and rattling of the rotating plate are suppressed.

[0016] In the above aspect, the fixed member may press the rotary plate toward the base plate via the sliding member.

[0017] According to this aspect, tilting and rattling of the rotating plate are further suppressed.

[0018] In the above aspect, a first bearing hole (62) is formed in the center of the base plate, a second bearing hole (75) is formed in the center of the rotating plate, a support tube (87) extending vertically is inserted into the first bearing hole and the second bearing hole, a plurality of annular ribs (88, 89) bulging outward are formed on the outer periphery of the support tube, and the vertical movement of the rotating plate may be restricted by the plurality of annular ribs.

[0019] According to this aspect, the cylindrical portion maintains the base portion and the rotary plate coaxially, and the cylindrical portion can suppress relative displacement of the base portion and the rotary plate in the up-down direction.

[0020] In the above aspect, an expanded diameter portion (93) may be provided at the lower end of the support cylinder, and vertical movement of the base plate may be restricted by one of the annular ribs and the expanded diameter portion.

[0021] According to this aspect, the position of the base plate relative to the support cylinder is stabilized.

[0022] In the above aspect, a detection piece (173) made of a magnetic material may be provided on one of the rotating part and the base part, and a magnetic proximity sensor (174) that outputs a signal according to the distance from the detection piece may be provided on the other of the rotating part and the base part.

[0023] According to this aspect, the rotational position of the rotating part relative to the base part can be detected using the magnetic proximity sensor.

[0024] In the above aspect, a stopper (176, 177, 178) that restricts the rotation range of the rotating part relative to the base part may be provided between the base part and the rotating part, and the stopper may allow the rotating part to rotate relative to the base part between an inner rotation limit that is set to 180 degrees or less toward the inside of the vehicle from a standard rotation position in which the seat cushion faces forward, and an outer rotation limit that is set to 90 degrees or less toward the outside of the vehicle from the standard rotation position.

[0025] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the seat cushion from facing in an unnecessary direction.

[0026] In conventional seat devices, the pressure-receiving member and the actuator are arranged relatively close to each other, overlapping vertically. Therefore, when the pressure-receiving member receives a large downward load from the occupant via the seat pad and is significantly deformed, there is a problem that the pressure-receiving member and the actuator interfere with each other. Another aspect of the present invention aims to provide a vehicle seat device that can solve the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices with a simple structure.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention is a seat cushion comprising: a base (330) that can be fixed to a floor portion (312) of a vehicle body; a rotating disk (320) that is connected to a seat body (S) so as to rotate integrally with the seat body (S) and supports the seat body (S) and is disposed on the base (330); bearings (B1, B2) that support the rotating disk (320) on the base (330) so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction; and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotating disk (320) to rotate relative to the base (330), wherein the drive unit (D) comprises an actuator (340) that has an output shaft (343) extending below the rotating disk (320) and is fixed on the rotating disk (320); and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotation of the output shaft (343). and a gear transmission mechanism (GT) that converts the rotational motion of the turntable (320) relative to the base (330), and the seat body (S) of the seat (Sc) that supports the buttocks of the occupant has a seat frame (SFc) that serves as a skeleton and a seat pad (Pc) that is supported by the seat frame (SFc) via an elastically deformable pressure-receiving member (318). In this vehicle seat device, the actuator (340) at least partially overlaps with the pressure-receiving member (318) in a plan view, but is positioned so that it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member (318) even if the pressure-receiving member (318) is deflected by a downward load received from the occupant via the seat pad (Pc).

[0028] According to this aspect, the actuator that rotates the rotating disk is positioned so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the pressure-receiving member of the seat body in a plan view, thereby suppressing radial protrusion of the actuator and contributing to the radial miniaturization of the seat apparatus. Furthermore, the actuator is positioned so that it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member even if the pressure-receiving member is deflected by a downward load applied by an occupant. Therefore, even if the pressure-receiving member and the actuator are positioned so that they overlap vertically, it is possible to avoid mutual interference between the pressure-receiving member and the actuator when the pressure-receiving member is deflected and deformed.

[0029] In the above aspect, the front end of the pressure-receiving member (318) may be engaged with and supported by the front cross member (311f) of the seat frame (SFc), and at least a portion of the actuator (340) may be positioned so as to overlap the front cross member (311f) in a plan view.

[0030] According to this aspect, the front end of the pressure-receiving member engages with and is supported by the front cross member of the seat frame, and at least a portion of the actuator is positioned so as to overlap with the front cross member in a planar view. Therefore, the actuator can be positioned directly below the portion of the pressure-receiving member that is close to the front cross member (i.e., the portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member receives a downward load from an occupant is small), and there is no need to set the height of the pressure-receiving member (and therefore the height of the seat body) particularly high to avoid interference caused by that deflection deformation.

[0031] In the above embodiment, the actuator (340) may be disposed on the rotating disk (320) so that its longitudinal direction is substantially along the front cross member (311f).

[0032] According to this aspect, the actuator is positioned on the turntable so that its longitudinal direction is roughly aligned with the front cross member. Therefore, even if the actuator is long, most of the actuator can be positioned directly below the portion of the pressure-receiving member that is close to the front cross member (i.e., the portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member is subjected to a downward load from an occupant is small), and the effects of the above aspect can be fully achieved.

[0033] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) having radially outward teeth (336g) on ​​its outer periphery and fixed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) to the base (330), and a drive gear (346) meshing with the fixed gear (336) and fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343).

[0034] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear having teeth on its outer periphery that face radially outward and that is fixed concentrically to the turntable relative to the base, and a drive gear that meshes with this fixed gear and is fixed to the output shaft of the actuator.By making the fixed gear an externally toothed gear in particular, the meshing position with the drive gear is closer to the radially outward side.Therefore, the actuator can be placed directly below a portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member is subjected to a downward load from the occupant is smaller, and there is no longer any need to set the height of the pressure-receiving member (and therefore the height of the seat body) particularly high to avoid interference due to the deflection deformation.

[0035] In the above aspect, a first annular recess (320a) formed concentrically with the turntable (320) and recessed downward may be formed in the turntable (320), and a second annular recess (330a) recessed downward corresponding to the first annular recess (320a) may be formed in the base (330), the actuator (340) may be fixed to a bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a), and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may be disposed between the turntable (320) and the second annular recess (330a).

[0036] According to this aspect, the rotating disk is formed with a first annular recess that is concentric with the rotating disk and recessed downward, and the base is formed with a second annular recess that is recessed downward to correspond to the first annular recess, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the first annular recess, and the gear transmission mechanism is disposed between the rotating disk and the second annular recess, so that the heights of the actuator and gear transmission mechanism located above and below the rotating disk can be reduced as much as possible without having a part of the gear transmission mechanism protrude below the base. This makes it easy to avoid mutual interference between the actuator and a pressure-receiving member that flexes and deforms due to a downward load from an occupant, and the gear transmission mechanism can be contained between the rotating disk and the base (particularly the second annular recess), making it less likely that gear meshing noise will reach the ears of occupants.

[0037] In the above aspect, left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) that support the base (330) on the floor portion so that the front-rear position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion (312) and the base (330), and the second annular recess (330a) may be located between the left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) and positioned so as to partially overlap the front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) in a side view.

[0038] According to this aspect, left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms that support the base on the floor portion so that its longitudinal position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion and the base, and the second annular recess is disposed between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms so as to overlap partially with the longitudinal slide mechanisms in a side view, so that a sufficient depth of the second annular recess can be reasonably ensured by utilizing the dead space between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms. This allows the gear transmission mechanism to be stored in a lower position between the turntable and the second annular recess, making it even less likely that gear meshing noise will reach the ears of occupants.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the actuator (340) may be fixed on the bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a) so that the longitudinal direction of the actuator (340) is approximately aligned with the tangential direction of the first annular recess (320a).

[0040] According to this aspect, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the second annular recess with its longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the tangential direction of the first annular recess, so that even if the actuator is long, the actuator can be compactly arranged on the bottom surface of the first annular recess without being bulky upward by aligning its longitudinal direction substantially with the tangential direction of the first annular recess, and mutual interference between the actuator and the pressure-receiving member can be easily avoided.

[0041] In the above aspect, a bearing sleeve portion (331) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and open at both the top and bottom ends is fixed to the center of the base (330), and the bearing may include a first bearing (B1) that rotatably supports a portion of the rotating disk (320) near the outer peripheral end on a portion of the base (330) near the outer peripheral end, and a second bearing (B2) that is held by the bearing sleeve portion (331) and rotatably supports an inner peripheral portion of the rotating disk (320).

[0042] According to this aspect, a bearing sleeve portion formed concentrically with the rotating platen and open at both the top and bottom ends is fixed to the center of the base, and the bearing includes a first bearing that rotatably supports the portion of the rotating platen near the outer edge on the portion of the base near the outer edge, and a second bearing that is held in the bearing sleeve portion and rotatably supports the rotating platen.Therefore, not only can the portion of the rotating platen near the outer edge be supported on the base via the first bearing, but by also using a simple structure that utilizes the bearing sleeve portion that supports the inner portion of the rotating platen via the second bearing, the rotating platen can be supported to rotate smoothly in a more stable posture on the base, which can contribute to improving the durability of the gear transmission mechanism and reducing meshing noise.

[0043] In the above aspect, the bearing sleeve portion (331) may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with both upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord (333) for supplying electricity to electrical components, including the actuator (340), inside the seat body (S) may be passed through the hollow portion.

[0044] According to this aspect, the bearing cylinder portion is formed into a hollow cylinder with both the upper and lower ends open, and the wiring cord for supplying electricity to the electrical components, including the actuator, inside the seat body is passed through the hollow portion. Therefore, even when the seat body is rotated, the wiring cord can be passed through without being excessively stretched or twisted, which contributes to improving the durability of each wiring portion.

[0045] In the above aspect, when the seat body (S) is fixed in a normal forward position relative to the base (330), left and right fixing brackets (350) may be fixed to the upper surfaces of both left and right sides of the turntable (320), and the left and right sides of the turntable (320) may be fastened to the seat body (S) via the left and right fixing brackets (350), and the actuator (340) may be arranged between the left and right fixing brackets (350) in the circumferential direction of the turntable (320).

[0046] According to this aspect, when the seat body is fixed in the normal forward-facing position relative to the base, left and right fixing brackets are fixed to the upper surfaces of both left and right sides of the turntable, and both left and right sides of the turntable are fastened to the seat body via the left and right fixing brackets, and the actuator is arranged between the left and right fixing brackets in the circumferential direction of the turntable.This makes it possible to avoid mutual interference between the actuator and the fixing brackets fixed to the turntable to fix the turntable to the seat body, while positioning the actuator as low as possible and fixing it accurately on the turntable.

[0047] In the above aspect, the upper surface of the outer peripheral end of the turntable (320) may be held via a slider (370) on the lower surface of an upper fixing member (360) that passes below the left and right fixing brackets (350) and is fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the base (330).

[0048] According to this aspect, the upper surface of the outer end of the turntable passes below the left and right fixed brackets and is held via a slider on the lower surface of the upper fixed member which is fixed to the outer periphery of the base, so that the turntable is pressed down from above by the upper fixed member fixed to the outer periphery of the base while maintaining its smooth rotation performance, thereby preventing it from floating up.

[0049] In the above aspect, the upper fixing member (360) may be divided into a plurality of fixing member elements (361, 362) arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk (320).

[0050] According to this aspect, the upper fixing member is divided into multiple fixing member elements arranged circumferentially around the turntable, so that the individual fixing member elements can be made lighter and smaller than when the upper fixing member is made up of a single annular member, making it easier to handle.Furthermore, even when other functional parts (e.g., peeling prevention parts) are also provided in the upper fixing member, the complexity of the manufacturing and processing process can be minimized.

[0051] In the above aspect, a rotation side peeling suppression portion (353) is fixed to the fixed bracket (350), while a fixed side peeling suppression portion (363) is fixed to the upper fixed member (360) corresponding to this rotation side peeling suppression portion (353), and when an excessive load is applied to the seat main body (S), the rotation side peeling suppression portion (353) and the fixed side peeling suppression portion (363) engage with each other, thereby making it possible to suppress peeling of the seat main body (S) from the base (330).

[0052] According to this aspect, a rotating side peeling prevention portion is fixed to the fixed bracket, while a fixed side peeling prevention portion is fixed to the upper fixed member corresponding to this rotating side peeling prevention portion, and when excessive load is applied to the seat body, the rotating side peeling prevention portion and the fixed side peeling prevention portion engage with each other, thereby preventing the seat body from peeling off from the base.Therefore, the fixed bracket that fastens the turntable to the seat body and the upper fixed member that prevents the turntable from floating up can be used as a peeling prevention means that prevents the seat body from peeling off, which can simplify the peeling prevention structure and ultimately contribute to cost savings.

[0053] In conventional devices, the gear transmission mechanism is installed in an exposed state below the rotating disk and base, so the gear meshing noise generated when the actuator is activated (i.e., when the seat body rotates) leaks outside the seat body and is easily heard by occupants, hindering quietness in the vehicle cabin. Another aspect of the present invention aims to provide a vehicle seat device that can solve the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices with a simple structure.

[0054] Another aspect of the present invention is a seat cushion comprising: a base (330) that can be fixed to a floor portion (312) of a vehicle body; a rotating disk (320) that is connected to a seat body (S) so as to rotate integrally with the seat body (S) and supports the seat body (S) and is disposed on the base (330); bearings (B1, B2) that support the rotating disk (320) on the base (330) so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction; and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotating disk (320) to rotate relative to the base (330), wherein the drive unit (D) has an output shaft (343) that extends below the rotating disk (320) and is fixed on the rotating disk (320). and a gear transmission mechanism (GT) that converts the rotation of the output shaft (343) into rotational motion of the turntable (320) relative to the base (330). The bearings include a first bearing (B1) that rotatably supports a portion of the turntable (320) near the outer periphery on a portion of the base (330) near the outer periphery, and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) is disposed in a space (C) that is covered on the upper side by the turntable (320), covered on the lower side by the base (330), and covered on the radially outer side by the first bearing (B1).

[0055] According to this aspect, in a seat device in which the drive device for the turntable includes an actuator fixed on the turntable and having an output shaft extending below the turntable, and a gear transmission mechanism that converts rotation of the output shaft into rotational motion of the turntable relative to the base, the gear transmission mechanism is disposed in a space that is covered above by the turntable, below by the base, and radially outwardly by a first bearing that supports a portion of the turntable near its outer periphery on a portion of the base near its outer periphery.Since the gear transmission mechanism is housed in the space sandwiched between the base and the turntable and surrounded by the first bearing, it is possible to prevent gear meshing noise generated when the actuator is operated (i.e., when the seat body rotates) from leaking outside the seat body, thereby improving the sound deadening of the gear transmission mechanism.In addition, the turntable, base, and first bearing can also be used as sound deadening means for the gear transmission mechanism, which simplifies the structure of the seat device and contributes to cost reduction.

[0056] In the above aspect, the turntable (320) may have a first annular recess (320a) formed concentrically with the turntable (320) and recessed downward, and the base (330) may have a second annular recess (330a) recessed downward corresponding to the first annular recess (320a), the actuator (340) may be fixed to a bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a), and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may be disposed between the turntable (320) and the second annular recess (330a).

[0057] According to this aspect, the rotating disk has a first annular recess formed concentrically therewith and recessed downward, the base has a second annular recess formed downward corresponding to the first annular recess, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the first annular recess, and the gear transmission mechanism is disposed between the rotating disk and the second annular recess, so that the heights of the actuator and gear transmission mechanism located above and below the rotating disk can be reduced as much as possible without having a portion of the gear transmission mechanism protrude downward from the base. This makes it easy to avoid interference between the actuator and the bottom of the seat cushion, and, combined with the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, makes it difficult for gear meshing noise to reach the ears of occupants.

[0058] In the above aspect, left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) that support the base (330) on the floor portion so that the front-rear position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion (312) and the base (330), and the second annular recess (330a) may be located between the left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) and positioned so as to partially overlap the front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) in a side view.

[0059] According to this aspect, left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms that support the base on the floor portion so that its longitudinal position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion and the base, and the second annular recess is disposed between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms and so as to overlap partially with the longitudinal slide mechanisms in a side view, so that a sufficient depth of the second annular recess can be reasonably ensured by utilizing the dead space between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms. This allows the gear transmission mechanism to be stored at a lower position between the turntable and the second annular recess, and together with the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, it is possible to further reduce the likelihood of gear meshing noise reaching the ears of occupants.

[0060] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) having radially outward teeth (336g) on ​​its outer periphery and fixed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) to the base (330), and a drive gear (346) meshing with the fixed gear (336) within the space (C) and fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343).

[0061] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear having teeth facing radially outward on its outer periphery and fixed concentrically to the turntable relative to the base, and a drive gear that meshes with this fixed gear within the space and is fixed concentrically to the output shaft of the actuator.Since the fixed gear is an externally toothed gear, the meshing position with the drive gear is radially outward, but due to the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, the meshing sound of the gear transmission mechanism is less likely to reach the ears of occupants.

[0062] In the above aspect, a bearing sleeve portion (331) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and extending upward is fixed to the center of the base (330), and the bearing includes a second bearing (B2) held in the bearing sleeve portion (331) to rotatably support the inner periphery of the rotating disk (320), and the radially inner side of the space (C) may be blocked by the bearing sleeve portion (331).

[0063] According to this aspect, a bearing cylinder portion formed concentrically with the turntable and extending upward is fixed to the center of the base, a second bearing that supports the inner periphery of the turntable is held in the bearing cylinder portion, and the radially inner side of the space is blocked by the bearing cylinder portion. Therefore, not only can the outer peripheral end of the turntable be supported on the base via the first bearing, but by also using a simple structure that utilizes the bearing cylinder portion that supports the inner periphery of the turntable via the second bearing, the turntable can be supported to rotate smoothly on the base in a more stable posture, and the simple structure that utilizes the bearing cylinder portion can block the radially inner side of the space, making it even less likely that the meshing sound of the gear transmission mechanism will reach the ears of occupants.

[0064] In the above aspect, the bearing sleeve portion (331) may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with both upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord (333) for supplying electricity to electrical components, including the actuator (340), inside the seat body (S) may be passed through the hollow portion.

[0065] According to this aspect, the bearing cylinder portion is formed into a hollow cylinder with both the upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord for supplying electricity to the electrical equipment inside the seat body is passed through the hollow portion. Therefore, even when the seat body is rotated, the wiring cord can be passed through without being excessively stretched or twisted, which contributes to improving the durability of each wiring portion.

[0066] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) fixed to the base (330) concentrically with the turntable (320), and a drive gear (346) fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343) and meshing with the fixed gear (336) within the space (C), and a lower end (343a) of the output shaft (343) protruding downward beyond the drive gear (346) may be rotatably supported by a bearing member (347) coupled to the underside of the turntable (320) and facing the space (C).

[0067] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear fixed concentrically to the turntable on the base, and a drive gear fixed concentrically to the output shaft and meshing with the fixed gear within the space, and the lower end of the output shaft, which protrudes below the drive gear, is connected to the underside of the turntable and rotatably supported by a bearing member facing the space.Therefore, during operation of the gear transmission mechanism, the bearing member can firmly absorb the meshing reaction force that the drive gear receives as it meshes with the fixed gear, and the two gears can mesh smoothly and quietly.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the base (330) may have a second annular recess (330a) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and recessed downward, and the bearing member (347) may be disposed within the second annular recess (330a) and extend circumferentially around the fixed gear (336), with both circumferential ends of the bearing member (347) fixed to the underside of the rotating disk (320).

[0069] According to this aspect, a second annular recess is formed in the base concentrically with the rotating plate and recessed downward, and the bearing member is arranged within the second annular recess and extends circumferentially around the fixed gear, with both circumferential ends fixed to the underside of the rotating plate, thereby ensuring a long span circumferentially around the fixed gear and allowing the bearing member (and therefore the output shaft of the actuator) to be stably and firmly supported on the rotating plate.

[0070] In the above embodiment, a vibration damping member (348) surrounding the output shaft (343) may be sandwiched between the rotating disk (320) and the fixed gear (336).

[0071] According to this aspect, the vibration-damping member surrounding the output shaft of the actuator is sandwiched between the rotating plate and the fixed gear, so that the vibration of the actuator can be damped by the vibration-damping member, and therefore the vibration of the actuator caused by driving the actuator can be prevented from being transmitted to the base or the rotating plate.

[0072] In the above aspect, the base (330) may be composed of a plate-shaped base main body (330m) and a fixed gear (336) connected to the inner peripheral end (330mi) of the base main body (330m), the fixed gear (336) being located at a radially inner side portion (336i) of the connecting portion (336w) with the base main body (330m).

[0073] According to this aspect, the base is composed of a plate-shaped base main body and a fixed gear connected to the inner peripheral end of the base main body, the fixed gear having a radially inward portion relative to the connection portion with the base main body. Therefore, part of the base can be used as part of the fixed gear (i.e., the above-mentioned radially inward portion), thereby simplifying the structure.

[0074] In the above aspect, the fixed gear (336) may be formed to have a thickness thicker than the plate thickness of the base main body (330m), and the inner peripheral end portion (336ie) of the fixed gear (336) may be fitted into a bearing sleeve portion (331) that holds a second bearing (B2) that rotatably supports the inner peripheral portion of the turntable (320).

[0075] According to this aspect, the fixed gear is formed to be thicker than the plate thickness of the base main body, and the inner peripheral end of the fixed gear is fitted into the bearing sleeve portion that holds the second bearing that supports the inner peripheral portion of the rotating disk.Therefore, when fitting the inner peripheral end of the base into the bearing sleeve portion, the relatively thick inner peripheral end of the fixed gear can be joined to the bearing sleeve portion, thereby increasing the joining strength.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the "portion near the outer peripheral edge of the rotating disk" may be any portion shifted from the radial midpoint of the rotating disk toward the outer peripheral edge, and of course includes the outer peripheral edge of the rotating disk. Also, in the above embodiment, the "portion near the outer peripheral edge of the base" may be any portion shifted from the radial midpoint of the base toward the outer peripheral edge, and of course includes the outer peripheral edge of the base. [Effects of the Invention]

[0077] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat device (1) having a rotation device (2) provided between a floor (5) and a seat cushion (11) and rotatably supporting the seat cushion relative to the floor, the rotation device having a base portion (51) provided on the floor, a rotation portion (52) provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported on the base portion, an electric actuator (53) that rotates the rotation portion relative to the base portion, and a rotation lock device (54) that selectively prohibits rotation of the rotation portion relative to the base portion, the rotation lock device being manually operated between a locked state and an unlocked state, and when the rotation lock device is unlocked and power is not supplied to the electric actuator, the electric actuator allows rotation of the rotation portion relative to the base portion.

[0078] According to this aspect, when the locking device is released and power is not supplied to the electric actuator, the occupant can manually rotate the rotating part relative to the base part, thereby enabling the occupant to manually adjust the rotational position of the seat cushion.

[0079] In the above aspect, the electric actuator may not have a worm reducer.

[0080] According to this aspect, when a load is applied to the rotating portion, the electric actuator can allow the rotating portion to rotate relative to the base portion.

[0081] In the above aspect, the rotation locking device has a locking claw (121) that is displaceably supported on one of the base portion and the rotating portion and displaces between a locked position engaged with the other of the base portion and the rotating portion and an unlocked position spaced apart from the other of the base portion and the rotating portion, a locking claw sensor (156) that detects the position of the locking claw is provided on one of the base portion and the rotating portion, and the electric actuator may be driven when the locking claw is in the unlocked position.

[0082] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an overload from being applied to the electric actuator.

[0083] In the above aspect, the locking claw sensor may have a lever (157) that is pushed and displaced by the locking claw, and may detect the position of the locking claw based on the position of the lever.

[0084] According to this aspect, the configuration of the lock claw sensor can be simplified.

[0085] In the above aspect, the base portion has a base plate (56) with surfaces facing up and down and a ring-shaped fixed member (66) extending upward from the base plate, the rotating portion has a rotating plate (71) rotatably supported on the upper surface of the base plate, the fixed member extends above the outer periphery of the rotating plate, and a sliding member (85) may be provided between the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotating plate and the fixed member.

[0086] According to this aspect, the outer periphery of the rotating plate contacts the fixed member via the sliding member, so tilting and rattling of the rotating plate are suppressed.

[0087] In the above aspect, the fixed member may press the rotary plate toward the base plate via the sliding member.

[0088] According to this aspect, tilting and rattling of the rotating plate are further suppressed.

[0089] In the above aspect, a first bearing hole (62) is formed in the center of the base plate, a second bearing hole (75) is formed in the center of the rotating plate, a support tube (87) extending vertically is inserted into the first bearing hole and the second bearing hole, a plurality of annular ribs (88, 89) bulging outward are formed on the outer periphery of the support tube, and the vertical movement of the rotating plate may be restricted by the plurality of annular ribs.

[0090] According to this aspect, the cylindrical portion maintains the base portion and the rotary plate coaxially, and the cylindrical portion can suppress relative displacement of the base portion and the rotary plate in the up-down direction.

[0091] In the above aspect, an expanded diameter portion (93) may be provided at the lower end of the support cylinder, and vertical movement of the base plate may be restricted by one of the annular ribs and the expanded diameter portion.

[0092] According to this aspect, the position of the base plate relative to the support cylinder is stabilized.

[0093] In the above aspect, a detection piece (173) made of a magnetic material may be provided on one of the rotating part and the base part, and a magnetic proximity sensor (174) that outputs a signal according to the distance from the detection piece may be provided on the other of the rotating part and the base part.

[0094] According to this aspect, the rotational position of the rotating part relative to the base part can be detected using the magnetic proximity sensor.

[0095] In the above aspect, a stopper (176, 177, 178) that restricts the rotation range of the rotating part relative to the base part may be provided between the base part and the rotating part, and the stopper may allow the rotating part to rotate relative to the base part between an inner rotation limit that is set to 180 degrees or less toward the inside of the vehicle from a standard rotation position in which the seat cushion faces forward, and an outer rotation limit that is set to 90 degrees or less toward the outside of the vehicle from the standard rotation position.

[0096] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the seat cushion from facing in an unnecessary direction.

[0097] Another aspect of the present invention is a seat cushion comprising: a base (330) that can be fixed to a floor portion (312) of a vehicle body; a rotating disk (320) that is connected to a seat body (S) so as to rotate integrally with the seat body (S) and supports the seat body (S) and is disposed on the base (330); bearings (B1, B2) that support the rotating disk (320) on the base (330) so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction; and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotating disk (320) to rotate relative to the base (330), wherein the drive unit (D) comprises an actuator (340) that has an output shaft (343) extending below the rotating disk (320) and is fixed on the rotating disk (320); and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotation of the output shaft (343). and a gear transmission mechanism (GT) that converts the rotational motion of the turntable (320) relative to the base (330), and the seat body (S) of the seat (Sc) that supports the buttocks of the occupant has a seat frame (SFc) that serves as a skeleton and a seat pad (Pc) that is supported by the seat frame (SFc) via an elastically deformable pressure-receiving member (318). In this vehicle seat device, the actuator (340) at least partially overlaps with the pressure-receiving member (318) in a plan view, but is positioned so that it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member (318) even if the pressure-receiving member (318) is deflected by a downward load received from the occupant via the seat pad (Pc).

[0098] According to this aspect, the actuator that rotates the rotating disk is positioned so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the pressure-receiving member of the seat body in a plan view, thereby suppressing radial protrusion of the actuator and contributing to the radial miniaturization of the seat apparatus. Furthermore, the actuator is positioned so that it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member even if the pressure-receiving member is deflected by a downward load applied by an occupant. Therefore, even if the pressure-receiving member and the actuator are positioned so that they overlap vertically, it is possible to avoid mutual interference between the pressure-receiving member and the actuator when the pressure-receiving member is deflected and deformed.

[0099] In the above aspect, the front end of the pressure-receiving member (318) may be engaged with and supported by the front cross member (311f) of the seat frame (SFc), and at least a portion of the actuator (340) may be positioned so as to overlap the front cross member (311f) in a plan view.

[0100] According to this aspect, the front end of the pressure-receiving member engages with and is supported by the front cross member of the seat frame, and at least a portion of the actuator is positioned so as to overlap with the front cross member in a planar view. Therefore, the actuator can be positioned directly below the portion of the pressure-receiving member that is close to the front cross member (i.e., the portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member receives a downward load from an occupant is small), and there is no need to set the height of the pressure-receiving member (and therefore the height of the seat body) particularly high to avoid interference caused by that deflection deformation.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the actuator (340) may be disposed on the rotating disk (320) so that its longitudinal direction is substantially along the front cross member (311f).

[0102] According to this aspect, the actuator is positioned on the turntable so that its longitudinal direction is roughly aligned with the front cross member. Therefore, even if the actuator is long, most of the actuator can be positioned directly below the portion of the pressure-receiving member that is close to the front cross member (i.e., the portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member is subjected to a downward load from an occupant is small), and the effects of the above aspect can be fully achieved.

[0103] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) having radially outward teeth (336g) on ​​its outer periphery and fixed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) to the base (330), and a drive gear (346) meshing with the fixed gear (336) and fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343).

[0104] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear having teeth on its outer periphery that face radially outward and that is fixed concentrically to the turntable relative to the base, and a drive gear that meshes with this fixed gear and is fixed to the output shaft of the actuator.By making the fixed gear an externally toothed gear in particular, the meshing position with the drive gear is closer to the radially outward side.Therefore, the actuator can be placed directly below a portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member is subjected to a downward load from the occupant is smaller, and there is no longer any need to set the height of the pressure-receiving member (and therefore the height of the seat body) particularly high to avoid interference due to the deflection deformation.

[0105] In the above aspect, a first annular recess (320a) formed concentrically with the turntable (320) and recessed downward may be formed in the turntable (320), and a second annular recess (330a) recessed downward corresponding to the first annular recess (320a) may be formed in the base (330), the actuator (340) may be fixed to a bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a), and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may be disposed between the turntable (320) and the second annular recess (330a).

[0106] According to this aspect, the rotating disk is formed with a first annular recess that is concentric with the rotating disk and recessed downward, and the base is formed with a second annular recess that is recessed downward to correspond to the first annular recess, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the first annular recess, and the gear transmission mechanism is disposed between the rotating disk and the second annular recess, so that the heights of the actuator and gear transmission mechanism located above and below the rotating disk can be reduced as much as possible without having a part of the gear transmission mechanism protrude below the base. This makes it easy to avoid mutual interference between the actuator and a pressure-receiving member that flexes and deforms due to a downward load from an occupant, and the gear transmission mechanism can be contained between the rotating disk and the base (particularly the second annular recess), making it less likely that gear meshing noise will reach the ears of occupants.

[0107] In the above aspect, left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) that support the base (330) on the floor portion so that the front-rear position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion (312) and the base (330), and the second annular recess (330a) may be located between the left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) and positioned so as to partially overlap the front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) in a side view.

[0108] According to this aspect, left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms that support the base on the floor portion so that its longitudinal position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion and the base, and the second annular recess is disposed between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms so as to overlap partially with the longitudinal slide mechanisms in a side view, so that a sufficient depth of the second annular recess can be reasonably ensured by utilizing the dead space between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms. This allows the gear transmission mechanism to be stored in a lower position between the turntable and the second annular recess, making it even less likely that gear meshing noise will reach the ears of occupants.

[0109] In the above embodiment, the actuator (340) may be fixed on the bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a) so that the longitudinal direction of the actuator (340) is approximately aligned with the tangential direction of the first annular recess (320a).

[0110] According to this aspect, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the second annular recess with its longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the tangential direction of the first annular recess, so that even if the actuator is long, the actuator can be compactly arranged on the bottom surface of the first annular recess without being bulky upward by aligning its longitudinal direction substantially with the tangential direction of the first annular recess, and mutual interference between the actuator and the pressure-receiving member can be easily avoided.

[0111] In the above aspect, a bearing sleeve portion (331) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and open at both the top and bottom ends is fixed to the center of the base (330), and the bearing may include a first bearing (B1) that rotatably supports a portion of the rotating disk (320) near the outer peripheral end on a portion of the base (330) near the outer peripheral end, and a second bearing (B2) that is held by the bearing sleeve portion (331) and rotatably supports an inner peripheral portion of the rotating disk (320).

[0112] According to this aspect, a bearing sleeve portion formed concentrically with the rotating platen and open at both the top and bottom ends is fixed to the center of the base, and the bearing includes a first bearing that rotatably supports the portion of the rotating platen near the outer edge on the portion of the base near the outer edge, and a second bearing that is held in the bearing sleeve portion and rotatably supports the rotating platen.Therefore, not only can the portion of the rotating platen near the outer edge be supported on the base via the first bearing, but by also using a simple structure that utilizes the bearing sleeve portion that supports the inner portion of the rotating platen via the second bearing, the rotating platen can be supported to rotate smoothly in a more stable posture on the base, which can contribute to improving the durability of the gear transmission mechanism and reducing meshing noise.

[0113] In the above aspect, the bearing sleeve portion (331) may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with both upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord (333) for supplying electricity to electrical components, including the actuator (340), inside the seat body (S) may be passed through the hollow portion.

[0114] According to this aspect, the bearing cylinder portion is formed into a hollow cylinder with both the upper and lower ends open, and the wiring cord for supplying electricity to the electrical components, including the actuator, inside the seat body is passed through the hollow portion. Therefore, even when the seat body is rotated, the wiring cord can be passed through without being excessively stretched or twisted, which contributes to improving the durability of each wiring portion.

[0115] In the above aspect, when the seat body (S) is fixed in a normal forward position relative to the base (330), left and right fixing brackets (350) may be fixed to the upper surfaces of both left and right sides of the turntable (320), and the left and right sides of the turntable (320) may be fastened to the seat body (S) via the left and right fixing brackets (350), and the actuator (340) may be arranged between the left and right fixing brackets (350) in the circumferential direction of the turntable (320).

[0116] According to this aspect, when the seat body is fixed in the normal forward-facing position relative to the base, left and right fixing brackets are fixed to the upper surfaces of both left and right sides of the turntable, and both left and right sides of the turntable are fastened to the seat body via the left and right fixing brackets, and the actuator is arranged between the left and right fixing brackets in the circumferential direction of the turntable.This makes it possible to avoid mutual interference between the actuator and the fixing brackets fixed to the turntable to fix the turntable to the seat body, while positioning the actuator as low as possible and fixing it accurately on the turntable.

[0117] In the above aspect, the upper surface of the outer peripheral end of the turntable (320) may be held via a slider (370) on the lower surface of an upper fixing member (360) that passes below the left and right fixing brackets (350) and is fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the base (330).

[0118] According to this aspect, the upper surface of the outer end of the turntable passes below the left and right fixed brackets and is held via a slider on the lower surface of the upper fixed member which is fixed to the outer periphery of the base, so that the turntable is pressed down from above by the upper fixed member fixed to the outer periphery of the base while maintaining its smooth rotation performance, thereby preventing it from floating up.

[0119] In the above aspect, the upper fixing member (360) may be divided into a plurality of fixing member elements (361, 362) arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk (320).

[0120] According to this aspect, the upper fixing member is divided into multiple fixing member elements arranged circumferentially around the turntable, so that the individual fixing member elements can be made lighter and smaller than when the upper fixing member is made up of a single annular member, making it easier to handle.Furthermore, even when other functional parts (e.g., peeling prevention parts) are also provided in the upper fixing member, the complexity of the manufacturing and processing process can be minimized.

[0121] In the above aspect, a rotation side peeling suppression portion (353) is fixed to the fixed bracket (350), while a fixed side peeling suppression portion (363) is fixed to the upper fixed member (360) corresponding to this rotation side peeling suppression portion (353), and when an excessive load is applied to the seat main body (S), the rotation side peeling suppression portion (353) and the fixed side peeling suppression portion (363) engage with each other, thereby making it possible to suppress peeling of the seat main body (S) from the base (330).

[0122] According to this aspect, a rotating side peeling prevention portion is fixed to the fixed bracket, while a fixed side peeling prevention portion is fixed to the upper fixed member corresponding to this rotating side peeling prevention portion, and when excessive load is applied to the seat body, the rotating side peeling prevention portion and the fixed side peeling prevention portion engage with each other, thereby preventing the seat body from peeling off from the base.Therefore, the fixed bracket that fastens the turntable to the seat body and the upper fixed member that prevents the turntable from floating up can be used as a peeling prevention means that prevents the seat body from peeling off, which can simplify the peeling prevention structure and ultimately contribute to cost savings.

[0123] Another aspect of the present invention is a seat cushion comprising: a base (330) that can be fixed to a floor portion (312) of a vehicle body; a rotating disk (320) that is connected to a seat body (S) so as to rotate integrally with the seat body (S) and supports the seat body (S) and is disposed on the base (330); bearings (B1, B2) that support the rotating disk (320) on the base (330) so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction; and a drive unit (D) that drives the rotating disk (320) to rotate relative to the base (330), wherein the drive unit (D) has an output shaft (343) that extends below the rotating disk (320) and is fixed on the rotating disk (320). and a gear transmission mechanism (GT) that converts the rotation of the output shaft (343) into rotational motion of the turntable (320) relative to the base (330). The bearings include a first bearing (B1) that rotatably supports a portion of the turntable (320) near the outer periphery on a portion of the base (330) near the outer periphery, and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) is disposed in a space (C) that is covered on the upper side by the turntable (320), covered on the lower side by the base (330), and covered on the radially outer side by the first bearing (B1).

[0124] According to this aspect, in a seat device in which the drive device for the turntable includes an actuator fixed on the turntable and having an output shaft extending below the turntable, and a gear transmission mechanism that converts rotation of the output shaft into rotational motion of the turntable relative to the base, the gear transmission mechanism is disposed in a space that is covered above by the turntable, below by the base, and radially outwardly by a first bearing that supports a portion of the turntable near its outer periphery on a portion of the base near its outer periphery.Since the gear transmission mechanism is housed in the space sandwiched between the base and the turntable and surrounded by the first bearing, it is possible to prevent gear meshing noise generated when the actuator is operated (i.e., when the seat body rotates) from leaking outside the seat body, thereby improving the sound deadening of the gear transmission mechanism.In addition, the turntable, base, and first bearing can also be used as sound deadening means for the gear transmission mechanism, which simplifies the structure of the seat device and contributes to cost reduction.

[0125] In the above aspect, the turntable (320) may have a first annular recess (320a) formed concentrically with the turntable (320) and recessed downward, and the base (330) may have a second annular recess (330a) recessed downward corresponding to the first annular recess (320a), the actuator (340) may be fixed to a bottom surface of the first annular recess (320a), and the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may be disposed between the turntable (320) and the second annular recess (330a).

[0126] According to this aspect, the rotating disk has a first annular recess formed concentrically therewith and recessed downward, the base has a second annular recess formed downward corresponding to the first annular recess, the actuator is fixed to the bottom surface of the first annular recess, and the gear transmission mechanism is disposed between the rotating disk and the second annular recess, so that the heights of the actuator and gear transmission mechanism located above and below the rotating disk can be reduced as much as possible without having a portion of the gear transmission mechanism protrude downward from the base. This makes it easy to avoid interference between the actuator and the bottom of the seat cushion, and, combined with the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, makes it difficult for gear meshing noise to reach the ears of occupants.

[0127] In the above aspect, left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) that support the base (330) on the floor portion so that the front-rear position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion (312) and the base (330), and the second annular recess (330a) may be located between the left and right front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) and positioned so as to partially overlap the front-rear slide mechanisms (SL) in a side view.

[0128] According to this aspect, left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms that support the base on the floor portion so that its longitudinal position can be adjusted are interposed between the floor portion and the base, and the second annular recess is disposed between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms and so as to overlap partially with the longitudinal slide mechanisms in a side view, so that a sufficient depth of the second annular recess can be reasonably ensured by utilizing the dead space between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms. This allows the gear transmission mechanism to be stored at a lower position between the turntable and the second annular recess, and together with the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, it is possible to further reduce the likelihood of gear meshing noise reaching the ears of occupants.

[0129] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) having radially outward teeth (336g) on ​​its outer periphery and fixed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) to the base (330), and a drive gear (346) meshing with the fixed gear (336) within the space (C) and fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343).

[0130] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear having teeth facing radially outward on its outer periphery and fixed concentrically to the turntable relative to the base, and a drive gear that meshes with this fixed gear within the space and is fixed concentrically to the output shaft of the actuator.Since the fixed gear is an externally toothed gear, the meshing position with the drive gear is radially outward, but due to the effect of arranging the gear transmission mechanism in the space, the meshing sound of the gear transmission mechanism is less likely to reach the ears of occupants.

[0131] In the above aspect, a bearing sleeve portion (331) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and extending upward is fixed to the center of the base (330), and the bearing includes a second bearing (B2) held in the bearing sleeve portion (331) to rotatably support the inner periphery of the rotating disk (320), and the radially inner side of the space (C) may be blocked by the bearing sleeve portion (331).

[0132] According to this aspect, a bearing cylinder portion formed concentrically with the turntable and extending upward is fixed to the center of the base, a second bearing that supports the inner periphery of the turntable is held in the bearing cylinder portion, and the radially inner side of the space is blocked by the bearing cylinder portion. Therefore, not only can the outer peripheral end of the turntable be supported on the base via the first bearing, but by also using a simple structure that utilizes the bearing cylinder portion that supports the inner periphery of the turntable via the second bearing, the turntable can be supported to rotate smoothly on the base in a more stable posture, and the simple structure that utilizes the bearing cylinder portion can block the radially inner side of the space, making it even less likely that the meshing sound of the gear transmission mechanism will reach the ears of occupants.

[0133] In the above aspect, the bearing sleeve portion (331) may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with both upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord (333) for supplying electricity to electrical components, including the actuator (340), inside the seat body (S) may be passed through the hollow portion.

[0134] According to this aspect, the bearing cylinder portion is formed into a hollow cylinder with both the upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord for supplying electricity to the electrical equipment inside the seat body is passed through the hollow portion. Therefore, even when the seat body is rotated, the wiring cord can be passed through without being excessively stretched or twisted, which contributes to improving the durability of each wiring portion.

[0135] In the above aspect, the gear transmission mechanism (GT) may include a fixed gear (336) fixed to the base (330) concentrically with the turntable (320), and a drive gear (346) fixed concentrically to the output shaft (343) and meshing with the fixed gear (336) within the space (C), and a lower end (343a) of the output shaft (343) protruding downward beyond the drive gear (346) may be rotatably supported by a bearing member (347) coupled to the underside of the turntable (320) and facing the space (C).

[0136] According to this aspect, the gear transmission mechanism comprises a fixed gear fixed concentrically to the turntable on the base, and a drive gear fixed concentrically to the output shaft and meshing with the fixed gear within the space, and the lower end of the output shaft, which protrudes below the drive gear, is connected to the underside of the turntable and rotatably supported by a bearing member facing the space.Therefore, during operation of the gear transmission mechanism, the bearing member can firmly absorb the meshing reaction force that the drive gear receives as it meshes with the fixed gear, and the two gears can mesh smoothly and quietly.

[0137] In the above embodiment, the base (330) may have a second annular recess (330a) formed concentrically with the rotating disk (320) and recessed downward, and the bearing member (347) may be disposed within the second annular recess (330a) and extend circumferentially around the fixed gear (336), with both circumferential ends of the bearing member (347) fixed to the underside of the rotating disk (320).

[0138] According to this aspect, a second annular recess is formed in the base concentrically with the rotating plate and recessed downward, and the bearing member is arranged within the second annular recess and extends circumferentially around the fixed gear, with both circumferential ends fixed to the underside of the rotating plate, thereby ensuring a long span circumferentially around the fixed gear and allowing the bearing member (and therefore the output shaft of the actuator) to be stably and firmly supported on the rotating plate.

[0139] In the above embodiment, a vibration damping member (348) surrounding the output shaft (343) may be sandwiched between the rotating disk (320) and the fixed gear (336).

[0140] According to this aspect, the vibration-damping member surrounding the output shaft of the actuator is sandwiched between the rotating plate and the fixed gear, so that the vibration of the actuator can be damped by the vibration-damping member, and therefore the vibration of the actuator caused by driving the actuator can be prevented from being transmitted to the base or the rotating plate.

[0141] In the above aspect, the base (330) may be composed of a plate-shaped base main body (330m) and a fixed gear (336) connected to the inner peripheral end (330mi) of the base main body (330m), the fixed gear (336) being located at a radially inner side portion (336i) of the connecting portion (336w) with the base main body (330m).

[0142] According to this aspect, the base is composed of a plate-shaped base main body and a fixed gear connected to the inner peripheral end of the base main body, the fixed gear having a radially inward portion relative to the connection portion with the base main body. Therefore, part of the base can be used as part of the fixed gear (i.e., the above-mentioned radially inward portion), thereby simplifying the structure.

[0143] In the above aspect, the fixed gear (336) may be formed to have a thickness thicker than the plate thickness of the base main body (330m), and the inner peripheral end portion (336ie) of the fixed gear (336) may be fitted into a bearing sleeve portion (331) that holds a second bearing (B2) that rotatably supports the inner peripheral portion of the turntable (320).

[0144] According to this aspect, the fixed gear is formed to be thicker than the plate thickness of the base main body, and the inner peripheral end of the fixed gear is fitted into the bearing sleeve portion that holds the second bearing that supports the inner peripheral portion of the rotating disk.Therefore, when fitting the inner peripheral end of the base into the bearing sleeve portion, the relatively thick inner peripheral end of the fixed gear can be joined to the bearing sleeve portion, thereby increasing the joining strength. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0145] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] Plan view of the rotating device [Figure 3] Bottom view of the rotating device [Figure 4] Perspective view of a rotating device [Figure 5] Exploded perspective view of the rotating device [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view of the rotating device (cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 4) [Figure 7] Enlarged view of part VII in Figure 6 [Figure 8] Enlarged view of part VIII in FIG. 6 [Figure 9] Perspective view of the rotating plate [Figure 10] Bottom view of the rotating plate [Figure 11] Plan view of the rotation locking device [Figure 12] Explanatory drawing of the rotation locking device in the locked state [Figure 13] Explanatory drawing of the rotation locking device in the released state [Figure 14] Perspective view of the side part of the seat cushion [Figure 15] Perspective view of the front part of the seat cushion [Figure 16] Perspective view of the main part of the rotating device [Figure 17] Bottom view of the fixed bracket [Figure 18] Overall perspective view showing an embodiment of the vehicle seat device according to the present invention [Figure 19] Plan view showing the main part of the seat portion of the seat device, particularly the elements below the pressure receiving member (view from arrow XIX in FIG. 18) [Figure 20] Schematic left side view of the seat device (particularly showing the cross section along line XX - XX in FIG. 19 inside the seat portion pad) [Figure 21] Exploded perspective view showing the elements between the base and the rotating disk [Figure 22] Perspective view showing the assembled body of the elements between the base and the rotating disk [Figure 23] Plan view of the said assembled body (view from arrow XXIII in FIG. 22) [Figure 24] Enlarged cross - sectional view along line XXIV - XXIV in FIG. 23 [Figure 25] Enlarged cross - sectional view of the portion viewed from arrow XXV in FIG. 24 [Figure 26] Enlarged cross - sectional view of the portion viewed from arrow XXVI in FIG. 24 [Figure 27] Enlarged cross - sectional view along line XXVII - XXVII in FIG. 23 [Figure 28] Enlarged cross - sectional view along line XXVIII - XXVIII in FIG. 27

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0146] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which a vehicle seat device according to the present invention is applied to an automobile seat will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0147] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat apparatus 1 has a rotation device 2. The vehicle seat apparatus 1 also has a seat body 3 and a slide device 4. The rotation device 2 is mounted on a floor 5 via the slide device 4. The seat body 3 has a seat cushion 11 and a seat back 12. The seat cushion 11 supports the buttocks of a user from below. The seat back 12 extends upward from the rear of the seat cushion 11. The seat back 12 supports the back of the user from behind.

[0148] The seat cushion 11 includes a seat cushion frame 14 forming a framework, a pad supported by the seat cushion frame 14, and a covering material covering the surface of the pad. The seat cushion frame 14 includes left and right seat cushion side members 18 extending longitudinally, a front member 19 extending laterally and connected to the front ends of the left and right seat cushion side members 18, and a rear member 21 extending laterally and connected to the rear ends of the left and right seat cushion side members 18. A flexible support member 22 supporting the user's buttocks is bridged between the front member 19 and the rear member 21. The support member 22 may include a plurality of metal wires and flexible resin plates connected to each wire. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 16 , side covers 23 are provided on the left and right sides of the seat cushion 11. The side covers 23 are supported by the seat cushion side members 18 and conceal the ends of the pad and the covering material. The side covers 23 may be formed of a resin material.

[0149] As shown in FIG. 1 , the seatback 12 includes a seatback frame 25 forming a framework, a pad supported by the seatback frame 25, and a covering material covering the surface of the pad. The seatback frame 25 includes left and right seatback side members 29 extending vertically, an upper member 31 extending laterally and connected to the upper ends of the left and right seatback side members 29, a lower member 32 extending laterally and connected to the lower ends of the left and right seatback side members 29, and an intermediate member 33 extending laterally between the upper member 31 and the lower member 32 and connected to the left and right seatback side members 29. The left and right seatback side members 29, the upper member 31, the lower member 32, and the intermediate member 33 are formed by bending a metal plate. A flexible support member 34 that supports the back of a user is stretched across the left and right seatback side members 29, the intermediate member 33, and the lower member 32. The support member 34 may be formed of a plurality of metal wires. The lower ends of the left and right seatback side members 29 are connected to the rear ends of the corresponding seat cushion side members 18 via reclining devices 35 .

[0150] As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the slide device 4 has left and right lower rails 37 extending in the front-rear direction, and left and right upper rails 38 supported on the lower rails 37 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Each lower rail 37 is connected to the floor 5 via front and rear feet 39. A slide lock device (not shown) is provided between each lower rail 37 and the corresponding upper rail 38. The left and right slide lock devices are connected to each other by a slide operating lever 41 extending in the left and right directions. A user can operate the slide operating lever 41 to make the upper rail 38 slidable relative to the lower rail 37.

[0151] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the rotation device 2 is provided between a floor 5 and a seat cushion 11, and supports the seat cushion 11 rotatably relative to the floor 5. The rotation device 2 has a base portion 51, a rotation portion 52, an electric actuator 53, and a rotation lock device 54.

[0152] The base portion 51 is provided on the floor 5. In this embodiment, the base portion 51 is provided on the floor 5 via the slide device 4. The base portion 51 has a base plate 56 whose surfaces face up and down and extend left and right. In this embodiment, the base plate 56 has a circular center plate 57 provided in the center in the left and right direction, and side plates 58 respectively connected to the left and right edges of the center plate 57. The base plate 56 may be formed from a metal plate. In other embodiments, the center plate 57 and the left and right side plates 58 may be formed from a continuous metal plate.

[0153] The front-to-rear width of each side plate 58 increases outwardly to the left and right. The inner left and right edges of each side plate 58 are formed into an arc shape corresponding to the outer shape of the center plate 57. Each side plate 58 and the center plate 57 are preferably fastened together with bolts and nuts.

[0154] The left end of the base plate 56 passes above the left sliding device 4 and extends further to the left than the left sliding device 4. The left end of the base plate 56 is connected to the left upper rail 38. The right end of the base plate 56 passes above the right sliding device 4 and extends further to the right than the right sliding device 4. The right end of the base plate 56 is connected to the right upper rail 38. The sliding device 4 supports the base plate 56 so that it can move back and forth relative to the floor 5. Edge walls 59 extending downward are provided on the edges of the left and right side plates 58. The edge walls 59 improve the rigidity of the left and right side plates 58.

[0155] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a first bulge 61 that bulges downward is formed in the center of the center plate 57. The first bulge 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The first bulge 61 extends downward further than the left and right side plates 58. When viewed in the left-right direction, the first bulge 61 is positioned so as to overlap with the left and right slide devices 4. A circular first bearing hole 62 that penetrates the first bulge 61 in the thickness direction is formed in the center of the first bulge 61. The first bearing hole 62 is centered on an axis A that extends vertically. An annular edge wall 63 that protrudes upward or downward may be formed on the edge of the first bearing hole 62.

[0156] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8, the base portion 51 has a ring-shaped fixing member 66 extending upward from the base plate 56. The fixing member 66 is provided on the outer periphery of the center plate 57. The fixing member 66 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 67 extending along the outer periphery of the center plate 57 and extending upward, an inner flange 68 extending radially inward from the upper end of the peripheral wall 67, and multiple connecting pieces 69 provided on the lower end of the peripheral wall 67. The inner flange 68 is formed in an annular shape with its surface facing up and down. The multiple connecting pieces 69 are bent during assembly to extend below the center plate 57. The outer periphery of the center plate 57 is disposed between the inner flange 68 and the connecting pieces 69 in the vertical direction. Some of the multiple connecting pieces 69 are sandwiched between the center plate 57 and the side plates 58 in the vertical direction. The fixing member 66 may be welded to at least one of the center plate 57 and the left and right side plates 58. In this case, the connecting piece 69 may be omitted. The fixing member 66 may also be formed by combining multiple members. Multiple reinforcing structures may be provided at the boundary between the peripheral wall 67 and the inner flange 68. The reinforcing structures may be, for example, recesses, ribs, etc.

[0157] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the rotating part 52 is provided on the seat cushion 11 and is rotatably supported by the base part 51. The rotating part 52 has a rotating plate 71 rotatably supported on the upper surface of the base plate 56. The rotating part 52 also has a fixed bracket 72 that connects the rotating plate 71 to the seat cushion frame 14. The rotating plate 71 and the fixed bracket 72 are formed from a metal plate.

[0158] As shown in Figures 4 to 7, 9, and 10, the rotating plate 71 is formed in the shape of a disk with its surfaces facing up and down. A second bulge 74 that bulges downward is formed in the center of the rotating plate 71. The second bulge 74 is formed in the shape of a cylinder with a bottom. A circular second bearing hole 75 that penetrates the second bulge 74 in the thickness direction is formed in the center of the second bulge 74. The second bearing hole 75 is centered on the axis A. An annular edge wall 76 that protrudes upward or downward is preferably formed on the edge of the second bearing hole 75.

[0159] As shown in FIG. 8 , the rotating plate 71 is supported on the upper surface of the center plate 57 via a bearing 78. The bearing 78 is formed in an annular shape centered on the axis A. The bearing 78 is disposed between the upper surface of the outer periphery of the center plate 57 and the lower surface of the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71. The bearing 78 may be a thrust bearing. In this embodiment, the bearing 78 is a ball bearing. The ball bearing has a plurality of balls and an annular retainer that rotatably supports the plurality of balls. A first bearing groove 81 that receives the lower part of the bearing 78 is formed in the upper surface of the outer periphery of the center plate 57. A second bearing groove 82 that receives the upper part of the bearing 78 is formed in the lower surface of the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71.

[0160] 6, the diameter of the second bulge portion 74 is smaller than the diameter of the first bulge portion 61. When viewed from above, the second bulge portion 74 is disposed inside the first bulge portion 61. A space 84 is formed between the rotating plate 71 and the center plate 57.

[0161] As shown in FIG. 8 , the fixed member 66 extends above the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71. Specifically, the inner flange 68 of the fixed member 66 extends above the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71. A sliding member 85 is provided between the upper surface of the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71 and the fixed member 66. The outer periphery of the rotating plate 71 is in sliding contact with the inner flange 68 via the sliding member 85. The fixed member 66 may press the rotating plate 71 toward the base plate 56 via the sliding member 85. The sliding member 85 is in sliding contact with a portion of the rotating plate 71 that is outer periphery closer to the second bearing groove 82. The sliding member 85 may be in sliding contact with the outer periphery of the rotating plate 71.

[0162] The sliding member 85 is made of a resin material having a smaller coefficient of friction than metal. The sliding member 85 is preferably formed in an annular shape and provided on the lower surface of the inner flange 68. The sliding member 85 may have a locking portion that locks onto the inner peripheral edge of the inner flange 68. The sliding member 85 may be divided into multiple members.

[0163] As shown in FIG. 7 , a support tube 87 extending vertically is inserted into the first bearing hole 62 and the second bearing hole 75. The support tube 87 is a cylinder that is open at both the top and bottom ends. The support tube 87 is made of metal. A plurality of annular ribs 88, 89 that bulge outward are formed on the outer periphery of the support tube 87. In this embodiment, a first annular rib 88 and a second annular rib 89 are provided on the outer periphery of the support tube 87. The second annular rib 89 is positioned at a distance below the first annular rib 88.

[0164] The rotating plate 71 is restricted from moving in the vertical direction by a plurality of annular ribs 88, 89. The edge of the second bearing hole 75 of the rotating plate 71 is sandwiched between the first annular rib 88 and the second annular rib 89. A cylindrical bushing 91 is attached to the edge of the first bearing hole 62 of the base plate 56. The bushing 91 is supported by a portion of the support tube 87 below the second annular rib 89. A drop-off prevention ring 92 is provided below the bushing 91. The lower end of the support tube 87 is crimped to form an expanded diameter portion 93. The bushing 91 and the drop-off prevention ring 92 are sandwiched between the second annular rib 89 and the expanded diameter portion 93. The support tube 87 is rotatably supported in the first bearing hole 62 of the base plate 56 via the bushing 91. The rotating plate 71 may be joined to the support tube 87 by welding or the like. Alternatively, the rotating plate 71 may be rotatably supported by the support tube 87. The base plate 56 and the rotary plate 71 are arranged on the axis A by the support cylinder 87 .

[0165] As shown in Fig. 9, a plurality of upwardly bulging protrusions 95 are formed in the portion of the rotating plate 71 between the second bulging portion 74 and the second bearing groove 82. Each of the bulging portions 95 is provided with a bolt 96 extending upward. The bolt 96 may be a stud bolt. In addition, a downwardly recessed third bulging portion 97 is formed in the portion of the rotating plate 71 between the second bulging portion 74 and the second bearing groove 82.

[0166] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the fixed bracket 72 is formed in the shape of a plate with its surfaces facing up and down. The fixed bracket 72 may be formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. A fourth recess 101 that is recessed downward is formed in the center of the fixed bracket 72. An opening 102 that penetrates vertically is formed in the center of the fourth recess 101. A plurality of fastening holes 103 through which a plurality of bolts 96 pass is formed in the bottom of the fourth recess 101. The rotating plate 71 and the fixed bracket 72 are fastened to each other by attaching nuts 104 to each bolt 96. When viewed from above, the fixed bracket 72 is formed larger than the rotating plate 71. The fixed bracket 72 faces the left and right side plates 58 in the vertical direction.

[0167] The fixing bracket 72 is connected to the left and right seat cushion side members 18 by fasteners such as bolts and nuts. A load cell 106 may be interposed between the fixing bracket 72 and the seat cushion side members 18.

[0168] The electric actuator 53 rotates the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the electric actuator 53 has an electric motor 111 and a reduction mechanism 112. The electric actuator 53 does not have a worm reducer. In this embodiment, the reduction mechanism 112 has a first gear 115 connected to the output shaft 113 of the electric motor 111 and a second gear 116 connected to the rotating plate 71. The first gear 115 and the second gear 116 are spur gears. The second gear 116 is a gear centered on the axis A. The second gear 116 is connected to the lower surface of the second bulge part 74 of the rotating plate 71 and is disposed in the space 84. The number of teeth of the second gear 116 is greater than the number of teeth of the first gear 115.

[0169] A motor case 118 of the electric motor 111 is coupled to the lower surface of the center plate 57. An output shaft 113 of the electric motor 111 extends upward from the motor case 118. The output shaft 113 passes through a through-hole 119 formed in the center plate 57 and extends into the space 84. A first gear 115 coupled to the output shaft 113 is disposed in the space 84 and meshes with a second gear 116.

[0170] The rotation lock device 54 selectively prohibits rotation of the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the rotation lock device 54 has a lock claw 121 that is displaceably supported on one of the base part 51 and the rotating part 52. The lock claw 121 is displaceable between a locked position where it engages with the other of the base part 51 and the rotating part 52, and a released position where it is separated from the other of the base part 51 and the rotating part 52.

[0171] The rotation lock device 54 has a holder 122 that rotatably supports the lock pawl 121. In this embodiment, the holder 122 is provided on the upper surface of the rotary plate 71. The holder 122 is connected to a portion of the upper surface of the rotary plate 71 between the second bulge 74 and the second bearing groove 82. The lock pawl 121 and the holder 122 are formed of a metal plate. The holder 122 has a bottom plate 124 connected to the rotary plate 71, a pair of support walls 125 protruding upward from the bottom plate 124, a shaft 126 spanning between the pair of support walls 125, and a casing locking portion 127 protruding upward from the bottom plate 124. The lock pawl 121 is rotatably supported on the shaft 126. The lock pawl 121 has at least one pawl portion 131 and a cable locking portion 132.

[0172] The third bulge 97 of the rotating plate 71 is formed with a plurality of first lock holes 135 through which the plurality of claw portions 131 of the locking claw 121 can pass. The center plate 57 of the base portion 51 is formed with a plurality of second lock holes 136 into which the plurality of claw portions 131 of the locking claw 121 can fit. As shown in FIG. 12 , the plurality of claw portions 131 of the locking claw 121 pass through the first lock holes 135 and fit into the second lock holes 136, thereby restricting rotation of the rotating plate 71 relative to the center plate 57. In other words, rotation of the rotating portion 52 relative to the base portion 51 is restricted. The plurality of second lock holes 136 are provided at rotationally symmetric positions around the axis A.

[0173] The locking claw 121 rotates between a locked position where the claw portion 131 is inserted into the first locking hole 135 and the second locking hole 136, and an unlocked position where the claw portion 131 is separated from the first locking hole 135 and the second locking hole 136. That is, the locking claw 121 is displaced between a locked position where it is engaged with the base portion 51, and an unlocked position where it is separated from the base portion 51. A biasing member 137 that biases the locking claw 121 toward the locked position is provided between the locking claw 121 and the holder 122. In this embodiment, the biasing member 137 is a torsion coil spring.

[0174] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the locking claw 121 is connected to a manual operation lever 142 by a control cable 141. The control cable 141 has a tubular outer casing 143 and an inner cable 144 displaceably received in the outer casing 143. One end of the outer casing 143 is engaged with a casing engaging portion 127 of the holder 122. The other end of the outer casing 143 is engaged with the seat cushion frame 14 or the side cover 23. One end of the inner cable 144 is engaged with a cable engaging portion 132 of the locking claw 121. The other end of the inner cable 144 is engaged with the manual operation lever 142. The manual operation lever 142 is rotatably supported by the seat cushion frame 14 or the side cover 23. In this embodiment, the other ends of the manual operation lever 142 and the outer casing 143 are supported by the side cover 23. As shown in FIG. 15, the seat cushion side member 18 is formed with an insertion hole 146 through which the control cable 141 passes.

[0175] 13, when the user pulls the manual operation lever 142, the control cable 141 pulls the lock claw 121 from the locked position to the unlocked position. This allows the rotating part 52 to rotate relative to the base part 51. When the user stops operating the manual operation lever 142, the biasing force of the biasing member 137 moves the lock claw 121 from the unlocked position to the locked position. In other words, the rotation lock device 54 changes between the locked state and the unlocked state through manual operation by the user.

[0176] The rotary lock device 54 has an unlock actuator 151 that moves the lock pawl 121 from the locked position to the unlocked position. The unlock actuator 151 has an electric motor 152 and an arm 153 attached to the output shaft of the electric motor 152. The arm 153 is engaged with the lock pawl 121. The electric motor 152 is preferably supported by at least one of the holder 122 and the rotating plate 71. When the electric motor 152 is driven by supplying power to the electric motor 152, the arm 153 rotates against the biasing force of the biasing member 137, and the arm 153 moves the lock pawl 121 from the locked position to the unlocked position. When the electric motor 152 is stopped by stopping the supply of power to the electric motor 152, the biasing force of the biasing member 137 moves the lock pawl 121 from the unlocked position to the locked position. At this time, the arm 153 and the electric motor 152 are pushed by the lock pawl 121 to rotate.

[0177] When the locking claw 121 is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position by the control cable 141, the locking claw 121 moves away from the arm 153, and therefore the unlocking actuator 151 does not provide resistance.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 11 , a lock claw sensor 156 that detects the position of the lock claw 121 is provided on one of the base portion 51 and the rotating portion 52. In this embodiment, the lock claw sensor 156 is supported by the holder 122. In other embodiments, the lock claw sensor 156 may be provided on the rotating plate 71. The lock claw sensor 156 has a sensor lever 157 that is pushed and displaced by the lock claw 121, and detects the position of the lock claw 121 based on the position of the sensor lever 157. The lock claw sensor 156 has a sensor case 158. The sensor lever 157 is rotatably provided in the sensor case 158. The sensor lever 157 rotates between an initial position and a rotated position. The sensor lever 157 is biased toward the initial position. A contact that connects depending on the position of the sensor lever 157 is provided within the sensor case 158. When the sensor lever 157 is in the initial position, the contact is turned off, and when the sensor lever 157 is in the rotated position, the contact is turned on. The lock claw sensor 156 outputs a signal corresponding to the state of the contact.

[0179] When the lock claw 121 is in the locked position, the lock claw 121 and the sensor lever 157 are separated from each other, and the lock claw 121 is in the initial position. Therefore, the lock claw sensor 156 outputs an OFF signal. When the lock claw 121 rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position, the sensor lever 157 is pushed by the lock claw 121 and moves to the rotated position. This causes the lock claw sensor 156 to output an ON signal.

[0180] As shown in Figures 5 and 16, a plurality of base-side peeling prevention portions 161 are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right side plates 58. The plurality of base-side peeling prevention portions 161 are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis A. In this embodiment, a plurality of base-side peeling prevention portions 161 are provided at four locations on the front and rear of the left and right side plates 58. The four base-side peeling prevention portions 161 are arranged at 90-degree intervals around the axis A. Each base-side peeling prevention portion 161 extends upward from the side plate 58. A base-side hook 162 with a tip facing downward is formed on the upper end of each base-side peeling prevention portion 161.

[0181] 16 and 17, a plurality of rotation-side separation suppressing portions 163 are provided on the underside of the fixed bracket 72. The plurality of rotation-side separation suppressing portions 163 are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis A. In this embodiment, a plurality of rotation-side separation suppressing portions 163 are provided at four locations on the front left, front right, rear left, and rear right of the fixed bracket 72. The four rotation-side separation suppressing portions 163 are arranged at 90-degree intervals around the axis A. Each rotation-side separation suppressing portion 163 extends downward from the fixed bracket 72. A rotation-side hook 164 with its tip facing upward is formed on the lower end of each rotation-side separation suppressing portion 163.

[0182] The rotation position of the rotating part 52 when the seat cushion 11 faces the front of the vehicle is defined as the reference rotation position. When the rotating part 52 is in the reference rotation position, the base-side hooks 162 of each base-side peeling prevention part 161 and the rotation-side hooks 164 of each rotation-side peeling prevention part 163 face each other with a gap between them in the vertical direction. As a result, when a load is applied to the seat main body 3, the base-side hooks 162 of each base-side peeling prevention part 161 and the rotation-side hooks 164 of each rotation-side peeling prevention part 163 engage with each other, thereby preventing the rotating part 52 from peeling off from the base part 51.

[0183] Even when the rotating part 52 is rotated 90 degrees (+90 degrees) to the right, 90 degrees (-90 degrees) to the left, or 180 degrees (-180 degrees) to the left from the reference rotation position, the base side hooks 162 of each base side peeling prevention part 161 and the rotating side hooks 164 of each rotating side peeling prevention part 163 face each other.

[0184] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 16 , a plurality of base-side sliding contact portions 166 are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right side plates 58. The plurality of base-side sliding contact portions 166 are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis A. In this embodiment, a plurality of base-side sliding contact portions 166 are provided at four locations on the front and rear of the left and right side plates 58. The four base-side sliding contact portions 166 are arranged at 90-degree intervals around the axis A. Each base-side sliding contact portion 166 is preferably arranged radially outward from the axis A of the corresponding base-side separation preventive portion 161. Each base-side sliding contact portion 166 extends upward from the side plate 58. A base-side plate 167 extending radially outward from the axis A is formed at the upper end of each base-side sliding contact portion 166. Each base-side sliding contact portion 166 is preferably arranged radially outward from the axis A of the corresponding base-side separation preventive portion 161.

[0185] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 , a plurality of rotation-side sliding contact portions 168 are provided on the underside of the fixed bracket 72. The rotation-side sliding contact portions 168 are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis A. In this embodiment, a plurality of rotation-side sliding contact portions 168 are provided at four locations on the fixed bracket 72: the front left portion, the front right portion, the rear left portion, and the rear right portion. The four rotation-side sliding contact portions 168 are arranged at 90-degree intervals around the axis A. Each rotation-side sliding contact portion 168 is preferably arranged radially outward from the corresponding base-side separation preventive portion 161 around the axis A. Each rotation-side sliding contact portion 168 extends downward from the fixed bracket 72. A rotation-side plate 169 extending radially inward from the axis A is formed at the lower end of each rotation-side sliding contact portion 168. Each rotation-side sliding contact portion 168 is preferably arranged radially outward from the corresponding rotation-side separation preventive portion 163 around the axis A.

[0186] 16, a sliding contact member 171 is provided on at least one of the lower surface of the base-side plate 167 and the upper surface of the rotation-side plate 169. The friction coefficient of the sliding contact member 171 is lower than both the friction coefficient of the lower surface of the base-side plate 167 and the friction coefficient of the upper surface of the rotation-side plate 169. The sliding contact member 171 may be made of, for example, a resin material.

[0187] When the rotating part 52 is at the reference rotation position, the lower surface of the base-side plate 167 of each base-side sliding part 166 and the upper surface of each rotating-side plate 169 are in sliding contact with each other via the sliding members 171. This suppresses rattle of the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51.

[0188] Even when the rotating part 52 is rotated 90 degrees (+90 degrees) to the right, 90 degrees (-90 degrees) to the left, or 180 degrees (-180 degrees) to the left from the reference rotation position, the base side plate 167 of each base side sliding contact part 166 and the rotating side plate 169 of each rotating side sliding contact part 168 slide against each other via the sliding member 171.

[0189] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 , a detection piece 173 made of a magnetic material is provided on one of the rotating unit 52 and the base unit 51. A magnetic proximity sensor 174 that outputs a signal corresponding to the distance from the detection piece 173 is provided on the other of the rotating unit 52 and the base unit 51. In this embodiment, the detection piece 173 is provided on the upper surface of the side plate 58, and the magnetic proximity sensor 174 is provided on the lower surface of the fixed bracket 72. The detection portion of the magnetic proximity sensor 174 preferably faces downward. For example, when the rotating unit 52 is in the reference rotation position, the detection piece 173 and the magnetic proximity sensor 174 should be aligned vertically. This makes it possible to detect that the rotating unit 52 is in the reference rotation position based on the signal from the magnetic proximity sensor 174.

[0190] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10 , stoppers 176, 177, and 178 are provided between the base portion 51 and the rotating portion 52 to restrict the rotation range of the rotating portion 52 relative to the base portion 51. The stoppers 176, 177, and 178 include a base-side stopper 176 provided on the center plate 57 and a first rotation-side stopper 177 and a second rotation-side stopper 178 provided on the rotating plate 71. Each of the stoppers 176, 177, and 178 is formed of a metal piece. The base-side stopper 176 passes through a through-hole 119 formed in the center plate 57 and protrudes above the center plate 57. The first rotation-side stopper 177 and the second rotation-side stopper 178 pass through a through-hole 119 formed in the rotating plate 71 and protrude below the rotating plate 71. The base-side stopper 176, the first rotation-side stopper 177, and the second rotation-side stopper 178 are arranged on the same circumference with the axis A as the center.

[0191] The base-side stopper 176 comes into contact with the first rotation-side stopper 177 or the second rotation-side stopper 178, thereby restricting the rotation range of the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. When the vehicle seat apparatus 1 is applied to a right-side seat of a vehicle, the base-side stopper 176 comes into contact with the first rotation-side stopper 177 at a position where the rotating part 52 is rotated 90 degrees (+90 degrees) to the right from the reference rotation position, thereby restricting the rotation. Furthermore, the base-side stopper 176 comes into contact with the first rotation-side stopper 177 at a position where the rotating part 52 is rotated 90 degrees (+90 degrees) to the right from the reference rotation position, thereby restricting the rotation. In other words, the stoppers 176, 177, 178 allow the rotating part 52 to rotate relative to the base part 51 between an inner rotation limit set at 180 degrees or less toward the vehicle interior from the reference rotation position where the seat cushion 11 faces the front of the vehicle, and an outer rotation limit set at 90 degrees or less toward the vehicle exterior from the reference rotation position.

[0192] 14, the side cover 23 is provided with a rotation operation switch 181 for rotating the seat cushion 11. The rotation operation switch 181 outputs a signal to the control device in response to operation by the user. In response to operation by the user, the rotation operation switch 181 outputs, for example, a first signal corresponding to a 90-degree rotation to the right, a second signal corresponding to a 90-degree rotation to the left, and a third signal corresponding to a 180-degree rotation to the left.

[0193] The control device 183 is an electronic control device and is a computing device having a microprocessor (MPU), non-volatile memory, volatile memory, and an interface. The control device 183 realizes various applications by having the microprocessor execute programs stored in the non-volatile memory. The control device 183 is connected to the electric motor 111 of the electric actuator 53, the electric motor 152 of the lock release actuator 151, the lock pawl sensor 156, and the magnetic proximity sensor 174.

[0194] When the control device 183 receives a signal from the rotation operation switch 181, it controls the electric motor 152 of the lock release actuator 151 to move the lock pawl 121 from the locked position to the unlocked position. When the lock pawl 121 moves to the unlocked position, the lock pawl sensor 156 detects that the lock pawl 121 is in the unlocked position. The control device 183 acquires the position of the lock pawl 121 based on the signal from the lock pawl sensor 156. When the control device 183 determines that the lock pawl 121 is in the unlocked position, it drives the electric motor 111 of the electric actuator 53 to rotate the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. In other words, the electric actuator 53 is driven when the lock pawl 121 is in the unlocked position. When the lock pawl 121 is not in the unlocked position, the control device 183 does not drive the electric motor 111 of the electric actuator 53. This control prevents the electric actuator 53 from being overloaded.

[0195] Next, a description will be given of a manufacturing method of the vehicle seat device 1. First, the support cylinder 87 is inserted into the second bearing hole 75 of the rotating plate 71. In this state, the support cylinder 87 is subjected to bulging processing to form a first annular rib 88 and a second annular rib 89. The rotating plate 71 and the support cylinder 87 are connected by the first annular rib 88 and the second annular rib 89.

[0196] Next, the second gear 116, the plurality of bolts 96, the first rotation-side stopper 177, and the second rotation-side stopper 178 are attached to the rotating plate 71. Furthermore, the base-side stopper 176 and the bushing 91 are attached to the center plate 57. Furthermore, the sliding member 85 is attached to the fixed member 66. The plurality of base-side separation suppression portions 161, the plurality of base-side sliding contact portions 166, and the detection pieces 173 are attached to the left and right side plates 58. Furthermore, the plurality of rotation-side separation suppression portions 163, the plurality of rotation-side sliding contact portions 168, and the magnetic proximity sensor 174 are attached to the fixed bracket 72.

[0197] Next, the bearing 78, rotating plate 71, and fixed member 66 are placed on the center plate 57 in the order described above, and the fixed member 66 is joined to the center plate 57. At this time, the connecting piece 69 of the fixed member 66 is bent downward toward the center plate 57, and the center plate 57, bearing 78, and rotating plate 71 are sandwiched between the inner flange 68 and the connecting piece 69. In this way, the center plate 57, bearing 78, rotating plate 71, and fixed member 66 are combined together. At this time, the lower end of the support tube 87 passes through the first bearing hole 62 of the center plate 57 and protrudes below the center plate 57. After the anti-disengagement ring 92 is attached to the lower end of the support tube 87, the lower end of the support tube 87 is crimped to form an expanded diameter portion 93.

[0198] Next, the left and right side plates 58 are attached to the center plate 57. The electric motor 111 of the electric actuator 53 is attached to the center plate 57, and the first gear 115 and the second gear 116 mesh with each other. The slide device 4 is then attached to the left and right side plates 58.

[0199] Next, the fixing bracket 72 is attached to the rotating plate 71. In addition, the rotation lock device 54 including the lock release actuator 151, and the lock claw sensor 156 are attached to the rotating plate 71. The wire harnesses extending from the rotation lock device 54 and the lock claw sensor 156 may be passed through the inside of the support cylinder 87 and pulled out below the rotating plate 71 and center plate 57.

[0200] Next, the seat body 3 is attached to the fixing bracket 72. At this time, the ends of the control cable 141 are locked to the casing locking portion 127 and the cable locking portion 132. In this manner, the vehicle seat device 1 is assembled.

[0201] The effects of the vehicle seat apparatus 1 according to the above embodiment will be described. In the vehicle seat apparatus 1, when the rotation locking device 54 is released and power is not supplied to the electric actuator 53, the electric actuator 53 allows the rotation of the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. Therefore, when the rotation locking device 54 is released and power is not supplied to the electric actuator 53, the user can manually rotate the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51. This allows the user to manually adjust the rotational position of the seat cushion 11. The user can move the locking claw 121 to the release position by operating the manual operation lever 142. The electric actuator 53 does not have a self-locking mechanism and can rotate when subjected to an external force. Therefore, the user can rotate the seat main body 3 by pushing or pulling the seat main body 3. In this embodiment, the electric actuator 53 does not have a worm reducer, so when a load is applied to the rotating part 52, the electric actuator 53 can allow the rotation of the rotating part 52 relative to the base part 51.

[0202] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the terms "front and rear," "left and right," and "up and down" refer to directions as seen by an occupant sitting on the seat body S in a forward-facing traveling position.

[0203] First, in Figures 18 to 20, a seat body S of a seat device 301 mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile includes a seat portion Sc, which is called a seat cushion on which an occupant sits, and a seat back portion Sb that stands upright above the rear of the seat portion Sc to support the occupant's back and waist.

[0204] The seat frame SF, which forms the framework of the seat body S, includes a seat frame SFc, which forms the framework of the seat cushion Sc, and a back frame SFb, which forms the framework of the seat back Sb. The seat frame SFc is covered with a seat cushion pad Pc, and the back frame SFb is covered with a seat back pad Pb. The back frame SFb is pivotally supported at the rear end of the seat frame SFc via an electric or manual reclining mechanism (both of which are well known in the art) so that the forward / backward swing position can be adjusted.

[0205] The seat frame SFc has a pair of left and right side frames 311s spaced apart from one another and extending in the front-to-rear direction, a front cross member 311f extending in the left-to-right direction to connect the front portions of the side frames 311s, a rear cross member 311r connecting the rear portions of the side frames 311s, and a pan frame 311p that is generally U-shaped in a plan view and connected to the front portions of the side frames 311s and extends across the space between the front portions. In the illustrated example, both ends of the front cross member 311f penetrate and engage with the left and right inner portions of the pan frame 311p and are directly connected to the front portions of the left and right side frames 311s, but they may also be connected to the left and right side frames 311s via the pan frame 311p.

[0206] The front and rear ends of a pressure-receiving member 318 are engaged and supported between the front and rear cross members 311f, 311r to receive the downward load from the occupant sitting on the seat cushion Sc via the seat cushion pad Pc. In this embodiment, the pressure-receiving member 318 comprises a pressure-receiving member main body 318m formed of an elastically deformable plate having a rectangular shape in a plan view, side inclined portions 318s extending laterally and upward from the left and right side edges of the pressure-receiving member main body 318m, and a rear inclined portion 318r extending rearward and upward from the rear edge of the pressure-receiving member main body 318m. The pressure-receiving member main body 318m may be provided with at least one through-hole as needed.

[0207] A plurality of metal wires 318w extending in the front-to-rear direction are bonded or insert-molded to the bottom of the pressure-receiving member 318 to reinforce the pressure-receiving member 318. The rear ends of the wires 318w protruding from the rear end of the pressure-receiving member 318 are connected to a plurality of rear locking claws 319r that are locked to the rear cross member 311r, and the front ends of the pressure-receiving member main body 318m and the wires 318w are connected to a plurality of rear locking claws 319f that are locked to the front cross member 311f.

[0208] Furthermore, as the pressure-receiving member 318 that receives the downward load from the occupant through the seat pad Pc, instead of the rectangular plate-shaped spring body as in the embodiment, a spring body formed by bending multiple metal wires parallel to the left and right into a zigzag shape may be used.

[0209] Moreover, the configuration of the seat back portion Sb is not related to the gist of the present invention, so an example thereof is shown in FIG. 18 and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0210] The vehicle seat device 301 includes a longitudinal slide mechanism SL that supports the seat body S on the floor portion 312 of the vehicle body so that the seat body S can move back and forth, and a seat rotation mechanism R that is located above the longitudinal slide mechanism SL and supports the seat body S so that the seat body S can rotate about an axis in the vertical direction, and these mechanisms SL and R are mostly or entirely made of metal. Next, examples of the longitudinal slide mechanism SL and the seat rotation mechanism R will be described in order with reference to Figures 21 to 181 as well.

[0211] The longitudinal slide mechanism SL includes a pair of left and right fixed rails 314 that are fixed to the floor portion 312 via front and rear mounting brackets 313f, 313r and extend in the longitudinal direction, and a movable rail 315 that is engaged with and supported by both fixed rails 314 so as to be slidable longitudinally. Note that, although the fixed rails 314 in the embodiment are fixed on the floor portion 312 in an inclined position with the front raised, they may also be fixed in a horizontal position.

[0212] The upper ends of the left and right movable rails 315 are joined to the lower surfaces of the left and right sides of a base 330, which is rectangular in plan view and spans the rails, by rail fixing brackets 316 with multiple sets of bolts b1 and nuts n1, and the base 330 functions as the foundation of the seat body S. Thus, by moving the movable rails 315 back and forth relative to the fixed rails 314, the base 330, and therefore the seat body S, can be moved back and forth.

[0213] Between the movable rail 315 and the fixed rail 314, there is disposed a conventionally well-known fore-aft position adjustment mechanism 317 (only a part of the adjustment mechanism 317 is shown in FIG. 25) which can arbitrarily adjust and fix the fore-aft position of the movable rail 315 (i.e., the base 330, and therefore the seat main body S), and the fore-aft position adjustment mechanism 317 is manually operated by an operating lever (not shown) which is interlocked with and connects to the mechanism and projects forward below the seat cushion Sc. Note that the fore-aft slide mechanism SL and the fore-aft position adjustment mechanism 317 may be omitted, in which case the base 330 is fixed to the floor portion 312 of the vehicle body so that its fore-aft position cannot be adjusted.

[0214] Next, we will explain the seat rotation mechanism R. The seat rotation mechanism R includes the above-mentioned base 330, a turntable 320 that is connected to the seat cushion Sc of the seat body S so as to rotate integrally with the seat cushion Sc and is disposed on the base 330, first and second bearings B1 and B2 that serve as bearings for supporting the turntable 320 on the base 330 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, and a drive device D that drives the turntable 320 to rotate relative to the base 330.

[0215] The bearings include a first bearing B1 that rotatably supports a portion of the rotating disk 320 near the outer peripheral end on a portion of the base 330 near the outer peripheral end, and a second bearing B2 that is held in a bearing tube portion 331 that is erected at the center of the base 330 and rotatably supports the inner peripheral portion of the rotating disk 320.

[0216] A circular first annular recess 320a is formed concentrically with the rotating disk 320 and recessed downward from the outer circumferential end. In this specification, the term "outer circumferential end" not only includes the outer circumferential end, but also includes a radial region that continues to extend radially inward from the outer circumferential end (for example, a fixing portion of a bolt b3, which will be described later).

[0217] On the other hand, a circular second annular recess 330a recessed downward from a portion near the outer circumferential edge of the base 330 is formed in correspondence with the first annular recess 320a, and the second annular recess 330a is concentric with and has approximately the same diameter as the first annular recess 320a. The second annular recess 330a is located between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms SL and is arranged so as to partially overlap the longitudinal slide mechanisms SL in a side view.

[0218] The turntable 320 includes a disk-shaped turntable main body 321 having a large circular hole 321h in the center, and a circular bearing ring plate 322 having an outer circumferential end 322o fitted into and fixed (for example, by welding) to the circular hole 321h of the turntable main body 321. A first bearing B1 made of a ball bearing is formed by an upper bearing surface 321b formed in an annular groove shape on the lower surface of the outer circumferential end of the turntable main body 321, a lower bearing surface 330b formed in an annular groove shape on the upper surface of the outer circumferential end of the base 330 facing the upper bearing surface 321b, a plurality of balls 328 rollably interposed between the upper and lower bearing surfaces 321b, 330b, and an annular retainer 329 interposed between the upper and lower bearing surfaces 321b, 330b in a non-contact state and rotatably holding the plurality of balls 328 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0219] As is clear from FIG. 26 , the outer periphery of the lower half of the bearing cylinder portion 331 is fitted and fixed (for example, welded) into the central hole of the base 330 (specifically, the central hole of a fixed gear 336, described later). An annular intermediate step portion 331s, which protrudes from the outer periphery of the middle portion of the bearing cylinder portion 331, engages with the upper surface of the center of the base 330. The bearing cylinder portion 331 of this embodiment is formed as a hollow cylinder with both upper and lower ends open, and a wiring cord 333 (for example, a wire harness) for supplying electricity to various electrical components, including a seat rotation actuator 340, described later, inside the seat main body S, is passed through the hollow portion. Therefore, even when the seat main body S is rotated, the wiring cord 333 can be passed through without being excessively stretched or twisted, which contributes to improving the durability of each wiring portion.

[0220] The inner peripheral end 322i of the bearing ring plate portion 322 is formed in an upward flange shape around its entire circumference, and is rotatably fitted onto the outer periphery of the upper half of the bearing cylinder portion 331 via a second bearing B2. This second bearing B2 is composed of a bearing bush 334 with a U-shaped cross section that covers the inner peripheral surface and upper and lower surfaces of the inner peripheral end 322i of the bearing ring plate portion 322. The bearing bush 334 and the inner peripheral end 322i of the bearing ring plate portion 322 are sandwiched between a retaining ring 335 that covers them from above and an intermediate step portion 331s of the bearing cylinder portion 331, and the retaining ring 335 is fixed to the upper end of the bearing cylinder portion 331 by crimping.

[0221] Therefore, since the turntable 320 is divided into the turntable main body 321 and the bearing ring plate portion 322, the bottom surface of the first annular recess 320a is formed as an annular stepped concave surface in which the bearing ring plate portion 322 is one step lower than the turntable main body 321. The bearing ring plate portion 322 may be formed integrally with the turntable main body 321.

[0222] In addition, in the embodiment, the second bearing B2 is interposed between the inner peripheral end 322i of the bearing ring plate portion 322 and the bearing sleeve portion 331, but instead of this structure, the second bearing B2 (e.g., a product equivalent to the bearing bush 334) may be interposed between the outer peripheral end 322o of the bearing ring plate portion 322, whose inner peripheral end 322i is fitted and fixed (e.g., welded) to the outer periphery of the bearing sleeve portion 331, and the inner periphery of the circular hole 321h of the turntable main body 321, and this second bearing B2 may be used to rotatably fit and support the outer peripheral end 322o of the bearing ring plate portion 322 fixed to the bearing sleeve portion 331 in the circular hole 321h of the turntable main body 321.

[0223] Incidentally, left and right fixing brackets 350 are fixed to the upper surface of specific both side portions of the turntable 320, which become the left and right side portions when the seat body S is fixed to the base 330 in the forward traveling posture (see Figs. 18-3), with left and right reinforcing plates 355 sandwiched therebetween. An upward reinforcing flange is integrally formed on the outer periphery of each fixing bracket 350.

[0224] The outer edge of each fixing bracket 350 extends linearly along the left and right outer edges of the base 330 when the seat body S is in the forward-facing traveling position, and the inner edge extends in an arc shape along the periphery of the first annular recess 320a of the turntable 320. The lower ends of the left and right side frames 311s of the seat frame SFc are fastened to the left and right fixing brackets 350 with multiple sets of bolts b2 and nuts n2.

[0225] Meanwhile, the outer peripheral edge of each reinforcing plate 355 extends in an arc shape so as to fit along the outer peripheral edge of the turntable 320, and the inner peripheral edge extends in an arc shape so as to fit along the peripheral edge of the first annular recess 320a of the turntable 320. These reinforcing plates 355 support the corresponding fixed brackets 350 from below to increase their rigidity, and are fixed to the outer peripheral part of the turntable 320 together with the fixed brackets 350 by multiple sets of bolts b3 and nuts n3. In addition, an actuator 340 (described later) of the drive device D is arranged between the left and right fixed brackets 350 in the circumferential direction of the turntable 320.

[0226] In the embodiment, the reinforcing plate 355 is a separate component from the fixed bracket 350, but the reinforcing plate 355 may be omitted as long as the fixed bracket 350 itself has a structure that provides sufficient rigidity.

[0227] 25, the upper surface of the outer circumferential end of the rotating disk 320 (particularly the portion radially outward from the first bearing B1) is held, via annular sliders 370, on the lower surface of upper fixing members 360 which are arranged in an annular shape so as to pass below the left and right fixing brackets 350 and the reinforcing plate 355 and surround the rotating disk 320. In this way, the upper fixing members 360 prevent the rotating disk 320 from floating up from the base 330.

[0228] In this embodiment, the upper fixing member 360 is divided into a plurality of fixing member elements 361, 362 arranged in the circumferential direction of the turntable 320, of which the major-arc-shaped first fixing member elements 361 are arranged in pairs facing each other at the front and rear in the forward-facing traveling position of the seat body S, and the minor-arc-shaped second fixing member elements 362 are arranged in pairs facing each other at the left and right in the forward-facing traveling position of the seat body S. In this way, the first and second fixing member elements 361, 362 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction, and the outer peripheral edges of each fixing member element 361, 362 are connected to the left and right side portions of the base 330 by multiple sets of bolts b4 and nuts n4, respectively.

[0229] Furthermore, rotation-side separation suppression portions 353 extending along the outer periphery of the turntable 320 are fixed (for example, by welding) to the lower surfaces of the front and rear portions of the left and right fixed brackets 350. Meanwhile, corresponding to these rotation-side separation suppression portions 353, fixed-side separation suppression portions 363 extending along the outer periphery of the turntable 320 are fixed (for example, by welding, integral molding, etc.) to the upper fixed member 360 (in this embodiment, on both left and right side edges of the front and rear first fixed member elements 361).

[0230] The rotation-side peel-off suppression part 353 has a hook-like shape with its tip pointing upward, and the fixed-side peel-off suppression part 363 is positioned so as to be able to engage with the rotation-side peel-off suppression part 353 when the seat body S is in the forward traveling position, and is also formed with a hook-like shape with its tip pointing downward. Therefore, when an excessive load is applied to the seat body S, the rotation-side peel-off suppression part 353 and the fixed-side peel-off suppression part 363 engage with each other, making it possible to suppress peeling of the seat body S from the base 330.

[0231] The drive device D comprises an actuator 340 having an output shaft 343 extending below the turntable 320 and fixed on the turntable 320 (more specifically, the turntable main body 321), and a gear transmission mechanism GT that converts the rotation of the output shaft 343 of the actuator 340 into rotational motion relative to the base 330 of the turntable 320.

[0232] 24, a space C that is flat and circular in plan view is defined vertically between the turntable 320 (particularly the lower surface of the first annular recess 320a) and the base 330 (particularly the second annular recess 330a), and the gear transmission mechanism GT is disposed within this space C. The radially outer side of this space C is covered by the first bearing B1 described above, making it difficult for gear meshing noise to leak radially outward from the space C, and the radially inner side of the space C is closed by the bearing sleeve portion 331 described above.

[0233] Actuator 340 mainly comprises a motor (not shown) that serves as a power source, and actuator case 341 that houses the motor, and actuator case 341 also houses a built-in gear mechanism (not shown) that rotates output shaft 343 of actuator 340 in conjunction with the rotation of the motor shaft. The built-in gear mechanism has a conventionally well-known gear configuration that can exhibit a self-locking function that can lock the rotation of output shaft 343 when the motor is stopped.

[0234] The actuator case 341 has multiple (two in this embodiment) mounting arms 341a spaced apart from one another, and each mounting arm 341a is connected to the turntable body 321 by a bolt b5 fixed to the turntable body 321 (particularly on the bottom surface of the first annular recess 320a) and a nut n5.

[0235] As is particularly clear from Figures 23, 24, 27 and 28, the gear transmission mechanism GT comprises a fixed gear 336 having radially outward teeth 336g on its outer periphery and fixed concentrically with the turntable 320 to the base 330, and a drive gear 346 fixed concentrically to an output shaft 343 of the actuator 340 extending below the turntable 320, and the drive gear 346 meshes with the fixed gear 336 within the space C.

[0236] Furthermore, an intermediate portion of an output shaft 343 of the actuator 340 is rotatably fitted into a bearing boss 341b protruding from the lower surface of the actuator case 341, and the bearing boss 341b passes through a through-hole in the turntable main body 321 and extends into the space C. A lower end portion 343a of the output shaft 343, which protrudes downward beyond the drive gear 346, is rotatably supported by a bearing member 347 coupled to the lower surface of the turntable 320. The bearing member 347 is disposed so as to face into the space C and extends in the circumferential direction of the fixed gear 336.

[0237] In particular, the bearing member 347 of this embodiment has a bearing member main body 347m that is at the same height as the lower end 343a of the output shaft 343 and extends in an arc shape so as to follow the outer peripheral tooth portion 336g of the fixed gear 336, and a pair of thick mounting arms 347a that are connected to both ends of the bearing member main body 347m. Both mounting arms 347a are fixed (for example, by welding or bolting) to the underside of the turntable 320 (particularly the turntable main body 321). A bearing cylinder portion 347mb that rotatably fits and supports the lower end 343a of the output shaft 343 directly below the drive gear 346 is formed integrally with the middle portion of the bearing member main body 347m.

[0238] Thus, during operation of the gear transmission mechanism GT, the bearing member 347 can firmly receive the meshing reaction force that the drive gear 346 receives when meshing with the fixed gear 336, thereby allowing the gears 336, 346 to mesh smoothly and quietly. Moreover, the bearing member 347 of this embodiment is disposed in the second annular recess 330a of the base 330 and extends in the circumferential direction of the fixed gear 336, and both ends of the bearing member 347 in the circumferential direction are fixed to the turntable 320. Therefore, the bearing member 347 (and therefore the output shaft 343 of the actuator 340) can be more stably and firmly fixed to the lower surface of the turntable 320 while ensuring a long support span in the circumferential direction of the fixed gear 336.

[0239] Furthermore, a circular ring-shaped vibration damping member 348 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the bearing boss 341b of the actuator case 341, and this vibration damping member 348 is clamped between the rotating platen 320 and the fixed gear 336. The vibration damping member 348 is made of a vibration damping material (for example, nonwoven fabric, rubber material, etc.) that can exert a vibration damping function, and this enables the vibration of the actuator 340 to be attenuated by the vibration damping member 348, so that the vibration of the actuator 340 during operation can be prevented from being transmitted to the base 330 and the rotating platen 320.

[0240] In the embodiment, the middle part of the output shaft 343 is rotatably fitted and supported by the bearing boss 341b protruding from the underside of the actuator case 341, but the bearing boss 341b may be omitted, in which case the vibration damping member 348 is fitted directly onto the outer periphery of the middle part of the output shaft 343.

[0241] The base 330 is composed of a base main body 330m, which is a plate-like body having a rectangular shape in a plan view and a second annular recess 330a in its central portion, and a portion (i.e., the inner peripheral portion) of the fixed gear 336. More specifically, an inner peripheral end 330mi of the base main body 330m (i.e., the opening edge of the center hole of the second annular recess 330a) is joined (e.g., welded) to the lower surface of the fixed gear 336 near its inner peripheral end, and the base 330 is composed of a portion 336i of the fixed gear 336 that is radially inward from the joint portion (i.e., the welded portion 336w) with the base main body 330m and the base main body 330m. Thus, a portion of the base 330 can be used as a portion of the fixed gear 336 (i.e., the radially inward portion 336i), thereby simplifying the structure.

[0242] The fixed gear 336 is formed to be thicker overall than the plate thickness of the base main body 330m, and a thick inner peripheral end 336ie of this fixed gear 336 is fitted and fixed (for example, welded) to the outer periphery of the lower half of the bearing cylinder portion 331. Thus, when the inner peripheral end of the base 330 is fitted into the bearing cylinder portion 331, the relatively thick inner peripheral end 336ie of the fixed gear 336 can be joined to the bearing cylinder portion 331, thereby increasing the joining strength accordingly.

[0243] In the above embodiment, the inner peripheral end 330mi of the base main body 330m is formed with a larger diameter than the bearing sleeve portion 331 and is connected to the lower surface of the fixed gear 336 near the inner peripheral end, so that the inner peripheral end 330mi of the base main body 330m is connected to the bearing sleeve portion 331 via the radially inner portion 336i of the fixed gear 336. However, instead of this structure, the inner peripheral end 330mi of the base main body 330m may be directly connected (for example, by welding) to the bearing sleeve portion 331.

[0244] 19 and 20, the actuator 340 of the drive unit D at least partially overlaps with the pressure-receiving member 318 in a plan view, but is disposed in a position where it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member 318 even if the pressure-receiving member 318 is deflected by a downward load received from the occupant via the seat pad Pc. Note that although the actuator 340 in the embodiment is disposed so that a portion of it overlaps with the pressure-receiving member 318 in a plan view, the actuator 340 may be disposed so that the entirety of it overlaps with the pressure-receiving member 318.

[0245] In this embodiment, the front end of the pressure-receiving member 318 is engaged with and supported by the front cross member 311f of the seat frame SFc, and at least a portion of the actuator 340 is disposed so as to overlap the front cross member 311f in a plan view. Moreover, as is clear from Fig. 19, the actuator 340 is disposed on and fixed to the first annular recessed portion 320a of the turntable body 321 so that its longitudinal direction is generally along the front cross member 311f (in other words, its longitudinal direction is generally along the tangential direction of the first annular recessed portion 320a).

[0246] Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described. When the automobile is traveling, the seat device 301 is placed in a state in which the seat body S is held in a forward-facing position.

[0247] In this state, the automobile is stopped, and if the occupant operates an operating device (not shown), the drive device D (more specifically, actuator 340) of the seat rotation mechanism R is activated, which rotates the output shaft 343, and therefore the drive gear 346. In this case, the drive gear 346 receives a meshing reaction force from the fixed gear 336 on the base 330 that meshes with it, and as a result, the drive gear 346 rotates on its own axis while revolving around the teeth 336g of the fixed gear 336. As the drive gear 346 revolves, the turntable 320 to which the actuator 340 is fixed (and therefore the seat main body S) is rotated.

[0248] Furthermore, when the actuator 340 is deactivated to stop the rotation of the output shaft 343, the seat body S on the turntable 320 can be placed in a desired rotational position. Note that this rotational position is locked by the self-locking function of the built-in gear mechanism of the actuator 340.

[0249] When an occupant sits on the seat body S, the weight of the occupant causes a downward load to be applied from the seat cushion pad Pc to the pressure-receiving member 318 of the seat cushion Sc. In this case, as is clear from Fig. 20, the pressure-receiving member 318 elastically deforms from the solid line position where no occupant is seated to the chain line position where it bends downward under the downward load, and the amount of deformation increases as the downward load increases.

[0250] Thus, in the embodiment, in the seat device 301, the drive device D that drives the turntable 320 to rotate has an actuator 340 that has an output shaft 343 extending below the turntable 320 and is fixed on the turntable 320, and a gear transmission mechanism GT that converts the rotation of the output shaft 343 into rotational motion of the turntable 320, and the gear transmission mechanism GT is arranged in a space C that is covered on the upper side by the turntable 320, covered on the lower side by the base 330, and whose radial outer side is covered by a first bearing B1 that supports a portion of the turntable 320 near the outer circumferential end on a portion of the base 330 near the outer circumferential end.

[0251] As a result, the gear transmission mechanism GT is housed in space C sandwiched between the base 330 and the turntable 320 and surrounded by the first bearing B1, and the gear meshing noise generated when the actuator 340 is operated (i.e., when the seat body S rotates) is less likely to leak out of the seat body S, improving the noise reduction effect for the gear transmission mechanism GT. Moreover, the turntable 320, base 330, and first bearing B1 can also be used as noise reduction means for the gear transmission mechanism GT, which contributes to simplifying the structure of the seat device and ultimately reducing costs. Note that the first bearing B1 does not completely seal the space C because there is a gap in part of it, but a certain degree of noise reduction effect can be expected by arranging it as described above.

[0252] Furthermore, in the embodiment, a first annular recess 320a is formed concentrically with the turntable 320 and recessed downward, and a second annular recess 330a is formed in the base 330 and recessed downward to correspond to the first annular recess 320a, an actuator 340 is fixed to the bottom surface of the first annular recess 320a, and a gear transmission mechanism GT is disposed between the turntable 320 and the second annular recess 330a. This makes it possible to minimize the heights of the actuator 340 and the gear transmission mechanism GT located above and below the turntable 320 without causing a portion of the gear transmission mechanism GT to protrude downward from the base 330. This makes it possible to easily avoid mutual interference between the actuator 340 and the pressure-receiving member 318, which is flexibly deformed downward by a downward load from an occupant, and the gear transmission mechanism GT, combined with the effect of being disposed in the space C, makes it difficult for gear meshing noise to reach the ears of occupants.

[0253] Furthermore, in this embodiment, left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms SL are interposed between the floor portion 312 and the base 330, and the second annular recess 330a is disposed between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms SL so as to partially overlap the longitudinal slide mechanisms SL in a side view. This makes it possible to reasonably secure a sufficient depth for the second annular recess 330a by utilizing the dead space sandwiched between the left and right longitudinal slide mechanisms SL, and therefore the gear transmission mechanism GT can be housed at a lower position between the turntable 320 and the second annular recess 330a. This, combined with the effect of disposing the gear transmission mechanism GT in the space C, makes it even more difficult for gear meshing noise to reach the ears of occupants.

[0254] In addition, in the gear transmission mechanism GT of the embodiment, the fixed gear 336 is particularly an external gear, so that the meshing position with the drive gear 346 is radially outward. However, by arranging the gear transmission mechanism GT in the space C, the meshing sound of the gear transmission mechanism GT can be made less likely to reach the ears of the occupants.

[0255] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a bearing sleeve portion 331 disposed concentrically with the rotating disk 320 is fixed to the center of the base 330, and a second bearing B2 that supports the inner periphery of the rotating disk 320 is held in the bearing sleeve portion 331, and the radially inner side of the space C is closed by the bearing sleeve portion 331. This not only makes it possible to support the outer periphery of the rotating disk 320 on the base 330 via the first bearing B1, but also makes it possible to support the rotating disk 320 smoothly and in a more stable position on the base 330 by using a simple structure that utilizes the bearing sleeve portion 331 that supports the inner periphery of the rotating disk 320 via the second bearing B2, thereby improving the durability of the gear transmission mechanism GT. Moreover, because the radially inner side of the space C can be closed by the simple structure that utilizes the bearing sleeve portion 331, it is possible to further reduce the likelihood that the meshing noise of the gear transmission mechanism GT will reach the ears of passengers.

[0256] Incidentally, the actuator 340 for driving the seat to rotate is disposed so as to at least partially overlap with the pressure-receiving member 318 of the seat main body S in a plan view. This makes it possible to suppress the actuator 340 from protruding outward in the radial direction of the seat, which contributes to reducing the radial size of the seat main body S. Furthermore, the actuator 340 is disposed at a position where it will not interfere with the pressure-receiving member 318 even if the pressure-receiving member 318 is deflected downward by a downward load received from an occupant. Therefore, even if the pressure-receiving member 318 and the actuator 340 are disposed so as to overlap each other vertically, it is possible to avoid mutual interference between the pressure-receiving member 318 and the actuator 340 when the pressure-receiving member 318 is deflected and deformed.

[0257] In addition, the front end of the pressure receiving member 318 in this embodiment is engaged with and supported by the front cross member 311f of the seat frame SFc, and at least a portion of the actuator 340 is disposed so as to overlap with the front cross member 311f in a plan view. This allows the actuator 340 to be disposed directly below a portion of the pressure receiving member 318 that is close to the front cross member 311f (i.e., a portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure receiving member 318 receives a downward load from an occupant is small), thereby achieving the effect of eliminating the need to set the height of the pressure receiving member 318 (and therefore the height of the seat main body S) particularly high to avoid interference due to the deflection deformation. Furthermore, since the actuator 340 is positioned on the turntable 320 so that its longitudinal direction is roughly aligned with the front cross member 311f, even if the actuator 340 is long, most of the actuator 340 can be deployed directly below the portion of the pressure-receiving member 318 that is close to the front cross member 311f (i.e., the portion where the amount of deflection deformation when the pressure-receiving member 318 receives a downward load from an occupant is small), and the above-mentioned effect can be fully achieved.

[0258] Furthermore, in the gear transmission mechanism GT of the embodiment, the fixed gear 336 fixed to the base 330 is an external gear, and therefore the meshing position with the drive gear 346 is radially outward. Therefore, the actuator 340 can be placed directly below a portion of the pressure-receiving member 318 where the amount of deflection deformation is smaller when the pressure-receiving member 318 receives a downward load from an occupant, and therefore there is no need to set the height of the pressure-receiving member 318 (and therefore the height of the seat body S) particularly high to avoid interference due to the deflection deformation.

[0259] Furthermore, the actuator 340 of this embodiment is fixed to the bottom surface of the second annular recess 330a with its longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the tangential direction of the first annular recess 320a. This allows the actuator 340 to be compactly arranged on the bottom surface of the first annular recess 320a without increasing its upward bulk by aligning its longitudinal direction substantially with the tangential direction of the first annular recess 320a, even if the actuator 340 is long. This also makes it possible to easily avoid mutual interference between the actuator 340 and the pressure-receiving member 318.

[0260] In the embodiment, when the seat body S is fixed to the base 330 in a normal position facing forward, left and right fixing brackets 350 are fixed to the upper surfaces of both left and right sides of the turntable 320 with left and right reinforcing plates 355 sandwiched therebetween, and the left and right sides of the turntable 320 are fastened to the seat body S via the left and right fixing brackets 350, and the actuator 340 is disposed between the left and right fixing brackets 350 in the circumferential direction of the turntable 320. This makes it possible to avoid mutual interference between the actuator 340 and the fixing brackets 350 fixed to the turntable 320 to fix the turntable 320 to the seat body S, while disposing the actuator 340 in as low a position as possible and fixing it accurately on the turntable 320.

[0261] The upper surface of the outer periphery of the turntable 320 passes below the left and right fixing brackets 350 and is held, via a slider 370, on the lower surface of an upper fixing member 360 that is fixed to the outer periphery of the base 330. As a result, the turntable 320 is pressed down from above by the upper fixing member 360 that is fixed to the outer periphery of the base 330, while maintaining its smooth rotational performance, and is thereby prevented from floating up.

[0262] Moreover, since the upper fixing member 360 is composed of multiple divided fixing member elements 361, 362 arranged circumferentially around the turntable 320, the individual fixing member elements 361, 362 can be made lighter and smaller than when the upper fixing member 360 is composed of a single annular member, making it easier to handle.In addition, even when other functional parts (for example, the fixed side peeling prevention part 363) are also provided in the upper fixing member 360, the complexity of the manufacturing and processing process can be minimized.

[0263] Furthermore, in the embodiment, a rotation-side peeling suppression portion 353 is fixed to the fixed bracket 350, while a fixed-side peeling suppression portion 363 is fixed to the upper fixing member 360 corresponding to this rotation-side peeling suppression portion 353, and when an excessive load is applied to the sheet body S, the rotation-side peeling suppression portion 353 and the fixed-side peeling suppression portion 363 engage with each other, thereby making it possible to suppress peeling of the sheet body S from the base 330. As a result, the fixed bracket 350 that fastens the turntable 320 to the sheet body S and the upper fixing member 360 that suppresses the turntable 320 from floating up can be used as peeling suppression means that suppress peeling of the sheet body S, which can contribute to simplifying the peeling suppression structure and ultimately reducing costs.

[0264] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0265] For example, in the above embodiment, a seat device 301 was exemplified in which the seat frame SFc (side frame 311s) was directly fixed to the fixed bracket 350 on the turntable 320 and the seat body S could not be tilted, but the present invention may also be implemented in a seat device in which an electric or manual tilt mechanism that can tilt the seat frame SFc (and therefore the seat body S) is interposed between the fixed bracket 350 and the seat frame SFc (side frame 311s). [Explanation of symbols]

[0266] 1: Vehicle seat device 2: Rotating device 3: Seat body 4: Slide device 5: Floor 11: Seat cushion 12: Seat back 41: Slide operation lever 51: Base part 52: Rotating part 53: Electric actuator 54: Rotation lock device 56: Base plate 57: Center plate 58: Side plate 62: 1st bearing hole 66: Fixing member 71: Rotating plate 72: Fixed bracket 75: 2nd bearing hole 76: Edge wall 85: Sliding member 87: Support tube 88: First annular rib 89: Second annular rib 91: Bush 92: Anti-fall ring 93: Expanded diameter part 111: Electric motor 112: Reduction mechanism 121: Locking claw 122: Holder 131: Claw part 135: First lock hole 136: Second lock hole 137: biasing member 141: Control cable 142: Manual operation lever 151: Unlock actuator 156: Lock claw sensor 157: Sensor lever 161: Base side peeling prevention part 163: Rotating side separation prevention part 166: Base side sliding part 168: Rotating side sliding contact part 173: Detection piece 174: Magnetic proximity sensor 176: Base side stopper 177: First rotation side stopper 178: Second rotation side stopper

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle seat device, a rotation device provided between a floor and a seat cushion and configured to rotatably support the seat cushion relative to the floor; The rotation device is a base portion provided on the floor; a rotating portion provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported on the base portion; an electric actuator that rotates the rotating portion relative to the base portion; a rotation lock device that selectively prohibits rotation of the rotating part relative to the base part, The rotation locking device is manually operated to change between a locked state and an unlocked state, When the rotation lock device is released and power is not supplied to the electric actuator, the electric actuator allows the rotation part to rotate relative to the base part; the rotation locking device has a locking claw that is displaceably supported on one of the base portion and the rotating portion and displaces between a locked position where it engages with the other of the base portion and the rotating portion and a released position where it is separated from the other of the base portion and the rotating portion, a lock claw sensor for detecting the position of the lock claw is provided on one of the base portion and the rotating portion; the electric actuator is driven when the locking claw is in the release position, The base portion has a base plate with surfaces facing up and down, the rotating portion has a rotating plate rotatably supported on an upper surface of the base plate, In a plan view, the locking pawl and the locking pawl sensor are disposed inside an outer edge of the rotating plate.

Images