Saddle-type seat, method for controlling fluid in a straddle-type seat, and method for manufacturing a straddle-type seat

Abstract

To provide a straddle type seat capable of reducing fatigue of a seated person by promoting blood flow of the seated person.SOLUTION: A straddle type seat having a seating surface to be taken by a seated person, has multiple air cells 50 disposed on the furthermore inside than the seating surface, capable of storing compressed-air, and ECU for controlling flow of the compressed-air. The ECU controls flow of the compressed-air so that multiple adjacently-positioned air cells 50 are expanded or contracted following a preset expansion / contraction pattern.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-type seat, a method for controlling fluid within a straddle-type seat, and a method for manufacturing a straddle-type seat, and in particular to a straddle-type seat with a built-in movable body, a method for controlling fluid within a straddle-type seat, and a method for manufacturing a straddle-type seat. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art With regard to straddle-type seat devices for motorcycles, there have been proposed devices that house a bag called an air cell, which can be inflated by injecting compressed air into the interior thereof. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that controls the hardness of the seating surface by controlling the air flow so that multiple air cells housed in cushioning material inside the seat expand or contract depending on the riding conditions of the motorcycle, thereby making it possible to maintain the seating position of the occupant in a good condition. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-069107 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although the technology described in Patent Document 1 can maintain a good seating position for the occupant, it cannot reduce fatigue of the occupant who drives a motorcycle for a long period of time. In other words, the buttocks and thighs of the occupant who continues to drive in the same position are in close contact with the seat and are continuously compressed, causing the driver to feel fatigued over time.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a straddle-type seat that can reduce the fatigue of an occupant by promoting blood flow to the occupant, a method for controlling fluid within the straddle-type seat, and a method for manufacturing the straddle-type seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the straddle-type seat of the present invention, which has a seating surface on which an occupant sits, and includes a plurality of bags that are arranged inside the seating surface and can contain fluid, and a control unit that controls the flow of the fluid, and the control unit controls the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags that are located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order. The plurality of bags include a plurality of right-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in a seat width direction and a plurality of left-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the straddle-type seat further including a plurality of pressure sensors that detect pressure applied to the seating surface and correspond to each of the plurality of bags, and the control unit, before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag is inflated and deflated, determines the bag corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface and specifies the bag to be subject to inflation / deflation control based on the determination result, and then, for each of the right-side bags and the left-side bags that have been specified as the bag to be subject to inflation / deflation control, the bag body arranged most rearward in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged most rearward in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, This is solved by:

[0007] According to the above configuration, by inflating or deflating adjacent bag bodies in a predetermined order, it is possible to stimulate the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person, thereby promoting blood flow in the buttocks and thighs of the seated person and reducing fatigue of the seated person.

[0010] The above-mentioned straddle-type seat preferably has a cushion material and a skin material that covers the cushion material and has the seating surface, and a heating element is disposed between the cushion material and the skin material. According to the above configuration, the buttocks and thighs of the seated person are heated by a heating element arranged inside the covering material, thereby promoting blood flow to the seated person and reducing fatigue of the seated person.

[0011] The straddle-type seat preferably includes a blower and an air outlet provided behind the seating surface and for discharging gas blown by the blower. According to the above configuration, the seated occupant can be cooled by blowing air from behind the buttocks of the occupant. In other words, the rider of the motorcycle can feel a pleasant cool sensation due to the air blown from the front and the air blown from the rear while riding.

[0012] The straddle-type seat preferably includes a blower and an air outlet provided in the center of the seating surface in the width direction and for discharging the gas blown by the blower. With the above-described configuration, the rider of the motorcycle receives air blown from under the buttocks, which makes it possible to effectively prevent the rider's buttocks from becoming sweaty. In the above straddle-type seat, it is preferable that each of the plurality of pressure sensors is disposed within the bag, and the control unit changes the amount of compressed air injected based on the output of the pressure sensor.

[0013] The problem is solved by the method for controlling fluid in a straddle-type seat of the present invention, which is a method for controlling fluid in a straddle-type seat having a seating surface on which an occupant sits, the straddle-type seat having a plurality of bags arranged inside the seating surface and capable of containing fluid, and a control unit that controls the flow of the fluid, and the control unit controls the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order. The plurality of bags include a plurality of right-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in a seat width direction and a plurality of left-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the straddle-type seat having a plurality of pressure sensors that detect pressure applied to the seating surface and correspond to each of the plurality of bags, and the control unit, before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag is inflated and deflated, determines the bag corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface and specifies the bag to be subject to inflation and deflation control based on the determination result, and then, for each of the right-side bags and the left-side bags specified as the bag to be subject to inflation and deflation control, the bag body arranged at the front of the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence, the bag body arranged at the second frontmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence, the bag body arranged at the frontmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence, the bag body arranged at the second frontmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged at the second frontmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence, the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence, and then the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in sequence. This is solved by:

[0014] According to the above configuration, by inflating or deflating adjacent bag bodies in a predetermined order, it is possible to stimulate the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person, thereby promoting blood flow in the buttocks and thighs of the seated person and reducing fatigue of the seated person.

[0015] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the manufacturing method of the straddle-type seat of the present invention, which is a manufacturing method of a straddle-type seat having a seating surface on which a seat occupant sits, and includes a bag body disposing step of disposing a plurality of bags capable of containing a fluid in a cushion material, a cushion material attaching step of attaching the cushion material to a base material of the straddle-type seat, a control unit disposing step of disposing a control unit in the base material that controls the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order, and a covering step of covering the cushion material with a cover material. The plurality of bags include a plurality of right-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in a seat width direction and a plurality of left-side bags arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the bag arrangement step being arranged together with the bags, the plurality of pressure sensors being arranged on the bags and detecting pressure applied to the seating surface and corresponding to each of the plurality of bags, the control unit arrangement step being arranged to determine the bag corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag expands and contracts, and specifying the bag to be subject to inflation / contraction control based on the determination result, and for each of the right-side bags and the left-side bags identified as the bag to be subject to inflation / contraction control, the control unit is disposed on the base material, and controls the flow of the fluid so that the bag body disposed rearward is inflated and deflated, then the bag body arranged at the rear in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially, the bag body adjacent to the front of the bag body arranged at the rearmost in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated second from the front, next the bag body arranged at the frontmost in a row on the outside in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, then the bag body arranged at the second most forward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated in the reverse order, the bag body arranged at the second most forward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated second from the front, then the bag body adjacent to the rear of the bag body arranged at the second most forward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially, and then the bag body arranged at the rearmost in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated To do is solved by

[0016] According to the above configuration, by expanding and contracting adjacent bag bodies in a predetermined order, it is possible to stimulate the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person, thereby promoting blood flow to the buttocks and thighs of the seated person and reducing fatigue of the seated person. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The straddle-type seat of the present invention can promote blood flow to the seated occupant, thereby reducing fatigue of the seated occupant. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic view of the appearance of a motorcycle equipped with a motorcycle seat according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an external view of a motorcycle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a motorcycle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the front pad showing the arrangement of air cells. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along line B-B. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fluid supply device and an air cell. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an external view of the fluid supply device. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the front pad, showing the arrangement of the sheet heating elements. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the sequence in which air cells expand or contract. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the flow of a fatigue reduction process. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of a manufacturing procedure for a motorcycle seat. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an external view of a motorcycle seat according to a modified example. [Figure 14]10A and 10B are diagrams showing the rear side of a front pad and the arrangement of air cells according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, a motorcycle seat 1 as a straddle-type seat according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. The motorcycle seat 1 according to the present embodiment is a saddle-type seat that covers a storage space for storing a helmet from above and on which a seated person (driver, passenger) sits in a straddle-type position. The motorcycle seat 1 is removably attached to the motorcycle V.

[0020] The embodiment described below is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the shapes, dimensions, arrangements, etc. of the components described below may be changed or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0021] Regarding terms indicating directions in this specification, each direction is defined as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Specifically, in the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the motorcycle V, which coincides with the front-rear direction of the motorcycle seat 1. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction (horizontal width) of the motorcycle seat 1, which coincides with the left-right direction as seen by the seated person, and is also referred to as the "left-right direction." Furthermore, the "up-down direction" coincides with the up-down direction of the motorcycle V, and is along the vertical direction when the motorcycle V is standing upright on a horizontal plane.

[0022] <Main components of motorcycle seat 1> As shown in Fig. 1, a motorcycle seat 1 according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as motorcycle seat 1) is mounted on a motorcycle V by being attached to a vehicle body B (motorcycle main body). Motorcycle seat 1 is a two-seater seat having a front seating portion 2 for the rider at the front and a rear seating portion 3 for a passenger at the rear. The front seating section 2 and the rear seating section 3 are portions that come into contact with the buttocks and thighs of a person seated on the motorcycle V (i.e., the driver and passenger). A non-seating section 4 is provided between the front seating section 2 and the rear seating section 3 in the motorcycle seat 1, where the rider does not sit.

[0023] 2 is an external view of the motorcycle seat 1, and for convenience of illustration, a portion of the motorcycle seat 1 is shown with the cover material 20 removed to expose the cushion pad 30 (front pad 31). The cover material 20 covers the cushion pad 30 and has a seating surface 2A on which a seated person sits. The seating surface 2A has a buttocks support surface 2Aa that supports the buttocks of the rider and a thigh contact surface 2Ab that is sandwiched between the rider's left and right thighs.

[0024] An air outlet 5 is provided behind the front seating portion 2, through which gas blown by a blower 17 (air blower) described later is directed toward the driver. More specifically, the air outlet 5 is provided at the lower part (base end) of the non-seating portion 4 provided at the rear end of the front seating portion 2, in a position facing the buttocks and lower back of the driver.

[0025] With this configuration, the driver can be cooled by blowing air from behind the driver's buttocks and lower back. That is, the driver can feel a pleasant coolness from the air blown from the front and the air blown from the rear while driving. In addition, since the air blown from the blower 17 hits the area under the seated person's buttocks, it is possible to effectively prevent the driver's buttocks from getting stuffy.

[0026] Additionally, the cover material 20 is provided with a mesh member at a position of the motorcycle seat 1 corresponding to the air outlet 5. The mesh member has a mesh-like shape, and prevents foreign matter from entering the motorcycle seat 1 from the outside while ensuring the breathability of the air being blown.

[0027] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the motorcycle seat 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3 and 4, the motorcycle seat 1 is made up of a bottom plate 10, a cushion pad 30 equivalent to a cushioning material, and a not-shown cover material 20. In other words, the motorcycle seat 1 is made up of the cushion pad 30 placed on the bottom plate 10, and the cover material 20 that covers the cushion pad 30 and has a seating surface 2A.

[0028] The bottom plate 10, which constitutes the underside of the motorcycle seat 1 and corresponds to the base material, is made of a resin material and has, in order from the front, a front portion 11 corresponding to the front seating portion 2, an inclined portion 12 corresponding to the non-seating portion 4, and a rear portion 13 corresponding to the rear seating portion 3. The bottom plate 10 has a front surface 14 and a back surface 15, and a cushion pad 30 is placed on the front surface 14. A blower 17 is attached to the back surface 15 (see FIG. 4). The blower 17 is connected to a duct member 16 via a blower opening 18, and the gas blown by the blower 17 passes through the duct member 16. An opening 16a of the duct member 16 is disposed at a position corresponding to the air outlet 5 described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0029] The cushion pad 30 is a urethane pad that has elasticity and is a shock-absorbing material that buffers pressure applied to the seating surface 2A. The cushion pad 30 is divided into two parts, from the front: a front pad 31 corresponding to the front seating portion 2, and a rear pad 32 corresponding to the non-seating portion 4 and the rear seating portion 3.

[0030] 4, the upper surface of the front pad 31 is covered with a sheet heating element 33. That is, the sheet heating element 33 is disposed between the cushion pad 30 (front pad 31) and the covering material 20, and can heat the buttocks and thighs of the driver. The sheet heating element 33 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 and 6, the front pad 31 has an accommodating recess 31a on its inner side for accommodating a plurality of air cells 50. A pad inclined portion 31b is formed at the rear end of the front pad 31, and is inclined downward toward the rear in the seat width direction.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 3 , the rear pad 32 has a cutout 32a provided corresponding to the air outlet 5. The cutout 32a extends in the seat width direction, and by combining the rear pad 32 with the front pad 31, an opening corresponding to the air outlet 5 is formed. The rear pad 32 also has an opening 32b at an upper position corresponding to the air intake of the blower 17.

[0032] <About Aircell 50> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the air cells 50 as viewed from below the front pad 31. As shown in FIG. 5, 17 accommodating recesses 31a for accommodating the air cells 50 are formed in a predetermined regular arrangement on the back side of the front pad 31 that constitutes the front seating portion 2. Each accommodating recess 31a accommodates one air cell 50. The accommodating recess 31a and the air cell 50 will be described in detail below.

[0033] Seventeen accommodating recesses 31a are regularly arranged at equal intervals in a position of the front pad 31 corresponding to the rear side of the seating surface 2A. As shown in FIG. 5, the accommodating recesses 31a are formed in five rows in the width direction. The central row in the width direction has three accommodating recesses 31a arranged in a line in the front-rear direction. The rows adjacent to the central row on the left and right have four accommodating recesses 31a arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, respectively. The outermost rows in the width direction have three accommodating recesses 31a arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, respectively.

[0034] The three storage recesses 31a arranged in the center row in the width direction are alternately shifted so that their front-to-rear positions differ by an equal distance from the four storage recesses 31a arranged in the adjacent rows on the left and right.Similarly, the three storage recesses 31a arranged in the outermost row in the width direction are alternately shifted so that their front-to-rear positions differ by an equal distance from the four storage recesses 31a arranged in the adjacent row on the inside.

[0035] One air cell 50 is disposed in each of the accommodation recesses 31a. The air cell 50 is made of a stretchable material, such as a synthetic resin such as polyethylene or polyurethane, and is a bag capable of containing a fluid. That is, the air cell 50 expands when compressed air is injected into it, and contracts when the injected air is discharged.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 6, the air cells 50 are housed from below in the housing recesses 31a formed on the back side of the front pad 31. The upper wall surfaces of the housing recesses 31a are located below the upper end surface of the cushion pad 30. In other words, a urethane pad layer that forms the front pad 31 is present above each housing recess 31a.

[0037] When a seated person sits on the seating surface 2A, the pressure (body pressure and seat pressure) applied to the seating surface 2A is buffered by the urethane pad. When compressed air is injected into the air cells 50, the air cells 50 expand, and as shown in FIG. 6 , the upper ends of the air cells 50 press against the upper end surfaces of the accommodation recesses 31a from below. The urethane pad then compresses and stimulates the buttocks and thighs of the seated person from the inside of the motorcycle seat 1 while buffering the pressure from below due to the expansion of the air cells 50. Specifically, the urethane pad stimulates the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, or adductor muscles of the seated person. As described below, the flow of compressed air is controlled so that adjacent air cells 50 expand and contract (expand and contract) in a predetermined order. This provides a so-called massage effect, promoting blood flow to the seated person and reducing fatigue.

[0038] 6, a plurality of pressure sensors 51 are disposed at the upper end of each air cell 50, each corresponding to one of the air cells 50. The pressure sensors 51 can detect the pressure applied to the seating surface 2A at a position corresponding to each air cell 50. As will be described later, the pressure sensors 51 are used to determine whether or not a seated occupant is in contact with the motorcycle seat 1 at the positions where the pressure sensors 51 are disposed. The pressure sensor 51 may be disposed between the upper surface of the front pad 31 and the covering material 20, rather than at the upper end of the air cell 50. This allows the pressure applied to the seating surface 2A to be detected more accurately.

[0039] 5, on the inside of the seating surface 2A, the 17 air cells 50 housed in the front pad 31 include a right-side air cell group 50A of seven arranged on the right side as seen from the seat occupant and a left-side air cell group 50B of seven arranged on the left side as seen from the seat occupant. The right-side air cell group 50A and the left-side air cell group 50B are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the motorcycle seat 1 in the width direction. The right air cell group 50A applies pressure to the right buttocks and right thigh of the seated person, while the left air cell group 50B applies pressure to the left buttocks and left thigh of the seated person, thereby reducing fatigue in both the left and right lower body halves of the seated person.

[0040] 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the fluid supply device 40 and air cell 50 built into the motorcycle seat 1. The fluid supply device 40 mainly comprises an air supply pump 41 that generates compressed air, a valve unit 42, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 44 that controls the entire fluid supply device 40. That is, the ECU 44 (controller) controls the flow of compressed air via the air supply pump 41 and the valve unit 42 and executes a fatigue reduction process, which will be described later. The fluid supply device 40 also comprises a tube 43 that supplies compressed air from the air supply pump 41 to the air cell 50 via the valve unit 42.

[0041] FIG. 8 is an external view of the fluid supply device 40. As shown in FIG. The air supply pump 41 is configured by a small air pump that generates compressed air. The valve unit 42 has a plurality of compressed air discharge ports and can switch the supply destination of the compressed air generated by the air supply pump 41. Specifically, the valve unit 42 has an electromagnetic valve (not shown) inside, and by controlling the electromagnetic valve, it can switch the discharge port from which the compressed air is actually discharged, out of the plurality of discharge ports.

[0042] A tube 43 is connected to each discharge port. Each tube 43 forms a compressed air supply path. Each tube 43 is also connected to a compressed air inlet of an air cell 50. Therefore, when the discharge port from which the compressed air is actually discharged in the valve unit 42 is switched, the supply destination of the compressed air (i.e., the air cell 50 to which the compressed air is sent) is switched. One or two air cells 50 are connected to the end of each tube 43.

[0043] 7, in addition to the fluid supply device 40, the ECU 44 has the function of controlling the airflow of the blower 17 and controlling the heating of the sheet heating element 33. That is, the ECU 44 controls the heating of the sheet heating element 33 based on the outside air temperature measured by the temperature sensor 45. The temperature sensor 45 is configured by a thermistor or a resistance temperature detector, and is attached to the inside of the covering material 20 to measure the outside air temperature. The temperature sensor 45 is attached at a position away from the seating surface 2A, for example, at the front or rear end of the motorcycle seat 1, so as to accurately measure the outside air temperature without being affected by the body temperature of the seated person.

[0044] When the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the ECU 44 controls the heating of the sheet heating element 33. By controlling the heating of the sheet heating element 33 when the outside air temperature is low, a comfortable driving environment is provided for the seated occupant, and fatigue of the seated occupant can be reduced by promoting blood flow to the buttocks and thighs of the seated occupant.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a view of the front pad 31 seen from below, showing the arrangement of the air cells 50 and the sheet heating elements 33. 9, the sheet heating element 33 is configured from a conductive wire (resistance heating element) connected to a pair of electrodes, meandering while changing direction left and right, and covering the entire seating surface 2A in a planar form. That is, the sheet heating element 33 is disposed between the covering material 20 and the cushion pad 30, and heats the buttocks and inner thighs of the seated person. This promotes blood flow in the buttocks and thighs of the seated person, and reduces fatigue of the seated person.

[0046] Here, the conductor pattern and electrode arrangement of the sheet heating element 33 are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 9. For example, a pair of electrode lines (bus bars) extending in the front-rear direction may be arranged at both ends in the width direction of the cushion pad 30, and conductive wires having a grid pattern may be arranged in a planar manner between the electrodes. This allows the seating surface 2A to be heated evenly and uniformly, and even if a break occurs in part of the conductor pattern, the seated occupant can be heated by conductive wires in a location other than the break, thereby improving the durability of the sheet heating element 33.

[0047] <About fatigue reduction treatment> Next, the fatigue reduction process executed by the ECU 44 will be described in more detail. The ECU 44 controls the flow of compressed air injected into the air cells 50 to stimulate the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person and promote blood flow in the buttocks and thighs of the seated person. Specifically, the ECU 44 controls the flow of compressed air so that multiple air cells 50 located adjacent to each other expand or contract in a predetermined sequence.

[0048] First, the positions and order of the air cells 50 that are controlled to expand and contract (hereinafter, this will be referred to as an expansion / contraction pattern) will be described. As described above, the air cells 50 include a right air cell group 50A and a left air cell group 50B, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the width direction. Below, the positions and orders of expansion and contraction of the air cells 50 will be described for the right air cell group 50A, but the same applies to the left air cell group 50B.

[0049] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the expansion / contraction pattern. 10, among the seven right air cell group 50A, the air cell 50 (hereinafter referred to as air cell 50A1) arranged at the rearmost position in the row closest to the center in the width direction, i.e., the air cell 50A1 arranged at a position corresponding to the rear of the seated occupant's buttocks, is inflated first. Next, as air cell 50A1 is deflated, the air cell 50 (hereinafter referred to as air cell 50A2) arranged second from the rear in the row closest to the center, i.e., the air cell 50A2 arranged at a position corresponding to the front of the seated occupant's buttocks, is inflated second. Next, as air cell 50B1 is deflated, the air cell 50 (hereinafter referred to as air cell 50A3) arranged third from the rear (second from the front) in the row closest to the center, i.e., the air cell 50A3 arranged at a position corresponding to the hip joint side of the back of the seated occupant's thighs, is inflated third. Fourth, air cell 50A3 is contracted, and the air cell 50 located furthest forward in the row on the outer side in the width direction (referred to as air cell 50A4), i.e., the air cell 50A4 arranged at a position corresponding to the inside of the occupant's thighs, is inflated.

[0050] The subsequent fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth control the air cells 50 in the reverse order of the first to fourth control sequences. That is, from an expanded state, air cell 50A4 contracts, and air cell 50A3 expands. Next, air cell 50A3 contracts, and air cell 50A2 expands. Then, air cell 50A2 contracts, and air cell 50A1 expands. Finally, air cell 50A1 contracts, completing the series of expansion / contraction controls for the expansion / contraction pattern shown in FIG. 10.

[0051] The ECU 44 repeats the above-described expansion / contraction pattern at predetermined time intervals. As a result, the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person are stimulated from the inside of the motorcycle seat 1. This massage effect promotes blood flow to the buttocks and inner thighs of the seated person, thereby reducing fatigue of the seated person.

[0052] The inflation / deflation patterns of the air cells 50 controlled by the ECU 44 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 10. The memory 44a (see Fig. 7) built into the ECU 44 can store a plurality of operation modes and store different inflation / deflation patterns in association with each operation mode.

[0053] FIG. 11 shows the flow of the fatigue reduction process executed by the ECU 44. As shown in Fig. 11, the ECU 44 first determines whether a condition for starting the fatigue reduction process has been met (step S10). The condition for starting the fatigue reduction process may be, for example, that the motorcycle V has started traveling. Alternatively, the condition for starting the fatigue reduction process may be that a predetermined time (for example, one hour) has passed since the motorcycle V started traveling, or that the driver has performed an operation input to start the fatigue reduction process. Then, biometric information of the seated occupant may be detected based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 51 described above, and the fatigue of the seated occupant may be estimated based on the biometric information, and this may be used as the condition for starting the fatigue reduction process. If it is determined that the conditions for starting the fatigue reduction process are not satisfied (step S10: No), the process waits until the conditions for starting the fatigue reduction process are satisfied.

[0054] If it is determined that the start condition is satisfied (step S10: Yes), the ECU 44 reads the inflation / deflation pattern from the memory 44a (step S11). As described above, the inflation / deflation pattern is information that can identify the position and order of the air cells 50 to expand or contract. In addition to the position and order, the inflation / deflation pattern may include information that can identify the timing of expansion or contraction. The inflation / deflation pattern may also include information that can identify the amount of expansion / deflation and the amount of contraction. As described above, a plurality of inflation / deflation patterns are stored in advance in the memory 44a, and the driver can select a desired inflation / deflation pattern and read it from the memory 44a.

[0055] Next, the ECU 44 determines whether the inflation / deflation pattern read in step S11 needs to be modified (step S12). Specifically, the ECU 44 determines whether the body pressure or seat pressure of the seated occupant has been detected for the air cells 50 stored in the inflation / deflation pattern, based on the pressure signal detected by the pressure sensor 51. This determines whether any of the air cells 50 stored in the inflation / deflation pattern corresponds to a position where the seated occupant is not in contact with the motorcycle seat 1. If it is determined that any air cells 50 correspond to a position where the seated occupant is not in contact with the motorcycle seat 1, it determines that the inflation / deflation pattern needs to be modified. Conversely, if it is determined that no air cells 50 correspond to a position where the seated occupant is not in contact with the motorcycle seat 1, it determines that the inflation / deflation pattern does not need to be modified.

[0056] If it is determined that the inflation / deflation pattern needs to be modified (step S12: Yes), the ECU 44 modifies the inflation / deflation pattern (step S13). That is, the air cells 50 that are not in contact with the motorcycle seat 1 by the seated occupant are excluded from the inflation / deflation control. In this way, the ECU 44 controls the expansion / contraction of only the air cells 50 corresponding to the pressure sensors 51 that detect the pressure applied to the seating surface 2A. This allows only the air cells 50 that need to be prevented from contracting to be appropriately expanded / contracted in accordance with the body shape of the seated person.

[0057] If it is determined that the expansion / contraction pattern does not need to be modified (step S12: No), or if the expansion / contraction pattern is modified in step S13, the sheet heating element 33 is heated (step S14), and the air cells 50 are expanded / contracted (step S15). The expansion / contraction control of the air cells 50 has been described with reference to Fig. 10, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0058] Next, the ECU 44 determines whether a condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process is met (step S16). The condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process is, for example, when the seated occupant leaves the motorcycle seat 1. The ECU 44 determines that the seated occupant has left the motorcycle seat 1 on the condition that none of the pressure sensors 51 detects body pressure or seat pressure. Alternatively, the condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process may be when the motorcycle V has stopped traveling. Furthermore, the condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process may be when the driver has performed an operation input to stop the fatigue reduction process.

[0059] If it is determined that the condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process is not satisfied (step S16: No), the ECU 44 returns to step S15 and continues the fatigue reduction process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the condition for stopping the fatigue reduction process is satisfied (step S16: Yes), the ECU 44 ends the fatigue reduction process.

[0060] <Method of manufacturing a motorcycle seat according to this embodiment> Next, a method for manufacturing the motorcycle seat 1 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the flow of the manufacturing procedure for the motorcycle seat 1. Specifically, first, the air cells 50 are disposed on the back side of the front pad 31 that constitutes the cushion pad 30. That is, one air cell 50 capable of accommodating compressed air is accommodated in each of the 17 accommodation recesses 31a formed on the back side of the front pad 31 (bag arrangement step) (step S20). Next, the cushion pad 30 is attached to the bottom plate 10 (cushion material attaching step) (step S21). That is, the front pad 31 and the rear pad 32, which house the air cells 50 in step S20, are attached to the bottom plate 10. At this time, the planar heating element 33 is also disposed on the upper surface of the cushion pad 30.

[0061] Next, the fluid supply device 40 is disposed on the bottom plate 10 (controller disposing step) (step S22). The fluid supply device 40 may be fixed to the rear surface 15 of the bottom plate 10, or may be fixed to the front surface 14 of the bottom plate 10 (between the bottom plate 10 and the cushion pad 30). As described with reference to FIG. 7, the fluid supply device 40 has an ECU 44 that controls the flow of compressed air so that the plurality of air cells 50 located adjacent to each other expand in a predetermined order. Finally, the cushion pad 30 placed on the bottom plate 10 is covered with the cover material 20 (cover material covering step) (step S23). Through the steps described above, the motorcycle seat 1 according to this embodiment is finally completed.

[0062] <First Modification> The configuration of a motorcycle seat 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the above-described embodiment is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and of course, the present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

[0063] The air blowing function of the first modified example will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. In the above-described embodiment, the gas blown by the blower 17 is sent toward the seated occupant from the air outlet 5A provided at the rear of the seating surface 2A to suppress a rise in body temperature on the surface of the seated occupant's buttocks and lower back. In contrast, in the first modified example, the gas blown by the blower 17 is sent toward the seated occupant from the air outlet 5A provided in the center of the seating surface 2A in the width direction.

[0064] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the rear side of a front pad 31 and the arrangement of air cells 50 according to a first modified example. As shown in FIG. 14, fourteen accommodation recesses 31a for accommodating the air cells 50 are formed on the rear side of the front pad 31. The accommodation recesses 31a include an accommodation recess 31a for accommodating the right air cell group 50A and an accommodation recess 31a for accommodating the left air cell group 50B, with no accommodation recesses 31a formed in the widthwise center. Furthermore, an air vent 31c is formed in the center of the front pad 31 to guide the gas blown by the blower 17 to the air outlet 5A. Thus, the gas blown by the blower 17 is guided through the air vent 31c toward the air outlet 5A located in the widthwise center of the seating surface 2A. The gas passing through the air outlet 5A is then blown out from under the buttocks of the seated occupant. This cools the area under the buttocks of the seated occupant and effectively prevents the seated occupant from getting stuffy.

[0065] <Second Modification> Next, an explanation will be given of the expansion / contraction pattern according to the second modification. In the above-described embodiment, the flow of compressed air is controlled so that the air cells 50 expand and contract, thereby stimulating the gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and adductor muscles of the seated person, but it is also possible to stimulate only the adductor muscles. While riding, the rider of motorcycle V controls his or her center of gravity and the direction of travel of motorcycle V by using what is known as a "knee grip." In other words, the rider presses the fuel tank inward with his or her thighs and knees. For this reason, if the rider continues to ride for a long period of time, the rider's adductor muscles are overworked, and fatigue accumulates. Therefore, the expansion / contraction pattern according to the second modification controls the flow of compressed air so that the air cells 50 arranged at positions corresponding to the adductor muscles of the seated person expand and contract. Specifically, the flow of compressed air is controlled so that the air cells 50 arranged at positions corresponding to the thigh contact surface 2Ab of the seating surface 2A expand and contract. This provides stimulation to the adductor muscles of the occupant operating the motorcycle V, promoting blood flow to the thighs of the occupant through a massaging effect, and effectively reducing fatigue of the occupant.

[0066] <Third Modification> Next, a method of controlling compressed air according to a third modification will be described. In the above embodiment, a predetermined amount of compressed air is controlled to be injected into or discharged from the air cell 50 based on the inflation / deflation pattern. However, an air pressure sensor 52 may be disposed inside the air cell 50, and the amount of compressed air injected may be changed based on the output of the air pressure sensor 52. This allows an appropriate amount of compressed air to be injected into the air cell 50 even if the air cell 50 is deformed by the body pressure applied by the seated occupant, making it possible to provide the seated occupant with a stimulus of appropriate strength. Furthermore, the injection of compressed air may be stopped when the output of the air pressure sensor 52 exceeds a certain value, thereby preventing damage to the air cell 50 due to excessive injection of compressed air.

[0067] <Fourth Modification> Next, a heating element according to a fourth modification will be described. In the above embodiment, heating control is performed by the sheet heating element 33 disposed on the upper surface of the front pad 31, but this is not limiting. For example, compressed air injected into the air cells 50 may be heated, and the air cells 50 may control heating of the seating surface 2A. In this case, for example, the fluid supply device 40 may have a built-in heater, and the compressed air may be heated by the heater. This eliminates the need to dispose the sheet heating element 33 below the seating surface 2A, preventing the sheet heating element 33 from breaking due to the body pressure of the seated person, thereby improving the durability of the motorcycle seat 1.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment, the fluid supply device 40 has been described as being built into the motorcycle seat 1. However, the fluid supply device 40 may be disposed outside the motorcycle seat 1, in the vehicle body B (the motorcycle body). In this way, even the case where the fluid supply device 40 disposed in the vehicle body B controls the flow of compressed air injected into the air cells 50 disposed inside the motorcycle seat 1 is also included in the present invention.

[0069] The straddle-type seat according to the present embodiment has been described above as a vehicle seat primarily used in motorcycles. However, the straddle-type seat according to the present embodiment is not limited to vehicle seats for motorcycles, and can also be applied to, for example, snowmobiles, jet skis, three-wheeled buggies, or construction machinery seats. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1 Motorcycle seats (straddle-type seats) 2 Front seating area 2A Seating surface 2Aa Buttock support surface 2Ab Thigh contact surface 3 Rear seating area 4 Non-seating area 5, 5A air outlet 10 Bottom Plate 11 Front section 12 Slope 13 Rear part 14 Surface 15 Back side 16 Duct components 17 Blower 18 Blower opening 20 Skin material 30 cushion pads 31 Front pad (cushioning material) 31a Receiving recess 31b Pad inclination 31c Ventilation hole 32 rear pad 32a Notch 32b hole 33 Planar heating element 40 Fluid supply device 41 Air supply pump 42 Valve unit 43 tubes 44 ECU (control unit) 44a Memory 45 Temperature Sensor 50 Air Cell 50A Right side air cell group 50B Left air cell group 51 Pressure Sensor 52 Air pressure sensor V Motorcycle B body

Claims

1. In a straddle-type seat having a seating surface on which a seated person sits, a plurality of bags arranged inside the seating surface and capable of containing fluid; a control unit for controlling the flow of the fluid, the control unit controls the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order; The plurality of bag bodies include a plurality of right bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in the seat width direction, and a plurality of left bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the right bag bodies being located inside the seating surface, The straddle-type seat further includes a plurality of pressure sensors that detect pressure applied to the seating surface and are associated with the plurality of bags, respectively; The control unit Before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag body expands and contracts, the bag body corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface is identified, and the bag body to be subjected to the expansion / contraction control is identified based on the result of the identification. Next, for the bag bodies identified as the targets of the inflation / deflation control among the right bag body and the left bag body, the bag body arranged furthest rearward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body adjacent to the rearmost bag body in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially, and the bag body arranged second from the front is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body disposed at the frontmost position in the row on the outer side in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, and the bag body adjacent to the rear of the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially. Next, a straddle-type seat is characterized in that the flow of the fluid is controlled so that the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closest to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated.

2. Cushioning material and a cover material that covers the cushion material and has the seating surface, 2. The straddle-type seat according to claim 1, wherein a heating element is disposed between the cushion material and the cover material.

3. A blower and 3. The straddle-type seat according to claim 1, further comprising: an air outlet provided behind the seating surface and through which the gas blown by the air blower is discharged.

4. A blower and 3. The straddle-type seat according to claim 1, further comprising an air outlet provided in the center of the seating surface in the width direction and for discharging the gas blown by the air blower.

5. An air pressure sensor is disposed inside the bag body, 5. The straddle-type seat according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the amount of compressed air injected based on an output of the air pressure sensor.

6. A method for controlling fluid in a straddle-type seat having a seating surface on which an occupant sits, comprising: The straddle-type seat includes a plurality of bags arranged inside the seating surface and capable of containing fluid; a control unit for controlling the flow of the fluid, the control unit controls the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order; The plurality of bag bodies include a plurality of right bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in the seat width direction, and a plurality of left bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the right bag bodies being located inside the seating surface, The straddle-type seat includes a plurality of pressure sensors that detect pressure applied to the seating surface and are associated with the plurality of bags, respectively; The control unit Before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag body expands and contracts, the bag body corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface is identified, and the bag body to be subjected to the expansion / contraction control is identified based on the result of the identification. Next, for the bag bodies identified as the targets of the inflation / deflation control among the right bag body and the left bag body, the bag body arranged furthest rearward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body adjacent to the rearmost bag body in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially, and the bag body arranged second from the front is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body disposed at the frontmost position in the row on the outer side in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, and the bag body adjacent to the rear of the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially. Next, a method for controlling fluid in a straddle-type seat, characterized in that the flow of the fluid is controlled so that the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closest to the center in the seat width direction expands and contracts.

7. A method for manufacturing a straddle-type seat having a seating surface on which an occupant sits, a bag arranging step of arranging a plurality of bags capable of containing a fluid on the cushion material; a cushion material attachment step of attaching the cushion material to a base material of the straddle-type seat; a control unit disposing step of disposing a control unit on the base material to control the flow of the fluid so that the plurality of bags located adjacent to each other expand and contract in a predetermined order; a covering step of covering the cushion material with a surface material, The plurality of bag bodies include a plurality of right bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the right side in the seat width direction, and a plurality of left bag bodies arranged in a plurality of rows on the left side, the right bag bodies being located inside the seating surface, The bag body disposing step includes disposing a plurality of pressure sensors, each of which is disposed in the bag body and corresponds to each of the plurality of bags, together with the bag body, the pressure sensors detecting the pressure applied to the seating surface, and the plurality of pressure sensors being disposed in the bag body and corresponding to each of the plurality of bags; The control unit disposing step includes determining the bag corresponding to the pressure sensor that detected the pressure applied to the seating surface before controlling the flow of the fluid so that the bag expands and contracts, and specifying the bag to be subjected to the expansion and contraction control based on the determination result. Next, for the bag bodies identified as the targets of the inflation / deflation control among the right bag body and the left bag body, the bag body arranged furthest rearward in a row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body adjacent to the rearmost bag body in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially, and the bag body arranged second from the front is inflated and deflated, Next, the bag body disposed at the frontmost position in the row on the outer side in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, Next, in the reverse order, the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated, and the bag body adjacent to the rear of the bag body arranged second from the front in the row closer to the center in the seat width direction is inflated and deflated sequentially. Next, a method for manufacturing a straddle-type seat is characterized in that the control unit is arranged on the base material to control the flow of the fluid so that the bag body arranged at the rearmost position in the row closest to the center in the seat width direction expands and contracts.

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