Vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which enables a link to stably operate.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a slide rail 30 supported by a vehicle body of a vehicle; and a height adjustment mechanism 100 which moves up or down the seat cushion relative to the slide rail 30. The height adjustment mechanism 100 includes: a rear link 130 which is rotatably connected with the seat cushion and the slide rail 30; a rod 150 which moves in an axial direction to rotate the rear link 130 and moves up or down the seat cushion relative to the slide rail 30; and a support link 170 which is disposed so as to be arranged side by side with the rear link 130 in a rotation axial direction of the rear link 130 and is connected with the seat cushion coaxially with the rear link 130 in a rotatable manner. A rear end part 151 of the rod 150 is disposed between the rear link 130 and the support link 170 and is rotatably connected with the rear link 130 and the support link 170.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat provided with a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering a seat cushion.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering a seat cushion, there is known one including a screw member movable in the axial direction, and configured such that by moving the screw member in the axial direction, the side frame of the seat cushion is moved up and down with respect to the upper rail (Patent Document 1). Specifically, in this technique, it includes a pipe rotatably locked to the upper rail, and a second link plate joined to one end of the pipe, and one end of the screw member is rotatably connected to one end of the second link plate. Then, by moving the screw member back and forth, the second link plate rotates back and forth to rotate the pipe, and by the rotation of the pipe, the first link plate joined to the pipe rotates up and down to move the side frame up and down.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, since a large load applied to the seat cushion is applied to the link, it is desired that the link can operate stably.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat in which the link can operate stably. Another object of the present invention is to effectively utilize the space inside the seat. Furthermore, the present invention aims to improve the rigidity of the link. Furthermore, the present invention aims to improve the mounting rigidity of the link. Furthermore, the present invention aims to suppress interference between components. Furthermore, the present invention aims to improve the mounting rigidity of the actuator that drives the rod. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a vehicle seat comprising: a seat cushion; a seat support member supported by the body of a vehicle; and a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises: a first link rotatably connected to the seat cushion and the seat support member; a rod that rotates the first link by moving in the axial direction to raise and lower the seat cushion relative to the seat support member; and a second link arranged parallel to the first link in the rotation axis direction of the first link and rotatably connected to the seat cushion or the seat support member coaxially with the first link, wherein one end of the rod is positioned between the first link and the second link and rotatably connected to the first link and the second link.

[0007] With this configuration, one end of the rod can be supported from both sides in the direction of the pivot axis by the first and second links, allowing the links to operate stably without twisting.

[0008] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the first link has a first connecting portion connected to the seat cushion and a second connecting portion connected to the rod, and the second connecting portion can be configured to be positioned offset from the first connecting portion toward the second link in the direction of the rotation axis.

[0009] According to this, space can be secured on the side of the second connecting section opposite to the second link, allowing the first link to be positioned closer to the adjacent member. This makes effective use of the space within the sheet.

[0010] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the first link may have a bulging portion that extends toward the second link in the direction of the rotation axis, and the second connecting portion may be formed on the bulging portion.

[0011] According to this, the bulge can improve the rigidity of the first link.

[0012] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the seat cushion comprises left and right side frames constituting the left and right frames, and a connecting pipe connecting the left and right side frames, wherein the connecting pipe has a recess that is recessed toward the inside of the connecting pipe and is rotatably connected to the left and right side frames, and the second link can be configured to be fixed in the direction of the rotation axis to the portion of the connecting pipe in which the recess is formed.

[0013] According to this, the mounting rigidity of the second link can be improved.

[0014] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the seat cushion comprises left and right side frames constituting left and right frames, a front frame connecting the front portions of the left and right side frames, a rear frame connecting the rear portions of the left and right side frames, and an occupant support member spanning between the front frame and the rear frame, and the second link can be configured to be positioned between one of the left and right side frames and the occupant support member in the direction of the pivot axis.

[0015] This allows for effective use of space within the seat. Furthermore, it helps to suppress interference between the occupant support member and the second link.

[0016] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the height adjustment mechanism includes an actuator for reciprocating the rod in the axial direction, and the vehicle seat further includes a bracket for attaching the actuator to the seat support member, the bracket having a first bracket fixed to the seat support member and a second bracket fixed to the first bracket and holding the actuator so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotation axis, the first bracket having a bead portion projecting upward, and the second bracket being fixed to the bead portion.

[0017] According to this, the rigidity of the first bracket is improved by the bead portion, and by fixing the second bracket to this highly rigid portion, the mounting rigidity of the second bracket can be improved. This improves the mounting rigidity of the actuator.

[0018] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the second bracket may have a first wall fixed to the bead portion and a pair of second walls rising from both the left and right ends of the first wall and rotatably holding the actuator, and the second link may be positioned between the pair of second walls in the direction of the rotation axis.

[0019] According to this, the second link can be compactly positioned in the rotation axis direction, allowing for effective use of space within the seat.

[0020] In the aforementioned vehicle seat, the actuator may be configured to include a motor, a gearbox housing gears for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the rod, and a housing that holds the motor and the gearbox and is rotatably mounted on the second bracket.

[0021] In the vehicle seat described above, the seat support member includes a lower rail fixed to the fuselage of the vehicle and an upper rail slidably engaged with the lower rail, and the first link can be configured to be rotatably connected to the upper rail.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, the link can operate stably.

[0023] Further, according to the present invention, by arranging the second connecting portion of the first link at a position shifted toward the second link side with respect to the first connecting portion, the space inside the seat can be effectively utilized.

[0024] Further, according to the present invention, by forming the second connecting portion in the bulging portion, the rigidity of the first link can be improved by the bulging portion.

[0025] Further, according to the present invention, by fixing the second link to the portion where the recess of the connecting pipe is formed, the mounting rigidity of the second link can be improved.

[0026] Further, according to the present invention, by arranging the second link between the side frame and the occupant support member, the space inside the seat can be effectively utilized. Also, interference between the occupant support member and the second link can be suppressed.

[0027] Further, according to the present invention, by fixing the second bracket to the bead portion of the first bracket, the mounting rigidity of the actuator can be improved.

[0028] Further, according to the present invention, by arranging the second link at a position between the pair of second walls of the second bracket, the space inside the seat can be effectively utilized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a vehicle seat as a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the seat cushion frame and slide rail. [Figure 3] This is a top view of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of the height adjustment mechanism. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the left rear link, seen from the inside in the left-right direction. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the left rear link and the area around the support link. [Figure 7] This is a top-down view of the area around the rod. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the first actuator and the area around the bracket. [Figure 9] This is a front view of the second bracket and support link. [Figure 10] This is a view of the height adjustment mechanism from the inside, in the left-right direction. [Figure 11] These are diagrams showing the height adjustment mechanism viewed from the inside in the left-right direction, with the seat cushion frame in its highest position (a) and the seat cushion frame in its lowest position (b). [Figure 12] This is an exploded perspective view of the tilt mechanism. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the side frame, rotating frame, push-up link, and pinion gear. [Figure 14] This is a front view of the left side frame, front link, rotating frame, and push-up link. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view of the area around the first actuator, seen from the inside in the left-right direction. [Figure 16] This is a view of the tilt mechanism from the inside in the left-right direction. [Figure 17] This figure shows the rotating frame in the raised position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification, front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to the front, back, left, right, and up and down directions as viewed from the perspective of a person seated in a vehicle seat. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat of this embodiment is configured as a vehicle seat S to be installed in an automobile, and comprises a seat cushion S1 and a seat back S2.

[0031] Inside the seat cushion S1 is a seat cushion frame F1, as shown in Figure 2. The seat cushion frame F1 is a component that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion S1. The seat cushion S1 is constructed by covering the seat cushion frame F1 with a pad material made of urethane foam or the like, and a surface material made of fabric or leather or the like.

[0032] The seat cushion frame F1 comprises left and right side frames 11, 11, a front connecting pipe 12 which serves as the front frame, a rear connecting pipe 13 which serves as the rear frame and connecting pipe, and a pan frame 14. The left and right side frames 11, 11 are components that make up the left and right frames of the seat cushion S1, and are arranged with a predetermined distance between them. Each side frame 11 is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate and has a cross-sectional shape in which the upper and lower ends extend inward in the left-right direction.

[0033] The front connecting pipe 12 is a member that connects the front ends of the left and right side frames 11, 11, and the rear connecting pipe 13 is a member that connects the rear ends of the left and right side frames 11, 11. The front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13 are formed from metal pipe material. In this embodiment, the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13 are connected to the left and right side frames 11, 11 so as to be rotatable.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, a occupant support member 15 is positioned between the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13. Note that the occupant support member 15 is not shown in Figure 2. The occupant support member 15 is a member that supports the occupant sitting on the seat cushion S1 from below, and includes a seat spring 15A and a connecting member 15B.

[0035] The seat springs 15A are springs made by bending a metal wire in a zigzag pattern so that it meanders from side to side, and three of them are installed side by side. The connecting member 15B is a resin member that connects the three seat springs 15A and is integrally formed with the three seat springs 15A by insert molding. The occupant support member 15 is installed between the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear connecting pipe 13, with the front end of each seat spring 15A hooked onto the front connecting pipe 12 and the rear end of each seat spring 15A, which is covered by the connecting member 15B, hooked onto the rear connecting pipe 13.

[0036] The pan frame 14 is a member that supports the thighs of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion S1 from below, and is positioned to span the front ends of the left and right side frames 11, 11. The pan frame 14 is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate.

[0037] Returning to Figure 2, the vehicle seat S further includes slide rails 30, 30 as seat support members, a height adjustment mechanism 100, and a tilt mechanism 200.

[0038] The slide rails 30, 30 are mechanisms for adjusting the front-to-back position of the seat cushion S1 by sliding the seat cushion S1 back and forth, and are arranged on the left and right sides separated by a predetermined distance. Each slide rail 30 is supported by the vehicle body and includes a lower rail 31 and an upper rail 32. The lower rail 31 is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate and has a long, extended shape. The lower rail 31 is fixed to the floor of the vehicle body.

[0039] The upper rail 32 is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate and has a long, extended shape. The upper rail 32 is engaged with the lower rail 31 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Since the upper rail 32 is connected to the seat cushion frame F1 via links 110, 120, 130, and 140, which will be described later, the seat cushion S1 slides back and forth relative to the vehicle body as the upper rail 32 slides back and forth relative to the lower rail 31. The upper surface of the upper rail 32 is provided with a link connecting portion 32A at the front end for connecting links 110 and 120, and a link connecting portion 32B at the rear end for connecting links 130 and 140.

[0040] The height adjustment mechanism 100 is a mechanism for adjusting the height position of the seat cushion S1 by raising and lowering the seat cushion S1 relative to the slide rail 30. As shown in Figure 4, the height adjustment mechanism 100 comprises a left front link 110, a right front link 120, a left rear link 130 as a first link, a right rear link 140, a rod 150, a second actuator 160 as an actuator, and a support link 170 as a second link.

[0041] The front link 110 and rear link 130 are rotatably connected to the left side frame 11 and slide rail 30, thereby forming a four-bar linkage mechanism together with the left side frame 11 and slide rail 30. Similarly, the front link 120 and rear link 140 are rotatably connected to the right side frame 11 and slide rail 30 that constitute the seat cushion S1, thereby forming a four-bar linkage mechanism together with the right side frame 11 and slide rail 30.

[0042] More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the upper ends of the front links 110 and 120 are positioned on the left-right outer side of the side frame 11 and are rotatably connected to the vicinity of the front-rear center of the side frame 11 by a pin 191. The lower ends of the front links 110 and 120 are positioned on the left-right inner side of the link connecting portion 32A provided on the upper rail 32 and are rotatably connected to the link connecting portion 32A by a pin 192.

[0043] Furthermore, the upper ends of the rear links 130 and 140 are positioned on the inside in the left-right direction of the side frame 11 and are connected to the left and right ends of the rear connecting pipe 13 by welding, thereby rotatably connecting them to the rear of the side frame 11 together with the rear connecting pipe 13. The lower ends of the rear links 130 and 140 are positioned on the inside in the left-right direction of the link connecting portion 32B provided on the upper rail 32 and are rotatably connected to the link connecting portion 32B by a pin 194.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, the left rear link 130 has a first connecting portion 131, a second connecting portion 132, and a connecting portion 133 that connects the first connecting portion 131 and the second connecting portion 132. The first connecting section 131 is the part that connects the left side frame 11 to the slide rail 30, and has a pipe insertion hole 131A through which the rear connecting pipe 13 is inserted, and a pin insertion hole 131B through which the pin 194 is inserted.

[0045] The second connecting portion 132 is the part connected to the rod 150 and is formed in the lower part of the rear link 130, specifically in the area extending from the lower part of the pin insertion hole 131B to the front diagonally lower part of the pipe insertion hole 131A. The second connecting portion 132 is positioned to the right (towards the support link 170) of the first connecting portion 131 in the left-right direction corresponding to the rotation axis direction of the rear link 130. A pin insertion hole 132A is formed at the lower end of the second connecting portion 132 through which a pin 195 (see Figure 4) is inserted. Furthermore, the rear link 130 has a bulge portion 134 formed by the second connecting portion 132 and the connecting portion 133 that connects the second connecting portion 132 and the first connecting portion 131, which bulges to the right of the first connecting portion 131 in the left-right direction. For this reason, it can also be said that the second connecting portion 132 is formed in the bulge portion 134.

[0046] Furthermore, the recess 135 formed on the back of the bulging portion 134 is designed so that when the height of the seat cushion S1 is lowered to a certain extent by the height adjustment mechanism 100, a portion of the left upper rail 32 fits into it (see Figure 11(b)). In other words, the recess 135 on the back of the bulging portion 134 serves as a clearance to avoid interference with other components. This makes it possible to position the rear link 130 closer to the slide rail 30, thereby making effective use of the space inside the vehicle seat S.

[0047] As shown in Figure 6, the support link 170 is positioned parallel to the rear link 130 in the left-right direction. More specifically, the support link 170 is positioned adjacent to the left-right inner side of the rear link 130. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the support link 170 is positioned in the left-right direction between one of the left and right side frames 11, 11, specifically the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15. To elaborate further, the support link 170 is positioned in the left-right direction in the space formed between the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15.

[0048] Returning to Figure 6, the upper end of the support link 170 is connected to the left end of the rear connecting pipe 13 by welding, thereby rotatably connecting it to the rear of the side frame 11 together with the rear connecting pipe 13 and the rear links 130, 140 (see Figure 2). In other words, the upper end of the support link 170 is rotatably connected to the rear of the side frame 11 coaxially with the rear links 130, 140. To further explain, the left end of the rear connecting pipe 13 has elongated recesses 13A that are recessed inward from the rear connecting pipe 13, and the upper end of the support link 170 is fixed by welding in a position that overlaps with the portion of the rear connecting pipe 13 where the recesses 13A are formed, in the left-right direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 7, the rod 150 rotates the rear link 130 by sliding axially, specifically in a roughly front-to-back direction, thereby driving the height adjustment mechanism 100 to raise and lower the seat cushion S1 relative to the slide rail 30. The rod 150 is formed in a rod shape that extends roughly in a front-to-back direction, and a screw groove 153 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the front end 152. As shown in Figure 6, the rear end 151, which is one end of the rod 150, is positioned between the lower end of the rear link 130 (second connecting part 132) and the lower end of the support link 170. The rear end 151 of the rod 150 is rotatably connected to the rear link 130 and the support link 170 by a pin 195, while being sandwiched between the lower ends of the rear link 130 and the support link 170. A collar 180 is positioned between the rear end 151 of the rod 150 and the rear link 130 to adjust the distance between the rear end 151 and the rear link 130.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4, the second actuator 160 is a mechanism for driving the height adjustment mechanism 100 by moving the rod 150 back and forth approximately, and includes a motor 161 that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, a gearbox 162, and a housing 163. The motor 161 is fixed to the gearbox 162.

[0051] The gearbox 162 is a component that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 161 and transmitting it to the rod 150. It has a rod insertion hole (not shown) through which the front end 152, which is the other end of the rod 150, is inserted. The gears housed in the gearbox 162 include an input gear to which the rotational driving force is input from the shaft of the motor 161, an output gear that meshes with the screw groove 153 (see Figure 7) of the rod 150 inserted into the gearbox 162, and a transmission gear that reduces the rotational driving force input to the input gear and transmits it to the output gear. With this configuration, when the shaft of the motor 161 is rotated in a first direction, the rod 150 slides approximately backward while rotating. When the shaft of the motor 161 is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the rod 150 slides approximately forward while rotating.

[0052] The housing 163 is a component that holds the motor 161 and the gearbox 162, and is formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate. The housing 163 has a base portion 163A, a pair of front and rear holding portions 163B and 163C extending upward from both the front and rear ends of the base portion 163A, and a pair of left and right mounting portions 163D and 163E (see Figure 7) extending rearward from both the left and right ends of the rear holding portion 163C. The gearbox 162, to which the motor 161 is fixed, is positioned between the pair of holding portions 163B and 163C and is fixed to the pair of holding portions 163B and 163C by screws 182 (see Figure 8). In this way, the housing 163 holds the motor 161 and the gearbox 162. The pair of retaining parts 163B and 163C have rod insertion holes 163H formed in them, which communicate with the rod insertion holes of the gearbox 162, and through which the front end 152 of the rod 150 is inserted. The pair of mounting parts 163D and 163E are parts that are rotatably attached to the second bracket 320, which will be described later.

[0053] The second actuator 160 is attached to the left slide rail 30 by a metal bracket 300. Bracket 300 is a component for attaching the second actuator 160 to the slide rail 30, and includes a first bracket 310 and a second bracket 320.

[0054] The first bracket 310 is a component fixed to the slide rail 30 and has a first fixing portion 311, an extension portion 312 extending substantially downward from the left-right inner end of the first fixing portion 311, and a second fixing portion 313 extending left-right inward from the lower end of the extension portion 312. The first bracket 310 also has a bead portion 314 that protrudes substantially upward near the center in the front-rear direction. The bead portion 314 extends across the first fixing portion 311, the extension portion 312, and the second fixing portion 313, and its upper surface is substantially flat. As shown in Figure 8, the first bracket 310 is fixed to the slide rail 30 by fastening the first fixing portion 311 to the upper surface of the upper rail 32 with bolts 181, 181.

[0055] Returning to Figure 4, the second bracket 320 is a member fixed to the first bracket 310 and has a roughly U-shaped cross-section with a first wall 321 and a pair of left and right second walls 322, 322 rising from both ends of the first wall 321. As shown in Figure 8, the pair of second walls 322, 322 of the second bracket 320 are positioned between a pair of mounting portions 163D, 163E formed on the housing 163 and are rotatably connected to the pair of mounting portions 163D, 163E by pins 196, 196. As a result, the pair of second walls 322, 322 of the second bracket 320 hold the second actuator 160 so that it can rotate roughly up and down around the pins 196, 196, which act as axes parallel to the left and right directions. As shown in Figure 9, the second bracket 320 is fixed to the first bracket 310 by the first wall 321 being fixed to the upper surface of the bead portion 314 at the second fixing portion 313 of the first bracket 310 by fastening bolts and nuts (not shown). The support link 170 is positioned between the pair of second walls 322, 322 in the left-right direction.

[0056] Now, let's explain the operation of the height adjustment mechanism 100. From the state shown in Figure 10, when the motor 161 of the second actuator 160 is driven to rotate in the first direction and the rod 150 slides approximately to the rear, the lower end of the left rear link 130 is pushed backward by the rod 150 via the pin 195, causing the rear link 130 to rotate clockwise around the pin 194 as shown. As a result, the rear link 130 rises forward, as shown in Figure 11(a). At this time, since the left and right rear links 130 and 140 are connected by the rear connecting pipe 13, the right rear link 140 also rotates together with the rear link 130 and rises forward. As the rear links 130 and 140 rise forward, the front links 110 and 120 also rotate and rise forward, thereby raising the side frame 11 (seat cushion frame F1) relative to the slide rail 30. As a result, the height position of the seat cushion S1 can be increased.

[0057] On the other hand, from the state shown in Figure 10, when the motor 161 of the second actuator 160 rotates in the second direction opposite to the first direction and the rod 150 slides approximately forward, the lower end of the left rear link 130 is pulled forward by the rod 150 via the pin 195, causing the rear link 130 to rotate counterclockwise around the pin 194. As a result, the rear link 130 tilts backward, as shown in Figure 11(b). At the same time, the right rear link 140 also tilts backward while rotating together with the rear link 130. Then, as the rear links 130 and 140 tilt backward, the front links 110 and 120 also rotate and tilt backward, which allows the side frame 11 (seat cushion frame F1) to be lowered relative to the slide rail 30. As a result, the height position of the seat cushion S1 can be lowered. At this time, a portion of the left upper rail 32 fits into the recess 135 on the back side of the bulging portion 134 of the rear link 130, thereby suppressing interference between the upper rail 32 and the rear link 130.

[0058] As shown in Figure 12, the tilt mechanism 200 is a mechanism for adjusting the angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion S1 with respect to the horizontal plane by raising and lowering the front part of the seat cushion S1. The tilt mechanism 200 comprises a left rotating frame 210, a right rotating frame 220 as a rotating member, a left push-up link 230 (see Figure 13), a right push-up link 240 as a push-up member, a pinion gear 250 as a driving member, and a first actuator 260. In this embodiment, since the rotating frames 210 and 220 are formed substantially symmetrically, the configuration of the right rotating frame 220 will be described in detail below, and the left rotating frame 210 will be given the same reference numerals and its description will be omitted.

[0059] As shown in Figure 13, the rotating frame 220 has a frame body 21 formed by sheet metal processing of a metal plate and pins 22 that form the sliding contact portion 22A. The frame body 21 has a side portion 23 and a frame fixing portion 24 extending inward in the left-right direction from the upper end of the side portion 23. A pin insertion hole 23A is formed in the side portion 23 through which the tip of a pin 22 is inserted. The pin 22 is fixed to the side portion 23 by welding or the like, with its tip inserted into the pin insertion hole 23A, after passing through a through hole 242 formed in the push-up link 240 and a through hole 11A formed in the side frame 11 from the left-right inner side of the side frame 11. The through hole 11A in the side frame 11 is formed in an arc shape extending in the rotational direction centered on the pin 291 of the rotating frame 220. The through hole 11A is formed symmetrically on the left and right side frames 11, 11.

[0060] As shown in Figure 14, the sliding contact portion 22A is the axial portion of the pin 22 and is provided to extend inward in the left-right direction of the side frame 11 through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11. The left-right outer end of the sliding contact portion 22A, that is, the tip surface 22B of the pin 22, is positioned inward in the left-right direction from the outer surface 121, which is the left-right outer end of the front link 120. In other words, the pin 22 is positioned so as not to protrude outward in the left-right direction from the front link 120. Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the left-right outer end of the sliding contact portion 22A of the left rotating frame 210 is also positioned inward in the left-right direction from the left-right outer end of the outer surface of the front link 110.

[0061] Returning to Figure 13, the rotating frame 220 has its side portion 23 positioned adjacent to one side of the right side frame 11 in the left-right direction, specifically on the outside, and the frame fixing portion 24 positioned opposite the upper surface of the side frame 11. The rotating frame 220 is also rotatably connected to the right side frame 11 around a first axis L1 parallel to the left-right direction. More specifically, the rear end of the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220 is connected by a pin 291 to the vicinity of the front-rear center of the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable vertically.

[0062] As shown in Figure 12, the pan frame 14 is positioned to span across the frame fixing portions 24, 24 of the left and right rotating frames 210, 220, with its left and right ends fixed to the frame fixing portions 24, 24. The front ends of the rotating frames 210, 220 swing up and down relative to the side frame 11, thereby causing the pan frame 14, which constitutes the front part of the seat cushion S1, to swing up and down.

[0063] As shown in Figure 13, the push-up links 230 and 240 are components that push up the rotating frames 210 and 220, thereby causing the rotating frames 210 and 220 to swing upward.

[0064] The push-up link 240 is a long, plate-shaped member and has a pipe insertion hole 241, a through hole 242, and a sector gear section 243. The pipe insertion hole 241 is a hole through which the front connecting pipe 12 is inserted, and is formed at the rear end of the push-up link 240. The sector gear section 243 is the part into which the pinion gear 250 meshes, and is formed at the front end of the push-up link 240.

[0065] The through-hole 242 is a long hole in the front-to-back direction, formed between the pipe insertion hole 241 and the sector gear section 243 in the front-to-back direction. The inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 242 has a sliding contact portion 245 on the lower surface and a restricting portion 246 on the upper surface. The sliding contact portion 245 abuts against the sliding contact portion 22A of the rotating frame 220 from below and is the part that slides against the sliding contact portion 22A when pushing up the rotating frame 220. In the front-to-back direction, the sliding contact portion 245 is positioned between the sector gear section 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241 (second axis L2 (see Figure 16)) because the through-hole 242 is formed between the sector gear section 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241. The restricting portion 246 faces the sliding contact portion 245 in the vertical direction and is provided to sandwich the sliding contact portion 22A between the sliding contact portion 245 and the sliding contact portion 245.

[0066] The push-up link 240 is positioned adjacent to the right side frame 11 in the left-right direction, specifically on the inside, so as to sandwich the right side frame 11 between it and the rotating frame 220. Furthermore, the push-up link 240 and the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220 are positioned so as to overlap in part when viewed from the left-right direction (see Figure 16). The push-up link 240 is also connected to the side frame 11 so as to be rotatable around a second axis L2 (see Figure 16) that is parallel to the left-right direction and different from the first axis L1. Specifically, the push-up link 240 is connected to the front connecting pipe 12 by welding with the right end of the front connecting pipe 12 inserted through the pipe insertion hole 241, thereby connecting the side frame 11 to the front connecting pipe 12 so as to be rotatable vertically as a single unit.

[0067] The push-up link 230 is a long, plate-shaped member and has a pipe engagement portion 231 and a through hole 242. The pipe engagement portion 231 is a recess that opens downward and engages with the front connecting pipe 12, and is formed at the rear end of the push-up link 230. The through-hole 242 is a long hole in the front-to-back direction and is formed at the front end of the push-up link 230. Similar to the through-hole 242 of the push-up link 240 on the right, the lower surface of the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 242 is a sliding contact portion 245, and the upper surface is a restricting portion 246.

[0068] The push-up link 230 is positioned adjacent to the left side frame 11 in the left-right direction, sandwiching the left side frame 11 between it and the rotating frame 210. Furthermore, the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 210 and the push-up link 230 overlap in part when viewed from the left-right direction, similar to the side portion 23 of the right push-up link 240 and the rotating frame 220 (see Figure 16). The push-up link 230 is connected to the front connecting pipe 12 by welding, with its pipe engagement portion 231 engaged with the left end of the front connecting pipe 12. This connects the side frame 11 to the front connecting pipe 12, allowing it to rotate vertically as a single unit. The left and right push-up links 240, 240 rotate together as a single unit because they are connected by the front connecting pipe 12.

[0069] The pinion gear 250 is a component that rotates the push-up link 240 and is rotatably supported on the right side frame 11 at the front position of the push-up link 240.

[0070] As shown in Figure 15, the first actuator 260 is a mechanism for driving the tilt mechanism 200 by rotating the pinion gear 250, and mainly consists of a motor 261 that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions and a gearbox 262. The gearbox 262 is a component that houses a plurality of gears (not shown) for reducing the rotational driving force of the motor 261 and transmitting it to the pinion gear 250. The gears housed in the gearbox 262 include an input gear to which the rotational driving force is input from the shaft of the motor 261, an output gear that meshes with the pinion gear 250, and a transmission gear that reduces the rotational driving force input to the input gear and transmits it to the output gear. With this configuration, when the shaft of the motor 261 is rotated in the third direction, the pinion gear 250 rotates counterclockwise as shown. Also, when the shaft of the motor 161 is rotated in the fourth direction opposite to the third direction, the pinion gear 250 rotates clockwise as shown.

[0071] The first actuator 260 is attached to the third bracket 410 by a screw 281. Meanwhile, the fourth bracket 420 is attached to the inner surface in the left-right direction of the front end of the right side frame 11 by welding or the like. The first actuator 260 is attached to the right side frame 11 via brackets 410 and 420, by the third bracket 410 being fixed to the fourth bracket 420 by a screw 282.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first actuator 260 is mounted closer to the right side frame 11 (one side frame 11) than the second actuator 160, specifically, on the inside of the right side frame 11 in the left-right direction. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, the second actuator 160 is mounted closer to the left side frame 11 (the other side frame 11) than the first actuator 260, specifically, on the upper surface of the upper rail 32 that constitutes the left slide rail 30. In other words, in this embodiment, the first actuator 260 is located to the right of the vehicle seat S, and the second actuator 160 is located to the left of the vehicle seat S.

[0073] Now, let's explain the operation of the tilt mechanism 200. From the state shown in Figure 16, when the motor 261 of the first actuator 260 (see Figure 15) is driven to rotate in the third direction and the pinion gear 250 rotates counterclockwise as shown, the right push-up link 240 rotates upward around the front connecting pipe 12. At this time, since the left and right push-up links 230 and 240 are connected by the front connecting pipe 12, the left push-up link 230 also rotates upward together with the push-up link 240. As a result, as shown in Figure 17, the upward rotation of the push-up links 230 and 240 causes the sliding contact portion 245 to slide against the sliding contact portion 22A of the rotating frames 210 and 220, pushing the rotating frames 210 and 220 upward via the sliding contact portion 22A. As a result, the rotating frames 210 and 220 swing upward around the pin 291, and consequently, the pan frame 14, which is spanned across the rotating frames 210 and 220, swings upward. Consequently, the front part of the seat cushion S1 rises, and the angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion S1 with respect to the horizontal plane can be increased.

[0074] On the other hand, from the state shown in Figure 17, when the motor 261 of the first actuator 260 is driven to rotate in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, causing the pinion gear 250 to rotate clockwise as shown, the right push-up link 240 rotates downward around the front connecting pipe 12. At the same time, the left push-up link 230 also rotates downward together with the push-up link 240. As a result, as shown in Figure 16, the rotating frames 210, 220 and the pan frame 14 swing downward around the pin 291, with the sliding contact portion 22A sliding against the sliding contact portion 245 due to their own weight and the weight of the occupant. As a result, the front part of the seat cushion S1 descends, and the angle of the seat surface of the seat cushion S1 with respect to the horizontal plane can be reduced.

[0075] According to the embodiment described above, in the height adjustment mechanism 100, the rear end 151 of the rod 150 is positioned between the rear link 130 and the support link 170 and is rotatably connected to the rear link 130 and the support link 170. Therefore, the rear end 151 of the rod 150 can be supported from both sides in the direction of the rotation axis by the rear link 130 and the support link 170. As a result, the links 130 and 170 can operate stably without twisting.

[0076] Furthermore, since the second connecting portion 132 of the rear link 130 is positioned offset toward the support link 170 relative to the first connecting portion 131, space can be secured on the opposite side of the second connecting portion 132 from the support link 170. As a result, the rear link 130 can be positioned closer to adjacent members such as the left slide rail 30, thereby making effective use of the space within the vehicle seat S.

[0077] Furthermore, since the rear link 130 has a bulge 134 on which the second connecting portion 132 is formed, the rigidity of the rear link 130 can be improved by the bulge 134 compared to a configuration in which the rear link is a flat plate shape.

[0078] Furthermore, since the support link 170 is fixed to the portion of the rear connecting pipe 13 where the recess 13A is formed, the mounting rigidity of the support link 170 can be improved.

[0079] Furthermore, since the support link 170 is positioned in the space formed between the left side frame 11 and the occupant support member 15 in the left-right direction, the space within the vehicle seat S can be effectively utilized. In addition, interference between the occupant support member 15 and the support link 170 can be suppressed.

[0080] Furthermore, since the first bracket 310 has a bead portion 314 and the second bracket 320 is fixed to the bead portion 314, the rigidity of the first bracket 310 is improved by the bead portion 314, and by fixing the second bracket 320 to this highly rigid portion, the mounting rigidity of the second bracket 320 can be improved. This improves the mounting rigidity of the second actuator 160.

[0081] Furthermore, since the support link 170 is positioned between a pair of second walls 322, 322 in the left-right direction, the support link 170 can be compactly arranged in the left-right direction. This allows for effective use of the space within the vehicle seat S.

[0082] Furthermore, in the tilt mechanism 200, the rotating frames 210 and 220 are positioned on the left and right outer sides of the side frame 11, while the push-up links 230 and 240 are positioned on the left and right inner sides of the side frame 11, sandwiching the side frame 11 between the corresponding rotating frames 210 and 220. Compared to a configuration where both the pair of rotating frames and the push-up links are positioned on the same left and right sides of the side frame, there is less need to consider, for example, the arrangement and shape of the rotating frames 210 and 220 and the corresponding push-up links 230 and 240 to avoid interference. As a result, each component can be made simpler, thus simplifying the structure of the tilt mechanism 200.

[0083] Furthermore, since the sliding contact portion 245 of the push-up links 230 and 240 slides against the sliding contact portion 22A that extends inward in the left-right direction of the side frame 11 through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11 and pushes up the rotating frames 210 and 220, the sliding contact portion of the rotating frame can be made smaller compared to a configuration in which the sliding contact portion of the rotating frame extends to the push-up link side by passing over or under the side frame. This makes the tilt mechanism 200 more compact.

[0084] Furthermore, since the push-up links 230 and 240 have a restricting portion 246, for example, when the rotating frames 210 and 220 attempt to rotate upward due to a rear-end collision of a vehicle, the sliding contact portion 22A comes into contact with the restricting portion 246, thereby restricting the upward rotation of the rotating frames 210 and 220.

[0085] Furthermore, since the rotating frames 210, 220 and the push-up links 230, 240 are arranged to overlap when viewed from the left and right directions, the tilt mechanism 200 can be made more compact compared to, for example, a configuration in which the rotating frames and push-up links are offset in the vertical direction.

[0086] Furthermore, since the sliding contact portion 245 is positioned between the sector gear portion 243 and the pipe insertion hole 241 (second axis L2) in the front-rear direction, the push-up link 240 can be made smaller in the front-rear direction compared to, for example, a configuration in which the sliding contact portion and the sector gear portion are positioned front-rear and rear-facing each other across the second axis. This makes the tilt mechanism 200 more compact.

[0087] Furthermore, since the tip surface 22B of the pin 22 that forms the sliding contact portion 22A is positioned inward in the left-right direction compared to the outer surface 121 of the front link 120, the amount of outward protrusion of the pin 22 (sliding contact portion 22A) in the left-right direction can be suppressed. This makes the tilt mechanism 200 more compact in the left-right direction.

[0088] Furthermore, since the first actuator 260 is positioned to the right of the vehicle seat S and the second actuator 160 is positioned to the left of the vehicle seat S, the design flexibility regarding the size, position, and mounting method of the second actuator 160 can be improved compared to a configuration in which the two actuators are concentrated and mounted near one side frame.

[0089] Furthermore, since the first actuator 260 is mounted on the inside of the right side frame 11 in the left-right direction, the design flexibility can be further improved compared to a configuration in which the first actuator is mounted on the outside of the side frame in the left-right direction.

[0090] Although embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Specific configurations can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention, as described below. For example, in the above embodiment, a slide rail 30 was exemplified as a seat support member supported by the vehicle body, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the seat support member may be a bracket for fixing a vehicle seat to the floor of the vehicle body. Alternatively, the seat support member may be the vehicle body itself.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the occupant support member 15 had a configuration comprising a seat spring 15A and a connecting member 15B that connects the seat springs 15A, but it is not limited to this. For example, the occupant support member may consist of a plurality of seat springs arranged on the left and right sides without a connecting member. In other words, the seat springs do not need to be connected. Referring to Figure 3, if the occupant support member consists of seat springs 15A arranged on the left and right sides without a connecting member 15B, the support link 170 can be configured to be positioned between the left side frame 11 and the seat spring 15A located closest to the left side frame 11 (the leftmost seat spring 15A).

[0092] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the second actuator 160 was attached to the left upper rail 32 via a bracket 300 consisting of two parts, and the first actuator 260 was attached to the right side frame 11 via two brackets 410 and 420, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the bracket for attaching the actuator may consist of one part or three or more parts.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sliding contact portion 245 and the restricting portion 246 of the push-up link 240 were provided in a closed through hole 242 when viewed from the left and right directions, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, referring to Figure 13, the sliding contact portion 245 and the restricting portion 246 may be provided not in the through hole 242, but in a recess that is open at the front and recessed towards the rear when viewed from the left and right directions. Also, the push-up link may have no restricting portion and have an open configuration above the sliding contact portion, for example, a configuration in which the upper surface of the push-up link is the sliding contact portion. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the rotating frame 220 has a sliding contact portion 22A that extends inward through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11, and the push-up link 240 is configured to push up the sliding contact portion 22A with the sliding contact portion 245, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the push-up link may have a sliding contact portion that extends outward through the through hole 11A of the side frame 11, and this sliding contact portion may be configured to push up the side portion 23 of the rotating frame 220. Alternatively, the push-up link may be configured to push up the frame fixing portion 24 of the rotating frame 220.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first actuator 260 was mounted near the right side frame 11 and the second actuator 160 was mounted near the left side frame 11, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the first actuator may be mounted near the left side frame and the second actuator near the right side frame. In other words, the first actuator may be located to the left of the vehicle seat and the second actuator to the right of the vehicle seat. In this case, the rod and support link of the height adjustment mechanism may be located to the right of the vehicle seat, and the push-up link having the pinion gear and sector gear of the tilt mechanism may be located to the left of the vehicle seat. Also, both the first actuator and the second actuator may be located on the same side of the vehicle seat. Furthermore, when located on the same side, one of the first actuator and the second actuator may be mounted on the inside in the left-right direction of the side frame, and the other on the outside in the left-right direction of the side frame.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the support link 170 (second link) was rotatably connected coaxially with the rear link 130 (first link) to the side frame 11 constituting the seat cushion S1 via the rear connecting pipe 13, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the second link may be rotatably connected coaxially with the first link to the slide rail, which serves as a seat support member. Alternatively, the second link may be rotatably connected coaxially with the first link to both the seat cushion and the seat support member. Also, in the above embodiment, the support link 170 positioned between the two rear links 130 and 140 was exemplified as the second link, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, if the first link is one of the left or right rear links, the second link may be the other of the left or right rear links.

[0096] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the rear link 130 as the first link was rotatably connected to the side frame 11 via the rear connecting pipe 13, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, it may be rotatably connected to the side frame by a pin or the like, similar to the front links 110, 120, etc. in the above embodiment. Also, in the above embodiment, the rear link 130 as the first link had a first connecting portion 131, a second connecting portion 132, and a bulging portion 134, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the first link may be a flat plate-shaped link, such as the rear link 140 in the above embodiment. Also, in the above embodiment, the rear link 130 was exemplified as the first link, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the first link may be a front link.

[0097] Furthermore, although the vehicle seat S in the above embodiment was equipped with a tilt mechanism 200, the invention is not limited to this, and a configuration without a tilt mechanism is also possible.

[0098] Furthermore, although the above embodiment exemplified a vehicle seat S installed in an automobile as a seat for a vehicle, it is not limited to this, and may also be a seat for a vehicle other than an automobile, such as a railway car, ship, or aircraft. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 11 Side Frames 12 Front connecting pipe 13 Rear connecting pipe 13A Recess 15 Crew support member 30 slide rails 31 Lower Rail 32 Upper Rail 100 Height adjustment mechanism 130 Rear Link 131 1st connection part 132 2nd connection part 134 Bulge 150 rods 151 Rear end 160 Second Actuator 161 Motor 162 Gearbox 163 Housing 170 support links 300 bracket 310 First bracket 314 Bead section 320 Second bracket 321 1st wall 322 2nd wall S Vehicle Seat S1 Seat Cushion

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion, a seat support member supported by the vehicle body, and a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, The height adjustment mechanism is, A link rotatably connected directly to the seat cushion and the seat support member, The system includes a rod that rotates the link by moving in the axial direction, thereby raising and lowering the seat cushion relative to the seat support member, The seat support member comprises a lower rail fixed to the vehicle body and an upper rail that slidably engages with the lower rail. The aforementioned link is A first connecting portion is directly connected to the upper rail so as to be rotatable around the first axis, The rod has a second connecting portion that is directly connected to it so as to be rotatable around a second axis, The aforementioned seat cushion is The left and right side frames, A front frame connecting the front parts of the left and right side frames, A rear frame connecting the rear ends of the left and right side frames, An occupant support member that supports the occupant from below, comprising an occupant support member located between the left and right side frames, A vehicle seat characterized in that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are located on the left-right outer side of the occupant support member.

2. The vehicle seat according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are located between one side frame and the occupant support member in the left-right direction.

3. The link has a bulge that bulges inward in the left-right direction relative to the first connecting portion, The vehicle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the second connecting portion is formed in the bulging portion.

4. The second link is arranged in the left-right direction, parallel to the aforementioned link, and is connected to the rod so as to be rotatable about the second axis, The vehicle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the second link is located between the one side frame and the occupant support member in the left-right direction.

5. A pin that rotatably connects the end of the rod and the link, The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a spacing adjustment member for adjusting the distance between the end of the rod and the link, the spacing adjustment member being provided on the pin.

6. The seat for a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the spacing adjustment member is located between the end of the rod and the link.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, characterized in that the end of the rod is located between the link and the second link.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, characterized in that the link and the second link are rotatably connected to the seat cushion about the third axis.

9. Further comprising a seat back and a tilt mechanism, The aforementioned seat cushion is constructed by covering a seat cushion frame with a pad material and a surface material. The seat for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the seat cushion frame comprises left and right side frames, a front frame, a rear frame, and an occupant support member.

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