Vehicle seat structure and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat structure in which a coating member can be stably caused to adhere and fixed to a passage forming member, without disturbing a flow of air in a passage, and a manufacturing method for the same.SOLUTION: A vehicular seat 1 comprises a passage forming member 52 forming a passage 521 through which air is flowed between a seating face and a blower fan 34, and a coating member 53 that coats an opening part of the passage 521 by adhering to the passage forming member 52. The passage forming member 52 has an adhesion surface 522 to which the coating member 53 is caused to adhere through an adhesion layer 54 constituted of an adhesive, and a first recessed part 523 positioned between the passage 521 and the adhesion surface 522 and arranged adjacently to the adhesion surface 522. The adhesion surface 522 and the first recessed part 523 extend to surround an opening part of the passage 521, and a center P1 in a width direction on a cross section of the adhesion layer 54 is positioned between both ends in the width direction of the adhesion surface 522.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat structure and a manufacturing method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, seats used in vehicles such as automobiles are known to have an air conditioning function that can adjust the air around the seating surface of the seat portion and the seat back. Vehicle seats with an air conditioning function use a highly breathable upholstery material for the seating surface, and a flow path (flow space) is formed inside the cushion material covered by the upholstery material to circulate air between the cushion material and a blower (fan). When the flow path has a complex shape, when manufacturing a cushion material by foaming a foam material, part of the wall surface for forming the flow path may be formed in the cushion material, and the remaining wall surface may be prepared as a separate member from the cushion material, and the remaining wall surface may be fixed to the cushion material during manufacturing of the vehicle seat to form the flow path in the cushion material.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, a recess is formed on the back surface of a cushion material so as to surround a flow path portion that opens to the rear, and a mound of adhesive is then placed inside the recess, and a lid member is then placed on the back surface of the cushion material and adhesively fixed thereto, thereby covering the flow path portion. As a result, the adhesive solidifies into a bolt shape inside the recess, restricting the relative movement of the lid member in the surface direction with respect to the cushion material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-100000 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when injecting adhesive into a recess formed in the cushioning material as in Patent Document 1, variations in the depth or width of the recess due to manufacturing conditions of the cushioning material (e.g., the state of the cushioning material, foaming conditions, manufacturing environment) can cause the cross-sectional shape of the recess to change. Variations in the cross-sectional shape of the recess can result in an excess or insufficient amount of adhesive being applied to the recess in some areas. In areas where there is excess adhesive, the excess adhesive may flow into the flow path and obstruct the flow of air, while in areas where there is insufficient adhesive, there is a problem in that the lid member is not securely attached to the cushioning material.

[0006] The present invention has been made with the above points in mind, and aims to provide a vehicle seat structure and a manufacturing method thereof in which a covering member can be stably adhesively fixed to a flow path forming member without interfering with the flow of air within the flow path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle seat structure including a ventilation device that adjusts the air around a seat surface of a vehicle seat, a flow path forming member that forms a flow path for circulating air between the seat surface and the ventilation device, and a covering member that is adhered to the flow path forming member and covers an opening of the flow path, the flow path forming member having an adhesive surface to which the covering member is adhered via an adhesive layer made of an adhesive, and a first recess that is located between the flow path and the adhesive surface and disposed adjacent to the adhesive surface. In this vehicle seat structure, the adhesive surface and the first recess extend to surround the opening of the flow path, and the widthwise center of the cross section of the adhesive layer is located between both widthwise ends of the adhesive surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the vehicle seat structure of the present invention, even if a sufficient amount of adhesive is applied to the adhesive surface, the excess adhesive can be diverted to the first recess, so that the covering member can be stably adhered and fixed to the flow path forming member without interfering with the flow of air within the flow path. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle seat structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the seatback cushion in the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flow path forming member in the embodiment, as viewed obliquely from the rear side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the flow path forming member of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 5 is a rear view showing a state in which a covering member is adhesively fixed to the flow path forming member of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 5. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manufacturing device used in a bonding step of a covering member in the embodiment. [Figure 10] 5A to 5C are conceptual diagrams illustrating a bonding step of the covering member in the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification related to the above embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another modified example related to the above embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle seat structure and a manufacturing method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vehicle seat 1 to which a structure according to this embodiment is applied. In each of the drawings described below, the direction of the arrow Fr indicates the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle seat. The "front portion (front end) and rear portion (rear end)" in the description of the embodiment correspond to the front and rear portions in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat. Furthermore, the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat in this embodiment corresponds to the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The directions of the arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat. The direction of the arrow U indicates upward.

[0011] In FIG. 1, a vehicle seat 1 includes a seat portion 10 and a seat back 30. The seat 10 is a portion on which an occupant sits. The seat 10 has a seat frame 11, a seat cushion 12 that forms a seating surface, and a seat cover 13 that covers the seat cushion 12.

[0012] The seat frame 11 forms the framework of the seat 10. The lower portion of the seat frame 11 is movably attached to left and right seat rails 2 via running parts (not shown) on both sides in the seat width direction. The seat rails 2 are provided on the floor part (not shown) inside the vehicle cabin and extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0013] The seat cushion 12 has elastic properties and is installed on the upper part of the seat frame 11. The upper part of the seat cushion 12 forms a seating surface on which an occupant sits. The seat cover 13 is a trim that covers the seat cushion 12 from above. The seat cover 13 covers the upper part (seating surface), front part, rear part, and both left and right side parts of the seat cushion 12.

[0014] The seat back 30 is a portion that extends upward from the rear of the seat portion 10 and is configured to support, in particular, the upper body of an occupant seated on the seat portion 10. The seat back 30 has a seat back frame (not shown) that forms the framework of the seat back 30, a seat back cushion 32 that forms the seat surface, a seat back cover 33 that covers the seat back cushion 32, a blower fan 34 that adjusts the air around the seat surface, a headrest 35 that supports the head of an occupant seated on the seat portion 10 of the vehicle seat 1, and an airbag device (side airbag) 36 that protects the occupant in the event of a side collision. In this embodiment, the blower fan 34 corresponds to the "blower device" of the present invention.

[0015] The seatback frame is formed into a substantially rectangular shape by bending a pipe-shaped member. A fan fixing bracket (not shown) is attached to the upper part of the seatback frame, and a blower fan 34 is fixed via the fan fixing bracket. In addition, an airbag fixing bracket (not shown) is attached to the right side of the seatback frame, and an airbag device 36 is fixed via the airbag fixing bracket. The airbag device 36 is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction within the vehicle cabin. A seatback cushion 32 is installed in front of the seatback frame.

[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the seatback cushion 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the seatback cushion 32 has a cushion main body 51 having elastic properties, a flow path forming member 52 that forms a flow path for circulating air between the seat surface and the blower fan 34, and a covering member 53 that is adhered to the flow path forming member 52 and covers the opening of the flow path. In the seatback cushion 32 according to this embodiment, a recessed portion (not shown) is provided on the rear surface side of the cushion main body 51, and the flow path forming member 52, which is separate from the cushion main body 51, is attached to this recessed portion from the rear side of the seat. The flow path formed by the flow path forming member 52 opens to the rear of the seat, and the covering member 53 is adhered and fixed to the flow path forming member 52 so as to cover the opening of the flow path from the rear side of the seat.

[0017] Specifically, the front surface of the cushion main body 51 serves as a seating surface (support surface) that supports the back of the occupant. A plurality of front air outlets 51A are formed on the front side of the cushion main body 51 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Each front air outlet 51A is connected to an air flow path provided on the rear side of the cushion main body 51, and the air around the seating surface is guided to the blower fan 34 through each front air outlet 51A and the flow path, or air from the blower fan 34 is blown to the seating surface through the flow path and each front air outlet 51A. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the air flow path provided on the rear side of the cushion main body 51 is formed by a flow path forming member 52 and a covering member 53. The specific structures of the flow path forming member 52 and the covering member 53 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

[0018] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of flow path forming member 52 as seen obliquely from the rear side, and Fig. 4 is a rear view of flow path forming member 52 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear view showing a state in which covering member 53 is adhesively fixed to flow path forming member 52 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 5.

[0019] 2 to 4, the flow path forming member 52 is formed using a material that is harder than the cushion main body 51, and has an outer shape that corresponds to the recessed portion on the rear surface side of the cushion main body 51. The flow path forming member 52 is in a layered shape that extends roughly in the seat up-down direction and the seat width direction, and has multiple concave and convex shapes formed in the seat front-rear direction. By combining such a flow path forming member 52 with the cushion main body 51, it is possible to realize the concave and convex shapes of the flow paths and the like provided inside the seatback cushion 32 with high precision.

[0020] That is, if an attempt is made to directly form a concave-convex shape such as a flow path during molding of the cushion main body 51 using a foam material or the like, it may be difficult to accurately achieve the concave-convex shape due to differences between the manufacturing conditions for the foaming process of the cushion main body 51 and the manufacturing conditions for forming the concave-convex shape with high precision. Therefore, by making the flow path forming member 52 separate from the cushion main body 51, the flow path forming member 52 is manufactured in a process separate from the cushion main body 51. In other words, the concave-convex shape can be formed in the flow path forming member 52 without depending on the manufacturing conditions of the cushion main body 51, making it easier to achieve a highly accurate concave-convex shape. Moreover, by providing the flow path forming member 52 out of a material harder than the cushion main body 51 and having the convex-convex shape formed by the flow path forming member 52, it becomes relatively easy to achieve a highly accurate concave-convex shape.

[0021] In this embodiment, the flow path forming member 52 has a flow path 521 formed in the vicinity of the center in the seat width direction, extending in the up-down direction of the seat. The flow path 521 has a generally U-shaped cross section that is recessed toward the front of the seat (the side of the cushion main body 51) and opens toward the rear of the seat. Rear air outlets 521A that penetrate in the front-to-rear direction of the seat are formed in the front wall (bottom) of the flow path 521 at positions corresponding to the front air outlets 51A of the cushion main body 51.

[0022] In addition, the flow path forming member 52 has an adhesive surface 522 extending to surround the opening of the flow path 521, and a first recess 523 and a second recess 524 arranged on either side of the adhesive surface 522 and extending along the longitudinal direction of the adhesive surface 522.

[0023] The adhesive surface 522 is provided on the surface of the flow path forming member 52 facing the rear side of the seat. The adhesive surface 522 is disposed outside the opening of the flow path 521 at a distance and surrounds the opening of the flow path 521. A covering member 53 is adhered to the adhesive surface 522 from the rear side of the seat. An adhesive layer 54 made of an adhesive is formed between the adhesive surface 522 and the covering member 53 (FIGS. 6 to 8). A fan opening 525 is provided in the flow path forming member 52 between the upper end of the flow path 521 and the upper part of the adhesive surface 522. The fan opening 525 is formed in a substantially semicircular shape when viewed from a direction intersecting the adhesive surface 522 (as viewed from behind), and the blower fan 34 is inserted inside the fan opening 525.

[0024] The first recess 523 is located between the flow path 521 and the adhesive surface 522 and is disposed adjacent to the adhesive surface 522. In this embodiment, the first recess 523 extends along the edge of the adhesive surface 522 on the flow path 521 side and surrounds the opening of the flow path 521 and the fan opening 525. The first recess 523 has a groove shape that is recessed toward the front of the seat (the cushion main body 51 side) and opens toward the rear of the seat. In other words, the outer wall of the first recess 523 located on the adhesive surface 522 side is disposed adjacent to the inner edge of the adhesive surface 522 located on the flow path 521 side. Furthermore, the inner wall of the first recess 523 located on the opposite side to the adhesive surface 522 is disposed outside the opening of the flow path 521 and the fan opening 525 with a gap therebetween. Here, the inner wall of the first recess 523 is disposed at a fixed gap from the outer wall of the first recess 523.

[0025] The second recess 524 is located on the opposite side of the adhesive surface 522 from the first recess 523 and is disposed adjacent to the adhesive surface 522. In this embodiment, the second recess 524 extends along the outer edge of the adhesive surface 522 on the opposite side from the flow path 521, and surrounds the opening of the flow path 521 and the fan opening 525. The second recess 524 has a shape similar to that of the first recess 523, that is, a groove shape that is recessed toward the front side of the seat (the cushion main body 51 side) and opens toward the rear side of the seat. In other words, the inner wall of the second recess 524 located on the adhesive surface 522 side is disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the adhesive surface 522. Furthermore, the outer wall of the second recess 524 located opposite the adhesive surface 522 is disposed at a fixed distance from the inner wall of the second recess 524.

[0026] In this embodiment, the distance between the first recess 523 and the second recess 524, i.e., the width of the adhesive surface 522, is formed to be approximately constant. Since the adhesive surface 522 has a substantially constant width in this manner, it becomes easier to apply adhesive to the adhesive surface 522 and also to maintain a constant amount of adhesive applied, thereby stably adhering and fixing the adhesive surface 522 and the covering member 53.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the covering member 53 is adhesively fixed to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52, and covers the opening of the flow path 521 from the rear side of the seat. The covering member 53 is formed using a cloth-like material (e.g., felt) that is almost non-breathable. A connecting portion 53A that connects to the blower fan 34 is provided on the upper part of the covering member 53. The connecting portion 53A has a substantially circular outer shape in a rear view, and penetrates the covering member 53 in the front-to-rear direction of the seat. The rear portion of the blower fan 34, which is inserted into the fan opening 525 of the flow path forming member 52, is connected to the connecting portion 53A.

[0028] In a state in which the covering member 53 is adhered to the adhesion surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52, the outer wall of the first recess 523 of the flow path forming member 52 has a first curved portion 523A that curves so as to surround the connecting portion 53A of the covering member 53 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Furthermore, the inner wall of the second recess 524 has, at a position corresponding to the first curved portion 523A, a second curved portion 524A that curves so as to surround the connecting portion 53A of the covering member 53. Therefore, the portions of the adhesion surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 that are adjacent to the first curved portion 523A and the second curved portion 524A are curved so as to surround the connecting portion 53A of the covering member 53.

[0029] Furthermore, the flow path forming member 52 has a raised portion 526 formed thereon corresponding to the second curved portion 524A (FIGS. 3 to 5 and 8). The raised portion 526 is located on the opposite side of the second recess 524 from the adhesive surface 522, and is raised toward the rear side of the sheet along the second curved portion 524A. In other words, the leading end surface (rear surface) of the raised portion 526 is located toward the rear side of the sheet relative to the adhesive surface 522, which is located between the first curved portion 523A and the second curved portion 524A, and a step is formed between the adhesive surface 522 and the leading end surface of the raised portion 526 (FIG. 8). This step can be used for alignment when attaching the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52. The raised portion 526 may be formed in a portion of the inner wall of the second recess 524 other than the second curved portion 524A.

[0030] Additionally, the outer wall of the first recess 523 of the flow path forming member 52 has left and right first straight portions 523B, 523C that extend straight when viewed from a direction intersecting the adhesive surface 522 (as viewed from behind). In this embodiment, the left first straight portion 523B extends in the seat vertical direction on the left side of the flow path 521, and the right first straight portion 523C extends in the seat vertical direction on the right side of the flow path 521. Additionally, portions of the inner wall of the first recess 523 that face the first straight portions 523B, 523C also extend straight in the seat vertical direction.

[0031] Furthermore, the inner wall of the second recess 524 of the flow path forming member 52 has left and right second straight portions 524B and 524C that are located at positions corresponding to the left and right first straight portions 523B and 523C, respectively, and that extend straight when viewed in a direction intersecting the adhesive surface 522 (as viewed from behind). In this embodiment, like the first straight portions 523B and 523C, the second straight portions 524B and 524C extend in the seat vertical direction. Furthermore, portions of the outer wall of the second recess 524 that face the second straight portions 524B and 524C also extend straight in the seat vertical direction.

[0032] The lengths of the first straight portion 523C and the second straight portion 524C on the right side are shorter than the lengths of the first straight portion 523B and the second straight portion 524C on the left side. In other words, the first straight portions 523B, 523C and the second straight portions 524B, 524C are formed asymmetrically. In this embodiment, the outer wall of the first recess 523 has a first bulging portion 523D that bulges out toward the flow path 521 (left side) below the first straight portion 523C on the right side. Furthermore, the inner wall of the second recess 524 has a second bulging portion 524D that bulges out toward the flow path 521 (left side) below the second straight portion 524C on the right side. By providing such first bulging portion 523D and second bulging portion 524D, the area of ​​the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 is increased, and when attaching the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522, it is easier to distinguish the front and back of the covering member 53.

[0033] The adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 has a left-side planar direction changing portion 522B in a portion located between the left first straight portion 523B and the left second straight portion 524B, and a right-side planar direction changing portion 522C in a portion located between the right first straight portion 523C and the right second straight portion 524C. The left and right planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C are configured so that the direction along the adhesive surface 522 changes into an intersecting direction intersecting with the adhesive surface 522. The intersecting direction intersecting with the adhesive surface 522 corresponds to the adhesive direction of the covering member 53 in the step of adhering the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522, and corresponds to, for example, a direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface 522. The specific structure of the left-side planar direction changing portion 522B will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6 (a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5). 5 is a straight line that passes through the center of the left-side plane direction changing portion 522B in the left-right direction and extends along the longitudinal direction. The right-side plane direction changing portion 522C is similar to the left-side plane direction changing portion 522B, and therefore its description will be omitted here.

[0034] 6, a sloping portion C1, a front convex portion C3 (first plane direction changing portion), a rear convex portion C5 (second plane direction changing portion), and a step portion C7 are continuously formed in the sheet vertical direction in the left plane direction changing portion 522B of the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52. Note that the dashed dotted line in FIG. 6 represents a virtual reference plane R of the adhesive surface 522.

[0035] The inclined portion C1 is inclined toward the front side of the seat with respect to the reference plane R. The lower end of the inclined portion C1 is connected to the upper end of the front convex portion C3. The front convex portion C3 is convex toward the front of the seat and includes the rearward inclined portion C2 at its upper end and the upper portion of the front inclined portion C4 at its lower end. The rearward inclined portion C2 is inclined toward the rear of the seat with respect to the reference plane R. The front inclined portion C4 is inclined toward the front of the seat with respect to the reference plane R. The upper end of the rearward inclined portion C5 is connected to the lower end of the front convex portion C3.

[0036] The rear convex portion C5 is convex toward the rear of the seat, and includes the lower part of the forward inclined portion C4 at its upper end and the upper part of the rear inclined portion C6 at its lower end. Similar to the rear inclined portion C2, the rear inclined portion C6 is inclined toward the rear of the seat with respect to the reference plane R. The upper end of the step portion C7 is connected to the lower end of the rear convex portion C5.

[0037] The step portion C7 is located on the front side of the seat with respect to the bottom surface of the rear convex portion C5, and includes the lower part of the rear inclined portion C6 at its upper end and the rear inclined portion C8 at its lower end. In other words, a step is formed between the bottom surface of the rear convex portion C5 and a surface of the step portion C7 that is located midway in the up-down direction of the seat. The rear inclined portion C8, like the rear inclined portion C2, is inclined toward the rear of the seat with respect to the reference plane R.

[0038] The covering member 53 is adhered and fixed to the left-side planar direction changing portion 522B (and the right-side planar direction changing portion 522C) as described above via the adhesive layer 54 made of the adhesive. Therefore, the portions of the covering member 53 corresponding to the planar direction changing portions 522B and 522C also have unevenness similar to that of the planar direction changing portions 522B and 522C. Note that, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the planar direction changing portions 522B and 522C are formed in portions of the adhesive surface 522 located between the first straight portions 523B and 523C and the second straight portions 524B and 524C, but the planar direction changing portions may be formed in portions other than those described above on the adhesive surface 522.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the adhesive layer 54 formed between the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 and the covering member 53 has a widthwise center P1 of the cross section located between both widthwise ends of the adhesive surface. In this embodiment, the widthwise center P1 of the adhesive layer 54 is located at a widthwise center P2 of the adhesive surface 522 between the first recess 523 and the second recess 524. In other words, when adhering the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52, the adhesive is applied so as to include the widthwise center P2 of the adhesive surface 522. Note that line BB in FIG. 5 corresponds to a straight line crossing the left-side planar direction change portion 522B of the adhesive surface 522 in the left-right direction (rearward of the sheet width). By applying the adhesive to the adhesive surface 522 in this manner, even if an excessive amount of adhesive is applied, the excess adhesive flows into the first recess 523 and / or the second recess 524 (dotted line portion in FIG. 7 ). This prevents excess adhesive from flowing into flow path 521 located away from first recess 523 and obstructing the flow of air.

[0040] Furthermore, by interposing the adhesive layer 54 as described above between the adhesive surface 522 and the covering member 53, a communication space G is formed that communicates between the space in the flow path 521 and the space in the first recess 523 (FIG. 7). Such communication space G allows the air circulation space to be expanded, thereby enabling an increase in the amount of air blown by the blower fan 34. In addition, by forming the communication space G in the area corresponding to the adhesive surface, this area can be deformed in the arrangement direction of the first and second recesses 523, 524 (the width direction of the adhesive surface 522). This makes it possible to prevent excessive pressure (negative pressure or positive pressure) from acting between the adhesive surface 522 and the covering member 53, causing the adhesive state to become unstable.

[0041] Here, a specific example of the step of adhering the cover member 53 to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 in the manufacture of the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manufacturing device used in the step of adhering the cover member 53. Fig. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the step of adhering the cover member 53.

[0042] The manufacturing apparatus used in the bonding process of the covering member 53 includes, for example, an adhesive application device 71, an attachment device 72 for the covering member 53, and a control device 73 that controls the operation of the application device 71 and the attachment device 72, as shown in FIG.

[0043] The adhesive applicator 71 has an adhesive surface detection unit 711 that detects the position of the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52, and an adhesive applicator 712 that applies adhesive to the adhesive surface 522 detected by the adhesive surface detection unit 711. The applicator 71 executes a preset program to perform each process of the manufacturing process described below.

[0044] The bonding surface detection unit 711 includes a transmitter 711A that transmits a detection wave toward the flow path forming member 52 to detect the bonding surface 522, and a receiver 711B that receives the detection wave reflected by the flow path forming member 52. The detection wave output from the transmitter 711A can be, for example, sound, light (visible or invisible light), or electromagnetic waves. The bonding surface detection unit 711 detects the positions of the first recess 523 and the second recess 524 of the flow path forming member 52 based on changes in the waveform of the detection wave received by the receiver 711B, and generates bonding surface information including the position and shape of the bonding surface 522 based on the detection results. The bonding surface information is transmitted from the bonding surface detection unit 711 to the adhesive application unit 712 (the state shown in the upper part of FIG. 10 ).

[0045] In the detection process of the adhesive surface 522 by the adhesive surface detection unit 711, since the adhesive surface 522 is formed between the first recess 523 and the second recess 524, it is possible to change the degree of reflection of the detection wave between the adhesive surface 522 and the first recess 523 and the second recess 524. Therefore, it is possible to easily and accurately detect the position and shape of the adhesive surface 522 based on the change in waveform of the detection wave received by the receiver 711B.

[0046] The adhesive applicator 712 applies adhesive to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 based on the adhesive surface information from the adhesive surface detector 711. At this time, the adhesive is applied so as to include the center P2 in the width direction of the adhesive surface 522 (the state shown in the middle of FIG. 10). The amount of adhesive to be applied to the adhesive surface 522 and the like are controlled in accordance with an output signal from the control device 73. Note that the adhesive application range may extend beyond the adhesive surface 522 and include the second recess 524. However, it is preferable that the adhesive not be applied to the first recess 523.

[0047] The attachment device 72 attaches the covering member 53 to a predetermined position on the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 to which adhesive has been applied by the applicator 71. The attachment position of the covering member 53 and other parameters are controlled in accordance with an output signal from the control device 73. The covering member 53 attached to the predetermined position of the flow path forming member 52 by the attachment device 72 is pressed toward the adhesive surface 522. At this time, excess adhesive flows into the first recess 523 and / or the second recess 524. Then, when the adhesive hardens, the covering member 53 is adhesively fixed to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 via the adhesive layer 54. At this time, the center P1 of the adhesive layer 54 in the cross-sectional width direction overlaps with the center P2 of the adhesive surface 522 in the width direction (the state shown in the lower part of FIG. 10 ).

[0048] As described above, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the flow path forming member 52 is provided with the first recess 523 located between the flow path 521 and the adhesive surface 522 and adjacent to the adhesive surface 522, the adhesive surface 522 and the first recess 523 extending to surround the opening of the flow path 521, and the widthwise center P1 of the cross section of the adhesive layer 54 being located between both widthwise ends of the adhesive surface 522. With this structure, even if an excessive amount of adhesive is applied to the adhesive surface 522 when attaching the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522, the excess adhesive can escape to the first recess 523. This prevents the adhesive from flowing into the flow path 521 and interfering with the air flow, while enabling a sufficient amount of adhesive to stably adhere and fix the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522.

[0049] Furthermore, the flow path forming member 52 of the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a second recess 524 that is located on the opposite side of the adhesive surface 522 from the first recess 523, is disposed adjacent to the adhesive surface 522, and extends to surround the opening of the flow path 521. With this structure, the excess adhesive can be drained to the first recess 523 and / or the second recess 524, making it possible to more stably adhere and fix the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522. In addition, the covering member 53 can be attached to a desired position on the flow path forming member 52 using the first recess 523 and the second recess 524 as guides, making it easier to attach the covering member 53.

[0050] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the widthwise center P1 of the cross section of the adhesive layer 54 is located at the widthwise center P2 of the adhesive surface 522. This makes it easier for the excess adhesive to escape to the first recess 523 and / or the second recess 524, thereby further stabilizing the adhesion of the cover member 53 to the adhesive surface 522.

[0051] Moreover, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the covering member 53 has a connecting portion 53A that connects to the blower fan 34, and the outer wall located on the adhesive surface 522 side of the first recess 523 has a first curved portion 523A that curves to surround the connecting portion of the covering member 53. In this structure, the pressure (negative pressure or positive pressure) acting on the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 when the blower fan 34 is driven is received by the entire portion of the adhesive surface 522 that is adjacent to the first curved portion 523A, thereby preventing the pressure from concentrating locally on the adhesive surface 522. This makes it easier to maintain the adhesively fixed state between the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 and the covering member 53, even when the blower fan 34 is used for a long period of time.

[0052] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the inner wall located on the adhesive surface 522 side of the second recess 524 has a second curved portion 524A that curves to surround the connecting portion 53A of the cover member 53 at a position corresponding to the first curved portion 523A of the first recess 523, and the flow path forming member 52 has a raised portion 526 located on the opposite side of the second recess 524 from the adhesive surface 522 and raised along the second curved portion 524A. By providing the raised portion 526 that raises along the longitudinal direction of the adhesive surface 522 in this manner, the amount of movement of the cover member 53 is limited along the raised portion 526 when attaching the cover member 53 to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52. This allows for easy and accurate alignment of the cover member 53. This further stabilizes the adhesion of the cover member 53 to the adhesive surface 522. Moreover, the pressure (negative pressure or positive pressure) generated near the connecting portion 53A of the covering member 53 when the blower fan 34 is driven is received by the entire portion of the adhesive surface 522 that is adjacent to both the first curved portion 523A and the second curved portion 524A, which effectively prevents the pressure from concentrating locally on the adhesive surface 522. This makes it easier to maintain the adhesively fixed state between the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 and the covering member 53 even when the blower fan 34 is used for a long period of time.

[0053] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 has planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C between the first straight portions 523B, 523C on the outer sidewall of the first recess 523 and the second straight portions 524B, 524C on the inner sidewall of the second recess 524. The planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C are configured so that the direction along the adhesive surface 522 changes into a cross direction that crosses the adhesive surface 522. By forming such planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C on the adhesive surface 522, the adhesive area can be increased, and therefore the adhesive fixation of the cover member 53 to the adhesive surface 522 can be made more stable. Furthermore, when the covering member 53 is subjected to a load in the longitudinal direction of the planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C (the up-and-down direction of the sheet), the load can be received by the planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C, which makes it possible to suppress displacement of the covering member 53 after bonding and to prevent damage to the adhesive layer 54. In particular, if the planar direction changing portions 522B, 522C have a front convex portion C3 and a rear convex portion C5 that are convex or concave in the intersecting direction and furthermore are arranged adjacent to each other, it is possible to further increase the stability of the adhesive fixation and to reliably suppress displacement of the covering member 53 after bonding.

[0054] Furthermore, in the vehicle seat 1 according to this embodiment, the covering member 53 is adhered to the adhesive surface 522 so that the outer shape of the covering member 53 is positioned between the inner wall and the outer wall of the second recess 524. In this structure, even after the covering member 53 is adhered to the adhesive surface 522, the second recess 524 is not covered by the covering member 53. Therefore, when adhering the covering member 53 to the adhesive surface 522, the covering member 53 can be brought close to the adhesive surface 522 using the second recess 524 as a guide. Therefore, the covering member 53 can be reliably adhered to the desired position of the flow path forming member 52, and the work of adhering the covering member 53 can be easily performed.

[0055] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to an embodiment, it is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the flow path forming member 52 is described as having a first recess 523 and a second recess 524 sandwiched between the adhesive surface 522. However, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 , a structure in which only the first recess 523 is provided is also possible. In this modification, a raised portion 526 is formed on the opposite side of the adhesive surface 522 from the first recess 523. Furthermore, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 , a structure in which the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 is raised toward the rear of the seat relative to a surface 527 connected to the upper end of the side wall of the flow path 521 in the flow path forming member 52 is also possible. In this modification, the surface 527 of the flow path forming member 52 corresponds to the bottom surface of the first recess 523 in the above embodiment.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the flow path forming member 52 was provided separately from the cushion main body 51. However, if it is possible to form a concave-convex shape such as a flow path in the cushion material with high precision, the cushion material itself can also be used as the flow path forming member. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a material harder than the cushion main body 51 is used as the material for the flow path forming member 52. However, the same material as that for the cushion main body 51 may also be used. In this case, the flow path forming member 52 can be formed so that it has lower elasticity or higher rigidity characteristics than the surface of the cushion main body 51.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the blower fan 34 is disposed above the seat back 30, but the seat structure of the present invention is effective when the blower fan 34 is disposed at any position on the seat back 30 or the seat portion 10. Furthermore, an example has been described in which the covering member 53 is attached to the adhesive surface 522 of the flow path forming member 52 using the attachment device 72, but the attachment of the covering member 53 may also be performed manually. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1...Vehicle seat 10... Seat part 30...Seat back 32...Seatback cushion 33...Seat back cover 34...Ventilation fan (blower) 51...Cushion body 51A...Front air outlet 52...flow path forming member 521...Flow path 522…Adhesive surface 522B, 522C... Surface direction change section 523...First recess 523A...First curved section 523B, 523C…1st straight part 523D…1st bulge part 524...Second recess 524A...Second curved section 524B, 523C…Second straight part 524D…Second bulging part 525...Fan opening 526...Protuberance 53...Covering member 53A…Connection part 54...adhesive layer 71... Coating device 711...Adhesion surface detection unit 711A...Transmitter 711B...Receiver 712...Adhesive application section 72...Attachment device 73...Control device C3…Front convex part (first surface direction change part) C5: Rear convex part (second surface direction change part) G...Communication space P1: Center of adhesive layer P2: Center of adhesive surface

Claims

1. a blower that adjusts the air around the seat surface of the vehicle seat; a flow path forming member that forms a flow path for circulating air between the seat surface and the air blower; a covering member that is adhered to the flow path forming member and covers the opening of the flow path, The flow path forming member is an adhesive surface to which the covering member is adhered via an adhesive layer made of an adhesive; a first recess located between the flow path and the adhesive surface and adjacent to the adhesive surface, the adhesive surface and the first recess extend to surround the opening of the flow channel, A vehicle seat structure, characterized in that the widthwise center of the cross section of the adhesive layer is located between both widthwise end portions of the adhesive surface.

2. 2. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein the flow path forming member has a second recess located on the opposite side of the adhesive surface from the first recess, disposed adjacent to the adhesive surface, and extending to surround the opening of the flow path.

3. 3. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein the center of the adhesive layer is located at a center in the width direction of the adhesive surface between the first recess and the second recess.

4. the covering member has a connecting portion that is connected to the air blower; 3. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein an outer wall of the first recess located on the adhesive surface side has a first curved portion that curves to surround the connecting portion of the cover member.

5. an inner wall of the second recess located on the adhesive surface side has a second curved portion at a position corresponding to the first curved portion, the second curved portion being curved to surround the connecting portion of the covering member; 5. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 4, wherein the flow path forming member has a raised portion located on the opposite side of the second recess from the adhesive surface and raised along the second curved portion.

6. the outer wall of the first recess has a first straight portion that extends straight when viewed in a direction intersecting the adhesive surface, the inner wall of the second recess has a second straight portion that is disposed at a position corresponding to the first straight portion and extends straight when viewed from the intersecting direction; 6. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive surface has a planar direction changing portion located between the first straight portion and the second straight portion, and configured such that the direction along the adhesive surface changes in the intersecting direction.

7. an outer wall of the first recess located on the adhesive surface side has a first straight portion extending straight when viewed in a direction intersecting the adhesive surface; an inner wall of the second recess located on the adhesive surface side has a second straight portion located at a position corresponding to the first straight portion and extending straight when viewed from the intersecting direction; the adhesive surface has a planar direction changing portion located between the first straight portion and the second straight portion, and configured such that a direction along the adhesive surface changes into the intersecting direction, The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein the planar direction changing portion has a portion that is convex or concave in the intersecting direction.

8. The plane direction changing portion is a first surface direction changing portion that is convex toward one side in the intersecting direction; 8. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 7, further comprising: a second planar direction changing portion disposed adjacent to the first planar direction changing portion and convex toward the other side in the intersecting direction.

9. 3. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein the covering member is adhered to the adhesive surface such that the outer shape of the covering member is positioned between an inner wall of the second recess that is positioned on the adhesive surface side and an outer wall that is positioned on the opposite side of the adhesive surface.

10. 2. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive surface has a planar direction changing portion configured such that a direction along the adhesive surface changes in a cross direction that crosses the adhesive surface.

11. 2. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein the flow path forming member has a raised portion located on the opposite side of the adhesive surface from the first recess and raised along the longitudinal direction of the adhesive surface.

12. 2. The method for manufacturing a vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, a step of transmitting a detection wave for detecting the adhesive surface toward the flow path forming member; receiving the detection wave reflected by the flow path forming member; generating bonding surface information including the position and shape of the bonding surface based on a waveform change of the received detection wave; and applying adhesive to the adhesive surface based on the generated adhesive surface information.

13. A program for causing an adhesive application device to execute the method for manufacturing a vehicle seat structure according to claim 12.

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