JP2022120358A - Vehicular seat device - Google Patents

Abstract

To inform a seated person of behavior of a vehicle adequately regardless of an inclination angle of a seat back relative to a seat cushion in a reclining seat device.SOLUTION: When a reclining angle is smaller than a predetermined angle, an airbag 30 of a seat cushion 22 is vibrated having vibration strength higher than that of an airbag 32 of a seat back 26. When the reclining angle is the predetermined value or higher, the airbag 32 of the seat back 26 is vibrated having vibration strength higher than that of the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle seat system, and more particularly to a reclining vehicle seat system.

As a seat device used in a vehicle such as an automobile, an airbag or the like provided in the seat back applies stimulation such as compression or pressure to the part of the back of the seated person corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae at a predetermined cycle. BACKGROUND ART There is known a seat device having a function of inducing breathing of a seated person to breathing in a predetermined cycle suitable for improving relaxation (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

A driving support device that suppresses a decrease in driver's arousal level by applying vibration stimulus to the driver sitting in the driver's seat with a vibration generating device provided in a seat cushion and a seat back of a vehicle seat device is known. (For example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2005-296452 A JP 2012-65728 A JP 2019-8734 A

The idea is to reduce motion sickness by notifying the occupants seated in the seat of the behavior of the vehicle by vibrating the seat cushions and seat backs so that the occupants can take a posture corresponding to the behavior of the vehicle. be done.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to reduce motion sickness by informing a passenger sitting on the seat of the behavior of the vehicle by means of vibrations of the seat cushion and seat back. To accurately inform a seated person of the behavior of a vehicle regardless of the inclination angle of the seat back with respect to the seat cushion in a reclining seat device having a seat back capable of changing the angle of inclination.

A vehicle seat device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a seat body (20) having a seat cushion (22) and a seat back (26) connected to the rear portion of the seat cushion so as to be able to change the tilt angle about a horizontal axis. ), comprising the seat cushion and a plurality of vibration generators (30, 32) provided on the seat cushion to provide a vibration stimulus to a seated occupant; and the seat against the seat cushion. A tilt angle detection device (66) for detecting the tilt angle of the back, a behavior detection device (60, 62) for detecting the behavior of the vehicle, and the tilt angle detected by the tilt angle detection device and the behavior detection device. and inputting information about the behavior of the vehicle detected by the input of the behavior of the vehicle, and generating the vibration of the seat cushion when the tilt angle is less than a predetermined value when the input behavior of the vehicle is a predetermined behavior. A device oscillates with a vibration intensity higher than that of the vibration generator of the seat back, and when the tilt angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the vibration generator of the seat back vibrates higher than the vibration generator of the seat cushion. and a control device (50) for controlling the operation of the vibration generator so as to oscillate with intensity.

Predetermined predetermined behaviors include behaviors such as acceleration/deceleration and turning of a vehicle that tend to cause motion sickness in the seated occupant.

According to this configuration, regardless of the inclination angle of the seatback with respect to the seat cushion, the behavior of the vehicle is accurately notified to the seated occupant by means of vibration.

In the vehicle seat device described above, preferably, the behavior detection device includes an acceleration detection device (60) for detecting acceleration of the vehicle, and the control device controls the acceleration when the acceleration is large compared to when the acceleration is small. to increase the intensity of the vibration oscillated by the vibration generator.

According to this configuration, the degree of acceleration of the vehicle can be notified to the seated person by the intensity of the vibration.

In the vehicle seat device described above, preferably, the behavior detection device includes a steering angle detection device (62) for detecting a steering angle of the vehicle, and the control device detects that the steering angle is small when the steering angle is large. The intensity of the vibration oscillated by the vibration generator is made higher than when the vibration generator oscillates.

According to this configuration, the degree of turning of the vehicle can be notified to the seated person by the intensity of the vibration.

In the vehicle seat device, preferably, the control device inputs navigation information including current location information of the vehicle and travel route information on map data of the vehicle from a navigation device (70) mounted on the vehicle. An input unit (52) is included, and vibration generated by the vibration generator when the curvature of the road on the travel route ahead of the current location or a predetermined distance from the current location is greater than or equal to a predetermined value compared to when the curvature is less than a predetermined value. increase the intensity of

According to this configuration, the degree of turning of the vehicle can be notified to the seated person by the intensity of the vibration.

Preferably, the vehicle seat device further includes a vehicle speed detection device for detecting the running speed of the vehicle, and the control device increases the degree of increasing the intensity of the vibration according to the running speed.

According to this configuration, it is possible to inform the seated person of the degree of turning of the vehicle, etc., with the intensity of vibration corresponding to the traveling speed.

In the above vehicle seat device, preferably, the vibration generator adjusts the intensity of the vibration by changing at least one of amplitude and frequency.

According to this configuration, the adjustment of the vibration intensity is performed with a large width.

In the vehicle seat device described above, preferably, a plurality of the vibration generators are arranged in the left-right direction, the information about the behavior of the vehicle includes information about the turning direction of the vehicle, and the control device controls the vibration of the vehicle on the turning direction side. The intensity of the vibration oscillated by the vibration generator is made higher than the intensity of the vibration oscillated by the vibration generator on the opposite side.

According to this configuration, it is possible to inform the seated person of the turning direction of the vehicle by means of vibration.

In the vehicle seat device described above, preferably, the vibration generating device provided on the seat cushion includes a device that applies vibration stimulation to the waist of the seated person.

According to this configuration, deep breathing is induced, which is effective in reducing motion sickness, and the effect of reducing motion sickness is improved.

In the vehicle seat device described above, preferably, the vibration generator includes airbags (30, 32) that are inflated by being supplied with compressed air.

According to this configuration, it is possible to apply vibrations to the seated person by generating vibrations due to the air pressure.

According to the vehicle seat device of the present invention, it is possible to accurately inform the seated person of the behavior of the vehicle regardless of the inclination angle of the seat back with respect to the seat cushion.

1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a vehicle seat device according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of a vehicle seat device according to this embodiment; FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a control system of a vehicle seat device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a process of installing an airbag in the vehicle seat device according to the present embodiment;

One embodiment of a vehicle seat device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a seat device 10 of this embodiment has a seat body 20 provided on a floor panel (not shown) of an automobile by left and right slide rail devices 12 extending in the front-rear direction. .

The seat body 20 has a seat cushion 22 forming a seat surface and a seat back 26 forming a backrest surface by connecting to the rear portion of the seat cushion 22 by an electric reclining device 24 so as to be able to change the inclination angle about the horizontal axis. A headrest 28 is attached to the upper portion of the seat back 26 .

The seat cushion 22 is provided with a plurality of airbags (air cells) 30 as vibration generators spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction in a grid pattern. Each airbag 30 is inflated, contracted and deformed by supplying and discharging compressed air from a compressed air source (not shown), and transmits vibrations to the buttocks and thighs of the seated person.

A plurality of airbags (air cells) 32 are provided in the seat back 26 as a vibration generating device in a grid pattern so as to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. Each airbag 32 is inflated, contracted and deformed by supplying and discharging compressed air from a compressed air source (not shown), and provides vibration stimulation suitable for reducing motion sickness to the back and waist of the seated person. give. The airbag 32 of the seat back 26 includes one that provides vibration stimulation to the waist of the seated person, especially to the region corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae, in order to promote abdominal breathing.

By changing at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the airbags 30 and 32, the intensity of vibration given to the seated person is adjusted.

A control device 50 is provided under the seat cushion 22 . A control system of the seat device 10 including the control device 50 will be described with reference to FIG.

The control device 50 is based on an electronic information processing device including a microcomputer, and has an input section 52 , an arithmetic processing section 54 and an output section 56 .

The input unit 52 includes an in-vehicle acceleration sensor (acceleration detection device) 60, a steering angle sensor (steering angle detection device) 62, and a vehicle speed sensor (vehicle speed detection device) 64 as behavior detection devices for detecting the behavior of an automobile (vehicle). is connected.

The acceleration sensor 60 is of a multi-axis type, and outputs to the input section 52 information on the longitudinal and lateral acceleration of the automobile. The steering angle sensor 62 outputs information regarding the steering angle of the automobile to the input section 52 . A vehicle speed sensor 64 outputs information about the traveling speed of the automobile to the input unit 52 .

An in-vehicle tilt angle sensor (tilt angle detection device) 66 is connected to the input unit 52 . The tilt angle sensor 66 detects the tilt angle of the seatback 26 about the horizontal axis with respect to the seat cushion 22 (hereinafter referred to as the reclining angle), and outputs information about the reclining angle to the input unit 52 .

An in-vehicle navigation device 70 is connected to the input unit 52 . The navigation device 70 detects the current position of the vehicle on the map data by receiving GPS signals, monitors the driving route of the vehicle on the map data from the current position to the destination set by the user, and displays the driving route. Navigation information including route information is output to the input unit 52 . In other words, the input unit 52 inputs navigation information including travel route information on the map data from the navigation device 70 .

Based on the input information of the input unit 52, the arithmetic processing unit 54 is likely to cause motion sickness when the vehicle accelerates or decelerates, which can be determined from the acceleration in the longitudinal direction, and when the vehicle turns, which can be determined from the acceleration in the lateral direction and the steering angle. During running behavior, when the reclining angle is less than a predetermined value, that is, when the seat back 26 is in a nearly vertical upright state, the vibration intensity of the air bag 30 of the seat cushion 22 is higher than that of the air bag 32 of the seat back 26. When the reclining angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, when the seat back 26 is reclined nearly horizontally, the vibration intensity of the airbag 32 of the seatback 26 is higher than that of the airbag 32 of the seat cushion 22. generates an oscillation control command to oscillate with and passes the oscillation control command to the output unit 56 .

Furthermore, the arithmetic processing unit 54 increases the vibration intensity as the acceleration in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction and its change (differential value) increase, the steering angle and its change (differential value) increase, and the vehicle speed increases. and the oscillation control command is passed to the output unit 56 .

Based on the navigation information input to the input unit 52, the arithmetic processing unit 54 determines that the seat cushion 22 is adjusted to the seat cushion 22 if the reclining angle is less than a predetermined value when the current location of the vehicle and the road on the travel route to be traveled from the current location are curved. oscillates with a vibration intensity higher than that of the airbag 32 of the seat back 26, and if the reclining angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the airbag 32 of the seat back 26 vibrates higher than that of the airbag 32 of the seat cushion 22. An oscillation control command that oscillates with strength is generated, and the oscillation control command is passed to the output unit 56 .

Furthermore, based on the navigation information, the arithmetic processing unit 54 oscillates such that when the road on the current location or the travel route ahead of the current location has a sharp curve, the vibration intensity is higher than when the road has a gentle curve. The control command is corrected, and the oscillation control command is passed to the output unit 56 . The predetermined distance from the current location may be a distance several tens of seconds before the automobile enters a curved road, and may be set relative to the vehicle speed.

An airbag control section 58 is connected to the output section 56 . Each airbag 30 and 32 is connected to the airbag controller 58 . The airbag control unit 58 includes electromagnetic intake/exhaust valves and the like, and based on the oscillation operation command from the output unit 56, the supply/discharge cycle of the compressed air to the airbags 30 and 32 and the supply/discharge cycle of the compressed air in each cycle. Variable setting of supply/discharge time.

As a result, each of the airbags 30 and 32 is repeatedly inflated, contracted and deformed with a period (frequency) corresponding to the compressed air supply/discharge cycle and with a size determined by the compressed air supply/discharge time in each cycle. . That is, the airbags 30 and 32 vibrate with variable frequency and variable amplitude determined by the oscillation operation command.

When the reclining angle is less than the predetermined value, the seat back 26 is in a nearly vertical upright state, so the body pressure acting on the seat cushion 22 is higher than the body pressure acting on the seat back 26, and the reclining angle is at the predetermined value. In this case, since the seat back 26 is reclined almost horizontally, the body pressure acting on the seat back 26 increases compared to when the reclining angle is less than the predetermined value.

Accordingly, in the seat device 10 of the present embodiment, when the reclining angle is less than a predetermined value, the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22 oscillates with a vibration intensity higher than that of the airbag 32 of the seatback 26, and the reclining angle increases. When it is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the airbag 32 of the seat back 26 oscillates with a vibration intensity higher than that of the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22, and the vibration is accurately transmitted to the seated person regardless of the reclining angle. .

As a result, when the vehicle is accelerating, decelerating, turning, or the like, the fact that the vehicle occupant is likely to cause motion sickness can be accurately transmitted to the occupant by means of vibration, regardless of the reclining angle. Become. A seated person can certainly know the behavior of the automobile by vibration regardless of the reclining angle.

In the seat device 10 of the present embodiment, since the navigation information is used, it is possible to detect traveling on a curve in advance, so that the vibration operation of the airbags 30 and 32 can be started prior to traveling on a curve. This allows the seated occupant to know that the car will turn before it travels around a curve.

Alternatively, only the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22 may vibrate when the reclining angle is less than a predetermined value, and only the airbag 32 of the seatback 26 may vibrate when the reclining angle is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

In the seat device 10 of the present embodiment, the greater the acceleration/deceleration in the longitudinal direction, the acceleration/deceleration in the lateral direction, the steering angle, and the change thereof, the sharper the curve, and the higher the vehicle speed, the higher the vibration intensity. , the acceleration/deceleration in the longitudinal direction, the acceleration/deceleration in the lateral direction, the steering angle, and the degree of change thereof can be known from the strength of the vibration.

In the case of using the navigation information, when the curvature of the road on the route to be traveled from the current location is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (sharp curve), the vibration intensity is higher than when the curvature is less than a predetermined value (gentle curve). Since the height increases, the seated occupant can know the degree of the curve to be run in advance of turning. The curvature of the road can be replaced by the turning radius, and when the turning radius is less than a predetermined value, the vibration intensity is higher than when the turning radius is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

Since the airbag 32 of the seat back 26 includes an element that applies vibration stimulation to the lumbar region of the seated person, particularly the lumbar vertebrae, the vibration stimulation can promote abdominal breathing of the seated person. As a result, deep breathing is induced, which is effective in reducing motion sickness by calming the mind, and the effect of reducing motion sickness is improved.

The information about the steering angle output by the steering angle sensor 62 and the navigation information output by the navigation device 70 include information about the turning direction (left turn, right turn) of the vehicle. In this case, the control device 50 generates an oscillation control command that makes the vibration intensity of the airbags 30 and 32 on the turning direction side higher than the vibration intensity of the airbags 30 and 32 on the left and right opposite sides. and passes the oscillation control command to the output unit 56 .

As a result, in the case of left turning, the airbags 30, 32 on the left side of the seated person vibrate more strongly than the airbags 30, 32 on the right side of the seated person. In the case of the second, the airbags 30, 32 in the row on the right side of the seated person vibrate more strongly than the airbags 30, 32 in the row on the left side.

The vibration of the airbags 30 and 32 allows the seated occupant to recognize the turning direction of the automobile, and this recognition (awareness) reduces motion sickness compared to when the occupant is unconscious.

Next, the operation of the seat device 10 will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. The control routine shown in this flow chart is executed by the control device 50 .

This control routine is executed during acceleration/deceleration, turning, etc., when motion sickness is likely to occur. First, it is determined whether or not the reclining angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S10). The predetermined value of the reclining angle may be 135 degrees when the reclining angle range is 90 degrees to 180 degrees.

If the reclining angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the airbag 32 of the seat back 26 is vibrated more strongly than the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22 (step S11). On the other hand, if the reclining angle is less than the predetermined value, the airbag 30 of the seat cushion 22 is vibrated more strongly than the airbag 32 of the seatback 26 (step S12).

Next, it is determined whether or not the steering angle is a predetermined value or more, for example, 35 degrees or more (step S13). If the steering angle is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the vibration intensity is increased according to the vehicle speed (step S14).

If the steering angle is less than the predetermined value, then it is determined whether or not the acceleration is greater than or equal to the acceleration in the rearward direction and the lateral direction (step S15). If at least one of the acceleration in the longitudinal direction and the acceleration in the lateral direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the vibration intensity is increased according to the vehicle speed (step S14).

If both the longitudinal acceleration and the lateral acceleration are less than a predetermined value, then it is determined whether or not the curve radius (turning radius) is less than a predetermined value (step S16). The predetermined value of the curve radius is set according to the vehicle speed so as to decrease as the vehicle speed increases. For example, when the vehicle speed is 60 km/h, it is set to 60 m. If the curve radius is less than the predetermined value, the vibration intensity is increased according to the vehicle speed (step S14).

If the curve radius is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the routine ends without increasing the vibration intensity.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of airbags 30 provided on the seat cushion 22 are integrated on one rectangular resin sheet 34, and the plurality of airbags 32 provided on the seatback 26 are formed on another sheet. may be integrally formed on the rectangular resin sheet 36 of .

The resin sheet 34 containing the plurality of airbags 30 may be inserted into the sponge portion 22A of the seat cushion 22 through the slit 23 formed in the front portion of the sponge portion 22A, as shown in FIG.

The airbags 30 may also be provided on the left and right bolster portions 25 (see FIG. 1) of the seat cushion 22 . In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, a strip-shaped rectangular resin sheet 34 having a plurality of airbags 30 arranged in a line is placed in front of the sponge portion 25A of the bolster portion 25. The sponge portion 22A may be inserted into the bolster portion through the slit 27 formed.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of its preferred embodiments, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and that departures from the spirit of the invention are not intended to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It can be changed appropriately as long as it does not occur. For example, the number of airbags 30 and 32 is not limited to 2×3=6, and may be any other plurality. The vibration generating device is not limited to the airbags 30 and 32, and may be electrostrictive elements that deform when supplied with power, or mechanical devices using cams or the like. The vibration generator may be provided on an ottoman (not shown).

Moreover, all of the components shown in the above embodiments are not necessarily essential, and can be appropriately selected without departing from the gist of the present invention.

10: Seat device 12: Slide rail device 20: Seat body 22: Seat cushion 22A: Sponge portion 23: Slit 24: Electric reclining device 25: Bolster portion 25A: Sponge portion 26: Seat back 27: Slit 28: Headrest 30: Air Bag (vibration generator)
32: Airbag (vibration generator)
34: resin sheet 36: resin sheet 50: control device 52: input unit 54: arithmetic processing unit 56: output unit 58: airbag control unit 60: acceleration sensor (behavior detection device)
62: steering angle sensor (behavior detection device)
64: vehicle speed sensor 66: tilt angle sensor (tilt angle detection device)
70: Navigation device

Claims (9)

A vehicle seat device including a seat body having a seat cushion and a seat back connected to a rear portion of the seat cushion so as to change an inclination angle about a horizontal axis,
the seat cushion and a plurality of vibration generators provided on the seat cushion to give a vibration stimulus to a seated person;
a tilt angle detection device that detects the tilt angle of the seat back with respect to the seat cushion;
a behavior detection device that detects behavior of a vehicle;
input information about the tilt angle detected by the tilt angle detection device and the behavior of the vehicle detected by the behavior detection device; When the angle is less than a predetermined value, the vibration generating device of the seat cushion oscillates with a vibration intensity higher than that of the vibration generating device of the seat back, and when the tilt angle is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the vibration of the seat back. and a controller for controlling operation of the vibration generator such that the generator oscillates with a higher vibration intensity than the vibration generator of the seat cushion. the behavior detection device includes an acceleration detection device that detects acceleration of the vehicle;
2. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the control device increases the intensity of vibration generated by the vibration generator when the acceleration is large compared to when the acceleration is small. the behavior detection device includes a steering angle detection device that detects a steering angle of the vehicle;
3. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases the intensity of vibration generated by the vibration generator when the steering angle is large compared to when the steering angle is small. The control device includes an input unit for inputting navigation information including current location information of the vehicle and travel route information on the map data of the vehicle from a navigation device mounted on the vehicle, and includes a current location or a predetermined distance ahead of the current location. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the curvature of the road on the travel route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the intensity of the vibration generated by the vibration generator is increased compared to when the curvature is less than the predetermined value. The vehicle seat apparatus described. Furthermore, it has a vehicle speed detection device for detecting the running speed of the vehicle,
The vehicle seat device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the control device increases the degree to which the intensity of the vibration is increased according to the travel speed. The vehicle seat device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the vibration generator adjusts the intensity of the vibration by changing at least one of amplitude and frequency. A plurality of the vibration generators are arranged in the horizontal direction,
the information about the behavior of the vehicle includes information about the turning direction of the vehicle;
7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the intensity of the vibration generated by the vibration generator on the turning direction side is higher than the strength of the vibration generated by the vibration generator on the left-right opposite side. The vehicle seat device according to . The vehicle seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the vibration generator provided on the seat cushion includes a device that applies vibration stimulation to the waist of the seated person. The vehicle seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vibration generator includes an airbag that is inflated by being supplied with compressed air.

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