Clip, vehicle seat, and method of manufacturing the clip

Abstract

A clip, a vehicle seat, and a method for manufacturing the clip that can suppress the generation of abnormal noise are provided. [Solution] The clip has a U-shaped bent portion 40 bent in a U-shape around a predetermined axis, with the U-shaped bent portion 40 twisted in the axial direction of the axis. When the clip 26 is used to attach one member to another, the U-shaped bent portion is designed to deform in the axial direction of the axis when the clip is engaged with a locking portion formed on the one member and a locking portion formed on the other member. This design can prevent the one member from vibrating relative to the other member and generating abnormal noise.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a clip, a vehicle seat, and a method for manufacturing the clip. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a knob mounting structure in which a shift knob is attached to a lever. The lever described in this document and the shift knob inserted into the lever each have an engagement groove into which a pin is inserted. After inserting the shift knob into the lever, the pin is inserted into the engagement groove formed in the shift knob, whereby the pin engages with the engagement groove formed in the shift knob and the engagement groove formed in the lever. This maintains the shift knob attached to the lever. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-44513 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, depending on the clearance between the pin and the engagement groove formed in the shift knob and the engagement groove formed in the lever, it is possible that the shift knob will vibrate relative to the lever, causing abnormal noise.

[0005] In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a clip, a vehicle seat, and a method for manufacturing the clip that can suppress the generation of abnormal noise. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clip of the first aspect has a U-shaped bent portion that is bent into a U shape around a set axis, and the U-shaped bent portion has a shape that is twisted in the axial direction of the shaft.

[0007] When the clip of the first aspect is used to maintain the attachment state of one component to another component, the U-shaped bent portion is configured to deform in the axial direction of the shaft when the clip is engaged with the locking portion formed on the one component and the locking portion formed on the other component. In this configuration, when the clip is engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft component and the locking portion formed on the operating member, the U-shaped bent portion deforms in the axial direction of the shaft compared to its state before the clip was engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft component and the locking portion formed on the operating member. That is, the U-shaped bent portion deforms by an amount corresponding to the clearance between the clip and the locking portion formed on the shaft component and the locking portion formed on the operating member. This eliminates play between the clip and the locking portion formed on the shaft component and the locking portion formed on the operating member, thereby suppressing vibration of the one component relative to the other component and the generation of abnormal noise.

[0008] The second embodiment of the clip is the clip of the first embodiment, wherein the U-shaped bending portion comprises a closed end side forming portion that forms the closed end side of the U-shaped bending portion, and a pair of open end side forming portions that extend from both ends of the closed end side forming portion toward the open end side of the U-shaped bending portion and gradually approach each other as they move toward the opposite side from the closed end side forming portion.

[0009] When the second type clip is used to maintain an attachment state between one component and another component placed inside the first component, for example, the portion of the pair of open end forming portions opposite the closed end forming portion can be engaged with an engaging portion of the other component.

[0010] The clip of the third aspect is the clip of the second aspect, further comprising a pair of clip ends extending in opposite directions from the ends of the pair of open end forming portions opposite the closed end forming portion.

[0011] In the clip of the third aspect, for example, the distance between the pair of open end forming portions can be widened by pressing the pair of clip end portions against the object to which the clip is to be locked, thereby making it easy to attach the clip to the object to be locked.

[0012] A vehicle seat of a fourth aspect comprises an occupant support portion that supports the body of a seated occupant, an axis member that is provided on the occupant support portion and that displaces the occupant support portion when rotated, an operating member that is attached to the axis member and that is operated by the seated occupant to rotate and displace together with the axis member, and a clip of any one of the first to third aspects that is engaged with the axis member and the operating member, wherein the axis member and the operating member each have a locking portion that locks with the clip when inserted, and when the clip is engaged with the locking portion formed on the axis member and the locking portion formed on the operating member, the U-shaped bent portion is deformed in the axial direction of the axis compared to the state before the clip was engaged with the locking portion formed on the axis member and the locking portion formed on the operating member.

[0013] In a vehicle seat according to a fourth aspect, the clip according to any one of the first to third aspects is used to maintain the attachment state of the operating member to the shaft member. In this configuration, when the clip is engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member, the U-shaped bent portion is deformed in the axial direction of the shaft compared to the state before the clip was engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member. That is, the U-shaped bent portion deforms by an amount corresponding to the clearance between the clip and the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member. This eliminates backlash between the clip and the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member, thereby preventing the operating member from vibrating relative to the shaft member and generating abnormal noise.

[0014] The fifth aspect of the method for manufacturing a clip is applied to the method for manufacturing a clip of any one of the first to third aspects, and includes a step of wireforming a linearly formed member to bend the linearly formed member into a U-shape around a predetermined axis and twist it in the axial direction of the axis to form the U-shaped bent portion.

[0015] In the fifth aspect of the clip manufacturing method, a linear member is wire-formed to bend the linear member into a U-shape around a predetermined axis and twist it in the axial direction of the axis to form a U-shaped bent portion. In this way, the fifth aspect of the clip manufacturing method makes it possible to easily manufacture a clip having a U-shaped bent portion by wire-forming. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The clip, vehicle seat, and method for manufacturing the clip according to the present invention have the excellent effect of being able to suppress the generation of abnormal noise. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view schematically showing a vehicle seat; [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an operating member and a shaft member. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the operating member and the clip as viewed from the shaft member side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the operating member and the clip as viewed from the shaft member side. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a view of the clip as seen from the release direction of the clip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A vehicle seat 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 1 to 6. In the figures, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the seat, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the seat. Furthermore, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, when referring to front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions, these refer to front-rear in the seat front-rear direction, up-down in the seat up-down direction, and left-right in the seat width direction.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle seat 10 includes a seat cushion 12 that supports the buttocks of a seated occupant from below, a seat back 14 that supports the back of the seated occupant from the rear, and a headrest 16 that supports the head of the seated occupant from the rear. The seat cushion 12, the seat back 14, and the headrest 16 constitute an occupant support part that supports the body of the seated occupant. Note that the occupant support part is not limited to the seat cushion 12, the seat back 14, and the headrest 16. For example, in a vehicle seat that includes an armrest, an ottoman, etc., the armrest, the ottoman, etc. are also included in the occupant support part.

[0020] The seat cushion 12 is provided with an adjustment device 18 that adjusts the vertical position of a front portion of the seat cushion 12. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the adjustment device 18 includes an adjustment device main body 20 provided inside the seat cushion 12, and a shaft member 22 that is connected to the adjustment device main body 20 and protrudes rightward from the right end of the seat cushion 12. The adjustment device 18 also includes an operating member 24 attached to the shaft member 22, and a clip 26 that maintains the attached state of the operating member 24 to the shaft member 22. Note that the configurations of the shaft member 22, operating member 24, and clip 26, which will be described in detail later, can also be applied to adjustment devices that displace other occupant support parts such as the seat back 14 and headrest 16.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2 , the shaft member 22 is formed, for example, in the shape of a solid rod with its axial direction extending in the left-right direction. In the following description, when the axial, radial, and circumferential directions are simply indicated, these directions refer to the rotational axis direction, rotational radial direction, and rotational circumferential direction of the shaft member, respectively. A plurality of external teeth 28 are formed at intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery (the radially outer portion) of the shaft member 22. Furthermore, a locking groove 30 is formed continuously along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the shaft member 22 as a locking portion for locking a clip 26 (described later). This locking groove 30 is formed in the shape of a square groove with an open radially outer side. The axial width of the locking groove 30 is set to W1.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the operating member 24 includes a grip portion 32 that is gripped by a seated occupant and a cylindrical boss portion 34 that protrudes from the center of the grip portion 32 toward the shaft member 22. A plurality of internal teeth 36 are formed at intervals along the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral portion (radially inner portion) of the boss portion 34. When the shaft member 22 is inserted into the boss portion 34, a plurality of external teeth 28 on the shaft member 22 engage with a plurality of internal teeth 36 formed on the boss portion 34. This allows the operating member 24 and the shaft member 22 to rotate integrally. Furthermore, the boss portion 34 is formed with two locking holes 38 spaced apart along the circumferential direction as locking portions for locking a clip 26 (described later). The locking holes 38 are elongated holes that penetrate the boss portion 34 in the radial direction and extend in the circumferential direction. The width of the locking hole 38 in the axial direction is set to W1, which is the same as the width of the locking groove 30 in the axial direction.

[0023] 5 and 6, the clip 26 is formed by wireforming or the like on a wire-shaped member made of a metal material such as steel and having an outer diameter smaller than the aforementioned dimension W1. Specifically, the clip 26 includes a U-shaped bent portion 40 bent into a U shape around a predetermined axis (which coincides with the axis of the shaft member 22 in this embodiment). The U-shaped bent portion 40 includes a closed end forming portion 42 that forms the closed end side of the U-shaped bent portion 40. The central portion of the closed end forming portion 42 forms a gently curved first curved portion 42A. Furthermore, both end portions of the closed end forming portion 42 form second curved portions 42B that are bent to have a smaller radius than the first curved portion 42A. The U-shaped bent portion 40 also includes a pair of open end forming portions 44 that extend from both ends of the closed end forming portion 42 toward the open end of the U-shaped bent portion 40 and gradually approach each other as they extend toward the opposite side from the closed end forming portion 42. The pair of open end forming portions 44 extend linearly toward each other.

[0024] The clip 26 also has a pair of clip ends 46 extending in opposite directions from end portions 44A of the pair of open-end forming portions 44 opposite the closed-end forming portions 42. The distance between the pair of clip ends 46 gradually increases as the distance between the pair of clip ends 46 increases toward the side opposite the pair of open-end forming portions 44. As the clip 26 has the U-shaped bent portion 40 and the pair of clip ends 46, the shape of the clip 26 when viewed from the axial direction resembles the Greek capital letter "omega."

[0025] The U-shaped bent portion has a twisted shape in the axial direction. Specifically, one second curved portion 42B is twisted toward one axial side relative to the first curved portion 42A, and the other second curved portion 42B is twisted toward the other axial side relative to the first curved portion 42A. As a result, the dimension from the end 44A of one open-end forming portion 44 opposite the closed-end forming portion 42 to the end 44A of the other open-end forming portion 44 opposite the closed-end forming portion 42 is dimension W2, which is larger than the dimension W1 described above.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the clip 26 described above is inserted into and locked into the locking groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22 and the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24, thereby maintaining the operating member 24 attached to the shaft member 22.

[0027] Here, in a state where the clip 26 is engaged in the locking groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22 and the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "fully engaged state of the clip 26"), end portions 44A of the pair of open-end forming portions 44 opposite the closed-end forming portion 42 are positioned within the locking groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22 and are locked in the locking groove 30. Note that in FIG. 4, the bottom of the locking groove 30 is indicated by a two-dot chain line. Also, in the fully engaged state of the clip 26, portions 44B of the pair of open-end forming portions 44 on the closed-end forming portion 42 side are passed through the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24 and are locked in the locking hole 38. Furthermore, in the fully engaged state of the clip 26, the pair of clip end portions 46 are passed through the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24 and are locked in the locking hole 38.

[0028] Furthermore, when the clip 26 is in the fully engaged state, the U-shaped bent portion 40 is deformed so as to be compressed in the axial direction compared to the state before the clip 26 is engaged with the engagement groove 30 formed in the axial member 22 and the engagement hole 38 formed in the operating member 24 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "state before the clip 26 is fully engaged").

[0029] (Actions and Effects of This Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0030] 1 and 2, in the vehicle seat 10 of the present embodiment described above, when the seated occupant rotates the shaft member 22 via the operating member 24 to operate the adjustment device main body 20, the vertical position of the front portion of the seat cushion 12 changes. For example, when the seated occupant rotates the shaft member 22 to one side via the operating member 24, the front portion of the seat cushion 12 moves down. Conversely, when the seated occupant rotates the shaft member 22 to the other side via the operating member 24, the front portion of the seat cushion 12 moves up or down.

[0031] 2 to 4, in this embodiment, a clip 26 is used to maintain the attachment state of the operating member 24 to the shaft member 22. When the clip 26 is in the fully engaged state, the U-shaped bent portion 40 is deformed so as to be compressed in the axial direction compared to the state before the clip 26 is fully engaged. That is, the U-shaped bent portion 40 is deformed by an amount corresponding to the clearance between the clip 26 and the locking groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22 and the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24. This eliminates play between the clip 26 and the locking groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22 and the locking hole 38 formed in the operating member 24, making it possible to suppress vibration of the operating member 24 relative to the shaft member 22 and the generation of abnormal noise.

[0032] Furthermore, in the clip 26 of this embodiment, the pair of open end forming portions 44 are configured to gradually approach each other as they move away from the closed end forming portion 42. With this configuration, the end portions 44A of the pair of open end forming portions 44 opposite the closed end forming portion 42 can be easily engaged with the engaging groove 30 formed in the shaft member 22.

[0033] Furthermore, in the clip 26 of this embodiment, the distance between the pair of open end forming portions 44 can be increased by, for example, pressing the pair of clip end portions 46 against the outer peripheral surface of the boss portion 34 of the operating member 24. This allows the clip 26 to be easily attached to the operating member 24 and the shaft member 22.

[0034] Furthermore, clip 26 of this embodiment can be manufactured by subjecting a linear member to wire forming or the like, bending the linear member into a U-shape around a predetermined axis and twisting it in the axial direction of the axis to form U-shaped bent portion 40. In this way, clip 26 of this embodiment can be easily manufactured as a clip having a U-shaped bent portion by wire forming or the like.

[0035] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the clip 26 having the U-shaped bent portion 40 is manufactured by performing wire forming or the like on a linearly formed member, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the clip 26 can also be manufactured using manufacturing equipment other than a wire forming machine.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the clip 26 has been described as having a pair of clip ends 46, but the present invention is not limited to this. Whether or not to provide a pair of clip ends 46 can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the attachment process of the clip 26, the configuration of the object to which the clip 26 is attached, and the like.

[0037] In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the pair of open end forming portions 44 gradually approach each other as they move toward the opposite side from the closed end forming portion 42, but the present invention is not limited to this. Whether or not the pair of open end forming portions 44 are set as described above can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the configuration of the object to which the clip 26 is attached, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the configuration of the clip 26 of this embodiment can be applied to other uses as well as to maintaining the attached state of the operating member 24 to the shaft member 22. For example, the configuration of the clip 26 of this embodiment can also be applied to a clip for maintaining the attached state of one member constituting a vehicle to another member.

[0039] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various other modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10 Vehicle seats 12 Seat cushion (passenger support part) 14 Seat back (passenger support part) 16 Headrest (passenger support part) 22 Shaft member 24 Operating member 26 clips 30 Locking groove (locking part) 38 Locking hole (locking part) 40 U-shaped bend 42 Closed end side forming part 44 Open end side forming part 46 Clip end

Claims

1. A clip having a U-shaped bent portion bent in a U-shape around a predetermined axis, the U-shaped bent portion being twisted in the axial direction of the axis.

2. The U-shaped bent portion is a closed end side forming portion that forms a closed end side of the U-shaped bent portion; a pair of open end forming portions extending from both ends of the closed end forming portion toward the open end side of the U-shaped bent portion and gradually approaching each other as they extend toward the opposite side from the closed end forming portion; The clip of claim 1 , comprising:

3. 3. The clip according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of clip ends extending in opposite directions from ends of the pair of open end forming portions opposite to the closed end forming portion.

4. an occupant support portion that supports the body of a seated occupant; a shaft member that is provided to the occupant support portion and that displaces the occupant support portion when rotated; an operating member attached to the shaft member and operated by a seated occupant to be rotationally displaced together with the shaft member; The clip according to claim 1 , which is engaged with the shaft member and the operating member; Equipped with The shaft member and the operating member are each formed with a locking portion that locks the clip in an inserted state, When the clip is engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member, the U-shaped bent portion is deformed in the axial direction of the shaft compared to the state before the clip was engaged with the locking portion formed on the shaft member and the locking portion formed on the operating member.

5. The method for manufacturing the clip according to claim 1 is applied to the method for manufacturing the clip according to claim 1, A method for manufacturing a clip, comprising the steps of: bending a linearly formed member into a U-shape around a predetermined axis by wireforming the linearly formed member; and twisting the linearly formed member in the axial direction of the axis to form the U-shaped bent portion.

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