Seat pads and vehicle seats

Abstract

To prevent the deterioration of an appearance of a vehicular seat.SOLUTION: A seat back pad 20 is foam-molded to configure a cushion body of a vehicular seat, and is covered by a skin of the vehicular seat. The seat back pad 20 is equipped with a sewing groove 32, a slit 34, and a projecting portion 36. The sewing groove 32 is recessed from a surface of the seat back pad 20 and is formed on the seat back pad 20, and stores a sewing margin provided on a back surface of the skin. The slit 34 is formed in line with the sewing groove 32 to divide a part of the seat back pad 20, stores the sewing margin, and is expanded when the seat back pad 20 is removed from a foam-molding die. The projecting portion 36 is provided on the seat back pad 20 between the sewing groove 32 and the slit 34, and projects out to a surface side of the seat back pad 20 than the sewing groove 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a seat pad that constitutes a cushion body of a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a cushion body that is foam-molded and provided on an automobile seat back and is covered with the skin of the seat back. A recess for fitting the frame of the seat back is formed in the back of this cushion body, and a flange portion is provided at the opening edge of the recess. A sewing groove for accommodating the sewing margin provided on the back surface of the skin is formed in the back of the cushion including this flange portion, and the above flange portion is divided by a slit formed on the bottom surface of this sewing groove. Thereby, when the cushion body is demolded from the foam molding die, a part of the flange portion is deformed to smooth the demolding.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above prior art, since the rigidity of the sewing margin portion of the skin is high, when the lower end portion of the skin is fixed to the frame, the sewing margin portion is recessed inside the sewing groove, and there is a problem that the appearance of the seat back deteriorates.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a seat pad that can prevent the appearance of a vehicle seat from deteriorating and a vehicle seat provided with the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The seat pad of the first embodiment is a seat pad that is foam-molded to constitute a cushion body for a vehicle seat and is covered by the surface of the vehicle seat, and comprises: a sewing groove formed in the seat pad recessed from the surface of the seat pad and accommodating a sewing allowance provided on the back surface of the surface; a slit formed in the seat pad parallel to the sewing groove, dividing a part of the seat pad and accommodating the sewing allowance, and expanding when the seat pad is demolded from the foam molding die; and a convex portion provided in the seat pad between the sewing groove and the slit, protruding toward the surface side from the sewing groove.

[0007] According to the first embodiment, a seat pad, which is foam-molded to form a cushion body for a vehicle seat and covered by the upholstery of the vehicle seat, is provided with a sewing groove, a slit, and a protrusion. The sewing groove is formed in the seat pad recessed from the surface of the seat pad and accommodates the sewing allowance provided on the back surface of the upholstery. The slit is formed in the seat pad parallel to the sewing groove, divides a part of the seat pad, accommodates the sewing allowance, and is enlarged when the seat pad is demolded from the foam molding die. The protrusion is provided in the seat pad between the sewing groove and the slit and protrudes further outward from the surface of the seat pad than the sewing groove. By supporting the sewing allowance of the upholstery with this protrusion, it is possible to prevent or suppress the sewing allowance from being recessed inward into the sewing groove and slit. This prevents deterioration of the appearance of the vehicle seat.

[0008] In the second embodiment of the seat pad, the surface of the seat pad has ridges extending in a direction intersecting the sewing grooves and the slits, and the protrusions are provided on these ridges.

[0009] According to the second embodiment, since a protrusion is provided on the ridge formed on the surface of the seat pad, the sewing allowance is supported by the protrusion on the ridge where the tension in the surface material is highest. This makes it possible to make the surface material conform well to the shape near the ridge of the seat pad.

[0010] In the third embodiment of the seat pad, in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, a through hole is formed in the seat pad between the slit and the protrusion, with a diameter larger than the width of the slit, and the slit is in communication with the through hole.

[0011] According to the third aspect, as configured as described above, when the sheet pad is demolded from the foam mold and the slit is enlarged, the stress concentrated at the end of the protruding portion of the slit can be relieved. This prevents the sheet pad from tearing due to the aforementioned stress concentration.

[0012] The fourth embodiment of the vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion on which an occupant sits, and a seat back that supports the occupant's back and is composed of a seat pad of any one of the first to third embodiments, with the sewing groove, the slit and the protrusion provided on the back of the seat pad.

[0013] According to the fourth embodiment, the back of the occupant seated on the seat cushion is supported by the seat back. The back of the seat pad constituting the cushion body of this seat back is provided with stitching grooves, slits, and protrusions. Since this seat pad is of any one of the first to third embodiments, the aforementioned effects are obtained. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the appearance of the vehicle seat. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the seat back pad and seat back frame of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a magnified portion of Figure 3. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the F4 - F4 line in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the F5 - F5 line in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a modification of the embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the vehicle seat 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for ease of viewing the drawings. Also, the arrows FR, LH, and UP appropriately shown in each figure indicate the front, left, and upper directions of the vehicle seat 10, respectively. Hereinafter, when simply describing using the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions, it shall indicate the direction with respect to the vehicle seat 10.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 10 according to the present embodiment includes a seat cushion 12 on which a vehicle occupant sits, a seat back 14 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 16 that supports the occupant's head.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat back 14 includes a seat back frame 18 that constitutes its skeleton, a seat back pad 20 that is a cushion body covering the seat back frame 18, a seat back spring 22 attached to the seat back frame 18 that elastically supports the seat back pad 20 from the rear side, and a seat back skin 24 that covers the seat back pad 20. The seat back pad 20 corresponds to the "seat pad" in the present invention, and the seat back skin 24 corresponds to the "skin" in the present invention.

[0019] The seat back frame 18 is made of, for example, metal and is connected to a seat cushion frame (not shown) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 12. The seat back spring 22 is made of, for example, a metal spring material. The seat back pad 20 is foam-molded and is made of a foam such as urethane foam. The seat back skin 24 is formed in a bag shape by sewing together a plurality of skin pieces made of, for example, a cloth material, a skin, or synthetic leather. The seat back skin 24 is placed over the seat back pad 20 from above, and its lower end is fixed to the seat back frame 18.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, a recess 26 into which the seat back frame 18 is fitted is formed on the back of the seat back pad 20. The recess 26 has a substantially long rectangular shape with the vertical direction as its longitudinal direction when viewed from the front-rear direction, and the rear side and the lower side are open. An upper flange 28 that protrudes downward is formed on the upper edge of the recess 26, and side flanges 30 that protrude toward the center in the left-right direction are formed on the left and right edges of the recess 26. The recess 26 is configured to be closed by the seat back skin 24.

[0021] Above the recess 26 and on the back of the seat back pad 20, a pair of left and right sewing grooves 32, a pair of left and right slits 34, and a pair of left and right convex portions 36 are formed. The left and right sewing grooves 32 are concave grooves for accommodating a pair of left and right sewing margins 24A (see FIGS. 4 and 5; the left sewing margin 24A is not shown) provided on the back surface of the seat back skin 24, and are recessed with respect to the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20. The left and right sewing grooves 32 are spaced apart on the upper left and right sides of the seat back pad 20 and extend in the vertical direction.

[0022] The left and right slits 34 are located below the left and right sewing grooves 32, respectively. The left and right slits 34 are formed on the upper flange 28, aligned with the left and right sewing grooves 32, and divide the upper flange 28 into a central part 28S, a left side 28L, and a right side 28R in the left-right direction. The left and right slits 34 accommodate the aforementioned sewing allowance 24A. These slits 34 are enlarged when the seat back pad 20 is demolded from a foam molding die (not shown). This foam molding die is a conventional mold known for foaming and expanding polyurethane raw material, and the cavity is formed by an upper die, a lower die, and a middle die. When demolding the molded product of the seat back pad 20 from this middle die, the upper flange 28 becomes an obstacle, so the left and right slits 34 divide the upper flange 28, making it easier to deform the central part 28S, the left side 28L, and the right side 28R, respectively.

[0023] The left and right protrusions 36 are provided on the seat back pad 20 between the left and right sewing grooves 32 and the left and right slits 34. The left and right protrusions 36 protrude further towards the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20 than the left and right sewing grooves 32. The leading edges (rear surfaces) of the left and right protrusions 36 are, for example, on the same plane as the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20. The left and right sewing allowances 24A are in contact with the left and right protrusions 36 in the area between the left and right sewing grooves 32 and the left and right slits 34, and are supported from the front by the left and right protrusions 36.

[0024] Between the left and right slits 34 and the left and right protrusions 36, the upper flange 28 has through holes 38, each with a diameter larger than the width of the left and right slits 34. The left and right through holes 38 are so-called stopping holes and are circular in shape when viewed from the front and rear directions. The left and right slits 34 communicate with the left and right through holes 38, respectively.

[0025] Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. According to this embodiment, the seat back pad 20, which is foam-molded to form the cushion body of the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat 10 and is covered by the seat back surface 24, is provided with left and right sewing grooves 32, left and right slits 34, and left and right protrusions 36.

[0026] The left and right sewing grooves 32 are recessed from the surface of the seat back pad 20 and are formed in the seat back pad 20 to accommodate the left and right sewing allowances 24A provided on the back surface of the upholstery. The left and right slits 34 are formed in the seat back pad 20 aligned with the left and right sewing grooves 32 and divide the upper flange 28 of the seat back pad 20, and the left and right slits 34 also accommodate the left and right sewing allowances 24A. These slits 34 are enlarged when the seat back pad 20 is demolded from the foam molding die.

[0027] The left and right protrusions 36 are provided on the seat back pad 20 between the left and right sewing grooves 32 and the left and right slits 34, and protrude further outward from the left and right sewing grooves 32 towards the surface of the seat back pad 20. By supporting the left and right sewing allowances 24A with these protrusions 36, it is possible to prevent or suppress the portions of the left and right sewing allowances 24A on the seat back pad 20 from recessing inward into the left and right sewing grooves 32 and the left and right slits 34. This prevents deterioration of the appearance of the seat back 14.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper flange 28 of the seat back pad 20 has through holes 38 on the left and right sides, which are larger in diameter than the width of the left and right slits 34, formed between the left and right slits 34 and the left and right protrusions 36. The left and right slits 34 communicate with the left and right through holes 38. Therefore, when the seat back pad 20 is demolded from the foam molding die and the left and right slits 34 are enlarged, the stress concentrated at the ends of the left and right slits 34 on the left and right protrusions 36 sides can be relieved. This makes it possible to prevent the seat back pad 20 from tearing due to the above-mentioned stress concentration.

[0029] As shown in the modified example in Figure 6, the convex portion 36 may be provided on a ridge 40 formed on the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20. The surface of the back of the seat back pad 20 is curved along this ridge 40. By positioning the convex portion 36 on this ridge 40, the sewing allowance 24A is supported by the convex portion 36 on the ridge 40 where the tension is highest in the seat back surface 24. This allows the seat back surface 24 to conform well to the shape of the seat back pad 20 near the ridge 40, thereby contributing to an improved appearance of the seat back 14.

[0030] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tip surface of the protrusion 36 is positioned on the same plane as the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the tip surface of the protrusion 36 may be slightly recessed compared to the surface of the back of the seat back pad 20.

[0031] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described the case in which the present invention is applied to the seat back pad 20, the present invention is not limited to this, and may also be applied to the seat cushion pad, which is the cushioning body of the seat cushion 12.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from its spirit. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 20 Seat back pads (seat pads) 24 Seat back upholstery (upholstery) 24A Sewing allowance (sewing allowance) 32 Sewing groove 34 slits 36 Convex part 38 Through holes 40 Ridge

Claims

1. A seat pad that is foam-molded to form a cushion body for a vehicle seat and is covered by the surface material of the vehicle seat, A sewing groove is formed in the seat pad, recessed from the surface of the seat pad, and accommodates the sewing allowance provided on the back surface of the upholstery, A slit is formed in the seat pad, aligned with the sewing groove, dividing a portion of the seat pad, accommodating the sewing allowance, and expanding when the seat pad is demolded from the foam molding die. A convex portion is provided on the sheet pad between the sewing groove and the slit, and protrudes from the sewing groove toward the surface side, A seat pad equipped with this feature.

2. The seat pad according to claim 1, wherein a ridge line extending in a direction intersecting the sewing groove and the slit is formed on the surface of the seat pad, and the protrusion is provided on the ridge line.

3. The sheet pad according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a through hole with a diameter larger than the width of the slit is formed in the sheet pad between the slit and the protrusion, and the slit communicates with the through hole.

4. The seat cushion on which the occupants sit, A seat back that supports the back of the occupant and is composed of a seat pad according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the seat pad has the sewing groove, the slit and the protrusion provided on its back, A vehicle seat equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

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