Vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat that allows a headrest to be suitably assembled to a seatback.SOLUTION: A vehicular seat S has a seatback, and a headrest attached to the upper portion of the seatback. The headrest has a pillar 31 that supports the body of the headrest. The seatback has a back frame 20 to be a skeleton, and a pillar attachment 40 that is provided at the upper portion of the back frame 20 and attaches the pillar 31 to the back frame 20. The pillar attachment 40 has a first member 41 attached to the upper portion of the back frame 20 and a second member 42 that is attached to the first member 41 at a position not in contact with the back frame 20 and holds the pillar 31 together with the first member 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a vehicle seat configured such that, in order to attach a headrest to the upper part of the seat back, a pillar (headrest pillar) that supports the main body of the headrest is attached to a pillar mounting member provided on the upper part of the seat back. Also, there is known a pillar mounting member that is divided into a first member and a second member in order to suitably mount the pillar to the pillar mounting member (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-14113 [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-73095 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the pillar mounting member is divided, the procedure for assembling the pillar mounting member is to first attach the first member to the upper part of the back frame, and then attach the pillar to the first member, and then attach the second member to the first member so as to sandwich the pillar. In this case, in the vehicle seats as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, both the first member and the second member are configured to be attached to the back frame, and when assembling the second member to the first member, it is necessary to take into consideration the alignment of the second member with the back frame. Therefore, there is a concern that it may be difficult to suitably assemble the second member to the first member. Therefore, there has been a demand for a technique that enables the divided pillar mounting members to be assembled in a suitable manner.

[0005] Furthermore, in the case of a vehicle seat equipped with a headrest rotation device that rotatably attaches the headrest to the seat back, as in Patent Document 2, there was a need to effectively suppress rattling of the pillar when the headrest is rotated.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat in which a headrest can be suitably assembled to the seat back. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat in which a divided pillar mounting member can be suitably attached to an upper portion of the seat back. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat equipped with a headrest rotating device, which is capable of suitably suppressing rattling of the pillar when the headrest is rotated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problem is solved by a vehicle seat according to the present invention, which provides a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, wherein the headrest has a pillar supporting a main body of the headrest, and the seat back has a back frame serving as a skeleton, and a pillar attachment member provided on an upper portion of the back frame for attaching the pillar to the back frame, and the pillar attachment member has a first member attached to an upper portion of the back frame, and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member. The back frame has side frames disposed on the left and right sides in the seat width direction, and an upper frame connecting upper portions of the left and right side frames, the pillar mounting member is disposed at a position rearward of the upper frame, the back frame has a frame reinforcing member attached to the upper frame, protruding from the upper frame toward the rear of the seat and extending longitudinally in the seat width direction, and the pillar mounting member is disposed at a position forward of the seat than the frame reinforcing member. This problem is solved by: According to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to realize a vehicle seat in which the headrest can be suitably attached to the seat back, and the divided pillar mounting member can be suitably attached to the upper portion of the seat back. More specifically, the pillar mounting member has a first member that is attached to the upper part of the back frame, and a second member that is attached to the first member at a position that does not abut the back frame and that sandwiches the pillar together with the first member. Therefore, when assembling the second member to the first member, it is no longer necessary to consider the alignment of the second member and the back frame as in the conventional case. As a result, the degree of freedom in the assembling work of the second member to the first member is increased. Furthermore, the above-mentioned configuration allows the front position of the seat back (back frame) to be made compact, which means that space can be secured on the seat occupant's side. Furthermore, with the above-described configuration, the pillar mounting member can be disposed between existing components in the front-rear direction of the seat, thereby preventing the vehicle seat from becoming large.

[0008] At this time, The headrest is attached to the seat back so as to be rotatable in a front-rear direction of the seat, the pillar attachment member is formed between the first member and the second member and has a pillar insertion hole for inserting the pillar, the pillar rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole in association with a rotational movement of the headrest, and a portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are formed so as to be curved with approximately the same curvature. Good. As described above, the portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are curved with approximately the same curvature, so that the headrest can be rotated appropriately. In addition, the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be arranged compactly without increasing in size.

[0009] The above-mentioned problem is solved by a vehicle seat according to the present invention, which is a vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, wherein the headrest has a pillar supporting a main body of the headrest, the seat back has a back frame as a skeleton, and a pillar attachment member provided on an upper portion of the back frame for attaching the pillar to the back frame, the pillar attachment member having a first member attached to an upper portion of the back frame, and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member, and the headrest is a seat for a vehicle including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, the headrest having a pillar supporting a main body of the headrest, the seat back having a back frame as a skeleton, and a pillar attachment member provided on an upper portion of the back frame for attaching the pillar to the back frame, the pillar attachment member having a first member attached to an upper portion of the back frame, and a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and sandwiching the pillar together with the first member, The headrest is attached to the seat back so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction of the seat, the pillar mounting member is formed between the first member and the second member and has a pillar insertion hole for inserting the pillar, the pillar rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole in conjunction with a rotating movement of the headrest, a portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are formed to be curved with approximately the same curvature, the pillar mounting member has higher flexibility than the first member and the second member and has a pillar abutment member abutting against the pillar, and the pillar abutment member is provided so as to abut against an outer surface of the pillar inside the pillar insertion hole. With the above configuration, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed when the pillar is attached to the pillar mounting member. As described above, the flexible pillar abutment member is provided inside the pillar insertion hole so as to abut against the outer surface of the pillar. That is, the pillar abutment member is interposed between the first member and the pillar. Therefore, the pillar can be suitably assembled to the first member.

[0012] In this case, it is preferable that the pillar abutment member has a tubular shape through which the pillar can be inserted, and that the pillar abutment member has a plurality of protrusions formed at different positions on its inner surface and protruding from the inner surface toward the pillar. In addition, the raised portion may preferably have a first raised portion formed at one opening end or in the vicinity of the opening end of the pillar abutment member, and a second raised portion formed at the other opening end or in the vicinity of the opening end. With the above-described configuration, rattling of the pillar can be further suppressed when the pillar is slidably assembled inside the pillar abutment member.

[0013] In this case, it is preferable that the pillar abutment member has a positioning portion formed on an outer surface thereof and capable of being assembled to a positioned portion provided on an inner surface of the first member. With the above-described configuration, it is possible to suppress positional misalignment between the first member and the pillar abutment member.

[0014] In this case, it is preferable that the pillar abutment member has a first abutment member assembled to the first member, and a second abutment member assembled to the second member and forming a cylindrical shape together with the first abutment member. With the above configuration, the pillar abutment member can be efficiently assembled to both the first member and the second member.

[0015] In this case, it is preferable that the headrest is rotatably attached to the seat back and a headrest rotation device is provided that locks the rotational movement of the headrest, and that the portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole, the pillar insertion hole, and the pillar abutment member are curved with approximately the same radius of curvature around the rotation axis of the headrest. With the above-mentioned configuration, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed when the headrest is rotated. Also, with the above-mentioned configuration, the headrest can be suitably rotated. Also, the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be arranged compactly. The seat cushion may further include a seat cushion, a rail device supporting the seat cushion so as to be movable back and forth relative to a vehicle floor, a height link device connecting the seat cushion to the vehicle floor so that the seat cushion can be raised and lowered, and a reclining device connecting the seat back to the seat cushion so that the seat back can be rotatably connected, wherein the seat cushion has a cushion frame forming a skeleton, a cushion material placed on the cushion frame, and a skin material covering the cushion frame and the cushion material, the seat back has a cushion material placed on the back frame, and a skin material covering the back frame and the cushion material, and the headrest has a headrest frame forming a skeleton, a cushion material placed on the headrest frame, and a skin material covering the headrest frame and the cushion material. The seatback may further comprise a headrest rotation device that rotatably attaches the headrest to the seat back and locks the rotation of the headrest, the headrest rotation device preferably having a built-in drive motor and being driven by a power source. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a vehicle seat in which a headrest can be suitably attached to a seat back. Also, a divided pillar mounting member can be suitably attached to an upper portion of the seat back. Specifically, the degree of freedom in assembling the second member to the first member is increased. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the front position of the seat back (back frame) can be made compact, that is, space can be secured on the seat occupant's side. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the pillar mounting member can be arranged compactly between existing components in the front-rear direction of the seat. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the headrest can be rotated appropriately. Also, the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be prevented from becoming large, allowing for a compact arrangement. Furthermore, according to the present invention, rattling of the pillar can be suitably suppressed when the pillar is attached to the pillar mounting member. Also, the pillar can be suitably attached to the first member. Also, according to the present invention, rattling of the pillar can be further suppressed by the pillar abutment member. Furthermore, according to the present invention, positional deviation between the first member and the pillar abutment member can be suppressed. Also, according to the present invention, the pillar abutment member can be efficiently assembled to both the first member and the second member. Furthermore, according to the present invention, rattling of the pillar when the headrest is rotated can be suitably suppressed, and the pillar and the pillar mounting member can be arranged in a compact manner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a seat frame (back frame) that serves as the framework of the vehicle seat. [Diagram 3]2 is a perspective view showing a pillar, a pillar mounting member, and a headrest rotating device. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the pillar mounting member. [Figure 6A] FIG. [Figure 6B] FIG. [Figure 7A] 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a first member and a pillar are assembled to a back frame. FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a second member is assembled to a first member. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a headrest rotating device. [Figure 9A] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the headrest rotating device, illustrating a state in which the headrest is in a normal position. [Figure 9B] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the headrest rotating device, illustrating a state in which the headrest is in a moving position. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a pillar mounting member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a pillar mounting member according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. This embodiment relates to an invention for a vehicle seat having a seat back and a headrest, wherein the headrest has a pillar that supports the main body of the headrest, the seat back has a back frame that serves as a skeleton, and a pillar mounting member for mounting the pillar to the back frame, and the pillar mounting member has a first member that is attached to the upper part of the back frame, and a second member that is attached to the first member at a position that does not abut the back frame and that clamps the pillar together with the first member. In addition, the side of the vehicle seat on which a seat occupant sits relative to the seat back is the front side of the seat.

[0019] The vehicle seat S of this embodiment is a vehicle seat, as shown in FIG. 1, and is mainly composed of a seat body having a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, and a headrest 3, and, as shown in FIG. 2, a headrest rotation device 60 that rotatably attaches the headrest 3 to the seat back 2 and locks the rotational movement of the headrest 3. In addition, the vehicle seat S may further include a rail device that supports the seat body so that it can move back and forth relative to the vehicle floor, a height link device that connects the seat body to the vehicle floor so that it can be raised and lowered, and a reclining device that connects the seat back 2 to the seat cushion 1 so that it can be rotated.

[0020] The vehicle seat S is a seat in which the headrest can be switched between a "normal position" shown in FIG. 9A and a "moved position" shown in FIG. 9B by using a headrest rotation device 60. Specifically, in the vehicle seat S, the headrest 3 is rotated toward the front of the seat from the "normal position" in Fig. 9A by operating the headrest rotation device 60. Specifically, the drive shaft 62a is driven upward to rotate the rotation link 61, and the headrest 3 (pillar 31) rotates together with the rotation link 61. As a result, the vehicle seat S moves to the "movement position" in Fig. 9B. At this time, the second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64 interposed between the rotating link 61 and the drive shaft 62a change position relative to each other (rotate), thereby allowing the headrest 3 (pillar 31) to rotate smoothly.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat cushion 1 is a seating portion that supports a seated person from below, and is configured by placing a cushion material 1a on a cushion frame 10 that serves as a skeleton, and covering the cushion material 1a with a skin material 1b. The seat back 2 is a backrest portion that supports a seated occupant from behind, and is configured by placing a cushion material 2a on a back frame 20 shown in FIG. 2 that serves as a skeleton, and covering it with a skin material 2b. The headrest 3 supports the head of an occupant from behind, and is configured by placing a cushion material 3a on a headrest frame 30 (pillar 31) shown in FIG. 2, which serves as a skeleton, and covering it with a skin material 3b. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a pillar mounting member 40 for mounting a pillar 31 that serves as a core material of the headrest 3 is attached to the upper part of the back frame 20.

[0022] The cushion frame 10, although not shown in the figure, is mainly composed of cushion side frames arranged on the left and right sides and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, a pan frame installed on the front parts of each cushion side frame, a connecting frame connecting the rear parts of each cushion side frame, and a number of elastic springs hooked onto the pan frame and the connecting frame and extending in a snake-like shape in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the back frame 20 is a substantially rectangular frame-like body and is mainly composed of side frames 21 arranged on the left and right sides and extending in the vertical direction, an inverted U-shaped upper frame 22 connecting the upper end portions of each side frame 21, a plate-shaped lower frame connecting the lower end portions of each side frame 21, a number of connecting wires 23 hooked onto each side frame 21 and extending in a snake-like shape in the seat width direction, and a substantially rectangular support plate 24 held by the multiple connecting wires 23 and supporting the seated occupant from behind.

[0024] The back frame 20 further has a plate-shaped connecting plate 25 that connects the left and right frame extension portions 22 b of the upper frame 22 . A drive unit 62 is attached to the rear surface of the connecting plate 25 at the center portion in the seat width direction via a mounting bracket 26 and a holder 27 . More specifically, a U-shaped mounting bracket 26 is attached to the rear surface of the connecting plate 25 so as to protrude toward the rear of the seat. A holder 27 is attached to the mounting bracket 26 so as to protrude upward. The drive unit 62 is held by the holder 27.

[0025] The back frame 20 further has left and right mounting brackets 28 that are attached at a predetermined interval to a frame main body portion 22a of the upper frame 22 that is long in the seat width direction. Left and right rotating links 61 are attached to the left and right mounting brackets 28 via left and right rotating shafts 66, respectively. The left and right pillars 31 are attached to the left and right rotating links 61, respectively, and a second rotating link 63 and a third rotating link 64 are attached between the left and right rotating links 61.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the headrest frame 30 is mainly composed of an inverted U-shaped pillar 31 which serves as the core material of the headrest 3, and a front plate 32 and a rear plate 33 which are attached to the pillar 31 and are configured to sandwich the pillar 31 in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0027] The pillar 31 has a pillar main body portion 31a extending in the seat width direction, and left and right pillar extension portions 31b extending downward continuously from both left and right ends of the pillar main body portion 31a. The pillar extension 31b extends downward while curving toward the rear of the seat. More specifically, the pillar extension portion 31b is held by a pillar mounting member 40 provided on the upper frame 22, and extends further downward than the pillar mounting member 40. An extending end portion of the pillar extension portion 31b is connected to a rotating link 61.

[0028] The front plate 32 and the rear plate 33 are assembled so as to sandwich the pillar 31 therebetween, and after being assembled together, are configured as an integrated planar plate body. The headrest 3 is configured by placing a cushion material 3a on the planar plate body and covering it with a skin material 3b. Parts of the left and right pillar extensions 31b extend from the main body of the headrest 3 so as to protrude downward.

[0029] The pillar mounting member 40 is a cylindrical metal member for mounting the pillar 31 to the back frame 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6A and 6B, and is assembled to the upper end of the upper frame 22. The pillar mounting members 40 are disposed on the left and right sides of the upper frame 22 at a predetermined distance, and are disposed behind the upper frame 22 behind the seat.

[0030] Specifically, the pillar mounting member 40 has a first member 41 that is attached to the upper end of the upper frame 22, and a second member 42 that is attached to the first member 41 at a position that does not abut the upper frame 22 and that clamps the pillar together with the first member 41. In other words, the pillar mounting member 40 can be separated into a first member 41 and a second member 42, and is formed into an integrated structure by combining the first member 41 and the second member 42 and then assembling the bolts 43 (assembly members) at four points from the rear of the seat. Furthermore, by configuring the pillar mounting member 40 to be separable, the pillar 31 can be suitably assembled to the pillar mounting member 40 even if the pillar 31 is formed to be curved.

[0031] The first member 41 has a front surface formed with a mounting recess 41a (mounting portion) for mounting to the upper frame 22, the mounting recess 41a being arranged along the seat width direction. A plurality of assembly holes 42a for fitting the bolts 43 are formed in the rear surface of the second member 42. Furthermore, assembly recesses 41b for fitting the bolts 43 are formed in the rear surface of the first member 41 at positions corresponding to the assembly holes 42a. That is, the assembly holes 42a and the assembly recesses 41b are in communication with each other.

[0032] The pillar mounting member 40 is formed between a first member 41 and a second member 42, and has a pillar insertion hole 44 for inserting the pillar 31. In other words, a first divided hole 44a and a second divided hole 44b are formed in the first member 41 and the second member 42, respectively. In the above configuration, the pillar 31 rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole 44 in conjunction with the rotational movement of the headrest 3. 9A and 9B, it can be seen that the portion of the pillar 31 that passes through the pillar insertion hole 44 and the pillar insertion hole 44 are formed so as to be curved with approximately the same curvature.

[0033] The pillar mounting member 40 has higher flexibility than the first member 41 and the second member 42, and further includes a pillar abutment member 50 that abuts against the pillar 31. The pillar abutment member 50 is made of a resin member, and is provided inside the pillar insertion hole 44 so as to abut against the outer surface of the pillar 31 .

[0034] As shown in Figures 4 to 6A and 6B, the pillar abutment member 50 has a cylindrical shape through which the pillar 31 can be inserted, and specifically has a first abutment member 51 assembled to the first member 41, and a second abutment member 52 assembled to the second member 42 and forming a cylindrical shape together with the first abutment member 51. More specifically, the first contact member 51 is attached to a first divided hole 44a formed in the rear surface of the first member 41. The second contact member 52 is attached to a second divided hole 44b formed in the front surface of the second member 42.

[0035] The pillar abutment member 50 has a plurality of protrusions 53 formed at different positions on its inner surface and protruding from the inner surface toward the pillar 31 . That is, a rear surface of the first contact member 51 and a front surface of the second contact member 52 each have a plurality of raised portions 53 formed thereon.

[0036] The raised portion 53 has a first raised portion 53a formed around one opening end 50a of the pillar abutting member 50, and a second raised portion 53b formed around the other opening end 50b. The first raised portion 53a and the second raised portion 53b are each formed in a plurality of portions at different positions in the circumferential direction of the pillar abutting member 50. For example, three raised portions are formed in total at predetermined intervals. The above configuration makes it possible to suppress rattling of the pillar 31 when the pillar 31 is slidably assembled inside the pillar abutment member 50. It is also possible to adjust the pillar 31 so that it does not slide more than necessary. The raised portion 53 may be formed on the opening end 50a of the pillar abutment member 50.

[0037] In the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A, the pillar abutment member 50 has a positioning protrusion 54 formed on its outer surface that can be assembled into a positioning recess 45 provided on the inner surface of the pillar mounting member 40. That is, two positioning protrusions 54 that can be assembled into positioning recesses 45 formed in the first member 41 are formed on the outer surface (front surface) of the first contact member 51. The second abutting member 52 also has two positioning protrusions 54 formed on its outer surface (rear surface) that can be assembled into the positioning recesses 45 formed in the second member 42. With the above-described configuration, positional deviation of the pillar mounting member 40 and the pillar abutment member 50 can be suppressed.

[0038] In the above configuration, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the portion of the pillar 31 that passes through the pillar insertion hole 44, the pillar insertion hole 44, and the pillar abutment member 50 are curved with approximately the same radius of curvature around the rotation axis (rotation axis 66) of the headrest 3. This makes it possible to suppress rattling of the pillar 31 when the headrest 3 is rotated. Also, the pillar 31 and the pillar mounting member 40 can be arranged compactly.

[0039] 2 and 3, the back frame 20 is attached to the upper frame 22 and has a frame reinforcing member 29 (e.g., a reinforcing wire) that protrudes from the upper frame 22 toward the rear of the seat and extends longitudinally in the seat width direction. The pillar mounting member 40 is disposed in front of the frame reinforcing member 29. Therefore, the pillar mounting member 40 can be arranged compactly between existing components in the front-rear direction of the seat, and an increase in size of the vehicle seat S can be suppressed.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8, the headrest rotation device 60 is a device that can switch the headrest 3 between a "normal position" and a "moved position" in which the headrest 3 is moved toward the front of the seat from the "normal position." Specifically, the headrest rotation device 60 is mainly composed of a pivot link 61 that connects the back frame 20 and the pillar 31 and is attached to the back frame 20 so as to be rotatable together with the pillar 31, a drive unit 62 (drive shaft 62a) that is attached to the back frame 20 (connecting plate 25) and moves up and down to rotate the pivot link 61, and a second pivot link 63 and a third pivot link 64 that are interposed between the pivot link 61 and the drive shaft 62a and rotate to convert the lifting and lowering movement of the drive shaft 62a into a rotational movement of the pivot link 61. The second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64 are connected by a link connecting member 65 that is elongated in the seat width direction.

[0041] The rotating links 61 are link members that have a bent shape bent in the seat width direction and extend in the seat front-rear direction, and are disposed symmetrically inside the upper frame 22. The front end of the rotating link 61 is rotatably attached to the upper frame 22 (mounting bracket 28) via a rotating shaft 66. Further, the rear end of the rotating link 61 is rotatably attached to the third rotating link via a third rotating shaft 68 . In addition, the pillar 31 is attached to the rear end of the rotating link 61.

[0042] Specifically, the pivot link 61 has a first wall portion 61a attached to the pivot shaft 66, a second wall portion 61b bent from the rear end of the first wall portion 61a and extending inward in the seat width direction, a third wall portion 61c bent from the extended end of the second wall portion 61b and extending toward the rear of the seat, and a fourth wall portion 61d bent from the extended end of the third wall portion 61c and extending outward in the seat width direction. A third rotating shaft 68 is attached to the third wall portion 61c. Moreover, the pillar 31 is attached to the fourth wall portion 61d via an assembly bracket 61e.

[0043] The drive unit 62 is a motor-driven unit capable of raising and lowering a drive shaft 62a, and is provided inside the upper frame 22 and disposed between the left and right pillar extensions 31b in the seat width direction. More specifically, the drive unit 62 is held by the upper frame 22 (the connection plate 25 ) via a holder 27 .

[0044] The drive unit 62 includes a drive shaft 62a that can be raised and lowered, and a drive motor 62b that drives the drive shaft 62a, inside the unit body, and is connected to a vehicle power source (not shown). In detail, a wheel gear 62c that rotates around an axis along the left-right direction in response to the driving operation of the drive motor 62b, and a worm gear 62d that is meshed with the wheel gear 62c and rotates around an axis along the front-rear direction in response to the rotational operation of the wheel gear 62c are attached to the end of the drive shaft of the drive motor 62b. The screw gear portion on the outer surface of the drive shaft 62a is engaged with the worm gear 62d, so that the drive shaft 62a moves up and down while rotating about an axis along the vertical direction in response to the rotation of the worm gear 62d.

[0045] A ring-shaped stopper 62e for defining the operating range of the drive shaft 62a is attached to the upper portion of the drive shaft 62a. Further, a second rotating link 63 is rotatably attached to the upper end of the drive shaft 62a via a second rotating shaft 67.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, the second rotating link 63 is a link member extending in the front-rear direction of the seat, and is disposed between the left and right rotating links 61 and directly above the drive unit 62. The front end of the second rotating link 63 is rotatably attached to the drive shaft 62a via a second rotating shaft 67. Further, the rear end portion of the second rotating link 63 is rotatably attached to the third rotating link 64 via a link connecting member 65 .

[0047] As shown in Figures 8 and 9A, the third rotating link 64 is a link member extending in the front-to-rear direction of the seat, and is arranged between the rotating link 61 and the second rotating link 63 in the seat width direction so as to be symmetrical on the left and right. The third rotating link 64 extends from its front end toward its rear end while inclining upward, while the second rotating link 63 extends from its front end toward its rear end while inclining downward.

[0048] The front end of the third rotating link 64 is rotatably attached to the rotating link 61 via a third rotating shaft 68 . Further, the rear end of the third rotating link 64 is rotatably attached to the second rotating link 63 via a link connecting member 65 .

[0049] The link connection member 65 is a pipe-shaped member that extends long along the seat width direction, and serves as a rotation axis for the second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64. Looking at Figures 8 and 9A, it can be seen that the portions of the left and right second pivot links 63 that are connected to the link connecting members and the portions of the third pivot links that are connected to the link connecting members are arranged to overlap when viewed from the side of the seat.

[0050] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, the portion of the pivot link 61 to which the pillar 31 is connected, the second pivot link 63, and the third pivot link 64 are disposed between the left and right pillar extension portions 31b in the seat width direction. Therefore, the rotating link 61, the second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64 can be arranged compactly in the seat width direction.

[0051] In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 9A, the rotating link 61 is rotatably attached to the upper frame 22 via the mounting bracket 28, and extends so as to straddle the upper frame 22 in a side view of the seat. Further, the rotating link 61 extends so as to straddle the drive shaft 62a in a side view of the seat. Therefore, the rotating link 61 can be extended to a long length when viewed from the side of the seat. As a result, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) can be efficiently rotated in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the rotating movement of the rotating link 61.

[0052] 9A, the front end of the rotating link 61 is disposed in front of the upper frame 22 and above the rear end of the rotating link 61. The rear end of the rotating link 61 is disposed behind the upper frame 22. Therefore, the rotating link 61 can be extended long in a side view of the seat while being compactly arranged. As a result, the headrest 3 can be rotated efficiently by the rotating link 61.

[0053] In the above configuration, the second rotating link 63 is disposed at a position rearward of the upper frame 22, as shown in FIG. 9A. Therefore, the front position of the seat back 2 (the back frame 20) can be made compact. In other words, space can be secured on the seat occupant's side.

[0054] <Headrest rotation movement> Next, the operation of rotating the headrest 3 from the "normal position" to the "movement position" will be described with reference to Figs. 9A and 9B. When the vehicle seat S is in the "normal position" shown in Fig. 9A, the headrest 3 (pillar 31) is supported by a pillar mounting member 40 provided on the back frame 20. In addition, the headrest 3 is locked (held) in an upright position by the headrest turning device 60. At this time, the portion (rear end) of the rotating link 61 to which the second rotating link 63 is connected and the portion (front end) of the second rotating link 63 to which the drive shaft 62a is connected are arranged at positions overlapping each other in the seat front-rear direction. In other words, the rear end of the rotating link 61 is arranged directly below the second rotating link 63.

[0055] When the vehicle seat S is moved from the "normal position" to the "movement position", for example, the seat occupant operates an operation switch (not shown) provided on the vehicle seat S. When a seated person operates the operation switch, the drive unit 62 starts to operate. Specifically, the drive shaft 62a is driven upward to rotate the rotating link 61, which rotates the headrest 3 (pillar 31) together with the rotating link 61. As a result, the vehicle seat S moves to the "movement position" shown in FIG. 9B. At this time, the second rotating link 63 and the third rotating link 64 change their positions (rotate) relative to each other, so that the headrest 3 (pillar 31) can be smoothly rotated. When the headrest 3 is in the "moving position", the drive shaft 62a is driven to the uppermost position. That is, the lower end of the drive shaft 62a abuts against the main body of the drive unit 62, thereby restricting the movement of the drive shaft 62a. Furthermore, when the headrest 3 is in the “moving position”, the rear end of the rotating link 61 is disposed at a position further rearward than the front end of the second rotating link 63 on the seat.

[0056] Through the above series of operations, the vehicle seat S (headrest 3) is switched from the "normal position" to the "movement position." With the above-described configuration, the lifting and lowering movement of the drive shaft 62a can be smoothly converted into the rotational movement of the rotation link 61 while the headrest rotation device 60 is compactly arranged in the front-rear direction of the seat. In addition, rattling of the pillar 31 can be suppressed when the headrest 3 is rotated.

[0057] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat S includes the pillar mounting member 40 and the headrest rotation device 60, but this is not particularly limited and can be modified. For example, the vehicle seat S may be a seat that includes the pillar mounting member 40 but does not include the headrest rotating device 60. Also, for example, the vehicle seat S may be a seat that is provided with the headrest rotating device 60 but does not include the pillar mounting member 40.

[0058] In the above embodiment, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the pillar mounting member 40 is configured to be separable into a first member 41 and a second member 42 in the seat fore-and-aft direction, but this can be modified without being particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a pillar mounting member 140 may be configured to be separable into a first member 141, a second member 142, and a third member 143. In that case, it is preferable that the first member 141 is attached to the upper part of the back frame 120, and the second member 142 and the third member 143 are attached to the first member 141 so as to be aligned in the seat width direction. In other words, it is preferable that the left pillar 131 is sandwiched between the first member 141 and the second member 142, and the right pillar 131 is sandwiched between the first member 141 and the third member 143. The second member 142 and the third member 143 may be disposed so as to be in contact with each other (see FIG. 10), or may be disposed so as to be spaced apart with a predetermined distance therebetween (see FIG. 11).

[0059] Also, for example, the pillar mounting member may be configured to be separable into a first member and a second member in the seat width direction or the seat up-down direction. Alternatively, the pillar mounting member may be configured to be divisible into N pieces (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 4).

[0060] In the above embodiment, the pillar mounting member 40 is made of a metal material and the pillar abutment member 50 is made of a resin material, but there are no particular limitations and various materials may be used. It is preferable that the pillar abutment member 50 is made of a material having higher flexibility than the pillar mounting member 40 .

[0061] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest rotation device 60 is mainly composed of a rotation link 61, a motor-type drive unit 62, a second rotation link 63 and a third rotation link 64, but can be modified without being limited to the combination of the rotation link mechanism and the lifting unit. For example, the headrest rotating device 60 may rotate the headrest 3 using a known rotating member instead of a rotating link mechanism. Further, for example, the headrest rotation device 60 may be provided with a known driving means (e.g., a hydraulic or other driving unit other than a motor type) instead of the drive unit 62. Alternatively, instead of the drive unit 62, the headrest rotation device 60 may be provided with a biasing means such as a biasing spring.

[0062] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest rotation device 60 is provided with a second rotation link 63 and a third rotation link 64 that convert the lifting and lowering motion of the drive unit 62 into a rotation motion of the rotation link 61, but it does not necessarily have to be provided with multiple rotation links 63, 64. For example, the headrest rotating device 60 may be configured so that the headrest 3 is smoothly rotated by one second rotating link 63.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the invention has been described as a vehicle seat, but it may also be an invention of a method for manufacturing a vehicle seat. For example, the invention may be a manufacturing method for a vehicle seat having a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper part of the seat back, including the steps of attaching a first member of a pillar mounting member to an upper part of a back frame that forms the skeleton of the seat back, attaching a pillar that serves as a core material for the headrest to the first member, and assembling a second member to clamp the pillar against the first member. In this case, it is preferable that the second member is attached to the first member at a position where it does not come into contact with the back frame. The above method makes it possible to manufacture a vehicle seat in which a divided pillar mounting member can be suitably attached to the upper part of the seat back.

[0064] In the above embodiment, a vehicle seat for use in an automobile was described as a specific example, but without being limited thereto, the vehicle seat can be used as a vehicle seat for trains, buses, etc., as well as airplanes, ships, etc.

[0065] In this embodiment, the vehicle seat according to the present invention has been mainly described. However, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] S Vehicle seat Sa seat frame 1 seat cushion 1a, 2a, 3a Cushioning material 1b, 2b, 3b Skin material 2 Seat back 3 Headrest 10 Cushion Frame 20, 120 Back Frame 21 Side frame 122 Upper Frame 22a Frame body 22b Frame extension 23 Connecting Wire 24 Support Plate 25 Connecting plate 26 Mounting bracket 27 Holder 28 Mounting bracket 29 Frame reinforcement member 30, 130 Headrest frame 31, 131 Pillar (headrest pillar) 31a Pillar body 31b Pillar extension 32 Front plate 33 Rear plate 40, 140 Pillar mounting parts 41, 141 First member 41a Mounting recess (mounting part) 41b Assembly recess (assembly portion) 42, 142 Second member 42a Assembly hole (assembly part) 43 Bolt (assembly part) 44 Pillar insertion hole 44a First split hole 44b Second split hole 45 Positioning recess (positioned part) 50 Pillar abutment member 50a First split hole 50b 2nd split hole 51 First contact member 52 Second abutment member 53 Ridge 53a 1st protuberance 53b 2nd protuberance 54 Positioning protrusion (positioning part) 60 Headrest rotation device 61 Rotating link (first rotating link, rotating member) 61a First wall 61b 2nd wall section 61c Third wall 61d 4th wall 61e Mounting bracket 62 Drive unit 62a Drive shaft (drive member) 62b Drive motor 62c wheel gear 62d Worm Gear 62e Stopper 63 Second rotating link (second rotating member) 64 Third rotating link (second rotating member) 65 Link connecting member 66 Rotating shaft (first rotating shaft) 67 Second rotating shaft 68 3rd rotating shaft 143 Third member

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, The headrest has a pillar supporting a main body of the headrest, The seat back has a back frame as a skeleton, and a pillar mounting member provided on an upper portion of the back frame for mounting the pillar to the back frame, The pillar mounting member is A first member attached to an upper portion of the back frame; a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and configured to sandwich the pillar together with the first member, The back frame includes side frames disposed on the left and right sides in a seat width direction, and an upper frame connecting upper portions of the left and right side frames, The pillar mounting member is disposed at a position rearward of the seat relative to the upper frame, The back frame has a frame reinforcing member attached to the upper frame, protruding from the upper frame toward the rear of the seat, and extending longitudinally in the seat width direction, The vehicle seat, wherein the pillar mounting member is disposed at a position forward of the frame reinforcing member.

2. The headrest is attached to the seat back so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction of the seat, the pillar mounting member is formed between the first member and the second member and has a pillar insertion hole for inserting the pillar therethrough; The pillar rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole in accordance with the rotational movement of the headrest, 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are curved with approximately the same curvature.

3. A vehicle seat including a seat back and a headrest attached to an upper portion of the seat back, The headrest has a pillar supporting a main body of the headrest, The seat back has a back frame as a skeleton, and a pillar mounting member provided on an upper portion of the back frame for mounting the pillar to the back frame, The pillar mounting member is A first member attached to an upper portion of the back frame; a second member attached to the first member at a position not in contact with the back frame and configured to sandwich the pillar together with the first member, The headrest is attached to the seat back so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction of the seat, the pillar mounting member is formed between the first member and the second member and has a pillar insertion hole for inserting the pillar therethrough; The pillar rotates while passing through the pillar insertion hole in accordance with the rotational movement of the headrest, a portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole and the pillar insertion hole are formed to be curved with substantially the same curvature, the pillar mounting member has a pillar abutment member that has higher flexibility than the first member and the second member and abuts against the pillar, The vehicle seat, wherein the pillar abutment member is provided inside the pillar insertion hole so as to abut against an outer surface of the pillar.

4. The pillar abutment member has a tubular shape through which the pillar can be inserted, 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the pillar contact member has a plurality of protruding portions formed at different positions on an inner surface thereof and protruding from the inner surface toward the pillar.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, characterized in that the raised portion has a first raised portion formed at one opening end or in the vicinity of an opening end of the pillar abutment member, and a second raised portion formed at the other opening end or in the vicinity of the opening end.

6. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the pillar abutment member has a positioning portion formed on its outer surface and capable of being assembled to a positioned portion provided on the inner surface of the first member.

7. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the pillar abutment member has a first abutment member assembled to the first member, and a second abutment member assembled to the second member and forming a cylindrical shape together with the first abutment member.

8. a headrest rotation device that rotatably attaches the headrest to the seat back and locks the rotation of the headrest, The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the portion of the pillar that passes through the pillar insertion hole, the pillar insertion hole, and the pillar abutment member are curved with approximately the same radius of curvature about the rotation axis of the headrest.

9. A seat cushion, a rail device that supports the seat cushion so that the seat cushion can move back and forth relative to a vehicle body floor; a height link device that connects the seat cushion to the vehicle body floor so as to be capable of lifting and lowering; a reclining device that rotatably connects the seat back to the seat cushion, The seat cushion includes a cushion frame serving as a skeleton, a cushion material placed on the cushion frame, and a cover material covering the cushion frame and the cushion material, The seat back includes a cushion material placed on the back frame and a cover material covering the back frame and the cushion material, 9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the headrest comprises a headrest frame that serves as a skeleton, a cushioning material that is placed on the headrest frame, and a cover material that covers the headrest frame and the cushioning material.

10. A headrest rotation device is further provided for rotatably mounting the headrest to the seat back and locking the rotational movement of the headrest, 10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the headrest rotating device has a built-in drive motor and is driven by a power source.

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