Hanging clips and sheets

Abstract

The planar device is positioned on the seat cushion or seat back without causing discomfort to the occupant. [Solution] A suspension clip 6 is embedded in a suspension groove provided in a cushion pad and suspends a surface material 21 covering the cushion pad from inside the suspension groove. The suspension clip 6 is provided with a fitting portion 61 that can be fitted with a suspension cord 21b attached to the outer edge of the surface material 21. The fitting portion 61 is provided on a planar device 5 disposed between the cushion pad and the surface material 21 and has a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b that can engage with the planar device 5 when the fitting portion 61 is passed through a through hole 53 formed to allow the fitting portion 61 to pass through.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a hanging clip for hanging a skin material on a pad member, and a seat.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, for seat cushions and seat backs of sofas, vehicle seats and the like, a pad member constituting the outer shape is covered with a skin material, and the skin material is brought into close contact with the pad member via a hanging clip disposed in a hanging groove formed in the pad member (for example, see Patent Document 1).

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] In recent years, planar devices equipped with vibrators, air cells, heaters, ventilation mechanisms and the like are sometimes provided on the above-mentioned seat cushions and seat backs. Such a planar device is fixedly provided on the pad member or the skin material, but if an attempt is made to fix the planar device directly to the pad member or the skin material, there is a risk that a seated person may feel discomfort at the fixed portion.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0005] To solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a suspension clip that is embedded in a suspension groove provided in a pad member and suspends a surface material that covers the pad member inside the suspension groove, characterized in that it comprises a fitting portion that can be fitted with a suspension cord attached to the outer edge of the surface material, and the fitting portion is provided in a planar device disposed between the pad member and the surface material and has an engaging projection that can engage with the planar device when the fitting portion is passed through a through hole formed to allow the fitting portion to pass through.

[0006] According to the invention of claim 1, by passing the fitting portion through the through hole of the planar device, the movement of the planar device between the pad member and the surface material can be restricted, and by engaging the engaging projection provided on the fitting portion with the planar device, the state in which the fitting portion has passed through the through hole can be maintained. In other words, it is possible to maintain a state in which the movement of the planar device is restricted between the pad member and the surface material.

[0007] The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the engaging projection is provided at the tip of the fitting portion.

[0008] According to the invention of claim 2, the provision of play below the engaging projection in the fitting portion facilitates the attachment of a planar device to the fitting portion.

[0009] The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the engaging projection is formed in a tapered shape that slopes downward toward the outside.

[0010] According to the invention of claim 3, when the fitting portion is passed through the through hole of the planar device, the outer edge of the through hole moves along the engaging projection, making it easier to attach the planar device to the fitting portion.

[0011] The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the engaging projection has first engaging projections provided on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove, and second engaging projections provided on both sides in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the suspension groove.

[0012] According to the invention of claim 4, the engaging projection restricts the planar device on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove and on both sides in the direction intersecting the extending direction, making it more difficult for the planar device to come loose.

[0013] The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the fitting portion is formed such that the outer shape including the engaging projection is larger than the through hole.

[0014] According to the invention of claim 5, after the planar device is fitted into the fitting portion, the planar device becomes less likely to come out of the fitting portion. The outer shape of the fitting portion, including the engaging projection, is sized to allow the through hole to be elastically deformed and penetrate the fitting portion.

[0015] The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the fitting portion is formed so as to be able to fit with the suspension cord while passing through the through hole.

[0016] According to the invention of claim 6, the surface material can be suspended while restricting the movement of the planar device.

[0017] The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the fitting portion fixes the suspension cord while clamping it.

[0018] According to the invention of claim 7, the suspension cord can be efficiently secured.

[0019] The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that, in the suspension clip described in claim 1, the fitting portion further has a clamping portion for fixing the suspension cord in a clamped state, and the engaging projection is provided at the tip of the clamping portion.

[0020] According to the invention of claim 8, the surface material can be suspended while restricting the movement of the planar device.

[0021] The invention according to Claim 9 is the hanging clip according to Claim 1, further comprising an embedded portion extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the hanging groove at the base end portion of the fitting portion and embedded in the hanging groove.

[0022] According to the invention according to Claim 9, the hanging clip can be easily fixed inside the hanging groove.

[0023] The invention according to Claim 10 is a seat comprising: the hanging clip according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, a pad member in which the hanging clip is embedded, a skin material suspended into the pad member via the hanging clip, and a planar device interposed between the pad member and the skin material.

[0024] According to the invention according to Claim 10, it is possible to provide a seat in which the planar device is suitably arranged between the pad member of the seat cushion or seat back and the skin material. [Advantageous Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the present invention, the planar device can be arranged on the seat cushion or the seat back without giving a sense of discomfort to a seated person. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] The perspective view of a seat to which the hanging clip according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] The partially enlarged view of the II-II cross section shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] The plan view of the cushion pad according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] The partially enlarged view of the IV-IV cross section shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] The perspective view of the hanging clip disposed in the hanging groove shown in Figure 3. [Figure 6] The plan view of the planar device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] The plan view showing a state where the planar device is attached to the cushion pad. [Figure 8A] A schematic, enlarged view of the VII-VII section shown in Figure 7. [Figure 8B] This figure shows a modified example of the partially enlarged cross-sectional view shown in Figure 8A. [Figure 9A] A diagram illustrating the attachment of a planar device and suspension cord to a suspension clip. [Figure 9B] A diagram illustrating the attachment of a planar device to a suspension clip. [Figure 9C] A diagram illustrating how a suspension cord is secured to a suspension device to which a planar device is fixed. [Figure 10] A diagram showing a modified version of the suspension clip. [Figure 11] A diagram showing a modified example of a planar device. [Figure 12] A perspective view of a sheet to which a gas flow section according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 13] A plan view of a seat cushion provided with a gas circulation section according to this embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion (AA). [Figure 15] Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion's BB (base point). [Figure 16] A cross-sectional view corresponding to the AA section of the seat cushion covered by the seat cover. [Figure 17] A cross-sectional view corresponding to the BB cross-section of the seat cushion covered by the seat cover. [Figure 18] A cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the second pipe. [Figure 19] A diagram showing the cabin of a vehicle equipped with a sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] A perspective view of the right captain's seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a cross-sectional view of the CC of the seat cushion of the right captain's seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 22A] A diagram illustrating the deformation of the seat cushion of the right-side captain's seat. [Figure 22B]A diagram illustrating the deformation of the seat cushion of the right-side captain's seat. [Figure 23A] A diagram illustrating the deformation of the seat cushions of the right and left captain's seats, which are arranged in a mirror image. [Figure 23B] A diagram illustrating the deformation of the seat cushions of the right and left captain's seats, which are arranged in a mirror image. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] [Hanging clips and sheets] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 11. The seat to which the suspension clip according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied is a seat cushion or seat back to which the surface material is fixed to the pad member via a suspension clip provided on the pad member, and is suitably used for sofas, seats for various vehicles, etc. In the following description, an example of such a seat will be described using a seat installed in an automobile.

[0028] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet 1 to which a suspension clip according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Figure 2 is a partially enlarged view of the II-II cross-section shown in Figure 1. In the following, the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction are defined as shown in the figures, and the configuration of each part of the sheet 1 will be described according to these definitions.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the seat 1 comprises a seat cushion 2 that supports the occupant's buttocks and thighs, a seat back 3 that supports the occupant's back and waist, and a headrest 4 that supports the occupant's head. The seat cushion 2 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view on which the occupant can sit. The seat back 3 rises from the rear end of the seat cushion 2 and has a substantially rectangular shape in front view on which the occupant sitting on the seat cushion 2 can lean, and is reclinedly connected to the seat cushion 2.

[0030] Although not shown in the diagram, each of the seat cushion 2 and seat back 3 has a seat frame that is roughly rectangular in shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member supported within the frame of the seat frame, and these constitute the skeleton. Each of the seat cushion 2 and seat back 3 is formed by arranging pad members 20 and 30 made of cushioning material such as urethane foam around these skeletons to form the external shape, and covering them with surface materials 21 and 31 made of synthetic leather or fabric. In addition, a planar device 5 equipped with a vibrator, air cell, heater, ventilation mechanism, sensor, light-emitting element, etc. is placed between the pad members 20 and 30 and the surface materials 21 and 31, and a predetermined function is provided to each of the seat cushion 2 and seat back 3.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the surface material 21 (surface material 31) comprises a surface material body 21a (surface material body 31a) made of synthetic leather or fabric, and a suspension cord 21b (suspension cord 31b) made of synthetic resin that is joined to the edge of the surface material body 21a (surface material body 31a). The suspension cord 21b (suspension cord 31b) has a substantially rectangular plate-shaped joint portion 21c (joint portion 31c) that is joined to the edge of the surface material body 21a (surface material body 31a), and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped fitted portion 21d (fitted portion 31d) that is fitted to the suspension clip 6 described later. The upper surface 21e (upper surface 31e) of the fitted portion 21d (fitted portion 31d) slopes downward toward the center where the joint portion 21c (joint portion 31c) is located, and its cross-section has a substantially V-shape.

[0032] The surface material 21 is fixed in close contact with the pad member 20 by fitting the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b into the suspension clip 6 attached to the suspension groove 20a formed in the pad member 20. The planar device 5 is restricted from moving in the planar direction by being locked to the suspension clip 6 located in the suspension groove 20a.

[0033] Similarly, the surface material 31 is fixed in close contact with the pad member 30 by fitting the suspension cord 31b into the suspension clip 6 attached to the suspension groove 30a formed in the pad member 30. The suspension clip 6, which fixes the surface materials 21 and 31 to the pad members 20 and 30 and restricts the movement of the planar device 5, will be described in detail later along with the planar device 5.

[0034] The headrest 4 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 3 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, capable of supporting the back of the head of an occupant leaning against the seat back 3. It is configured to be height-adjustable relative to the seat back 3. Although not shown in the illustration, the headrest 4 has a support frame that is height-adjustably supported by the seat back 3, and its appearance is formed by arranging a pad member 40 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam around the support frame, and covering it with a surface material 41 made of synthetic leather or fabric.

[0035] Figure 3 is a plan view of the cushion pad 22 according to this embodiment, and Figure 4 is a partially enlarged view of the IV-IV cross-section shown in Figure 3. The cushion pad 22 is the pad member 20 described above that constitutes the external shape of the seat cushion 2, and below, the suspension clip 6 that uses the cushion pad 22 to fix the surface material 21 and restrict the movement of the planar device 5 will be described.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the cushion pad 22 has a seat portion 22a and a pair of side supports 22b provided on both sides of the seat portion 22a in the left-right direction, and can support the occupant from both sides in the left-right direction via the pair of side supports 22b. Between the seat portion 22a and the pair of side supports 22b (for example, at the boundary portion), there is a pair of left and right suspension grooves 22c that extend in the front-rear direction and have a predetermined depth.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, each of the left and right suspension grooves 22c is formed in a roughly rectangular shape in cross-section, and each of the left and right suspension grooves 22c has a plurality of suspension clips 6 arranged in the front-to-back direction at its bottom. A portion of each of the plurality of suspension clips 6 is embedded in the bottom of each of the left and right suspension grooves 22c, thereby fixing it inside each of the left and right suspension grooves 22c.

[0038] The cushion pad 22 is also provided with a pair of front and rear suspension grooves 22d that extend in the left-right direction on the seat portion 22a. By arranging suspension clips 6 in the front and rear suspension grooves 22d, the upholstery material 21 can be suspended in the front and rear suspension grooves 22d, just as in the left and right suspension grooves 22c.

[0039] In this embodiment, four suspension clips 6 are provided along each of the left and right suspension grooves 22c, and the surface material 21 is fixed to the cushion pad 22 by a total of eight suspension clips 6 provided in the left and right pair of suspension grooves 22c. The suspension clips 6 provided in one suspension groove 22c on the left and right side and the suspension clips 6 provided in the other suspension groove 22c on the left and right side are arranged opposite each other, forming a left and right pair of suspension clips 6.

[0040] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the suspension clip 6 disposed in the suspension groove 22c shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 5, the suspension clip 6 comprises a substrate 60 extending in the front-rear direction and embedded in the cushion pad 22, a fitting portion 61 erected on the upper surface of the substrate 60 and capable of fitting with the suspension cord 21b while passing through a through hole 53 formed in a locking tab 51 provided on the planar device 5 (described later), and a pair of left and right embedded portions 62 erected on both sides of the fitting portion 61 in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the substrate 60 and embedded in the cushion pad 22. In the suspension clip 6, these are integrally molded from an elastically deformable synthetic resin. For example, the suspension clip 6 is formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin.

[0041] The substrate 60 has a rectangular plate shape that is long in the direction of extension of the suspension groove 22c (front-to-back direction), and is arranged facing vertically so that a part of it is embedded in the cushion pad 22 at the bottom of the suspension groove 22c. The fitting portion 61 is located approximately in the center of the substrate 60 and extends upward from the exposed portion 60a of the substrate 60 that is not embedded in the cushion pad 22.

[0042] The fitting portion 61 has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from above and is formed to be slightly larger than the through hole 53 of the locking tab 51. The fitting portion 61 is formed to be large enough for the locking tab 51 to elastically deform and pass through the through hole 53 of the locking tab 51 when the locking tab 51 is inserted through it. Forming it to this size makes it difficult for the locking tab 51 to come loose.

[0043] The fitting portion 61 comprises a pair of left and right clamping portions 61a capable of fixing the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b while clamping it, and a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b capable of engaging with the locking tab 51 while passing through the through hole 53 of the locking tab 51. Each of the left and right pair of clamping portions 61a has a clamping piece 61c capable of clamping the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b, and a locking portion 61d capable of locking the fitted portion 21d clamped by the clamping piece 61c.

[0044] The clamping piece 61c is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape that is long in the extending direction (front-to-back direction) of the suspension groove 22c, and is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 60 so as to extend substantially parallel to the side wall of the suspension groove 22c. The locking portion 61d is provided at the upper end of the clamping piece 61c and has a locking claw 61e that protrudes inward in the left-right direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c, and a guide portion 61f that protrudes outward. The locking claw 61e is formed so as to be able to lock onto the upper surface 21e which is formed in a substantially V shape in cross-section of the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b (see Figure 2). The guide portion 61f is provided so as to be able to guide the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b, which has been inserted into the suspension groove 22c toward the left and right pair of clamping pieces 61c, toward the left and right pair of clamping pieces 61c together with the locking claw 61e. Specifically, the upper surface of the guide portion 61f is continuous with the upper surface of the locking claw 61e and is formed to slope downward inward in the left-right direction together with the upper surface of the locking claw 61e.

[0045] The pair of left and right clamping parts 61a configured in this way have left and right guide parts 61f that guide the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b, and with the pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c that clamp the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b, the pair of left and right locking claws 61e are locked to the upper surface 21e of the fitted portion 21d, thereby fixing the suspension cord 21b.

[0046] The front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b are provided on both sides in the front-rear direction of the upper ends (tip portions) of the left and right pair of clamping portions 61a. In other words, the fitting portion 61 is provided with two sets of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b, for a total of four engaging protrusions 61b. Each of the front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b is formed in a tapered shape that slopes downward toward the outward direction in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c from the upper ends of the left and right pair of clamping portions 61a. By forming each of the front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b in the tapered shape described above, the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 can be guided to the clamping piece 61c of the clamping portion 61a, and when the locking tab 51 is attached to the clamping portion 61a, it is possible to prevent the locking tab 51 from coming off the clamping portion 61a.

[0047] The inclined surface of the engaging projection 61b that guides the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 may be straight or curved. Furthermore, each of the front and rear pair of engaging projections 61b may be fixed to the respective upper ends of the left and right pair of clamping portions 61a, or they may be configured to be extendable and retractable in the front and rear direction. For example, when moving the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 toward the left and right pair of clamping pieces 61c located below each of the front and rear pair of engaging projections 61b, each of the front and rear pair of engaging projections 61b may move inward as needed. For example, they may be configured to move inward against the biasing force of a biasing member.

[0048] Each of the left and right embedded portions 62 is embedded in the side walls located on both the left and right sides of the suspension groove 22c. The embedded portion 62 has an upright portion 62a that stands substantially parallel to the clamping portion 61a, and an overhanging piece 62b that extends outward in the left and right directions from the upright portion 62a. The upright portion 62a is provided extending upward from the base plate 60 at a predetermined distance from the clamping portion 61a in the left and right directions. The upright portion 62a is composed of a plurality of rectangular prisms. The overhanging piece 62b is provided extending outward from the upright portion 62a. The overhanging piece 62b is provided with a plurality of weight-reducing portions 62c, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 62d are provided between the overhanging piece 62b and the upright portion 62a.

[0049] Figure 6 is a plan view of the planar device 5 according to this embodiment, and Figure 7 is a schematic plan view showing the planar device 5 attached to the cushion pad 22. Figure 8A is a schematic enlarged section showing the VII-VII cross section shown in Figure 7, and Figure 8B is a modified example of the enlarged cross section shown in Figure 7.

[0050] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the planar device 5 comprises a sheet-like base fabric 50 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and a plurality of locking tabs 51 provided on both sides of the base fabric 50 in the left-right direction, each having a rectangular shape in plan view.

[0051] As shown in Figure 8A, the base fabric 50 has a device function section 52 on its upper surface, and the device function section 52 is equipped with a transducer, air cell, ventilation mechanism, etc. By providing the device function section 52 on the upper surface of the base fabric 50, the function of the device can be provided to the occupant only through the surface material 21, enabling efficient function provision. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8B, the device function section 52 may be provided on the lower surface of the base fabric 50. For example, a recess 22e may be provided in the cushion pad 22, and the device function section 52, which has thickness such as a ventilation mechanism, may be placed in the recess 22e. By placing the device function section 52 in the recess 22e, devices with thickness such as ventilators can also be placed, and the discomfort felt by the occupant due to the placement of the device can be reduced.

[0052] Each of the multiple locking tabs 51 is formed in a sheet shape from a flexible material and is positioned to correspond to each of the multiple suspension clips 6 arranged in a pair of left and right suspension grooves 22c of the cushion pad 22. In this embodiment, four locking tabs 51 are provided on each of the left and right sides of the base fabric 50 to correspond to the four suspension clips 6 arranged in each of the pair of left and right suspension grooves 22c. The locking tabs 51 are provided with through holes 53 that have a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and the through holes 53 are provided to be large enough to pass through the fitting portion 61 of the suspension clip 6.

[0053] As described above, the planar device 5 and the surface material 21 are attached to the suspension clip 6 in the following manner. Figure 9A illustrates the attachment of the planar device 5 and the surface material 21 to the suspension clip 6, Figure 9B illustrates the attachment of the planar device 5 to the suspension clip 6, and Figure 9C illustrates the attachment of the surface material 21 to the suspension clip 6 to which the planar device 5 is attached. In Figures 9A to 9C, in order to clearly explain the state of attachment to the suspension clip 6, the suspension clip 6 is used in a state that has been removed from the left and right pair of suspension grooves 22c of the cushion pad 22.

[0054] As shown in Figure 9A, the fitting portion 61 of the suspension clip 6 described above can be fitted with the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 and the suspension cord 21b of the surface material 21. The suspension cord 21b is attached after the locking tab 51 is attached. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0055] As shown in Figure 9B, the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 is attached by passing the fitting portion 61 through the through hole 53. For example, when the locking tab 51 is placed over the suspension clip 6 such that the through hole 53 is positioned above the fitting portion 61, the outer edge of the through hole 53 comes into contact with a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b provided on both sides in the front and rear direction of each of the left and right clamping portions 61a. When the locking tab 51 is pushed down from this state, the outer edge of the through hole 53, i.e., the locking tab 51, is guided downward by the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b.

[0056] When the locking tab 51 elastically deforms, allowing the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b to pass through the through hole 53, the locking tab 51 engages with the respective clamping pieces 61c of the pair of left and right clamping portions 61a, and the planar device 5 is attached to the fitting portion 61. At this time, the movement of the locking tab 51 is restricted by the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b, making it difficult to detach. Furthermore, having the clamping pieces 61c of the pair of left and right clamping portions 61a below the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b provides play during attachment of the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b, which is expected to facilitate attachment.

[0057] Furthermore, since a pair of engaging protrusions 61b are provided on both sides in the front-rear direction, that is, on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c, even when the suspension clip 6 is disposed inside the suspension groove 22c, the user can easily attach the locking tabs 51 to the fitting portion 61 by gripping the locking tabs 51 located on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c.

[0058] As shown in Figure 9C, the suspension cord 21b of the surface material 21 is attached to a fitting portion 61 to which a locking tab 51 is attached. For example, when the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b is pushed into the fitting portion 61, the locking portion 61d, including the guide portion 61f, guides the fitted portion 21d to a pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c. As the pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c elastically deform and the fitted portion 21d moves between the pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c, the side surface of the fitted portion 21d is clamped by the pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c, and the upper surface 21e of the fitted portion 21d is locked by a pair of left and right locking claws 61e.

[0059] In this manner, the fitted portion 21d of the suspension cord 21b is held between a pair of left and right clamping pieces 61c and secured by a pair of left and right locking claws 61e, thereby fixing the suspension cord 21b to the fitted portion 61 to which the locking tab 51 is attached, preventing the locking tab 51 from coming off the fitted portion 61.

[0060] This embodiment can provide the following effects and advantages.

[0061] (1) The suspension clip 6, which is embedded in a suspension groove 22c provided in the cushion pad 22 and suspends the surface material 21 that covers the cushion pad 22 inside the suspension groove 22c, is provided with a fitting portion 61 that can be fitted with a suspension cord 21b attached to the outer edge of the surface material 21 (Figure 2). The fitting portion 61 is provided on a planar device 5 disposed between the cushion pad 22 and the surface material 21 and has a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b that can engage with the planar device 5 when the fitting portion 61 is passed through a through hole 53 formed so that the fitting portion 61 can pass through (Figures 5 and 6).

[0062] This configuration allows the movement of the planar device 5 between the cushion pad 22 and the surface material 21 to be restricted by passing the fitting portion 61 through the through hole 53 of the planar device 5, and the state in which the fitting portion 61 passes through the through hole 53 can be maintained by engaging the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b provided on the fitting portion 61 with the planar device 5. In other words, it is possible to maintain a state in which the movement of the planar device 5 between the cushion pad 22 and the surface material 21 is restricted.

[0063] (2) The front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b are provided at the tip of the fitting portion 61 (Figure 5). This configuration allows for play below the front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b in the fitting portion 61, which facilitates the attachment of the planar device 5 to the fitting portion 61.

[0064] (3) The front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b are formed in a tapered shape that slopes downward toward the outside (Figure 5). With this configuration, when the fitting portion 61 is passed through the through hole 53 provided in the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5, the outer edge of the through hole 53 moves along each of the front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b, making it easy to attach the planar device 5 to the fitting portion 61.

[0065] (4) The fitting portion 61 is formed such that its outer shape, including the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b, is larger than the through hole 53 (Figure 9B). This configuration makes it difficult for the planar device 5 to come loose from the fitting portion 61 after it has been fitted into the fitting portion 61. The outer shape of the fitting portion 61, including the pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b, is large enough to allow the through hole 53 to be elastically deformed and pass through the fitting portion 61.

[0066] (5) The fitting portion 61 is formed so as to be able to fit with the suspension cord 21b while passing through the through hole 53 (Figures 5 and 9C). This configuration allows the surface material 21 to be suspended while restricting the movement of the planar device 5.

[0067] (6) The fitting portion 61 is fixed in a state where it is clamping the suspension cord 21b (Figure 2). This configuration allows the suspension clip 6 to be fixed efficiently.

[0068] (7) The fitting portion 61 further has a pair of left and right clamping portions 61a that hold and fix the suspension cord 21b, and each of the front and rear pair of engaging protrusions 61b is provided at the respective tips of the left and right pair of clamping portions 61a (Figures 2 and 5). With this configuration, the surface material 21 can be suspended while restricting the movement of the planar device 5.

[0069] (8) The base end of the fitting portion 61 is further provided with a pair of left and right embedded portions 62 that extend in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c and are embedded inside the suspension groove 22c (Figure 5). This configuration allows the suspension clip 6 to be fixed inside the suspension groove 22c.

[0070] (9) The seat 1 comprises the above-mentioned suspension clip 6, pad members 20, 30 into which the suspension clip 6 is embedded, surface materials 21, 31 suspended from the pad members 20, 30 via the suspension clip 6, and a planar device 5 interposed between the pad members 20, 30 and the surface materials 21, 31 (Figures 1 and 2). This configuration makes it possible to provide a seat 1 in which the planar device 5 is suitably positioned between the pad members 20, 30 and the surface materials 21, 31 of the seat cushion 2 or seat back 3.

[0071] The sheet 1 equipped with the above-mentioned suspension clip 6 can be transformed into various forms. Figure 10 shows a modified example of the suspension clip 6, and Figure 11 shows a modified example of the planar device 5. In the above embodiment, a suspension clip 6 having a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b that protrude outward in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c was used for the explanation. However, as shown in Figure 10, the suspension clip 6A may be configured to have a pair of front and rear first engaging protrusions (a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b) 63 that protrude on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c, as well as second engaging protrusions 64 that protrude on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c. The second engaging protrusions 64 may also include those that protrude in a direction intersecting the extending direction. Each of the first and second engaging protrusions 63 and 64 is preferably formed in a downwardly sloping tapered shape, similar to the engaging protrusions 61b, and it is preferable that a front and rear pair is provided.

[0072] In addition to a pair of front and rear first engaging protrusions (a pair of front and rear engaging protrusions 61b) 63 that protrude from both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c, a second engaging protrusion 64 that protrudes from both sides in a direction perpendicular or intersecting the extending direction of the suspension groove 22c can be provided to make it more difficult for the locking tab 51 of the planar device 5 to come off.

[0073] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a planar device 5 having a plurality of locking tabs 51 on both sides of the base fabric 50 in the left-right direction, a configuration is also possible in which through holes 54 are provided that can be attached to suspension clips (not shown) arranged in a pair of front and rear suspension grooves 22d of the cushion pad 22, as shown in the planar device 5A in Figure 11. By passing the through holes 54 through the suspension clips (not shown) arranged in a pair of front and rear suspension grooves 22d, the surface material 21 can be brought into close contact with the cushion pad 22.

[0074] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a seat 1 installed in an automobile, the seat may also be a sofa or a seat installed in a vehicle other than an automobile.

[0075] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and modifications described above, as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above embodiments and modifications, and to combine modifications with each other.

[0076] [Vehicle seats] Conventionally, vehicle seats have been known that improve occupant comfort by providing grooves or holes in the pad material of the seat cushion or seat back to allow gas to circulate on the seating surface. However, when attempting to provide circulation paths such as grooves or holes for gas in the pad material, the circulation paths can become complicated due to the relationship with other equipment, etc. Therefore, in this embodiment, by circulating gas along the concave parts formed in the surface material when it is suspended from the pad material, occupant comfort can be improved without providing a complex structure.

[0077] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 12 to 18. The vehicle seat to which the gas flow section according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied is a seat equipped with a seat cushion and seat back to which the surface material is fixed to the pad member via suspension clips provided on the pad member, and is suitably used for sofas and various vehicle seats. In the following description, an example of such a seat will be described using a seat installed in an automobile.

[0078] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a sheet 100 to which a gas flow section 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the following, the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction are defined as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part of the sheet 100 will be described according to these definitions.

[0079] As shown in Figure 12, the seat 100 includes a seat cushion 110 that supports the occupant's buttocks and thighs, a seat back 120 that supports the occupant's back and waist, a headrest 130 that supports the occupant's head, and a gas circulation section 140 that circulates gas through the seat cushion 110 and the seat back 120, respectively.

[0080] The seat cushion 110 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, allowing an occupant to sit on it. The seat back 120 rises from the rear end of the seat cushion 110 and has a substantially rectangular shape in front view, allowing an occupant seated on the seat cushion 110 to lean against it, and is reclined and connected to the seat cushion 110.

[0081] Although not shown in the diagram, each of the seat cushion 110 and seat back 120 has a seat frame that is generally rectangular in shape, and a pressure-receiving member supported within the frame of the seat frame, and these constitute the frame. Each of the seat cushion 110 and seat back 120 is formed by arranging pad members 111 and 121 made of cushioning material such as urethane foam around these frames to form the external shape, and covering them with surface materials 112 and 122 made of synthetic leather or fabric.

[0082] The headrest 130 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 120 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, capable of supporting the back of the head of an occupant leaning against the seat back 120. It is also height-adjustable relative to the seat back 120. Although not shown in the figures, the headrest 130 has a support frame that is height-adjustable and supported by the seat back 120. Its appearance is formed by arranging a pad member 131 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam around the support frame and covering it with a surface material 132 made of synthetic leather or fabric.

[0083] The gas flow section 140 is provided in both the seat cushion 110 and the seat back 120, but since they have similar configurations, this explanation will use the gas flow section 140 provided in the seat cushion 110 as an example.

[0084] Figure 13 is a plan view of the seat cushion 110 provided with the gas flow section 140 according to this embodiment. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view AA of the seat cushion 110 shown in Figure 13, and Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view BB of the seat cushion 110 shown in Figure 13. Note that the seat frame and pressure receiving member are not shown in Figure 13.

[0085] As shown in Figure 13, the seat cushion 110 includes a seat portion 113 on which an occupant can sit, a pair of side supports 114 that extend in the front-rear direction on both the left-right sides of the seat portion 113 and have a raised shape that can support both sides of the occupant sitting on the seat portion 113, a pair of left and right first suspension recesses 115 provided at the boundary between each of the pair of side supports 114 and the seat portion 113, and a pair of front and rear second suspension recesses 116 provided in the seat portion 113.

[0086] The pair of left and right first suspension recesses 115 have a left suspension recess 115L located at the boundary between the left side support 114L and the seat 113, and a right suspension recess 115R located at the boundary between the right side support 114R and the seat 113, with each of the left and right suspension recesses 115L and 115R extending in the front-rear direction from the rear end to the front end of the seat cushion 110. The pair of front and rear second suspension recesses 116 have a central suspension recess 116C located approximately in the center of the seat 113, and a rear suspension recess 115B located at the rear of the seat 113, with each of the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B extending in the left-right direction from the left suspension recess 115L to the right suspension recess 115R.

[0087] As shown in Figure 14, the rear suspension recess 116B is formed by fitting a suspension cord 118 attached to the surface material 112 into a suspension clip 117 attached to the bottom of a suspension groove 111a that extends in the left-right direction in the pad member 111 of the seat cushion 110. The rear suspension recess 116B formed in this way has a roughly V-shape in cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction. Although not shown in the figure, the central suspension recess 116C is similarly formed by fitting a suspension cord 118 of the surface material 112 into a suspension clip 117 attached to the bottom of a suspension groove 111a that extends in the left-right direction in the pad member 111 of the seat cushion 110, and has a roughly V-shape in cross-section.

[0088] As shown in Figure 15, the left and right suspension recesses 115L and 115R are formed by fitting suspension cords 118 attached to the surface material 112 into suspension clips 117 attached to the bottom of each of a pair of left and right suspension grooves 111a that extend in the front-rear direction and are provided in the pad member 111 of the seat cushion 110. The left and right suspension recesses 115L and 115R formed in this way have a roughly V-shape in cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction.

[0089] The gas flow section 140 includes a discharge section 141 that blows gas into the second suspension recess 116 on the left side of the second suspension recess 116, an intake section 142 that sucks in the gas blown into the second suspension recess 116 on the right side of the second suspension recess 116, a flow passage 143 for circulating the gas blown out from the discharge section 141 and sucked in by the intake section 142, a gas discharge device 144 that discharges gas from the discharge section 141, and a gas intake device 145 that sucks in gas from the intake section 142.

[0090] The discharge section 141 is located near the left-side suspension recess 115L of the left-side support 114L and discharges gas from the left-side support 114L toward the second suspension recess 116 provided in the seat section 113. Specifically, the discharge section 141 comprises a left-side main pipe (first pipe) 141a provided on the left-side support 114L along the left-side suspension recess 115L, and a pair of left-side branch pipes (second pipes) 141b extending from the left-side main pipe toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively.

[0091] The left main pipe 141a is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its tip sealed by a flexible material such as thermoplastic resin, and extends in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the seat cushion 110 to the left end of the central suspension recess 116C. Specifically, the left main pipe 141a is positioned in a recessed portion 111b that extends in the front-rear direction on the pad member 111 of the left side support 114L near the left suspension recess 115L. By forming the left main pipe 141a from a flexible material and positioning it in the recessed portion 111b of the pad member 111 of the left side support 114L, discomfort for occupants seated on the seat cushion 110 can be suppressed.

[0092] Each of the pair of left-side branch pipes 141b is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape from a flexible material such as thermoplastic resin, and extends from the left-side main pipe 141a at positions corresponding to the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. The ends of each of the pair of left-side branch pipes 141b extending from the left-side main pipe 141a penetrate the surface material 112, and each of the left-side branch pipes 141b whose ends penetrate the surface material 112 is inclined toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. Specifically, each of the pair of left-side branch pipes 141b penetrates the surface material 112, and the opening at the end opens toward the right end (other end) of the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. Furthermore, the portion of each of the pair of left-side branch pipes 141b that penetrates the surface material 112 is covered by a curved pipe cover 146, so as not to come into direct contact with the seated person.

[0093] The intake section 142 is located near the right-side suspension recess 115R of the right-side side support 114R and sucks in the gas blown out from the discharge section 141 toward the second suspension recess 116. Specifically, the intake section 142 comprises a right-side main pipe (first pipe) 142a provided on the right-side side support 114R along the right-side suspension recess 115R, and a pair of right-side branch pipes (second pipes) 142b extending from the right-side main pipe 142a toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively.

[0094] The right-side main pipe 142a is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its tip sealed by a flexible material such as thermoplastic resin, and extends in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the seat cushion 110 to the right end of the central suspension recess 116C. Specifically, the right-side main pipe 142a is positioned in a recessed portion 111b that extends in the front-rear direction on the pad member 111 of the right-side side support 114R near the right-side suspension recess 115R. By forming the right-side main pipe 142a from a flexible material and positioning it in the recessed portion 111b of the pad member 111 of the right-side side support 114R, discomfort for occupants seated on the seat cushion 110 can be suppressed.

[0095] Each of the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape from a flexible material such as thermoplastic resin, and extends from the right-side main pipe 142a at positions corresponding to the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. The ends of each of the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b extending from the right-side main pipe 142a penetrate the surface material 112, and each of the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b whose ends penetrate the surface material 112 is inclined toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. Specifically, the opening at the end of each of the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b that penetrates the surface material 112 opens toward the left end (one end) of the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively. Furthermore, the portion of each of the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b that penetrates the surface material 112 is covered by a curved pipe cover 146, so as not to come into direct contact with the seated person.

[0096] The flow passage 143 is composed of a pair of front and rear second suspension recesses 116. That is, the flow passage 143 is composed of the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively.

[0097] The gas discharge device 144 is connected to the base end of the left main pipe 141a, and the gas intake device 145 is connected to the base end of the right main pipe 142a. Each of the gas discharge device 144 and the gas intake device 145 consists of a fan, and discharge and intake are possible by reversing the rotation direction of the fans of the gas discharge device 144 and the gas intake device 145.

[0098] In the seat 100 configured as described above, gas (for example, air) discharged from the gas discharge device 144 flows through the left main pipe 141a to a pair of left branch pipes 141b, and then flows through each of the pair of left branch pipes 141b to the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B provided in the seat portion 113 of the seat cushion 110. Furthermore, the gas that has flowed through the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B is drawn in by the suction force of the gas intake device 145 through each of the pair of right branch pipes 142b to the left main pipe 142a and discharged to the outside.

[0099] In this way, the gas discharged from the left rear of the seat cushion 110 is drawn in from the right rear of the seat cushion 110 via the seat portion 113, allowing the gas to circulate efficiently from the left to the right side of the seat portion 113 of the seat cushion 110. Therefore, the comfort of the occupant seated on the seat cushion 110 can be improved.

[0100] Similarly, although not shown in the diagram, gas (e.g., air) discharged from the gas discharge device of the gas circulation section 140 provided on the seat back 120 flows through the left main pipe to a pair of left branch pipes, and then flows through each of the pair of left branch pipes to the central and upper suspension recesses 124C, 124U (second suspension recess 124) provided on the back surface 123 of the seat back 120 (see Figures 12 and 13). Furthermore, the gas that has flowed through the central and upper suspension recesses 124C, 124U is drawn into the left main pipe via each of the pair of right branch pipes by the suction force of the gas intake device and discharged to the outside.

[0101] In this way, the gas discharged from the left end of the seat back 120 is drawn in from the right end of the seat back 120, allowing the gas to circulate efficiently from the left to the right side of the back surface 123 of the seat back 120. Therefore, the comfort of the occupant leaning against the seat back 120 can also be improved.

[0102] This embodiment can provide the following effects and advantages.

[0103] (1) A seat 100 comprising pad members 111, 121 that constitute the outer shape of the seat cushion 110 and the seat back 120, respectively, and surface materials 112, 122 that cover the pad members 111, 121, wherein a gas flow section 140 is provided to allow gas to flow through each of a pair of second suspension recesses 116, 124 of the surface material 112, 122, which are formed in the pad members 111, 121 and are formed along the extending direction of the suspension grooves 111a, 121a into which the surface materials 112, 122 are suspended, extending from one side in the extending direction to the other (Figures 12 to 15).

[0104] With this configuration, gas flows along each of the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124 provided in the seat cushion 110 and seat back 120, from which the upholstery materials 112 and 122 are suspended. This improves the comfort of the seated person without requiring a separate gas flow passage.

[0105] (2) The gas flow section 140 has a discharge section 141 that blows out gas on one side in the extending direction and an intake section 142 that sucks in the gas blown out from the discharge section 141 on the other side in the extending direction (Figure 13). With this configuration, not only is gas blown out from the discharge section 141, but gas is also sucked in by the intake section 142, so that gas can be efficiently circulated to each of the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124.

[0106] (3) The gas flow section 140 is composed of a pair of front and rear second suspension recesses 116, 124 of the surface material 112 and further comprises a flow passage 143 for circulating gas that is blown out from the blowing section 141 and drawn in at the intake section 142. The flow passage 143 has a cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction that is approximately V-shaped (Figures 12 to 15). This configuration is provided so that the area on the seated side of the flow passage 143 when viewed from the front is increased, thereby improving the seated person's comfort. In addition, the approximately V-shaped cross-section is expected to increase the flow velocity of the gas flowing through the flow passage 143, and is expected to increase the flow rate of the gas flowing through the flow passage 143.

[0107] (4) The openings of the blowing section 141 and the intake section 142 are provided to open toward each of the front and rear pair of second suspension recesses 116 of the surface material 112. This configuration allows gas to flow efficiently through each of the front and rear pair of second suspension recesses 116.

[0108] (5) The opening of the blowing section 141 is provided to open toward the other end of each of the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124, and the opening of the intake section 142 is provided to open toward one end of each of the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124 (Figure 15). This configuration allows gas to be efficiently circulated through each of the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124.

[0109] (6) The air outlet 141 and the air intake 142 are inclined toward the pair of second suspension recesses 116 and 124 of the surface material 112 and 122, respectively (Figure 15). This configuration allows gas to flow efficiently through the pair of front and rear second suspension recesses 116 and 124.

[0110] (7) The air outlet 141 and the air intake 142 are each made of a flexible material. This configuration reduces the discomfort felt by the occupant when seated on the seat cushion 110 and seat back 120.

[0111] (8) The gas flow section 140 has right and left main pipes 141a, 142a that extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension, and a pair of front and rear left branch pipes 141b, 142b that extend from the right and left main pipes 141a, 142a along the direction of extension. The discharge section 141 and the intake section 142 are each composed of the right and left main pipes 141a, 142a and the pair of front and rear left branch pipes 141b, 142b, respectively (Figure 13). With this configuration, the gas flow section 140 can be provided with a simple structure.

[0112] (9) The gas flow section 140 further includes a gas discharge device 144 connected to the left main pipe 141a and a gas intake device 145 connected to the right main pipe 142a (Figure 13). In this way, the gas flow section 140 can be provided with a simple configuration.

[0113] (10) The pad member 111 has a concave portion 111b that can accommodate the right and left main pipes 141a and 142a, respectively (Figure 15). With this configuration, even when the right and left main pipes 141a and 142a are provided on the pad member 111 of the seat cushion 110, the discomfort felt by the occupant can be reduced.

[0114] The configuration of the sheet 100 equipped with the gas flow section 140, as explained using Figures 12 to 15, can be summarized as follows.

[0115] A vehicle seat comprising a pad member constituting the outer shape of a seat cushion or seat back, and a surface material covering the pad member, is characterized by comprising a gas flow section provided so as to allow gas to flow through a suspension recess of the surface material formed in the pad member and extending from one side to the other in the extension direction of a suspension groove into which the surface material is suspended.

[0116] The gas flow section is characterized by having a discharge section that blows out gas on one side in the direction of extension, and an intake section that sucks in the gas blown out from the discharge section on the other side in the direction of extension.

[0117] The gas flow section is formed by suspension recesses in the surface material and further includes a flow passage for circulating gas that is blown out from the discharge section and drawn in at the intake section, characterized in that the cross-section of the flow passage in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction is formed in a substantially V shape.

[0118] The openings of the discharge section and the intake section are characterized by being positioned to open toward the suspension recess of the surface material.

[0119] The opening of the discharge section is provided to open toward the other end of the suspension recess, and the opening of the intake section is provided to open toward one end of the suspension recess.

[0120] The discharge section and the intake section are each characterized by being inclined toward the suspension recess of the surface material.

[0121] The discharge section and the intake section are characterized by being formed from a flexible material.

[0122] The gas flow section comprises a pair of first pipes extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction, and a pair of second pipes extending from each of the pair of first pipes along the extending direction, and the discharge section and intake section are each composed of the pair of first pipes and the pair of second pipes.

[0123] The gas flow section is further characterized by comprising a gas discharge device connected to one of the first pipes and a gas intake device connected to the other first pipe.

[0124] The pad member is characterized by having a concave portion capable of accommodating a pair of first pipes.

[0125] The sheet 100, equipped with the gas flow section 140 described above, can be transformed into various forms. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the AA section of the seat cushion 110 covered by the seat cover 150, and Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the BB section of the seat cushion 110 covered by the seat cover 150. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing modified examples of the left and right branch pipes 141b and 142b.

[0126] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, when the seat cushion 110 is covered with a seat cover 150, the gas flow section 140 may be configured to be placed on the surface of the surface material 112, that is, between the surface material 112 and the seat cover 150. For example, a left main pipe 141a and a pair of left branch pipes 141b, and a right main pipe 142a and a pair of right branch pipes 142b may be placed between the seat cover 150 and the surface material 112, with each of the pair of left branch pipes 141b and the pair of right branch pipes 142b passing through the seat cover 150. In this case, the gas blown out from each of the pair of left branch pipes 141b and drawn into each of the pair of right branch pipes 142b flows through a flow passage 143a formed by a suspension recess formed in the seat cover 150.

[0127] In the above embodiment, a pair of left-side branch pipes 141b and a pair of right-side branch pipes 142b inclined toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively, were used for the explanation. However, as shown in Figure 18, for example, each of the pair of left-side branch pipes 141b and the pair of right-side branch pipes 142b may be configured as a connecting pipe 151 that connects the left main pipe 141a and the right main pipe 142a. In this case, it is preferable that the connecting pipe 151 is arranged toward the central and rear suspension recesses 116C and 116B, respectively, and has a plurality of openings 151a arranged at predetermined intervals at the top. By configuring it in this way, the comfort of the seated person can be improved without providing a separate airflow passage.

[0128] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and modifications described above, as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above embodiments and modifications, and to combine modifications with each other.

[0129] [Vehicle seats and vehicles] Conventionally, vehicle seats installed in automobiles and other vehicles include captain's seats, which allow for independent seating on the left and right sides, and bench seats, which are connected horizontally. However, while bench seats can accommodate three people, captain's seats are generally two seats arranged side by side. As a result, vehicles equipped with captain's seats have a smaller passenger capacity than vehicles equipped with bench seats, and the seats cannot be used more spaciously. Therefore, in this embodiment, the convenience of vehicles equipped with captain's seats can be improved by making the seat cushions of the captain's seats, which are arranged horizontally, continuous.

[0130] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 19 to 23B. The vehicle equipped with the vehicle seat according to the embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle equipped with captain's seats, and is suitably usable in, for example, a vehicle equipped with captain's seats in the front or rear seats. In the following description, as an example of such a vehicle, a vehicle with three rows of seats and captain's seats in the second row will be used.

[0131] Figure 19 shows the cabin of a vehicle 300 equipped with a captain's seat 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the following, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part of the vehicle 300 will be described according to these definitions.

[0132] As shown in Figure 19, the vehicle 300 is a four-wheeled vehicle operated by a driver, and includes a front seat 310 where the driver or other person sits, a second seat 320 located behind the front seat 310, and a third seat 330 located behind the second seat 320.

[0133] The front seats 310 include a driver's seat 311 positioned on the right side facing the steering wheel 301, and a passenger seat 312 positioned to the left (lateral) of the driver's seat 311 at a predetermined distance apart. The second seats 320 include a right-side seat 321 positioned behind the driver's seat 311, and a left-side seat 322 positioned behind the passenger seat 312 at a predetermined distance apart from the right-side seat 321. Each of the driver's seat 311, passenger seat 312, right-side seat 321, and left-side seat 322 is composed of captain's seats 200, and the third seats 330 are composed of a bench seat.

[0134] The captain seats 200, which comprise the driver's seat 311, passenger seat 312, right-side seat 321, and left-side seat 322, will be described in detail below. In the following, the right-side captain seat (driver's seat 311 and right-side seat 321) 200R, located on the right side of the vehicle 300, will be described, while the left-side captain seat (passenger seat 312 and left-side seat 322) 200L, located on the left side of the vehicle 300, will be omitted from the description as it is configured as a mirror image of the right-side captain seat 200R.

[0135] Figure 20 is a perspective view of the right captain's seat 200R according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 20, the right captain's seat 200R includes a seat cushion 210 that supports the occupant's buttocks and thighs, a seat back 220 that supports the occupant's back and waist, and a headrest 230 that supports the occupant's head.

[0136] The seat cushion 210 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, allowing an occupant to sit on it. The seat cushion 210 is formed by arranging cushion pads 211 made of cushioning material such as urethane foam around a cushion frame (not shown) that forms the frame, and covering it with a cushion surface material 212 made of synthetic leather or fabric. The seat cushion 210 will be described in detail later.

[0137] The seat back 220 rises from the rear end of the seat cushion 210 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, allowing an occupant seated on the seat cushion 210 to lean against it. The seat back 220 has a back frame (not shown) which has a roughly rectangular frame shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member (not shown) supported within the frame of the back frame. The exterior shape is formed by arranging a back pad 221 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam around these components which constitute the frame, and covering it with a back surface material 222 made of synthetic leather or fabric. The seat back 220 is also reclined to the seat cushion 210 by a reclining mechanism (not shown).

[0138] The headrest 230 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 220 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, capable of supporting the back of the head of an occupant leaning against the seat back 220. The headrest 230 has a support frame (not shown) that is height-adjustable and supported by the seat back 220, and its external shape is formed by arranging a head pad 231 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam around the support frame, and covering it with a head surface material 232 made of synthetic leather or fabric.

[0139] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of the seat cushion 210 of the right captain's seat 200R according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 20 and 21, the seat cushion 210 comprises a seat portion 213 on which an occupant can sit, and a pair of side supports 214 that extend in the front-rear direction on both the left-right side of the seat portion 213 and have a raised shape that can support both the left-right side of the occupant seated on the seat portion 213.

[0140] The seat cushion 210 configured in this way is divided into a left cushion (first cushion) 210L having a left side support (first side support) 214L located on one side (left side) in the left-right direction, and a right cushion (second cushion) 210R having a right side support (second side support) 214R and a seat portion 213 located on the other side (right side) in the left-right direction. The left cushion 210L is located on the left side of the right captain's seat 200R, that is, on the left captain's seat 200L side, and the right cushion 210R is located on the right side of the right captain's seat 200R, that is, on the door 302 side of the vehicle 300, and the left cushion 210L and the right cushion 210R are provided in close contact and as a single unit.

[0141] The left cushion 210L is formed by arranging a left pad 211L, which is made up of cushion pads 211 and a high-density pad (high-density pad member) 216L, on a left frame 215L, which is made up of the cushion frame (not shown) described above, to form its external shape, and then covering these with a left surface material 212L, which is made up of cushion surface material 212.

[0142] The left frame 215L has a left end frame 215L1 that extends in the front-rear direction from the left end of the left side support 214L, and a pressure receiving frame 215L2 that is connected to the left end frame 215L1 and located on the back surface of the left cushion 210L, and is configured to be rotatable by a pivot shaft 217L that extends in the front-rear direction on the back surface of the left cushion 210L (the inner surface of the pressure receiving frame 215L2). The pivot shaft 217L is rotatably supported by the vehicle 300, for example, via a sliding mechanism or a rotating mechanism.

[0143] Furthermore, the pivot shaft 217L is configured to be lockable at a predetermined rotational position by a locking mechanism (not shown), and by locking the pivot shaft 217L at a predetermined rotational position, the left frame 215L is also locked at a predetermined rotational position. For example, the left frame 215L is configured to be lockable in a first seating position with the left side support 214L upright (see Figure 22A described later) and a second seating position with the left side support 214L tilted outward (see Figure 22B described later).

[0144] The left-side pad 211L has a raised portion 211L1 that constitutes the left-side support 214L, and an arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 that is formed to slide into the seat portion 213 of the right-side cushion 210R from the raised portion 211L1, and is integrally attached to the left-side frame 215L. The high-density pad 216L has an arc-shaped portion similar to the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2, and is provided so that the arc-shaped portion is continuous with the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 at its lower part, and is integrally attached to the pressure-receiving frame 215L2. The high-density pad 216L is made of a flexible material such as a high-density cushioning material that is denser than the left-side pad 211L.

[0145] The right cushion 210R is formed by placing the right pad 211R, which is made up of cushion pads 211, on the right frame 215R, which is made up of the cushion frame (not shown) described above, and covering these with a right surface material 212R, which is made up of cushion surface material 212.

[0146] The right-side frame 215R has a right-end frame 215R1 that extends in the longitudinal direction from the right end of the right-side support 214R, and a pressure-receiving frame 215R2 that is connected to the right-end frame 215R1 and located on the back surface of the right-side cushion 210R, and is supported by the floor 303 of the vehicle 300. In other words, unlike the left-side frame 215L, the right-side frame 215R is fixed to the vehicle 300. In this case, "fixed" includes being fixed to the vehicle 300 via a sliding mechanism or a rotating mechanism.

[0147] The right-side pad 211R has a raised portion 211R1 that constitutes the right-side support 214R and a smooth portion 211R2 that constitutes the seat portion 213, and is integrally attached to the right-side frame 215R. The left end of the smooth portion 211R2 is provided with an arc-shaped recess 211R3 that is in contact with the arc-shaped convex portion 211L2 of the left-side pad 211L (for example, in an equidistant arc shape around the pivot axis 217L), and an arc-shaped retaining plate 218 is placed in the arc-shaped recess 211R3. In other words, the retaining plate 218 is interposed between the arc-shaped convex portion 211L2 and the arc-shaped recess 211R3. The retaining plate 218 is made of a flexible material, for example, a thermoplastic resin. By interposing the retaining plate 218 between the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 and the arc-shaped recess 211R3, the respective arc shapes of the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 and the arc-shaped recess 211R3 can be easily maintained, and by maintaining the arc shape, the left frame 215L can be easily rotated around the pivot axis 217L.

[0148] Figures 22A and 22B illustrate the deformation of the seat cushion 210 of the right-side captain's seat 200R. As shown in Figures 22A and 22B, the seat cushion 210 is configured to be deformable by rotating the left-side cushion 210L from the first seating position shown in Figure 22A to the second seating position shown in Figure 22B.

[0149] In the first seating position shown in Figure 22A, the left cushion 210L and the left side support 214L are raised upward, allowing the occupant to sit independently. When the left cushion 210L is rotated around the pivot axis 217L from this position, as shown in Figure 22B, the left side support 214L tilts to the left, and the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 is exposed upward. The inner surface of the tilted left side support 214L and the exposed arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 form a seat area on which the occupant can sit. This allows the seat area of ​​the seat cushion 210 to be widened in the left-right direction.

[0150] At this time, the high-density pad 216L contacts the arc-shaped recess 211R3 provided in the seat portion 213 of the right cushion 210R via the retaining plate 217, thereby supporting the right cushion 210R so that the left cushion 210L becomes integrated with the right cushion 210R. Since the high-density pad 216L is made of a flexible material such as a high-density cushioning material with a higher density than the right cushion 211R and the left cushion 211L, it is less prone to deformation and can be held securely.

[0151] The right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L, which constitute the front seat 310 or second seat 320 and are arranged horizontally with a predetermined gap between them, are configured as mirror images of each other, as described above. Figures 23A and 23B illustrate the deformation of the seat cushions 210 of the right and left captain's seats 200R and 200L, which are arranged as mirror images of each other.

[0152] As shown in Figure 23A, in the normal state, the seat cushions 210 of the right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L are positioned adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with a predetermined distance between them, allowing occupants to sit independently in each seat. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 23B, when the left cushion 210L of the seat cushion 210 of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the seat cushion 210 of the left captain's seat 200L are rotated around the pivot axes 217L and 217R, the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L come into closer proximity, filling the gap between the seat cushions 210.

[0153] The rotation of the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L is restricted when the tip of the left side support 214L of the left cushion 210L and the tip of the right side support 214R of the right cushion 210R come into contact with each other.

[0154] In this state, the pivot axis 217L of the left cushion 210L and the pivot axis 217R of the right cushion 210R are locked by a locking mechanism (not shown), thereby fixing the left side support 214L and the right side support 214R in a tilted second seating position. When the left side support 214L and the right side support 214R are fixed in the tilted second seating position, the seat cushion 210 of the right captain's seat 200R and the seat cushion 210 of the left captain's seat 200L become continuous, providing enough space for three occupants to sit in the right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L, and also allowing luggage to be placed in the connecting section.

[0155] According to this embodiment, the right-side captain's seat 200R (left-side captain's seat 200L), and the vehicle 300 equipped with the right-side and left-side captain's seats 200R and 200L, can provide the following effects. (1) In a right-side captain's seat 200R equipped with a seat cushion 210 having a pair of side supports 214 provided on both sides in the left-right direction (Figure 20), the seat cushion 210 is divided into a left cushion 210L having a left side support 214L located on one side in the left-right direction, and a right cushion 210R having a right side support 214R located on the other side in the left-right direction, and the left cushion 210L is formed to be rotatable around a pivot axis 217L that extends in the front-rear direction below the left side support 214L (Figure 21).

[0156] This configuration allows the left cushion 210L to be rotated outward around the pivot axis 217L, causing the left side support 214L of the left cushion 210L to tilt outward, thereby widening the seating surface of the seat cushion 210. For example, by using the above configuration, which is a mirror image of the above configuration, on captain seats 200 arranged in the left-right direction, the seat cushion 210 can be used like a bench seat.

[0157] (2) The left cushion 210L has an arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 that is formed to the right of the pivot axis 217L and tucked under the right cushion 210R. When the left cushion 210L is rotated outward around the pivot axis 217L, the left side support 214L and the exposed arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 form part of the seat surface of the seat cushion 210 (Figures 22A and 22B). This configuration makes the seating surface of the seat cushion 210 wider, and for example, by using the above configuration which is a mirror image of the left-right arrangement of captain seats 200, the seat cushion 210 can be used like a bench seat.

[0158] (3) The left side support 214L and the arc-shaped protrusion 211L2 are formed such that when the left cushion 210L is rotated, their upper surfaces are positioned on substantially the same plane as the seat surface of the seat cushion 210 (Figure 22B). This configuration makes the seating surface of the seat cushion 210 wider, and for example, by using the above configuration as a mirror image for captain seats 200 arranged in the left-right direction, the seat cushion 210 can be used like a bench seat.

[0159] (4) The pivot shaft 217L is located on the back surface of the left cushion 210L (Figure 21). This configuration allows the left cushion 210L to be rotated so that the left side support 214L tilts.

[0160] (5) On the other side of the pivot axis 217L in the left-right direction, a high-density pad 216L is positioned, which is denser than the left pad 211L of the left cushion 210L (Figure 21). This configuration allows the right cushion 210R to be suitably supported.

[0161] (6) A retaining plate 218 is interposed between the left cushion 210L and the right cushion 210R (Figure 21). This configuration makes it easy to maintain the arc shape of the arc convex portion 211L2 of the left cushion 210L and the arc concave portion 211R3 of the right cushion 210R, and by maintaining the arc shape, the rotation of the left frame 215L becomes easier.

[0162] (7) The retaining plate 218 is attached to the right cushion 210R (Figure 21). This configuration makes it easy to maintain the arc shape of the arc protrusion 211L2 of the left cushion 210L and the arc recess 211R3 of the right cushion 210R, and by maintaining the arc shape, the left frame 215L can be rotated easily.

[0163] (8) In the vehicle 300, the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L are arranged mirror-like with a predetermined gap between them (Figures 19 and 23A). With this configuration, the gap between the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L can be filled by rotating them, and the right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L can be used like bench seats.

[0164] (9) When the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L, which are installed on the mirrored surface, are rotated toward each other, the gap between the seat cushion 210 of the right captain's seat 200R and the seat cushion of the left captain's seat 200L is filled by the left cushion 210L and the right cushion 210R (Figures 23A and 23B). With this configuration, the right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L can be used as bench seats.

[0165] (10) The left side support 214L of the left cushion 210L of the right captain's seat 200R and the right side support 214R of the right cushion 210R of the left captain's seat 200L come into contact with each other, thereby restricting the rotation of the left cushion 210L and the right cushion 210R (Figure 23B). This configuration allows the right captain's seat 200R and the left captain's seat 200L to be used like a bench seat.

[0166] The configuration of the captain's seat 200 and the vehicle 300 equipped with the captain's seat 200, as explained using Figures 19 to 23B, can be summarized as follows.

[0167] A vehicle seat having a seat cushion with a pair of side supports provided on both sides in the left-right direction, wherein the seat cushion is divided into a first cushion having a first side support located on one side in the left-right direction, and a second cushion having a second side support located on the other side in the left-right direction, and the first cushion is formed to be rotatable about a pivot axis extending in the front-rear direction below the first side support.

[0168] The first cushion has an arc-shaped protrusion that is formed to tuck into the lower part of the second cushion on the other side in the left-right direction around the pivot axis, and when the first cushion is rotated to one side in the left-right direction around the pivot axis, the first side support and the exposed arc-shaped protrusion form part of the seat surface of the seat cushion.

[0169] The first side support and the arc portion are each formed so that when the first cushion is rotated, their upper surfaces can be positioned substantially flush with the seat surface of the seat cushion.

[0170] The pivot axis is characterized by being located on the back surface of the first cushion.

[0171] A high-density pad member, which has a higher density than the pad member of the first cushion, is arranged on the other side of the pivot axis in the left-right direction.

[0172] A retaining plate is interposed between the first cushion and the second cushion.

[0173] The retaining plate is characterized by being attached to the second cushion.

[0174] The vehicle is characterized in that the aforementioned vehicle seats are arranged in a mirror-image manner such that the first cushions are adjacent to each other with a predetermined gap between them.

[0175] The invention is characterized in that when each of the adjacent first cushions is rotated in the direction of proximity, a predetermined gap is filled by the first side supports of each other.

[0176] The rotation of adjacent first cushions is restricted when the tips of the first side supports of adjacent first cushions come into contact with each other.

[0177] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and modifications described above, as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above embodiments and modifications, and to combine modifications with each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0178] 1 Seat, 2 Seat cushion, 3 Seat back, 5 Surface device, 6 Suspension clip, 20 Pad member, 21 Surface material, 22 Cushion pad, 22c, 30c Suspension groove, 53 Through hole, 61 Fitting part

Claims

1. In a suspension clip embedded in a suspension groove provided in a pad member, which suspends a surface material covering the pad member from inside the suspension groove, The outer edge of the surface material is equipped with a fitting portion that can be fitted with a suspension cord, The suspension clip is characterized in that the fitting portion is provided on a planar device disposed between the pad member and the surface material, and has an engaging projection that can engage with the planar device when the fitting portion is passed through a through hole formed to allow the fitting portion to pass through.

2. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The suspension clip is characterized in that the engaging projection is provided at the tip of the fitting portion.

3. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The suspension clip is characterized in that the engaging projection is formed in a tapered shape that slopes downward toward the outside.

4. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The suspension clip is characterized in that the engaging projection has first engaging projections provided on both sides in the extending direction of the suspension groove, and second engaging projections provided on both sides in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the suspension groove.

5. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The suspension clip is characterized in that the fitting portion is formed such that its outer shape, including the engaging projection, is larger than the through hole.

6. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The suspension clip is characterized in that the fitting portion is formed so as to be able to fit with the suspension cord while passing through the through hole.

7. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, The aforementioned fitting portion is characterized by fixing the suspension cord while clamping it.

8. In the hanging clip according to claim 7, The fitting portion further includes a clamping portion that secures the suspension cord while holding it in place. The suspension clip is characterized in that the engaging projection is provided at the tip of the clamping portion.

9. In the hanging clip according to claim 1, A suspension clip characterized in that the base end of the fitting portion further comprises an embedded portion that extends in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the suspension groove and is embedded inside the suspension groove.

10. A sheet comprising: a suspension clip according to any one of claims 1 to 9; a pad member in which the suspension clip is embedded; a surface material suspended from the pad member via the suspension clip; and a planar device interposed between the pad member and the surface material.

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