Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat capable of starting sliding movement and rotating movement of a seat body at proper timing.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat S includes: a seat body Sh on which an occupant is seated; a slide mechanism 50 for slidably moving the seat body Sh; a rotation mechanism 40 for rotatably moving the seat body Sh with a vertical direction as a rotation axis; a control section 80 that controls operations of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40; and operation sections 6, 7 that instruct the control section 80 to start control. The control section 80 sets starting time for transfer of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 when receiving the instructions of the operation sections 6, 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat in which the seat body is capable of sliding and rotating. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle seat equipped with a slide rail that allows the seat body to slide in the front-rear direction and a rotating member that rotates the seat body is known. In the vehicle seat disclosed in Patent Document 1, the rotational movement of the seat body is electrically powered by an actuator.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, seats have been developed in which an actuator is attached to a slide rail to electrically slide the seats forward and backward (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-132093 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2020 / 141600 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there are few vehicle seats in which both rotational movement and sliding movement are electrically powered, and there has been a need to devise a control method for when both rotational movement and sliding movement are electrically powered.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat in which the sliding movement and rotational movement of the seat body can be started at appropriate timing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which comprises a seat body on which an occupant sits, a slide mechanism that slides the seat body, a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat body around an axis of rotation in the vertical direction, a control unit that controls the operation of the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism, and an operation unit that instructs the control unit to start control, wherein the control unit sets the start time of the transition of the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism when instructed by the operation unit. According to the present invention, a vehicle seat can be provided that is equipped with an operation unit that instructs the control unit to start control, and when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, it sets the start time for the transition of the sliding mechanism and the rotation mechanism, thereby allowing the sliding movement and rotation movement of the seat body to start at the appropriate timing.

[0008] In the vehicle seat described above, the control unit is capable of transitioning the sliding movable mechanism and the rotation mechanism from their current states to their target states, and when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, it starts the transition of either the sliding movable mechanism or the rotation mechanism, and starts the transition of the other mechanism before the transition of the one mechanism is completed. Since the transition of the function of either the sliding movable mechanism or the rotation mechanism is started before the transition of the other mechanism is completed, the time required to transition the vehicle seat can be shortened compared to when the transition of one mechanism is started after the transition of the other mechanism is completed.

[0009] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, when the control unit receives an instruction from the operating unit, it is preferable that the control unit calculates a predicted transition completion time for each of the set operations, the sliding movable mechanism and the rotating mechanism, to transition from the current state to the target state, and sets the transition start time of one of the mechanisms to be earlier than the predicted transition completion time of the other mechanism. By calculating the predicted transition completion time, it is possible to more accurately start the transition of one mechanism by the time the transition of the other mechanism is completed.

[0010] In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, when the control unit receives an instruction from the operating unit, it is preferable that the control unit starts the transition of either the sliding mechanism or the rotation mechanism, and after the transition of one of the mechanisms is completed, starts the transition of the other mechanism. By restricting the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism from moving simultaneously, the movement can be stably performed.

[0011] In the vehicle seat described above, the control unit may simultaneously start the movement of the slide mechanism and the movement of the rotation mechanism when receiving an instruction from the operation unit. By starting the movement of the slide mechanism and the movement of the rotation mechanism simultaneously, the time required for moving the seat body can be minimized.

[0012] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat described above, the operating unit may be a rotating lever, and the control unit may start the transition of the slide mechanism when the rotation angle of the rotating lever is less than a predetermined angle, and start the transition of both the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism when the rotation angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle. By changing the rotation angle of the rotation lever, the occupant can select and instruct whether to move only the slide mechanism or both the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism, making it easier to move the seat body than, for example, when instructing the movement of each mechanism using multiple buttons. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a vehicle seat can be provided that is equipped with an operation unit that instructs the control unit to start control, and when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, it sets the start time for the transition of the sliding mechanism and the rotation mechanism, thereby allowing the sliding movement and rotation movement of the seat body to start at the appropriate timing. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the transition of the function of either the sliding movable mechanism or the rotation mechanism is started before the transition of the other mechanism is completed, thereby shortening the time required to transition the vehicle seat compared to when the transition of one mechanism is started after the transition of the other mechanism is completed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, by calculating the predicted transition completion time, it is possible to more accurately start the transition of one mechanism by the time the transition of the other mechanism is completed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, simultaneous movement of the slide mechanism and the rotating machine or the like is restricted, thereby making it possible to stably execute the movement. According to the present invention, the movement of the slide mechanism and the movement of the rotation mechanism are started simultaneously, thereby making it possible to minimize the time required for moving the seat body. According to the present invention, by changing the rotation angle of the rotation lever, the occupant can select and instruct whether to move only the slide mechanism or both the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism, making it easier to move the seat body than, for example, when instructing the movement of each mechanism using multiple buttons. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view schematically illustrating a configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame of the vehicle seat. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a rotation mechanism and a slide mechanism of the vehicle seat. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, showing the configuration of a rotation mechanism and a slide mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a slide mechanism. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper rail, with a portion cut away; [Figure 6B] 10 is a perspective view showing engagement between a screw member of the upper rail and an engaging member of the lower rail. FIG. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a top view of the rotation mechanism, schematically illustrating the positional relationship between the striker and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism. [Figure 7B] 10 is a top view of the rotation mechanism, schematically showing another example of the positional relationship between the striker and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism. FIG. [Figure 7C]10 is a top view of the rotation mechanism, schematically showing another example of the positional relationship between the striker and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism. FIG. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a slide mechanism that fixes a base member of the rotation mechanism. [Figure 8B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a slide mechanism that fixes a base member of a rotation mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a control target of the ECU. [Figure 10A] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a state of the vehicle seat in a driving mode. [Figure 10B] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating the vehicle seat in a leisure mode. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing timings at which the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism start transitioning; [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a case where the shift of the rotation mechanism is started before the shift of the slide mechanism is completed. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a case where the movement of the rotation mechanism starts after the movement of the slide mechanism is completed. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a case where the movement of the slide mechanism and the movement of the rotation mechanism are started simultaneously. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation angle of a rotary lever. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for operating the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism by using a rotation lever. [Figure 17] 10 is a flowchart for setting the moving speed of a vehicle seat depending on the orientation of the seat. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart for setting the moving speed of a vehicle seat in accordance with the rearward tilt angle of the seat back. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a side view showing another example of a vehicle seat, which is also slidable in the left-right direction. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 21A]4 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a first slide mechanism connected to a passenger seat and a rear seat and a first power supply device. FIG. [Figure 21B] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a first slide mechanism connected to a center seat and a first power supply device. FIG. [Figure 21C] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a first slide mechanism connected to a rear seat behind the driver's seat and a first power supply device. FIG. [Figure 22A] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a second slide mechanism connected to the passenger seat and the rear seat and a second power supply device. FIG. [Figure 22B] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a second slide mechanism connected to a center seat and a second power supply device. FIG. [Figure 22C] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between a second slide mechanism connected to a rear seat behind the driver's seat and a second power supply device. FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a slide mechanism and a battery of a vehicle according to a third embodiment, as viewed from above. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIV-XXIV in FIG. 23. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a slide mechanism to which a peel-off suppression member is attached. [Figure 26A] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a slide mechanism provided with a stopper. [Figure 26B] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a slide mechanism provided with a separate seat position detection sensor. [Figure 27] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a slide mechanism and a battery provided under the vehicle floor. [Figure 28] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing another example of a slide mechanism and a battery provided under the vehicle floor. [Figure 29] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism and the vehicle (vehicle body floor) as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXX-XXX in FIG. 29, showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism and the battery. [Figure 31]10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism and the rotating sheet member as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of an upper rail provided in the slide mechanism. [Figure 33] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a sound insulating cover provided around a motor of a slide mechanism. FIG. [Figure 34A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a gear cover provided in the slide mechanism. [Figure 34B] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a part of the slide mechanism provided with a gear cover. [Figure 35] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a slide mechanism and a latch mechanism. [Figure 36] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a slide mechanism to which a latch mechanism is attached. [Figure 37] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the positional relationship between a cable case and a blower. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] First Embodiment A vehicle seat S according to a first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 19. Note that the embodiment described below is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the shapes, dimensions, arrangements, etc. of the members described below may be changed or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0016] In the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction as seen by a person seated in the vehicle seat S, and is the direction that coincides with the direction in which the vehicle is traveling. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat S, and is the direction that coincides with the left-right direction as seen by a person seated in the vehicle seat S. Furthermore, the "vertical direction" refers to the height direction of the vehicle seat S, and coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle seat S is viewed from the front.

[0017] <<Configuration of the vehicle seat S>> First, the configuration of a vehicle seat S will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8B. The vehicle seat S is a seat that is installed in an automobile and in which a passenger can sit.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat S in an upright position. For convenience of illustration, FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of the vehicle seat S without a trim cover Tr (also referred to as a skin). FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat frame F of the vehicle seat S. FIG. 3 is a top view of a rotation mechanism 40, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, illustrating the configurations of the rotation mechanism 40 and the slide mechanism 50. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the slide mechanism 50. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an upper rail 52 with a portion cut away, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view illustrating the engagement between a worm gear 54 of the upper rail 52 and a screw engagement portion 57 of a lower rail 51. FIGS. 7A to 7C are top views of the rotation mechanism 40, each showing a schematic positional relationship between a striker 66 and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism 40. FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view showing a slide mechanism that fixes a base member of a rotation mechanism, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the slide mechanism.

[0019] 1, the vehicle seat S includes a seat body Sh as a seat on which an occupant sits, a rotation mechanism 40 that moves the seat body Sh, a slide mechanism 50, a reclining mechanism 70, and an ECU 80 (Electronic Control Unit) as a control unit that controls the operation of each mechanism. In addition, a power source 5 is provided in the vehicle, and power can be supplied to each mechanism via the ECU 80.

[0020] The seat body Sh mainly comprises a seat back 1, a seat cushion 2, a headrest 3, an operating switch 6, and a rotation lever 7. The seat back 1 is a backrest that supports the back of a seated passenger (occupant) from behind. The seat cushion 2 is a seating portion that supports the buttocks of the occupant. The headrest 3 is a support portion that is disposed at the upper end of the seat back 1 and supports the head of the occupant.

[0021] The seat back 1 is configured by disposing a cushion pad P on a seat back frame 10 (see FIG. 2), and further covering the cushion pad P with a trim cover Tr. The seat cushion 2 is configured by placing a cushion pad P on a seat cushion frame 20 (see FIG. 2) and further covering it with a trim cover Tr. The rear end of the seat cushion 2 is connected to the lower end of the seat back 1.

[0022] The seat back 1 and the seat cushion 2 are connected via a reclining mechanism 70. The reclining mechanism 70 makes it possible to adjust the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back 1 relative to the seat cushion 2. A reclining cover 28 is provided on the side of the seat cushion 2 to protect the reclining mechanism 70 and other components.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, a seat frame F (frame) is provided inside the vehicle seat S, and the seat frame F is mainly composed of a seat back frame 10 that forms the skeleton of the seat back 1, a seat cushion frame 20 that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 2, and a headrest frame 30 that forms the skeleton of the headrest 3.

[0024] <Seatback frame 10> As shown in Fig. 2, the seatback frame 10 is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame as a whole and includes an upper frame 11, a lower frame 12, and a pair of backside frames 13, 13. Each member constituting the seatback frame 10 is formed by pressing a steel plate. The pair of back side frames 13, 13 are spaced apart in the seat width direction (left-right direction). The upper frame 11 is disposed between the pair of back side frames 13, 13 and connects the upper ends of the back side frames 13, 13. The lower frame 12 is disposed between the pair of back side frames 13, 13 and connects the lower ends of the pair of back side frames 13, 13.

[0025] <Seat cushion frame 20> The seat cushion frame 20 is formed in a rectangular frame shape, and a pair of cushion side frames 21, 21 are provided on its sides. The seat cushion frame 20 also has a front connecting frame 22 that connects the pair of cushion side frames 21, 21 at the front, and a rear connecting frame 23 that connects them at the rear. The front connecting frame 22 and the rear connecting frame 23 at the front and rear of the vehicle seat S are made of round pipes. A cushion pan frame 24 is provided in front of the front connecting frame 22. An S spring 25 is attached to bridge between the cushion pan frame 24 and the rear connecting frame 23, and serves as a pressure-receiving member to support the buttocks of a seated occupant from below.

[0026] The S springs 25 are springs formed by bending a metal wire in a zigzag shape so that it snakes left and right, and adjacent S springs 25 are arranged symmetrically. The front and rear ends of the S springs 25 are provided with locking portions which engage with the rear end of the cushion pan frame 24 and the rear connecting frame 23. In other words, the S springs 25 are suspended between the cushion pan frame 24 and the rear connecting frame 23 of the seat cushion frame 20, and are arranged between the pair of cushion side frames 21, 21 in a plan view.

[0027] <Headrest 3 and headrest frame 30> The headrest 3 is attached to the upper end of the seat back 1 so as to support the head of a seated occupant. A headrest frame 30 that forms the framework of the headrest 3 is provided inside the headrest 3, as shown in FIG. 2. The headrest frame 30 has a pair of pillar portions 31, 31 (called headrest pillars or headrest stays) arranged on the left and right. The headrest 3 is attached to the seat back frame 10 by inserting the lower ends of the pillar portions 31, 31 into headrest guides 14 attached to the upper frame 11 of the seat back frame 10.

[0028] <Operation switch 6> In this embodiment, an operation switch 6 and a rotation lever 7 are provided on the seat body Sh as operation units. More specifically, the operation switch 6 is provided on the reclining cover 28, and the rotation lever 7 is provided on the side of the reclining cover 28. The operation switch 6 and the rotation lever 7 are connected to the ECU 80 via cables, and when a seat occupant operates the operation switch 6 or the rotation lever 7, an operation signal is sent to the ECU 80. The ECU 80 is configured to drive the rotation mechanism 40, the slide mechanism 50, and the reclining mechanism 70 based on the received operation signal.

[0029] The operation switch 6 may include not only various mechanisms for moving the seat body Sh but also a door switch for locking or unlocking the vehicle door DR, a window switch for opening and closing the window WD, a monitor switch for turning on and off the monitor inside the vehicle, a navigation operation switch for operating the car navigation system, and a light switch for turning on and off the lights. Furthermore, the operation switch 6 may also include a wiper operation switch for operating the wipers provided in the vehicle, a rear window wiper operation switch for operating the rear window wiper, and a side window wiper operation switch for operating the side window wipers. By providing an operation switch 6 for operating various mechanisms of the vehicle seat S and devices inside the vehicle, the operation switch 6 is in the same position as the seated occupant even when the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat is facing backward, making it easy to operate.

[0030] <Rotation mechanism 40> The vehicle seat S of this embodiment is provided with a rotation mechanism 40 that rotates the seat body Sh about an axis (rotation axis C) in the vertical direction. The rotation mechanism 40 is configured to be movable along lower rails 51 of a slide mechanism 50 while rotatably supporting the seat body Sh. The rotation mechanism 40 includes a base member 41 that is movable along the lower rail 51, a rotation member 42 that supports the seat frame and is rotatably supported on the base member 41, a cover member 43 that covers a portion of the rotation member 42 from above and is fixed to the base member 41, and a rotation drive device 44 that rotates and moves the rotation member 42.

[0031] The rotation member 42 is rotatably supported by a tubular rotation support portion 48 of the base member 41 via a bearing 49, and the rotation support portion 48 is formed so that its cross section is approximately L-shaped. The bearing 49 has balls 49a held at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction of an annular retainer, and the rotary member 42 is formed with annular recesses 49b for allowing the balls 49a to roll.

[0032] The rotating member 42 is rotated by a rotation drive device 44 provided between the rotating member 42 and the base member 41, and this rotation drive device 44 includes an actuator 45, an output gear 46 that rotates with the rotational power exerted by the actuator 45, and an input gear 47 that meshes with the output gear 46.

[0033] The actuator 45 and the output gear 46 are disposed on the rotating member 42, and the input gear 47 is fixed to the base member 41. When the electric motor in the actuator 45 rotates, the rotating member 42 rotates. The actuator 45 is controlled by the ECU 80. Furthermore, by counting the number of rotations of the motor of the actuator 45, the ECU 80 can grasp the current state of the rotation mechanism 40, for example, the rotation angle.

[0034] <Slide mechanism 50> The vehicle seat S of this embodiment is provided with a slide mechanism 50 that slides the seat body Sh in the front-rear direction. The slide mechanism 50 can move the seat body Sh by sliding upper rails 52 that support the base member 41 of the rotation mechanism 40 in the front-rear direction along lower rails 51. The lower rails 51 are connected to the vehicle body floor FL. The slide mechanism 50 of the vehicle seat S preferably has a pair of lower rails 51.

[0035] The slide mechanism 50 is a so-called electric slide rail, and includes a lower rail 51 having a groove-shaped cross section and extending in the front-rear direction, and an upper rail 52 that is received in the lower rail 51 and slidably engages with the lower rail 51. As shown in Fig. 6A , the slide mechanism 50 also includes a screw assembly 53 including a worm gear 54 that is supported by the upper rail 52 so as to be rotatable about the front-rear direction, and a motor 55 that is supported by the upper rail 52 and rotates the worm gear 54. The lower rail 51 is provided with a screw engagement portion 57 that extends in the front-rear direction and is formed to engage with the worm gear 54.

[0036] The lower rail 51 is provided with rail inner side walls 51a facing each other, and the screw engagement portion 57 is formed on the rail inner side walls 51a. The lower rail 51 is preferably formed by press-forming a metal plate.

[0037] The upper rail 52 is formed by fastening together multiple press-formed or roll-formed metal plates. In this embodiment, the upper rail 52 is composed of a first piece 52A and a second piece 52B. The first piece 52A has a base portion 52a, a left slider inner wall 52b, a left slider lower wall 52c, and a left slider outer wall 52d. The second piece 52B has a base portion 52a, a right slider inner wall 52b, a right slider lower wall 52c, and a right slider outer wall 52d. The first piece 52A and the second piece 52B are fastened together at their respective base portions 52a to form the upper rail 52. Note that the upper rail 52 may also be formed from a single press-formed or roll-formed metal plate.

[0038] The base portion 52a is disposed higher than the upper walls of the left and right lower rails 51. The left and right slider inner walls 52b have surfaces facing left and right and face each other at a distance from each other on the left and right. The left and right slider inner walls 52b are disposed between the rail inner walls of the lower rails 51. The slider inner walls 52b face the corresponding rail inner walls on the left and right with a gap therebetween. A plurality of wheels 52e are rotatably supported on the outer surface of the slider outer wall 52d in the left-right direction. Each wheel 52e has a rotation axis that rotates in the left-right direction and is in contact with the bottom wall (more specifically, the upper surface of the step portion) of the lower rail 51. The upper rail 52 is in contact with the lower rail 51 via the wheels 52e, allowing smooth sliding movement relative to the lower rail 51.

[0039] The upper rail 52 is formed into a groove shape that opens downward by a base portion 52a and left and right slider inner side walls 52b. As shown in Fig. 6A, a screw assembly 53 and a motor 55 are supported on the underside of the base portion 52a. The screw assembly 53 is provided with a worm gear 54 that is supported on the upper rail 52 and is rotatable in the front-to-rear direction. The motor 55 is configured to rotate the worm gear 54.

[0040] 6A, the screw assembly 53 has a gear case 58 that rotatably supports the worm gear 54, and a first bracket 59 for supporting the gear case 58 on the upper rail 52, and the gear case 58 has an opening formed therein to expose the worm gear 54 to the side. The gear case 58 makes it easy to assemble the screw assembly 53 to the upper rail 52.

[0041] Additionally, a second bracket 60 that supports the motor 55 is provided behind the first bracket 59 of the upper rail 52. In this embodiment, the second bracket 60 is configured to support the end of the motor 55 on the worm gear 54 side in a cantilever manner, which allows the motor 55 to tilt slightly with respect to the screw assembly 53 and allows for misalignment between the rotation shaft of the motor 55 and the screw assembly 53. Note that the second bracket 60 may be located in front of the first bracket 59.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 6B , the lower rail 51 is formed with a thread engagement portion 57 that extends in the front-rear direction and engages with the worm gear 54. FIG. 6 shows only the rail inner side wall 51a within the lower rail 51. The thread engagement portion 57 includes a thread engagement portion 57 formed in the left rail inner side wall 51a that meshes with the threads of the worm gear 54, and a thread engagement portion 57 formed in the right rail inner side wall 51a that meshes with the threads of the worm gear 54. The worm gear 54 can move forward and backward relative to the thread engagement portions 57 by rotating around the front-rear direction.

[0043] Here, a structure for fixing the rotation mechanism 40 to the slide mechanism 50 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle seat S of this embodiment is provided with strikers 66 at the front and rear ends of the upper rail 52 of the slide mechanism 50. In addition, a locking device 67 is provided on the bottom surface of the base member 41 of the rotation mechanism 40 at a position corresponding to the striker 66.

[0044] The striker 66 is a member formed by bending a metal wire into a U-shape in top view. The locking device 67 is composed of a hook 67a that engages with the front striker 66 and a latch 67b that engages with the tip of the rear striker 66. The latch 67b is rotatable and is biased by a spring to engage and lock with the striker 66, thereby fixing the seat main body Sh to the vehicle floor FL. The seat main body Sh can be removed from the vehicle floor FL by releasing the lock and disengaging the latch 67b from the striker 66. In this embodiment, the hook 67a is provided at the front end of the rotation mechanism 40, but the latch 67b may be provided instead of the hook 67a.

[0045] The striker 66 is provided on the upper rail 52 of the slide mechanism 50, and the seat body Sh is fixed by engaging a hook 67a and a latch 67b with the base member of the rotation mechanism 40. This makes it easier to attach and detach the seat body Sh than when it is fixed with screws, thereby improving the maintainability of the vehicle seat S.

[0046] 7A to 7C, the positional relationship between the striker 66 and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism 4 will be described. 7A to 7C are top views of the rotation mechanism 4 that schematically show the positional relationship between the striker 66 and the circumferential line of the rotation mechanism 4. 7A, the striker 66 provided in the slide mechanism 50 of this embodiment is disposed within a circumferential line D of the rotation mechanism 4 in a top view. The circumferential line D is the outer periphery of the rotation drive device 44 of the rotation mechanism 40. As shown in Figure 7B, the striker 66 may be disposed on the circumference of the circumferential line D. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7C, the striker 66 may be disposed within the circumference of the circumferential line D.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seat body Sh is fixed by engaging the striker 66 of the slide mechanism 50 with the locking device 67 of the rotation mechanism 40. However, as shown in Fig. 8A, the base member 41 of the rotation mechanism 40 may be directly attached to the upper rail 52 of the slide mechanism 50. In this case, it is preferable to attach the base member 41 to the base portion 52a of the upper rail 52 above the worm gear 54 and motor 55 that generate the driving force of the slide mechanism 50, and it is desirable to fasten them using bolts 68 or the like. Fastening them improves the mounting rigidity of the first bracket 59 and the second bracket 60 that support the worm gear 54 and the motor 55.

[0048] When fastening and fixing the base member 41 to the base portion 52a of the upper rail 52, a first bracket 59 that attaches the worm gear 54 (more precisely, the screw assembly 53) to the upper rail 52 may be fastened together with the base member 41. Also, a second bracket 60 that attaches the motor 55 to the upper rail may be fastened together with the base member 41. Furthermore, the base member 41 may be attached to the base portion 52a of the upper rail 52, avoiding the attachment positions (more specifically, fastening positions) of the first bracket 59 and the second bracket 60.

[0049] 8B, a slide mechanism 50A in which the vertical positional relationship between the lower rail 51 and the upper rail 52 is reversed may be used to secure the seat body Sh. The base member 41 of the rotation mechanism 40 is attached to the top surface of the upper rail 52′, and the bottom surface of the lower rail 51′ is fixed to the vehicle floor FL.

[0050] 5, the slide mechanism 50 has a power supply device 61 for supplying power to the motor 55. The power supply device 61 has an electric transmitter 62 and an electric receiver 63 made of a conductive contact terminal that slides against the electric transmitter 62.

[0051] The electrical transmitting unit 62 is connected to the power source 5 and has a conductive strip 64 made of a strip-shaped metal plate extending back and forth inside the lower rail 51, and an electrical insulating plate 65 provided between the lower rail 51 and the conductive strip 64.

[0052] The electrical receiving portion 63 is provided at the lower end of the motor 55 or the gear case 58, and extends between the electrical receiving portion 63 and the conductive strip 64. The electrical receiving portion 63 is, for example, a metal piece having electrical conductivity. When the electric receiving portion 63 receives power from the electric transmitting portion 62, the motor 55 receives power from the power source 5. When the upper rail 52 moves back and forth relative to the lower rail 51, the electric receiving portion 63 slides back and forth relative to the corresponding electric transmitting portion 62, and maintains contact with the conductive strip 64 of the electric transmitting portion 62.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 1, the power supply device 61 of the slide mechanism 50 is connected to the power source 5 via the ECU 80. The ECU 80 is connected to the power source 5, the electric transmitter 62 of the slide mechanism 50, the operation switch 6, and the rotary lever 7. The operation switch 6 is provided with a button corresponding to forward movement and a button corresponding to reverse movement. Also, a button for transitioning the vehicle seat S to a specific preset state is provided.

[0054] The ECU 80 adjusts the power supplied to the electrical transmitter 62 based on an operation signal from the operation switch 6, and controls the direction and amount of rotation of the motor 55. This allows the occupant to operate the operation switch 6 to drive the slide mechanism 50, move the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S forward or backward relative to the vehicle floor FL, or transition to a specific mode.

[0055] <Reclining mechanism 70> The reclining mechanism 70 is a mechanism that moves (rotates) the seat back 1 so as to change the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back 1, and is configured, for example, by a motor 71 provided on the seat back frame 10. When the reclining mechanism 70 operates, the seat back 1 rotates around an axis member that connects the seat back 1 and the seat cushion 2, and the seat back 1 is reclined at a predetermined rearward tilt angle G relative to the seat cushion 2. Furthermore, the seat cushion 2 according to this embodiment may be configured so that the height of the seat cushion 2 from the vehicle floor FL is adjustable by a height mechanism.

[0056] In addition to the above configuration, the vehicle seat S may also include various sensors and devices. For example, the vehicle seat S may include an occupant detection sensor that detects whether an occupant is seated, a temperature adjustment device, a lumbar support mechanism, a pressure sensor, a vibration motor, a distance sensor, and an illuminance sensor.

[0057] The operation switch 6 is provided on the side of the seat cushion 2 of the vehicle seat S, more specifically on the upper surface of the reclining cover 28, and is an operation unit for instructing a mode change of the vehicle seat S. For example, the operation switch 6 may include a first button for changing the vehicle seat S from the driving mode to the leisure mode, and a second button for changing the vehicle seat S from the leisure mode to the driving mode.

[0058] The ECU 80 is a control unit that receives operation signals from the above-mentioned sensors and operation switches 6 and controls each drive mechanism based on the operation signals. As shown in Fig. 9, the ECU 80 includes a processor 81, a memory 82, and an input / output interface 83.

[0059] The processor 81 is a central processing unit that executes various arithmetic processes based on programs and data stored in the memory 82 and controls each part of the vehicle seat S. The memory 82 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, and functions as a work memory for the processor 81 in addition to storing various programs and data. The input / output interface 83 communicates with each device, such as the rotation mechanism 40, the slide mechanism 50, the reclining mechanism 70, the operation switch 6, the rotation lever 7, and various sensors provided on the seat. The processor 81 executes various arithmetic processes and controls each device based on signals received from each device connected via the input / output interface 83.

[0060] Specifically, when the ECU 80 receives a signal related to a mode change of the vehicle seat S from the operation switch 6, the ECU 80 operates the rotation mechanism 40, the slide mechanism 50, and the reclining mechanism 70 based on the signal. At this time, when the ECU 80 receives a detection signal indicating that an occupant is seated from the occupant detection sensor, the ECU 80 may control the rotation mechanism 40, etc. to slow down the movement speed.

[0061] <About the behavior of the vehicle seat S when it is deformed> Hereinafter, the operation of the vehicle seat S during deformation will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 10A to 18. FIG.

[0062] In the following description, the vehicle seat S is assumed to be transformed from a "driving mode" to a "leisure mode." The "driving mode" is a mode in which the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S is in an upright position with the occupant facing forward, as shown in FIG. 10A. The "leisure mode" is a mode in which the seat body Sh is positioned rearward and faces backward so that the occupant can face passengers in the rear seats, as shown in FIG. 10B.

[0063] The memory 82 of the ECU 80 stores information about the position and rotation angle of the vehicle seat S in each mode, and the occupant can switch between the modes by operating the operation switch 6. For example, when the vehicle seat S is in the driving mode position, if the occupant operates the operation switch 6 to switch to the "leisure mode," the ECU 80 starts the process of transitioning to the "leisure mode." That is, when an occupant operates the vehicle seat S to switch from the current state, "driving mode," to the target state, "leisure mode," the operation switch 6 receives the operation and outputs an operation signal according to the operation content. When the ECU 80 receives the operation signal from the operation switch 6, it uses this as a trigger to execute mode transition processing.

[0064] More specifically, when the ECU 80 receives an operation signal from the operation switch 6, it executes a transition process for the vehicle seat so as to transition from the state shown in FIG. 10A to the state shown in FIG. 10B. For example, the ECU 80 moves the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S rearward using the slide mechanism 50, and changes the orientation of the seat body Sh using the rotation mechanism 40. At this time, the following three patterns are assumed as patterns for starting the transition between the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40.

[0065] In the first pattern, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 11, the movement by the sliding mechanism 50 starts first, and the movement by the rotation mechanism 40 starts before the movement by the sliding mechanism 50 is completed. In the second pattern, as shown in the middle part of Fig. 11, the movement by the sliding mechanism 50 starts first, and the movement by the rotation mechanism 40 starts after the movement by the sliding mechanism 50 is completed. In the third pattern, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 11, the movement by the sliding mechanism 50 and the movement by the rotation mechanism 40 start simultaneously.

[0066] 11, t1 indicates the transition start time when the sliding mechanism 50 starts transitioning, t2 indicates the predicted transition completion time when the transition of the sliding mechanism 50 is completed, and ET1 indicates the movement time required for the transition of the sliding mechanism 50. Also, t3 indicates the time when the rotation mechanism 40 starts transitioning (transition start time), t4 indicates the predicted transition completion time when the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is completed, and ET2 indicates the movement time required for the transition. In this embodiment, switching from the running mode to the leisure mode is achieved by first performing the transition using the slide mechanism 50 as one mechanism, and then starting the transition using the rotation mechanism 40 as the other mechanism. However, this is just one example, and the mode may also be achieved by first starting the transition using the rotation mechanism 40 as one mechanism, and then starting the transition using the slide mechanism 50 as the other mechanism.

[0067] The transition processing by the ECU 80 will be described with reference to Figs. 12 to 14. Fig. 12 is a flowchart of a first pattern of transition processing, i.e., a case where the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is started before the transition of the slide mechanism 50 is completed. Fig. 13 is a flowchart of a second pattern of transition processing, i.e., a case where the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is started after the transition of the slide mechanism 50 is completed. Fig. 14 is a flowchart of a third pattern of transition processing, i.e., a case where the transition of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 starts simultaneously.

[0068] <First pattern> 12, the ECU 80 receives a control start instruction as an operation signal from the operation switch 6. More specifically, for example, when the occupant presses the leisure mode button of the operation switch, an operation signal is sent to the ECU 80, and the ECU 80 receives a command signal (step S101).

[0069] The ECU 80 acquires the current state and the target state of the vehicle seat S (step S102). The current state of the vehicle seat S is the state of the vehicle seat S when a control start command is received from the operation switch 6, and the target state is the state to which the vehicle seat S will be transitioned. When the current mode of the vehicle seat S is the "driving mode", the ECU 80 acquires information on the position and rotation angle of the vehicle seat S in the "driving mode" stored in advance in the memory 82 as information on the current state. When the target state, which is the state to which the vehicle seat S will be transitioned, is the "leisure mode", the ECU 80 acquires information on the position and rotation angle of the vehicle seat S stored in the memory 82 as information on the target state.

[0070] If the current mode of the vehicle seat S is unknown, the current position and rotation angle may be calculated from the recorded rotation speeds of the motors mounted on the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40. In addition, the current position of the vehicle seat S may be obtained by providing a LiDAR sensor or the like on the vehicle seat S to acquire the position, and measuring the current position of the vehicle seat S with the sensor.

[0071] After acquiring the current state and the target state of the vehicle seat S, the ECU 80 calculates a predicted transition completion time t2, which is the time when the transition by the slide mechanism 50 will be completed, from the distance to the target state and the set moving speed. Then, the ECU 80 sets a time a predetermined time before that time as a transition start time t3 of the rotation mechanism 40 (step S104). If the current time is earlier than the predicted transition completion time t2, the predetermined time is changed to a shorter time, or the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is started using the second or third pattern described below. The transition start time t3 of the rotation mechanism 40 is set to a predetermined time before the predicted transition completion time t2 of the slide mechanism 50, but it may also be set to start a predetermined time after the transition of the slide mechanism 50 begins.

[0072] After setting the transition start time t3 of the rotation mechanism 40, the ECU 80 starts the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S104). The ECU 80 constantly monitors the time and the state of the slide mechanism 50 (step S105), and when the time to start the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 comes during the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S105: Yes), the ECU 80 starts the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 (step S106). At this time, the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 are transitioning simultaneously.

[0073] The ECU 80 continues to monitor the state of the slide mechanism 50 (step S107), and if it determines that the slide mechanism is in the target state (step S107: Yes), it stops the slide mechanism 50 and completes the transition. If the slide mechanism 50 is not in the target state (step S107: No), it returns to step S106 and continues the transition of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40.

[0074] In step S108, the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 continues even after the transition of the slide mechanism 50 is completed. The ECU 80 monitors the rotation mechanism 40 (step S109) and determines whether the rotation mechanism 40 is in the target state. If the rotation mechanism 40 is in the target state (step S109: Yes), the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is completed and stopped (step S119). If the rotation mechanism 40 is not in the target state (step S109: No), the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 continues until the rotation mechanism 40 reaches the target state. By simultaneously operating the rotation mechanism 40 and the slide mechanism 50 for a portion of the time, the time required to complete the transition can be shortened. In addition, since only one of the mechanisms is operating at the start and end of the transition, the mechanisms can be operated stably.

[0075] <Second pattern> In the second pattern, as shown in FIG. 13, the ECU 80 receives a control start instruction from the operation switch 6 (step S201). Next, the ECU 80 acquires the current state and the target state of the vehicle seat S (step S202). The method of acquiring the current state and the target state is the same as in the first pattern, so a detailed description will be omitted. Next, the ECU 80 starts the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S203) and monitors the state of the slide mechanism 50. If it is determined that the slide mechanism 50 is in the target state (step S204: Yes), the ECU 80 completes and stops the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S205).

[0076] Next, the ECU 80 starts the transition of the rotation mechanism 40, triggered by the completion of the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S206). The ECU 80 continues to monitor the state of the rotation mechanism 40 (step S207), and when the rotation mechanism 40 reaches the target state (step S207: Yes), the ECU 80 completes and stops the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 (step S208). By starting the movement of the rotation mechanism 40 after the movement of the slide mechanism 50 has been completed, it takes time to complete the movement, but the operation of each mechanism can be carried out stably.

[0077] <Third pattern> 14, in the third pattern, the ECU 80 receives a control start command from the operation switch 6 (step S301). Next, the ECU 80 acquires the current state and the target state of the vehicle seat S (step S302). The method of acquiring the current state and the target state is the same as in the first pattern, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Next, the ECU 80 simultaneously starts the transitions of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 (steps S303 and S306). The ECU 80 monitors the transitions of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 (steps S304 and S307). If the slide mechanism 50 is in the target state (step S304: Yes), the transition of the slide mechanism 50 is completed and stopped (step S205). If the slide mechanism 50 is not in the target state (step S304: No), the slide mechanism 50 continues to transition until it reaches the target state. If the rotation mechanism 40 is in the target state (step S307: Yes), the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 is stopped and completed (step S308). If the rotation mechanism 40 is not in the target state (step S307: No), the transition of the rotation mechanism 40 continues until it reaches the target state. By starting the shifts of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 simultaneously, the shifts can be completed in the shortest time.

[0078] When an occupant operates the operation button, the vehicle seat S is moved in one of the first to third patterns. The pattern to be implemented is stored in advance in the memory of the ECU 80, and the ECU 80 executes the movement in the stored pattern. It is recommended that the occupant set in the memory 82 which pattern to use to start the movement of the mechanism.

[0079] <Rotating lever 7> The vehicle seat S of this embodiment can also use the rotary lever 7 to send a control start instruction signal to the ECU 80 to operate the slide mechanism 50 or the rotation mechanism 40. More specifically, the rotary lever 7 can send different control start instruction signals depending on the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7. For example, when the occupant rotates the rotary lever 7 less than a predetermined angle α1 (in the case of a rotation angle θ1 in FIG. 15 ), the occupant can instruct the slide mechanism 50 only to move, and when the occupant rotates the rotary lever 7 by an angle equal to or greater than the predetermined angle α1 (in the case of a rotation angle θ2 in FIG. 15 ), the occupant can instruct the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 to move. The passenger can stop the movement of the slide mechanism 50 or the rotation mechanism 40 by returning the rotation of the rotation lever 7 to its original position, that is, by setting the rotation angle θ of the rotation lever 7 to 0 degrees.

[0080] Alternatively, the rotary lever 7 may be configured to directly transmit information about the rotation angle θ to the ECU 80. In this case, for example, the ECU 80 can instruct whether to shift the slide mechanism 50 or to shift both the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 according to the received rotation angle θ.

[0081] The shifting process of the vehicle seat S using the rotary lever 7 will be described with reference to Figure 16. The ECU 80 receives a control start command from the rotary lever 7 (step S401). Then, it acquires information on the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7. The rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 may be received from the rotary lever 7, or may be acquired from a sensor capable of measuring the rotation angle θ (step S402).

[0082] Next, the ECU 80 determines whether the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 is less than a predetermined angle α1 (step S403). If it is less than the predetermined angle α1 (step S403: Yes), only the movement of the slide mechanism 50 is started (step S404). While moving the slide mechanism 50, the ECU 80 continues to acquire the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 (step S405).

[0083] If the rotation angle θ is 0 degrees (step S406: Yes), the ECU 80 stops the slide mechanism 50 and ends the transition process (step S407). If the rotation angle θ is not 0 degrees (step S406: No), the ECU 80 continues the transition of the slide mechanism 50 (step S408). Then, the process returns to step S405, and the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 is continuously acquired.

[0084] In step S403, if the rotation angle θ is not less than the predetermined angle α1 (step S403: No), that is, if the rotation angle θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle α1, the ECU 80 starts the transition of both the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 (step S409). While performing the transition of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40, the ECU 80 continues to acquire the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 (step S410). If the acquired rotation angle θ is 0 degrees (step S411: Yes), the ECU 80 stops the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 and ends the transition process (step S412). If the acquired rotation angle is not 0 degrees, the ECU 80 returns to step S410 while operating the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40, and acquires the rotation angle θ of the rotary lever 7 (step S413).

[0085] In this embodiment, when the rotation angle θ is less than the predetermined angle α1, the sliding mechanism 50 is shifted, and when the rotation angle θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle α1, both the sliding mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 are shifted, but this is just an example, and when the angle is less than the predetermined angle α1, only the rotation mechanism 40 may be shifted. Also, when the angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle α1, only the rotation mechanism 40 may be shifted. When operating the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 with separate buttons, the occupant must check the button's function before pressing it to operate it, but by changing the rotation angle of one rotation lever 7, both the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 can be operated, which is convenient and eliminates the need to check what is at hand.

[0086] <Movement speed change processing> When moving the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S, it is advisable to change the speed of movement depending on the state of the vehicle seat S. For example, if the orientation of the seat body and the direction of movement are opposite, the seated person may become anxious because they cannot confirm the situation in the direction of movement. In this case, it is advisable to set the speed of movement of the seat body slower than the normal speed. Also, if the seat back of the vehicle seat S is tilted backward significantly, it is difficult for the seated person to confirm the situation around them. Therefore, it is advisable to set the speed of movement of the seat body Sh to a low speed (low speed mode). On the other hand, if no occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S, it is better to move the seat body Sh as quickly as possible.

[0087] Therefore, in the vehicle seat S of this embodiment, when a control start command is received from the operation switch 6, the ECU 80 is configured to change the movement speed of the vehicle seat S in accordance with the current state of the vehicle seat S. For example, when there is an occupant in the vehicle seat S and the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S faces backward with respect to the movement direction of the seat body Sh, the ECU 80 sets the movement speed of the seat body Sh to be slower than the normal speed (low speed mode).

[0088] An example of the process of changing the moving speed will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing a process of changing the moving speed depending on the orientation of the seat body Sh. The ECU 80 receives a control start command from the operation switch 6 (step S501). At this time, the ECU 80 acquires the current state and the target state of the vehicle seat S (step S502). The method of acquiring the current state and the target state is the same as that of step S102 shown in FIG. 12, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] Next, the ECU 80 determines whether the seat body Sh is facing backward with respect to the moving direction (step S503). If the seat body Sh is facing backward (step S503: Yes), it determines whether an occupant is on the seat. The determination of the occupant is performed using a seating sensor or the like provided on the seat (step S504). If an occupant is on the seat (step S504: Yes), the sliding mechanism 50 and the rotating mechanism 40 are set to transition to the low-speed mode (step S505). The setting process ends, and after step S505, the ECU 80 starts the transition process of the sliding mechanism 50 or the rotating mechanism 40 at the set moving speed.

[0090] In step S503, if the seat body Sh is not facing backward with respect to the movement direction but facing the same direction as the movement direction (step S503: No), the movement speeds of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 are set to the normal speed. Also, in step S504, if there is no occupant (step S504: No), the movement speeds of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 are set to the normal speed. Note that if there is no occupant on the seat, the movement speeds of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 may be set to be faster than normal. Thereafter, the setting process ends, and after step S506, the ECU 80 starts the transition process of the slide mechanism 50 or the rotation mechanism 40 at the set movement speed.

[0091] Another example of the movement speed setting process will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing a case where the movement speed of the vehicle seat S is set in accordance with the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back 1. The ECU 80 receives a control start command from the operation switch 6 (step S601). At this time, the ECU 80 acquires the current state of the vehicle seat S (step S602). At this time, the ECU 80 also acquires the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back as the current state. The rearward tilt angle G is calculated, for example, from the number of rotations of the motor when the reclining mechanism 70 is driven. The rearward tilt angle G of the seat back 1 may be measured, for example, using a LiDAR sensor or the like.

[0092] Next, the ECU 80 determines whether the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle E (step S603). If the rearward tilt angle G of the seat back is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle E (step S603: Yes), it determines whether an occupant is present on the seat. The determination of the presence of an occupant is performed using a seating sensor or the like provided on the seat (step S604). If an occupant is present on the seat (step S604: Yes), the sliding mechanism 50 and the rotating mechanism 40 are set to transition to the low-speed mode (step S605). The ECU 80 then starts the transition process of the sliding mechanism 50 or the rotating mechanism 40 at the set movement speed.

[0093] In step S603, if the backward tilt angle G of the seat body Sh is not equal to or greater than the predetermined angle E (step S603: No), the movement speed of the seat body Sh caused by the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 is set to the normal speed. Also, in step S604, if there is no occupant (step S604: No), the movement speed of the slide mechanism 50 and the rotation mechanism 40 is set to the normal speed. Note that if there is no occupant on the seat, the movement speed of the seat body Sh caused by the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism may be set to be faster than normal. Thereafter, the setting process ends, and after step S606, the ECU 80 starts the transition process of the slide mechanism 50 or the rotation mechanism 40 at the set movement speed.

[0094] <Other configurations> The vehicle seat S of this embodiment is configured to include a rotation mechanism 40 that rotates the seat body Sh and a slide mechanism 50 that moves it in the front-to-rear direction, but this is just an example, and the direction of movement of the seat body Sh is not limited to this. For example, as in the vehicle seat SA shown in Fig. 19, a lateral slide mechanism 90 that moves the seat body Sh in the left-to-right direction may be further provided between the rotation mechanism 40 and the slide mechanism 50.

[0095] The lateral slide mechanism 90 is mainly composed of a lower rail 91, an upper rail 92 attached to the base member 41 of the rotation mechanism 40 and sliding on the lower rail 91, and a mounting bracket 93 that attaches the lower rail 91 to the upper rail 52 of the slide mechanism 50. The lower rail 91 and the upper rail 92 are installed to extend in the left-right direction (lateral direction), and the seat body Sh can be moved in the left-right direction by sliding the upper rail 92.

[0096] The lateral slide mechanism 90 is electrically driven and has a drive mechanism similar to that of the slide mechanism 50. The lateral slide mechanism 90 is controlled by the ECU 80, and by cooperating with the slide mechanism 50, which moves the seat body Sh in the front-rear direction, the lateral slide mechanism 90 can also move the seat body Sh in an oblique direction.

[0097] Furthermore, when the seat body Sh is moved in the left-right direction by the lateral slide mechanism 90, the rotation mechanism 40 may start moving after the lateral slide mechanism 90 starts moving and before the lateral slide mechanism 90 completes moving. Alternatively, the rotation mechanism 40 may start moving first, and the slide mechanism 90 may start moving before the rotation mechanism 40 completes moving. Furthermore, the start of the shift of the lateral slide mechanism 90 may be started simultaneously with the start of the shift of the rotation mechanism 40. The shift of the rotation mechanism 40 may be started after the shift of the lateral slide mechanism 90 is completed, or the shift of the lateral slide mechanism 90 may be started after the shift of the rotation mechanism 40 is completed.

[0098] <<Second embodiment>> A vehicle V according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 19 to 21C. Note that the embodiment described below is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the shapes, dimensions, arrangements, and the like of the components described below may be changed or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0099] <Vehicle V Configuration> Figure 20 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of vehicle V, and shows the positional relationship between the vehicle seats S1 to S5 installed therein and multiple slide mechanisms (first slide mechanism 201A to second slide mechanism 202B) that slide the vehicle seats in the forward and backward directions. 21A to 21C are cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship between the first sliding mechanism 201 and the first power supply device 220, and FIGS. 22A to 22C are views showing the positional relationship between the second sliding mechanism 202 and the second power supply device 230.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 20, a vehicle V is provided with a front wheel FW at the front of the vehicle V and a rear wheel RW at the rear of the vehicle V, and the rear wheel RW is housed in a wheel house WH of the vehicle V.

[0101] Between the front wheels FW and rear wheels RW, the driver's seat S1 and passenger seat S2 are located in the first row, and behind the driver's seat S1 and passenger seat S2 are the rear seats of the second row. A center seat S5 is located in the rear seats of the second row.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 20, a plurality of sliding mechanisms 201A-202C extending in the front-rear direction are arranged on the vehicle body floor FL of the vehicle V, and the passenger seat S2, rear seats S3 and S4, and center seat S5 are slidable in the front-rear direction. The passenger seat S2 and rear seat S4 are connected to a first sliding mechanism 201A and a second sliding mechanism 202A, and can slide independently. The center seat S5 is connected to a first sliding mechanism 201B and a second sliding mechanism 202B, and can move in the front-rear direction between the driver's seat S1 and passenger seat S2 and between the rear seats S3 and S4. The rear seat S3 of the driver's seat S1 is connected to a first sliding mechanism 201C and a second sliding mechanism 202C, and can slide. In the following description, the first sliding mechanisms 201A to 201C have the same configuration except for their different locations, and therefore, when no distinction is made, they may simply be referred to as first sliding mechanisms 201. Similarly, when no distinction is made, the second sliding mechanisms 202A to 202C may also be referred to as second sliding mechanisms 202.

[0103] 20, a first power supply device 220 that supplies power to the vehicle seat S is provided at the rear end of the first slide mechanism 201. A second power supply device 230 that supplies power to the vehicle seat S is arranged in parallel with the second slide mechanism 202.

[0104] <Slide mechanism> The first slide mechanism 201 and the second slide mechanism 202 have the same configuration as the slide mechanism 50 used in the vehicle seat S of the first embodiment. The first slide mechanism 201 and the second slide mechanism 202 are composed of a lower rail 211 attached to the vehicle body floor FL and an upper rail 212 that slides on the lower rail and is connected to the seat body. The first slide mechanism 201 and the second slide mechanism 202 of this embodiment are electrically driven, and by rotating two worm gears 213 using a motor 214 provided on the upper rail 212, the upper rail 212 slides in the front-rear direction, thereby sliding the connected seat body Sh.

[0105] The motor 214 of the first slide mechanism 201 and the second slide mechanism 202 can receive power from a power supply device and includes an electric receiving unit 215 that receives electric power and electric transmitting units 216A and 216B that transmit electric power to the electric receiving unit 215. The electric transmitting units 216A and 216B are provided in a recessed portion 211b in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211. The electric receiving unit 215 is attached to the bottom surface of a gear case that supports the worm gear 213, and is disposed so as to face the electric transmitting units 216A and 216B. The electric receiving unit 215 may also be attached to the bottom surface of the motor 214.

[0106] <First power supply device> A first power supply device 220 is provided at the rear end of the first slide mechanism 201. The first power supply device 220 is a device for supplying power to, for example, a heater device (not shown) provided in the seat body Sh of the vehicle seat S. The first power supply device 220 is an existing power supply device, and a detailed description of its configuration will be omitted. However, the first power supply device 220 is mainly composed of a power supply cable 222 and a first cable case 221 that houses the power supply cable 222. One end of the power supply cable 222 is connected to a power source 5 provided in the vehicle V. The other end of the power supply cable 222 is connected to the upper rail 212. As the upper rail 212 moves, the power supply cable 222 also moves, allowing continuous power supply to the seat body. The power supply cable 222 is arranged within the first cable case 221 to follow the outer shape of the first cable case 221, and the length extending from the first cable case 221 can be adjusted.

[0107] The positional relationship between first slide mechanism 201 and first power supply device 220 will be described with reference to FIGS. 21A to 21C.

[0108] <First slide mechanism 201A> First, a description will be given of the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201A connected to passenger seat S2 and the second-row seat S4 behind it, and first power supply device 220. Fig. 21A is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201A connected to passenger seat S2 and the second-row seat S4 behind it, and first power supply device 220. As shown in FIG. 21A, a recess is formed in the vehicle body floor FL to accommodate the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220, and the bottom of the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220 is configured to be positioned lower than the bottom of the first slide mechanism 201A.

[0109] The worm gear 213 of the first slide mechanism 201A is disposed above the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220. A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above an upper end 221 a of the first cable case 221 . A lower end 223 a of the worm gear 213 is disposed above an upper end 222 a of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221 .

[0110] An upper end 214a of a motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 21A) of the first slide mechanism 201A is disposed above the upper end of the first cable case 221. The lower end 214b of the motor 214 is disposed below the upper end of the first cable case 221. A lower end 214b of the motor 214 is disposed above an upper end 222a of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221.

[0111] As described above, the electric transmitter 216A is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211. The width W1 of the electric transmitter 216A is larger than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T1 of the electric transmitter 216A is smaller than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211.

[0112] <First slide mechanism 201B> Next, a description will be given of the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201B connected to center seat S5 and first power supply device 220. FIG. 21B is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201B and first power supply device 220. As shown in FIG. 21B, a convex portion is formed on the vehicle body floor FL on which the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220 is placed, and the bottom of the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220 is configured to be positioned higher than the bottom of the first slide mechanism 201B.

[0113] The worm gear 213 of the first slide mechanism 201B is disposed below the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220. A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below an upper end 221 a of the first cable case 221 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below an upper end 222 a of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221 .

[0114] An upper end 214a of motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 21B) of first slide mechanism 201B is disposed below an upper end 221a of first cable case 221. A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed below a lower end 221 b of the first cable case 221 . A lower end 214b of the motor 214 is disposed above an upper end 222a of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221.

[0115] As described above, the electrical transmitter 216B is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211. The width W2 of the electrical transmitter 216B is narrower than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T2 of the electrical transmitter 216B is thicker than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211.

[0116] <First slide mechanism 201C> Next, a description will be given of the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201C connected to second-row seat S3 behind driver's seat S1 and first power supply device 220. FIG. 21C is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between first sliding mechanism 201C and first power supply device 220. As shown in FIG. 21C, the first slide mechanism 201C and the first power supply device 220 are placed on the same surface of the vehicle body floor FL, and the bottom of the first slide mechanism 201C and the bottom of the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220 are configured to be at the same height.

[0117] The worm gear 213 of the first slide mechanism 201C is disposed at the same position as the first cable case 221 of the first power supply device 220 in the vertical direction. A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below an upper end 221 a of the first cable case 221 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above an upper end 222 a of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221 .

[0118] An upper end 214a of motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 21C) of first slide mechanism 201C is disposed below the upper end of first cable case 221. A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed above a lower end 221 b of the first cable case 221 . A lower end 214b of the motor 214 is disposed above a lower end 222b of the power supply cable 222 disposed inside the first cable case 221.

[0119] As described above, the electric transmitter 216A is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211. The width W1 of the electric transmitter 216A is larger than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T1 of the electric transmitter 216A is smaller than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211.

[0120] <Second power supply device 230> A second power supply device 230 is provided parallel to the second slide mechanism 202. The second power supply device 230 is, for example, a power supply rail that supplies power to a reclining actuator provided in the seat body Sh. The second power supply device 230 includes a long, cylindrical second cable case 231, a rail 234 laid inside the second cable case 231, and a flexible flat cable 233 housed inside the rail 234 inside the second cable case 231. The second power supply device 230 also includes a fixed terminal (not shown) fixed to the second cable case 231, a movable terminal (not shown) that moves in the longitudinal direction of the second cable case 231, and an actuator 235 that houses the movable terminal and moves along a slit formed in the case. A guide plate 232 is provided on the inner surface of the second cable case 231 to guide the movement of the actuator 235 while pressing the flexible flat cable 233 with a spring force.

[0121] <Second slide mechanism 202A> The following describes the positional relationship between the passenger seat S2 and the second slide mechanism 202A connected to the second-row seat S4 behind it, and the second power supply device 230. Fig. 22A is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the passenger seat S2 and the second slide mechanism 202A connected to the second-row seat S4 behind it, and the second power supply device 230. As shown in FIG. 22A, a recess is formed in the vehicle body floor FL to accommodate the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230, and the bottom of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 is configured to be positioned lower than the bottom of the second slide mechanism 202A.

[0122] An upper end 213 a of the worm gear 213 of the second slide mechanism 202 A is disposed above an upper end 231 a of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below an upper end 231 a of the second cable case 231 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above a lower end 233 b of a flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above an upper end 232 a of the guide plate 232 .

[0123] An upper end 214a of a motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 22A) of the second slide mechanism 202A is disposed below an upper end 231a of the second cable case 231. A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed below an upper end 231 a of the second cable case 231 . A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed below a lower end 233 b of the flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 .

[0124] As described above, the electric transmitter 216B is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211 of the second slide mechanism 202A. The width W2 of the electric transmitter 216B is narrower than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T2 of the electric transmitter 216B is thicker than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211.

[0125] <Second slide mechanism 202B> 22B is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between second sliding mechanism 202B connected to center seat S5 and second power supply device 230. As shown in FIG. 22B, a convex portion is formed on the vehicle body floor FL on which the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 is placed, and the bottom of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 is configured to be positioned above the bottom of the second slide mechanism 202B.

[0126] An upper end 213 a of the worm gear 213 of the second slide mechanism 202 B is disposed below an upper end 231 a of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above a lower end 231 b of the second cable case 231 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below a lower end 233 b of a flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed below a lower end 232 b of the guide plate 232 .

[0127] An upper end 214a of a motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 22B) of the second slide mechanism 202B is disposed above a lower end 231b of the second cable case 231. A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed below a lower end 231 b of the second cable case 231 . A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed below a lower end 233 b of the flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 .

[0128] As described above, the electric transmitter 216A is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211 of the second slide mechanism 202B. The width W1 of the electric transmitter 216A is greater than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T1 of the electric transmitter 216A is smaller than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211 of the second slide mechanism 202B.

[0129] <Second slide mechanism 202C> Next, a description will be given of the positional relationship between second slide mechanism 202C connected to second-row seat S3 behind driver's seat S1 and second power supply device 230. FIG. 22C is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between second slide mechanism 202C and second power supply device 230. As shown in FIG. 22C, the second slide mechanism 202C and the second power supply device 230 are placed on the same surface on the vehicle floor FL, and the bottom of the second slide mechanism 202C and the bottom of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 are configured to be at the same height.

[0130] An upper end 213 a of the worm gear 213 of the second slide mechanism 202 C is disposed below an upper end 231 a of the second cable case 231 of the second power supply device 230 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above a lower end 231 b of the second cable case 231 . The worm gear 213 is disposed at the same height as the flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 . A lower end 213 b of the worm gear 213 is disposed above a lower end 232 b of the guide plate 232 .

[0131] An upper end 214a of a motor 214 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 22C) of the second slide mechanism 202C is disposed above a lower end 231b of the second cable case 231. A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed above a lower end 231 b of the second cable case 231 . A lower end 214 b of the motor 214 is disposed above a lower end 233 b of the flexible flat cable 233 disposed inside the second cable case 231 .

[0132] As described above, the electric transmitter 216B is disposed in the recess 211b formed in the bottom surface of the lower rail 211 of the second slide mechanism 202C. The width W2 of the electric transmitter 216B is narrower than the combined width W of the motor 214 and the two worm gears 213. The thickness T2 of the electric transmitter 216B is preferably thicker than the thickness T of the plate material that forms the lower rail 211.

[0133] <<Third Embodiment>> Hereinafter, an electric slide mechanism 350 mounted on a vehicle seat S according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0134] <Positional relationship between the slide mechanism and the battery> Figure 23 is a schematic diagram viewed from above showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism 350 and battery B, and Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view along line XXIV-XXIV in Figure 23, showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism 350 and battery B from the side, and showing the state in which the upper rail 352 is positioned at the rearmost end of the lower rail 51. Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are expected to have more batteries, and batteries are often installed on the floor of the vehicle. However, batteries for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles installed on the floor have traditionally been positioned to avoid the sliding mechanism, as disclosed in JP 2021-59140 A, for example. As a result, the vehicle has been expanded in the width direction to accommodate more batteries. Therefore, there has been a demand for a structure that allows for a compact overall arrangement, including seats equipped with an electric sliding mechanism (sliding device).

[0135] The floor panel 310 that constitutes the floor FL of a vehicle such as an electric vehicle is composed of an upper floor panel 311 and a lower floor panel 312 arranged at a distance, as shown in Figure 24, and a battery B is placed on the upper surface of the lower floor panel 312. 23 and 24, the slide mechanism 350 of this embodiment is arranged so as to overlap the battery B in the vertical direction. By arranging it in this manner, the space below the slide mechanism 350 can be effectively utilized, which contributes to making the structure of the vehicle more compact in the width direction.

[0136] The electric slide mechanism 350 is made up of lower rails 351 that support the vehicle seat so that it can move in the front-rear direction, and upper rails 352 that slide on the lower rails 351. The upper rails 352 are provided with a motor 355 that is provided within the range of the upper rails, and a worm gear 354 (drive unit) that is rotated by the motor 355. The upper rail 352 is configured to be movable relative to the lower rail 351. The basic configuration of the slide mechanism 350 is the same as that of the slide mechanism 50 of the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0137] As shown in Figure 24, the lower rail 351 of the slide mechanism 350 is positioned relative to the floor upper panel 311 by a positioning pin 314, and then fastened and fixed with a rail mounting bolt 313. Conventionally, the rail mounting bolt to be fastened has been positioned so as not to overlap the upper rail in the vertical direction when the upper rail is positioned at the front-most or rear-most end of the lower rail. In other words, the rail mounting bolt has been provided in a position forward or rearward of the upper rail.

[0138] 24, when the upper rail 352 is positioned at the rearmost end (rear end) of the slide mechanism 350, the rail mounting bolt 313 is arranged to overlap the upper rail 352 in the vertical direction. Although not shown, even when the upper rail 352 is positioned at the frontmost end (front end), the rail mounting bolt 313 is arranged to overlap the upper rail 352. By arranging the rail mounting bolt 313 to overlap the upper rail 352 even when the upper rail 352 is positioned at the frontmost or rearmost end, the slide mechanism 350 can be made more compact in the front-to-rear direction.

[0139] <Peeling prevention member 320> The peeling preventive member 320 provided in the slide mechanism 350 will be described with reference to Fig. 25. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the slide mechanism 350 provided with the peeling preventive member 320. The peel-preventing member 320 is composed of an upper hook member 321 fixed to the upper rail 352 and a lower hook member 322 fixed to the lower rail 351. As shown in FIG. 25 , the side of the upper hook member 321 and the side of the lower hook member 322 are configured to interlock. In normal use, the upper hook member 321 and the lower hook member 322 do not directly abut, and the peel-preventing member 320 does not hinder sliding movement. However, when a large load is applied to the vehicle seat due to a traffic accident or the like, the upper rail 352 moves upward, and the upper hook member 321 interlocks with the lower hook member 322. This prevents the upper rail 352 from peeling off from the lower rail 351. If the lower hook members 322 are provided over the entire longitudinal area of ​​the lower rail 351, peeling can be prevented regardless of the position of the upper rail 352 in the longitudinal direction.

[0140] <Movement restriction of upper rail 352> A means for restricting movement of the upper rail 352 will be described using Figure 26. Some vehicles are provided with long rails that extend long in the front-to-rear direction on the floor FL. In the long rails, the front seat FS and the rear seat RS share the same lower rail 351, and the upper rail 352F of the front seat FS and the upper rail 352R of the rear seat RS are configured to slide on the shared lower rail 351. When using such long rails, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate distance between the front seat FS and the rear seat RS. In particular, when the front seat FS moves electrically, it is desirable to prevent it from coming too close to the rear seat RS.

[0141] FIG. 26A is a top view showing a slide mechanism 350A provided with a stopper 325, and FIG. 26B is a top view showing a slide mechanism 350B provided with a separate seat position detection sensor 326.

[0142] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26A , stoppers 325 are arranged on the lower rails 351 of the long rails to maintain the distance between the front and rear seats. The stoppers 325 are plate-shaped members arranged between the upper rails 352F of the front seat FS and the upper rails 352R of the rear seat RS. When the upper rail 352F moves rearward, it abuts against the stoppers 325, thereby restricting its movement on the long rails. Similarly, when the upper rail 352R of the rear seat RS moves forward, it abuts against the stoppers 325, thereby restricting its movement. By arranging the stoppers 325, movement of the upper rails 352F, 352R is restricted, thereby maintaining the distance between the front and rear seats.

[0143] Furthermore, if the upper rail 352F is electrically driven, as shown in FIG. 26B, an additional seat position detection sensor 326 that detects the position of the additional upper rail 352 may be provided at the rear end of the upper rail 352F of the front seat C and FS and / or the front end of the upper rail 352R of the rear seat RS. The additional seat position detection sensor 326 is configured, for example, with an infrared sensor or a LiDAR sensor. By detecting the position of the additional seat, the upper rail 352 can be controlled to be immobile when the distance to the additional seat becomes closer than a predetermined distance. This makes it possible to maintain the spacing between seats lined up in the front and rear directions without providing a stopper 325.

[0144] The installation position of the separate seat position detection sensor 326 is not limited to the upper rail 352, and it may be installed on the seat back or seat cushion of the vehicle seat. However, since the detected distance changes depending on whether or not a person is seated, it is preferable to install it on the upper rail 352. Furthermore, the upper rail 352 may be manual or electric. In the slide mechanisms 350A, 350B shown in Figures 26A and 26B, the upper rail 352F of the front seat FS is electric and the upper rail 352R of the rear seat RS is manually moved, but the upper rail 352F of the front seat FS may be manual and the upper rail 352R of the rear seat RS may be electric. Both the upper rails 352F, 352R of the front seat FS and the rear seat RS may be electric.

[0145] <Positional Relationship Between Slide Mechanism 350 and Battery B> 27 and 28, the positional relationship between the slide mechanism 350 and the battery B will be described. As mentioned above, it is desirable to mount as many batteries B as possible on an electric vehicle. 27, a floor panel 310A constituting the floor FL of this embodiment has a groove 315 formed along the slide mechanism 350, and is configured so that the slide mechanism 350 can be accommodated in the groove 315. If a cable case 370 (excess cable length accommodation section) that accommodates a cable for a power supply rail is provided along the slide mechanism 350, the groove 315 is formed so that it can accommodate the cable case 370 as well.

[0146] When multiple grooves 315 are formed in parallel in the floor panel 310A of the vehicle body floor FL, a space is formed between adjacent grooves 315. By using this space to place batteries B, more batteries can be mounted. Note that the batteries B may be divided so that they are placed between the grooves 315, as shown in FIG. 28.

[0147] <Means for fixing the slide mechanism 350> A means for fixing the slide mechanism 350 to the vehicle floor will be described using Figures 29 and 30. Figure 29 is a top view showing the positional relationship between the slide mechanism 350 and the vehicle V, and Figure 30 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXX-XXX in Figure 29. In the case of an electric vehicle, a plurality of member frames 316 extending in the width direction of the vehicle V are provided on the vehicle body floor FL. A battery B is disposed below the vehicle body floor FL. The battery B is disposed between the member frames 316, as in the case of battery Ba shown in FIG. 30. The battery B may also be disposed so as to overlap the member frames 316 in the height direction, as in the case of battery Bb shown in FIG. 30. In other words, a portion of the battery Bb may be located below the member frames 316.

[0148] The slide mechanism 350 is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle V. The lower rails 351 of the slide mechanism 350 are fixed to the floor FL using rail mounting bolts 313, which are disposed on the member frame 316 so as to be fixed to the member frame 316. By positioning the rail mounting bolts 313 on the member frame 316 and fixing the lower rails 351 to the floor FL, the slide mechanism 350 can be attached more firmly.

[0149] <Cable Case 370> The position of the cable case 370 provided in the slide mechanism 350 will be described with reference to Figure 29. In the slide mechanism 350, a cable for supplying power to the vehicle seat S is arranged on the side of the lower rail 351, and a cable case 370 (excess cable length storage section) for storing the cable is provided. The cable case 370 is preferably placed inside the pair of lower rails 351 that constitute the slide mechanism 350, as in the case of cable case 370a shown in Figure 29. 29, it may be disposed on the outside of the lower rail 351, in which case it is disposed between the slide mechanisms 350 mounted on the vehicle V and disposed on the left and right. By arranging the cable case 370 in this manner, the space between the lower rails 351 of the slide mechanism 350 can be effectively utilized.

[0150] Furthermore, if the vehicle seat S is an air-conditioned seat having an air blower, a blower 343 that blows out air may be provided under the seat cushion. The blower 343 may be disposed between the pair of lower rails 351. By disposing the blower 343 inside the slide mechanism 350, the position of the vehicle seat S can be prevented from becoming too high.

[0151] Furthermore, when the vehicle seat S is a rotatable seat that can rotate around an axis extending in the vertical direction, a seat rotation member 342 that rotates the seat body may be arranged so that a portion of it overlaps with the slide mechanism 350, as in the seat rotation member 342a in Figure 29. 31, the outer end of the seat rotation member 342 may be disposed inside the slide mechanism 350, i.e., between a pair of lower rails 351. By disposing the seat rotation member 342b inside the slide mechanism 350, the vehicle seat S can be made more compact.

[0152] In addition, the blower 343 is preferably arranged so that a portion of the blower 343 overlaps with the seat rotation member 342 in the vertical direction. By arranging the blower 343 in this manner, the vehicle seat S can be made more compact in the front-rear direction.

[0153] <Motor support member 356> Using Figure 32, a slide mechanism 350C including a motor support member 356 will be described. The slide mechanism 350C is electrically driven, and as described above, the upper rail 352 is provided with the motor 355 and the worm gear 354 that is rotationally driven by the motor 355. The motor 355 of the slide mechanism 350 shown in Figure 24 is fixed by a cantilever mounting member 357, but the motor 355A of the upper rail 352 shown in Figure 32 further has a motor support member 356 with an L-shaped cross section attached to the end opposite the end connected to the worm gear 354. Because both ends of the motor 355A are fixed by the mounting member 357 and the motor support member 356, the motor 355A is less likely to come off the upper rail 352, and falling off is suppressed.

[0154] <Soundproof Cover 380> Using Figure 33, we will explain the sound insulating cover 380 provided on the sliding mechanism 350D. Figure 33 is a cross-sectional view of the sliding mechanism 350D to which the sound insulating cover 380 is attached. As shown in Figure 33, the sound insulating cover 380 is provided so as to wrap around the motor 355B. The sound insulating cover 380 is made of resin or metal. The sound insulating cover 380 may also be made of cloth. By providing the sound insulating cover 380 around the motor 355B, the motor sound is prevented from leaking outward, and discomfort caused by noise during sliding can be reduced.

[0155] <Gear Cover 382> Gear cover 382 provided on slide mechanism 350E will be described using Figures 34A and 34B. Figure 34A is a cross-sectional view of slide mechanism 350E with gear cover 382 attached, and Figure 34B is a top view of slide mechanism 350E with gear cover 382 attached. Gear cover 382 is made up of a member with an L-shaped cross section, and its upper end is fixed to the upper end of upper rail 352 with fastening members 383 such as bolts.

[0156] The lower end of the gear cover 382 is formed to be located below an imaginary line D1 connecting the rotation axes of the two worm gears 354 arranged on the left and right. In addition, the lower end of the gear cover 382 is formed to be located below an imaginary line D2 connecting the rotation axes of the two rollers 352e arranged on the left and right. Furthermore, the length L1 of the gear cover 382 in the front-rear direction is formed to be longer than the length L0 of the worm gear 354 in the front-rear direction provided on the upper rail 352. By providing the gear cover 382 formed in this manner, it is possible to prevent dust and dirt from entering the worm gear 354. It also prevents noise generated when the worm gear 354 rotates from escaping to the outside.

[0157] <Locking Device 367> 35 and 36, a locking device 367 provided in the slide mechanism 350F will be described. The seat body (seat cushion and seat back) of the vehicle seat S may have a locking device 367 similar to the locking device 67 provided in the vehicle seat S of the first embodiment, and may be configured to be detachable from the slide mechanism 350F. The locking device 367 is provided with a rotatable latch 367b as shown in FIG. The slide mechanism 350F is provided with strikers 366 at the front and rear of the upper rail 352, which engage with the latches 357b. The latch 357b of the locking device 367 is provided on the seat body of the vehicle seat S, and by releasing the lock using an operating means (not shown), the vehicle seat body can be removed from the slide mechanism 350F.

[0158] The latch 367b is disposed so as to be positioned so as to overlap the worm gear 354 in the height direction when the vehicle seat is attached to the upper rail 352. Alternatively, the latch 367b may be disposed so as not to overlap the worm gear 354 in the height direction. Furthermore, when the seat main body is attached, the latch 367b is disposed at a position where it overlaps in the height direction with the motor 355. The latch 357b may also be disposed so as not to overlap with the motor 355 in the height direction.

[0159] <Positional relationship between cable case 370 and blower 343> The positional relationship between a cable case 370 (excess cable length storage section) provided in the slide mechanism 350G and the blower 343 for the air-conditioned seat will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 37 is a schematic diagram of a slide mechanism 350G provided with a cable case 370 and a vehicle seat S positioned at the forefront of the slide mechanism 350G, as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 37, the vehicle seat S is configured so that the leading end portion of the seat cushion 2 overlaps with the cable case 370 in the vertical direction when the slide mechanism 350 is in the foremost position.

[0160] Furthermore, if the vehicle seat S is an air-conditioned seat equipped with a blower, the blower 343 of the blower may be disposed on the opposite side of the cable case 370. By disposing the blower 343 at a position far from the cable case 370, there is no risk of the cable case 370 and the blower 343 coming into contact with each other even when the vehicle seat S is disposed at the forefront position of the slide mechanism 350. This allows the occupant to move the vehicle seat S to the forefront position of the slide mechanism 350 without worrying about the cable case 370 and the blower 343 coming into contact with each other.

[0161] The present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings. The present invention may be applied not only to wheeled ground vehicles such as automobiles and trains and vehicle seats installed therein, but also to aircraft and ships that travel other than on land and seats installed therein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0162] First Embodiment S, SA Vehicle seats (vehicle seats) DR Door WD window Sh seat body Front seat frame Tr trim cover P cushion pad 1 seat back 2 seat cushions 3 Headrest 5 Power supply 6 Operation switch (operation section) 7 Rotating lever (operating part) 10 Seat back frame 11 Upper frame 12 Lower frame 13 Backside frame 14 Headrest guide 20 Seat cushion frame 21 Cushion side frame 22 Front connecting frame 23 Rear connecting frame 24 Cushion Pan Frame 25 S spring 28 Reclining cover 30 Headrest frame 31 Pillar section 40 Rotation mechanism 41 Base material 42 Rotating member 43 Cover member 44 Rotational drive unit 45 Actuator 46 Output gear 47 Input gear 48 Rotation support part 49 Bearings 49a Ball 49b Annular recess C Rotation axis D Circumference line 50, 50A slide mechanism 51, 51' lower rail 51a Rail inner wall 52, 52' upper rail 52A 1st piece 52B 2nd piece 52a Base 52b Inner slider wall 52c Slider bottom wall 52d Slider outer wall 52e wheels 53 Screw assembly 54 Worm Gear 55 Motor 57 Thread engagement part 58 Gear Case 59 First Bracket 60 Second Bracket 61 Power supply equipment 62 Electrical transmitter 63 Electrical receiving unit 64 Conductive Strips 65 Electrical insulating board 66 Striker 67 Locking device 67a Hook 67b Latch 68 volts 70 Reclining mechanism 71 Motor 80 ECU (control unit) 81 processors 82 memory 83 Input / Output Interface t1, t3 Transition start time t2, t4 Estimated migration completion time Et1, Et2 travel time 90 Horizontal slide mechanism 91 Lower rail 92 Upper Rail 93 Mounting bracket Second Embodiment V vehicle S1 Driver's seat S2 passenger seat S3, S4 rear seats S5 Center seat FL Body floor FW front wheel RW rear wheel WH Wheelhouse 201, 201A to 201C First slide mechanism 202, 202A to 202C Second slide mechanism 211 Lower rail 211b recess 212 Upper Rail 213 Worm Gear 213a top end 213b bottom end 214 Motor 214a top end 214b bottom end 215 Electrical receiving unit 216A Electrical Transmitter 216B Electrical Transmitter 220 First power supply device 221 First Cable Case 221a top end 221b bottom end 222 Power supply cable 222a top end 222b bottom end 230 Second power supply device 231 Second Cable Case 231a top end 231b bottom end 232 Guide Plate 232a top end 232b bottom end 233 Flexible Flat Cable 233b bottom end 234 Rail 235 Actuator Third Embodiment V vehicle B, Ba, Bb battery FL Body floor S vehicle seat FS front seats RS rear seats 310, 310A floor panel 311 Floor panel 312 Underfloor panel 313 Rail mounting bolt 314 Locating pin 315 Groove 316 Member Frame 320 Peel-off prevention member 321 Upper hook member 322 Lower hook member 325 Stopper 326 Separate seat position detection sensor 342 Sheet Rotating Member 343 Blois 350, 350A~350G slide mechanism 351 Lower Rail 352 Upper Rail 352e Roller (wheel) 354 Worm Gear 355, 355A motor 356 Motor support member 357 Mounting parts 366 Striker 367 Locking Device 367b Latch 370 Cable case (excess cable length storage area) 380 Soundproof Cover 382 Gear Cover 383 Fastening members

Claims

1. a seat body on which an occupant sits; a slide mechanism for sliding the seat body; a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat body around a rotation axis in the vertical direction; a control unit that controls the operation of the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism; an operation unit that instructs the control unit to start control, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets a start time for transition of the sliding mechanism and the rotating mechanism when receiving an instruction from the operation unit.

2. the control unit is capable of transitioning the sliding mechanism and the rotating mechanism from a current state to a target state, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, it starts the transition of either the sliding mechanism or the rotation mechanism, and starts the transition of the other mechanism before the transition of the one mechanism is completed.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein, when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, the control unit calculates a predicted transition completion time for each of the sliding mechanism and the rotating mechanism to transition from the current state to the target state, and sets the transition start time of the one mechanism to be earlier than the predicted transition completion time of the other mechanism.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the control unit receives an instruction from the operation unit, it starts the transition of either the sliding mechanism or the rotation mechanism, and after the transition of one of the mechanisms is completed, it starts the transition of the other mechanism.

5. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the control unit simultaneously starts the movement of the sliding mechanism and the movement of the rotating mechanism when receiving an instruction from the operation unit.

6. the operating unit is a rotary lever, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit starts the movement of the slide mechanism when the rotation angle of the rotation lever is less than a predetermined angle, and starts the movement of both the slide mechanism and the rotation mechanism when the rotation angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle.

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