Cable routing structure and vehicle seat

Abstract

To provide a cable arrangement structure capable of lumping together and arranging a plurality of cables different in length and suppressing interference with other components, and a vehicle seat.SOLUTION: An air-supply cable 66, an exhaust cable 68, and a damper cable 74 are each provided with extra lengths 84 beforehand. Among the extra lengths 84, the air-supply cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74 are bound together by clips 78 and 80 and a rotary clip 82. The rotary clip 82 rotates about an axis P following deformation of the air-supply cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74. Thus, extra loads can be prevented from being applied on the air-supply cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74, and interference of the air-supply cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74 with other components can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable routing structure and a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique related to a vehicle seat in which a plurality of wiring cables are routed. In this prior art, a plurality of load sensors are provided for a seat cushion, and these load sensors are connected to a sensor controller attached to a connecting member that connects substantially central portions in the front-rear direction of a pair of left and right side members that form a part of a cushion frame (seat cushion frame) via a wiring cable.

[0003] That is, a plurality of wiring cables are routed in the cushion frame. These wiring cables are bundled together and covered as a bundle, and the ends of the bundle are locked (fixed) to the upper surface of the connecting member via locking clips on joints located at both longitudinal ends of the connecting member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] On the other hand, there are high-function seats such as so-called suspension seats in vehicle seats. In the case of such seats, a plurality of devices are respectively arranged according to the functions required for the vehicle seat.

[0006] In this case, the number of wiring cables connected to these devices will increase. However, since the locations of the devices where they are installed are all different, the lengths of these wiring cables will also differ. Therefore, it is difficult to bundle these cables together into a single bundle, and if these cables are routed separately, there is a concern that they may interfere with other components.

[0007] In consideration of the above facts, the present invention aims to provide a cable routing structure and a vehicle seat that can bundle and route multiple cables of different lengths and suppress interference with other components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The cable routing structure according to the first embodiment comprises a seat body on which an occupant can sit, which is movable up and down and along the front-rear direction of the seat; a plurality of cables routed to a seat cushion frame which supports the seat body from below and forms the skeleton of the seat cushion that constitutes the seat portion of the seat body, each having an excess length; a first fixing part which is fixed to the seat cushion frame and the plurality of cables are bundled together; and a rotating part which is fixed to the seat cushion frame and the plurality of cables are bundled together with the excess length between it and the first fixing part, and which is rotatable about an axis provided along the vertical direction of the seat.

[0009] The cable routing structure according to the first embodiment comprises a seat body, a plurality of cables, a first fixing part, and a rotating part. The seat body is capable of seating an occupant, is height-adjustable, and can move along the front-to-back direction of the seat. The plurality of cables are routed to a seat cushion frame that supports the seat body from below and forms the skeleton of the seat cushion that constitutes the seat portion of the seat body.

[0010] Here, the first fixed part is fixed to the seat cushion frame, and multiple cables are bundled together. On the other hand, the rotating part is fixed to the seat cushion frame, and the multiple cables are bundled together with an excess length provided between the rotating part and the first fixed part, and it is rotatable about an axis provided along the vertical direction of the seat.

[0011] In this embodiment, the seat body is movable along the front-to-back and up-to-down directions. The cable is provided with an excess length, which can absorb the extension of the cable due to the movement of the seat body, thus preventing any extra load on the cable. Furthermore, by providing this excess length, it becomes possible to bundle multiple cables of different lengths into one.

[0012] Furthermore, while the cable routing shape generally deforms when a seat cushion moves, in this embodiment, by bundling multiple cables at the first fixed part and the rotating part with the excess length in between, the rotating part rotates in conjunction with the deformation of the cables, thus preventing excessive load from being placed on the cables.

[0013] In this way, by preventing excessive load on the cable, interference between the cable and other components can be suppressed, thereby reducing the generation of abnormal noises caused by such interference.

[0014] The cable routing structure according to the second embodiment is configured such that, in the cable routing structure according to the first embodiment, the seat cushion frame includes an upper frame that supports the seat cushion and a lower frame that is located below the seat of the upper frame and fixed to the vehicle body, the upper frame is provided with the rotating part and the lower frame is provided with the first fixing part.

[0015] In the cable routing structure according to the second embodiment, the seat cushion frame is composed of an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame is provided with a seat cushion, and the lower frame is positioned below the seat of the upper frame and fixed to the vehicle body. Here, the upper frame is provided with a pivoting part, and the lower frame is provided with a first fixing part.

[0016] When the seat cushion moves upward, the upper frame moves upward relative to the lower frame. As mentioned above, the cable routing shape deforms when the seat cushion moves. Therefore, by providing a pivot part on the upper frame side, the pivot part rotates around an axis provided along the vertical direction of the seat in accordance with the deformation of the cable accompanying the movement of the upper frame, thereby preventing extra load from being placed on the cable due to the deformation.

[0017] The third embodiment of the cable routing structure is a cable routing structure according to the first or second embodiment, wherein the first fixing portion is provided at the rear end of the lower frame in the seat front-rear direction, the rotating portion is provided at the rear end of the upper frame in the seat front-rear direction, and a second fixing portion is further provided at the rear end of the upper frame in the seat front-rear direction, which is arranged between the first fixing portion and the rotating portion of the plurality of cables and the plurality of cables are bound together, and the plurality of cables are bound between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion so as to be toward the rear side in the seat front-rear direction.

[0018] In the cable routing structure according to the third embodiment, the first fixing part is provided at the rear end of the seat in the front-rear direction on the lower frame. The rotating part is provided at the rear end of the seat in the front-rear direction on the upper frame, and a second fixing part is provided at the rear end of the seat in the front-rear direction on the upper frame. This second fixing part is positioned between the first fixing part and the rotating part on multiple cables, and the multiple cables are bundled together by this second fixing part.

[0019] Here, multiple cables are bundled together between the first and second fixing points so that they are directed towards the rear in the front-to-back direction of the seat.

[0020] Thus, the first and second fixing parts are provided at the rear end of the lower frame and the rear end of the upper frame, respectively, and at the rear end of the seat cushion frame, respectively. Therefore, by tying multiple cables between the first and second fixing parts so that they are directed towards the rear in the front-rear direction of the seat, it is possible to suppress interference between the multiple cables and components within the seat cushion frame.

[0021] Thus, in this embodiment, interference between multiple cables and components within the seat cushion frame is suppressed, making it possible to reduce cable friction caused by interference with such components and thus suppress cable breakage.

[0022] Furthermore, by bundling multiple cables so that they are directed towards the rear in the front-to-back direction of the seat, the space within the seat cushion frame is increased compared to routing multiple cables within the seat cushion frame, improving the ease of assembly of components within the seat cushion frame.

[0023] The cable routing structure according to the fourth embodiment is a cable routing structure according to any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part are arranged in an offset state in the sheet width direction.

[0024] In the cable routing structure according to the fourth aspect, the first fixing portion provided on the lower frame and the second fixing portion provided on the upper frame are arranged in an offset state in the seat width direction. As a comparative example, when the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are arranged vertically at the same position in the seat width direction, when the seat cushion is moved in the vertical direction, at the lowest position of the seat cushion, the cables will be arranged so as to overlap vertically. For this reason, the R at the inflection point of the cable becomes small, and an excessive load is applied to the cable.

[0025] On the other hand, in this aspect, the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are arranged in an offset state in the seat width direction. Therefore, the cables do not overlap vertically, and compared with the case where the cables are arranged so as to overlap vertically at the lowest position of the seat cushion, the R at the inflection point of the cable can be increased, and an excessive load is not applied to the cable.

[0026] Also, in this aspect, since the first fixing portion provided on the lower frame and the second fixing portion provided on the upper frame are arranged in an offset state in the seat width direction, the cable is routed obliquely with respect to the axis along the seat vertical direction. Therefore, compared with the case where the cable is routed along the seat vertical direction, it is possible to reduce the amount of protrusion of the cable toward the rear side of the seat at the lowest position of the seat cushion. As a result, it is possible to reduce the space for the extra length of the cable on the rear side of the seat.

[0027] The vehicle seat according to the fifth aspect applies the cable routing structure according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and is provided with a link mechanism in which the upper frame and the lower frame are connected so that the upper frame is movable along the seat vertical direction with respect to the lower frame, an air spring provided between the upper frame and the lower frame and having air supply enabled therein, and the air spring moves the upper frame along the seat vertical direction with respect to the lower frame via the link mechanism according to the supplied air volume, and a damper provided between the upper frame and the lower frame and damping vibrations generated in the seat body.

[0028] In the vehicle seat according to the fifth aspect, a link mechanism, an air spring, and a damper are provided. The link mechanism connects the upper frame and the lower frame so that the upper frame is movable along the seat vertical direction with respect to the lower frame. That is, in this aspect, the height of the upper frame with respect to the lower frame is adjusted by the link mechanism, and the height of the seat body is adjusted.

[0029] Further, the air spring is provided between the upper frame and the lower frame, and air can be supplied into the air spring. The air spring expands and contracts vertically according to the air volume supplied into the air spring, and accordingly, the upper frame is moved along the seat vertical direction with respect to the lower frame via the link mechanism. And the damper is provided between the upper frame and the lower frame, and the damper damps vibrations generated in the seat body.

[0030] A vehicle seat according to the sixth embodiment further comprises, in the vehicle seat according to the fifth embodiment, an operating unit provided on the outside of the seat body in the vehicle width direction, and a control unit provided on the upper frame side, fixed to the opposite side of the operating unit with the air spring in between, and supplying or discharging air to the air spring, wherein the plurality of cables include a first operating part provided on the operating unit and a first valve provided on the control unit that supplies air into the air spring, and a first cable that opens the first valve when the first operating part is operated, and a second operating part provided on the operating unit and a second valve provided on the control unit that discharges air from the air spring, and a second cable that opens the second valve when the second operating part is operated.

[0031] The vehicle seat according to the sixth embodiment further comprises an operating unit and a control unit. The operating unit is provided on the outside of the seat body in the vehicle width direction, and the control unit is provided on the upper frame side and fixed to the opposite side of the operating unit with an air spring in between, and is capable of supplying or discharging air to the air spring.

[0032] Here, the multiple cables consist of a first cable and a second cable. The first cable is connected to a first operating unit provided on the operating unit and a first valve provided on the control unit that supplies air into the air spring, and the first valve is opened by operating the first operating unit.

[0033] In other words, in this embodiment, when the first operating part is operated, tension is applied to the first cable, which opens the first valve and supplies air into the air spring. As a result, the upper frame (seat body) moves upward relative to the lower frame via the air spring and link mechanism.

[0034] Meanwhile, the second cable is connected to a second operating section on the operating unit and a second valve on the control unit that discharges air from the air spring. The second valve is opened by operating the second operating section.

[0035] In other words, in this embodiment, when the second operating part is operated, tension is applied to the second cable, which opens the second valve and discharges the air from the air spring. As a result, the upper frame (seat body) moves downward relative to the lower frame via the air spring and link mechanism.

[0036] The first and second operating parts may use separate components such as switches, but they may also use a single component such as a lever. If a single component such as a lever is used, the operating direction for the first operating part and the operating direction for the second operating part should be reversed.

[0037] A vehicle seat according to the seventh embodiment is a vehicle seat according to the fifth or sixth embodiment, wherein the plurality of cables further include a third cable connected to a third operating unit provided on the operating unit and the damper, and the strength of the damping force by the damper can be adjusted by operating the third operating unit.

[0038] In the vehicle seat according to the seventh embodiment, the multiple cables further include a third cable. The third cable is connected to a damper and a third operating unit provided on the operating unit, and the strength of the damping force against vibration of the seat body by the damper can be adjusted by operating the third operating unit.

[0039] In other words, in this embodiment, when the third operating part is operated, tension is applied to the third cable, which causes, for example, a piston that constitutes part of the damper to move, and the strength of the damping force against vibration of the seat body by the damper can be adjusted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0040] The cable routing structure and vehicle seat according to the present invention have the excellent effect of enabling the routing of multiple cables of different lengths together and suppressing interference with other components. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0041] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the vehicle seat of this embodiment, taken from the left front side. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the seat cushion frame, which constitutes a part of the vehicle seat of this embodiment, as seen from the left rear and above. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the seat cushion frame, which constitutes a part of the vehicle seat of this embodiment, as seen from the right rear and above. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the lowermost state of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the upper most state of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the main parts of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the operating unit provided in the vehicle seat of this embodiment. [Figure 8] (A) is a schematic side view showing the lowermost state of the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic side view showing the uppermost state of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 9] (A) is a schematic plan view showing the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic rear view showing the seat cushion frame. [Figure 10] (A) is a schematic plan view showing the seat body positioned on the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic plan view showing the seat body slid forward. [Figure 11]This is a comparative example, where (A) is a schematic side view showing the lowermost state of the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic side view showing the uppermost state of the seat cushion frame. [Figure 12] This is a comparative example, where (A) is a schematic plan view showing the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic rear view showing the seat cushion frame. [Figure 13] This is a comparative example, where (A) is a schematic plan view showing the seat body positioned on the seat cushion frame, and (B) is a schematic plan view showing the seat body slid forward. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0042] A vehicle seat 10 to which a cable routing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The arrows FR, UP, RH, and LH in the figures indicate the front, top, right, and left sides of the seat, respectively, as seen from the perspective of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10. Hereafter, when simply referring to the front-to-back, up-and-down, and left-to-right directions, unless otherwise specified, these refer to the front-to-back direction of the seat, the up-and-down direction of the seat, and the left-to-right direction of the seat. The left-to-right direction of the seat coincides with the width direction of the seat.

[0043] (Vehicle seat configuration) First, the configuration of a vehicle seat to which the cable routing structure according to this embodiment is applied will be described.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment comprises a seat cushion 14 that forms a seat portion 12 on which the occupant sits and supports the occupant's buttocks and thighs, a seat back 16 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 18 that supports the occupant's head.

[0045] The seat cushion 14 is equipped with a seat cushion frame 20 that forms its skeleton, and the seat body 11 that constitutes the vehicle seat 10 is supported from below by the seat cushion frame 20.

[0046] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the seat cushion frame 20 is composed of an upper frame 22 and a lower frame 24. The upper frame 22 and the lower frame 24 are arranged vertically, with the upper frame 22 supporting the seat body 11 from below the seat, and the lower frame 24 being located below the seat of the upper frame 22 and fixed to the vehicle body (not shown).

[0047] The upper frame 22 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and slidably supports the seat body 11. The upper frame 22 is composed of a pair of left and right side members 26 and 28 arranged spaced apart in the left-right direction, a front member 30 that spans the front ends of the pair of left and right side members 26 and 28, and a rear member 32 that spans the rear ends of the pair of left and right side members 26 and 28. A front pipe 33 is provided on the rear side of the front member 30 parallel to the front member 30, and a rear pipe 34 is provided on the front side of the rear member 32 parallel to the rear member 32.

[0048] On the other hand, the lower frame 24 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and is composed of a pair of left and right side members 36 and 38 spaced apart in the left-right direction, a front member 40 that connects the front ends of the pair of left and right side members 36 and 38, and a rear pipe 46 that connects the rear ends of the pair of left and right side members 36 and 38. A front pipe 44 (see Figure 4) is provided on the rear side of the front member 40, parallel to the front member 40. Mounting plates 42, which are fixed to the vehicle body (not shown), are provided on the lower surface of the rear ends of the side members 36 and 38.

[0049] Here, the seat cushion frame 20 is equipped with a link mechanism 48, an air spring 50, and a damper 52.

[0050] As shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), the linkage mechanism 48 includes a pair of left and right so-called X-links 54. The upper ends of the pair of left and right X-links 54 are engaged with the front pipe 33 and rear pipe 34 of the upper frame 22 shown in Figure 2, respectively, and the lower ends of the pair of left and right X-links 54 are engaged with the rear pipe 46 and front pipe 44 (see Figure 4) of the lower frame 24 shown in Figure 2, respectively.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), the X-link 54 includes a link portion 56 that inclins downward as it moves from the front to the rear, and a link portion 58 that inclins upward as it moves from the front to the rear. The link portion 56 and the link portion 58 are connected so as to be rotatable in the seat width direction as the axial direction at the center of the seat in the front-rear direction.

[0052] Then, the link portion 56 rotates relative to the link portion 58, changing the angle between them, which allows the upper frame 22 to move up and down relative to the lower frame 24. In other words, the pair of left and right X links 54 of the link mechanism 48 connect the upper frame 22 and the lower frame 24 in a state where the upper frame 22 can move up and down relative to the lower frame 24.

[0053] As shown in Figure 2, an upper support plate 60 is stretched across the side members 26 and 28 of the upper frame 22 along the seat width direction on the front side of the rear pipe 34. Similarly, a lower support plate 62 is stretched across the side members 36 and 38 of the lower frame 24 along the seat width direction on the front side of the rear pipe 46. The air spring 50 is positioned between the upper support plate 60 and the lower support plate 62 (see Figure 6), and the air spring 50 is supported by the upper support plate 60 and the lower support plate 62.

[0054] In simple terms, the air spring 50 is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with its vertical direction as its axis. The lower end of the air spring 50 is fixed to the approximate center of the longitudinal direction of the lower support plate 62 of the lower frame 24, and the upper end of the air spring 50 is fixed to the approximate center of the longitudinal direction of the upper support plate 60 of the upper frame 22.

[0055] This air spring 50 can be supplied with compressed air, for example, from an air compressor (air supply source) that is part of the vehicle's air brake system. The air spring 50 extends vertically when air is supplied and contracts vertically when air is discharged.

[0056] Thus, in this embodiment, the upper frame 22 moves upward when the air spring 50 extends, and moves downward when the air spring 50 contracts. In other words, the air spring 50 expands and contracts vertically according to the amount of air supplied, thereby adjusting the height of the seat surface 12A (see Figure 1) of the seat body 11 supported by the upper frame 22.

[0057] The damper 52 shown in Figure 3 is an oil-type cylinder damper and is located on the left side within the seat cushion frame 20 of the vehicle seat 10 (see Figure 1). One end of the damper 52 is connected to the upper frame 22, and the other end of the damper 52 is connected to the lower frame 24, so the damper 52 is connected to both the upper frame 22 and the lower frame 24. This damper 52 makes it possible to dampen vibrations generated in the seat body 11.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the amount of air in the air spring 50 can be adjusted by a height control unit 64 provided on the upper frame 22 side, thereby adjusting the height of the seat surface 12A (see Figure 1) of the seat body 11.

[0059] The height control unit 64 is located outside the damper 52 in the vehicle width direction within the seat cushion frame 20 and includes a casing 64A. Although not shown in the figures, the casing 64A has an airflow channel formed inside, and is provided with an air intake valve (first valve) and an exhaust valve (second valve). One end of the air intake cable (first cable) 66 and the exhaust cable (second cable) 68 are connected to the casing 64A, respectively.

[0060] Furthermore, an air intake tube 70, which is connected to the vehicle body (not shown), is connected to the casing 64A. Compressed air is supplied to this air intake tube 70 from the aforementioned air compressor. In addition, a tube 72, which is connected to the air spring 50, is connected to the casing 64A.

[0061] Therefore, when the air intake valve (not shown) is opened, compressed air is supplied to the air spring 50 from the air compressor via the air intake tube 70, casing 64A, and tube 72. On the other hand, when the exhaust valve (not shown) is opened, the compressed air in the air spring 50 is discharged to the atmosphere via valves (not shown) provided in tube 72 and casing 64A.

[0062] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 7, an operating unit 71 is provided on the outside of the seat body 11 in the vehicle width direction, and the operating unit 71 is equipped with a height lever (first operating part, second operating part) 73. The other ends of the air supply cable 66 and exhaust cable 68 shown in Figure 6 are connected to this height lever 73 (see Figure 7), respectively.

[0063] To explain in more detail, the air supply cable 66 is connected to a height lever 73 provided on the operating unit 71 and a first valve provided on the height control unit 64 that supplies air into the air spring 50. The first valve is opened by operating the height lever 73 upwards.

[0064] In other words, when the height lever 73 is operated upward, tension is applied to the air supply cable 66, which opens the first valve and supplies air into the air spring 50. As a result, the upper frame 22 (seat body 11) moves upward relative to the lower frame 24 via the air spring 50 and the link mechanism 48.

[0065] Meanwhile, the exhaust cable 68 is connected to the height lever 73 (see Figure 7) and a second valve provided in the height control unit 64 that discharges air from inside the air spring 50. The second valve is opened by operating the height lever 73 downwards.

[0066] In other words, when the height lever 73 is operated downwards, tension is applied to the exhaust cable 68, which opens the second valve and expels the air from the air spring 50. As a result, the upper frame 22 (seat body 11) moves downwards relative to the lower frame 24 via the air spring 50 and the linkage mechanism 48.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a damper lever (third operating part) 75 is provided near the height lever 73. One end of the damper cable (third cable) 74 shown in Figure 6 is connected to this damper lever 75, and the other end of the damper cable 74 is connected to the damper 52.

[0068] Therefore, when the damper lever 75 is operated, tension is applied to the damper cable 74, which causes a piston (not shown) that constitutes part of the damper 52 to move, thereby allowing the strength of the damping force against vibrations of the seat body 11 (see Figure 1) by the damper 52 to be adjusted.

[0069] In this embodiment, the height control unit 64 shown in Figure 6 is located on the left side within the seat cushion frame 20 of the vehicle seat 10 (see Figure 1), and the height lever 73 and damper lever 75 shown in Figure 7 are located on the lower right side of the vehicle seat 10.

[0070] Therefore, the intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74, which connect the height control unit 64 to the height lever 73 and damper lever 75, are each routed at least along the seat width direction.

[0071] Here, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are routed from the height control unit 64 toward the rear along the front-rear direction of the seat. A roughly rectangular bracket 76 with an opening on the lower side is attached to the approximate center of the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate 42 provided at the rear end of the lower frame 24.

[0072] To explain in more detail, flanges 76A extend outward from the lower end of the bracket 76 along the width direction of the seat, and these flanges 76A are fastened to the mounting plate 42.

[0073] The pair of side walls 76B and 76C in the bracket 76 are arranged along the vertical and longitudinal directions of the seat. The left side wall 76B has an elongated hole (not shown) along the longitudinal direction of the seat, and a clip (first fixing part) 78 that can be fitted into this elongated hole is attached with the seat width direction as the axial direction.

[0074] The intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are clamped to this clip 78, and the intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are guided toward the rear of the seat via the clip 78.

[0075] In this way, by forming an elongated hole in the bracket 76 and using a clip 78 that fits into the elongated hole, the clip 78 is prevented from rotating relative to the bracket 76. Compared to the case where a round hole is formed in the bracket 76, the clip 78 does not rotate, so the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 can be reliably guided toward the rear of the seat.

[0076] Furthermore, clips 80 and a pivot clip 82 for holding the air intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are attached to the right side and the center of the longitudinal direction of the rear member 32 of the upper frame 22, with the vertical direction of the seat as the axis P. The clip (second fixing part) 80 is non-rotatable when attached to the rear member 32. On the other hand, the pivot clip (rotating part) 82 is rotatable around axis P when attached to the rear member 32.

[0077] Furthermore, clip 78 is located on the left side of the lower frame 24, approximately in the center in the seat width direction, and clip 80 is located on the right side of the upper frame 22. Clips 78 and 80 are positioned offset in the seat width direction. Note that as long as clips 78 and 80 are positioned offset in the seat width direction, clip 78 may be located on the left side of the lower frame 24. For this reason, in the following description, the position of clip 78 will be described as being on the left side of the lower frame 24.

[0078] With the above configuration, in this embodiment, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 connected to the height control unit 64 are first guided toward the rear side of the seat cushion frame 20 by a clip 78 provided on the left side of the lower frame 24 of the seat cushion frame 20 of the vehicle seat 10 (see Figure 1).

[0079] Next, the air intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are clamped by a clip 80 located on the right side of the upper frame 22 via the clip 78 and guided toward the front of the seat (towards the inside of the upper frame 22).

[0080] Then, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are rotated approximately 270° counterclockwise in a plan view within the upper frame 22, and then clamped by a rotating clip 82 provided in the longitudinal center of the upper frame 22.

[0081] Furthermore, via the rotating clip 82, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are guided toward the rear side of the seat cushion frame 20, and then connected toward the front side of the seat to the operating unit 71 (see Figure 7).

[0082] (Function and effect of vehicle seats) Next, the operation and effects of a vehicle seat to which the cable routing structure according to this embodiment is applied will be described.

[0083] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vehicle seat 10 (see Figure 1) is equipped with an air intake cable 66, an exhaust cable 68, a damper cable 74, a clip 78, and a rotating clip 82. The air intake cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74 are routed to the seat cushion frame 20, which forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 14.

[0084] Here, the clip 78 is fixed to the lower frame 24 of the seat cushion frame 20, and the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are bundled together by the clip 78. On the other hand, the rotating clip 82 is fixed to the upper frame 22 of the seat cushion frame 20, and a portion of the excess length 84 is provided between the rotating clip 82 and the clip 80, with the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 bundled together and rotatable around an axis P provided along the vertical direction of the seat.

[0085] In this embodiment, the seat body 11 (see Figure 1) is movable along the front-to-back and up-to-down directions of the seat. For this reason, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are each provided with an excess length 84 in advance, so that no extra load is placed on the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74.

[0086] In this embodiment, by bundling the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 together with the clip 78 and the rotating clip 82 with the excess length portion 84 in between, the difference in length between the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 can be absorbed by the excess length portion 84.

[0087] This prevents excessive load from being placed on the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by providing the excess length portion 84, it becomes possible to combine multiple air supply cables 66, exhaust cables 68, and damper cables 74 of different lengths into one.

[0088] Furthermore, generally, when the seat cushion 14 moves, the routing shape of the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 deforms. However, in this embodiment, the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are bound together with clips 78 and rotating clips 82, with the excess length portion 84 in between.

[0089] In this embodiment, as the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 deform, the pivot clip 82 rotates around the axis P, making it possible to prevent excessive load from being placed on the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74.

[0090] As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress interference between the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 and other components (as will be described later), and it is also possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noises caused by interference between the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 and other components.

[0091] In this embodiment, clip 78 is provided at the rear end of the lower frame 24. Clip 80 and pivot clip 82 are provided at the rear end of the upper frame 22. Clip 80 is positioned between clip 78 and pivot clip 82 in the air intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74. The air intake cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are then bundled together between clip 78 and clip 80 so as to be directed towards the rear in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0092] Thus, in this embodiment, by binding the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 between clip 78 and clip 80 so that they face towards the rear in the front-rear direction of the seat, it is possible to suppress interference between the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 and the components inside the seat cushion frame 20.

[0093] As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce friction caused by interference between the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 and the components inside the seat cushion frame 20, thereby suppressing breakage of the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74.

[0094] Furthermore, by bundling the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 so that they face towards the rear in the front-rear direction of the seat, the space within the seat cushion frame 20 is increased in this embodiment, improving ease of assembly compared to when the air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 are routed within the seat cushion frame 20.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, clip 78 is provided on the left side of the lower frame 24, and clip 80 is provided on the right side of the upper frame 22, with clips 78 and 80 positioned offset in the seat width direction.

[0096] As a comparative example, Figure 11(A) shows a schematic side view of the seat cushion frame 100 at the lowest position Q, and Figure 11(B) shows a schematic side view of the seat cushion frame 100 at the highest position R. Furthermore, Figure 12(A) shows a schematic top view of the seat cushion frame 100, and Figure 12(B) shows a schematic rear view of the seat cushion frame 100. In Figure 12(B), the solid line represents the seat cushion frame 100 at the lowest position Q, and the dashed line represents the seat cushion frame 100 at the highest position R.

[0097] As shown in Figures 12(A) and (B), in the seat cushion frame 100 of a vehicle seat (not shown), clips 104 and 106 are arranged vertically at the same position in the seat width direction.

[0098] In this case, as shown in Figures 11(A), (B) and 12(A), (B), when the upper frame 102 is moved downward, the cable 108 is positioned so that it overlaps vertically at the lowest position Q of the vehicle seat. This reduces the R at the inflection point 108A of the cable 108, resulting in excessive load being placed on the cable 108.

[0099] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9(A), clips 78 and 80 are arranged in an offset state in the sheet width direction.

[0100] Here, Figure 8(A) shows a schematic side view of the seat cushion frame 20 at the lowest position Q, and Figure 8(B) shows a schematic side view of the seat cushion frame 20 at the highest position R. Furthermore, Figure 9(A) shows a schematic top view of the seat cushion frame 20, and Figure 9(B) shows a schematic rear view of the seat cushion frame 20. In Figure 9(B), the solid line represents the seat cushion frame 20 at the lowest position Q, and the dashed line represents the seat cushion frame 20 at the highest position R.

[0101] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9(A) and (B), clips 78 and 80 are positioned offset in the sheet width direction, so that the cables 86 (air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 (see Figure 6)) do not overlap vertically.

[0102] Therefore, compared to the case where the cables 108 are arranged to overlap vertically at the lowest position Q of the vehicle seat, as shown in Figures 12(A) and (B), in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9(A) and (B), the R at the inflection point 86A of the cable 86 can be increased, and the cable 86 is not subjected to an excessive load.

[0103] In addition, in the present embodiment, since the clip 78 provided on the lower frame 24 and the clip 80 provided on the upper frame 22 are arranged in an offset state in the seat width direction, the cable 86 is arranged obliquely with respect to the axis P along the seat vertical direction.

[0104] <00{00361>As a comparative example, as shown in FIG. 12(B), when the cable 108 is arranged along the seat vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 11(A), the protrusion amount L2 of the cable 108 toward the rear side of the seat at the lowermost position Q of the seat cushion frame 100 is defined.

[0105] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9(B), since the cable 86 is arranged obliquely with respect to the axis P along the seat vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 8(A), it is possible to reduce the protrusion amount L1 of the cable 86 protruding toward the rear side of the seat at the lowermost position Q of the seat cushion frame 20 (L1 < L2). As a result, it is possible to reduce the space for the extra length of the cable 86 on the rear side of the seat.

[0106] " As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the clip for fixing the extra length portion 84, a rotation clip 82 that rotates about the axis P is provided in accordance with the deformation of the air supply cable 66, the exhaust cable 68, and the damper cable 74.

[0107] For example, as a comparative example, as shown in FIG. 13(A), in the cable 108, with an extra length portion 110 provided on the rear side of the seat cushion frame 100 that supports the seat body 114, clips 116 and 118 are respectively fixed to the rear end portion of the seat cushion frame 100 in a non-rotatable manner.

[0108] Note that FIGS. 13(A) and (B) show a schematic plan view of the seat body 114. FIG. 13(A) shows a state where the seat body 114 is arranged on the seat cushion frame 100, and FIG. 13(B) shows a state where the seat body 114 is slid to the front side of the seat.

[0109] As shown in Figure 13(B), when the seat body 114 is slid forward in the seat's longitudinal direction, the distance between the seat body 114 and the rear end of the seat cushion frame 100 increases, causing the cable 108 to be pulled forward from the clip 118, resulting in a large load being placed on the cable 108.

[0110] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, a pivot clip 82 is provided in the clip that secures the cable 86 (air supply cable 66, exhaust cable 68, and damper cable 74 (see Figure 6)). Therefore, as shown in Figures 10(A) and (B), when the seat body 11 is slid forward in the seat's front-rear direction, the pivot clip 82 rotates around the axis P (see Figure 6) in accordance with the deformation of the cable 86.

[0111] This makes it possible to shorten the excess length of the cable 86 that is required to account for the load on the cable 86 due to the sliding of the seat body 11 along the front-rear direction, and also makes it possible to prevent any extra load from being placed on the cable 86. Furthermore, the clip 80 may be made movable along the front-rear direction of the seat. This makes it possible to further shorten the excess length of the cable 86 that is required to account for the sliding of the seat body 11 along the front-rear direction.

[0112] Figures 10(A) and 10(B) show schematic plan views of the seat body 11. Figure 10(A) shows the seat body 11 positioned on the seat cushion frame 20, while Figure 10(B) shows the seat body 11 slid forward.

[0113] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above, and can be implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0114] 10 Vehicle seats 11 Seat Body 12 Seat 14 Seat Cushions 20 Seat Cushion Frame 22 Upper Frame 24 Lower Frame 48 Link Mechanism 50 Air Springs 52 Damper 54 X-link (linkage mechanism) 64 Height control unit (control unit) 66. Air supply cable (first cable) 68 Exhaust cable (second cable) 71 Operating Unit 73 Height lever (first operating section, second operating section) 74 Damper cable (3rd cable) 75. Damper lever (third operating part) 78 Clip (First fixing part) 80 Clip (Second fixing part) 82. Rotating clip (rotating part) 84 Extra length 86 Cables (Multiple Cables) P axis

Claims

1. A seat body that allows an occupant to sit, is height-adjustable, and can move along the front-to-back direction of the seat, Multiple cables, each having an excess length, are arranged on the seat cushion frame, which supports the seat body from below and forms the skeleton of the seat cushion that constitutes the seat portion of the seat body. A first fixing part is fixed to the seat cushion frame and the multiple cables are bundled together, A rotating part is fixed to the seat cushion frame, and the multiple cables are bundled together with the excess length portion provided between it and the first fixing part, and the rotating part is rotatable about an axis provided along the vertical direction of the seat, Equipped with, The aforementioned seat cushion frame is An upper frame that supports the aforementioned seat cushion, A lower frame is positioned below the seat of the upper frame and fixed to the vehicle body, It consists of, The upper frame is provided with the rotating part, and the lower frame is provided with the first fixing part. The first fixing portion is provided at the rear end of the seat in the front-rear direction of the lower frame, and the rotating portion is provided at the rear end of the seat in the front-rear direction of the upper frame. Furthermore, the rear end of the upper frame in the seat front-rear direction is provided with a second fixing portion which is arranged between the first fixing portion and the rotating portion of the plurality of cables and which are bundled together, and the plurality of cables are bundled together between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion so as to be directed towards the rear side in the seat front-rear direction.

2. The cable routing structure according to claim 1, wherein the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are arranged in an offset state in the sheet width direction.

3. The cable routing structure described in Claim 1 or Claim 2 is applied, A link mechanism connecting the upper frame and the lower frame allows the upper frame to move along the vertical direction of the seat relative to the lower frame, An air spring is provided between the upper frame and the lower frame, and is capable of supplying air internally. Depending on the amount of air supplied, the air spring moves the upper frame relative to the lower frame along the vertical direction of the seat via the link mechanism. A damper is provided between the upper frame and the lower frame to dampen vibrations generated in the seat body, A vehicle seat equipped with the following features.

4. An operating unit provided on the outside of the seat body in the vehicle width direction, A control unit provided on the upper frame side, fixed to the opposite side of the operating unit with the air spring in between, and for supplying or discharging air to the air spring, Furthermore, The aforementioned multiple cables are A first operating unit provided in the operating unit and a first valve provided in the control unit that supplies air into the air spring are connected, and the first operating unit is operated by A first cable for opening the first valve, A second operating section is provided on the operating unit and a second valve is provided on the control unit for discharging air from the air spring. A second cable is connected to this valve, and the second operating section opens the second valve when operated. A vehicle seat according to claim 3, comprising the above.

5. The plurality of cables are The vehicle seat according to claim 4, further comprising a third cable connected to a third operating unit provided in the operating unit and the damper, the strength of the damping force against vibration of the seat body by the damper can be adjusted by operating the third operating unit.

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