Seat back

Abstract

In a seatback where the blower's air outlet is positioned to avoid the crossmember, the blower and air outlet are protected. [Solution] A seat back comprising a seat back frame (11) having a pair of side frames (11A, 11B) and a cross member (12) horizontally connected and rigidly joined between the pair of side frames, a cushion pad disposed on the front side of the seat back frame and having its surface covered with a skin, and a blower (21) disposed on the back of the cushion pad, wherein the blower is disposed on the cross member via a bracket, the air outlet of the blower is positioned to avoid the cross member, and the bracket has a protective part that protects at least a part of the air outlet of the blower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat back incorporating a blower for blowing air.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a seat back incorporating a blower, there is a technique for fixing the blower to a seat back frame (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the invention of a vehicle seat described in Patent Document 1, an upper bracket (upper frame) is disposed parallel to the upper frame of the seat pack frame, and a blower is fixed from the front of the seat back to the center of the upper bracket.

[0003] In the invention of a vehicle seat described in Patent Document 2, the cross member horizontally mounted on the upper part of the seat back frame is fixed by sandwiching the cross member from the front and rear with a bracket and a cover member, and the blower is attached to this bracket with bolts and nuts. Further, a duct having one opening connected to an opening provided in the inner pad of the seat and the other opening connected to the suction port of the blower is configured to be disposed in the vertical direction on the side of the blower.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the vehicle seat invention described in Patent Document 1, the length of the blower in the vertical direction of the seat is greater than the vertical length of the upper bracket (upper frame), so the air outlet of the blower protrudes downward from the lower end of the upper bracket. As a result, there is a problem that the air outlet is not adequately protected from loads from the rear of the seat or interference with other parts. In addition, there is a risk that the air outlet may interfere with other parts (e.g., harnesses) around the blower.

[0006] In the invention of the vehicle seat described in Patent Document 2, the cross member is fixed by sandwiching it from the front and rear with a bracket and a cover member. Therefore, in addition to the bracket for attaching the blower, a cover member is required. Furthermore, since the bracket and the cover member are connected with three sets of bolts and nuts, and the blower is attached to the bracket with three more sets of bolts and nuts, there is a problem that the structure is complex. In addition, since the duct is arranged vertically on the side of the blower, there is a problem that the device becomes large.

[0007] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to protect the blower and air outlet in a seat back where the blower's air outlet is positioned to avoid the cross member. Another object of the present invention is to enable the blower and its surrounding structure, which are built into the seat back, to be made compact. Another object of the present invention is to provide a seat back that allows a blower to be fixed to the seat back frame with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problem, the seat back according to the invention described in claim 1 is: A seat back frame having a pair of side frames and a cross member that is horizontally positioned and rigidly connected between the pair of side frames, A cushion pad is provided on the front side of the aforementioned seat back frame, and its surface is covered with a skin. A blower is provided on the back of the cushion pad, A seat back equipped with, The blower is mounted on the cross member via a bracket, The air outlet of the blower is positioned to avoid the cross member. The bracket is characterized by having a protective portion that protects at least a part of the air outlet of the blower.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is, A seat back frame having a pair of side frames and an upper frame that is horizontally mounted and rigidly joined between the upper ends of the pair of side frames, A cushion pad is provided on the front side of the aforementioned seat back frame, and its surface is covered with a skin. A blower is provided on the back of the cushion pad, A seat back equipped with, The blower is mounted on the upper frame via a bracket, The air outlet of the blower is located below the lower end of the upper frame. The bracket is characterized by having a protective portion that protects at least a part of the air outlet of the blower.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is, in the seat back described in claim 2, The protective part is characterized in that it is positioned opposite the air outlet of the blower.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is, in the seat back described in claim 2, The air outlet of the blower is positioned facing downwards. The protective portion is characterized by having a horizontal piece facing the air outlet of the blower, and the horizontal piece being provided with a notch.

[0012] The invention according to claim 5 is the seat back according to claim 2, wherein the protection part is formed so as to face the rear end part of the air outlet of the blower and the outer part in the width direction of the seat back frame.

[0013] The invention according to claim 6 is the seat back according to claim 2, which has a duct with one end connected to the blower, wherein the duct is arranged in the vertical direction, and the protection part is arranged between the duct and the air outlet in the width direction of the seat back frame.

[0014] The invention according to claim 7 is the seat back according to claim 2, which has a duct with one end connected to the blower, wherein the duct is arranged in the vertical direction, and the protection part is arranged between the opening of the other end of the duct and the air outlet in the vertical direction of the seat back frame.

[0015] The invention according to claim 8 is the seat back according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the protection part has an opening for passing a harness, and the opening is located above the lower end part of the air outlet. The invention according to claim 9 is the seat back according to claim 1, wherein the cross member is an upper frame horizontally spanned and rigidly joined between the upper end parts of the pair of side frames, and the position avoiding the cross member is a position lower than the lower end of the upper frame.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 1, the blower is mounted on the cross member of the seat back frame via a bracket, and the bracket has a protective part that protects the air outlet of the blower. Therefore, even if the air outlet is located below the lower end of the upper frame, the main body of the blower and the air outlet can be protected.

[0017] According to the invention described in claim 2, the blower is disposed on the upper frame of the seat back frame via a bracket, and the bracket has a protective part that protects the air outlet of the blower. Therefore, even if the air outlet is positioned to avoid the cross member, the main body of the blower and the air outlet can be protected.

[0018] According to the invention described in claim 3, the edge of the air outlet of the blower can be protected.

[0019] According to the invention described in claim 4, the edge of the air outlet of the blower can be protected.

[0020] According to the invention described in claim 5, the edge of the air outlet of the blower can be protected.

[0021] According to the invention described in claim 6, it is possible to prevent the blower duct from interfering with the protrusion of the outlet when it moves in the sheet width direction.

[0022] According to the invention described in claim 7, it is possible to prevent the blower duct from interfering with the protrusion of the outlet when it moves.

[0023] According to the invention described in claim 8, it is possible to prevent the harness from interfering with the protrusion of the air outlet when it moves in the vertical direction of the seat. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing an example of the configuration of the upper part of the seat back frame that constitutes the seat back according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view showing an example configuration of a blower and mounting bracket provided on the seat back according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the blower and mounting bracket as an integrated unit (blower unit). [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the blower unit shown in Figure 3 attached to the upper frame shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blower unit installed, seen from a diagonal rearward angle. [Figure 6] This shows a modified embodiment, where (A) is a front view showing another configuration example of the blower mounting bracket, and (B) is a side view thereof. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the seat back and vehicle seat according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Of these, Figure 1 is a front view of the upper frame provided on the upper part of the seat back frame which forms the skeleton of the seat back; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a blower and mounting bracket attached to the upper frame of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the blower and mounting bracket shown in Figure 2 joined together; and Figures 4 and 5 are a front view and a perspective view showing the blower attached to the upper frame via the mounting bracket. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction of travel of the vehicle will be referred to as the front, and the opposite direction as the rear.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the seat back according to this embodiment comprises a seat back frame 10 that is formed in a substantially inverted U shape when viewed from the front-rear direction of the seat, having a pair of left and right side frames 11A and 11B and a steel upper frame 12 provided in the width direction spanning between the upper ends of the side frames 11A and 11B. The upper frame 12 and the side frames 11A and 11B are rigidly joined by welding. Although not shown in the diagram, a lower frame is horizontally mounted and rigidly connected between the lower ends of the side frames 11A and 11B. On the front side of the seat back frame 10, a cushion pad made of foamed rubber or foamed urethane, and a pan frame that supports the cushion pad are arranged, and the surface of the cushion pad is covered with a skin. The upper frame 12 and the lower frame function as cross members of the seat back frame.

[0027] When the seat back according to this embodiment is used in a vehicle seat, the lower end of the seat back frame 10 is connected via a hinge to the rear end of the seat cushion frame, which forms the skeleton of the seat cushion, so as to be tiltable. A headrest is also attached to the upper part of the seat back frame 10. The side frames 11A and 11B, which form the framework of the seat back, may be composed of an inner side frame and an outer side frame, or they may be composed of pipes or pan frames.

[0028] In this embodiment, the upper frame 12 has a lower base portion 121 and a protruding surface portion 122 that protrudes forward from the base portion 121, and is provided with an opening 12a for inserting the blower and bracket described later. A horizontal piece portion 123 is located between the base portion 121 and the protruding surface portion 122, and an opening is also provided in this horizontal piece portion 123, so that the opening 12a is formed to form an L-shape in a side view from the base portion 121 to the protruding surface portion 122. As described above, the protruding surface portion 122 has a shape that protrudes forward from the base portion 121, and the opening 12a is formed from the base portion 121 to the protruding surface portion 122, thereby forming a storage recess in which the blower can be housed.

[0029] Furthermore, both sides of the upper frame 12 are provided with joining surfaces 124 that are joined and fixed to the side frames 11A and 11B. Furthermore, the base portion 121 of the upper frame 12 is provided with two engagement holes 12b for connecting the bracket 22 to the upper frame 12 by engaging with bosses provided on the bracket 22 for blower mounting.

[0030] Figure 2 shows a specific example of a blower 21 and a mounting bracket 22. As shown in Figure 2, the bracket 22 has a fitting portion 22b at its top, which has an opening 22a into which the upper part of the blower 21 is fitted to the front side. The blower 21 is fitted into this fitting portion 22b with the air outlet 21a facing downwards. A protective portion 22c is provided at the bottom of the bracket 22 to protect a part of the air outlet 21a of the blower 21. Specifically, a notch is provided in the horizontal piece of the protective portion 22c facing the air outlet 21a, thereby protecting two of the four edges of the rectangular air outlet 21a. Alternatively, a notch may be provided in the horizontal piece of the protective portion 22c facing the air outlet 21a to protect two of the four edges of the air outlet 21a.

[0031] Furthermore, a projection 22d is provided at an intermediate height position of the bracket 22, and the opening 22a is formed from the fitting portion 22b to the projection 22d, resulting in an L-shape when viewed from the side. The reason why the opening 22a is also provided in the protruding portion 22d is to allow for the storage and placement of the duct, which will be connected to the intake port of the blower 21, as described later. Furthermore, an opening 22i for passing the harness is provided in the protective portion 22c of the bracket 22, above the lower end of the air outlet 21a (see Figure 2). This prevents the harness from interfering with the protrusion of the air outlet when it moves up and down the seat.

[0032] Furthermore, two boss portions 22e are formed on a predetermined portion of the front surface of the bracket 22, which engage with two engagement holes 21b provided in the case of the blower 21. Therefore, by fitting the upper part of the blower 21 into the opening 22a of the bracket 22, bringing the blower 21 close to the front surface of the bracket 22, and engaging the engagement holes 21b of the blower 21 with the boss portions 22e of the bracket 22, the blower 21 and the bracket 22 can be integrated as shown in Figure 3.

[0033] Furthermore, the number of engagement holes 21b and boss portions 22e that engage with them is not limited to two; there may be three or more of each. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, a pair of bosses 22f are provided on the back of the protruding portion 22d for connecting the bracket 22 to the upper frame 12 by engaging the bracket 22 with the engagement hole 121 of the upper frame 12. Note that in Figure 3, the duct is not connected to the blower 21.

[0034] Furthermore, three rib- or claw-shaped locking pieces 22g are formed on the front end of the upper wall of the fitting portion 22b of the bracket 22, projecting upward. Of these three locking pieces 22g, the central one and the two on the left and right are formed to be arranged in a nearly straight line when viewed from above, with a spacing δ that allows for the insertion of a flat plate several millimeters thick. In the seat back of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the blower 21 and the bracket 22 are integrated, and one opening (upper side) of the duct 23 (see Figure 4) is connected to the intake port of the blower 21 (hereinafter referred to as the blower unit), which is then attached to the upper frame 12 in Figure 1. At that time, the three locking pieces 22g provided on the upper part of the bracket 22 are engaged with the upper edge of the opening 12a of the upper frame 12.

[0035] As a result, the upper part of the bracket 22 is locked to the protruding surface 122 of the upper frame 12 by the central locking piece 22g and the two locking pieces 22g on the left and right sides, which sandwich the upper edge of the opening 12a from the front and back. Furthermore, a pair of boss portions 22f on the back of the bracket 22 are engaged with engagement holes 121 provided in the upper frame 12. As a result, as shown in Figure 4, the blower unit can be mounted on the upper part of the seat back frame 10 with the blower unit positioned within the opening 12a of the upper frame 12. Therefore, since the blower 21 is disposed in the storage recess provided in the upper frame 12 of the seat back frame 11 via the bracket 22, the main body of the blower 21 can be protected by the bracket 22, and the blower 21 can be fixed to the seat back frame 10 with a simple configuration. In addition, since the upper frame 12 is provided with an opening 12a and the storage recess is formed including the opening 12a, the upper frame 12 having the storage recess can be made compact.

[0036] The other (lower) opening of the duct 23 is connected to an opening of a corresponding size formed in the lumbar support that supports the back of the cushion pad of the seat back (not shown) or in the sheet that covers the back of the cushion pad. Therefore, since the duct does not protrude behind the upper frame, the blower unit consisting of the blower, bracket and duct can be made compact. Furthermore, when power is supplied to the blower 21 and the fan rotates, air is drawn in from the space behind the seat back or from the padding, reducing the humidity and temperature on the back of the person sitting in the seat, thus improving comfort.

[0037] The duct 23 is made of a material with appropriate flexibility, and the lower opening of the duct 23 is positioned to face forward. A flange portion 23a is provided at the edge of the opening to prevent air leakage. Thus, the duct 23 is arranged vertically, with a flange portion 23a at the lower opening edge, and the air outlet 21a of the blower 21 is positioned within the width of the flange portion 23a in the sheet width direction. As a result, the air outlet 21a of the blower and the duct 23 can be arranged in close proximity, and the blower unit consisting of the blower, bracket, and duct can be made compact. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the blower 21 is positioned such that its air outlet 21a faces downward and is offset to the right from the center line of the seat, and the duct 23 is positioned vertically closer to the center of the seat than the air outlet 21a of the blower 21. Therefore, the duct can be positioned vertically along the center line in the center of the seat back.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the upper end of a strip-shaped mounting plate 24 is fixed to one side (the left side in the figures) of the front surface of the protruding surface 122 of the upper frame 12. Here, since the protruding surface 122 is located in front of the base portion 121, the mounting plate 24, whose upper end is fixed to the front surface of the protruding surface 122, hangs down from the protruding surface 122. As a result, the lower part of the mounting plate 24 is separated in front of the base portion 121 and protrudes below the lower end of the upper frame 12, creating a spatial clearance.

[0039] Therefore, utilizing the space described above, a connector 25, which will serve as a socket (or plug), is attached to the lower back of the mounting plate 24. Specifically, a hole for securing the connector 25 is formed at the lower end of the mounting plate 24, and the connector 25 is secured to the mounting plate 24 by inserting the fastening part (projection) of the connector 25 into this hole. The end of the electric wire (lead wire) 26 drawn out from the blower 21 is connected to this connector 25. In addition, a plug (or socket) connector provided at the end of the power supply harness 27, which is located on the back of the seat back, is plugged into the connector 25, making it possible to supply power.

[0040] As described above, by providing a mounting plate 24 on the upper frame 12 and attaching the connector 25 to it, the power supply harness can be fixed with the connector, making contact problems less likely compared to when the harness is movable. In addition, since the connector 25 for connection is provided on the mounting plate 24 fixed to the upper frame 12, the entire blower unit that is positioned in the opening of the upper frame 12 can be made more compact.

[0041] Furthermore, since the air outlet 21a of the blower 21 is located below the lower end of the upper frame 12, and the opening at the lower end of the duct 23 is located below the air outlet 21a of the blower 21, the connection of the opening at the lower end of the duct 23 to the opening of the seat or panel that covers the back of the seat back pad is made easier. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the blower 21 is positioned such that its air outlet 21a faces downward and is offset to the right from the center line of the seat, allowing the opening at the lower end of the duct 23 to be positioned in the center of the upper frame 12 in the seat width direction, i.e., in the center of the seat back in the width direction. As a result, air can be drawn in from the back of the seat back in a balanced manner without being biased to one side. In addition, the protective part 22c of the bracket 22 is positioned at a distance from the air outlet 21a of the blower 21, opposite it. Therefore, since the protective part 22c is positioned at a distance from the air outlet 21a of the blower 21, it can be formed to a size that protects the edges of all four sides of the air outlet 21a.

[0042] Furthermore, while it is also conceivable to position the blower 21 with the air outlet 21a facing sideways, in this embodiment, the blower 21 is fitted into the fitting portion 22b of the bracket 22 with the air outlet 21a facing downwards. Therefore, the duct 23 can be arranged next to the air outlet 21a, parallel to the air outlet 21a. As a result, the width of the blower unit can be reduced, thereby making the blower unit more compact.

[0043] (modified version) Figure 6 shows a modified example of the above embodiment. In this modified version, instead of providing a protective portion 22c at the lower end of the bracket 22 that constitutes the blower unit, a hook-shaped locking portion 22h that engages with the edge of the air outlet 21a of the blower 21 is provided. This configuration suppresses rattling of the blower 21. Furthermore, the shape shown in the figure also has the function of partially protecting the edge of the air outlet 21a of the blower 21. Furthermore, the three upward-facing locking pieces 22g provided at the upper end of the bracket 22 have hemispherical projections formed on the surfaces that contact the edge of the opening 12a of the upper frame 12. This allows the upper end of the bracket 22 to be firmly locked to the upper frame 12.

[0044] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, an upper frame 12 is provided between the upper ends of the side frames 11A and 11B, but a cross member or a reinforcing plate fixed to both sides of the side frames 11A and 11B so as to cover the back of the upper frame 12 may be provided near the lower part of the upper frame 12. Since the upper frame 12 of the above embodiment has a complex shape with irregularities, it becomes difficult to process if a thick plate material is used, and since there is an opening 12a, if the plate thickness is thin there is a risk of insufficient strength, but by providing a reinforcing plate or a cross member, the risk of insufficient strength at the top of the seat back frame can be avoided. The reinforcing plate should be shaped to have a recess that bulges out to the rear in order to avoid interference with the blower unit.

[0045] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a protective portion 22c is provided on the bracket 22 to protect the edges of two sides of the air outlet 21a of the blower 21. However, instead of a notch, a rectangular opening corresponding to the opening of the air outlet 21a may be provided in the protective portion 22c to protect all four edges of the air outlet 21a. Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example of applying the seat back according to the present invention to a vehicle seat, the present invention is not limited to vehicle seats and can also be applied to seats for vehicles such as ships and aircraft, or to seats (sofas) as furniture. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10 Seat back frame 11A, 11B Side Frame 12. Upper frame (upper frame, cross member) 121 Base section 122 Projecting surface part 123 Horizontal piece 124 Joint surface part 21 Blower 21a Air outlet 21b Engagement hole 22 brackets 22a opening 22b Fitting part 22c Protective part 22d protrusion 22e, 22f Boss section 22g locking piece 22h Locking part 23 Duct 23a Flange section 24 Mounting plate 25 connectors 26. Electric wires (lead wires) 27 Harness

Claims

1. A seat back frame having a pair of side frames and a cross member that is horizontally positioned and rigidly connected between the pair of side frames, A cushion pad is provided on the front side of the aforementioned seat back frame, and its surface is covered with a skin. A blower is provided on the back of the cushion pad, A seat back equipped with, The blower is mounted on the cross member via a bracket, The air outlet of the blower is positioned to avoid the cross member. The seat back is characterized in that the bracket has a protective portion that protects at least a part of the air outlet of the blower.

2. A seat back frame having a pair of side frames and an upper frame that is horizontally mounted and rigidly joined between the upper ends of the pair of side frames, A cushion pad is provided on the front side of the aforementioned seat back frame, and its surface is covered with a skin. A blower is provided on the back of the cushion pad, A seat back equipped with, The blower is mounted on the upper frame via a bracket, The air outlet of the blower is located below the lower end of the upper frame. The seat back is characterized in that the bracket has a protective portion that protects at least a part of the air outlet of the blower.

3. The seat back according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective part is disposed at a position opposite to the air outlet of the blower.

4. The air outlet of the blower is positioned facing downwards. The seat back according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective portion has a horizontal piece facing the air outlet of the blower, and the horizontal piece is provided with a notch.

5. The seat back according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective portion is formed to face the rear end of the air outlet of the blower and the outer portion in the width direction of the seat back frame.

6. The blower has a duct with one end connected to it. The aforementioned duct is arranged in the vertical direction, The seat back according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective portion is arranged between the duct and the air outlet in the width direction of the seat back frame.

7. The blower has a duct with one end connected to it. The aforementioned duct is arranged in the vertical direction, The seat back according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective portion is positioned in the vertical direction of the seat back frame between the opening at the other end of the duct and the air outlet.

8. The aforementioned protective part is It has an opening for passing a harness through, The seat back according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the opening is located above the lower end of the air outlet.

9. The seat back according to claim 1, wherein the cross member is an upper frame that is horizontally spanned and rigidly joined between the upper ends of the pair of side frames, and the position avoiding the cross member is located below the lower end of the upper frame.

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