JPH05111418A - Lumbar supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a variation of a supporting position to the mist part of a seated person caused by a support plate at the time of adjusting waist part supporting pressure, and to make a sitting feeling comfortable by connecting the support plate to a supporting arm through a slot. CONSTITUTION:When a motor 16 is rotated by operating a switch, racks 19 and 20 are moved symmetrically and inside edge parts of guide slots 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b press continuously terminal parts 10a2, 10b2 and 11a2, 11b2 of supporting arms 10 and 11, and the supporting arms 10 and 11 are turned symmetrically by setting hinge pins 8 and 9 as supporting points. By this turning, a support plate 7 is subjected to moving operation in the forward and the backward directions, and supporting pressure to the waist part of a seated person is adjusted. In this adjusting operation, since the support plate 7 is connected to the supporting arms 10 and 11 with a degree of freedom within a range of length of slot parts 12 and 13, the support plate 7 moves forward and backward without being shifted in the horizontal direction, therefore, the waist part of the seated person is supported in a prescribed position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lumbar support device provided in a seat of a passenger car, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a seat mounted on a passenger car, in particular, a seat for a driver, a lumbar support for adjusting a support pressure (support strength) to a lumbar region of a seated person to obtain a comfortable sitting comfort. Those with built-in devices are widely used.

A conventional lumbar support device of this type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-131412. The structure of this conventional lumbar support device will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In the seat back frame (not shown) arranged in the seat back of the seat, the torsion coil spring-like support arm 101 is used to form the coil. A support plate 102, which is rotatably supported in the front-rear direction in the section, supports one end of the support arm 101 to support the waist of the seated person, and the other end of the support arm 101 has a predetermined operating mechanism. The support plate 102 is moved in the front-rear direction by operating the support arm 101 by rotating the support arm 101 to variably adjust the support pressure on the waist of the seated person.

[0004]

However, in this conventional structure, since the support plate is integrally connected to the support arm, as is apparent from FIG. 10, the support plate is laterally moved as the support arm rotates. In the figure
Therefore, the supporting position of the seated person with respect to the waist changes and changes, and the seated person cannot obtain a comfortable sitting comfort.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
An object of the present invention is to provide a lumbar support device that always supports the lumbar region of a seated person at a fixed position and provides a comfortable sitting comfort.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises a pair of support arms pivotally supported symmetrically in the front-back direction on the left and right sides of a seat back frame.
The support plate is provided with a support plate that is connected to the distal ends of the pair of support arms and supports the waist of the seated person, and an operating mechanism that rotates the pair of support arms to move and adjust the support plate in the front-rear direction. It has a structure in which it is connected to a support arm in an elongated hole formed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the movement adjusting direction.

[0007]

As described above, since the support plate is connected to the support arm through the elongated hole in this manner, the support plate is always laterally displaced when the support arm is rotated and the support plate is moved back and forth. The seated person can move in a state where the supporting position for the waist is constant.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a seat back frame which forms a skeleton of a seat back of a seat. A seat pad is surrounded by the seat back frame 1, and a surface of the seat pad is covered with a skin material to form a seat back. .. Side plates 2a are provided on both left and right sides of the seat back frame 1 for forming bulging shapes of both sides of the seat back.
2b are fixed, and the left and right side plates 2a
And 2b, a lumbar support device 3 for adjusting the support pressure on the lumbar region of the seated person is provided. The lumbar support device 3 is composed of a lumbar support mechanism 4 which is the main body of the lumbar support device 3 and a vertical movement mechanism 5 which moves the lumber support mechanism 4 in the vertical direction as a whole.

First, the structure of the lumbar support mechanism 4 will be described. Reference numeral 6 denotes a unit frame formed in a box-like shape as a base member of the lumbar support mechanism 4, and a support plate 7 is movably supported by the unit frame 6 in the front-rear direction, that is, in the direction in which the support plate 7 moves toward and away from the waist of a seated person. The front side of the support plate 7 abuts against the back side of the seat pad surrounded by the seat back frame 1, and the back-and-forth movement operation adjusts the support pressure for the lumbar region of the seated person.

The mechanism for supporting the support plate 7 so as to be movable back and forth is constructed as follows. That is, the hinge pins 8 and 9 are axially fixed to both left and right ends of the unit frame 6, and the hinge pins 8 and 9 respectively support the torsion coil spring-shaped support arms 10 and 11 so as to be symmetrically rotatable in the front-rear direction. This support arm 1
A support plate 7 as a lumbar support member is connected to and supported by 0 and 11.

The support arms 10 and 11 are composed of upper arm portions 10a and 11a and lower arm portions 10b and 11b, which are vertically symmetrical, respectively, and coil portions 10a ₁ and 11a ₁ and 10b are provided in the middle portions thereof. ₁ and 11
b ₁ is formed. And these upper arms 10a
And 11a and the lower arm portions 10b and 11b are integrally connected at one end side by connecting portions 10c and 11c, respectively, and the terminal portions 10a ₂ and 11 at the other end side thereof, respectively.
a ₂ and 10b ₂ and 11b ₂ are bent so as to face each other. The support arms 10 and 11 formed in such a shape are fitted and supported by the hinge pins 8 and 9 in the coil portions 10a ₁ and 10b ₁ and 11a ₁ and 11b ₁ , respectively, and the support arms 10 on both sides are 11
The support plate 7 is attached to the connecting portions 10c and 11c with the connecting portions 10c and 11c facing each other.

The structure of the mounting portion of the support plate 7 will be described in more detail. The support plate 7 is long in the direction (lateral direction) orthogonal to the movement adjusting direction (front-back direction) with respect to the lumbar region of the seated person. Holes 12 and 13
In the configuration of the present example, joint plates 14 and 15 each having a central portion concavely bent into a U-shape are provided on the back surface side of the support plate 7 in the concave shape. The long holes 12 and 13 formed between the inner surface of the curved portion and the support plate 7 are fixed in a state that the connecting portions 10c and 11c of the support arms 10 and 11 are engaged with each other. Reference numeral 7 is connected to the support arms 10 and 11 with a degree of freedom of movement within the length of the long holes 12 and 13.

On the other hand, on the unit frame 6 side,
An operation mechanism for rotating the support arms 10 and 11 to move the support plate 7 back and forth is configured.
This operating mechanism includes a motor 16 fixed to the unit frame 6, a gear box 17 for reducing the rotation of the motor 16, a pinion 18 attached to the output shaft of the gear box 17, and a meshing engagement with the pinion 18. And a pair of racks 19 and 20. Motor 16
Is driven to rotate in both forward and reverse directions by operating a first switch (not shown), and the racks 19 and 20 are symmetrically moved laterally by the rotation of the pinion 18 driven by the motor 16. .. This rack 1
Connection brackets 21 and 22 are fixed to the outer end portions of 9 and 20, respectively, and guide upper and lower portions of the connection brackets 21 and 22 have arc-shaped guide slots 21a, which are inclined with respect to the moving directions of the racks 19 and 20, respectively. 21b and 22a,
22b are formed symmetrically, and the guide slot 21
The bent end portions 10a ₂ , 10b ₂ and 11a ₂ , 11b _{2 of} the support arms 10 and 11 described above are engaged with a, 21b and 22a, 22b, respectively.

When the first switch is operated to rotate the motor 16 in the lumbar support mechanism 4 constructed as described above, the racks 19 and 20 are moved symmetrically as described above, whereby the guide elongated holes 21a, The inner edges of 21b, 22a and 22b are the support arms 10 and 1, respectively.
1 terminal unit 10a ₂ , 10b ₂ and 11a ₂ , 11b ₂
Continuously, so that the support arms 10 and 11 are pivoted symmetrically about the hinge pins 8 and 9, respectively.
The rotation of the support arms 10 and 11 causes the support plate 7 to move in the front-rear direction, and the support pressure on the waist of the seated person is adjusted. In this example, when the motors 16 move the racks 19 and 20 in the direction of approaching each other, the support plate 7 moves forward to increase the support pressure on the lumbar region of the occupant (FIG. 5), and the racks 19 and 20 are moved. When the support plates 7 are moved away from each other, the support plate 7 moves backward and weakens the support pressure (FIG. 6).

In this adjusting operation, the support position of the support plate 7 with respect to the waist of the seated person does not change. That is, as described above, the support plate 7 has the elongated holes 12 and 13 with respect to the support arms 10 and 11.
Since the support plate 7 is connected with the degree of freedom within the range of the length, the support plate 7 always moves back and forth in the state of being in contact with the same portion of the seat pad during the adjustment operation without being displaced in the lateral direction. It will support the lumbar region at a fixed position.

Further, in the lumbar support mechanism 4 of this embodiment, since the support plate 7 is supported by the left and right support arms 10 and 11 so that the support plate 7 can be moved back and forth, the lumbar region of the seated person is stable and reliable. Supported by,
Moreover, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
Since each of them independently bends due to the spring action of the coil portion, a sufficient support feeling can be given to seated persons of all body types.

Next, the structure of the vertical moving mechanism 5 for moving the lumbar support mechanism 4 as a whole in the vertical direction will be described. A support bracket 23 is fixed to the seat back frame 1 approximately at the center by straddling between both side portions by a mounting screw 24, and bearing portions 25 and 26 provided at both left and right ends of the support bracket 23 and a seat back. Screw shafts 29 and 30 are axially supported in parallel with bearings 27 and 28 provided at both left and right ends of the lower side of the frame 1. On the other hand, nut members 31 and 32 are attached to the left and right ends of the unit frame 6 of the lumbar support mechanism 4 described above.
The screw shafts 29 and 30 are inserted and screwed into the screw holes 31a and 32a, respectively, whereby the lumbar support mechanism 4 is screwed to the left and right screw shafts 29 and 30 so as to be vertically movable by the rotation of the screw shafts 29 and 30. Made of a supported structure.

A motor 33 is attached to the support bracket 23 as a driving means for the screw shafts 29 and 30. The motor 33 is rotationally driven in both forward and reverse directions by operating a second switch (not shown). The rotation of the motor 33 is decelerated via the gear box 34, and the output shaft 35 in the bearing portion 25 on one side is rotated. Is output to.
A screw shaft 29 is fixed to the output shaft 35 by serration coupling, and with this configuration, the screw shaft 29 is rotated as the motor 33 rotates.

Further, in synchronization with the rotation of the screw shaft 29 by the motor 33, the screw shaft 30 on the other side is also rotated. That is, in the bearing portions 25 and 26, the pulleys 36 and 37 are fixed by the lock screws 38 and 39 so as to rotate integrally with the screw shafts 29 and 30, respectively, and the timing belt 40 is provided between the pulleys 36 and 37. Is stretched so that the screw shafts 29 and 30 on both sides are simultaneously rotated. In the vicinity of the bearings 25 and 26,
Collars 41 and 42 for contacting and tensioning the timing belt 40 are rotatably supported.

When the second switch is operated to rotate the motor 33 and the screw shafts 29 and 30 in the vertical movement mechanism 5 constructed as described above, the screw shaft 2 is rotated.
The rotation of 9 and 30 causes the lumbar support mechanism 4 to move up and down as a whole, so that the support plate 7
The height of the support position for the waist of the seated person is adjusted. Therefore, the lumbar region can be reliably supported according to the body shape and preference of the seated person, and the seated person can be provided with a sufficiently comfortable sitting comfort.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment and can take various embodiments.

[0023]

As described above, the lumbar support device of the present invention has a pair of support arms which are pivotally supported symmetrically in the front-rear direction on the left and right sides of the seat back, and the pair of support arms. It is equipped with a support plate that is connected to the tip and supports the lumbar region of the occupant, and an operating mechanism that rotates the pair of support arms to move and adjust the support plate in the front-rear direction. With the structure in which the support arm is connected in the elongated hole formed in the direction in which the occupant's waist is supported, the support position of the occupant's waist with the support plate does not change when adjusting the lumbar support pressure. You can get a more comfortable sitting comfort.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lumbar support device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lumbar support device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part of the lumbar support device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view with a part of the lumbar support mechanism portion omitted in the lumbar support device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a lumbar support mechanism portion in the lumbar support device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway bottom view of the lumbar support mechanism portion in the lumbar support device of the embodiment.

7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional lumbar support device.

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a conventional lumbar support device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 seat back frame 3 lumbar support device 7 support plate 10, 11 support arm 12, 13 elongated hole 16 motor 18 pinion 19, 20 rack

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of support arms pivotally supported symmetrically in the front-rear direction on the left and right sides of a seat back frame,
A support plate that is connected to the tip portions of the pair of support arms and supports the waist of the seated person; and an operation mechanism that rotates the pair of support arms to move and adjust the support plates in the front-rear direction. The support plate has a structure in which it is connected to the support arm through an elongated hole formed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the movement adjustment direction thereof, and the support plate is rotated at the time of adjusting the support plate in the longitudinal movement. A lumbar support device characterized in that the support plate is moved back and forth without changing the support position for the waist of the seated person.