JP2633780B2 - Seat equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat apparatus which can be adjusted to a thorax support position which gives a comfortable seating feeling to a driver of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many studies have been made on the shape of a seat for providing a comfortable sitting feeling to a occupant. As shown in FIG. 7, the back of the person M when standing upright has a so-called S-shape with the upper and lower parts of the waist inside. Considering that it is the most natural to keep this posture and the spine is not over-compensated, as shown in FIG. 8, a seat 1 is generally provided with a lumbar support 2 for holding the back of the waist forward. And it was believed that it alone provided comfort and reduced fatigue.

On the basis of such a concept, attempts have been made to provide the seated person with as much freedom as possible, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 59-168816 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-159768. Various seat devices have been proposed.

[0004]

However, according to the study of the inventors, such a conventional technique is a theory biased to static observation in which the user merely sits, It has been found that it is not always adaptable to dynamic situations, such as a driver driving a car.

That is, since the driver grasps the steering wheel and operates the steering wheel, it is general that the driver raises his / her upper body as shown by an arrow in FIG. If it becomes stooped, the abdomen will be compressed and it will be painful, so the so-called ass shift phenomenon that brings the buttocks forward will occur, the back of the buttocks will separate from the seat back, and the body will hit too strongly against the lumbar support 2 There was a problem that it would compress the spine.

As described above, according to the above-mentioned theory of keeping the back of the person M in an S-shape when standing upright, in the case of the driver, the body is not supported and becomes unstable, or the conventional lumbar support is used. However, there is a problem that the spine is adversely affected, the spine is supported in a natural state, a stable seating feeling is obtained, and the driver cannot drive the vehicle.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art. Even when a driver sits for a long time and performs a driving operation, the spine is not overloaded. It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat device that has a stable seating feeling and is hard to be tired.

[0008]

According to the research and research by the inventors, when the driver takes a driving posture for a long time, the back is rounded, and the posture in which the buttocks are slightly shifted forward is most difficult for the spine. Verification has been obtained that it is natural.
In other words, the seating sensation varies from person to person, and there are also time factors. Even if it is comfortable at first, the comfort does not always last.
According to the old theory, a driver is not always comfortable, and an unnatural posture continues for a long time to accumulate fatigue.

[0009] Then, as a result of studying what kind of posture is natural and does not impose a force on the spine, the driver finds that the hip point C is at the illustrated position as shown in FIG. 5 showing the curve of the vertebra of the seated person. In this case, it is comfortable to raise the upper body as shown in the range A at the upper part and become a stoop, and to lower the buttocks forward as shown at the range B at the lower part, and to put the person M in this state. It has been concluded that holding as shown in FIG. 6 is the posture that is least likely to cause fatigue, and this state is called a thorax support posture.

Note that the curve of the vertebrae of the seated person shown in FIG.
The case of the angle line D of the seat back having an angle most likely to be used most commonly is shown, and ranges A and B indicated by hatching are shown.
Indicates the range of the thorax support posture. The scale of the vertical and horizontal axes is 50 mm. This curve shows the curve at the most commonly used seatback angle.

In an actual use state, the angle of the seat back is used in a range of about 20 to 45 degrees from vertical, and FIG.
When the seat back falls down from the state of FIG. 5, the range of the thorax support posture becomes a more raised state at the upper part, a more protruding state at the lower part, and vice versa when the seat back occurs from the state of FIG. Becomes

Based on such conclusions, the gist of the present invention to achieve the above object is to provide a seat apparatus which can be adjusted to a thorax support position that gives a comfortable sitting feeling to a driver of an automobile, The upper part of the back where the upper part of the back of the driver touches the back cushion body (10)
And the back middle part (1
1) and the lower back portion (1
2), and the back intermediate portion (11) is fixed to the back frame (13) of the seat back, while the back upper portion (10) or the back lower portion (12) is displaced by the back frame (13). Thorax adjustment mechanism (2
0), and the thorax adjusting mechanism (20) is pivotally supported by an upper portion of the back frame (13) to support the upper back portion (10) in a tiltable manner.
1), an upper urging means (32) for urging the upper support member (31) to incline forward, and the upper support member (31) provided on the back frame (13) by the thorax support. Upper locking means (33) for maintaining the posture at a plurality of positions within an angle range, and upper releasing operation means (5) for releasing the operation of the upper locking means (33).
0), a lower support member (41) pivotally supported by a lower portion of the back frame (13) and supporting the lower back portion (12) to be tiltable, and tilting the lower support member (41) forward. A lower urging means (42) for urging the lower supporting member (4) provided on the back frame (13);
Lower locking means (43) for maintaining 1) at a plurality of positions in an angle range forming the thorax support posture;
The seat device comprises a lower releasing operation means (50) for releasing the operation of the lower locking means (43).

[0013]

[Function] The driver of the automobile is required to adjust the thorax adjustment mechanism (2
0) to operate the upper back (10) or lower back (1)
2) By tilting and displacing, the optimal thorax support posture is appropriately adjusted, and a comfortable sitting feeling can be obtained even when sitting for a long time.

That is, when the operation of the upper locking means (33) is released by the upper release operation means (50), the upper support member (31) (upper part of the back) can be tilted, and the upper biasing member (32) is attached. Leaving it to the front, tilting it forward,
The tilt can be adjusted by pushing it up against the urging force and raising it. Then, after the adjustment, the upper release means (50) is returned to its original position, and the upper locking means (3) is set at that position.
By actuating 3), the upper support member (31)
(Upper part of the back) can be held at the adjustment position.

When the engagement of the lower engagement means (43) is released by the lower release operation means (50), the lower support member (41) (back lower part) can be tilted, and the lower urging member (42) can be tilted. The tilt can be adjusted by tilting forward with the urging force or pushing it up against the urging force. After the adjustment, the lower release operation means (5
The lower support member (41) (back lower portion) can be held at the adjustment position by returning the position (0) to the original position and operating the lower locking means (43) at that position.

Therefore, the driver can adjust and hold the thorax support posture in which the driver has a rounded back and the buttocks slightly shifted forward, and furthermore, the optimum thorax support posture that the driver likes.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat device has a cushion body of a seat back, a back upper portion 10 corresponding to an upper portion of the back of the seated driver, a back intermediate portion 11 corresponding to an intermediate portion of the back of the driver, and a driver. Is divided into a lower back portion 12 which is a lower portion of the back of the support plate 1.
The seat frame is fixed to the back frame 13 of the seat back via the rear frame 5, and the back frame 13 is provided with a thorax adjusting mechanism 20 for displacing the upper back portion 10 or the lower back portion.

As shown in FIG. 1, the thorax adjusting mechanism 20 includes an upper support member 31 pivotally supported by an upper portion of the back frame 13 to support the back upper portion 10 in a tiltable manner, and tilts the upper support member 31 forward. An upper urging means 32 for urging the upper support member 31 provided at the back frame 13 to maintain the upper support member 31 at a plurality of positions in an angle range for forming the above-mentioned thorax support posture shown in FIG. A lower support member 41 pivotally supported by the lower portion of the back frame 13 to tiltably support the lower back portion 12
And lower urging means 42 for urging the lower support member 41 to tilt forward, and maintaining the lower support member 41 provided on the back frame 13 at a plurality of positions in an angle range forming the thorax support posture. It comprises a lower locking means 43 and a releasing operation means 50 (upper releasing operating means, lower releasing operating means) for releasing the operation of the lower locking means 43 and the upper locking means 33.

The lower urging means 42 is, as shown in FIG.
The coil spring 42b is provided in the cylinder mechanism 42a, and the restoring force of the coil spring 42b is applied to the lower support member 41 via the rod of the cylinder mechanism 42a. Also, the upper urging means 32
Although not shown in detail, it has the same configuration as the lower urging means 42. Note that these urging means need not necessarily have this configuration, and may be made of, for example, a spring as shown in FIG.

The upper locking means 33 is fixed to one end of the pivot shaft of the upper support member 31 and rotates with the upper support member 31. The sector gear 34 is attached to the side of the back frame 13 so as to be swingable. A claw member 35 formed with a claw that engages with the sector gear 34, and a spring 36 for urging the claw member 35 in the engaging direction.

The lower locking means 43 is fixed to one end of the pivot shaft of the lower support member 41 and rotates with the lower support member 41. The sector gear 44 is attached to the side of the back frame 13 so as to be swingable. A claw member 45 formed with a claw that engages with the sector gear 44, and a spring 46 for urging the claw member 45 in the engaging direction.

The release operation means 50 is provided for the back frame 13.
A drive link 52 swingably attached to a side of the drive link 52, an operation knob 51 fixed to the drive link 52, and both ends of the drive link 52 and the other ends of the claw members 35 and 45, respectively. It consists of connecting links 53 and 54.

Next, the operation will be described. With the seat device described above, the driver of the automobile operates the thorax adjusting mechanism to tilt and displace the upper portion 31 or the lower portion 41 of the seat back to an appropriate optimal thorax support posture, and even if the driver sits for a long time, A comfortable sitting feeling can be obtained.

That is, when the operation knob 51 is not operated, the claw members 35 and 45 are engaged with the sector gears 34 and 44 by the springs 36 and 46, respectively, so that the upper support member 31 and the lower support member 41 are respectively positioned at predetermined positions. (For example, a normal position parallel to the back frame 13).

However, the operation knob 51 is moved in a certain direction (FIG. 1).
In the clockwise direction), the drive link 52
The connecting links 53, 54 are pulled through the hooks, whereby the pawl members 35, 45 swing and the sector gears 34, 44
Is disengaged. For this reason, the upper support member 31 and the lower support member 41 can be tilted, respectively, and can be tilted forward depending on the urging force of the urging members 32 and 42, or pushed up against the urging force and raised. The inclination can be adjusted.

After the adjustment, the operation knob 51 is returned to its original position, and the sector gears 34 and 44 and the claw members 35 and
45, the upper support member 31 or the lower support member 41 (ie, the upper part 10 of the seat back).
Alternatively, the lower part 12) can be held in the adjustment position.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may have various modifications other than the configuration of the urging means described above. For example, the release operation means may be independent from each other instead of being shared vertically. Further, the structure of the locking means is not limited to the one comprising the sector gear and a claw member engaged with the sector gear. For example, a swing plate having a plurality of engagement holes formed in a circumferential direction and a swing plate of the swing plate are provided. It may be a pin that is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract so as to fit into the engagement hole.

[0028]

According to the seat device of the present invention, the driver of the automobile operates the thorax adjusting mechanism to tilt and displace the upper or lower part of the main back to the appropriate optimal thorax support posture, A comfortable sitting feeling can be obtained even when sitting for a long time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the seat device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view showing the urging means of the seat device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial side view showing a modification of the urging means of the seat device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a thorax support posture.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a thorax support posture.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a state of a spine of a human body in an upright posture.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a support posture in a conventional seat device.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a support posture in a conventional seat device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Back upper part 11 ... Back middle part 12 ... Back lower part 13 ... Back frame 20 ... Thorax adjustment mechanism 31 ... Upper support member 33 ... Upper locking means 41 ... Lower support member 43 ... Lower locking means 50 ... Upper release operation Means, lower release operation means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A seat device which can be adjusted to a thorax support position that gives a comfortable seating feeling to a driver of an automobile, comprising: a cushion upper portion of a seat back; The back intermediate part is divided into a middle part of the back of the driver and a lower part of the back which the lower part of the back of the driver hits. Alternatively, a thorax adjusting mechanism for displacing a lower portion of the back is provided, wherein the thorax adjusting mechanism is pivotally supported by an upper portion of the back frame and supports the upper portion of the back so as to be tiltable, and moves the upper supporting member forward. Upper biasing means for biasing the upper support member to incline the upper support member provided on the back frame in the thorax support posture. Upper locking means for maintaining the upper locking means at a plurality of positions within an angle range to be formed, upper releasing means for releasing the operation of the upper locking means, and pivotally supported by the lower portion of the back frame to support the lower back portion in a tiltable manner. A lower support member, lower urging means for urging the lower support member to tilt forward, and maintaining the lower support member provided on the back frame at a plurality of positions in an angular range forming the thorax support posture. A seat device comprising: a lower engaging means; and a lower releasing operation means for releasing an operation of the lower engaging means.