Vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat capable of suppressing feeling of a foreign body against an occupant who sits on a seat body and securing accuracy of a detection value by a temperature sensor even when a sitting position of the occupant who sits on the seat body is displaced.SOLUTION: A heating part 22 is disposed inside a seat cushion 12, a heat conduction sheet 30 is disposed on the heating part 22, and a temperature sensor 28 is connected to the heat conduction sheet 30. The heat conduction sheet 30 is extended approximately from right and left hips to femoral regions of a sitting occupant. The temperature sensor 28 is disposed in a portion on which the load of the occupant does not directly act. Thus, the heat conduction sheet 30 is disposed at a position close to the body of the occupant, and the temperature sensor 28 is disposed at a position separated from the body of the occupant. Thereby, the occupant P who sits on a vehicle seat 10 is prevented from feeling a foreign body by the temperature sensor 28, and it is possible to secure accuracy of a detection value by the temperature sensors 28 and 66.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

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

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which a heater is provided in a vehicle seat (seat body) on a seat cushion and a seat back. The heater provided in the seat cushion is disposed between a cushion pad (hereinafter referred to as "seat cushion pad") and a cushion sheet (hereinafter referred to as "seat skin") that covers the cushion pad. Further, the heater provided in the seat back is disposed between a back pad (seat back pad) and a back sheet (seat skin) that covers the back pad.

[0003] On the other hand, the heater is formed in a sheet shape and has a base material and a heater wire. The base material is made of resin or the like and is formed in a flexible sheet shape, and the heater wire is disposed on the base material. A temperature sensor is provided in a part of the heater wire. The drive of the heater is stopped by a control device that controls the heater when a detection value detected by the temperature sensor becomes a predetermined value or more.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the temperature sensor is provided on a part of the heater wire and is positioned so as to protrude from the heater wire. For example, the heater is located between the seat cushion pad and the seat upholstery, and the temperature sensor is located beneath the seat upholstery, so an occupant may feel a foreign object when sitting on the seat cushion. Also, for example, if the position of the occupant's buttocks shifts in the front-to-back direction of the seat while sitting on the seat cushion, the accuracy of the temperature sensor's detection value will decrease.

[0006] In consideration of the above facts, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle seat that suppresses the feeling of foreign objects for the occupant sitting on the seat body and can ensure the accuracy of the temperature sensor's detection value even if the occupant's seating position on the seat body shifts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the vehicle seat according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a pad that supports an occupant seated on the seat body, and a seat surface that covers the pad, A planar heater provided on the surface of the pad, positioned to include at least a portion where the load of the occupant acts, and which generates heat when energized, and provided on the planar heater, The system includes a heat-conducting sheet formed of a heat-conducting material and positioned to include at least a portion on which the load of the occupant acts, and a temperature sensor connected to the heat-conducting sheet and positioned in a portion on which the load of the occupant does not directly act to detect the temperature of the heat-conducting sheet.

[0008] The vehicle seat according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a pad, a seat surface, A surface heater and It is equipped with a heat conductive sheet and a temperature sensor, and the pad that supports the occupant seated in the seat body is covered with the seat surface. A surface heater is provided on the surface, and this surface heater is positioned to include at least the area where the load of the occupants is applied, and is designed to generate heat when energized. Furthermore, on top of this surface heater A heat-conducting sheet made of a heat-conducting material is provided therein. Occasionally, The heat-conducting sheet is positioned to include at least the area where the load of the occupants is applied.

[0009] On the other hand, a temperature sensor is connected to the heat conductive sheet to detect its temperature, and this temperature sensor is positioned in a location where the occupant's load does not directly act on it. In other words, in this invention, the heat conductive sheet is positioned close to the occupant's body, while the temperature sensor is positioned at a distance from the occupant's body.

[0010] As described above, in this invention, the temperature sensor is positioned away from the occupant's body, so the occupant sitting in the seat does not feel any foreign object sensation from the temperature sensor. Furthermore, in this invention, the temperature sensor is connected to a heat-conducting sheet positioned close to the occupant's body, thus ensuring the accuracy of the detected value even though it is positioned away from the occupant's body.

[0011] The vehicle seat according to claim 2 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 1 of the present invention, wherein the heat conductive sheet extends along the front-rear direction of the seat or the up-down direction of the seat.

[0012] In the vehicle seat according to claim 2 of the present invention, since the heat conductive sheet extends along the front-rear direction or the up-down direction of the seat, even if the position of the occupant's buttocks shifts in the front-rear direction of the seat, the part of the heat conductive sheet that is subjected to the occupant's load will be in contact with the heat conductive sheet, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the temperature sensor's detection value.

[0013] The vehicle seat according to claim 3 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2 of the present invention, wherein the heat conductive sheet is disposed in a recess that is located in the center of the pad in the width direction of the pad and is recessed from the outer side of the pad in the width direction of the pad.

[0014] In the vehicle seat according to claim 3 of the present invention, a recess is provided in the center of the pad in the width direction of the pad, which is recessed from the outer surface in the width direction of the pad, and the heat conductive sheet is placed in the recess. This makes it possible to prevent the heat conductive sheet from protruding from the outer surface in the width direction of the pad, even when it is placed in the center of the pad in the width direction of the pad.

[0015] The vehicle seat according to claim 4 of the present invention is a vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3 of the present invention, wherein the heat conductive sheet is configured to include a pair of elongated pieces that can be arranged on the left and right sides in the width direction of the sheet and extend along the front-rear direction or the up-down direction of the sheet, a connecting piece that connects one end of the pair of elongated pieces in the longitudinal direction, and a connecting piece that extends along the direction in which the pair of elongated pieces extend, with one end connected to the connecting piece and the other end connected to the temperature sensor.

[0016] The vehicle seat according to claim 4 of the present invention comprises a heat-conducting sheet comprising a pair of elongated pieces and a connecting piece. The pair of elongated pieces are arranged on the left and right sides in the width direction of the sheet and extend along the front-rear direction or the up-down direction of the sheet. One end of the pair of elongated pieces in the longitudinal direction is connected by a connecting piece, which is connected to a temperature sensor.

[0017] In this invention, the requirement that the heat conductive sheet extends along the front-to-back direction or the up-to-down direction of the sheet in the area where the load of the occupant is applied is met, and cost reduction is possible by minimizing the area of ​​the heat conductive sheet.

[0018] The vehicle seat according to claim 5 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4 of the present invention, wherein the pad is at least a seat cushion pad, which is provided on a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and thighs of a seated occupant, and a seat back pad provided on a seat back that supports the waist and back of an occupant seated on the seat cushion.

[0019] In the vehicle seat according to claim 5, a temperature sensor is provided on at least the seat cushion pad of the seat cushion and seat back.

[0020] The vehicle seat according to claim 6 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 5 of the present invention, wherein the heat conductive sheet is provided on the seat cushion side, and a pair of elongated pieces constituting a part of the heat conductive sheet are arranged from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the occupant seated on the seat cushion.

[0021] In the vehicle seat according to claim 6 of the present invention, the heat conductive sheet is provided on the seat cushion side, and a pair of elongated pieces constituting a part of the heat conductive sheet are arranged extending from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the occupant seated on the seat cushion. In this way, by arranging the elongated pieces of the heat conductive sheet extending from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the occupant, even if the position of the occupant's buttocks shifts in the front-to-back direction of the seat while seated on the seat cushion, the occupant's buttocks remain on the elongated pieces of the heat conductive sheet, making it possible to ensure the accuracy of the temperature sensor's detection value through the heat conductive sheet.

[0022] The vehicle seat according to claim 7 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 6 of the present invention, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the rear end of the seat cushion in the front-rear direction of the seat.

[0023] In the vehicle seat according to claim 7 of the present invention, since the temperature sensor is disposed at the rear end portion in the front-rear direction of the seat cushion, which is a portion where the load of the occupant does not directly act, even if the temperature sensor is disposed in the seat cushion, the occupant sitting on the seat cushion does not feel a foreign object sensation.

[0024] The vehicle seat according to claim 8 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 5 or claim 6 of the present invention, wherein the heat conduction sheet is provided on the seat back side, and a pair of long pieces constituting a part of the heat conduction sheet are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the waist of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion.

[0025] In the vehicle seat according to claim 8 of the present invention, the heat conduction sheet is provided on the seat back side, and a pair of long pieces constituting a part of the heat conduction sheet are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the waist of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion. Thus, by respectively disposing the long pieces of the heat conduction sheet on the left and right sides of the waist of the occupant, even if the position of the buttocks of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion is displaced in the front-rear direction of the seat, since a part of the upper body of the occupant is disposed on the front side of the long pieces of the heat conduction sheet, it is possible to ensure the accuracy of the detection value by the temperature sensor through the heat conduction sheet.

[0026] The vehicle seat according to claim 9 of the present invention is the vehicle seat according to claim 8 of the present invention, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed at the lower end portion in the up-down direction of the seat back.

[0027] In the vehicle seat according to claim 9 of the present invention, since the temperature sensor is disposed at the lower end portion in the up-down direction of the seat back, which is a portion where the load of the occupant does not directly act, even if the temperature sensor is disposed in the seat back, the occupant sitting on the seat cushion does not feel a foreign object sensation.

Effects of the Invention

[0028] As described above, the vehicle seat according to the present invention suppresses the feeling of foreign objects for the occupant sitting on the seat body, and ensures the accuracy of the temperature sensor's detection value even if the occupant's seating position on the seat body shifts. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the seat cushion pad that constitutes a part of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the seat back pad that constitutes a part of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a side view corresponding to Figure 1, illustrating the operation of the vehicle seat according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Hereinafter, a vehicle seat 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following figures, arrows FR, as appropriate, indicate the forward direction in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (the direction the seated person faces), arrows UP indicate the upward direction in the vehicle's vertical direction, and arrows RH indicate the rightward direction in the vehicle's width direction. Hereafter, when simply referring to the longitudinal, vertical, and left-right directions, unless otherwise specified, they refer to the longitudinal direction of the seat, the vertical direction of the seat, and the left-right direction in the seat's width direction when facing the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0031] <Vehicle seat configuration> First, the configuration of the vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 is composed of a seat cushion 12 that supports the buttocks and thighs of the occupant P sitting in the vehicle seat 10, a seat back 14 that supports the waist and back of the occupant P, and a headrest 16 that supports the head of the occupant P.

[0033] (Seat cushion composition) First, the configuration of the seat cushion according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0034] The seat cushion 12 according to this embodiment comprises a seat cushion frame (not shown), which is a skeletal member; a seat cushion pad (pad) 18, which is a pad material; and a seat cushion surface (seat surface) 20 that covers the seat cushion pad 18.

[0035] The seat cushion frame is made of, for example, steel plate, aluminum alloy, etc., and the seat cushion pad 18 is made of, for example, foamed material such as urethane foam. The seat cushion surface 20 is made of, for example, fabric, leather, synthetic leather, or PVC, and is formed as a single unit by sewing together multiple surface pieces. The seat cushion pad 18 is covered by this seat cushion surface 20.

[0036] In this embodiment, a heating unit 22 is provided inside the seat cushion 12. The heating unit 22 is located inside the seat cushion 12, on the side of the seat surface (upper surface) 12A of the seat cushion 12. That is, the heating unit 22 is provided on the upper surface 18A of the seat cushion pad 18.

[0037] For example, the heating unit 22 is a flexible, planar heater (not shown) that generates heat when an electric current is applied. The planar heater is positioned so that its in-plane direction aligns with the seat surface 12A, allowing it to heat the buttocks and thighs of the occupant P. The heating unit 22 is electrically connected to and controlled by an in-vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit, hereinafter simply referred to as "ECU") 24.

[0038] The ECU24 has a CPU, ROM, RAM, storage, and a communication interface, and each of these components is connected to communicate with one another via a bus. The ECU24 also has a control unit 26 as part of its functional configuration. The control unit 26 functions by the CPU reading and executing a program stored in the ROM or storage.

[0039] The control unit 26 controls the power supplied to the planar heater when an occupant P is seated on the seat cushion 12. This controls the amount of heat generated by the planar heater as the heating unit 22, and as a result, temperature control is achieved in the heating unit 22.

[0040] Meanwhile, a temperature sensor 28 is connected to the control unit 26. The temperature sensor 28 is capable of detecting the temperature around it and is configured to output the detection result to the control unit 26. The control unit 26 can adjust the voltage of the planar heater based on the detection result from the temperature sensor 28. In this embodiment, a heat conductive sheet 30 is provided on a planar heater (not shown), and the temperature sensor 28 is connected to the heat conductive sheet 30.

[0041] To explain in more detail, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the seat cushion pad 18 is composed of a main portion 32 that supports the occupant's buttocks and thighs from below, and side portions 34 and 36 provided on both sides in the seat width direction centered on the main portion 32, enabling lateral support for the occupant's buttocks and thighs.

[0042] Grooves 38 extend along the front-to-back direction of the seat at the boundary between the main section 32 and the side sections 34 and 36. As mentioned above, the seat cushion surface 20 is formed by sewing together multiple surface pieces, so the sewing portion that sews the surface pieces together, along with the seam allowance, is housed within the grooves 38.

[0043] On the other hand, the main section 32 is divided into a front section 40, a central section 42, and a rear section 44 along the front-to-rear direction of the seat. Grooves 46 extend along the width direction of the seat at the boundaries between the central section 42 and the front section 40 and the rear section 44, and the sewing section and seam allowance for sewing the surface pieces together can be accommodated within the grooves 46.

[0044] Furthermore, the central part 42 of the main part 32 is divided into a central part (recess) 42A, which is approximately in the middle of the seat cushion pad 18, and side parts 42B and 42C, which are located outside the central part 42A in the seat width direction. A groove 48 extends along the front-to-back direction of the seat at the boundary between the central part 42A and the side parts 42B and 42C, and the sewing part and seam allowance for sewing the surface pieces together can be accommodated within the groove 48.

[0045] Here, the upper surface 42A1 of the central part 42A of the main part 32 is formed to be recessed compared to the upper surfaces of the side parts 42B and 42C of the main part 32. Note that the upper surfaces of the side parts 42B and 42C are formed to be curved with a convex shape towards the upper side of the sheet as they move outward in the sheet width direction and downward towards the sheet. For this reason, the upper surface 42A1 of the central part 42A of the main part 32 is formed to be recessed compared to the position of the upper surface on the central part 42A side of the side parts 42B and 42C of the main part 32, using that as a reference.

[0046] In this embodiment, a heat conductive sheet 30 is placed in the central part 42 of the main part 32. The heat conductive sheet 30 is composed of a pair of long pieces 50 and 52, a connecting piece 54, and a connecting piece 56.

[0047] The elongated pieces 50 and 52 are positioned along the front-to-back direction of the seat on the side portions 42B and 42C of the central portion 42 of the main portion 32. In other words, the elongated pieces 50 and 52 extend approximately from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the seated occupant and are positioned in the area where the occupant's weight is applied.

[0048] The longitudinal ends 50A and 52A of the elongated pieces 50 and 52 are connected by a connecting piece 54, which is positioned along the seat width direction at the rear of the central part 42 of the main part 32. In other words, the connecting piece 54 extends substantially across the left and right buttocks of the seated occupant and is positioned in the area where the occupant's load acts.

[0049] One end 56A of a connecting piece 56 is connected to the longitudinal center of the connecting piece 54, and this connecting piece 56 is positioned along the front-rear direction of the seat at the rear end 32A of the main section 32. The other end 56B of the connecting piece 56 is connected to a temperature sensor 28. The temperature sensor 28 is positioned at the rear end 32A of the main section 32 (the rear end of the seat cushion in the front-rear direction). In other words, the temperature sensor 28 is positioned in a location where the load of the occupant does not directly act.

[0050] (Seat back configuration) Next, the configuration of the seat back according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0051] As shown in Figure 1, the seat back 14 according to this embodiment comprises a seat back frame (not shown), which is a skeletal member; a seat back pad (pad) 58, which is a pad material; and a seat back surface (seat surface) 60 that covers the seat back pad 58.

[0052] The seat back pad 58, like the seat cushion pad 18, is formed from a foamed material such as urethane foam. The seat back surface 60, like the seat cushion surface 20, is formed by sewing together multiple surface pieces, and the seat back pad 58 is covered by this seat back surface 60. The seat back frame is formed from, for example, steel plate, aluminum alloy, etc.

[0053] In this embodiment, similar to the seat cushion 12, a heating unit 62 is provided inside the seat back 14. The heating unit 62 is located inside the seat back 14, on the front surface 14A side of the seat back 14. That is, the heating unit 62 is provided on the front surface 58A of the seat back pad 58, and the heating unit 62, similar to the heating unit 22, is composed of a planar heater (not shown) and is electrically connected to and controlled by the ECU 24. In this embodiment, a heat conductive sheet 64 (not shown) is provided in front of the planar heater, and a temperature sensor 66 is connected to the heat conductive sheet 64.

[0054] To explain in more detail, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the seat back pad 58 is composed of a main portion 68 that supports the occupant's upper body from the rear side, and side portions 70 and 72 that are provided on both sides in the seat width direction around the main portion 68 and enable support for the occupant's upper body from the side.

[0055] Grooves 74 extend along the vertical direction of the seat at the boundary between the main section 68 and the side sections 70 and 72. As mentioned above, the seat back surface 60 is formed as a single unit by sewing multiple surface pieces together, so the sewing portion that sews the surface pieces together, along with the seam allowance, is housed within the grooves 74.

[0056] On the other hand, the main section 68 is divided into an upper section 76 and a lower section 78 along the vertical direction of the seat, and a groove 80 extends along the width direction of the seat at the boundary between the upper section 76 and the lower section 78, and a sewing section and seam allowance for sewing the surface pieces together can be accommodated within the groove 80.

[0057] Furthermore, the lower part 78 of the main section 68 is divided into a central section (recess) 78A in the seat width direction and side sections 78B and 78C located outside the central section 78A in the seat width direction. Grooves 80 extend along the vertical direction of the seat at the boundary between the central section 78A and the side sections 78B and 78C, and the sewing section and seam allowance for sewing the surface pieces together can be accommodated within the grooves 80. Note that the upper part 76 of the main section 68 has the same configuration as the lower part 78, so its description is omitted.

[0058] Here, the front surface 78A1 of the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68 is formed to be recessed towards the rear compared to the front surfaces of the side parts 78B and 78C of the lower part 78 of the main part 68. The front surfaces of the side parts 78B and 78C are formed to be curved, with the front side of the seat becoming convex as they move outward in the seat width direction toward the rear of the seat. Therefore, the front surface 78A1 of the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68 is formed to be recessed compared to the position of the central part 78A on the front surface of the side parts 78B and 78C.

[0059] In this embodiment, a thermal conductive sheet 64 is placed in the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68. The thermal conductive sheet 64, like the thermal conductive sheet 30, is composed of a pair of long pieces 82, 84 and a connecting piece 86.

[0060] The elongated pieces 82 and 84 are positioned along the vertical direction of the seat, respectively, on the side portions 78B and 78C of the central portion 78A of the lower portion 78 of the main portion 68. In other words, the elongated pieces 82 and 84 extend substantially along the vertical direction of the upper body of the seated occupant and are positioned in the area where the occupant's load acts.

[0061] The longitudinal ends 82A and 84A of the elongated pieces 82 and 84 are connected by a connecting piece 86, which is positioned along the width direction of the seat at the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main section 68. In other words, the connecting piece 86 extends substantially along the width direction of the waist of the seated occupant and is positioned in the area where the occupant's load acts.

[0062] A temperature sensor 66 is connected to the longitudinal center of the connecting piece 86. The temperature sensor 66 is located at the lower end (the lower end in the vertical direction of the seat on the seat back) 68A of the main part 68. In other words, the temperature sensor 66 is located in a place where the load of the occupant does not directly act on it.

[0063] (Function and effect of vehicle seats) Next, the operation and effects of the vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0064] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, a heating section 22 is provided inside the seat cushion 12 of the vehicle seat 10. A heat conductive sheet 30 is provided above the heating section 22, and a temperature sensor 28 is connected to the heat conductive sheet 30. As shown in Figure 2, the heat conductive sheet 30 is positioned in the central part 42 of the main part 32 of the seat cushion pad 18 and extends substantially from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the seated occupant. On the other hand, the temperature sensor 28 is provided at the rear end 32A of the main part 32 of the seat cushion pad 18.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 has a heating element 62 inside the seat back 14, a heat conductive sheet 64 in front of the heating element 62, and a temperature sensor 66 connected to the heat conductive sheet 64. As shown in Figure 3, the heat conductive sheet 64 is located in the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68 of the seat back pad 58, and extends substantially along the vertical direction of the upper body of the seated occupant. On the other hand, the temperature sensor 66 is located at the lower end 68A of the main part 68 of the seat back pad 58.

[0066] In other words, in this embodiment, the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 are positioned close to the occupant's body and are located in areas where the occupant's weight acts. On the other hand, the temperature sensors 28 and 66 are positioned at a distance from the occupant's body and are located in areas where the occupant's weight does not directly act.

[0067] With the above configuration, in this embodiment, the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 10 does not need to feel any foreign object sensation from the temperature sensors 28 and 66. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the temperature sensors 28 and 66 are connected to the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 positioned close to the occupant P's body, the accuracy of the detection values ​​of objects positioned away from the occupant's body is ensured.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 extend along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the seat, respectively, at the point where the load of the occupant P acts. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, even if the position of the occupant P's buttocks shifts in the front-rear direction of the seat, the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 remain in contact with the point where the load of the occupant acts, ensuring the accuracy of the values ​​detected by the temperature sensors 28 and 66.

[0069] As described above, according to this embodiment, the sensation of foreign objects caused by the temperature sensors 28 and 66 to the occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10 is suppressed, and the accuracy of the detected values ​​by the temperature sensors 28 and 66 can be ensured even if the seating position of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10 shifts.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper surface 42A1 of the central part 42A of the main part 32 in the seat cushion pad 18 is recessed compared to the upper surfaces of the side parts 42B and 42C of the main part 32, and the heat conductive sheet 30 is positioned in the central part 42 of the main part 32.

[0071] As a result, even if the heat conductive sheet 30 is placed on the upper surface 42A1 of the central part 42A of the main part 32 of the seat cushion pad 18, the heat conductive sheet 30 will not protrude from the upper surfaces of the side parts 42B and 42C of the main part 32 of the seat cushion pad 18. Consequently, the feeling of foreign matter caused by the heat conductive sheet 30 can be suppressed for occupants sitting in the vehicle seat 10.

[0072] Furthermore, similar to the seat cushion pad 18, the front surface 78A1 of the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68 of the seat back pad 58 is formed to be recessed compared to the front surfaces of the side parts 78B and 78C of the main part 68, and the heat conductive sheet 64 is positioned in the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68.

[0073] As a result, even if the heat conductive sheet 64 is placed on the front surface 78A1 of the central part 78A of the lower part 78 of the main part 68 of the seat back pad 58, the heat conductive sheet 64 will not protrude from the upper surface of the side parts 78B and 78C of the main part 68 of the seat back pad 58, thereby suppressing the feeling of foreign matter caused by the heat conductive sheet 64 to the occupant sitting in the vehicle seat 10.

[0074] In this embodiment, the thermal conductive sheet 30 is composed of a pair of elongated pieces 50, 52, a connecting piece 54, and a linking piece 56. The pair of elongated pieces 50, 52 can be positioned on the left and right sides in the width direction of the sheet, respectively, and extend along the front-to-back direction of the sheet. One end 50A, 52A of the pair of elongated pieces 50, 52 is connected by the connecting piece 54. On the other hand, the linking piece 56 extends along the direction in which the pair of elongated pieces 50, 52 extend. One end 56A of the linking piece 56 is connected to the connecting piece 54, and the other end 56B of the linking piece 56 is connected to the temperature sensor 28.

[0075] On the other hand, the heat conductive sheet 64 is composed of a pair of elongated pieces 82, 84 and a connecting piece 86. The pair of elongated pieces 82, 84 can be positioned on the left and right sides in the width direction of the sheet, respectively, and extend along the vertical direction of the sheet. One end 82A, 84A of the pair of elongated pieces 82, 84 is connected by the connecting piece 86, to which the temperature sensor 66 is connected.

[0076] In this embodiment, the thermal conductive sheets 30 and 64, with the above-described configuration, satisfy the requirement that they extend along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the sheet in the area where the load of the occupant acts, and cost reduction is possible by minimizing the area of ​​the thermal conductive sheets 30 and 64.

[0077] In this embodiment, an example was described in which the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 and temperature sensors 28 and 66 are provided on the seat cushion 12 and the seat back 14, respectively. However, it is not limited to this example, as it is sufficient for at least the heat conductive sheet 30 and temperature sensor 28 to be provided on the seat cushion 12 side.

[0078] Furthermore, the shape of the heat conductive sheets 30 and 64 is not limited to this, as it is sufficient that they are arranged to include at least the parts on which the occupant's load acts, and that they can be connected to temperature sensors located in parts on which the occupant's load does not directly act.

[0079] 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]

[0080] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 18 Seat cushion pad (pad) 20 Seat cushion upholstery (seat upholstery) 22 Heating section (surface heater) 28 Temperature Sensor 30 Thermal conductive sheets 32A Rear end (the rear end of the seat cushion in the front-to-back direction) 42A Center (recess) 50 long pieces (thermal conductive sheets) 52 Long pieces (thermal conductive sheets) 50A One end (one end in the longitudinal direction of the long piece) 52A One end (one end in the longitudinal direction of the long piece) 54 Connecting pieces (thermal conductive sheets) 58 Seat back pad (pad) 60 Seat back upholstery (seat cover) 64 Thermal conductive sheets 66 Temperature Sensor 68A Lower end (the lower end of the seat in the vertical direction on the seat back) 78A Central part (recess) 82 Long pieces (thermal conductive sheets) 82A One end (one end in the longitudinal direction of the long piece) 84 Long pieces (thermal conductive sheets) 84A One end (one end in the longitudinal direction of the long piece) 86 Connecting piece P Crew

Claims

1. A pad that supports the occupant seated on the seat body, A seat cover that covers the aforementioned pad, A planar heater provided on the surface of the pad, positioned to include at least the portion where the load of the occupant acts, and which generates heat when energized, A heat conductive sheet is provided on the aforementioned planar heater, formed of a heat conductive member, and positioned to include at least a portion on which the load of the occupant acts, A temperature sensor connected to the heat conductive sheet and positioned in a location where the load of the occupant does not directly act, for detecting the temperature of the heat conductive sheet, A vehicle seat having the following features.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the heat conductive sheet extends along the front-to-back direction of the sheet or the up-to-down direction of the sheet.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the heat conductive sheet is disposed in a recess located in the center of the pad in the width direction of the pad and recessed from the outer side in the width direction of the pad.

4. The aforementioned heat conductive sheet is A pair of elongated pieces that can be positioned on the left and right sides in the width direction of the sheet and extend along the front-to-back direction or the up-to-down direction of the sheet, A connecting piece is provided that connects one end of the pair of long pieces in the longitudinal direction and is connected to the temperature sensor. A vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the above.

5. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pad is at least a seat cushion pad provided on a seat cushion that supports the buttocks and thighs of a seated occupant, and a seat back pad provided on a seat back that supports the waist and back of an occupant seated on the seat cushion.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the heat conductive sheet is provided on the seat cushion side, and a pair of elongated pieces constituting a part of the heat conductive sheet are respectively arranged from the left and right buttocks to the thighs of the occupant seated on the seat cushion.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the rear end of the seat cushion in the front-rear direction.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the heat conductive sheet is provided on the seat back side, and a pair of elongated pieces constituting a part of the heat conductive sheet are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the waist area of ​​the occupant seated on the seat cushion.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the lower end of the seat back in the vertical direction of the seat.

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