Vehicle seat

Abstract

To avoid excessive tension of a seat cover as much as possible when applying load on the rear surface of a seat back.SOLUTION: A pressure receiving cover portion 40 receiving load, general cover portions 30 as the other seat cover parts, and a stretch part 50 capable of maintaining a stretch state where both of the cover portions are stretched to each other are provided on the rear surface of a seat cover 10. The pressure receiving cover portion 40 receiving the load is pressed to the side of an internal part member without stretching the general cover portions 30 by such a constitution as to release the stretch state due to the stretch part 50 while utilizing the load applied on the pressure receiving cover portion 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a seat back that serves as a backrest, a seat cover stretched to form the outer surface of the seat back, and an internal member covered with the seat cover. [Background technology]

[0002] In this type of vehicle seat, the seat back, which serves as a backrest, extends from the rear of the seat cushion, which serves as the seating area. A seat cover is stretched over the seat back with appropriate tension to form the outer surface of the seat back, and this seat cover also covers the seat frame, seat pad, and other internal components. When the vehicle seat described above is positioned in the front seat position, the rear surface of the seat back may be subjected to a load, for example, due to a collision with an object on the rear seat. For this reason, the seat (vehicle seat) disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a gel-like material attached to the rear surface of the seat back, which acts to cushion and absorb impact loads. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-112570 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As mentioned above, an object that hits the seat back will push against the rear surface of the seat cover and move towards the front of the seat, i.e. towards the internal components. The seat frame, seat pad, etc., which are internal components, will flex appropriately to support the object, but care must be taken to ensure that the seat cover does not become too stiff and suddenly stop the object's movement. In other words, it is not known what effect unintended sudden braking of an object will have on the object, and vehicle regulations also specify the deceleration G (m / s 2However, the technology in Patent Document 1 focuses solely on shock absorption and does not mention excessive tension of the seat cover. The present invention was devised in light of the above points, and the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to avoid, as much as possible, excessive tension of the seat cover when a load is applied to the rear surface of the seat back. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a means for solving the above problems, a vehicle seat according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a seat back, which serves as a backrest, and a seat cover stretched over its outer surface and an internal member covered by the seat cover. The vehicle seat is configured so that the seat cover is pushed toward the internal member when an external load is applied. With this type of seat configuration, it is desirable to minimize excessive tension on the seat cover when a load is applied to the rear surface of the seat back. Therefore, the rear surface of the seat cover according to the present invention is provided with a pressure-receiving cover portion that receives the load, a general cover portion that is the other part of the seat cover, and a tensioning portion that can maintain a tensioned state in which the two cover portions pull each other in the planar direction. The tensioning portion is configured to release the tensioning state by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion, so that the pressure-receiving cover portion that receives the load is pushed toward the internal member without pulling the general cover portion. In this invention, even if the pressure-receiving cover portion receives a load, the tensioning portion is released, making it less likely that a tensioning force will act on the general cover portion. According to the above-described configuration, by releasing the tension state of the tensioning portion when a load is input, excessive tension on the seat cover (tension on the general cover portion side) can be avoided as much as possible, and further, only the pressure-receiving cover portion is pushed toward the internal member side.

[0006] The vehicle seat of the second invention is the vehicle seat of the first invention, which is provided with a tensioning part that detachably connects the pressure-receiving cover part and the general cover part. In this invention, even if the pressure-receiving cover part and the general cover part are unintentionally disconnected, the tensioning part can reconnect both cover parts.

[0007] The vehicle seat of the third invention is the vehicle seat of the second invention, wherein the tensioning portion is a hook-and-loop fastener structure provided between the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion. In this invention, the hook-and-loop fastener structure functions as the tensioning portion to detachably connect the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion, and further makes it possible to release the tensioned state of both cover portions by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion.

[0008] The vehicle seat of the fourth invention is the vehicle seat of any one of the first to third inventions, wherein a load input portion to which a load is directly applied is provided in the upper seat portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion. The load input portion is connected to the general cover portion via a tension portion, and the lower seat portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion is inseparably connected to the general cover portion. In this invention, when an object is received by the load input portion provided in the upper seat portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion, the load input portion follows the movement of the object while rotating around the lower seat portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion as a base point. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the first aspect of the present invention, excessive tension on the seat cover can be avoided as much as possible when a load is applied to the rear surface of the seat back. According to the second aspect of the present invention, excessive tension on the seat cover can be avoided as much as possible while more appropriately ensuring the attachability of the pressure-receiving cover area. According to the third aspect of the present invention, excessive tension on the seat cover can be more reliably avoided while even more appropriately ensuring the attachability of the pressure-receiving cover area. And according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, excessive tension on the seat cover in appropriate places can be avoided as much as possible. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle seat as seen from the rear side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rear side of the seat back. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the seat cover. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the seat cover. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle seat with the pressure-receiving cover portion lowered. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rear surface of a seat back struck by an object. [Figure 7] 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pressure-receiving cover when pressed from the state shown in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a seat cover according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a seat cover according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pressure-receiving cover portion when pressed from the state shown in FIG. 9. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 11. In each figure, arrows indicating the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions (seat width direction) of the vehicle seat are appropriately shown. For convenience, in each figure, the positions of internal components such as the seat pad and seat frame are shown with dashed lines, and the specific shapes of the internal components are not shown. In each figure, other vehicle seats (other seats) and objects may be shown with dashed lines.

[0012] [Outline of the vehicle seat according to the first embodiment] First, an overview of a vehicle seat 2 shown in Fig. 1 will be described. In this vehicle seat 2, the lower part of a seat back 6 is connected via a recliner (not shown) to the rear part of a seat cushion 4, which serves as a seating portion. This seat back 6 is a member on which an occupant rests, and is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction of the seat when viewed from the rear. Then, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, in the interior of the vehicle, the vehicle seat 2 arranged in the front seat position and another vehicle seat (hereinafter, another seat 200) arranged in the rear seat position are arranged side by side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. As a result, an object on the another seat 200 (for example, an occupant model 201, which will be described later) faces the rear surface of the seat back 6.

[0013] 2 and 3, in the seat back 6, an internal member 8, such as a seat frame and a seat pad, is covered with a seat cover 10, which forms the outer surface of the seat. The seat frame is a metal member that forms the skeleton of the seat and supports a foamed resin seat pad that elastically supports the occupant. The seat cover 10 (described in detail later) is arranged around the internal member 8 and stretched with an appropriate tension.

[0014] The seat back 6 shown in FIG. 1 may be struck by various objects, such as an object on another seat 200, during a vehicle collision or sudden stop (see arrow (201) in FIG. 1 indicating the movement of the object). An object striking the rear surface of the seat back 6 pushes the rear surface of the seat cover 10 forward and moves toward the internal member 8. The internal member 8, such as the seat frame, supports the object by bending appropriately. However, with this type of configuration, care must be taken to prevent the movement of the object from being suddenly stopped by excessive tension on the seat cover 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the configurations described below (general cover portion 30, pressure-receiving cover portion 40, and tensioning portion 50) are designed to minimize excessive tension on the seat cover 10 when a load is applied to the rear surface of the seat back 6. Below, the configuration of this embodiment will be described in detail, starting with the basic configuration of the seat cover 10, followed by the general cover portion 30, pressure-receiving cover portion 40, and tensioning portion 50 provided on the rear surface.

[0015] [Basic configuration of seat cover] The seat cover 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 can be made of, for example, fabric (woven fabric, knitted fabric, nonwoven fabric) or leather (natural leather, artificial leather). The seat cover 10 is formed in a bag shape capable of covering the internal member 8 and has cover portions that form the seating surface (front surface), rear surface, left and right surfaces, top surface, and bottom surface. For example, based on the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 3, the seating cover portion 11 that forms the seating surface is formed of multiple cover pieces and is arranged facing each cover portion that forms the rear surface (such as a general cover portion 30 and a pressure-receiving cover portion 40, which will be described later). (For convenience, in FIG. 3, each cover piece that forms the seating cover portion is denoted by the reference symbol 11, indicating the seating cover portion.) Adjacent cover pieces and cover portions can be sewn together using a general sewing thread S1 with a predetermined strength.

[0016] 3, a lower cover portion 12 that forms the underside is connected to the lower end of the seat cover portion 11. An upper cover portion 13 that forms the upper surface is connected to the upper ends of the seat cover portion 11 and each of the rear cover portions (30, 40, etc.). Based on the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 4, the seat cover 10 is provided with a right cover portion 14 that forms the right flank surface and a left cover portion 15 that forms the left flank surface. The right cover portion 14 and the left cover portion 15 are connected to the seat cover portion 11 and each of the rear cover portions by stitching or fasteners.

[0017] [Rear of seat cover (general cover area)] 1 and 3, the rear surface of the seat cover 10 is provided with a general cover region 30 and a pressure-receiving cover region 40 (described later). The seat cover 10 is further provided with an upper pocket 33 at the upper end of the rear surface and a lower pocket 34 at the lower end of the rear surface. The upper pocket 33 is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is elongated from side to side and has substantially the same width (left-right dimension) as the rear surface of the seat cover 10. The upper pocket 33 is configured so that its lower side is open when its upper end and left-right ends are closed. The lower pocket 34 is also formed in a generally rectangular shape that is elongated from side to side and has substantially the same width as the rear surface of the seat cover 10. The lower pocket 34 is configured so that its upper side is open when its lower end and left-right ends are closed. The general cover region 30 is the rear surface seat cover portion excluding the pressure-receiving cover region 40 (described later). In this embodiment, the general cover region 30 mainly includes a first cover region 31 (described later) and the upper pocket 33.

[0018] 3 and 5, the first cover region 31 is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction and has generally the same length (vertical dimension) and width (lateral dimension) as the rear surface of the seat cover 10. Also, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, when the seat back 6 is viewed from the rear side, the upper portion of the first cover region 31 is covered by an upper pocket 33, and the lower portion of the first cover region 31 is covered by a lower pocket 34. Referring to FIG. 3, the first cover region 31 is reinforced by a reinforcing material 32 such as felt that is layered and connected to its back side (the front side of each figure) (for convenience, in FIG. 3, the pieces that make up the reinforcing material are denoted by the same reference numeral 32). The upper end of the first cover region 31 (and the reinforcing material 32) is connected to the rear end of the upper cover region 13. A lower end cover region 35 equipped with a hook is connected to the lower end of the first cover region 31, and the first cover region 31 is configured to be hung on the internal member 8 (the seat frame side) via the lower end cover region 35. The right edge of the first cover portion 31 shown in Figure 4 is connected to the right cover portion 14, and the left edge of the first cover portion 31 is connected to the left cover portion 15 via a line fastener structure 311 in an openable and closable manner.

[0019] 3 to 5, an opening 36 is formed in the first cover region 31 (and reinforcing member 32) in the center in the seat width direction, with a predetermined width that penetrates the seat from front to rear. This opening 36 is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the up-down direction of the seat, and is provided in a range from the middle position of the seat back 6 in the up-down direction to just below the upper pocket 33. The provision of the opening 36 in the general cover region 30 allows the pressure-receiving cover region 40, to which a load is applied, to move smoothly toward the internal member 8, as will be described later.

[0020] [Pressure-receiving cover part] The pressure-receiving cover portion 40 shown in FIG. 1 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction of the seat and is configured to receive a load applied to the rear surface of the seat cover 10. This pressure-receiving cover portion 40 has substantially the same width (left-right dimension) as the first cover portion 31 and a length (up-down dimension) that extends from near the opening of the lower pocket 34 to the upper pocket 33. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a lower end portion 41 of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 is inseparably connected to the general cover portion 30 by stitching near the opening of the lower pocket 34. This allows the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 to rotate up and down about the lower end portion 41 (see the solid arrow 40A in FIG. 5). The pressure-receiving cover portion 40, which is lowered downward as shown in FIG. 5, can be rotated upward about the lower end portion 41 to insert its upper end portion between the upper pocket 33 and the first cover portion 31. As a result, the opening 36 of the general cover portion 30 is covered by the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 that has been rotated upward.

[0021] [Load input section] 1 can be provided with a load input portion 42 at an appropriate position to directly receive an externally applied load. For example, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 is configured so that the load input portion 42 provided at its upper portion can directly receive the head of an occupant model (an example of an object) described below. The load input portion 42 has a length dimension in the seat vertical direction that is sufficient to cover the opening 36 of the general cover portion 30 described above. When the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 receives a load, as described below, the load input portion 42 provided at its upper portion gradually rotates downward from the lower end portion 41 toward the internal member 8 (see the portion indicated by the dashed arrow 40A in FIG. 5).

[0022] [Tension section] 1 is provided on the rear surface of the seat cover 10 with a tensioning section 50 that can maintain a tensioned state in which the pressure-receiving cover section 40 and the general cover section 30 (both cover sections) pull each other in the planar direction. The pressure-receiving cover section 40 (a section excluding the lower end) and the general cover section 30 are detachably connected via a hook-and-loop fastener structure serving as the tensioning section 50. That is, the rear surface of the seat cover 10 is provided with a right-side hook-and-loop fastener structure 50A, a left-side hook-and-loop fastener structure 50B, and a top-side hook-and-loop fastener structure 50C serving as the tensioning section 50, so as to surround the load input section 42 (upper side) of the pressure-receiving cover section 40.

[0023] Since each hook-and-loop fastener structure shown in FIG. 1 has substantially the same basic configuration, details will be described using the right hook-and-loop fastener structure 50A as an example. The right hook-and-loop fastener structure 50A is provided between the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this right hook-and-loop fastener structure 50A is composed of a right first fastener 51A on the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 side and a right second fastener 52A on the general cover portion 30 side. A fine hook structure is provided as an engaging portion on the surface of one of the right first fastener 51A and the right second fastener 52A. A fine loop structure is provided as an engaged portion on the surface of the other of the right first fastener 51A and the right second fastener 52A. The right first fastener 51A is fixed to the right edge of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 shown in FIG. 5, covering substantially the entire length of the cover portion. Further, a right second fastener 52A is fixed to the right edge of the first cover portion 31 of the general cover portion 30. The left surface fastener structure 50B shown in Figures 4 and 5 is also composed of a left first fastener 51B and a left second fastener 52B. The left first fastener 51B is fixed to the left edge of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40, and the left second fastener 52B is fixed to the left edge of the first cover portion 31.

[0024] 4 and 5, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 that has been lowered downward is rotated upward and placed against the first cover portion 31 of the general cover portion 30. As a result, the right first fastener 51A and the right second fastener 52A engage in a face-to-face contact state, and the left first fastener 51B and the left second fastener 52B engage in a face-to-face contact state. At this time, on the rear surface of the seat cover 10, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the first cover portion 31 are engaged with an appropriate amount of lateral tension. As a result, the right surface fastener structure 50A and the left surface fastener structure 50B serving as the tensioning portion 50 maintain a tensioned state in which the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30 pull each other in the face direction (left-right direction).

[0025] The top surface fastener structure 50C shown in Figures 3 and 5 is composed of an upper first fastener 51C and an upper second fastener 52C. The upper first fastener 51C, extending laterally, is fixed to the pressure-receiving cover region 40 so as to cover substantially the entire width of its upper edge. The general cover region 30 also has an upper second fastener 52C, extending laterally, fixed to the lower end of its upper pocket 33 (back side). By inserting the upper end of the pressure-receiving cover region 40 between the upper pocket 33 and the first cover region 31, the upper first fastener 51C and the upper second fastener 52C engage in a surface-to-surface contact state. At this time, the pressure-receiving cover region 40 and the upper pocket 33 are engaged with each other with appropriate vertical tension applied on the rear surface of the seat cover 10. As a result, top surface fastener structure 50C maintains a tension state in which pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and upper pocket 33 pull against each other in the planar direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, with the above-described configuration, upper first fastener 51C and upper second fastener 52C can be covered and hidden by upper pocket 33, making it possible to minimize unintentional engagement and disengagement of top surface fastener structure 50C (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0026] [Easy attachment and detachment of each cover part] On the rear surface of the seat cover 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 moves relative to the general cover portion 30 in the seat front-to-rear direction, disengaging the hook-and-loop fastener structures (50A-50C) serving as the tensioning portion 50 (see arrow 40A in FIG. 5). More specifically, with reference to FIG. 7, for example, in the right hook-and-loop fastener structure 50A, as the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 moves toward the front of the seat, the right first fastener 51A peels (separates) from the right second fastener 52A, disengaging these fasteners. The tensioning portion 50 is configured such that the peel strength of each hook-and-loop fastener structure can be adjusted to disengage when the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 is pressed with a predetermined load in a direction (front-to-rear direction) intersecting the surface direction (up-down, left-to-right directions). In the above-described configuration, the hook-and-loop fastener structures serving as the tensioning portion 50 can be re-engaged by pressing the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 against the general cover portion 30. In this way, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30 are detachably connected by the hook-and-loop fastener structures serving as the tension portions 50. Therefore, even if the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30 are unintentionally disconnected, the hook-and-loop fastener structures serving as the tension portions 50 can function to reconnect these two cover portions.

[0027] [Behavior of an object colliding with a seat back] In the following explanation, it is assumed that an occupant model 201 collides with the rear surface of a seat back 6 shown in Fig. 2. Here, the occupant model 201 is restrained by a seat belt on the separate seat 200, and the head portion of the occupant model 201 collides with the upper part of the rear surface of the seat back 6, i.e., the upper side of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40. The head portion of the occupant model 201 that collides with the rear surface of the seat back 6 is supported by the moderately bent internal member 8 while pushing the rear surface of the seat cover 10 forward. In this type of configuration, care should be taken to prevent the movement of the head portion of the occupant model 201 from being suddenly stopped by, for example, excessive tension in the seat cover 10.

[0028] Therefore, the rear surface of the seat cover 10 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a pressure-receiving cover area 40 that receives a load, a general cover area 30 that is the other seat cover portion, and a tensioning unit 50 that maintains a tensioned state in which both cover areas (pressure-receiving cover area 40, general cover area 30) are pulled in the planar direction. The tensioning state of the tensioning unit 50 is released by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover area 40, so that the pressure-receiving cover area 40 that receives the load is pushed toward the internal member 8 without pulling the general cover area 30. According to the above-described configuration, by releasing the tensioning state of both cover areas when a load is applied, excessive tensioning of the seat cover 10 can be suppressed, and only the pressure-receiving cover area 40 is pushed toward the internal member 8. The function of the pressure-receiving cover area 40 when a load is applied will be described in more detail below, along with the behavior of the object.

[0029] [Function of the pressure-receiving cover] 1 and 2, the head portion of the occupant model 201 gradually rotates downward as it moves toward the front of the seat, with the seat belt as the base point, and is brought into contact with the rear surface of the seat cover 10 (see arrow (201) in FIG. 1, which indicates the movement of an object). At this time, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, the head portion of the occupant model 201 is directly received by the load input portion 42 provided at the upper portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40. Then, with reference to FIG. 5, the load input portion 42 rotates downward with the lower end portion 41 as the base point, and smoothly follows the movement of the head portion of the occupant model 201, i.e., the movement toward the front and downward of the seat (see the portion of arrow 40A indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 5).

[0030] 6 and 7, the load-applied load input portion 42 is pushed toward the front of the seat, disengaging the tensioning portions 50 (the hook-and-loop fastener structures), thereby releasing the tensioning state of both cover portions. In this embodiment, the release of the tensioning state by the tensioning portions 50 separates the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30, making it difficult for the tensioning force to be transmitted between the two cover portions. In this way, the vehicle seat 2 can release the tensioning state by the tensioning portions 50 by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40. The loaded load input portion 42 is then pushed toward the internal member 8 alone, without applying a tensioning force to the general cover portion 30. As the load input portion 42 is then pushed toward the opening 36, the internal member 8 begins to support the head portion of the occupant model 201, which is supported by the load input portion 42 in a planar manner, while flexing appropriately. In the above-described configuration, the tension state of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30 is released, and only the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 is pushed toward the internal member 8, thereby making it possible to avoid unintended sudden braking of the head portion of the occupant model 201 supported by this pressure-receiving cover portion 40 as much as possible.

[0031] As explained above, in this embodiment, even if a load is applied to the pressure-receiving cover area 40, the tensioning state by the tensioning portion 50 is released, making it difficult for a tensioning force to act on the general cover area 30 side. According to the above-mentioned configuration, by releasing the tensioning state by the tensioning portion 50 when a load is input, excessive tensioning of the seat cover 10 (tensioning on the general cover area 30 side) can be avoided as much as possible, and further, only the pressure-receiving cover area 40 is pushed toward the internal member 8. Thus, according to this embodiment, excessive tensioning of the seat cover 10 can be avoided as much as possible when a load is applied to the rear surface of the seat back 6.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30 are unintentionally disconnected, the two cover portions can be reconnected by the action of the tension portion 50. In this embodiment, the hook-and-loop fastener structures serving as the tension portion 50 function to detachably connect the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 and the general cover portion 30, and further, the tensioned state of the two cover portions can be released by utilizing a load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40. In this embodiment, when an object is received by the load input portion 42 provided on the upper portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 (upper portion of the seat), the load input portion 42 rotates about the lower end portion 41 (lower portion of the seat) of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40 as a base point, following the movement of the object.

[0033] [Vehicle seat of Example 2] Next, a vehicle seat 2X of Example 2 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Here, in the vehicle seat 2X of Example 2, components having substantially the same basic configuration as those of Example 1 will be denoted by corresponding reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The vehicle seat 2X of Example 2 has substantially the same basic configuration as Example 1, but differs from Example 1 in that extra length portions (60A to 60C) are provided between the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X.

[0034] First, an overview of the rear surface of the seat cover 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 8 will be described. On the rear surface of this seat cover 10, the pressure-receiving cover region 40X and the general cover region 30X are formed from a single cover piece. The rear surface of the seat cover 10 is provided with the vertically elongated rectangular pressure-receiving cover region 40X at the center of the seat width direction. The general cover region 30X is disposed so as to surround the pressure-receiving cover region 40X (for convenience, the general cover regions located around the pressure-receiving cover region are designated by the common reference numeral 30X in FIG. 8). The pressure-receiving cover region 40X has an upper load input portion 42 connected to the general cover region 30X via a right-side excess length portion 60A, a left-side excess length portion 60B, and an upper excess length portion 60C, which will be described later. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, the pressure-receiving cover region 40X has a lower end portion 41 inseparably connected to the general cover region 30X by stitching. 10, a reinforcing member 32 having an opening 36 is disposed on the rear side of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X (one cover piece).

[0035] [Extra length] The right-side excess portion 60A and the left-side excess portion 60B shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 have substantially the same basic configuration and are formed symmetrically (for convenience, each excess portion is illustrated with hatching in FIG. 9). For example, the right-side excess portion 60A extends linearly in the seat up-down direction along the right edge of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X. The right-side excess portion 60A is formed by providing a cover portion bent and folded into an accordion-like shape with a substantially U-shaped cross section, as shown in FIG. 9, between the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X. In this right-side excess portion 60A, the connecting end of the accordion is located on the left end (inner end), and the two free ends of the accordion are located on the right end (outer end). The right end of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X is continuous with the free end on the inner side (front side) of the seat. The general cover portion 30X is continuous with the free end on the outer side (rear side) of the right-side excess portion 60A. As a result, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X are connected via the right excess length portion 60A. The left edge of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X is also connected to the general cover portion 30X via the left excess length portion 60B.

[0036] [Tension section] The right excess length portion 60A shown in FIG. 9 is sewn to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X by a right stitching thread 70 serving as a tensioning portion 50X provided at its right end (outer end). The left end (inner end) of the right excess length portion 60A is engaged with the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X by a right hook-and-loop fastener structure 70A. In the above-described configuration, the right stitching thread 70 and the right hook-and-loop fastener structure 70A maintain the bellows state of the right excess length portion 60A. The bellows state of the left excess length portion 60B is also maintained by a left stitching thread 71 (tensioning portion 50X) and the left hook-and-loop fastener structure 70B. At the rear of the seat cover 10, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X can be sewn together by the right stitching thread 70 and the left stitching thread 71 serving as the tensioning portion 50X, with appropriate lateral tension applied. As a result, the right suture 70 and the left suture 71 serving as the tensioning portion 50X maintain a tensioned state in which the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X pull each other in the planar direction (left-right direction).

[0037] The upper excess length portion 60C shown in FIG. 8 extends linearly in the seat width direction along the upper edge of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and spans substantially the entire width of the rear surface. As shown in FIG. 10, the upper excess length portion 60C is formed by providing a cover portion bent and folded into an accordion-like shape with a substantially U-shaped longitudinal section between the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X. The connecting end of the accordion-like shape of the upper excess length portion 60C is located at the lower end (inner end), and the two free ends of the accordion-like shape are located at the upper end (outer end). The free end of the upper excess length portion 60C on the inner side of the seat (front side) is continuous with the upper end of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X, and the free end on the outer side of the seat (rear side) is continuous with the general cover portion 30X. The upper excess length portion 60C is sewn to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X by an upper stitch 72 serving as a tension portion 50X provided at its upper end. The lower end of the upper excess length portion 60C is engaged with the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X by the upper hook-and-loop fastener structure 70C. At the rear surface of the seat cover 10, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X can be sewn together with an upper stitching thread 72 as a tensioning portion 50X in a tensioned state with an appropriate amount of tension applied vertically. This allows the upper stitching thread 72 as the tensioning portion 50X to maintain a tensioned state in which the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X pull each other in the surface direction (vertical direction).

[0038] 9 and 10, the right suture 70, left suture 71, and upper suture 72 that constitute the tensioning portion 50X will be described. Each of these sutures (70-72) that constitute the tensioning portion 50X can be made relatively more fragile by, for example, weakening it compared to the general suture S1 that connects the other cover portions. For example, to explain a weakening method using the right suture 70 shown in FIG. 9 as an example, this right suture 70 can be made of a thinner thread than the general suture S1, or it can also be made of a weaker material than the general suture S1. Furthermore, the right suture 70 can connect substantially the entire length of the right excess length portion 60A and the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X, but the right suture 70 (sewn portion) can also be made more fragile by, for example, providing it intermittently. According to the above-described configuration, the right suture 70 serving as the tensioning portion 50X can be broken so as to release the tensioned state by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X (see FIG. 11).

[0039] [Function of the pressure-receiving cover] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X of this embodiment can also directly support the head of the occupant model via the load input portion 42 provided on its upper portion. Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, when a load is applied, the load input portion 42 is pushed toward the front of the seat, disengaging the hook-and-loop fastener structures (70A-70C) and breaking the sutures (70-72) serving as the tensioning portion 50X. Breaking the tensioning portion 50X in this manner releases the tension on both cover portions. In this embodiment, releasing the tensioning state caused by the tensioning portion 50X relaxes the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X by the excess length, making it difficult for tension to be transmitted between the two cover portions. Thus, in the vehicle seat 2X, the tensioning state caused by the tensioning portion 50X can also be released by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X. Then, when the load is received, the load input portion 42 is pushed toward the internal member 8 while expanding each of the excess length portions (60A to 60C) forward and backward without applying a tensile force to the general cover portion 30X. Even in the above configuration, by releasing the tension state of the pressure-receiving cover portion 40X and the general cover portion 30X when a load is input, it is possible to avoid as much as possible unintended sudden braking of the head portion of the occupant model 201 supported by this pressure-receiving cover portion 40X.

[0040] The vehicle seat of this embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment and may be embodied in various other ways. For example, in Example 1, an example was described in which the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion are detachably connected by a hook-and-loop fastener structure (tensioning portion). Examples of this type of detachable tensioning portion include, in addition to the hook-and-loop fastener structure, a point fastener structure such as a snap button, a fastening structure using a detachable fastening member, and an adhesive structure using releasable double-sided tape. In this embodiment, the load input portion is provided on the upper part of the pressure-receiving cover portion, but it can also be provided on the lower part of the pressure-receiving cover portion. In this case, by connecting the upper end of the pressure-receiving cover portion with stitching, the lower part of the object (e.g., the knees of the occupant model) is supported by the load input portion on the lower part of the pressure-receiving cover portion while rotating upward. Furthermore, the pressure-receiving cover portion can be provided at an appropriate position on the seat cover. By providing it lower than the position shown in FIG. 1, it can accommodate a small occupant model. The position of the tensioning portion can be set appropriately taking into consideration the position of the load input portion, and can be selected from any of the positions above, below, left, and right (edges in the surface direction) of the pressure-receiving cover portion. It is also possible to provide tensioning portions on all of the above, below, left, and right sides of the pressure-receiving cover portion, in which case the lower end of the pressure-receiving cover portion can be connected to the lower pocket (general cover portion) via the tensioning portion. While it is desirable that both cover portions are entirely in a tensioned state, portions of both cover portions may be in a non-tensioned state (a state in which no tension is applied).

[0041] In Example 2, a sewn structure using a suture thread was described as the tension portion. Examples of this type of tension portion include a sewn structure, a fastening structure using staples or hog rings, and a thermocompression structure using a heat-sealed film. In Example 2, the pressure-receiving cover portion, the general cover portion, and the excess portion can be formed separately and then sewn together to form a single piece. The excess portion can have a roughly U-shaped bellows structure or an accordion-like bellows structure bent multiple times, and if possible, can be folded into a rolled cross section. When the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion are formed from a single cover piece, fragile tension portions such as perforations or holes can be intermittently formed between the two cover portions. Even in this case, the tension portions will break when the pressure-receiving cover portion is subjected to a load. The configurations of Examples 1 and 2 can be used in combination as appropriate.

[0042] The configuration of the vehicle seat can also be modified as needed. For example, the rear surface of the seat cover can be provided with at least one of an upper pocket and a lower pocket, or both pockets can be omitted. The configuration of this embodiment can be applied to all vehicle seats, including those for cars, airplanes, trains, and ships. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 2 Vehicle seats 4 seat cushions 6 Seat back 8 Internal components 10 Seat Covers 11 Seat cover area 12 Lower cover part 13 Upper cover part 14 Right cover part 15 Left cover part 30 General Coverage Areas 31 First cover part 32 Reinforcement 33 Upper pocket 34 Lower pocket 35 Lower end cover part 36 Opening 40 Pressure-receiving cover part 41 (Lower end of pressure-receiving cover) 42 Load input section 50 tension section 50A right-hand fastener structure 50B left-side fastener structure 50C top fastener structure 51A Right first fastener 51B Left first fastener 51C Upper first fastener 52A Right second fastener 52B Left second zipper 52C Upper second zipper 2X (Example 2) vehicle seat 30X (Example 2) General Coverage Area 40X (Example 2) pressure-receiving cover part 60A Right side extra length 60B Left side extra length 60C Upper extra length 70A Right side hook and loop fastener structure 70B Left side hook and loop fastener structure 70C Upper hook-and-loop fastener structure 70 Right Suture 71 Left suture 72 Upper suture 311 Wire fastener structure S1 General suture 200 separate sheets 201 Crew model (object)

Claims

1. A vehicle seat having a seat cover stretched so as to form the outer surface of a seat back serving as a backrest, and an internal member covered with the seat cover, wherein the seat cover is configured to be pushed toward the internal member when a load is applied from the outside, The rear surface of the seat cover is provided with a pressure-receiving cover portion that receives the load, a general cover portion that is the other part of the seat cover, and a tension portion that can maintain a tension state in which both cover portions pull each other in the surface direction, The vehicle seat is configured to release the tension state caused by the tensioning section by utilizing the load applied to the pressure-receiving cover portion, so that the pressure-receiving cover portion that has received the load is pushed toward the internal member without pulling the general cover portion.

2. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the tensioning portion is provided to detachably connect the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the tension portion has a hook-and-loop fastener structure provided between the pressure-receiving cover portion and the general cover portion.

4. a load input portion to which the load is directly applied is provided in an upper portion of the seat of the pressure-receiving cover portion, A vehicle seat as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load input portion is connected to the general cover portion via the tension portion, and the seat lower portion of the pressure-receiving cover portion is inseparably connected to the general cover portion.

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