Vehicular seat

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat that is equipped with a pad member and an air cell, provided on a surface of the pad member, which can inflate and deflate, which enables seated passengers to individually adjust temperatures to temperatures suitable to the passengers respectively.SOLUTION: Vehicular seats 1, 101 and 201 comprise at least either of seat backs 6 and seat cushions 8 which are provided with pad members 12 and cover materials 13 covering the pad members, each of which has a seat-shaped heater 38 and a plurality of air cells 32 which are provided between a front side of the pad member and the cover material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Vehicle seats equipped with inflatable and deflated air bags are known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the vehicle seat of Patent Document 1, the air bags are provided on the front surface side (the side where the occupant sits) of the seat cushion and the pad member inside the seat back, respectively.

[0003] Each air bag is positioned across a recess in the surface of the padding. When the air bag inflates, the slab and skin covering the air bag bulge upwards, pressing against parts of the occupant's body. This massages the occupant's lower back, back, thighs, and other areas, providing relaxation and refreshment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-47862 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Vehicles are sometimes equipped with air conditioning systems to control the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. However, since the temperature that each occupant feels comfortable at varies, it is difficult to provide a comfortable temperature environment for all occupants.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above background, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle seat that includes a pad member and an inflatable and deflated air cell provided on the surface of the pad member, allowing each seated occupant to adjust the temperature to a level suitable for them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat (1, 101, 201) having at least one of a seat back (6) and a seat cushion (8) with a pad member (12) and a skin material (13) covering the pad member, and having a sheet-shaped heater (38) and a plurality of air cells (32) provided between the surface side of the pad member and the skin material.

[0008] According to this aspect, the air cell can be expanded to press against the occupant, and the heater can be driven to heat the upholstery material, so that the vehicle seat temperature can be adjusted to suit each occupant.

[0009] In the above aspect, preferably, the heater is coupled to the rear surface of the skin material, and the air cell is coupled to the front surface of the pad member.

[0010] According to this aspect, the assembly workability of the vehicle seat is improved.

[0011] In the above aspect, the heater and the air cell are preferably positioned so as not to overlap each other in the front-to-back direction.

[0012] According to this aspect, the heater and the air cell do not overlap in the front-to-back direction, so that the thickness of the vehicle seat in the front-to-back direction can be reduced, and the vehicle seat can be made smaller.

[0013] In the above aspect, preferably, an easily deformable portion (103, 210) is provided that deforms the heater by expansion caused by the air cell.

[0014] According to this aspect, the heater is deformable in accordance with the expansion of the air cell, so that the expansion of the air cell is prevented from being hindered by the heater.

[0015] In the above aspect, preferably, the easily deformable portion includes a slit (102, 205) provided in the heater.

[0016] According to this aspect, the easily deformable portion can be easily configured.

[0017] In the above aspect, the slit preferably overlaps the air cell in the front-to-back direction.

[0018] According to this aspect, since the easily deformable portion is disposed in the vicinity of the air cell, the heater can more easily follow the expansion of the air cell.

[0019] In the above aspect, the heater preferably has a sheet-like base fabric (68) and a heater wire (70) arranged along the surface of the base fabric, and the slit is provided between the heater wires.

[0020] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an extremely large tensile load from being applied to the heater wire.

[0021] In the above aspect, preferably, the heater includes a sheet-like base fabric (68) and a heater wire (70) provided on the base fabric, and in the easily deformable portion, the heater wire extends in a meandering manner in a first direction and is arranged so as to repeatedly fold back in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0022] According to this aspect, the heater wire is easily deformed in the first direction and the second direction in the easily deformable portion.

[0023] In the above aspect, preferably, the base fabric of the easily deformable portion is provided with a slit (205) at a position where it does not overlap with the heater wire.

[0024] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an extremely large tensile load from being applied to the heater wire.

[0025] In the above aspect, preferably, the slit includes a first portion extending in the first direction and a second portion perpendicular to the first portion.

[0026] According to this aspect, the base fabric is easily deformed to follow the expansion of the air cells. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat including at least one of a seat back and a seat cushion, the seat back including a pad member and a cover material covering the pad member, and a sheet-shaped heater and a plurality of air cells provided between the surface side of the pad member and the cover material. According to this aspect, the air cells can be inflated to press against an occupant. Furthermore, the cover material can be heated by driving the heater, so that the vehicle seat can be adjusted to a temperature suitable for each occupant.

[0028] In the above aspect, the heater is preferably coupled to the rear surface of the cover material, and the air cell is coupled to the front surface of the pad member. According to this aspect, the assembly workability of the vehicle seat is improved.

[0029] In the above aspect, the heater and the air cells are preferably positioned so as not to overlap each other in the front-to-back direction. According to this aspect, since the heater and the air cells do not overlap each other in the front-to-back direction, the thickness of the vehicle seat in the front-to-back direction can be reduced, and the vehicle seat can be made smaller.

[0030] In the above aspect, preferably, a deformable portion is provided that deforms the heater in response to expansion of the air cell. According to this aspect, the heater is deformable in response to expansion of the air cell, so that the heater is prevented from hindering expansion of the air cell.

[0031] In the above aspect, the easily deformable portion preferably includes a slit provided in the heater. According to this aspect, the easily deformable portion can be easily configured.

[0032] In the above aspect, the slit preferably overlaps the air cell in the front-to-back direction. According to this aspect, the easily deformable portion is disposed in the vicinity of the air cell, so that the heater can more easily follow the expansion of the air cell.

[0033] In the above aspect, the heater preferably has a sheet-like base fabric and a heater wire arranged along the surface of the base fabric, and the slit is provided between the heater wires. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an extremely large tensile load from being applied to the heater wire.

[0034] In the above aspect, preferably, the heater includes a sheet-like base fabric and a heater wire provided on the base fabric, and in the easily deformable portion, the heater wire extends in a meandering manner in a first direction and is arranged to repeatedly fold back in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. According to this aspect, the heater wire is easily deformed in the first direction and the second direction in the easily deformable portion.

[0035] In the above aspect, preferably, the base fabric of the easily deformable portion is provided with a slit at a position where it does not overlap with the heater wire. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent an extremely large tensile load from being applied to the heater wire.

[0036] In the above aspect, the slit includes a first portion (206) extending in the first direction and a second portion (207) perpendicular to the first portion. According to this aspect, the base fabric is easily deformed to follow the expansion of the air cells. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] II-II cross section of Figure 1 [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a top view of a pad member of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment; [Figure 5] Block diagram of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment, illustrating a seat heater and its arrangement; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a top view showing a modified example of the vehicle seat according to the first embodiment, illustrating a seat heater and its arrangement; [Figure 8] 1A is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle seat according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of an air cell when the air cell is inflated in a modified example thereof; [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line in a vehicle seat according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line in a vehicle seat according to a third embodiment; [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of a portion of a seat heater according to a modified example of the vehicle seat of the second embodiment, showing (A) a case where the slits are formed at positions that do not overlap with the air cells, and (B) a case where the easily deformable portion is made of a material other than nonwoven fabric. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a vehicle seat of the present invention is applied to a seat mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are defined relative to the vehicle.

[0039] <<First Embodiment>> As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle seat 1 is placed on a floor 3 that defines the bottom of a vehicle interior 2 so as to face the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat 1 constitutes a passenger seat on the side of the driver's seat.

[0040] The vehicle seat 1 has a seat cushion 5 connected to a floor 3, a seat back 6 connected to the rear of the seat cushion 5, and a headrest 7 provided on the upper side of the seat back 6. The seat cushion 5 forms a seating surface 8 on its upper surface and supports the buttocks and thighs of a seated occupant. The seat back 6 is positioned behind the waist and back of the seated occupant, and the headrest 7 is positioned behind the head of the seated occupant.

[0041] The seat cushion 5 has a cushion frame 11 that is supported by the vehicle body and forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 5, a pad member 12 that is supported by the cushion frame 11, and a skin material 13 that covers the surface of the pad member 12.

[0042] The pad member 12 is made of foamed resin such as urethane foam, etc. As shown in Fig. 2, the pad member 12 is supported on the cushion frame 11 at its lower surface.

[0043] 3, the pad member 12 has a pad central portion 14 that forms the central portion in the left-right direction, and pad side portions 15 that are connected to the left and right outer sides of the pad central portion 14. The pad side portions 15 are provided on the left and right sides of the seat cushion 5, respectively, and form bank portions 16 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) that protrude upward from the central portion.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 2, a hanging groove 20 recessed downward is provided on the upper surface of the pad member 12. As shown in Fig. 4, the hanging groove 20 has a pair of left and right vertical grooves 21 extending in the front-rear direction between the pad central portion 14 and the pad side portion 15, and a horizontal groove 22 connecting the left and right vertical grooves 21 at approximately the center in the front-rear direction, forming an H-shape in top view. As shown in Fig. 2, the vertical grooves 21 and the horizontal grooves 22 are each provided with a wire 24 for hooking the cover material 13 in an appropriate position.

[0045] 3 and 4, a plurality of recesses 26 are provided on the upper surface of the pad central portion 14. The recesses 26 are recessed downward and have a rectangular (square) shape when viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 3, the recesses 26 are located inside the left and right vertical grooves 21.

[0046] The recesses 26 are provided in a row in the front-rear direction at intervals on the left and right sides in front of the lateral groove 22. The recesses 26 provided in the front of the lateral groove 22 are located at positions that generally correspond to the thighs of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 1. In this embodiment, a pair of left and right recesses 26 are provided in the rear part of the lateral groove 22 on the upper surface of the pad member 12. The recesses 26 arranged on the rear side of the lateral groove 22 are located at positions that generally correspond to the buttocks of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 1.

[0047] 4, through grooves 28 are provided on the upper surface of the pad member 12, extending outward in the left and right directions from each of the recesses 26 and reaching the vertical grooves 21. Each of the vertical grooves 21 is provided with through holes 30 that penetrate in the up and down direction on the left and right outer sides of the through grooves 28.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle seat 1 includes a plurality of air cells 32, an air intake and exhaust device 34 that supplies and exhausts air to and from the air cells 32, a seating sensor 36, a seat heater 38, a temperature adjustment device 40 that controls the seat heater 38, and a control device 42 that controls the air intake and exhaust device 34 and the temperature adjustment device 40.

[0049] The air cells 32 (air bags) are bag-shaped members made of a stretchable material such as rubber. As shown in Fig. 2, the air cells 32 are housed in the recesses 26, joined to the surface of the pad member 12, and housed inside the seat cushion 5. A flexible tube 44 is connected to each air cell 32. The tube 44 passes from the inside of the recesses 26 through the through grooves 28 and the through holes 30 in this order, and reaches the underside of the pad member 12.

[0050] The air supply / exhaust device 34 is a device that supplies / exhausts air to / from the air cell 32 and expands / contracts the air cell 32 based on a signal from the control device 42. As shown in FIG. 5, the air supply / exhaust device 34 includes an electromagnetic valve 48 and a pump 50, and is connected to the air cell 32 via a tube 44.

[0051] The solenoid valve 48 is a three-way valve with an intake port 48A, an exhaust port 48B, and a common port 48C. The intake port 48A of the solenoid valve 48 is connected to a pump 50. The exhaust port 48B is open to the atmosphere. The common port 48C is connected to the tube 44. Based on a signal from the control device 42, the solenoid valve 48 switches between an intake position in which the common port 48C is connected to the intake port 48A and an exhaust position in which the common port 48C is connected to the exhaust port 48B. When the solenoid valve 48 is in the intake position, air is pumped from the pump 50, inflating the air cell 32. When the solenoid valve 48 is in the exhaust position, air in the air cell 32 is discharged through the tube 44 by pressure from the occupant, causing the air cell 32 to contract.

[0052] The seating sensor 36 is a sensor that detects whether an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 1 and includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive switches 52 .

[0053] The pressure-sensitive switch 52 is a membrane switch that includes a frame-shaped spacer sheet, contact sheets stacked at a distance from each other via the frame-shaped spacer sheet, and electrical contacts provided on the opposing surfaces of each contact sheet. When a load is applied to one contact sheet so that it approaches the other contact sheet, at least one of the contact sheets bends, causing the two electrical contacts to come into contact with each other and establish electrical contact, i.e., the ON state. The pressure at which the electrical contacts come into contact with each other can be changed by adjusting the size and thickness of the contacts, the thickness and shape of the spacer, the hardness of the contact sheets, etc. Note that the pressure-sensitive switches 52 may each have any configuration as long as they are switches that detect pressure and establish electrical contact.

[0054] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensitive switches 52 are provided at the rear of the seating surface 8 of the seat cushion 5 and at the lower front surface of the seat back 6, respectively.

[0055] Furthermore, the pad member 12 constituting the seat cushion 5 and the seat back 6 may each be provided with a switch recess 54 for accommodating the pressure-sensitive switch 52. The switch recesses 54 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides of the rear portion of the seat back 6 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and the lower portion of the seat back 6, respectively. When the pressure-sensitive switch 52 is accommodated in the switch recess 54, the surface of the contact sheet of the pressure-sensitive switch 52 may be flush with the surface of the pad member 12. This prevents the provision of the pressure-sensitive switch 52 from causing a foreign body sensation to the seated occupant.

[0056] The seat heater 38 is a planar heating element, that is, a sheet-shaped heater, provided inside the seat cushion 5. When the seat heater 38 generates heat, the seating surface 8 of the seat cushion 5 is warmed.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, the seat heater 38 includes a rectangular heater central portion 60 arranged on the upper surface of the pad central portion 14, a pair of heater side portions 62 arranged on the left and right pad side portions 15, respectively, and a heater lateral connecting portion 64 connecting the heater central portion 60 and the heater side portions 62.

[0058] The seat heater 38 includes a base fabric 68 , a heater wire 70 , and a temperature sensor 72 .

[0059] The base fabric 68 is sheet-shaped (cloth-like). In this embodiment, the base fabric 68 is formed by intertwining fibers, which is a so-called nonwoven fabric. The base fabric 68 includes a base fabric central portion 74 that constitutes the heater central portion 60 and is arranged along the pad central portion 14, a pair of left and right base fabric side portions 76 that constitute the heater side portions 62 and are arranged along the pad side portions 15, and a pair of left and right base fabric horizontal connectors 78 that connect the base fabric central portion 74 and the base fabric side portions 76. The base fabric central portion 74 includes a pair of front and rear base fabric main portions 74A and a base fabric vertical connector 74B that extends front and rear and connects the two base fabric main portions 74A. The base fabric side portions 76 are located on the left and right sides of the base fabric central portion 74, respectively, and the base fabric horizontal connectors 78 extend left and right to connect the front base fabric main portion 74A to the left and right base fabric side portions 76, respectively.

[0060] The base fabric central portion 74 extends front-to-rear between the left and right air cells 32. The base fabric main portion 74A and the base fabric vertical connecting portion 74B are each substantially rectangular. The base fabric vertical connecting portion 74B has a smaller left-to-right width than the base fabric main portion 74A. The base fabric horizontal connecting portion 78 has a smaller front-to-rear width than the base fabric central portion 74 and the left and right base fabric side portions 76, and the base fabric horizontal connecting portion 78 passes between the air cells 32.

[0061] The heater wire 70 (also referred to as a hot wire) is made of a material (for example, a metal wire or film) that generates heat when an electric current flows through it. The heater wire 70 is bonded to the surface of the base fabric 68. The heater wire 70 extends forward from the rear end of the heater central portion 60 while meandering left and right, passing through the left and right sides, and reaching the rear end of the heater central portion 60. The heater wire 70 passes between the air cells 32 but does not pass above the air cells 32. Both ends of the heater wire 70 are connected to the temperature adjustment device 40.

[0062] The temperature sensor 72 is configured by a thermocouple. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 72 is provided at an appropriate position in the heater center portion 60. The temperature sensor 72 is connected to the temperature adjustment device 40, just like the heater wire 70.

[0063] When a signal is input from the control device 42, the temperature adjustment device 40 controls the seat heater 38 to maintain a predetermined temperature corresponding to the signal input from the control device 42. In this embodiment, when the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor 72 is equal to or lower than the temperature corresponding to the signal input from the control device 42, the temperature adjustment device 40 energizes the heater wire 70 to raise the temperature of the seat heater 38, and stops energizing the heater wire 70 when the temperature exceeds the temperature corresponding to the signal.

[0064] The cover material 13 is in the form of a sheet, and covers the pad member 12, the air cells 32, the seating sensor 36, and the seat heater 38 from above, constituting the design surface of the seat cushion 5. The cover material 13 is preferably made of a stretchable cloth material that expands in response to the expansion of the air cells 32. Alternatively, the cover material 13 may be made by sewing together a plurality of cloth members.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 2, hooks 80 are provided at appropriate positions on the cover material 13, and the hooks 80 are hooked onto wires 24 provided in the vertical grooves 21 and the horizontal grooves 22, thereby connecting the cover material 13 to the pad member 12.

[0066] The seat heater 38 is connected to the rear surface of the cover material 13. In this embodiment, the edge of the seat heater 38 is sewn to the rear surface of the cover material 13, and is connected to the rear surface of the cover material 13. In this way, the seat heater 38 is hooked onto the wire 24 via the cover material 13.

[0067] Furthermore, the base fabric vertical connector 74B may be hung and hooked onto the wire 24 provided in the horizontal groove 22. The base fabric horizontal connector 78 may be hung and hooked onto the wire 24 provided in the vertical groove 21. By hooking the base fabric vertical connector 74B and the base fabric horizontal connector 78 onto the wire 24, the seat heater 38 can be more firmly connected to the pad member 12.

[0068] The control device 42 (ECU) is configured by a microcomputer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), RAM, ROM, storage device, etc. The vehicle seat 1 is provided with a reception unit 82 that receives activation and deactivation instructions for the air cell 32 from the occupant and activation and deactivation instructions for the seat heater 38 from the occupant.

[0069] The control device 42 is connected to a receiving unit 82. When the receiving unit 82 receives an input corresponding to a drive command for the air cell 32 and when the seating sensor 36 detects that an occupant is seated (more specifically, when all pressure-sensitive switches 52 are turned on), the control device 42 drives the pump 50 and switches the solenoid valve 48 between the intake position and the exhaust position at predetermined intervals. When the solenoid valve 48 is in the intake position, air pressurized from the pump 50 flows into the tube 44. This causes the air cell 32 to expand, and the portion of the seating surface 8 where the air cell 32 is provided expands. When the solenoid valve 48 is in the exhaust position, air inside the air cell 32 is discharged through the tube 44 and the exhaust port 48B, causing the air cell 32 to contract. This causes the air cell 32 to repeatedly expand and contract intermittently. When the receiving unit 82 receives an input corresponding to stopping the drive, the control device 42 stops the pump 50 and switches the solenoid valve 48 to the exhaust position. This causes the air inside the air cell 32 to be discharged through the exhaust port 48B, causing the air cell 32 to contract.

[0070] When the receiving unit 82 receives an input corresponding to an instruction to drive the seat heater 38 and the seating sensor 36 detects that an occupant is seated, the control device 42 drives the temperature adjustment device 40 to set the seat heater 38 to a predetermined temperature. In this embodiment, the control device 42 receives the desired temperature setting (e.g., HI, LOW, etc.) for the seating surface 8 from the occupant along with the drive instruction at the receiving unit 82, outputs a signal to the temperature adjustment device 40 informing the temperature corresponding to the temperature setting, and the temperature adjustment device 40 controls the seat heater 38 to a temperature corresponding to the temperature setting.

[0071] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 1 configured as described above will be described. When an occupant inputs an instruction to drive the air cells 32 (an instruction to inflate) to the reception unit 82, the upholstery material 13 expands as the air cells 32 inflate, and presses against the thighs of the occupant. This massages the thighs of the occupant, allowing the occupant to relax or feel refreshed.

[0072] Furthermore, when the occupant inputs to the reception unit 82 an instruction to activate the seat heater 38, the seat heater 38 is activated, the upper surface of the seat cushion 5 (i.e., the seating surface 8) is heated, and the surface temperature of the seat cushion 5 increases. In this way, the occupant can increase the surface temperature of the seat cushion 5 by inputting to the reception unit 82, so that the seating surface 8 of the vehicle seat 1 on which each occupant sits can be adjusted to a temperature suitable for that individual occupant.

[0073] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the heater center portion 60 passes between the left and right air cells 32, and the left and right heater side portions 62 are located on the left and right outer sides of the left and right air cells 32. In addition, the heater horizontal connecting portion 64 passes between the air cells 32. As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, the seat heater 38 and the air cells 32 are positioned so that they do not overlap each other in the front-to-back direction.

[0074] As shown in Figure 7, even if a portion of the seat heater 38 overlaps the air cell 32 in the front-to-back direction, when the occupant inputs an instruction to operate the seat heater 38 into the reception unit 82, the seating surface 8 of the seat cushion 5 is heated, thereby providing a temperature environment suitable for the occupant seated in the vehicle seat 1.

[0075] However, if the seat heater 38 and the air cell 32 overlap each other in the front-to-back direction, there is a problem that the seat cushion 5 becomes thick. In addition, as shown in Fig. 8(A), the expansion of the air cell 32 pushes the seat heater 38 toward the occupant, which may cause the seat heater 38 to move or bend (i.e., the seat heater 38 may behave unexpectedly) or a tensile load may be applied to the heater wire 70.

[0076] In this embodiment, the seat heater 38 and the air cells 32 are positioned so as not to overlap each other in the front-to-back direction, which allows the thickness of the seat cushion 5 to be reduced. This allows the vehicle seat 1 to be made more compact. Furthermore, because the seat heater 38 and the air cells 32 do not overlap each other in the front-to-back direction, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the load caused by the expansion of the air cells 32 is less likely to be applied to the seat heater 38. This prevents the seat heater 38 from moving or bending. Furthermore, because the seat heater 38 and the air cells 32 do not overlap each other, it is possible to prevent excessive tensile load from being applied to the seat heater 38 due to the expansion of the air cells 32.

[0077] The pressure-sensitive switches 52 are provided at the rear of the seating surface 8 of the seat cushion 5 and at the lower front part of the seat back 6. This prevents the seat heater 38 from being activated and the air cell 32 from being inflated or deflated when the occupant is not seated deep enough in the vehicle seat 1. This prevents the seat heater 38 from being activated and the air cell 32 from being inflated or deflated unintentionally by the occupant.

[0078] <<Second embodiment>> The vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the configuration of the seat heater 38, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

[0079] As in the first embodiment, the seat heater 38 includes a substantially rectangular heater central portion 60 arranged on the upper surface of the pad central portion 14, and a pair of left and right heater side portions 62 arranged on the left and right pad side portions 15, respectively.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 9, the heater central portion 60 overlaps the air cells 32 at the left and right edges. As shown in Fig. 9(A), the base fabric 68 of the seat heater 38 has slits 102 at appropriate positions between adjacent meandering heater wires 70, including the portions overlapping the air cells 32 (see Fig. 9(B)). As a result, the seat heater 38 has easily deformable portions 103 that are easily deformed by the expansion of the air cells 32.

[0081] In this embodiment, the slits 102 are provided so that at least a portion of each slit 102 overlaps with the air cells 32 in the front-to-back direction.

[0082] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 101 configured in this manner will be described. By providing slits 102 in the base fabric 68 of the seat heater 38, easily deformable portions 103 are formed in the overlapping portions that overlap the air cells 32. As a result, even when the air cells 32 expand, the seat heater 38 follows and deforms. This prevents excessive tensile force from being applied to the seat heater 38, and prevents the seat heater 38 from hindering the expansion of the air cells 32. This allows pressure from the air cells 32 to be applied appropriately to the occupant.

[0083] Furthermore, by providing slits 102 in base fabric 68, it is possible to easily configure easily deformable portion 103 and the configuration of easily deformable portion 103 is simplified compared to, for example, making base fabric 68 locally thinner or configuring it from a cloth material that is easily deformed locally.

[0084] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the slit 102 overlaps with the air cell 32 in the front-to-back direction, so that the easily deformable portion 103 of the seat heater 38 is formed in the vicinity of the air cell 32. This makes it easier for the seat heater 38 to follow the expansion of the air cell 32.

[0085] When the air cells 32 expand, the slits 102 provided near the air cells 32 deform to open more. Therefore, when the slits 102 intersect with the heater wire 70, a tensile load is applied to the heater wire 70. In this embodiment, the slits 102 are provided between adjacent heater wires 70, and therefore the load that may be applied to the heater wire 70 due to the expansion of the air cells 32 can be reduced compared to when the slits 102 intersect with the heater wire 70.

[0086] <<Third Embodiment>> The vehicle seat 201 according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the configuration of the seat heater 38, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

[0087] As in the first embodiment, the seat heater 38 includes a substantially rectangular heater central portion 60 arranged on the upper surface of the pad central portion 14, and a pair of left and right heater side portions 62 arranged on the left and right pad side portions 15, respectively.

[0088] The heater central portion 60 overlaps the air cells 32 at its left and right edges. As shown in Fig. 10(A) , the heater wire 70 in the heater central portion 60 has a plurality of serpentine portions 202 that extend in a serpentine manner in the left-right direction (first direction) and a connecting portion 203 that connects the ends of two serpentine portions 202. The serpentine portions 202 are arranged in a front-to-back arrangement, and the connecting portion 203 extends in the front-to-back direction (second direction) and connects adjacent serpentine portions 202. As a result, the heater wire 70 in the heater central portion 60 is configured to extend in a serpentine manner in the left-to-right direction and repeatedly fold back in the front-to-back direction.

[0089] A plurality of slits 205 are provided in the base fabric 68 of the seat heater 38. The slits 205 are provided between the two serpentine portions 202. The slits 205 include horizontal slit portions 206 (first portions) extending in the left-right direction, and vertical slit portions 207 (second portions) extending in the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the horizontal slit portions 206. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10(B), the vertical slit portions 207 are provided at positions overlapping the centers of the air cells 32.

[0090] The front-to-rear distance between the two meandering portions 202 is smaller than the front-to-rear width of the air cell 32, and at least one meandering portion 202, at least one connecting portion 203, and at least one slit 205 overlap the air cell 32.

[0091] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 1 according to the third embodiment will be described. When the air cells 32 are inflated, the portions of the seat heaters 38 provided above the air cells 32 are pushed upward.

[0092] At least one serpentine portion 202, one connecting portion 203, and one slit 205 are provided in the portion of the seat heater 38 above the air cell 32. This allows the heater wire 70 and the base fabric 68 to easily deform to accommodate the expansion of the air cell 32. In other words, the serpentine portion 202, the connecting portion 203, and the slit 205 form an easily deformable portion 210 in the portion of the seat heater 38 above the air cell 32, which easily deforms to accommodate the expansion of the air cell 32. This prevents an extremely large tensile load from being applied to the base fabric 68 and the heater wire 70.

[0093] In this embodiment, the slit 205 includes a horizontal slit portion 206 extending in the left-right direction and a vertical slit portion 207 extending in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the slit 205 can tear in either the left-right direction or the front-rear direction. Therefore, compared to when the slit 205 extends only left-right or only front-rear, the base fabric 68 is more likely to deform to follow the expansion of the air cells 32.

[0094] 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. In the above embodiment, the air cells 32 inflate and deflate to massage the buttocks and thighs of the occupant, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the control device 42 may be configured to open only the solenoid valve 48 connected to the air cells 32 provided in the left half (or right half) of the vehicle seat 1, thereby inflating only the left half (or right half) of the seating surface 8 of the vehicle seat 1 to control the occupant's posture.

[0095] In the above embodiment, an example in which the air cells 32 and the seat heater 38 are provided in the seat cushion 5 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. By diverting a similar configuration, the vehicle seat 1 may be one in which the air cells 32 and the seat heater 38 are provided on the surface side (front side) of the pad member of the seat back 6. By providing the air cells 32 in the seat back 6 and inflating and deflating the air cells 32, the lumbar region and back of the occupant can be pressed and massaged.

[0096] In the second embodiment, the slits 102 are provided so as to overlap the air cells 32, but this is not limiting. Any configuration is possible as long as the easily deformable portions 210 of the seat heater 38 deform in accordance with the expansion of the air cells 32. As shown in Fig. 11(A), the slits 102 may be provided near the air cells 32, so that the easily deformable portions 210 of the seat heater 38 are formed near the air cells 32. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 11(B), the easily deformable portions 103 of the seat heater 38 may have a base fabric 68 that is partially made of a material (such as rubber) that is more elastic than nonwoven fabric.

[0097] In the above embodiments, examples have been described in which the vehicle seats 1, 101, 201 are applied to seats installed in vehicles, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to seats installed in vehicles other than automobiles (for example, buses, trucks, ships, airplanes, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1: Vehicle seats 5: Seat cushion 6: Seat back 12: Pad material 13:Skin material 32: Air cell 68: Base fabric 70: Heater wire 101: Vehicle seat according to the second embodiment 102: Slit 103: Easily deformable part 201: Vehicle seat according to the third embodiment 205: Slit 206: Slit side portion (first portion) 207: Vertical slit part (second part) 210: Easily deformable part

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle seat including at least one of a seat back and a seat cushion, the seat back including a pad member and a cover material covering the pad member, a sheet-shaped heater and a plurality of air cells provided between the surface side of the pad member and the skin material; The heater includes a base fabric and a heater wire disposed along a surface of the base fabric, the heater wire is folded back at the folding back portion, and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while meandering in a first direction; The vehicle seat is such that the air cell is arranged so as to overlap at least one of the folded-back portions from the back side when viewed from the front to back direction.

Images