Backboard mounting structure and vehicle seats

Abstract

To obtain a backboard attachment structure which facilitates attachment / detachment of a backboard and has a simple structure.SOLUTION: A backboard attachment structure includes: a seat back pad 20 where an opening 26 is formed in a rear part; a backboard 24 fitted to the opening 26 so as to close the opening 26; and headrest bushes 44 for locking the backboard 24 to the seat back pad 20. Through-holes 40, 32 penetrating in a direction crossing a fitting direction of the backboard 24 with respect to the opening 26 are formed in the seat back pad 20 and the backboard 24. The headrest bushes 44 are inserted to the through-holes 40, 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and particularly to a backboard mounting structure for a seatback. Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a backboard mounting structure for a vehicle seatback, in which the seatback has a backboard covering an opening in the back portion, and the backboard is attached to the back of the seatback by locking mounting means provided on upper and lower portions of an inner surface thereof to the back frame side. In this structure, the mounting means consists of an upper hook provided on an upper side of the backboard and hooked to a corresponding portion on the back frame side, and a lower hook provided on a lower side of the backboard and locked to a retainer attached to a lower terminal portion of a skin material and hooked to a corresponding portion on the back frame side.

[0003] The following Patent Document 2 discloses a backboard mounting structure for a vehicle seatback, in which a backboard is mounted to a corresponding portion on the back frame side and attached so as to cover an opening in the back portion of the seatback. In this structure, a latching portion projecting rearward is provided on the back frame side, while a locking means is provided on an inner surface of the backboard, which receives and latches the latching portion into a main body portion by a pressing force of the backboard, and is capable of releasing the latched state by a pulling operation of an operating portion. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0004] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-142913 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-142914 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, a rod-shaped operating piece is required when attaching the retainer to the corresponding part on the back frame side and when detaching the retainer from the corresponding part, so there is room for improvement in terms of improving the ease of installation and disassembly of the backboard.

[0006] In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2 mentioned above, the locking mechanism for securing the backboard to the latching portion of the back frame has an operating part that is pulled, resulting in a complex configuration of the locking mechanism.

[0007] In consideration of the above facts, the present invention aims to provide a backboard mounting structure that allows for easy attachment and detachment of the backboard and has a simple structure, as well as a vehicle seat equipped therewith. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The backboard mounting structure of the first embodiment comprises a seat back pad having an opening formed on its back, a backboard that fits into the opening and closes the opening, and a locking device that locks the backboard to the seat back pad, wherein the seat back pad and the backboard have through holes formed in a direction intersecting the direction in which the backboard fits into the opening, and the locking device is inserted into the through holes.

[0009] In the first embodiment of the backboard mounting structure, the backboard is fitted into an opening formed in the back of the seat back, closing the opening. The seat back pad and the backboard have through holes formed in a direction intersecting the direction in which the backboard is fitted into the opening of the seat back pad. A locking device is inserted into these through holes, and the backboard is locked to the seat back pad. This allows the backboard to be easily attached to the seat back pad. Moreover, the locking is released by removing the locking device from the through hole, making it easy to detach the backboard from the seat back pad. Furthermore, since there is no need for a locking mechanism with an operating part that is pulled, the structure can be made simpler.

[0010] In the second embodiment of the backboard mounting structure, the locking device is a headrest bush for supporting the legs of the headrest on the seat back.

[0011] In the backboard mounting structure of the second embodiment, the headrest bush, which is used to support the legs of the headrest to the seat back, also serves as a fastener, thus allowing for an even simpler configuration.

[0012] In the third embodiment of the backboard mounting structure, the locking device is made of the same type of resin as the resin constituting the seat back pad, in the first or second embodiment.

[0013] In the backboard mounting structure of the third embodiment, the fasteners are made of the same type of resin as the resin that makes up the seat back pad, making recycling easier.

[0014] The backboard mounting structure of the fourth embodiment is such that, in any one of the first to third embodiments, a recess is formed on the inner circumference of the opening of the seat back pad, and a protrusion is formed on the outer circumference of the backboard that fits into the recess.

[0015] In the backboard mounting structure of the fourth embodiment, a protrusion formed on the outer circumference of the backboard fits into a recess formed on the inner circumference of the opening of the seat back pad. This fitting also holds the backboard to the seat back pad, thus reducing the number of through holes and fasteners mentioned above.

[0016] The fifth embodiment of the vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion on which an occupant sits, and a seat back that supports the occupant's back and has a backboard attached to the seat back pad by a backboard mounting structure according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0017] In the vehicle seat according to the fifth aspect, the back of an occupant seated on the seat cushion is supported by the seat back. In this seat back, the backboard is attached to the seat back pad by the backboard attachment structure according to any one of the first to fourth aspects. Therefore, the same effect as that obtained by any one of the first to fourth aspects can be achieved.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] As described above, according to the present invention, the backboard can be easily attached and detached, and the configuration is simplified.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a side view showing the vehicle seat according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the seat back pad and the backboard included in the backboard attachment structure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the right half of the seat back pad and the backboard in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is an exploded perspective view showing the seat back pad and the backboard in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a first explanatory view for explaining the attachment method of the backboard in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a second explanatory view for explaining the attachment method of the backboard in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the seat back pad and the backboard included in the backboard attachment structure according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the right half of the seat back pad and the backboard in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] It is an exploded perspective view showing the seat back pad and the backboard in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory view for explaining the attachment method of the backboard in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing the backboard in the process of being installed in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is an exploded perspective view showing the seat back pad and backboard in the third embodiment. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method of attaching the backboard in the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view showing the backboard in the process of being installed in the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] <First Embodiment> The vehicle seat 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Note that some reference numerals may be omitted in each figure for clarity.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment includes a seat cushion 12 on which the vehicle occupant sits, a seat back 14 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 16 that supports the occupant's head. The arrows SFR and SUP shown in Figure 1 indicate the front and top of the vehicle seat 10, respectively.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the seat back 14 comprises a seat back frame 18, a seat back pad 20 placed over the seat back frame, a seat back surface 22 (not shown in Figures other than 1) covering the surface of the seat back pad 20, and a backboard 24 provided on the back of the seat back 14. The arrows FR, LH, and UP shown in Figures 2 and 3 indicate the front, left, and top of the seat back 14, respectively. Hereafter, when simply referring to the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions, these directions will be relative to the seat back 14.

[0023] The seat back frame 18 is made of, for example, metal and is connected to a seat cushion frame (not shown), which is the frame of the seat cushion 12. The seat back pad 20 is made of, for example, a foam such as urethane foam and constitutes the cushioning material of the seat back 14. The seat back surface 22 is made of, for example, multiple surface pieces made of fabric, skin, or synthetic leather sewn together to form a bag and is placed over the seat back pad 20. The backboard 24 is manufactured, for example, by resin injection molding, and is in the shape of a roughly elongated plate and is attached to the back of the seat back pad 20 by a backboard mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, an opening 26 is formed in the back of the seat back pad 20. The opening 26 is a roughly elongated rectangle with its longitudinal direction in the vertical direction when viewed from the front-to-back direction. This opening 26 is closed by the backboard 24. As shown in Figure 4, the backboard 24 has an elongated plate-shaped board body 28 with its thickness in the front-to-back direction and its longitudinal direction in the vertical direction, and a peripheral wall portion 30 that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the board body 28. The peripheral wall portion 30 is fitted inside the opening 26, and the opening 26 is closed by the board body 28.

[0025] The peripheral wall portion 30 described above is composed of an upper wall portion 30A, a left wall portion 30B, a right wall portion 30C, and a lower wall portion 30D. The upper wall portion 30A has two through holes 32, one on the left and one on the right, that penetrate the upper wall portion 30A in the vertical direction and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The left wall portion 30B has multiple (in this case, three) protrusions 34 that project to the left side and are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Similarly, the right wall portion 30C has multiple (in this case, three) protrusions 34 that project to the right side and are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The lower wall portion 30D has a protrusion 38 that projects downward. The protrusion 38 is formed to be elongated in the left-right direction, with the portions on both sides in the left-right direction protruding downward compared to the portion on the center side in the left-right direction.

[0026] On the inner circumferential surface (upper surface) of the opening 26, which contacts the upper wall portion 30A from above, two through holes 40 (see Figure 2; the left through hole 40 is not shown) are formed opposite the two through holes 32 on the left and right. The left and right through holes 32 penetrate the upper wall portion 30A in a direction (here, the up and down direction) that intersects with the fitting direction (front and back direction) of the circumferential wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 to the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20, and the left and right through holes 40 penetrate the upper end of the seat back pad 20 in a direction (here, the up and down direction) that intersects with the fitting direction. The left and right through holes 40 open on the inner circumferential surface (upper surface) of the opening 26 and also open on the upper end surface of the seat back pad 20.

[0027] Below the left and right through holes 40, two headrest brackets 42 (see Figure 4) are provided at the upper ends of the seat back frame 18. The left and right headrest brackets 42 are cylindrical in shape with their vertical direction as the axial direction. The left and right through holes 32, the left and right through holes 40, and the left and right headrest brackets 42 are arranged coaxially.

[0028] Two headrest bushings 44 are inserted into the left and right through holes 32, the left and right through holes 40, and the left and right headrest brackets 42 to support the left and right legs (not shown) of the headrest 16 against the seat back 14. The left and right headrest bushings 44 are formed into a cylindrical shape, for example by resin injection molding, and are inserted coaxially into the left and right headrest brackets 42 and held by the left and right headrest brackets 42. The left and right legs of the headrest 16 are inserted into the left and right headrest bushings 44 and held by the left and right headrest bushings 44. The left and right headrest bushings 44 also correspond to the "locking device" in this invention and have the function of locking the upper wall portion 30A to the upper end of the seat back pad 20.

[0029] On the inner circumferential surface (right surface) of the opening 26 that contacts the right wall portion 30C from the right side, multiple (three in this case) recesses 46 into which multiple protrusions 34 are fitted are formed. This holds the right wall portion 30C at the right end of the seat back pad 20. Similarly, although not shown in the figures, on the inner circumferential surface (left surface) of the opening 26 that contacts the left wall portion 30B from the left side, multiple (three in this case) recesses 46 into which multiple protrusions 34 are fitted are formed. This holds the left wall portion 30B at the left end of the seat back pad 20. On the inner circumferential surface (bottom surface) of the opening 26 that contacts the bottom wall portion 30D from below, recesses 48 into which protrusions 38 are fitted are formed. This holds the bottom wall portion 30D at the lower end of the seat back pad 20. The recesses 46 and 48 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the opening 26.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, when the backboard 24 is attached to the seat back pad 20, first the protrusion 38 on the lower wall portion 30D of the backboard 24 is fitted into the recess 48 at the lower end of the seat back pad 20. Then, the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 is fitted into the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20, and the protrusions 34 on the left wall portion 30B and the protrusions 34 on the right wall portion 30C are fitted into the recesses 46 at the left and right ends of the seat back pad 20. To facilitate assembly in this procedure, the protrusions 38 on the lower surface of the backboard 24 are positioned further forward than the protrusions 34 on the sides. Next, as shown in Figure 6, the two left and right headrest bushings 44 are inserted into the left and right through holes 32 at the upper end of the seat back pad 20, the left and right through holes 40 in the upper wall portion 30A of the backboard 24, and the left and right headrest brackets 42 of the seat back frame 18. This completes the attachment of the backboard 24 to the seat back pad 20.

[0031] Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. In the vehicle seat 10 with the above configuration, the back of the occupant sitting on the seat cushion 12 is supported by the seat back 14. In this seat back 14, a backboard 24 is fitted into an opening 26 formed in the back, and the opening 26 is closed by the backboard 24. The seat back pad 20 and the backboard 24 have through holes 40 and 32 that penetrate in the vertical direction, intersecting the fitting direction (front-rear direction) of the backboard 24 into the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20. Headrest bushes 44 are inserted into these through holes 40 and 32, and the backboard 24 is locked to the seat back pad 20.

[0032] As described above, the backboard 24 can be easily attached to the seat back pad 20. Moreover, by removing the headrest bush 44 from the through holes 40 and 32, the locking mechanism is released, making it easy to detach the backboard 24 from the seat back pad 20. As a result, the seat back 14 can be easily disassembled. Furthermore, since there is no need for locking mechanisms with operating parts as described in the background technology section, a simpler configuration can be achieved. In addition, since the headrest bush 44, which supports the legs of the headrest 16 to the seat back 14, also serves as a locking device, the configuration can be made even simpler.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, recesses 46 and 48 are formed on the inner circumference of the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20, and protrusions 34 and 38 that fit into the recesses 46 and 48 are formed on the outer circumference of the backboard. Since the backboard 24 is held by the seat back pad 20 by this fitting, the number of through holes and fasteners formed in the seat back pad and backboard can be reduced.

[0034] <Second Embodiment> Next, a backboard mounting structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 11. Note that components and operations that are basically the same as those described in the previously described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0035] In the backboard mounting structure according to the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the lower wall portion 30D of the backboard 24 has two through holes 50 on the left and right sides instead of the protrusion 38, and the lower end of the seat back pad 20 has two through holes 52 on the left and right sides instead of the recess 48. The left and right through holes 52 open on the inner circumferential surface (lower surface) of the opening 26 and the lower end surface of the seat back pad 20, and are opposite to the left and right through holes 50 from below. The left and right through holes 50 penetrate the lower wall portion 30D in a direction intersecting the fitting direction (front and rear direction) of the circumferential wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 with respect to the opening 26, and the left and right through holes 52 penetrate the lower end of the seat back pad 20 in a direction intersecting the fitting direction.

[0036] As shown in Figure 8, locking devices 54 are inserted (press-fitted) into the left and right through holes 50 and 52, respectively. Each locking device 54 is made of the same type of resin (in this case, a urethane-based resin) as the resin that makes up the seat back pad 20. Each locking device 54 is, for example, made of a shaft portion 54A that is press-fitted into the through holes 50 and 52, a head portion 54B that is larger in diameter than the shaft portion 54A, and a handle portion 54C provided on the opposite side of the head portion 54B from the shaft portion 54A. The shaft portion 54A of each locking device 54 is formed to be slightly larger in diameter than the through holes 50 and 52 and is press-fitted into the through holes 50 and 52 from below. The shaft portion 54A has numerous grooves extending in the circumferential direction arranged in the axial direction, forming numerous return shapes, which makes it difficult for the shaft portion 54A to come out of the through holes 50 and 52.

[0037] In this backboard mounting structure, the configuration other than that described above is the same as in the first embodiment. When the backboard 24 is attached to the seat back pad 20, as shown in Figure 10, the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 is fitted into the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20, then the left and right locking devices 54 are press-fitted into the left and right through holes 50 and 52, and the left and right headrest bushings 44 are inserted into the left and right through holes 40, 32 and 42, and the left and right headrest brackets 42. This completes the attachment of the backboard 24 to the seat back pad 20.

[0038] When the backboard 24 is removed from the seat back pad 20, the left and right locking devices 54 are removed from the left and right through holes 50 and 52, and the left and right headrest bushings 44 are removed from the left and right through holes 40 and 32 and the left and right headrest brackets 42, after which the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 is pulled out from the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20.

[0039] In this embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Moreover, in this embodiment, the fastener 54 is made of the same type of resin as the resin that makes up the seat back pad 20, making recycling easier.

[0040] <Third Embodiment> Next, a backboard mounting structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 14. Note that components and operations that are basically the same as those described in the previously described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0041] In the backboard mounting structure according to the third embodiment, the upper wall portion 30A of the backboard 24 has a plurality of (in this case, two) through holes 56 arranged in the left-right direction, the left wall portion 30B of the backboard 24 has a plurality of (in this case, three) through holes 58 arranged in the up-down direction, and the right wall portion 30C of the backboard 24 has a plurality of (in this case, three) through holes 60 arranged in the up-down direction. The left and right through holes 56 penetrate the upper wall portion 30A in a direction intersecting the fitting direction (front-back direction) of the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 with respect to the opening 26, the left and right through holes 58 penetrate the left wall portion 30B in a direction intersecting the fitting direction of the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 with respect to the opening 26, and the left and right through holes 60 penetrate the right wall portion 30C in a direction intersecting the fitting direction.

[0042] At the upper end of the seat back pad 20, multiple (two in this case) through holes 62 are formed in a horizontal direction opposite to the through hole 56. At the left end of the seat back pad 20, multiple (three in this case) through holes 64 are formed in a vertical direction opposite to the through hole 58. At the right end of the seat back pad 20, multiple (three in this case) through holes 66 are formed in a vertical direction opposite to the through hole 60. The left and right through holes 62 penetrate the upper end of the seat back pad 20 in a direction intersecting the fitting direction. The left and right through holes 64 penetrate the left end of the seat back pad 20 in a direction intersecting the fitting direction. The left and right through holes 62 penetrate the right end of the seat back pad 20 in a direction intersecting the fitting direction.

[0043] The through hole 62 opens on the inner circumferential surface (top surface) of the opening 26 and also opens on the upper end surface of the seat back pad 20. The through hole 64 opens on the inner circumferential surface (left surface) of the opening 26 and also opens on the left end surface of the seat back pad 20. The through hole 66 opens on the inner circumferential surface (right surface) of the opening 26 and also opens on the right end surface of the seat back pad 20.

[0044] When the backboard 24 is attached to the seat back pad 20, the peripheral wall portion 30 of the backboard 24 is first fitted into the opening 26 of the seat back pad 20. As a result, through holes 56 and 62 are arranged coaxially, through holes 58 and 64 are arranged coaxially, and through holes 60 and 66 are arranged coaxially. In this state, the locking devices 68 are inserted (press-fitted) into through holes 56, 62, 58, 64, 60, and 66, respectively. Each locking device 54 is made of the same type of resin (in this case, a urethane-based resin) as the resin that makes up the seat back pad 20. Each locking device 54 has a tapered shape (for example, a cone shape, a frustocone shape, a pyramidal shape, or a frustocone shape) that makes it easy to insert into each of the above through holes and prevents vehicle seat manufacturers from inserting them in the wrong direction.

[0045] The backboard 24 is secured to the seat back pad 20 by the insertion (press-fitting) described above. When the backboard 24 is removed from the seat back pad 20, each locking device 54 is pulled out using a tool such as needle-nose pliers. In this embodiment as well, the backboard 24 is easy to attach and detach, the structure is simple, and recycling is easy.

[0046] In the second and third embodiments described above, the locking devices 54 and 68 were made of the same type of resin as the resin that constitutes the seat back pad 20, but the material of the locking devices can be changed as appropriate, and this is not limited to this.

[0047] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from its essence. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 20 Seat back pads 24 backboards 26 Aperture 32 Through holes 34, 38 Convex part 40 Through holes 44 Headrest bushings (locking devices) 46, 48 recess 50, 52 Through holes 54 Locking device 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 through holes 68 Locking device

Claims

1. A seat back pad with an opening formed on the back, A backboard that fits into the opening and closes the opening, A fastening device for securing the backboard to the seat back pad, Equipped with, The seat back pad and the backboard have through holes formed in a direction intersecting the fitting direction of the backboard to the opening, and the locking device is inserted into the through holes in the backboard mounting structure.

2. The backboard mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking device is a headrest bush for supporting the legs of the headrest to the seat back.

3. The backboard mounting structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the locking device is made of the same type of resin as the resin that constitutes the seat back pad.

4. A recess is formed in the inner circumference of the opening of the seat back pad. The backboard mounting structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a protrusion that fits into the recess is formed on the outer periphery of the backboard.

5. The seat cushion on which the occupants sit, A seat back that supports the back of the occupant, and the backboard is attached to the seat back pad by the backboard mounting structure described in claim 1 or claim 2, A vehicle seat equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

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