Vehicle seat

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle seat of which the functionality can be more flexibly and easily changed.　A vehicle seat (S1) comprises a seat back pad (2a) and a seat-back outer cover material (20) that covers the seat back pad (2a). The seat-back outer cover material (20) can be detached from the seat back pad (2a). Heaters (23) and a control device (24) for controlling the operation of the heaters (23) are disposed inside the seat-back outer cover material (20). The control device (24) is disposed at an end portion of the seat-back outer cover material (20).

Description

Vehicle seats

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a vehicle seat equipped with electrical components.

[0002] Conventionally, technologies have been proposed to improve the functionality and comfort of vehicle seats by providing electrical components inside the vehicle seat. For example, a proposal has been made to improve comfort by incorporating a heater into the vehicle seat to heat the vehicle seat to an appropriate temperature. Another example has been proposed: a vehicle seat with a built-in massage device that provides a massage function to promote blood flow to the seated occupant.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, attention has been focused on technology that allows the functionality of vehicle seats to be changed to meet the increasingly diverse needs of seat occupants. Patent Document 1 describes a cushion member 100 that incorporates electrical components such as a heater, fan, and vibrator and is detachable from a recess formed in the seat or backrest of a vehicle seat. By replacing the cushion member, the functions added to the vehicle seat can be easily changed to flexibly meet the needs of the seat occupant.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-061647

[0005] Although the technology described in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to change the functions added to a vehicle seat, there was a demand for greater flexibility and simplicity in changing the functions of a vehicle seat when replacing electrical components.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat whose functionality can be changed more flexibly and easily.

[0007] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which is a vehicle seat comprising a padding material and a skin material covering the padding material, wherein the skin material is detachable from the padding material, and wherein electrical components and a control device for controlling the operation of the electrical components are disposed inside the skin material, and the control device is disposed at an end of the skin material.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the electrical components and the control device are disposed inside the cover material that is removable from the pad material, and the control device is disposed at the edge of the cover material. Therefore, by replacing the cover material, the electrical components disposed inside the cover material and the control device that controls the electrical components can be replaced, making it possible to more flexibly and easily change the functions of the vehicle seat. Furthermore, because the control device is disposed at the edge of the cover material, when the cover material is attached to the pad material, the control device is disposed at a position away from the seating area of ​​the seat occupant, making it possible to prevent the control device from making the seat occupant feel like there is something foreign in the seat, thereby preventing a decrease in seating comfort.

[0009] In addition, the covering material may be provided on the seat back and the seat cushion, and the electrical components arranged inside the covering material attached to the seat back and the electrical components arranged inside the covering material attached to the seat cushion may be connected via a harness. According to the above configuration, by electrically connecting either the electrical components provided on the seat back or the electrical components provided on the seat cushion to an ECU provided in the vehicle seat, the ECU and the other electrical component can be electrically connected via the one electrical component, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the connectors between the ECU and the electrical components and reduce costs.

[0010] The skin may further include a retaining member for retaining the electrical component. According to the above configuration, the electrical component can be retained in an appropriate position on the skin, and displacement of the electrical component can be suppressed.

[0011] In addition, the retaining member may be disposed on a side opposite to the seating surface of the vehicle seat with respect to the electrical component. According to the above configuration, the retaining member is disposed at a position away from the seating surface, and therefore it is possible to prevent the retaining member from causing a foreign body sensation to the seat occupant, thereby reducing deterioration of seating comfort.

[0012] The skin may have a slab, and the slab may be disposed on the seating surface side of the electrical component. With this configuration, interference between the slab and the retaining member can be suppressed, and the electrical component, the retaining member, and the slab can be efficiently disposed inside the skin while suppressing deterioration of seating comfort.

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to more flexibly and simply change the functions of a vehicle seat. It is also possible to prevent a decrease in seating comfort caused by a control device making the seat occupant feel a foreign body sensation. It is also possible to reduce the size of the connector between the ECU and the electrical components, thereby reducing costs. It is also possible to hold the electrical components in an appropriate position on the upholstery material and prevent the electrical components from shifting out of position. Furthermore, because the retaining member is positioned away from the seating surface, it is possible to prevent a decrease in seating comfort caused by the retaining member making the seat occupant feel a foreign body sensation. It is also possible to prevent interference between the slab and the retaining member, and it is possible to efficiently arrange the electrical components, retaining member, and slab inside the upholstery material while preventing a decrease in seating comfort.

[0014] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the present embodiment, as seen obliquely from the front. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat with an upholstery material removed. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the upholstery material. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of a control device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a modified example, with an upholstery material removed. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upholstery material. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a second modified example, with a seatback pad unit removed. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the seatback pad unit. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a seat cushion pad unit of a vehicle seat according to a third modified example. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a method for replacing a seat cushion pad unit. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat according to a second modified example, with a seatback pad unit removed. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a seatback. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a front seatback module. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part of the seatback, and is a cross-sectional view of the seatback. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part of the seatback of a vehicle seat according to a modified example, and is a cross-sectional view of the seatback. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a main part of the seatback of a vehicle seat according to another modified example, and is a cross-sectional view of the seatback. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an airbag module. FIG. 17 is a front view of the airbag module. FIG. 18 is a side view of a side frame portion. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state before the airbag module is installed. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state after the airbag module is installed. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a state after the airbag module has been installed. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of installing a front seat back module and a rear seat back module according to a modified example. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of installing a front seat back module and a rear seat back module according to a modified example. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of a seat back of a vehicle seat according to a second modified example, and is a cross-sectional view of the seat back.

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. A vehicle seat S1 according to this embodiment includes a seatback covering material 20 that is removable from a seatback pad 2a. A heater 23 and a control device 24 that controls the operation of the heater 23 are disposed inside the seatback covering material 20. A massage device 26A and a control device 24 that controls the operation of the massage device 26A may also be disposed inside the seatback covering material 20. Therefore, by removing the seatback covering material 20 with the built-in heater 23 and attaching the seatback covering material 20 with the built-in massage device 26A, the functionality of the vehicle seat S1 can be flexibly and easily changed.

[0016] The configuration of a vehicle seat S1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, in the following description, descriptions regarding the materials, shapes, and sizes of seat components are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0017] In the following description, the "seat front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat S1, and is the direction that coincides with the front-rear direction as seen by a seated occupant in the vehicle seat S1. The "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat S1, and is the direction that coincides with the left-right direction as seen by a seated occupant in the vehicle seat S1. The "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle seat S1, and is the direction that coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal plane. The term "outside" simply refers to the side closer to the outside in the direction from the center of the vehicle seat S1 to the outside, and the term "inside" refers to the side closer to the center in the direction from the outside to the center of the vehicle seat S1.

[0018] <Overall Configuration of Vehicle Seat S1> Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle seat S1 as seen obliquely from the front, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle seat S1 with a seat cushion covering material 10 and a seat back covering material 20 removed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the vehicle seat S1 according to this embodiment mainly comprises a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, and a headrest 3. The seat cushion 1, the seat back 2, and the headrest 3 are collectively referred to as the seat body.

[0019] The seat cushion 1 is a support member that supports the buttocks of a seated occupant and supports the seated occupant from below. The seat cushion 1 includes a seat cushion frame (not shown) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 1, a seat cushion pad 1a placed on the seat cushion frame, and a seat cushion covering material 10 that covers the seat cushion pad 1a.

[0020] The seat cushion pad 1a is a cushion material made of urethane foam, etc. First skin material hanging grooves 1b extending in the front-rear direction of the seat are formed on both the left and right sides of the seat width direction of the seat cushion pad 1a. Also, a second skin material hanging groove 1c connecting the left and right first skin material hanging grooves 1b is formed in approximately the center of the seat front-rear direction of the seat cushion pad 1a.

[0021] The seat cushion covering material 10 is made of a stretchable cloth material, leather material, or the like, and is formed by sewing a base cloth made of, for example, natural or synthetic fibers. The seat cushion covering material 10 can be attached to and detached from the seat cushion pad 1a. More specifically, a hook-and-loop fastener (not shown) is attached to the back surface of the seat cushion covering material 10, allowing the seat cushion covering material 10 to be attached and detached to the seat cushion pad 1a. However, without being limited thereto, the seat cushion covering material 10 may be removably fixed to the seat cushion pad 1a via a known engaging structure provided in the first covering material hanging groove 1b or the second covering material hanging groove 1c.

[0022] Furthermore, the seat cushion covering material 10 may incorporate electrical components. Specifically, the seat cushion covering material 10 may incorporate a heater 23, which is a planar heating element having an electric heating wire arranged in a planar shape. As another specific example, the seat cushion covering material 10 may incorporate a massage device that expands when compressed air is injected and contracts when the compressed air is discharged. As yet another specific example, the seat cushion covering material 10 may incorporate a vibration motor that transmits an alarm signal to the seat occupant by vibration. Therefore, electrical components can be easily replaced by removing the seat cushion covering material 10 from the seat cushion pad 1a and attaching another seat cushion covering material 10.

[0023] The seat back 2 is a support member that supports the back of a seated occupant from behind. The seat back 2 includes a seat back frame (not shown) that forms the framework of the seat back 2, a seat back pad 2a that is placed on the seat back frame, and a seat back covering material 20 that covers the seat back pad 2a.

[0024] The seat back pad 2a is a cushioning material made of urethane foam, etc. First upholstery material hanging grooves 2b extending in the vertical direction are formed on both the left and right sides of the seat width direction of the seat back pad 2a. In addition, second upholstery material hanging grooves 2c connecting the left and right first upholstery material hanging grooves 2b are formed in the upper part of the seat back pad 2a.

[0025] The seatback covering material 20 is made of a stretchable cloth material, leather material, or the like, and is formed by sewing, for example, a base cloth made of natural or synthetic fibers. The seatback covering material 20 can be attached to and detached from the seatback pad 2a. More specifically, a hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the back surface of the seatback covering material 20, allowing it to be attached and detached to the seatback pad 2a. However, without being limited thereto, the seatback covering material 20 may also be detachably fixed to the seatback pad 2a via a known engaging structure provided in the first covering material hanging groove 2b or the second covering material hanging groove 2c.

[0026] The seat back covering material 20 may also incorporate electrical components. Specifically, the seat back covering material 20 may incorporate a heater 23, which is a planar heating element having electric heating wires arranged in a planar shape. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the seat back covering material 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the seat back covering material 20 mainly comprises a seating surface side covering material 21, an inner covering material 22 opposing the seating surface side covering material 21, the heater 23, and a control device 24 for controlling the operation of the heater 23.

[0027] The heater 23, which has an electric heating wire disposed on its surface, is adhered and fixed to the seating surface side cover material 21 or the inner cover material 22 with an adhesive, but is not limited to this. The heater 23 may also be sewn to the seating surface side cover material 21 or the inner cover material 22.

[0028] The control device 24 is a control circuit electrically connected to the heater 23 via an electric cable 25 and controls the operation of the heater 23. More specifically, the control device 24 is connected via a connection cable to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) provided in the vehicle seat S1 and controls the operation of the heater 23 based on a control signal from the ECU. The control device 24 may also be capable of controlling the operation of the heater 23 built into the seat cushion covering material 10. More specifically, the heater 23 disposed inside the seat back covering material 20 and the heater 23 disposed inside the seat cushion covering material 10 may be connected via a harness. In this case, the ECU can indirectly control the operation of the heater 23 disposed inside the seat cushion covering material 10 by outputting a control signal to the control device 24 disposed inside the seat back covering material 20. This allows the number of parts of the vehicle seat S1 to be reduced.

[0029] 3 and 4, the control device 24 is disposed at the end (upper end) of the seat back covering material 20. More specifically, the control device 24 is disposed at the end of the seat back covering material 20, and is positioned at the upper end of the rear (back side) of the seat back 2 when the seat back covering material 20 is attached to the seat back pad 2a. Therefore, the control device 24 is fixed at a position away from the seating area, which makes it possible to prevent the control device 24 from making the seat occupant feel like there is something foreign in the seat, thereby preventing a decrease in seating comfort.

[0030] 4, the control device 24 may be disposed at the lower end of the seat back covering material 20. In this case, the control device 24 is located at the lower end of the rear (back side) of the seat back 2 when the seat back covering material 20 is attached to the seat back pad 2a. The control device 24 may also be disposed at the side end of the seat back covering material 20. In this case, the control device 24 is located at the side end of the rear (back side) of the seat back 2 when the seat back covering material 20 is attached to the seat back pad 2a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the control device 24 from causing a decrease in seating comfort.

[0031] The control device 24 may also be disposed at an end of the seat cushion covering material 10. In this case, when the seat cushion covering material 10 is attached to the seat cushion pad 1a, the control device 24 is located at the front end or rear end below the seat cushion 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the control device 24 from causing a decrease in seating comfort.

[0032] The headrest 3 is a support member that supports the head of a seated occupant from behind. The headrest 3 has a headrest pillar (not shown) that serves as a core material of the headrest 3, and a padding material and a skin material that cover the headrest pillar.

[0033] <Method of Manufacturing Vehicle Seat> Next, a method of manufacturing the vehicle seat S1 will be described. First, a seat frame that forms the framework of the vehicle seat S1 is assembled. Specifically, a seat cushion frame, a seat back frame, and a headrest pillar that constitute the seat frame are assembled. Next, a padding material is placed on the seat frame. Specifically, a seat cushion pad 1a is placed on the seat cushion frame, and a seat back pad 2a is placed on the seat back frame.

[0034] Next, the cover material is prepared. Taking the seat back cover material 20 as an example, the seat back cover material 20 is sewn with the heater 23 and the control device 24 sandwiched between the seating surface side cover material 21 and the inner cover material 22. Next, hook-and-loop fasteners for attaching and detaching the seat back cover material 20 are attached, thereby completing the preparation of the seat back cover material 20 with the heater 23 and the control device 24 built in.

[0035] Next, the seat back covering material 20 is attached to the seat back pad 2a, completing the assembly of the seat back 2. The assembly of the seat cushion 1 is performed in a similar manner. The headrest 3 is assembled by covering the headrest pillar with a covering material and then filling it with unfoamed foam resin and foaming it. Finally, the seat cushion 1, seat back 2, and headrest 3 are connected to each other, completing the manufacture of the seat body of the vehicle seat S1.

[0036] While the vehicle seat S1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the heater 23, the massage device, and the vibration motor are given as specific examples of the electrical components built into the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seatback covering material 20. However, the electrical components are not limited to these. The electrical components may be a ventilation device or an occupant detection sensor that detects an occupant seated in the vehicle seat S1. The electrical components may also be biometric sensors that acquire biometric information (body temperature, heart rate, etc.) of the occupant.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20 are attached to the seat cushion pad 1a and the seat back pad 2a, respectively, via hook-and-loop fasteners. However, this is not limiting. The seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20 may be attached to the seat cushion pad 1a and the seat back pad 2a, respectively, via wire fasteners or may be attached using strings (e.g., rubber strings). This allows the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20 to be easily attached and removed.

[0039] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the control device 24 is described as being disposed at the end of the seatback covering material 20, but this is not limited to this. In addition to the control device 24, a pump device that sends compressed air to the massage device may be disposed at the end of the seatback covering material 20. Also, in addition to the control device 24, an air blowing device may be disposed at the end of the seatback covering material 20. This makes it possible to prevent the pump device or the air blowing device from making the seated occupant feel a foreign body sensation and thereby reducing seating comfort.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20 are described as having one type of built-in electrical component, but the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20 may have multiple types of built-in electrical components. This makes it possible to change the functions of the vehicle seat S1 more flexibly and easily by replacing the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20.

[0041] <First Modification> Next, a vehicle seat S1A according to a first modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle seat S1A according to the first modification, with the seat cushion covering material 10 and the seat back covering material 20A removed. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the seat back covering material 20A. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the seat back covering material 20A incorporates a heater 23 and multiple massage devices 26A. Each massage device 26A is an air bladder that expands when compressed air is injected and contracts when the compressed air is discharged. As shown in FIG. 6, the seat back covering material 20A has hook-and-loop fasteners 27A that hold the massage devices 26A in place. The hook-and-loop fasteners 27A hold the massage devices 26A in place and prevent the massage devices 26A from shifting position. Furthermore, by changing the position of the hook-and-loop fastener 27A, the position of the massage device 26A can be flexibly changed, thereby promoting blood flow in the seated occupant and effectively reducing fatigue. The hook-and-loop fastener 27A corresponds to a retaining member.

[0042] The hook-and-loop fastener 27A is attached to the seating surface side of the inner cover material 22A. In other words, the hook-and-loop fastener 27A is located on the opposite side of the seating surface from the massage device 26A. This makes it possible to prevent the hook-and-loop fastener 27A from making the seated occupant feel a foreign body sensation and thereby reducing the seating comfort of the vehicle seat S1A.

[0043] The seat back covering material 20A also has a slab 28A. The slab 28A is a foamed resin molded body and is provided inside the seating surface side covering material 21. This makes it possible to efficiently arrange the heater 23, massage device 26A, hook-and-loop fastener 27A, and slab 28A inside the seat back covering material 20A while preventing the slab 28A and the hook-and-loop fastener 27A from interfering with each other.

[0044] <Second Modification> Next, a vehicle seat S1B according to a second modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vehicle seat S1B according to the second modification with the seatback pad unit 30 removed. FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the seatback pad unit 30. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the seatback pad unit 30 is a replacement unit that can change the function of the vehicle seat S1B by attaching it to and detaching it from the seat back 2B. More specifically, the seatback pad unit 30 includes a padding material 31, a cover material 32 that covers the seating surface side of the padding material 31, and a resin mat 33. The padding material 31 has a storage compartment formed therein that can accommodate electrical components (not shown). The storage compartment can accommodate, but is not limited to, a heater 23. The storage compartment may also accommodate a blower device, a massage device 26A, or a vibration motor.

[0045] A control device 35 and a connection plug 36 for receiving electric energy for the control device 35 and the electrical components are disposed at the lower end of the seatback pad unit 30. Meanwhile, a seatback pad accommodating section 2Bd capable of accommodating and attaching the seatback pad unit 30 is formed in the lower portion of the seatback 2B, and a plug socket 2Be connectable to the connection plug 36 is provided. Therefore, electric energy can be supplied to the electrical components and the control device 35 built into the seatback pad unit 30 by inserting the connection plug 36 into the plug socket 2Be.

[0046] The control device 35 and the connection plug 36 are provided at the lower end of the seat back pad unit 30 on the side opposite to the seating surface (back side), so that it is possible to prevent the control device 35 and the connection plug 36 from making the seated occupant feel a foreign body sensation, thereby preventing a decrease in the seating comfort of the vehicle seat S1B.

[0047] <Third Modification> Next, a vehicle seat S1C according to a third modification will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a seat cushion pad unit 40 that is replaceably attached to the seat cushion 1C of the vehicle seat S1C according to the third modification. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of a method for attaching the seat cushion pad unit 40. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the seat cushion pad unit 40 is a replaceable unit that can change the function of the vehicle seat S1B by attaching it to and detaching it from the seat cushion 1C. More specifically, the seat cushion pad unit 40 includes a pad material 41, a cover material 42, and an engagement member 43.

[0048] An air flow path 41a through which air sent from the air blowing device flows may be formed in the pad material 41. The pad material 41 may also house a vibration motor 41b that transmits a warning signal to a seat occupant by a vibration device together with the air flow path 41a.

[0049] The lower end of the seat cushion pad unit 40 is provided with an engaging member 43 that can engage with a fixing hole F1a provided in the seat frame F1 (seat cushion frame). Therefore, the seat cushion pad unit 40, which is made of a foamed resin molded body, can be attached to or detached from the seat frame F1 by deforming the seat cushion pad unit 40 and inserting the engaging member 43 into and engaging the fixing hole F1a of the seat frame F1. This makes it possible to flexibly and easily change the flow path of air blown out by the air blowing device built into the vehicle seat S1B.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle seat S1 mounted on a vehicle is given as an example of a vehicle seat, and an example of the configuration thereof has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to seats mounted on ground vehicles having wheels such as automobiles and trains, and may also be applied to seats mounted on aircraft, ships, and other vehicles that move on non-ground surfaces, for example.

[0051] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 22. Patent document (U.S. Patent No. 10,011,205) discloses a vehicle seat having a seat back module modularized by an upholstery material, a padding material, and a back cover. As disclosed in the patent document, by adopting a modular structure, it is possible to suppress the manufacturing costs of vehicle seats, which are increasing in the number of parts and becoming more highly functional.

[0052] However, when a side airbag device is installed in a vehicle seat, a webbing to guide the deployment of the airbag module must be placed between the seatback frame and the upholstery material. This poses a problem in that a modular structure configured separately from the seatback frame cannot be adopted for a vehicle seat equipped with a side airbag device. Therefore, we provide a vehicle seat that includes a side airbag device and a seatback module configured separately from the seatback frame, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the vehicle seat.

[0053] <Overall Configuration of Vehicle Seat S2> Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the vehicle seat S2 according to the second embodiment, as seen from diagonally forward. As shown in Fig. 11, the vehicle seat S2 mainly comprises a seat cushion 101, a seat back 102, and a headrest 103. The seat cushion 101, the seat back 102, and the headrest 103 are collectively referred to as the seat body.

[0054] The seat cushion 101 is a support member that supports the buttocks of a seated occupant and supports the seated occupant from below. The seat cushion 101 mainly comprises a seat cushion frame (not shown) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 101, a seat cushion pad (not shown), and a seat cushion covering material 101a.

[0055] The seat back 102 is a support member that supports the back of a seated occupant from behind. As shown in Figure 12, the seat back 102 has a seat back frame 110 that forms the framework of the seat back 102, a front seat back module 120 that sandwiches the seat back frame 110 from the front and rear, and a rear seat back cover 140.

[0056] The seatback frame 110 is a frame body having a rectangular shape in a front view and includes left and right side frame portions 111, an upper frame portion 112 connecting the upper and lower ends of the left and right side frame portions 111, and a lower frame portion 113. In the following description, of the left and right side frame portions 111, the side frame portion 111 located on the left side will be referred to as the left side frame portion 111L, and the side frame portion 111 located on the right side will be referred to as the right side frame portion 111R. A side airbag device 150, which will be described later, is attached to the left side frame portion 111L.

[0057] The front seat back module 120 has a modular structure separate from the seat back frame 110. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 13, the front seat back module 120 has a padding material 121, a skin material 122 (see Fig. 14) that covers the front of the padding material 121, and a back cover 130 that supports the padding material 121 and the skin material 122 from the rear.

[0058] The padding 121 is a cushioning material made of a foamed resin molding. On both the left and right sides of the padding 121 in the seat width direction and at the lower portion, there are formed upholstery material hanging grooves 123 that are roughly U-shaped in a front view. The upholstery material 122 is made of a cloth material, leather material, or the like, and is formed by sewing a base cloth made of natural or synthetic fibers, for example. The upholstery material 122 is fixed to the upholstery material hanging grooves 123 formed in the padding 121 and covers the front of the padding 121.

[0059] The back cover 130 is a cover member made of hard resin, and serves as the base material of the front seat back module 120. In addition, assembly portions 131 are provided at the periphery of the back cover 130, spaced apart at regular intervals. The assembly portions 131 are fixed to assembly receiving portions 141 (see FIG. 12 ) provided on the rear seat back cover 140, whereby the front seat back module 120 and the rear seat back cover 140 are assembled to the front and rear of the seat back frame 110.

[0060] A generally rectangular opening 132 is formed in the center of the back cover 130, and a pressure-receiving member 133 is attached to cover the opening from the front. The pressure-receiving member 133 is flexible, and can deform and move rearward of the opening 132 when subjected to the weight of a seated person. This allows the seated person to sit without feeling the rigidity of the back cover 130.

[0061] 12 , the rear seat back cover 140 is a cover member made of hard resin, and supports the seat back frame 110 and the front seat back module 120 from the rear. A plurality of mounting portions 141 are provided on the periphery of the rear seat back cover 140, and are mounted to mounting portions 131 provided on the back cover 130. An opening 142 is formed in the center of the rear seat back cover 140, which ensures the rigidity required for the seat back 2 while reducing the weight of the seat back 2.

[0062] <Side Airbag Device 150> Next, the side airbag device 150 will be described. Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of the seat back 2. As shown in Figure 14, the side airbag device 150 has an airbag module 151 that deploys and inflates when an external impact is applied, and a webbing 156 that guides the deployment direction of the airbag module 151. The airbag module 151 has an airbag 151a formed of an inflatable bag body, an inflator 152 that supplies gas to the airbag 151a, and a harness 153 that is connected to the inflator 152 and supplies ignition power to the inflator 152.

[0063] The airbag 151a is a bag that, when an impact is applied to the side of the vehicle, expands forward from a folded state by gas being supplied from the inflator 152. The inflated airbag 151a expands in the direction guided by the webbing 156, and further expands while rupturing the skin material 122, thereby becoming a shock absorber that protects the occupant.

[0064] The webbing 156 is made of a material that has little stretch and is stronger than the upholstery material 122, such as a woven or nonwoven fabric made of polyester-based or polyamide-based fibers, and serves to guide the deployment direction of the side airbag device 150. Conventionally, the webbing 156 has been fixed so as to span between the tear line 122a of the upholstery material 122 and the left side frame portion 111L to which the side airbag device 150 is attached. For this reason, it has not been possible to configure the front seatback module 120 by adopting a modular structure separate from the seatback frame 110.

[0065] The webbing 156 according to the second embodiment has one end (front end 156a) fixed to the tear line 122a (tear line) of the upholstery material 122 and the other end (rear end 156b) fixed to the back cover 130. When the airbag 151a begins to deploy and inflate forward, the webbing 156 guides the airbag 151a so that it inflates toward the opening OP formed between the front pad material 121F and the side pad material 121S. This causes the airbag 151a to inflate from the inside toward the outside of the opening OP, compressing the upholstery material 122 outward. As a result, the tear line 122a provided in the upholstery material 122 ruptures, and the airbag 151a becomes an impact absorber covering the side of the vehicle seat S2.

[0066] Furthermore, the rear end 156b of the webbing 156 is fixed to the first notch portion 135 of the back cover 130. Therefore, it is not necessary to fix the webbing 156 so that it spans between the front seat back module 120 and the seat back frame 110, which makes it possible to adopt a modular structure for the front seat back module 120.

[0067] Here, the back cover 130 has a first notch portion 135 and a second notch portion 136, and can be deformed to bend in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat by rotating about the first notch portion 135 and the second notch portion 136. The back cover 130, which is made of a hard synthetic resin, bends in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat, thereby preventing the back cover 130 from impeding the movement of the occupant's upper body sinking rearward during a side collision. This also reduces variation in the amount of rearward movement of the occupant's head and upper body, making it possible to improve the safety of the occupant during a side collision.

[0068] Furthermore, the rear end portion 156b of the webbing 156 may be fixed to a position other than the first notch portion 135 of the back cover 130. Figure 15 shows a modified example of the fixing position of the rear end portion 156b of the webbing 156. In Figure 15, the rear end portion 156b of the webbing 156 is fixed to the front end portion 134 of the back cover 130. Furthermore, the rear end portion 156b of the webbing 156 may be fixed to the second notch portion 136, or may be fixed between the first notch portion 135 and the second notch portion 136. Even in this case, the webbing 156 and the back cover 130 can cooperate to guide the deployment of the airbag 151a.

[0069] Alternatively, the webbing 156 may be directly fixed to the padding 121. FIG. 16 shows another modified example of the fixing position of the rear end 156b of the webbing 156. As shown in FIG. 16, the rear end 156b of the webbing 156 may be fixed via a hogress clip 124 provided inside a webbing suspending groove 121b formed in the padding 121. The hogress clip 124 is fixed by being partially embedded in the innermost part of the webbing suspending groove 121b and is provided integrally with the padding 121. The hogress clip 124 has a generally V-shaped cross section, and a holding portion 124a is provided at the top of the hogress clip 124 to hold the arrowhead-shaped tip of the suspending member 156c. Even when the rear end 156b of the webbing 156 is fixed to the padding 121 in this manner, the webbing 156 can still guide the deployment of the airbag 151a.

[0070] 16, the webbing hanging groove 121b is provided in a position facing the front of the airbag module 151, but the position of the webbing hanging groove 121b is not limited to this. As indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 16, the webbing hanging groove 121b may be provided to the right of the upholstery material hanging groove 123 in the seat width direction, or may be disposed between the upholstery material hanging groove 123 and the left side frame portion 111L.

[0071] <<Fixing Structure of Airbag Module 151>> Next, the fixing structure of the airbag module 151 will be described with reference to Fig. 17 to Fig. 22. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the airbag module 151, and Fig. 18 is a front view of the airbag module 151.

[0072] 17 and 18 , the airbag module 151 has a box-like shape that extends in the vertical direction. An upper fixing member 154U and a lower fixing member 154D that can be engaged with the side frame portion 111 of the seatback frame 110 are attached to a right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151. Since the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D have the same shape and dimensions, in the following description, unless it is necessary to distinguish between the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D, they will simply be referred to as fixing members 154.

[0073] The fixing member 154 is a synthetic resin hook piece that protrudes rightward from the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151, but is not limited to this. The fixing member 154 may be a metal hook piece as long as it has sufficient rigidity to secure and hold the airbag module 151 to the seatback frame 110. More specifically, the fixing member 154 has an extension portion 154a extending rightward from the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151, a curved portion 154b located at the right end, and a tip portion 154c that extends from the curved portion 154b and bends back in the opposite direction (left side). As shown in FIG. 18 , a gap G is formed between the tip portion 154c and the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151. The dimension of the gap G is approximately equal to the thickness of the left side frame portion 111L of the seatback frame 110.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 19 , the left side frame portion 111L is provided with a pair of mounting holes 111a for mounting the airbag module 151. The mounting holes 111a penetrate the left side frame portion 111L and include a first mounting hole 111a1 having a larger vertical dimension and a second mounting hole 111a2 having a smaller vertical dimension. More specifically, the first mounting hole 111a1 is sized to allow the extension portion 154a, curved portion 154b, and tip portion 154c of the fixing member 154 to pass therethrough. Meanwhile, the second mounting hole 111a2 is sized to allow only the tip portion 154c of the fixing member 154 to pass therethrough. Therefore, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 20 to 22 , the airbag module 151 can be fixed to the left side frame portion 111L by inserting the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D of the airbag module 151 into the mounting holes 111a.

[0075] Here, the side frame portion 111 is formed with a reinforcing groove 111b that reinforces the side frame portion 111 and a through-hole 111c that penetrates the side frame portion 111. This allows the side frame portion 111 to be lightweight while maintaining the necessary rigidity.

[0076] Next, a method for fixing the airbag module 151 to the side frame portion 111 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 to 22. As shown in FIG. 20, first, the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D of the airbag module 151 are positioned so as to face a pair of first mounting holes 111a1 formed in the left side frame portion 111L. Next, as shown in FIG. 21, the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D are inserted through the mounting holes 111a. More specifically, the upper fixing member 154U and the lower fixing member 154D are inserted through the first mounting holes 111a1 until the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151 abuts against the left side frame portion 111L.

[0077] Next, as shown in FIG. 22 , the airbag module 151 is slid downward relative to the left side frame portion 111L, and the tip portion 154c is inserted into the second mounting hole 111a2. As described above, a gap G having a dimension substantially equal to the thickness of the side frame portion 111 is formed between the tip portion 154c of the fixing member 154 and the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151. Therefore, the airbag module 151 can be slid downward while the right side surface 151b of the airbag module 151 is in contact with the side frame portion 111. Furthermore, the second mounting hole 111a2 has a dimension that allows the tip portion 154c to be inserted therethrough. Therefore, by sliding the airbag module 151 downward, the tip portion 154c can be inserted into the second mounting hole 111a2. At this time, the extension portion 154a abuts against the lower end of the first mounting hole 111a1. Therefore, the airbag module 151 is fixed in a state in which the extension portion 154a and the tip portion 154c are positioned by the first mounting hole 111a1 and the second mounting hole 111a2, respectively.

[0078] <First Modification> Next, a vehicle seat S2A according to a first modification will be described with reference to Fig. 23. As shown in Fig. 23, a seat back 102A of the vehicle seat S2A has a front seat back module 120A, a rear seat back module 160A, and first and second hook-and-loop fasteners 125A and 162A that join the front and rear seat back modules together.

[0079] The front seat back module 120A has a modular structure including a pad material 121, a skin material 122 that covers the front of the pad material 121, and a back cover 130 that covers the rear of the pad material 121. In addition, a first hook-and-loop fastener 125A is attached to the joint portion of the front seat back module 120A that joins with a rear seat back module 160A, which will be described later.

[0080] On the other hand, the rear seatback module 160A has a seatback frame 110, a side airbag device 150A, and an upholstery material 161A, and has a modular structure separate from the front seatback module 120A. The airbag module 151 is attached to the left side frame portion 111L of the seatback frame 110 via a housing 155A that houses and supports the airbag module 151. A breaking portion 155Aa is formed in the housing 155A. Therefore, when the airbag 151a begins to deploy, it presses the housing 155A from the inside, breaking the breaking portion 155Aa of the housing 155A and the intended breaking portion 161Aa provided in the upholstery material 161A, and becomes an impact absorber covering the side of the vehicle seat S2A.

[0081] Additionally, second hook-and-loop fasteners 162A are attached to rear seatback module 160A at positions corresponding to first hook-and-loop fasteners 125A. Therefore, front seatback module 120A and rear seatback module 160A are manufactured separately and finally connected by joining first hook-and-loop fasteners 125A and second hook-and-loop fasteners 125B. This makes it possible to suppress increases in the manufacturing costs of vehicle seat S2A, which has seen an increase in the number of parts in recent years.

[0082] Furthermore, a guide member for guiding the joining of the front seat back module 120A and the rear seat back module 160A may be provided at each of the joints of the front seat back module 120A and the rear seat back module 160A. To explain this in concrete terms, as shown in Fig. 24, a guide band 126A may be provided between a rear end 120Aa of the front seat back module 120A and a front end 160Aa of the rear seat back module 160A.

[0083] The guide strip 126A is a strip-shaped body connected to the rear end 120Aa of the front seatback module 120A and the front end 160Aa of the rear seatback module 160A. The guide strip 126A has a length equal to the distance between the rear end 120Aa of the front seatback module 120A and the front end 160Aa of the rear seatback module 160A when the front seatback module 120A and the rear seatback module 160A are joined together. Therefore, by joining the front seatback module 120A and the rear seatback module 160A with both ends of the guide strip 126A at their furthest apart, it is possible to join the two modules together in the appropriate positions.

[0084] <Second Modification> Next, a vehicle seat S2B according to a second modification will be described with reference to Fig. 25. As shown in Fig. 25, a seat back 102B of the vehicle seat S2B according to the second modification has a front seat back module 120B, a seat back frame 110, a rear seat back cover 140B, and an airbag device 150B.

[0085] The front seat back module 120B has a modular structure including a padding material 121, a skin material 122 that covers the front of the padding material 121, and a back cover 130 that covers the rear of the padding material 121. The skin material 122 covers the front of the padding material 121 and is interposed between the padding material 121 and the back cover 130. The skin material 122 is fixed to the seating surface side of the back cover 130 at a position extending inward (to the right) of the airbag module 151 in the seat width direction. This allows the skin material 122 to be firmly connected to the back cover 130. The skin material 122 is fixed to the back cover 130 by sewing, but is not limited to this. The skin material 122 may also be fixed to the back cover 130 using an adhesive.

[0086] The seatback frame 110 and the airbag device 150B are fixed to the rear seatback cover 140B via a support 156B that supports both. When the airbag module 151 begins to deploy upon receiving an external impact, the airbag module 151 inflates toward the opening OP (gap) formed between the upholstery material 122 of the front seatback module 120B and the rear seatback cover 140B, and serves as an impact absorber that covers the side of the vehicle seat S2B. Here, because the upholstery material 122 is fixed to the seating surface side of the back cover 130 as described above, the airbag module 151 passes through the opening OP without breaking the upholstery material 122, and can quickly cover the side of the vehicle seat S2B.

[0087] The following additional notes are made regarding the second embodiment described with reference to Figures 11 to 25. The vehicle seat is equipped with a seat back having a padding material and a skin material covering the front of the padding material, and is provided with an airbag device having an airbag module that starts to deploy and inflate when an impact is applied, and a webbing that guides the deployment of the airbag module, one end of the webbing being fixed to a portion of the skin material to be broken and the other end being fixed to a fixing member provided inside a webbing hanging groove provided in the padding material.

[0088] A vehicle seat equipped with a seat back having a padding material, a skin material covering the front of the padding material, and a rear cover member covering the rear of the padding material, and an airbag device having an airbag module that begins to deploy and inflate when an impact is applied, and a webbing that guides the deployment of the airbag module, one end of the webbing being fixed to a portion of the skin material that is intended to break, and the other end being fixed to the rear cover member.

[0089] The other end of the webbing is fixed to the front end of the rear cover member. The rear cover member has a pivot shaft that is deformable by pivoting around the pivot shaft. The other end of the webbing is fixed to the pivot shaft of the rear cover member.

[0090] The vehicle seat also includes a front module having the padding, the upholstery, and a rear cover member, a rear module having a seatback frame forming the framework of the seatback and the airbag device, and a holding member that joins and holds the front module and the rear module together. The vehicle seat also includes a guide member that guides the joining position of the front module and the rear module. One end of the upholstery is fixed to the rear cover member, and a gap is formed between the upholstery and a rear support member that supports the rear module from behind.

[0091] The airbag device also has a hook member that protrudes laterally, and the hook member has an extension portion that extends laterally from the airbag device, a curved portion located at the end of the side, and a tip portion that extends from the curved portion and folds back to the opposite side from the side, and the seatback frame is formed with a first through hole through which the extension portion, the curved portion, and the tip portion of the hook member can be inserted, and a second through hole through which the tip portion can be inserted but which cannot insert the extension portion and the curved portion.

[0092] S1, S1A, S1B, S1C, S2, S2A, S2B Vehicle seat F1 Seat frame F1a Fixing hole 1, 1C Seat cushion 1a Seat cushion pad 1b First upholstery material hanging groove 1c Second upholstery material hanging groove 2, 2B Seat back 2a Seat back pad 2b First upholstery material hanging groove 2c Second upholstery material hanging groove 2Bd Seat back pad storage portion 2Be Plug socket 3 Headrest 10 Seat cushion upholstery material 20, 20A Seat back upholstery material 21 Seating surface side upholstery material 22, 22A Inner upholstery material 23 Heater 24 Control device 25 Electric cable 26A Massage device 27A Hook and loop fastener (retaining member) 28A Slab 30 Seat back pad unit 31 Pad material 32 Cover material 33 Resin mat 35 Control device 36 Connection plug 40 Seat cushion pad unit 41 Pad material 41a Air flow path 41b Vibration motor 42 Cover material 43 Engagement member 101 Seat cushion 101a Seat cushion cover material 102, 102A Seat back 103 Headrest 110 Seat back frame 111 Side frame portion 111L Left side frame portion 111R Right side frame portion 111a Mounting hole 111a1 First mounting hole 111a2 Second mounting hole 111b Reinforcement groove 111c Through hole 112 Upper frame portion 113 Lower frame portion 120, 120A Front seat back module 120Aa Rear end portion 121 Pad material 121F Front pad material 121S DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SIGNS 121b Webbing hanging groove 122 Cover material 122a Planned rupture portion 123 Cover material hanging groove 124 Hogless clip 125A First surface fastener 126A Guide band 130 Back cover 131 Attachment portion 132 Opening 133 Pressure-receiving member 134 Front end portion 135 First notch portion 136 Second notch portion 140 Rear seat back cover 141 Attached portion 142 Opening 150, 150A Side airbag device 151 Airbag module 151a Airbag 151b Right side surface 152 Inflator 153 Harness 154 Fixing member 154U Upper fixing member 154D Lower fixing member 154a Extension portion154b Curved portion 154c Tip portion 155A Storage body 155Aa Breaking portion 156B Support body 156 Webbing 156a Front end portion 156b Rear end portion 156c Hanging member 160A Rear seat back module 160Aa Front end portion 161A Upholstery material 161Aa Breaking portion 162A Second hook-and-loop fastener G Gap OP Opening

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a padding material and a covering material covering the padding material, wherein the covering material is detachable from the padding material, and wherein electrical components and a control device for controlling the operation of the electrical components are disposed inside the covering material, and the control device is disposed at an end of the covering material.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering material is provided on a seat back and a seat cushion, and the electrical components arranged inside the covering material attached to the seat back and the electrical components arranged inside the covering material attached to the seat cushion are connected via a harness.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the covering material has a holding member for holding the electrical components.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the retaining member is disposed on the opposite side of the seating surface of the vehicle seat from the electrical component.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the covering material has a slab, and the slab is disposed on the seating surface side relative to the electrical components.

Images