Armrest

Abstract

To provide an armrest in which a planar heater is disposed between a base material and a skin material covering the base material, and the planar heater is prevented from being damaged.SOLUTION: An armrest 6 arranged on a side surface of an automobile seat includes a base material 10 extending in the longitudinal direction and forming a skeleton, a cover 30 covering the base material 10 from above, and a planar heater 40 arranged between the base material 10 and the cover 30. When the planar heater 40 is placed on the base material 10, the planar heater 40 does not protrude outward from the upper surface side of the base material 10 in the seat width direction, and has a winding portion 44 protruding outward from the upper surface side of the base material 10 in the rear direction. In a state where the planar heater 40 is placed on the substrate 10, the side fixed cover portion 32a of the cover 30 is fixed to the inner surface of the side standing plate portion 12a of the substrate 10, and the hole 11d and the hole 34b are locked and fixed to the boss 44a erected on the lower surface 11y of the substrate 10 in a state where the winding portion 44 and the rear fixed cover portion 34a are overlapped with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, armrests that are disposed on the sides of the seat and extend in the front-to-rear direction have been known for vehicle seats installed in vehicles such as automobiles. In the armrest described in Patent Document 1, a heater element is disposed between the armrest base material and a covering material that covers the armrest base material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-72309 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the armrest described in Patent Document 1, the rear end of the cover material is bent forward and attached to the underside of the armrest base material, with part of the heater element sandwiched between the rear end of the armrest base material. Specifically, a tacker or other riveting tool is driven into the underside of the armrest base material at a location that does not cover the heater element, and the cover material is fixed to the armrest base material. However, there is a problem in that the riveting tool, such as a tacker, may be driven into the heater element, damaging the heater wire in the heater element.

[0005] In view of such demands, the object of the present invention is to provide an armrest in which a planar heater is arranged between a base material and a covering material covering the base material, and which reduces the risk of the planar heater being damaged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention is an armrest disposed on the side of a seat, the armrest comprising: a base material having an upper surface and a lower surface and extending in the front-rear direction of the seat to form a framework; a skin material covering the base material from the side of the upper surface; and a planar heater having a heater wire disposed in a planar body disposed between the base material and the skin material, the planar heater being configured so that when placed on the side of the upper surface of the base material, the planar heater does not protrude outward from the side of the upper surface of the base material in the seat width direction, and at least one of the front and rear ends in the front-rear direction of the seat has an extension portion that protrudes outward in the front-rear direction from the side of the upper surface of the base material. With the sheet heater placed on the upper surface side of the base material, the sheet width direction terminal portion of the skin material is wrapped around and fixed to the lower surface side of the base material, and the extending portion of the sheet heater and the sheet front-rear direction terminal portion of the skin material corresponding to the extending portion are wrapped around the lower surface side of the sheet front-rear direction terminal portion of the base material in a state where they are overlapped, and a sheet body opening provided in the sheet body and a skin material opening provided in the skin material are engaged and fixed to pins that are erected downward on the lower surface of the base material.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the sheet heater is not disposed between the substrate and the sheet material at the seat width direction terminal portion of the covering material, so there is no risk of damaging the heater wire of the sheet heater even if the covering material is fixed to the substrate using a tacker or other riveting tool. Furthermore, the extension portion of the sheet heater and the corresponding seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the covering material are overlapped and wrapped around the underside of the seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the substrate and engaged with and fixed by pins extending downward from the underside of the base material, so there is no need to use a riveting tool such as a tacker, and there is no risk of damaging the sheet heater. This makes it possible to provide an armrest that reduces the risk of damaging the sheet heater.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, a cushion body is disposed between the upper surface of the base material and the plane heater.

[0009] According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a seated occupant places their elbow on the armrest, they feel a sense of cushioning, improving comfort.

[0010] The third invention of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, a portion of the extension portion of the planar heater is fixed to the lower surface side of the substrate by adhesion or adhesive.

[0011] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the extending portion of the planar heater is fixed to the base by being engaged with the pin and by being adhered or cohered to the lower surface of the base, making it more difficult for the extending portion to come off.

[0012] The fourth invention of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the pin is formed with a barb that prevents the engaged extension and the covering material from falling off.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the pin is formed with a barb that makes it difficult for the engaged extension and cover material to fall off, so that the engaged extension and cover material are more unlikely to come off the pin. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an automobile seat to which an armrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the armrest of the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the armrest of the embodiment seen from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the armrest of the embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An armrest 6 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. In the following description, directions will be described based on the up, down, front, back, left and right directions shown in each figure. Here, the up, down, front, back, left and right directions are defined based on the automobile seat 1 when the automobile seat 1 to which the armrest 6 is attached is attached to the automobile floor F. Here, the automobile seat 1 corresponds to the "seat" in the claims.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, an automobile seat 1 includes a seat cushion 2 that supports the buttocks and thighs of a seated occupant, a seat back 3 that supports the waist and back of the seated occupant, a headrest 4 that supports the head of the seated occupant, and upright support bases 5 that are erected on both the left and right sides of the seat cushion 2.

[0017] The seat cushion 2 is fixed to the floor F. The lower end of the seat back 3 is connected to the rear end of the seat cushion 2 so that the tilt angle can be adjusted. Each support base 5 is formed in a vertically long box shape, and its inner side in the seat width direction is connected to both left and right sides of the seat cushion 2. A pair of left and right armrests 6 is attached to the upper surface of each support base 5.

[0018] 1, each armrest 6 is disposed on both sides of the automobile seat 1 in the seat width direction, and has a shape and structure that are symmetrical with respect to the center plane in the seat width direction of the automobile seat 1. Therefore, the right armrest 6 will be described as a representative example, and a description of the left armrest 6 will be omitted.

[0019] 3 to 7, the armrest 6 has a base material 10 as a skeleton, a pad 20 as a cushion material placed on the base material 10, a cover 30 as a skin material that covers the base material 10 and the pad 20 from above, and a planar heater 40 placed between the pad 20 and the cover 30. Here, the pad 20 and the cover 30 correspond to the "cushion body" and the "skin material" in the claims, respectively.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the substrate 10 is a strong and rigid member made of resin or light alloy. The substrate 10 has a generally rectangular shape with its longitudinal axis extending in the front-to-rear direction when viewed from above, and a generally plate-like base portion 11 that is slightly convex upward when viewed from the left-to-right direction. The base portion 10 also has a standing portion 12 extending generally downward from the outer periphery of the base portion 11. The base portion 11 has a wide portion 11a that is larger in the left-to-right direction and located forward of the approximately center portion in the front-to-rear direction, and a narrow portion 11b that is located behind the wide portion 11a and has a left-to-right dimension that is approximately two-thirds that of the wide portion 11a. The base portion 11 also has an upper surface 11x and a lower surface 11y. An upwardly opening recessed portion 11c is formed in the upper surface 11x at the center portion in the left-to-right direction of the base portion 11, allowing the pad 20 to be positioned and placed thereon. The upright portion 12 has side upright portions 12a on both the left and right sides, a front upright portion 12b on the front side, and a rear upright portion 12c on the rear side, which contribute to increasing the rigidity of the base portion 11. A substantially cylindrical boss 11d extending downward is provided on the underside 11y of the rear end side of the narrow portion 11b of the base portion 11. The boss 11d is used by fastening a screw into the inner cylindrical portion when fastening the cover member 50 (see Figure 2) disposed below the base material 10. A barb 11e protruding radially is formed on the outer cylindrical portion of the boss 11d. The barb 11e prevents the sheet heater 40 and cover 30 engaged with the boss 11d from falling off. Here, the boss 11d corresponds to the "pin" in the claims.

[0021] 5 to 7, the pad 20 is a generally plate-shaped elastic body made of urethane foam resin. The pad 20 is fitted into the recess 11c of the base material 10, and has a thickness such that its upper surface is positioned above the upper surface 11x of the portion of the base plate 11 other than the recess 11c.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the cover 30 is formed into a bag-like shape by sewing together multiple pieces cut from fabric, synthetic leather, or the like. The cover 30 includes a base cover portion 31 corresponding to the upper surface 11x of the base plate portion 11 of the base material 10, a side upright cover portion 32 corresponding to the widthwise outer surface of the armrest 6 of the side upright portion 12a, a front upright cover portion 33 corresponding to the front of the front upright portion 12b, and a rear upright cover portion 34 corresponding to the rear surface of the rear upright portion 12c. A side fixed cover portion 32a extends from the lower end of the side upright cover portion 32, wrapping around the widthwise inner surface of the side upright portion 12a, which is the side of the undersurface 11y of the armrest 6, and fixed to the side upright portion 12a. A front fixed cover portion 33a extends from the lower end of the front upright cover portion 33, wrapping around the rear surface of the front upright portion 12b and fixed to the front upright portion 12b. A rear fixed cover portion 34a extends from the lower end of the rear upright cover portion 34, being wrapped around the front side of the rear upright cover portion 34 and locked onto the boss 11d. A hole 34b through which the boss 11d passes is formed in the rear fixed cover portion 34a at a position corresponding to the boss 11d. A slit may be used in place of the hole 34b. Here, the hole 34b corresponds to the "opening in the cover material" in the claims. The side fixed cover portion 32a and the rear fixed cover portion 34a correspond to the "seat width direction terminal portion" and the "seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the cover material corresponding to the extension portion," respectively, in the claims.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 , the sheet heater 40 is a planar heating element formed by fixing a single heater wire 42, which generates heat when an electric current is passed through it, in a state in which it is folded back multiple times on a sheet body 41 made of soft resin. The sheet heater 40 includes a main body 43 disposed on the upper surface of the pad 20, a wound portion 44 extending rearward from the rear end of the main body 43, folded back from the lower end of the rear upright plate 12c of the base material 10, and extending forward along the underside 11y of the base plate 11, and wiring 45 connecting the heater wire 42 to a power source. The lower surface of the main body 43 is fixed to the upper surface of the pad 20 by adhesive. The wound portion 44 is folded back from the lower end of the rear upright plate 12c and is placed along the underside 11y of the base plate 11, and has a hole 44a formed in the sheet body 41 at a position corresponding to the boss 11d through which the boss 11d passes. The hole 44a may be replaced with a slit. The upper surface of the portion of the winding portion 44 forward of the hole 44a is fixed by adhesive to the underside 11y of the substrate portion 11. A connector 45a is attached to the end of the wiring 45 opposite the heater wire 42. Here, the winding portion 44 and the hole 44a correspond to the "extension portion" and the "opening in the planar body" in the claims, respectively.

[0024] The method of assembling the armrest 6 will now be described. The pad 20 is placed in the recess 11c of the base material 10 and fixed therein by adhesive or the like. In this state, the main body 43 of the planar heater 40 is placed on the upper surface of the pad 20 and fixed therein by adhesive or the like. Next, the cover 30 is placed on the base material 10 from above. Then, with each side upright cover portion 32 a abutting against the outer widthwise surface of the side upright portion 12a of the armrest 6, each side fixed cover portion 32 a abutting against the inner widthwise surface of the side upright portion 12a of the armrest 6 and fixed therein with a riveting tool such as a tacker. At this time, the planar heater 40 is not damaged because it is not present between the base material 10 and the cover 30. Next, with the front upright cover portion 33 a abutting against the front surface of the front upright portion 12b, the front fixed cover portion 33 a abutting against the rear surface of the front upright portion 12b and fixed therein with a riveting tool such as a tacker. Since the sheet heater 40 is not present between the base material 10 and the cover 30, the sheet heater 40 is not damaged during this process. Next, the wrap-around portion 44 of the sheet heater 40 is abutted against the rear side surface of the rear upright plate 12c and folded back from the lower end of the rear upright plate 12c to abut against the front side surface of the rear upright plate 12c, and the boss 11d is inserted into the hole 44a to lock in place. The portion of the wrap-around portion 44 forward of the hole 44a is then adhered and fixed to the underside 11y of the base plate portion 11 of the base material 10. Next, the rear fixed cover portion 34a of the cover 30 is abutted against the rear side surface of the rear upright plate 12c with the sheet heater 40 interposed therebetween and folded back from the lower end of the rear upright plate 12c to insert the boss 11d into the hole 34b to lock in place. Finally, the lid member 50 is fixed to the base material 10 from below with screws. Here, the widthwise outer surface of the armrest 6 of each side upright portion 12a, the front surface of the front upright portion 12b, and the rear surface of the rear upright portion 12c correspond to the "upper surface" in the claims. Also, the widthwise inner surface of the armrest 6 of each side upright portion 12a, the rear surface of the front upright portion 12b, and the front surface of the rear upright portion 12c correspond to the "lower surface" in the claims.

[0025] The present embodiment configured as described above provides the following advantageous effects. The sheet heater 40 is not disposed between the side fixed cover portions 32a at the left and right ends of the cover 30 and the widthwise inner surfaces of the armrest 6 on the side upright plate portions 12a of the base material 10. As a result, there is no risk of damaging the heater wire 42 of the sheet heater 40 even when the side fixed cover portions 32a are fixed to the side upright plate portions 12a using a riveting tool such as a stapler. Furthermore, with the wrap-around portion 44 of the sheet heater 40 and the rear fixed cover portion 34a of the cover 30 overlapping, the bosses 11d of the base material 10 are inserted into the holes 44a of the sheet heater 40 and the holes 34b of the cover 30 and secured in place. As a result, there is no need to use a riveting tool such as a stapler, and there is no risk of damaging the heater wire 42 of the sheet heater 40. The combination of these two features makes it possible to provide an armrest 6 that reduces the risk of the heater wire 42 of the sheet heater 40 being damaged.

[0026] Furthermore, since the pad 20 is placed and fixed in the recess 11c of the base material 10, a cushioned feeling is provided when a seated occupant of the automobile seat 1 places their elbow on the armrest 6, improving comfort. Furthermore, the portion of the wrap-around portion 44 of the sheet heater 40 that is forward of the hole 44a is fixed to the underside 11y of the base plate portion 11 of the base material 10 by adhesion. As a result, the wrap-around portion 44 is fixed to the base material 10 by engaging with the boss 11d and by adhesion to the underside 11y of the base plate portion 11, making it more difficult to peel off. In addition, since the boss 11d is formed with a barb 11e, it catches on the outer peripheral edge of the hole 44a of the sheet heater 40 and the outer peripheral edge of the hole 34b of the cover 30, making it difficult for the wrap-around portion 44 of the sheet heater 40 and the rear fixed cover portion 34a of the cover 30 to come off the boss 11d.

[0027] Although specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to those external appearances and configurations, and various modifications, additions, and deletions are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, the following can be mentioned.

[0028] 1. In the above embodiment, the roll-up portion 44, which is an extension portion, is configured to be provided on the rear side of the armrest 6, but it can also be configured to be provided on the front side. Furthermore, it may be configured to be provided on both the rear and front sides.

[0029] 2. In the above embodiment, the boss 11d, which is the pin, is configured as a substantially cylindrical shape, but this is not limited to this and various shapes can be adopted as long as they can be inserted into and engaged with the hole 34b or the hole 44a, such as a cylindrical shape, a square tube shape, or a rectangular pillar shape.

[0030] 3. In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the armrest 6 of the automobile seat 1, but it may also be applied to the armrest of a seat in an airplane, ship, railroad car, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1. Automobile seats (seats) 2 seat cushions 3 Seat back 5 Support stand 6 Armrest 10 Base material 11 Circuit board 11d boss (pin) 11e Return 11x top 11y bottom 12 Standing board 12a Side standing board part 12c Rear standing board part 20 pad (cushion body) 30 Cover (skin material) 31 Circuit board cover 32a Side fixed cover part (seat width direction terminal part) 34a Rear fixed cover portion (seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the covering material corresponding to the extension portion) 34b hole (skin material opening) 40 Planar heater 41 Planar body 42 Heater wire 43 Main part 44 Winding section 44a hole (planar body opening)

Claims

1. An armrest disposed on the side of a seat, The seat comprises a base material having an upper surface and a lower surface, extending in the front-rear direction of the seat to form a skeleton, a skin material covering the base material from the side of the upper surface, and a planar heater having a heater wire disposed in a planar body arranged between the base material and the skin material, the plane heater is configured so that, when placed on the side of the upper surface of the base material, it does not protrude outward from the side of the upper surface of the base material in the sheet width direction, and at least one of the front and rear ends in the sheet front-rear direction has an extension portion that protrudes outward from the side of the upper surface of the base material in the front-rear direction, With the sheet heater placed on the upper surface side of the base material, a sheet width direction end portion of the skin material is wrapped around and fixed to the lower surface side of the base material, The armrest is fixed in place by overlapping the extension portion of the planar heater and the seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the skin material that corresponds to the extension portion, and wrapping around the underside of the seat front-rear direction terminal portion of the base material, and engaging a planar body opening provided in the planar heater with a skin material opening provided in the skin material on a pin that is erected downward on the underside of the base material.

2. In claim 1, The armrest has a cushion body disposed between the upper surface of the base material and the plane heater.

3. In claim 1 or claim 2 An armrest in which a portion of the extension portion of the planar heater is fixed to the lower surface side of the base material by adhesion or adhesive.

4. In claim 1 or claim 2 The armrest has a barb formed on the pin that prevents the extension and the covering material from falling off.

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