Vehicle seat, airbag module support structure, and vehicle seat assembly method

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which includes an air bag module, a webbing and a wire member for binding the webbing to a side frame and, therein, facilitates confirmation of connection between the wire member and the side frame upon assembling.SOLUTION: A vehicle sheet includes a side frame 17, a bracket 50 provided with a bracket side connection part 55 connected with the side frame 17 and a bracket side flat plate part 56 formed of a latch hole, a wire member provided with a latch part 65 latched to the latch hole, a retainer 52 provided with a retainer side connection part 70 connected with the bracket side connection part and a retainer side flat plate part 71, an air bag module 12, a pad member 10, an epidermal material 11 and a webbing 42 engaged on an extension part. Therein, notch parts 60, 80 are provided respectively at the rear side of the latch hole on the retainer side connection part and the bracket side connection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat equipped with an airbag, an airbag module support structure, and a method for assembling a vehicle seat. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a vehicle seat for a rear seat that has an airbag that deploys forward and is mounted within the seatback (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The vehicle seat in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of left and right side frames that form the framework of the seatback, an airbag module attached to the side frames, webbing that transmits stress caused by the airbag's inflation to the ruptured portion of the upholstery material when the airbag deploys, and a linear member that connects the webbing to the side frames. Both ends of the linear member are hooked onto through-holes or the edges of the side frames. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5169864 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such a vehicle seat, it is preferable to position the joint between the linear member and the webbing closer to the front edge of the side frame in order to properly guide the airbag in the deployment direction.Furthermore, it is preferable to position the joint between the linear member and the side frame closer to the front edge of the side frame in order to more effectively transmit the load applied to the linear member to the side frame when the airbag deploys.

[0005] Vehicle seats are assembled by placing a cushioned padding on the front side of the side frame and then covering it with a cover material. If the joining position between the linear member and the side frame is located close to the front edge of the side frame, it is difficult to check whether the linear member (wire member) is properly hooked onto the side frame after placing the padding on the front side of the side frame.

[0006] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to make it easier to check the connection between the wire member and the side frame during assembly in a vehicle seat that includes an airbag module, a webbing, and a wire member for connecting the webbing to the side frame. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle seat (1) according to the present invention includes a seat frame (9) including a pair of left and right side frames (17), a bracket (50) connected to one of the side frames and including a bracket-side connection portion (55) extending outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate portion (56) having a plate shape extending forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and having a hook hole penetrating through to the left and right, a wire member having a hook portion (65) hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion (66) extending forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a rib connected to one of the side frames or the bracket-side connection portion and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion. The seat frame has a retainer (52) including a retainer-side connection portion (70) and a retainer-side flat plate portion (71) extending forward from the retainer-side connection portion and facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member, an airbag module (12) connected to the left and right outer surfaces of the retainer-side flat plate portion, a pad member (10) supported on the front side of the seat frame, a skin material (11) covering the front surface of the pad member, and a webbing (42) having one end sewn to the skin material and the other end engaged with the extension portion of the wire member, and the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion each have a cutout portion (60, 80) penetrating in the front-rear direction behind the hooking hole.

[0008] According to this aspect, the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion are provided with retainer-side notches that penetrate in the front-rear direction at positions that align with the hooking holes, so that it is possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket that the hooking portions are hooked into the hooking holes, thereby making it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly connected during assembly.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, the bracket may include a bracket front end portion (59) joined to the side frame from a front edge of the bracket side flat plate portion.

[0010] According to this aspect, the bracket and the side frame are more firmly joined together, so that the airbag module is more firmly supported by the side frame, and the direction of deployment of the airbag is stabilized.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, the bracket and the side frame may be integrally formed.

[0012] According to this aspect, the number of parts constituting the vehicle seat can be reduced, and the configuration of the vehicle seat can be simplified.

[0013] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the bracket side connection portion has a bracket side joining portion (57) joined to the rear surface of the side frame, and a bracket side inclined portion (58) extending diagonally forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket side joining portion, the bracket side flat portion being connected to the front edge of the bracket side inclined portion, and the retainer side connection portion being fastened to the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket side inclined portion.

[0014] When the airbag deploys, a reaction force directed rearward from the airbag is applied to the connection portion. According to this aspect, by providing the bracket-side sloped portions on the bracket-side connection portion, the rearward reaction force applied from the airbag can be more reliably countered. This allows the airbag to deploy more appropriately. Furthermore, because the bracket-side sloped portions extend diagonally forward from the left and right outer edges, the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side sloped portions can be fastened from behind the bracket and retainer, and the amount of outward protrusion of the bracket and retainer from the side frame to the left and right can be reduced, thereby reducing the left-right width of the vehicle seat.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, the front end of the extension is provided with a webbing locking portion (68) to which the webbing is locked, and the webbing locking portion is preferably located forward of the front edge of the retainer side flat plate portion and forward of the front edge of the bracket side flat plate portion.

[0016] According to this aspect, the webbing locking portion is provided in front of the front edge of the retainer side flat plate portion and in front of the front edge of the bracket side flat plate portion, so that the webbing can be easily locked to the webbing locking portion without being obstructed by the retainer side flat plate portion and the bracket side flat plate portion.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the webbing locking portions may be positioned outwardly to the left and right of the hooking portions.

[0018] According to this aspect, the webbing anchoring portion is positioned farther away from the side frame, making it less likely for the webbing anchoring portion to come into contact with the side frame, thereby preventing noise caused by contact between the webbing anchoring portion and the side frame.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, the webbing engaging portions may be in contact with inner left and right side surfaces of the airbag module.

[0020] According to this aspect, by abutting the webbing anchoring portion against the side surface of the airbag module, it is possible to suppress oscillation of the webbing anchoring portion, which makes it difficult for the webbing anchoring portion to come into contact with the side frame, thereby preventing the generation of abnormal noise due to contact between the webbing anchoring portion and the side frame.

[0021] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the airbag module support structure (23) according to the present invention is a bracket (50) that is connected to the left and right outer surfaces of a frame (9) that forms the framework of a vehicle seat and that includes a bracket-side connection portion (55) that extends outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate portion (56) that is plate-shaped and extends forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and has a hook hole that penetrates left and right; a hook portion (65) that is hooked into the hook hole, and an extension portion that extends forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion. The retainer (52) has a wire member (51) having a portion (66) connected to the frame or the bracket side connection portion, a retainer side connection portion (70) that is connected to the frame or the bracket side connection portion and extends outward to the left and right of the bracket side flat plate portion, and a retainer side flat plate portion (71) that extends forward from the retainer side connection portion and faces the bracket side flat plate portion via the wire member, and the retainer side connection portion and the bracket side connection portion each have a cutout portion (60, 80) that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction at a position that aligns with the hanging hole.

[0022] According to this aspect, the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion are provided with retainer-side notches that penetrate in the front-rear direction at positions that align with the hooking holes, so that it is possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket that the hooking portions are hooked into the hooking holes, thereby making it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly connected during assembly.

[0023] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a method for assembling a vehicle seat (1) according to the present invention includes a seat frame (9) including a pair of left and right side frames, a bracket (50) connected to the side frames and including bracket-side connection parts (55) extending outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate part (56) having a plate shape extending forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection parts and having a hook hole penetrating through to the left and right, a wire member (51) having a hook part (65) hooked to the hook hole and an extension part (66) extending forward from the hook part along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate part, and a wire member (51) connected to the side frames or the bracket-side connection parts. a retainer (52) having a retainer-side connection portion (70) mated with the side frame and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side flat plate portion (71) extending forward from the retainer-side connection portion and facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member, wherein the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion are provided with notches (60, 80) penetrating in the front-rear direction at positions aligned with the hanging holes, and the method for assembling a seat frame preferably includes, in order, a step of hooking the hanging portion of the wire member into the hanging hole, and a step of joining the retainer-side connection portion to the side frame or the bracket-side connection portion.

[0024] According to this aspect, the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion are provided with retainer-side notches that penetrate in the front-rear direction at positions that align with the hooking holes, so that after assembling the seat frame, it is possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket that the hooking portions are hooked into the hooking holes, thereby making it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly connected during assembly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the above aspect, the vehicle seat includes a seat frame including a pair of left and right side frames, a bracket connected to the side frames and extending outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate portion that is plate-shaped and extends forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and has a hook hole penetrating left and right, a wire member having a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion that extends forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side connection portion connected to the side frames or the bracket-side connection portion and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side connection portion that extends forward from the retainer-side connection portion and faces the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member. According to a configuration including a retainer having a flat plate portion, an airbag module coupled to the left and right outer surfaces of the retainer-side flat plate portion, a pad member supported on the front side of the seat frame, a skin material covering the front surface of the pad member, and a webbing having one end sewn to the skin material and the other end engaged with an extension of a wire member, the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion each having a notch penetrating therethrough in the front-rear direction behind the hooking hole, the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion each having a retainer-side notch penetrating therethrough in the front-rear direction at a position aligned with the hooking hole, making it possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket that the hooking portion is hooked into the hooking hole, thereby making it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly coupled during assembly.

[0026] In the above aspect, if the bracket has a front end portion that is connected to the side frame from the front edge of the bracket-side flat portion, the connection between the bracket and the side frame becomes stronger, which allows the airbag module to be more firmly supported by the side frame and stabilizes the direction of deployment of the airbag.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above aspect, if the bracket and the side frame are integrally formed, the number of parts that make up the vehicle seat can be reduced, and the structure of the vehicle seat can be simplified.

[0028] In the above-described aspect, the bracket-side connection portion includes a bracket-side joining portion joined to the rear surface of the side frame and bracket-side inclined portions extending diagonally forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side joining portion, the bracket-side flat portion is connected to the front edges of the bracket-side inclined portions, and the retainer-side connection portion is fastened to the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side inclined portions. By providing the bracket-side inclined portions on the bracket-side connection portion, the rearward reaction force applied by the airbag can be more reliably countered. This allows the airbag to be deployed more appropriately. Furthermore, because the bracket-side inclined portions extend diagonally forward from the left and right outer edges, the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side inclined portions can be fastened from behind the bracket and the retainer, and the amount of outward protrusion of the bracket and the retainer from the side frame can be reduced, thereby reducing the left and right width of the vehicle seat.

[0029] Furthermore, in the above-described aspect, a webbing locking portion to which the webbing is locked is provided at the front end of the extension, and the webbing locking portion is located in front of the front edge of the retainer side flat plate portion and in front of the front edge of the bracket side flat plate portion.As the webbing locking portion is located in front of the front edge of the retainer side flat plate portion and in front of the front edge of the bracket side flat plate portion, the webbing can be easily locked to the webbing locking portion without being obstructed by the retainer side flat plate portion and the bracket side flat plate portion.

[0030] In the above-described aspect, if the webbing locking portions are positioned outwardly to the left and right of the hooking portions, the webbing locking portions are positioned farther away from the side frames, making it less likely that the webbing locking portions will come into contact with the side frames, thereby preventing noise caused by contact between the webbing locking portions and the side frames.

[0031] In addition to the above configuration, if the webbing anchors are configured to abut against the left and right inner side surfaces of the airbag module, the abutment of the webbing anchors against the side surfaces of the airbag module can suppress oscillation of the webbing anchors, making it less likely for the webbing anchors to come into contact with the side frames, and preventing noise caused by contact between the webbing anchors and the side frames.

[0032] In order to solve the above problems, the airbag module support structure according to the present invention comprises a bracket which is connected to left and right outer surfaces of a frame which forms the framework of a vehicle seat and which includes a bracket-side connection portion extending outward to the left and right, and a plate-shaped bracket-side flat plate portion which extends forward from left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and in which a hook hole penetrating left and right is formed; a wire member which is connected to the frame or the bracket-side connection portion and which includes a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion which extends forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion; The side frame has a retainer-side connection portion extending outward to the left and right, and a retainer extending forward from the retainer-side connection portion and including a retainer-side flat plate portion facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member, and the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion each have a cutout portion that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction at a position that aligns with the hooking hole, so that it is possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket that the hooking portion is hooked into the hooking hole, thereby making it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly connected during assembly.

[0033] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method for assembling a vehicle seat, the method comprising the steps of: a seat frame including a pair of left and right side frames; a bracket connected to the side frames and extending outward to the left and right; a bracket-side flat plate portion having a plate shape extending forward from left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and having a hook hole penetrating left and right; a wire member having a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion extending forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion; a retainer-side connection portion connected to the side frames or the bracket-side connection portion and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion; A method for assembling a seat frame having a retainer with a retainer-side flat plate portion facing a retainer member via a wire member, and in which the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion are each provided with a notch that penetrates in the fore-and-aft direction at a position aligned with the hooking hole, the method including, in order, a step of hooking a base end of the wire member into the hooking hole and a step of connecting the retainer-side connection portion to the side frame or the bracket-side connection portion, because the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion are provided with a retainer-side notch that penetrates in the fore-and-aft direction at a position aligned with the hooking hole, it is possible to visually confirm from behind the retainer and the bracket after assembling the seat frame that the hooking portion is hooked into the hooking hole. This makes it easy to check whether the wire member and the side frame are properly connected during assembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat back frame of a vehicle seat according to the present invention; [Figure 3] III-III cross section of Figure 1 [Figure 4] A perspective view of the vicinity of the airbag module of the seatback frame as seen from the rear. [Figure 5] Rear view of the seatback frame near the airbag module [Figure 6]A perspective view of the area around the bracket seen from the front immediately after the bracket is attached to the lower part of the side frame. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the bracket immediately after the wire member is joined to the bracket, as viewed from the front. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bracket and its vicinity immediately after the retainer and the airbag module are joined to the bracket, as viewed from the front. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of a rear seat to which a vehicle seat according to the present invention is applied; [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view of a seat back frame of a rear seat to which a vehicle seat according to the present invention is applied; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example in which an airbag module is provided in a seat cushion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle seat according to the present invention applied to a passenger seat of an automobile will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions will be described with reference to the front of a person seated in the vehicle seat. Furthermore, the outward and outward directions refer to directions away from the person seated, while the inward and inward directions refer to directions toward the person seated.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 1 according to the present invention is provided on the floor 2 of the automobile and includes a seat cushion 4 that supports the buttocks of a seated occupant, a seat back 5 that is supported on the rear of the seat cushion 4 and functions as a backrest, and a headrest 6 provided on the upper part of each seat back 5.

[0037] The seat back 5 extends vertically and has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with a surface facing forward. A support surface 7 that supports the back of the occupant is formed on the front surface of the seat back 5. The lower end of the seat back 5 is rotatably connected to the rear end of a frame that constitutes the seat cushion 4 via a known reclining mechanism.

[0038] Next, the structure of the seat back 5 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4. As shown in Figure 3, the seat back 5 has a seat back frame 9 as a skeleton, a pad member 10 supported by the seat back frame 9 (seat frame), a skin material 11 provided on the surface of the pad member 10 and constituting the outer surface of the seat back 5, and an airbag module 12 supported by the seat back frame 9.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2 , the seatback frame 9 forms the framework of the seatback 5 and includes a seatback frame portion 15 having a substantially rectangular frame shape. The seatback frame portion 15 includes a pair of left and right side frames 17 (side members) extending vertically, an upper frame 18 extending laterally and serving as a cross member connected to the upper ends of the left and right side frames 17, and a lower frame (not shown) extending laterally and serving as a cross member connected to the lower parts of the left and right side frames 17. The upper side frame portions 17U and the upper frame 18, which respectively constitute the upper parts of the left and right side frames 17, are formed by bending a single circular pipe member 19 into an inverted U-shaped gate shape. The lower side frame portions 17D, which respectively constitute the lower parts of the left and right side frames 17, are formed by sheet metal members 20 having surfaces facing left and right. The upper parts of the sheet metal members 20 are welded to the ends of the pipe members 19 on the inner surfaces of the seat. The front and rear edges of the sheet metal members 20 are each bent toward the inner surface of the seat. The lower ends of the left and right side frames 17 are rotatably connected to the frame that constitutes the seat cushion 4 via a reclining mechanism.

[0040] An elastic member 21 is suspended between the left and right side frames 17. A plate-shaped installation member 22 having a main surface facing the front-rear direction is provided on the front of the elastic member 21. The installation member 22 is displaced forward and backward relative to the side frames 17 by the elastic force of the elastic member, and supports the back of the occupant with the elastic force. In this embodiment, the installation member 22 is formed using a plate-shaped member, but is not limited to a plate-shaped member and may be a known structure formed by a structure (for example, a spring) that provides a lumbar support function.

[0041] The airbag module 12 is connected to the left side surface of the left side frame lower portion 17D via an airbag module support structure 23. The airbag module 12 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape extending along the extension direction of the side frame 17, and is disposed so that at least one of its longitudinal faces faces outward (leftward) from the seat.

[0042] 3, the airbag module 12 includes an airbag 25, an inflator 26 that releases gas into the airbag 25 to inflate and deploy the airbag 25 forward, and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case 27 that houses the airbag 25 and the inflator 26. The inflator 26 is substantially cylindrical, and has a male thread 28 that protrudes radially outward from its outer circumferential surface.

[0043] The case 27 is generally rectangular and is composed of a case body 30 with an opening on the left side, and a resin lid 31 that covers the opening of the case body 30. The case body 30 is a generally rectangular cylinder with a bottom, including a generally rectangular bottom wall 30A and side walls joined to the outer periphery of the bottom wall. The outer surfaces of the case body 30, including the outer surface of the bottom wall 30A, are covered with resin. The bottom wall of the case body 30 is provided with a through-hole 30B that penetrates through it in the thickness direction at a predetermined position. The airbag 25 is stored in the case body 30 in a folded state.

[0044] The lid 31 is a generally rectangular, resin-made plate facing left and right. In this embodiment, a cylindrical portion 31A is attached to the outer periphery of the lid 31. The cylindrical portion 31A projects in a rectangular cylindrical shape toward the case body 30 and fits into the opening of the case body 30. A plurality of locking claws 31B are formed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion, protruding outward in the circumferential direction. A plurality of through holes 30C are formed in the side wall of the case body 30, and the locking claws are engaged with the through holes, respectively. In this way, the lid 31 is attached to the case body 30.

[0045] The cover 31 has groove-shaped weak portions 31C along its front edge and upper and lower edges, and a thin-walled hinge 31D along its rear edge. When a load is applied to the cover 31 in the leftward direction, the cover 31 splits open at the weak portions 31C, and the central portion of the cover 31 rotates around the hinge 31D, opening the case body 30.

[0046] The pad member 10 is made of a flexible cushioning material such as polyurethane foam. As shown in FIG. 3 , the pad member 10 includes a front portion 34 located behind the support surface 7 and a left side portion 35 extending rearward from the left edge of the front portion 34. The front portion 34 and the left side portion 35 are each made of separate cushioning materials. The front portion 34 passes in front of the side frame 17 and extends to the left front of the airbag module 12. The left side portion 35 extends rearward from the left front of the airbag module 12, passes to the left of the airbag module 12, and reaches the left rear end of the side frame 17.

[0047] The cover material 11 is formed by sewing together multiple sheet-like members such as cloth or leather. The cover material 11 has a front sheet material 37 that covers the surface of the front portion 34, and a left side sheet material 38 that covers the left side of the left side portion 35. The left edge of the front sheet material 37 and the front edge of the left side sheet material 38 are sewn together to form a seam 40. This seam 40 functions as a weak part of the cover material 11 that breaks under a smaller load than other seamed parts. As shown in FIG. 1 , the seam 40 extends vertically along the left front edge of the seat back 5.

[0048] The vehicle seat 1 is provided with a webbing 42 for guiding the deployment of the airbag 25. The webbing 42 is a fabric member, and is sewn at its end to the seam 40 and connected to the side frame 17 via the airbag module support structure 23. As a result, when the airbag 25 inflates forward, a load is applied to the webbing 42, causing the seam 40 to rupture.

[0049] A back sheet material 44 made of a sheet-like material such as cloth or leather, similar to the cover material 11, is provided on the rear side of the seat back frame 9. One end of the back sheet material 44 is connected to the rear edge of the left side sheet material 38 via a wire fastener 46.

[0050] 1, a sensor 47 for detecting a load applied to an occupant seated in the passenger seat is provided under the vehicle seat 1. The sensor 47 may be, for example, a tension sensor for detecting tension applied to a seat belt worn by the occupant or an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration applied to the vehicle seat 1. A control device 48 is provided under the vehicle seat 1 and is electrically connected to the sensor 47 and the inflator 26, and controls the operation of the inflator 26 based on the load detected by the sensor 47. In this embodiment, the sensor 47 and the control device 48 are provided in the vehicle seat 1, but they may be provided at any position in the vehicle in which the vehicle seat 1 is installed.

[0051] Next, the airbag module support structure 23 will be described in detail. As described above, the airbag module support structure 23 has the function of connecting the airbag module 12 to the side frames 17 and also connecting the webbing 42 to the side frames 17. In the following description of the airbag module support structure 23, the front side (support surface side) of the seatback frame 9 will be referred to as the front, and the back side of the seatback frame 9 will be referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the up and down directions will be described based on the extension direction of the side frames 17.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3, the airbag module support structure 23 includes a bracket 50 provided on the lower side frame portion 17D, a wire member 51 that connects the webbing 42 to the bracket 50, and a retainer 52 that holds the airbag module 12.

[0053] The bracket 50 is a bent sheet metal member and constitutes a part of the side frame 17. The bracket 50 is joined to the rear surface of the lower side frame 17D and has a bracket-side connection portion 55 extending to the left of the lower side frame 17D and a plate-shaped bracket-side flat portion 56 extending forward from the left edge (left and right outer edge) of the bracket-side connection portion 55. The bracket-side connection portion 55 has a bracket-side joint portion 57 joined to the rear surface of the lower side frame 17D and a bracket-side inclined portion 58 extending diagonally forward and to the left from the left edge (left and right outer edge) of the bracket-side joint portion 57. The rear end of the bracket-side flat portion 56 is connected to the front edge of the bracket-side inclined portion 58. In this embodiment, the bracket 50 further has a plate-shaped bracket front end portion 59 extending rightward from the front edge of the bracket-side flat portion 56 and reaching the front surface of the lower side frame 17D. The bracket 50 is fixed to the lower side frame 17D by welding the bracket-side joint portion 57 to the rear surface of the lower side frame and the bracket front end portion 59 to the front surface of the lower side frame 17D. As a result, the bracket-side flat portion 56 forms a plate-like portion 17S in the side frame 17 that is spaced outward (leftward) from the outer surface contour 17C (see FIG. 6) of the lower side frame 17D.

[0054] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the bracket 50 is formed by bending a single, substantially rectangular sheet metal member along one edge. The bracket-side joint 57, bracket-side inclined surface 58, bracket-side flat surface 56, and bracket front end 59 each have a substantially rectangular shape extending in the vertical direction. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the bracket has a bracket-side notch 60 formed by cutting out the upper and lower edges of the bracket between the right edge of the bracket-side joint 57 and the rear edge of the bracket-side flat surface 56 in a substantially rectangular shape in the direction in which they approach each other. As a result, the vertical widths of the bracket-side inclined surface 58 and bracket-side joint 57 are smaller than the vertical width of the bracket-side flat surface 56.

[0055] 6, two hooking holes 62 penetrating through the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 in the thickness direction are provided side by side above and below. The two hooking holes 62 are located in front of the corresponding bracket-side cutout portions 60. More specifically, the upper hooking hole 62A is located above the lower edge of the upper bracket-side cutout portion 60A, and the lower hooking hole 62B is located below the upper edge of the lower bracket-side cutout portion 60B.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 7, the wire member 51 is formed by bending a metal round bar. The wire member 51 has a pair of wire hooking portions 65 that are each hooked into the hooking holes 62 from the outer left side, and a pair of wire extension portions 66 that are connected to the wire hooking portions 65 and extend forward along the left side surface of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. The front ends of the wire extension portions 66 are provided with webbing locking portions 68 that connect the wire extension portions 66 to each other and extend vertically. In this embodiment, the wire hooking portions 65 are formed by bending the end of the wire member 51 into a hook shape (J-shape).

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8 , the retainer 52 is coupled to the bracket-side connecting portion 55, more specifically, the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. The retainer-side connecting portion 70 extends outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56, and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 extends forward from the left edge of the retainer-side connecting portion 70 and faces the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 via the wire member 51. In this embodiment, the retainer-side connecting portion 70 is plate-shaped and inclined leftward as it faces the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side inclined portion 58. The retainer-side connecting portion 70 is fastened to the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side inclined portion 58 by a bolt passing through both of them. However, this is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the retainer-side connecting portion 70 may be coupled to the rear surface of the lower side frame portion 17D by welding or the like. As shown in FIG. 3 , the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 is provided with a through-hole 74 penetrating the thickness direction, and the male thread portion 28 of the airbag module 12 passes through the through-hole 74. The airbag module 12 is connected to the retainer 52 by fastening the male thread portion 28 to the retainer 52. That is, the airbag module 12 is connected to and supported by the side frame 17 by the airbag module support structure 23. However, in Figure 8, the airbag module 12 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0058] 3, the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 are spaced apart in the left-right direction, with the wire extension portion 66 passing between them. When the bracket 50 and the retainer 52 are joined, the wire extension portion 66 is clamped between the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71, preventing the wire member 51 from falling off. In this way, the retainer 52 joins the airbag module 12 to the side frame 17 and also functions to prevent the wire member 51 from falling off in cooperation with the bracket 50.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 8 , the retainer 52, like the bracket 50, is formed by bending a single, substantially rectangular sheet metal member, and the retainer-side connection portion 70 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 each have a substantially rectangular shape extending along the extension direction of the side frame 17. The retainer 52 is provided with a pair of upper and lower retainer-side cutout portions 80, which are substantially rectangular and cut out in directions approaching each other from the upper and lower edges between the rear edges of the retainer-side connection portion 70 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71. As a result, the vertical width of the retainer-side connection portion 70 is smaller than the vertical width of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71. The vertical width of the retainer-side connection portion 70 is also approximately equal to the vertical width of the bracket-side slope portion 58, and the vertical width of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 is also approximately equal to the vertical width of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. The upper and lower edges of the retainer-side flat portion 71 are aligned with the upper and lower edges of the bracket-side flat portion 56, respectively, and the upper and lower edges of the retainer-side connecting portion 70 are aligned with the upper and lower edges of the bracket-side inclined portion 58, respectively. As shown in Fig. 4, the retainer-side cutout portion 80 and the bracket-side cutout portion 60 overlap each other, and the retainer-side cutout portion 80 is located rearward of the bracket-side cutout portion 60 and rearward of the two hooking holes 62. More specifically, the upper retainer-side cutout portion 80A is located rearward of the upper hooking hole 62A, and the lower retainer-side cutout portion 80B is located rearward of the lower hooking hole 62B.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 8, the retainer 52 has a retainer-side auxiliary notch 82 formed by cutting out the upper and lower edges of the retainer 52 in a generally rectangular shape in the direction in which they approach each other, in front of the latching hole 62. As shown in Fig. 6, the bracket 50 also has a bracket-side auxiliary notch 84 that is cut out from the upper and lower edges in the direction in which they approach each other, in front of the latching hole 62, and that aligns with the retainer-side auxiliary notch 82. Each wire extension 66 has an inner horizontal portion 86 that extends forward from the wire latching portion 65 and reaches the retainer-side auxiliary notch 82 and the bracket-side auxiliary notch 84, a vertical portion 87 that extends from the front end of the inner horizontal portion 86 in the up-down direction in a direction away from the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71, and an outer horizontal portion 88 that extends forward from the extending end of the vertical portion 87 and reaches a position forward of the front edges of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 and the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. 8, the wire extension 66 protrudes forward (i.e., in a direction away from the bracket-side joining portion 57) from between the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 and the retainer-side flat plate portion 71, and the front end of the wire extension 66 is located forward of the front edge of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 and the front edge of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. Therefore, the webbing locking portion 68 that vertically connects the front ends of the wire extensions 66 is provided forward of the front edge of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56 and forward of the front edge of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71. Furthermore, by setting the distance between the front ends of the two wire extensions 66 to be greater in the vertical direction than the distance between the rear ends, the webbing locking portion 68 becomes longer, and the deployment direction of the airbag 25 can be guided over a wide range in the vertical direction.

[0061] 3, the wire extension 66 is gently curved outward and leftward at the outer horizontal portion 88 as it faces forward. As a result, the front end of the wire extension 66 is located outward and leftward relative to the wire hooking portion 65. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front end of the wire extension 66 and the webbing hooking portion 68 each abut against the right side surface of the airbag module 12, more specifically, the right outer surface of the bottom wall 30A of the case main body 30.

[0062] The webbing 42 is disposed so as to extend from the sewn portion 40 between the front portion 34 and the left side portion 35 toward the inside of the vehicle seat 1 and reach the webbing locking portion 68. A hook 92 is sewn to the end of the webbing 42 on the inside of the vehicle seat 1, and the hook 92 is hooked into the webbing locking portion 68, thereby connecting the webbing 42 to the side frame 17. That is, one end (front end) of the webbing 42 is sewn to the upholstery material 11, and the other end (rear end) has the front end of the extension of the wire member 51, more specifically, the other end locked to the webbing locking portion 68 of the wire member 51. In this way, the webbing 42 is connected to the side frame 17 by the airbag module support structure 23.

[0063] Next, a method for assembling the vehicle seat 1 configured as described above and its effects will be described. In assembling the vehicle seat 1, as shown in FIG. 6, a worker performs a process of welding the bracket-side connecting portion 57 of the bracket 50 to the rear surface of the side frame lower portion 17D on the pre-assembled seatback frame portion 15. This fixes the bracket 50 to the side frame lower portion 17D. Thereafter, the assembly worker positions the pad member 10 covered with the upholstery material 11 on the front side of the seatback frame 9, and as shown in FIG. 7, hooks the wire hooking portion 65 of the wire member 51 into the hooking hole 62, and then hooks the hook 92 of the webbing 42 into the webbing locking portion 68. Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the assembly worker connects the airbag module 12 to the retainer 52 and then fastens the retainer-side connecting portion 70 to the bracket-side inclined portion 58. Thereafter, the upholstery material 11 and the back seat material 44 are connected to each other, thereby assembling the vehicle seat 1.

[0064] In the process of fastening the retainer 52 to the bracket 50, the wire member 51 is only hooked to the bracket 50, and therefore there is a risk that the wire member 51 may fall off from the bracket 50. In order to check whether the wire member 51 has fallen off, it is preferable that an assembly worker assembling the vehicle seat 1 can visually check the engagement between the wire hooking portion 65 and the hooking hole 62 in the process of fastening the retainer to the bracket 50 (FIG. 8).

[0065] The bracket 50 and the retainer 52 are provided with cutouts 60, 80 located behind the hooking hole 62, respectively. This allows an assembly worker to visually check the engagement between the wire hooking portion 65 and the hooking hole 62 through the cutouts 60, 80 from behind the seat back frame 9, as shown in Figure 5. This makes it easy to check whether the wire member 51 and the side frame 17 are properly connected during assembly.

[0066] When a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 1 due to a vehicle collision or the like, the load is detected by the sensor 47 and the inflator 26 is activated. This causes the airbag 25 to inflate toward the front of the seatback 5 and deploy to the left side of the occupant. At this time, a reaction force directed rearward from the airbag 25 is applied to the bracket-side flat plate portion 56, and a rearward load is applied to the front edge of the bracket-side connecting portion 55.

[0067] In this embodiment, a bracket-side inclined surface 58 extending diagonally forward is provided at the front portion of the bracket-side connecting portion 55. Therefore, when a rearward load is applied to the front edge of the bracket-side connecting portion 55, the bracket-side inclined surface 58 resists the load. This more reliably prevents deformation of the bracket when the airbag is deployed, allowing the airbag to be deployed more appropriately.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 3 , the bracket-side inclined surface 58 extends diagonally forward from the left end of the bracket-side joint 57. This allows the bracket 50 and the retainer 52 to be fastened from the rear, unlike when the bracket-side inclined surface 58 extends forward from the left end of the bracket-side joint 57. This makes it possible to easily fasten the retainer 52 to the bracket 50 even when the pad member 10 is disposed in front of the seatback frame 9. Furthermore, compared to when the bracket-side inclined surface 58 is formed to extend leftward, the amount by which the bracket 50 and the retainer 52 protrude outward to the left and right from the side frame 17 can be reduced. This allows the width of the vehicle seat 1 in the left-right direction to be reduced.

[0069] 8, the webbing locking portion 68 is provided in front of the front edge of the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 and in front of the front edge of the bracket-side flat plate portion 56. Therefore, the hook 92 can be hooked onto the webbing locking portion 68 without being obstructed by the retainer-side flat plate portion 71 and the bracket-side flat plate portion 56.

[0070] Furthermore, the wire member 51 is hooked at the wire hooking portion 65 into the hooking hole 62 of the bracket 50, and is supported by the side frame 17 in a cantilevered state, being sandwiched at the inner horizontal portion 86 between the bracket 50 and the retainer 52. Therefore, vibrations applied to the vehicle seat 1 may cause the front end of the wire extension portion 66 and the webbing locking portion 68 to swing and come into contact with the lower side frame portion 17D, which may cause abnormal noise. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the wire member 51 is curved outward to the left at the outer horizontal portion 88, i.e., in a direction away from the lower side frame portion 17D. As a result, the front end of the wire extension portion 66 and the webbing locking portion 68 are positioned outward to the left with respect to the wire hooking portion and the hooking hole, and are positioned away from the lower side frame portion 17D. This makes it less likely that the wire extension portion 66 and the webbing locking portion 68 will come into contact with the lower side frame portion 17D. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the generation of abnormal noise due to contact between the wire extension portion 66 and the webbing locking portion 68 and the lower side frame portion 17D.

[0071] 3, by abutting the webbing locking portion 68 against the right side surface of the airbag module 12, a frictional force acts on the webbing locking portion 68, suppressing swinging of the webbing locking portion 68. This makes it less likely that the webbing locking portion 68 will come into contact with the side frame 17, preventing noise from being generated due to contact between the webbing locking portion 68 and the side frame 17. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outer surface of the case main body 30, including the outer surface of the bottom wall 30A, is covered with resin. That is, because the right side surface of the airbag module 12 with which the webbing locking portion 68 abuts is covered with resin, noise generated due to the webbing locking portion 68 abutting against the right side surface of the airbag module 12 is prevented from being generated compared to when the right side surface of the airbag module 12 is made of metal.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the bracket 50 is connected to the side frame lower part 17D at the bracket front end part 59 in addition to the bracket side joint part 57. This strengthens the connection between the bracket 50 and the side frame 17, making it possible to further stabilize the deployment direction of the airbag 25.

[0073] Although the description of the specific embodiment has been completed above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be widely modified and implemented. In the above embodiment, the vehicle seat 1 constitutes a passenger seat, but is not limited to this form. For example, the vehicle seat 101 may constitute a rear seat in the second row or later, as shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the airbag module 12 is provided in the seat back 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 11 , the airbag module 12 may be provided in the seat cushion 4 and connected to a side frame 202 of a cushion frame 201 that constitutes the seat cushion 4.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the side frame lower part 17D and the bracket 50 are formed as separate members, but the side frame lower part 17D and the bracket 50 may be formed as an integrated member. For example, the bracket-side flat plate part 56 and the bracket-side connecting part 55 may be formed by cutting and raising the side wall of the side frame lower part 17D. By forming the side frame lower part 17D and the bracket 50 as an integrated member, the number of parts that make up the vehicle seat 1 can be reduced, and the configuration of the vehicle seat 1 can be simplified.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the airbag module 12 is coupled to the left side frame lower part 17D, but this is not limiting and the airbag module 12 may be provided on at least one of the right and left side frames 17. For example, the airbag module 12 may be coupled to the right side frame lower part 17D, or an airbag module 12 may be coupled to each of the left and right side frame lower parts 17D. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1: Vehicle seats 9: Seat back frame 10: Pad material 11:Skin material 12: Airbag module 17: Side frame 42: Rikifu 50: Bracket 51: Wire material 52: Retainer 55: Bracket side connection part 56: Flat part on bracket side 57: Bracket side joint 58: Bracket side slope 60: Notch 62:Latching hole 65: Wire hook 66: Wire extension 68: Webbing retaining part 70: Retainer side connection part 71: Retainer side flat plate 80: Notch

Claims

1. a seat frame including a pair of left and right side frames; a bracket including a bracket-side connection portion coupled to one of the side frames and extending outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate portion extending forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and having a hook hole penetrating therethrough to the left and right; a wire member including a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion extending forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion; a retainer connected to one of the side frames or the bracket-side connecting portion, the retainer including a retainer-side connecting portion extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side flat plate portion extending forward from the retainer-side connecting portion and facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member; an airbag module coupled to the left and right outer surfaces of the retainer-side flat plate portion; a pad member supported on a front side of the seat frame; a skin material covering the front surface of the pad member; a webbing having one end sewn to the skin material and the other end fastened to the extension portion of the wire member, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion are each provided with a notch penetrating in the front-rear direction behind the hooking hole.

2. 2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a front end portion connected to the side frame from a front edge of the bracket-side flat plate portion.

3. 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the bracket and the side frame are integrally formed.

4. the bracket-side connection portion has a bracket-side joining portion joined to the rear surface of the side frame, and bracket-side inclined surface portions extending obliquely forward from left and right outer edges of the bracket-side joining portion, the bracket-side flat portion is connected to a front edge of the bracket-side inclined portion, 4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the retainer-side connecting portion is fastened to the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side inclined portion.

5. a webbing locking portion to which the webbing is locked is provided at a front end of the extension portion; 5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the webbing locking portion is located in front of a front edge of the retainer-side flat plate portion and in front of a front edge of the bracket-side flat plate portion.

6. 6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the webbing fastening portions are positioned outwardly of the hook portions on the left and right.

7. 7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, wherein the webbing anchoring portions abut against inner left and right side surfaces of the airbag module.

8. a bracket including: a bracket-side connecting portion that is connected to left and right outer surfaces of a frame that forms the skeleton of the vehicle seat and extends outward to the left and right; and a bracket-side flat plate portion that is plate-shaped and extends forward from left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connecting portion, and has a hook hole that penetrates left and right; a wire member including a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion extending forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion; a retainer including a retainer-side connection portion connected to the frame or the bracket-side connection portion and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side flat plate portion extending forward from the retainer-side connection portion and facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member; The airbag module support structure is characterized in that the retainer-side connecting portion and the bracket-side connecting portion are each provided with a notch penetrating in the front-rear direction at a position aligned with the latch hole.

9. a seat frame including a pair of left and right side frames; a bracket including a bracket-side connection portion coupled to the side frame and extending outward to the left and right, and a bracket-side flat plate portion extending forward from the left and right outer edges of the bracket-side connection portion and having a hook hole penetrating therethrough to the left and right; a wire member including a hook portion hooked to the hook hole and an extension portion extending forward from the hook portion along the left and right outer surfaces of the bracket-side flat plate portion; a retainer including a retainer-side connection portion connected to the side frame or the bracket-side connection portion and extending outward to the left and right of the bracket-side flat plate portion, and a retainer-side flat plate portion extending forward from the retainer-side connection portion and facing the bracket-side flat plate portion via the wire member; a method for assembling a vehicle seat, wherein the retainer-side connection portion and the bracket-side connection portion are each provided with a notch penetrating in the front-rear direction at a position aligned with the hook hole, a step of hooking the hook portion of the wire member into the hook hole; and a step of connecting the retainer-side connecting portion to the side frame or the bracket-side connecting portion.

Images