Vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat configured so that operability in falling a seat back of a rear seat forward can be further improved.SOLUTION: With respect to an operation part 42, the operation part 42 can be moved forward, by pulling the operation part 42 through a concave part 94 from a vehicle interior 80 or pressing a protruding part 90 from a luggage space 15 side. This can release a locked state of a seat back part 28 by a lock mechanism 44. In other words, operability in falling the seat back part 28 forward is improved, while preventing strangeness from occurring to operation of the operation part 42, by making operating directions of the operation part 42 same, although positions where the operation part 42 is operated by operation from the vehicle interior 80 and operation from the luggage space 15 side are precisely opposite between a front side and a rear side in a longitudinal direction of the seat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology relating to a vehicle seat storage structure in which a seat cushion is moved into a storage recess provided on the vehicle floor on the front side of the seat cushion in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and the seat back is tilted forward onto the seat cushion, thereby storing the seat cushion in the storage recess.

[0003] In this prior art, when storing the seat cushion, the locking means that holds the seat cushion in the use position can be released by operating the operating part of the lock release means arranged on the top of the seat back.

[0004] The operating unit is rotatable toward the front and rear of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction, and the locking means can be released by rotating the operating unit toward either the front or rear of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction. Release of the locking means allows the seat back to be folded forward onto the seat cushion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-359158 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When the operating unit is rotated forward in the seat's fore-and-aft direction and the seatback is tilted forward onto the seat cushion, the operation does not feel strange because the direction in which the operating unit is operated is the same as the direction in which the seatback is tilted. On the other hand, when the operating unit is rotated backward in the seat's fore-and-aft direction, the direction in which the operating unit is operated is opposite to the direction in which the seatback is tilted, which may cause discomfort and make the operation difficult.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat that can further improve the operability when folding forward the seat back of a rear seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle seat according to the invention of claim 1 includes a locking mechanism that maintains an upright state of a seat back that supports the upper body of a seated occupant seated on a seat cushion that supports the thighs and buttocks of the occupant seated in a rear seat that is located rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from a front seat that is located at the front of the vehicle interior, and a locking mechanism that maintains an upright state of a seat back that supports the thighs and buttocks of the occupant seated on a seat cushion that is located rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from a front seat that is located at the front of the vehicle interior, and an operating mechanism that can be operated from the front side and from the rear side of the seat back in the seat front-rear direction, and that releases the locked state of the seat back by the locking mechanism when moved forward toward the front side in the seat front-rear direction; The operation mechanism includes an operation member that can move forward, and the operation member includes a recessed portion on which a finger can be hooked, and a protruding portion that is arranged rearward of the recessed portion in the seat front-rear direction, protrudes upward in the seat up-down direction, and can be pressed from behind the seat back in the seat front-rear direction. .

[0009] The vehicle seat according to the invention of claim 1 is provided with a locking mechanism and an operating mechanism in the rear seat. The locking mechanism maintains the seat back in an upright position. Meanwhile, the operating mechanism can be operated from both the front and rear sides of the seat back in the seat front-rear direction, and the seat back's locked state by the locking mechanism is released by moving the operating mechanism forward toward the front side in the seat front-rear direction. In other words, the seat back can be folded forward.

[0010] As a comparative example, for example, when tilting the seat back forward, if the operating mechanism that releases the locked state of the seat back is operated toward the rear in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, the operating direction of the operating mechanism and the direction in which the seat back is tilted forward will be opposite, which will cause an uncomfortable feeling when operating the operating mechanism.

[0011] In contrast, in the present invention, when the seat back is tilted forward, the operating mechanism can be operated from the front side of the seat back in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat and from the rear side of the seat back in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and the operating mechanism can be moved forward regardless of the position from which it is operated relative to the operating mechanism, thereby releasing the locked state of the seat back set by the locking mechanism.

[0012] In other words, in the present invention, the direction in which the seat back is tilted forward and the direction in which the operating mechanism is operated are the same regardless of the operating position relative to the operating mechanism. As a result, the present invention does not cause any discomfort when operating the operating mechanism. As a result, the operability when tilting the rear seat back forward is improved.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention In the seat backrest, the operating mechanism includes an operating member that can move forward, and the operating member includes a recess and a protrusion. The recess is designed to allow a finger to be hooked thereon, and the protrusion is located rearward of the recess in the seat front-rear direction and protrudes upward in the seat up-down direction, allowing it to be pressed from behind the seat back in the seat front-rear direction.

[0015] The operating member can be moved forward by operating it from the front-to-rear direction of the seat forward of the seat back and from the rear-to-rear direction of the seat back. When moving the operating member forward from the front-to-rear direction of the seat forward of the seat back, the occupant operating the operating member hooks their finger in the recess and pulls the operating member, moving it toward the front side of the seat forward of the seat (moving it forward). On the other hand, when moving the operating member forward from the rear side of the seat forward of the seat back, the occupant operating the operating member presses the operating member via the protrusion, moving it forward.

[0016] In other words, in the present invention, by changing the shape (recess, protrusion) of the operating member relative to the seat back, the operating member can be made easier to pull or press depending on the position at which the operating member is operated, thereby improving the operability of the operating member.

[0017] Claim 2 The vehicle seat according to the invention described in claim 1 In the vehicle seat according to the invention described above, the operating member further includes a cover portion having the recess and the protrusion on the inside and a flange on the outside that abuts against the skin that constitutes the design surface of the seat back, and the protrusion is trapezoidal in a side view of the seat, and the upper surface of the protrusion is configured to roughly follow the flange.

[0018] Claim 2 In the vehicle seat according to the invention described in (1), the operating member further includes a cover portion having a recess and a protrusion provided on the inside thereof, and a flange is provided on the outside of the cover portion, and the flange abuts against a skin that constitutes the design surface of the seat back. In the seat, the protruding portion has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side, and the upper surface of the protruding portion is configured to substantially conform to the flange, which provides a good design and can prevent the operating member from malfunctioning.

[0019] Claim 3 The vehicle seat according to the invention described in claim1 or claims 2 In the vehicle seat according to the invention described above, the protruding portion is provided with a knurled portion formed in an uneven shape along the seat up-down direction on the rear wall portion of the protruding portion.

[0020] Claim 3 In the vehicle seat according to the invention described above, a knurled portion formed in an uneven shape along the vertical direction of the seat is provided on the rear wall of the protruding portion, thereby providing an anti-slip function for fingers when pressing (moving forward) the operating member from the luggage space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0034] As described above, the vehicle seat according to the present invention can further improve the operability when tilting the seat back of the rear seat forward. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the diagonally front left side. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of a seat back showing, in a simplified manner with solid lines, a state in which a striker is locked in a locking mechanism provided in a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment; FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a locked state by a lock mechanism provided in the vehicle seat according to the present embodiment and an operating mechanism. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view of a seat back showing, in a simplified manner with solid lines, a state in which a striker is unlocked in a locking mechanism provided in a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a locked state by a locking mechanism provided in the vehicle seat according to the present embodiment is released, and an enlarged view of an operating mechanism. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of an operating mechanism provided in a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the diagonally front left side. [Figure 7]1 is a perspective view of an operating mechanism provided in a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the left rear side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] A vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrows FR, UP, and RH shown in each drawing indicate the front, top, and right of the vehicle seat 10, respectively. Hereinafter, when the directions of front-rear, up-down, and left-right are simply used in the description, they will refer to front-rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, up-down in the vehicle up-down direction, and left-right in the vehicle width direction, unless otherwise specified.

[0037] <Vehicle seat configuration> First, the configuration of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment will be described.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment is a rear seat 12 arranged rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to a front seat (not shown).

[0039] The rear seat 12 is broadly divided into a seat cushion 14 on which an occupant can sit, a seat back 16 that can support the upper body of the seated occupant seated on the seat cushion 14 and defines the approximate front end of the luggage space 15 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a headrest 18 that can support the head of the seated occupant. The seat cushion 14 is configured to include, for example, a seat cushion portion 20 that forms the right side of the seat cushion 14 and a seat cushion portion 22 that forms the left side of the seat cushion 20.

[0040] In this embodiment, the seat cushion portion 20 and the seat cushion portion 22 are integrally formed, and a center seat cushion portion 24 is provided between the seat cushion portion 20 and the seat cushion portion 22. The center seat cushion portion 24 is formed to be shorter in the seat width direction than the seat cushion portion 20 and the seat cushion portion 22, but an occupant can sit on the center seat cushion portion 24.

[0041] In this embodiment, the center seat cushion portion 24, the seat cushion portion 20, and the seat cushion portion 22 are integrally formed, but the seat cushion portion 20 and the seat cushion portion 22 may be formed independently.

[0042] On the other hand, the seat back 16 is connected to a seat back portion 26, a seat back portion 28, and a center seat back portion 30 corresponding to the seat cushion portion 20, the seat cushion portion 22, and the center seat cushion portion 24, respectively.

[0043] In this embodiment, the seat back portion 26 and the center seat back portion 30 are integrated, and the dimensional ratio in the vehicle width direction between the seat back portion 26 including the center seat back portion 30 and the seat back portion 28 is set to, for example, 60:40, making the seat back portion 26 and the seat back portion 28 separable.

[0044] The seat back portions 26 and 28 are rotatable independently of each other around an axis along the seat width direction via hinge portions (not shown) provided at the lower ends of the seat back portions 26 and 28, respectively, and are each capable of being folded forward (described later).

[0045] A headrest portion 32, a headrest portion 34, and a center headrest portion 36 are connected to the upper ends of the seat back portion 26, the seat back portion 28, and the center seat back portion 30 so as to be movable up and down, respectively.

[0046] As described above, the seat back portion 26 is integrated with the center seat back portion 30. Therefore, when the seat back portion 26 is tilted forward, the center seat back portion 30 moves integrally with the seat back portion 26 toward the center seat cushion portion 24.

[0047] The center seatback portion 30 is provided above the hinge portion of the seatback portion 26 and is rotatable around an axis along the seat width direction via a hinge portion (not shown) different from the hinge portion, and is capable of being folded forward.

[0048] By tilting this center seatback portion 30 forward relative to the seatback portions 26 and 28, the seated occupant seated on the seat cushion portions 20 and 22 can use the tilted center seatback portion 30 as an armrest, a cup holder, etc.

[0049] As described above, the seat back 16 can be folded forward. In this embodiment, operation mechanisms 38, 40 are provided on the outer sides of the upper end 26A of the seat back portion 26 and the upper end 28A of the seat back portion 28 in the vehicle width direction, respectively. By operating an operation unit 42 constituting a part of these operation mechanisms 38, 40 (moving it forward in the seat fore-and-aft direction), the locked state of the seat back portions 26, 28 by the lock mechanism 44 is released, and the seat back portions 26, 28 can be folded forward, respectively.

[0050] Here, the mechanisms for tilting forward the seat backs 26 and 28 have substantially the same configurations, so in the following explanation, the seat back 28 will be described as a representative of both.

[0051] (locking mechanism) A U-shaped striker 46 (part of the striker 46 is shown in Figure 2) with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the vehicle body side (not shown), and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a locking portion 48 constituting a locking mechanism 44 provided on the seat back portion 28 side is locked with the striker 46, thereby maintaining the seat back portion 28 in an upright state. Therefore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, when the locking state of the striker 46 by the locking portion 48 is released, the seat back portion 28 can be folded forward.

[0052] 2 and 4 are side views of the seat back portion 28 in which the locking mechanism 44 is simply shown by solid lines, and FIGS. 3 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the locking mechanism 44 in FIGS. 2 and 4, respectively.

[0053] 3, the locking mechanism 44 includes a metal base member (guide mechanism) 50, a rotating member (first moving member) 52, and a rotating member (guide mechanism, second moving member) 54. The base member 50 has a rectangular plate shape in a side view of the seat, and is disposed along the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions of the seat. The base member 50 is fixed to side frames 58 that are disposed on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction of a seatback frame 56 that forms the framework of the seatback portion 28 and has a generally rectangular frame shape.

[0054] The rotating member 52 is shaped like a long plate extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and a shaft portion 60 fixed to the base member 50 and arranged along the width direction of the seat is inserted into the rear end portion 52A of the rotating member 52, so that the rotating member 52 can rotate around the shaft portion 60.

[0055] Furthermore, one end 62A of a coil spring (biasing member) 62 is attached to the front portion 53 side of the rotating member 52. Furthermore, a hanging portion 64 hangs down from the rear end portion 52A of the rotating member 52, and hanging portion 64 is formed with a notch portion (abutment portion) 64A that is cut out toward the front side of the seat and forms part of the locking portion 48. The striker 46 can be housed within this notch portion 64A, and the striker 46 can be clamped together with the rotating member 54.

[0056] On the other hand, the rotating member 54 is disposed lower than the rotating member 52 in the up-down direction of the seat, has a generally inverted T-shape in a side view of the seat, and is rotatable about a shaft 66 that is fixed to the base member 50 and provided along the width direction of the seat. The other end 62B of the coil spring 62 is attached to a front end 54A of the rotating member 54.

[0057] In addition, an extension portion (clamping portion) 68 is formed at the rear end portion 54B of the rotating member 54, extending approximately parallel to the center portion 54C of the rotating member 54 and constituting the other part of the engagement portion 48, and the extension portion 68 is capable of facing the cutout portion 64A formed in the rotating member 52.

[0058] With the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 positioned opposite the notch portion 64A of the rotating member 52, the striker 46, which is positioned on the movement trajectory of the extension portion 68 that accompanies the rotational movement of the seat back portion 28, can be clamped. With the striker 46 clamped between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the notch portion 64A of the rotating member 52, the seat back portion 28 is locked to the striker 46, and the seat back portion 28 is placed in a so-called locked state.

[0059] (operation mechanism) Incidentally, an operating mechanism 40 is provided at a portion of an upper frame 70 disposed at the upper end of the seatback frame 56 where the upper frame 70 intersects with the side frame 58. An operating unit main body 72 constituting a part of the operating mechanism 40 has a triangular cylindrical shape with an axis along a line along the seat width direction, and is disposed with its top portion 72A on the underside of the seat, with a storage portion 74 inside.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, a cover portion 76 having a rectangular frame shape in a plan view is fitted into the upper end of the operating unit main body 72 through an opening (not shown) formed in the skin 78, and the cover portion 76 is exposed to the interior of the vehicle 80.

[0061] The cover portion 76 is provided with a flange 82 that abuts against the periphery of the opening, and a vertical wall portion 84 is formed on the inside of the left and right flange portions 82A extending along the fore-and-aft direction of the seat to absorb the height difference between the skin 78 and the operating unit main body 72.

[0062] The operating unit 42 is housed within the housing 74 of the operating unit main body 72. The operating unit 42 is rotatable around the top 72A side of the operating unit main body 72. The operating unit 42 has a generally U-shaped cross section when cut along the seat vertical direction, with a lip portion 86 extending toward the front side of the seat and a lip portion 88 extending toward the rear side of the seat provided from the upper ends of the opposing front wall 42A and rear wall 42B, respectively.

[0063] A protruding portion 90 that protrudes upward is formed integrally with the lip portion 88 on the upper side of the lip portion 88. The protruding portion 90 is generally trapezoidal in a side view of the seat, and an upper surface 90A of the protruding portion 90 is formed so as to generally follow the flange 82 of the cover portion 76. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, a rear wall portion 90B of the protruding portion 90 is provided with a knurled portion 92 that is unevenly formed along the up-down direction of the seat, and has a function of preventing fingers from slipping.

[0064] In addition, a recess 94 that is recessed downward is formed in the center of the operating unit 42 in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and the occupant's fingers can be inserted into the recess 94 and hooked into the recess 94, making it easy to operate from inside the passenger compartment 80.

[0065] The operating unit 42 is rotatable toward the front side in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and by pulling the operating unit 42 toward the front side in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat from the passenger compartment 80 via the recess 94, and by pressing the operating unit 42 from the luggage space 15 side via the protrusion 90, the operating unit 42 can be rotated (moved forward) toward the front side in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat around the top 72A side.

[0066] Here, a shaft hole 96 is provided on the top 72A side of the operation unit main body 72. A pin 98A1 provided on a front end 98A of a link 98 that is arranged to incline downward in the seat up-down direction as it extends rearward in the seat front-rear direction is inserted into the shaft hole 96, making the link 98 rotatable integrally with the pin 98A1 along the shaft hole 96.

[0067] One end 100A of a rod 100 is engaged with the rear end 98B of the link 98, and the other end 100B of the rod 100 is engaged with the front end 52B of the rotating member 52. Therefore, the vertical movement of the rod 100 allows the rotating member 52 to rotate around the shaft 60.

[0068] <Functions and Effects of Vehicle Seats> Next, the operation and effects of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment will be described.

[0069] With the above-described configuration, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the striker 46 is locked by the locking portion 48 that constitutes the locking mechanism 44 provided on the seat back portion 28 side, thereby maintaining the seat back portion 28 in an upright state.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, the locking portion 48 is configured to include a notch portion 64A formed in the rotating member 52 and an extension portion 68 formed in the rotating member 54, and when the striker 46 is clamped between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the notch portion 64A of the rotating member 52, the seat back portion 28 is locked to the striker 46, and the seat back portion 28 is placed in a locked state.

[0071] In this embodiment, when the seat back portion 28 is in such a locked state, an occupant can move the operating portion 42 forward by hooking their fingers into the recess 94 of the operating portion 42 constituting the operating mechanism 40 shown in Figure 3 from inside the vehicle cabin 80 and pulling the operating portion 42, or by pressing the operating portion 42 forward in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat from the luggage space 15 side via the protruding portion 90.

[0072] 5, when the operating unit 42 moves forward, the link 98 rotates together with the pin 98A1 along the shaft hole 96 in accordance with the forward movement (rotational movement) of the operating unit 42. As a result, the rear end 98B of the link 98 moves upward in the seat vertical direction, and the rod 100 moves upward in the seat vertical direction. Accordingly, the rotating member 52 rotates about the shaft 60, and the front end 52B of the rotating member 52 moves upward in the seat vertical direction.

[0073] As a result, the rotating member 54 rotates about the shaft 66, and the front end 54A of the rotating member 54 moves upward in the seat vertical direction. Then, the movement of the rotating member 54 is restricted when it abuts against a stopper (not shown), and elastic energy is accumulated in the coil spring 62.

[0074] In this state, the striker 46 is released from being clamped between the extension 68 of the rotating member 54 and the notch 64A of the rotating member 52. At this time, there is no wall to obstruct the relative movement of the striker 46 on the rear side of the striker 46 in the seat front-rear direction, and therefore, in this state, when the upper end 28A of the seat back 28 is pressed forward in the seat front-rear direction around the lower end of the seat back 28, the seat back 28 can be tilted forward (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4).

[0075] In addition, in the locked state of the seat back portion 28 shown in Figures 2 and 3, if the seat back portion 28 is provided with a biasing means such as a torsion bar or a spiral spring that biases the seat back portion 28 in a direction to tilt forward, when the clamped state of the striker 46 is released, the seat back portion 28 will automatically be able to tilt forward.

[0076] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, when the fingers are released from the operating unit 42 with the striker 46 no longer clamped, the force of the coil spring 62 causes the rotating member 54 to rotate around the shaft 66, and the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 returns to a position facing the cutout portion 64A of the rotating member 52.

[0077] From this state, when an attempt is made to return the seat back portion 28 to an upright position by pressing the upper end portion 28A of the seat back portion 28 toward the rear in the seat fore-and-aft direction around the lower end portion of the seat back portion 28, the striker 46 comes into contact with the upper end 68A of the extension portion 68 (guide mechanism) of the pivoting member 54 and the base member 50, although this is not shown in the figure.

[0078] From this state, if the upper end 28A of the seat back portion 28 is further pressed toward the rear in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, the striker 46 will cause the rotating member 54 to rotate around the shaft portion 66 via the upper end 68A of the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 against the biasing force of the coil spring 62.

[0079] As a result, as shown in Figure 3, the striker 46 can be positioned (standard position P) between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the cutout portion 64A of the rotating member 52, and the striker 46 can be clamped between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the cutout portion 64A of the rotating member 52, thereby locking the seat back portion 28.

[0080] As described above, in this embodiment, the operating unit 42 can be moved forward by pulling the operating unit 42 from the passenger compartment 80 via the recess 94, or by pressing the operating unit 42 toward the front side in the seat fore-and-aft direction from the luggage space 15 side via the protruding portion 90, thereby releasing the locked state of the seat back portion 28 by the locking mechanism 44, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0081] As a comparative example (not shown), when operating an operating unit from the luggage space 15 side, if the operating unit is configured to be pulled upward, it is difficult to apply force, making it particularly difficult for women to operate. Also, when tilting the seat back 28 forward, if the operating unit is pulled from the luggage space 15 side to release the locked state of the seat back 28, the operating direction of the operating unit and the direction in which the seat back is tilted forward are opposite, which makes operating the operating unit feel strange.

[0082] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the operating unit 42 can be moved forward by pulling the operating unit 42 from inside the vehicle cabin 80 via the recessed portion 94, or by pressing the operating unit 42 from the luggage space 15 side via the protruding portion 90. In other words, because the operating direction of the operating unit 42 and the direction in which the seatback 28 is tilted forward are the same, no discomfort is felt when operating the operating unit 42, and operability when tilting the seatback 28 forward is improved.

[0083] In this embodiment, by devising the shape of the operating unit 42, the operating direction of the operating unit 42 is the same even though the operating positions for the operating unit 42 when operating from inside the vehicle interior 80 and when operating from the luggage space 15 are opposite on the front and rear sides in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat.

[0084] In this embodiment, the operating direction of the operating unit 42 is the same as the direction in which the seat back portion 28 is tilted forward, thereby preventing any discomfort when operating the operating unit 42 and improving operability when tilting the seat back portion 28 forward.

[0085] 3 and 5, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 44 is configured to include a rotating member 52 and a rotating member 54. The rotating member 52 is provided to be rotatable about a shaft portion 60 provided along the seat width direction, is capable of coming into contact with a striker 46 provided on the vehicle body side, and moves when the operating mechanism 40 moves forward.

[0086] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the rotating member 54 is provided rotatably about a shaft 66 provided along the seat width direction, and holds the striker 46 together with the rotating member 52 to be locked to the striker 46, thereby maintaining the upright state of the seat back 28. Furthermore, the rotating member 54 moves when the operating mechanism 40 moves forward, and is released from the locked state with respect to the striker 46.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 44 further includes a notch 64A, an extension 68, and a coil spring 62. The notch 64A is provided at the rear of the rotating member 52 in the seat front-rear direction, and abuts against the striker 46. The extension 68 is provided at the rear of the rotating member 54 in the seat front-rear direction, and holds the striker 46 together with the notch 64A.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, one end 62A of the coil spring 62 is attached to the front part 53 of the rotating member 52, and the other end 62B is attached to the front end part 54A of the rotating member 54, and the extension part 68 biases the striker 46 in a direction that maintains the state in which it is clamped together with the cutout part 64A.

[0089] In other words, the striker 46 is clamped by the coil spring 62, and the seat back 28 is locked by the locking mechanism 44, maintaining the upright state of the seat back 28 (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, when the locked state of the seat back 28 by the locking mechanism 44 is released, elastic energy is accumulated in the coil spring 62 in a direction against the biasing force.

[0090] In this embodiment, the operating mechanism 40 includes an operating unit 42 and a rod 100. The operating unit 42 is movable forward, and the rod 100 moves when the operating unit 42 moves forward, thereby rotating the rotating member 54 in a direction that releases the locked state of the seat back 28 by the locking mechanism 44.

[0091] That is, in this embodiment, forward movement of the operating portion 42 moves the rod 100 and rotates the rotating member 54. This releases the locked state of the seat back portion 28 by the locking mechanism 44.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the locking state of the seat back portion 28 by the locking mechanism 44 is released from the standard position P of the striker 46 in which the striker 46 is clamped between the cutout portion 64A provided in the rotating member 52 and the extension portion 68 provided in the rotating member 54, the striker 46 is guided to the standard position P by the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54.

[0093] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the striker 46 is in contact between the upper end 68A of the extension portion 68 of the pivoting member 54 and the base member 50 and then further presses the upper end portion 28A of the seat back portion 28 toward the rear in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, the striker 46 causes the pivoting member 54 to pivot about the shaft portion 66 via the upper end 68A of the extension portion 68 of the pivoting member 54 against the biasing force of the coil spring 62.

[0094] This allows the striker 46 to be positioned between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the cutout portion 64A of the rotating member 52, and the striker 46 is clamped between the extension portion 68 of the rotating member 54 and the cutout portion 64A of the rotating member 52, thereby placing the seat back portion 28 in a locked state, i.e., in the standard position P of the striker 46.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operating portion 42 is configured to include a recess 94 and a protruding portion 90. The recess 94 is configured to allow a finger to be hooked thereon, and the protruding portion 90 is disposed rearward of the recess 94 in the seat front-rear direction, protrudes upward in the seat up-down direction, and can be pressed from behind the seat back 28 in the seat front-rear direction.

[0096] In this embodiment, the operating unit 42 can be moved forward by operating it from further forward in the seat fore-and-aft direction than the seat back 28 and from further rearward in the seat fore-and-aft direction than the seat back 28. When moving the operating unit 42 forward from further forward in the seat fore-and-aft direction than the seat back 28, that is, when an occupant operates the operating unit 42 from inside the vehicle compartment 80, the occupant places their finger in the recess 94 and pulls the operating unit 42 toward the occupant, thereby moving the operating unit 42 forward.

[0097] On the other hand, in this embodiment, when the operating unit 42 is moved forward from the rear side of the seat back portion 28 in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, that is, when the occupant operates the operating unit 42 from the luggage space 15 side, the occupant presses the operating unit 42 via the protrusion portion 90, thereby moving the operating unit 42 forward.

[0098] With the above-described configuration, in this embodiment, by changing the shape (recess 94, protrusion 90) of the operating unit 42 relative to the seat back portion 28, the operating unit 42 can be made easier to pull or press depending on the position at which the operating unit 42 is operated, thereby improving the operability of the operating unit 42.

[0099] In addition, the present invention can be embodied in various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, while the rotating members 52 and 54 are rotatable about the shafts 60 and 66, respectively, the present invention is not limited to this as long as the locked state in which the striker 46 is clamped can be released by moving the operating unit 42. For example, only the rotating member 54 may be rotatable, or both the rotating members 52 and 54 may be linearly movable.

[0100] <Additional Notes> The following configurations may be appropriately combined to form a vehicle seat according to the present invention.

[0101] (Configuration 1) The vehicle seat has a locking mechanism that maintains an upright position of a seat back that supports the upper body of a seated occupant seated on a seat cushion that supports the thighs and buttocks of the occupant seated in a rear seat that is located rearward in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle than a front seat that is located at the front of the passenger compartment, and an operating mechanism that can be operated from the front side of the seat back in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat and from the rear side of the seat back in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, and that releases the locked state of the seat back by moving forward in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat.

[0102] (Configuration 2) The operating mechanism includes an operating member that can move forward, and the operating member is configured to include a recess in which a finger can be hooked, and a protruding portion that is positioned rearward of the recess in the seat's fore-and-aft direction, protrudes toward the upper side in the seat's up-and-down direction, and can be pressed from behind the seat back in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0103] (Configuration 3) The operating member further includes a cover portion having the recess and the protrusion on the inside and a flange on the outside that abuts against the skin that constitutes the decorative surface of the seat back, and the protrusion has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side of the seat, and the upper surface of the protrusion is configured to roughly follow the flange.

[0104] (Configuration 4) The protruding portion is provided with a knurled portion formed in an uneven shape along the seat vertical direction on the rear wall of the protruding portion.

[0105] (Configuration 5) The locking mechanism includes a first moving member that is capable of coming into contact with a striker provided on the vehicle body side and that moves as the operating mechanism moves forward, and a second moving member that holds the striker together with the first moving member and is engaged with the striker to maintain the upright state of the seat back, and that moves as the operating mechanism moves forward to release the state where it has been engaged with the striker.

[0106] (Configuration 6) The first moving member is a first rotating member that is rotatable about a first shaft that is provided along the seat width direction, and the second moving member is a second rotating member that is rotatable about a second shaft that is provided along the seat width direction. The locking mechanism further includes: a contact portion that is provided at the rear of the first rotating member in the seat front-rear direction and that abuts against the striker; a clamping portion that is provided at the rear of the second rotating member in the seat front-rear direction and that clamps the striker together with the contact portion; and a biasing member that has one end attached to the front of the first rotating member in the seat front-rear direction and the other end attached to the front of the second rotating member in the seat front-rear direction and that biases the clamping portion in a direction that maintains the state in which it clamps the striker together with the abutment portion.

[0107] (Configuration 7) The operating mechanism includes an operating member that can move forward, and a rod that moves in response to the forward movement of the operating member and rotates the second rotating member in a direction that releases the locked state of the seat back by the locking mechanism.

[0108] (Configuration 8) A guide mechanism is provided that guides the striker to the standard position where the striker is clamped between the abutment portion and the clamping portion after the locking state of the seat back by the locking mechanism is released.

[0109] (Configuration 9) The guide mechanism includes a base member that rotatably supports the second moving member, and the second moving member that rotates around the second axis portion in response to an external force directed toward the front side in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat via the striker, forming a gap with the base member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 10 Vehicle seats 12 rear seat 14 seat cushion 15 Luggage space (behind the seat back in the front-to-back direction) 16 Seat back 20 Seat cushion part (seat cushion) 22 Seat cushion part (seat cushion) 24 Center seat cushion part (seat cushion) 26 Seat back section (seat back) 28 Seat back section (seat back) 30 Center seat back (seat back) 38 Operating mechanism 40 Operating mechanism 42 Operation unit (operation member) 44 Locking mechanism 46 Striker 50 Base member (guide mechanism) 52 Rotating member (first moving member) 54 Rotating member (guide mechanism, second moving member) 60 Shaft (first shaft) 62 Coil spring (biasing member) 64A Notch part (contact part) 66 Shaft (second shaft) 68 Extension part (clamping part) 68A Upper end (guide mechanism) 76 Cover 80 Inside the vehicle (front of the seat back) 82 flange 90 Protruding part 92 Knurled part 94 recess 100 rods P standard position

Claims

1. a locking mechanism for maintaining an upright state of a seat back that supports the upper body of an occupant seated on a seat cushion that supports the thighs and buttocks of the occupant seated in a rear seat that is located rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to a front seat that is located at the front of the vehicle interior; and an operating mechanism that can be operated from a position forward of the seat back in the seat front-rear direction and a position rearward of the seat back in the seat front-rear direction, and that releases the locked state of the seat back by the locking mechanism when the operating mechanism moves forward toward the front side in the seat front-rear direction; Equipped with The operating mechanism includes: an operating member capable of moving forward; The operating member is A recess in which fingers can be hooked; a protruding portion that is disposed rearward of the recess in the seat front-rear direction, protrudes upward in the seat up-down direction, and can be pressed from a rearward side of the seat back in the seat front-rear direction; A vehicle seat comprising:

2. The operating member further includes a cover portion having the recess and the protrusion provided on the inside and a flange provided on the outside that abuts against the skin that constitutes the design surface of the seat back, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a trapezoidal shape in a side view of the seat, and an upper surface of the protrusion is configured to substantially follow the flange.

3. The protruding portion is 3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a knurled portion is provided on a rear wall of the protruding portion so as to be uneven along the up-down direction of the seat.

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