JP2024061622A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicle that improves the ease of getting on and off for passengers. [Solution] A vehicle 1 includes a sliding opening/closing body 2 on the side of the vehicle 1, and at least one seat 10 having a headrest 13 inside the vehicle 1, and at least a portion of the upper part of the opening/closing body 2 is located directly above the headrest 13 and inside the vehicle 1 with respect to the inner end 13a of the headrest 13. When the opening/closing body 2 moves open, the passenger's head is prevented from hitting the roof, improving the ease of getting on and off. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle, and in particular to a vehicle having a sliding opening and closing body.

2. Description of the Related Art Vehicles are known in which a vehicle seat mounted in the vehicle is configured to be movable, thereby enabling the positioning of the vehicle seat to be adjusted within an interior space of the vehicle body.
For example, in the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, each of the multiple vehicle seats installed in the vehicle is equipped with a rotation mechanism, a reclining mechanism, and a sliding mechanism, and by moving the multiple vehicle seats, it is possible to form a bed surface on which an occupant can lie down, even in a small space, for example.

JP 2021-142771 A

In the adaptable vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the seats are configured to be movable in a small space, so depending on the position of the vehicle seat, it may be difficult to get in and out. Also, in order to make the vehicle seat movable within the vehicle cabin, there is a demand for interior equipment that can accommodate various arrangements.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a vehicle that improves the ease with which passengers can get in and out of the vehicle.
Another object is to provide a vehicle having interior equipment that can be adapted to various arrangements.

The above problem is solved by the vehicle of the present invention, which includes a sliding opening/closing body on the side of the vehicle, and at least one seat having a headrest inside the vehicle, and at least a portion of the upper part of the opening/closing body is located directly above the headrest and inside the vehicle relative to the inner end of the headrest.

By positioning a portion of the upper part of the opening/closing body inside the inner end of the seat's headrest, when the opening/closing body is opened, it opens up to the top of the headrest, so that even if the occupant stands up when getting in and out, the occupant's head is prevented from hitting the roof, making it easier for them to get in and out. In addition, the feeling of openness is improved when the opening/closing body is opened. Thus, it is possible to provide a vehicle that improves the ease of getting in and out for occupants.

In addition, in the above vehicle, the opening/closing body is composed of a main body portion located on the side of the vehicle and an upper portion that constitutes the upper part of the opening/closing body, and the main body portion and the upper portion are preferably formed integrally.
By integrally forming the main body and upper portion of the opening/closing body, a uniform appearance can be achieved.

In addition, in the above vehicle, the opening/closing body is composed of a main body portion located on the side of the vehicle and an upper portion that constitutes the upper part of the opening/closing body, and the main body portion and the upper portion are preferably formed as separate bodies.
By forming the main body and the upper portion of the opening/closing body as separate bodies, the opening/closing body can be easily manufactured.

In addition, in the above vehicle, the seat has a height adjustment device that adjusts the height from the floor of the vehicle, and the seat is configured so that at least the upper end of the headrest can be moved upwardly above the lower end of the upper part of the opening and closing body by the height adjustment device.
By configuring the upper end of the headrest of the seat to be movable upward beyond the lower end of the upper part of the opening/closing body, the sense of openness when the opening/closing body is opened is further improved.

In addition, in the above vehicle, the opening/closing body is arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle, and an occupant protection device is provided in a central portion of the roof of the vehicle, sandwiched between the upper parts of the left and right opening/closing bodies.
By providing an occupant protection device (for example, an airbag) in the central portion of the roof, it is possible to protect an occupant from the central portion of the vehicle.

In the above vehicle, an instrument panel may be provided at the interior front of the vehicle, and the instrument panel may be configured as an expandable storage box.
By configuring the instrument panel as an expandable storage box, the interior space of the vehicle can be expanded, making it possible to provide a vehicle with interior equipment that can be adapted to a variety of arrangements.

In the vehicle described above, the instrument panel may be extendable and contractible in the left-right direction of the vehicle.
Since the instrument panel is extendable in the left-right direction, the space inside the vehicle can be easily expanded.

In the vehicle described above, the instrument panel may be movable in a vertical direction of the vehicle.
By allowing the instrument panel to move up and down, the space below the instrument panel can be utilized, making better use of the space inside the vehicle. In addition, by moving the instrument panel upward, it is possible to block the view from the outside, for example, when the vehicle is stopped.

The vehicle may further include a seat rail that is disposed on a floor surface of the vehicle and along which the seat slides, the seat rail being disposed below the instrument panel.
By locating the seat rails below the instrument panel, the seat can be moved down to below the instrument panel, allowing for a wider range of seat arrangements.

In the vehicle described above, it is preferable that an odor sensor that measures odors inside the vehicle is provided on the instrument panel.
By providing an odor sensor, it is possible to measure odors inside the vehicle and improve the in-vehicle environment based on the measurement results.

In addition, in the above vehicle, the seat has a seat rotation device that rotates the seat around an axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and an expansion member on the left and right sides of the seat, and when the seat rotates around an axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the expansion member located on the opposite side to the rotation direction inflates.
When the seat rotates, the expansion member located on the opposite side to the direction of rotation expands, preventing the occupant's body from leaning in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation, improving the ability to maintain the occupant's posture, and reducing discomfort felt by the occupant.

According to the vehicle of the present invention, a vehicle can be provided that improves the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle for passengers.
Furthermore, by forming the main body and upper portion of the opening/closing body integrally, a uniform appearance can be achieved.
Furthermore, by forming the main body and the upper portion of the opening/closing body as separate bodies, the opening/closing body can be easily manufactured.
Furthermore, by configuring the upper end of the headrest of the seat to be movable upward beyond the lower end of the upper part of the opening/closing body, the sense of openness when the opening/closing body is opened is further improved.
Furthermore, by providing an occupant protection device (for example, an airbag) in the center of the roof, it is possible to protect a seated occupant from the center of the vehicle.
Furthermore, by configuring the instrument panel as an expandable storage box, the interior space of the vehicle can be expanded, making it possible to provide a vehicle with interior equipment that can be adapted to a variety of arrangements.
Furthermore, since the instrument panel is extendable in the left-right direction, the space inside the vehicle can be easily expanded.
In addition, by allowing the instrument panel to move up and down, the space below the instrument panel can be used, making better use of the space inside the vehicle. In addition, by moving the instrument panel upward, it is possible to block the view from the outside, for example, when the vehicle is stopped.
In addition, by placing rails below the instrument panel, the seat can be moved down to below the instrument panel, allowing for a wider range of seat arrangements.
Furthermore, by providing an odor sensor, it is possible to measure odors inside the vehicle and improve the in-vehicle environment based on the measurement results.
In addition, when the seat rotates, the expansion member located on the opposite side to the direction of rotation expands, preventing the occupant's body from tilting in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation, improving the ability to maintain the occupant's posture, and reducing discomfort felt by the occupant.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a sliding door is open. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, showing the configuration of the interior of the vehicle. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the left and right sliding doors are opened and the vehicle seat is moved upward. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which an airbag provided in the center of the roof is deployed. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1, showing the configuration of the interior of the vehicle. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the instrument panel is contracted. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an instrument panel. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the footrest is pulled out from the instrument panel. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a footrest drawer structure. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing another example of a footrest drawer structure. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of a vehicle when an instrument panel is moved upward. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an interior configuration of a vehicle provided with a center console. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a procedure for supporting an occupant using air cells provided in the side supports when the vehicle seat is rotated. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for supporting an occupant using an air cell provided in an armrest when the vehicle seat is rotated. 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams illustrating a procedure for supporting an occupant using an armrest when a vehicle seat is rotated.

Hereinafter, the configuration of a vehicle 1 having a slidable opening/closing body according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.
In addition, in the following description, the contents regarding the materials, shapes and sizes of components such as the seat (vehicle seat 10), instrument panel 20, and airbag device 23 installed in the vehicle 1 are merely examples and do not limit the present invention.

In the following, an example of a vehicle 1 equipped with a sliding opening/closing body will be an automatically-operated electric vehicle, and its configuration will be described. However, the present invention may also be applied to manually-operated engine vehicles. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to ground-traveling vehicles with wheels, such as automobiles and railroad cars, but may also be applied to aircraft and ships that travel other than on land, for example.

In the following description, the "front-rear direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1, which coincides with the direction of travel when the vehicle is traveling. The "width direction" and "left-right direction" refer to the width direction and left-right direction of the vehicle 1, respectively, and the "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle 1, which coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle 1 is traveling on a horizontal plane.
In addition, in the following description, when various directions are described with the word "seat" added, such as "seat width direction" and "seat height direction", this indicates the direction relative to the vehicle seat 10 installed in the vehicle 1, and when various directions are described with the word "vehicle" added, such as "inner side of the vehicle" and "outer side of the vehicle", this indicates the direction relative to the vehicle 1.

<Vehicle 1>
The configuration of a vehicle 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a side view of the vehicle 1 with the rear door 2R, which is a sliding door, in an open state, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1, showing the configuration of the interior of the vehicle. Figure 3 is a view showing a state in which the vehicle seat has been moved upward, and Figure 4 is a view showing a state in which an airbag provided in the center of the roof 3 has been deployed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 1.

The vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled electric vehicle, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, has tires 6 at the four corners of a floor 4, and a battery 5 below the floor 4 for supplying power to a motor and the like.
The vehicle 1 has a front window 8a as a window 8 at the front and a rear window 8b at the rear. The vehicle 1 also has side windows 8c at the sides.
2 and 5, vehicle seats 10 are arranged in three rows on the floor 4 of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 includes front seats 10F arranged on the left and right of the first row on the floor 4, mid seats 10M arranged on the left and right of the second row, and rear seats 10R arranged on the left and right of the third row. The front seats 10F, mid seats 10M, and rear seats 10R basically have the same configuration, and in the following description, they will be referred to as vehicle seats 10 unless there is a particular need to distinguish between them.

<Vehicle seat 10>
Each vehicle seat 10 (seat) is equipped with a seat cushion 11 that supports the thighs and buttocks of a seated occupant H, a seat back 12 that supports the back of the occupant H, and a headrest 13 that is provided at the upper end of the seat back 12 and supports the head of the occupant H.
The rear end of the seat cushion 11 and the lower end of the seat back 12 are connected to each other, and a reclining device 14 is provided at the connected portion. The reclining device 14 allows the seat back 12 to rotate relative to the seat cushion 11 so that the rearward tilt angle can be adjusted.

A height adjustment device 15 that adjusts the height of the vehicle seat 10 is provided below the seat cushion 11. A seat rotation device 16 that rotates the vehicle seat 10 around an axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1 (perpendicular to the floor 4) is provided below the height adjustment device 15. A slide device that slides the vehicle seat 10 in the front-rear direction on the floor 4 of the vehicle 1 is provided below the seat rotation device 16.

The sliding device is composed of an upper rail (not shown) provided below the vehicle seat 10 and a seat rail 17 arranged on the floor surface of the vehicle 1. The upper rail slides on the seat rail 17, allowing the vehicle seat 10 to slide in the front-rear direction within the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the seat rails 17 are embedded in the floor 4 as long rails. As shown in FIG. 5, the front seat 10F, mid seat 10M, and rear seat 10R located on the right side of the vehicle are arranged on the seat rail 17 on the driver's seat side so that they can slide or rotate. Also, the front seat 10F, mid seat 10M, and rear seat 10R located on the left side of the vehicle are arranged on the seat rail 17 on the passenger's seat side so that they can slide or rotate.

The vehicle seat 10 may be detachably attached to the seat rails 17. In this embodiment, the seat rails 17 are shared by the front seat 10F to the rear seat 10R arranged in the front-rear direction, but the seat rails 17 do not have to be shared. That is, the front seat 10F may use an independent pair of rails, and the mid seat 10M and the rear seat 10R may be movably arranged on a pair of rails provided separately from the rails.
In addition, the seat rail 17 arranged on the driver's seat side and the seat rail 17 on the passenger's seat side are preferably arranged on a flat portion of the floor covering the upper part of the battery 5 .

The seat rail 17 arranged on the passenger side extends to the front end of the vehicle 1 as shown in FIG. 5, and is arranged so that the front portion of the seat rail 17 is located below the instrument panel 20. Therefore, when the width of the instrument panel 20 is reduced, the front seat 10F on the passenger side can be moved to the front end of the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 6).

Although the vehicle seat 10 shown in FIG. 5 can only move in the front-rear direction, a rail device movable in the left-right direction may be added to each vehicle seat 10 to enable movement in the left-right direction.
In addition, the sliding, rotating, and up-down movement (height adjustment) of the vehicle seat 10 may be performed manually by the occupant, or a driving device such as a motor may be provided so that each vehicle seat 10 is configured to automatically slide, rotate, and move up and down.

If the vehicle seat 10 can automatically slide, rotate, and move up and down, it may be configured to automatically set the registered seat arrangement by operating a transmitter held by the occupant, for example. The transmitter operated by the occupant may be formed integrally with an operating switch for instructing door locking and opening/closing, or may be formed separately from the operating switch.

<Vehicle Door 2>
Vehicle doors 2 (opening/closing bodies) that can be opened and closed relative to the vehicle body are provided on the left and right outer parts of the vehicle 1. An occupant H seated in a vehicle seat 10 can get in and out of the vehicle by moving the vehicle door 2 open. In the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, front doors 2F are provided on the left and right sides of a first-row front seat 10F, and rear doors 2R are provided on the left and right sides of a second-row mid seat 10M. A removable door pocket 2e is provided on the inside of the front door 2F. A window portion 2c is provided in the rear door 2R.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear door 2R is configured as a sliding door that can slide rearward. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear door 2R is configured to include not only the side of the vehicle 1 but also part of the roof of the vehicle 1. Specifically, the rear door 2R is configured so that at least a part of the upper part of the rear door 2R is positioned on the inside of the vehicle 1, directly above the headrest 13 of the mid-seat 10M, and further inward than the inner end 13a of the headrest 13.

More specifically, the rear door 2R is composed of a door body portion 2a located on the side of the vehicle 1 and an upper door portion 2b that constitutes the upper part of the side door 2R, and the upper door portion 2b is formed so as to extend from the upper end of the door body portion 2a toward the inside of the vehicle 1. The inner end portion 2ba of the upper door portion 2b is configured to be located more inward of the vehicle 1 than the inner end portion 13a of the headrest 13.

By configuring the upper part of the rear door 2R, the door upper portion 2b, in this way, when the rear door 2R is opened, it opens up to the vehicle seat 10, preventing the head of an occupant from hitting the roof 3 when standing, improving the ease of getting in and out. In addition, the sense of openness when the rear door 2R is opened is improved.

The door body 2a and the door upper portion 2b are preferably formed integrally. In particular, it is preferable to form the interior material including the skin of the door body 2a and the interior material including the skin of the door upper portion 2b integrally, since this gives the door a unified appearance.
The door body portion 2a and the door upper portion 2b may be formed as separate bodies, which can facilitate the manufacture of the rear door 2R.

As shown in FIG. 2, a sunroof 2d may be provided in a part of the upper door portion 2b.
A sunroof 3a may also be provided on the roof 3. By providing the sunroofs 2d, 3a, the occupants can have a sense of openness even when the rear door 2R is closed.

In the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, when the rear door 2R is opened, as shown in FIG. 3, a part of the roof is open. Therefore, when the rear door 2R is open, the height adjustment device 15 may be used to raise the vehicle seat 10. In this embodiment, the vehicle seat 10 is configured such that at least the upper end of the headrest 13 can be moved upward by the height adjustment device 15 above the lower end 2f of the upper part of the rear door 2R in the closed state. In other words, the height adjustment device 15 is configured such that the headrest 13 can be made higher than the lower end of the roof 3. By allowing the upper end of the headrest 13 to be moved upward above the lower end 2f of the upper part of the rear door 2R, the occupant H can feel a greater sense of openness.

Furthermore, if the headrest 13 of the vehicle seat 10 is made higher than the lower end of the upper part of the rear door 2R, i.e., if the headrest 13 is made higher than the roof 3, it will be separated from the notification means provided in the vehicle, such as speakers and lights, etc. For this reason, it is preferable to enhance the function of the notification means compared to normal times, i.e., when the vehicle seat 10 is placed in the vehicle.
For example, if the notification means is a speaker, the notification sound is made louder. If the notification means is a light, the light is made more intense. This allows the notification to be made even when the position of the vehicle seat 10 is raised and the head of the occupant is outside the vehicle.
3, a speaker 19 may be provided as a notification means in the vehicle seat 10. In this case, the notification sound may also be emitted outside the vehicle, so it is desirable to make the sound louder than usual.

<Roof airbag device 3b>
A roof airbag device 3b serving as an occupant protection device may be provided in a central portion of the roof 3 of the vehicle 1, sandwiched between the upper portions (door upper portions 2b) of the left and right rear doors 2R. For example, in the event of a side impact, as shown in FIG. 4, the bag body of the roof airbag device 3b inflates downward to protect the occupant H.

<Instrument panel 20>
Other equipment of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. 5, an operation system box 7 and an instrument panel 20 are provided at the front inside the vehicle 1. A handle 7a (steering wheel) and pedals (not shown) operated by the driver are attached to the operation system box 7. An operation panel for operating devices inside the vehicle is provided on the instrument panel 20, and the passenger of the vehicle 1 can use the operation panel to input and change the position of the vehicle seat 10, etc.

The instrument panel 20 also has a function for storing items and can be used as a storage box.
The handle 7a of the vehicle 1 and the door pocket 2e provided on the front door 2F are configured to be detachable, and the removed handle 7a and door pocket 2e can be stored in the widened instrument panel 20. By storing the removed handle 7a and door pocket 2e in the instrument panel 20, the degree of freedom of movement of the vehicle seat 10, for example, forward/rearward movement and rotational movement, is increased.

The instrument panel 20 is further configured to be extendable and contractable in the width direction of the vehicle 1. As shown in Fig. 6, the instrument panel 20 is preferably configured to be extendable and contractable in the width direction (left and right direction) of the vehicle 1.
By reducing the size of the instrument panel 20, in other words by making it smaller, the freed up space can be used as seat space, and for example, as shown in Fig. 6, by rotating the front seat 10F and placing it in the seat space, it can be used as a foot rest for the passenger sitting in the mid seat 10M. Furthermore, by providing a massage device or a movable device for exercising the passenger's feet on the seat cushion 11 or the seat back 12 of the front seat 10F, the seat space can be used more effectively.
The instrument panel 20 may be extended or retracted manually, or may be extended or retracted automatically by providing a motor or the like. When the instrument panel 20 is extended or retracted automatically, the instrument panel 20 may be extended or retracted in response to a command signal sent by the occupant H using a transmitter capable of wireless communication.

The structure of the extendable instrument panel 20 will be described with reference to Figure 7. The instrument panel 20 is composed of a panel main body 21 and a drawer section 22 that is stored in the panel main body 21. When used as a storage box, the drawer section 22 is pulled out to the left side of the vehicle 1 as shown in the upper part of Figure 7, making it possible to store items, such as the handle 7a or door pocket 2e, in the storage section 24. A refrigeration device may be installed in the storage section 24, and the instrument panel 20 may be used as a refrigerator.

When the instrument panel 20 is reduced in size and the seat space is increased, the pull-out portion 22 is moved to the right of the vehicle 1 and stored within the panel body 21, as shown in the middle part of FIG.
In addition, a retractable table 25 may be provided on the upper portion of the panel body 21 of the instrument panel 20, and when the drawer portion 22 is stored in the panel body 21, the retractable table 25 may be pulled out to the left of the vehicle 1 and used as shown in the lower part of Fig. 7. By moving the front seat 10F forward in the vehicle 1, the seat arrangement can be set to a learning mode in which the seat faces the retractable table 25.

8, the wall of the instrument panel 20 facing the passenger compartment may be used as a cushion, rotated around an upper rotation shaft 27a, and fixed at a desired position to serve as a footrest 27.
By providing a footrest 27 on the rear surface of the instrument panel 20 facing the passenger compartment, an occupant seated in the front seat 10F can place his/her feet and relax, thereby making effective use of the vehicle interior space.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, the footrest section 27 may be pulled out by providing an upper rotation shaft 27a on the upper side of the pull-out section 22 and pulling out the footrest section 27 from below.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the footrest section 27 may be pulled out by providing a lower rotation shaft 27b on the lower side of the pull-out section 22 and pulling out the footrest section 27 from above.

Another example of the instrument panel 20 is shown in Figure 10. The instrument panel 20A is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. Figure 10 shows the state in which the instrument panel 20A has been moved upward. For example, when the vehicle is stopped, the instrument panel 20 can be moved upward to block the view from the outside. At this time, the front window 8a may be changed to a light-blocking state. Also, the rear window 8b and the side windows 8c may be changed to a light-blocking state.

Also, the sunroof 3a may be opened and the rear seat 10R may be raised by the height adjustment device 15, thereby allowing the eye position of the occupant H to be changed.
In addition, since the instrument panel 20 moves upward, a space is created below the instrument panel 20, and therefore, by moving the front seat 10F forward with its height lowered and storing part of the seat cushion 11 below the instrument panel 20, the space behind the front seat 10F can be effectively utilized.

<Center console 30>
11 shows a vehicle 1A as another example. In the vehicle 1A, a center console 30 is disposed between vehicle seats 10 arranged on the left and right. More specifically, the center console 30 is disposed between a front seat 10F on the driver's side and a front seat 10F on the passenger's side. The center console 30 is provided with, for example, operating sections such as a shift lever and a side brake lever, and storage sections such as a cup holder.
When the center console 30 is disposed, it may hinder the rotational movement of the vehicle seat 10. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11, a part of the center console 30 is configured to be deformable so as not to interfere with the vehicle seat 10 when the vehicle seat 10 rotates. Specifically, a part of the side of the center console 30 deforms to form a recess 31.

When the passenger seat 10F rotates, the left side of the center console 30 is deformed. When the driver seat 10F rotates, the right side is deformed.
When the passenger-side front seat 10F rotates, the pull-out portion 22B of the instrument panel 20B in front of the seat may be deformed to form a recess 28.
The instrument panel 20B is composed of a panel main body 21B and a drawer portion 22B that can be stored in the panel main body 21B. When the passenger side front seat 10F rotates, the drawer portion 22B may be stored in the panel main body 21B.
Further, the inner wall portions or the door pockets 2e of the front door 2F and the rear door 2R may be deformed to form recesses.

<Odor Sensor 32>
In order to quantitatively measure the environment inside the vehicle, particularly the odor, an odor sensor 32 may be provided inside the vehicle. In this embodiment, the odor sensor 32 is provided in the instrument panel 20 as a means for detecting the interior state of the vehicle.
Since the airbag device 23 serving as an occupant protection device is also attached to the instrument panel 20, the odor sensor 32 is attached at a position that avoids the attachment portion of the airbag device 23, such as the deployment path of the bag of the airbag device 23. By attaching the odor sensor 32 at a position that avoids the attachment portion of the airbag device 23, the effect on the airbag device 23 can be suppressed.

The odor sensor 32 may be provided in an interior member other than the instrument panel 20, such as the roof 3, the vehicle seat 10, the vehicle door 2, and the like.
In cases where the interior member is expandable like the instrument panel 20 of this embodiment, or has a deformable portion and may expand or contract, such as the roof 3, the vehicle door 2, the center console 30, or the sign visor, the odor sensor 32 may be provided at a position that avoids the expandable or deformable portion. By positioning the odor sensor 32 at a position that avoids the deformable portion, a decrease in the detection accuracy of the odor sensor 32 can be suppressed.

When the odor sensor 32 is provided in the interior member, it is preferable to make it retractable. For example, a simple method is to provide a cover that covers the odor sensor 32 so that it can be opened and closed, and to configure the cover to be opened and closed manually or automatically when the odor sensor 32 is not in use.

In the case where the odor sensor 32 is automatically stored, it is preferable that the odor sensor 32 stored in an interior member such as the instrument panel 20 is configured to be exposed inside the vehicle when the entry of the occupant H is confirmed by a sensor or the like. For example, the odor sensor 32 is configured to protrude into the interior of the vehicle when the entry of the occupant H is detected. By exposing the odor sensor 32, the detection capability is improved.
The odor sensor 32 may be configured to be stored in an interior member such as the instrument panel 20 after odor detection has been completed, for example, a predetermined time (5 to 10 seconds) has elapsed since entry is detected.
The detection of an occupant is performed, for example, by a seating sensor provided in the vehicle seat 10 or a camera provided inside the vehicle.

When the odor sensor 32 is installed in an interior component such as the instrument panel 20, the ease of installation can be greatly improved by combining it with other sensors, such as a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, sound sensor, light sensor, etc., into a single unit.
Even when multiple sensors, i.e., a first sensor and a second sensor (whose detection target may be the same or different from that of the first sensor), are unitized and placed on the instrument panel 20, it is advisable to place them in a position that avoids occupant protection devices (such as airbag devices).

<Occupant Support Member>
The vehicle seat 10 mounted on the vehicle 1 of the present embodiment includes the seat rotation device 16 as described above, and is capable of changing its orientation about a rotation axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1. In the vehicle seat 10 including such a seat rotation device 16, it has been desired to improve the ability to maintain the occupant's posture and to suppress the discomfort that occurs when the seat is rotated.

The vehicle seat 10 of this embodiment is provided with side supports 18 (occupant support members) that support the occupant when the seat portion moves. The side supports 18 are arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle seat 10, for example, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 12, and more specifically, are composed of air cells (expandable members) provided inside the bank portion 11a of the seat cushion 11 and inside the bank portion 12a of the seat back 12.

The side supports 18 support the occupant H when the vehicle seat 10 moves (including forward/backward movement and rotational movement). The side supports 18 are activated when movement of the vehicle seat 10 is detected, for example, when a seat movement switch is operated by the occupant H.
The movement of the vehicle seat 10 may be started after it is detected that the side supports 18 are in an operating state, preferably after it is detected that the operation of the side supports 18 is complete.
When the movement of the vehicle seat 10 and the operation of the side support 18 are performed simultaneously, the moving speed of the vehicle seat 10 is made slower than normal in the initial stage of the movement of the vehicle seat 10. This makes it possible to suppress the sense of discomfort.
When movement of the vehicle seat 10 in the front-rear direction is detected, the left and right side supports 18 may be activated.

In addition, when the rotation of the vehicle seat 10 is detected, that is, when the seat rotation switch is operated, the side support 18 arranged on the side opposite to the direction of rotation may be activated.
Specifically, as shown in the middle of Figure 12, when the vehicle seat 10 rotates left (counterclockwise, in the direction of arrow E in Figure 12), the side support 18 arranged on the right side of the vehicle seat 10, more specifically the cushion air cell 18Ra and the back air cell 18Rb, are activated and support the occupant H by expanding.
By moving (rotating) the vehicle seat 10, it is possible to prevent the occupant's body from leaning in the opposite direction to the moving direction (rotating direction), thereby making it possible to prevent the occupant from feeling uncomfortable and to improve the ability to maintain the occupant's posture.

In addition, it is preferable that the side support 18 arranged on the same side as the moving direction (rotating direction) of the vehicle seat 10 is activated until or when the movement (rotating) of the vehicle seat 10 is completed.
Specifically, as shown in the lower part of Figure 12, when the vehicle seat 10 rotates counterclockwise, when the rotation ends, the side support 18 arranged on the left side of the vehicle seat 10, more specifically the cushion air cell 18La and the back air cell 18Lb, are further activated and inflated to support the occupant H.
By operating the side supports 18 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the occupant's body from leaning toward the same side as the direction of movement (rotation) immediately after the seat movement (rotation) has ended, thereby making it possible to prevent the occupant from feeling uncomfortable and to improve the ability to maintain the occupant's posture.

13. Also, as in the vehicle seat 10' shown in the upper part of FIG. 13, the side support 18 may be provided on an arm rest 12b provided on the side of the seat back 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
13, when the vehicle seat 10' rotates counterclockwise (in the direction of the arrow F), the side support 18 (armrest air cell 18Rc) provided in the right armrest 12b of the vehicle seat 10' inflates to support the occupant H. At this time, the cushion air cell 18La or the back air cell 18Lb on the same side as the armrest air cell 18Rc may inflate.

As shown in the lower part of FIG. 13, when the rotation ends, the side support 18 (armrest air cell 18Lc) arranged on the left side of the vehicle seat 10' inflates to support the occupant H. At this time, the cushion air cell 18La or the back air cell 18Lb may be activated on the same side as the armrest air cell 18Lc.

Although the side supports 18 shown in Figs. 12 and 13 are realized by air cells, the side supports 18 may be realized by structures other than air cells as long as the structure is capable of supporting an occupant.
Fig. 14 shows a side support 18A which is another example of the side support 18. The side support 18A of the vehicle seat 10'' shown in the upper part of Fig. 14 is realized by an armrest 12b which is provided on the side of the seat back 12 and can be automatically moved between a stored position and a use position. The armrest 12b which is in the stored position is moved to the use position when the seat is moved (rotated) to maintain the occupant's posture.

As shown in the middle part of FIG. 14, when the vehicle seat 10'' rotates counterclockwise, only the right armrest 12b on the opposite side to the direction of rotation moves from the stored position to the use position.
As shown in the lower part of Figure 14, the left armrest 12b on the same side as the rotation direction is moved to the usage position until or when the rotation of the vehicle seat 10 is completed, thereby suppressing the tilt of the occupant after the rotation is completed (tilting in the direction of rotation).

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, a vehicle door that slides backward when opened is used as an example of a slidable opening/closing body, and a vehicle 1 equipped with the vehicle door has been described. However, the slidable opening/closing body may be a front door that slides forward when opened. Also, it may be a window that can slide in the front-rear or width direction. By positioning the upper part of the window on the inside of the vehicle from directly above the headrest, the sense of openness of the occupant when the window is opened is improved.
In addition, the extendable instrument panel 20 and the deformable center console 30 mounted on the vehicle 1 can be applied not only to vehicles having sliding doors, but also to vehicles equipped with doors that open and close normally in the left-right direction.

1 Vehicle 2 Vehicle door (opening/closing body)
2F front door 2R rear door 2a door main body portion 2b door upper portion 2ba inner end portion 2c window portion 2d sunroof 2e door pocket 2f lower end 3 roof 3a sunroof 3b roof airbag device 4 floor 5 battery 6 tire 7 operation system box 7a handle 8 window 8a front window 8b rear window 8c side window 10, 10', 10'' vehicle seat (seat)
10F front seat 10M mid seat 10R rear seat 11 seat cushion 11a bank portion 12 seat back 12a bank portion 12b armrest 13 headrest 13a inner end portion 14 reclining device 15 height adjustment device 16 seat rotation device 17 seat rails 18, 18A side support (passenger support member)
18La, 18Ra: Air cell for cushion 18Lb, 18Rb: Air cell for back 18Lc, 18Rc: Air cell for armrest 19: Speaker 20, 20A, 20B: Instrument panel 21, 21B: Panel body 22, 22B: Drawer 23: Air bag device 24: Storage area 25: Retractable table 27: Footrest 27a: Upper rotating shaft 27b: Lower rotating shaft 28: Recess 30: Center console 31: Recess 32: Odor sensor

Claims (11)

There is a vehicle,
a sliding opening/closing body on a side of the vehicle;
at least one seat having a headrest within the vehicle;
A vehicle, characterized in that at least a portion of an upper portion of the opening/closing body is located directly above the headrest and more inwardly of the vehicle than an inner end of the headrest. The vehicle described in claim 1, characterized in that the opening and closing body is composed of a main body portion located on the side of the vehicle and an upper portion that constitutes the upper part of the opening and closing body, and the main body portion and the upper portion are integrally formed. The vehicle described in claim 1, characterized in that the opening and closing body is composed of a main body portion located on the side of the vehicle and an upper portion that constitutes the upper portion of the opening and closing body, and the main body portion and the upper portion are formed as separate bodies. The seat has a height adjustment device for adjusting a height from a floor surface of the vehicle,
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the seat is configured such that at least an upper end of the headrest can be moved upwardly beyond a lower end of an upper portion of the opening/closing body by the height adjustment device. The opening/closing body is disposed on the left and right sides of the vehicle,
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an occupant protection device is provided in a central portion of the roof of the vehicle, the central portion being sandwiched between upper portions of the left and right opening/closing bodies. An instrument panel is provided at the front interior portion of the vehicle,
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the instrument panel is configured as an expandable storage box. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the instrument panel is extendable in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the instrument panel is movable in the vertical direction of the vehicle. a seat rail arranged on a floor surface of the vehicle and along which the seat slides;
7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the seat rail is disposed below the instrument panel. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the instrument panel is provided with an odor sensor that measures odors inside the vehicle. The seat has a seat rotation device that rotates the seat around an axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and an inflatable member on each of the left and right sides of the seat,
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the seat rotates about an axis in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the inflatable member located on the opposite side to the rotation direction inflates.

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