Seat back

Abstract

To overcome the problems that a removed headrest is obstructive, and that it is time consuming to search for a removed headrest.SOLUTION: A seat back comprising a support base to which a stay of a headrest is attached includes: a lifting / lowering mechanism which is provided inside the seat back, and supports the support base so that it can be elevated / descended; and a reception part that is open to an upper face of the seat back, and that receives at least a part of the headrest to which the stay is mounted. In the seat back, the stay is supported to be slidable in a vertical direction relative to the support base.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to seat backs. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Seat backs to which a headrest is detachably attached have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The headrest may be detached from the seat back when not in use, for example, to arrange the seat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6396195 (Figure 1, etc.) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described conventional configuration, there may be a problem that the removed headrest becomes an obstacle or that it takes time to find the removed headrest. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the invention is a seat back having a support base to which a headrest stay is attached, the seat back comprising: a lifting mechanism provided inside the seat back and supporting the support base so that it can be raised and lowered; and a receiving portion that opens on the top surface of the seat back and can receive at least a portion of the headrest with the stay attached to the support base, the stay being supported so that it can slide up and down relative to the support base. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat provided with a seat back according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism inside the seat back. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat when the headrest is slid upward. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stay holding portion when the positioning mechanism is engaged with the stay. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the stay holding portion when the operation button is pressed and the positioning mechanism and the stay are disengaged. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the stay when the positioning mechanism and the stay are disengaged and the stay is able to slide relative to the stay holding portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism when the headrest is in the storage position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the support base and the support rail. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the base lock when the support base is locked. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a cross section of the base lock when the support base is unlocked. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a front cross-sectional view of the base locking portion when the support base placed at the upper end position is locked. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front cross-sectional view of the base locking portion when the support base placed at the upper end position is unlocked. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view of the base lock portion when the support base is lowered from the upper end position to the lower end position. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the support base when it abuts against the elastic member between the upper end position and the lower end position. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a front cross-sectional view of the base locking portion when the support base placed at the lower end position is locked. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a front cross-sectional view of the base locking portion when the support base placed at the lower end position is unlocked. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] [First embodiment] 1, the seat back 10 according to the first embodiment is a portion that serves as the backrest of a seat 90, and a headrest 35 is attached to the upper part of the seat back 10. The seat 90 may be, for example, a seat for a vehicle (e.g., a car) or a seat for a building (placed in a building).

[0008] The headrest 35 includes a headrest main body 36 that supports the front of the seated occupant's head, and a stay 30. The stay 30 is attached to the seat back 10 to support the headrest main body 36. The upper portion of the stay 30 is fixed to the headrest main body 36, and legs 32 protrude downward from the lower portion of the headrest main body 36. In this embodiment, the stay 30 includes a pair of rod-shaped legs 32 that extend downward and are aligned in the width direction of the seat 90, with the pair of legs 32 being parallel to each other. Note that, for example, the upper portion of the stay 30 is embedded in the headrest main body 36 (for example, in a foamed resin molded body included in the headrest main body 36). For example, the headrest main body 36 may have a structure in which a foamed resin molded body (for example, a foamed polyurethane resin molded body) is covered with a bag-shaped skin material (for example, a sewn product with skin pieces sewn together).

[0009] The seat back 10 is provided with a support base 20 to which a stay 30 of a headrest 35 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the support base 20 supports the stay 30 so that it can slide up and down, thereby enabling height adjustment of the headrest 35 (headrest main body 36) (see the arrow in FIG. 3 ). In this embodiment, the support base 20 is provided with a fitting portion 41 into which the stay 30 is fitted so that it can slide up and down, and a stay holding portion 22 (see FIG. 4 ) that can hold the stay 30 at any of a plurality of positions in the up and down direction relative to the fitting portion 41. In this embodiment, the leg portion 32 of the stay 30 is inserted from above into an insertion hole 41H provided in the fitting portion 41, so that the stay 30 is fitted into the fitting portion 41. A pair of fitting portions 41 are provided side by side in the width direction of the seat back 10 corresponding to the leg portion 32. In addition, in this embodiment, the support base 20 is provided with a main body base 23 that extends horizontally (in the width direction of the seat back 10) and has a pair of fitting portions 41 fixed midway in the horizontal direction (see Figure 2).

[0010] As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, engagement recesses 32U are formed at multiple positions in the vertical direction of the leg portion 32 (for example, one of the leg portions 32) of the stay 30, and the stay holding portion 22 can engage with any of these engagement recesses 32U.

[0011] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the stay holding portion 22 is provided in a fitting portion 41 into which a leg portion 32 having an engagement recess 32U is inserted. In the example shown in the figure, the stay holding portion 22 is provided with a ring member 45 arranged inside the fitting portion 41 so as to surround the leg portion 32 of the stay 30. The ring member 45 is configured to be slidable in a direction intersecting the vertical direction in which the leg portion 32 extends (the horizontal direction in FIG. 4). For example, the ring member 45 is biased to one side in the sliding direction (the left side in the example of FIG. 4) by a biasing means 47 (e.g., a compression coil spring), so that the inner circumferential surface of the ring member 45 is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the leg portion 32. The inner circumferential surface of the ring member 45 is provided with an engagement portion 46 that is received and engaged in the engagement recess 32U when the engagement recess 32U of the stay 30 and the ring member 45 are aligned in the vertical direction. By engaging the engaging portion 46 with the engaging recess 32U, the stay 30 (i.e., the headrest 35) is restricted from sliding relative to the fitting portion 41 (i.e., relative to the support base 20), and is positioned in the up-down direction.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 4, an operation button 44 protruding from the outer surface of the fitting portion 41 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the ring member 45 (on one side of the ring member 45 in the sliding direction in the example shown in Fig. 4). Then, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 5, when the operation button 44 is pressed toward the other side of the sliding direction of the ring member 45 (to the right in Fig. 5), the ring member 45 slides toward the other side in the sliding direction, disengaging the engagement portion 46 from the engagement recess 32U, and the stay 30 (i.e., the headrest 35) becomes slidable relative to the fitting portion 41 (i.e., relative to the support base 20) (see the arrow in Fig. 6).

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, a lifting mechanism 50 that supports the support base 20 so that it can be raised and lowered is provided inside the seat back 10. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the seat back 10 is provided with a receiving portion 11 that opens on the upper surface of the seat back 10 and can receive at least a portion of a headrest 35 having a stay 30 attached to the support base 20. In the seat back 10 of this embodiment, the support base 20 is capable of being raised and lowered, so that the headrest 35 can be positioned in a use position (see FIG. 2) where the entire headrest main body 36 is disposed outside the seat back 10, and in a storage position (see FIG. 7) where the entire headrest main body 36 is received in the receiving portion 11 of the seat back 10. Note that, for example, in the storage position, only a portion of the headrest main body 36 (only the lower portion) may be received in the receiving portion 11.

[0014] In the example of this embodiment, when the support base 20 is positioned at the upper end of the liftable range, the headrest 35 is positioned in the use position, and when the support base 20 is positioned at the lower end of the liftable range, the headrest 35 is positioned in the storage position.

[0015] The support base 20 may be provided with a cover 29 that closes the opening 11K of the receiving portion 11 that opens on the upper surface of the seat back 10 when the headrest 35 is positioned in the use position shown in Fig. 1 (in the example of this embodiment, when the support base 20 is positioned at the upper end position). In the example of this embodiment, the cover 29 has a through-hole 29H through which the fitting portion 41 passes, and is fixed to the fitting portion 41 (see Figs. 1 and 4). Note that the cover 29 is not shown in Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 12.

[0016] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 50 is provided with a base locking unit 51 that can lock the support base 20 at a plurality of positions within a range in which the support base 20 can be lifted and lowered. In this embodiment, the base locking unit 51 can lock the support base 20 at an upper end position (see FIG. 2) and a lower end position (see FIG. 7).

[0017] For example, the lifting mechanism 50 is provided with support rails 52 with which the support base 20 slidably engages. The support rails 52 are provided as a pair, extending vertically and aligned horizontally, and the pair of support rails 52 engage with both horizontal ends of the main body base 23 of the support base 20. More specifically, in this embodiment, the support rail 52 has a rectangular cross-section and a rectangular tube shape with a circumferentially open portion (the opposing portions of the pair of support rails 52) (see FIG. 8 ). The main body base 23 of the support base 20 passes through the open portion 53 (see the arrow in FIG. 8 ). In this embodiment, the main body base 23 has box-shaped protruding portions 24 that protrude in a box-like shape from both horizontal ends. The box-shaped protruding portions 24 are fitted inside the support rails 52 so as to be movable up and down (see FIG. 9 ). The support rails 52 are fixed, for example, to a seat back frame (not shown) provided inside the seat back 10.

[0018] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in this embodiment, the base locking portion 51 is provided with the support rail 52, locking holes 54, a locking member 55, and an unlocking member 56. The locking holes 54 are formed, for example, in one of the support rails 52 and penetrate the support rail 52 horizontally at a plurality of positions in the up-down direction of the support rail 52 (in this embodiment, two positions corresponding to the upper and lower end positions of the support base 20) (see Figure 9). The locking member 55 is slidably supported by the support base 20 and can be inserted into or removed from any of the locking holes 54, and is biased toward the support rail 52. A portion of the unlocking member 56 is exposed outside the seat back 10 and can be operated from outside the seat back 10 to disengage the locking member 55 from the locking hole 54.

[0019] In this embodiment, the support rail 52 having the locking holes 54 is positioned closer to the outer surface of the seat back 10 than the support base 20, and the unlocking members 56 are positioned on the extension lines of the respective locking holes 54 and supported so as to be horizontally movable, and can press the locking members 55 away from the support rail 52 through the locking holes 54 (see Figure 10).

[0020] In detail, in this embodiment, the locking member 55 protrudes outward from the inside of the box-shaped protrusion 24 of the support base 20, and its tip can be inserted into and removed from the locking hole 54 of the support rail 52. Furthermore, a base end of the locking member 55, which is arranged on the inside of the box-shaped protrusion 24, is biased toward the support rail 52 (outward in the width direction of the seat back 10) by a biasing means 58 (e.g., a compression coil spring). Furthermore, the locking release member 56 is inserted into the locking hole 54 of the support rail 52 from the outside of the seat back 10, and when the locking release member 56 is pushed from the outside (see the arrow in FIG. 10 ), it moves from the initial position shown in FIG. 11 to the pushed-in position shown in FIG. 12 , and the tip of the locking release member 56 pushes the locking member 55 inward (in the direction of retracting toward the inside of the box-shaped protrusion 24), making it possible to remove the locking member 55 from the locking hole 54. For example, the unlocking member 56 is biased to return to the initial position when it is not being pressed.

[0021] 11, in the example of this embodiment, when the support base 20 is positioned at the upper end position and the headrest 35 is positioned at the use position, the locking member 55 is biased and inserted into the locking hole 54 (corresponding to the upper end position) on the upper side of the support rail 52, the support base 20 is held on the support rail 52, and its raising and lowering is restricted. Here, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 12, when the lock releasing member 56 corresponding to the upper locking hole 54 is pushed in from the outside, the locking member 55 is released from the locking hole 54, and the support base 20 can be lowered (for example, manually or by dropping) (see FIG. 13).

[0022] 14, in this embodiment, a lower opposing portion 60 is provided that is fixed inside the seat back 10 and faces the support base 20 from below, and an elastic member 61 is provided between the support base 20 and the lower opposing portion 60. The elastic member 61 comes into contact with the support base 20 and undergoes compressive elastic deformation at least halfway from the upper end position to the lower end position of the support base 20's liftable range (see FIG. 14). This makes it possible to prevent the support base 20 from being damaged by impact even if the support base 20 falls. Note that the lower opposing portion 60 is fixed to a seat back frame (not shown), for example.

[0023] In this embodiment, the headrest 35 can be placed in the storage position (see FIG. 7) (the support base 20 can be placed in the lowest position) by pushing the headrest 35 further downward from the position shown in FIG. 14 against the biasing force of the elastic member 61. When the support base 20 is placed in the lowest position, the locking member 55 is inserted into the lower locking hole 54 (corresponding to the lowest position) by the biasing force of the biasing means 58, and the support base 20 is locked in the lowest position as shown in FIG. 15. This holds the headrest 35 in the storage position.

[0024] When moving the headrest 35 from the storage position to the use position, the locking member 55 can be released from the locking hole 54 by pushing in the lock release member 56 corresponding to the lower locking hole 54, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 16. At this time, in the example of this embodiment, the biasing force of the elastic member 61 moves the support base 20 upward, and the headrest 35 can be positioned to a position where it protrudes from the upper surface of the seat back 10, as shown in FIG. 14. This makes it possible to pull up the headrest 35 and place it in the use position. Then, when the headrest 35 is positioned in the use position, the locking member 55 is inserted into the upper locking hole 54 of the support base 20 by the biasing force of the biasing means 58, and the support base 20 is supported by the support rail 52 (see FIG. 11).

[0025] As described above, in the seat back 10 of this embodiment, the support base 20 can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 50, so that the headrest 35 can be received in the receiving portion 11 of the seat back 10. Conventionally, the headrest has been removed from the seat back to adjust the seat position, such as by reclining the seat. In this case, the removed headrest can become an obstacle. Furthermore, if the location of the removed headrest is not remembered, it can take time to find it. In contrast, in the seat back 10 of this embodiment, the headrest 35 can be received in the receiving portion 11 of the seat back 10, so the problem of the headrest 35 becoming an obstacle is less likely to occur. Furthermore, the need to remove the headrest 35 is less likely to arise, and the problem of time spent searching for the removed headrest 35 is also less likely to occur. Furthermore, by placing the headrest 35 in the storage position when not in use, it is possible to improve visibility compared to when the headrest 35 is always placed in the use position.

[0026] In the seat back 10 of this embodiment, the headrest 35 is slidable in the vertical direction relative to the support base 20, further increasing the degree of freedom in adjusting the position of the headrest 35. Furthermore, in the seat back 10 of this embodiment, the stay 30 of the headrest 35 is attached to the support base 20, which is supported by the lifting mechanism 50 so that it can be raised and lowered. Therefore, it is possible to attach a headrest for a conventional seat back that does not have the lifting mechanism 50 to the seat back 10 and reuse it.

[0027] The seat back 10 of this embodiment is provided with a cover 29 that closes the opening 11K of the receiving portion 11 that opens on the top surface of the seat back 10, thereby preventing objects from falling into the receiving portion 11 when the headrest 35 is in the use position. In addition, because the headrest 35 is slidable in the vertical direction relative to the support base 20, it is possible to prevent the receiving portion 11 from opening even when the position of the headrest 35 in the use position is adjusted.

[0028] [Other embodiments] The lifting mechanism 50 is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. The lifting mechanism 50 may be, for example, a mechanism that enables the support base 20 to be raised and lowered by a ball screw or a mechanism that enables the support base 20 to be raised and lowered by a rack and pinion.

[0029] In the above embodiment, the lifting mechanism 50 may be configured to electrically lift or lower the support base. Also, the base locking unit 51 may be electrically operated to lock or unlock the support base.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the unlocking member 56 may be configured to be supported by the support base 20 .

[0031] In the above embodiment, the base lock unit 51 may be capable of locking the support base 20 at a position other than the upper and lower end positions of the liftable range. Also, for example, the base lock unit 51 may be configured to lock the support base 20 only at the upper position of the upper and lower positions of the liftable range.

[0032] In the above embodiment, the headrest 35 may be fixed to the support base 20 so as to be non-slidable.

[0033] <Additional Notes> The following describes the group of features extracted from the above embodiment, highlighting their effects as necessary.

[0034] For example, the following features of the present disclosure can be considered to have been conceived in response to the following problem in relation to seat backs: "Conventionally, seat backs to which headrests are detachably attached have been known (for example, Japanese Patent No. 6396195 (Fig. 1, etc.)). Headrests are sometimes removed from seat backs when not in use, for example, to arrange the seats." In the background art, "In the above-described conventional configuration, the removed headrest can get in the way, and it can take time to find the removed headrest." There has long been a demand for the development of new seat back technologies and the emergence of new seat backs.

[0035] [Feature 1] A seat back having a support base to which a headrest stay is attached, a lifting mechanism provided inside the seat back and configured to support the support base so that the support base can be raised and lowered; a receiving portion that opens on an upper surface of the seat back and is capable of receiving at least a portion of the headrest with the stay attached to the support base; Equipped with The stay is a seat back supported by the support base so as to be slidable in the up and down direction.

[0036] [Feature 2] The support base includes: a fitting portion into which the stay is fitted so as to be slidable in the up and down direction; a stay holding portion capable of holding the stay at any one of a plurality of positions in the vertical direction relative to the fitting portion; The seat back according to claim 1, further comprising:

[0037] [Feature 3] 3. The seat back according to claim 1, further comprising a base locking portion that can lock the support base at a plurality of positions within a range in which the support base can be raised and lowered.

[0038] [Feature 4] a lower opposing portion fixed to the inside of the seat back and opposing the support base from below; an elastic member disposed between the support base and the lower opposing portion, the elastic member abutting against the support base and elastically deforming by compression at least from the middle of the support base moving toward the lower end position of the liftable range; 3. The seat back according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

[0039] [Feature 5] 3. The seat back according to claim 1, wherein the support base closes the opening of the receiving portion when the support base is located at an upper end position of its liftable range.

[0040] [Feature 6] The base lock portion has a support rail included in the lifting mechanism, extending in the vertical direction, with which the support base is slidably engaged; a plurality of lock holes penetrating the support rail in a horizontal direction at a plurality of positions in the vertical direction of the support rail; a locking member slidably supported on the support base, insertable into and removable from any of the locking holes, and biased toward the support rail; a lock release member, a portion of which is exposed to the outside of the seat back and which is operated to release the lock member from the lock hole; 4. The seat back according to claim 3, wherein

[0041] [Feature 7] the support rail having the plurality of lock holes is disposed at a position closer to the outer surface of the seat back than the support base, The seat back according to Feature 6, wherein the unlocking members are respectively arranged on extension lines of the plurality of locking holes and supported so as to be horizontally movable, and are capable of pressing the locking members through the plurality of locking holes so as to move away from the support rail.

[0042] [Feature 8] At the lower end position of the liftable range of the support base, the headrest with the stay attached to the support base is accommodated in the receiving portion, The seat back according to Feature 4, wherein the elastic member biases the support base to a position where at least a portion of the headrest protrudes from an upper surface of the seat back.

[0043] According to the above features, the support base can be raised and lowered, and the headrest with the stay attached to the support base can be received in the receiving portion of the seat back. Therefore, the problem of the headrest getting in the way is less likely to occur. In addition, the need to remove the headrest is less likely to arise, and the problem of time spent searching for the removed headrest is less likely to occur.

[0044] Although the present specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the scope of the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but also includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples, and also includes parts of the specific examples taken out alone. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10 Seatback 11 Receptor 11K aperture 20 Support Base 22 Stay holder 23 Main body base 29 Cover 30 Stay 32U Engagement recess 35 Headrest 36 Headrest body 41 Fitting part 41H Insertion hole 45 Ring member 46 Engagement part 47 Actuation means 50 Lifting mechanism 51 Base Lock Section 52 Support Rail 53 Open area 54 Lock hole 55 Locking member 56 Unlocking member 58 Actuation means 60 Lower opposing part 61 Elastic member

Claims

1. A seat back having a support base to which a headrest stay is attached, a lifting mechanism provided inside the seat back and configured to support the support base so that the support base can be raised and lowered; a receiving portion that opens on an upper surface of the seat back and is capable of receiving at least a portion of the headrest with the stay attached to the support base; Equipped with The stay is a seat back supported by the support base so as to be slidable in the up and down direction.

2. The support base includes: a fitting portion into which the stay is fitted so as to be slidable in the up and down direction; a stay holding portion capable of holding the stay at any one of a plurality of positions in the vertical direction relative to the fitting portion; The seat back of claim 1 , further comprising:

3. 3. The seat back according to claim 1, further comprising a base locking portion capable of locking the support base at a plurality of positions within a range in which the support base can be raised and lowered.

4. a lower opposing portion fixed to the inside of the seat back and opposing the support base from below; an elastic member disposed between the support base and the lower opposing portion, the elastic member abutting against the support base and elastically deforming by compression at least from the middle of the support base moving toward the lower end position of the liftable range; The seat back according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

5. 3. The seat back according to claim 1, wherein the support base closes the opening of the receiving portion when the support base is positioned at the upper end position of its liftable range.

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