Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat that can be improved in rigidity of a link mechanism which displaces the vehicular seat into a falling-down state.SOLUTION: A vehicular seat S comprises a seat cushion 1 and can be brought into a falling-down state in which the seat cushion 1 is fallen down on a vehicle body floor. The vehicular seat S comprises: a cushion frame CF forming a framework of the seat cushion 1; left and right height links HL that lift up and down the seat cushion 1; left and right dive-down links 16 positioned above the left and right height links HL, and making the cushion frame CF fall down in a longitudinal direction; a front height link member 28 and a rear height link member 29 connecting the left and right height links HL to each other; and a dive-down link member 17 connecting the left and right dive-down links 16 to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat that can be reclined in such a way that the seat cushion reclins onto the vehicle floor. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, technologies for effectively utilizing the limited space inside a vehicle have been attracting attention. For example, vehicles that can integrate and use the rear seats and the luggage space behind the rear seats have become increasingly popular. In such vehicles, the rear seats can be switched between being used as seating space and being used as part of the luggage space, thereby increasing the flexibility of how the interior space can be used.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a rear seat that can be switched between a normal state where occupants can sit and a stowed state where the seat is stowed below the vehicle floor. When the rear seat is stowed in the stowed state, the upper end of the rear seat is stowed so that it is at approximately the same height as the upper surface of the vehicle floor. This allows for the creation of a spacious, level luggage space behind the driver's seat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-59765 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The rear seat described in Patent Document 1 has a seat cushion frame that includes a lower seat cushion frame that can move up and down along slide rails, and an upper seat cushion frame that is provided above the lower seat cushion frame. In a normal state, the upper seat cushion frame is spaced upward from the lower seat cushion frame to provide a seating surface for the seated occupant, but in a stowed state, the upper seat cushion frame is displaced so as to collapse onto the lower seat cushion.

[0006] In this case, the lower seat cushion frame and the upper seat cushion frame are configured to be raised and lowered by a two-stage link mechanism connected in the vertical direction, and therefore, the link mechanism is required to have high rigidity to support the weight of the seat body and the seat occupant and realize smooth raising and lowering movement.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle seat that can improve the rigidity of the link mechanism that displaces the vehicle seat into a reclined state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above-mentioned problems are solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which is a vehicle seat equipped with a seat cushion that can be collapsed onto a vehicle floor, the vehicle seat having a cushion frame that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion, left and right lifting links that raise and lower the seat cushion, left and right collapsing links that are positioned above the left and right lifting links and collapse the cushion frame in the front-to-rear direction, a lifting link connecting member that connects the left and right lifting links, and a collapsing link connecting member that connects the left and right collapsing links.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the vehicle seat is brought into a reclining state by displacement of the left and right lift links and the reclining links. The left and right lift links are connected by a lift link connecting member, and the left and right reclining links are connected by a reclining link connecting member. Therefore, the lift link connecting member and the reclining link connecting member can improve the rigidity of the link mechanism.

[0010] In addition, the cushion frame has left and right lifting frames connected to the left and right lifting links, respectively, and the vehicle seat further has a lifting frame connecting member connecting the left and right lifting frames, and the lifting link connecting member and the lifting frame connecting member preferably face each other in the vertical direction. According to the above configuration, the lift link connecting member and the lift frame connecting member are disposed opposite each other in the vertical direction and at substantially the same position in the front-to-rear direction, so that the lift link connecting member and the lift frame connecting member cooperate with each other to improve the rigidity of the link mechanism in the seat width direction.

[0011] The lifting frame connecting member may be shorter than the lifting link connecting member in the seat width direction. According to the above configuration, the lifting frame connecting members and the lifting link connecting members, which have different lengths in the seat width direction, connect the left and right lifting frames and the left and right lifting links, respectively, and by working together, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the link mechanism in the seat width direction.

[0012] In addition, the tilting link may be arranged in the seat width direction between a lifting link connection end portion where the lifting link connection member is connected to the lifting link, and a lifting frame connection end portion where the lifting frame connection member is connected to the lifting frame. According to the above configuration, the tilting link is located between the lifting link connection end and the lifting frame connection end in the seat width direction, which makes it possible to reduce the dimension of the vehicle seat in the seat width direction while improving the rigidity of the link mechanism in the seat width direction.

[0013] In addition, when the lifting link lowers the seat cushion, the lifting link connecting member may be arranged in the front-to-rear direction between a falling link pivot shaft that rotatably connects the falling link and the lifting frame, and a rear lifting link pivot shaft that is located rearward of the lifting link. According to the above configuration, the rigidity of the left and right lift links and the left and right tilt links can be improved by the lift link connecting member.

[0014] In addition, the front end of the lifting frame connecting member may be disposed forward of the front end of the lifting link connecting member. According to the above configuration, since the load applied to the lifting frame is greater in front of the lifting link, by positioning the lifting frame connecting member in front of the lifting link connecting member, it is possible to effectively improve the rigidity of the link mechanism.

[0015] The lift link connecting member may have a shape that is bent downward. According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the lift link connecting member from interfering with other members, and it is also possible to reduce the vertical dimension of the vehicle seat.

[0016] In addition, the lifting link connecting member may have a flat portion extending horizontally in the seat width direction, and left and right vertical portions that bend vertically from the flat portion at both ends in the seat width direction and connect to the left and right lifting links, respectively. According to the above configuration, the vertical dimension of the lift link connecting member can be reduced. Furthermore, since the lift link connecting member is connected to the lift link at the vertical portion, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the connection portion between the lift link connecting member and the lift link.

[0017] The lift link connecting member may be disposed at the center in the longitudinal direction of the elongated lift link. According to the above configuration, the lift link connecting member connects the longitudinal center portions of the left and right lift links, and therefore it is possible to effectively improve the rigidity of the lift links.

[0018] Furthermore, a tilting rotation shaft that rotatably connects the tilting link and the cushion frame may overlap the lift-and-lower link connecting member in the vertical direction when the lift-and-lower link lifts the seat cushion. According to the above configuration, the lifting link connecting member overlaps in the vertical direction with the reclining pivot axis that supports the vehicle seat when the seat cushion is raised, thereby making it possible to improve the rigidity of the lifting link against the load in the seat width direction applied to the seat cushion in the raised position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the link mechanism that displaces the vehicle seat into the reclined state. Furthermore, the lift-and-lower link connecting member cooperates with the lift-and-lower frame connecting member to further improve the rigidity of the link mechanism in the seat width direction. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the dimension of the vehicle seat in the left-right direction while improving the rigidity of the link mechanism. Furthermore, the lift link connecting member can improve the rigidity of the left and right lift links and the left and right tilt links. In addition, the rigidity of the lift link can be effectively improved. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the lift link connecting member from interfering with other members, and it is also possible to reduce the vertical dimension of the vehicle seat. Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the lift link connecting member can be reduced, and the rigidity of the connecting portion between the lift link connecting member and the lift link can be improved. In addition, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the lifting link against a load in the seat width direction applied to the seat cushion in the raised position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the seat frame in a height-raised state. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the seat frame in a folded state, and is a view mainly showing the height frame and the slide rail device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the cushion frame and the slide rail device in a folded state. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the seat frame in the folded state, mainly showing the height frame and the slide rail device. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a seat frame in a normal state. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a seat frame in a reclined state. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the seat frame in the height-raised state. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the seat frame in a folded state. [Figure 10] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cushion frame taken along line XX in FIG. 4. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the seat frame in a normal state, mainly showing an enlarged perspective view of a connecting portion between a front height frame and a front height frame member, as viewed obliquely from the front. [Figure 12] 4 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of a main portion of a seat cushion frame and a slide rail. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the seat frame in a normal state, and is a top view mainly showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the cushion frame and the slide rails, as viewed from above. [Figure 14] 4 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a main portion of the seat frame in a folded state. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a main portion of the seat frame in the height-raised state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The configuration of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention (the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and of course, the present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

[0022] In the following, a vehicle seat S provided in a vehicle automobile such as a minivan will be taken as an example of a vehicle seat, and an example of the configuration thereof will be described. In the following description, the "seat front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the traveling direction when the vehicle is traveling. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the left-right direction as seen by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. The "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle seat S, which is the direction that coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal plane. The outer and inner sides are defined based on the occupant. That is, the direction toward the center of the seat width direction is the inward direction, and the direction away from it is the outward direction. A common number is assigned to a pair of left and right components, and when specifying the left and right, the name indicating the component is appended with "left side" or "right side," and the letter "L" or "R" is added to the reference symbol.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle seat S is a seat placed on the vehicle body floor and in which a vehicle occupant sits. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat S is a seat that is disposed on the right side (behind the driver's seat) of the rear seats corresponding to the rear seats of the vehicle. The vehicle seat S can also be used as a middle seat in the second row or a third seat in the third row in a vehicle that has three rows of seats in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, or as a front seat corresponding to the front seats.

[0024] The vehicle seat S of this embodiment is configured to be able to transition to a plurality of states. Hereinafter, a state in which an occupant can sit in the vehicle seat S in an edge-sitting position (sitting with legs down) will be referred to as the "normal state" of the vehicle seat S (see FIGS. 1 and 6). A state in which the seat back 2 is rotated rearward of the seat cushion 1 from the normal state will be referred to as the "reclining state" of the vehicle seat S (see FIG. 7). On the other hand, a state in which the position of the seat cushion 1 is higher than the position in the normal state (see FIGS. 2 and 8) will be referred to as the "height-raised state." A state in which the seat cushion 1 is moved to collapse (sink) onto the vehicle floor and the entire vehicle seat S is folded (see FIG. 9) will be referred to as the "folded state." Regardless of the state of the seat back 2, a state in which the seat cushion 1 is simply moved to collapse onto the vehicle floor will sometimes be referred to as the "collapsed state." The vehicle seat S can be arranged in a normal position, a reclined position, a height-raised position, and a folded position. The occupant can move the entire seat forward and backward by operating a slide rail operating lever 41 located on the front left side of the seat cushion 1. In addition, by operating a height frame operating lever 42 located on the front right side of the seat cushion 1, the height of the seat cushion 1 can be changed by rotating a height link HL (described later). In addition, by operating a lever located on the shoulder of the seat back 2, the seat back 2 can be rotated forward or backward and folded down. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the shape, position, and posture of each part of the vehicle seat S described below will be described assuming that the vehicle seat S is in a normal state.

[0025] <Vehicle seat S> The overall configuration of a vehicle seat S according to this embodiment will be outlined with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle seat S according to this embodiment, seen obliquely from the front, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the seat frame F of the vehicle seat S in the height-raised state. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the seat frame F in the folded state, mainly showing the height frame 20 and the slide rail device 6. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the cushion frame Cf and the slide rail device 6 in the folded state. FIG. 5 is a top view showing the seat frame F in the folded state, mainly showing the height frame 20 and the slide rail device 6. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the seat frame F in the normal state, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the seat frame F in the reclined state. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the seat frame F in the height-raised state, and FIG. 9 is a side view showing the seat frame F in the folded state. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cushion frame Cf taken along line XX in FIG. 4. In FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, a part of the vehicle seat S is shown with the cover material Tr removed and the pad material P exposed.

[0026] 1, the vehicle seat S according to this embodiment mainly comprises a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, a headrest 3, a reclining device 5, and a slide rail device 6. In the following description, the seat cushion 1, the seat back 2, and the headrest 3 may be collectively referred to as the seat body. 2, a seat frame F that forms the framework of the vehicle seat S is provided inside the vehicle seat S. The seat frame F includes a cushion frame Cf, a back frame 30, and a headrest frame 36.

[0027] <Seat cushion 1> The seat cushion 1 is a support member that supports the buttocks of a seated occupant (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a seated person), and supports the seated person from below. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat cushion 1 includes a cushion frame Cf that forms the framework of the seat cushion 1. The cushion frame Cf of this embodiment is composed of a cushion main body frame 10 that directly supports the seated person, and a height frame 20 that is disposed below the cushion main body frame 10 and supports the cushion main body frame 10 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0028] <Cushion body frame 10> The cushion main body frame 10 is a frame body having a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The cushion main body frame 10 has cushion side frames 11 that constitute the frame body, a pan frame 14 that connects the cushion side frames 11, and a cushion frame member 15. The cushion main body frame 10 also has a dive down link 16 that connects to the height frame 20 at its front end.

[0029] The cushion side frame 11 is composed of a right cushion side frame 11R disposed on the right side of the cushion main body frame 10 and a left cushion side frame 11L disposed on the left side (see FIG. 4). The right cushion side frame 11R and the left cushion side frame 11L extend in the front-to-rear direction. The right cushion side frame 11R extends in the front-to-rear direction while curving outward (to the right) at the front. This makes it possible to ensure a seating space for the occupant while preventing the right cushion side frame 11R from interfering with other interior components arranged in the vehicle.

[0030] Each cushion side frame 11 has a folding mechanism. Specifically, each cushion side frame 11 has a rear cushion side frame 12 and a front cushion side frame 13 that are connected to be rotatable around a folding pivot shaft 12a (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

[0031] The rear cushion side frame 12 arranged on the right side of the vehicle seat S may be referred to as the right rear cushion side frame 12R, and the rear cushion side frame 12 arranged on the left side may be referred to as the left rear cushion side frame 12L. The front cushion side frame 13 arranged on the right side of the vehicle seat S may be referred to as the right front cushion side frame 13R, and the front cushion side frame 13 arranged on the left side may be referred to as the left front cushion side frame 13L.

[0032] The pan frame 14 is made of a plate-like member and connects the front ends of the cushion side frames 11. The cushion frame members 15 are made of a pipe material and connect the central portions in the front-to-rear direction of the cushion side frames 11. The cushion frame members 15 are partially bent and curved so that the central portion of the cushion frame member 15 in the seat width direction is positioned rearward.

[0033] 2 and 4, a plurality of S-springs 18 are attached to the cushion main body frame 10 as pressure-receiving members that receive the load of the seated occupant, spanning the pan frame 14 and the cushion frame member 15. As described above, the central portion of the cushion frame member 15 has a shape that curves backward, so the S-springs 18 can receive the load of the seated occupant over a wide area in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the pressure-receiving member is made up of a plurality of S-springs 18, but is not limited to this. The pressure-receiving member provided on the cushion main body frame 10 may be made up of an elastic plate-shaped member.

[0034] A slide rail operating lever 41 for operating the slide rail device 6 is provided in front of the left front cushion side frame 13L. In addition, a height frame operating lever 42 for operating the height frame 20 (described later) is provided in front of the right front cushion side frame 13R. An ottoman support mechanism (not shown) for supporting an ottoman may be provided between the slide rail operation lever 41 and the height frame operation lever 42.

[0035] The dive down link 16 is interposed between the cushion side frame 11 and the front end of the height frame 20, and supports the cushion main body frame 10 in cooperation with the back frame 30, which will be described later. The dive down link 16 mainly comprises a right dive down link 16R disposed on the right side, a left dive down link 16L disposed on the left side, and a dive down link member 17 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). The dive down link 16 corresponds to the tilting link of the present invention, and the dive down link member 17 corresponds to the tilting link connecting member.

[0036] The right dive down link 16R and the left dive down link 16L are long, plate-like members having a first rotation shaft 16a at one longitudinal end and a second rotation shaft 16b at the other end. The first rotation shaft 16a is rotatably connected to the cushion side frame 11, and the second rotation shaft 16b is rotatably connected to the height side frame 21 (see FIG. 8). By rotating the right dive down link 16R and the left dive down link 16L, the vehicle seat S transitions between a normal state in which the cushion main body frame 10 is spaced above the height frame 20 and a reclined state (or folded state) in which the seat is reclined forward and downward.

[0037] An elastic member 80 is provided at the longitudinal center of the right dive down link 16R and the left dive down link 16L. The elastic member 80 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and abuts against the upper surface of the slide rail device 6 in the folded state shown in FIG. 9. This makes it possible to suppress movement of the left and right dive down links 16 in the folded state or reclined state. This makes it possible to suppress rattling of the vehicle seat S in the folded state or reclined state.

[0038] The elastic member 80 is fixed to an elastic member fixing portion 16c provided on the outer side of the dive down link 16 in the seat width direction (see FIG. 3). The elastic member fixing portion 16c is formed by bending the dive down link 16 made of a plate-shaped member. This eliminates the need to separately prepare a member such as a bracket for fixing the elastic member 80, thereby making it possible to reduce the number of parts of the vehicle seat S. However, without being limited to this, a fixing member for fixing the elastic member 80 may be provided as a separate member.

[0039] The dive down link member 17 connects the right dive down link 16R and the left dive down link 16L, increasing the rigidity of the dive down link 16. In addition, by connecting the right dive down link 16R and the left dive down link 16L, the cushion main body frame 10 can be smoothly raised and lowered relative to the height frame 20. The dive down link 16 constitutes a link mechanism together with the height link HL (described later). The dive down link member 17 constitutes a connecting member that improves the rigidity of the left and right link mechanisms in cooperation with the front height link member 28, rear height link member 29, front height frame member 24, intermediate height frame member 25, and rear height frame member 26 (described later). The connecting member will be described in detail later.

[0040] <Height frame 20> The cushion frame Cf includes a height frame 20 below the cushion main body frame 10, which supports the cushion main body frame 10. The height frame 20 is a frame body having a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The height frame 20 includes height side frames 21, a front height frame member 24, an intermediate height frame member 25, a rear height frame member 26, and connecting shafts 27 (a front connecting shaft 27a and a rear connecting shaft 27b). The height frame 20 also has a front height link 22 and a rear height link 23 interposed between the height side frames 21 and the slide rail device 6.

[0041] The height side frame 21 is composed of a right height side frame 21R arranged on the right side of the height frame 20 and a left height side frame 21L arranged on the left side. The right height side frame 21R and the left height side frame 21L have elongated shapes and extend in the front-to-rear direction. The right height side frame 21R and the left height side frame 21L are plate-like bodies with a generally triangular shape that extends upward and rearward. 2 to 4, the left height side frame 21L is bent in the seat width direction. This allows the left height side frame 21L to be positioned above the slide rail device 6 while avoiding interference with the slide rail locking device 63, front connecting bracket 43, and rear connecting bracket 44 arranged on the slide rail device 6.

[0042] An extended height side frame 21E is provided on the right side of the right height side frame 21R. The extended height side frame 21E is connected to the right height side frame 21R via a rear height frame member 26 and two connecting pipes 21Ea. However, the number and arrangement of the connecting pipes 21Ea are not limited to those shown in Figures 4 and 5. Three or more connecting pipes 21Ea may connect the right height side frame 21R and the extended height side frame 21E.

[0043] The front end of the right height side frame 21R and the front end of the left height side frame 21L are connected by a front height frame member 24. In addition, the rear end of the right height side frame 21R and the rear end of the left height side frame 21L are connected by a rear height frame member 26. The front height frame member 24 and the rear height frame member 26 are round pipe materials that extend linearly. An intermediate height frame member 25 is interposed between the front height frame member 24 and the rear height frame member 26, connecting the right height side frame 21R and the left height side frame 21L. The intermediate height frame member 25 is a straight round pipe material, but is not limited to this. The intermediate height frame member 25 may have a curved shape to avoid interference with other members. As a specific example, the intermediate height frame member 25 may have a shape in which the center portion in the seat width direction is curved rearward. The front height frame member 24, the intermediate height frame member 25, and the rear height frame member 26 correspond to the lifting frame connecting members of the present invention.

[0044] The front height link 22 and the rear height link 23 are elongated plate-like bodies. The front height link 22 is rotatably connected to the height side frame 21 via a first pivot shaft 22a and to the slide rail device 6 via a second pivot shaft 22b provided on the front connecting bracket 43. The left and right first pivot shafts 22a are connected by a front connecting shaft 27a (see FIG. 5). The front height link 22 is a driven link mechanism that operates in response to the rear height link 23 when the height frame operating lever 42 is operated.

[0045] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the left and right front height links 22 are connected by a front height link member 28. The front height link member 28 is made of a plate-shaped member. When the vehicle seat S is in the folded state, the front height link member 28 is located in front of the front connecting shaft 27a and below the front height frame member 24.

[0046] The rear height link 23 is rotatably connected to the height side frame 21 via a first pivot shaft 23a and to the slide rail device 6 via a second pivot shaft 23b provided on the rear connecting bracket 44. The left and right first pivot shafts 23a are connected by a rear connecting shaft 27b. The rear connecting shaft 27b is provided with a lifting device 7 that rotates the rear height link 23 and raises and lowers the seat surface of the seat cushion 1. The rear height link 23 is a driven link mechanism that is driven when the height frame operating lever 42 is operated. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the rear height links 23 provided on the left and right sides are connected by a rear height link member 29 formed in a pipe shape. The front height link 22 and the rear height link 23 correspond to the lift links of the present invention, and the front height link member 28 and the rear height link member 29 correspond to the lift link connecting members of the present invention.

[0047] In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the front height link 22 and the rear height link 23, they may be collectively referred to simply as height link HL. The front height link 22 arranged on the right side of the vehicle seat S may be referred to as the right front height link 22R, and the front height link 22 arranged on the left side may be referred to as the left front height link 22L. The rear height link 23 arranged on the right side of the vehicle seat S may be referred to as the right rear height link 23R, and the rear height link 23 arranged on the left side may be referred to as the left rear height link 23L.

[0048] The front height links 22 and the rear height links 23 rotate so as to stand up relative to the slide rail device 6, thereby raising the height frame 20. As a result, the vehicle seat S transitions from the normal state shown in FIG. 6 to the height-raised state shown in FIG. 8. Conversely, the front height links 22 and the rear height links 23 rotate so as to lean backward relative to the slide rail device 6, thereby lowering the height frame 20. As a result, the vehicle seat S transitions from the height-raised state shown in FIG. 8 to the normal state shown in FIG. 6. In the following description, the state in which the height frame 20 is lowered is referred to as the height-lowered state.

[0049] A second rotation shaft 16b of the dive down link 16 is rotatably provided at the front end of each height side frame 21. In addition, the rear end of each height side frame 21 is connected to the side connecting frame 32 of the back frame 30 via the reclining device 5. This allows each height side frame 21 to support the cushion main body frame 10 from below via the dive down link 16 at the front end and the side connecting frame 32 at the rear end.

[0050] <Pad material P and cover material Tr> A pad material P for the seat cushion is placed on the cushion main body frame 10, and the pad material P is covered with a skin material Tr. The pad material P is a cushion material and is made of, for example, a urethane resin (foam resin) such as soft polyurethane foam. The pad material P may be made of biomass urethane. The skin material Tr that covers the pad material P is made of, for example, a stretchable synthetic leather material. The skin material Tr may be made of cloth, film, leather, etc.

[0051] <Seatback 2> The seat back 2 is a support member that supports the back of a seated occupant, and supports the seated occupant from behind. As shown in Fig. 2, the seat back 2 has a back frame 30 that forms the skeleton of the seat back 2. The seat back 2 has a pad material P for the seat back 2 that covers the back frame 30, and a cover material Tr that covers the pad material P.

[0052] The back frame 30 is a frame body having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The back frame 30 mainly comprises a pair of back side frames 31, a side connecting frame 32, a back upper frame 33, a back lower frame 34, and a pressure plate 35. The pair of back side frames 31 are elongated frame members extending in the vertical direction and are disposed apart from each other while facing each other in the seat width direction. The side connecting frame 32 is connected to the lower end of the back side frame 31 and the reclining device 5. In addition, the side connecting frame 32 is connected to the upper end (rear end) of the rear cushion side frame 12.

[0053] The back upper frame 33 connects the upper ends of the left and right back side frames 31, and the back lower frame 34 connects the lower ends of the left and right back side frames 31. The pressure plate 35 is a plate-shaped member that is attached to the inside of the back frame 30 and receives the weight of a seated occupant. The back frame 30 corresponds to the seat back frame of the present invention.

[0054] <Headrest 3> The headrest 3 is a support member that supports the head of a seated occupant from behind. As shown in Fig. 2, the headrest 3 has a headrest frame 36 that forms the skeleton of the headrest 3. The headrest 3 has a padding material (not shown) for the headrest 3 that covers the headrest frame 36, and a skin material Tr that covers the padding material.

[0055] <Reclining device 5> The reclining device 5 rotatably connects the seat back 2 to the seat cushion 1. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the reclining device 5 rotatably connects the rear end of the height frame 20 and the lower end of the back frame 30 that constitute the cushion frame Cf. The reclining device 5 rotates the seat back 2 rearward relative to the seat cushion 1, thereby transitioning the vehicle seat S from the normal state shown in FIG. 6 to the reclined state shown in FIG. 7. The reclining device 5 also rotates the seat back 2 forward relative to the seat cushion 1, thereby transitioning the vehicle seat S from the normal state shown in FIG. 6 to the folded state shown in FIG. 9.

[0056] <Slide rail device 6> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slide rail device 6 connects the vehicle seat S to the vehicle floor so that the seat S can slide in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the slide rail device 6 is provided below the vehicle seat S. The slide rail device 6 has a known structure (the structure of a general slide rail mechanism). In detail, the slide rail device 6 has a lower rail 61 fixed to the vehicle floor and an upper rail 62 that is slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the lower rail 61. The slide rail device 6 also has a slide rail locking device 63 that restricts the sliding movement of the upper rail 62 relative to the lower rail 61. The slide rail locking device 63 can release the restriction on the sliding movement by operating a slide rail operating lever 41 provided on the seat cushion 1.

[0057] <Link mechanism and connecting member> Next, the link mechanism and connecting member of the present invention will be described. The link mechanism is composed of a height link HL that raises and lowers the height frame 20 relative to the slide rail device 6, and a dive down link 16 that tilts the cushion main body frame 10 relative to the height frame 20. More specifically, the link mechanism has a right front height link 22R, a left front height link 22L, a right rear height link 23R, a left rear height link 23L, a right dive down link 16R, and a left dive down link 16L. The height link HL and the dive down link 16 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Therefore, a connecting member is provided to improve the rigidity of the link mechanism and enable smooth raising and lowering of the link mechanism.

[0058] The connecting member includes a front height link member 28 that connects the left and right front height links 22, a rear height link member 29 that connects the left and right rear height links 23, and a dive down link member 17 that connects the left and right dive down links 16. The connecting member also includes a front height frame member 24, an intermediate height frame member 25, and a rear height frame member 26 that connect the left and right height side frames 21. 5 and 13, the front height link member 28 is disposed in the longitudinal center of the elongated front height link 22. The rear height link member 29 is disposed in the longitudinal center of the elongated rear height link 23. As a result, the front height link member 28 and the rear height link member 29 prevent deformation of the front height link 22 and the rear height link 23, effectively improving rigidity. The front connecting shaft 27a rotatably connects the front height link 22 to the height side frame 21 and also connects the left and right front height links 22. The rear connecting shaft 27b rotatably connects the rear height link 23 to the height side frame 21 and also connects the left and right rear height links 23. Therefore, the front connecting shaft 27a and the rear connecting shaft 27b cooperate with the front height link member 28 and the rear height link member 29 to improve the rigidity of the height link HL.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 11 , the front height link member 28, which is made of a plate-like material, has a flat portion 28a extending horizontally in the seat width direction and vertical portions 28b that bend vertically from the flat portion 28a at both ends in the seat width direction and connect to the right front height link 22R and left front height link 22L. The vertical portions 28b are in surface contact with the left and right front height links 22 and are fixed with fastening members 28c. This allows the front height link member 28 to be firmly fixed to the left and right front height links 22, effectively improving the rigidity of the front height links 22. Note that for convenience of illustration, the right height side frame 21R, front height frame member 24, and right dive down link 16R are omitted from FIG. 11 .

[0060] The flat portion 28a extends in the seat width direction at the lower end of the vertical portion 28b. In other words, the front height link member 28 has a downwardly bent shape. This prevents the link mechanism from becoming larger in the vertical direction and also prevents the front height link member 28 from interfering with other members (for example, the front height frame member 24). 11, the rear height link member 29 may have a flat portion and a vertical portion and be fixed to the rear height link 23 via the vertical portion. Even in this case, the same effect as the front height link member 28 can be obtained.

[0061] The dive down link member 17 is disposed in the longitudinal center of the elongated dive down link 16 (see Figure 3). As a result, the dive down link member 17 prevents deformation of the left and right dive down links 16, effectively improving rigidity. The dive down link 16 is disposed in the seat width direction between a first connecting end 28e where the front height link member 28 connects to the front height link 22 and a second connecting end 24b where the front height frame member 24 connects to the height side frame 21 (see FIGS. 12 and 13). By positioning the dive down link 16 between the first connecting end 28e and the second connecting end 24b, the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 improve the rigidity of the dive down link 16 in the seat width direction. Furthermore, by positioning the dive down link 16 between the first connecting end 28e and the second connecting end 24b, the seat width direction dimension can be reduced. The first connecting end 28e corresponds to the lift frame connecting end of the present invention, and the second connecting end 24b corresponds to the lift link connecting end of the present invention.

[0062] The left and right height side frames 21 are connected by a front height frame member 24, an intermediate height frame member 25, and a rear height frame member 26. The front height frame member 24, the intermediate height frame member 25, and the rear height frame member 26 improve the rigidity of the height frame 20 and prevent deformation of the height frame 20, thereby allowing the left and right link mechanisms to operate smoothly.

[0063] 12, in the height-lowering state, the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 face each other in the vertical direction. In other words, the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 are disposed in a position where they overlap each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 cooperate with each other to improve the rigidity of the left and right front height links 22 and the height side frames 21. 13, the front height frame member 24 made of a round pipe is shorter in the seat width direction than the front height link member 28 made of a plate. In this way, two or more connecting members with different rigidity and lengths work together to effectively improve the rigidity of the link mechanism while suppressing cost increases.

[0064] Furthermore, in the height-lowering state, the front end 24a of the front height frame member 24 is positioned forward of the front end 28d of the front height link member 28. By positioning the front height frame member 24 forward of the front height link member 28 in this way, deformation of the height frame 20, which receives a large load from the front via the dive-down link 16, is prevented, and the left and right link mechanisms can be operated smoothly.

[0065] Furthermore, in the height-lowering state, the front height link member 28 is disposed between the second pivot shaft 16b of the dive down link 16 and the first pivot shaft 22a of the front height link 22 in the fore-and-aft direction. This allows the front height link member 28 to improve the rigidity of the front height link 22 and the dive down link 16. The second pivot shaft 16b of the dive down link 16 corresponds to the tilting link pivot shaft of the present invention, and the first pivot shaft 22a of the front height link 22 corresponds to the rear lift link pivot shaft of the present invention.

[0066] 14, the front connecting shaft 27a connects the left and right height side frames 21 below the S springs 18. More specifically, the front connecting shaft 27a has a curved shape so that the center portion in the seat width direction is located downward. This prevents the front connecting shaft 27a from interfering with the S springs 18 in the folded state, and allows the S springs 18 to be positioned below the upper ends of the height side frames 21 and the front height links 22. This makes it possible to reduce the vertical dimension of the vehicle seat S in the folded state.

[0067] Next, the arrangement of the front height link member 28 in the height-increased state will be described. FIG. 15 is an enlarged side view of a main portion of the seat frame F in the height-increased state. As shown in FIG. 15, in the height-increased state, the front height link 22 stands upright relative to the slide rail device 6 and supports the height side frame 21 in the raised position. In this state, the front height link member 28 is positioned so as to overlap the first pivot shaft 16a of the dive down link 16 in the vertical direction. More preferably, the front height link member 28 is positioned directly below the first pivot shaft 16a of the dive down link 16. This effectively improves the rigidity in the seat width direction of the dive down link 16 and the front height link 22, which are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, in the height-increased state.

[0068] <Method for manufacturing a vehicle seat> Next, a method for manufacturing the vehicle seat S will be described. First, the cushion frame Cf that constitutes the seat frame F is assembled. Specifically, the left and right dive down links 16, which are connected by dive down link members 17, are assembled to the left and right cushion side frames 11 of the cushion main body frame 10. In addition, the left and right front height links 22 and rear height links 23, which are connected by front height link members 28 and rear height link members 29, are assembled to the left and right height side frames 21 of the height frame 20. Next, the cushion body frame 10 is provided above the height frame 20, and the cushion frame Cf is assembled. Similarly, the back frame 30 is assembled.

[0069] Next, the pad material P is placed on the cushion frame Cf and the back frame 30, and is covered with the covering material Tr, thereby assembling the seat cushion 1 and the seat back 2. Next, the headrest 3 is assembled, and the seat cushion 1, the seat back 2, and the headrest 3 are connected together to manufacture the seat body. The seat body is assembled to the slide rail device 6 by connecting the height links HL provided on the left and right sides of the height frame 20 to the upper rails 62. In this way, the manufacturing of the vehicle seat S is completed.

[0070] Although a vehicle seat S according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 are described as facing each other in the vertical direction, but this is not limited to this. The rear height link member 29 and the rear height frame member 26 may also face each other in the vertical direction. Similarly, in the above embodiment, the front height link member 28 is described as being shorter in the seat width direction than the front height frame member 24, but this is not limited to this. The rear height link member 29 may also be shorter in the seat width direction than the rear height frame member 26. As long as the connecting member improves the rigidity of the link mechanism and allows the link mechanism to operate smoothly, the positional relationship between the front height link member 28 and the front height frame member 24 may also be applied to the rear height link member 29 and the rear height frame member 26.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle seat S transitions from the normal state to the folded state by the dive down link 16 tilting forward and the front height link 22 and the rear height link 23 pivoting to tilt rearward, but this is not limiting. The vehicle seat S may transition from the normal state to the folded state by the front height link 22, the rear height link 23, and the dive down link 16 all pivoting to tilt forward. However, it is preferable that the dive down link 16 tilts forward and the front height link 22 and the rear height link 23 pivot to tilt rearward. This allows the vehicle seat S to transition from the normal state to the folded state in a compact manner within a limited space.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment, the seat body is mainly composed of the seat cushion 1, the seat back 2, and the headrest 3, but is not limited to this. The seat body may also include an ottoman and an armrest.

[0074] In the above-described embodiment, a vehicle seat S mounted on a vehicle is given as an example of a vehicle seat, and an example of the configuration thereof has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to seats mounted on ground vehicles having wheels such as automobiles and trains, and may also be applied to seats mounted on aircraft, ships, and other vehicles that move on non-ground surfaces, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] S Vehicle seat (vehicle seat) Front seat frame P pad material Tr skin material 1 seat cushion 2 seat backs 3 Headrest 5 Reclining device 6 Slide rail device 61 Lower rail 62 Upper Rail 63 Slide rail locking device 7 Lifting device Cf Cushion Frame 10 Cushion body frame 11 Cushion side frame 11R Right side cushion side frame 11L Left side cushion frame 12 Rear cushion side frame 12a Folding pivot 12R Right rear cushion side frame 12L Left rear cushion side frame 13 Front cushion side frame 13R Right front cushion side frame 13L Left front cushion side frame 14 Pan Frame 15 Cushion frame member 16 Dive Downlink (Falling Link) 16a First rotation axis 16b Second rotation axis 16c Elastic member fixing part 16R Right Dive Downlink 16L left dive downlink 17 Dive down link member (falling down link connecting member) 18 S spring (pressure-receiving member) 20 Height Frame 21 Height side frame 21R Right side height side frame 21L Left side height side frame 21E Extended Height Side Frame 21Ea Connecting pipe HL Height Link (Lift Link) 22 Front height link 22a First rotation axis 22b Second rotation axis 22R Right front height link 22L left front height link 23 Rear height link 23a First rotation axis 23b Second rotation axis 23R Right rear height link 23L Left rear height link 24 Front height frame member (lift frame connecting member) 24a Front end 24b Second connection end 25 Mid-height frame member 26 Rear height frame member 27 Connecting shaft 27a Front connecting shaft 27b Rear connecting shaft 28 Front height link member (lift link connecting member) 28a Flat area 28b Vertical section 28c Fastening members 28d front end 28e First connection end 29 Rear height link member 30 Back frame (seat back frame) 31 Backside Frame 32 Side connecting frame 33 Back upper frame 34 Back lower frame 35 Pressure Plate 36 Headrest frame 41 Slide rail operating lever 42 Height frame operating lever 43 Front connecting bracket 44 Rear connecting bracket 80 Elastic member

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a seat cushion, the seat cushion being capable of being reclined onto a vehicle body floor, a cushion frame that forms a skeleton of the seat cushion; left and right lifting links for lifting and lowering the seat cushion; left and right collapsing links located above the left and right lifting links and configured to collapse the cushion frame in the front-rear direction; a lift link connecting member that connects the left and right lift links; a folding link connecting member that connects the left and right folding links.

2. the cushion frame has left and right lifting frames connected to the left and right lifting links, respectively; The vehicle seat includes: Further, a lifting frame connecting member is provided to connect the left and right lifting frames, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the lift link connecting member and the lift frame connecting member face each other in the vertical direction.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the lift frame connecting member is shorter in the seat width direction than the lift link connecting member.

4. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the tilting link is disposed, in the seat width direction, between a lift-link connection end portion where the lift-link connection member is connected to the lift link, and a lift-frame connection end portion where the lift-frame connection member is connected to the lift frame.

5. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the lift-link connecting member is disposed between a tilting link pivot shaft that rotatably connects the tilting link and the lift frame and a rear lift-link pivot shaft that is located rearward of the lift-link when the lift-link lowers the seat cushion.

6. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein a front end of the lift frame connecting member is disposed forward of a front end of the lift link connecting member.

7. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the lift link connecting member has a shape that is bent downward.

8. The lifting link connecting member has a flat portion extending horizontally in the seat width direction, 8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, further comprising left and right vertical portions that are bent perpendicularly from the flat portion at both ends in the seat width direction and are connected to the left and right lift links, respectively.

9. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the lift link connecting member is disposed at a center portion in a longitudinal direction of the elongated lift link.

10. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the tilting pivot shaft that rotatably connects the tilting link and the cushion frame overlaps with the lift-and-lower link connecting member in the vertical direction when the lift-and-lower link raises the seat cushion.

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