JP6708089B2 - Vehicle seat - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly, to a vehicle seat including a drive device that moves at least a part of a seat cushion and/or a seat back, and a control device that operates the drive device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, techniques for improving various safety for vehicles such as automobiles have already been known. Here, in Patent Document 1 below, the driving state of the driver m is detected by the camera 103, and the driver m is in a dangerous driving state based on the detected driving state (for example, when the driver m is looking aside or drowsiness). When it is determined that the driver m is in a running state), a control device (not shown) that issues a warning sound or air blow to the driver m, or vibrates the seat or opens the window is disclosed (see FIG. 13). ). As a result, the driver m in a dangerous driving state can be awakened to a normal driving state, so that a car accident or the like can be prevented in advance.

JP, 2005-62911, A

However, in the technique of Patent Document 1 described above, the control device causes the driver m to recognize that the vehicle is in a dangerous driving state due to a warning sound, air blowing, seat vibration, opening of a window, and the like. Based on this judgment, the driver m determines that the driver m is in a dangerous driving state, and the driver m performs an operation (for example, steering operation, brake pedal operation, etc.) for avoiding the danger based on this judgment. ing. In this way, if the flow of the three steps of recognition, judgment, and operation is reached, the operation step is reached after the two steps of recognition and judgment, so that the driver m operates after entering a dangerous driving state. It would take time to reach the step. Therefore, it takes time to start the operation for avoiding the danger.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle seat that can shorten the time until the start of an operation for avoiding this danger when the driver is in a dangerous driving state. Is to provide.

The present invention is for achieving the above object and is configured as follows. The invention according to claim 1 includes a seat cushion, a seat back assembled to the seat cushion, a drive device that moves at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back, and a control device that operates the drive device. It is a vehicle seat provided. At least a part of the movement of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is a preliminary operation of the brake pedal operation by the driver and/or the steering operation by the driver. The control device operates the drive device when it is determined that the driver needs to operate the brake pedal and/or the steering operation by the driver based on various signals from the outside. At least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is composed of a support body of the seat cushion and/or a support body of the seat back. The support body of the seat cushion is composed of a movable member embedded in a top plate side portion of the seat cushion. The support body of the seat back is composed of a movable member embedded in the side portion of the top plate of the seat back .

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the control device determines that the driver needs an operation (for example, steering operation) for avoiding danger, at least a part of the seat back starts to move (for example, left and right of the seat back). The movable member of (1) is getting up in front), and the preliminary operation of the steering operation is performed. When this preliminary operation is performed, the left and right arms of the driver are also raised forward, so that the left and right hands of the driver approach the steering wheel. Therefore, the driver can immediately grasp the steering wheel. Therefore, the driver can immediately perform the steering operation. When the driver can perform the steering operation in this way, unlike the prior art, the two steps of recognition and judgment are omitted and the operation step is reached. It does not take time to reach a step (for example, steering operation). As a result, when the driver is in a dangerous driving state, it is possible to shorten the time until the start of the operation for avoiding this danger. This is the same even when the driver operates the brake pedal to avoid danger. In that case, a preliminary operation of the brake pedal operation is performed such that at least part of the seat cushion starts to move.

The invention according to claim 2 is the vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the movable member of the seat cushion and/or the movable member of the seat back is a frame member that forms a base thereof, and the frame member. It is composed of a cushion material attached to .

According to the invention of claim 2, in the movable member, the rigidity can be secured by the frame material, while the cushioning property can be secured by the cushion material. Therefore, the preliminary operation of the operation for avoiding the danger can be surely performed without giving the driver a feeling of foreign matter.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the frame member has an interference portion even if the movable member interferes with the driver when the drive device is operated. Has a structure that can escape .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, for example, when the driver has a large physique (a wide torso width), at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back which is performing the preliminary movement is provided to the driver having a large physique. May interfere. In that case, this interference part will escape by bending, for example. Therefore, even if the physique of the driver is large, at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is reliably moved, so that the preliminary operation of the operation of the brake pedal 5 and/or the operation of the steering 4 can be reliably performed.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movement of at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is a thigh of the driver. At least one of a rotation operation for lifting, a vibration operation for giving a slight vibration to the thigh of the driver, a rotation operation for lifting a forearm of the driver, and a vibration operation for giving a slight vibration for the second arm of the driver .

According to the invention of claim 4 , the left and right hands of the driver are brought closer to the steering wheel as compared with the case where the preliminary operation of the steering operation is, for example, an advancing operation (sliding operation) of pushing out the second arm of the driver. easy.

The invention according to claim 5 is the vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support body of the seat cushion and/or the movable member of the seat back has its seating surface and/or The backrest surface slopes downward from the outside to the inside .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, for example, the preliminary operation such as the steering operation can be reliably performed as compared with the case where the vehicle is not inclined downward.

The invention according to claim 6 is the vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is interlocked with the operation of the drive device. A vibrator is provided .

According to the invention of claim 6, the driver in the dangerous driving state can be awakened to the normal driving state by the operation of the vibrator.

1 is a perspective view of a part of a vehicle compartment of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the seat back of the driver's seat of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the motor vehicle of FIG. It is a figure explaining the state where the driver was seated in FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5. It is a cross-sectional view of the seat back of the driver's seat of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining operation|movement of the control apparatus of the driver's seat of FIG. It is a figure explaining the operating state of a movable body in FIG. It is a side view of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the seat back of the driver's seat of FIG. It is a modification of the driver's seat of FIG. It is a side view of the vehicle interior of a conventional vehicle.

Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the "driver's seat 3 of the automobile 1" will be described as an example of the "vehicle seat". Further, in the following description, the terms “upper, lower, front, rear, left, right” refer to the upper, lower, front, rear, left, right directions described in the above-described drawings, that is, the driving assembled in the automobile 1. The direction with respect to seat 3 is shown.

First, the configuration of the driver's seat 3 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The driver's seat 3 is mainly composed of a seat cushion 10 and a seat back 20 that is tiltably assembled to the seat cushion 10 via an electric recliner (not shown). The seat cushion 10 and the seat back 20 will be individually described below.

First, the seat cushion 10 will be described. The seat cushion 10 includes a seat cushion frame (not shown) formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape, a seat cushion pad (not shown) assembled to cover the seat cushion frame, and a surface of the seat cushion pad. The seat cushion cover 16 covers the (design surface).

As is clear from FIG. 1, the seat cushion 10 has a top main part 10a that receives the seated portion (buttocks, thighs, etc.) of the driver M and bulges on both sides of the main main plate 10a. It is to be roughly divided into a pair of top plate side portions 10b that are formed to support the seating portion of the driver M. The seat cushion 10 is configured in this way. A control device 50 described later is assembled to the seat cushion 10 configured as described above.

Next, the seat back 20 will be described. This seat back 20 is also a seat back frame 22 formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape, a seat back pad 24 assembled so as to cover the seat back frame 22, and a surface (design surface) of the seat back pad 24. And a seat back cover 26 for covering.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the seat back 20 also has a top main part 20a that receives the backrest (waist, back, etc.) of the driver M, and rises on both sides of the top main part 20a. It is to be roughly divided into a pair of top plate side portions 20b that are formed and support the backrest portion of the driver M. An armrest (not shown) that serves as an armrest for the driver M is pivotally attached to the pair of top plate side portions 20b. The pair of top plate side portions 20b and the armrest correspond to the "support body" recited in the claims.

A recess 20b1 is formed in each of the pair of top plate side portions 20b of the seat back 20 at a position facing the second arm A of the driver M. A movable member 30 including a frame member 32 forming a base and a cushion member 34 assembled to the frame member 32 is embedded in the both recesses 20b1. The backrest surface (front surface) 34a of the cushion member 34 of the movable member 30 is inclined downward from the outside to the inside (see FIG. 3).

The frame members 32 are pivotally attached to the seat back frame 22 so that the movable member 30 can be raised forward from the recess 20b1. A drive device 40 is mechanically connected to the left frame member 32 of the two frame members 32. The frame members 32 are fastened together via a rod 42 so that they move in synchronization with each other (see FIG. 3). Both frame members 32 are made of an elastic resin base material or steel material. Further, inside the cushion member 34, a single or a plurality of vibrators 34b are provided. The seat back 20 is configured in this way.

The driver's seat 3 is composed of the seat cushion 10 and the seat back 20. The driver's seat 3 configured as described above is assembled to the floor floor F of the passenger compartment 2 of the automobile 1 via a known electric slide mechanism (not shown).

Next, the electrical configuration of the driver's seat 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 50 is electrically connected to a vehicle ECU 60 provided in the automobile 1. The vehicle ECU 60 is electrically connected to a steering sensor 4a provided on the steering 4 that can be operated by the driver M in the driver's seat 3. As a result, the control device 50 can determine whether or not the driver M in the driver's seat 3 is holding the steering wheel 4. The vehicle ECU 60 is electrically connected to a brake pedal sensor 5a provided on the brake pedal 5 that can be operated by the driver M in the driver's seat 3. As a result, the control device 50 can determine whether or not the driver M in the driver's seat 3 puts his/her foot on the brake pedal 5.

Further, the control device 50 is electrically connected to the drive device 40. As a result, the control device 50 can turn on or off (operate/stop) the drive device 40 based on various signals received from the vehicle ECU 60 and a program built in the control device 50 itself. Further, the control device 50 is electrically connected to the vibrator 34b. As a result, the control device 50 can turn on or off (operate/stop) the vibrator 34b based on various signals received from the vehicle ECU 60 and a program built in the control device 50 itself.

Subsequently, the operation of the above-described driver's seat 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In this explanation, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the automobile 1 is in the automatic driving mode (for example, the automatic driving of level 3 is also in the state, and the system performs all acceleration, steering, and braking, and the driving is performed when the system requests it. The description will be given in a state where the person M is traveling in a corresponding state).

First, the control device 50 executes a process of determining whether the automobile 1 is set to the automatic driving mode (step S1 in FIG. 8). This setting may be performed by a switch (not shown) that can be operated by the driver M, or may be automatically or manually switched when the vehicle 1 satisfies a predetermined driving condition (for example, traveling on a highway). It may be configured. Next, when it is determined Yes in step S1, the control device 50 executes a process of determining whether or not the driver M is required to steer the automobile 1 (step S2 in FIG. 8).

The necessity to steer means that the authority to drive the automobile 1 is transferred from the system to the driver M. For example, when the controller 50 determines that the driver M is in a dangerous state, When the control device 50 determines that the vehicle has descended from the highway to the general road (lower road), the driver M performs an operation to avoid danger (for example, steering 4 operation, brake pedal 5 operation, etc.). This is a state where the control device 50 determines that it is necessary.

The control device 50 can make a determination based on various signals received from the vehicle ECU 60. Of course, the vehicle ECU 60 can receive the information necessary for the control device 50 to make this determination from various sensors (not shown). Next, when it is determined Yes in step S2, the control device 50 executes the process of turning on the drive device 40 and then the process of step S4 (step S3 in FIG. 8).

Then, the left and right movable members 30 rise forward (rotate). That is, a preliminary operation of steering 4 operation described later is performed. As a result, the left and right arms A of the driver M are also raised forward, so that the left and right hands H of the driver M approach the steering wheel 4. Therefore, the driver M can immediately grasp the steering 4 (see FIGS. 9 to 11). Therefore, the driver M can immediately perform the steering 4 operation. The vibrator 34b is also operated when the left and right movable members 30 are raised forward.

Next, the control device 50 executes a process of determining whether or not the driver M in the driver's seat 3 grips the steering wheel 4 (step S4 in FIG. 8). Next, when it is determined Yes in step S4, the control device 50 executes a process of turning off the drive device 40 (step S5 in FIG. 8). Then, the left and right movable members 30 are tilted back and returned. This prevents the left and right movable members 30 from interfering with the steering operation of the driver M by the driver M, and facilitates the steering 4 operation (for example, the driver M can turn the steering wheel 4 largely). . After that, the control device 50 executes a process of repeating these steps S1 to S5.

When it is determined No in step S1 described above, the control device 50 executes a process that is repeated until it is determined Yes in step S1. Further, if it is determined No in step S2 described above, the control device 50 executes a process that is repeated until it is determined Yes in step S2. Further, if No is determined in step S4 described above, the control device 50 executes a process that is repeated until Yes is determined in step S4.

Further, in step S3 described above, if the driver M has a large torso width, the left and right movable members 30 that are going forward will interfere with the torso of the driver M. This interfering portion will be referred to as an interfering portion 30a. Even in that case, since the frame member 32 and the cushion member 34 of the movable member 30 are formed to have elasticity, the interference portion 30a can escape due to the elastic bending action. In addition, in FIG. 5, the creative line shows the driver M having a wide torso width and the movable member 30 bent by the bending action due to the interference with the driver M.

The driver's seat 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. With this configuration, for example, when the control device 50 determines that the driver M needs to perform an operation for avoiding a danger, such as the operation of the steering wheel 4, the left and right movable members 30 that are at least a part of the seat back 20 are provided. A preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation such as getting up in front is performed. When this preliminary operation is performed, the left and right arms A of the driver M are also raised forward, and the left and right hands H of the driver M approach the steering wheel 4. Therefore, the driver M can immediately grasp the steering 4. Therefore, the driver M can immediately perform the steering 4 operation. In this way, when the driver M can perform the steering 4 operation, unlike the related art, the two steps of recognition and judgment are omitted and the operation step is reached, so that the driver M is in a dangerous driving state. It does not take time to reach the operation step (steering 4 operation). As a result, when the driver M is in a dangerous driving state, it is possible to shorten the time until the start of the operation for avoiding this danger.

Further, according to this configuration, at least a part of the seat back 20 is configured by a member (in this case, the movable member 30) provided on the top plate side portion 20b. Therefore, since the top plate main portion 20a is not affected, it is possible to shorten the time until the start of the operation for avoiding danger without hindering the backrest posture of the driver M.

Moreover, according to this structure, the member provided in the top plate side part 20b is comprised of the movable member 30 embedded in this top plate side part 20b. Therefore, for example, as compared with the case where the seat back 20 is provided with an armrest (not shown) and the movable member 30 is performed by the armrest, the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation can be performed at a position close to the driver M. Therefore, for example, even if the physique of the driver M is small (the body width is narrow), the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation can be reliably performed.

Further, according to this structure, the movable member 30 is composed of the frame member 32 forming the base and the cushion member 34 assembled to the frame member 32. Therefore, in the movable member 30, the rigidity can be secured by the frame member 32, while the cushioning property can be secured by the cushion member 34. Therefore, it is possible to surely perform the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation without giving the driver M a feeling of foreign matter.

Further, according to this configuration, the frame member 32 is formed of an elastic resin base material or steel material. For this reason, for example, when the physique of the driver M is large (the body width is wide), the left and right movable members 30 in front of the driver M may interfere with the driver M of this physique. In that case, since the frame members 32 of the left and right movable members 30 are bent, the interference portion 30a that interferes with the driver M escapes. Therefore, even if the physique of the driver M is large, the left and right movable members 30 are reliably raised in advance, so that the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation can be reliably performed.

Further, according to this configuration, the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation is a rotational operation of lifting the second arm A of the driver M. Therefore, as compared with the case where the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation is, for example, an advancing operation (sliding operation) of pushing out the second arm A of the driver M, the left and right hands H of the driver M are brought closer to the steering 4. easy.

Further, according to this configuration, the backrest surface (front surface) 34a of the cushion member 34 of the movable member 30 is inclined downward from the outside to the inside. Therefore, for example, as compared with the case where the vehicle is not downhill, the preliminary operation of the steering 4 operation can be reliably performed.

Further, according to this configuration, a single or a plurality of vibrators 34b are provided inside the cushion material 34. Each of the vibrators 34b is configured to operate when the left and right movable members 30 rise forward. Therefore, the operation of each vibrator 34b can wake up the driver M in a dangerous driving state to a normal driving state.

The above description is merely related to one embodiment of the present invention, and does not mean that the present invention is limited to the above description.

In the embodiment, the "driver's seat 3 of the automobile 1" has been described as an example of the "vehicle seat". However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is not limited to “vehicle” as long as it is a “vehicle”, and various vehicles (for example, ships, airplanes, railways, etc.) may be used. Further, as long as it is a "seat", it is not limited to "driver's seat 3", and various seats (for example, a passenger seat, a rear seat, etc.) may be used.

Further, in the embodiment, the mode in which the drive device 40 moves at least a part of the seat back 20 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the drive device 40 may move at least a part of the seat cushion 10. In this case, this movement is a preliminary operation for operating the brake pedal 5 such as rotating the driver M so as to lift the thigh. Therefore, in step S4 of FIG. 8, the control device 50 is a process of determining whether or not the driver M of the driver's seat 3 put his/her foot on the brake pedal 5 based on the signal from the brake pedal sensor 5a. Of course, the drive device 40 may move at least a part of the seat cushion 10 and the seat back 20.

Further, in the embodiment, the form in which the interference portion 30a of the movable member 30 with respect to the driver M is released by the bending of the frame member 32 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the frame member 32 may be bendable via a hinge (see FIG. 12). In that case, a torsion spring (not shown) is hooked between the frame member 32 on the bent side and the frame member 32 on the unbent side, and the frame member 32 on the bent side is bent by the restoring force of the torsion spring. I will return to the previous state.

Further, in the embodiment, the rotation operation is described as the movement of at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a slide operation. Further, in the rotating operation, the rotating operation and the returning operation may be repeated at high speed in a short time (micro vibration) operation.

Further, in the embodiment, the embodiment in which the movable member 30 is provided on the seat back 20 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the armrest of the seatback 20 may be used.

3 Driver's seat (vehicle seat)
4 Steering 5 Brake pedal 10 Seat cushion 20 Seat back 40 Drive device 50 Control device

Claims (6)

Seat cushion,
A seat back assembled to the seat cushion,
A drive for moving at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back,
A vehicle seat comprising: a control device for operating the drive device,
At least a part of the movement of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is a preliminary operation of a brake pedal operation by a driver and/or a steering operation by a driver,
The control device operates the drive device when it is determined that the brake pedal operation by the driver and/or the steering operation by the driver is necessary based on various signals from the outside ,
At least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is composed of a support body of the seat cushion and/or a support body of the seat back,
The support body of the seat cushion is composed of a movable member embedded in a top side portion of the seat cushion,
The vehicle seat, wherein the support body of the seat back is composed of a movable member embedded in a side portion of a top plate of the seat back . The vehicle seat according to claim 1,
A vehicle seat in which the movable member of the seat cushion and/or the movable member of the seat back is composed of a frame material forming a base thereof and a cushion material assembled to the frame material . The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein:
The vehicle seat is a vehicle seat having a structure in which, even when the movable member interferes with the driver when the drive device is operated, the interference portion can escape . The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The movement of at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back includes a rotation operation for lifting the thigh of the driver, a vibration operation for giving a slight vibration to the thigh of the driver, and an upper arm of the driver. A vehicle seat having at least one of a rotation operation for lifting and a vibration operation for giving a slight vibration to the second arm of the driver . The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The vehicle seat in which the support body of the seat cushion and/or the movable member of the seat back has a seating surface and/or a backrest surface inclined downward from the outside to the inside . The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein:
A vehicle seat in which at least a part of the seat cushion and/or the seat back is provided with a vibrator interlocked with the operation of the drive device .

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