JP2022058115A - Vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat capable of appropriately detecting biometric information by a sensor while ensuring the degree of freedom in a layout of the sensor even when comprising a lumbar support.SOLUTION: A vehicle seat S comprises a seat back S1. The seat back S1 comprises: a seat back frame F1 that constitutes a skeleton of the seat back S1; a lumbar support 50 that is arranged on a seat back frame F1 to support a waist of a seated person; and a sensor 60 that detects a state of the seated person. The lumbar support 50 has a flat plate-shaped plate member 51 extending in a seat width direction. An adjusting mechanism 70 for adjusting a position of the lumbar support 50 in a front-rear direction is arranged on a back surface 51a of the plate member 51. The sensor 60 is arranged at a position avoiding the adjusting mechanism 70 on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat and particularly relates to a vehicle seat provided with a lumbar support that supports the waist of a seated person.

A vehicle seat provided with a waist support such as a lumbar support device that supports the waist of a seated person who sits on a vehicle seat is known. For example, in Patent Document 1, in a vehicle seat provided with a lumbar support device, the Doppler type biosensor does not come into contact with the resin panel due to the operation of the lumbar support device, that is, the bending of the resin panel. A structure is described that is disposed inside the seat back pad between the lower end of the device and the seating surface of the seat back.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-199100

In the configuration of the vehicle seat of Patent Document 1, the position of the sensor is limited to the lower end portion of the seat back, which may be disadvantageous from the viewpoint of appropriate detection of biological information. Further, since the sensor is arranged on the seat back pad, the influence of the hardness of the seating surface of the seat back pad cannot be avoided.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to appropriately detect biometric information by a sensor while ensuring the degree of freedom in the layout of the sensor even when the lumbar support is provided. The purpose is to provide possible vehicle seats.

According to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the subject is a vehicle seat provided with a seat back, and the seat back is arranged on the seat back frame constituting the skeleton of the seat back and the seat back frame. The lumbar support is provided with a lumbar support for supporting the lumbar region of the seated person and a sensor for detecting the state of the seated person, and the lumbar support has a flat plate-shaped plate member extending in the width direction of the vehicle seat. However, on the back surface of the plate member, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of the lumbar support in the front-rear direction is arranged, and the sensor avoids the adjusting mechanism on the back surface of the plate member. It is solved by being placed in the correct position.

In the vehicle seat of the present invention configured as described above, the sensor can be placed on the back surface of the lumbar support provided with the adjustment mechanism, and the biometric information is appropriately measured by the sensor while ensuring the degree of freedom in the layout of the sensor. Can be detected.

In the vehicle seat, the adjustment mechanism may extend along the width direction of the vehicle seat, and the sensor may be arranged at a position avoiding the adjustment mechanism upward or downward. ..
In the above configuration, the sensor is arranged while appropriately avoiding the adjustment mechanism extending in the seat width direction, and the sensor can appropriately detect the biometric information.

In the vehicle seat, a wire member connected to the seat back frame may be connected to the adjustment mechanism, and the sensor may be arranged at a position avoiding the wire member.
In the above configuration, the sensor can be arranged while appropriately avoiding the wire member connected to the adjusting mechanism, and the biometric information can be appropriately detected by the sensor.

In the vehicle seat, the plate member may have a grid-like rib on the back surface, and the sensor may be arranged at a position avoiding the grid-like rib.
In the above configuration, the sensor is arranged on the back surface of the plate member while avoiding the grid-like ribs, and the sensor can appropriately detect biometric information.

In the vehicle seat, the plate member may have a recess that is thinner than the surrounding area, and the sensor may be attached to the recess.
In the above configuration, by arranging the sensor in the recess of the plate member, the arrangement of the sensor becomes stable, and it becomes possible to appropriately detect biometric information by the sensor.

In the vehicle seat, the sensor may be arranged at a position eccentric from the center of the plate member.
In the above configuration, since the circumference of the spine is recessed in the seated person's body, it is possible to detect the biological information by the sensor on the left side or the right side of the back which is always in contact with the seating surface in the seated person's body.

In the vehicle seat, the wiring member connected to a component different from the sensor is arranged behind the sensor and on the opposite side of the sensor in the width direction of the vehicle seat. It is good to be there.
In the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the wiring member connected to a component different from the sensor from affecting the sensor.

In the vehicle seat, the sensor includes an irradiation unit that irradiates radio waves, a reception unit that receives the radio waves reflected from the seated person, and a housing that includes the irradiation unit and the reception unit. In the vertical direction of the vehicle seat, the irradiation unit and the reception unit may be arranged above the adjustment mechanism.
In the above configuration, since the irradiation unit and the reception unit are arranged so as to avoid the adjustment mechanism, it is possible to appropriately detect biometric information by the sensor.

In the above-mentioned vehicle seat, a headrest that supports the head of the seated person, a seat cushion that supports the buttocks of the seated person, a seat cushion frame that constitutes the frame of the seat cushion, and a lower portion of the seat cushion frame. It is preferable to include a slide rail arranged in the seat back frame, a pad member placed on the seat back frame and the seat cushion frame, and a trim cover for covering the pad member.
With the above configuration, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle seat equipped with a sensor and a lumbar support.

According to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the sensor can be arranged on the back surface of the lumbar support provided with the adjustment mechanism, and the biometric information can be appropriately detected by the sensor while ensuring the degree of freedom in the layout of the sensor. It will be possible.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the sensor can be arranged while appropriately avoiding the adjusting mechanism extending in the seat width direction, and the biometric information can be appropriately detected by the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the sensor can be arranged while appropriately avoiding the wire member connected to the adjusting mechanism, and the biological information can be appropriately detected by the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, the sensor can be arranged on the back surface of the plate member while avoiding the grid-like ribs, and the biometric information can be appropriately detected by the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, by arranging the sensor in the recess of the plate member, the arrangement of the sensor becomes stable, and the biological information can be appropriately detected by the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, since the circumference of the spine is recessed in the seated person's body, the biological information is detected by the sensor on the left side or the right side of the back which is always in contact with the seating surface in the seated person's body. It becomes possible.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a wiring member connected to a component different from the sensor from affecting the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, since the irradiation unit and the reception unit are arranged so as to avoid the adjustment mechanism, it is possible to appropriately detect biometric information by the sensor.
Further, according to the vehicle seat of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle seat provided with a sensor and a lumbar support.

It is an external view of the vehicle seat which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front perspective view of the seat frame provided in the vehicle seat. It is a rear perspective view of a seat back frame. It is a rear view of the plate part of a lumbar support.

Hereinafter, a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As the vehicle seat according to the present embodiment, a vehicle seat mounted on the vehicle will be described as an example.

It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention. That is, the shapes, dimensions, arrangements, and the like of the members described below can be changed and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

With respect to the terms indicating directions in the present specification, each direction is defined as shown in FIG. Specifically, in the following description, the "front-rear direction" means the front-rear direction when viewed from the seated person (occupant) of the vehicle seat, and is a direction that coincides with the traveling direction of the vehicle. The "seat width direction" means the width direction of the vehicle seat, and corresponds to the left-right direction when viewed from the seated person of the vehicle seat. Further, the "vertical direction" means the height direction of the vehicle seat, and coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle seat is viewed from the front.

[1. Vehicle seat S]
The vehicle seat S according to the present embodiment has the appearance shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, a part of the vehicle seat S is shown with the trim cover removed for convenience of illustration. The vehicle seat S is arranged on the seat back S1 which is a backrest portion that supports the back of the seated person, the seat cushion S2 which is the seated portion that supports the buttocks of the seated person, and the head of the seated person. It has a headrest S3 that supports the headrest S3 as a main component. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat S has a seat frame F having a seat back frame F1 and a seat cushion frame F2 as main components as a skeleton.

The seat back S1 is configured by placing the seat back pad S11 on the seat back frame F1 and further covering the seat back pad S11 with the trim cover S12. The seat cushion S2 is configured by placing the seat cushion pad S21 on the seat cushion frame F2 which is a skeleton, and further covering the seat cushion pad S21 with the trim cover S22. The headrest S3 is formed by arranging a headrest pad S31 on a core material (not shown) and covering it with a trim cover S32. The seat back pad S11 of the seat back S1 and the seat cushion pad S21 of the seat cushion S2 are urethane base materials molded by foam molding using a urethane foam material.

The seat cushion frame F2 is connected to the upper rail RU of the slide rail device R arranged below the seat cushion frame F2. With this configuration, when the upper rail RU moves along the lower rail RL fixed to the vehicle body floor, the entire vehicle seat S including the seat cushion frame F2 slides and moves.

In the present embodiment, the seat cushion frame F2 is connected to the upper rail RU via the rotation link XL as shown in FIG. The rotation link XL is a link member arranged on both sides of the seat cushion S2 in the width direction, and rotates about a rotation axis along the width direction. Then, the rotation link XL rotates while rotating around the seat cushion S2, so that the position of the seat cushion S2 in the vertical direction is adjusted.

Further, a lower end portion of the seat back frame F1 is connected to the rear end portion of the seat cushion frame F2 via a reclining device 80 as a movable mechanism. By this reclining device 80, the seat back S1 including the seat back frame F1 is connected to the seat cushion S2 in a state where the inclination angle with respect to the seat cushion S2 can be adjusted. That is, the seat back S1 can rotate relative to the seat cushion S2 about the reclining shaft 81 along the width direction.

[2. Seat back frame F1]
Hereinafter, the configuration of the seat back frame F1 included in the vehicle seat S will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat back frame F1 forms a square frame when the seat frame F is viewed from the front.

Explaining the structure of the seat back frame F1, the seat back frame F1 has a pair of side frames 10 provided at both ends in the seat width direction as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Further, as shown in the figure, the seat back frame F1 has an upper frame 11 that is attached to the upper end of each side frame 10 to connect between the side frames 10. Further, as shown in the figure, the seat back frame F1 has a lower member frame 12 that is attached to the lower end of each side frame 10 to connect between the side frames 10. Further, an S spring 15 that supports the back of the seated person from behind is erected between the side frames 10.

The upper frame 11 is a part formed in a downward U-shape when viewed from the front, and is made of a metal hollow pipe member. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the upper frame 11 may be composed of a solid member. Both free end sides of the upper frame 11 are joined above the left and right side frames 10, respectively. A square tubular pillar guide 11a for supporting the headrest pillar is attached to the front surface of the horizontal portion of the upper frame 11 arranged above. A pair of pillar guides 11a are provided at intervals in the width direction.

Next, the side frame 10 has a spindle-shaped outer shape in a lateral view. That is, when the side frame 10 is viewed from the side, the front end portion of the side frame 10 bulges in an arc shape from an intermediate position in the vertical direction. When the vehicle seat S is in use (more strictly, when the seat back S1 is in the reference position), the side frame 10 is slightly tilted (backward tilted) with respect to the vertical direction. It extends long along the line.

Next, the lower member frame 12 will be described. The lower member frame 12 is configured by processing a sheet metal and is erected between the lower ends of the side frame 10. Further, the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion of the lower member frame 12 are each formed to have a shape bent forward.

The connecting frame 13 extends along the seat width direction, and connects the extending portions 11b of the upper frame 11 to each other. The connecting frame 13 is formed by forming a metal plate-shaped plate into a predetermined shape.

[3. Features of Seat Frame F]
A lumbar support 50 (lumbar support device, lumbar support) is arranged on the seat back frame F1 of the present embodiment. The lumbar support 50 is composed of a plate member 51 which is a resin panel, an adjustment mechanism 70 having a built-in electromagnetic motor (not shown), and a wire member 71. The plate member 51 is formed of an elastically deformable resin into a generally rectangular plate shape. The plate member 51 is arranged below the S spring 15. As shown in FIG. 2, the arrangement position of the plate member 51 is a position that supports the waist portion of the seated person.

The plate member 51 is arranged on the front side of the wire member 71 as a support wire in a posture extending in the seat width direction. When the adjusting mechanism 70 operates and the wire member 71 is curved so as to project forward, the plate member 51 elastically bends toward the front side in the central portion.

With such a structure, the lumbar support 50 can change the support position of the waist of the seated person. Specifically, in a state where the electromagnetic motor of the adjusting mechanism 70 is not operating, the wire member 71 is not pulled, and the plate member 51 is in a flat state without bending as shown in FIG. It is said that. On the other hand, when the electromagnetic motor of the adjusting mechanism 70 is operated, the wire member 71 is pulled and the plate member 51 bends forward in the central portion.

At this time, the bent plate member 51 also bends the seat back pad S11 forward, and the bent seat back pad S11 pushes the waist of the seated person from the rear to the front. As a result, the support position of the waist of the seated person is changed. That is, the amount of bending of the plate member 51 (the amount of protrusion to the front) changes according to the amount of operation of the electromagnetic motor, and the support position of the waist of the seated person is arbitrarily changed. As a result, the waist of the seated person can be appropriately supported.

Further, a sensor 60, which is a Doppler type biosensor, is also arranged in the seat back S1 in which the lumbar support 50 is arranged. The sensor 60 is a sensor that detects the biological information of the seated person. The biological information of the seated person is information indicating the heart rate, the pulse rate, the pulse size, the respiratory rate, and the respiratory magnitude. That is, the sensor 60 is a biological sensor capable of detecting the heartbeat and respiration of the seated person.

Specifically, the sensor 60 is composed of an irradiation unit 61 that irradiates radio waves, a reception unit 62 that receives radio waves, and a resin housing 63 that includes the irradiation unit 61 and the reception unit 62. The radio wave emitted by the receiving unit 62 may be a radio wave having a frequency reflected on the skin surface of a living body, but is usually preferably a microwave.

As described above, the sensor 60 disposed inside the seat back pad S11 irradiates radio waves from the irradiation unit 61 toward the seating surface of the seat back S1. At this time, the radio wave emitted by the irradiation unit 61 is reflected on the skin surface of the seated person, and the reflected radio wave is received by the receiving unit 62. Since the skin surface of the seated person moves finely due to heartbeat and respiration, the frequency of the radio wave irradiated by the irradiation unit 61 and the frequency of the radio wave received by the reception unit 62 are different. Therefore, based on the difference between the frequency of the radio wave irradiated by the irradiation unit 61 and the frequency of the radio wave received by the reception unit 62, the biological information of the seated person, that is, the respiratory rate, the heart rate, and the like are detected. That is, the biometric information of the seated person is detected by using the Doppler effect.

As described above, since the sensor 60 detects the biological information of the seated person based on the fine movement of the skin surface of the seated person, its arrangement position is limited. Specifically, since the sensor 60 is provided with a resin housing and has a predetermined hardness, the sensor 60 is not exposed to the seating surface of the seat back pad S11 in order to prevent a feeling of strangeness when the seated person is seated. It has become. Therefore, the sensor 60 is arranged on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51 so as not to be exposed on the seating surface of the seat back pad S11.

Specifically, the lumbar support 50 has a flat plate-shaped plate member 51 extending in the seat width direction, and an adjusting mechanism 70 for adjusting the position of the lumbar support 50 in the front-rear direction on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51. Is arranged, and the sensor 60 is arranged at a position above the back surface 51a of the plate member 51, avoiding the adjusting mechanism 70.

In the vehicle seat S of the present embodiment configured as described above, the sensor 60 can be arranged on the back surface of the lumbar support 50 provided with the adjusting mechanism 70 (specifically, the back surface 51a of the plate member 51), and the sensor can be arranged. It is possible to appropriately detect biometric information by the sensor 60 while ensuring the degree of freedom in the layout of the 60.

Further, the adjusting mechanism 70 may extend along the seat width direction, and the sensor 60 may be arranged at a position avoiding the adjusting mechanism 70 upward or downward. In the illustrated example, the sensor 60 is arranged at a position avoiding the adjusting mechanism 70 upward. According to such a configuration, the sensor 60 can be arranged while appropriately avoiding the adjusting mechanism 70 extending in the seat width direction, and the sensor 60 can appropriately detect the biometric information.

Further, a wire member 71 connected to the side frame 10 of the seat back frame F1 is connected to the adjustment mechanism 70, and the sensor 60 is arranged at a position avoiding the wire member 71. Specifically, the sensor 60 is arranged above the wire member 71 in the vertical direction. According to such a configuration, the sensor 60 can be arranged while appropriately avoiding the wire member 71 connected to the adjusting mechanism 70, and the biometric information can be appropriately detected by the sensor 60.

Further, the plate member 51 has a grid-like rib 52 on the back surface 51a, and the sensor 60 is arranged at a position avoiding the grid-like rib 52 (FIG. 3). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the sensor 60 is arranged at a position of the grid-like rib 52 formed so as to project rearward from the back surface 51a of the plate member 51, avoiding the protruding portion. According to such a configuration, the sensor 60 is arranged on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51 while avoiding the grid-like ribs 52, and the sensor 60 can appropriately detect biometric information.

Further, the plate member 51 is provided with a recess 53 having a thickness thinner in the front-rear direction than the surrounding region, and the sensor 60 is attached to the recess 53 (FIGS. 3 and 4). According to such a configuration, by arranging the sensor 60 in the recess 53 formed in the back surface 51a of the plate member 51, the arrangement of the sensor 60 becomes stable, and the biological information is appropriately detected by the sensor 60. It becomes possible.

Further, the sensor 60 is arranged at a position eccentric from the center on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51 (FIG. 4). According to such a configuration, since the circumference of the spine is recessed in the seated person's body, it is possible to detect biometric information by the sensor 60 on the left side or the right side of the back that is always in contact with the seating surface in the seated person's body. It becomes.

Further, a wiring member (not shown) such as a harness connected to a component (electrical component) different from the sensor 60 is arranged behind the sensor 60 and on the opposite side of the sensor 60 in the seat width direction. It should be done. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the wiring member connected to the component different from the sensor 60 from affecting the sensor 60.

Further, the sensor 60 includes an irradiation unit 61 that irradiates radio waves, a reception unit 62 that receives radio waves reflected from a seated person, and a housing 63 that includes the irradiation unit 61 and the reception unit 62, and is provided in the vertical direction. The irradiation unit 61 and the reception unit 62 are arranged above the adjustment mechanism 70 (FIG. 4). According to such a configuration, since the irradiation unit 61 and the reception unit 62 are arranged at appropriate height positions while avoiding the adjustment mechanism 70, it is possible to appropriately detect biometric information by the sensor 60. ..

Further, the vehicle seat S of the present embodiment includes a headrest S3 that supports the head of the seated person, a seat cushion S2 that supports the buttocks of the seated person, and a seat cushion frame F2 that constitutes the frame of the seat cushion S2. A slide rail device R arranged at the bottom of the seat cushion frame F2, a seat back pad S11 mounted on the seat back frame F1, a seat cushion pad S21 mounted on the seat cushion frame F2, and a seat back pad S11. A trim cover S12 for covering the seat cushion pad S21 and a trim cover S22 for covering the seat cushion pad S21 are provided. According to such a configuration, it is possible to provide a vehicle seat S including the sensor 60 and the lumbar support 50.

<Modification example>
Although the configuration of the vehicle seat S according to the present embodiment has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. .. That is, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes an equivalent thereof.

In the above embodiment, the sensor 60 is arranged on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51 at a position above the adjustment mechanism 70, but the sensor 60 has the adjustment mechanism 70 on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51. It may be located at a lower position to avoid.

In the above embodiment, the sensor 60 is arranged at a position slightly eccentric to the left side from the center on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51, but the sensor 60 is slightly eccentric from the center to the right side on the back surface 51a of the plate member 51. It may be arranged at an eccentric position.

The vehicle seat according to the present embodiment has been described above by taking a vehicle seat mounted on the vehicle as an example. The vehicle seat according to the present embodiment is not limited to the vehicle seat mounted on a ground traveling vehicle having wheels such as an automobile or a railroad, but is mounted on an aircraft or a ship moving outside the ground. It may be.

S Vehicle seat (vehicle seat)
S1 Seat back S11 Seat back pad (pad member)
S12 trim cover (skin material)
S2 Seat cushion S21 Seat cushion pad (pad member)
S22 Trim cover (skin material)
S3 headrest S31 headrest pad (pad member)
S32 trim cover (skin material)
R slide rail device (slide rail)
RU Upper Rail RL Lower Rail XL Rotating Link F Seat Frame F1 Seat Back Frame F2 Seat Cushion Frame 10 Side Frame 11 Upper Frame 11a Pillar Guide 11b Extension 12 Lower Member Frame 13 Connecting Frame 15 S Spring 50 Lumber Support 51 Plate Member 51a Back 52 Lattice rib 53 Recess 60 Sensor 61 Irradiation part 62 Receiver 63 Housing 70 Adjustment mechanism 71 Wire member 80 Reclining device 81 Reclining shaft

Claims (9)

A vehicle seat with a seat back
The seat back is
The seat back frame that constitutes the skeleton of the seat back and
A lumbar support, which is arranged on the seat back frame and supports the waist of the seated person,
It is equipped with a sensor that detects the state of the seated person.
The lumbar support has a flat plate-like plate member extending in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
On the back surface of the plate member, an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the lumbar support in the front-rear direction is arranged.
The sensor is a vehicle seat characterized in that it is arranged at a position on the back surface of the plate member so as to avoid the adjustment mechanism. The adjusting mechanism extends along the width direction of the vehicle seat.
The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged at a position avoiding the adjusting mechanism upward or downward. A wire member connected to the seat back frame is connected to the adjusting mechanism.
The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor is arranged at a position avoiding the wire member. The plate member has grid-like ribs on the back surface.
The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor is arranged at a position avoiding the grid-like ribs. The plate member comprises a recess that is thinner than the surrounding area.
The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sensor is attached to the recess. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sensor is arranged at a position eccentric from the center of the plate member. A claim characterized in that a wiring member connected to a component different from the sensor is arranged behind the sensor and on the opposite side of the sensor in the width direction of the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat according to any one of Items 1 to 6. The sensor includes an irradiation unit that irradiates radio waves, a reception unit that receives the radio waves reflected from the seated person, and a housing that includes the irradiation unit and the reception unit.
The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the irradiation unit and the reception unit are arranged above the adjustment mechanism in the vertical direction of the vehicle seat. The headrest that supports the seated person's head and
A seat cushion that supports the buttocks of the seated person,
The seat cushion frame constituting the skeleton of the seat cushion and
A slide rail arranged at the bottom of the seat cushion frame and
The pad member mounted on the seat back frame and the seat cushion frame, and
The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a trim cover for covering the pad member.

Images