Seat belt guides and vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a seat belt guide that can prevent the webbing from moving outward in the seat width direction and downward towards the seat within the webbing insertion hole due to the load from the occupant during a frontal collision of a vehicle. [Solution] The seat belt guide 20 comprises a base portion 22 fixed to the shoulder portion 14A of the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat 10, and a belt guide portion 24 extending upward from the base portion 22 and having a webbing insertion hole 26 formed through the seat in the front-rear direction, through which the webbing 32 of the three-point seat belt device 30 is inserted. The webbing insertion hole 26 is an elongated hole that is inclined upward from the seat as it moves outward in the seat width direction.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] <� Patent Document 1 below discloses a seat belt guide provided at the shoulder of a seat back of a vehicle seat. This seat belt guide has a belt insertion hole through which the seat belt (webbing) of a three-point seat belt device is inserted. This belt insertion hole (webbing insertion hole) is inclined so as to go downward on the seat side as it goes outward in the seat width direction.

[0003] Patent Document 2 below discloses a seat belt guide provided at the shoulder of a seat back of a vehicle seat. This seat belt guide has a base portion fixed to the shoulder of the seat back and an upper guide portion disposed above the base portion. The base portion is inclined so as to go downward on the seat side as it goes outward in the seat width direction. The upper guide portion has a long hook extending from the outer end in the seat width direction of the base portion upward and inward in the seat width direction, and the webbing is guided between the long hook and the base portion.

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 each of the prior art designs described above, during a frontal collision, the load from the occupant, who is inertially moving forward, causes the webbing to move outward in the seat width direction and downward relative to the seat belt guide. Therefore, if the occupant is small in stature, this may affect the occupant's restraint performance by the webbing.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a seat belt guide that can prevent the webbing from moving outward in the seat width direction and downward in the seat within the webbing insertion hole due to the load from the occupant during a frontal collision of a vehicle, and a vehicle seat equipped with the seat belt guide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The seat belt guide of the first embodiment comprises a base portion fixed to the shoulder of the seat back of a vehicle seat, and a belt guide portion extending upward from the base portion and having a webbing insertion hole formed through the seat in the front-rear direction, through which the webbing of a three-point seat belt device is inserted, wherein the webbing insertion hole is an elongated hole that is inclined upward from the seat as it moves outward in the seat width direction.

[0008] In the first embodiment of the seat belt guide, a base portion is fixed to the shoulder portion of the seat back of a vehicle seat. A belt guide portion extends upward from this base portion, and a webbing insertion hole is formed through the seat in the front-to-rear direction, through which the webbing of a three-point seat belt device is inserted. The webbing insertion hole is an elongated hole that slopes upward from the seat as it moves outward in the seat width direction. This makes it difficult for the webbing to move outward in the seat width direction and downward from the seat due to the load from the occupant during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0009] In the second embodiment of the seat belt guide, the upper part of the webbing insertion hole is a rise-up portion with a greater angle of inclination in the seat width direction than the lower part of the webbing insertion hole.

[0010] In the seat belt guide of the second embodiment, the upper part of the elongated webbing insertion hole, which is inclined upwards towards the seat as it moves outwards in the seat width direction, is a rise-up section with a greater angle of inclination in the seat width direction than the lower part of the webbing insertion hole. As a result, even if the webbing moves outwards in the seat width direction (i.e., upwards towards the seat) within the webbing insertion hole due to the load from the occupant during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the webbing will move upwards into the rise-up section. This prevents the webbing from becoming crumpled within the outer end of the webbing insertion hole in the seat width direction.

[0011] In the third embodiment of the seat belt guide, as in the first or second embodiment, the belt guide portion has a slit that communicates with the vertically intermediate portion of the webbing insertion hole from the inside in the seat width direction.

[0012] In the third embodiment of the seat belt guide, the webbing can be inserted into the webbing insertion hole through a slit formed in the belt guide portion. Moreover, since this slit communicates with the middle portion of the webbing insertion hole in the vertical direction from the inside in the seat width direction, it becomes easier to prevent the webbing from unintentionally coming out of the webbing insertion hole.

[0013] In the fourth embodiment of the seat belt guide, in the third embodiment, the belt guide portion has the upper and lower edges of the opening on the webbing insertion hole side of the slit formed in an R-shape.

[0014] According to the seat belt guide of the fourth embodiment, the slit formed in the belt guide portion has rounded edges on both the upper and lower edges of the opening on the webbing insertion hole side. This makes it difficult for the widthwise end of the webbing to enter the webbing insertion hole even when the webbing moves up and down within the webbing insertion hole. As a result, it becomes even easier to prevent the webbing from unintentionally coming out of the webbing insertion hole.

[0015] In the fifth embodiment of the seat belt guide, the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is formed in a straight line, as in the second embodiment.

[0016] In the seat belt guide of the fifth embodiment, the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is formed in a straight line, which reduces the resistance when the webbing slides in the front-rear direction of the seat at the lower part of the webbing insertion hole.

[0017] In the sixth embodiment of the seat belt guide, in the second embodiment, the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is set to an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the seat width direction.

[0018] In the seat belt guide of the sixth embodiment, the inclination angle of the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is set as described above, which improves the webbing winding performance of the retractor of the three-point seat belt device.

[0019] The seat belt guide of the seventh embodiment is positioned such that, in any one of the first to sixth embodiments, the belt guide portion does not protrude outward in the seat width direction from the shoulder of the seat back.

[0020] In the seventh embodiment of the seat belt guide, the belt guide portion is positioned so as not to protrude outward in the seat width direction from the shoulder area of ​​the seat back, so that the belt guide portion does not get in the way when the seat back is tilted forward or backward.

[0021] The eighth embodiment of the vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion on which the occupant of the vehicle sits, a seat back that supports the back of the occupant, and a seat belt guide of any one of the first to seventh embodiments, to which the base is fixed at the shoulder of the seat back.

[0022] In the vehicle seat according to the eighth aspect, the back of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion is supported by the seat back. Since the seat belt guide with the base portion fixed to the shoulder portion of the seat back is of any one of the first to seventh aspects, the above-described effects can be obtained.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] As described above, according to the seat belt guide and the vehicle seat according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the movement of the webbing from the occupant's load during a frontal collision of the vehicle to the outside in the seat width direction and downward in the seat in the webbing insertion hole.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing a part of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a front view showing a seat belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a seat belt guide according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a front view showing a seat belt guide according to an embodiment, and is a diagram for explaining the movement of the webbing in the webbing insertion hole. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing a seat belt guide according to a comparative example, and is a diagram for explaining the movement of the webbing in the webbing insertion hole. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing a seat belt guide according to an embodiment, and is the first diagram for explaining the relationship between the slit and the webbing. [Figure 7] It is a front view showing a seat belt guide according to an embodiment, and is the second diagram for explaining the relationship between the slit and the webbing. [Figure 8] It is a front view showing a part of a vehicle seat according to a comparative example, and is a diagram for explaining the situation where the webbing moves to the outside in the seat width direction and downward in the seat during a frontal collision of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for the sake of clarity. Also, the arrows FR, LH, and UP indicated as appropriate in each figure indicate the front, left, 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.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment comprises a seat cushion 12 on which the occupant sits, a seat back 14 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 16 that supports the occupant's head. This vehicle seat 10 is, as an example, a rear seat for three people, and headrests 16 are provided at the center in the left-right direction and on both sides in the left-right direction at the upper end of the seat back 14 (the left headrest 16 is not shown). The front-rear, left-right, up-down directions of this vehicle seat 10 coincide with the front-rear, left-right, up-down directions of the vehicle.

[0027] Seat belt guides 20 (the left seat belt guide 20 is not shown) are attached to the left and right shoulders 14A of the seat back 14 (outer in the seat width direction; outer in the vehicle width direction). The left and right seat belt guides 20 are identical except for being formed symmetrically; therefore, the description below will focus on the right seat belt guide 20, and the description of the left seat belt guide 20 will be omitted. In the following description, the right seat belt guide 20 will simply be referred to as the seat belt guide 20.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the seat belt guide 20 has a base portion 22 fixed to the shoulder portion 14A of the seat back 14, and a belt guide portion 24 extending upward from the base portion 22. This seat belt guide 20 is made of resin in which a press-formed metal plate material has been insert-molded, for example. The base portion 22 is a substantially rectangular plate with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction and the up-down direction as the thickness direction, and is fixed to the frame (not shown) of the seat back 14 by means of bolt fastening or the like.

[0029] The belt guide portion 24 extends upward from the front end of the base portion 22 and is positioned off-center to the right (outside in the seat width direction; outside in the vehicle width direction) of the front end of the base portion 22. The belt guide portion 24 has a roughly triangular shape when viewed in the front-rear direction, and its upward projection height increases towards the right. A long, narrow webbing insertion hole 26 is formed through the belt guide portion 24 in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 1, the webbing 32 of the three-point seat belt device 30 is inserted through this webbing insertion hole 26.

[0030] One longitudinal end of the webbing 32 is secured to the winding shaft of a retractor (not shown) located on the side of the vehicle body (not shown) to the right of the vehicle seat 10. The other longitudinal end of the webbing 32 is secured to an anchor plate (not shown) located on the floor of the vehicle body (not shown) to the right of the vehicle seat 10. A tongue plate (not shown) is attached to the longitudinal middle portion of the webbing 32. The portion of the webbing 32 between the tongue plate and the retractor is inserted through a webbing insertion hole 26 formed in the belt guide portion 24 of the seat belt guide 20.

[0031] Between the left-right central portion and the right portion of the seat cushion 12, there is a buckle (not shown) that can engage with the tongue plate. When an occupant P (see Figure 1) is seated on the right portion of the vehicle seat 10, they grasp the tongue plate and engage it with the buckle, thereby fastening the webbing 32. In this webbing-fastened state, the portion of the webbing 32 between the seat belt guide 20 and the tongue plate becomes a shoulder belt 32A that restrains the upper body of the occupant P, including the right shoulder, and the portion of the webbing 32 between the tongue plate and the anchor plate becomes a lap belt 32B that restrains the occupant P's waist. Note that the occupant P shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a dummy representing AF05 (the 5th percentile of an adult American woman).

[0032] The webbing insertion hole 26 formed in the belt guide portion 24 of the seat belt guide 20 is an elongated hole that slopes upward as it moves to the right (outward in the seat width direction). This configuration makes it difficult for the webbing 32 to move to the right (outward in the seat width direction) within the webbing insertion hole 26 due to the load from the occupant P that tries to move forward due to inertia during a frontal collision of the vehicle. The width dimension of this webbing insertion hole 26 is set to be larger than the thickness of the webbing 32, for example, 7 millimeters or less. The peripheral edge and both longitudinal ends of this webbing insertion hole 26 are formed in a rounded shape.

[0033] The webbing insertion hole 26 is curved with a convex shape towards the right and downward, forming a roughly L-shape. The lower part of the webbing insertion hole 26 is the normal insertion section 26A through which the webbing 32 is normally inserted (see the webbing 32 shown by the solid line in Figure 4). This normal insertion section 26A is formed in a straight line and is inclined upward as it is directed to the right. The inclination angle of this normal insertion section 26A with respect to the left-right direction (sheet width direction) is set to be between 30 degrees and 45 degrees.

[0034] The upper part of the webbing insertion hole 26 is a rise-up section 26B with a greater angle of inclination in the left-right direction than the normal insertion section 26A. The connection between this rise-up section 26B and the normal insertion section 26A is curved in an arc shape. This rise-up section 26B extends linearly upward from the upper end (right end) of the normal insertion section 26A, and its angle of inclination in the left-right direction is set to be between 80 degrees and 90 degrees. Because this rise-up section 26B is provided, if the webbing 32 moves to the right relative to the webbing insertion hole 26 during a frontal collision of a vehicle, the webbing 32 is configured to run up within the rise-up section 26B (see the webbing 32 shown by the dashed line in Figure 4).

[0035] In this embodiment, the length of the rise portion 26B is set to be slightly shorter than the length of the normal insertion portion 26A, for example. The length of this rise portion 26B is set to prevent the webbing 32, which rises as described above, from becoming crumpled (bending in a zigzag shape in cross-section) within the upper end of the rise portion 26B (i.e., within the upper end of the webbing insertion hole 26). In other words, as in the comparative example shown in Figure 5, in a configuration without a rise portion 26B, if the webbing 32 moves to the right side relative to the webbing insertion hole 26 during a frontal collision of a vehicle, the webbing 32 will become crumpled at the right end of the webbing insertion hole 26, but this can be prevented in this embodiment.

[0036] The belt guide portion 24, in which the webbing insertion hole 26 described above is formed, has the upper part of its right edge protruding to the right (outward in the seat width direction) than the lower part of its right edge. As shown in Figure 1, this belt guide portion 24 is positioned so as not to protrude to the right from the shoulder opening 14A of the seat back 14.

[0037] The belt guide portion 24 described above has a slit 28 that communicates with the upper and lower middle portion of the webbing insertion hole 26 from the left side (inward in the seat width direction). This slit 28 communicates with the connection between the normal insertion portion 26A and the rise portion 26B of the webbing insertion hole 26. This slit 28 is formed from the left side surface of the belt guide portion 24 to the webbing insertion hole 26 and extends in the left-right direction.

[0038] The left side of the belt guide portion 24 has a sloped surface that slopes downward toward the left in the portion below the slit 28, and a substantially vertical surface in the portion above the slit 28. The webbing 32 can be inserted into the webbing insertion hole 26 through this slit 28. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the upper edge 28A and lower edge 28B of the opening on the webbing insertion hole 26 side of the slit 28 are formed in an R-shape.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, when the webbing 32 moves towards the upper end of the webbing insertion hole 26 and one end of the webbing 32 in the width direction comes into contact with the lower edge 28B of the opening of the slit 28 (see webbing 32 shown by a solid line in Figure 6), the R surface of the lower edge 28B and the one end of the webbing 32 in the width direction slide against each other, causing the one end of the webbing 32 in the width direction to fall towards the webbing insertion hole 26 (see webbing 32 shown by a dashed line in Figure 6). This prevents the webbing 32 from entering the slit 28.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, when the webbing 32 moves below the slit 28 towards the upper surface of the webbing insertion hole 26, and the other end of the webbing 32 in the width direction comes into contact with the upper edge 28A of the slit 28 opening (see webbing 32 shown by a solid line in Figure 7), the other end of the webbing 32 in the width direction slides against the R surface of the upper edge 28A, causing the other end of the webbing 32 in the width direction to be displaced toward the webbing insertion hole 26 (see webbing 32 shown by a dashed line in Figure 7). This configuration prevents the webbing 32 from entering the slit 28.

[0041] In the vehicle seat 10 with the above configuration, the back of the occupant P seated on the seat cushion 12 is supported by the seat back 14. The base portion 22 of the seat belt guide 20 is fixed to the shoulder portion 14A of the seat back 14. In the seat belt guide 20, a webbing insertion hole 26 is formed in the belt guide portion 24 that extends upward from the base portion 22, through which the webbing 32 of the three-point seat belt device 30 is inserted.

[0042] The webbing insertion hole 26 is an elongated hole that slopes upward as it moves outward in the seat width direction. This makes it difficult for the webbing 32 to move outward and downward in the seat width direction within the webbing insertion hole 26 due to the load from the occupant P during a frontal collision of the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shoulder belt 32A of the webbing 32 from shifting outward and downward in the seat width direction relative to the shoulder of the occupant P (see arrow D in Figure 8), as shown in the comparative example in Figure 8. Moreover, in this embodiment, the above effect is obtained solely by the shape of the webbing insertion hole 26, so no special adjustment mechanism is required.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inclination angle with respect to the seat width direction is set to be greater for the upper part of the webbing insertion hole 26, which is the run-up portion 26B, than for the lower part of the webbing insertion hole 26, which is the normal insertion portion 26A. As a result, even if the webbing 32 moves outward (i.e. upward) in the seat width direction within the webbing insertion hole 26 due to the load from the occupant P during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the webbing 32 will run up into the run-up portion 26B. This prevents the webbing 32 from becoming crumpled within the outer end of the webbing insertion hole 26 in the seat width direction, as shown in the comparative example in Figure 5.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the belt guide portion 24 has a slit 28 that communicates with the webbing insertion hole 26. The webbing 32 can be inserted into the webbing insertion hole 26 through this slit 28. Moreover, since this slit 28 communicates with the vertically intermediate portion of the webbing insertion hole 26 from the inside in the sheet width direction, it becomes easier to prevent the webbing 32 from unintentionally coming out of the webbing insertion hole 26.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper edge 28A and lower edge 28B of the opening on the webbing insertion hole 26 side of the slit 28 are formed in an R-shape. As a result, even when the webbing 32 moves up and down within the webbing insertion hole 26, the widthwise end of the webbing 32 is less likely to enter the webbing insertion hole 26. Consequently, it becomes even easier to prevent the webbing 32 from unintentionally coming out of the webbing insertion hole 26.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the normal insertion portion 26A, which is the lower part of the webbing insertion hole 26, is formed in a straight line, the resistance when the webbing 32 slides in the front-rear direction within the normal insertion portion 26A can be reduced. Moreover, since the inclination angle of this normal insertion portion 26A is set to 45 degrees or less, the webbing winding performance of the retractor of the three-point seat belt device 30 can be improved.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the belt guide portion 24 of the seat belt guide 20 is positioned so as not to protrude outward in the seat width direction from the shoulder portion 14A of the seat back 14, so that the belt guide portion 24 does not get in the way when the seat back 14 is tilted forward or backward.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the width dimension of the webbing insertion hole 26 is set to 7 millimeters or less, it is possible to prevent occupants from getting their fingers caught in the webbing insertion hole 26. In addition, since the peripheral edge and both longitudinal ends of the webbing insertion hole 26 are formed in an R-shape, it is possible to prevent the webbing 32 from being cut in the seat belt guide 20 during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the upper part of the webbing insertion hole 26 is configured as a rise-up portion 26B, but the webbing insertion hole 26 may be configured without a rise-up portion 26B (see Figure 5).

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the normal insertion portion 26A and the ascending portion 26B of the webbing insertion hole 26 are formed in a straight line, but the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the webbing insertion hole may be curved in a convex shape toward the outside in the sheet width direction and toward the downward side of the sheet.

[0051] 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]

[0052] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 14A Shoulder 20 Seat belt guide 22 Base section 24 Belt guide section 26 Webbing insertion holes 26B Ascent Section 28 slits 28A Upper edge of the opening 28B Lower edge of the opening 30. Three-point seat belt system 32 webbing

Claims

1. A base that is fixed to the shoulder area of ​​the seat back of a vehicle seat, A belt guide portion extends from the base portion toward the upper side of the seat, and a webbing insertion hole through which the webbing of a three-point seat belt device is inserted is formed, passing through the seat in the front-rear direction. Equipped with, The webbing insertion hole is a seat belt guide that is in the shape of an elongated hole that slopes upward towards the seat as it moves outward in the seat width direction.

2. The seat belt guide according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the webbing insertion hole is a rise-up portion with a greater angle of inclination in the seat width direction than the lower part of the webbing insertion hole.

3. The seat belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the belt guide portion has a slit that communicates with the middle portion of the webbing insertion hole in the vertical direction from the inside in the seat width direction.

4. The seat belt guide according to claim 3, wherein the belt guide portion has both the upper and lower edges of the opening on the webbing insertion hole side in the slit formed in an R-shape.

5. The seat belt guide according to claim 2, wherein the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is formed in a straight line.

6. The seat belt guide according to claim 2, wherein the lower part of the webbing insertion hole is set to an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the seat width direction.

7. The seat belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the belt guide portion is positioned so as not to protrude outward in the seat width direction from the shoulder of the seat back.

8. The seat cushion on which the vehicle's occupants sit, A seatback that supports the back of the aforementioned occupant, A seat belt guide according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the base portion is fixed to the shoulder portion of the seat back, A vehicle seat equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

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