Vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a vehicular seat configured to enable change of a direction of a seat surface in accordance with a situation of an occupant.SOLUTION: The vehicular seat comprises an actuator 30 that can change a direction of a seat surface in a lateral direction by moving at least a portion of a seat, and a control device 100 that controls the actuator 30. The control device 100 has: getting-on / off detecting means 150 that detects getting on / off a vehicle of an occupant; getting on / off support means 160 that when the getting-on / off detecting means 150 detects the getting on / off the vehicle of the occupant, executes getting-on / off support control which points the seat surface toward a getting-on / off port of the vehicle by controlling the actuator 30; wakefulness detecting means 130 that detects wakefulness of a driver; and warning means 140 that when the wakefulness detecting means 130 detects deterioration in wakefulness of the driver, executes warming control of changing the direction of the seat surface by controlling the actuator 30. A change quantity of the direction of the seat surface at the time of executing the getting-on / off support control is larger than a change quantity of the direction of the seat surface at the time of executing the warning control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat capable of changing the orientation of the seat surface left and right.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a vehicle seat, one configured to be able to change the orientation of the seat surface left and right is known. For example, in Patent Documents 1 to 3, by turning the orientation of a plate-like member called a back plate or a pressure receiving member disposed between the left and right side frames of the seat back to the left or right, a vehicle seat capable of changing the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back to the left or right is disclosed.

[0003] In addition, as a mechanism for changing the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back, in addition to the mechanisms disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example, a side support drive mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 4 can be used. Specifically, after providing a cable traction mechanism so that the left and right side support devices constituting the side support drive mechanism drive independently, for example, by driving the left side support device, the left support member rotates forward, and thereby, the left side portion of the seat back can be pushed forward. And when the left side portion of the seat back is pushed forward in this way, the seat back will have the seat surface facing right as a whole, so it becomes possible to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, it is desirable that the orientation of the seat surface of a vehicle seat be adjustable according to the situation in which the occupant sitting in the vehicle seat is positioned.

[0006] Therefore, the objective is to provide a vehicle seat that allows the orientation of the seat surface to be changed according to the situation in which the occupant is positioned. Furthermore, this project aims to propose various uses for vehicle seats that allow the orientation of the seat surface to be changed. Furthermore, it aims to improve comfort. Furthermore, it aims to improve ease of boarding and alighting. Furthermore, it aims to enhance the awakening effect. Furthermore, the aim is to miniaturize the actuator used to change the orientation of the seat. Furthermore, the aim is to allow the amount of adjustment of the seat's orientation to be set according to the occupant's preference. Furthermore, it aims to inform the occupants of the currently set amount of change in the seat's orientation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A vehicle seat comprises an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the seat surface left or right by moving at least a part of the seat, and a control device that controls the actuator, wherein the control device has a driving posture support means that controls the actuator to orient the seat surface in the direction of the turn when the vehicle turns, and the driving posture support means can be configured to control the actuator according to the position of the seat inside the vehicle when performing the driving posture support control.

[0008] With this configuration, the orientation of the seat can be changed according to the situation in which the occupant is positioned.

[0009] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the vehicle seat includes a driver's seat and a second seat other than the driver's seat, and the driving posture support means can be configured to make the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second seat greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the driver's seat when the driving posture support control is performed.

[0010] According to this, while passengers in the second seat may not be able to assume a posture appropriate to the direction of a turn because they are not driving themselves, by making the amount of change in the orientation of the second seat's cushion greater than that of the driver's seat's cushion, the seat can better support the passenger in the second seat when the vehicle turns. This improves comfort.

[0011] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the second seat includes a passenger seat positioned to the right or left of the driver's seat, and a rear seat positioned behind the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and the driving posture support means can be configured such that, when performing the driving posture support control, the amount of change in the orientation of the rear seat cushion is greater than or equal to the amount of change in the orientation of the passenger seat cushion.

[0012] According to this, by making the range of motion of the rear seat cushion greater than that of the front passenger seat cushion, the rear passenger, who has a worse forward view than the front passenger, can be better supported by the seat cushion. This can improve comfort.

[0013] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the driving posture support means can be configured such that, when the driving posture support control is performed, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle automatically steers is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode in which the vehicle does not automatically steer.

[0014] According to this, in autonomous driving mode, the vehicle may not be able to maintain a posture appropriate to the direction of the turn because it does not steer. However, by making the amount of change in the seat orientation in autonomous driving mode greater than the amount of change in manual driving mode, the vehicle can better support the occupants in the seat when turning. This improves comfort.

[0015] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the control device may be configured to include an entry / exit detection means for detecting when an occupant gets on or off the vehicle, and an entry / exit support means for controlling the actuator to orient the seat towards the vehicle's entry / exit side when the entry / exit detection means detects that an occupant is getting on or off the vehicle.

[0016] According to this, when the boarding / alighting support control is performed, the seat can be moved significantly toward the vehicle's entrance / exit side, making it easier to get on and off the vehicle seat. This improves the ease of boarding and alighting.

[0017] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the control device includes an awakening state detection means for detecting the driver's state of alertness, and a warning means for executing a warning control that controls the actuator to change the orientation of the seat when the awakening state detection means detects a decrease in the driver's state of alertness. The amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is executed can be configured to be greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when the warning control is not executed.

[0018] According to this, the amount of change in the seat orientation when executing warning control can be increased, thereby enhancing the alerting effect.

[0019] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device includes an awakening state detection means for detecting the awakening state of the driver, and a warning means for executing warning control to control the actuator to change the orientation of the seat surface when the awakening state detection means detects a decrease in the awakening state of the driver. The driving posture support means is configured such that when executing the driving posture support control, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface in the case of an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle automatically steers is made larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface in the case of a manual driving mode in which the vehicle does not automatically steer. The amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when executing the warning control can be configured to be larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when executing the driving posture support control in the case where the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

[0020] According to this, since the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when executing the warning control can be increased, the awakening effect can be enhanced.

[0021] In the vehicle seat described above, the control device includes boarding / alighting detection means for detecting the boarding / alighting of the occupant on / from the vehicle, boarding / alighting support means for executing boarding / alighting support control to control the actuator to turn the seat surface toward the boarding / alighting opening side of the vehicle when the boarding / alighting detection means detects the boarding / alighting of the occupant on / from the vehicle, awakening state detection means for detecting the awakening state of the driver, and warning means for executing warning control to control the actuator to change the orientation of the seat surface when the awakening state detection means detects a decrease in the awakening state of the driver. The amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when executing the boarding / alighting support control can be configured to be larger than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when executing the warning control.

[0022] According to this, when executing the boarding / alighting support control, the seat surface can be largely moved toward the boarding / alighting opening side of the vehicle, making it easier to board and alight from the vehicle seat. Thereby, the boarding / alighting performance can be improved.

[0023] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the control device may be configured to include a means for acquiring direction of travel information that acquires information on the direction of travel of the vehicle, and a turning notification means that controls the actuator to change the orientation of the seat surface based on the direction of travel information acquired by the direction of travel information acquisition means before the vehicle turns, thereby informing the occupant of the turning.

[0024] According to this system, the occupants can be notified of the vehicle's turn before it begins, which helps prevent them from forgetting to turn at intersections and allows them to assume a posture appropriate to the direction of the turn. This can improve passenger comfort.

[0025] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the seat has a central portion and left and right side portions provided on both sides of the central portion, which in their normal position extend further toward the occupant than the central portion. The actuator is configured to change the orientation of the seat surface by moving at least a portion of the side portions of the seat from their normal position toward the occupant or toward the occupant.

[0026] According to this, compared to a configuration where the entire seat is moved to change the orientation of the seat surface, the actuator for changing the orientation of the seat surface can be made smaller.

[0027] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the seat includes a first support portion that supports a first part of the occupant and a second support portion that supports a second part of the occupant different from the first part, and the actuator includes a first actuator that changes the orientation of the seat surface of the first support portion left and right, and a second actuator that changes the orientation of the seat surface of the second support portion left and right, and the driving posture support means can be configured such that when the driving posture support control is performed, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second support portion is smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the first support portion.

[0028] According to this design, when the vehicle turns, different parts of the occupant's body can be properly supported by the seat surface of each support point, which is oriented appropriately. This improves comfort.

[0029] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the control device has setting means for setting the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface based on information input by the occupant's operation, and the driving posture support means can be configured to control the actuator according to the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface set by the setting means when the setting means sets the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface.

[0030] According to this, the amount of adjustment required for the seat's orientation can be set according to the occupant's preference.

[0031] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the setting means can be configured to allow the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface to be set to any change amount, including 0.

[0032] According to this, the amount of change in the seat orientation can be set to suit the occupant's preference, including the option of not changing the seat orientation (not performing driving posture support control).

[0033] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the control device may be configured to have a display means that displays information on the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface that is currently set on a display device.

[0034] This allows the occupants to be informed of the current setting for the amount of change in the seat's orientation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] The orientation of the seat can be changed according to the occupant's position.

[0036] Furthermore, comfort can be improved by making the range of motion of the second seat's cushion greater than that of the driver's seat's cushion.

[0037] Furthermore, comfort can be improved by making the range of motion of the rear seat cushion greater than that of the passenger seat cushion.

[0038] Furthermore, comfort can be improved by making the amount of seat orientation change greater in automatic driving mode than in manual driving mode.

[0039] Furthermore, by moving the seat significantly toward the vehicle's entrance / exit side when performing boarding / alighting support control, boarding and alighting can be improved.

[0040] Furthermore, increasing the amount of change in the seat orientation when executing warning control can enhance the awakening effect.

[0041] Furthermore, the presence of a turning notification mechanism in the control system can improve passenger comfort.

[0042] Furthermore, by moving at least a portion of the side of the seat to change the orientation of the seat surface, the actuator used to change the orientation of the seat surface can be miniaturized.

[0043] Furthermore, when performing riding posture support control, comfort can be improved by making the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the second support unit smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the first support unit.

[0044] Furthermore, by controlling the actuator according to the amount of change in the seat orientation set by the setting means, the amount of change in the seat orientation can be set to suit the occupant's preference.

[0045] Furthermore, by allowing the amount of change in the seat's orientation to be set to any amount, including 0, the amount of change in the seat's orientation can be set according to the occupant's preference, including the option of not changing the seat's orientation at all.

[0046] Furthermore, the control device having a display means allows it to inform the occupant of the currently set amount of change in the seat orientation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0047] [Figure 1] This figure shows a vehicle equipped with a seat for use as an embodiment of the invention. [Figure 2] These are perspective views of vehicle seats used in passenger vehicles, with (a) showing the driver's seat and passenger seat, and (b) showing the rear seat. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing an example of a configuration that allows you to change the orientation of the seat. [Figure 4] These are top-down views of a vehicle seat, with diagram (a) showing the side frame in its normal position and diagram (b) showing the right side frame rotated forward. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the door open and the right side frame rotated backward. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of a control device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This table shows an example of setting values ​​for driving posture support control and warning control according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the operation during driving posture support control. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the operation during driving posture support control. [Figure 10] Figures (a) to (d) illustrate the operation during warning control. [Figure 11] These are side views of a vehicle seat, showing (a) the seat back tilted backward, (b) the front of the seat cushion raised upward, and (c) the seat back reclined backward. [Figure 12] This figure shows a vehicle equipped with a seat according to another embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of setting values ​​for the driving posture support control according to another embodiment. [Figure 14](a) is a top view of a vehicle seat with a child seat installed, and (b) is a diagram illustrating the operation during driving posture support control. [Figure 15] This diagram shows a vehicle with the center seat facing backward. [Figure 16] This is a block diagram of a control device according to another embodiment. [Figure 17] (a) is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to another embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for changing the orientation of the seat surface. [Figure 18] Tables (a) and (b) show examples of setting values ​​for driving posture support control and control when the occupant's alertness level decreases according to other embodiments. [Figure 19] This table shows an example of setting values ​​for driving posture support control according to another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0048] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification, front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down refer to the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions of a vehicle equipped with a seat. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat of this embodiment is configured as a vehicle seat S installed in a vehicle C (automobile), which is an example of a vehicle.

[0049] The vehicle seat S includes a driver's seat S1 in which the driver sits, and a second seat S2 which is a seat other than the driver's seat S1. In this embodiment, the second seat S2 includes a passenger seat S21 located to the left of the driver's seat S1, a rear seat S22 located behind the driver's seat S1, and a rear seat S23 located behind the passenger seat S21. The rear seats S22 and S23 are connected and constitute a single seat. The passenger seat may be located to the right of the driver's seat. The rear seats S22 and S23 may also be configured as separate seats that are not connected.

[0050] Vehicle C is equipped with a steering wheel SW operated by the driver and an operation panel OP located on the instrument panel. Furthermore, based on the left-right direction of vehicle C, each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23 is provided with a door DR that can be opened and closed relative to the vehicle body on its left and right outer sides (in this embodiment, the right side of seats S1 and S22, and the left side of seats S21 and S23). Occupants (including the driver) sitting in each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23 can get in and out of vehicle C by opening the left and right outer doors DR.

[0051] Furthermore, vehicle C is equipped with an automated driving system AS, which is configured to perform both an automated driving mode in which the automated driving system AS automatically steers, and a manual driving mode in which the automated driving system AS does not automatically steer, and steering by the driver is essential. Switching between the automated driving mode and the manual driving mode can be done, for example, by the driver operating the control panel OP. Note that the automated driving mode may be a mode in which the automated driving system AS automatically steers but does not automatically accelerate or brake, or a mode in which the automated driving system AS automatically steers and at least one of acceleration and braking.

[0052] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23 is equipped with a seat cushion SC, a seat back SB, and a headrest HR, respectively. The seat back SB of each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23 has a central seat portion 11 that faces the occupant's back, and left and right seat side portions 12 and 13 that are provided on both sides of the central seat portion 11 and, in the normal position (position in Figure 4(a)), protrude towards the occupant, specifically towards the front, of the central seat portion 11. The seat cushion SC has a built-in seat cushion frame (not shown). The seat cushion SC is constructed by covering the seat cushion frame with a pad material made of urethane foam or the like, and a surface material made of fabric or leather or the like.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the seat back SB incorporates a seat back frame FB. The seat back frame FB has a central frame 21 that constitutes the skeleton of the central part 11 of the seat, and side frames 22 and 23 that constitute the skeletons of the left and right side parts 12 and 13 of the seat. The left and right side frames 22 and 23 are each rotatably connected at their rear ends to the central frame 21, so that their front ends can swing back and forth. The seat back SB is constructed by covering the seat back frame FB with pad material and surface material.

[0054] Inside the seatback SB, actuators 30 are positioned to change the orientation of the seat surface, which is the front surface of the seatback SB, from left to right. One actuator 30 is positioned on each side of the seatback SB, corresponding to the left and right side frames 22 and 23. The actuators 30 are configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seatback SB from left to right by rotating and moving a part of the seatback SB, specifically the side frames 22 and 23, which are part of the seat sides 12 and 13. In more detail, the actuators 30 are configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seatback SB from left to right by rotating the side frames 22 and 23 from their normal position (see Figure 4(a)) to either the forward direction, which is closer to the occupant, or the backward direction, which is further away from the occupant.

[0055] Such an actuator 30 includes, as an example, a motor 31 and a gearbox 32. The motor 31 is, for example, a stepping motor, and is configured to allow the rotation direction of the shaft to be switched between forward and reverse. The gearbox 32 is a component that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 31 and transmitting it to the side frames 22 and 23. The actuator 30 is fixed to the left and right portions of the central frame 21 by brackets (not shown).

[0056] As shown in Figure 4(a), when not in operation, the seat sides 12 and 13 are in a normal position, protruding a predetermined amount forward from the seat center 11. Then, as shown in Figure 4(b), when the vehicle C turns left, the motor 31 of the right actuator 30 rotates forward under the control of the control device 100, which will be described later, and the side frame 22 rotates to a forward position, which is a position forward from the normal position. As a result, the seat side 12 is pushed forward from the normal position and the front surface of the seat side 12 is turned to the left, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB as a whole is turned to the left. To return the seat side 12 to the normal position, the motor 31 of the right actuator 30 is reversed, and the side frame 22 is rotated from the forward position shown in Figure 4(b) to the normal position shown in Figure 4(a).

[0057] Although not shown in the diagram, when vehicle C turns to the right, the motor 31 of the left actuator 30 rotates forward under the control of the control device 100, causing the side frame 23 to rotate from its normal position to a forward position. As a result, the seat side 13 is pushed forward from its normal position, and the front surface of the seat side 13 is turned to the right, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB is turned to the right as a whole. To return the seat side 13 to its normal position, the motor 31 of the left actuator 30 is reversed, and the side frame 23 is rotated from the forward position to the normal position.

[0058] Thus, the actuator 30 is configured to rotate the side frames 22 and 23 to push the seat sides 12 and 13 forward from their normal positions, thereby changing the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB from left to right.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4(b), the side frames 22 and 23 are rotatable between a normal position (0) and a fifth forward position (5), which is the position rotated furthest forward. By appropriately controlling the driving time of the actuator 30 (motor 31), they can be rotated forward from the normal position to any position between the normal position and the fifth forward position. Furthermore, in this embodiment, between the normal position and the fifth forward position, there are a first forward position (1), which is rotated further forward than the normal position; a second forward position (2), which is rotated further forward than the first forward position; a third forward position (3), which is rotated further forward than the second forward position; and a fourth forward position (4), which is rotated further forward than the third forward position.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when the door DR is opened, the motor 31 of the actuator 30 on the door DR (entrance / exit DE) side is reversed by control of the control device 100, and the side frame 22 on the entrance / exit DE side rotates to a rear position, which is a position behind the normal position (see dashed line). As a result, the front surface of the seat side portion 12 on the entrance / exit DE side becomes approximately flat with respect to the front surface of the seat center portion 11, so that the seat surface of the seat back SB as a whole faces the entrance / exit DE side. When returning the seat side portion 12 on the entrance / exit DE side to the normal position, the motor 31 of the actuator 30 on the entrance / exit DE side is rotated forward, and the side frame 22 on the entrance / exit DE side rotates from the rear position to the normal position.

[0061] As shown in Figure 6, the vehicle seat S further includes a wheel speed sensor 91 for detecting the wheel speed of each wheel W, a steering angle sensor 92 for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel SW, a breathing sensor 93 for detecting the driver's alertness, an open / close detection sensor 94 for detecting the opening and closing of each door DR, and a control device 100 for controlling the actuator 30.

[0062] The respiration sensor 93 is a resistance-sensitive sensor with a circular detection surface, and is installed between the pad material and the surface material of the seat cushion SC of the driver's seat S1 (see Figure 2(a)). The respiration sensor 93 is configured to deform downward in response to the magnitude of the pressure applied from above, so that when the contact resistance increases, the electrical resistance value between the electrodes decreases. The respiration sensor 93 outputs an electrical signal related to this electrical resistance value to the control device 100.

[0063] The control device 100 is configured to individually control the left and right actuators 30 provided on each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23. The control device 100 includes a lateral acceleration acquisition means 110, a driving posture support means 120, an awakened state detection means 130, a warning means 140, an entry / exit detection means 150, an entry / exit support means 160, a setting means 170, a display means 180, and a storage device 190. The control device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (not shown), and realizes each of these means by reading and executing programs pre-stored in the storage device 190.

[0064] The lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 is a means for acquiring the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle C. In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 calculates the lateral acceleration GC based on the wheel speed acquired from the wheel speed sensor 91 and the steering angle acquired from the steering angle sensor 92. Specifically, the lateral acceleration GC can be calculated by determining the vehicle speed V from the wheel speed using a known method, and using the following formula with the vehicle-specific constants: the stability factor A, the wheelbase L of the vehicle C, the steering angle φ, and the turning radius R. R=(1+AV 2 ) / (L / φ) GC=V 2 / R In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration GC is defined as positive for the right and negative for the left.

[0065] The driving posture support means 120 is a means for performing driving posture support control that controls the actuator 30 when the vehicle C turns to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB in the direction of the turn. Specifically, the driving posture support means 120 changes the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by driving the actuator 30 based on the lateral acceleration GC acquired by the lateral acceleration acquisition means 110 to rotate the side frames 22 and 23.

[0066] More specifically, when the magnitude (absolute value) of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the driving posture support means 120 starts driving posture support control. As shown in Figure 7, for example, for the driver's seat S1, the actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frames 22 and 23 from the normal position to the first forward position (1), pushing the seat sides 12 and 13 forward and orienting the seat surface of the seat back SB in the direction of rotation. Furthermore, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the second acceleration threshold GCth2, which is greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the driving posture support means 120 rotates the actuator 30 further forward for the driver's seat S1 to rotate the side frames 22 and 23 to the second forward position (2), pushing the seat sides 12 and 13 further forward and orienting the seat surface of the seat back SB further in the direction of rotation.

[0067] Thus, the driving posture support means 120 is configured to increase the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB, and in this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is large compared to when it is small. The magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is large when the turn is sharp or the vehicle speed is high, and small when the turn is gentle or the vehicle speed is low.

[0068] Furthermore, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the second reset threshold Rth2 during the execution of driving posture support control, the driving posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the position before the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC became greater than or equal to the second acceleration threshold GCth2, and slightly returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB. The second reset threshold Rth2 is set to a value smaller than the second acceleration threshold GCth2 and greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1. Also, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the first reset threshold Rth1, the driving posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 again to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position, and terminates the driving posture support control. The first reset threshold Rth1 is set to a value smaller than the first acceleration threshold GCth1.

[0069] Each threshold is pre-set through driving tests and simulations. GCth1, GCth2, Rth1, and Rth2 are set as positive values. In this embodiment, the lateral acceleration GC generated in the leftward direction, such as during a right turn, is treated as negative. Therefore, during a right turn, for example, if GC ≤ -GCth1, it is determined that the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, and if GC > -Rth1, it is determined that the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is less than the first reset threshold Rth1.

[0070] The driving posture support means 120 is configured to individually control the actuators 30 of each seat S1, S21, S22, and S23 according to their respective positions within the vehicle C when performing driving posture support control. Specifically, when performing driving posture support control, the driving posture support means 120 makes the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the second seat S2 greater than the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the driver's seat S1. Furthermore, when performing driving posture support control, the driving posture support means 120 makes the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the rear seats S22 and S23 greater than the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the passenger seat S21.

[0071] More specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the passenger seat S21 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount of the driver's seat S1 (1), when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, thereby rotating it from the normal position to a position (1.5) midway between the first forward position and the second forward position. Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the driver's seat S1 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount of the driver's seat S1 (2), when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, thereby rotating it to a position (2.5) midway between the second forward position and the third forward position.

[0072] Furthermore, with respect to the rear seats S22 and S23, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the driving posture support means 120 increases the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1 to the amount of rotation of the driver's seat S1 (1) to make it greater than the amount of rotation of the passenger seat S21 (1.5), and rotates them from the normal position to the second forward position (2). Also, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the driving posture support means 120 increases the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1 to the amount of rotation of the driver's seat S1 (2) to make it greater than the amount of rotation of the passenger seat S21 (2.5), and rotates them to the third forward position (3).

[0073] Hereafter, the position midway between the normal position (0) and the first forward position (1) will be called the first intermediate position (0.5), and the position midway between the first forward position (1) and the second forward position (2) will be called the second intermediate position (1.5). Also, the position midway between the second forward position (2) and the third forward position (3) will be called the third intermediate position (2.5), and the position midway between the third forward position (3) and the fourth forward position (4) will be called the fourth intermediate position (3.5). Also, the position midway between the fourth forward position (4) and the fifth forward position (5) will be called the fifth intermediate position (4.5).

[0074] Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 is configured such that when driving posture support control is performed, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 in automatic driving mode is greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 in manual driving mode.

[0075] More specifically, as shown in Figure 7, in automatic driving mode, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the driver's seat S1 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (1) in manual driving mode when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, and rotates it from the normal position to the second forward position (2). Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (2) in manual driving mode when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, and rotates it to the third forward position (3).

[0076] Furthermore, in automatic driving mode, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the passenger seat S21 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver seat S1 in automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, thereby rotating it from the normal position to the third intermediate position (2.5). Also, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the driver seat S1 by adding 0.5 to the rotation amount (3) of the driver seat S1 in automatic driving mode, thereby rotating it to the fourth intermediate position (3.5).

[0077] Furthermore, in the automatic driving mode, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the rear seats S22 and S23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, thereby rotating them from the normal position to the third forward position (3). Also, the driving posture support means 120 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 of the driver's seat S1 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (3) of the driver's seat S1 in the automatic driving mode, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, thereby rotating them to the fourth forward position (4).

[0078] Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 may be configured to operate the actuator 30 at a slower speed in automatic driving mode than in manual driving mode when performing driving posture support control. This avoids sudden movement of the seat sides 12 and 13, thereby suppressing discomfort to the occupant.

[0079] The alertness detection means 130 is a means for acquiring a signal from the respiratory sensor 93 and detecting the driver's alertness based on this signal from the respiratory sensor 93. For example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-80521, the alertness detection means 130 can determine the driver's alertness from the waveform of the respiratory sensor 93. If the alertness detection means 130 determines that the driver's alertness has fallen below a predetermined standard because the value indicating the alertness state meets a predetermined alertness threshold, it outputs a signal to the warning means 140 indicating this.

[0080] The warning means 140 is a means for executing warning control to change the orientation of the seat cushion of the seat back SB by controlling the actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 when the alertness detection means 130 detects a decrease in the driver's alertness. Specifically, when the alertness detection means 130 detects a decrease in the driver's alertness, the warning means 140 starts warning control and alternately rotates the left and right actuators 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the forward and reverse directions to alternately rotate the side frames 22 and 23 back and forth, thereby alternately changing the orientation of the seat cushion of the seat back SB from left to right.

[0081] In detail, the warning means 140 first rotates the right actuator 30 forward to move the side frame 22 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushing the seat side 12 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. Next, it reverses the right actuator 30 to rotate the side frame 22 backward from the fifth forward position (5) to the normal position, returning the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. Next, the warning means 140 rotates the left actuator 30 forward to move the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushing the seat side 13 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right. Next, it reverses the left actuator 30 to rotate the side frame 23 backward from the fifth forward position (5) to the normal position, returning the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. The warning means 140 repeats this series of operations in warning control. As a result, the warning device 140 attempts to wake the driver by shaking the driver's upper body from side to side.

[0082] In this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 when warning control is performed is set to be greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 when warning control is not performed. Specifically, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 when warning control is performed is greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 when vehicle C performs driving posture support control. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 (5) when warning control is performed is greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 (up to 3) when vehicle C is in automatic driving mode and performs driving posture support control.

[0083] Furthermore, the warning means 140 may be configured to operate the actuator 30 at a faster speed than when the driving posture support means 120 performs driving posture support control when executing warning control. For example, if the driving posture support means 120 operates the actuator 30 at 80% of its capacity, the warning means 140 can be configured to operate the actuator 30 at 100% of its capacity.

[0084] The boarding / alighting detection means 150 is a means for detecting when an occupant gets on or off the vehicle C. In this embodiment, the boarding / alighting detection means 150 acquires a signal from an open / close detection sensor 94 that detects the opening and closing of the door DR, and determines that an occupant has gotten on or off the vehicle C when it detects that the door DR has opened based on the signal from the open / close detection sensor 94. When the boarding / alighting detection means 150 determines that an occupant has gotten on or off the vehicle C, it outputs a signal indicating this to the boarding / alighting support means 160.

[0085] The boarding / alighting support means 160 is a means that, when the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that an occupant is boarding or alighting from the vehicle C, controls the actuators 30 on the entrance / exit side of the seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 to perform boarding / alighting support control, thereby orienting the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entrance / exit side of the vehicle C.

[0086] Specifically, when the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that the door DR has opened, the boarding / alighting support means 160 reverses the actuator 30 on the boarding / alighting opening DE side of the vehicle seat S corresponding to the opened door DR, as shown in Figure 5, to rotate the side frames 22 and 23 from the normal position to the rear position, and orients the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the boarding / alighting opening DE side. Also, when the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that the door DR has closed, the boarding / alighting support means 160 forwards the actuator 30 on the boarding / alighting opening DE side of the vehicle seat S corresponding to the closed door DR, to rotate the side frames 22 and 23 from the rear position to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position.

[0087] In this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 from their normal position to the rear position when boarding / alighting support control is performed is set to be greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 from their normal position to the fifth forward position when warning control is performed. Therefore, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB when boarding / alighting support control is performed is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB when warning control is performed.

[0088] The setting means 170 is a means for setting the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB based on information input by the occupant's operation, and the amount of change in the orientation of the seat can be set to any change amount, including 0. Specifically, the setting means 170 is configured to set the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 for each seat S1, S21, S22, S23 based on information input by the occupant by operating the operation panel OP. The amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 can be set as an amount of rotation from the normal position to any position between the normal position and the fifth forward position (5).

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the setting means 170 sets the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 (the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB), the driving posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 according to the amount of rotation set by the setting means 170. In other words, if the setting means 170 sets the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23, the driving posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 prioritizing this set amount of rotation.

[0090] For example, if the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 to 0, the driving posture support means 120 will maintain the side frames 22 and 23 in their normal position without rotating them (without driving the actuators 30), even if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC exceeds the first acceleration threshold GCth1. Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 will maintain the actuators 30 in their normal position without driving them, even if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC exceeds the second acceleration threshold GCth2. In other words, if the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount to 0, the driving posture support means 120 will not perform driving posture support control (it will be turned OFF).

[0091] Furthermore, for example, with respect to the driver's seat S1, if the setting means 170 sets the rotation amount of the side frames 22, 23 to the third forward position (3), the driving posture support means 120 rotates the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to the third forward position by the rotation amount (3) set by the setting means 170, rather than the normal rotation amount (1) shown in Figure 7, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1. Also, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the driving posture support means 120 does not rotate the side frames 22, 23 and maintains them in the third forward position.

[0092] Furthermore, the setting means 170 may be configured to individually set the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, and when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2. In addition, the warning means 140 and the boarding / alighting support means 160 may be configured not to execute (turn off) the warning control or boarding / alighting support control if the setting means 170 prohibits the execution of the warning control or boarding / alighting support control by the occupant's operation.

[0093] The display means 180 is a means for displaying information on the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB that is currently set on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP, which is a display device. Specifically, when the setting means 170 sets the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back, the display means 180 displays the amount of change set by the setting means 170 on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP. If the setting means 170 has not set the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back, the display means 180 may or may not display the setting value of the driving posture support control on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP. Alternatively, instead of the setting value, the display means 180 may display on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP that the driving posture support control is being executed (that it is ON).

[0094] The memory device 190 is a device that stores values ​​obtained from sensors 91 to 94, values ​​calculated by each means, thresholds, set values, and so on.

[0095] Next, the operation of the vehicle seat S configured as described above will be explained. When vehicle C turns around a curve or makes a turn at an intersection, a lateral acceleration GC is generated in vehicle C. When the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC exceeds the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the driving posture support means 120 performs driving posture support control to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB of each seat S1, S21, S22, S23 in the direction of the turn.

[0096] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, when turning left, the right actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 22 from its normal position to the first forward position (1) for the driver's seat S1, the second intermediate position (1.5) for the passenger seat S21, and the second forward position (2) for the rear seats S22 and S23, pushing the seat side 12 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. When turning right, the left actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 23 from its normal position to the first forward position (1), the second intermediate position (1.5), or the second forward position (2), pushing the seat side 13 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right.

[0097] Furthermore, when the turn is sharp or the vehicle speed is high, the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the second acceleration threshold GCth2. In such cases, as shown in Figure 9, the driving posture support means 120, when turning left, further rotates the right actuator 30 forward to rotate the side frame 22 to the second forward position (2) for the driver's seat S1, the third intermediate position (2.5) for the passenger seat S21, and the third forward position (3) for the rear seats S22 and S23, pushing the seat side 12 further forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB further to the left. Also, when turning right, the left actuator 30 further rotates the side frame 23 to the second forward position (2), the third intermediate position (2.5), or the third forward position (3), pushing the seat side 13 further forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB further to the right.

[0098] This allows the seat back SB to properly support the occupant's upper body. Furthermore, for the driver's seat S1, the end of the seat back SB opposite to the direction of rotation can be pushed forward to reduce the distance between the steering wheel SW and the seat back SB, making steering easier.

[0099] Subsequently, when the turning slows down or the vehicle speed decreases, and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the second reset threshold Rth2, the driving posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the first forward position (1), the second intermediate position (1.5), or the second forward position (2), slightly returning the orientation of the seat back SB (see Figure 8). Furthermore, when the turning is completed and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes smaller than the first reset threshold Rth1, the driving posture support means 120 reverses the actuator 30 again to rotate the side frames 22, 23 backward to the normal position, returning the orientation of the seat back SB to its original position (see Figure 1).

[0100] On the other hand, when the driver's alertness level decreases, such as when driving on a straight road or a road with gentle curves, the alertness detection means 130 calculates a value indicating the alertness level based on the signal acquired from the respiratory sensor 93. If the value indicating the alertness level meets a predetermined alertness threshold, and it is determined that the driver's alertness level has fallen below a predetermined standard, it outputs a signal to the warning means 140 to indicate this. In response to this signal, the warning means 140 performs warning control to change the orientation of the seat cushion of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1.

[0101] Specifically, the series of operations shown in Figures 10(a) to (d) are repeated. That is, as shown in Figure 10(a), first, the right actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 22 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushing the seat side 12 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. Then, as shown in Figure 10(b), the right actuator 30 is reversed to return the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. Next, as shown in Figure 10(c), the left actuator 30 is rotated forward to rotate the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the fifth forward position (5), pushing the seat side 13 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right. Then, as shown in Figure 10(d), the left actuator 30 is reversed to return the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. By repeating this series of operations, the driver's upper body can be swayed widely from side to side, thereby waking the driver up.

[0102] Furthermore, the driving posture support means 120 performs driving posture support control when the driver is performing a turning maneuver, so in such cases, the possibility of the driver's alertness being reduced is low. Therefore, situations in which the driving posture support control by the driving posture support means 120 and the warning control by the warning means 140 interfere with each other are rare. If the operating conditions for driving posture support control and the operating conditions for warning control are met simultaneously, it is preferable to configure the system to prioritize one of the controls, for example, driving posture support control.

[0103] Furthermore, when vehicle C stops and the boarding / alighting detection means 150 detects that the door DR has opened, the boarding / alighting support means 160 performs boarding / alighting support control to orient the seat back SB of the corresponding seat S1, S21, S22, S23 toward the vehicle C entrance / exit DE. Specifically, for example, when the door DR of the driver's seat S1 is opened, the boarding / alighting support means 160 reverses the right actuator 30 to rotate the side frame 22 from the normal position to the rear position, as shown in Figure 5, and orients the seat back SB toward the entrance / exit DE. Subsequently, when the door DR of the driver's seat S1 is closed, the boarding / alighting support means 160 rotates the right actuator 30 forward to rotate the side frame 22 from the rear position to the normal position, and returns the orientation of the seat back SB to its original position.

[0104] According to the embodiment described above, the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be appropriately changed according to the situation in which the occupant is positioned, specifically, the arrangement positions of seats S1, S21, S22, and S23 within the vehicle C. This allows the seat surface of the seat back SB to appropriately support the occupant when the vehicle C turns, according to the situation in which they are positioned.

[0105] Furthermore, since the occupant sitting in the second seat S2 is not driving themselves, they may not be able to assume a posture appropriate to the direction of the turn. However, by making the range of change in the orientation of the seat back SB of the second seat S2 greater than that of the driver's seat S1, the occupant sitting in the second seat S2 can be well supported by the seat back SB when the vehicle C turns. This improves comfort.

[0106] Furthermore, by making the range of motion of the rear seats S22 and S23 greater than that of the passenger seat S21, the seatback SB can better support occupants sitting in the rear seats S22 and S23, which have a worse forward view than the passenger seat S21. This improves comfort.

[0107] Furthermore, in autonomous driving mode, the amount of change in the orientation of the seatback SB is greater than in manual driving mode, allowing the orientation of the seatback SB to be changed according to the occupant's position, specifically, according to the driving mode of vehicle C. Also, in autonomous driving mode, the driver does not steer, so it may not be possible to assume a posture corresponding to the direction of turning. However, by increasing the amount of change in the orientation of the seatback SB in autonomous driving mode compared to manual driving mode, the occupant can be properly supported by the seatback SB when vehicle C turns. This improves comfort.

[0108] Furthermore, when it is detected that an occupant is getting in or out of vehicle C, the seat surface of the seat back SB is turned toward the entrance / exit DE of vehicle C, so the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB can be changed to an appropriate orientation depending on the situation in which the occupant is located, specifically, the situation of getting in or out of vehicle C. In addition, when the boarding / alighting support control is executed, the seat surface of the seat back SB can be moved significantly toward the entrance / exit DE of vehicle C, making it easier to get in and out of the vehicle seat S. This improves boarding and alighting. Also, if the opening / closing detection sensor 94 outputs a signal indicating that the door DR is open even when the door is ajar, the seat surface of the seat back SB will be turned toward the entrance / exit DE even when the door is ajar, so the occupant can be notified that the door DR is ajar.

[0109] Furthermore, when a decrease in the driver's alertness is detected, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1 is increased, allowing the orientation of the seat back SB to be appropriately changed according to the situation in which the occupant is positioned, specifically, the driver's alertness level. In addition, by increasing the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB of the driver's seat S1 when executing warning control, the alertness effect can be enhanced.

[0110] Furthermore, since the actuator 30 rotates and moves the side frames 22 and 23, which are part of the seat sides 12 and 13, thereby changing the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB, the actuator 30 can be made smaller compared to, for example, a configuration in which the entire seat is moved to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back.

[0111] Furthermore, since the control device 100 has a setting means 170, and the driving posture support means 120 controls the actuator 30 prioritizing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 set by the setting means 170, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB can be set according to the occupant's preference.

[0112] Furthermore, since the setting means 170 can be set to any change amount including 0 for the orientation of the seat back SB, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat back SB can be set according to the occupant's preference, including the option of not changing the orientation of the seat back SB (not performing driving posture support control).

[0113] Furthermore, since the control device 100 has a display means 180, information on the amount of change in the orientation of the seat cushion of the seat back SB that is currently set can be displayed on the display screen DS of the operation panel OP to inform the occupant.

[0114] Although one embodiment of the invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be implemented with appropriate modifications. For example, the control device may be configured to correct the amount of rotation of the side frame according to the tilt angle of the seat back or seat cushion.

[0115] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11(a), in a vehicle seat S, the lower part of the seat back SB is rotatably connected to the rear of the seat cushion SC via a reclining mechanism RL, and the seat back SB is capable of tilting forward and backward relative to the seat cushion SC, the control device may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frame by, for example, 1 in addition to the normal amount of rotation when the tilt angle of the seat back SB exceeds a back angle threshold (first back angle threshold). Also, as shown in Figure 11(b), in a vehicle seat S, the front part of the seat cushion SC is raised and lowered by a tilt mechanism TL to change the tilt angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion SC, the control device may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frame by, for example, 1 in addition to the normal amount of rotation when the tilt angle of the seat cushion SC exceeds a cushion angle threshold. Specifically, with respect to the driver's seat S1, if the inclination angle of the seat back SB and seat cushion SC is greater than or equal to a threshold, and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC is greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the rotation amount of the side frame may be increased by 1 from the normal rotation amount (1) (see Figure 7) to rotate it from the normal position to the second forward position (2).

[0116] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(c), when the seat back SB is in a substantially flat position relative to the seat cushion SC, specifically when the inclination angle of the seat back SB becomes greater than or equal to a second back angle threshold which is greater than the first back angle threshold mentioned above, the amount of rotation of the side frame may be configured to be increased by, for example, 2 in addition to the normal amount of rotation. For example, for the passenger seat S21, when the inclination angle of the seat back SB is greater than or equal to the second back angle threshold, and the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the amount of rotation of the side frame may be configured to be rotated from the normal position to the fourth intermediate position (3.5) by adding 2 to the normal amount of rotation (1.5) (see Figure 7).

[0117] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the second seat S2 was configured to include a passenger seat S21 and rear seats S22 and S23, but it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the second seat S2 may be configured to include a passenger seat S21, a center seat S24 located behind the driver's seat S1, a center seat S25 located behind the passenger seat S21, a third-row seat S26 located behind the center seat S24, and a third-row seat S27 located behind the center seat S25.

[0118] To illustrate an example of the setting values ​​for the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 in the driving posture support control in this case, as shown in Figure 13, the control device 100 (driving posture support means) increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount of the driver's seat S1 (1) when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the first acceleration threshold GCth1, and rotates them from the normal position to the third intermediate position (2.5). Furthermore, when the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes equal to or greater than the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 is increased by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount of the driver's seat S1 (2), and rotates them to the fourth intermediate position (3.5). In addition, in automatic driving mode, 1.5 is added to the rotation amount of the driver's seat S1 in automatic driving mode (2 or 3).

[0119] Furthermore, with respect to the third-row seats S26 and S27, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1, the control device 100 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1 to the rotation amount (1) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates them from the normal position to the second forward position (2). Also, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the second acceleration threshold GCth2, the control device 100 increases the rotation amount of the side frames 22 and 23 by adding 1.5 to the rotation amount (2) of the driver's seat S1, and rotates them to the fourth intermediate position (3.5). In addition, in automatic driving mode, 1.5 is added to the rotation amount (2 or 3) of the driver's seat S1 in automatic driving mode.

[0120] In the configuration shown in Figure 12, entry and exit to the third-row seats S26 and S27 are performed through doors DR (entry / exit doors) located on the left and right outer sides of the center seats S24 and S25. In other words, there are no doors for entry and exit on either side of the third-row seats S26 and S27. In this configuration, the control device 100 (entry / exit support means) does not perform entry / exit support control (see Figure 5) for the third-row seats S26 and S27.

[0121] Furthermore, the control device 100 may further include mounting detection means for detecting whether or not a child seat is attached to the vehicle seat S, and the driving posture support means may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 when performing driving posture support if the mounting detection means detects that a child seat is attached to the vehicle seat S. Specifically, as shown in Figure 14(a), when a child seat S3 is attached to the center seat S24, if the magnitude of the lateral acceleration GC becomes greater than or equal to the first acceleration threshold GCth1 during a left turn, the amount of rotation of the side frame 22 may be increased by, for example, adding 1 to the normal amount of rotation (2.5) (see Figure 13), and rotated from the normal position to the fourth intermediate position (3.5), as shown in Figure 14(b). Furthermore, if the control device 100 detects that a child seat S3 is attached to a vehicle seat S using the mounting detection means, it may be configured not to drive the actuator 30 of the vehicle seat S to which the child seat S3 is attached (i.e., not to change the orientation of the seat surface).

[0122] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, the central seats S24 and S25 may be rotatably mounted relative to the vehicle body so as to face backward. In this case, the control device 100 further includes orientation detection means for detecting the orientation of the central seats S24 and S25, and when the orientation detection means detects that the central seats S24 and S25 are facing backward, the driving posture support means rotates the side frame 23 when turning left and the side frame 22 when turning right, contrary to when they are facing forward. Also, for example, when the central seat S24 is facing forward (see Figure 12), the side frame 22 on the entrance / exit side will rotate during boarding / alighting support control, but when the orientation detection means detects that the central seat S24 is facing backward, the boarding / alighting support means rotates the side frame 23 that has moved towards the entrance / exit (door DR) side, contrary to when it is facing forward.

[0123] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, the control device 100 may further include a means for acquiring direction of travel information 210 and a means for notifying turning 220. The direction of travel information acquisition means 210 is a means for acquiring information about the direction of travel of vehicle C. Specifically, the direction of travel information acquisition means 210 acquires information about the direction of travel of vehicle C, more specifically, information about curves and intersections in the direction of travel of vehicle C, from the car navigation system NS installed in vehicle C.

[0124] The turning notification means 220 is a means for performing turning notification control to inform the occupant of a turning by controlling the actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 to change the orientation of the seat cushion of the seat back SB, based on the direction of travel information acquired by the direction of travel information acquisition means 210, before the vehicle C actually turns. Specifically, the turning notification means 220 performs turning notification control when the direction of travel information acquisition means 210 detects information such as a curve or intersection in the direction of travel of the vehicle C.

[0125] More specifically, the turning notification means 220 predicts the turning direction of vehicle C from the information on the direction of travel of vehicle C detected by the direction of travel information acquisition means 210. If the predicted turning direction is to the left, the turning notification means 220 rotates the right actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 in the forward direction to rotate the side frame 22 forward from the normal position to the first intermediate position (0.5), pushing the seat side 12 forward and turning the seat surface of the seat back SB to the left. Then, it reverses the right actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 to rotate the side frame 22 backward from the first intermediate position to the normal position, returning the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. Furthermore, if the predicted turning direction is to the right, the turning notification means 220 rotates the left actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 forward to rotate the side frame 23 forward from the normal position to the first intermediate position (0.5), pushing the seat side 13 forward to orient the seat surface of the seat back SB to the right, and then reverses the left actuator 30 of the driver's seat S1 to rotate the side frame 23 backward from the first intermediate position to the normal position, returning the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB to its original position. The turning notification means 220 repeats this series of operations several times in turning notification control. As a result, the seat sides 12 and 13 can push the driver toward the turning direction several times, thereby informing the driver that a turn is to be made, specifically that a turn should be made, and the direction of the turn.

[0126] With this configuration, the driver can be notified of vehicle C's turn before it actually turns, thus reducing the likelihood of forgetting to turn at intersections and allowing the driver to assume a posture appropriate to the direction of the turn in advance. This improves driver comfort. Furthermore, since the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 should ideally be at a level that does not cause discomfort to the driver, an example of setting the rotation amount to a small amount, such as the first intermediate position (0.5), has been described here, but the amount of rotation of the side frames 22 and 23 is not limited to this.

[0127] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to change the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 according to the position of the vehicle C from the turning start point, such as the entrance to a curve or an intersection. For example, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a first intermediate position (0.5) at a first point before the turning start point, for example, 50m before the turning start point; rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a first forward position (1) at a second point closer to the turning start point than the first point, for example, 25m before the turning start point; and rotate the side frames 22, 23 from the normal position to a second forward position (2) at a third point closer to the turning start point than the second point, for example, 15m before the turning start point. In this way, by increasing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 as the vehicle approaches the turning start point and gradually increasing the amount of forward thrust of the seat sides 12, 13, the vehicle can effectively signal the turning process and further reduce instances of drivers forgetting to turn. In this case, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to reduce the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 at the second and third points when it detects that the driver has begun preparing to turn by operating the turn signal, or it may be configured not to drive the actuator 30 at the second and third points. This limits the unnecessary operation of the actuator 30, thereby reducing any discomfort to the driver.

[0128] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may not notify the driver of the turning by pushing the driver several times in the turning direction with the seat sides 12, 13, but rather by gradually increasing the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 as the vehicle approaches the entrance to a curve or an intersection, and gradually increasing the amount of forward push of the seat sides 12, 13, thereby notifying the driver of the turning. In this case, the control device 100 may be configured to gradually increase the amount of forward push of the seat sides 12, 13 by turning notification control before the vehicle C starts turning, and then, once the vehicle C starts turning, to continue performing driving posture support control without returning the seat sides 12, 13 to their normal positions.

[0129] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to also perform turning notification control for the second seat S2 in addition to the driver's seat S1. In this case, it is desirable that the turning notification means 220 is configured to gradually increase the amount of outward movement of the seat sides 12 and 13 by turning notification control for the second seat S2 before turning begins, and then, once turning begins, to continue performing driving posture support control without returning the seat sides 12 and 13 to their normal positions. This makes it possible to avoid sudden movement of the seat sides 12 and 13 of the second seat S2, thereby improving comfort.

[0130] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to, when the predicted turning direction is left, rotate the left actuator 30, which is in the same direction as the turning direction, forward to rotate the side frame 23 forward, pushing the seat side 13 forward, and then reverse the left actuator 30 to rotate the side frame 23 backward, returning the seat side 13 to its original position, and repeat this operation several times. When the predicted turning direction is right, the right actuator 30 is driven. In this way, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to push the driver with the seat sides 12 and 13 on the turning direction side.

[0131] Furthermore, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to control the actuator 30 according to the amount of rotation set by the setting means 170 when the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 (the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB) is set by the operation of the occupant. Also, the turning notification means 220 may be configured to turn off the turning notification control when the setting means 170 prohibits the execution of the turning notification control by the operation of the occupant.

[0132] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17(a), the vehicle seat S may have a plurality of support parts S11 to S14 that support different parts of the occupant, and the orientation of the seat surface of each support part S11 to S14 may be individually changed. Specifically, the seat back SB has a lumbar support part S11 that supports the occupant's waist, a shoulder support part S13 positioned above the lumbar support part S11 to support the occupant's shoulder, and a chest support part S12 positioned between the lumbar support part S11 and the shoulder support part S13 to support the occupant's chest (the part between the waist and shoulder), and the headrest HR has a head support part S14 that supports the occupant's head.

[0133] Then, as shown in Figure 17(b), a pair of left and right support members 42, 43 and actuators 30A, 30B are arranged on both the left and right sides within each support section S11 to S14. Support members 42 and 43 are plate-shaped members, and their left and right inner ends are rotatably connected to the frame (not shown) of the seat back SB and headrest HR, so that their left and right outer ends can swing back and forth. Actuators 30A and 30B are configured to move the corresponding support members 42 and 43 back and forth, thereby pushing the seat surfaces of support parts S11 to S14 forward or back to their original position, and changing the orientation of the seat surfaces of the corresponding support parts S11 to S14 from left to right. Here, the waist is an example of the first part of the occupant, the waist support part S11 is an example of the first support part, and the actuators 30A and 30B of the waist support part S11 are examples of the first actuators. Furthermore, the shoulders, chest, and head are examples of second parts distinct from the first parts of the occupant, the chest support S12, shoulder support S13, and head support S14 are examples of second support parts, and the actuators 30A and 30B of support parts S12 to S14 are examples of second actuators.

[0134] The control device 100 is configured to individually control the drive amount of a total of eight actuators 30A and 30B, which are located at each of the support sections S11 to S14. As a result, the vehicle seat S can individually change the orientation of the seat surface of each of the support sections S11 to S14.

[0135] Furthermore, the driving posture support means of the control device 100 is configured such that when driving posture support control is performed, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surfaces of the support parts S12 to S14 is smaller than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface of the lumbar support part S11. Specifically, when driving posture support control is performed, the driving posture support means drives the actuators 30A and 30B of the support parts S12 to S14 with a drive amount obtained by multiplying the drive amount of the actuators 30A and 30B of the lumbar support part S11 by a coefficient smaller than 1. As an example, the actuators 30A and 30B of the chest support section S12 are driven by a drive amount obtained by multiplying the drive amount of the actuators 30A and 30B of the lumbar support section S11 by a coefficient of 0.9, the actuators 30A and 30B of the shoulder support section S13 are driven by a drive amount obtained by multiplying the drive amount of the actuators 30A and 30B of the lumbar support section S11 by a coefficient of 0.8, and the actuators 30A and 30B of the head support section S14 are driven by a drive amount obtained by multiplying the drive amount of the actuators 30A and 30B of the lumbar support section S11 by a coefficient of 0.5. Here, the coefficients can be set in advance through driving tests or simulations.

[0136] With this configuration, when vehicle C turns, different parts of the occupant can be properly supported by the seat surfaces of the respective support parts S11 to S14, each oriented appropriately. This improves comfort.

[0137] Furthermore, when performing driving posture support control, the driving posture support means may be configured such that if the drive amount of actuators 30A and 30B (amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface) of actuators 30A and 30B of support sections S11 to S14 is small, the drive amounts of actuators 30A and 30B of support sections S12 to S14 are made equal to each other, and if the drive amount of actuators 30A and 30B is large, the drive amounts of actuators 30A and 30B of support sections S12 to S14 are made smaller than the drive amounts of actuators 30A and 30B of the lumbar support section S11 by multiplying them by a coefficient or the like. In addition, the driving posture support means may be configured such that, for example, the actuators 30A and 30B of the head support section S14 are operated at a slower speed than those of the other support sections S11 to S13. This makes it possible to suppress discomfort to the occupant.

[0138] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the awakening state detection means 130 was configured to detect the awakening state of the driver sitting in the driver's seat S1, but it is not limited to this. For example, a breathing sensor may be provided on a second seat other than the driver's seat, and the awakening state detection means may be configured to detect the awakening state of the occupant sitting in the second seat, specifically whether or not the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep, based on the signal from the breathing sensor provided on the second seat. In this case, if the awakening state detection means detects that the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep (a decrease in the occupant's awakening state), the driving posture support means may be configured to increase the amount of rotation of the side frame in the driving posture support control to be greater than the amount of rotation when the occupant is not asleep. For example, as shown in Figure 18(a), the driving posture support means may be configured to add 0.5 to the rotation amount of the side frame of the passenger seat S21 when the occupant sitting in the passenger seat S21 is asleep, compared to the rotation amount when the occupant is not asleep, and to add 1.5 to the rotation amount of the side frames of the rear seats S22 and S23 when the occupants sitting in the rear seats S22 and S23 are asleep, compared to the rotation amount when the occupants are not asleep. Also, as shown in Figure 18(b), the driving posture support means may be configured to add 1.5 to the rotation amount of the side frames when the occupants sitting in the center seats S24 and S25 or the third-row seats S26 and S27 are asleep, compared to the rotation amount when the occupants are not asleep. Furthermore, the driving posture support means may be configured to operate the actuator at a slower speed than when the occupant is not asleep when the occupant sitting in a second seat other than the driver's seat is asleep. Furthermore, when the driving posture support means performs driving posture support control, if the occupant sitting in the second seat is asleep, the actuator may be driven only for the driver's seat and not for the second seat.

[0139] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the driving posture support means 120 was configured to determine whether a turn of a predetermined magnitude or greater has occurred based on the lateral acceleration GC, but it is not limited to this. For example, the driving posture support means may be configured to determine whether a turn of a predetermined magnitude or greater has occurred based on the steering angle. Specifically, it may be configured to determine whether a turn of a predetermined magnitude or greater has occurred when the magnitude of the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the steering angle threshold, and to execute driving posture support control. In this case, the setting value for driving posture support control may be set in multiple stages so that it becomes larger when the turn is sharp and smaller when the turn is gentle, depending on the magnitude of the steering angle. In addition to the magnitude of the steering angle, the vehicle speed may also be taken into consideration. For example, as shown in Figure 19, when performing driving posture support control, the driver's seat S1 may be configured to rotate to the first forward position (1) when the turn is gentle at low speed (small steering angle), to the second forward position (2) when the turn is sharp at low speed (large steering angle), to the second intermediate position (1.5) when the turn is gentle at high speed (small steering angle), and to the third forward position (3) when the turn is sharp at high speed (large steering angle). As an example, a small steering angle means that the steering angle is greater than or equal to the first steering angle threshold, and a large steering angle means that the steering angle is greater than or equal to the second steering angle threshold, which is greater than the first steering angle threshold. Also, low speed driving means that the vehicle speed V is less than the speed threshold Vth, and high speed driving means that the vehicle speed V is greater than or equal to the speed threshold Vth.

[0140] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the driving posture support means 120 was configured to make the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 of the rear seats S22, S23 greater than the amount of rotation of the side frames 22, 23 of the passenger seat S21 when driving posture support control is performed, but it is not limited to this. For example, the driving posture support means may be configured to make the amount of rotation of the side frames of the rear seats equal to (the same amount of rotation of) the amount of rotation of the side frames of the passenger seat when driving posture support control is performed.

[0141] Furthermore, the control device 100 may be configured to control the actuator 30 to inform the occupant that the driving mode of the vehicle C has been switched from automatic driving mode to manual driving mode by operating the control panel OP or the like. For example, when the driving mode is switched, the control device 100 may be configured to first push the seat side portion 12 forward and then return it by rotating the right actuator 30 forward and then reverse it, and then push the seat side portion 13 forward and return it by rotating the left actuator 30 forward and then reverse it, performing this operation one to several times. Also, this operation may involve a small amount of rotation, for example, from the normal position to the first intermediate position (0.5), and may operate the actuator 30 at a faster speed than when the driving posture support control by the driving posture support means 120 is performed.

[0142] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the warning means 140 was configured to alternately rotate the left and right actuators 30 of the driver's seat S1 forward and reverse when a warning control was performed to alternately change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB from left to right. However, the operation pattern of the actuators when a warning control is performed is not limited to this. For example, the right actuator 30 may be rotated slightly forward, paused, and then rotated further forward to push the seat side 12 forward in two stages, then the right actuator 30 may be reversed to return the seat side 12 to its original position, then the left actuator 30 may be rotated slightly forward, paused, and then rotated further forward to push the seat side 13 forward in two stages, and then the left actuator 30 may be reversed to return the seat side 13 to its original position. This operation may be repeated. Alternatively, the operation may be repeated by first moving the right actuator 30 back and forth twice in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 12 forward twice, and then moving the left actuator 30 back and forth twice in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice. Alternatively, the operation may be repeated by first moving the right actuator 30 back and forth twice in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 12 forward twice, then moving the left actuator 30 back and forth once in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 13 forward once, and then moving the right actuator 30 back and forth once in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 12 forward once, and then moving the left actuator 30 back and forth twice in forward and reverse directions to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice. Alternatively, the procedure may involve rotating the right actuator 30 once forward and then in the reverse direction to push the seat side portion 12 forward once, and then rotating the left actuator 30 back and forth twice (forward and reverse, forward and reverse) to push the seat side portion 13 forward twice, and repeating this operation.

[0143] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the means for detecting the state of wakefulness of an occupant is exemplified as a means for detecting the state of wakefulness of an occupant based on a signal from a respiratory sensor 93, but it is not limited to this. For example, the means for detecting the state of wakefulness can be any suitable means available to those skilled in the art, such as a means for detecting the state of wakefulness from an image of the occupant's face or a means for detecting the state of wakefulness from the occupant's heart rate data.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the boarding / alighting detection means was exemplified as a means for detecting when an occupant is boarding or alighting from the vehicle C when the door DR is opened based on the signal from the opening / closing detection sensor 94, but it is not limited to this. The boarding / alighting detection means may also be a means for predicting when an occupant is boarding or alighting and activating the boarding / alighting support means in advance, for example, a means for detecting when an occupant is boarding or alighting from the vehicle when the door lock is released.

[0145] Furthermore, referring to Figure 5, the vehicle seat S may be configured to blow conditioned air, such as cool or warm air, from the surface of the seat side portion 12 outwards to the left and right, that is, towards the occupant who is about to get into the vehicle C, when boarding and alighting support control is performed, and especially when an occupant is getting into the vehicle C. Specifically, the control device 100 has a seating detection means for detecting whether or not an occupant is sitting in the vehicle seat S, and when the boarding and alighting detection means detects that the door DR has been opened and the seating detection means detects that an occupant is not sitting in the vehicle seat S, the boarding and alighting support means performs an operation to turn the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entrance DE side, and also performs an operation to blow conditioned air from the surface of the seat side portion 12, since it is time to board. On the other hand, when the boarding / alighting support means detects that the door DR has been opened by the boarding / alighting detection means and the seating detection means detects that an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S, it is time to alight, so the means performs the action of turning the seat surface of the seat back SB toward the entrance / exit DE, and does not perform the action of blowing conditioned air from the surface of the seat side 12. With this configuration, the comfort of the occupant when getting into the vehicle C can be improved. The seating detection means can detect whether or not an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S based on output signals from, for example, a weight detection sensor or a pressure detection sensor provided on the seat cushion SC.

[0146] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the actuator 30 was configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by moving the side frames 22, 23, which are part of the seat sides 12, 13, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the actuator may be configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back SB by moving the entire seat side. Alternatively, the actuator may be configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back by rotating the entire seat back. Alternatively, the actuator may be configured to change the orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion instead of the seat back. The orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion can be changed, for example, by moving at least a part of the seat cushion. Additionally, the vehicle seat may be configured to change both the orientation of the seat surface of the seat back and the orientation of the seat surface of the seat cushion. Furthermore, the actuator may be configured to change the orientation of the seat surface by rotating the entire seat.

[0147] Furthermore, the mechanism for changing the orientation of the seat surface of a vehicle seat from left to right is not limited to the mechanism described in the above embodiment. For example, a mechanism that changes the orientation of the seat surface from left to right by oriented a plate-shaped member placed between the left and right side frames, as described in Patent Documents 1-3, may be employed. Alternatively, a side support device of a side support drive mechanism, as described in Patent Document 4, may be employed.

[0148] Furthermore, although the above embodiment exemplified a vehicle seat S installed in an automobile as a seat for a vehicle, the invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle seat may be a seat installed in a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railway car, ship, or aircraft.

[0149] Furthermore, the elements described in the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be combined in any way. [Explanation of symbols]

[0150] 11 Center of the seat 12,13 Side of the seat 22,23 Side frame 30, 30A, 30B Actuators 100 Control device 120 Driving posture support means 130 Awakening state detection means 140 Warning measures 150 Boarding / Alighting Detection Means 160 Boarding and Alighting Support Methods 170 Setting means 180 Display means 210 Traveling direction information acquisition means 220 Swing notification means C Vehicle DE entrance / exit DS display screen OP Control Panel S Vehicle Seat S1 Driver's Seat S2 2nd seat S11 Lumbar support S12 Chest support S13 Shoulder support S14 Head support S21 Passenger Seat S22, S23 rear seats

Claims

1. An actuator that can change the orientation of the seat back cushion from left to right by moving at least a part of the seat, The system comprises a control device for controlling the actuator, The control device has a driving posture support means that controls the actuator when the vehicle turns to perform driving posture support control that orients the seat surface in the direction of the turn, A vehicle seat characterized in that the driving posture support means is configured such that, when the driving posture support control is performed, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle automatically steers is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode in which the vehicle does not automatically steer.

2. The seat back has a central part of the seat and left and right side parts of the seat provided on both the left and right sides of the central part of the seat, which in the normal position protrude toward the occupant than the central part of the seat, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator changes the orientation of the seat surface left or right by moving the side portion of the seat.

3. The control device is A means for acquiring direction of travel information to acquire information on the direction of travel of a vehicle, A vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a turning notification means that controls the actuator to change the orientation of the seat surface based on the direction of travel information acquired by the direction of travel information acquisition means before the vehicle turns, thereby informing the occupant of the turning.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the means for acquiring direction of travel information acquires information on the direction of travel of the vehicle from a car navigation system installed in the vehicle.

5. The control device is A means for detecting the driver's state of alertness, The wakefulness detection means includes a warning means that, when it detects a decrease in the driver's wakefulness, controls the actuator to change the orientation of the seat and executes a warning control. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when executing the warning control is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat when executing the driving posture support control.

6. The control device is Boarding and alighting detection means for detecting when occupants board or alight from a vehicle, When the boarding / alighting detection means detects that an occupant is boarding or alighting from the vehicle, the boarding / alighting support means controls the actuator to orient the seat towards the vehicle's entrance / exit side, and A means for detecting the driver's state of alertness, The wakefulness detection means includes a warning means that, when it detects a decrease in the driver's wakefulness, controls the actuator to change the orientation of the seat and executes a warning control. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when performing the boarding / alighting support control is greater than the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface when performing the warning control.

7. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when the driving posture support means is performing the driving posture support control, it operates the actuator at a slower speed when it is in the automatic driving mode than when it is in the manual driving mode.

8. The control device is If the inclination angle of the seat back relative to the seat cushion exceeds a first back angle threshold, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface is set to a first change amount that is larger than the normal amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when the inclination angle becomes greater than or equal to a second back angle threshold which is greater than the first back angle threshold, the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface is set to a second change amount which is greater than the first change amount.

9. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control device does not drive the actuator when it detects that a child seat is attached to the seat.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the turning notification means gradually increases the amount of change in the orientation of the seat surface as it approaches the turning start point.

11. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the driving posture support means determines that a turn of a predetermined magnitude or greater has been performed when the magnitude of the steering angle of the vehicle's steering wheel becomes equal to or greater than a steering angle threshold, and executes the driving posture support control.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, characterized in that the driving posture support means increases the setting value of the driving posture support control when the turn is sharp and decreases it when the turn is gentle, according to the magnitude of the steering angle.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 12, characterized in that the driving posture support means sets the setting value of the driving posture support control to be greater when the vehicle speed is greater than or equal to the speed threshold when the vehicle speed is less than the speed threshold.

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