VEHICLE SEAT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20150239370A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Hoshi, Masayuki, Itoi, Hiroyuki, Niimura, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/20 Bonding soldering by means of radiant energy B23K1/005; joining of preformed plastics parts by heating using laser beam B29C65/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a link mechanism for liftably connecting a seat cushion to a support base directly or indirectly mounted to a vehicle body. The seat cushion is composed of a seating frame with side frames arranged at both right and left ends. The link mechanism includes link members connecting the support base and side frames, and a link connecting member connecting the link members together. Flange portions are formed at both end portions of the extending direction of the link connecting member. End surfaces of the extending direction of the flange portions and facing surfaces of the link members facing the end surfaces are abutted, and the end surfaces and the facing surfaces are joined by welding.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a link mechanism for liftably connecting a seat cushion to a support base directly or indirectly mounted to a vehicle body,

wherein;

the seat cushion is composed of a seating frame with side frames arranged at both right and left ends;

the link mechanism comprises link members connecting the support base and the side frames, and a link connecting member connecting the link members together;

flange portions are formed at both end portions of an extending direction of the link connecting member;

end surfaces of the extending direction of the flange portions and facing surfaces of the link members facing the end surfaces are abutted; and

the end surfaces and the facing surfaces are joined by welding.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion has a notch formed by notching at least a portion of an outer edge portion thereof.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein an outer edge at a position matched to a corner of the facing surface of the link member, of the end surface of the flange portion, is notched into a shape along the outer edge of the corner.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein

the link connecting member is configured to have a hollow bore extending to the end surface of the flange portion, and on the facing surface of the link member, the convex portion projecting to the flange portion side is formed, and

the hollow bore and the convex portion are matched.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the end surfaces and the facing surfaces are joined by laser-welding.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the laser-welding is performed at a position where the notch is not formed.

7. A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat comprising a link mechanism for liftably connecting a seat cushion to a support base directly or indirectly mounted to a vehicle body, the method comprising:

connecting link members constituting the link mechanism to side frames arranged at both right and left ends, which constitute a seating frame becoming a frame of the seat cushion;

forming flange portions by connecting the link members together, pressing end portions of a link connecting member having the end portions widening into a tapered shape to the link member side against facing surfaces of the link members facing the end portions, and flexibly deforming the end portions to be parallel to the facing surfaces;

joining end surfaces of the flange portions and the facing surfaces of the link members by welding in a state of being abutted; and

connecting the link members to the support base.

8. The method for manufacturing the vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein:

the link connecting member is configured to have a hollow bore extending to the end surfaces of the flange portions, and on the facing surface of the link member, the convex portion projecting to the flange portion side is formed, and

in forming the flange portions, the hollow bore and the convex portion are matched.