JP7524724B2 - Partition device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a partition device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a partition device having a partition that is provided on a seat and separates it from an adjacent seat on one side.

A configuration is known in which a partition is provided on the side of a vehicle seat to separate it from an adjacent seat (Patent Document 1). The partition is made of a flat panel material that is erected on the floor.

JP 2018-114183 A

In the above conventional technology, the space separated by the partition is too large, making it difficult to create a comfortable personal space. In addition, the partition cannot follow the reclining movement of the seat back or the sliding movement of the seat, making it inconvenient. Therefore, the present invention provides a partition device that can properly separate the occupant from the surrounding area.

To solve the above problems, the partition device of the present invention takes the following measures.

That is, the partition device of the present invention is a partition device having a partition that is provided on a seat and separates it from an adjacent seat on one side. The partition has a rear panel that is attached to the seat back and/or headrest of the seat and covers the headrest from behind, and a side panel that protrudes forward from the rear panel through one side of the headrest and covers the head of the seated occupant from one side, and is configured not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or the other side. The rear panel has a first concave curved surface that is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper and both sides curved forward. The side panel has a second concave curved surface that is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the other side, with its upper and front and rear parts curved toward the other side so as to be smoothly continuous with the first concave curved surface.

The above configuration allows the partition to be formed, consisting of a rear panel and a side panel with three-dimensional concave curved surfaces that are smoothly connected to each other, creating a comfortable personal space around the head of the seated occupant, enveloping the head from behind and one side in a wide, rounded shape.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition device further has a blowing section equipped with a blower that blows air from the rear toward the front along the second concave curved surface.

According to the above configuration, the wind blown out from the blowing section can form an air curtain that is blown forward along the second concave curved surface of the side panel. In addition, the air curtain can be bent along the curvature of the second concave curved surface so as to approach the front side of the seated occupant's head, forming a more effective air curtain.

The partition device of the present invention may be further configured as follows: The partition device further has a duct that is fixed to the first concave curved surface so as to extend in the sheet width direction from the blowing portion toward the second concave curved surface along the first concave curved surface, and that delivers the air blown out from the blower. The duct forms a closed cross-sectional shape by itself or between itself and the first concave curved surface.

With the above configuration, the partition can be reinforced rationally with the duct.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition device further has a louver attached to the second concave curved surface to bend the direction of the air blown out from the blower to the other side.

The above configuration allows the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet to be adjusted so that it hits the seated person's face from the side or directly in front of the face.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition device further has a rear-facing duct that directs the air blown from the blower to be blown rearward through an opening provided in the rear panel.

According to the above configuration, the air outlet provided in the partition device can be used to efficiently blow air to the rear of the partition.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition further has an extension panel that is fixed to the rear panel and extends flush with the rear panel from the upper edge and/or the other side edge of the rear panel. The extension panel is softer than the rear panel.

According to the above configuration, the shape of the partition can be expanded by the soft extension panel fixed around the periphery of the rear panel to allow for interference with surrounding structures such as the vehicle ceiling and vehicle side walls.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition device further has a speaker unit mounted on the first concave curved surface. The rear panel has a speaker recess that recesses a portion of the first concave curved surface rearward to form an enclosure behind the speaker unit.

The above configuration makes it possible to rationally form an enclosure for a speaker unit mounted on the partition by utilizing the partition configuration.

The partition device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The partition device further includes a rear-facing speaker unit that is attached to the rear surface of the rear panel.

With the above configuration, even if the seat and the space behind it are separated by a partition, sound can be output toward the rear by the rear-facing speaker unit attached to the rear panel.

The sound output from the rear-facing speaker unit includes sound output from audio equipment installed in the vehicle, as well as the voice of the seat occupant output through a microphone installed in a specified location, such as the side panel of the seat. The rear-facing speaker unit outputs sound through a microphone, facilitating smooth communication between the seat occupant separated by the partition and the outside world.

The partition device of the present invention may also be configured as follows: A flat surface is formed on the rear surface of the rear panel to serve as a mounting surface for accessories. Examples of the accessories include various electrical components such as displays, tablet terminals, and lighting fixtures, as well as assist grips that can be used by passengers in the rear seats, seatback tables that are deployed behind the seatbacks, and cup holders.

The above configuration makes it possible to rationally form a flat surface that serves as a mounting surface for accessories by utilizing the configuration of the rear panel that separates the seat and the space behind it.

The partition device of the present invention may be further configured as follows: The partition has a three-dimensional curved outer peripheral surface that conforms to the inner peripheral surfaces of the rear panel and the side panel, and has beads on this outer peripheral surface that extend in stripes in the width direction of the seat along the outer peripheral surface.

According to the above configuration, the wind blowing from the front to the rear along one side of the partition is guided to flow behind the rear panel of the partition due to the Coanda effect along the outer peripheral surface of the partition. At that time, the wind blowing to the rear is rectified by the streaky beads formed on the outer peripheral surface of the partition so that it is less likely to be diffused in the vertical direction. Therefore, the wind blowing to the rear can be appropriately guided behind the rear panel of the partition.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a partition device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the partition device as seen from the rear. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the partition device. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the partition device. FIG. 2 is a front view of the partition device. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3. IX-IX line cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a state in which the partition device hits the vehicle ceiling due to lifting up of the seat lifter. FIG. 11 is a rear view showing a state in which the partition device hits the vehicle side wall due to reclining of the seat back. FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a partition device according to another embodiment.

Below, the form for implementing the present invention is explained with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment
(General Configuration of Partition Device 4)
First, the configuration of a partition device 4 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. In the following description, when directions such as front, back, up, down, left and right are indicated, they refer to the respective directions shown in each figure. Furthermore, when the term "seat width direction" is used, it refers to the left and right direction of a seat 1, which will be described later. Furthermore, in the following description, when no specific reference figure is indicated or when the reference figure does not have a reference number, any of Figures 1 to 11 will be referred to as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the partition device 4 according to this embodiment is applied to a right front seat 1 of an automobile with two rows of seats. The partition device 4 is configured to include a panel-shaped partition 10 that separates the seat 1 from a left seat (not shown).

The partition 10 is attached to the rear surface of the seat back 2 that forms the backrest of the seat 1. The seat 1 includes the seat back 2 that forms the backrest of the seated person, a seat cushion (not shown) that forms the seating portion, and a headrest 3 that forms the headrest.

The lower ends of the left and right sides of the seat back 2 are connected to the rear ends of the left and right sides of the seat cushion via recliners (not shown). This allows the seat back 2 to be reclined to change the angle of the backrest forward or backward. The headrest 3 is attached to the upper part of the seat back 2.

The seat cushion (not shown) is connected to the vehicle floor via a seat lifter (not shown). This allows the height of the seat 1 relative to the floor to be adjusted.

The partition 10 is attached to the upper rear surface of the seat back 2. The partition 10 is configured to include a rear panel 11, side panels 12, and an extension panel 13. The rear panel 11 rises from the upper rear surface of the seat back 2 and is configured to widely cover the headrest 3 and its surroundings from the rear.

The side panel 12 extends forward from the rear panel 11 through the left side (one side) of the headrest 3 and the seat back 2, covering the head of the seated occupant and the surrounding area from the left side in a wide, planar manner. The rear panel 11 and the side panel 12 are made of a single panel material made of synthetic resin such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin.

Specifically, as shown in Figs. 1 to 11, the rear panel 11 is formed in a curved panel shape with a first concave curved surface 11A, which is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper part and both left and right sides curving forward. In addition, the side panel 12 is formed in a curved panel shape with a second concave curved surface 12A, which is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the right, with its upper part and front and rear parts curving rightward so as to smoothly connect with the first concave curved surface 11A.

With the above configuration, the partition 10 is formed into a curved panel shape in which the rear panel 11 and the side panels 12 are smoothly connected to each other to form a three-dimensional concave curved surface. In more detail, as shown in FIG. 3, the partition 10 is formed into a panel shape in which the width of the rear panel 11 tapers upward in a mountain-like shape.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the partition 10 is formed in a panel shape in which the front edge of the side panel 12 bulges forward in a rounded shape. As a result, the partition 10 is configured to form a partition that ensures a comfortable personal space around the head of the seated occupant, wrapping the head from the rear and left in a wide, rounded shape.

The partition 10 separates the seat 1 from the seat on the left side (not shown), and also provides a continuous separation between the seat 1 and the seat behind it (not shown). The partition 10 is configured so as not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or right.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the extension panel 13 is placed integrally across the entire upper edge and the entire right edge of the rear panel 11. The extension panel 13 is made of a single panel material made of a synthetic resin, such as silicone resin or elastomer resin, that is softer than the rear panel 11 and the side panel 12.

The extension panel 13 is fastened and fixed to the upper and right edges of the rear panel 11 with screws (not shown). This fixation causes the extension panel 13 to protrude flush with the upper and right edges of the rear panel 11, expanding the panel shape of the rear panel 11 upward and to the right into a shape that is slightly larger.

The extension panel 13 is configured to be detachably attached to the rear panel 11 by the screws (not shown). This allows the extension panel 13 to be freely replaced or discontinued as needed with a panel of a size that matches the intended use, such as the size of the vehicle interior space.

The reason why the extension panel 13 is softer than the rear panel 11 and the side panel 12 is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, if the partition 10 interferes with the vehicle ceiling C due to the lifting up of the seat 1, the soft extension panel 13 will bend when it comes into contact with the vehicle ceiling C, thereby preventing strong interference with the vehicle ceiling C. Here, the vehicle ceiling C corresponds to the "vehicle ceiling" of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 11, if the partition 10 interferes with the vehicle side wall W (a side wall such as a B-pillar) due to reclining of the seat back 2, the soft extension panel 13 bends when it comes into contact with the vehicle side wall W, thereby preventing strong interference with the vehicle side wall W. Therefore, the partition 10 can be configured to have an extended panel shape using the extension panel 13, while still being able to appropriately tolerate interference with the vehicle ceiling C and the vehicle side wall W. Here, the vehicle side wall W corresponds to the "vehicle side wall" of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the partition device 4 further has a blowing section 20 equipped with a blower 21 that blows air from the rear to the front along the second concave curved surface 12A of the partition 10. The blowing section 20 has a duct 22 that is fixed along the first concave curved surface 11A of the partition 10 and sends the air blown out from the blower 21 toward the second concave curved surface 12A.

The blowing section 20 is fixed to the first concave curved surface 11A of the partition 10 and has a rearward-facing duct 23 that directs the air blown from the blower 21 to be blown rearward from an opening 11E provided in the rear panel 11. The blowing section 20 is attached to the second concave curved surface 12A of the partition 10 and has a louver 24 that bends the air blown from the blower 21 onto the second concave curved surface 12A to the right.

The partition device 4 also has a pair of left and right speaker units 30 that are attached to the first concave curved surface 11A of the partition 10 and can output sound toward the seated occupants. The partition device 4 also has a pair of left and right rear-facing speaker units 40 that are attached to the rear surface of the rear panel 11 and can output sound toward the occupants in the rear seats (not shown).

The partition device 4 also has a display 50 that is attached to the rear surface of the rear panel 11 and can output images to passengers in the rear seats (not shown). Here, the display 50 corresponds to the "accessory" of the present invention.

(Configuration of each part of partition device 4)
The specific configuration of each part of the partition device 4 will be described in detail below. That is, as shown in Figures 2 to 3 and 9, the blowing section 20 is fixed to the lower end part at the center in the seat width direction on the first concave curved surface 11A of the rear panel 11.

The blowing section 20 is configured so that the intake port of the blower 21 faces downward and takes in air from within the vehicle cabin through the gap between the rear panel 11 and the seat back 2. The blowing section 20 then blows out the taken-in air from an outlet opening to the left of the blower 21. The intake port of the blower 21 has a built-in filter such as a HEPA filter (not shown). The filter adsorbs bacteria and viruses contained in the air taken in from the intake port, and the filtered and purified air is blown out from the outlet.

The blowing section 20 is also provided with an air conditioning section (not shown) that can adjust the temperature and humidity of the air taken in through the intake port and add aroma components such as aromatic oils to the taken in air. The air conditioning section can adjust the state of the taken in air according to the temperature and humidity set by the seat occupant operating an electric switch (not shown) and the settings of the aroma components to be added to it.

One end of the duct 22 is connected to the air outlet of the blower 21, and is arranged to extend leftward along the first concave curved surface 11A of the rear panel 11. More specifically, the duct 22 is formed in a tubular shape that is elongated overall and has a U-shaped cross section that opens to the rear.

The duct 22 is set so that the upper and lower pipe wall portions fit into the duct recess 11B formed in the rear panel 11 and is fixed integrally to the rear panel 11 by fastening with screws (not shown). This fixation gives the duct 22 a closed cross-sectional shape that allows air to flow between it and the first concave curved surface 11A. This provides rational reinforcement to the partition 10. The duct 22 is shaped so that the height of the pipe shape gradually increases upward as it extends leftward from one end connected to the blower 21.

The duct 22 is oriented so that one end connected to the blower 21 extends from the left to the front along the first concave curved surface 11A, and the opening of the other end faces in a direction along the second concave curved surface 12A. This allows the duct 22 to blow the wind blown out from the blower 21 from the rear to the front over a wide range in the height direction along the second concave curved surface 12A.

One end of the rearward duct 23 is connected to the air outlet of the blower 21, and is formed to extend upward along the first concave curved surface 11A of the rear panel 11. The other end of the rearward duct 23 that extends upward is passed rearward through an opening 11E formed in the upper center of the rear panel 11, and is set in a state where it opens rearward from the rear panel 11.

The rearward-facing duct 23 is fixed integrally to the rear panel 11 by fastening with screws (not shown). The partition 10 is reinforced in an efficient manner by fixing the rearward-facing duct 23.

The rearward duct 23 is formed in a tubular shape with a long horizontal length and a U-shaped cross section that opens to the rear. The rearward duct 23 is set in a state where it is pressed against the first concave curved surface 11A of the rear panel 11 from the front, so that it forms a closed tubular shape with a rectangular cross section that allows air to flow between it and the first concave curved surface 11A.

The rearward duct 23 is shaped so that the width of the pipe gradually increases from side to side as it extends upward from one end connected to the blower 21. This allows the rearward duct 23 to blow the air blown from the blower 21 rearward from the top of the rear panel 11 over a wide range in the seat width direction.

As shown in Figures 1, 4, 7, and 9, the louvers 24 are attached to the middle of the second concave curved surface 12A of the partition 10 in the front-to-rear direction. The louvers 24 are made of a flat plate-shaped member that is long in the height direction. The base end of the louvers 24 is hinged so that they can rotate on the second concave curved surface 12A by a rotation shaft 24A that extends straight in the height direction.

The louvers 24 are configured so that the angle of the surface relative to the second concave curved surface 12A can be adjusted to any angle by manual operation by the seated person (user), such as tilting the surface to the right or tilting it to the left along the second concave curved surface 12A. By tilting the louvers 24 to the right, a portion of the air blown from the rear by the blower 21 along the second concave curved surface 12A can be deflected to the right by hitting the louvers 24.

This allows the direction of the airflow to be adjusted so that part of the airflow hits the face of the seated person from the side or in front of the face. Since the louvers 24 are flat, a gap is formed between them and the second concave curved surface 12A, which forms a three-dimensional concave curved surface. Therefore, no matter what angle the louvers 24 are adjusted to, part of the air blown out from the blower 21 passes through the gap and flows forward over the second concave curved surface 12A.

The wind blown forward from the blower 21 along the second concave curved surface 12A is diffused over a wide range in the height direction of the second concave curved surface 12A. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the wind is bent along the curved shape bent to the right of the front part of the second concave curved surface 12A so as to approach the front side of the seated occupant's head, and is blown forward (diagonally forward to the right). This makes it possible to form an air curtain in front of the side panel 12 that is blown forward over a wide range in the height direction.

As shown in Figures 2-3 and 7-8, the pair of left and right speaker units 30 are attached in two positions on the rear panel 11, offset to the left and right of the headrest 3, in a symmetrical orientation. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, each speaker unit 30 is set in a manner that covers from the front a speaker recess 11C that is recessed rearward and formed at a corresponding position on the rear panel 11, and is fixed integrally to the rear panel 11 by fastening with screws (not shown).

Assembled as described above, each speaker recess 11C located behind each speaker unit 30 functions as an enclosure that encloses the rear surface of each speaker unit 30 and prevents sound from leaking to the rear. Each speaker unit 30 outputs sound from an audio device installed in the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the pair of left and right rear-facing speaker units 40 are integrally attached to the rear panel 11 at two positions on the left and right sides by fastening with screws (not shown). Specifically, each rear-facing speaker unit 40 is attached at a position slightly shifted inward in the seat width direction from the rear surface of each speaker recess 11C in which each of the above-mentioned speaker units 30 is provided.

Each rear speaker unit 40 outputs sound from an audio device installed in the vehicle. Each rear speaker unit 40 also outputs sound emitted by a person sitting in the seat 1, which is output through a microphone (not shown) provided on the side panel 12.

By enabling such audio output, even if seat 1 is separated from the rear seat (not shown) by a partition 10, it is possible to smoothly transmit the voice emitted by the occupant of seat 1, who is sitting facing forward, to the occupant of the rear seat (not shown).

The display 50 displays images output from video equipment installed in the vehicle. The display 50 is set from the rear onto a flat surface 11D, which serves as a mounting surface and is formed in the center of the rear surface of the rear panel 11, and is attached integrally by fastening with screws (not shown).

By enabling this type of video output, even if the forward view of the occupant in the rear seat (not shown) is easily obstructed by the partition 10, the image of the front of the vehicle captured by a front camera (not shown) mounted on the vehicle can be projected to the occupant in the rear seat (not shown).

In addition, the outer peripheral surfaces of the rear panel 11 and the side panel 12 of the partition 10 are formed as three-dimensional curved surfaces that follow the inner peripheral surfaces of the respective three-dimensional curved surfaces. In addition, beads 14 are formed in two locations, one above the other on the upper left side of the outer peripheral surfaces, that extend in stripes in the seat width direction along the outer peripheral surfaces.

These beads 14 extend approximately parallel to each other from the side panel 12 to the rear panel 11. More specifically, each bead 14 has approximately the same length, and the lower bead 14 is positioned more to the right than the upper bead 14.

With the above configuration, a portion of the wind flowing from the front to the rear on the left side (one side) of the partition 10 is guided to flow behind the rear panel 11 of the partition 10 by the Coanda effect along the outer peripheral surface of the partition 10. At that time, the wind flowing to the rear is rectified by the streak-like beads 14 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the partition 10 so that it is less likely to be diffused in the vertical direction.

In particular, the wind flowing between the two beads 14 is guided from both sides in the vertical direction by the two beads 14, so that it flows rearward along the outer periphery of the partition 10 without being significantly diffused in the vertical direction. Therefore, the wind flowing rearward can be appropriately guided behind the rear panel 11 of the partition 10.

(summary)
To sum up, the partition device 4 according to this embodiment has the following configuration: Note that in the following, the reference characters in parentheses correspond to the respective components shown in the above embodiment.

That is, the partition device (4) has a partition (10) that is provided on the seat (1) and separates it from the adjacent seat on one side (left). The partition (10) has a rear panel (11) that is attached to the seat back (2) and/or headrest (3) of the seat (1) and covers the headrest (3) from behind, and a side panel (12) that extends forward from the rear panel (11) through one side (left) of the headrest (3) to cover the head of the seated occupant from one side (left), and is configured so as not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or the other side (right).

The rear panel (11) has a first concave curved surface (11A) that is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper part and both sides curved forward. The side panel (12) has a second concave curved surface (12A) that is the inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the other side (right), with its upper part and front and rear parts curved toward the other side (right) so as to smoothly continue with the first concave curved surface (11A).

With the above configuration, the partition (10) is made up of a rear panel (11) and a side panel (12) with three-dimensional concave curved surfaces that are smoothly connected to each other, forming a partition that can secure a comfortable personal space around the head of the seated person, wrapping the head in a wide, rounded shape from the rear and one side (left).

The partition device (4) further has a blowing section (20) equipped with a blower (21) that blows air from the rear toward the front along the second concave curved surface (12A). According to the above configuration, the air blown out from the blowing section (20) can form an air curtain that is blown forward along the second concave curved surface (12A) of the side panel (12). In addition, the air curtain can be bent along the curvature of the second concave curved surface (12A) so as to approach the front side of the seated occupant's head, forming a more effective air curtain.

The partition device (4) further includes a duct (22) that is fixed to the first concave curved surface (11A) and extends in the sheet width direction from the blowing section (20) toward the second concave curved surface (12A) and delivers the air blown out from the blower (21). The duct (22) forms a closed cross-sectional shape either by itself or between itself and the first concave curved surface (11A). With the above configuration, the partition (10) can be rationally reinforced by the duct (22).

The partition device (4) further has a louver (24) that is attached to the second concave curved surface (12A) and bends the direction of the air blown out from the blower (21) to the other side (right). With the above configuration, the air blown out from the blowing section (20) can be adjusted to blow the air sideways or directly in front of the face of the seated person.

The partition device (4) further has a rearward duct (23) that directs the air blown from the blower (21) to be blown rearward from an opening (11E) provided in the rear panel (11). With the above configuration, air can be efficiently blown out rearward from the partition (10) by utilizing the blowing section (20) provided in the partition device (4).

The partition (10) further has an extension panel (13) fixed to the rear panel (11) and extending flush with the rear panel (11) from the upper edge and/or the other side (right) edge of the rear panel (11). The extension panel (13) is softer than the rear panel (11). According to the above configuration, the shape of the partition (10) can be expanded by the soft extension panel (13) fixed to the periphery of the rear panel (11) to allow interference with surrounding structures such as the vehicle ceiling (C) and vehicle side wall (W).

The partition device (4) further has a speaker unit (30) that is mounted on the first concave curved surface (11A). The rear panel (11) has a speaker recess (11C) that recesses a portion of the first concave curved surface (11A) rearward to form an enclosure behind the speaker unit (30). With the above configuration, the configuration of the partition (10) can be used to rationally form an enclosure for the speaker unit (30) that is mounted on the partition (10).

In addition, the partition device (4) further includes a rearward-facing speaker unit (40) that is attached to the rear surface of the rear panel (11). With the above configuration, even if the seat (1) and the space behind it are separated by the partition (10), sound can be output toward the rear by the rearward-facing speaker unit (40) that is attached to the rear panel (11).

In addition, a flat surface (11D) that serves as a mounting surface for the accessory (50) is formed on the rear surface of the rear panel (11). With the above configuration, the flat surface (11D) that serves as a mounting surface for the accessory (50) can be rationally formed by utilizing the configuration of the rear panel (11) that separates the seat (1) from the rear space.

In addition, the partition (10) has a three-dimensional curved outer surface that conforms to the inner surfaces of the rear panel (11) and the side panel (12), and has beads (14) on the outer surface that extend in stripes in the seat width direction along the outer surface.

According to the above configuration, the wind flowing from the front to the rear along one side of the partition (10) is guided to flow behind the rear panel (11) of the partition (10) due to the Coanda effect along the outer peripheral surface of the partition (10). At that time, the wind flowing to the rear is rectified by the striated beads (14) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the partition (10) so that it is less likely to be diffused in the vertical direction. Therefore, the wind flowing to the rear can be appropriately guided behind the rear panel (11) of the partition (10).

Other embodiments
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various forms as described below in addition to the above embodiment.

1. The partition device of the present invention can be applied to the right front seat of an automobile, as well as to the left front seat. In that case, the side panel is configured to cover the head of the seated occupant from the right (one side). The partition device can also be applied to seats that do not have a seat at the rear, such as the last row of seats.

The partition device can be used not only for automobile seats, but also for seats in vehicles other than automobiles, such as trains, and for vehicles other than vehicles, such as aircraft and ships. The partition device can also be used for seats installed in various facilities, such as sports facilities, theaters, movie theaters, amusement facilities such as pachinko parlors and game centers, concert venues, event venues, and seats installed in vehicles other than vehicles, such as massage seats.

The partition device may be configured without an air outlet section, a speaker unit, a rear-facing speaker unit, and/or a flat surface that serves as a mounting surface for accessories. FIG. 12 shows the configuration of a partition device 5 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the partition device 5 has an air outlet section 20 equipped with a blower 21, a duct 22 with a closed cross-sectional shape that sends the air blown out from the blower 21 forward, and a speaker unit 30, but does not have a rear-facing duct or a rear-facing speaker unit.

The blower 21 shown in FIG. 12 has an intake port connected to a communication hole 11F opened in the rear panel 11, and is configured to take in air from the rear of the vehicle interior through the communication hole 11F. Note that apart from the above, the configuration is the same as that of the partition device 4 shown in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals will be used and the description will be omitted.

2. The partition may be attached to the seat back or the head rest. The partition may also be attached across both the seat back and the head rest. The side panel may be of a vertically long shape that covers not only the head of the seated occupant but also the torso from one side.

3. The blower provided in the blowing section may have an intake port configured to take in air from the front or above. In other words, the blower does not necessarily have to take in air from the external area separated by the partition, but may take in air from the area on the seated occupant's side. The blower may be attached to the side panel of the partition and configured to blow air forward.

4. The duct may have an open cross-sectional shape that forms a closed cross-sectional shape between the inner circumferential surface of the partition, or it may have a closed cross-sectional shape by itself. The duct may also have an open cross-sectional shape between the inner circumferential surface of the partition. The partition device may also be configured to have only a duct, without having a duct facing backward.

5. The louvers may be manually operated or electrically operated to change the direction in which the air is bent. The louvers may be flat or curved, gently curving in the direction in which the air is bent.

6. In the above embodiment, a display is given as an example of an accessory, but other accessories may be used. Specifically, examples include various electrical components such as tablet devices and lighting fixtures, assist grips that can be used by passengers in the rear seats, and seatback tables and cup holders that are deployed behind the seatback.

7. The beads formed on the outer peripheral surface of the partition may be three or more, or may be only one. Furthermore, the bead may extend in a stripe shape in the width direction of the seat when viewed from the rear, or may have a shape that is inclined or curved in the height direction.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 seat 2 seat back 3 headrest 4 partition device 5 partition device 10 partition 11 rear panel 11A first concave curved surface 11B duct recess 11C speaker recess 11D flat surface 11E opening 11F communication hole 12 side panel 12A second concave curved surface 13 extension panel 14 bead 20 blowing section 21 blower 22 duct 23 rearward facing duct 24 louver 24A rotating shaft 30 speaker unit 40 rearward facing speaker unit 50 display (equipment)
C Vehicle ceiling (vehicle ceiling)
W Vehicle side wall (vehicle side wall)

Claims (9)

A partition device having a partition provided on a seat to separate the seat from an adjacent seat on one side,
the partition has a rear panel attached to the seat back and/or the headrest of the seat and covering the entire headrest from a position separated from the rear, and a side panel extending forward from the rear panel through the one side of the headrest and covering the head of the seated occupant from the one side, and is configured not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or the other side,
The rear panel has a first concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper part and both side parts curved forward, and the side panel has a second concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the other side, with its upper part and front and rear parts curved toward the other side so as to be smoothly continuous with the first concave curved surface,
The partition device further includes a blower provided in a portion of the rear panel that covers the seat back and/or the headrest from the rear, the blower having an outlet section that blows air from the rear toward the front along the second concave curved surface . 2. The partition device according to claim 1,
The partition device further has a duct that is fixed in a shape extending in the sheet width direction along the first concave curved surface from the blowing portion toward the second concave curved surface, and sends out the air blown out from the blower, and the duct forms a closed cross-sectional shape by itself or between itself and the first concave curved surface . The partition device according to claim 1 or 2,
The partition device further includes a louver attached to the second concave curved surface for bending the direction of the air blown out from the blower to the other side . A partition device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The partition device further has a rear-facing duct that directs the air blown out from the blower rearward through an opening provided in the rear panel . A partition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The partition device further includes an extension panel fixed to the rear panel and extending flush with the rear panel from the upper edge and/or the other side edge of the rear panel, the extension panel being softer than the rear panel. A partition device having a partition provided on a seat to separate the seat from an adjacent seat on one side,
the partition has a rear panel attached to the seat back and/or the headrest of the seat and covering the entire headrest from a position separated from the rear, and a side panel extending forward from the rear panel through the one side of the headrest and covering the head of the seated occupant from the one side, and is configured not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or the other side,
The rear panel has a first concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper part and both side parts curved forward, and the side panel has a second concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the other side, with its upper part and front and rear parts curved toward the other side so as to be smoothly continuous with the first concave curved surface,
The partition device further has a speaker unit mounted on the first concave curved surface, and the rear panel has a speaker recess that recesses a portion of the first concave curved surface rearward to form an enclosure behind the speaker unit . A partition device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The partition device further includes a rear-facing speaker unit mounted on the rear surface of the rear panel . A partition device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A partition device in which a flat surface that serves as a mounting surface for equipment is formed on the rear surface of the rear panel . A partition device having a partition provided on a seat to separate the seat from an adjacent seat on one side,
the partition has a rear panel attached to the seat back and/or the headrest of the seat and covering the entire headrest from a position separated from the rear, and a side panel extending forward from the rear panel through the one side of the headrest and covering the head of the seated occupant from the one side, and is configured not to cover the seated occupant from the front, above, below, or the other side,
The rear panel has a first concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the front, with its upper part and both side parts curved forward, and the side panel has a second concave curved surface that is an inner peripheral surface of a three-dimensional curved surface that is concave toward the other side, with its upper part and front and rear parts curved toward the other side so as to be smoothly continuous with the first concave curved surface,
A partition device in which the partition has a three-dimensional curved outer peripheral surface that follows the inner peripheral surfaces of the rear panel and the side panel, and has a bead on the outer peripheral surface that extends in a streak-like manner in the seat width direction along the outer peripheral surface .

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