Sheet device

Abstract

To provide a seating device that can more effectively reduce motion sickness among passengers. [Solution] The seat device 10 is characterized by comprising a seat 12 including a seat back 30, a seat cushion 16, and actuators 24 and 38 that rotate at least one of the seat back 30 and the seat cushion 16 in the roll direction; a prediction unit 42 that predicts the state in which a lateral force Fs acts on the occupant's body as the vehicle moves as a predicted lateral force state; and a controller 60 that controls the actuators 24 and 38, wherein the controller 60 rotates the seat 12 based on the predicted lateral force state before the lateral force Fs actually occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a seat device having a seat that can be swiveled in the roll direction.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a seat device having a seat that can be swiveled in the roll direction has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a seat including a seat support portion that rotatably supports a seat portion, a seat restoring force generating mechanism that returns the seat portion to its original position, a seat support portion that rotatably supports the seat portion in the roll direction, a seat restoring force generating mechanism that returns the seat portion to its original position, a seat back support mechanism that rotatably supports a seat back in the roll direction, and a seat back restoring force generating mechanism that returns the seat back to its original position. According to such a seat, a passenger can freely change their posture according to the lateral force generated when the vehicle turns, so the fatigue of the passenger is reduced and the comfort of the passenger is improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the case of the seat device of Patent Document 1, the seat is moved at the discretion of the passenger. In this case, the passenger moves the seat after the vehicle turns and a lateral force acts on the passenger. As a result, immediately after the turn occurs, the seat, and thus the posture of the passenger, is not stable, and the movement of the passenger's head increases. As a result, there was a high possibility that the passenger would get motion sickness.

[0005] Therefore, this specification discloses a seat device that can more effectively reduce motion sickness of a passenger.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The seat device disclosed herein is characterized by comprising: a seat including a seat back, a seat cushion, and an actuator for pivoting at least one of the seat back and the seat cushion in the roll direction; a prediction unit for predicting the state of lateral force acting on the occupant's body as the vehicle moves, as a predicted lateral force state; and a controller for controlling the actuator, which pivots the seat based on the predicted lateral force state before the lateral force actually occurs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The seating device disclosed herein can more effectively reduce motion sickness in occupants. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the sheet device. [Figure 2] This is an illustrative diagram of crew posture guidance. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the timing of the seat rotation control. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The configuration of the seat device 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the seat device 10. This seat device 10 has a seat 12, a prediction unit 42, and a posture detection unit. The seat 12 is the seat on which the vehicle occupant 100 sits. The seat 12 is broadly divided into a seat rail 14, a seat cushion 16, a seat back 30, and a headrest 40.

[0010] The seat rail 14 is a skeletal member fixed to the vehicle body. The seat cushion 16 is mounted on the seat rail 14 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The seat cushion 16 has an SC frame 18 attached to the seat rail 14 and a seat portion 20 that supports the buttocks of the occupant 100. The seat portion 20 is connected to the SC frame 18 via a first actuator 24. The first actuator 24 rotates the seat portion 20 around a pelvic axis 22. As shown in Figure 1, the pelvic axis 22 is an axis that extends in a rearward-upward direction so as to pass through the seat portion 20 and the pelvis of the occupant 100 seated on the seat 12. In order to rotate the seat portion 20 around the pelvic axis 22, the first actuator 24 has an electrically controllable power source, such as a motor.

[0011] The seatback 30 supports the back of the occupant 100 and has an SB frame 32, a backrest portion 34, and a second actuator 38. The SB frame 32 is connected to the SC frame 18 via a reclining shaft 26 that extends in the vehicle width direction. The SB frame 32, and by extension the entire seatback 30, is capable of swinging (i.e., reclining) around the reclining shaft 26. A headrest 40 that supports the head of the occupant 100 is connected to the upper end of the SB frame 32.

[0012] The backrest portion 34 is the part that supports the back of the occupant 100 and is connected to the SB frame 32 via a second actuator 38. The second actuator 38 rotates the backrest portion 34 around the backrest axis 36. As shown in Figure 1, the backrest axis 36 is an axis that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (i.e., approximately horizontal direction) so as to pass through the backrest portion 34 and approximately the center of the chest of the occupant 100 seated in the seat 12. In order to rotate the backrest portion 34 around the backrest axis 36, the second actuator 38 has an electrically controllable power source, such as a motor.

[0013] As is clear from the above explanation, the seat 20 can rotate around the pelvic axis 22, and the backrest 34 can rotate around the backrest axis 36. In other words, both the seat cushion 16 and the seat back 30 can rotate in the roll direction. In this example, motion sickness in the occupant 100 is prevented by controlling the rotation state of the seat 12, which will be explained later.

[0014] The prediction unit 42 predicts the state of the lateral force Fs acting on the occupant 100's body as the vehicle moves, as a predicted lateral force state. This prediction unit 42 includes, for example, a navigation system 44. The navigation system 44 includes map data 46 and a GPS 48. The map data 46 includes information such as the vehicle's route, road surface conditions (gradient, etc.), and speed limits. In addition, the navigation system 44 also acquires traffic congestion information and weather information from external road traffic information. The GPS 48 detects the vehicle's current position by communicating with GPS satellites. The navigation system 44 predicts the vehicle's future driving conditions, i.e., the vehicle's future acceleration, deceleration, and steering inputs, by comparing the information detected by the GPS 48 and traffic congestion information with the map data 46. Based on the future acceleration, deceleration, and steering inputs, the system predicts the lateral force Fs that will act on the occupant 100's body as the vehicle moves, specifically the timing of its generation, the direction of the lateral force Fs, and the magnitude of the lateral force Fs, as the predicted lateral force state. The motion detection unit 50 detects the movements of the occupant 100 seated in the seat 12. This motion detection unit 50 includes, for example, a camera 52 that images the occupant 100.

[0015] The controller 60 controls the driving of the first actuator 24 and the second actuator 38. Physically, the controller 60 is a computer having a processor and memory. In Figure 1, the controller 60 is shown as a single computer, but the controller 60 may be configured by combining multiple physically separated computers.

[0016] The controller 60 rotates the seat 12 based on the predicted lateral force state. Specifically, the controller 60 predicts the posture of the occupant 100 that can counteract the lateral force Fs acting on the occupant 100's body (hereinafter referred to as the "stance posture") based on the predicted lateral force state. Then, the controller 60 rotates the seat 12 to guide the occupant 100 into this stance posture before the lateral force Fs actually occurs. Figure 2 shows an image of this posture guidance for the occupant 100.

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates a case where a lateral force Fs is generated to the left (to the right in Figure 2) from the perspective of the occupant 100 as the vehicle moves (i.e., acceleration, deceleration, and steering). If the occupant 100 does not assume a preparatory posture before the lateral force Fs is generated, the occupant 100's head will swing significantly to the left due to the lateral force Fs, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2. On the other hand, if the occupant 100 assumes the preparatory posture shown by the solid line in Figure 2 before the lateral force Fs is generated, the occupant 100's body will be less likely to move even when subjected to the lateral force Fs, and the position of the head will remain stable. As a result, motion sickness in the occupant 100 is reduced.

[0018] Therefore, in this example, the system predicts the occurrence of the lateral force Fs and rotates the seat 12 before the lateral force Fs actually occurs, thereby guiding the occupant 100 into a posture that can counteract the lateral force Fs. In the example shown in Figure 2, the controller 60 rotates the seat 20 clockwise and the backrest 34 counterclockwise so that the occupant 100's spine forms a convex arc in the direction of the lateral force Fs before the lateral force Fs occurs. As a result, the occupant 100 naturally assumes a posture that counteracts the lateral force Fs, thereby reducing head sway associated with the lateral force Fs. Furthermore, the occupant 100 can recognize the occurrence of the lateral force Fs before it occurs. Consequently, motion sickness in the occupant 100 can be effectively reduced.

[0019] Next, the timing of the turning control of the seat 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, at time t2, steering is started, and as a result, a lateral force Fs acting leftward is generated as viewed from the occupant 100. The prediction unit 42 predicts the generation of this lateral force Fs at the timing of time t0. The controller 60 drives the first actuator 24 and the second actuator 38 at time t1, which is a short time before the time t2 when the lateral force Fs is generated, in order to guide the occupant 100 into a braced posture. Here, the short time is, for example, a time of about 0.5 seconds to 2.5 seconds, and for example, 1.5 seconds. After time t1, the controller 60 gradually turns the seat portion 20 clockwise and the backrest portion 34 counterclockwise in the drawing so that the spine of the occupant 100 gradually traces an arc.

[0020] Therefore, at time t2, even if steering is started and the lateral force Fs acts on the body of the occupant 100, the movement of the head is suppressed. Also, at time t2, after the lateral force Fs is generated, the controller 60 continues to drive the actuators 24 and 38 for turning the seat 12 in accordance with the change in the lateral force Fs.

[0021] Thereafter, when the lateral force Fs reaches a steady state or when the seat 12 reaches the limit of the movable range, the controller 60 holds the seat 12 in the turned state. In the case of FIG. 3, at time t3, the lateral force Fs reaches a steady state or the seat 12 has reached the limit of the movable range. Therefore, after time t3, the controller 60 maintains the seat 12 in a certain turning posture.

[0022] Subsequently, assume that at time t4, the lateral force Fs begins to decrease. In this case, the controller 60 drives the first actuator 24 and the second actuator 38 in the opposite direction to that at time t1. Specifically, after time t4, the controller 60 gradually turns the seat portion 20 counterclockwise and the backrest portion 34 clockwise in the drawing so that the spine of the occupant 100 gradually becomes straight. Then, at time t5 when the lateral force Fs disappears, the seat 12 is returned to the initial posture so that the spine of the occupant 100 becomes straight.

[0023] As is clear from the above description, according to the technology disclosed in this specification, before the lateral force Fs actually acts, the seat 12 is rotated in the roll direction. As a result, the occupant 100 can take a preparatory posture before the lateral force Fs occurs, the movement of the head is stabilized, and motion sickness is suppressed.

[0024] In the above description, the backrest portion 34 itself is rotated. However, the posture of the occupant 100 may be induced by moving the skin covering the seat back 30 without rotating the backrest portion 34. In this case, for example, the skin of the seat back 30 has an upper belt portion that contacts the upper part of the occupant 100's back and a lower belt portion that contacts the lower part of the occupant 100's back. Both the upper belt portion and the lower belt portion are slidable in the left - right direction. When it is desired to swing the back of the occupant 100 in the roll direction, the controller 60 slides the upper belt portion and the lower belt portion in opposite directions to each other. As a result, the back of the occupant 100 swings in the roll direction.

[0025] Also, in the above description, the seat 12 is rotated based on the prediction result of the prediction unit 42. However, in addition to the prediction result, the seat 12 may be rotated based on the body movement of the occupant 100 detected by the motion detection unit 50. For example, when the occupant 100 has a posture that is prone to fatigue due to a habit or the like, the controller 60 may rotate the seat 12 to induce the occupant 100 to a posture that is less prone to fatigue. Also, when the controller 60 determines that the wakefulness of the occupant 100 has decreased based on the motion detection unit 50, the controller 60 may rotate the seat 12 to prompt the wakefulness of the occupant 100.

[0026] Also, the controller 60 may rotate the seat 12 based on the unevenness information of the road surface and the suspension input information. In this case, the controller 60 may control the operation of the seat 12 so as to reduce the uncomfortable vibration applied to the body of the occupant 100. Thereby, the comfort of the occupant 100 can be further improved.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0027] 10 Seat assembly, 12 Seat, 14 Seat rail, 16 Seat cushion, 18 SC frame, 20 Seat section, 22 Pelvic axis, 24 First actuator, 30 Seat back, 32 SB frame, 34 Backrest section, 36 Backrest axis, 38 Second actuator, 40 Headrest, 42 Prediction unit, 44 Navigation system, 46 Map data, 48 GPS, 50 Motion detection unit, 52 Camera, 60 Controller, 100 Occupant.

Claims

[Claim 1] A seat comprising a seat back, a seat cushion, and an actuator for rotating at least one of the seat back and the seat cushion in the roll direction, A prediction unit predicts the state of lateral force generated on the occupants' bodies as the vehicle moves, as a predicted lateral force state. A controller for controlling the actuator, wherein the controller rotates the seat based on the predicted lateral force state before the lateral force actually occurs, An in-vehicle seating device characterized by having the following features.

Images