JP2652811B2 - Lumbar support control method and lumbar support control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention adjusts the front-back position of a lumbar plate by drive control of a motor, and under a desired lumbar support force,
The present invention relates to a lumbar support control method and a lumbar support control device for supporting a lumbar spine of a seated person to reduce fatigue.

[Conventional technology]

For example, it is provided in the seat back of the vehicle seat,
2. Description of the Related Art A lumbar support device that supports a lumbar spine of a seated person with an appropriate supporting force to stabilize a seated posture and reduce fatigue is known.

The lumbar support device includes, for example, a lumbar plate that supports the lumbar vertebra of the seated person, and the lumbar plate is moved in the lumbar pressing direction (forward direction) so that the lumbar support force from the lumbar plate acts on the lumbar spine of the seated person. ,
The lumbar spine of the seated person is configured to be supported. As such a lumbar support device, for example, a power type lumbar support device that adjusts the lumbar support force from the lumbar plate by controlling the advance and retreat of the lumbar plate by driving a motor is known.
The drive control of the motor is usually performed by operating a switch, and the switch is disposed, for example, at a position operable in a sitting posture during traveling.

According to such a power-type lumbar support device, the seated person can adjust the lumbar support force from the front and rear positions of the lumbar plate, that is, the lumbar plate from the lumbar plate, according to preference, degree of fatigue, etc. It is arbitrarily adjusted to reduce fatigue caused by driving.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the case of driving for a long time or the like, the degree of fatigue of the occupant changes significantly with the elapse of the driving time, and the degree of fatigue after long time driving and the lumbar support from the lumbar plate set initially. There is a difference between the forces and the fatigue tends to accumulate in the lumbar spine. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the front and rear positions of the lumbar plate to reduce accumulated fatigue under the lumbar support force from the lumbar plate according to the degree of fatigue.

However, in known arrangements, the stationary lumbar plate only presses the lumbar spine of the occupant with a fixed lumbar support. For this reason, the lumbar support force required to alleviate the accumulated fatigue cannot be sufficiently obtained, and the fatigue cannot be sufficiently reduced.

Since the fatigue is not sufficiently reduced or alleviated, accumulation of fatigue is inevitable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lumbar support control method and a lumbar support control device that sufficiently reduce fatigue by reducing the fatigue of a seated person.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve this object, according to the lumbar support control method of the present invention, manual control and automatic control of the motor can be arbitrarily selected by a select switch, and when the manual control is selected, the operation of the manual switch is performed. Forward and reverse rotation of the motor
The front and rear positions of the lumbar plate can be arbitrarily adjusted and set.

In addition, by selecting the auto control, a rectangular pulse having a predetermined generation cycle and a pulse width is alternately output to a pair of relays, and by alternately switching the corresponding relay contacts, the motor can be rotated in a forward direction or a reverse direction. It is driven repeatedly. The drive of the motor causes the lumbar plate to repeatedly move forward and backward from the support position in the front-rear direction, whereby the lumbar spine of the seated person can be intermittently and repeatedly pressed.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lumbar support control device 10 according to the present invention includes a motor 12, a select switch 14, a manual switch 16, a pulse oscillator 18,
An alternate drive circuit 20 is provided, and the movement of the lumbar plate 22 in the front-rear direction can be controlled by driving the motor. For example, a DC geared motor can be used as the motor 12, and the lumbar plate 22 is moved forward and backward by driving the motor (forward rotation, reverse rotation).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lumbar plate 22 is mounted together with a lumbar plate driving mechanism (not shown) in a seat, for example, a seat back 26 of a driver seat 24, and when the lumbar plate 22 is moved in the forward direction, the lumbar plate 22 Can be supported (pressed). Here, the lumbar plate 22 and the lumbar plate drive mechanism have a known configuration, and it is sufficient if the lumbar plate can be moved in the front-rear direction by driving a motor, and thus the detailed description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the select switch 14 includes, for example, a main contact 14a and two-position switching contacts 14b and 14c.
A self-holding seesaw switch with The main contact 14a of the select switch is connected to a power supply, for example, a battery 28 of an automobile, and can switch a current flowing from the battery to one of the switching contacts 14b and 14c.

Further, as the manual switch 16, for example, an automatic reset type seesaw switch having a neutral position in which a main contact 16a and two-position switching contacts 16b and 16c are provided, and the main contact does not contact any of the two-position switching contacts. Is available. The main contact 16a of the manual switch is connected to the changeover contact 14b of the select switch, and the changeover contact 14b is formed as a manual control side of the select switch 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the relays RL1 and RL2 are connected to the switching contacts 14b and 14c of the manual switch, respectively, and the respective relay contacts RL1a and RL2a are
Connected to motor 12. The relay contacts RL1a and RL2a are switched by the energization of the relays RL1 and RL2 accompanying the switching of the manual switch 14, so that the rotation direction of the motor 12 can be appropriately switched.

For example, assume that the main contact 14a of the select switch is on the contact 14b side (manual control side). At this time, when the main contact 16a of the manual switch is switched from the neutral position to the contact 16b side, current from the battery 28 flows into the relay RL1 via the select switch 14 and the manual switch 16, and the relay RL1 is energized. Is done. Then, the relay contact RL1a is switched with the bias of the relay RL1, and the motor 12 is rotated, for example, in the forward direction to move the lumbar plate 22 in the forward direction.

When the main contact 16a of the manual switch is switched to the contact 16c side, the current from the battery 28 is supplied to the main contact 16a.
Flows into the contact 16c, and the relay RL2 is energized. Then, the relay contact RL2a is switched with the bias of the relay RL2, and the motor 12 is rotated, for example, in the reverse direction to move the lumbar plate 22 in the backward direction.

In such a configuration, the manual switch 16 can be operated by switching the select switch 14 to the manual side 14b, and the front and rear positions of the lumbar plate 22 can be arbitrarily adjusted. Therefore, the occupant's preference,
The lumbar support force according to the degree of fatigue or the like can be easily adjusted by operating the manual switch 16.

Further, the lumbar support control device 10 of the present invention includes, for example, a pulse oscillator 18 and an alternate drive circuit 20 connected to each other as shown in FIGS. The pulse oscillator 18 is connected to, for example, a battery 28, converts an input from the battery into, for example, a rectangular pulse (rectangular wave) having a predetermined generation period and a pulse width (see FIG. 3), and alternates the rectangular pulses. It is configured to be able to output to the drive circuit 20. The pulse oscillator 18 is, for example, for a timer
It is formed using IC.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, resistors Ra, Rb, Rc and capacitors Ca, Cb are connected to the pulse oscillator 18,
The pulse width and generation cycle of the rectangular pulse are determined by the resistance value and the capacitance. For example, the generation period T of a rectangular pulse is And the pulse width t _H is (See FIG. 3). Then, the pressing period by the lumbar plate 22 is determined from the generation period T of the rectangular pulse, and the pressing force by the lumbar plate, that is, from the arbitrarily set support position, is determined from the duty ratio obtained by t _H / T. Of the lumbar plate is determined.

As shown in FIG. 1, the alternate drive circuit 20 has, for example, two systems of output terminals 30 and 32, and each output terminal is connected to a path L.
2, L3 are connected to the input sides of relays RL1 and RL2, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the rectangular pulse output from the pulse oscillator 18 output to the path L1 can be alternately distributed to the paths L2 and L3 at the respective output terminals. In such a configuration, the path L
2, the rectangular pulse from L3 is input to the relays RL1 and RL2 independently of the operation of the manual switch 16, and the input terminal of the alternating drive circuit 20 is connected to the switching contact 14c of the select switch. A rectangular pulse from the output terminals 30 and 32 can be output by an input signal from 14c, and the contact 14c is formed as an automatic side of the select switch 14.

For example, when the main contact 14a of the select switch is switched to the automatic side 14c, the manual side 14b is cut off, and a signal is input to the alternate drive circuit 20 to turn on the alternate drive circuit. Then, the rectangular pulses output from the pulse oscillator 18 are output to the output terminals 30, 32 of the alternate drive circuit 20.
The distributed rectangular pulses are respectively input to the relays RL1 and RL2 via the paths L2 and L3, and the motors 12 are driven in the respective directions for a time corresponding to the respective pulse widths.

That is, as can be seen from FIG. 3, first, the route L2
The relay RL1 is energized by the rectangular pulse, and the relay contact RL1a is switched.The motor 12 rotates forward for a time corresponding to the pulse width, and moves the lumbar plate 22 forward by a distance from the corresponding support position. Let it. Next, when the relay RL2 is energized and the relay contact RL2a is switched by the generation of a rectangular pulse on the path L3, the lumbar plate 22 is retracted from the forward position by the reverse rotation of the motor 12 accompanying this. As described above, the rectangular pulse alternately output from the output terminals 30 and 32 of the alternate driving circuit causes the lumbar plate 22 to move at a distance corresponding to the pulse width of the rectangular pulse.
The piston moves forward and backward, and the lumbar plate moves forward from the support position under a predetermined cycle, whereby the lumbar spine of the seated person is repeatedly pressed with a pressing force stronger than the lumbar support force at the support position. You.

Unlike the known configuration in which the stationary lumbar plate only presses the lumbar spine of the occupant, as described above, according to the present invention, the lumbar vertebra of the occupant is repeatedly and intermittently pressed under a predetermined cycle. You. Therefore, the lumbar support force from the lumbar plate 22 acts on the lumbar spine of the seated person under the so-called acupressure effect, and the fatigue of the seated person can be sufficiently reduced.
Therefore, even when driving for a long time, accumulation of fatigue of the occupant can be suppressed, and fatigue can be sufficiently reduced.

In addition, since the lumbar plate 22 has the support position before the automatic control as the movement in the front-rear direction and the rear end thereof, the forward movement of the lumbar plate ensures that a pushing force stronger than the lumbar support force before the automatic control is obtained. Therefore, also in this respect, the relaxation of the fatigue of the seated person can be ensured.

Then, it is sufficient that the output pulse for driving the motor 12 is converted into a rectangular pulse, and the rectangular pulse is alternately output so that the lumbar plate 22 can be repeatedly moved in the front-back direction. Therefore, the lumbar plate 22, the drive mechanism, and the like of the lumbar support device can be used with a known configuration, and the configuration does not become complicated.

Further, in the present invention, fatigue is reduced by the finger pressure effect of intermittently pressing the lumbar spine of the seated person repeatedly under a strong pressing force by repeatedly moving the lumbar plate 22 in the front-rear direction. In other words, while the vibration effect that constantly gives the occupant a slight vibration gives the occupant a sense of anxiety, the present invention provides:
There is no danger of causing anxiety, and there is no adverse effect on the driver during traveling.

By the way, the generation cycle and pulse width of the rectangular pulse from the pulse oscillator 18 are calculated by the above-described equations. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the resistors Rb and Rc are respectively variable resistors (volume resistors), and by changing the resistance values of the resistors Rb and Rc, the generation period of the rectangular pulse and the pulse width are appropriately adjusted. It can be configured to be adjustable.

Since the generation cycle of the rectangular pulse is proportional to the resistance value of the resistor Rb, the resistor Rb is used as the cycle adjusting means 34, and is configured as, for example, a variable resistor for adjusting the pressing cycle by the lumbar plate 22. Also, the pulse width,
Since the duty ratio is proportional to the resistance value of the resistor Rc, the resistor Rc is used as the duty ratio adjusting means 36, and is configured as, for example, a variable resistor for adjusting the pressing force (lumbar support force).

For example, the variable resistor Rc (duty ratio adjusting means 36)
When only the resistance value of the resistor Rc is increased by adjusting only the value of the resistor Rc, a rectangular pulse having a long pulse width is generated from the pulse oscillator 18 to the path L1 without changing the generation cycle, as shown in FIG. Then, the rectangular pulses input via the path L1 are distributed by the alternate drive circuit 20, and the distributed rectangular pulses are relayed from the output terminals 30, 32 via the paths L2, L3.
Output to RL1 and RL2, respectively. Then, the motor 12 is alternately driven in the normal rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction for a time corresponding to the pulse width, and the lumbar plate 22 repeatedly moves forward and backward.
Thus, by adjusting the variable resistor Rc, adjustment of the duty ratio of the rectangular pulse, that is, adjustment of the lumbar support force by the lumbar plate 22, can be performed steplessly without changing the generation cycle of the rectangular pulse. .

Further, by adjusting only the variable resistor Rb (period adjusting means 34), it is possible to adjust the generation cycle of the rectangular pulse without changing the pulse width.

According to such a configuration, the generation period and pulse width of the rectangular pulse can be adjusted individually and steplessly by adjusting the variable resistors Rc and Rb. Therefore, by arbitrarily adjusting the appropriate lumbar support force according to the preference of the seated person, the degree of fatigue, etc., fatigue during running can be more reliably reduced.

The embodiments described above are for explaining the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way. All modifications and alterations within the technical scope of the present invention are included in the present invention. Needless to say.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the lumbar support control method of the present invention, manual control and automatic control of the motor can be arbitrarily selected. During the automatic control of the motor, a rectangular pulse having a predetermined generation cycle and a pulse width is alternately output to a pair of relays, and the corresponding relay contacts are alternately switched, so that the motor rotates in the normal rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction. , Whereby the lumbar plate is intermittently moved forward from the support position.

In other words, the pressing force stronger than the lumbar support force at the support position before the automatic control is intermittently and repeatedly applied to the lumbar vertebra of the occupant due to the longitudinal movement of the lumbar plate. Alleviates fatigue. Therefore, even when driving for a long time, accumulation of fatigue of the occupant can be suppressed, and fatigue can be sufficiently reduced.

Unlike the vibration effect, which constantly gives the occupant tremendous vibrations, the occupant simply presses the lumbar spine of the occupant intermittently with a pressing force stronger than the lumbar support force at the support position before the automatic control. Does not give anxiety.

Further, according to the lumbar support control device of the present invention, the above-described lumbar support control method can be appropriately performed, and a known configuration can be used as a drive mechanism of the lumbar plate. For this reason, a lumbar support control device that is relatively inexpensive while not complicating the configuration can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a detailed block diagram of a lumbar support control device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the lumbar support control device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are time charts of the lumbar support control device. is there. 10: Lumbar support controller, 12: Motor, 14: Select switch, 16: Manual switch, 18: Pulse oscillator, 20: Alternate drive circuit, 22: Lumbar plate, 24: Sheet (driver sheet), 34: Period adjustment means (Variable resistor Rb), 36: Duty ratio adjusting means (variable resistor Rc).

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A lumbar support control method for adjusting the front and rear positions of a lumbar plate supporting a lumbar spine of a seated person by drive control of a motor, wherein manual control and automatic control of a motor can be arbitrarily selected by a select switch. When manual control is selected, the front and rear positions of the lumbar plate can be arbitrarily adjusted and set by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor by operating the manual switch, and by selecting the automatic control, the predetermined generation cycle and By alternately outputting a rectangular pulse of pulse width to a pair of relays and alternately switching the corresponding relay contacts,
The motor is repeatedly driven in the normal rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction to repeatedly move the lumbar plate forward and backward from the support position, whereby the lumbar vertebra of the seated person is pressed with a stronger pressing force than the lumbar support force at the support position. A lumbar support control method characterized in that it can be repeatedly and intermittently pressed. 2. A lumbar plate provided in a seat back so as to support a lumbar spine of a seated person and to be movable in the longitudinal direction, a motor for moving the lumbar plate in the longitudinal direction, a predetermined generation cycle, and a pulse. A pulse oscillator capable of oscillating a rectangular pulse having a width, an alternating drive circuit for distributing a rectangular pulse from the pulse oscillator and alternately outputting a rectangular pulse to two output terminals, and driving, stopping, and driving direction of the motor A pair of relays for switching the motor, a select switch for selecting manual control and automatic control of the motor, and connected to the manual side of the select switch, the motor can be driven in any direction by switching the corresponding relay. When the select switch is switched to manual control, the manual switch The front and rear positions of the lumbar plate are arbitrarily adjusted by the drive control of the motor, and when the select switch is switched to the automatic control, the lumbar plate is moved forward from the support position by repeatedly driving the motor forward and reverse. A lumbar support control device that is repeatedly moved in the front-rear direction, whereby the lumbar vertebra of a seated person can be intermittently and repeatedly pressed under a pressing force stronger than the lumbar support force at the support position.