Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat having a pad supported on a panel, in which a harness extending from a sensor is arranged on a back side of the pad.SOLUTION: A vehicular seat 1 comprises a panel 4, pads 11 and 51 supported on the panel, cover materials 12 and 52 covering surfaces of the pads, and a sensor 32 provided between the surfaces of the pads and the cover materials and acquiring information related to a seated occupant. The pads have penetration holes 35 and 58 penetrating through front sides and back sides of the pads and concave parts 45 and 61 recessed on the back sides of the pads and connected to the penetration holes. A harness connected to the sensor extends through the penetration holes and the concave parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A vehicle seat with an occupancy sensor provided on the seat cushion is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The occupancy sensor has a film-type pressure sensor disposed on the surface (upper surface) of the seat cushion pad. The pressure sensor is connected to a control device by a harness that passes through a through-hole that penetrates the seat cushion pad from top to bottom and extends to the back side of the seat cushion pad. This configuration allows the harness to be positioned so that it is unlikely to come into contact with the seat occupant. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-65659 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the case of rear seats, since the pads that make up the seat cushion and seat back are supported on the vehicle body panels, it is difficult to ensure space on the back side of the pads for arranging the harness.

[0005] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat having a pad supported by a panel, in which a harness extending from a sensor is disposed on the rear side of the pad. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat (1) comprising a panel (4), a pad (11, 51) supported by the panel, a cover material (12, 52) covering the surface of the pad, and a sensor (32) provided between the surface of the pad and the cover material for acquiring information about the seated occupant, wherein the pad has a through-hole (35, 58) penetrating from the surface to the back surface of the pad, and a recess (45, 61) recessed in the back surface of the pad and connected to the through-hole, and a harness connected to the sensor extends through the through-hole and the recess.

[0007] According to this aspect, in a vehicle seat in which a pad is supported by a panel, a space can be formed between the panel and the back surface of the pad by the recess, and a harness can be placed in this space.

[0008] In the above invention, the recess may extend from the through hole to an edge portion on the rear surface of the pad.

[0009] According to this aspect, the harness arranged on the back surface of the pad can be pulled out to the side of the pad.

[0010] In the above invention, the surface of the panel (5) may face up and down, the pad (11) may be disposed on the upper surface of the panel so as to be rotatable around the rear end as a center (X1), and the recess may extend rearward from the through-hole. Alternatively, the surface of the panel (6) may face up and down, the pad (51) may be disposed on the front surface of the panel so as to be rotatable around the lower end as a center (X2), and the recess may extend downward from the through-hole.

[0011] According to these aspects, the harness extends from the through hole on the back surface of the pad toward the pivot axis, so that the distance between the end of the harness and the panel is less likely to change when the pad rotates relative to the panel, thereby preventing the harness from being pulled.

[0012] In the above invention, the pad may include a plurality of members (14, 15) made of different materials, and the through hole may be formed in one of the plurality of members.

[0013] According to this aspect, the through holes can be easily formed.

[0014] In the above invention, the pad may have an air passage (37) extending from the rear surface to the front surface, and the through-hole may be formed to avoid the air passage. Also, the pad may have a locking portion (41) for fastening a child car seat on the front surface, and the through-hole may be formed to avoid the locking portion. Also, the pad may have a heater cloth (43) with a heater wire on the front surface, and the through-hole may be opened at a position that avoids the heater cloth.

[0015] According to these aspects, it is possible to reduce the influence of other elements on the harness.

[0016] In the above invention, one end of the through hole may be provided at a position that avoids a pressure-receiving area (30) that is set as an area on the surface of the pad where the weight of a seated person is directly applied. Also, the surface of the panel may be oriented upside down, the pad may be disposed on the upper surface of the panel, and the through hole may be provided behind the pressure-receiving area.

[0017] According to this aspect, the weight of the seated occupant can be made less likely to be applied to the harness. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the above aspect, in a vehicle seat in which a pad is supported by a panel, a recess provided on the back surface of the pad can form a space between the panel and the back surface of the pad, and a harness can be placed in this space.

[0019] According to an aspect in which the recess extends from the through hole to the edge portion on the rear surface of the pad, the harness arranged on the rear surface of the pad can be pulled out to the side of the pad.

[0020] In an embodiment in which the surface of the panel faces up and down, the pad is arranged on the upper surface of the panel so as to be rotatable around the rear end, and the recess extends rearward from the through hole, or in which the surface of the panel faces front and back, the pad is arranged on the front surface of the panel so as to be rotatable around the lower end, and the recess extends downward from the through hole, the distance between the end of the harness and the panel is less likely to change when the pad rotates relative to the panel, and the harness can be prevented from being pulled.

[0021] According to an embodiment in which the pad is formed by combining a plurality of members made of different materials and the through hole is formed in one of the plurality of members, the through hole can be easily formed.

[0022] In some embodiments, an air passage extending from the back surface to the front surface of the pad is formed, and the through-hole is formed to avoid the air passage; in other embodiments, a groove is formed on the surface of the pad through which an arm extending from the child seat passes, and the through-hole is formed to avoid the groove; and in other embodiments, a heater cloth having a heater wire is provided on the surface of the pad, and the through-hole opens at a position that avoids the heater cloth, the impact of other elements on the harness can be reduced.

[0023] In an embodiment in which the through hole is opened at a position that avoids the pressure-receiving area that is set as the area on the surface of the pad where the weight of the seated person is directly applied, or in an embodiment in which the surface of the panel is facing up and down, the pad is placed on the upper surface of the panel, and the through hole is opened behind the pressure-receiving area, it is possible to make it less likely that the weight of the seated person will be applied to the harness. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a seat cushion pad according to a first embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a seat cushion pad according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a seat cushion pad according to a first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a seat cushion pad according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a seat cushion pad according to a second embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] A first embodiment of the vehicle seat of the present invention applied to a rear seat of an automobile will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, left and right are defined based on the position of an occupant seated in the seat.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, seat 1 is a bench seat that can seat three people. Seat 1 has a seat cushion 2 and a seat back 3 that extends upward from the rear end of seat cushion 2. As shown in Figure 2, seat 1 is supported by a body panel 4 that forms the body of the automobile. Body panel 4 is formed by press-forming steel plate, and has a floor section 5 with its surfaces facing up and down, and a wall section 6 that extends upward from the rear end of floor section 5 and its surfaces facing forward and backward. Wall section 6 separates the passenger compartment from the luggage compartment. Seat cushion 2 is supported on the upper surface of floor section 5, and seat back 3 is supported on the front surface of wall section 6.

[0027] The seat cushion 2 includes a seat cushion pad 11 supported by a floor portion 5 and a cover material 12 covering the surface (top surface) of the seat cushion pad 11. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the seat cushion pad 11 is formed by combining multiple members made of different materials. The seat cushion pad 11 includes a hard portion 14 that forms the outer periphery of the back side (lower portion) of the seat cushion pad 11 and a soft portion 15 that forms the front side (upper portion) and the central portion of the lower portion. The soft portion 15 has higher flexibility than the hard portion 14 and is connected to the hard portion 14. The hard portion 14 is made of, for example, EPP (expanded polypropylene), and the soft portion 15 is made of, for example, urethane foam. The seat cushion pad 11 maintains its shape due to the structure in which the soft portion 15 is supported by the hard portion 14. In other embodiments, in order to maintain the shape of the seat cushion pad 11, a reinforcing material such as a wire may be provided inside at least one of the soft portion 15 and the hard portion 14, or a frame may be provided to support the soft portion 15.

[0028] The seat cushion pad 11 is supported at its rear end on the floor portion 5 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis X1 extending laterally. The seat cushion pad 11 may be rotatably supported on a bracket provided on the floor portion 5. The seat cushion pad 11 rotates about the rotation axis X1, and can take two positions: a normal position in which its back surface (lower surface) contacts the upper surface of the floor portion 5 and allows a person to sit on it, and a tip-up position in which the front portion is positioned higher than the normal position. In the normal position, the front end of the seat cushion pad 11 may be engaged with the floor portion 5.

[0029] 3 and 4, a hanging groove 20 for hanging the upholstery material 12 is formed on the surface (upper surface) of the seat cushion pad 11. A wire is provided in the hanging groove 20 for hooking a hook provided on the back surface of the upholstery material 12. The wire is embedded in the soft portion 15 and exposed to the outside within the hanging groove 20. Left and right vertical grooves 21, 22 and front and rear horizontal grooves 23, 24 that constitute the hanging groove 20 are formed on the surface of the left part of the seat cushion pad 11 corresponding to the left seat.

[0030] The left and right longitudinal grooves 21, 22 extend parallel to each other in the front-rear direction at a lateral distance. The distance between the left and right longitudinal grooves 21, 22 is preferably set to be larger than the distance between the hip joints of an average adult male. The front ends of the left and right longitudinal grooves 21, 22 reach the front edge of the seat cushion pad 11. The front lateral groove 23 extends left and right forward of the position of the hip joints of the seated person in the proper seating position and connects to the left and right longitudinal grooves 21, 22. The front lateral groove 23 is provided in the center of the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 in the front-rear direction. The rear lateral groove 24 extends left and right behind the position of the hip joints of the seated person in the proper seating position and connects to the left and right longitudinal grooves 21, 22. The rear lateral groove 24 is provided within a range of 10% to 30% of the entire surface of the seat cushion pad 11 from the rear end in the front-rear direction.

[0031] The surface of the seat cushion pad 11 is provided with a left inclined portion 26 inclined upward toward the left in a portion to the left of the left vertical groove 21, a right inclined portion 27 inclined upward toward the right in a portion to the right of the right vertical groove 22, and a rear inclined portion 28 inclined upward toward the rear in a portion rearward of the rear lateral groove 24. An area on the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 to which the weight of a seated occupant is directly applied is set as a pressure-receiving area 30. In this embodiment, the pressure-receiving area 30 corresponds to the area surrounded by the left and right vertical grooves 21, 22 and the rear lateral groove 24.

[0032] 2 and 4, a sensor 32 for acquiring information about the seated occupant is provided between the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 and the covering material 12. The sensor 32 may be a load sensor (pressure sensor) for detecting the load of the seated occupant, a blood pressure sensor for detecting the blood pressure of the seated occupant, a pulse sensor for detecting the pulse of the seated occupant, a sweat sensor for detecting the sweat of the seated occupant, an odor sensor for detecting the odor of the seated occupant, a body temperature sensor for detecting the body temperature of the seated occupant, or the like. The sensor 32 is preferably formed in a film shape and fits along the surface of the seat cushion pad 11.

[0033] In this embodiment, the sensor 32 is a load sensor that detects the load of a seated occupant. The sensor 32 includes a flexible film 32A and a thin-film detection unit 32B provided on the film 32A. The detection unit 32B may be, for example, a piezoelectric element or a thin-film switch formed by two opposing metal plates spaced apart and deflecting and contacting each other when a load is applied, thereby establishing electrical continuity. The film 32A is provided along the surface of the seat cushion pad 11. The film 32A extends from the pressure-receiving area 30, passing above the rear lateral groove 24, to the rear inclined portion 28. The cover material 12 is suspended in the rear lateral groove 24 on the left and right sides of the film 32A to avoid interference with the film 32A. The front end of the film 32A branches out and extends to both the left and right sides. The detection units 32B are provided on both left and right ends of the front end of the film 32A and are located in the pressure-receiving area 30. The film 32A is provided with a signal line extending from the detection unit 32B. The film 32A may be a flexible printed circuit board or the like. A harness 33 is connected to the rear end of the film 32A of the sensor 32 for transmitting a detection signal from the detection unit 32B.

[0034] The seat cushion pad 11 is formed with a harness passage 35, which is a through-hole that penetrates from the front surface to the back surface. The harness 33 connected to the sensor 32 extends from the front surface side of the seat cushion pad 11 through the harness passage 35 to the back surface side of the seat cushion pad 11. The open end on the front surface side of the harness passage 35 is provided at a position that avoids the pressure-receiving area 30. In this embodiment, the open end on the front surface side of the harness passage 35 is provided in the rear inclined portion 28. The harness passage 35 may be formed only in the soft portion 15, or may be formed in both the soft portion 15 and the hard portion 14. Forming the harness passage 35 only in the soft portion 15, avoiding the hard portion 14, makes it easier to form the harness passage 35. In this embodiment, the harness passage 35 extends vertically and penetrates the soft portion 15 and the hard portion 14, and the open end on the back surface side is formed in the hard portion 14. The diameter of the portion 35A of the harness passage 35 formed in the hard portion 14 is larger than the diameter of the portion 35B of the harness passage 35 formed in the soft portion 15. That is, the harness passage 35 is a stepped hole in which the diameter of the portion 35A on the back side is stepped larger than that of the portion 35B on the front side. In another embodiment, the harness passage 35 may be inclined in the vertical direction. By inclining the harness passage 35 obliquely, the harness passage 35 can be formed only in the soft portion 15, avoiding the hard portion 14.

[0035] The seat cushion pad 11 has an air passage 37 extending from the back surface to the front surface. The air passage 37 has a collecting portion 37A that opens to the back surface and branch portions 37B that branch off from the collecting portion 37A and open to the front surface. A blower 38 is provided at the open end of the collecting portion 37A. A ventilation groove 39 is recessed in the floor portion 5 of the vehicle body panel 4 at a position corresponding to the open end of the collecting portion 37A. The ventilation groove 39 extends longitudinally, connecting to the open end of the collecting portion 37A at its rear end and to the interior space of the vehicle cabin at its front end. The upholstery material 12 is breathable. As the blower 38 rotates, air within the vehicle cabin flows through the ventilation groove 39, collecting portion 37A, and branch portion 37B in this order, passing through the upholstery material 12 and being released above the seat cushion 2. The harness passage 35 is formed to avoid the air passage 37. In other embodiments, the harness passage 35 may at least partially overlap the air passage 37. The ventilation groove 39 may be recessed in the rear surface of the seat cushion pad 11 instead of in the floor portion 5.

[0036] The rear end of the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 is formed with locking portions 41 for fixing a pair of left and right child seats. The locking portions 41 have grooves recessed in the seat cushion pad 11 and strikers provided inside the grooves. The locking portions 41 preferably have a shape that complies with the international standard ISO-FIX. The harness passages 35 are formed to avoid the locking portions 41.

[0037] 2 and 5, a recess 45 connected to the open end of the harness passage 35 on the rear side is recessed in the rear surface of the seat cushion pad 11. The recess 45 and the floor portion 5 of the vehicle body panel 4 form a space therebetween that can accommodate the harness 33. The recess 45 has a groove shape and extends rearward from the harness passage 35. That is, the recess 45 extends from the harness passage 35 toward the rotation axis X1 of the seat cushion pad 11. The rear end of the recess 45 may reach the rear edge of the seat cushion pad 11. The recess 45 may be sized to accommodate a connector for the harness 33 and electronic components such as a microcomputer to which the harness 33 is connected.

[0038] The harness 33 extends rearward from the sensor 32 provided on the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 over the surface of the seat cushion pad 11, passes through the harness passage 35 to reach the back side of the seat cushion pad 11, and then passes through the recess 45 to reach the rear edge of the seat cushion pad 11.

[0039] 2, the seat back 3 has a seat back pad 51 supported on the wall portion 6 of the vehicle body panel 4, and a covering material 52 covering the surface (front surface) of the seat back pad 51. Like the seat cushion pad 11, the seat back pad 51 has a hard portion 53 and a soft portion 54.

[0040] The seatback pad 51 is supported by the wall 6 at its lower end so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis X2 extending laterally. The seatback pad 51 may be supported by a bracket provided on the wall 6 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis X2. The seatback pad 51 rotates about the rotation axis X2 and can take two positions: a normal position in which its back surface (rear surface) contacts the front surface of the wall 6, and a forward-leaning position in which its upper portion is positioned forward of the normal position. In the normal position, the upper end of the seatback pad 51 may be engaged with the wall 6. In another embodiment, the seatback pad 51 may be rotatably supported by the seat cushion pad 11 instead of the wall 6.

[0041] A hanging groove is formed on the surface of the seat back pad 51, similar to the seat cushion pad 11. A sensor 57 for acquiring information about the seat occupant is provided between the surface of the seat back pad 51 and the upholstery material 52. The sensor 57 may be the same as the sensor 32 provided on the seat cushion pad 11.

[0042] A harness passage 58 is formed in the seat back pad 51, penetrating from the front surface to the back surface. A harness 59 connected to the sensor 57 extends from the front surface side of the seat back pad 51 through the harness passage 58 to the back surface side of the seat cushion pad 11. The position of the harness passage 58 can be determined by referring to the position of the harness passage 35 in the seat cushion pad 11.

[0043] A recess 61 connected to the open end of the harness passage 58 on the rear side is formed in the rear surface of the seat back pad 51. The recess 61 and the wall portion 6 of the vehicle body panel 4 form a space capable of receiving the harness 59 therebetween. The recess 61 is groove-shaped and extends downward from the harness passage 58. That is, the recess 61 extends from the harness passage 58 toward the rotation axis X2 of the seat back pad 51. The lower end of the recess 61 may reach the lower edge of the seat back pad 51.

[0044] The effects of the seat 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The recess 45 provided on the back surface of the seat cushion pad 11 allows a space to be formed between the floor portion 5 of the vehicle body panel 4 and the back surface of the seat cushion pad 11, and the harness 33 can be arranged in this space. Similarly, the recess 61 provided on the back surface of the seat back pad 51 allows a space to be formed between the wall portion 6 of the vehicle body panel 4 and the back surface of the seat back pad 51, and the harness 59 can be arranged in this space.

[0045] In the seat cushion pad 11, the recess 45 extends rearward from the harness passage 35, i.e., toward the rotation axis X1 side of the seat cushion pad 11, so that when the seat cushion pad 11 rotates relative to the floor portion 5, the distance between the harness 33 and the floor portion 5 is less likely to change, thereby preventing the harness 33 from being pulled. Similarly, in the seatback pad 51, the recess 61 extends downward from the harness passage 58, i.e., toward the rotation axis X2 side of the seatback pad 51, so that the harness 59 is prevented from being pulled.

[0046] Since the harness passage 35 opens at a position (rear inclined portion 28) on the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 that avoids the pressure-receiving area 30, the weight of the seated occupant is less likely to be applied to the harness 33. The same applies to the seat back 3.

[0047] Next, a seat 70 according to a second embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the seat 70 according to the second embodiment differs from the seat 1 according to the first embodiment in that it does not have an air passage 37 and has a heater cloth 72. Other configurations of the seat 70 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the seat 1 according to the first embodiment, and therefore the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0048] A heater cloth 72 having a heater wire 73 is provided between the surface of the seat cushion pad 11 and the upholstery material 12. The heater cloth 72 has a substantially rectangular main body portion 72A arranged in the pressure-receiving area 30 and a pair of left and right connection portions 72B extending rearward from both left and right ends of the rear edge of the main body portion 72A. The heater cloth 72 enters the lateral grooves 23, 24 and passes under the upholstery material 12. The pair of left and right connection portions 72B extend from the front surface side to the back surface side along the rear end of the seat cushion pad 11.

[0049] The main body 72A of the heater cloth 72 is positioned so as to overlap the detecting section 32B of the sensor 32 and the front part of the film 32A. On the other hand, the open end on the front side of the harness passage 35 is positioned so as to avoid the heater cloth 72. The open end on the front side of the harness passage 35 is positioned in an area defined by the rear edge of the main body 72A and the left and right connecting sections 72B.

[0050] Although the description of the specific embodiment has been completed above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be widely modified and implemented. For example, the recess 45 may be provided in the floor portion 5 instead of the back surface of the seat cushion pad 11. That is, the recess 45 may be provided in either the back surface of the seat cushion pad 11 or the floor portion 5. Similarly, the recess 45 may be provided in either the back surface of the seat back pad 51 or the wall portion 6.

[0051] The open end on the surface side of the harness passage 35 may be provided inside the hanging groove. The open end on the surface side of the harness passage 35 may be provided in either the left and right vertical grooves or the front and rear horizontal grooves. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1, 70: Sheet 2: Seat cushion 3: Seat back 4: Body panel 5: Floor section 6:Wall part 11: Seat cushion pad 12:Skin material 14: Hard part 15: Soft part 20: Hanging groove 28: Rear inclined section 30: Pressure receiving area 32: Sensor 33: Harness 35: Harness passage 37: Air passage 41: Locking part 45: Recess 51: Seat back pad 52:Skin material 57: Sensor 58: Harness passage 59: Harness 61: Recess 72: Heater cloth

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back, The seat cushion is Pads and a skin material covering the surface of the pad; a sensor provided between the surface of the pad and the cover material for acquiring information about an occupant; The seat cushion and the seat back overlap each other in a top view, The pad has a through hole that penetrates from the front surface to the back surface of the pad, a harness connected to the sensor extends through the through hole; a surface of the pad is provided with a groove for suspending the cover material; the through-hole is provided behind the hanging groove and in front of a portion of the seat cushion that overlaps with the seat back, The pad includes a hard portion and a soft portion having higher flexibility than the hard portion, The soft portion is located above the hard portion, the pad has ventilation holes extending from the rear surface to the front surface to define air passages; The through hole is located behind the ventilation hole. the hard portion forms a lower outer periphery of the pad; the soft portion constitutes the upper and lower central portions of the pad; an open end of the vent hole is provided on a lower surface of the lower central portion which is constituted by the soft portion and surrounded by the hard portion; A blower for blowing air through the air passage is provided at the open end.

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