Vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat capable of appropriately supporting a leg rest while absorbing an excessive load applied to the leg rest to prevent damage to an ottoman and a seat cushion frame connected to the ottoman.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat S comprises a seat cushion frame 11 that forms a skeleton of a seat cushion 1, and an ottoman 4 that supports lower legs of an occupant. The ottoman 4 includes: a leg rest 41 on which the occupant's lower legs can be placed; a longitudinal adjustment mechanism 42 that is connected to the leg rest 41 and movably supports the leg rest 41 in a longitudinal direction; and a support mechanism 44 that supports the leg rest 41 together with the longitudinal adjustment mechanism 42 when a load is applied downward from above the leg rest 41 to the leg rest 41, with the leg rest 41 displaced downward relative to the seat cushion frame 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat provided with an ottoman. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to improve the comfort of occupants seated in vehicle seats, vehicle seats equipped with ottomans have become increasingly popular. The occupant can place their lower legs on the ottoman and travel to their destination in a comfortable, relaxed position. Furthermore, with the recent advancement of autonomous driving technology, it has been proposed to provide video content to occupants while they are traveling to their destination, thereby improving their satisfaction. In such cases, providing an ottoman to the vehicle seat can also improve the satisfaction of occupants who enjoy watching video content.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat equipped with an ottoman. The ottoman disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an ottoman frame that forms the framework of the ottoman, an ottoman pad, a leg rest section that has a cover, and an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts the rotation angle of the leg rest. The angle adjustment mechanism supports the leg rest so that it can rotate between a stored position located below the seat cushion and a deployed position that protrudes forward, and has a rotation restriction mechanism that restricts the ottoman from rotating toward the stored position. This allows an occupant to fix the leg rest section at a desired angle, place their lower legs on the ottoman, and travel to their destination. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-123948 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 allows an occupant to rest their lower legs on the ottoman and travel to their destination. However, when the occupant stands on the leg rest and the entire weight of the occupant is applied to the leg rest, there is a risk of damaging the ottoman or the seat cushion frame connected to the ottoman.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle seat that, when an excessive load is applied to the leg rest portion, can absorb the load and properly support the leg rest portion, preventing damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame connected to the ottoman. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which is a vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion frame that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion, and an ottoman that supports the lower legs of the occupant, wherein the ottoman has a footrest portion on which the lower legs of the occupant can be placed, a front-to-rear adjustment mechanism that is connected to the legrest portion and supports the legrest portion so that it can move in the front-to-rear direction, and a support mechanism that supports the legrest portion together with the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism when a load is applied to the legrest portion from above to below and the legrest portion is displaced downward relative to the seat cushion frame.

[0008] According to the above configuration, when an excessive load is applied to the leg rest, the leg rest displaces downward to release part of the load, and the ottoman has a support mechanism that supports the leg rest together with the front-rear adjustment mechanism, thereby absorbing and appropriately supporting the load on the leg rest, and preventing damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame that supports the ottoman.

[0009] In addition, the front-rear adjustment mechanism may be rotatably connected to the seat cushion frame around a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction, and the support mechanism may support the front-rear adjustment mechanism at a position forward of the rotation axis. According to the above configuration, the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism connected to the seat cushion frame is supported by the support mechanism, so that when an excessive load is applied to the leg rest portion, it is possible to prevent damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame that supports the ottoman.

[0010] In addition, the support mechanism may include an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be expandable and contractible in the vertical direction, and a floor support member that abuts against the floor of the vehicle on which the vehicle seat is installed and supports the footrest portion or the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism from below, and the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism may be connected to the seat cushion frame so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction, and when the footrest portion is displaced downward due to the load, the elastic support member may urge the footrest portion upward, and the footrest portion or the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism may be supported from below by the floor support member when the footrest portion is displaced downward due to the load. According to the above configuration, the support mechanism includes an elastic support member that urges the front-rear adjustment mechanism upward, and a floor support portion that abuts against the floor and supports the footrest from below. Therefore, the elastic support member and the floor support member can properly support the footrest, preventing damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame that supports the ottoman.

[0011] In addition, the floor support member may have a bent portion at the front end of the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism that bends and extends from the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism and connects to the footrest portion, and the bent portion abuts the floor at its lower end and supports the footrest portion above the floor. According to the above configuration, the bent portion provided at the front end of the front / rear adjustment mechanism abuts against the floor and supports the footrest portion from below, eliminating the need for additional parts and making it possible to suppress increases in the number of parts and costs.

[0012] The seat cushion frame may be provided with an elevation restricting member for restricting elevation of the longitudinal adjustment mechanism above the longitudinal adjustment mechanism and at the same position as the longitudinal adjustment mechanism in the seat width direction. According to the above-described configuration, the seat cushion frame is provided with a lift-restricting member that restricts the lift of the front-rear adjustment mechanism, which allows the front-rear adjustment mechanism to smoothly move the leg rest portion in the front-rear direction.

[0013] In addition, the support mechanism has an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be expandable and contractible in the vertical direction, and the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism is rotatably connected to the seat cushion frame around a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction, and rotates around the rotation axis as the elastic support member expands and contracts. According to the above configuration, the front-rear adjustment mechanism rotates about the rotation axis due to the expansion and contraction of the elastic support member, thereby displacing up and down, thereby absorbing the load and properly supporting the footrest, and preventing damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame that supports the ottoman.

[0014] In addition, the support mechanism has an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be expandable and contractible in the vertical direction, and the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism has a movable rail that slides in the front-to-rear direction and moves the footrest portion in the front-to-rear direction, and a fixed rail that slidably supports the movable rail, and is attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction, and the elastic support member connects the fixed rail and the seat cushion frame and urges the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism upward. According to the above configuration, the front-rear adjustment mechanism has a movable rail and a fixed rail, and the fixed rail is connected to the elastic support member. Therefore, the movable rail that is not connected to the elastic support member can smoothly move the leg rest section in the front-rear direction.

[0015] In addition, the fixed rail has an approximately C-shape in cross section when viewed from the front, has an opening that opens to the inside in the seat width direction, and the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected at a position equal to the opening in the vertical direction. According to the above configuration, the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected to each other at a position that is equal in height to the opening, so that a person manufacturing or inspecting the vehicle seat can visually confirm from the inside of the seat width direction that the elastic support member and the fixed rail are properly connected to each other by moving the movable rail forward.

[0016] Preferably, the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected to each other at different positions in the front-to-rear direction when the movable rail is positioned at the forward-most position where the movable rail is slidable. According to the above configuration, when the movable rail is located at the forward-most position, the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected to each other at different positions in the front-to-rear direction with respect to the movable rail. Therefore, by moving the movable rail to the forward-most position, a person who manufactures or inspects the vehicle seat can visually confirm from the inside in the seat width direction that the elastic support member and the fixed rail are properly connected.

[0017] In addition, the seat cushion frame has left and right side frames on both sides in the seat width direction, the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism is located inside the left and right side frames in the seat width direction, and the side frames have a cutout portion on the outside in the seat width direction of the connection portion between the fixed rail and the elastic support member. According to the above configuration, the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected on the inside in the seat width direction of the notch provided in the side frame, which allows a person who manufactures or inspects the vehicle seat to visually confirm that the elastic support member and the fixed rail are properly connected from the outside in the seat width direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the vehicle seat of the present invention, when an excessive load is applied to the legrest portion, the legrest portion is properly supported while absorbing the load, and damage to the ottoman and the seat cushion frame connected to the ottoman can be prevented. In addition, since the bent portion provided at the front end of the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism abuts against the floor and supports the footrest portion from below, no additional parts are required, making it possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts or costs. Furthermore, the movable rail that is not connected to the elastic support member allows the leg rest section to move smoothly in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, a person who manufactures or inspects vehicle seats can visually check from the inside in the seat width direction that the elastic support member and the fixed rail are properly connected. Furthermore, a person who manufactures or inspects vehicle seats can visually check from the outside in the seat width direction that the elastic support members and the fixed rails are properly connected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle seat. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ottoman and the seat cushion as seen from the side, illustrating the movable mechanism and the support mechanism. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ottoman and the seat cushion as seen from the front, illustrating the movable mechanism and the support mechanism. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the ottoman with the foot rest portion extended forward. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ottoman with the lower legs placed on the leg rest portion deployed forward. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an ottoman stored under the seat cushion. [Figure 7] 10 is an explanatory diagram of a support mechanism for a leg rest portion displaced downward by a load. FIG. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of a movable mechanism of an ottoman according to a first modified example. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of a movable mechanism of an ottoman according to a second modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a floor support member according to a third modified example. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a floor support member according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a floor support member according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a floor support member according to a sixth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A vehicle seat according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and of course, the present invention also includes equivalents thereof. In the following description, the details regarding the materials, shapes, and sizes of the components of the vehicle seat are merely examples and do not limit the present invention.

[0021] In the following, a vehicle seat S mounted on a vehicle will be taken as an example of a vehicle seat, and an example of its configuration will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to seats mounted on ground vehicles having wheels such as automobiles and trains, and can also be applied to seats mounted on aircraft, ships, and other vehicles that move on non-ground surfaces, for example.

[0022] In the following description, the "seat front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the front-rear direction as seen by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the left-right direction as seen by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. The "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal plane. The term "outside" simply refers to the side closer to the outside in the direction from the center of the vehicle seat S to the outside, and the term "inside" refers to the side closer to the center in the direction from the outside to the center of the vehicle seat S.

[0023] 1 is a side view of a vehicle seat S with an occupant seated therein. The vehicle seat S is a vehicle seat that is installed on a floor F of a vehicle and in which an occupant traveling toward a destination can be seated. The vehicle seat S includes a seat body S1 having a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, a headrest 3, and an ottoman 4, a reclining device 5, a slide rail device 6, and a tilt device 7.

[0024] The seat cushion 1 is a seating portion that supports from below the buttocks of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. The seat cushion 1 mainly comprises a seat cushion frame 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 1, a pad material 1a that covers the seat cushion frame 11, and a cover material 1b. The seat cushion frame 11, together with a seat back frame 21, constitutes a seat frame (not shown) that forms the skeleton of the vehicle seat S.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, the seat cushion 1 has a built-in AVS (air ventilation system) 8. The AVS 8 operates to prevent the occupant seated in the vehicle seat S from getting stuffy by blowing air from below. The AVS 8 also operates to prevent the occupant from getting drowsy by blowing cool air to the occupant.

[0026] Returning to FIG. 1, the seat back 2 is a backrest portion that supports the back of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S from behind. The seat back 2 mainly comprises a seat back frame 21 (see FIG. 2) that forms the framework of the seat back 2, a padding material (not shown) that covers the seat back frame 21, and a covering material (not shown).

[0027] The headrest 3 is a support member that supports the head of a seated occupant from behind. The headrest 3 mainly comprises a headrest pillar (not shown) that serves as a core material, a padding material (not shown) that covers the headrest pillar, and a skin material (not shown) that covers the headrest pillar and the padding material.

[0028] The ottoman 4 is provided at the front end of the seat cushion 1 so as to be displaceable relative to the seat cushion 1. More specifically, the ottoman 4 displaces between a stored position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) where it is stored below the seat cushion 1 and a deployed position (see FIGS. 4 and 5) where it is deployed in front of the seat cushion 1, and supports the occupant's lower legs from below in the deployed position. Specifically, the ottoman 4 has a leg rest 41 that can support the occupant's lower legs, and a front-to-rear adjustment mechanism 42 that is connected to the leg rest 41 and moves the leg rest 41 in the front-to-rear direction, and the leg rest 41 moves forward to support the occupant's lower legs from below.

[0029] The ottoman 4 also has a movable mechanism 43 that displaces the leg rest 41 in response to the movement of the occupant's lower legs. When the occupant sitting in the vehicle seat S moves their lower legs, the movable mechanism 43 displaces the leg rest 41 in response to the movement of the lower legs. Therefore, the occupant does not need to readjust the angle of the leg rest 41 when changing their posture, thereby improving the comfort and convenience of the occupant. Details of the movable mechanism 43 will be described later.

[0030] The ottoman 4 also has a support mechanism 44 that supports the leg rest portion 41 together with the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 when an excessive load is applied to the ottoman 4 by an occupant. The support mechanism 44 properly supports the leg rest portion 41 while absorbing the load applied to the leg rest portion 41, thereby preventing damage to the ottoman 4 and the seat cushion frame 11. Details of the support mechanism 44 will be described later.

[0031] The vehicle seat S has a reclining device 5, a slide rail device 6, and a tilt device 7 as mechanisms that can change the position and posture of the seat body S1 for occupants of different physiques. In addition, by linking the ottoman 4 to the reclining device 5, slide rail device 6, and tilt device 7, it becomes possible to support the occupant in an optimal posture.

[0032] The reclining device 5 rotatably connects the seat back 2 to the seat cushion 1. The reclining device 5 can lock the seat back 2 in a state inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the seat cushion 1. By releasing the lock, the reclining device 5 can tilt the seat back 2 forward or backward.

[0033] The slide rail device 6 has a known structure (the structure of a general slide rail mechanism). In detail, the slide rail device 6 has a lower rail 61 fixed to the floor F, an upper rail 62 that is slidable in the front-to-rear direction relative to the lower rail 61, a slide motor 63 (see FIG. 3), and a motor mounting bracket 64.

[0034] The tilt device 7 is interposed between the seat body S1 and the slide rail device 6, and supports the seat body S1 so that it can tilt in the front-rear direction relative to the floor F. The tilt device 7 mainly comprises a front link 71 and a rear link 72 made of metal plate members, and a tilt motor 73 (see FIG. 3) that displaces the front link 71 and the rear link 72.

[0035] The tilt device 7 operates in conjunction with the ottoman 4 and the reclining device 5. Specifically, when the ottoman 4 is displaced from a stored position located below the vehicle seat S to a deployed position where it protrudes forward of the vehicle seat S, the front side of the seat cushion 1 is displaced so that it rises more than the rear side. At the same time, the reclining device 5 rotates the seat back 2 to tilt it backward relative to the seat cushion 1. This allows the occupant seated in the vehicle seat S to travel to their destination in a relaxed position.

[0036] <Details about Ottoman 4> The ottoman 4 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 6. Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ottoman 4 and seat cushion 1 in the storage position, as seen from the side, and Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view as seen from the front. Figures 4 to 6 are explanatory views illustrating the operation of the ottoman 4. The ottoman 4 mainly comprises a leg rest 41 on which the occupant's lower legs are placed, a front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 for moving the leg rest 41 forward and backward, a movable mechanism 43, and a support mechanism 44. Each component will be described in turn below.

[0037] <<Leg rest section 41>> The leg rest 41 has a leg rest surface 411 on which the occupant's lower legs can be placed, and the leg rest surface 411 supports the occupant's lower legs by enveloping them. The leg rest 41 may also have foot supports that support the occupant's lower legs from both the left and right sides. This can further improve the support for the lower legs. The leg rest 41 has a base 41a which is the framework of the leg rest 41, a flexible padding material 41b which covers the base 41a, and a covering material 41c.

[0038] <<Front-back adjustment mechanism 42>> The front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 is connected to the leg rest portion 41, and supports and moves the leg rest portion 41 in the front-rear direction. The front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 is fixed to the side frames 12 located on both sides of the seat cushion frame 11 in the seat width direction. The front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 has a movable rail 421 that slides in the front-rear direction, and a fixed rail 422 that supports the movable rail 421 so that it can slide.

[0039] The movable rail 421 has an elongated shape and includes a first extending portion 421a (see FIG. 4), a second extending portion 421b, and a bent portion 421c. The first extending portion 421a extends in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the movable rail 421 slides in the front-rear direction relative to the fixed rail 422, the leg rest portion 41 is displaced in the front-rear direction.

[0040] The second extending portion 421b is bent at the bending portion 421c and extends in a direction (the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 5) in which the leg rest 41 receives the load of the occupant's lower legs. Therefore, the load of the occupant's lower legs applied to the movable rail 421 from diagonally above can be received accurately via the leg rest 41.

[0041] As will be described later, when an excessive load is applied to the legrest portion 41 and the legrest portion 41 is displaced downward, the bent portion 421c supports the legrest portion 41 from below. Specifically, the bent portion 421c abuts the floor F at its lower end and supports the legrest portion 41 above the floor F. This prevents the legrest portion 41 from colliding with the floor F and damaging the ottoman 4. In this way, the bent portion 421c functions as a support mechanism 44 when an excessive load is applied to the legrest portion 41. The support mechanism 44 will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

[0042] The fixed rail 422 is connected to the side frame 12 and slidably supports the movable rail 421. The fixed rail 422 has a rail main body 422a and a contact member 422b. Rail main body 422a has a groove shape that is roughly C-shaped in cross section when viewed from the front, and extends in the front-rear direction. Inside rail main body 422a, the above-mentioned movable rail 421 is slidably housed (see FIG. 3).

[0043] The rail main body 422a is connected to the side frame 12 via a rotary connecting shaft 121 and an elastic support member 441 provided on the side frame 12. More specifically, the rail main body 422a is rotatably connected at its rear end to the side frame 12 via the rotary connecting shaft 121. The rail main body 422a is also connected to a lower end connecting portion 441b of the elastic support member 441 at a position forward of the rotary connecting shaft 121 and is biased upward. Therefore, when an excessive load is applied to the leg rest section 41 from above to below the leg rest section 41, the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism 42 can support and absorb the load on the leg rest section 41 by displacing downward (see FIG. 9). In other words, the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism 42 can be displaced between a raised position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and a lowered position shown in FIG. 7. Therefore, when an excessive load is applied to the leg rest portion 41, it displaces to the lowered position to absorb the load and prevent damage to the leg rest portion 41 or the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism 42. The rotary connecting shaft 121 corresponds to the rotary shaft.

[0044] Additionally, the side frame 12 is provided with an ascent restriction piece 124 above the fixed rail 422 to restrict the ascent of the fixed rail 422. Therefore, the fixed rail 422, which is urged upward by the elastic support member 441, is prevented from rising beyond the ascent restriction piece 124, thereby enabling the movable rail 421 to slide smoothly in the front-rear direction. The ascent restriction piece 124 corresponds to an ascent restriction member.

[0045] The abutment member 422b is provided at the front end of the rail main body 422a and extends obliquely upward and forward. As will be described later with reference to Figure 6, when the legrest portion 41 is displaced rearward, the abutment member 422b abuts against the base portion 41a of the legrest portion 41, causing the legrest portion 41 to rotate counterclockwise in a left side view. This allows the legrest portion 41 of the ottoman 4, which is displaced from the unfolded position to the stored position, to automatically assume an upright position in which the leg rest surface 411 faces forward.

[0046] In the above description, the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 has been described as having a slide rail mechanism mainly composed of a movable rail 421 and a fixed rail 422, but is not limited to this. The front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 may have a pantograph mechanism, and may move the leg rest section 41 in the front-rear direction by displacing it between the folded state and the unfolded state.

[0047] <<Movable mechanism 43>> Next, the movable mechanism 43 will be described. The movable mechanism 43 rotates the leg rest 41 in accordance with the movement of the occupant's lower legs. In other words, the movable mechanism 43 adjusts the angular position of the leg rest 41 in flexible response to the movement of the occupant's lower legs, thereby preventing a decrease in the supportability of the lower legs due to the movement of the occupant's lower legs. The movable mechanism 43 has a rotation support shaft 431 and a rotation biasing spring 432 .

[0048] The rotation support shaft 431 is a rotation shaft that extends in the seat width direction and rotatably connects the legrest 41 to the second extension 421b of the movable rail 421. The legrest 41 is supported by the rotation support shaft 431, and can rotate to follow the occupant's lower legs. The rotation support shaft 431 is provided at the tip of the second extension 421b. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation support shaft 431 is provided at the center of the legrest 41 in the up-down direction when the legrest 41 is in the upright position. Therefore, the legrest 41 can smoothly rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around the rotation support shaft 431.

[0049] Furthermore, the axis of the rotation support shaft 431 is located above the first extension 421a of the movable rail 421. Therefore, the footrest 41 can be displaced to a horizontal position without coming into contact with the first extension 421a. In other words, the rotation support shaft 431 supports the footrest 41 rotatably within a wide movable range between an upright position in which the foot rest surface 411 of the footrest 41 faces forward, and a horizontal position in which the foot rest surface 411 faces upward.

[0050] The rotation biasing spring 432 is a spiral spring that biases the leg rest portion 41 toward the balance angle (approximately 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane) shown in Fig. 4. The rotation biasing spring 432 is provided so as to wind around the outer periphery of the rotation support shaft 431, and both ends are connected to the leg rest portion 41 and the second extension portion 421b of the movable rail 421. When the ottoman 4 is positioned in the extended position, the rotation biasing spring 432 is displaced to an angle (referred to as the balance angle) at which the biasing force of the rotation biasing spring 432 is in a balanced state.

[0051] Next, when the occupant places their lower legs on the leg rest 41, the rotation support shaft 431 rotates the leg rest 41 counterclockwise in a left side view to follow the movement of the lower legs (see FIG. 5). At this time, the rotation biasing spring 432 biases the leg rest 41 clockwise in a left side view. This causes the occupant's lower legs to be supported with their tips pointing upward. This makes it possible to improve the support of the lower legs by the leg rest 41. The rotation biasing spring 432 corresponds to a biasing member.

[0052] <<Support mechanism 44>> Next, we will explain the support mechanism 44. When an excessive load is applied to the leg rest portion 41 of the ottoman 4, the support mechanism 44 supports the leg rest portion 41 and the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 to prevent damage to the ottoman 4 and the seat cushion frame 11. The support mechanism 44 has an elastic support member 441 that urges the leg rest section 41 upward, and a floor support member 442 that abuts against the floor F (floor surface) of the vehicle and supports the leg rest section 41 from below. The elastic support member 441 and the floor support member 442 cooperate with the above-mentioned front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 to appropriately support the leg rest section 41 while absorbing the load.

[0053] The elastic support member 441 is a tension coil spring that urges the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42, which is displaceable between a raised position and a lowered position, toward the raised position. Specifically, the elastic support member 441 has an upper end connecting portion 441a located at the upper end connected to the side frame 12 of the seat cushion frame 11, and a lower end connecting portion 441b located at the lower end connected to the fixed rail 422 of the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42. When an excessive load is applied to the leg rest portion 41 and the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 is displaced downward, the elastic support member 441 urges the leg rest portion 41 upward via the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42. This allows the elastic support member 441 to absorb part of the load applied to the leg rest portion 41.

[0054] The lower end connecting portion 441b of the elastic support member 441 is provided at a position equal in the up-down direction to the opening 422c of the fixed rail 422 (see FIG. 3). Furthermore, when the movable rail 421 is positioned at the forward-most position where it can slide relative to the fixed rail 422, the lower end connecting portion 441b is positioned at a different position in the seat width direction from the movable rail 421. In other words, when the movable rail 421 is positioned at the forward-most position, the rear end portion 421a1 of the movable rail 421 is positioned forward of the lower end connecting portion 441b (see FIG. 4). Therefore, during manufacturing or inspection of the vehicle seat S, it can be visually confirmed from the inside in the seat width direction that the elastic support member 441 is properly connected to the fixed rail 422.

[0055] The side frame 12 also has a notch 123 cut out downward at the front end. The notch 123 is located outside the lower end connecting portion 441b in the seat width direction. Therefore, during manufacturing or inspection of the vehicle seat S, it can be visually confirmed from the outside in the seat width direction that the elastic support member 441 is properly connected to the fixed rail 422.

[0056] The floor support member 442 is composed of a bent portion 421c and a second extending portion 421b provided on the movable rail 421. As shown in Fig. 7, when an excessive load is applied to the footrest 41 and the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism 42 is displaced to the lowered position, the lower end of the bent portion 421c comes into contact with the floor F. The second extending portion 421b extends upward from the floor F to support the footrest 41, preventing the footrest 41 from coming into contact with the floor F and being damaged.

[0057] <How to use Ottoman 4> Next, how to use the ottoman 4 will be described. First, the footrest portion 41 of the ottoman 4 is slid forward by the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42, and displaced to the deployed position shown in Fig. 4. At this time, the footrest portion 41 is biased by the rotation biasing spring 432 so that it is at a balanced angle of approximately 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0058] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the occupant's lower leg is placed on the leg rest surface 411 of the leg rest 41. The leg rest 41 is displaced by the movable mechanism 43 to an angle corresponding to the posture of the lower leg. More specifically, the leg rest 41 is displaced to an angle appropriate for the posture of the lower leg by rotating around a rotation support shaft 431 constituting the movable mechanism 43. At this time, the second extension portion 421b extends in a direction that receives the load of the lower leg (the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 5). Therefore, the leg rest 41 can accurately receive the load of the lower leg. In addition, the leg rest 41 is biased by the rotation biasing spring 432 in a clockwise direction (the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 5) when viewed from the left side. Therefore, the leg rest 41 supports the tip side of the lower leg facing upward, thereby improving the comfort of the occupant who places the lower leg on the leg rest 41.

[0059] On the other hand, when the ottoman 4 is moved from the deployed position to the stored position, the footrest 41 is slid rearward via the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42. The footrest 41 is biased by the rotation biasing spring 432 so as to be positioned at an angle (balance angle) inclined at approximately 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0060] When the legrest 41 is further slid rearward, as shown in Fig. 6, the abutment member 422b provided at the tip of the fixed rail 422 abuts against the base 41a (the surface opposite the leg rest surface 411) of the legrest 41 at a position above the axis of the rotation support shaft 431. Therefore, the legrest 41 is rotated counterclockwise in left side view by the abutment member 422b, and is displaced from the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 6 to the upright position indicated by the solid line. Therefore, when displacing the ottoman 4 from the unfolded position to the stowed position, the legrest 41 can be put into the upright position without any operation by the occupant.

[0061] Next, a case where an excessive load is applied to the leg rest section 41 when the ottoman 4 is in the deployed position will be described. A specific example is when an occupant stands on the leg rest section 41 and applies the weight of the occupant's entire body to the leg rest section 41. At this time, the elastic support member 441 and floor support member 442 that constitute the support mechanism 44 work together with the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 to support the leg rest section 41. This will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 7.

[0062] The legrest 41 is supported by the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. When an excessive load is applied downward from above, the legrest 41 descends to release the load. At this time, the legrest 41 is supported by the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42, an elastic support member 441, and a floor support member 442. Specifically, the elastic support member 441, which is a tension coil spring, urges the front-rear adjustment mechanism 42 upward with its elastic force. At the same time, the bent portion 421c formed on the movable rail 421 abuts against the floor F, and the second extension portion 421b extends upward from the floor F to support the legrest 41. In this way, when the legrest 41 is displaced downward, the support mechanism 44 absorbs the load while supporting the legrest 41 so as not to abut against the floor F. This prevents damage to the ottoman 4 and the seat cushion frame 11 connected to the ottoman 4.

[0063] Although a vehicle seat S according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0064] <First Modification> In the above-described embodiment, the movable mechanism 43 has been described as having the rotation support shaft 431 and the rotation biasing spring 432, but is not limited to this. The leg rest 41 may have an air cell 433 built in, and the air cell 433 may expand or contract to displace in accordance with the movement of the occupant's lower leg.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows a movable mechanism 43A of an ottoman 4 according to a first modified example. As shown in FIG. 8, the movable mechanism 43A has air cells 433 inside the leg rest section 41. The air cells 433 have a front air cell 433a disposed on the front side and a rear air cell 433b disposed on the rear side. The air cells 433 expand when compressed air is injected into them and contract when compressed air is discharged. Therefore, a pressure sensor that detects the load on the leg rest surface 411 is disposed in the leg rest section 41, and the compressed air supplied to the front air cell 433a and the rear air cell 433b is controlled based on the detection signal output by the pressure sensor. This allows the angle of the leg rest surface 411 of the leg rest section 41 to be changed flexibly in response to the movement of the occupant's lower legs, as in the above-described embodiment.

[0066] Although front air cells 433a and rear air cells 433b are shown in Fig. 8, the number and arrangement of air cells 433 are not limited to the number and arrangement shown in Fig. 8. It is sufficient that air cells 433 expand and contract in accordance with the movement of the lower leg, thereby changing the angle of leg rest surface 411, and three or more air cells may be built into leg rest section 41. 8, the air cells 433 are embedded between the base portion 41a and the padding material 41b, but the air cells 433 may be embedded between the padding material 41b and the cover material 41c. This makes it possible to change the angle of the leg rest surface 411 without being affected by the padding material 41b.

[0067] <Second Modification> Fig. 9 shows a movable mechanism 43B of an ottoman 4 according to a second modified example. As shown in Fig. 9, the movable mechanism 43B has an elastic member 434 inside the leg rest portion 41. The elastic member 434 expands or contracts in response to the load on the leg rest surface 411 of the leg rest portion 41. This makes it possible to change the position of the leg rest surface 411 of the leg rest portion 41 in a manner that flexibly follows the movement of the occupant's lower legs, similar to the embodiment described above.

[0068] <Third Modification> In the above-described embodiment, the support mechanism 44 has been described as having the elastic support member 441 and the floor support member 442, but is not limited to this. The support mechanism 44 may have only one of the elastic support member 441 and the floor support member 442. In the above embodiment, the floor support member 442 has been described as having the bent portion 421c and the second extending portion 421b, but is not limited to this. The floor support member 442 only needs to be able to support the footrest portion 41 from below and prevent the footrest portion 41 from contacting the floor F.

[0069] FIG. 10 shows a support mechanism 44C of an ottoman 4 according to a third modification. The support mechanism 44C includes a bent portion 421c of the movable rail 421, a second extending portion 421b, a hinge 421d provided on the first extending portion 421a, and a torsion spring (not shown) provided on the hinge 421d. Specifically, the first extending portion 421a includes a horizontal portion 421a2 extending in the front-rear direction, an inclined portion 421a3 inclined downward, and the hinge 421d connecting the horizontal portion 421a2 and the inclined portion 421a3. When an excessive load is applied to the legrest portion 41, the hinge 421d rotates the inclined portion 421a3 so that it is inclined relative to the horizontal portion 421a2. The inclined portion 421a3 is biased upward by the torsion spring. As a result, when the leg rest portion 41 is displaced downward, the leg rest portion 41 is urged upward by the torsion spring, the lower end of the bent portion 421c abuts against the floor F, and the second extending portion 421b supports the leg rest portion 41 upward. Therefore, similar to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to prevent damage to the ottoman 4 and the seat cushion frame 11 connected to the ottoman 4. The bent portion 421c and the second extending portion 421b correspond to floor support members.

[0070] <Fourth Modification> 11 shows a support mechanism 44D of an ottoman 4 according to a fourth modification. The support mechanism 44D has a stand unit 421e provided on the first extension 421a of the movable rail 421. The stand unit 421e has a leg portion 421e1, a floor contact portion 421e2 that contacts the floor F, and a hinge 421e3 that rotatably connects the leg portion 421e1 to the first extension 421a. The stand unit 421e is rotatably connected via the hinge 421e3 between a horizontal position in which it extends in the front-to-rear direction together with the first extension 421a, and a stand position in which it extends in the up-down direction and stands upright against the floor F. When an excessive load is applied to the footrest 41, the standing leg unit 421e is displaced to the standing leg position, and the floor contact portion 421e2 located at the lower end contacts the floor F, and the leg portion 421e1 supports the footrest 41 from below. This prevents the footrest 41 from contacting the floor F and being damaged.

[0071] The standing unit 421e is controlled to displace from the horizontal position to the standing position when an acceleration sensor disposed in the footrest 41 detects that the footrest 41 has been displaced downward, but this is not limiting. A pressure sensor may be disposed in the footrest 41, and the standing unit 421e may be controlled to displace from the horizontal position to the standing position when the pressure sensor detects an excessive load. Alternatively, the standing unit 421e may have an engagement portion that disengages from the first extension 421a when an excessive load is applied to the footrest 41, and the footrest 41 and the first extension 421a may be connected to each other via the engagement portion.

[0072] <Fifth Modification> Alternatively, the leg unit 41d may be provided on the leg rest 41. FIG. 12 shows a support mechanism 44E of an ottoman 4 according to a fifth modified example. The leg unit 41d has a first leg portion 41d1, a second leg portion 41d2, a floor contact portion 41d3 that contacts the floor F, a rotating connector 41d4, and a hinge 41d5. The leg unit 41d can be displaced between a folded position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 12 and a standing position indicated by a solid line. When an excessive load is applied to the leg rest 41, the leg unit 41d rotates about the rotating connector 41d4 and the hinge 41d5 to be displaced to the standing position, and the floor contact portion 41d3 contacts the floor F. At this time, the first leg portion 41d1 and the second leg portion 41d2 support the leg rest portion 41 from below, preventing the leg rest portion 41 from coming into contact with the floor F and being damaged.

[0073] <Sixth Modification> FIG. 13 shows a support mechanism 44F of an ottoman 4 according to a sixth modification. The support mechanism 44F includes an expansion unit 421f provided below the movable rail 421. The expansion unit 421f includes a plurality of air cell supports 421f1 and an air cell housing 421f2 that houses the air cell supports 421f1 in a stacked state. The air cell supports 421f1 expand when compressed air is injected into them and contract when the compressed air is discharged. Therefore, the expansion unit 421f can transition between a housed state in which it is housed in an expansion unit housing 421g below the movable rail 421 and a support state in which it bulges downward from the movable rail 421 and abuts against the floor F to support the footrest portion 41 from below.

[0074] The expansion unit 421f is controlled to transition from the stored state to the support state when an acceleration sensor disposed in the leg rest portion 41 detects that the leg rest portion 41 has been displaced downward, but this is not limited to this. A pressure sensor may be disposed in the leg rest portion 41, and the expansion unit 421f may be controlled to transition from the stored state to the support state when the pressure sensor detects an excessive load. As a result, similar to the above-described embodiment, when the leg rest portion 41 is displaced downward, the leg rest portion 41 is supported from below, making it possible to prevent damage to the ottoman 4. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] S vehicle seat S1 seat body 1 seat cushion 1a Pad material 1b Skin material 11 Seat cushion frame 12 Side frame 121 Rotating connecting shaft (rotating shaft) 123 Notch 124 Rise restriction piece (rise restriction member) 2 seat backs 21 Seat back frame 3 Headrest 4 Ottoman 41 Foot rest 411 Leg placement surface 41a Base 41b padding material 41c Skin material 41d Standing unit (floor support member) 41d1 First leg body part 41d2 Second leg body part 41d3 Floor contact part 41d4 Rotating connection 41d5 hinge 42 Fore / aft adjustment mechanism 421 Movable Rail 421a First extension part 421a1 Rear end 421a2 Horizontal part 421a3 Slope 421b Second extension (floor support member) 421c Bending section (floor support member) 421d Hinge 421e Standing unit (floor support member) 421e1 Leg body 421e2 Floor contact part 421e3 hinge 421f expansion unit 421f1 Air cell support 421f2 Air cell container 421g Expansion unit housing 422 Fixed Rail 422a Rail body 422b Abutment member 422c opening 43, 43A, 43B Movable mechanism 431 Rotating support shaft 432 Rotational biasing spring (biasing member) 433 Air Cell 433a Front air cell 433b Rear air cell 434 Elastic Members 44, 44C, 44D, 44E Support mechanism 441 Elastic support member 441a Upper end connection 441b Lower end connection 442 Floor support member 5 Reclining device 6 Slide rail device 61 Lower rail 62 Upper Rail 63 Slide motor 64 Motor Mounting Bracket 7 Tilt device 71 Front link 72 rear link 73 Tilt motor 8 AVS F Floor

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a seat cushion frame that forms the framework of a seat cushion and an ottoman that supports the lower legs of an occupant, The ottoman is a leg rest portion on which the lower legs of the occupant can be placed; a front-rear adjustment mechanism that is connected to the leg rest portion and supports the leg rest portion so as to be movable in the front-rear direction; a support mechanism that supports the leg rest portion together with the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism when a load is applied to the leg rest portion from above to below and the leg rest portion is displaced downward relative to the seat cushion frame.

2. The front-rear adjustment mechanism is rotatably connected to the seat cushion frame around a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the support mechanism supports the front-to-rear adjustment mechanism at a position forward of the rotation shaft.

3. The support mechanism includes: an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be extendable and contractible in the vertical direction; a floor support member that abuts against a floor of a vehicle on which the vehicle seat is installed and supports the leg rest portion or the front-rear adjustment mechanism from below, The front-rear adjustment mechanism is The seat cushion frame is connected to the seat cushion frame so as to be displaceable in the up and down direction. When the foot rest portion is displaced downward by the load, the foot rest portion is biased upward by the elastic support member, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the footrest portion or the front-rear adjustment mechanism is supported from below by the floor support member when the footrest portion is displaced downward by the load.

4. the floor support member has a bent portion at a front end of the front-rear adjustment mechanism, the bent portion extending from the front-rear adjustment mechanism and connecting to the footrest portion; 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the bent portion abuts against the floor at a lower end thereof and supports the leg rest portion above the floor.

5. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat cushion frame is provided with an ascent restriction member above the longitudinal adjustment mechanism for restricting ascent of the longitudinal adjustment mechanism.

6. the support mechanism has an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be extendable and contractible in the vertical direction; The front-rear adjustment mechanism is the seat cushion frame is rotatably connected to the seat cushion frame around a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the elastic support member rotates about the rotation axis by expanding and contracting.

7. the support mechanism has an elastic support member attached to the seat cushion frame so as to be extendable and contractible in the vertical direction; The front-rear adjustment mechanism is a movable rail that slides in the front-rear direction and moves the leg rest in the front-rear direction; a fixed rail that slidably supports the movable rail, The seat cushion frame is attached so as to be displaceable in the up and down direction.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the elastic support member connects the fixed rail and the seat cushion frame and biases the front-rear adjustment mechanism upward.

8. the fixed rail has a substantially C-shape in cross section as seen from the front, and has an opening that opens to the inside in the seat width direction, 8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected to the opening at positions that are equal in the vertical direction.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the elastic support member and the fixed rail are connected to each other at a position that does not overlap with the movable rail in the seat width direction when the movable rail is positioned at the forwardmost position where it can slide.

10. The seat cushion frame has left and right side frames on both sides in the seat width direction, The front-rear adjustment mechanism is located inside the left and right side frames in the seat width direction, 8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the side frame has a notch on the outer side in the seat width direction of a connecting portion between the fixed rail and the elastic support member.

Images