JP2023067947A - Switching unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To arrange a switching unit which is operated by an occupant in order to switch a position of an automobile seat in a position in which the switching unit is easily operated by the seated occupant when a backrest surface of the automobile seat is inclined backward.

SOLUTION: A switching unit 16 for switching the drive of a motor 11 for displacing an automobile seat between a standard position and a relax position in which a backrest surface is oriented upward compared with the standard position has: a relax switch 22 for making a motor displace the automobile seat to the relax position from the standard position; and a return switch 23 for making the motor displace the automobile seat to the standard position from the relax position. In an inner wall 21 of a cabin 2 located at the vehicle outside of the automobile seat, the relax switch is arranged in front of the backrest surface of the automobile seat which is in the standard position, and the return switch is arranged in front of the backrest surface of the automobile seat which is in the relax position, and in a rear upper part of the relax switch.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a switching device for switching the position of a vehicle seat.

2. Description of the Related Art There is a vehicle seat provided with three switches for controlling sliding movement, reclining movement, etc. of a vehicle seat on a door trim of a door positioned on the outside of the vehicle (for example, Patent Document 1). In the switch disclosed in Patent Document 1, two switches are arranged side by side in the front and rear of the door trim, and the remaining one switch is arranged behind and below the other two switches. When the backrest surface of the vehicle seat is tilted rearward, the occupant is configured to operate the rearmost switch.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-612

From the viewpoint of operability, such a switch is preferably located at the position of the hand of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat when the arm is stretched forward. When the backrest surface of the vehicle seat is tilted backward, the upper half of the body of the seated occupant faces forward and upward, and the position of the hands of the occupant when the occupant extends his arms forward moves upward. Therefore, the switch of Patent Document 1 is difficult to operate for an occupant seated in a vehicle seat with a rearwardly tilted backrest surface.

In view of the above background, the present invention arranges a switching device operated by an occupant to switch the position of a vehicle seat at a position that is easy for a seated occupant to operate when the backrest surface of the vehicle seat is tilted backward. The task is to

In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle seat (1) is displaced between a standard position in which a backrest surface (10) faces substantially forward and a relaxed position in which the backrest surface faces upward compared to the standard position. a switching device (16) for switching the driving of a motor (11), the relax switch (22) for driving the motor to displace the vehicle seat from the normal position to the relaxed position; a return switch (23) actuated to displace the vehicle seat from the relaxed position to the standard position, wherein the relax switch is the inner wall (2) of the passenger compartment (2) located outside the vehicle seat. In 21), the return switch is provided in front of the backrest surface of the vehicle seat in the standard position, and the return switch is located on the inner wall of the vehicle compartment located outside the vehicle of the vehicle seat in the relaxed position. It is arranged in front of the backrest surface of the seat for personal use and above and behind the relaxation switch.

According to this aspect, the return switch operated by the occupant when the vehicle seat is in the relax position is positioned rearward and upward of the relax switch operated by the occupant when the vehicle seat is in the standard position. On the other hand, when in the relaxed position, the occupant's upper body faces upwards compared to when in the standard position. Therefore, by arranging the return switch above the relaxation switch, the return switch is positioned further forward with respect to the passenger's upper body, making it easier to operate.

In the above aspect, the vehicle seat has a seating sensor (20) that is turned on when an occupant sits on the vehicle seat, the relaxation switch and the return switch each include a light-emitting element (50), and the seating sensor is turned off. When , the light emitting elements are turned off, and when the seating sensor is on and the vehicle seat is in the standard position, the light emitting elements of the relaxation switch are turned on and the return switch is turned on. When the seating sensor is on and the vehicle seat is in the relaxing position, the light emitting element of the relaxation switch is turned off and the light emitting element of the return switch is turned on. good.

According to this aspect, the seated occupant can easily visually recognize the switch for changing the position of the vehicle seat. Moreover, when no occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, both light-emitting elements are extinguished, so energy consumption can be suppressed.

In the above aspect, a decorative member (25) provided on a vehicle interior wall surface of the vehicle door (4) on the side of the vehicle seat is included, and the decorative member transmits light emitted from each of the light emitting elements. , the light-emitting elements are arranged outside the vehicle of the decorative member, and the relax switch and the return switch are arranged between the light-emitting element and the decorative member, respectively, and are provided with electrostatic caps that transmit the emitted light. A capacitive sensor (54) may be provided.

According to this aspect, since the light emitted from the light emitting element is transmitted through the decorative member, the passenger in the vehicle can visually recognize the light emitted from the light emitting element. Further, even when the sensor is arranged on the outside of the vehicle of the decorative member, the touch (contact) of the passenger to the decorative member can be detected by the capacitance sensor. By arranging both switches on the vehicle outer side of the decorative member, the design of the vehicle door can be enhanced.

In the above aspect, each of the relax switch and the return switch has a light shielding member (52) disposed between the light emitting element and the decorative member, and the light shielding member has a predetermined pattern on its surface. A transparent sheet-like member provided, wherein the light shielding member of the relax switch is provided with a pattern (60) indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the relax position, and the light shielding of the return switch is provided. The member may be provided with a pattern (61) indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the standard position.

According to this aspect, when the vehicle seat is in the standard position, the light-emitting element of the relax switch is lit, and the decorative member displays a pattern indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the relaxed position. Further, when the vehicle seat is in the relaxing position, the light-emitting element of the return switch is lit, and a pattern indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the standard position is displayed on the decorative member. Therefore, the function of the relaxation switch or the return switch becomes easy to understand.

In the above aspect, the decorative member has at least two protrusions (40, 41) projecting toward the vehicle interior on the wall surface inside the vehicle, and one of the protrusions (41) is attached to the other protrusion. (40), the relax switch is arranged on the vehicle outside of the front projection (40), and the return switch is arranged on the rear projection (41) on the vehicle outside. It's good to be

According to this aspect, the locations of the relaxation switch and the return switch can be easily understood by providing the protrusion.

In the above aspect, the relax switch and the return switch may each comprise a vibration motor (53) that vibrates in response to the capacitive sensor signal.

According to this aspect, the vibration motor vibrates when a touch on the decorative member is detected by the capacitance sensor. Therefore, the passenger can recognize that the touch has been detected by the capacitance sensor.

In the above aspect, the substrate (51) on which the light-emitting element is mounted and a holder (55) for supporting the substrate are provided, the holder has a cylindrical body portion (65), and the body portion One opening edge (70) of the decorative member is connected to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member, and the other opening edge (71) is connected to the surface of the substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted, and the light emitting element is connected to the main body part. should be located inside the

According to this aspect, the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member facing the opening of the main body is irradiated with light from the light-emitting element, and a region of the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member located on the vehicle inner side of the opening of the main body is formed. luminous. By forming the main body into a tubular shape, it is possible to clearly divide the light-emitting region and the non-light-emitting region of the interior wall surface of the decorative member. In addition, since the light emitting element and the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member are separated from each other, the intensity of the light in the area irradiated with the light of the light emitting element can be made more uniform.

In the above aspect, the capacitance sensor and the light shielding member may be coupled to the exterior wall surface of the decorative member at a position facing the one opening of the main body.

According to this aspect, in the decorative member, since the capacitance sensor is coupled to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the vehicle interior wall surface emitting light, the capacitance sensor can easily detect the touch of the occupant on the vehicle interior wall surface emitting light. Become. In addition, in the decorative member, the pattern of the light blocking member can be clearly displayed on the vehicle inner wall surface of the decorative member by arranging the light shielding member on the vehicle outer wall surface of the vehicle inner wall surface emitting light.

In the above aspect, a diffusion material (80) for diffusing light emitted from the light emitting element may be provided between the light emitting element and the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member.

According to this aspect, it is possible to make the luminous intensity in the luminous region of the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member more uniform.

In the above aspect, the holder includes a support portion (66) that supports the vibration motor, the support portion is coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion, and the vibration motor contacts the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member. should be in contact with each other.

According to this aspect, the vibration of the vibration motor is easily transmitted to the light-emitting region of the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching device for controlling driving of a motor for switching a position of a vehicle seat that is displaced between a standard position and a relaxed position in which a backrest surface is tilted backward from the standard position, the switching device comprising: A relax switch for displacing the seat from the standard position to the relax position, and a return switch for displacing the seat from the relax position to the standard position, and the return switch is positioned behind and above the relax switch. Even when the passenger seat is in the relaxed position, the return switch can be arranged at a position that is easy for the seated passenger to operate.

In the above aspect, the seat sensor is provided, both switches are provided with light emitting elements, and when the seat sensor is off, both light emitting elements are turned off, the seat sensor is on, and the vehicle seat is in the standard position. At one time, the light emitting element of the relax switch is illuminated and the light emitting element of the return switch is extinguished, and when the seat sensor is on and the vehicle seat is in the relax position, the light emitting element of the relax switch is extinguished. In addition, according to the mode in which the light-emitting element of the return switch lights up, the seated occupant can easily visually recognize the switch for changing the position of the vehicle seat. Moreover, when no occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, both light-emitting elements are extinguished, so energy consumption can be suppressed.

The above aspect includes a decorative member provided on an inner wall surface of the vehicle door on the side of the vehicle seat, the light emitting elements are arranged on the outer side of the decorative member, and the relax switch and the return switch are provided. are arranged between the light-emitting element and the decorative member, and are provided with a capacitive sensor that transmits emitted light. In addition, the capacitive sensor can detect the touch of the passenger to the decorative member even when the sensor is placed on the outside of the vehicle, improving the design of the vehicle door. can be enhanced.

In the above-described mode, both switches each have a light shielding member, the light shielding member of the relax switch is provided with a pattern indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the relax position, and the light shielding member of the return switch is provided in the standard position. According to a mode in which a pattern indicating the shape of a certain vehicle seat is provided, when the vehicle seat is in the standard position, the decoration member can display the pattern indicating the shape of the vehicle seat in the relaxed position. When the seat is in the relaxed position, the decoration member can display a pattern showing the shape of the vehicle seat in the standard position, so that the function of the relax switch or the return switch can be easily understood.

In the above aspect, the decorative member has at least two projections projecting toward the interior of the vehicle from the interior wall surface of the vehicle, one of the projections is positioned behind and above the other of the other projections, and the relaxation switch is provided. is arranged on the vehicle outside of the front projection, and the return switch is arranged on the vehicle outside of the rear projection, the positions of the relax switch and the return switch can be easily identified.

In the above aspect, each of the switches includes a vibration motor that vibrates in response to a signal from the capacitance sensor. When the touch on the decorative member is detected by the capacitance sensor, the vibration motor is activated. It vibrates, and the passenger can recognize that the touch has been detected by the capacitive sensor.

In the above-described mode, the board has the light-emitting element mounted thereon and the holder for supporting the board, the holder has a cylindrical main body part, and one opening edge of the main body part is the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member. In addition, the other edge of the opening is coupled to the surface of the substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted, and the light emitting element is located inside the main body. The outer wall surface is irradiated with the light of the light emitting element, and the region of the vehicle inner side wall surface of the decorative member located on the vehicle inner side of the opening of the main body portion emits light. By forming the main body into a tubular shape, it is possible to clearly divide the light-emitting region and the non-light-emitting region of the interior wall surface of the decorative member. In addition, since the light emitting element and the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member are separated from each other, the intensity of the light in the area irradiated with the light of the light emitting element can be made more uniform.

In the above aspect, the capacitance sensor and the light shielding member are coupled to the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member at a position facing one opening of the main body. Since the capacitive sensor is coupled to the outer wall surface of the vehicle in the luminous area of the inner wall surface, the capacitive sensor can easily detect the touch of the occupant on the luminous area. In addition, in the decorative member, the pattern of the light blocking member can be clearly displayed on the vehicle inner wall surface of the decorative member by arranging the light shielding member on the vehicle outer wall surface of the vehicle inner wall surface emitting light.

In the above aspect, according to the aspect in which a diffusing material for diffusing light emitted from the light emitting element is provided between the light emitting element and the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member, the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member emits light. The emission intensity within the region can be made more uniform.

In the above aspect, the holder includes a support portion that supports the vibration motor, the support portion is coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion, and the vibration motor is in contact with the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member. The vibration of the vibration motor is easily transmitted to the light-emitting region of the interior wall surface of the decorative member.

1 is a side view and an enlarged view of a projection when an occupant is seated on a vehicle seat in which the switching device according to the embodiment is in the standard position in the vehicle; FIG. A side view of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat in a relaxed position, and an enlarged view of a protrusion. Side view with vehicle seat in standard position and no occupant seated Outside side view of the upper part of the door trim IV-IV sectional view of FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a switching device for switching the position of the vehicle seat of the front right seat of an automobile capable of automatically traveling will be described with reference to the drawings.

A vehicle seat 1 is placed on a floor 3 of a passenger compartment 2, as shown in FIG. A door 4 for the right front seat is provided on the side of the vehicle seat 1 on the outside of the vehicle. The vehicle seat 1 includes a seat cushion 5 that supports the buttocks and thighs of an occupant, a seat back 6 that functions as a backrest provided on the rear end side of the seat cushion 5, and a seat back 6 that is provided on the upper end side. and an ottoman 8 provided at the front end of the seat cushion 5. A seating surface 9 on which an occupant sits is formed on the upper surface of the seat cushion 5, and a backrest surface 10 for supporting the occupant's upper body is formed on the front surface of the seat back. The vehicle seat 1 is provided with a plurality of electric motors 11. By driving the electric motors 11, the vehicle seat 1 is tilted from a standard position (FIG. 1), and the seat back 6 and the ottoman 8 are tilted with respect to the seat cushion 5 from the standard position. relaxed position (Fig. 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position, the seating surface 9 is generally horizontal. The seat back 6 is tilted backward by about 5 to 20 degrees with respect to the vertical direction, and the backrest surface 10 faces substantially forward. The ottoman 8 is mostly arranged below the seat cushion 5 and hangs down substantially vertically.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat 1 is moved rearward with respect to the floor 3 when in the relaxed position as compared to when it is in the normal position. The seat back 6 is tilted rearward by about 40 degrees compared to when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position, and the backrest surface 10 faces forward and upward. The ottoman 8 projects forward with respect to the seat cushion 5 and forms a support surface 12 that is continuous with the seating surface 9 . The legs of the seated occupant are supported on the support surface 12 . Furthermore, the front end of the seat cushion 5 is higher than the rear end, and the seating surface 9 is inclined downward toward the rear.

The vehicle body 15 is provided with a switching device 16 that receives an instruction from the occupant to switch the position of the vehicle seat 1 and executes the switching, and a motor control device 17 that controls the driving of the electric motor 11 . there is The motor control device 17 includes a microcomputer, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, input/output interfaces, various drivers, and the like. The motor control device 17 receives a signal from the switching device 16 and drives the electric motor 11 according to the signal to displace the position of the vehicle seat 1 between the standard position and the relaxation position. In addition, it reads the displacement of the electric motor 11 according to the signal from the switching device 16 and outputs the position of the vehicle seat 1 (relaxed position or standard position) to the switching device 16 .

The switching device 16 includes a seat sensor 20 provided on the vehicle seat 1 for detecting the seating of the passenger, a relax switch 22 and a return switch 23 provided on the inner wall 21 of the passenger compartment 2, respectively, and switches to both switches 22 and 23. A switching control device 24 for driving the motor control device 17 according to an input and a signal from the seating sensor 20, and a decorative member 25 covering the relaxation switch 22 and the return switch 23 from the inside of the vehicle. The relaxation switch 22 is a switch operated by the passenger when displacing the vehicle seat 1 from the standard position to the reclining position, and the return switch 23 is operated by the passenger when displacing the vehicle seat 1 from the reclining position to the standard position. It is a switch that

The seat sensor 20 corresponds to a switch that is turned on when the occupant is seated and turned off when the occupant is not seated. In this embodiment, the seating sensor 20 is formed of a known sheet-shaped membrane switch, and is arranged along the seating surface 9 of the seat cushion 5 of the vehicle seat 1 . The seating sensor 20 is configured to be turned on when the load applied to the seating surface 9 from above exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to the load from the occupant.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 are provided on the door trim 26 of the door 4 for the right front seat.

The door trim 26 is a vehicle interior material made of a resin material, and constitutes the inner wall 21 of the passenger compartment 2 . The door trim 26 is provided so as to cover the inner side surface of the door panel 27, which is a frame member of the door. The door trim 26 includes a trim body portion 28 arranged on the vehicle interior side of the door panel 27 and a trim edge projecting outward from the peripheral edge of the trim body portion 28 and contacting the edge portion of the door panel 27 on the vehicle interior side surface. walls (not shown). The trim edge wall portion extends along the periphery of the trim body portion 28 and is fastened to the door panel 27 at a predetermined position. A speaker 29 is provided at the lower front portion of the trim body portion 28 . An opening 30 is formed through the trim main body 28 in the vehicle width direction. The opening 30 extends in the front-rear direction and is bent rearward and upward at its rear end.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the decorative member 25 is provided in the opening 30 of the trim main body 28. As shown in FIGS. The decorative member 25 includes a base material 36 made of colorless and transparent resin, and a film 37 covering the base material 36 from the inside of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the base member 36 includes a plate portion 39 whose main surface faces the vehicle width direction and has a plate shape, and two protrusions 40 and 41 that protrude from the plate portion 39 . The plate portion 39 extends forward and backward, bends rearward and upward at its rear end, and has substantially the same shape as the opening portion 30 . The projecting portion 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape. One protrusion 40 protrudes toward the vehicle interior from the front end of the plate section 39 , and the other protrusion 41 protrudes toward the vehicle interior from the vehicle interior wall surface at the rear upper end of the plate section 39 . In this embodiment, the protrusions 40 and 41 and the plate portion 39 are integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the film 37 is a transparent, sufficiently thin and flexible sheet-like member made of a resin having a transparent colored material layer (blue in this embodiment). The film 37 is provided on the rear surface and is adhered to the inner wall surface of the substrate 36 via an adhesive. The film 37 has a substantially constant thickness, and only the identification portion 42 is thinner than the other portions. The identification portion 42 is provided in an annular shape along a ridge line portion 43 (mountain fold portion) at the tip of the protrusions 40 and 41 and an outer edge 44 (valley fold portion) located at the base ends of the protrusions 40 and 41. there is

The color of the film 37 depends on its thickness. The thin identification portion 42 has a lighter color than other portions. In particular, since the film 37 is made of a resin having a transparent colored material layer, the difference in color becomes clearer. Since the identifying portion 42 is provided along the ridgeline portion 43, the color of the ridgeline portion 43 of the protrusions 40 and 41 is lighter than that of the other portions. In addition, since the identifying portion 42 is provided along the outer edge 44 of the protrusions 40 and 41, the color of the outline of the protrusions 40 and 41 is lighter than that of other portions. Therefore, it becomes easier for the occupant to visually recognize the shapes and positions of the protrusions 40 and 41 .

In this embodiment, the film 37 is adhered to the substrate 36 by vacuum pressure molding. In the vacuum pressure molding method, the film 37 is set in a vacuum chamber so as to face the base material 36, the base material 36 is pushed up and pressed against the back surface of the film 37, and the chamber is evacuated. This is a known method in which air is introduced into the film 37 and pressure is applied so that the film 37 is brought into close contact with the substrate 36 . When vacuum pressure forming is used, the film 37 is stretched to conform to the shape of the projections 40, 41 when joined, so that the ridges 43 and outer edges 44 of the projections 40, 41 are thin. As a result, a thin identification portion 42 can be formed on the film 37, and the identification portion 42 can be provided along the ridgeline portions 43 and outer edges 44 of the protrusions 40 and 41. FIG. However, in the present embodiment, the film 37 is attached to the base material 36 by the vacuum pressure forming method, but the method is not limited to this method, and the film 37 is pulled so as to match the shape of the protrusions 40 and 41. Any method may be used as long as it is elongated and thinned at the ridge portion 43 and the outer edge 44 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the decorative member 25 is arranged so as to block the entire opening 30 from the outside of the vehicle. The decorative member 25 is fitted into the opening 30 and joined to the trim main body 28 . In this embodiment, in order to connect the decorative member 25 and the trim main body 28 more securely, a plurality of fasteners extending downward along the outer wall surface of the trim main body 28 are provided at the lower edge of the decorative member 25 . A portion 45 is provided, and each of the fastening portions 45 is fastened to the exterior wall surface of the trim body portion 28 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the relaxation switch 22 is a wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the vehicle outer side, and is connected to the vehicle outer side of the protrusion 40 located on the front side, and is covered by the decorative member 25 from the vehicle inner side. there is As shown in FIG. 1, the relaxation switch 22 is positioned in front of the backrest surface 10 of the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position on the inner wall 21 of the vehicle compartment 2 located on the vehicle outer side of the vehicle seat 1. More specifically, the relaxation switch 22 is placed at a position within reach of the passenger when the passenger sits on the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position with the chest facing forward and the forearm is moved forward of the body. It is

As shown in FIG. 4, the return switch 23 is a wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the outer side of the vehicle, and is connected to the outer side of the protrusion 41 positioned on the rear upper side, and is covered by the decorative member 25 from the inner side of the vehicle. ing. As shown in FIG. 2, the return switch 23 is positioned behind and above the relax switch 22 and positioned in front of the backrest surface 10 of the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxed position. More specifically, the return switch 23 is in a position within reach when the occupant sits on the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxed position with the back in contact with the backrest surface 10 and moves the forearm forward of the torso. are placed in Therefore, the return switch 23 is arranged at a position where it can be visually recognized by the passenger seated on the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxed position.

As shown in FIG. 4, the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 include a substrate 51 on which the light emitting element 50 is mounted, a light blocking member 52 (see FIG. 5), a vibration motor 53, and a capacitance sensor 54 (see FIG. 5). 5) and a resin holder 55 that supports them all. Since the return switch 23 has the same configuration as the relax switch 22, the relax switch 22 will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate 51 is a printed circuit board on which wiring is printed, and has a disc shape. A white, surface-mounted LED element that serves as the light emitting element 50 is soldered to approximately the center of the substrate. In this embodiment, the light-emitting element 50 is a white surface-mounted LED element, but may be a colored cannonball-shaped LED element. A heat sink for cooling the light emitting element 50 may be adhered to the rear surface of the substrate 51 .

The light shielding member 52 is formed by applying black ink and drawing predetermined patterns 60 and 61 on the surface of a transparent sheet member made of colorless and transparent resin. In the enlarged views of FIGS. 1 and 2, the colorless and transparent regions on the surface of the light shielding member 52 are shown colored. As shown in FIG. 1, the light shielding member 52 of the relax switch 22 has the shape of the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position, that is, the ottoman 8 protrudes forward with respect to the seat cushion 5 and the backrest surface 10 tilts backward. A pattern 60 indicating the shape of the vehicle seat 1 is drawn. As shown in FIG. 2, the light shielding member 52 of the return switch 23 shows the shape of the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position, that is, the shape of the vehicle seat 1 in which the ottoman 8 hangs down and the backrest faces forward. A pattern 61 is drawn.

The vibration motor 53 is a known disk-shaped brushless DC motor. The vibration motor vibrates in a direction perpendicular to the disk by applying a voltage. As shown in FIG. 4, each switch 22, 23 has two vibration motors 53, respectively.

The capacitance sensor 54 has a substantially circular shape and is in the form of a transparent and colorless sheet. Capacitive sensor 54 is a known capacitive sensor that has electrodes on its surface and detects the proximity of the occupant's hand by detecting a change in capacitance between the occupant's hand and the electrode. is.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holder 55 includes a cylindrical body portion 65, two support portions 66 coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 65, and connected to the outer peripheral edge of the body portion 65. and a flange portion 67 extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the portion 65 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the body portion 65 has a substantially cylindrical shape extending in the vehicle width direction. The inner diameter of the body portion 65 is approximately equal to the outer diameters of the protrusions 40 and 41, respectively. The body portion 65 has an opening portion on the vehicle interior side which is the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 and faces the projection portions 40 and 41 on the vehicle exterior side. , 41 are arranged at positions overlapping each other in the vehicle width direction. An opening edge 70 on the vehicle interior side of the main body portion 65 is adhered to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 along the edge. An opening edge 71 on the vehicle exterior side of the body portion 65 is coupled to the surface of the substrate 51 on which the light emitting element 50 is mounted. In the present embodiment, an annular bottom wall 75 having a through-hole 74 is provided at an opening edge 71 of the body portion 65 on the vehicle exterior side. The light emitting element 50 is accommodated in the through hole 74 of the bottom wall 75, and the substrate 51 is fastened to the bottom wall 75 using predetermined screws.

The capacitance sensor 54 and the light shielding member 52 are arranged along the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 at a position facing the vehicle-interior opening portion of the main body 65 , and are coupled to the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 . It is In this embodiment, a stepped portion 77 recessed toward the vehicle exterior is formed on the inner periphery of the opening edge 70 of the body portion 65 on the vehicle interior. The light shielding member 52 is housed in the stepped portion 77 at its edge portion and is sandwiched between the main body portion 65 and the interior wall surface of the decorative member 25 . The capacitance sensor 54 is positioned on the vehicle inner side of the light shielding member 52 . The vehicle-interior surface of the capacitance sensor 54 is adhered to the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 , and the vehicle-exterior surface of the capacitance sensor 54 is adhered to the vehicle-interior surface of the light shielding member 52 .

In this embodiment, a thin plate-like diffusion member 80 is coupled to the surface of the light shielding member 52 on the vehicle exterior side. The diffusing material 80 is formed by adding fine particles that scatter light to a colorless and transparent resin that serves as a base material. As shown in FIG. 5, the diffusing material 80 is positioned between the light emitting element 50 and the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, so that the light incident on the diffusing material 80 from the light emitting element 50 enters the interior of the diffusing material 80. is scattered by the fine particles and diffuses.

Two supporting portions 66 are flat plate-shaped and protrude from the side surface of the main body portion 65 . The support portion 66 has a main surface facing the vehicle width direction. A housing recess 85 is formed on the side surface of the support portion 66 on the inner side of the vehicle and is recessed in the shape of a substantially disk on the outer side of the vehicle. A vibration motor 53 is accommodated in each accommodation recess 85 . The vibration motor 53 is arranged in the housing recess 85 so that its circular surface faces the vehicle width direction. The vibration motor 53 is fastened to the bottom wall of the housing recess 85 , coupled to the support portion 66 , and supported by the holder 55 . The shape of the housing recess 85 is set so that when the vibration motor 53 is housed in the housing recess 85, the surface of the vibration motor 53 facing toward the vehicle interior side is substantially flush with the opening edge 70 of the body portion 65 on the vehicle interior side. It is In this embodiment, the support portion 66 is further formed with insertion holes 86 connected to the housing recesses 85 in the upper and lower walls or the front and rear walls thereof in order to facilitate the assembly of the vibration motor 53 . During assembly, the vibration motor 53 can be accommodated in the accommodation recess 85 through the insertion hole 86 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the flange portion 67 extends in a predetermined vertical or longitudinal direction from an opening edge 70 of the body portion 65 on the vehicle interior side, reaches the back surface of the trim body portion 28 , and is fastened to the back surface of the trim body portion 28 . It is The holder 55 is coupled to the trim body portion 28 by fastening the flange portion 67 to the trim body portion 28 . At this time, the vibration motor 53 is in contact with the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the vehicle-interior surface. Therefore, the vibration of the vibration motor 53 is easily transmitted to the decorative member 25 , and the vibration is easily transmitted to the passenger who touches the decorative member 25 . Further, in this embodiment, the flange portion 67 is adhered to the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 at the peripheral edge of the main body portion 65 . As shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion 67 of the holder 55 of the relax switch 22 extends forward and downward, and is fastened to the rear surface of the trim body portion 28 at the front and lower portions, respectively. The flange portion 67 of the holder 55 of the return switch 23 forms two strips extending rearward and downward, and is fastened to the rear surface of the trim body portion 28 respectively.

The switching control device 24 is composed of a microcomputer, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, input/output interfaces, various drivers, etc., and includes light emitting elements 50, vibration motors 53, and capacitance sensors 54 of the relaxation switch 22 and return switch 23, respectively. , the seating sensor 20, and the motor control device 17 through predetermined wiring.

Next, operation of the switching device 16 will be described. When no occupant is seated on the vehicle seat 1, both the light emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22 and the light emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 are extinguished. When an occupant sits on the vehicle seat 1, the seating sensor 20 is turned on. When the seating sensor 20 is on and the vehicle is automatically traveling, the switching control device 24 sends a signal to the motor control device 17 to confirm the position of the vehicle seat 1 . When the switching control device 24 receives a signal corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 being in the standard position from the motor control device 17, the light emitting element 50 of the relaxation switch 22 is turned on after a predetermined time has elapsed. At this time, the colored portion in the enlarged view of FIG. 1 emits light on the projection 40 on the front side, and a pattern 60 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxing position is displayed. At this time, even if the occupant touches the projection 41 on the rear side, the switching control device 24 does not react (the return switch 23 is turned off).

When the occupant touches the projection 40 on the front side, the touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54 of the relaxation switch 22 (the relaxation switch 22 is turned on). Upon receiving a signal corresponding to the touch from the capacitance sensor 54 of the relax switch 22 , the switching control device 24 drives the vibration motor 53 of the relax switch 22 . By driving the vibration motor 53, vibration is transmitted to the passenger, giving the passenger a pseudo click feeling. This allows the passenger to recognize that the touch has been detected by the capacitance sensor 54 . When the capacitance sensor 54 detects that the occupant's hand has left the projection 40 on the front side, the light emitting element 50 of the relaxation switch 22 is turned off, and the switching control device 24 sends a signal to the motor control device 17. Then, the electric motor 11 is driven to displace the vehicle seat 1 to the relaxing position.

When the vehicle seat 1 is displaced and a signal indicating that the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position is received from the motor control device 17, the switching control device 24 turns on the light emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 after a predetermined time elapses. light up. As a result, the colored portion in the enlarged view of FIG. 2 emits light, and a design 61 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position is displayed on the projection 41 on the rear side. At this time, even if the passenger touches the projection 40 on the front side, the switching control device 24 is configured not to react.

After that, when the passenger touches the projection 41 on the rear side, the touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54 of the return switch 23 (the return switch 23 is turned on). The switching control device 24 drives the vibration motor 53 of the return switch 23 upon receiving a signal corresponding to the touch from the capacitance sensor 54 of the return switch 23 . By driving the vibration motor 53, vibration is transmitted to the passenger, giving the passenger a pseudo click feeling. When the capacitance sensor 54 detects that the occupant's hand has left the rear protrusion 41 , the switching control device 24 turns off the light emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 . The switching control device 24 also sends a signal to the motor control device 17 to drive the electric motor 11 and displace the vehicle seat 1 to the standard position.

When the displacement is completed, the switching control device 24 causes the light emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22 to light up. By turning on the light emitting element 50 of the relaxation switch 22, a pattern 60 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxation position is displayed on the projection 40 on the front side. At this time, even if the occupant touches the projection 41 on the rear side, the switching control device 24 is configured not to react.

When the passenger leaves the seat, the seating sensor 20 is turned off. At this time, the switching control device 24 turns off both the light emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22 and the light emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 (FIG. 3). In this way, when no occupant is seated on the vehicle seat 1, the two light emitting elements 50 are extinguished, thereby reducing energy consumption. When the seating sensor 20 is off, the switching control device 24 is configured so that it does not react even if the front protrusion 40 and the rear protrusion 41 are touched (both the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 are off). It is

Next, the effects of the switching device 16 will be described. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position and the occupant is seated, only the projection 40 on the front side is lit, and the projection 40 displays a pattern 60 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxed position. . When the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position and the occupant is seated, only the projection 41 on the rear side lights up, and the projection 41 displays a pattern 61 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position. there is Therefore, the passenger can easily recognize the switches to be operated and their positions, and can easily understand the shape of the vehicle seat 1 after the operation and the function of each switch.

Switches 22, 23 are preferably positioned so that they can be operated by the occupant by moving his or her forearm in front of the torso. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position, the backrest surface 10 is tilted rearward and the occupant's upper half of the body faces forward and upward as compared to when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the position of the occupant's hand with the forearm moved in front of the torso is better when the occupant's upper body is facing forward than when the occupant's upper body is facing forward. above. A return switch 23 that is operated when the occupant's upper body faces forward and upward is positioned behind and above the relaxation switch 22 that is operated when the occupant's upper body faces forward. Therefore, the operation of the return switch 23 is easier than when it is positioned behind or behind the relax switch 22 .

Since the decorative member 25 is made of a member that allows the light emitted from the light emitting element 50 to pass therethrough, the passenger can visually recognize the light emitted from the decorative member 25 from the inside of the vehicle. Further, by using the capacitance sensor 54 , it is possible to detect the touch operation of the passenger on the decorative member 25 without exposing the sensor to the decorative member 25 . Since both the switches 22 and 23 are covered with the decorative member 25 from the inside of the vehicle in this way, the design of the door 4 is enhanced. In addition, since the protrusions 40 and 41 are provided on the outside of the vehicle, the occupant can easily understand the positions of the switches 22 and 23 .

The light emitted from the light emitting element 50 enters the vehicle interior 2 from the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 facing the opening of the main body 65 . Therefore, on the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member 25, the area located on the vehicle-interior side of the opening of the main body portion 65 emits light. By making the main body portion 65 cylindrical, only the portion facing the opening of the main body portion 65 can emit light, and the light-emitting region and the non-light-emitting region can be clearly separated. In addition, since the light emitting element 50 and the wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the vehicle exterior side are spaced apart, the intensity of the light in the area irradiated with the light from the light emitting element 50 can be made more uniform. Furthermore, since the light from the light emitting element 50 is scattered by the diffusing material 80, the intensity of the light reaching the area located on the vehicle interior side of the opening of the main body portion 65 is made uniform on the vehicle interior wall surface of the decorative member 25. can be Therefore, on the vehicle-interior wall surface of the decorative member 25, the area located on the vehicle-interior side of the opening of the main body portion 65 can be evenly illuminated.

Since the capacitance sensor 54 is coupled to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the luminous area of the decorative member 25 , the touch of the occupant to the luminous area is easily detected by the capacitance sensor 54 . Further, by arranging the light shielding member 52 along the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, light diffraction is suppressed more than when it is arranged away from the vehicle-exterior wall surface. The patterns 60 and 61 of the light shielding member 52 can be displayed more clearly on the inner wall surface. Further, by providing the vibration motor 53 on the support portion 66, the vibration motor 53 can be brought close to the protrusions 40 and 41, and the vibration can be transmitted to the hands of the occupant more effectively.

Although the specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be widely modified. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the switching device 16 for switching the position of the right front vehicle seat 1, but it may be applied to the rear vehicle seat switching device. Moreover, although both the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 are provided on the door trim 26, they may be provided on the trim that constitutes the inner wall of the passenger compartment 2. may be provided on the center pillar garnish between the front seat door and the rear seat door.

In the above embodiment, both the switches 22 and 23 are configured by the capacitance sensor 54 that detects the touch of the decorating member 25 by the occupant. It may be a membrane switch or a push-type switch provided in the .

In the above embodiment, the protrusions 40 and 41 and the plate portion 39 are formed integrally, but the protrusions 40 and 41 are formed separately from the plate portion 39, and then the protrusions 40 and 41 are formed as a plate. It may be formed by being attached to the portion 39 . However, since the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 are formed integrally, the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 are strongly coupled, and the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 are separated. can be prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the film 37 is made of a resin having a transparent colored material layer, but it may be in any form as long as it allows the light from the light emitting element 50 to pass through, and wood grain or the like may be printed on the surface. Further, although the identification portion 42 is thinner than the other portions, it may be thicker than the other portions. In this case, the film 37 is formed using a resin that shrinks due to heat, and after the film 37 and the base material 36 are adhered, a heater is placed in parallel with the surface of the base material 36 to heat the film. It is recommended that the surface of the film 37 to which heat is easily conducted, that is, the portion of the film 37 facing the heater be shrunk. The tip surface of the protrusion and the portion of the plate portion 39 that is in contact with the outer surface of the vehicle contract due to the heating. On the other hand, since the side surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 41 are difficult to conduct heat and are difficult to shrink, the portions of the film 37 joined to the side surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 41 are thicker than the other portions. As a result, the identification portion 42 that is thicker than other portions can be formed in the ridge portion 43 and the outer edge 44 .

In the above embodiment, the light-emitting element 50 of the relaxation switch 22 is configured to always light up when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position. It may be configured to turn off after a lapse of time and turn on again when the capacitive sensor 54 detects a touch. Likewise, the light-emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 is also turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle seat 1 has reached the relaxing position, and is turned on again when the capacitance sensor 54 detects a touch. can be configured to By configuring in this way, power consumption can be suppressed.

1: Vehicle seat 2: Vehicle interior 4: Door (vehicle door)
10: Backrest surface 11: Electric motor (motor)
20 : Seating sensor 21 : Inner wall 22 : Relax switch 23 : Return switch 25 : Decorative member 30 : Opening 40 : Projection 41 : Projection 50 : Light emitting element 51 : Substrate 52 : Light blocking member 53 : Vibration motor 54 : Static Capacitance sensor 55 : Holder 60 : Design 61 : Design 65 : Body portion 66 : Support portion 70 : Opening edge 71 : Opening edge 80 : Diffusion material

Claims (1)

A switching device for switching driving of a motor that displaces a vehicle seat between a standard position in which the backrest surface faces substantially forward and a relaxed position in which the backrest surface faces upward compared to the standard position,
a relax switch for activating the motor to displace the vehicle seat from the normal position to the relaxed position;
a return switch for activating the motor to displace the vehicle seat from the relaxed position to the normal position;
a decorative member that constitutes a part of the inner wall of the vehicle compartment on which the vehicle seat is placed on the surface side,
each of the relax switch and the return switch includes a light-emitting element, a capacitance sensor, and a vibration motor that vibrates according to a signal from the capacitance sensor;
The decorative member transmits light emitted from each of the light emitting elements,
Each of the light emitting elements is arranged on the back side of the decorative member,
The switching device, wherein the capacitance sensor is arranged between the light emitting element and the decorating member.

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