Vehicle seats

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle seat that can be cleaned and deodorized, including the vehicle seat itself and the area around it. [Solution] The vehicle seat 10 comprises a seat body (seat cushion 12 and seat back 14) that supports the body of the seated occupant, and a tank 30 provided in the seat body that stores a liquid 28 having at least one of the functions of cleaning and deodorizing. The vehicle seat 10 also comprises a nozzle 32 that sprays the liquid 28 stored in the tank 30 onto the seat body and at least one of the area around the seat body.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below describes an invention that enables sterilization of a vehicle handrail by applying alcohol for sterilization to the handrail. The handrail described in this document is provided with a cleaner that moves spirally along the outer peripheral surface of the handrail. Thereby, the sterilization liquid is evenly applied from the cleaner to the handrail, and the outer peripheral surface of the handrail is sterilized.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, it may be desirable to clean and deodorize a vehicle seat and the surroundings of the vehicle seat (for example, a floor mat), but the configuration described in Patent Document 1 above does not consider this point.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle seat capable of cleaning and deodorizing a vehicle seat and the surroundings of the vehicle seat.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A vehicle seat according to a first aspect includes a seat body that supports the body of a seated occupant, a tank that is provided in the seat body and stores a liquid having at least one of a cleaning and deodorizing function, and an injection unit that injects the liquid stored in the tank into at least one of the seat body and the surroundings of the seat body.

[0007] In the first embodiment of the vehicle seat, a tank containing a liquid having at least one of the functions of cleaning and deodorizing is provided in the seat body. The liquid stored in the tank is then sprayed from a spray nozzle onto the seat body and at least one of the surrounding area. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the vehicle seat (seat body) and the area surrounding the vehicle seat (seat body).

[0008] The second embodiment of the vehicle seat sprays the liquid from the spraying part when an odor is detected by the odor sensing sensor in the vehicle seat of the first embodiment.

[0009] In the second embodiment of the vehicle seat, when an odor is detected by the odor sensor, liquid is sprayed from the spray nozzle. In this way, the vehicle seat (seat body) and the area around the vehicle seat (seat body) can be cleaned and deodorized according to the odor detected by the odor sensor.

[0010] The third embodiment of the vehicle seat sprays the liquid from the spraying part after the occupants of the vehicle have disembarked and the vehicle doors have been locked, in the vehicle seat of the first or second embodiment.

[0011] In the third embodiment of the vehicle seat, liquid is sprayed from the nozzle after the occupants have disembarked from the vehicle and the vehicle doors have been locked. This setting prevents or suppresses the spraying of liquid from the nozzle while occupants are in the vehicle.

[0012] The fourth embodiment of the vehicle seat is a vehicle seat of any one embodiment of the first to third embodiments, in which the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part by the operation of a timer.

[0013] In the fourth embodiment of the vehicle seat, a liquid can be sprayed from the spray nozzle by the operation of a timer.

[0014] A fifth embodiment of a vehicle seat is a vehicle seat according to any one embodiment of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein at least the portion of the seat body that comes into contact with the seated occupant is made of cloth, the spray unit is located inside the seat body, and the liquid sprayed from the spray unit soaks into the cloth from the side away from the seated occupant.

[0015] In the fifth embodiment of the vehicle seat, at least the portion of the seat body that comes into contact with the seated occupant is made of fabric, and a spray nozzle is located inside the seat body. The liquid sprayed from the spray nozzle soaks into the fabric from the side opposite to the seated occupant. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the portion of the seat body made of fabric.

[0016] The sixth embodiment of the vehicle seat is a vehicle seat according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part toward a floor mat provided around the seat body.

[0017] In the sixth embodiment of the vehicle seat, liquid is sprayed from a spray nozzle towards the floor mats provided around the seat body. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the floor mats. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The vehicle seat according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to clean and deodorize the vehicle seat and the area around it. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the vehicle seat of the first embodiment, seen from the front right. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a liquid injection device. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the seat cushion and seat back of a vehicle seat according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]It is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the seat back cut along the 5-5 line shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of the vehicle seat of the first embodiment seen from the right rear oblique side. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the vehicle seat of the second embodiment seen from the right front oblique side.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] (First Embodiment) The vehicle seat 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the figures, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the seat, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the seat, the arrow RH indicates the right side in the seat width direction, and the arrow LH indicates the left side in the seat width direction. Also, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, when indicating the front-back, up-down, and left-right directions, it means the front-back in the seat front-back direction, the up-down in the seat up-down direction, and the left-right in the seat width direction.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle seat 10 of the present embodiment includes a seat cushion 12 that supports the buttocks of the seated occupant from below, and a seat back 14 that supports the back of the seated occupant from behind. The seat cushion 12 and the seat back 14 constitute the main part of the seat body that supports the body of the seated occupant. Also, the vehicle seat 10 includes a liquid injection device 16 that injects liquid onto the surface portions of the seat cushion 12 and the seat back 14.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the seat cushion 12 includes a cushion frame that constitutes the skeleton of the seat cushion 12, a cushion pad 18 attached to the cushion frame, and a cushion trim 20 that covers the surface of the cushion pad 18 on the side of the seated occupant.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the seat back 14 comprises a back frame that constitutes the frame of the seat back 14, a back pad 22 attached to the back frame, and a back trim 24 that covers the side of the back pad 22 facing the seated occupant. A heater 26 is provided between the back pad 22 and the back trim 24. Although not shown in the figures, a heater 26 is also provided between the cushion pad 18 and the cushion trim 20. The back trim 24 has a multilayer structure having a fabric surface portion 24A and a back portion 24B made of gauze or the like that which is permeable to a liquid 28, which will be described later. The cushion trim 20 also has a multilayer structure similar to the back trim 24.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the liquid spraying device 16 includes a tank 30 for storing a liquid 28 (see Figure 4) having at least one of the functions of cleaning and deodorizing, and four nozzles 32 as spraying units for spraying the liquid 28 stored in the tank 30 toward the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20. The liquid spraying device 16 also includes a pumping unit 34 for pumping the liquid 28 stored in the tank 30 toward the nozzles 32, and piping 36 connecting the tank 30 and the pumping unit 34, and the pumping unit 34 and the nozzles 32.

[0025] The tank 30 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with its longitudinal direction in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 1, the tank 30 is located inside the right-side portion of the seat back 14 and is fixed to the back frame. Here, as shown in Figure 5, an opening 38 is provided in the right-side and upper portion of the back trim 24, which can be opened and closed by a fastener or the like. Through this opening 38, it is possible to replenish the tank 30 with liquid 28.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the nozzle 32 comprises a pipe connection portion 32A to which the pipe 36 is connected, and a nozzle tip portion 32B from which the liquid 28 is sprayed. Two of the four nozzles 32 are back-side nozzles 40 that spray the liquid 28 toward the back surface portion 24B of the back trim 24. The two back-side nozzles 40 are supported by the back pad 22, positioned at a left-right spacing in the vertical center of the interior of the seat back 14. The remaining two of the four nozzles 32 are cushion-side nozzles 42 that spray the liquid 28 toward the back surface portion of the cushion trim 20. The two cushion-side nozzles 42 are supported by the cushion pad 18, positioned at a left-right spacing in the front-rear center of the interior of the seat cushion 12.

[0027] The pumping unit 34 is supported by a cushion frame or the like on the lower side of the seat cushion 12. This pumping unit 34 includes a staging area 44 where a predetermined amount of liquid 28 flowing in from the tank 30 via piping 36 is temporarily stored, and a motor 46 that pushes the liquid 28 stored in the staging area 44 toward the nozzles 32. The motor 46 is, for example, a stepping motor whose rotational speed and rotational angle can be controlled. When this motor 46 rotates once, the entire amount of liquid 28 stored in the staging area 44 is pushed toward each nozzle 32. The rotation of the motor 46 is controlled by a motor control device 48. The motor control device 48 may receive signals from various sensors 50, such as an odor sensor for detecting odors in the vehicle interior, a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of occupants in the vehicle interior, and a sensor for detecting whether the vehicle doors are locked, as well as a timer 52, an operation switch 54, etc.

[0028] The piping 36 between the tank 30 and the staging 44 is designated as tank-side piping 36A. On the tank 30 side of this tank-side piping 36A, there is a tank-side check valve 56 that allows the passage of liquid 28 from the tank 30 side to the staging 44 side and blocks the passage of liquid 28 from the staging 44 side to the tank 30 side. The piping 36 between the staging 44 and the four nozzles 32 is designated as nozzle-side piping 36B. On the staging 44 side of this nozzle-side piping 36B, there is a nozzle-side check valve 58 that allows the passage of liquid 28 from the staging 44 side to the four nozzles 32 side and blocks the passage of liquid 28 from the four nozzles 32 side to the staging 44 side. Downstream of the nozzle-side check valve 58 in the nozzle-side piping 36B, the piping branches into four systems and is connected to the piping connection parts 32A of the four nozzles 32, respectively.

[0029] (Operation and effects of this embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0030] In the vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment described above, for example, when a vehicle occupant operates the operation switch 54 to activate the motor 46, the liquid 28 stored in the staging 44 is pushed out toward the two back-side nozzles 40 and the two cushion-side nozzles 42. The liquid 28 is then sprayed from the nozzle tips 32B of the two back-side nozzles 40 toward the back surface portion 24B of the back trim 24. The liquid 28 that has soaked into the back surface portion 24B of the back trim 24 spreads along the back surface portion 24B and also soaks into the front surface portion 24A of the back trim 24. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the back trim 24. In addition, the liquid 28 is sprayed from the nozzle tips 32B of the two cushion-side nozzles 42 toward the back surface portion of the cushion trim 20. The liquid 28 that has soaked into the back surface portion of the cushion trim 20 spreads along the back surface portion and also soaks into the front surface portion of the cushion trim 20. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the cushion trim 20.

[0031] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment, when an odor is detected by the odor sensing sensor, the motor 46 can be activated to spray the liquid 28 toward the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20. In this way, the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20 can be cleaned and deodorized according to the odor detected by the odor sensing sensor.

[0032] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment, after it is detected that the occupant has disembarked from the vehicle and the vehicle doors have been locked, the motor 46 can be activated to spray the liquid 28 toward the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20. In this case, it is possible to prevent or suppress the spraying of the liquid 28 toward the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20 when an occupant is in the vehicle.

[0033] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment, the motor 46 can be activated by operating the timer 52 to spray the liquid 28 toward the back trim 24 and cushion trim 20. The timer 52 may be set so that the motor 46 operates at a predetermined time, or it may be set so that the motor 46 operates at predetermined time intervals.

[0034] (Second Embodiment) A vehicle seat 60 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 6. In the vehicle seat 60 of the second embodiment, members and parts corresponding to the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals as the members and parts corresponding to the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0035] In this embodiment, the nozzle 32 is a floor mat side nozzle 64 that sprays liquid 28 from the lower side of the seat cushion 12 toward the floor mat 62 in front of the seat cushion 12. In the vehicle seat 60 of this embodiment, when the motor 46 of the pressure supply unit 34 is activated, the liquid 28 stored in the staging 44 is pushed toward the floor mat side nozzle 64. Then, the liquid 28 is sprayed from the floor mat side nozzle 64 toward the floor mat 62. This allows for cleaning and deodorizing of the floor mat 62.

[0036] Furthermore, all or part of the configuration of the vehicle seat 10 of the first embodiment and all or part of the configuration of the vehicle seat 60 of the second embodiment can be combined with each other.

[0037] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above, and can be implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 10 Vehicle seats 12 Seat cushion (seat body) 14. Seat back (seat body) 28 liquid 30 tanks 32 Nozzles (spray nozzles) 52 Timer 60 Vehicle seats 62 Floor Mats

Claims

1. The seat body that supports the body of the seated occupant, A tank provided in the seat body for storing a liquid having at least one of the functions of cleaning and deodorizing, A spray unit that sprays the liquid stored in the tank onto the seat body and at least one of the area surrounding the seat body, A vehicle seat equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

2. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part when an odor is detected by an odor sensing sensor.

3. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part after the occupants of the vehicle have disembarked and the vehicle doors have been locked.

4. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part by the operation of a timer.

5. At least the portion of the seat body that comes into contact with the seated occupant is formed using fabric. The injection unit is located inside the seat body. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sprayed from the spraying part soaks into the fabric from the side opposite to the seated occupant.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is sprayed from the spraying part toward a floor mat provided around the seat body.

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