WO2014122514A1

WO2014122514A1 - Seat structure

Info

Publication number: WO2014122514A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/000092
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eishi Takeuchi; Kohshi Katoh; Koki KUNUGI
Original assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2013-02-08
Filing date: 2014-01-31
Publication date: 2014-08-14
Also published as: JP2014151771A

Abstract

A seat structure (1) is provided in a seat cushion portion (2) of a vehicle seat. The seat structure (1) includes: paired seat side frames (3) extending in a seat front-rear direction; a front rod (4) connected to the seat side frames (3) and extending in a seat right and left direction; a rear rod (5) provided behind the front rod (4) so as to be connected to the seat side frames (3) and to extend in the seat right and left direction; and two seat-surface springs (6) provided over the front rod (4) and the rear rod (5) so as to extend in the seat front-rear direction. A striped body (10) extending in the seat right and left direction is disposed above the seat-surface springs (6) so as to be closer to the rear rod (5). The striped body (10) is connected to each of the seat side frames (3) via a clip (9). As the striped body (10), an elastic linear spring is used.

Description

SEAT STRUCTURE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention relates to a seat structure provided in a seat cushion portion of a vehicle seat.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002] As a conventional seat structure, a seat structure described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-126548 (JP8- 126548 A) is known, for example. The seat structure described in JP8- 126548 A includes: a cushion main body incorporated onto a seat frame of a frame body; a pelvis support provided in a rear portion of the cushion main body and including that portion corresponding to a pelvis portion of a sitting occupant which is formed in a divided manner; and an adjustment mechanism provided in a rear side of the seat frame and pivoting a rear end side of the pelvis support in an up-and-down direction. When the pelvis support is moved in the up-and-down direction via a control lever of the adjustment mechanism, a sitting angle of a bottom portion of the occupant sitting on the pelvis support changes, thereby eventually making it possible to prevent a backward tilting of the pelvis of the occupant.

[0003] However, the conventional technique has the following problem. That is, the adjustment mechanism is roughly constituted by a shaft, a subframe, a cam shaft, a cam, the control lever, etc., and thus has an extremely complicated configuration. Further, the occupant operates the control lever to change the sitting angle of the bottom portion while sitting on the pelvis support. This easily causes a position displacement of the pelvis support, thereby resulting in that the occupant may not be able to easily take an upright posture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] The invention provides a seat structure which is a simple structure, which is able to restrain a backward tilting of a pelvis of an occupant, and which allows the occupant to easily take an upright posture.

[0005] The invention is a seat structure provided in a seat cushion portion of a vehicle seat, and the seat structure includes: paired seat side frames disposed on right and left sides of the seat cushion portion; a plurality of seat-surface springs provided over a front rod and a rear rod each of which is connected to the seat side frames, the plurality of seat-surface springs extending in a front-rear direction of the seat cushion portion; and a striped body disposed above the seat-surface springs so as to be closer to the rear rod in such a manner that the striped body is connected to the seat side frames and extends in a right and left direction of the seat cushion portion.

[0006] As such, in the seat structure of the invention,, the striped body is provided above the seat-surface springs so as to be closer to the rear rod in such a manner that the striped body is connected to the seat side frames and extends in the right and left direction of the seat cushion portion. Accordingly, when an occupant sits on the seat cushion portion, a sacrum behind a hipbone of the occupant is supported by the striped body, so that a backward tilting moment of a pelvis of the occupant is restrained. Accordingly, with a simple structure, it is possible to restrain a backward tilting of the pelvis of the occupant. Further, when the occupant sits on the seat cushion portion, the backward tilting of the pelvis of the occupant is restrained naturally, so that the occupant is able to take an upright posture easily.

[0007] The striped body may be disposed between the rear rod and a portion above the seat-surface springs which portion corresponds to an area where an occupant sits. In this case, when the occupant sits on the seat cushion portion, the sacrum behind the hipbone of the occupant is more surely supported by the striped body, so that the backward tilting moment of the pelvis of the occupant is sufficiently restrained.

[0008] Further, the striped body may be connected to each of the seat side frames via a clip. In this case, it is possible to connect the striped body to each of the seat side frames while shortening a length of the striped body to a minimum requirement. [0009] Further, the striped body may be connected to each of the seat side frames by welding. In this case, it is possible to connect the striped body to each of the seat side frames without adding other components or performing hole drilling on the seat side frames.

[0010] Further, each of the seat side frame may have an opening window, and the striped body may be hooked into the opening window so as to be connected to the each of the seat side frames. In this case, it is possible to easily connect the striped body to the seat side frames by hooking respective end portions of the striped body to the opening windows.

[0011] Further, each of the seat side frame may have a bag-like portion, and the striped body may be hooked into the bag-like portion so as to be connected to the each of the seat side frames. In this case, it is possible to easily connect the striped body to the seat side frames by hooking respective end portions of the striped body to the bag-like portions.

[0012] According to the invention, it is possible to restrain a backward tilting of a pelvis of an occupant with a simple structure, and it is also possible for the occupant to easily take an upright posture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating part of one embodiment of a seat structure according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the seat structure illustrated in

FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clip illustrated in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4A is a view illustrating a shape of an opening window formed in a seat side frame illustrated in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 4B is a view illustrating a shape of an opening window formed in the seat side frame illustrated in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating part of another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically illustrating part of further another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a connecting portion of a striped body illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a modified example of the connecting portion of the striped body illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating further another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention;

FIG. 10A is a sectional view illustrating a connecting portion of a striped body illustrated in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 1 OB is a sectional view illustrating the connecting portion of the striped body illustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Details of preferred embodiments of a seat structure according to the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that identical or equivalent elements in the drawings have the same reference sign, and a redundant description thereof is omitted.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating part of one embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the seat structure illustrated in FIG. 1. In each of the figures, a seat structure 1 of the present embodiment is provided in a seat cushion portion 2 of a vehicle seat.

[0016] The seat structure 1 includes: paired seat side frames 3 extending in a front-rear direction (a seat front-rear direction) of the seat cushion portion 2; a front rod 4 connected to the seat side frames 3 and extending in a right and left direction (a seat right and left direction) of the seat cushion portion 2; a rear rod 5 provided behind the front rod 4 so as to be connected to the seat side frames 3 and to extend in the seat right and left direction; and two seat-surface springs 6 provided over the front rod 4 and the rear rod 5 so as to extend in the seat front-rear direction.

[0017] Note that the seat cushion portion 2 includes a cushion urethane 7 provided over the seat side frames 3 so that the seat side frames 3 are covered therewith, and a surface of the cushion urethane 7 is provided with a skin portion 8.

[0018] A striped body 10 extending in the seat right and left direction is disposed above the seat-surface springs 6 so as to be closer to the rear rod 5. The striped body 10 is connected to each of the seat side frames 3 via a clip 9. More specifically, it is preferable that the striped body 10 be disposed between the rear rod 5 and a portion above the seat-surface springs which portion corresponds to an area where an occupant A sits. As the striped body 10, an elastic linear spring is used. Respective end portions of the striped body 10 are bent in an L-shape, for example.

[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the clip 9 has a round hole 11 formed so as to engage with each end portion of the striped body ^' 10. Further, paired cutout portions 12 are formed in a portion closer to a base end than the round hole 11 in the clip 9. A portion between the cutout portions 12 in the clip 9 forms a wall portion 13.

[0020] In a connecting part of the seat side frame 3 to the striped body 10, a T-shaped opening window 14 as illustrated in FIG. 4 A is formed. The opening window 14 includes a penetration portion 14a which extends in the seat front-rear direction of the seat side frame 3 and through which the clip 9 penetrates, and a fitting portion 14b formed in a lower portion of the penetration portion 14a so as to fit the clip 9 within the seat side frame 3.

[0021] When the striped body 10 is fixed to each of the seat side frames 3 by use of the clip 9, the clip 9 is initially penetrated through the penetration portion 14a of the opening window 14 and the wall portion 13 of the clip 9 is fitted to the fitting portion 14b of the opening window 14, so that each of the cutout portions 12 of the clip 9 is hooked on the seat side frame 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Hereby, the clip 9 is attached to the seat side frame 3. After that, the end portion of the striped body 10 is hooked into the hole 11 of the clip 9. Thus, the striped body 10 is attached to the clip 9. As a result, the striped body 10 is connected to each of the seat side frames 3 via the clip 9.

[0022] When the occupant A sits on the seat cushion portion 2 thus configured, the cushion urethane 7 bends downward as illustrated in FIG. 1, and the seat-surface springs 6 bend downward along with this. At this time, a pressure gradient in the seat front-rear direction is moderated by the cushion urethane 7, but a backward tilting moment Mi of a pelvis 15 of the occupant A occurs.

[0023] In the seat structure 1 of the present embodiment, the striped body 10 connected to the seat side frames 3 and extending in the seat right and left direction is disposed in a rear side of the portion above the seat-surface springs 6 which portion corresponds to the area where the occupant A sits. Accordingly, at the time when the occupant A sits thereon, a sacrum 17 behind a hipbone 16 of the occupant A is supported by the striped body 10. On that account, a moment M₂ in a direction to restrain the backward tilting moment M_\ of the pelvis 15 occurs regardless of the bending of the seat-surface spring 6. Accordingly, with a simple structure, it is possible to restrain a backward tilting of the pelvis 15 of the occupant A. Further, when the occupant A sits, the backward tilting of the pelvis 15 of the occupant A is restrained naturally, so that the occupant A is able to take an upright posture easily.

[0024] Note that in the connecting part of the seat side frame 3 to the striped body 10, an opening window 18 as illustrated in FIG. 4B may be formed. The opening window 18 has a shape in which hat-like shapes are combined in a symmetrical manner so as to extend in the up-and-down direction of the seat side frame 3. The opening window 18 has a dimension which allows the clip 9 to penetrate therethrough. A lower portion of the opening window 18 includes a fitting portion 18a for fitting the clip 9 thereto.

[0025] The clip 9 is attached to the seat side frame 3 having such an opening window 18 in such a manner that after the clip 9 is placed longitudinally and penetrated through the opening, window 18, the clip 9 is rotated by 90 degrees so as to be placed laterally, and then, the wall portion 13 of the clip 9 is fitted to the fitting portion 18a of the opening window 18, so that each of the cutout portions 12 of the clip 9 is hooked on the seat side frame 3.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating part of another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention. In the figure, a seat structure 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that a striped body 10 is connected to respective seat side frames 3 by welding. That is, inner side surfaces of the respective seat side frames 3 are provided with welded portions S to which respective end portions of the striped body 10 are welded. Note that, no opening window 14 is formed in the seat side frames 3. The other configuration is similar to the above embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically illustrating part of further another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention. FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a connecting portion of a striped body 10 illustrated in FIG. 6. In each of the figures, a seat structure 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that the striped body 10 is connected to opening windows 14 of respective seat side frames 3. More specifically, respective end portions of the striped body 10 are hooked into fitting portions 14b of the opening windows 14. The other configuration is similar to the above embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a modified example of the connecting portion of the striped body 10 illustrated in FIG. 7. In the figure, rubber shims 20 for adjusting a bending margin of the striped body 10 are disposed outside each of the seat side frames 3. Accordingly, the respective end portions of the striped body 10 pass through the opening windows 14 of the respective seat side frames 3 and are hooked on the shims 20. The number of shims 20 varies depending on the bending margin of the striped body 10. Note that a cutout (not shown) to move the striped body 10 to a central portion of the shims 20 is formed in the shims 20. A bending amount of the striped body 10 is adjustable by the shims 20 as such, and when the bending amount of the striped body 10 is reduced, for example, it is possible to restrain occurrence of abnormal noise.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating part of further another embodiment of the seat structure according to the invention. FIG. 1 OA is a sectional view illustrating a connecting portion of a striped body 10 illustrated in FIG. 9. In each of the figures, a seat structure 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that the striped body 10 is connected to bag-like portions 21 provided in respective seat side frames 3. More specifically, an inner side surface of each of the seat side frames 3 is provided with a bag-like portion 21 having an L-shaped section. The bag-like portion 21 is formed by welding. Respective end portions of the striped body 10 are hooked into the bag-like portions 21. Note that, no opening window 14 is formed in the seat side frames 3. The other configuration is similar to the above embodiment.

[0030] Note that, the bag-like portions 21 are not limited to those formed by welding. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, the bag-like portions 21 may be formed by performing hole drilling on the seat side frames 3 from its outside.

[0031] Some preferred embodiments of the seat structure according to the invention have been described above, but the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, the striped body 10 is a linear spring, but the configuration of the striped body 10 is not limited to the spring in particular, and may be just a bar having no elasticity, for example.

[0032] Further, in the above embodiments, the two seat-surface springs 6 are provided over the front rod 4 and the rear rod 5, but the number of seat-surface springs 6 may be three or more.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A seat structure provided in a seat cushion portion of a vehicle seat, the seat structure comprising:

paired seat side frames disposed on right and left sides of the seat cushion portion; a front rod and a rear rod each of which is connected to the seat side frames;

a plurality of seat-surface springs provided over the front rod and the rear rod, the plurality of seat-surface springs extending in a front-rear direction of the seat cushion portion; and

a striped body disposed above the seat-surface springs so as to be closer to the rear rod in such a manner that the striped body is connected to the seat side frames and extends in a right and left direction of the seat cushion portion.

2. The seat structure, according to claim 1, wherein:

, the striped body is disposed between the rear rod and a portion that is located above the seat-surface springs, and that corresponds to an area where an occupant sits.

3. The seat structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the striped body is connected to each of the seat side frames via a clip.

4. The seat structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the striped body is connected to each of the seat side frames by welding.

5. The seat structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

each of the seat side frame has an opening window, and the striped body is hooked into the opening window so as to be connected to the each of the seat side frames.

6. The seat structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

each of the seat side frame has a bag-like portion, and the striped body is hooked into the bag-like portion so as to be connected to the each of the seat side frames.