Side belt guides and vehicle seats

Abstract

This prevents the position of the seatback release strap from becoming inconsistent. [Solution] The side belt guide 70 has a locking mechanism 50 that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, and is attached to the shoulder of the seat back, and the engagement is released by pulling a strap 64 which is connected to the locking mechanism 50 via a rod 62. The side belt guide 70 comprises a base portion 74 through which an insertion hole 80 is formed for inserting the strap 64, a belt guide portion 76 that extends from the base portion 74 toward the upper side of the seat and engages with the seat belt, and a strap guide portion 84 that extends from the base portion 74 into the seat back and engages with the strap 64.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a side belt guide provided at the shoulder of the seat back for guiding a seat belt.

Background Art

[0002] The vehicle seat disclosed in Patent Document 1 below has a locking mechanism for locking the seat back in the upright position. A strap for releasing the lock of the locking mechanism is provided at the shoulder of the seat back. The strap is inserted through a bezel provided at the shoulder of the seat back. This bezel has a hook for guiding the seat belt.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above prior art, there is a possibility that the position of the strap may vary due to a gap between the bezel and the strap or the like.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to obtain a side belt guide and a vehicle seat that can suppress variations in the position of a strap for releasing the lock of a seat back.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The side belt guide of the first embodiment is a side belt guide attached to the shoulder of a seat back, having a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, and the engagement is released by pulling a strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod, comprising: a base portion having an insertion hole through which the strap is inserted; a belt guide portion extending upward from the base portion toward the seat and engaging with the seat belt; and a strap guide portion extending inward from the base portion toward the seat back and engaging with the strap.

[0007] The seatback to which the side belt guide of the first embodiment is attached to the shoulder has a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, and the engagement is released by pulling the strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod. In this side belt guide, the strap is inserted through an insertion hole formed in the base, and a belt guide portion extending from the base to the upper side of the seat engages with the seat belt. Furthermore, in this side belt guide, a strap guide portion extending from the base into the seatback engages with the strap. This suppresses variations in the position of the strap.

[0008] In the second embodiment, the side belt guide, in the first embodiment, has the strap guide portion engaging with the rod from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat.

[0009] In the side belt guide of the second embodiment, the strap guide portion extending from the base portion into the seat back engages with the rod from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat. This suppresses rattling of the rod in the left-right direction of the seat, thereby preventing the position of the strap from changing due to rattling of the rod.

[0010] In the third embodiment, the side belt guide, in the first or second embodiment, has a strap guide portion that engages with the strap from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat.

[0011] In the third embodiment of the side belt guide, a strap guide portion extending from the base portion into the seat back engages with the strap from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat. This suppresses the tilting of the strap in the left-right direction of the seat, thereby suppressing variations in the position of the strap due to such tilting.

[0012] In the fourth embodiment, the side belt guide, in any one of the first to third embodiments, has a strap guide portion that engages with the strap from both sides in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0013] In the fourth embodiment of the side belt guide, a strap guide portion extending from the base portion into the seat back engages with the strap from at least one side in the seat-forward direction. This suppresses the tilting of the strap in the seat-forward direction, thereby suppressing variations in the strap's position due to such tilting.

[0014] A fifth embodiment of a vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion on which a vehicle occupant sits, a seat back that supports the occupant's back and has a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, the engagement of which is released by pulling a strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod, and a side belt guide of any one of the first to fourth embodiments attached to the shoulder of the seat back.

[0015] In the fifth embodiment of the vehicle seat, the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion is supported by a seat back. This seat back has a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, and the engagement is released by pulling a strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod. The side belt guide attached to the shoulder of this seat back is of any one of the first to fourth embodiments, and thus the aforementioned effect is obtained. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, according to the side belt guide and the vehicle seat according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress variations in the position of the strap for unlocking the seat back.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a frame, a locking mechanism, and a side belt guide of a seat back of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a partially enlarged configuration shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the configuration shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from a direction different from FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing a main body portion of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a first perspective view showing a strap guide portion of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a second perspective view showing a strap guide portion of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a top view showing a strap guide portion of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a bottom view showing a strap guide portion of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a front view showing a part of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a side belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a front view showing a non-operating state of an actuator of a locking mechanism according to a comparative example. [Figure 14]This is a front view showing the operating state of the actuator of a locking mechanism in a comparative example, illustrating a state where the rod stroke is insufficient due to the rod's tilt. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 12. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for the sake of clarity. The arrows FR, LH, RH, and UP, as indicated in each figure, indicate the front, left, right, and top of the vehicle seat 10, respectively. Hereafter, when simply referring to the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions, these directions will be relative to the vehicle seat 10.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 is a split-folding rear seat for three people, comprising a seat cushion 12 on which the occupants sit, a seat back 14 that supports the occupants' backs, and three headrests 16 that support the occupants' heads. The seat back 14 is divided into a right seat back 14R for two people and a left seat back 14L for one person. The right seat back 14R and the left seat back 14L are each rotatably connected to the floor of the vehicle body via hinge brackets (not shown), and can be folded forward onto the seat cushion 12.

[0020] The left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L are each provided with a locking mechanism 50 (see Figures 2 to 4) for restraining the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L to the side of the vehicle body (not shown) in the upright position (the position shown in Figure 1; hereinafter referred to as the "upright position"), and a side belt guide 70 (not shown) for guiding the seat belt.

[0021] Each locking mechanism 50 is provided on the left and right outer sides of the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L. Each locking mechanism 50 is connected to a strap 64 provided on the left and right outer shoulder S of the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L via a rod 62. Each locking mechanism 50 has a latch (not shown) that engages with a striker (not shown) provided on the side of the vehicle body. This engagement restricts the rotation of the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L relative to the vehicle body and restrains (locks) them in the upright position. Each side belt guide 70 is attached to the left and right outer shoulder S of the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L.

[0022] Furthermore, the configurations of the locking mechanism 50 and the side belt guide 70 around the left and right seatbacks 14R and 14L are basically the same except for being symmetrical. Therefore, the configuration of the right seatback 14R will be described below, and the description of the left seatback 14L will be omitted. Also, when describing the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions below, the directions will be those when the seatback 14R is in the upright position.

[0023] The right-side seatback 14R comprises a frame 18 (see Figure 2), which is a structural member; a pad 40 (see Figure 1), which is a cushioning material; and a trim cover 42 (see Figure 1), which is the surface material. The frame 18 is constructed in a frame-like shape by joining together, for example, metal pipes or press-formed metal plates.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the frame 18 includes an upper frame portion 20 extending in the left-right direction at the upper end of the seat back 14R, a lower frame portion 22 extending in the left-right direction at the lower end of the seat back 14R, a right side frame portion 24 extending in the up-down direction at the right end of the seat back 14R, a left side frame portion 26 extending in the up-down direction at the left end of the seat back 14R, and an intermediate frame portion 28 extending in the up-down direction at the middle of the seat back 14R in the left-right direction.

[0025] The pad 40 is made of a foam material such as urethane foam and is attached to the frame 18. The pad 40 is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front-to-rear direction of the seat back 14R and is roughly rectangular in shape with the front-to-rear direction of the seat back 14 as the thickness direction. The trim cover 42 is formed into a bag shape by sewing together multiple surface pieces made of, for example, cloth, leather, or synthetic leather, and is placed over the pad 40 from above.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, an upper bracket 30 made of press-formed metal plate is fixed to the right end of the upper frame portion 20 of the frame 18. A lock bracket 32 ​​made of press-formed metal plate is fixed to the upper part of the right side frame portion 24.

[0027] The upper bracket 30 is positioned above the upper frame section 20. A wire frame 36 made of bent metal wire is fixed to the upper bracket 30. The lock bracket 32 ​​is positioned to the right of the right side frame section 24. A locking mechanism 50 is fixed to the lock bracket 32.

[0028] The locking mechanism 50 has a housing 54 fixed to the locking bracket 32. The housing 54 is made of a press-formed metal plate and is formed in a roughly box shape with its longitudinal direction in the vertical direction and flattened in the horizontal direction. Two bolts 58 pass through the housing 54, one above and one below. The upper and lower bolts 58 are screwed into two weld nuts 34 fixed to the locking bracket 32. In this way, the housing 54, i.e. the locking mechanism 50, is fastened and fixed to the locking bracket 32, i.e. the frame 18.

[0029] Inside the housing 54 are mechanical components such as a latch (not shown). These mechanical components include a release member 60 (see Figures 3 and 4). The release member 60 is located on the upper front side of the housing 54 and is mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the housing 54. When this release member 60 is operated upward, the engagement between the striker (not shown) located on the right side of the vehicle body and the latch is released. This release releases the restriction on the rotation of the seat back 14R, allowing the seat back 14R to be tilted forward onto the seat cushion 12.

[0030] A rod 62 is connected to the unlocking member 60. The rod 62 is made of a bent metal wire. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the rod 62 is made up of a first longitudinal extension 62A extending upward from the unlocking member 60, a first transverse extension 62B extending to the left (inward in the sheet width direction) from the upper end of the first longitudinal extension 62A, a second longitudinal extension 62C extending upward from the left end of the first transverse extension 62B, a second transverse extension 62D extending to the left from the upper end of the second longitudinal extension 62C, and a guide engaging portion 62E extending diagonally downward and rearward from the left end of the second transverse extension 62D.

[0031] The first longitudinal extension 62A constitutes the base end of the rod 62, the first transverse extension 62B, the second longitudinal extension 62C, and the second transverse extension 62D constitute the middle section of the rod 62, and the guide engagement portion 62E constitutes the tip of the rod 62. The lower end of the strap 64 is connected to the second transverse extension 62D.

[0032] The strap 64 is made of a long, strip-shaped material, such as a synthetic fiber, and is flexible. The strap 64 is inserted through an insertion hole 80 formed in the side belt guide 70. As shown in Figure 5, the side belt guide 70 is made of a main body 72 and a strap guide 84. The main body 72 is made of a resin molded product with metal parts insert-molded into it, and integrally has a base 74 fixed to the upper bracket 30 and a belt guide 76 extending upward from the base 74 towards the seat.

[0033] The base portion 74 is roughly plate-shaped with its thickness in the vertical direction and is superimposed on the upper surface of the upper bracket 30. This base portion 74 is fixed to the upper bracket 30 by means of bolt fastening or the like. The belt guide portion 76 extends outward from the front of the base portion 74 in the left-right direction from the upward side and is roughly plate-shaped with its thickness in the front-rear direction. This side belt guide 70 is positioned towards the left-right outer side at the front of the base portion 74. A slit 78 is formed in this belt guide portion 76 through which a seat belt (not shown) is inserted.

[0034] An insertion hole 80 is formed in the left-right inner portion of the front part of the base portion 74, penetrating the base portion 74 in the vertical direction. The insertion hole 80 has an oval shape with the left-right direction as its longitudinal side when viewed from the vertical direction. A strap 64 is inserted through this insertion hole 80 along the vertical direction. The lower part of this strap 64 is located inside the seat back 14R.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, a cylindrical projection 82 protrudes downward from the edge of the insertion hole 80 on the lower surface of the base portion 74. The cylindrical projection 82, like the insertion hole 80, has an oval shape with its length in the left-right direction when viewed from above. The inside of the cylindrical projection 82 is in communication with the inside of the insertion hole 80, and the strap 64 is inserted through the cylindrical projection 82. A strap guide portion 84 is attached to this cylindrical projection 82.

[0036] The strap guide portion 84 is made of, for example, injection-molded resin and has an elongated shape with its length in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the upper part of the strap guide portion 84 is a cylindrical portion 86. The cylindrical portion 86 has an oval shape with its length in the left-right direction when viewed from the vertical direction. The upper part 86A of the cylindrical portion 86 is formed to be larger in the left-right and front-back directions than the lower part 86B of the cylindrical portion 86.

[0037] The cylindrical projection 82 of the base portion 74 is fitted inside the upper part 86A of the cylindrical portion 86. A locking claw 88 formed on the front surface of the cylindrical projection 82 is fitted into a locking hole 90 formed on the front surface of the cylindrical portion 86. This prevents the cylindrical portion 86 from falling off the cylindrical projection 82, and the strap guide portion 84 is fixed to the base portion 74.

[0038] A guide piece 92 extends downward from the rear of the lower part 86B of the cylindrical portion 86. The guide piece 92 is a roughly elongated plate shape with its longitudinal direction in the vertical direction and its thickness direction in the front-to-back direction. Both ends of the guide piece 92 in the left-right direction are made up of embankment portions 92A, and the middle part of the guide piece 92 in the left-right direction is made up of a recess 92B that is recessed further rearward than the left and right embankment portions 92A. The lower end of the guide piece 92 is formed in a shape that is pointed downward when viewed from the front-to-back direction.

[0039] The lower part of the strap 64, which is inserted into the cylindrical projection 82 of the base portion 74, is also inserted into the cylindrical portion 86. The lower end of the strap 64 is positioned below the cylindrical portion 86 and in front of the guide piece 92, and is inserted into the recess 92B of the guide piece 92. The second lateral extension 62D of the rod 62 is positioned in front of the guide piece 92.

[0040] The lower end of the strap 64 is wrapped around the second transverse extension 62D of the rod 62, and the portions before and after the wrapping are sewn together. In this way, the lower end of the strap 64 is connected to the second transverse extension 62D of the rod 62, and the strap 64 and the release member 60 are connected via the rod 62. When the strap 64 is pulled upward by the occupant, the rod 62 and the release member 60 are displaced upward, and the engagement between the latch and the striker is released.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the guide engagement portion 62E of the rod 62 engages (in this case, contacts) with the guide piece 92 from the left side (inward in the left-right direction). When the strap 64 is pulled upward, the guide engagement portion 62E slides against the left edge of the guide piece 92. This configuration restricts the displacement direction of the rod 62 to the vertical direction.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the lower end of the strap 64 is positioned within the recess 92B of the guide piece 92 by the rod 62. The width dimension of the recess 92B in the left-right direction is formed to be slightly larger than the width dimension of the strap 64 in the left-right direction. The left-right displacement of the strap 64 is limited by the interference (contact) of the left and right bank portions 92A of the guide piece 92 with the lower end of the strap 64.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the lower end of the strap 64, which is wrapped around the second transverse extension 62D of the rod 62, contacts the guide piece 92 from the front, thereby limiting its displacement in the front-rear direction.

[0044] In the vehicle seat 10 with the above configuration, the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion 12 is supported by the seat back 14R. This seat back 14R is rotatably connected to the vehicle body. A locking mechanism 50 is provided on the side of the seat back 14R. When this locking mechanism 50 engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, the rotation of the seat back 14R is restricted. A strap 64 is connected to the locking mechanism 50 via a rod 62. By pulling this strap 64, the engagement is released, and the seat back 14R can be tilted forward.

[0045] In the side belt guide 70 attached to the shoulder area S of the seat back 14R, the strap 64 is inserted through an insertion hole 80 formed in the base portion 74, and the seat belt (not shown) engages with a belt guide portion 76 extending upward from the base portion 74. Furthermore, in this side belt guide 70, a strap guide portion 84 extending into the seat back 14R from the base portion 74 engages with the strap 64. This helps to suppress variations in the position of the strap 64.

[0046] Specifically, in this embodiment, the strap guide portion 84 of the side belt guide 70 contacts the guide engagement portion 62E of the rod 62 from the left side, thereby suppressing lateral play of the rod 62. This prevents the position of the strap 64 from fluctuating due to play in the rod 62. Furthermore, for example, it is possible to prevent the rod 62 from tilting due to interference between the seat back 14R pad 40 and the rod 62, thus preventing the position of the strap 64 from fluctuating due to the tilt of the rod 62.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the left and right bank portions 92A provided on the guide piece 92 of the strap guide portion 84 interfere with the strap 64 from both sides in the left-right direction. This suppresses the tilt of the strap 64 in the left-right direction, thereby suppressing variations in the position of the strap 64 due to the tilt of the strap 64 in the left-right direction.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide piece 92 of the strap guide portion 84 contacts the portion of the strap 64 that wraps around the rod 62 from the rear, thereby suppressing the tilt of the strap 64 in the front-rear direction. This suppresses variations in the position of the strap 64 due to the tilt of the strap 64 in the front-rear direction.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the displacement direction of the rod 62 is restricted in the vertical direction by the strap guide portion 84. Therefore, for example, when the rod 62 is displaced upward by an actuator, tilting of the rod 62 in the left-right direction can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent the locking mechanism 50 from becoming unlockable due to tilting of the rod 62 in the left-right direction. This effect will be explained using comparative examples shown in Figures 13 and 14.

[0050] This comparative example has an actuator 100 that displaces the rod 62 upward, but does not have the strap guide portion 84 of this embodiment. The actuator 100 has an actuator body 102 fixed to the locking mechanism 50 and a movable portion 104 provided on the upper part of the actuator body 102.

[0051] The actuator body 102 is configured to displace the movable part 104 vertically by the driving force of a motor (not shown). The actuator body 102 has an opposing wall (not shown) that is spaced apart from the movable part 104 and faces it from the rear. The first lateral extension 62B (not shown in Figures 13 and 14) of the rod 62 is positioned between the movable part 104 and the opposing wall. When the movable part 104 is displaced upward by the driving force of the actuator body 102, the rod 62 is pushed upward by the movable part 104, and the lock of the locking mechanism 50 is released.

[0052] In this comparative example, as shown in Figure 14, the rod 62 may tilt to the right (outward in the left-right direction) when the actuator 100 is operated. As a result, if the upward stroke amount of the rod 62 is insufficient, the lock mechanism 50 will not be released. In contrast, in this embodiment, the tilt of the rod 62 as described above can be prevented by the strap guide portion 84, thus preventing the lock mechanism 50 from becoming unable to be released.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the strap guide portion 84 is configured to engage with the rod 62 from the right side. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the strap guide portion 84 may be configured to engage with the rod 62 from the left side or from both sides in the left-right direction. Alternatively, the strap guide portion 84 may not engage with the rod 62 at all.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the strap guide portion 84 is configured to engage with the strap 64 from both sides in the left-right direction, but the configuration is not limited to this, and the strap guide portion 84 only needs to engage with the strap 64 from at least one side in the left-right direction. Also, in the above embodiment, the strap guide portion 84 is configured to engage with the strap 64 from the rear side, but the configuration is not limited to this, and the strap guide portion 84 only needs to engage with the strap 64 from at least one side in the front-rear direction.

[0055] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from its spirit. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 50 Locking mechanism 62 rods 64 straps 70 Side Belt Guide 74 Base section 76 Belt guide section 80 Through hole 84 Strap guide section

Claims

1. A side belt guide attached to the shoulder of a seat back, having a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, and the engagement being released by pulling a strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod, A base portion having an insertion hole through which the strap is inserted, A belt guide portion extends from the base portion toward the upper side of the seat and engages with the seat belt, A strap guide portion extends from the base portion into the seat back and engages with the strap, Side belt guides equipped with these.

2. The side belt guide according to claim 1, wherein the strap guide portion engages with the rod from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat.

3. The side belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the strap guide portion engages with the strap from at least one side in the left-right direction of the seat.

4. The side belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the strap guide portion engages with the strap from at least one side in the front-rear direction of the seat.

5. The seat cushion on which the vehicle's occupants sit, A seat back that supports the occupant's back and has a locking mechanism that engages with a striker provided on the side of the vehicle body, the engagement of which is released by pulling a strap connected to the locking mechanism via a rod, A side belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2 is attached to the shoulder area of ​​the seat back, A vehicle seat equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

Images