Power supply rails and vehicle seats

Abstract

To provide a power supply rail which can inhibit abnormal noise from being caused by contact between a guide belt and a case.SOLUTION: A power supply rail 20 includes: a case 21 having a cylindrical shape; a slide part 22 which is attached to the case 21 so as to be movable along a predetermined direction; a flexible flat cable 23 housed in the case 21 and extending in the predetermined direction; a movable terminal part attached to the slide part 22; a fixed terminal part attached to the case 21; a guide belt 26 which guides the flexible flat cable 23; and a holding member 27 which holds the guide belt 26. The holding member 27 has an engagement part 29 which engages with at least one end as seen in a width direction of the guide belt 26. The guide belt 26 is held by the engagement part 29.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply rail and a vehicle seat, and particularly to a power supply rail for supplying power to a vehicle seat provided in a vehicle such as an automobile, and a vehicle seat provided with the power supply rail.

Background Art

[0002] <00A0009>Conventionally, a power supply rail for supplying power from a power source on the vehicle body side such as an automobile to a slide seat is known. For example, the power supply rail described in Patent Document 1 includes a flexible flat cable housed in a long cylindrical case, a fixed terminal connected to the wiring of the vehicle's power supply circuit, and a movable terminal connected to the wiring of the slide seat, and supplies power from the vehicle's power supply circuit to the slide seat via the flexible flat cable. <OA00010><OA00011><OA00012>In the power supply rail described in Patent Document 1, a guide plate (guide belt) for pressing and guiding the flexible flat cable is provided to correspond to the telescopic movement of the flexible flat cable. And, with respect to the flexible flat cable housed in the case, in order to prevent the generation of abnormal noise due to rattling, a ridge portion having a triangular cross section that contacts the flexible flat cable is provided on the inner surface of the case. <OA00013>

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a power supply rail and a vehicle seat that can suppress the generation of abnormal noise due to contact between the guide belt and the case. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The aforementioned problem is solved by the power supply rail of the present invention, which comprises a case extending in a predetermined direction and having a cylindrical shape, a slide portion attached to the case so as to be movable along the predetermined direction, a flexible flat cable housed in the case and extending along the predetermined direction, a movable terminal portion provided at one end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the slide portion, a fixed terminal portion provided at the other end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the case, and a guide for the flexible flat cable housed in the case and extending along the flexible flat cable in the predetermined direction. The flexible flat cable comprises a guide belt and a holding member for holding the guide belt, the flexible flat cable having a tip end connected to the movable terminal and a base end connected to the fixed terminal, the guide belt having a movable end attached to the slide together with the tip, a fixed end fixed to the case together with the base end, and a curved portion provided between the movable end and the fixed end and curving, the holding member provided between the fixed end and the curved portion and having a locking portion that locks at least one end of the guide belt in the width direction, and the guide belt is held by the locking portion The retaining member has a base portion positioned to overlap with the guide belt in the thickness direction of the guide belt, the base portion extends in the predetermined direction along the guide belt and is provided at a position facing the side of the guide belt opposite to the side facing the flexible flat cable, the locking portion has a bulge in the central portion of the base portion in the extending direction, extending in the thickness direction from at least one end of the base portion in the width direction and overlapping with the guide belt in the width direction, and claw portions at both ends of the base portion in the extending direction, extending in the thickness direction from at least one end of the base portion in the width direction and overlapping with the guide belt in the width direction, the length of the bulge in the thickness direction is longer than the length of the claw portion This will resolve the issue. With the above configuration, the guide belt is held in place by a retaining member provided between the fixed end and the curved portion, making it less likely for the guide belt to deform due to gravity or other factors, and thus preventing contact between the guide belt and the case. More specifically, the guide belt is held in place by a locking mechanism that secures the upper or lower end of the guide belt, thereby stabilizing the guide belt's position and preventing it from contacting the inner surface of the case. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise due to contact between the guide belt and the case. Furthermore, the claw portion secures the guide belt while the bulging portion prevents the flexible flat cable from coming into contact with the guide belt.

[0012] At this time, Each of the aforementioned claws It is preferable that the base portion extends from both ends in the width direction in the thickness direction and overlaps with the guide belt in the width direction. With the above configuration, a guide belt is provided between the retaining member and the flexible flat cable, and the retaining member is attached so as to cover the guide belt. This further stabilizes the position of the guide belt and suppresses contact between the guide belt and the inner surface of the case.

[0015] Furthermore, the aforementioned problem is solved by the vehicle seat equipped with a power supply rail of the present invention, which comprises a seat body comprising a seat cushion and a seat back, a slide rail extending in the predetermined direction and supporting the seat body so as to be movable in the predetermined direction, and a power supply rail, wherein the power supply rail is arranged to the side of the slide rail along the direction in which the slide rail extends. The above configuration makes it possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise due to contact between the guide belt and the case. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise caused by contact between the guide belt and the case. Furthermore, this allows for greater stability of the guide belt's position, further suppressing contact between the guide belt and the inner surface of the case. Moreover, while the guide belt is locked by the claw portion, the bulging portion can prevent the flexible flat cable from contacting the guide belt.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a side view of the vehicle seat of this embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the slide rail, showing a part of the upper rail. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of the slide rail, showing a part of the lower rail and the upper rail. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the power supply rail. [Figure 5] It is a side view of the power supply rail. [Figure 6A] It is a view of the inside of the case of the power supply rail seen from above, showing the state where the slide portion is in the front position. [Figure 6B] It is a view of the inside of the case of the power supply rail seen from above, showing the state where the slide portion is in the middle position. [Figure 6C] It is a view of the inside of the case of the power supply rail seen from above, showing the state where the slide portion is in the rear position. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6B. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the holding member, showing the state attached to the guide belt. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8. [Figure 10A] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 8. [Figure 10B] It is a view showing a modified example of the holding member. [Figure 11A] It is the power supply rail of Modified Example 1, showing the guide rail and the flexible flat cable. [Figure 11B] It is the power supply rail of Modified Example 2, showing the guide rail and the flexible flat cable. [Figure 11C]It is a diagram showing a power supply rail of Modification 3 and a guide rail and a flexible flat cable. [Figure 12] It is a side view of a vehicle seat of Modification 4. [Figure 13] It is a side view of a vehicle seat of Modification 5. [Figure 14] It is a view of the inside of the case of the power supply rail of Modification 五 as seen from above.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. In the following description, the "front-rear direction" is the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat and coincides with the traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling. Further, the "seat width direction" is the width direction of the vehicle seat and coincides with the left-right direction as seen from a passenger seated on the vehicle seat. Further, the "vertical direction" is the vertical direction of the vehicle seat and coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal plane.

[0019] <Overall Configuration of the Seat> As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat S includes a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, a seat support member 3, a seat body provided therewith, a rail device 4 attached to the floor F of the vehicle body and supported so as to be movable in a predetermined direction, specifically, the front-rear direction, a control device 5 (ECU) for controlling the rail device 4, and a switch 6 for moving the rail device 4.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat cushion 1 is a seating portion that supports a passenger from below, and is configured by placing a pad material 1a on a cushion frame serving as a skeleton and covering it with a skin material 1b. The seat back 2 is a backrest portion that supports the back of the passenger from behind, and is configured by placing a pad material 2a on a back frame serving as a skeleton and covering it with a skin material 2b.

[0021] The seat support member 3 is a member that supports the seat cushion 1 and the seat back 2, and is attached to the rail device 4. The control device 5 is an electronic control device and is connected to the power supply P mounted on the vehicle body, the rail device 4, and the switch 6. The switch 6 is provided on the side of the seat support member 3 and has a button corresponding to forward movement and a button corresponding to reverse movement. The occupant can sit on the seat cushion 1 and operate the switch 6 to activate the rail device 4, which will move the vehicle seat S forward and backward relative to the floor F.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the rail device 4 includes a slide rail 10 extending in a predetermined front-to-back direction, and a power supply rail 20 provided to the side of the slide rail 10 and also extending in the front-to-back direction. Although not shown in Figure 1, the slide rail 10 is provided in a pair, left and right. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the slide rail 10 is a rail member that supports the seat body so that it can move back and forth relative to the floor F, and includes a lower rail 11 fixed to the floor F and an upper rail 12 fixed to the seat support member 3. As shown in Figure 4, the power supply rail 20 is a power supply device that electrically connects the power source P installed on the vehicle body to the vehicle seat S and supplies power from the power source P to the slide rail 10.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the rail device 4 is positioned in a rail groove formed in the floor F. The upper surface of the rail device 4 is positioned on the same plane as the upper surface of the floor F. By positioning the rail device 4 in the rail groove, it is possible to prevent the rail device 4 from protruding from the floor F. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the power supply rail 20 is positioned to the left of the left slide rail 10 in the seat width direction. However, it is not limited to this, and the power supply rail 20 may also be positioned to the right of the left slide rail 10, or to the side of the right slide rail 10.

[0024] <Slide rail> The slide rail 10 is a rail member that supports the seat body so that it can move in a predetermined direction, specifically in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the slide rail 10 has a lower rail 11 that extends in the front-rear direction and an upper rail 12 that is attached to the lower rail 11 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0025] The lower rail 11 has a rail bottom wall fixed to the floor F, left and right outer rail walls extending upward from the left and right edges of the rail bottom wall, upper rail walls extending toward each other from the upper ends of the left and right outer rail walls, and left and right inner rail walls 11a extending downward from the ends of the upper rail walls. Note that in Figure 3, only the inner rail walls 11a of the lower rail 11 are shown.

[0026] The upper rail 12 is fixed to the lower part of the seat support member 3 and is provided to be movable back and forth relative to the lower rail 11. The side walls of the upper rail 12 are each positioned opposite the inner rail wall 11a. The upper rail 12 is formed to be shorter than the lower rail 11 in the front-rear direction.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the upper rail 12 includes an electric motor 13, a drive shaft 14 connected to the output shaft of the electric motor 13, a gear case 15 connected to the drive shaft 14, and a threaded member 16 housed in the gear case 15. The upper rail 12 slides in the front-rear direction relative to the lower rail 11 when the threaded member 16 is driven by the electric motor 13. Furthermore, the upper rail 12 can be attached to the lower rail 11 via, for example, wheels, balls, roller bearings, etc., thereby enabling smooth sliding movement relative to the lower rail 11.

[0028] The electric motor 13 is a drive unit that slides the upper rail 12, and is supplied with power from the power supply rail 20 via a connector (not shown). The electric motor 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends in the front-rear direction and is attached to the upper surface 12a of the upper rail 12 via a motor bracket 13a.

[0029] The drive shaft 14 is a rotating shaft that drives the screw member 16 and is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor 13. The drive shaft 14 extends in the front-rear direction and is rotatably supported by the gear case 15. The output shaft of the electric motor 13 and the drive shaft 14 are arranged on the same straight line.

[0030] The gear case 15 is formed in the shape of a rectangular box that is elongated in the front-to-back direction and houses the threaded member 16. The gear case 15 is attached to the upper surface 12a of the upper rail 12 via a gear bracket 15a in front of the electric motor 13. The gear case 15 has a case opening 15b which is an opening for exposing the threaded member 16 to the side.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the threaded member 16 has a first threaded member 17 and a second threaded member 18 that are movable in the front-rear direction relative to the lower rail 11. The first threaded member 17 and the second threaded member 18 each extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged in parallel with each other in the gear case 15. The first threaded member 17 is positioned along the right side of the gear case 15, and the second threaded member 18 is positioned along the left side of the gear case 15. The drive shaft 14 is positioned below the intermediate portion between the first threaded member 17 and the second threaded member 18.

[0032] The screw member 16 is provided in pairs at both ends in the front-rear direction of the first screw member 17 and the second screw member 18, and has bearing portions 16A that pivotally support the drive shaft 14, the first screw member 17, and the second screw member 18. Specifically, the bearing portion 16A has a first bearing portion 16a that rotatably supports the front and rear ends of the first screw member 17, a second bearing portion 16b that rotatably supports the front and rear ends of the second screw member 18, and a third bearing portion 16c that rotatably supports the drive shaft 14. When the drive shaft 14 rotates, the first screw member 17 and the second screw member 18 rotate in the same direction relative to each other due to the drive gear (not shown) that meshes with the drive shaft 14.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the lower rail 11 has a screw engagement portion 19 that engages with the screw member 16. Specifically, a first engagement portion 19a is formed on the right inner rail wall 11a adjacent to the first screw member 17 of the upper rail 12. In addition, a second engagement portion 19b is formed on the left inner rail wall 11a adjacent to the second screw member 18 of the upper rail 12. The first engaging portion 19a and the second engaging portion 19b are multiple holes formed in the inner wall 11a of the rail, arranged in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the screw member 16 rotates due to the rotation of the drive shaft 14, the first screw member 17 engages with the hole in the first engaging portion 19a, and the second screw member 18 engages with the hole in the second engaging portion 19b, causing the upper rail 12 to move in the front-rear direction relative to the lower rail 11.

[0034] <Power supply rail> The power supply rail 20 is a power supply device that supplies power from the power source P to the slide rail 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the power supply rail 20 is positioned to the side of the slide rail 10 along the direction in which the slide rail 10 extends. The power supply rail 20 includes a case 21 extending in a predetermined direction, i.e., the front-rear direction; a sliding part 22 that slides in conjunction with the movement of the upper rail 12; a flexible flat cable 23 for supplying power from the power source P to the slide rail 10; a movable terminal part 24 for supplying power from the flexible flat cable 23 to the slide rail 10; a fixed terminal part 25 for supplying power from the power source P to the flexible flat cable 23; a guide belt 26 for guiding the flexible flat cable 23; and a holding member 27 for holding the guide belt 26.

[0035] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, case 21 is a cylindrical member made of a metal such as aluminum, extending in a predetermined direction in the front-rear direction. Case 21 is positioned adjacent to the slide rail 10 within a rail groove formed in the floor F. The case 21 includes a case bottom wall 21a fixed to the rail groove of the floor F, a right wall portion 21b and a left wall portion 21c extending upward from both left and right ends of the case bottom wall 21a substantially perpendicular to the case bottom wall 21a, an upper wall portion 21d extending to the right substantially parallel to the case bottom wall 21a from the upper end of the left wall portion 21c, and a middle wall portion 21e extending downward substantially parallel to the left wall portion 21c from the tip of the upper wall portion 21d and connecting to the case bottom wall 21a.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, a slit 21f extending in the front-rear direction is formed in case 21 between the left wall portion 21c and the middle wall portion 21e. The sliding portion 22 is slidable relative to case 21 through the slit 21f. An overhang portion 21g is formed at the opening of the slit 21f. Specifically, the overhang portion 21g extends downward from the right wall portion 21b and the middle wall portion 21e into the slit 21f. The overhang portion 21g makes it difficult for foreign objects to enter the case 21 from the slit 21f, thereby suppressing breakage of the flexible flat cable 23.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, a fixed terminal section 25 is connected to the front end 21h of the case 21. Covers 21j are attached to the front end 21h and the rear end 21i of the case 21. That is, the space enclosed by the bottom wall 21a, left wall section 21c, top wall section 21d, and middle wall section 21e of the case 21 is closed off by the cover 21j. Furthermore, an opening 21k is formed in the middle portion of the central wall portion 21e in the vertical direction, allowing the sliding portion 22 to pass through in the horizontal direction. The opening 21k is formed in the central wall portion 21e so as to extend in the front-rear direction.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the slide portion 22 is mounted to the case 21 so as to be slidable along the front-rear direction. The slide portion 22 has a main body portion 22a positioned within the slit 21f, a protruding portion 22b extending upward from the main body portion 22a and projecting above the upper wall portion 21d, a connector mounting portion 22c provided at the upper end of the protruding portion 22b, a connecting portion 22d extending to the left from the main body portion 22a through the opening 21k, and a flat cable mounting portion 22e to which the flexible flat cable 23 is attached.

[0039] As shown in Figure 4, the connector mounting portion 22c is positioned above the slide rail 10 (specifically, the upper surface of the lower rail 11) and the upper wall portion 21d of the case 21. When the seat support member 3 moves in the front-rear direction by the slide rail 10, a portion of the seat support member 3 comes into contact with the connector mounting portion 22c, causing the slide portion 22 to move in the front-rear direction together with the seat support member 3. Therefore, when the seat support member 3 moves in the front-rear direction by the slide rail 10, the movable terminal portion 24 provided on the connector mounting portion 22c also moves in the front-rear direction, so that power can always be supplied to the upper rail 12 when the slide rail 10 is in the vicinity of the upper rail 12.

[0040] The flexible flat cable 23 is a group of flexible transmission lines in which multiple metal plates (e.g., copper plates) made of conductors are arranged in the width direction, and their outer surfaces are covered with heat-resistant insulating tape. As shown in Figures 4 to 6A, the flexible flat cable 23 is housed in the case 21 and extends along the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the flexible flat cable 23 extends vertically along the protruding portion 22b, bends and attaches to the flat cable mounting portion 22e, and extends rearward within the case 21. Then it curves and folds back within the case 21, extends forward, and connects to the fixed terminal portion 25 at the front end portion 21h of the case 21.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6A, the flexible flat cable 23 is a long, strip-shaped cable that extends approximately in the front-to-back direction. The flexible flat cable 23 is positioned inside the case 21 such that its thickness direction coincides with the left-to-right direction of the case 21, its width direction coincides with the up-to-down direction of the case 21, and its length direction coincides with the front-to-back direction of the case 21. The flexible flat cable 23 has a tip portion 23a that connects to the movable terminal portion 24, a base portion 23b that connects to the fixed terminal portion 25, and a curved intermediate portion 23c provided between the tip portion 23a and the base portion 23b. The intermediate portion 23c is a part of the cable intermediate portion between the tip portion 23a and the base portion 23b of the flexible flat cable 23, and is a portion that curves in a substantially U-shape when viewed from above as the sliding portion 22 moves.

[0042] As shown in Figures 4 to 6A, the movable terminal section 24 is provided on the tip 23a of the flexible flat cable 23 and attached to the connector mounting section 22c of the slide section 22. The movable terminal section 24 has a movable cable 24a that connects to the tip 23a of the flexible flat cable 23 and a movable connector 24b that connects to a connector (not shown) of the upper rail 12. As described above, when the seat support member 3 moves in the front-rear direction by the slide rail 10, the movable terminal portion 24 provided on the connector mounting portion 22c also moves in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the movable connector 24b moves in accordance with the front-rear movement of the upper rail 12, thereby supplying power to the upper rail 12.

[0043] As shown in Figures 4 to 6A, the fixed terminal section 25 is provided at the base end 23b of the flexible flat cable 23 and attached to the front end 21h of the case 21. The fixed terminal section 25 includes a fixed cable 25a that connects to the base end 23b of the flexible flat cable 23 and a fixed connector 25b that connects to a power supply P provided on the vehicle body. The fixed connector 25b is connected to the power supply P via the control device 5. The fixed terminal section 25 and the movable terminal section 24 are electrically connected via the flexible flat cable 23, allowing power from the power supply P to be supplied to the slide rail 10.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 6A, the guide belt 26 is housed in the case 21, extends along the front-rear direction, and guides the flexible flat cable 23. Specifically, the guide belt 26 is attached to the sliding part 22 together with the flexible flat cable 23 and extends rearward within the case 21. It then curves and folds back within the case 21, extends forward, and is fixed to the front end 21h of the case 21.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6A, the guide belt 26 is a long, strip-shaped guide member that extends approximately in the front-to-back direction. The guide belt 26 is formed from a metal material such as stainless steel or a resin material. The guide belt 26 is positioned inside the case 21 such that its thickness direction coincides with the left-to-right direction of the case 21, its width direction coincides with the up-to-down direction of the case 21, and its length direction coincides with the front-to-back direction of the case 21. As shown in Figure 7, the guide belt 26 is formed in an arc shape with a cross-sectional shape that is convex toward the flexible flat cable 23. The guide belt 26 is positioned so that the convex surface 26A faces the flexible flat cable 23.

[0046] The guide belt 26 has a movable end 26a attached to the slide portion 22 together with the tip 23a of the flexible flat cable 23, a fixed end 26b fixed to the case 21 together with the base end 23b, and a curved portion 26c provided between the movable end 26a and the fixed end 26b that curves. The curved portion 26c is a part of the intermediate belt portion of the guide belt 26 between the movable end 26a and the fixed end 26b, and is a portion that curves in a substantially U-shape when viewed from above as the slide portion 22 moves.

[0047] The movable end 26a is attached to the sliding part 22 and moves in the forward and backward direction together with the tip 23a of the flexible flat cable 23 as the sliding part 22 moves forward and backward. The fixed end 26b is attached to the front end 21h of the case 21 and is fixed to the case 21 together with the base end 23b of the flexible flat cable 23. The curved portion 26c is provided to curve along the flexible flat cable 23 and guides the flexible flat cable 23.

[0048] The retaining member 27 is a member that holds the guide belt 26 in order to suppress rattling of the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction, and is made of resin or the like. The retaining member 27 is provided between the fixed end 26b and the curved portion 26c of the guide belt 26 and has a base portion 28 positioned on the right side of the guide belt 26, and a locking portion 29 provided on the base portion 28 for locking the guide belt 26.

[0049] As shown in Figure 6A, when the sliding portion 22 is in the forward position, the retaining member 27 is located near the curved portion 26c. As shown in Figure 6B, when the sliding portion 22 moves to the rearward position, the retaining member 27 is located between the fixed end 26b and the curved portion 26c. As shown in Figure 6C, when the sliding portion 22 moves further to the rearward position, the retaining member 27 is located between the fixed end 26b, which is spaced apart from the curved portion 26c, and the curved portion 26c. In this manner, the guide belt 26 is held by the locking portion 29 of the retaining member 27 between the fixed end 26b and the curved portion 26c. This reduces the downward bending moment applied to the curved portion 26c, regardless of its position in the front-rear direction, thereby suppressing deformation of the guide belt 26 due to gravity and other factors. Consequently, the lower edge of the guide belt 26 is less likely to come into contact with the bottom wall 21a of the case 21, thereby suppressing the generation of abnormal noise.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, the retaining member 27 is provided on the case 21 so as to face the concave surface 26B of the guide belt 26. That is, the base portion 28 is provided in a position facing the concave surface 26B of the guide belt 26, opposite to the convex surface 26A on the flexible flat cable 23 side. The retaining member 27 may be provided on the case 21 so as to face the convex surface 26A of the guide belt 26. That is, the base portion 28 may be provided at a position facing the convex surface 26A of the guide belt 26 on the flexible flat cable 23 side (between the guide belt 26 and the flexible flat cable 23).

[0051] The base portion 28 is, for example, a long plate-shaped member that extends in the front-rear direction along the guide belt 26. As shown in Figure 8, the base portion 28 is positioned to overlap with the guide belt 26 in the left-right direction, which is the thickness direction of the guide belt 26.

[0052] The locking portion 29 is a part that locks the end (upper or lower end) of the guide belt 26 in the width direction. The locking portion 29 is provided in the central portion 27a, front portion 27b, and rear portion 27c of the holding member 27 so as to protrude from the base portion 28 toward the guide belt 26. The locking portion 29 extends to the left from the vertical end of the base portion 28 and overlaps with the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the locking portion 29 is provided at three locations on the holding member 27: the central portion 27a, the front portion 27b, and the rear portion 27c. However, the locking portion 29 is not limited to this configuration and may be provided at any one of the central portion 27a, the front portion 27b, or the rear portion 27c.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, the locking portion 29 has a bulging portion 30 that locks the upper end of the guide belt 26 and claw portions 31 that lock the upper and lower ends of the guide belt 26. That is, the guide belt 26 is housed in the space enclosed by the base portion 28 and the bulging portion 30 and claw portions 31 of the locking portion 29. The locking portion 29 is provided with a bulge 30 in the central portion 27a, a front locking piece 31a in the front portion 27b, and a rear locking piece 31b in the rear portion 27c. However, it is not limited to this, and the bulge 30 may be provided in the front portion 27b and the rear portion 27c, and the claw portion 31 may be provided in the central portion 27a. Furthermore, the bulge 30 may be provided in all of the central portion 27a, the front portion 27b, and the rear portion 27c, and the claw portion 31 may be provided in all of the central portion 27a, the front portion 27b, and the rear portion 27c.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the bulging portion 30 extends to the left from the upper end 28a of the base portion 28 at its central position (central portion 27a) in the front-to-back direction, which is the extension direction of the base portion 28, and overlaps with the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction. In other words, the bulging portion 30 locks onto the upper end of the guide belt 26. The lower surface of the bulging portion 30 abuts against the upper end of the guide belt 26, and the tip surface 30a of the bulging portion 30 abuts against the flexible flat cable 23. The tip surface 30a of the bulging portion 30 has a rounded shape. In this embodiment, the bulge 30 is provided at the upper end 28a, but it may also be provided at the lower end 28b. Alternatively, the bulge 30 may be provided at both the upper end 28a and the lower end 28b.

[0055] As shown in Figures 8 and 10A, the claw portion 31 extends to the left from the upper end 28a and lower end 28b of the base portion 28 at both ends (front portion 27b and rear portion 27c) in the front-rear direction of the base portion 28, and overlaps in the vertical direction. In other words, the claw portion 31 locks the upper and lower ends of the guide belt 26. In this embodiment, the claw portion 31 is provided at the upper end portion 28a and the lower end portion 28b, but it may also be provided on either the upper end portion 28a or the lower end portion 28b.

[0056] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in the left-right direction, the length L1 of the bulging portion 30 is longer than the length L2 of the claw portion 31. Therefore, since the bulging portion 30, which is longer than the claw portion 31, comes into contact with the flexible flat cable 23, the guide belt 26 is held at a position spaced apart from the flexible flat cable 23. Furthermore, even when the tip surface 30a of the bulging portion 30 comes into contact with the flexible flat cable 23, the rounded shape of the tip surface 30a prevents the flexible flat cable 23 from being worn down by the holding member 27.

[0057] In this way, the retaining member 27 can stably hold the guide belt 26 by holding its ends in the vertical direction with the locking portion 29. By stably holding the guide belt 26 with the retaining member 27, the lower edge of the guide belt 26 is less likely to collide with the bottom wall 21a of the case 21 in the curved portion 26c. This suppresses the generation of abnormal noise. Furthermore, in order to suppress rattling of the retaining member 27 in the vertical direction, the retaining member 27 may be mounted so as to be in contact with the case 21. For example, by providing the retaining member 27 with an elastic member that biases it in the vertical direction, the retaining member 27 may be held in place by the biasing force of the elastic member.

[0058] Furthermore, the locking portion 29 shown in Figure 10A extends from the upper and lower end faces of the base portion 28 in the thickness direction of the base portion 28, overlapping with the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction and holding the ends of the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction. However, it is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 10B, the locking portion 29 may be provided at the upper and lower ends of the base portion 28, closer to the center than the upper and lower end faces. Note that the upper and lower ends of the base portion 28 refer to parts other than the central part in the vertical direction.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10B, the base portion 28 of the modified retaining member 27 has a stepped upper end portion 128a on its upper end surface where a step is formed, and a curved lower end portion 128b on its lower end surface where a curved surface is formed. Because the stepped upper end portion 128a and the curved lower end portion 128b are provided, the thickness of the base portion 28 at the upper and lower ends is thinner than the thickness of the central portion.

[0060] <Manufacturing method> A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat S will be described. First, a seat body is prepared, which includes a seat cushion 1 and a seat back 2. Then, the seat body is attached to a slide rail 10 that extends in a predetermined front-to-back direction so that it can move in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the seat support member 3 of the seat body is fixed above the upper rail 12 of the slide rail 10.

[0061] Then, the power supply rail 20 is positioned to the side of the slide rail 10, along the direction in which the slide rail 10 extends. Specifically, the case 21 of the power supply rail 20 is positioned adjacent to the slide rail 10 within the rail groove formed in the floor F. Furthermore, the movable terminal portion 24 of the power supply rail 20 is electrically connected to the slide rail 10. Specifically, the movable terminal portion 24, which is connected to the tip portion 23a of the flexible flat cable 23, is connected to a connector (not shown) provided on the upper rail 12 of the slide rail 10. In addition, the fixed terminal portion 25 of the power supply rail 20 is electrically connected to a power supply P provided on the vehicle body. In this way, power from the power source P is supplied to the upper rail 12 of the slide rail 10 via the power supply rail 20.

[0062] The power supply rail 20 comprises a cylindrical case 21 extending in the front-rear direction, a slide portion 22 attached to the case 21 so as to be movable along the front-rear direction, a flexible flat cable 23 housed in the case 21 and extending along the front-rear direction, a movable terminal portion 24 provided at the tip portion 23a of the flexible flat cable 23 and attached to the slide portion 22, a fixed terminal portion 25 provided at the base end portion 23b of the flexible flat cable 23 and attached to the case 21, a guide belt 26 housed in the case 21 and extending along the flexible flat cable 23 in the front-rear direction to guide the flexible flat cable 23, and a holding member 27 that holds the guide belt 26. The flexible flat cable 23 has a tip portion 23a that connects to the movable terminal portion 24 and a base portion 23b that connects to the fixed terminal portion, and the guide belt 26 has a movable end portion 26a that is attached to the slide portion 22 together with the tip portion 23a, a fixed end portion 26b that is fixed to the case 21 together with the base portion 23b, and a curved portion 26c that is provided between the movable end portion 26a and the fixed end portion 26b and curves. The retaining member 27 is provided between the fixed end 26b and the curved portion 26c and has a base portion 28 positioned to overlap with the guide belt 26 in the left-right direction, and a locking portion 29 extending from the upper or lower end of the base portion 28 in the left-right direction and overlapping with the guide belt 26 in the up-down direction. The retaining member 27 then holds the guide belt 26 with the locking portion 29.

[0063] Furthermore, the base portion 28 extends in the front-rear direction along the guide belt 26, and the bulging portion 30 of the locking portion 29 extends from the upper end in the left-right direction in the central part of the base portion 28 in the extending direction, and preferably overlaps with the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the base portion 28 extends in the front-rear direction along the guide belt 26, and the claw portion 31 of the locking portion 29 extends from the upper or lower end in the left-right direction at the side end portion in the extending direction of the base portion 28, so as to overlap with the guide belt 26 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the base portion 28 extends in the front-rear direction along the guide belt 26 and is preferably positioned opposite the concave surface 26B of the guide belt 26, which is opposite to the convex surface 26A on the flexible flat cable 23 side. Furthermore, the length of the bulging portion 30 in the left-right direction should be longer than the length of the claw portion 31.

[0064] The manufacturing method for the vehicle seat S described above is as follows. A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat, A seat body consisting of a seat cushion and a seat back is provided. The seat body is mounted on a slide rail extending in a predetermined direction so as to be movable in that predetermined direction. This includes arranging a power supply rail to the side of the slide rail along the direction in which the slide rail extends, The aforementioned power supply rail is A case extending in the predetermined direction and having a cylindrical shape, A sliding portion is attached to the case so as to be movable along the predetermined direction, A flexible flat cable housed in the aforementioned case and extending along the predetermined direction, A movable terminal portion is provided at one end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the sliding portion, A fixed terminal portion is provided at the other end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the case, A guide belt housed in the case, extending along the flexible flat cable in the predetermined direction, and guiding the flexible flat cable, The system includes a retaining member for holding the guide belt, The flexible flat cable has a tip portion that connects to the movable terminal portion and a base portion that connects to the fixed terminal portion. The guide belt has a movable end attached to the slide portion together with the tip, a fixed end fixed to the case together with the base, and a curved portion provided between the movable end and the fixed end, The retaining member is provided between the fixed end and the curved portion and has a locking portion that engages with at least one end of the guide belt in the width direction, and the guide belt is held by the locking portion. A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat, further comprising electrically connecting the movable terminal portion of the power supply rail to the slide rail.

[0065] <Example 1> Next, a modified example of the power supply rail 20 (modification 1) will be explained based on Figure 11A. Note that explanations that overlap with the power supply rail 20 described above will be omitted. In the modified example 1, the power supply rail 20 has a projection 23d formed on the flexible flat cable 23, as shown in Figure 11A. More specifically, a projection 23d is formed at the lower end of the flexible flat cable 23. The projection 23d is roughly triangular in shape when viewed from the left and right directions, and multiple projections (for example, three) are formed in a row in the front-to-back direction. The position where the projection 23d is formed is, for example, between the base end 23b and the intermediate part 23c of the flexible flat cable 23, and is located in front of the holding member 27.

[0066] In this way, the formation of the protrusion 23d on the flexible flat cable 23 makes it less likely for the flexible flat cable 23 to deform in the intermediate section 23c due to gravity, etc. Therefore, excessive contact between the flexible flat cable 23 and the bottom wall 21a of the case 21 can be suppressed, and thus the generation of abnormal noise can be suppressed.

[0067] <Modification 2> Next, a modified example 2 of the power supply rail 20 will be explained based on Figure 11B. In the modified example 2, the power supply rail 20 has a protruding piece 26d formed on the guide belt 26, as shown in Figure 11B. More specifically, a protruding piece 26d is formed at the lower end of the guide belt 26. The protruding piece 26d is roughly triangular in shape when viewed from the left and right directions, and multiple pieces (for example, three) are formed in a row in the front-to-back direction. The position where the protruding piece 26d is formed is, for example, between the fixed end 26b and the curved portion 26c of the guide belt 26, and is located in front of the retaining member 27.

[0068] In this way, the formation of the protruding piece 26d on the guide belt 26 makes it less likely for the guide belt 26 to deform due to gravity or the like in the curved portion 26c. Therefore, excessive contact between the guide belt 26 and the bottom wall 21a of the case 21 can be suppressed, and thus the generation of abnormal noise can be suppressed.

[0069] <Variation 3> Next, a third modified example of the power supply rail 20 will be explained based on Figure 11C. In the modified example 3, the power supply rail 20 has a raised portion 21l formed on the bottom wall 21a of the case 21, as shown in Figure 11C. More specifically, a raised portion 21l is formed on the case bottom wall 21a at a position corresponding to the flexible flat cable 23 (near the left wall portion 21c), extending upward from the case bottom wall 21a. The raised portion 21l has a roughly trapezoidal cross-sectional shape when viewed from the front-to-back direction and is formed to extend in the front-to-back direction. The position where the raised portion 21l is formed is, for example, a position corresponding to the space between the base end portion 23b and the intermediate portion 23c of the flexible flat cable 23 on the case bottom wall 21a, and is located in front of the retaining member 27.

[0070] In this way, the formation of a raised portion 21l on the bottom wall 21a of the case makes it less likely for the flexible flat cable 23 to deform in the intermediate portion 23c due to gravity, etc. Therefore, excessive contact between the flexible flat cable 23 and the bottom wall 21a of the case 21 can be suppressed, and thus the generation of abnormal noise can be suppressed.

[0071] <Modification 4> Next, a modified example 4 of the vehicle seat S will be explained based on Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the vehicle seat S of Modified Example 4 comprises a front seat S1 corresponding to the front seats of the vehicle, a second-row middle seat S2, and a third-row rear seat S3 in a vehicle equipped with three rows of seats in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in Figure 12, the vehicle seat S includes a plurality of rail devices 4 that support each seat body so that it can move forward and backward. More specifically, it includes a front rail device 4A that supports the seat body of the front seat S1 so that it can move forward and backward, a middle rail device 4B that supports the seat body of the middle seat S2 so that it can move forward and backward, and a rear rail device 4C that supports the seat body of the rear seat S3 so that it can move forward and backward.

[0072] Thus, even when multiple vehicle seats S are provided, power can be supplied from the power source P to each slide rail 10 of the vehicle seats S via each power supply rail 20. In this embodiment, multiple control devices 5 and power supplies P are provided and connected to each rail device 4. However, the system is not limited to this configuration, and a single control device 5 and power supply P may be provided in common to all rail devices 4.

[0073] <Modification 5> Next, a modified example 5 of the vehicle seat S will be explained based on Figures 13 and 14. As shown in Figure 13, the vehicle seat S of Modified Example 5 comprises a front seat S1 corresponding to the front seats of the vehicle, a second-row middle seat S2, and a third-row rear seat S3 in a vehicle equipped with three rows of seats in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in Figure 13, the vehicle seat S is equipped with a long rail device 4D that supports each seat body so that it can move forward and backward. The long rail device 4D includes a long power supply rail 40 that supplies power to the slide rail 10 of the front seat S1, the slide rail 10 of the middle seat S2, and the slide rail 10 of the rear seat S3.

[0074] As shown in Figure 14, the long power supply rail 40 has a long case 41 that extends in the front-rear direction, and houses the power supply mechanism for each vehicle seat S. Specifically, the long power supply rail 40 has a first sliding section 42a for the front seat S1, a second sliding section 42b for the middle seat S2, and a third sliding section 42c for the rear seat S3. Furthermore, the long power supply rail 40 includes a first flexible flat cable 43a for the front seat S1, a second flexible flat cable 43b for the middle seat S2, and a third flexible flat cable 43c for the rear seat S3.

[0075] The long power supply rail 40 includes a first guide belt 46a for the front seat S1, a second guide belt 46b for the middle seat S2, and a third guide belt 46c for the rear seat S3. Furthermore, the long power supply rail 40 includes a first retaining member 47a for the front seat S1, a second retaining member 47b for the middle seat S2, and a third retaining member 47c for the rear seat S3.

[0076] In this way, even when multiple vehicle seats S are provided, power can be supplied from the power source P to each slide rail 10 of the vehicle seats S via the long power supply rail 40. Furthermore, by providing the first retaining member 47a, the second retaining member 47b, and the third retaining member 47c in the long case 41, deformation of the first guide belt 46a, the second guide belt 46b, and the third guide belt 46c becomes less likely.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the slide rail 10 and the power supply rail 20 extend in the front-rear direction (predetermined direction) was described as an example, but the configuration is not limited to this. The slide rail 10 and the power supply rail 20 may be provided extending in the left-right direction as the predetermined direction, or they may be provided extending in a direction other than the front-rear direction or the left-right direction.

[0078] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described a vehicle seat used in an automobile as a specific example, it is not particularly limited and can be used for various types of seats, including motorcycle seats, seats in trains and buses, seats in airplanes and ships, as well as office chairs for work, wheelchairs, and children's seats in shopping carts.

[0079] In this embodiment, the vehicle seat according to the present invention was described primarily. However, the embodiments described above are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, equivalents thereof are included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] S Vehicle Seat S1 Front Seats S2 Middle Seat S3 Rear Seat F Floor P power supply 1 seat cushion 1a Pad material 1b Skin material 2 seatbacks 2a Pad material 2b Skin material 3. Sheet support member 4 Rail device 4A Front Rail Device 4B Middle Rail Device 4C Rear Rail System 5 Control device 6. Operation switches 10 slide rails 11 Lower Rail 11a Rail inner wall 12 Upper Rail 12a Top side 13 Electric motor 13a Motor bracket 14 Drive shaft 15 Gear Case 15a Gear Bracket 15b Case opening 16 Screw member 16a 1st bearing part 16b 2nd bearing part 16c 3rd bearing part 17 First threaded member 18. Second threaded member 19 Screw engagement part 19a First engaging part 19b Second engaging part 20 Power supply rails 21 cases 21a Case bottom wall 21b Right wall section 21c Left wall section 21d Upper wall section 21e Middle wall part 21f Slit 21g visor 21h Front end of case 21i rear end of case 21j cover 21k aperture 21l ridge 22 Slide section 22a Main body 22b Projection 22c connector mounting section 22d Connection part 22e Flat Cable Mounting Section 23 Flexible Flat Cable 23a Tip 23b Proximal end 23c middle part 23d protrusion 24 Movable terminal section 24a movable cable 24b Movable connector 25 Fixed terminal section 25a fixed cable 25b Fixed connector 26 Guide belt 26A concave 26B Convex 26a Moving end 26b Fixed end 26c curved section 26d protruding piece 27 Retaining member 27a central part 27b Front part (side end part, both end parts) 27c Rear part (side end part, both end parts) 28 Base section 28a Upper end 28b Bottom end 128a Upper end of step 128b Curved bottom end 29 Locking part 30 Bulge 31 Nail part 31a Front locking piece 31b Rear locking piece 4D Long Rail System 40 Long Power Supply Rails 41 Long Case 42a First slide section 42b Second slide section 42c Third slide section 43a First Flexible Flat Cable 43b Second Flexible Flat Cable 43c Third Flexible Flat Cable 46a First guide belt 46b Second Guide Belt 46c Third guide belt 47a First retaining member 47b Second retaining member 47c Third retaining member

Claims

1. A case extending in a predetermined direction and having a cylindrical shape, A sliding portion is attached to the case so as to be movable along the predetermined direction, A flexible flat cable housed in the aforementioned case and extending along the predetermined direction, A movable terminal portion is provided at one end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the sliding portion, A fixed terminal portion is provided at the other end of the flexible flat cable and attached to the case, A guide belt housed in the case, extending along the flexible flat cable in the predetermined direction, and guiding the flexible flat cable, The system includes a retaining member for holding the guide belt, The flexible flat cable has a tip portion that connects to the movable terminal portion and a base portion that connects to the fixed terminal portion. The guide belt has a movable end attached to the slide portion together with the tip, a fixed end fixed to the case together with the base, and a curved portion provided between the movable end and the fixed end, The retaining member is provided between the fixed end and the curved portion and has a locking portion that engages with at least one end of the guide belt in the width direction, and the guide belt is held by the locking portion. The retaining member has a base portion that is positioned to overlap with the guide belt in the thickness direction of the guide belt, The base portion extends in the predetermined direction along the guide belt and is provided at a position facing the side of the guide belt opposite to the side facing the flexible flat cable. The locking portion has, in the central portion of the base portion in the extending direction, a bulging portion extending in the thickness direction from at least one end of the base portion in the width direction and overlapping with the guide belt in the width direction, and claw portions extending in the thickness direction from at least one end of the base portion in the width direction and overlapping with the guide belt in the width direction at both ends of the base portion in the extending direction, A power supply rail characterized in that, in the thickness direction, the length of the bulging portion is longer than the length of the claw portion.

2. The power supply rail according to Claim 1, characterized in that each of the claw portions extends from both ends of the base portion in the width direction in the thickness direction and overlaps with the guide belt in the width direction.

3. A seat body comprising a seat cushion and a seat back, A slide rail extending in the predetermined direction and supporting the seat body so as to be movable in the predetermined direction, The power supply rail described in claim 1 comprises, The vehicle seat is characterized in that the power supply rail is positioned to the side of the slide rail, along the direction in which the slide rail extends.

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