JP2023152050A - vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle seat which allows effective use of a space formed between a seat main body and a floor.SOLUTION: An electrically driven vehicle seat 1 comprises: a seat body 10 which is installed in a prescribed height position from a floor FL of a vehicle and forms a lower space US between itself and the floor FL; a drive mechanism 40 which drives so as to move the seat body 10; and control means for controlling the drive mechanism 40. The control means acquires a detection signal of a foot FT of a person seated in a rear seat entering the lower space US and controls a rear link 42 so that the seat body 10 shifts its position away from the foot FT, and on the basis of the detection signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, and particularly to a vehicle seat that forms a space between a seat body and a floor.

The vehicle seat is attached at a predetermined height from the floor, and forms a space (hereinafter, this space will be referred to as a lower space) between the vehicle seat and the floor. The vehicle seat is equipped with a height mechanism that can adjust the height from the floor, and the height of the vehicle seat can be adjusted to the optimal height for the occupant.
In this way, the lower space formed below the vehicle seat is used as an adjustment space for adjusting the height of the vehicle seat. At the same time, the lower space located on the rear side of the vehicle seat is used as a foot space for an occupant seated on a rear row vehicle seat to place his/her feet.

In the vehicle seat frame described in Patent Document 1, a sliding mechanism is arranged at the center of the vehicle seat frame in the seat width direction, thereby forming empty spaces below both sides in the seat width direction. As a result, when the occupant sitting in the rear seat stretches his or her legs, it is possible to prevent the legs from interfering with the sliding mechanism, and it is also possible to increase the space in front of the occupant's legs.

JP2020-59420A

According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, the space below the vehicle seat can be used as a foot space for a person sitting in a rear seat. However, further improvements are desired regarding the effective use of the space below.
To explain in detail, as shown in FIG. 11, with the spread of electric vehicles in recent years, it has become common practice to dispose a secondary battery BT serving as a power source under the floor. As a result, the floor is placed at a relatively high position, and the space below the vehicle seat tends to be reduced within the limited vehicle interior space. Therefore, further improvements have been desired to make effective use of the limited downward space.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle seat that can effectively utilize the space formed between the seat body and the floor. .

The above problem can be solved by the vehicle seat of the present invention, which includes a seat body that is attached at a predetermined height position from the floor of the vehicle and forms a space between it and the floor, and a seat body that is moved. An electric vehicle seat comprising a drive mechanism for driving and a control means for controlling the drive mechanism, the control means acquiring a detection signal of an object entering the space, and detecting the detection signal. Based on this, the problem is solved by controlling the drive mechanism so that the seat body moves away from the intruding object.

According to the above configuration, when an intruding object entering the space between the seat body and the floor is detected, the seat main body is driven and controlled to move away from the intruding object. Therefore, for example, when the feet of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the space between the seat body and the floor, the front row vehicle seat is driven upward or forward away from the feet. This increases the foot space for those seated in the rear seat, making it possible to effectively utilize the limited space below.

Further, it is preferable that the drive mechanism is an elevating mechanism that drives the seat body in the vertical direction, and that the control means controls the elevating mechanism so that the seat body rises based on the detection signal. .
According to the above configuration, when it is detected that an intruding object has entered, the drive control is performed so that the seat body is raised. Therefore, for example, when the feet of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the space between the seat body and the floor, the front row vehicle seat is driven upward away from the feet. As a result, the foot space for a person sitting on the rear seat increases upward. As a result, it is possible to prevent the vehicle seat from being damaged due to contact between the feet of the person sitting on the rear seat and the electrical components, cable wiring, etc. disposed at the bottom of the seat body.

Further, it is preferable that the elevating mechanism includes a tiltable link member, and that the control means controls the elevating mechanism so that the link member stands up based on the detection signal.
According to the above configuration, since the elevating mechanism is constituted by the link member constituting the height mechanism that adjusts the height position of the vehicle seat, there is no need to attach a dedicated elevating mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of vehicle seats.

Further, the link member includes a rear link member and a front link member, and the control means raises and lowers the rear link member based on the detection signal and operates the lifting mechanism so that the seat body tilts forward. It is preferable to control it.
According to the above configuration, when the detection signal of the intruding object is acquired, the drive of the seat body is controlled to tilt forward. Therefore, for example, when the feet of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the space between the seat body and the floor, the front row vehicle seat is driven forward so as to be separated from the feet. At this time, since there is no need to drive and control the front link member, it is possible to effectively utilize the lower space with less power than when raising the entire seat body.

Further, the drive mechanism is a sliding mechanism that drives the seat body back and forth, and the control means controls the sliding mechanism so that the seat body slides forward based on the detection signal. Then, it is suitable.
According to the above configuration, when it is detected that an object has entered from the rear, the drive of the seat body is controlled to slide forward. Therefore, for example, when the feet of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the lower space, the front row vehicle seat is driven forward so as to be separated from the feet. As a result, the foot space for a person sitting in the rear seat is expanded forward. As a result, rear seat occupants can take advantage of the increased foot space and stretch out their legs.

Further, the drive mechanism is a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat body around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, and the control means controls the rotation so that the seat body rotates based on the detection signal. Preferably, the mechanism is controlled.
According to the above configuration, when the intrusion object detection signal is acquired, the seat body is drive-controlled to rotate around the rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. Thus, for example, when the feet of a person sitting in the rear seat enter the space between the seat body and the floor, the front row vehicle seat rotates 45 degrees. Therefore, the foot space on the front side of both legs of the person sitting in the rear seat is expanded, and it becomes possible to use this expanded foot space to stretch out the legs.

Further, it is preferable that the control means acquires a seating signal regarding the seating state of the occupant, and when acquiring the detection signal, controls the drive mechanism so as not to move the seat body based on the seating signal. .
According to the above configuration, when the seated person is seated, the vehicle seat does not move even if an intruding object enters the seat. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the vehicle seat is carelessly moved while the occupant is seated, causing discomfort to the occupant.

Further, it is preferable that the control means acquires a speed signal regarding the speed of the vehicle, and controls the drive mechanism so as not to move the seat body based on the speed signal when the detection signal is acquired.
According to the above configuration, when the vehicle is traveling at a speed exceeding a predetermined speed, the vehicle seat does not move even if an intruding object enters the vehicle. Therefore, the occurrence of a situation in which the vehicle seat is inadvertently moved during driving is suppressed, and the driver can concentrate on driving with peace of mind.

Further, it is preferable that the vehicle seat includes a non-contact type or contact type intrusion detection sensor that detects the intruding object and outputs the detection signal.
According to the above configuration, the intrusion detection sensor can detect an intruding object without physically coming into contact with the intruding object, so that the intrusion detection sensor is prevented from being damaged due to contact between the intruding object and the intrusion detection sensor. Can be suppressed.
Further, a contact type intrusion detection sensor detects intrusion through physical contact. In other words, the person sitting in the rear seat can intentionally drive the vehicle seat by touching the contact sensor with his or her feet to increase the foot space, thereby increasing convenience.

Further, the control means acquires an abnormality detection signal regarding the presence or absence of an abnormality in the vehicle seat, and when the detection signal is acquired, the control means controls the drive mechanism so that the seat body does not move based on the abnormality detection signal. It is preferable to control.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the vehicle seat is inadvertently driven due to the occurrence of an abnormality, causing discomfort to the seated person.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle seat that can effectively utilize the space formed between the seat body and the floor.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress damage to the vehicle seat due to contact between the feet of a person sitting in the rear seat and the electrical components, cable wiring, etc. disposed at the bottom of the seat body. .
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of vehicle seats.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the space below with less power.
Further, according to the present invention, the foot space on the front side of both feet of the person seated in the rear seat is expanded, and it becomes possible to stretch out the legs using this expanded foot space.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the vehicle seat is inadvertently driven while the occupant is seated, causing discomfort to the occupant.
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the vehicle seat is inadvertently driven while the vehicle is traveling, and it becomes possible for the driver to drive with peace of mind.
Moreover, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress damage to the entry detection sensor.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the person sitting in the rear seat can intentionally drive the vehicle seat to expand the foot space by touching the contact sensor with the foot, thereby increasing convenience. can.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of a vehicle seat and a downward space. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat frame that forms the skeleton of a vehicle seat. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1, showing a state in which the vehicle seat is in a lowered position. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1, showing a state in which the vehicle seat is in a raised position. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle seat. It is a figure explaining the attachment position of an entrance detection sensor. It is a figure which shows the state where the rear link rotated. It is a figure showing the functional composition of the vehicle seat concerning a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the vehicle seat is slid forward. It is a figure showing the functional composition of the vehicle seat concerning a third embodiment. It is a figure explaining the attachment position of the contact type sensor concerning a fourth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an electric vehicle in which a secondary battery is disposed under the floor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

This embodiment includes a seat body that is attached at a predetermined height position from the floor to form a space between it and the floor, a drive mechanism that drives the seat body to move, and a drive mechanism that controls the drive mechanism. An electric vehicle seat comprising: a control means, the control means acquiring a detection signal of an object entering the space, and the control means controlling the seat body based on the detection signal. The invention relates to a vehicle seat, the main feature of which is controlling the drive mechanism so that the object separates from the intruding object. In the following embodiments, a case where the vehicle seat according to the present invention is applied to a vehicle seat will be described as an example.

In the following description, the term "front-back direction" means the front-back direction when viewed from the person sitting in the vehicle seat, and is a direction that coincides with the traveling direction of the vehicle. The term "seat width direction" refers to the width direction of the vehicle seat, which corresponds to the left-right direction when viewed from the person sitting on the vehicle seat. Furthermore, in the following, "left" refers to the left when viewed from the seated person, and similarly, "right" refers to the right when viewed from the seated person. Furthermore, the term "height direction" refers to the height direction of the vehicle seat, which corresponds to the vertical direction when the vehicle seat is viewed from the front.

<<Main configuration of vehicle seat 1>>
First, based on FIG. 1, the basic configuration of a vehicle seat 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, an electric vehicle seat 1 mainly includes a seat body 10, a height adjustment mechanism 40, and a slide mechanism 50, and is installed in a vehicle interior. . In the vehicle seat 1, the seat body 10 can be moved in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction with respect to the floor FL of the vehicle interior by the height adjustment mechanism 40 and the slide mechanism 50.

The seat body 10 has a seat cushion 11, a seat back 12, and a headrest 13.
The seat cushion 11 is constructed by covering a seat cushion frame 21 (see FIG. 2) with a seat cushion pad 11a and a skin material 11b. The seat back 12 is constructed by covering a seat back frame 31 (see FIG. 2) with a seat back pad 12a and a skin material 12b. The headrest 13 is constructed by covering a headrest frame (not shown) with a pad and a skin material (not shown).

The seat cushion 11 has an upper surface portion 111, a front surface portion (not shown), left and right side portions 112, a rear surface portion 113, and a bottom surface portion 114. The upper surface portion 111 is a planar portion having a curved shape, and is a seating surface on which a seated person sits. The front portion extends downward from the front end of the upper surface portion 111 while bulging forward. The side surface portions 112 extend downward from both sides of the upper surface portion 111 in the seat width direction. The rear surface section 113 extends downward from the rear end of the upper surface section 111 while being inclined toward the front side. The upper surface portion 111, the front surface portion, the side surface portions 112, and the rear surface portion 113 are covered with a skin material 11b.

The bottom surface portion 114 faces the top surface portion 111 and forms the bottom surface of the seat cushion 11. The bottom portion 114 is not covered with the skin material 11b. Therefore, a seat cushion frame 21 (see FIG. 2) and a pressure receiving member 26, which will be described later, are exposed from the bottom surface portion 114.

A lower space US is formed between the seat body 10 and the floor FL. The lower space US is a space formed between the seat cushion 11 and the floor FL. In other words, the lower space US is located between the left and right side parts 112 in the seat width direction, and between the front part and the rear part 113 in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle seat 1 has a vehicle seat frame 20 as its skeleton. The vehicle seat frame 20 has a seat cushion frame 21 and a seat back frame 31 as main components.
The vehicle seat frame 20 is fixed via a height adjustment mechanism 40 to a slide mechanism 50 that slides the vehicle seat 1 in the longitudinal direction.

The seat cushion frame 21 includes a cushion side frame 22 as a side frame, a pan frame 23, a front pipe 24 as a connecting pipe, and a rear pipe 25.

The cushion side frames 22 are arranged one each on the left and right sides of the seat cushion frame 21. Each cushion side frame 22 extends in the front-rear direction.

A front actuator 43 (see FIG. 4) and a rear actuator 44 are attached to the outer side surface of the left cushion side frame 22 to operate the movable parts of the height adjustment mechanism 40 (front link 41 and rear link 42, which will be described later). ing.

The pan frame 23 and the front pipe 24 are interposed on the front side of the left and right cushion side frames 22 and connect the left and right cushion side frames 22. A control device 70 is attached to the center of the pan frame 23 in the seat width direction.
The rear pipe 25 is a pipe-shaped body interposed between the left and right cushion side frames 22 on the rear side of the cushion side frames 22. The rear pipe 25 connects the left and right cushion side frames 22.

A pressure receiving member 26 is arranged between the left and right cushion side frames 22. The pressure receiving member 26 is a member that receives the load of the seated person via the seat cushion pad 11a. The pressure receiving member 26 has a pressure receiving plate 26a and an elastic spring 26b that supports the pressure receiving plate 26a.
An upwardly inclined inclined portion 26c is formed at the rear end portion of the pressure receiving plate 26a. An entry detection sensor 60, which will be described later, is attached to the inclined portion 26c.

Next, the seat back frame 31 includes a back side frame 32, an upper frame 33, and a lower frame 34.
The back side frames 32 are arranged one each on the left and right sides of the seat back frame 31. The backside frame 32 extends in the vertical direction. The backside frame 32 is made of a plate-like member.

The upper frame 33 connects the upper ends of the left and right backside frames 32. The upper frame 33 is a pipe-shaped body.
The lower frame 34 connects the lower ends of the left and right backside frames 32. The upper frame 33 and the lower frame 34 extend in the left-right direction. The lower frame 34 is made of a plate-like member.

The horizontal connection frame 35 connects the upper portions of the left and right backside frames 32. The horizontal connection frame 35 extends in the seat width direction. The horizontal connection frame 35 is a plate-shaped body.
Further, the seat back frame 31 includes a pillar attachment member 36 for attaching a pillar of the headrest 13 to the center portion of the upper frame 33 in the seat width direction.

<<About the height adjustment mechanism 40>>
The height adjustment mechanism 40 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. 3A and 3B are views of the height adjustment mechanism 40 viewed from inside in the seat width direction.
The height adjustment mechanism 40 is arranged between the seat cushion 11 and the upper rail 51 that constitutes the slide mechanism 50 in the vertical direction. When the occupant performs a height adjustment operation (for example, an operation of pressing a lift button (not shown)), the movable portion of the height adjustment mechanism 40 is operated by the front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44. Thereby, the height of the vehicle seat 1 including the seat cushion 11 is adjusted.

The height adjustment mechanism 40 has a front link 41 located at the front and a rear link 42 located at the rear. The front link 41 and the rear link 42 form a pair to adjust the height of the vehicle seat 1. The front link 41 corresponds to a front link member, and the rear link 42 corresponds to a rear link member. The height adjustment mechanism 40 corresponds to a lifting mechanism.

The front link 41 is made of a metal plate member and has an elongated shape. One longitudinal end of the front link 41 is supported by the upper rail 51 so as to be swingable about a first swing shaft 41a. The other end of the front link 41 in the longitudinal direction is connected to a front actuator 43 via a gear (not shown), and is attached to the cushion side frame 22 so as to be swingable about a second swing shaft 41b. ing.

The rear link 42 is made of a metal plate member and has an elongated shape. One longitudinal end of the rear link 42 is supported by the upper rail 51 so as to be swingable about a third swing shaft 42a. The other end of the rear link 42 in the longitudinal direction is connected to a rear actuator 44 via a gear (not shown), and is attached to the cushion side frame 22 so as to be swingable about a fourth swing shaft 42b. ing.

The operation of the height adjustment mechanism 40 configured as above will be explained. The height adjustment mechanism 40 performs a height adjustment operation that adjusts the height of the entire vehicle seat 1 by driving the front link 41 and the rear link 42, and a height adjustment operation that adjusts the height of the entire vehicle seat 1 by driving the rear link 42 only. A foot space adjustment operation is performed to expand the lower space US (foot space for a person sitting in the rear seat) located on the side.

First, the height adjustment operation will be explained. The front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44 are driven when the seat occupant performs a height adjustment operation. Then, the front link 41 and the rear link 42, which mesh with the front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44 through gears, respectively swing. Thereby, the cushion side frame 22 moves up and down between the lowered position shown in FIG. 3A and the raised position shown in FIG. 3B, and the height of the vehicle seat 1 is adjusted.
In this way, the height adjustment mechanism 40 can adjust the height of the entire vehicle seat 1 including the seat cushion 11 by simultaneously swinging the front link 41 and the rear link 42.
Although the foot space adjustment operation will be described later, the height adjustment mechanism 40 enables the foot space adjustment operation in addition to the height adjustment operation of the vehicle seat 1. In this way, since there is no need to attach a dedicated elevating mechanism for the foot space adjustment operation, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of the vehicle seat 1.

<<About the functional configuration of the vehicle seat 1>>
Next, the functional configuration of the vehicle seat 1 will be explained. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle seat 1. As shown in FIG. The vehicle seat 1 includes a control device 70 that controls the front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44 based on detection values of an entry detection sensor 60, a seating sensor 61, and a vehicle speed sensor 62. The control device 70 may be an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (see FIG. 2) attached to the pan frame 23.

As shown in FIG. 5, the entry detection sensor 60 is attached near the rear surface portion 113 and bottom surface portion 114 of the seat cushion 11. Specifically, the intrusion detection sensor 60 is disposed between the inclined portion 26c of the pressure receiving member 26 located near the rear surface portion 113 and the bottom surface portion 114 of the seat cushion 11, and the skin material 11b covering the inclined portion 26c. has been done.
The entry detection sensor 60 is an infrared sensor that functions as a human sensor, and receives infrared rays emitted by the legs FT of a person sitting in the rear seat, and outputs a detection signal. A light receiving portion (not shown) of the entrance detection sensor 60 is exposed at the lower end of the rear surface portion 113 without being covered with the skin material 11b.

In this way, by arranging the entry detection sensor 60 on the rear surface portion 113 of the seat cushion 11, when the feet FT of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the lower space US from the rear of the vehicle seat 1, it is possible to detect the entry detection sensor 60. This enables early detection.
Note that the entry detection sensor 60 may be arranged at the second mounting position 60a in FIG. 5. To explain in detail, the intrusion detection sensor 60 may be arranged such that only the detection part of the intrusion detection sensor 60 is exposed at the lower end of the seat back 12 without being covered with the skin material 11b. This makes it possible to detect an object entering the lower space US from behind at an earlier stage.

Here, the entry detection sensor 60 is not limited to an infrared sensor. The entry detection sensor 60 may be, for example, a camera that can detect visible light and capture an image of the lower space US. By adopting a camera as the entry detection sensor 60, even if an object that does not emit infrared rays (for example, an object accidentally dropped by a person sitting in the rear seat) enters the lower space US, it can be detected. It becomes possible to do so. In this case, it is preferable that the camera be disposed at a position indicated by 60 or 60a in FIG. 4. This makes it possible to quickly detect an object entering the lower space US from behind.

Further, the entry detection sensor 60 may be a radar sensor that detects an entry object by transmitting microwaves and receiving reflected waves thereof. In particular, by employing a Doppler radar type sensor as the intrusion detection sensor 60, it is possible to detect an intruding object and also detect the speed of the intruding object. At this time, a control device 70, which will be described later, may control the rear link 42 based on the speed of the incoming object. When a radar type sensor is employed as the entry detection sensor 60, the entry detection sensor 60 is preferably disposed at the third mounting position 60b or the fourth mounting position 60c in FIG. To explain in detail, the radar sensor is disposed on the pressure receiving member 26 exposed on the bottom surface 114 of the seat cushion 11 or on the lower rail 52 of the slide mechanism 50. In this manner, by arranging the radar sensor at a position directly facing the direction in which the object enters, it becomes possible to accurately detect the speed at which the object enters.

The infrared sensor, camera, and radar sensor described above are all non-contact type entry detection sensors 60. By employing a non-contact type sensor as the entry detection sensor 60 in this manner, it becomes possible for the entry detection sensor 60 to detect an entry object without physically coming into contact with the entry object. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the intrusion detection sensor 60 is damaged due to the intrusion object coming into contact with the intrusion detection sensor 60.

Returning to FIG. 4, the seating sensor 61 is attached to the upper surface portion 111 of the seat cushion 11. Specifically, the seating sensor 61 is disposed on the upper surface portion 111 of the seat cushion 11 between the seat cushion pad 11a and the skin material 11b. The seating sensor 61 then detects the load acting on the upper surface portion 111 of the seat cushion 11. The control device 70 can determine the seating state (presence or absence of a seated person) based on the detection value of the seating sensor 61 (corresponding to a seating signal).
The vehicle speed sensor 62 is installed inside the vehicle V and detects the traveling speed of the vehicle V. The control device 70 can determine whether the vehicle V is traveling based on the detected value of the vehicle speed sensor 62 (corresponding to a speed signal).

The control device 70 includes an acquisition section 71, a determination section 72, and a drive section 73. The control device 70 functions as an acquisition unit 71, a determination unit 72, and a drive unit 73 by loading a program stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown) and executing it by a processor (not shown), which is a hardware resource. do.

The acquisition unit 71 acquires detection values of various sensors. Specifically, the acquisition unit 71 acquires the outputs of the entry detection sensor 60, the seating sensor 61, and the vehicle speed sensor 62. The acquisition unit 71 includes an ADC (analog-digital converter) and can convert analog signals output from various sensors into digital signals. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 71 includes a noise removal filter, and can improve the signal power to noise power ratio (S/N ratio) by removing signals in a frequency band consisting of noise components.

The determination unit 72 determines the state of the vehicle seat 1 based on the detection value acquired by the acquisition unit 71. Specifically, the determining unit 72 determines the presence or absence of an intruding object (detects an intruding object) based on the output signal of the intrusion detection sensor 60. The determining unit 72 may determine the presence or absence of an intruding object by comparing the output signal of the intrusion detection sensor 60 with a predetermined threshold value. The determining unit 72 may determine the presence or absence of an intruding object by comparing the temporal change in the output signal of the intrusion detection sensor 60 with a predetermined threshold value.
The determination unit 72 can determine whether a person is seated on the vehicle seat 1 based on the output signal of the seating sensor 61. The determination unit 72 can determine whether the vehicle V is traveling based on the output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 62.

The determination unit 72 may determine whether there is an abnormality in the sensors by acquiring output signals from various sensors arranged in the vehicle V as abnormality detection signals. For example, the determination unit 72 may determine a failure of the sensor or a break in the cable connecting the sensor and the control device 70 based on the output signals of various sensors.
The determination unit 72 may determine whether there is an abnormality in the drive mechanism including the front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44.

The drive unit 73 controls the front actuator 43 and the rear actuator 44 so that the front link 41 and the rear link 42 rotate based on the determination result of the determination unit 72. In other words, the drive unit 73 performs a height adjustment operation and a foot space adjustment operation.

<<Foot space adjustment operation>>
Next, the foot space adjustment operation will be explained. When a person is not seated on the vehicle seat 1 and the vehicle V is not running, when an object enters the lower space US from the rear, a foot space adjustment operation is performed. Thereby, the rear link 42 rotates, and the vehicle seat 1 can be raised while tilting the seat cushion 11 forward. Therefore, it is possible to increase the foot space of the rear seat occupant upward.

FIG. 6 shows the vehicle seat 1 in a state where the rear link 42 is rotated to stand up. As shown in FIG. 6, when an intruding object (for example, the feet FT of a person sitting in the rear seat) entering the lower space US from the rear of the vehicle seat 1 is detected, the control device 70 rotates the rear link 42. As a result, the seat body 10 is driven away from the foot FT. In other words, the control device 70 controls the rear link 42 so that the seat body 10 rises. This will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the feet FT of the person sitting in the rear seat are placed on the floor FL. Then, when the person seated in the rear seat stretches his/her legs FT forward, the legs FT enter the space US below the front row vehicle seat 1 from behind. At this time, the entry detection sensor 60 of the vehicle seat 1 detects the entry of the foot FT. When the entry detection sensor 60 is an infrared sensor, the entry detection sensor 60 detects infrared rays emitted from the foot FT.

The acquisition unit 71 acquires output signals of the entry detection sensor 60, the seating sensor 61, and the vehicle speed sensor 62. Based on the signal acquired by the acquisition unit 71, the determination unit 72 determines whether the foot FT has entered the downward space US from behind.
When the determining unit 72 determines that the foot FT has entered the lower space US from behind, the driving unit 73 rotates the rear link 42 so that it stands up. Thereby, the seat main body 10 rises so as to be separated from the foot FT that has entered from the rear. As a result, the foot space expands upward, allowing the rear seat occupant to take advantage of the increased foot space and adopt a relaxed posture. Further, it is possible to suppress damage to the vehicle seat 1 due to contact between the feet FT of the person sitting in the rear seat and the electrical components, cable wiring, etc. exposed on the bottom surface portion 114 of the seat body 10.

Here, the drive unit 73 may control the rear link 42 not to rotate when the determination unit 72 determines that a seated person is seated on the vehicle seat 1. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the vehicle seat 1 from suddenly rising even though the occupant is seated on the vehicle seat 1, and the occupant feels uncomfortable.

Further, the drive unit 73 may control the rear link 42 not to rotate when the determination unit 72 determines that the vehicle V is traveling at a speed exceeding a predetermined threshold (for example, 0 km/h). . This prevents the vehicle seat 1 from being inadvertently driven while the vehicle V is running, and allows the driver to concentrate on driving with peace of mind.

<<Second embodiment>>
The configuration of the vehicle seat 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the embodiment described above is only an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. do not have. 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 equivalents thereof.

In the embodiment described above, the control device 70 has been described as driving and controlling the rear link 42 so that the seat body 10 rises when an object entering the lower space US from the rear is detected. On the other hand, the control device 70A according to the second embodiment drives and controls the slide mechanism 50 so that the seat body 10 slides forward. As a result, the seat body 10 is driven in the direction away from the feet FT of the person sitting on the rear seat, and the foot space is expanded in front of the feet FT, allowing the person sitting on the rear seat to effectively utilize the expanded foot space. Become.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle seat 1 according to the second embodiment. The vehicle seat 1 includes a control device 70A that controls the slide mechanism 50 based on detection signals from an entry detection sensor 60, a seating sensor 61, and a vehicle speed sensor 62. The slide mechanism 50 will be described later.

FIG. 8 shows the vehicle seat 1 with the seat body 10 slid forward by the slide mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, when the legs FT of the person seated in the rear seat enter the space US below the front row vehicle seat 1 from behind, the entry detection sensor 60 detects the infrared rays emitted from the legs FT, as described above. Detect.

The acquisition unit 71 acquires output signals from the entry detection sensor 60, the seating sensor 61, and the vehicle speed sensor 62. The determination unit 72 determines whether the foot FT has entered the lower space US from behind based on the detection signal of the entry detection sensor 60 acquired by the acquisition unit 71.

When the determining unit 72 determines that the foot FT has entered the lower space US from the rear, the driving unit 73 moves the slide mechanism 50 so that the upper rail 51 slides forward with respect to the lower rail 52 fixed to the floor FL. to drive. Thereby, the seat main body 10 moves forward so as to be separated from the foot FT that has entered from the rear. As a result, the foot space expands forward, allowing the rear seat occupant to take advantage of the increased foot space and adopt a relaxed posture.
The drive unit 73 may drive the slide mechanism 50 and at the same time rotate the rear link 42 to stand up. As a result, the foot space can be expanded forward and upward, and the rear seat occupant can effectively utilize the increased foot space.

The slide mechanism 50 only needs to have a mechanism that can slide the seat body 10 in the front-back direction with respect to the floor FL, and a known electric slide mechanism can be used. For example, suppose that the lower rail 52 fixed to the floor FL has a screw member, and the upper rail 51 fixed to the seat body 10 via the height adjustment mechanism 40 has a motor and a gear member. By meshing with the screw member, the gear member converts the rotational force of the motor into power for sliding in the front-rear direction. Thereby, by rotating the motor, the upper rail 51 and the seat body 10 can be slid in the front and back direction with respect to the lower rail 52. The slide mechanism 50 corresponds to a sliding mechanism.

<<Third embodiment>>
Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the embodiment described above, the vehicle seat 1 has been described as having the height adjustment mechanism 40 and the slide mechanism 50. On the other hand, the vehicle seat 1 according to the third embodiment has a rotation mechanism 55 that rotates the seat body 10 around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, and has a rotation mechanism 55 that rotates the seat body 10 by 45 degrees. controlled by. As a result, when the feet FT of the person sitting on the rear seat enter the lower space US from the rear, the seat body 10 rotates and separates from the feet FT. Therefore, the foot space in front of the legs FT on both sides in the seat width direction is expanded, and the seated person can effectively utilize the expanded foot space.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle seat 1 according to the third embodiment. The vehicle seat 1 includes a control device 70B that controls the rotation mechanism 55 based on detection signals from an entry detection sensor 60, a seating sensor 61, and a vehicle speed sensor 62.

The drive unit 73 drives at least one of the rear link 42 and the slide mechanism 50 when the determination unit 72 determines that the foot FT has entered the lower space US from behind. As a result, the seat body 10 moves away from the foot FT that has entered from the rear. The drive unit 73 further drives the rotation mechanism 55 to rotate the seat body 10 by 45 degrees around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, a wide foot space can be formed in front of the left and right feet FT of the person sitting in the rear seat. The rear seat occupant can effectively utilize the increased foot space.

<<Fourth embodiment>>
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the embodiment described above, the vehicle seat 1 has been described as being equipped with the non-contact type entry detection sensor 60. On the other hand, the vehicle seat 1 according to the fourth embodiment includes a contact type entry detection sensor 60A. By employing the contact sensor, the person sitting in the rear seat can drive the seat body 10 of the vehicle seat 1 according to his or her will. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the foot space and improve convenience.

As shown in FIG. 10, an entry detection sensor 60A according to the fourth embodiment is attached near the rear surface portion 113 and the bottom surface portion 114 of the seat cushion 11. Specifically, the entry detection sensor 60A is attached to the surface of the skin material 11b that covers the inclined portion 26c of the pressure receiving member 26 located near the rear surface portion 113 and the bottom surface portion 114 of the seat cushion 11.
The entry detection sensor 60 is a limit switch with an actuator. When the person seated in the rear seat contacts the actuator of the limit switch with their foot FT, the entry detection sensor 60 outputs a detection signal. Thereby, the control device 70 controls the seat body 10 to be driven.

In this way, by disposing the entry detection sensor 60 on the rear surface portion 113 of the seat cushion 11, when the feet FT of a person sitting on the rear seat enter the lower space US from the rear of the vehicle seat 1, it can be detected. This enables early detection.

Here, the entry detection sensor 60 may be disposed at the third mounting position 60Ab or the fourth mounting position 60Ac in FIG. 10. Preferably, the actuator of the limit switch extends in the seat width direction of the vehicle seat 1. As a result, the person seated in the rear seat can bring their feet FT into contact with the actuator of the limit switch by simply extending their feet FT, making it possible to more easily expand the foot space.

Furthermore, the entry detection sensor 60A may be disposed at the second mounting position 60Aa in FIG. 10. To explain in detail, the entry detection sensor 60 may be attached to the surface of the skin material 12b at the lower end of the seat back 12. The entry detection sensor 60A may be a capacitive touch sensor. In this case, when the person seated in the rear seat reaches out from behind the vehicle seat 1 toward the lower space US and touches the entry detection sensor 60, the entry detection sensor 60 outputs a detection signal. Thereby, the control device 70 drives and controls the seat body 10 so that the foot space is expanded.

Although the control device 70 has been described above as controlling the drive mechanism so that the seat body 10 is separated from the intruding object based on the output of the intrusion detection sensor 60, the present invention is not limited to this. The control device 70 may control the drive mechanism based on the operation of an operation switch that can be operated by a person sitting in the rear seat. This allows the foot space to be used effectively and with great convenience.

Although the entry detection sensor 60 has been described as detecting the feet FT of the person sitting in the rear seat, the present invention is not limited thereto. The entry detection sensor 60 may detect, for example, a falling object falling into the lower space US from the side (adjacent seat).

In the embodiment described above, the vehicle seat 1 used in an automobile is illustrated as an example of the vehicle seat, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the vehicle seat 1 may be used in other vehicle seats, such as ships and aircraft. It can also be applied to sheets.

1 Vehicle seat 10 Seat body 11 Seat cushion 11a Seat cushion pad 11b Upholstery 111 Top part 112 Side part 113 Rear part 114 Bottom part 12 Seat back 12a Seat back pad 12b Upholstery 13 Headrest 20 Vehicle seat frame 21 Seat cushion frame 22 Cushion side frame 23 Pan frame 24 Front pipe 25 Rear pipe 26 Pressure receiving member 26a Pressure receiving plate 26b Elastic spring 26c Inclined portion 31 Seat back frame 32 Back side frame 33 Upper frame 34 Lower frame 35 Horizontal connection frame 36 Pillar mounting member 40 Height adjustment mechanism (drive mechanism)
41 Front link (front link member)
41a First swing shaft 41b Second swing shaft 42 Rear link (rear link member)
42a Third swing shaft 42b Fourth swing shaft 43 Front actuator 44 Rear actuator 50 Slide mechanism (drive mechanism)
51 Upper rail 52 Lower rail 55 Rotation mechanism 60, 60A Entry detection sensor 60a, 60Aa Second mounting position 60b, 60Ab Third mounting position 60c, 60Ac Fourth mounting position 61 Seating sensor 62 Vehicle speed sensor 70, 70A, 70B Control device 71 Acquisition Section 72 Judgment section 73 Drive section US Lower space FT Foot V Vehicle FL Floor BT Secondary battery

Claims (10)

A seat body that is attached at a predetermined height position from the floor of a vehicle and forms a space between it and the floor, a drive mechanism that drives the seat body to move, and a control means that controls the drive mechanism. An electric vehicle seat comprising:
The control means includes:
Obtaining a detection signal of an object entering the space,
A vehicle seat characterized in that the drive mechanism is controlled based on the detection signal so that the seat body moves away from the intruding object. The drive mechanism is an elevating mechanism that drives the seat body in the vertical direction,
The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the elevating mechanism so that the seat body rises based on the detection signal. The elevating mechanism has a tiltable link member,
3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the elevating mechanism so that the link member stands up based on the detection signal. The link member includes a rear link member and a front link member,
4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the control means controls the elevating mechanism so that the rear link member stands up and the seat body tilts forward based on the detection signal. The drive mechanism is a sliding mechanism that drives the seat body back and forth,
According to any one of claims 1 to 4, the control means controls the sliding mechanism so that the seat body slides forward based on the detection signal. Vehicle seat as described. The drive mechanism is a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat body around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction,
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control means controls the rotation mechanism so that the seat body rotates based on the detection signal. sheet. The control means is characterized in that it acquires a seating signal regarding the seating state of the occupant, and when acquiring the detection signal, controls the drive mechanism so as not to move the seat body based on the seating signal. A vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The control means acquires a speed signal regarding the speed of the vehicle, and when the detection signal is acquired, controls the drive mechanism so as not to move the seat body based on the speed signal. A vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The vehicle seat includes a non-contact or contact type entry detection sensor that detects the entry object and outputs the detection signal. Vehicle seats as described in Section. The control means acquires an abnormality detection signal regarding the presence or absence of an abnormality in the vehicle seat, and when the detection signal is acquired, controls the drive mechanism so as not to move the seat body based on the abnormality detection signal. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: