Vehicle seat and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

An objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat configured such that a structure for assembling a member covering a non-seating surface side to a seat main body comprises sufficient assembly rigidity, and a method for manufacturing the same. A vehicle seat (1) comprises a main body portion and a non-seating surface cover member (7) that at least partially covers a non-seating surface of the main body portion. The non-seating surface cover member (7) is provided with a fixed edge portion (27a) fixed to the main body portion, and a latched portion (28) latched to the main body portion at a position separated from the fixed edge portion (27a). In one embodiment of the present invention, the main body portion is a seat back main body, and the non-seating surface cover member (7) comprises: a backboard (26) including the latched portion (28); and a second skin material (27) that is attached to left and right side edges of the backboard (26) and includes the fixed edge portion (27a).

Description

Vehicle seat and method for manufacturing the same

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

[0002] Conventionally, various structures have been proposed as attachment structures for members on the rear surface side, which is the non-seating surface side of the seat back, to the seat back body.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses attaching a back cover to a seat back frame by locking a rising piece rising from the back cover to a wire member insert-molded into a back pad and engaging a latching hook and a clip protruding from the back cover with the seat back frame.

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses inserting left and right convex portions formed at the lower portion of a back board into left and right concave portions formed at the lower portion of a seat back pad, tilting the back board with the rotation axis of the lower portion of the back board formed by the concave and convex portions as the rotation center, aligning a through hole provided at the upper portion of the back board and a through hole provided at the upper portion of the seat back pad with each other, and inserting a bush into both through holes to attach the back board to the seat back pad.

[0005] In order to provide an immersive acoustic experience and sounds tailored to the needs of each occupant, a speaker device may be provided in a vehicle seat.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses a vehicle speaker structure including a speaker device having a speaker body and a speaker grill, and a seat back.

[0007] The seat back disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a seat pad and a seat cover covering the seat pad. A plurality of wire-shaped reinforcing members are embedded in the seat pad. A through hole penetrating front and rear is provided at the upper portion of the seat pad, and the speaker body is fixed behind the through hole via a holding bracket to a rear shelf of the seat back.

[0008] Patent Document 4 discloses a vehicle seat provided with a seat back having a speaker installed therein.

[0009] The seat back disclosed in Patent Document 4 comprises a frame, a pad member supported by the frame, and a surface covering provided on the outer surface of the pad member. The pad member has an opening that penetrates from front to back, similar to that in Patent Document 1, and a speaker is installed behind the opening. The speaker is fixed to the frame via a speaker bracket.

[0010] Patent Document 5 discloses a door trim equipped with an armrest. The armrest is formed to bulge inward towards the vehicle interior and is used as an elbow rest for the occupant. The armrest is provided with a storage compartment that is open at the top.

[0011] The storage compartment has a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall. One of the side walls is provided with an inclined surface on which electronic devices such as smartphones are placed. A coil (power supply coil) is embedded in this inclined surface to transmit power to the electronic device and charge it without contact.

[0012] Patent document 6 discloses an armrest that is installed in the rear seat of a four-wheeled vehicle and is rotatably attached to the seat back.

[0013] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-189975, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2024-115294, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2021-23463, Japanese Patent No. 7040317, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-094027, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-113677

[0014] However, the structure described in Patent Document 1 required simultaneous alignment of multiple points, which meant that assembly was not easy. In the structure described in Patent Document 2, the backboard was fixed to the seat back pad only at its outer edge, which could result in insufficient assembly rigidity.

[0015] In view of the above background, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a vehicle seat and a method for manufacturing the same, configured such that the assembly structure of the member covering the non-seat surface to the seat body has sufficient assembly rigidity. Another aspect of the present invention aims to facilitate the assembly work of the member covering the non-seat surface to the seat body.

[0016] To solve the above problems, a vehicle seat (1) according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body (6) having a frame (11), a pad (13) supported by the frame, and a first surface material (14) covering the seating surface side of the pad, and a non-seat surface cover member (7) that at least partially covers the non-seat surface of the main body, wherein the non-seat surface cover member comprises a fixed edge portion (27a) fixed to the main body and a locking portion (28) that is locked to the main body at a position spaced apart from the fixed edge portion.

[0017] According to this embodiment, the rigidity of the non-seat surface cover member when assembled to the seat body is improved by fixing the locking portion and the fixed edge portion.

[0018] In the above embodiment, the vehicle seat (1) comprises a seat back (4) that supports the back of a sitter, comprising the main body (6) and the non-seat surface cover member (7), the non-seat surface cover member comprising a backboard (26) including the locking portion and a second surface material (27) attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and including the fixing edge portion, the main body comprises a locking portion (29) for locking the locking portion, one of the locking portion and the locking portion comprises a through hole (28), the other of the locking portion and the locking portion comprises a claw portion (29) inserted into the through hole, and the fixing edge portion (27a) of the second surface material may be fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener (23).

[0019] In this embodiment, the second surface material can be fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener while the locking portion is temporarily holding the backboard in place via the locked portion, thus facilitating the assembly of the non-seat surface cover member to the main body (seat back body).

[0020] In the above embodiment, the main body (6) further comprises a back bracket (24) attached to the frame (11) and having the locking portion, and the claw portion (29) may have a wall portion (32) extending in the vertical direction.

[0021] According to this embodiment, since the back bracket is provided with a claw portion, there is a high degree of design freedom in terms of the position of the claw portion, and a claw portion with sufficient rigidity can be obtained.

[0022] In the above embodiment, the locking portion (29) comprises the claw portion (29), the locked portion (28) comprises the through hole (28), the claw portion comprises a bottom portion (31) and a wall portion (32) extending upward from the bottom portion, and is inserted through the through hole (28) from front to rear, and the backboard (26) may be provided at a position adjacent to above the through hole and may have a recess (30) that is recessed toward the front and receives at least partially the wall portion.

[0023] According to this embodiment, when attaching the backboard to the claw portion of the back bracket, the worker can see the claw portion through the through hole, thus improving the workability of assembly. In addition, since the claw portion is at least partially received in the recess, the assembly structure can be made thinner. Furthermore, the presence of the recess makes the backboard more flexible, which helps to suppress damage to the claw portion.

[0024] In the above embodiment, the through hole (28) is configured as an elongated hole having a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and the through hole may have a longitudinal length that is longer than the left-right length of the recess (30).

[0025] In this embodiment, the through-hole is long from left to right, making it easy to insert the claw portion during assembly, and the recess is shorter from left to right compared to the through-hole, allowing the backboard to be positioned in the left-right direction by the recess.

[0026] In the above embodiment, the backboard (26) has a notch (9) formed downward from the upper edge, and the lower edge of the notch may have a first lower edge (36) positioned offset in the left-right direction with respect to the through hole (28), and a second lower edge (37) provided above the through hole and positioned above the first lower edge.

[0027] In this embodiment, since the backboard is located above the through-hole, the lowering of the backboard due to the provision of the through-hole is suppressed.

[0028] In the above embodiment, the backboard (26) further comprises at least one electrical component (38) and a plurality of routing members (39) connected to the at least one electrical component, wherein the backboard (26) has an upward extension (35) that extends upward from the extension line of the first lower edge when viewed from the rear and has the second lower edge as its upper end, and the plurality of routing members have a binding portion (41) that is bundled together with each other, and the upward extension may be configured to face the back bracket (24) in the front-rear direction, with its upper end tilted backward with respect to the opposing portion of the back bracket, and to cover the binding portion from the rear.

[0029] According to this embodiment, the upward extension protects the binding portion, and because the upward extension is tilted backward, the arrangement of the securing member becomes easier, and the upward extension is less likely to put a load on the binding portion.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the claw portion (29) may have an upper end portion (33) that extends upward from the upper end of the wall portion (32) so as to bend backward relative to the wall portion (32).

[0031] In this embodiment, the upper end portion extending diagonally upward and backward makes it easier to insert the claw portion into the through hole.

[0032] In the above embodiment, the claw portion (29) may be provided with a rib (34) extending from the upper surface of the bottom portion (31) to the front surface of the wall portion (32).

[0033] In this embodiment, the ribs improve the rigidity of the claw portion.

[0034] In the above embodiment, an airbag device (15) may be further provided, which is positioned in front of the wire fastener (23) within the seat back (4).

[0035] According to this embodiment, when the airbag device is activated, the bag body of the airbag device 15 is prevented from unfolding from the zipper 23 instead of from its original position.

[0036] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a vehicle seat (1) having a seat back (4), wherein the seat back comprises a seat back body (6) having a frame (11), a pad (12) supported by the frame, and a first surface material (14) covering the seating surface side of the pad, and a non-seat surface cover member (7) that covers at least partially the non-seat surface of the seat back body, wherein the non-seat surface cover member comprises a backboard having a through hole (28) that is locked to the seat back body, and a second surface material (27) having fixing edge portions (27a) attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener (23), and the manufacturing method comprises the steps of locking the backboard to the seat back body such that a claw portion (29) provided on the seat back body is inserted into the through hole provided on the backboard, and fixing the second surface material to the first surface material by the wire fastener.

[0037] According to this embodiment, when attaching the backboard to the claw portion, the worker can see the claw portion through the through hole, thus improving the workability of assembly. With the claw portion temporarily holding the backboard in place through the through hole, the second surface material can be fixed to the first surface material by the wire fastener, making it easier to assemble the non-seat surface cover member to the seat back body. The locking of the backboard by the claw portion and the fixing of the first and second surface materials by the wire fastener improve the assembly rigidity of the non-seat surface cover member to the seat body.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the through hole (28) is provided on the upper part of the backboard (26), and the wire fastener (23) may be configured such that the first surface material (14) and the second surface material (27) engage with each other from bottom to top during the fixing step.

[0039] According to this embodiment, in the temporary fixed state in which the claw portion locks the backboard, the engagement of the teeth of the wire fastener can be started from the lower part, where the backboard is relatively easy to displace, thus facilitating the fixing of the second surface material to the first surface material by the wire fastener.

[0040] As disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4, a vehicle seat provided with a speaker device is provided with a frame structure for supporting a pad member and a frame structure for supporting the speaker device. Therefore, there is a problem that the structure of the vehicle seat becomes complicated.

[0041] In view of the above background, an aspect of the present invention aims to support a speaker device and a pad member in a simple configuration in a vehicle seat.

[0042] In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat (101), comprising a seat body (102) having a frame (122), a pad member (111) supported by the frame, and a skin material (112) covering the outer surface of the pad member, and a speaker device (103). A wire member (133) for supporting at least a part of the speaker device is provided on the frame, and a hook portion (192, 192A, 192B, 192C) hooked on the wire member is provided on the pad member.

[0043] According to this aspect, since the speaker device and the pad member are supported by a common wire member, the speaker device and the pad member can be supported in a simple configuration.

[0044] In the above aspect, preferably, the hook portion has a surface facing in the vertical direction and is constituted by a plate piece extending toward the wire member.

[0045] According to this aspect, the pad member can be hooked on the wire member with a simple configuration.

[0046] In the above aspect, preferably, at least two of the hook portions are spaced apart from each other on the pad member.

[0047] According to this aspect, since the pad member is hooked on the wire member via two or more hook portions, the pad member can be stably supported on the wire member.

[0048] In the above aspect, preferably, the wire member has left and right frame portions (133C) extending in the left - right direction on the front side of the frame, the pad member includes a pad front portion (111A) disposed in front of the frame, and the engaging portion extends rearward from the upper edge of the pad front portion and is hooked on the upper surface of the frame.

[0049] According to this aspect, the pad member can be well supported by the wire member.

[0050] In the above aspect, preferably, the pad front portion is disposed in front of the speaker device, and the pad member includes a pad left side portion located on the left side of the speaker device and a pad right side portion located on the right side of the speaker device.

[0051] According to this aspect, the speaker device can be surrounded by the pad member from the front and the left and right sides.

[0052] In the above aspect, preferably, the pad member is provided with three engaging portions (192A, 192B, 192C) arranged side - by - side with a space therebetween, and the width of the engaging portion (92A) located at the center in the left - right direction is larger than that of the other engaging portions.

[0053] According to this aspect, between the two engaging portions located at both ends, the pad member can be well supported by the wire member.

[0054] In the above aspect, preferably, the pad member is provided with a protruding portion (196) that protrudes rearward below the engaging portion and cooperates with the engaging portion to sandwich the wire member.

[0055] According to this aspect, the pad member can be well supported by the wire member.

[0056] In the above aspect, preferably, the protruding portion is provided with an inclined surface (196A) that slopes downward rearward on the upper surface.

[0057] According to this aspect, the assembly workability of the pad member is improved.

[0058] In the above embodiment, preferably, there is a connecting portion (135) that is directly connected to the left and right frame portions and supports the speaker device on the left and right frame portions, and a slit (94) is formed in the hook portion to avoid the connecting portion.

[0059] According to this embodiment, the connecting part and the hooking part can be positioned in an overlapping location, allowing for a compact vehicle seat design.

[0060] In the above embodiment, preferably, the pad member includes a pad side portion located on either the left or right side of the frame, the hook portion is provided on the upper edge of the pad side portion, the hook portion extends inward from the upper edge of the pad side portion to the left and right, and is hooked onto the upper surface of the wire member (200).

[0061] According to this embodiment, the pad member can be connected to the wire member from the left and right directions.

[0062] In relation to the technologies described in Patent Documents 5 and 6, it is conceivable to install electrical components such as power supply coils on an armrest that is rotatably attached to the seatback. In such cases, it is necessary to route the harness connected to the electrical components in a way that does not interfere with the rotation of the armrest.

[0063] In view of the above background, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide an armrest and a vehicle seat that allow harnesses connected to electrical components to be routed in a position that does not easily interfere with rotation.

[0064] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides an armrest (215) rotatably mounted on a vehicle seat (201), comprising an armrest body (220) and an electrical component (218) supported by the armrest body, wherein the armrest body has a pivot shaft (234) rotatably connected to the vehicle seat and a harness hole (322) around the pivot shaft through which harnesses (277, 277B) connected to the electrical component pass.

[0065] According to this embodiment, since a harness hole can be provided near the pivot axis, the harness connected to the electrical components can be routed in a position that does not easily interfere with rotation.

[0066] In the above embodiment, preferably, the armrest body is provided with a heat dissipation hole (261) that extends from the electrical component and opens through an opening (267) provided on the outer surface, and a harness fixing part (324A) for fixing the harness is provided at a position opposite to the opening.

[0067] According to this embodiment, the harness can be easily secured.

[0068] In the above embodiment, preferably, the harness fixing portion is provided on the opening side of the heat dissipation hole with respect to the pivot axis.

[0069] According to this embodiment, the harness fixing part can be provided in a position that is easily visible from the opening.

[0070] In the above embodiment, preferably, the harness includes a power receiving harness (277A) provided on the side of the electrical component and a power supply harness (277B) provided on the side of the vehicle seat and connected to the power receiving harness, wherein the power supply harness is provided with a power supply connector (314), the power receiving harness is provided with a power receiving connector (316) that is coupled to the power supply connector, and a connector fixing portion (324B) is provided at a position facing the opening for fixing at least one of the power supply connector and the power receiving connector.

[0071] According to this embodiment, the power supply connector and the power receiving connector can be fixed to the armrest body.

[0072] In the above embodiment, preferably, the connector fixing portion is located on the opening side with respect to the pivot axis.

[0073] According to this embodiment, the connector fixing portion can be provided in a position that is easily visible from the opening.

[0074] In the above embodiment, preferably, the armrest body is provided with a receiving hole (320) for receiving the harness and connected to the heat dissipation hole.

[0075] According to this embodiment, the harness can be guided to a position that is easily visible from the opening.

[0076] In the above embodiment, preferably, the armrest body is provided with a cover member (269) that covers the opening.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the harness fixing portion can be protected.

[0078] In the above embodiment, preferably, the armrest body comprises a trim member (350) positioned along at least a portion of the edge of the opening, and a surface material (225) connected to the trim member and covering at least a portion of the armrest body.

[0079] According to this embodiment, the surface material can be well provided on the armrest body.

[0080] In the above embodiment, preferably, the lower part of the armrest body includes a lower body portion (306) and an upper body portion (304) connected to the upper side of the lower body portion, and the harness hole is formed by the gap between the lower body portion and the upper body portion.

[0081] According to this embodiment, harness holes can be easily formed inside the armrest.

[0082] In the above embodiment, preferably, the electrical component is comprised of a power supply device (218) for supplying power to the terminal.

[0083] According to this embodiment, power can be supplied to the terminal using electrical components provided on the armrest.

[0084] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle seat (201) having an armrest, comprising a seat back (213) and a seat cushion (214), wherein the armrest is rotatably connected to the seat back by a pivot axis about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and the seat back is provided with a storage recess (216) for housing the armrest.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the harness connected to the electrical components can be routed in a position that does not easily interfere with rotation, and a vehicle seat equipped with a retractable armrest can be provided.

[0086] To solve the above problems, a vehicle seat (1) according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body (6) having a frame (11), a pad (13) supported by the frame, and a first surface material (14) covering the seating surface side of the pad, and a non-seat surface cover member (7) that at least partially covers the non-seat surface of the main body, wherein the non-seat surface cover member comprises a fixed edge portion (27a) fixed to the main body and a locking portion (28) that is locked to the main body at a position spaced apart from the fixed edge portion.

[0087] According to this embodiment, the rigidity of the non-seat surface cover member when assembled to the seat body is improved by fixing the locking portion and the fixed edge portion.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the vehicle seat (1) comprises a seat back (4) that supports the back of a sitter, comprising the main body (6) and the non-seat surface cover member (7), the non-seat surface cover member comprising a backboard (26) including the locking portion and a second surface material (27) attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and including the fixing edge portion, the main body comprises a locking portion (29) for locking the locking portion, one of the locking portion and the locking portion comprises a through hole (28), the other of the locking portion and the locking portion comprises a claw portion (29) inserted into the through hole, and the fixing edge portion (27a) of the second surface material may be fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener (23).

[0089] In this embodiment, the second surface material can be fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener while the locking portion is temporarily holding the backboard in place via the locked portion, thus facilitating the assembly of the non-seat surface cover member to the main body (seat back body).

[0090] In the above embodiment, the main body (6) further comprises a back bracket (24) attached to the frame (11) and having the locking portion, and the claw portion (29) may have a wall portion (32) extending in the vertical direction.

[0091] According to this embodiment, since the back bracket is provided with a claw portion, there is a high degree of design freedom in terms of the position of the claw portion, and a claw portion with sufficient rigidity can be obtained.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the locking portion (29) comprises the claw portion (29), the locked portion (28) comprises the through hole (28), the claw portion comprises a bottom portion (31) and a wall portion (32) extending upward from the bottom portion, and is inserted through the through hole (28) from front to rear, and the backboard (26) may be provided at a position adjacent to above the through hole and may have a recess (30) that is recessed toward the front and receives at least partially the wall portion.

[0093] According to this embodiment, when attaching the backboard to the claw portion of the back bracket, the worker can see the claw portion through the through hole, thus improving the workability of assembly. In addition, since the claw portion is at least partially received in the recess, the assembly structure can be made thinner. Furthermore, the presence of the recess makes the backboard more flexible, which helps to suppress damage to the claw portion.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the through hole (28) is configured as an elongated hole having a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and the through hole may have a longitudinal length that is longer than the left-right length of the recess (30).

[0095] In this embodiment, the through-hole is long from left to right, making it easy to insert the claw portion during assembly, and the recess is shorter from left to right compared to the through-hole, allowing the backboard to be positioned in the left-right direction by the recess.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the backboard (26) has a notch (9) formed downward from the upper edge, and the lower edge of the notch may have a first lower edge (36) positioned offset in the left-right direction with respect to the through hole (28), and a second lower edge (37) provided above the through hole and positioned above the first lower edge.

[0097] In this embodiment, since the backboard is located above the through-hole, the lowering of the backboard due to the provision of the through-hole is suppressed.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the backboard (26) further comprises at least one electrical component (38) and a plurality of routing members (39) connected to the at least one electrical component, wherein the backboard (26) has an upward extension (35) that extends upward from the extension line of the first lower edge when viewed from the rear and has the second lower edge as its upper end, and the plurality of routing members have a binding portion (41) that is bundled together with each other, and the upward extension may be configured to face the back bracket (24) in the front-rear direction, with its upper end tilted backward with respect to the opposing portion of the back bracket, and to cover the binding portion from the rear.

[0099] According to this embodiment, the upward extension protects the binding portion, and because the upward extension is tilted backward, the arrangement of the securing member becomes easier, and the upward extension is less likely to put a load on the binding portion.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the claw portion (29) may have an upper end portion (33) that extends upward from the upper end of the wall portion (32) so as to bend backward relative to the wall portion (32).

[0101] In this embodiment, the upper end portion extending diagonally upward and backward makes it easier to insert the claw portion into the through hole.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the claw portion (29) may be provided with a rib (34) extending from the upper surface of the bottom portion (31) to the front surface of the wall portion (32).

[0103] In this embodiment, the ribs improve the rigidity of the claw portion.

[0104] In the above embodiment, an airbag device (15) may be further provided, which is positioned in front of the wire fastener (23) within the seat back (4).

[0105] According to this embodiment, when the airbag device is activated, the bag body of the airbag device 15 is prevented from unfolding from the zipper 23 instead of from its original position.

[0106] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a vehicle seat (1) having a seat back (4), wherein the seat back comprises a seat back body (6) having a frame (11), a pad (12) supported by the frame, and a first surface material (14) covering the seating surface side of the pad, and a non-seat surface cover member (7) that covers at least partially the non-seat surface of the seat back body, wherein the non-seat surface cover member comprises a backboard having a through hole (28) that is locked to the seat back body, and a second surface material (27) having fixing edge portions (27a) attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener (23), and the manufacturing method comprises the steps of locking the backboard to the seat back body such that a claw portion (29) provided on the seat back body is inserted into the through hole provided on the backboard, and fixing the second surface material to the first surface material by the wire fastener.

[0107] According to this embodiment, when attaching the backboard to the claw portion, the worker can see the claw portion through the through hole, thus improving the workability of assembly. With the claw portion temporarily holding the backboard in place through the through hole, the second surface material can be fixed to the first surface material by the wire fastener, making it easier to assemble the non-seat surface cover member to the seat back body. The locking of the backboard by the claw portion and the fixing of the first and second surface materials by the wire fastener improve the assembly rigidity of the non-seat surface cover member to the seat body.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the through hole (28) is provided on the upper part of the backboard (26), and the wire fastener (23) may be configured such that the first surface material (14) and the second surface material (27) engage with each other from bottom to top during the fixing step.

[0109] According to this embodiment, in the temporary fixed state in which the claw portion locks the backboard, the engagement of the teeth of the wire fastener can be started from the lower part, where the backboard is relatively easy to displace, thus facilitating the fixing of the second surface material to the first surface material by the wire fastener.

[0110] Perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the first embodiment Perspective view of a part of the seat back according to the first embodiment Rear view of a vehicle seat according to the first embodiment Cross-sectional view along line IV-IV in Figure 3 Perspective view of a back bracket according to the first embodiment Enlarged perspective view of the lower part of the back bracket according to the first embodiment Cross-sectional view along line VII-VII in Figure 3 Perspective view of the upper part of the backboard according to the first embodiment Perspective view showing the mounting state of the back bracket, backboard and locking cover member according to the first embodiment Perspective view showing the mounting state of the back bracket, backboard and locking cover member according to the first embodiment Cross-sectional view showing the engagement state with the side of the backboard locking cover member according to the first embodiment (horizontal cross-section view passing through the side engagement piece of the locking cover member) Vertical cross-sectional view showing the engagement state between the backboard and the lower part of the locking cover member according to the first embodiment (cross-section view passing through the lower locking piece of the locking cover member and perpendicular to the left-right direction) Perspective view of a vehicle seat according to the second embodiment Perspective view showing the upper half of the frame of the seat body according to the second embodiment and a part of the support member Exploded perspective view of the upper part of the vehicle seat according to the second embodiment Perspective view showing the upper part of the vehicle seat with the speaker grille, surface material, and mounting member removed according to the second embodiment Cross section of Figure 13, XVII-XVII (A) front view and (B) rear view of the rear grille according to the second embodiment (A) front view and (B) rear view of the mounting member according to the second embodiment (A) rear view showing the connection between the mounting member and the first wire member according to the second embodiment, and (B) explanatory diagram for explaining the connection between the mounting member and the first wire member in the part enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 20(A) Rear view showing the state when the speaker grille according to the second embodiment is connected to the mounting member Perspective view showing the state when the upper back panel according to the second embodiment is removed Back view of the surface material according to the second embodiment Speaker grille, surface material,Top view of the upper part of a vehicle seat with the mounting member removed Perspective view showing the engagement state between the pad member and the wire member in a modified example of a vehicle seat Modified example of a protrusion provided on the pad member Perspective view of a rear seat equipped with an armrest according to the third embodiment Perspective view of the armrest according to the third embodiment viewed from the left side Exploded perspective view of the armrest body according to the third embodiment Perspective view showing the regulating mechanism and fixing member according to the third embodiment Cross section of Figure 28 XXXI-XXXI Perspective view of the duct and base member according to the third embodiment viewed from below Top view showing the arrangement of the lower pad member, duct and cover member according to the third embodiment Rear view of the cover member according to the third embodiment Perspective view of the armrest according to the fourth embodiment and enlarged view of the dashed line portion Exploded perspective view of the armrest according to the fourth embodiment Bottom view showing the armrest according to the fourth embodiment with the lower pad member removed Rear view of the armrest according to the fourth embodiment with the rear cover member removed Rear view of the armrest according to the fourth embodiment

[0111] The vehicle seat 1 according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 12. In the following description, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions are defined based on a person seated in the vehicle seat 1.

[0112] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle seat 1 comprises a slide rail 2 fixed to the floor of the vehicle's interior, a seat cushion 3 attached to the slide rail 2 so as to be slidable forward and backward to support the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 4 extending upward from the rear end of the seat cushion 3 to support the occupant's back, and a headrest 5 attached to the upper end of the seat back 4 to support the occupant's head. The vehicle seat 1 is used as a driver's seat or a passenger seat. A gripping member 49 is attached to the upper part of the seat back 4, behind the headrest 5, for a person attempting to sit in the seat behind the vehicle seat 1 (not shown) or attempting to stand up from a seated position to grasp with their hand.

[0113] The seat back 4 comprises a seat back body 6, a non-seat surface cover member 7 that partially covers the non-seat surface side (rear side) of the seat back body 6, a locking part cover member 8 that covers the locking structure between the seat back body 6 and the non-seat surface cover member 7 from the rear, and a notch cover part 10 that covers the notch 9 provided in the non-seat surface cover member 7 from the rear.

[0114] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the seat back body 6 comprises a frame 11 supported by the frame (not shown) of the seat cushion 3, a pad 13 supported by the frame 11 via a pressure receiving member 12, a first surface material 14 covering the seating surface side (front side) of the pad 13, and an airbag device 15 positioned on the side of the seat back 4.

[0115] The frame 11 comprises a pair of side frames 16 that are spaced apart from each other to the left and right and extend substantially vertically, a lower frame 17 that extends in the left-right direction and is connected to the lower part of the pair of side frames 16 at both ends, an upper frame 18 that extends in the left-right direction and is connected to the upper part of the pair of side frames 16 at both ends, and a middle frame 19 that extends in the left-right direction and is connected to the middle part of the pair of side frames 16 at both ends. A cylindrical support member 20 that supports the frame (not shown) of the headrest 5 is fixed to the upper frame 18.

[0116] The pressure-receiving member 12 comprises a wire 21 supported by the frame 11 and a plate-shaped member 22 supported by the frame 11 or the wire 21.

[0117] Most of the pad 13 is positioned on the seating surface side relative to the frame 11 and pressure-receiving member 12, and a portion of the pad 13 is positioned outward to the left and right of the side frame 16. The pad 13 functions as a cushioning material for the occupant. The pad 13 is made of, for example, urethane foam.

[0118] The first surface material 14 is formed from a flexible seat material such as artificial leather, natural leather, or fabric. The first surface material 14 covers the area from the seating surface (front) of the pad 13 to the intermediate position in the front-to-back direction on the left and right sides.

[0119] The airbag device 15 is positioned inside the first surface material 14 on the side of the seat back 4. The non-seat surface cover member 7 is fixed to the first surface material 14 by a wire fastener 23, but the airbag device 15 is positioned in front of the wire fastener 23.

[0120] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the seat back body 6 further includes a back bracket 24 for engaging the non-seat surface cover member 7. The back bracket 24 is positioned in the center and upper part of the seat back body 6 in the left-right direction. The back bracket 24 is fixed to the frame 11 via other members or mounting hardware (not shown). The back bracket 24 has a generally curved plate shape, is made of, for example, a hard resin, and has a plurality of weight-reducing holes 25.

[0121] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the non-seat surface cover member 7 comprises a backboard 26 that covers the seat back body 6 from the rear, and a U-shaped second surface material 27 fixed to the lower edge and left and right side edges of the backboard 26 by sewing or the like.

[0122] As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the backboard 26 is a plate-shaped member with its left and right sides gently curved toward the rear, and is made of, for example, a hard resin. A notch 9 is formed in the backboard 26, extending downward from the upper edge. A through hole 28 is provided in the upper part of the backboard 26, in the center in the left-right direction below the notch 9, and as shown in Figures 3 to 7, the back bracket 24 is provided with a claw portion 29 that is inserted through the through hole 28. The claw portion 29 functions as a locking portion that secures the backboard 26, and the through hole 28 functions as a locked portion that is locked to the back bracket 24. The backboard 26 is provided with a recess 30 adjacent to the upper part of the through hole 28, which is recessed forward from the adjacent left, right, and upper parts, so as to partially receive the claw portion 29. The through hole 28 is provided above the center in the vertical direction of the backboard 26, preferably above a position 1 / 4 of the vertical length from the upper end.

[0123] The claw portion 29 comprises a bottom portion 31 extending rearward from the central left-right portion of the lower edge of the plate-shaped part of the back bracket 24, a wall portion 32 extending substantially straight upward from the rear end of the bottom portion 31, an upper end portion 33 extending upward from the upper end of the wall portion 32 so as to curve rearward relative to the wall portion 32, and a plurality of ribs 34 extending perpendicularly in the left-right direction from the upper surface of the bottom portion 31 to the front surface of the wall portion 32. The upper surface of the bottom portion 31 supports the portion that defines the upper edge of the through hole 28 in the backboard 26. The wall portion 32 is generally received in the recess 30 and abuts against the left and right side walls that define the recess 30 in the backboard 26, thereby positioning the backboard 26 in the left-right direction.

[0124] The through-hole 28 is an elongated hole with its longitudinal direction in the left-right direction. The length of the through-hole 28 in the left-right direction is longer than the length of the claw portion 29 in the left-right direction, in order to facilitate insertion of the claw portion 29. The length of the recess 30 in the left-right direction is longer than the length of the claw portion 29 in the left-right direction, but shorter than the length of the through-hole 28 in the left-right direction, in order to facilitate positioning of the backboard 26 in the left-right direction.

[0125] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 8, the backboard 26 is provided with an upward extension portion 35 that extends upward from the vicinity of the upper edge of the recess 30. The upward extension portion 35 is located in the center of the backboard 26 in the left-right direction and has a width in the left-right direction that is longer than the left-right length of the through hole 28 at its lower part. The width of the upward extension portion 35 in the left-right direction narrows towards the top. Since the upward extension portion 35 is provided to protrude into the notch 9, the notch 9 has a pair of first lower edges 36 that are offset to the left and right of the through hole 28, and a second lower edge 37 that is provided above the through hole 28 and is located above the first lower edges 36. The upward extension portion 35 extends upward from the extension line of the pair of first lower edges 36, and the upper end of the upward extension portion 35 becomes the second lower edge 37. The upward extension portion 35 faces the flat plate-shaped portion of the back bracket 24 in the front-rear direction, and its upper end is tilted backward so that it is further away from the flat plate-shaped portion of the back bracket 24 than its lower end.

[0126] As shown in Figure 4, the seat back 4 comprises one or more electrical components 38 and a plurality of routing members 39 connected to any of the electrical components 38. Some of the routing members 39 pass between the back bracket 24 and the backboard 26, and this portion is bundled together with cable ties 40. The bundled portion 41 of the routing members 39 bundled together with cable ties 40 is covered from the rear by the upward extension 35 of the backboard 26.

[0127] As shown in Figure 1, the rear edge of the second surface material 27 is fixed to the backboard 26 by sewing. The second surface material 27 is made of a flexible sheet material such as artificial leather, natural leather, or fabric. The front edges of the left and right sides of the second surface material 27 become fixed edges 27a that are fixed to the first surface material 14. One of the pair of teeth 23a of the wire fastener 23 is provided on the fixed edge 27a of the second surface material 27, and the other is provided on the rear edge of the portion of the first surface material 14 that covers the side of the pad 13, and the second surface material 27 is fixed to the first surface material 14 by the wire fastener 23. Preferably, the wire fastener 23 is arranged such that the first outer material 14 and the second outer material 27 engage with each other from bottom to top, that is, when a slider (not shown) that engages and disengages a pair of teeth 23a is moved from bottom to top, the pair of teeth 23a engage with each other.

[0128] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the locking cover member 8 is a member that covers the locking structure from the rear in order to conceal the locking structure, which is composed of a through hole 28 in the backboard 26 and a claw portion 29 of the back bracket 24 inserted through the through hole 28. The locking cover member 8 comprises a smooth plate-shaped plate portion 42, side engaging pieces 43 that protrude from the left and right sides of the plate portion 42 and engage with the backboard 26, a pair of lower engaging pieces 44 that protrude from the lower part of the plate portion 42 and engage with the backboard 26, and intermediate engaging pieces 45 that protrude from intermediate positions in the left-right and up-down directions between the side engaging pieces 43 and the lower engaging pieces 44 on the plate portion 42 on both the left and right sides and engage with the back bracket 24.

[0129] The board portion 42 covers approximately the lower half of the cutout portion 9 of the backboard 26. A cutout portion 42a is formed on the upper part of the board portion 42, extending downward from the upper edge. The width of the cutout portion 42a in the left-right direction is shorter than the width of the cutout portion 9 of the backboard 26, and when viewed from the rear, the cutout portion 42a is smaller than the cutout portion 9 and is configured to overlap the cutout portion 9.

[0130] The side engaging piece 43 protrudes rearward from a position slightly inward from the left-right outer edge of the portion adjacent to the side of the notch 42a of the plate portion. The tip portion of the side engaging piece 43 is bent outward in the left-right direction relative to the base portion. When viewed in a horizontal cross-section passing through the side engaging piece 43, the side engaging piece 43 and the portion of the plate portion 42 that extends outward in the left-right direction beyond the side engaging piece 43 cooperate to form a U-shape, and this U-shaped portion receives and engages with the portion that defines the side edge of the notch 9 in the backboard 26.

[0131] The lower engaging piece 44 protrudes diagonally downward and forward from a position slightly above the lower edge of the plate portion 42, and is inserted into and engaged with a through hole 28 provided in the backboard 26 from rear to front. The claw portion 29 of the back bracket 24 is also inserted into the through hole 28 (see Figure 3), but the pair of lower engaging pieces 44 are arranged adjacent to the left and right sides of the claw portion 29. Therefore, the distance between the pair of lower engaging pieces 44 is greater than or equal to the length of the claw portion 29 in the left-right direction, and the length of the through hole 28 in the left-right direction is greater than or equal to the sum of the left-right lengths of the claw portion 29 and the pair of lower engaging pieces 44. The tip portion of the lower engaging piece 44 is bent downward compared to the base portion. When viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the left-right direction through the lower engaging piece 44, the lower engaging piece 44 and the portion of the plate portion 42 that extends below the lower engaging piece 44 cooperate to form a U-shape, and this U-shaped portion receives and engages with the portion that defines the lower edge of the through hole 28 in the backboard 26. The lower part of the back bracket 24 is provided with a bracket notch 47 that extends upward from the lower edge to avoid the lower engaging piece 44.

[0132] The intermediate engaging piece 45 protrudes forward from the plate portion 42 and is inserted into and engaged with an engaging hole 48 provided in the back bracket 24.

[0133] As shown in Figure 1, the notched cover portion 10 covers the entire notch portion 9 of the backboard 26 from the rear. The left and right side edges and the bottom edge of the notched cover portion 10 are substantially aligned with the left and right side edges and the bottom edge of the backboard 26 when viewed from the rear. The notched cover portion 10 may be made of the same material as the second surface material 27 and is fixed to the backboard 26 by sewing or the like. The notched cover portion 10 is intended to conceal the notch portion 9 and only needs to cover the notch portion 9 from the rear, either by itself or in cooperation with the locking cover member 8. For this reason, its size and material may be changed. For example, some device such as a cup holder or a smartphone holder may be used as the notched cover portion 10.

[0134] The manufacturing method for the vehicle seat 1 will now be described. The worker assembles the slide rail 2, seat cushion 3, seat back 4, and headrest 5 separately (see Figure 1).

[0135] In assembling the seat back 4, the worker assembles the seat back body 6 and fixes the second surface material 27 to the backboard 26 by sewing or other means. Next, the worker inserts the claw portion 29 of the back bracket 24 through the through hole 28 of the backboard 26 and locks the backboard 26 to the back bracket 24 (see Figure 3). The backboard 26 is positioned in the left-right direction by the claw portion 29 being partially received in the recess 30 of the backboard 26. In this state, the non-seat surface cover member 7 is temporarily fixed to the seat back body 6. Next, the worker fixes the second surface material 27 to the first surface material 14 with a wire fastener 23. The non-seat surface cover member 7 is permanently fixed to the seat back body 6 by the locking structure of the through hole 28 and the claw portion 29 and the fixing by the wire fastener 23.

[0136] Next, the worker attaches the locking cover member 8 to the backboard 26 such that a pair of lower engaging pieces 44 are inserted through the through hole 28, sandwiching the claw portion 29, the intermediate engaging piece 45 is inserted through the engaging hole 48 of the back bracket 24, and the side engaging piece 43 receives the edge portion that defines the notch portion 9 in the backboard 26 (see Figures 9 to 12). Next, the worker fixes the notch cover portion 10 to the non-seat surface cover member 7 by sewing or the like (see Figure 1).

[0137] The effects of the vehicle seat 1 will now be explained. Since the backboard 26 is locked to the claw portion 29 of the back bracket 24 via the through hole 28, and the second surface material 27 is fixed to the first surface material 14 by the wire fastener 23, the non-seat surface cover member 7 engages with the seat back body 6 at the middle and edge portions, improving assembly rigidity. In particular, if the through hole 28 and the claw portion 29 are located in the center in the left-right direction of the seat back 4, the fixing points are well-balanced, further improving assembly rigidity.

[0138] Since the backboard 26 is provided with through holes 28, workers can see the claw portion 29 through the through holes 28 when assembling the backboard 26 to the back bracket 24, making assembly easier. Furthermore, the fact that the length of the through holes 28 in the left-right direction is sufficiently longer than the length of the claw portion 29 in the left-right direction, that the claw portion 29 faces upward, that the wall portion 32 of the claw portion 29 extends upward from the rear end of the bottom portion 31, and that an upper end portion 33 is provided that is inclined backward relative to the wall portion 32, makes it even easier to assemble the backboard 26 to the back bracket 24.

[0139] Since the backboard 26 is temporarily fixed to the seat back body 6 by the through holes 28 and claws 29, the work of fixing the second surface material 27 to the first surface material 14 with the wire fasteners 23 becomes easier.

[0140] Since the through hole 28 is provided in the upper part of the backboard 26, in a temporary fixed state where the backboard 26 is locked to the claw portion 29 and not fixed by the wire fastener 23, the non-seat surface cover member 7 is easier to displace at the lower part than at the upper part. Since the wire fastener 23 is configured to engage from bottom to top, operations such as inserting the lower end (butterfly pin) of one tooth 23a into the slider located at the lower end of the other tooth 23a can be performed on the lower side of the backboard 26, which is easier to displace, making the fixing work with the wire fastener 23 easier.

[0141] The rigidity of the claw portion 29 is improved by the inclusion of ribs 34 in the claw portion 29.

[0142] The backboard 26 is provided with recesses 30 that partially receive the claw portion 29, which facilitates the left-right positioning of the backboard 26, makes the assembled backboard 26 and back bracket 24 thinner, and makes the backboard 26 more flexible, thereby suppressing damage to the claw portion 29.

[0143] In the backboard 26, an upward extension 35 is provided above the through hole 28, so the reduction in rigidity of the backboard 26 due to the through hole 28 is suppressed by the upward extension 35. The upward extension 35 covers the binding portion 41 of the routing member 39 from the rear, thus protecting the binding portion 41. Since the upward extension 35 is tilted backward with respect to the flat plate-shaped portion of the back bracket 24 that faces each other in the front-rear direction, it becomes easier to position the routing member 39 between the upward extension 35 and the back bracket 24, and the upward extension 35 is less likely to put a load on the binding portion 41.

[0144] Because the claw portion 29 is provided on the back bracket 24, there is greater design freedom in the installation position of the claw portion 29 compared to when the claw portion 29 is provided on the frame 11, and the rigidity of the claw portion 29 is higher compared to when the claw portion 29 is provided on the pad 13.

[0145] Since a pair of lower engaging pieces 44 of the locking cover member 8 are inserted through the through hole 28 so as to be adjacent to the left and right sides of the claw portion 29, the claw portion 29 and the lower engaging pieces 44 inserted through the through hole 28 restrict the left and right displacement of the backboard 26, further improving the assembly rigidity of the non-seat surface cover member 7 to the seat back body 6.

[0146] The airbag device 15, located on the side of the seatback 4, has a burst line on the seat surface side. When the airbag device 15 is activated, the bag body of the airbag device 15 ruptures along the burst line and deploys towards the seat surface. By positioning the airbag device 15 in front of the zipper 23, it is prevented that the bag body of the airbag device 15 will not deploy through the burst line but rather by disengaging from the pair of teeth 23a of the zipper 23.

[0147] This concludes the description of the specific first embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment or its modifications, and can be broadly modified and implemented. In the first embodiment, the attachment structure for the non-seat surface cover member to the seat back body (main body) may also be applied to the seat cushion or headrest. Other fastening means such as hook-and-loop fasteners may be used instead of wire fasteners. The back bracket may include a through hole as a locking part, and the backboard may include a claw that extends downward and is inserted into the through hole as a locked part. The locking part may be provided on other members of the seat back body, such as the frame or pad, instead of the back bracket. The backboard may not have a cutout, and the vehicle seat may not have a cutout cover part.

[0148] The following description will refer to Figures 13 to 26 to explain how the vehicle seat according to the second embodiment is applied to a vehicle seat 101 installed in a vehicle such as an automobile. For the sake of explanation, the directions of up and down, front and back, and left and right will be defined based on the direction of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat. However, the second embodiment is not limited to these directions.

[0149] As shown in Figure 13, the vehicle equipped with the passenger seat 101 has two rows of seats, front and rear. The passenger seat 101 constitutes the passenger seat located to the side of the driver's seat in the front row.

[0150] However, the vehicle to which the passenger seat 101 is applied is not limited to vehicles equipped with two rows of seats, front and rear. For example, the passenger seat 101 may be applied to a vehicle equipped with three rows of seats, front and rear, and may constitute the front seat located in the front row.

[0151] The vehicle seat 101 comprises a seat body 102 and a speaker device 103. The seat body 102 includes a seat cushion 105 placed on the floor 104, a seat back 106 connected to the rear of the seat cushion 105, and a headrest 107 provided on the upper part of the seat back 106.

[0152] The speaker device 103 is built into the upper part of the seat body 102. By positioning the speaker device 103 on the upper part of the seat back 106, the speaker device 103 can be placed close to the occupant's ears. This makes it possible to provide each occupant of the vehicle seat 101 with an immersive sound experience, as well as music and audio content tailored to their preferences.

[0153] In addition, a display 108 for the rear seat occupants is provided on the back of the vehicle seat 101.

[0154] Next, we will describe the details of the upper structure of the seat body 102 and the details of the configuration of the speaker device 103.

[0155] As shown in Figure 13, the upper part of the seat body 102 is composed of a seat back 106 and a headrest 107. The seat back 106 has a seat back frame 110 (see Figure 14) that forms the skeleton, a pad member 111 supported by the seat back frame 110, and a surface material 112 that covers the outer surface of the pad member 111. Note that in Figure 13, a portion of the upper right of the surface material 112 of the seat back 106 is shown peeled off in order to show the internal structure of the seat back 106.

[0156] The seat back frame 110 includes a pair of left and right side members 115 that extend vertically, an upper frame 116 that extends horizontally and connects the upper parts of the left and right side members 115, and a lower frame (not shown) that extends horizontally and connects the lower parts of the left and right side members 115.

[0157] The lower ends of the left and right side members 115 are preferably connected to a frame (not shown) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 105 via a reclining mechanism (not shown). An airbag module 118 is provided at the lower part of at least one of the left and right side members 115. The airbag module 118 houses an airbag (not shown) that deploys forward. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the airbag module 118 is connected to the left side of the left side member 115.

[0158] The headrest 107 has a headrest body 120 (see Figure 13). The headrest body 120 is connected to the seat back frame 110 via a headrest stay (hereinafter referred to as stay 121; see Figure 14).

[0159] The headrest body 120 is roughly rectangular in shape and is positioned behind the head of the seated person. The headrest body 120 may include a cushioning pad member (not shown) and a surface material (not shown) that covers the front surface of the pad member.

[0160] As shown in Figure 14, the stay 121 is made of a bent and deformed metal round pipe. The stay 121 comprises a pair of left and right vertical sections 121A and a horizontal section 121B connecting the upper ends of the left and right vertical sections 121A. Each of the vertical sections 121A extends substantially in the vertical direction. The lower part of the vertical sections 121A is connected to the upper frame 116. As a result, the stay 121 is coupled to the upper part of the seat back frame 110 and supported by the seat back frame 110. The stay 121 may be directly fixed to the seat back frame 110 by welding or the like, or it may be coupled to the seat back frame 110 via a cylindrical pillar guide (not shown).

[0161] The headrest body 120 is connected to the upper part of the stay 121 and is supported by the upper frame 116 via the stay 121. The stay 121 and the seat back frame 110 work together to form the upper half of the seat frame 122, which forms the skeleton above the seat body 102. The lower part of the stay 121, that is, the lower half of the vertical part 121A, forms the headrest pillar that connects the headrest body 120 to the seat back frame 110.

[0162] As shown in Figure 15, the speaker device 103 includes a speaker box 125 and a speaker grille 126.

[0163] As shown in Figure 16, the speaker box 125 has two speaker bodies 128 (also called speaker drivers) and a housing 129. Each speaker body 128 includes a compression driver 128A as a sound source that generates sound, and a substantially frustoconical horn 128B. The housing 129 includes a front member 129A that forms the front half and a rear member 129B that forms the rear half. The front member 129A and the rear member 129B are joined together to form a sealed internal space (cavity).

[0164] The front surface of the front member 129A is provided with two mounting holes (not shown) for housing the speaker body 128. The speaker body 128 is arranged so that each horn 128B opens forward and is housed in the mounting holes. The protruding ends of the horns 128B are connected to flanges 128C that extend radially outward, and the speaker body 128 is connected to the speaker box 125 by fastening the flanges 128C to the front member 129A. However, the speaker body 128 and the speaker box 125 may be connected by methods other than fastening (such as adhesive).

[0165] The stay 121 is provided with a support member 131 for supporting the speaker box 125. The support member 131 is made of a metal material and constitutes part of the seat frame 122 that forms the skeleton of the upper half of the seat body 102.

[0166] The support member 131 includes a pair of left and right first brackets 132 (see also Figure 14), a first wire member 133 (see also Figure 14), a second wire member 135, and a second bracket 136.

[0167] As shown in Figure 14, each first bracket 132 is connected to the vertical portion 121A of the stay 121. The first bracket 132 includes a lateral extension portion 132A that is connected to the vertical portion 121A and extends outward to the left and right, and a forward extension portion 132B that extends forward from the upper edge of the lateral extension portion 132A.

[0168] The first wire member 133 is made of a bent and deformed metal rod-shaped member or pipe material. The first wire member 133 may be made of, for example, a round bar or a round pipe.

[0169] The first wire member 133 comprises a pair of upper frames 133A arranged spaced apart to the left and right and each extending in the left-right direction, a pair of left and right side frames 133B extending forward and downward from the left and right edges of the upper frame 133A, and a lower frame 133C extending left and right and connecting the lower ends of the side frames 133B. Each side frame 133B is provided with a bent portion 133D that bends outward to the left and right. As a result, the first wire member 133 has a hexagonal frame shape when viewed from the front. The first wire member 133 is fixed to the stay 121 by the upper frame 133A being connected to the front extension portion 132B.

[0170] As shown in Figure 16, the second wire member 135 is also made of a bent metal rod-shaped member or pipe material. The second wire member 135 may be made of, for example, a round bar or round pipe.

[0171] The second wire member 135 comprises a pair of left and right vertical frames 135A that are connected to the lower frame 133C and extend upward and rearward, and horizontal frames 135B that extend to the left and right and connect the upper ends of the vertical frames 135A.

[0172] The second bracket 136 is made of a bent and deformed metal plate. The second bracket 136 comprises a first plate portion 136A which is connected to the horizontal frame 135B on its main surface, and a second plate portion 136B which extends upward from the upper edge of the first plate portion 136A and has a main surface that faces substantially forward.

[0173] The speaker box 125 is positioned at its lower front end so as to be in contact with the rear surface of the second plate portion 136B from the rear, and is coupled (fastened in this embodiment) to the rear surface of the second plate portion 136B. As a result, the speaker box 125, including the speaker body 128, is coupled to the stay 121 via the support member 131 and supported by the seat back frame 110.

[0174] The speaker grille 126 covers the front of the speaker box 125 and protects the speaker body 128.

[0175] As shown in Figures 15 and 17, the speaker grille 126 comprises a front grille 141 and a rear grille 142.

[0176] As shown in Figure 15, the front grille 141 is a flat plate shape that extends in the left-right direction when viewed from the front. The front grille 141 may comprise a roughly rectangular plate-shaped grille frame portion 141A and a cover portion 141B stretched across the inside of the grille frame portion 141A. The grille frame portion 141A may be made of metal or resin such as plastic, and the cover portion 141B may be made of a cloth or the like that allows sound emitted from the speaker box 125 to pass through. It is preferable that the cloth constituting the cover portion 141B is made up of a mesh. The front grille 141 may also be made of a resin plate in which the grille frame portion 141A and the cover portion 141B are integrally molded.

[0177] The rear grille 142 is also made of a resin such as plastic. As shown in Figures 18(A) and 18(B), the rear grille 142 has a surface facing in the front-rear direction and has a substantially flat grille body 142A to which the front grille 141 is connected to the front.

[0178] The grille body 142A is formed in a roughly flat shape and has a roughly rectangular plate shape that extends left and right when viewed from the front. The grille body 142A is preferably configured to be larger in the vertical and horizontal directions than the front of the speaker box 125 when viewed from the front. The grille body 142A is positioned in front of the speaker body 128.

[0179] The grille body 142A is provided with multiple hexagonal holes 142B that penetrate in the thickness direction in front of the speaker body 128. The hexagonal holes 142B are arranged in a hexagonal grid pattern, and a honeycomb structure (142C) is formed in the portion of the grille body 142A located in front of the speaker body 128. This honeycomb structure 142C allows the speaker grille 126 to have sufficient rigidity while effectively transmitting sound generated from the speaker body 128 to the seated person.

[0180] The edge of the grill body 142A is formed with a series of connecting holes 142D that penetrate in the front-to-back direction. The rear surface of the grill frame 141A is provided with connecting claws 141C that engage with the connecting holes 142D, along the outer edge (see Figure 15). In this embodiment, the connecting claws 141C are provided on the rear surface of the grill frame 141A and protrude to the rear. When the connecting claws 141C protrude into and engage with the connecting holes 142D, the front grill 141 is connected to the front surface of the grill body 142A of the rear grill 142.

[0181] As shown in Figure 15, the speaker grille 126 is connected to the stay 121 via the mounting member 145. The mounting member 145 will be described first below.

[0182] As shown in Figures 19(A) and 19(B), the mounting member 145 is made of a resin such as plastic. The mounting member 145 has a plate-shaped main portion 146 having a main surface facing in the front-rear direction, and a fixing portion 147 that extends rearward from the main portion 146 and engages with the first wire member 133.

[0183] The main part 146 is a roughly rectangular plate shape extending to the left and right. The main part 146 is roughly the same shape as the grill body 142A of the speaker grill 126, and is configured to be slightly larger than the grill body 142A in the vertical, horizontal, and vertical directions. The main part 146 is positioned in front of the speaker body 128 and behind the grill body 142A of the speaker grill 126. The main part 146 is positioned behind the grill body 142A and in front of the speaker box 125.

[0184] The main section 146 is provided with two through holes 148 arranged side by side, and a central hole 150 located in the center of the two through holes 148.

[0185] The through-holes 148 are approximately circular through-holes that penetrate the main part 146 in the front-to-back direction. Each through-hole 148 is located in front of the speaker body 128. The upper, lower, and left edges of the through-hole 148 located on the left side are located near the upper, lower, and left edges of the main part 146, respectively. The upper, lower, and left edges of the through-hole 148 located on the right side are located near the upper, lower, and right edges of the main part 146, respectively (see also Figure 15).

[0186] Each of the lower edges of the through-hole 148 is provided with a projecting wall 148A (see also Figures 17 and 20) that protrudes to the rear. As shown in Figure 20, the projecting wall 148A is in the shape of a vertical wall that extends along the lower edge of the through-hole 148.

[0187] As shown in Figures 19(A) and 19(B), the central hole 150 is a roughly rectangular hole that penetrates the main part 146 in the front-to-back direction and is located approximately in the center of the two through holes 148. The central hole 150 is provided to reduce the weight of the mounting member 145 and may be formed as a weight-reducing hole.

[0188] As shown in Figure 19(A), the front surface of the main portion 146 is provided with two receiving recesses 152 that are recessed to the rear. Each receiving recess 152 extends circumferentially along the outer circumference of the through hole 148. Preferably, the receiving recesses 152 extend around the entire outer circumference of the through hole 148. In this embodiment, the receiving recesses 152 are in contact with the central hole 150 at their left and right inner edges. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and a gap may be provided between the receiving recesses 152 and the central hole 150.

[0189] A support piece 154 is provided on the edge of the central hole 150, extending inward from the central hole 150. The support piece 154 is plate-shaped and has a surface facing the same direction as the main part 146. In this embodiment, the support pieces 154 are provided on the left edge and the right edge of the central hole 150, respectively. The support piece 154 provided on the left edge and the support piece 154 provided on the right edge are positioned to be aligned in the vertical direction. The support piece 154 provided on the left edge extends to the right, and the support piece 154 provided on the right edge extends to the left. That is, the two support pieces 154 extend in directions toward each other.

[0190] As shown in Figure 19(B), the fixing portion 147 includes an upper fixing portion 147A provided on the upper rear surface of the main portion 146 and a lower fixing portion 147B provided on the lower rear surface of the main portion 146. In this embodiment, two upper fixing portions 147A are arranged side by side on the left and right of the rear surface of the main portion 146, and four lower fixing portions 147B are arranged side by side on the left and right.

[0191] As shown in Figure 20, each upper fixing portion 147A includes an upper base portion 147C that protrudes rearward from the upper rear surface of the main portion 146, and a locking claw 147D that protrudes upward from the tip of the upper base portion 147C. The upper fixing portion 147A is hooked onto the first wire member 133 from below by the locking claw 147D being locked onto the upper frame 133A of the first wire member 133.

[0192] Each lower fixing portion 147B includes a lower base portion 147E that protrudes rearward from the lower rear surface of the main portion 146, and a hooking recess 147F that recesses upward from the lower edge of the lower base portion 147E. The lower fixing portion 147B is hooked onto the lower frame 133C of the first wire member 133 from above when the lower frame 133C of the first wire member 133 is received by the hooking recess 147F.

[0193] As shown in Figure 21, the mounting member 145 is fixed to the first wire member 133 by the upper fixing portion 147A and the lower fixing portion 147B engaging with the first wire member 133, respectively. In this way, the mounting member 145 is fixed to the stay 121 via the first wire member 133. By providing the first wire member 133 on the stay 121 in this manner, the mounting member 145 can be easily attached to the stay 121.

[0194] As shown in Figure 17, the protruding wall 148A extends above the first wire member 133 to the rear of the lower frame 133C of the first wire member 133. In part, the protruding wall 148A may be in contact with the lower edge of the speaker body 128.

[0195] As shown in Figure 20(A), the mounting member 145 is preferably provided with a cylindrical portion 156 that extends rearward from the periphery of the main portion 146. As shown in Figure 17, the cylindrical portion 156 covers the speaker box 125 from the top, bottom, left, and right directions, protecting the speaker box 125.

[0196] As shown in Figure 22, in this embodiment, a resin panel 158 is assembled to the upper part of the stay 121. The panel 158 is provided with a panel locking claw 160 that protrudes downward. The upper part of the cylindrical portion 156 is provided with a cylindrical portion locking hole 162 that penetrates in the thickness direction at a position that aligns with the panel locking claw 160. The panel locking claw 160 also protrudes into the cylindrical portion locking hole 162, which further prevents the mounting member 145 from detaching from the stay 121.

[0197] As shown in Figure 20(A), the speaker grille 126 and the mounting member 145 are connected via a locking structure 164. The locking structure 164 includes a locking portion 166 provided on the speaker grille 126 and a locked portion 168 provided on the mounting member 145. The locking portion 166 protrudes from the speaker grille 126 toward the mounting member 145 and engages with the locked portion 168 provided on the mounting member 145.

[0198] The locking portion 166 is provided on the grill body 142A of the rear grill 142. The locking portion 166 includes a first locking portion 166A provided on the upper and lower rear edges of the grill body 142A, and a second locking portion 166B provided on the left and right rear edges of the grill body 142A.

[0199] The locking portion 168 is provided on the main portion 146 of the mounting member 145. The locking portion 168 includes a first locking portion 168A that engages with the first locking portion 166A and a second locking portion 168B that engages with the second locking portion 166B.

[0200] The first locking portions 166A are arranged in a line of three equal intervals in the left-right direction along the upper and lower edges of the main portion 146. The first locked portion 168A is provided on the grill body 142A at a position corresponding to the first locking portions 166A. In this embodiment, the first locking portion 166A is composed of a locking claw that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the grill body 142A, and the first locked portion 168A is composed of a locking hole that penetrates the main portion 146. The first locking portion 166A is locked to the first locked portion 168A when the locking claw protrudes into the locking hole and catches on the edge that defines the locking hole.

[0201] Each of the second locking portions 166B protrudes rearward and passes near the edge of the through hole 148 of the mounting member 145. As shown in Figures 20(A) and 20(B), each of the second locking portions 166B has a main surface facing left to right and includes a flat inner piece 166C extending rearward and a locking recess 166D that is recessed at the tip of the outer surface of the inner piece 166C.

[0202] The second locking portion 168B is provided on the edge of the through hole 148. As shown in Figures 20(A) and 20(B), the second locking portion 168B comprises an outer piece 168C that protrudes rearward along the outer surface of the inner piece 166C, and a locking projection 168D provided at the tip of the outer piece 168C that protrudes into the locking recess 166D. The outer piece 168C and the inner piece 166C are joined when the locking projection 168D protrudes into the locking recess 166D. As a result, the left and right second locking portions 168B are locked to their respective second locking portions 166B.

[0203] As shown in Figure 20(A), the first locking portion 166A and the first locked portion 168A engage, and the second locking portion 166B engages with the second locked portion 168B, thereby connecting the speaker grille 126 to the mounting member 145 at its four edges (top, bottom, left, and right). As shown in Figure 21, the mounting member 145 is connected to the first wire member 133, so the speaker grille 126 is connected to the stay 121 via the mounting member 145. As a result, the speaker grille 126 is supported by the stay 121 at the front of the speaker box 125.

[0204] The front grille 141 is fixed to the mounting member 145 via the rear grille 142. In other words, the rear grille 142 functions as a fixing member for fixing the front grille 141 to the mounting member 145.

[0205] As shown in Figure 13, the speaker device 103 is fitted into the upper part of the seat back 106. The pad member 111 is positioned to cover the front and left and right sides of the seat back frame 110.

[0206] Figure 23 schematically shows the back surface of the surface material 112 provided on the upper part of the seat back 106. The surface material 112 is made of a sheet-like material such as cloth or leather. The surface material 112 comprises a lower surface 172 that covers the outer surface of the pad member 111 and an upper surface 174 that is coupled to the upper edge of the lower surface 172. The lower surface 172 is positioned so as to be in contact with the front surface of the pad member 111 on its back surface, and the upper surface 174 is positioned so as to cover the speaker device 103 (more specifically, the speaker grille 126).

[0207] The upper skin 174 includes a tongue portion 176, a latching hole 178 provided near the tongue portion 176, two openings 180 that are shaped to match the speaker body 128, and a plurality of locking holes 182 provided between the two openings 180.

[0208] The tongue portion 176 is provided on the edge of the upper epidermis 174. More specifically, the tongue portion 176 is located on the edge of the upper epidermis 174 that is away from the lower epidermis 172. The tongue portion 176 is formed by folding back a band-shaped portion provided on the edge of the upper epidermis 174 and sewing it to form a bag shape. Thus, the tongue portion 176 can also be called a bag-shaped sewn portion.

[0209] The latching holes 178 are holes that penetrate the upper epidermis 174. In this embodiment, two latching holes 178 are arranged side by side on the lower epidermis 172 side of the tongue portion 176.

[0210] The upper rear edge of the cylindrical portion 156 is provided with two latching portions 184 that protrude rearward. The upper skin 174 is joined to the mounting member 145 at the top by the latching holes 178 being latched to the latching portions 184. This allows the skin material 112 and the mounting member 145 to be joined together.

[0211] Each edge of the opening 180 is provided with an outwardly cut-out notch 186. In this embodiment, the notches 186 are provided on the left edge of the left opening 180 and on the right edge of the right opening 180.

[0212] The outer material 112 is provided with a reinforcing portion 188 that extends along the edge of the opening 180. The reinforcing portion 188 is preferably formed by joining a rigid member 112B, which is harder than the fabric member 112A, to the fabric member 112A that constitutes the outer material 112. In this embodiment, the rigid member 112B is made up of a trim cord that extends along the edge of the opening 180, and the reinforcing portion 188 is formed by sewing the trim cord to the back surface (i.e., rear surface) of the fabric member 112A. In Figure 23, the sewing location between the rigid member 112B (trim cord) and the fabric member 112A is shown by a dashed line. In this way, when the reinforcing portion 188 is formed by joining a rigid material to the back surface of the fabric member 112A, the reinforcing portion 188 protrudes from the back surface of the fabric member 112A. By providing the reinforcing portion 188 along the edge of the opening 180, the edge of the opening 180 can be reinforced.

[0213] In this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 188 is positioned to avoid the notch 186 provided on the edge of the opening 180. Specifically, the reinforcing portion 188 extends from near the upper end of the notch 186 along the edge of the opening 180 to near the lower end of the notch 186.

[0214] The locking holes 182 are arranged in a row, one above the other. Each of the upper and lower rows has three locking holes 182. The locking holes 182 in each row are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction.

[0215] The outer material 112 is positioned such that the opening 180 overlaps the through hole 148, and the locking hole 182 overlaps the first locked portion 168A from the front. The speaker grille 126 is connected to the mounting member 145 by the first locking portion 166A passing through the locking hole 182 and being locked to the first locked portion 168A (see Figure 17), and the second locking portion 166B passing through the notch 186 and being locked to the second locked portion 168B. At this time, as can be seen from Figures 15 and 17, the outer material 112 is sandwiched between the speaker grille 126 and the mounting member 145 at the edge of the opening 180 and in the portion between the two openings 180. The reinforcing portion 188 of the outer material 112 is housed in the receiving recess 152, and its movement in the direction along the main portion 146 of the mounting member 145 is restricted.

[0216] As shown in Figure 24, the pad member 111 comprises a front pad portion 111A positioned in front of the seat back frame 110, a left pad portion 111B positioned to the left of the seat back frame 110, and a right pad portion 111C positioned to the right of the seat back frame 110. The front pad portion 111A is located in front of the speaker device 103, the left pad portion 111B is located to the left of the speaker device 103, and the right pad portion 111C is located to the right of the speaker device 103. As a result, the speaker device 103 is surrounded by the pad member 111 from the front and both sides. That is, the pad member 111 is roughly cylindrical with an upward opening and a slit on its rear surface, and is housed in the opening of the speaker device 103. This configuration makes it possible to provide cushioning to the front and left and right sides of the vehicle seat 101. The left side portion 111B and the right side portion 111C of the pad correspond to the pad sides located on the left and right sides of the seat back frame 110, respectively.

[0217] The front part 111A of the pad comprises a substantially plate-shaped base part 190 having a surface facing in the front-rear direction, and a hook part 192 provided at the upper end of the base part 190. The hook part 192 has a main surface facing in the up-down direction and is composed of a plate piece extending rearward from the upper edge of the base part 190. As a result, the hook part 192 has a flange shape extending rearward. The hook part 192 abuts against the first wire member 133 from above at its rear and is hooked onto the first wire member 133. Because the hook part 192 is composed of a plate piece having a surface facing in the up-down direction, it can make good contact with the upper surface of the first wire member 133 and hook onto the first wire member 133 well.

[0218] It is preferable that the pad member 111 has at least two hook portions 192 arranged at spaced intervals. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 24, the upper edge of the front portion 111A of the pad is provided with three hook portions 192 arranged at intervals from left to right. Hereinafter, the hook portion 192 located at the left end will be referred to as the left hook portion 192A, the hook portion 192 located in the center as the central hook portion 192B, and the hook portion 192 located at the right end as the right hook portion 192C.

[0219] The left hook portion 192A, the central hook portion 192B, and the right hook portion 192C are each roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The front-to-back width (width in the front-to-back direction) of the left hook portion 192A, the front-to-back width of the central hook portion 192B, and the front-to-back width of the right hook portion 192C are equal to each other. The left-to-right width (width in the left-to-right direction) of the left hook portion 192A is equal to the left-to-right width of the right hook portion 192C. The left-to-right width of the central hook portion 192B is greater than the left-to-right width of the left hook portion 192A and the left-to-right width of the right hook portion 192C.

[0220] The left hook portion 192A, the central hook portion 192B, and the right hook portion 192C each extend rearward from the upper edge of the base portion 190 and abut against the lower frame 133C (left and right frame portions) of the first wire member 133 from above. In this embodiment, the vertical frame 135A of the second wire member 135 is connected to the lower frame 133C. The second wire member 135 is directly connected to the first wire member 133 and functions as a connection portion that allows the speaker box 125 to be supported by the first wire member 133. Two slits 194 are formed in the central hook portion 192B to avoid the vertical frame 135A. Each slit 194 is formed by cutting out from the front end toward the rear. The vertical frame 135A of the central hook portion 192B is inserted and passes through the slits 194.

[0221] As shown in Figure 17, the base portion 190 is provided with a projection 196 that protrudes rearward below the hook portion 192. The projection 196 cooperates with the hook portion 192 to clamp the first wire member 133. In this embodiment, an inclined surface 196A that slopes downward toward the rear is provided on the upper surface of the projection 196. The inclined surface 196A guides the first wire member 133 between the hook portion 192 and the projection 196 when assembling the pad member 111, and plays a role in improving the workability of assembling the pad member 111.

[0222] Furthermore, the protruding wall 148A provided in the left through hole 148 may abut against the upper surface of the left hook portion 192A, and the left hook portion 192A may be held between the protruding wall 148A and the first wire member 133. Similarly, the protruding wall 148A provided in the right through hole 148 may abut against the upper surface of the right hook portion 192C, and the right hook portion 192C may be held between the protruding wall 148A and the first wire member 133.

[0223] Next, a method for manufacturing the vehicle seat 101 will be described. The method for manufacturing the vehicle seat 101 includes the steps of preparing a seat frame 122 including a stay 121, connecting a support member 131 to the stay 121, assembling a pad member 111 and a surface material 112 to the seat frame 122, attaching a speaker box 125 and a mounting member 145 to the support member 131, hooking the hooking hole 178 of the surface material 112 to the hooking portion 184 of the mounting member 145, and connecting the speaker grille 126 to the mounting member 145 while sandwiching the surface material 112.

[0224] In the step of hooking the locking hole 178 onto the locking portion 184, the worker manufacturing the vehicle seat 101 should grasp the tongue portion 176 and pull it upward and backward to hook the locking hole 178 onto the locking portion 184. In this way, using the tongue portion 176 makes it easier to manufacture the vehicle seat 101.

[0225] The step of assembling the pad member 111 to the seat frame 122 includes the step of hooking the left hook portion 192A, the central hook portion 192B, and the right hook portion 192C onto the first wire member 133, respectively.

[0226] Next, the effects of the vehicle seat 101 configured in this way will be explained. The edge of the opening 180 of the surface material 112 is sandwiched between the speaker grille 126 and the mounting member 145. As a result, the edge of the opening 180 is stably fixed to the seat frame 122, and it is possible to prevent the edge of the opening 180 of the surface material 112 from peeling off.

[0227] Furthermore, the locking portion 166 and the locked portion 168 are connected by passing through the locking holes 182 and openings 180 provided in the outer material 112. This prevents the outer material 112 from separating from the speaker grille 126 and the mounting member 145.

[0228] Furthermore, the reinforcing portion 188 of the surface material 112 is housed in the receiving recess 152. Therefore, the position of the surface material 112 can be accurately positioned so that the opening 180 overlaps with the through hole 148, and the surface material 112 can be placed in the appropriate position. In addition, displacement of the surface material 112 can be prevented.

[0229] A notch 186 is provided on the outer edge of the opening 180, and the second locking portion 166B extends rearward through the notch 186 and is connected to the second locked portion 168B. On the other hand, the reinforcing portion 188 extends along the outer circumference of the opening 180 at a position that avoids the notch 186, and the reinforcing portion 188 is not provided in the portion of the surface material 112 near the notch 186. Therefore, when the second locking portion 166B is passed through the notch 186, the portion of the surface material 112 near the notch 186 can be easily deformed, so the second locking portion 166B and the second locked portion 168B can be easily engaged.

[0230] Support pieces 154 extending inward from the sheet are provided on both the left and right edges of the central hole 150. As shown in Figure 17, the support pieces 154 are located behind the surface material 112 (i.e., on the inside of the sheet). Therefore, by providing the support pieces 154, the rearward movement of the surface material 112 is restricted, preventing sagging of the surface material 112.

[0231] The support pieces 154 are provided on the left and right edges of the central hole 150, respectively. This restricts the rearward movement of the surface material 112 at both the left and right edges of the central hole 150, thereby effectively preventing sagging of the surface material 112.

[0232] The speaker grille 126 is attached to a mounting member 145 which is connected to a first wire member 133. That is, the speaker grille 126 is connected to the first wire member 133 via the mounting member 145. The first wire member 133 is connected to a stay 121, and the stay 121 is connected to the upper part of the seat back frame 110. Therefore, the speaker grille 126 is supported by the seat back frame 110 via the mounting member 145 and the first wire member 133.

[0233] The speaker box 125 is connected to the first wire member 133 via the second bracket 136. As a result, the speaker box 125 is connected to the stay 121 via the first wire member 133 without the need for a mounting member 145.

[0234] On the other hand, the airbag module 118 is connected to the lower part of the seat back frame 110. This allows the speaker grille 126 and speaker box 125 to be positioned so as not to obstruct the deployment of the airbag.

[0235] As shown in Figure 24, the pad member 111 is provided with a hook portion 192 that can be hooked onto the first wire member 133. The hook portion 192 is hooked onto the first wire member 133, and the pad member 111 is connected to the first wire member 133. In this way, by connecting the pad member 111 to the first wire member 133, which connects the speaker device 103 to the seat back frame 110, it is not necessary to provide a separate wire member or the like to support the pad member 111, and the speaker device 103 and the pad member 111 can be supported with a simple configuration.

[0236] The hook portion 192 is flange-shaped and extends from the base portion 190. Therefore, the structure for hooking onto the wire member is simple. In addition, the pad member 111 is provided with three spaced-apart hook portions 192, so that the pad member 111 can be stably supported by the first wire member 133. Furthermore, since the hook portions 192 are provided on the upper edge of the pad member 111, the pad member 111 can be hooked onto the first wire member 133 well, and the pad member 111 can be well supported by the first wire member 133.

[0237] In this embodiment, the width of the central hook portion 192B is configured to be larger than that of both the left hook portion 192A and the right hook portion 192C. Therefore, the pad member 111 can be well supported by the first wire member 133 between the hook portions 192 located at both ends.

[0238] As shown in Figure 17, the pad member 111 is provided with a projection 196 that protrudes rearward below the hooking portion 192. The first wire member 133 is held between the projection 196 and the hooking portion 192. As a result, the pad member 111 is more strongly connected to the first wire member 133, and the pad member 111 is well supported by the first wire member 133.

[0239] As shown in Figure 24, a slit 194 is formed in the central hook portion 192B for passing through the vertical frame 135A. The formation of this slit 194 allows the central hook portion 192B and the vertical frame 135A to be positioned so that they overlap front to back, thereby enabling a compact configuration of the vehicle seat 101.

[0240] This concludes the description of the specific second embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the second embodiment and can be broadly modified and implemented.

[0241] In the second embodiment, the locking portion 166 was provided to protrude from the rear grille 142 toward the mounting member 145, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The locking portion 166 may protrude from either the rear grille 142 or the mounting member 145 toward the other, and the locked portion 168 may be provided toward the other. In the second embodiment, the first locking portion 166A was composed of a locking claw and the first locked portion 168A was composed of a locking hole, but the first locking portion 166A may be composed of a locking hole and the first locked portion 168A may be composed of a locking claw. Similarly, the second locking portion 166B was provided with a recess and the second locked portion 168B was provided with a protrusion that enters the recess of the second locking portion 166B, but the second locking portion 166B may be provided with a protrusion and the second locked portion 168B may be provided with a recess that receives the protrusion of the second locking portion 166B.

[0242] In the second embodiment, the reinforcing portion 188 was formed by bonding a material harder than the fabric member 112A to the back side of the fabric member 112A, but it may also be formed by bonding a material harder than the fabric member 112A to the front side of the fabric member 112A. In this case, a receiving recess 152 for receiving the reinforcing portion 188 may be provided on the rear surface of the rear grill 142.

[0243] In the second embodiment, an example is described in which the pad member 111 is provided with three hooking portions 192, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and it is sufficient for the pad member 111 to be provided with at least one hooking portion 192. In order to stably support the pad member 111 on the wire member, it is preferable that the pad member 111 has two or more hooking portions 192 provided at spaced intervals.

[0244] In the second embodiment, the hook portion 192 was provided only on the front portion 111A of the pad, but the hook portion 192 only needs to be provided on at least one of the front portion 111A of the pad, the left portion 111B of the pad, and the right portion 111C of the pad.

[0245] Figure 25 shows an example in which the hook portion 192 is provided on the front portion 111A of the pad, the left portion 111B of the pad, and the right portion 111C of the pad.

[0246] In the example shown in Figure 25, an annular wire 200 is provided on the upper part of the seat back frame 110, forming a ring when viewed from above. The annular wire 200 is preferably made of a metal rod-shaped member or pipe material that has been bent and deformed to form a ring.

[0247] The hook portion 192 provided on the front portion 111A of the pad extends rearward and contacts the upper surface of the annular wire 200. The hook portion 192 provided on the left portion 111B of the pad extends to the right (i.e., inward to the left and right) and contacts the upper surface of the annular wire 200. The hook portion 192 provided on the right portion 111C of the pad extends to the left (i.e., inward to the left and right) and contacts the upper surface of the annular wire 200. As a result, the pad member 111 is hooked onto the annular wire 200 from the front, right, and left sides, respectively, and secured in place.

[0248] In this way, by providing hooks 192 on the left side 111B and right side 111C of the pad located on the left and right sides of the seat back frame 110, it becomes possible to connect the pad member 111 to the annular wire 200 from the left and right directions. Therefore, the pad member 111 can be stably supported on the seat back frame 110 from the left and right directions.

[0249] As shown in Figure 25, the pad member 111 may include a rear pad portion 111D positioned on the rear side of the seat back frame 110. The rear pad portion 111D may be provided on the rear side of the left side of the seat back frame 110 and on the rear side of the left side of the seat back frame 110, respectively. The rear pad portion 111D may also be provided with a hook portion 192 that extends forward from its upper end, contacts the upper surface of the annular wire 200, and hooks onto the annular wire 200.

[0250] In the second embodiment, the protrusion 196 was configured to bulge out of the pad member 111 below the first wire member 133, but the protrusion 196 may be configured in any way as long as it cooperates with the hooking portion 192 to clamp the first wire member 133. For example, as shown in Figure 26, the protrusion 196 may have an inclined surface 196A that slopes downward toward the rear on the upper side, and may be in the shape of a plate that protrudes backward below the first wire member 133.

[0251] The following describes how the third and fourth embodiments are applied to the armrests of the three-seater rear seats of an automobile, with reference to Figures 27 to 39. However, the third and fourth embodiments can also be applied to armrests provided on the mid-seat, front seats, door trim, center console box, etc.

[0252] <<Third Embodiment>> As shown in Figure 27, the rear seat 201 comprises a right-side seat 202 which constitutes the right seat, and a left-side seat 203 which constitutes the left seat and the center seat. The left-side seat 203 and the right-side seat 202 are independent of each other and are arranged to be continuous from left to right.

[0253] The right-side seat 202 has a seat cushion 205, a seat back 206, and a headrest 207. The seat cushion 205 is connected to the floor 208, and the seat back 206 is connected to the rear end of the seat cushion 205. The headrest 207 is connected to the top of the seat back 206.

[0254] The left seat 203 has a seat cushion 210, a seat back 211, a headrest 212, and an armrest 215. The seat cushion 210 is connected to the floor 208, and the seat back 211 is connected to the rear end of the seat cushion 210. The headrest 212 is connected to the top of the seat back 211.

[0255] The right-side seat 202 and the left-side seat 203 are arranged to be continuous from left to right. The seat back 206 of the right-side seat 202 and the seat back 211 of the left-side seat 203 are integrated to form the seat back 213 of the rear seat 201. The seat cushion 205 of the right-side seat 202 and the seat cushion 210 of the left-side seat 203 are integrated to form the seat cushion 214 of the rear seat 201.

[0256] A storage recess 216 that recedes to the rear is formed in the central part of the front of the seat back 211. The base end of the armrest 215 is located inside the storage recess 216 and is rotatably connected to the seat back 211 around a rotation axis that extends left and right. The armrest 215 rotates between a usage position in which the free end protrudes forward relative to the base end (see solid line in Figure 27) and a storage position in which the free end is located above the base end and inside the storage recess 216 (see dashed line in Figure 27).

[0257] The armrest 215 is rotatably mounted on the rear seat 201. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 28, the armrest 215 is rotatably connected at its base end to the seat back 213 of the rear seat 201 about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The seat back 213 of the rear seat 201 is provided with a storage recess 216 for housing the armrest 215 (see Figure 27).

[0258] The armrest 215 also has a receiving recess 217 on its front end (i.e., free end). The receiving recess 217 is used to receive various items such as beverage cups. In this embodiment, the armrest 215 is provided with a sealing member 217A for sealing the receiving recess 217.

[0259] The armrest 215 is further equipped with a contactless power supply device 218 for charging devices such as smartphones. The power supply device 218 is located slightly forward of the center of the armrest 215 and behind the receiving recess 217.

[0260] In this embodiment, the power supply device 218 is provided with a heat dissipation fan 218A. The fan 218A is located on the right half of the power supply device 218. An opening (not shown) communicating with the inside of the case is provided on the right half of the lower surface of the case that forms the outer shell of the power supply device 218. The fan 218A is housed inside the case and dissipates heat from the power supply device 218 through this opening.

[0261] In addition to the power supply device 218, the armrest 215 includes an armrest body 220 to which the power supply device 218 is provided and which is rotatably connected to the seat back 211.

[0262] The armrest body 220 includes a seat portion 222, an upper pad member 223 positioned along the upper surface of the seat portion 222, a lower pad member 224 provided on the lower side of the seat portion 222, and a surface material 225 that covers at least a portion of the upper pad member 223 and the lower pad member 224.

[0263] Figure 29 shows an exploded perspective view of the seat portion 222.

[0264] As shown in Figure 29, the seat portion 222 comprises a frame 226, a base member 227 supported by the frame 226, and a duct 228 connected to the base member 227. In addition to the members shown in Figure 29, the seat portion 222 is fitted with a cup member 229 for forming a receiving recess 217 (see Figure 28).

[0265] The frame 226 includes a pair of left and right side members 231, a front member 232 connecting the left and right side members 231, and a shaft 234.

[0266] The shaft 234 is made of a metal component (round bar) and is arranged to extend in the left-right direction. The shaft 234 passes through through holes provided at the rear of the left and right side members 231 and is fixed to the corresponding side member 231 at the through holes.

[0267] The shaft 234 is rotatably supported at both its left and right ends by a pair of left and right brackets 236 fixed to the seat back frame. As a result, the frame 226 is connected to the seat back 213 so that it can rotate about the central axis X of the shaft 234 (an example of a pivot axis) (see also Figure 28).

[0268] As shown in Figure 29, a restricting mechanism 242 is provided between the armrest 215 and the bracket 236 to restrict the rotation range of the armrest 215. The restricting mechanism 242 includes a rod-shaped member 243 provided on the frame 226 and a guide groove 236A provided on the bracket 236.

[0269] As shown in Figure 30, the rod-shaped member 243 is a rod-shaped member that extends to the left and right, and is connected to the rear end of the side member 231, protruding outward to the left and right of the bracket 236. The bracket 236 is provided with guide grooves 236A that receive the left and right sides of the rod-shaped member 243, and the rod-shaped member 243 is received in these guide grooves 236A. As a result, the rotation range of the armrest 215 is limited to between the usage position and the storage position.

[0270] As shown in Figure 29, the base member 227 is a flat plate made of resin, metal, or the like. The base member 227 is positioned and fixed so as to overlap the side members 231 from above at both left and right edges, and the front member 232 at its front edge. The base member 227 may also be fixed to the frame 226 with screws or the like. The power supply device 218 is placed on the upper surface of the base member 227 and supported by the upper surface (also called the surface) of the base member 227.

[0271] In detail, the base member 227 comprises a rectangular frame-shaped frame body 245 extending in the front-rear direction, a support portion 247 positioned to connect the front-rear central portions of the long sides of the frame body 245, a connecting portion 249 provided on the support portion 247, and a sealing portion 251 provided behind the support portion 247.

[0272] The frame 245 includes a left frame 245L positioned along the left side member 231, a right frame 245R positioned along the right side member 231, a front frame 245F that connects the front end of the left frame 245L and the front end of the right frame 245R and is positioned along the front member 232, and a rear frame 245B that connects the rear end of the left frame 245L and the rear end of the right frame 245R.

[0273] The front frame 245F, left frame 245L, and right frame 245R are each positioned along the upper surface of the frame 226. The rear frame 245B passes above the shaft 234 and extends to the rear of the shaft 234. The rear frame 245B further includes a rear extension 253 that extends downward at its rear end. The rear extension 253 is located behind the shaft 234 and constitutes a wall body with a surface facing in the front-rear direction. A cup member 229 that constitutes a receiving recess 217 is attached to this frame body 245.

[0274] The support portion 247 is plate-shaped with a surface facing vertically. When viewed from above, the support portion 247 has a roughly rectangular shape extending horizontally. The support portion 247 is connected at its left edge to the approximate center in the front-to-back direction of the left frame 245L, and the support portion 247 is connected at its right edge to the approximate center in the front-to-back direction of the right frame 245R. On its front side (top surface), the support portion 247 forms a surface (hereinafter referred to as the support surface 255) that supports the power supply device 218, and the power supply device 218 is placed on the support surface 255.

[0275] In this manner, the power supply device 218 is placed on the support surface 255, and its movement in the left-right direction is restricted by the right frame 245R and the left frame 245L. A front wall portion 247A is provided at the front edge of the support portion 247 to restrict the forward movement of the power supply device 218, and a rear wall portion 247B is provided between the support portion 247 and the sealing portion 251 to restrict the rearward movement of the power supply device 218. As a result, the right frame 245R and the left frame 245L, the front wall portion 247A and the rear wall portion 247B, and the support portion 247 form a housing recess 256 in the base member 227 for housing at least a part of the power supply device 218, which is an electrical component, and a housing space 256A is defined in the housing recess 256 in which the power supply device 218 is housed.

[0276] In this embodiment, a heat dissipation hole 257 is provided in the center of the support portion 247 in the left-right direction, and penetrates vertically. The heat dissipation hole 257 is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0277] The support portion 247 is provided with a support opening 259 that penetrates in the thickness direction at the right edge of the support surface 255, facing the fan 218A of the power supply device 218. The support opening 259 has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from above. A sealing member 260 is provided between the power supply device 218 and the support surface 255, positioned along the edge of the support opening 259.

[0278] As shown in Figure 31, the connecting portion 249 is joined to the support opening 259 from below and has a groove shape that extends downward from the support opening 259.

[0279] More specifically, as shown in Figures 31 and 32, the connecting portion 249 is connected to the front edge of the support opening 259 and comprises a front wall 259A extending downward, a pair of left and right side walls 259B connected to the left and right side edges of the support opening 259 and extending downward, and a bottom wall 259C connected to the lower ends of the front wall 259A and the side walls 259B and extending rearward. As a result, the connecting portion 249 has a sealed front end and a groove shape with a U-shaped cross-section extending rearward, and comprises a groove-shaped opening 259D that opens toward the rear.

[0280] As shown in Figures 29 and 32, the sealing portion 251 is a rectangular plate shape with surfaces facing in the vertical direction. The sealing portion 251 is connected to the left frame 245L at its left edge, to the rear frame 245B at its rear edge, and to the right frame 245R at its right edge. The upper pad member 223 is placed on the upper surface of the sealing portion 251.

[0281] As shown in Figure 29, the duct 228 has a bottom wall 228A that extends substantially horizontally and side walls 228B that are erected from the left and right edges of the bottom wall 228A. The side walls 228B of the duct 228 are connected by upper walls 228C that extend to the left and right at approximately the center of the upper end. As a result, the central part of the duct 228 has a cylindrical shape with a front opening 228D that opens toward the front and a rear opening 228E that opens toward the rear.

[0282] Furthermore, the front end of the duct 228 is provided with a front groove 228F, which is formed by the front part of the bottom wall 228A and the front parts of the left and right side walls 228B. The rear end of the duct 228 is also provided with a rear groove 228G, which is formed by the rear part of the bottom wall 228A and the rear parts of the left and right side walls 228B. The front groove 228F and the rear groove 228G each have a U-shaped cross-section that opens upward. With the provision of the front groove 228F and the rear groove 228G, the duct 228 has a groove shape at its front and rear ends, respectively.

[0283] The duct 228 extends in the front-rear direction, and the front groove portion 228F is positioned to cover the connection portion 249 from below. As a result, the duct 228 is connected to the connection portion 249 at the front end of the central portion. At this time, the sealing portion 251 is located above the rear groove portion 228G, and the rear groove portion 228G (the rear end portion of the groove-shaped duct 228) is positioned to face the sealing portion 251 vertically. Furthermore, the rear upper edges of the side walls 228B each abut against the lower surface of the sealing portion 251, and the rear groove portion 228G is sealed from above by the sealing portion 251.

[0284] An extension wall 228H is provided at the rear end of the duct 228, extending rearward from the lower edge of the lower wall of the rear groove portion 228G.

[0285] As a result, as shown in Figure 31, the duct 228 and the base member 227 form a heat dissipation hole 261 in the armrest body 220 that extends from the connection portion 249 to the rear end of the duct 228 and to the rear surface of the armrest body 220. This heat dissipation hole 261 defines a heat dissipation passage 261A that extends from the connection portion 249 to the rear end of the duct 228 and to the rear surface of the armrest body 220.

[0286] Therefore, the duct 228 can be referred to as a passage forming member (or flow path forming member) that cooperates with the base member 227 to form a heat exhaust passage 261A, and the base member 227 can also be referred to as a lid member that seals the upper side of the rear groove portion 228G. As shown in Figure 29, it is preferable that a sealing member 262 is provided between the duct 228 and the sealing portion 251 to seal the gap between the side wall 228B (more specifically, the rear part of the side wall 228B) that constitutes the rear groove portion 228G and the sealing portion 251.

[0287] The front groove portion 228F of the duct 228 may be bonded to the connection portion 249, or it may be configured so that the duct 228 is maintained in a state where it is connected to the connection portion 249 by being biased upward by the lower pad member 224.

[0288] As shown in Figures 31 and 33, the lower pad member 224 is provided with a pad receiving recess 263 that is recessed downward to receive the connecting portion 249 and the duct 228. The provision of the pad receiving recess 263 ensures that the lower pad member 224 is well coupled to the base member 227 and the duct 228.

[0289] As shown in Figure 31, the rear of the side wall 228B of the duct 228 is provided with a notch 265 cut out from the upper edge downward (i.e., in the direction away from the base member 227). The notch 265 is provided in the side wall 228B that constitutes the rear groove 228G (see also Figure 29). The shaft 234 passes through the notch 265 of the duct 228. As a result, the heat dissipation passage 261A defined by the duct 228 and the base member 227 is configured to overlap the shaft 234 in a side view.

[0290] The rear end of the duct 228 extends to near the front of the rear extension 253. The rear extension 253 has an opening 267 (see also Figure 32) formed at a position opposite the rear end of the duct 228 in the front-rear direction. The rear extension 253 is provided with a rear cover member 269 that seals the opening 267. As shown in Figures 33 and 34, the rear cover member 269 is plate-shaped with a rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The rear cover member 269 has a through hole 270 that penetrates behind the rear end of the duct 228.

[0291] As shown in Figure 34, the through-hole 270 is provided with a grid frame 271 extending in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. As a result, the rear cover member 269 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 273 arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. The rear cover member 269 is also provided with a design portion 269A to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the armrest 215, but this is not essential.

[0292] As shown in Figure 29, the support portion 247 is provided with a through-hole (not shown) that penetrates to the left of the heat dissipation hole 257. As a result, the armrest body 220 penetrates between the base member 227 and the lower pad member 224 through the through-hole (not shown), creating a gap that extends rearward between the base member 227 and the lower pad member 224.

[0293] A harness 277 is connected to the power supply device 218 for supplying power from a battery or the like installed in the vehicle body. The harness 277 connected to the power supply device 218 enters the gap between the base member 227 and the lower pad member 224 and extends to the rear. As shown in Figure 33, the harness 277 further passes through the rear cover member 269 and the duct 228 and extends to the gap between the bracket 236 and the armrest 215 (see also Figure 30).

[0294] In order to stably hold the harness 277 between the rear cover member 269 and the duct 228, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 30, a fixing portion 279 for fixing the harness 277 is provided on the rear edge of the bottom wall 228A of the duct 228. The fixing portion 279 has a locking hole 283 into which a harness clip 281 (see Figures 31 and 33) is locked. The harness 277 is fastened to the harness clip 281, and the harness clip 281 is locked into the locking hole 283. As a result, the harness 277 is locked to the rear edge of the duct 228 and held between the rear cover member 269 and the duct 228. Furthermore, by providing the fixing portion 279 for fixing the harness 277 on the duct 228, there is no need to provide a separate member for fixing the harness 277 on the base member 227, thus reducing the number of parts in the armrest 215.

[0295] As shown in Figures 29 and 33, a pair of regulating pieces 285 are provided on at least one side wall 228B of the duct 228. The regulating pieces 285 are spaced apart on the upstream (front) and downstream (rear) sides of the side wall 228B located at the rear of the duct 228.

[0296] Each restricting piece 285 extends parallel to the bottom wall 228A from the side wall 228B and protrudes toward the lower pad member 224. Each restricting piece 285 is plate-shaped with a surface facing in the vertical direction. Due to its shape, the restricting piece 285 is also called a tab or a flat rib (flat rib). In this embodiment, the restricting piece 285 protrudes to the left from the lower edge of the left side wall 228B of the duct 228.

[0297] The lower pad member 224 has a recess 287 formed at a position corresponding to the restricting piece 285. As a result, the lower pad member 224 protrudes between the pair of restricting pieces 285 arranged front to back within the recess 287. Hereinafter, the portion of the lower pad member 224 located between the restricting pieces 285 will be referred to as the bulge portion 289. The bulge portion 289 protrudes between the pair of restricting pieces 285 arranged front to back, restricting the front-to-back movement of the lower pad member 224 relative to the base member 227.

[0298] Each restricting piece 285 is provided with a rib 291 that protrudes upward and has opposing surfaces. In this embodiment, the rib 291 on the front restricting piece 285 extends in the left-right direction along the rear edge of the front restricting piece 285. On the other hand, the rib 291 on the rear restricting piece 285 extends in the left-right direction along the front edge of the rear restricting piece 285. As a result, each of the two ribs 291 has opposing surfaces in the front-rear direction.

[0299] The bulging portion 289 is sandwiched between the rear surface of the rib 291 provided on the front restricting piece 285 and the front surface of the rib 291 provided on the rear restricting piece 285. This more firmly restricts the movement of the lower pad member 224 in the front-rear direction relative to the base member 227.

[0300] Next, a method for manufacturing the armrest 215 configured in this way will be described. The worker manufacturing the armrest 215 first forms the frame 226 of the armrest 215 by joining a pair of left and right side members 231, a front member 232, and a shaft 234. After that, the worker joins the rod-shaped member 243 to the frame 226. Next, the worker joins the duct 228 to the base member 227, and then joins the power supply device 218 to the base member 227. Next, the worker joins the upper pad member 223 and the lower pad member 224 to the base member 227 and the frame 226, and covers the upper pad member 223 and the lower pad member 224 with the surface material 225, thereby completing the manufacturing of the armrest 215.

[0301] Next, we will explain the effects of the armrest 215 configured in this way.

[0302] Air heated by the heat generated by the power supply device 218 is discharged by the fan 218A through an opening in the case. This air flows downward through the support opening 259 and connection part 249 in the support part 247 and flows into the heat exhaust passage 261A between the duct 228 and the base member 227. After that, the air that has flowed between the duct 228 and the base member 227 is discharged to the outside of the armrest 215 through the ventilation hole 273 in the rear cover member 269 (see arrow in Figure 31).

[0303] Thus, the heat dissipation passage 261A functions as a flow passage for releasing heat from the power supply device 218. The heat dissipation passage 261A is connected to the power supply device 218 on the upstream side and opens on the downstream side at a position on the surface of the seat portion 222 that does not overlap with the power supply device 218. Therefore, heat from the power supply device 218 can be effectively discharged through this heat dissipation passage 261A.

[0304] A rear cover member 269 having ventilation holes 273 is provided at the downstream end of the heat exhaust passage 261A. By providing the rear cover member 269, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the heat exhaust passage 261A. In addition, the simple configuration of the duct 228 and the base member 227 can form part of the heat exhaust flow passage connected to the power supply device 218.

[0305] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a grid frame 271 is provided in the opening 267. However, instead of the grid frame 271, the rear cover member 269 may be provided with a frame extending in the vertical direction (or horizontal direction), and slits may be formed in a row on the rear cover member 269.

[0306] <<Fourth Embodiment>> Figure 35 shows a perspective view of the armrest 215 according to the fourth embodiment. The armrest 215 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment mainly in the wiring structure 300 of the harness 277 (see Figure 36) and the configuration of the rear cover member 269, while other configurations are generally the same as those of the third embodiment.

[0307] In the following, with reference to the drawings, the structure of the armrest 215 related to the wiring harness 277 300 will be described, followed by a detailed description of the wiring harness 277 300. However, parts similar to those in the third embodiment will be omitted from the description as appropriate, and the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions will be defined based on the direction of the vehicle body. Note that the manufacturing method of the armrest 215 according to the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the armrest 215 according to the third embodiment, so the description will be omitted.

[0308] The armrest 215 according to the fourth embodiment, like the third embodiment, is rotatably connected to the seat back 211 at its base end, about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and is displaceable between a forward-projecting usage position and a storage position where it is housed in a storage recess 216 provided in the seat back 211. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the structure of the armrest 215 will be described based on the armrest 215 being in the usage position.

[0309] As shown in Figure 35, the armrest 215, similar to the third embodiment, includes a power supply device 218 as an example of an electrical component (device), and an armrest body 220 that supports the power supply device 218. The power supply device 218, similar to the third embodiment, supplies power to a terminal (such as a smartphone) held by the user.

[0310] The armrest body 220, similar to the third embodiment, comprises a seat portion 222, an upper pad member 223 positioned above the seat portion 222 and supported by the seat portion 222, and a lower pad member 224 provided below the seat portion 222. The armrest 215 includes a power supply device 218 and the armrest body 220, as well as a surface material 225 (see Figure 28) that constitutes the outer surface of the armrest 215, and a rear cover member 269 (also simply called a cover member) provided at the rear of the armrest 215. In this embodiment, the upper pad member 223 is covered from above by a resin cover plate 301. The seat portion 222 and the upper pad member 223 constitute the upper half (upper part 304) of the armrest body 220, and the lower pad member 224 constitutes the lower half (lower part 306) of the armrest body 220. The surface material 225 is made of a sheet-like material such as cloth or leather, and covers at least a part of the armrest body 220, forming the outer surface of the armrest 215.

[0311] The seat portion 222, like the third embodiment, comprises a frame 226, a base member 227, and a duct 228. The base member 227 comprises a frame 245, a support portion 247, a connecting portion 249, and a sealing portion 251. As shown in Figures 35 and 36, the rear edge of the base member 227 is provided with a rear extension portion 253 that extends downward behind the shaft 234. The base member 227 is further provided with a housing recess 256 for housing a part of the power supply device 218, similar to the third embodiment. This housing recess 256 forms a housing space 256A in the armrest body 220 for housing a part of the power supply device 218.

[0312] Similar to the third embodiment, a shaft 234 (rotating axis) is provided at the rear of the armrest body 220. In this embodiment, as shown in the enlarged view of Figure 35, the shaft 234 is received in a recess provided at the rear end of the side member 231 of the frame 226, and is coupled to the armrest body 220 by being sandwiched above and below by the frame 226 and the base member 227.

[0313] Figure 37 shows a bottom view of the armrest body 220 with the lower pad member 224 removed. In Figure 37, the area that the lower pad member 224 contacts and is sealed by the lower pad member 224 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0314] Similar to the third embodiment, the shaft 234 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction and is rotatably connected at both ends to brackets 236 provided on the seat back 211.

[0315] Similar to the third embodiment, the armrest body 220 has a heat exhaust hole 261 formed by the base member 227 and the duct 228, which extends rearward from the power supply device 218 and opens at an opening 267. The heat exhaust hole 261 forms a heat exhaust passage 261A (see arrow in Figure 31) for releasing the heat generated in the power supply device 218. The heat exhaust hole 261 extends rearward along the extension wall 228H provided at the rear end of the duct 228 and is connected to an opening 267 provided in the rear extension portion 253. The opening 267 is located in a position that overlaps with the space between the base member 227 and the duct 228 when viewed from the rear, and constitutes the opening portion of the heat exhaust hole 261. In other words, the heat exhaust hole 261 opens at an opening 267 provided on the outer surface of the armrest body 220. As shown in Figure 37, the opening 267 is preferably formed to extend in the left-right direction beyond the space formed by the base member 227 and the duct 228 when viewed from the rear.

[0316] Next, we will describe the details of the wiring structure 300 of the harness 277.

[0317] As shown in Figure 36, the harness 277 includes a power receiving harness 277A provided on the power supply device 218 side and a power supply harness 277B provided on the seat back 211 side. The power supply harness 277B extends from the seat back 211 into the interior of the armrest 215. For example, a battery (not shown) that supplies power to the power supply device 218 is connected to the power supply harness 277B, and power is supplied to the power supply device 218. The power supply harness 277B may also be connected to a control device (not shown) that transmits control signals to the power supply device 218. The power receiving harness 277A is coupled to the power supply device 218.

[0318] A power supply connector 314 is provided at the end of the power supply harness 277B, and a power receiving connector 316 is provided on the power receiving harness 277A. When the power supply connector 314 and the power receiving connector 316 are coupled (connected), the power supply harness 277B is coupled (connected) to the power receiving harness 277A, and power, control signals, etc. are supplied to the power supply device 218.

[0319] As shown in Figure 37, the base member 227 is provided with a through hole 318 that penetrates to the left of the heat dissipation hole 257. The power receiving harness 277A enters the gap formed between the lower pad member 224 and the base member 227 through the through hole 318 and extends to the rear end of the armrest body 220.

[0320] The receiving harness 277A reaches the rear end of the armrest body 220, then bends to the left or right (to the right in this embodiment) and extends toward the heat dissipation hole 261 (heat dissipation passage 261A). By connecting the receiving connector 316 and the supplying connector 314, the receiving harness 277A is connected to the supplying harness 277B at its extended end. The supplying harness 277B passes inside the heat dissipation hole 261 (heat dissipation passage 261A) and extends to the left or right (to the right in this embodiment). In this way, a receiving hole 320 that receives a part of the harness 277 is formed by the gap between the lower pad member 224 and the base member 227, and the receiving hole 320 is configured to connect to the heat dissipation hole 261 (see Figure 36). This allows the receiving harness 277A to be easily routed while being guided toward the opening 267.

[0321] As shown in Figures 35 and 37, the armrest body 220 is provided with a harness hole 322 for introducing the power supply harness 277B into the interior. The harness hole 322 is located on either the left or right side of the armrest body 220 (in this embodiment, the right side) and is provided around the shaft 234. After being connected to the power receiving harness 277A, the power supply harness 277B extends in the left-right direction, passes through the harness hole 322, and extends to the outside of the armrest body 220. In other words, the power supply harness 277B is introduced into the interior of the armrest body 220 from the seat back 211 through the harness hole 322. The harness hole 322 is formed by the gap between the lower body 306 (lower pad member 224) which constitutes the lower part of the armrest body 220, and the upper body 304 (seat portion 222 and upper pad member 223) which constitutes the upper part of the armrest body 220. In this embodiment, the harness hole 322 is formed by the gap between the base member 227 and the lower pad member 224. By forming the harness hole 322 in this way using the gap between the base member 227 and the lower pad member 224, the harness hole 322 can be easily formed.

[0322] In this embodiment, fixing portions 324 for fixing the harness 277 are provided on both the duct 228 and the base member 227.

[0323] Specifically, as shown in Figures 36 and 37, a harness fixing portion 324A similar to the fixing portion 279 of the third embodiment is provided on the duct 228. More specifically, as shown in Figure 36, the harness fixing portion 324A protrudes upward from the extension wall 228H. As shown in Figures 36 and 38, the harness fixing portion 324A is positioned behind the shaft 234 (i.e., on the side of the opening 267 relative to the shaft 234).

[0324] The power supply harness 277B is fixed to the harness fixing part 324A by a harness clip 325. A resin member or the like may be provided between the harness fixing part 324A and the harness clip 325 to protect the harness fixing part 324A.

[0325] The base member 227 is provided with a connector fixing portion 324B for fixing at least one of the power receiving connector 316 and the power supply connector 314. As shown in Figure 36, the base member 227 is provided with a rear wall recess 326 that is recessed forward by a rear extension portion 253. The rear wall recess 326 is provided with a through hole 328 that penetrates in the left-right direction, and the harness 277 is arranged to pass through the through hole 328. The connector fixing portion 324B is provided on the front wall 330 that defines the front part of the rear wall recess 326.

[0326] As shown in Figure 38, the harness fixing portion 324A and the connector fixing portion 324B are each positioned to face the opening 267 in approximately the front-to-back direction and are visible to the naked eye. The connector fixing portion 324B is also located behind the shaft 234 (i.e., on the side of the opening 267 relative to the shaft 234), similar to the harness fixing portion 324A.

[0327] As shown in Figures 35, 36, and 39, the armrest body 220 is provided with a rear cover member 269 that covers the opening 267, similar to the third embodiment. By providing the rear cover member 269 in this way, the harness fixing portion 324A and the connector fixing portion 324B are covered from the rear when in use, thereby protecting the harness fixing portion 324A and the connector fixing portion 324B. In this embodiment, the lower wall 332 that defines the lower edge of the rear wall recess 326 is provided with a connector protection portion 334 that protrudes upward behind the connector fixing portion 324B. This connector protection portion 334 can further strengthen the protection of the connector fixing portion 324B.

[0328] The rear cover member 269 is made of a roughly plate-shaped resin member. As shown in Figure 39, the rear cover member 269 is provided with a cover opening 340 having a plurality of through holes that penetrate in the front-back direction. The cover opening 340 is positioned to overlap with the portion defined between the duct 228 and the base member 227 when viewed from the rear. The rear cover member 269 is further provided with a cover covering portion 342 located to the left of the cover opening 340. As shown in Figure 36, the cover covering portion 342 is positioned to cover the connector fixing portion 324B from the rear. While the cover opening 340 has through holes arranged in a grid pattern, the cover covering portion 342 does not have through holes, and is provided with grid-like ribs 344 to give it a similar design appearance to the cover opening 340.

[0329] The surface material 225 is provided with a surface opening (not shown) that overlaps with the opening 267. A trim member 350 is provided at the surface opening and is joined along its edge. In Figure 38, the trim member 350 is shown by a dashed line. The trim member 350 plays a role in maintaining the shape of the edge that defines the surface opening and is made of a flat, plate-shaped resin member. By sewing the trim member 350 along the edge of the surface opening, the surface material 225 can be easily and aesthetically pleasingly joined to the armrest body 220.

[0330] The trim member 350 is positioned along at least a portion of the edge of the opening 267 provided in the base member 227. The trim member 350 may be an annular shape extending along the edge of the opening 267. In this embodiment, the trim member 350 is an annular shape extending along the edge of the opening 267, except for an inwardly protruding convex portion 350A formed to avoid overlapping the connector protection portion 334 in the front and rear directions.

[0331] Next, the effects of the armrest 215 configured in this way will be explained. As shown in the enlarged view of Figure 35, the harness 277 connected to the power supply device 218 provided on the armrest 215 is introduced into the armrest body 220 through harness holes 322 provided on the left and right sides of the armrest body 220 and around the shaft 234. By providing the harness holes 322 around the shaft 234 in this way, the harness 277 can be positioned near the shaft 234, so that the harness 277 can be routed in a position that does not easily interfere with the rotation of the armrest 215.

[0332] As shown in Figure 38, the harness fixing portion 324A is positioned opposite the opening 267 of the heat dissipation vent 261 and is visible from the opening 267. Therefore, when assembling the armrest 215, the harness fixing portion 324A can be seen and the power supply harness 277B can be fixed, making the fixing work easier. In addition, since the harness fixing portion 324A is located behind the shaft 234, the harness fixing portion 324A is easily visible, and the shaft 234 does not obstruct the fixing work.

[0333] The connector fixing portion 324B is also positioned opposite the opening 267 of the heat dissipation hole 261 and is visible from the opening 267. Therefore, similar to the harness fixing portion 324A, the connector fixing portion 324B can be visually identified and at least one of the power supply side connector 314 and the power receiving side connector 316 can be fixed to the connector fixing portion 324B, making the fixing work easier. In addition, since the connector fixing portion 324B is located behind the shaft 234, the connector fixing portion 324B is easily visible, preventing the shaft 234 from obstructing the fixing work.

[0334] In the above embodiment, the case in which the armrest 215 is rotatably mounted on the seat back 213 was described. However, the armrest 215 only needs to be rotatably mounted on a seat such as the rear seat 201, and may be rotatably mounted on a member other than the seat back 213, for example, on the seat cushion 214. In this case, a shaft 234 (rotating axis) that rotatably connects the armrest body 220 to the seat cushion 214 is attached to the seat cushion 214.

[0335] If the armrest 215 is rotatably mounted on the seat cushion 214, the seat cushion 214 may be provided with a storage recess for storing the armrest 215. The armrest 215 may be rotatably connected to the seat cushion 214 so that it can be displaced between a storage position where it is stored in the storage recess and a usage position where it is raised from the storage position. In this case, the armrest body 220 may be configured to have, in the stored state, a main part that extends front to back and whose upper surface is parallel to the upper surface of the seat cushion 214, and a hanging part that extends downward from the front end of the main part.

[0336] The armrest body 220 may be composed of two members connected to each other via a pivot axis. When the armrest 215 is in use, it may be configured to unfold by rotating one member relative to the other, so that the two members form a surface substantially parallel to the upper surface of the seat cushion 214. Even if the armrest body 220 is provided with one or more pivot axes for deformation such as unfolding, it is preferable that harness holes 322 be provided around the shaft 234 (pivot axis) for connecting the armrest body 220 to the seat cushion 214.

[0337] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes an example in which the armrest 215 is provided on the rear seat 201 that constitutes the rear seat, the armrest 215 may also be provided on a vehicle seat other than the rear seat 201, such as the front seat that constitutes the front seat or the mid-seat. For example, the armrest 215 may be rotatably attached to the seat cushion 214 of the front seat, in which case the seat cushion 214 does not need to have a storage recess.

[0338] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment described above, the harness fixing portion 324A was provided on the duct 228 and the connector fixing portion 324B was provided on the base member 227, but the harness fixing portion 324A and the connector fixing portion 324B may each be provided on either the duct 228 or the base member 227. Also, the armrest 215 may be provided with multiple harness fixing portions 324A and connector fixing portions 324B.

[0339] 1: Vehicle seat 4: Seat back 6: Seat back body (main body) 7: Non-seat surface cover member 9: Notch 14: First surface material 15: Airbag device 23: Wire fastener 24: Back bracket 26: Backboard 27: Second surface material 27a: Fixed edge 28: Through hole (locking part) 29: Claw part (locking part) 30: Recess 31: Bottom part 32: Wall part 33: Upper end part 34: Rib 35: Upward extension part 36: First lower edge 37: Second lower edge 38: Electrical components 39: Routing member 41: Binding part 101: Vehicle seat 102: Seat body 103: Speaker device 111: Pad member 111A: Front of pad 111B: Left side of pad (example of pad side part) 111C: Right side of pad (an example of a pad side) 112: Surface material 129C: Flange 133: First wire member (an example of a wire member) 192: Hook part 192A: Left hook part (an example of a hook part) 192B: Center hook part (an example of a hook part) 192C: Right hook part (an example of a hook part) 194: Slit 196: Protrusion 196A: Inclined surface 200: Annular wire (an example of a wire member) 201: Rear seat (an example of a vehicle seat) 213: Seat back 214: Seat cushion 215: Armrest 216: Storage recess 218: Power supply device (an example of an electrical component) 220: Armrest body 225: Surface material 234: Shaft (an example of a pivot shaft) 256A: Storage space 261: Heat dissipation hole 267: Opening 277: Harness 277A: Power receiving harness 277B: Power supply harness 279: Fixing part 304: Upper part of main body 306: Lower part of main body 314: Power supply connector 316: Power receiving connector 320: Receiving hole 322: Harness hole 324: Fixing part 324A: Harness fixing part 324B: Connector fixing part 350: Trim member

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising: a main body portion having a frame, a pad supported by the frame, and a first surface material covering the seating surface side of the pad; and a non-seat surface cover member that at least partially covers the non-seat surface of the main body portion, wherein the non-seat surface cover member comprises a fixed edge portion fixed to the main body portion and a locking portion that locks to the main body portion at a position spaced apart from the fixed edge portion.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, comprising a seat back that supports the back of a sitter, comprising the main body and the non-seat surface cover member, the non-seat surface cover member comprising a backboard including a locking portion and a second surface material attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and including a fixed edge, the main body comprising a locking portion for locking the locking portion, one of the locking portion and the locking portion having a through hole, the other of the locking portion and the locking portion having a claw portion inserted through the through hole, and the fixed edge of the second surface material being fixed to the first surface material by a wire fastener.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the main body further comprises a back bracket attached to the frame and having the locking portion, and the claw portion comprises a wall portion extending in the vertical direction.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion comprises the claw portion, the locked portion comprises the through hole, the claw portion comprises a bottom portion and a wall portion extending upward from the bottom portion, and is inserted into the through hole from front to rear, and the backboard is provided at a position adjacent to above the through hole and has a recess that is recessed toward the front for at least a portion to receive the wall portion.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the through hole is formed by an elongated hole having a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction, and the length of the through hole in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the recess in the left-right direction.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the backboard has a notch formed downward from the upper edge, and the lower edge of the notch has a first lower edge positioned offset in the left-right direction with respect to the through hole, and a second lower edge provided above the through hole and positioned above the first lower edge.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, further comprising at least one electrical component and a plurality of routing members connected to the at least one electrical component, wherein the backboard has an upward extension portion that extends upward from the extension line of the first lower edge when viewed from the rear and has the second lower edge as its upper end, the plurality of routing members have a binding portion that is bundled together with each other, and the upward extension portion faces the back bracket in the front-rear direction, with its upper end tilted backward with respect to the opposing portion of the back bracket, and is configured to cover the binding portion from the rear.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the claw portion has an upper end portion that extends upward from the upper end of the wall portion so as to bend backward relative to the wall portion.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the claw portion is provided with a rib extending from the upper surface of the bottom portion to the front surface of the wall portion.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, further comprising an airbag device positioned in front of the wire fastener within the seat back.

11. A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat having a seat back, the seat back comprising: a seat back body comprising a frame, a pad supported by the frame, and a first surface material covering the seating surface side of the pad; and a non-seat surface cover member that covers at least partially the non-seat surface of the seat back body; the non-seat surface cover member comprising: a backboard having through holes for locking to the seat back body; and a second surface material attached to the left and right side edges of the backboard and having fixing edge portions fixed to the first surface material by wire fasteners; the manufacturing method comprising: a step of locking the backboard to the seat back body such that claw portions provided on the seat back body are inserted into the through holes provided on the backboard; and a step of fixing the second surface material to the first surface material by wire fasteners.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein the through hole is provided in the upper part of the backboard, and the wire fastener is configured such that the first surface material and the second surface material engage with each other from bottom to top in the fixing step.

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