VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20140183918A1
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Kaku, Hiroyuki, Furuta, Masaya, Ozawa, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,352,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/344.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges

Abstract

A vehicle seat with a height adjustable seat bottom, includes left and right side frames each including a main body portion extending in a front-rear direction and a mount portion for a seat back frame protruding from a rear portion of the main body portion, which side frames constitute left and right frames of the seat bottom, a height adjustment mechanism configured to allow the left and right side frames to be lifted and lowered, and an operation unit including an operation knob configured to be operated by an occupant to cause the height adjustment mechanism to be actuated which operation unit is fixed to one of the left and right side frames. The operation unit is so disposed that at least a part thereof lies over the mount portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat with a height adjustable seat bottom, comprising:

left and right side frames each including a main body portion extending in a front-rear direction and a mount portion for a seat back frame, the mount portion protruding from a rear portion of the main body portion upward, the left and right side frames constituting left and right frames of the seat bottom;

a height adjustment mechanism configured to allow the left and right side frames to be lifted and lowered; and

an operation unit including an operation member configured to be operated by an occupant to cause the height adjustment mechanism to be actuated, the operation unit being fixed to one of the left and right side frames,

wherein the operation unit is so disposed that at least a part thereof lies over the mount portion.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises a four-bar linkage which includes:

the respective side frames;

left and right rear links rotatably joined to the rear portion of the main body portion;

left and right front links rotatably joined to the main body portion at positions frontward of the rear links; and

a link support member disposed below the side frames and configured to support the rear links and the front links in a manner that permits the front and rear links to rotate; and

wherein a drive shaft of the operation unit is disposed above a plane connecting a side frame-side center of rotation of the front links and a side frame-side center of rotation of the rear links.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a side frame for the operation unit to be attached thereto has a recessed portion that is recessed in one of left and right directions that faces inward, and the operation unit is attached to a bottom wall of the recessed portion.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the side frames comprise a flange portion disposed around a region thereof which leastwise includes a wall to which the operation unit is fixed, and configured to protrude in one of left and right directions that faces outward relative to the wall and to extend along upper and lower edges of the side frames, and a first gap portion disposed on the edges of the side frames around a region thereof at which the main body portion and the mount portion are joined together, and configured to be flush with the wall whereby a gap is formed in the flange portion;

and

wherein the operation unit is disposed to face the first gap portion.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the side frames comprise a flange portion disposed around a region thereof which leastwise includes a wall to which the operation unit is fixed, and configured to protrude in one of left and right directions that faces outward relative to the wall and to extend along upper and lower edges of the side frames, and a first gap portion disposed on the edges of the side frames around a region thereof at which the main body portion and the mount portion are joined together, and configured to be flush with the wall whereby a gap is formed in the flange portion;

and

wherein the operation unit is so disposed that at least a part thereof lies over the first gap portion.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the main body portion comprises a flange portion disposed around a region thereof which leastwise includes a wall to which the operation unit is fixed, and configured to protrude in one of left and right directions that faces outward relative to the wall and to extend along upper and lower edges thereof, a second gap portion disposed on a part of the lower edge and configured to be flush with the wall to which the operation unit is fixed, whereby a gap is formed in the flange portion, and a recessed portion that is recessed in one of left and right directions that faces inward;

and

wherein the front link is joined to an inner side of a bottom wall of the recessed portion which inner side faces inward in one of left and right directions.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises a four-bar linkage which includes:

the respective side frames;

left and right rear links rotatably joined to the rear portion of the main body portion;

left and right front links rotatably joined to the main body portion at positions frontward of the rear links; and

a link support member disposed below the side frames and configured to support the rear links and the front links in a manner that permits the front and rear links to rotate;

wherein the rear link includes a second gear which is in mesh with a first gear provided in the operation unit, and through which a rotational motion of the first gear is transmitted to thereby cause the four-bar linkage to be actuated, and

wherein the side frame comprises a protective wall provided integrally therewith and configured to protrude from the bottom wall and to cover, from one of left and right directions that faces inward, a region in which the first gear and the second gear are in mesh with each other.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the side frames comprise a reinforcing portion disposed around the bottom wall and configured to protrude in one of left and right directions that faces outward, and to extend along upper and lower edges of the side frames, the reinforcing portion having a U-shaped cross section.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising an occupant support member disposed between the main body portion of the left side frame and the main body portion of the right side frame and configured to support an occupant seated on the seat bottom,

wherein a drive shaft of the operation unit is disposed rearward of the occupant support member.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein the occupant support member comprises a seat spring which spans between the main body portions of the left and right side frames;

wherein each of the main body portions includes an engaging portion with which end portions of the seat spring are engageable; and

wherein the operation unit as a whole is disposed rearward of the engaging portion.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the operation unit includes a plate-like fixing portion configured to protrude radially outward, and is fixed to the side frames with the fixing portion being disposed to face the engaging portion.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein a drive shaft of the operation unit is disposed at a level higher than that of the occupant support member.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 10, further comprising a reclining mechanism configured to make an angle of the seat back frame provided at the mount portion adjustable,

wherein the operation unit is disposed on a line connecting a center of rotation of the reclining mechanism and a rear end of the engaging portion as seen from a left or right direction.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is configured to be caused to make a rotational motion which causes the height adjustment mechanism to be actuated to thereby adjust height of the left and right side frames;

and

wherein the operation unit is fixed to the side frame by welding.

15. The vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the operation unit includes a plate-like fixing portion protruding radially outward, and the fixing portion is welded to the side frame;

wherein the operation unit includes a first gear configured to be caused to rotate by an operation of the operation member,

wherein the height adjustment mechanism includes a second gear which is in mesh with the first gear and through which a rotational motion of the first gear is transmitted to thereby cause the left and right side frames to be lifted and lowered;

wherein the side frame and the fixing portion each have a through hole for locating the fixing portion in place relative to the side frame; and

wherein the through hole of one of the side frame and the fixing portion is larger than the through hole of the other of the side frame and the fixing portion.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 14, further comprising a reclining mechanism configured to make an angle of the seat back frame provided at a rear portion of the side frame adjustable,

wherein the operation unit includes a plate-like fixing portion protruding radially outward, and the fixing portion is welded to the side frame;

and

wherein an outermost protruding end portion of the fixing portion is disposed above or below a line connecting a center of rotation of the reclining mechanism and a center of rotation of the operation member as seen from a left or right direction.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the operation unit includes a plate-like fixing portion protruding radially outward, and the fixing portion is welded to the side frame;

wherein each of the side frames includes an engaging portion with which end portions of an occupant support member disposed between the left and right side frames and configured to support an occupant seated on the seat bottom are engageable; and

wherein an outermost protruding end portion of the fixing portion is disposed above or below a line connecting a rear end of the engaging portion and a center of rotation of the operation member as seen from a left or right direction.

18. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a detection sensor including a detection part in which a state of the seat bottom is detectable,

wherein the operation member is configured to be caused to make a rotational motion which causes the height adjustment mechanism to be actuated to thereby adjust height of the left and right side frames;

wherein a rotary shaft of the operation member and the detection part are disposed in positions shifted from each other in at least one of front-rear and upper-lower directions; and

wherein the operation unit and the detection sensor are disposed in positions such that at least a part of one lies over the other in a left-right direction.

19. The vehicle seat according to claim 18, wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises a linkage which includes:

the respective side frames;

a pair of front and rear links rotatably joined to each of the side frames; and

a link support member disposed below the side frames and configured to support the pair of links in a manner that permits the links to rotate; and

wherein the detection sensor is provided in a joint shaft by which the link and the side frame or the link support member are rotatably supported.

20. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein the detection sensor is provided in a joint shaft by which the link and the link support member are joined;

wherein the detection sensor includes a protruding portion which protrudes from the detection part toward a left or right direction; and

wherein a lower portion of the side frame has a recess provided to receive at least a part of the protruding portion of the detection sensor when the seat bottom is in a lowest position.