JP7481662B2 - Vehicle interior materials and vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle interior material equipped with a switch for controlling electrical components.

There is a door trim forming an armrest for a vehicle door, which has switches on its upper surface for opening and closing the window and adjusting the rearview mirror (for example, see Patent Document 1). The door trim in Patent Document 1 comprises a base material, a foam layer provided on the upper surface of the base material, and a skin member that covers the surface of the foam layer. A protrusion that protrudes upward is provided at a predetermined position on the foam layer, and a membrane switch is embedded in the protrusion. The protrusion allows the occupant to understand the position of the membrane switch.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,028

From a design standpoint, it is desirable to make such protrusions as small as possible. However, making the protrusions small can make them difficult to distinguish, which can make it difficult to find the position of the switch.

In view of the above background, the present invention aims to make it easier to visually confirm the position of protrusions in vehicle interior materials that have protrusions.

To solve the above problem, a vehicle interior material (25) is provided, which comprises a substrate (36) having a base (39) and protrusions (40, 41) provided on the surface of the base, and a film (37) covering the surface of the substrate, the film being in a sheet shape and having an identification portion (42) having a different thickness compared to other portions, the identification portion being provided on the surface of the protrusion.

According to this embodiment, the transparency and shading of the film depend on its thickness, so the surface of the protrusion has a portion with a different transparency and shading from other portions. This allows the occupant to easily see the position of the protrusion.

In the above aspect, the identification portion may be thinner than other portions.

According to this embodiment, when the film is bonded to the substrate, the film is stretched and bonded to the surface of the protrusion, making it easy to provide portions of different thicknesses.

In the above aspect, the identification portion may be provided on the ridge (43) of the protrusion.

According to this aspect, the identification portion is provided along the ridge line, making the shape of the protrusion clearer.

In the above aspect, the identification portion may be provided along the outer edge (44) of the protrusion.

This aspect makes the contours of the protrusions clearer.

In the above embodiment, the substrate and the film may be bonded by vacuum pressure forming.

According to this aspect, when the substrate and the film are bonded, the thickness of the film becomes thinner along the outer edges and ridges of the protrusions, so that it is easy to provide an identification part on the film and position the identification part along the outer edges and ridges of the protrusions.

In the above embodiment, the film may have a transparent colored material layer.

This aspect makes the identification part of the film clearer.

In the above aspect, it is preferable to provide a capacitance sensor (54) on the back side of the base material, behind the protrusion, for detecting contact of an occupant with the protrusion.

According to this aspect, the capacitive sensor can be covered by a substrate so that the position of the sensor can be understood.

In the above aspect, the protrusion may be molded integrally with the base material.

This embodiment strengthens the bond between the protrusions and the substrate, preventing separation between the protrusions and the substrate.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is a substrate having a base and a protrusion, and a film covering the surface of the substrate, the film is in a sheet shape and has an identification part with a different thickness compared to other parts, and the identification part is provided on the surface of the protrusion. In this aspect, the surface of the protrusion has a part with a different transparency or shading from other parts, so that the position of the protrusion can be easily seen by the occupant.

In the above embodiment, in which the identification portion is thinner than the other portions, the identification portion can be easily formed and provided on the surface of the protrusion by stretching the film and bonding it to the surface of the protrusion.

In the above embodiment, when the identification portion is provided on the ridge of the protrusion, the shape of the protrusion becomes clear.

In the above embodiment, when the identification portion is provided along the outer edge of the protrusion, the outline of the protrusion becomes clear.

In the above embodiment, in which the substrate and the film are bonded by vacuum and compressed air forming, the thickness of the film becomes thinner along the outer edges and ridges of the protrusions when the substrate and the film are bonded, so that it is easy to provide an identification part on the film and position the identification part along the outer edges and ridges of the protrusions.

In the above embodiment, if the film has a transparent colored material layer, the identification portion of the film becomes clearer.

In the above embodiment, a capacitance sensor is provided on the back side of the base material behind the protrusion to detect contact of an occupant with the protrusion, and the capacitance sensor can be covered by the base material so that the position of the capacitance sensor can be understood.

In the above embodiment, if the protrusions are molded integrally with the base material, the bond between the protrusions and the base material is strong, and separation between the protrusions and the base material can be prevented.

1 is a side view of a vehicle seat in a standard position in a vehicle in which a passenger is seated, and an enlarged view of a protrusion; FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle seat in a relaxed position with an occupant seated therein, and an enlarged view of a protrusion; A side view of a vehicle seat in a standard position with no passenger seated. Side view of the upper part of the door trim from the outside IV-IV cross-sectional view of FIG.

The following describes an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle interior material (door trim decorative member) for a door located on the exterior side of a right front seat of an autonomous vehicle, with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 1 is placed on the floor 3 of the vehicle compartment 2. A door 4 for the right front seat is provided on the outer side of the vehicle seat 1. The vehicle seat 1 includes a seat cushion 5 that supports the buttocks and thighs of the occupant, a seat back 6 that functions as a backrest and is provided on the rear end side of the seat cushion 5, a headrest 7 provided on the upper end side of the seat back 6, and an ottoman 8 provided on the front end of the seat cushion 5. The seat cushion 5 has a seating surface 9 on which the occupant sits, and the seat back has a backrest surface 10 on which the occupant supports the upper body, which is formed on the front side of the seat back. The vehicle seat 1 includes a plurality of electric motors 11, and the vehicle seat 1 is displaced between a standard position (FIG. 1) and a relaxed position (FIG. 2) in which the seat back 6 and the ottoman 8 are tilted from the standard position relative to the seat cushion 5 by driving the electric motors 11.

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

As shown in FIG. 2, when the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position, it is moved rearward relative to the floor 3 compared to when it is in the standard position. The seat back 6 is tilted rearward by approximately 40 degrees compared to when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position, and the backrest surface 10 faces forward and upward. In addition, the ottoman 8 protrudes forward relative to the seat cushion 5, forming a support surface 12 that is continuous with the seating surface 9. The feet of a seated occupant are supported by the support surface 12. Furthermore, the front end of the seat cushion 5 is higher than the rear end, and the seating surface 9 is inclined downward as it moves rearward.

The vehicle body 15 is provided with a switching device 16 that receives input from the occupant instructing to switch the position of the vehicle seat 1 and executes the switching, and a motor control device 17 that controls the driving of the electric motor 11. The motor control device 17 is composed of a microcomputer, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, an input/output interface, various drivers, etc. The motor control device 17 receives a signal from the switching device 16 and drives the electric motor 11 in response to the signal, displacing the position of the vehicle seat 1 between the standard position and the relaxed position. Also, in response to the signal from the switching device 16, the motor control device 17 reads the displacement of the electric motor 11 and outputs the position of the vehicle seat 1 (relaxed position or standard position) to the switching device 16.

The switching device 16 is provided on the vehicle seat 1 and includes a seating sensor 20 that detects the seating of an occupant, a relax switch 22 and a return switch 23 that are each provided on the inner wall 21 of the passenger compartment 2, a switching control device 24 that drives the motor control device 17 in response to inputs to both switches 22, 23 and a signal from the seating sensor 20, and a decorative member 25 that covers the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 from the inside of the vehicle. The relax switch 22 is a switch that is operated by the occupant when displacing the vehicle seat 1 from the standard position to the reclining position, and the return switch 23 is a switch that is operated by the occupant when displacing the vehicle seat 1 from the reclining position to the standard position.

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

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

The door trim 26 is an interior material for a vehicle made of a resin material, and constitutes the inner wall 21 of the passenger compartment 2. The door trim 26 is provided to cover the interior side of the door panel 27, which is a skeletal member of the door. The door trim 26 has a trim main body 28 with its surfaces facing left and right and arranged on the interior side of the door panel 27, and a trim edge wall portion (not shown) that protrudes from the periphery of the trim main body 28 to the exterior side of the vehicle and abuts against the edge of the interior side of the door panel 27. The trim edge wall portion extends along the periphery of the trim main body 28 and is fastened to the door panel 27 at a predetermined position. A speaker 29 is provided at the front lower part of the trim main body 28. The trim main body 28 has an opening 30 that penetrates in the vehicle width direction. The opening 30 extends forward and backward, and is bent upward and rearward at its rear end.

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

As shown in FIG. 3, the base material 36 includes a plate portion 39 having a plate-like main surface facing in the vehicle width direction, and two protrusions 40, 41 protruding from the plate portion 39. The plate portion 39 extends in the front-rear direction and is bent rearward and upward at its rear end, and has roughly the same shape as the opening 30. The protrusions 40 are generally cylindrical. One of the protrusions 40 protrudes from the front end of the plate portion 39 toward the interior side of the vehicle, and the other protrusion 41 protrudes from the interior side wall surface of the rear upper end of the plate portion 39 toward the interior side of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 are molded integrally.

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

The color of the film 37 depends on its thickness. The color of the thin identification portion 42 is lighter than that of the other portions. In particular, because the film 37 is formed from a resin having a transparent colored material layer, the difference in color is more obvious. Because the identification portion 42 is provided along the ridge portion 43, the color of the ridge portion 43 of the protrusions 40, 41 is lighter than that of the other portions. Also, because the identification portion 42 is provided along the outer edge 44 of the protrusions 40, 41, the color of the outline of the protrusions 40, 41 is lighter than that of the other portions. This makes it easier for the occupant to visually recognize the shape and position of the protrusions 40, 41.

In this embodiment, the film 37 is attached to the substrate 36 by vacuum pressure molding. The vacuum pressure molding method is a known method in which the film 37 is set in a vacuum chamber so as to face the substrate 36, the substrate 36 is pushed up and pressed against the back surface of the film 37, the chamber is evacuated, and then air is introduced into the vacuum chamber to apply pressure to the film 37 so as to adhere to the substrate 36. When the vacuum pressure molding method is used, the film 37 is stretched to fit the shape of the protrusions 40 and 41 when it is bonded to them, so that the ridge portions 43 and outer edges 44 of the protrusions 40 and 41 become thin-walled. This allows the film 37 to be formed with a thin identification portion 42, and the identification portion 42 can be provided along the ridge portions 43 and outer edges 44 of the protrusions 40 and 41. However, in this embodiment, the film 37 is attached to the substrate 36 by vacuum and pressure forming, but this is not limited to this method, and any method may be used as long as the film 37 is stretched to fit the shape of the protrusions 40, 41 and is thin-walled at the ridges 43 and outer edges 44.

As shown in FIG. 4, the decorative member 25 is arranged to cover the entire opening 30 from the outside of the vehicle. The decorative member 25 is fitted into the opening 30 and connected to the trim main body 28. In this embodiment, in order to more securely connect the decorative member 25 and the trim main body 28, the lower edge of the decorative member 25 is provided with a plurality of fastening portions 45 that extend downward along the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the trim main body 28, and each fastening portion 45 is fastened to the vehicle-exterior wall surface of the trim main body 28.

As shown in FIG. 4, the relax switch 22 is connected to the outer side of the protrusion 40 located at the front of the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, and is covered by the decorative member 25 from the interior side of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, the relax switch 22 is located in front of the backrest surface 10 of the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position on the interior wall 21 of the passenger compartment 2 located on the exterior side of the vehicle seat 1. More specifically, the relax switch 22 is located in a position that can be reached by the occupant when the occupant sits on the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position with the chest facing forward and the forearm moved forward of the torso.

As shown in FIG. 4, the return switch 23 is connected to the outer wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the outer side of the vehicle, the protrusion 41 located on the rear upper side, and is covered by the decorative member 25 from the inner side of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the return switch 23 is located behind and above the relax switch 22, and in front of the backrest surface 10 of the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position. More specifically, the return switch 23 is located in a position that can be reached when an occupant sits in the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position with their back in contact with the backrest surface 10 and moves their forearm forward of their torso. Therefore, the return switch 23 is located in a position that can be seen by an occupant sitting in the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position.

As shown in FIG. 4, the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 each include a substrate 51 on which a light-emitting element 50 is mounted, a light-shielding member 52 (see FIG. 5), a vibration motor 53, a capacitance sensor 54 (see FIG. 5), and a resin holder 55 that supports all of the above. Since the return switch 23 has a similar configuration to the relax switch 22, the following describes the relax switch 22 with reference to FIG. 5, and the description of the relax switch 22 is used to describe the return switch 23.

As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate 51 is a printed circuit board with printed wiring, and is disk-shaped. A white surface-mounted LED element that serves as the light-emitting element 50 is soldered to approximately the center of the substrate. In this embodiment, the light-emitting element 50 is a white surface-mounted LED element, but it may also be a colored bullet-shaped LED element. In addition, a heat sink for cooling the light-emitting element 50 may be attached to the back surface of the substrate 51.

The light-shielding member 52 is formed by applying black ink to the surface of a transparent sheet member formed of a colorless and transparent resin, and drawing predetermined patterns 60, 61. The colorless and transparent areas on the surface of the light-shielding member 52 are colored in the enlarged views of Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 1, the light-shielding member 52 of the relax switch 22 is drawn with a pattern 60 showing the shape of the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position, that is, the shape of the vehicle seat 1 with the ottoman 8 protruding forward relative to the seat cushion 5 and the backrest surface 10 tilted backward. As shown in Figure 2, the light-shielding member 52 of the return switch 23 is drawn with a pattern 61 showing the shape of the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position, that is, the shape of the vehicle seat 1 with the ottoman 8 hanging down and the backrest surface facing forward.

The vibration motor 53 is a known disk-shaped brushless DC motor. When a voltage is applied to the vibration motor, it vibrates in a direction perpendicular to the disk. As shown in FIG. 4, each switch 22, 23 is equipped with two vibration motors 53.

The capacitance sensor 54 is a generally circular, colorless, transparent sheet. The capacitance sensor 54 is a known capacitance sensor that has electrodes on its surface and detects the approach of an occupant's hand by detecting a change in capacitance between the occupant's hand and the electrode.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the holder 55 comprises a cylindrical main body 65, two support parts 66 joined to the outer peripheral surface of the main body 65, and a flange part 67 connected to the outer peripheral edge of the main body 65 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the main body 65.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 65 is substantially cylindrical and extends in the vehicle width direction. The inner diameter of the main body 65 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the protrusions 40, 41. The opening of the main body 65 on the vehicle interior side is the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, and is disposed at a position facing the vehicle exterior side of the protrusions 40, 41, more specifically, at a position where the opening of the main body 65 and the protrusions 40, 41 overlap in the vehicle width direction. The opening edge 70 on the vehicle interior side of the main body 65 is bonded along its edge to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25. The opening edge 71 on the vehicle exterior side of the main body 65 is bonded to the surface of the substrate 51 on which the light emitting element 50 is mounted. In this embodiment, the opening edge 71 on the vehicle exterior side of the main body 65 is provided with a circular bottom wall 75 having a through hole 74. The light emitting element 50 is accommodated in the through hole 74 of the bottom wall 75, and the substrate 51 is fastened to the bottom wall 75 using a predetermined screw.

The capacitance sensor 54 and the light blocking member 52 are arranged along the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 in a position facing the interior opening of the main body 65, and are joined to the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25. In this embodiment, a step 77 recessed toward the exterior of the vehicle is formed on the inner periphery of the interior opening edge 70 of the main body 65. The light blocking member 52 is housed in the step 77 at the edge and is sandwiched between the main body 65 and the interior wall surface of the decorative member 25. The capacitance sensor 54 is located on the interior side of the light blocking member 52. The interior surface of the capacitance sensor 54 is bonded to the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, and the exterior surface of the capacitance sensor 54 is bonded to the interior surface of the light blocking member 52.

In this embodiment, a thin plate-shaped diffusion material 80 is bonded to the exterior surface of the light blocking member 52. The diffusion material 80 is formed by adding light-scattering fine particles to a colorless, transparent resin as a base material. As shown in FIG. 5, the diffusion material 80 is located between the light emitting element 50 and the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, so that the light incident on the diffusion material 80 from the light emitting element 50 is scattered and diffused by the fine particles inside the diffusion material 80.

The support portion 66 is flat and protrudes from the side of the main body portion 65. The support portion 66 has a main surface facing the vehicle width direction. A storage recess 85 that is recessed into a substantially disk shape toward the vehicle exterior is formed on the vehicle interior side of the support portion 66. Each storage recess 85 houses a vibration motor 53. The vibration motor 53 is arranged in the storage recess 85 so that its circular surface faces the vehicle width direction. The vibration motor 53 is fastened to the bottom wall of the storage recess 85, coupled to the support portion 66, and supported by the holder 55. The shape of the storage recess 85 is set so that when the vibration motor 53 is stored in the storage recess 85, the surface of the vibration motor 53 facing the vehicle interior is approximately flush with the opening edge 70 on the vehicle interior side of the main body portion 65. In this embodiment, the support portion 66 further has an insertion hole 86 connected to the storage recess 85 formed in its upper and lower walls or front and rear walls in order to facilitate the assembly of the vibration motor 53. When assembled, the vibration motor 53 can be housed in the housing recess 85 through the insertion hole 86.

As shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion 67 extends in a predetermined direction, either vertically or longitudinally, from the opening edge 70 on the vehicle interior side of the main body portion 65, reaches the rear surface of the trim main body portion 28, and is fastened to the rear surface of the trim main body portion 28. The flange portion 67 is fastened to the trim main body portion 28, thereby connecting the holder 55 to the trim main body portion 28. At this time, the vibration motor 53 is in contact with the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 on the vehicle interior side. Therefore, the vibration of the vibration motor 53 is easily transmitted to the decorative member 25, and the vibration is easily transmitted to the occupant who touches the decorative member 25. In this embodiment, the flange portion 67 is further bonded to the vehicle exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 at the periphery of the main body portion 65. As shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion 67 of the holder 55 of the relax switch 22 extends forward and downward, and is fastened to the rear surface of the trim main body portion 28 at the front and lower parts. The flange portion 67 of the holder 55 of the return switch 23 forms two strips that extend downward toward the rear and are fastened to the back surface of the trim body portion 28.

The switching control device 24 is composed of a microcomputer, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, an input/output interface, various drivers, etc., and is connected to the light-emitting elements 50, vibration motor 53, and capacitance sensor 54 of the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23, respectively, the seating sensor 20, and the motor control device 17 via predetermined wiring.

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

When an occupant touches the front protrusion 40, the touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54 of the relax switch 22 (the relax switch 22 is turned on). When the switching control device 24 receives a signal corresponding to the touch from the capacitance sensor 54 of the relax switch 22, it drives the vibration motor 53 of the relax switch 22. When the vibration motor 53 is driven, a vibration is transmitted to the occupant, and the occupant is given a pseudo-click sensation. This allows the occupant to recognize that the touch has been detected by the capacitance sensor 54. When the capacitance sensor 54 detects that the occupant's hand has left the front protrusion 40, it turns off the light-emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22, and the switching control device 24 sends a signal to the motor control device 17 to drive the electric motor 11 and displace the vehicle seat 1 to the relax position.

When the vehicle seat 1 is displaced and a signal is received from the motor control device 17 indicating that the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position, the switching control device 24 turns on the light-emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 after a predetermined time has elapsed. This causes the colored portion in the enlarged view of FIG. 2 to emit light, and the rear protrusion 41 displays a pattern 61 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position. At this time, the switching control device 24 is configured not to react even if the occupant touches the front protrusion 40.

When the occupant then touches the rear protrusion 41, the touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54 of the return switch 23 (the return switch 23 is turned on). When the switching control device 24 receives a signal corresponding to the touch from the capacitance sensor 54 of the return switch 23, it drives the vibration motor 53 of the return switch 23. When the vibration motor 53 is driven, vibrations are transmitted to the occupant, and the occupant feels a pseudo-click. When the capacitance sensor 54 detects that the occupant's hand has left the rear protrusion 41, the switching control device 24 turns off the light-emitting element 50 of the return switch 23. The switching control device 24 further sends a signal to the motor control device 17 to drive the electric motor 11 and displace the vehicle seat 1 to the standard position.

When the displacement is complete, the switching control device 24 turns on the light-emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22. When the light-emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22 turns on, a pattern 60 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the relax position is displayed on the front protrusion 40. At this time, even if the occupant touches the rear protrusion 41, the switching control device 24 is configured not to react.

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

Next, the effect of the decorative member 25 (vehicle interior material) will be described. The film 37 is formed of a resin having a transparent colored material layer, and its transparency and shade depend on its thickness and the characteristics of the ink. Since the thickness of the film 37 is smaller in the identification portion 42 than in other parts, the identification portion 42 is more easily transmitted by light and has a lighter color than other parts of the film 37. The identification portion 42 is provided along the ridge portion 43 and the outer edge 44 of the surface of the protrusions 40, 41, so that the color of the ridge portion 43 and the outer edge 44 of the protrusions 40, 41 becomes lighter than the other parts. Therefore, the position of the protrusions 40, 41 can be easily recognized by the occupant. The protrusions 40, 41 allow the occupant to easily recognize the position of the capacitance sensor 54 even if the capacitance sensor 54 is covered by the decorative member 25.

When the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position and an occupant is seated, only the front protrusion 40 lights up, and the protrusion 40 displays a pattern 60 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the relaxed position. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the relaxed position and an occupant is seated, only the rear protrusion 41 lights up, and the protrusion 41 displays a pattern 61 corresponding to the vehicle seat 1 in the standard position. This allows the occupant to easily recognize the switches they should operate and their positions, and to easily understand the shape of the vehicle seat 1 after operation and the function of each switch.

The switches 22, 23 are preferably located in a position where they can be operated by the occupant by moving their forearms in front of their torso. When the vehicle seat 1 is in the relax position, the backrest surface 10 is tilted backward and the occupant's upper body faces forward and upward, compared to when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position. Also, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the position of the occupant's hands when the occupant's upper body faces forward and upward is higher than when the occupant's upper body faces forward. The return switch 23, which is operated when the occupant's upper body faces forward and upward, is located behind and above the relax switch 22, which is operated when the upper body faces forward. Therefore, the return switch 23 is easier to operate than when it is located behind or below and behind the relax switch 22.

Since the decorative member 25 is made of a material that transmits the light emitted by the light-emitting element 50, the occupant can see the light emitted from the decorative member 25 from the inside of the vehicle. Furthermore, by using the capacitance sensor 54, the touch action of the occupant on the decorative member 25 can be detected without exposing the sensor to the decorative member 25. In this way, both switches 22, 23 are covered from the inside of the vehicle by the decorative member 25, improving the design of the door 4. Furthermore, since the protrusions 40, 41 are provided on the outside of the vehicle, the occupant can easily understand the positions of both switches 22, 23.

The light emitted from the light-emitting element 50 enters the vehicle interior 2 from the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 facing the opening of the main body 65. Therefore, the area located on the interior side of the opening of the main body 65 on the interior side of the wall surface of the decorative member 25 emits light. By making the main body 65 cylindrical, only the part facing the opening of the main body 65 can be made to emit light, and the area that emits light and the area that does not emit light can be clearly distinguished. In addition, since the light-emitting element 50 and the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25 are spaced apart, the intensity of light in the area irradiated by the light of the light-emitting element 50 can be made more uniform. Furthermore, since the light from the light-emitting element 50 is scattered by the diffusion material 80, the intensity of light reaching the area located on the interior side of the opening of the main body 65 on the interior side of the wall surface of the decorative member 25 can be made uniform. Therefore, the area located on the interior side of the opening of the main body 65 on the interior side of the wall surface of the decorative member 25 can be made to emit light without unevenness.

Since the capacitance sensor 54 is attached to the exterior wall surface of the light-emitting area of the decorative member 25, the capacitance sensor 54 can easily detect the touch of the occupant to the light-emitting area. In addition, by arranging the light-shielding member 52 along the exterior wall surface of the decorative member 25, light diffraction is suppressed more than when it is arranged away from the exterior wall surface, so that the patterns 60, 61 of the light-shielding member 52 can be displayed more clearly on the interior wall surface of the decorative member 25. In addition, by providing the vibration motor 53 on the support portion 66, the vibration motor 53 can be brought close to the protrusions 40, 41, and vibrations can be transmitted to the hands of the occupant more effectively.

Although the description of the specific embodiment is now complete, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in a wide range of ways. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the switching device 16 for switching the position of the right front seat vehicle seat 1, but it may also be applied to a switching device for a rear seat vehicle seat. In addition, the relax switch 22 and the return switch 23 are both provided on the door trim 26, but they may be provided on any trim that constitutes the interior wall of the passenger compartment 2. For example, the return switch 23 may be provided on the body side trim, or more specifically, on the center pillar garnish between the front seat door and the rear seat door.

In the above embodiment, both switches 22, 23 are configured with a capacitance sensor 54 that detects the touch of the occupant to the decorative member 25, but this is not limited to the embodiment and may be, for example, a membrane switch or a push-type switch provided on the decorative member 25.

In the above embodiment, the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 are molded integrally, but the protrusions 40, 41 may be molded separately from the plate portion 39 and then attached to the plate portion 39. However, by molding the protrusions 40, 41 integrally with the plate portion 39, the connection between the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 is strengthened, and separation between the protrusions 40, 41 and the plate portion 39 can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the film 37 is formed of a resin having a transparent colored material layer, but as long as it transmits light from the light emitting element 50, the surface may be printed with a wood grain or the like. In addition, the identification portion 42 is thinner than the other portions, but it may be thicker than the other portions. In this case, the film 37 is formed using a resin that shrinks when heated, and after the film 37 and the base material 36 are bonded, a heater is placed parallel to the surface of the base material 36 and heated to shrink the surface to which heat from the heater is easily transmitted, that is, the portion of the film 37 facing the heater. The protruding end surface of the protrusion and the portion in contact with the surface of the plate portion 39 on the vehicle exterior side shrink due to heating. On the other hand, the side surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 41 are less likely to transmit heat and shrink, so the portion of the film 37 bonded to the side surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 41 becomes thicker than the other portions. This allows the identification portion 42 to be formed on the ridge portion 43 and outer edge 44, which is thicker than the other portions.

In the above embodiment, the light-emitting element 50 of the relax switch 22 is configured to always be lit when the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position, but it may be configured to be turned off a predetermined time after the vehicle seat 1 is in the standard position, and to be turned on again when a touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54. Similarly, the light-emitting element 50 of the return switch 23 may be configured to be turned off a predetermined time after the vehicle seat 1 is in the relax position, and to be turned on again when a touch is detected by the capacitance sensor 54. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to reduce power consumption.

25: Decorative materials (vehicle interior materials)
36: Substrate 37: Film 39: Plate portion (base portion)
40: protrusion 41: protrusion 42: identification portion 43: ridge portion 44: outer edge 54: capacitance sensor

Claims (11)

A substrate having a base and a protrusion provided on a surface of the base;
A film covering a surface of the substrate;
A sensor that detects contact with the protrusion;
A light emitting element provided on the back surface side of the base material;
a holder provided on a rear surface side of the base material and configured to hold the light emitting element;
a vibration generating device that generates vibrations in the protrusion when the contact is detected by the sensor,
The holder has a cylindrical main body with a bottom,
The light emitting element is provided on a bottom wall of the main body,
the main body is located on the rear side of the base material of the sensor in a front-back direction and is arranged so as to open toward the sensor ;
The vibration generating device is disposed to the side of the sensor when viewed from the front-back direction of the base material . 2. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1 , wherein the holder is provided with an accommodating recess recessed in a direction away from the rear surface of the base material in order to accommodate the vibration generating device. 3. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating device is in contact with a rear surface of the base material. At least two of the vibration generating devices are provided,
4. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed between the two vibration generating devices when viewed from the front and back directions of the base material. At least two of the vibration generating devices are provided,
The vehicle interior material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the light emitting element is disposed between two of the vibration generating devices when viewed from the front and back directions of the base material. The film is in a sheet shape and has an identification portion that is thinner than other portions,
6. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing portion is provided along an edge of the protrusion. a light-shielding member that is made of a transparent sheet member on which a predetermined pattern is drawn and that is arranged so as to overlap the protrusions from the back surface side of the base material;
7. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusing material provided on a back surface side of the light blocking member for diffusing light from the light emitting element. The vehicle interior material according to claim 7 , wherein the diffusion material is positioned between the light emitting element and the protrusion. The sensor is provided on the rear side of the protrusion,
The vehicle interior material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the main body portion is joined to the back surface of the base material at an opening edge and is arranged so as to extend to the back side in the front-back direction of the base material. A substrate having a base and a protrusion provided on a surface of the base;
A film covering a surface of the substrate;
A sensor that detects contact with the protrusion;
A light emitting element provided on the back surface side of the base material;
a holder provided on the back surface side of the base material and configured to hold the light emitting element;
The holder has a cylindrical main body with a bottom,
The light emitting element is provided on a bottom wall of the main body,
the main body is located on the rear side of the base material of the sensor in a front-back direction and is arranged so as to open toward the sensor;
The film is in a sheet shape and has an identification portion that is thinner than other portions,
The identification portion is provided along an edge of the protrusion. A vehicle comprising a vehicle seat having a seat back, a seat cushion, and an ottoman, and the vehicle interior material according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
an electric motor that switches the vehicle seat between a standard position and a relaxed position in which the seat back is tilted backward and the ottoman protrudes forward compared to when the vehicle seat is in the standard position;
a control device that switches the vehicle seat between the standard position and the relaxed position by controlling the electric motor based on the detection result of the sensor.

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