Seat frame

Abstract

In a seat cushion frame which comprises side frames fixed to each of the two ends of a pan frame in the width direction, the rigidity of mounting the side frames to the pan frame is increased. In this seat cushion frame having a configuration in which side frames are fixed to both ends of the pan frame in the width direction, the side frame is fixed to the pan frame with a flange formed by bending the top part inwards in the width direction, and a recess recessed inwards in the width direction is formed in the portion of the flange that is fixed to the pan frame.

Claims

1. A seat frame comprising: a pan frame; and a side frame fixed to each of both end portions in a width direction of the pan frame, wherein: the side frame comprises a flange formed by bending an upper end portion of the side frame inward in the width direction; the pan frame is fixed to the flange; first and second recesses, recessed inward in the width direction, are formed in a portion of the flange that is fixed to the pan frame; the second recess is positioned at a rear of the first recess and adjacent to the first recess in a front to back direction of the seat frame; and the first recess is recessed inward in the width direction more than the second recess.

2. The seat frame according to claim 1, wherein: the first recess comprises a bottom portion positioned innermost in the width direction in the first recess; the side frame is fixed to the pan frame by welding to the pan frame one or more portions of the flange where the first recess or the second recess is positioned; and a welding region where the flange and the pan frame are welded is positioned more on an inner side than the bottom portion in the width direction and is formed along the bottom portion in the front to back direction of the seat frame.

3. The seat frame according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the first recess and a portion of the welding region are arranged at a same position in the front to back direction.

4. The seat frame according to claim 2, wherein: the seat frame comprises a plurality of welding regions formed at positions separated from each other in the front to back direction and that includes the welding region as a first welding region; the first welding region among the plurality of welding regions is positioned at the same position as that of the first recess in the front to back direction; a second welding region among the plurality of welding regions is positioned behind the first welding region in the front to back direction; and a boundary position between a rear end portion of the first recess and a front end portion of the second recess is positioned between the first welding region and the second welding region in the front to back direction.

5. The seat frame according to claim 1, wherein: the seat frame comprises a connecting member that connects between the side frame fixed to one end portion in the width direction of the pan frame and the side frame fixed to another end portion in the width direction of the pan frame; the connecting member is joined to each of the side frames via welding; and at least a part of a joining region where the connecting member and the side frame are joined is positioned on a same side as that of the first recess in relation to the connecting member.

6. The seat frame according to claim 1, wherein: the seat frame comprises a connecting member that connects between the side frame fixed to one end portion in the width direction of the pan frame and the side frame fixed to another end portion in the width direction of the pan frame; the connecting member is joined to each of the side frames via welding; and a virtual plane passing through the first recess among virtual planes passing through a center of the connecting member, as viewed from the width direction, passes through the joining region where the connecting member and the side frame are joined.

7. The seat frame according to claim 1, wherein a region of a lower end portion of the side frame, that is positioned below the first recess and the second recess, projects outward further than the first recess and the second recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a seat cushion frame according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a central area in the width direction of the seat cushion.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view showing a configuration of the periphery of a recess.

(4) FIG. 4 is a top view of a welding region of the pan frame and the side frame as viewed from above.

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section diagram showing A-A cross-section in FIG. 7.

(6) FIG. 6 is a side view showing a seat cushion frame according to a modified example.

(7) FIG. 7 is a top view of a welding region of the pan frame and the side frame as viewed from above, according to a modified example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Next, a seat frame according to one embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the present embodiment) of the present invention will be explained referring to FIGS. 1 to 7. In addition, embodiments described below are those for easily understanding the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Modifications and variations to the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit, and the present invention includes the equivalent thereof.

(9) The seat frame according to the present embodiment is a frame for a vehicle seat, and specifically a frame 1 for a seat cushion S of the vehicle seat (hereinafter, referred to as a seat cushion frame). As shown in FIG. 1, this seat cushion frame 1 is provided mainly with a pair of right and left side frames 11, a pan frame 12, a member pipe 13, S springs 14 and 15 and a connecting pipe 16 corresponding to a connecting member, as constituent elements.

(10) And as shown in FIG. 2, seat cushion frame 1 constitutes the pan frame 12 and a seat cushion S possessing cushion pads 2a and a cover material 2b covering the cushion pads 2 which are disposed on the S springs 14 and 15. In addition, in the case of a conventional vehicle seat, a seat back (not shown) is installed via a reclining mechanism (not shown) at the rear end portion of the seat cushion S. That is, a seat back frame (not shown) constituting a skeleton of the seat back is installed at the rear end portion of the seat cushion frame 1.

(11) Next, a basic configuration of each of component parts for the seat cushion frame 1 will be described.

(12) A pair of right and left side frames 11 is positioned at the both end portions in the width direction of the seat cushion frame 1, and the width of the seat cushion S is specified. Each of the side frames 11 is a sheet metal frame which is long in the front to back direction of the seat cushion frame 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the rear end portion of the side frame 11 is bent and extended obliquely upward. Then, as described before, a seat back frame is installed via a reclining mechanism at the rear end portion of the side frame 11.

(13) Further, the upper end portion of each of the side frames 11 is bent inward by approximately 90 degrees in the width direction to form a flange 11b. In addition, in the present embodiment, the flange 11b is formed at the lower end portion of each of the side frames 11 in the similar manner, but at least, the flange 11b may be formed at the upper end portion, and the flange 11b may not be formed at the lower end portion. In addition, a driving unit (not shown) in which a set of gear rings and an operation lever for driving a height adjustment mechanism to adjust height of a vehicle seat are unitized is attached onto the outer surface of a side wall 11c of one side frame 11 of a pair of right and left side frames 11, wherein the one side frame is situated on the side nearer to a vehicle door.

(14) Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a member pipe 13, S springs 14 and 15, and a connecting pipe 16 are disposed between the side frames 11, and the side frames 11 are connected to each other with these component parts. More specifically, a mounting hole for the member pipe 13 is formed at the rear end portion of each of the side frames 11, and a member pipe 13 is mounted to each of the side frames 11 with fastening parts such as bolts, pins, and so forth, that are inserted in the mounting hole. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, convex portions 11a having a through-hole are formed in the region of the inner wall surface of each of the side frames 11, wherein the region is situated in front of the member pipe 13, and end portions of the S springs 14 and 15 are locked to through-holes of such convex portions 11a to mount the S springs 14 and 15 to each of the side frames 11.

(15) Further, a mounting hole is formed at the front end portion of each of the side frames 11. The end portion of the connecting pipe 16 is inserted in this mounting hole, and the outer edge portion of the mounting hole and the outer peripheral surface of the connecting pipe 16 are joined to each other via welding. Thus, the connecting pipe 16 is mounted to each of the side frames 11. In addition, concerning the joining region where the side frame 11 and the connecting pipe 16 are joined, that is, the welding mark, there are two welding marks at the position symmetrical to the center of the connecting pipe 16. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, each of the welding marks is approximately arc-shaped, and is provided in the range of 80 to 180 degrees and the range of 260 to 360 degrees, when a virtual line vertically passing through the upper end flange 11b of the side frame 11 from the center of the connecting pipe 16 is set to a base (the position at 0 degree).

(16) The pan frame 12 is a rectangular sheet metal frame which is long in the width direction in the planar view, and is installed at the front end portions of a pair of right and left side frames 11. That is, the front end portions of the side frames 11 are fixed to the both end portions in the width direction of the pan frame 12. More specifically, each of the side frames 11 is fixed to the pan frame 12 by welding the flanges 11b formed at the upper end to the both end portions in the width direction of the pan frame 12. Herein, the width direction of the pan frame 12 is a direction identical to the width direction of the seat cushion frame 1.

(17) In addition, in the state where the side frame 11 is fixed to the pan frame 12, both ends in the width direction of the pan frame 12 are positioned more on the inner side than the outside end of the side frame 11 (precisely, the flange 11b formed at the upper end of the side frame 11).

(18) Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the front end portion 12a of the pan frames 12 is bent downward by approximately 90 degrees, and the end portion of the cover material 2b is locked to the lower end portion by a commonly known locking method.

(19) Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a connecting pipe 16 as a connecting member is disposed at the position located below the pan frame 12. This connecting pipe 16 is provided to suppress a submarine phenomenon in rear surface collision, that is, a phenomenon in which a passenger remaining seated is sunken downward in rear surface collision, and is a cylindrical pipe in the present embodiment. Thus, as described before, the connecting pipe 16 according to the present embodiment is in a state where the both end portions are inserted in a mounting hole formed at the front end portion of each of the side frames 11, and is welded to each of the side frames 11 via welding.

(20) Next, the characteristic configuration of the seat cushion frame 1 according to the present embodiment will be described, referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. In addition, in the present embodiment, the side frame 11 situated on one side in the width direction is almost in the same configuration as that of the side frame 11 situated on the other side in the width direction, and only the configuration of one side frame 11 (a side frame 11 situated on one side in the width direction) will be described, unless otherwise specified.

(21) In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the first recess 11k as a recess, and the second recess 11s are formed at the portion of the flange 11b formed at the upper end of the side frame 11, wherein the portion is fixed to the pan frame 12. Herein, the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s are portions of the flange 11b, wherein the portions are configured by being recessed inward in the width direction.

(22) Further, in the present embodiment, two recesses (the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s) are placed at different positions from each other in the front to back direction of the seat cushion frame 1. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the first recess 11k is placed slightly behind the front end of the side frame 11 in the front to back direction. On the other hand, the second recess 11s is placed at the position situated behind the first recess 11k, and situated adjacent to the first recess 11k in the front to back direction.

(23) A detailed explanation concerning the first recess 11k will be given. The first recess 11k is formed by recessing the portion of the side wall 11c of the side frame 11 inward in the width direction, the portion extending from the upper end to roughly the center of the side wall 11c in the up-and-down direction. Thus, the first recess 11k which is lateral U-shaped in the planer view is formed for the flange 11b. In addition, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first recess 11k is recessed inward in the width direction more than the second recess 11s.

(24) On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, a protruding portion 11p is formed in the lower end portion of the side wall 11c of the side frame 11, more precisely, in the region situated at the position below the first recess 11k. Further, the protruding portion 11p is also formed in the portion of the side wall 11c, that is positioned in front of the first recess 11k. Herein, the protruding portion 11p means a portion protruding outward in the width direction more than the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s, and corresponds to the portion which is not recessed in the side wall 11c of the side frame 11. In addition, as long as the protruding portion 11p protrudes outward in the width direction more than the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s, the portion recessed slightly inward in the width direction may be designated as the protruding portion 11p, or the portion where the unevenness is formed by providing beads and so forth may be designated as the protruding portion 11p.

(25) The configuration of the first recess 11k will be described in more details, referring to FIG. 4. The first recess 11k comprises a pair of inclined portions 11m which are situated opposed to each other and inclined toward the inside in the width direction, and a bottom portion 11n which is formed between the inclined portions 11m and situated on the innermost side in the width direction in the first recess 11k. This bottom portion 11n extends along the front to back direction. The angle portion made by the inclined portion 11m and the bottom portion 11n in the first recess 11k may be a curved R-shaped angle portion, or may be an acute angle portion.

(26) Next, an explanation concerning the second recess 11s will be given. The second recess 11s is formed by recessing a portion of the side wall 11c of the side frame 11 inward in the width direction, the portion extending from the upper end to more or less the upper position rather than the lower end in the up-and-down direction. In addition, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion to which the connecting pipe 16 is joined (that is, a portion where a mounting hole for inserting the connecting pipe 16 are formed) is included within the range recessed for forming the second recess 11s of the side wall 11c of the side frame 11.

(27) Further, the protruding portion 11p is formed in a region at the lower end portion of the side wall 11c of the side frame 11, the region situated at the position below the second recess 11s. Further, in the present embodiment, the protruding portion 11p is also formed in a portion of the side wall 11c, that is adjacent to the second recess 11s, and situated behind the second recess 11s.

(28) The configuration of the second recess 11s will be described in detail, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The second recess 11s possesses a bottom portion 11u adjacent to the inclined portion 11m on the rear side, which is provided by the first recess 11k, and an inclined portion 11t adjacent to the bottom portion 11u on the opposite side of the inclined portion 11m of the first recess 11k. This bottom portion 11u extends along the front to back direction.

(29) As described above, in the present embodiment, a plurality of recesses, that is, the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s are provided for the flange 11b placed at the upper end of the side frame 11. Thus, rigidity of the flange 11b of the side frame 11 is improved. In other words, a portion which is bent to provide a recess for the flange 11b is present to the side wall 11c of the side frame 11. On the other hand, rigidity of the side frame 11 is further improved at the bent portion and its surrounding area. In the present embodiment, rigidity of the flange 11b of the side frame 11, specifically the portion fixed to the pan frame 12 is improved by providing the recess in this way. Further, in the present embodiment, two recesses having a different recess degree are formed in such a way that they are adjacent to each other in front and behind. Thus, it becomes possible that rigidity of the side frame 11 is efficiently improved.

(30) In addition, in the side frame 11 according to the present embodiment, the protruding portion 11p is formed at a region of the lower end portion of the side wall 11c, the region situated below each of the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s. That is, in the present embodiment, the portion recessed for forming each of the recesses in the side wall 11c of the side frame 11 does not reach the lower end of the side wall 11c, breaking off in the middle. In other words, unevenness is formed to the side wall 11c at the position where each of the recesses is placed in the front to back direction so that rigidity of the side frame 11 is further improved via formation of the unevenness thereof.

(31) And now, as described before, the side frame 11 is fixed to the pan frame 12 with the flange 11b placed at the upper end portion (precisely, on the upper surface of the flange 11b). Then, in the present embodiment, the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s as described before are formed at the portion of the flange 11b, that is fixed to the pan frame 12. In other words, the side frame 11 according to the present embodiment is fixed to the pan frame 12 at the portion of the flange 11b where the recesses (the first recess 11k and the second recess 11s) exhibiting higher rigidity are formed. Thus, rigidity for mounting the side frame 11 to the pan frame 12 is improved.

(32) More specifically, when the side frame 11 is fixed to the pan frame 12, the flange 11b of the side frame 11 is chosen as a mounting portion for the purpose of fixing at the portion exhibiting high rigidity for mounting. In the present embodiment, the side frame 11 is mounted to the pan frame 12 at the portion where the recess exhibiting particularly high rigidity in this regard is formed. It becomes possible that the state where the side frame 11 is fixed to the pan frame 12 is stabilized by mounting the side frame 11 to the pan frame 12 at the portion exhibiting high rigidity in this way. The above-described effect is especially effective for the case when with the miniaturization of the seat, the side frame 11 is subjected to thinning and light-weighting.

(33) The explanation concerning a method of fixing the side frame 11 to the pan frame 12 will be given. A portion of the flange 11b of the side frame 11 is welded to the pan frame 12, the portion where the recess is positioned in the front to back direction. In this way, rigidity of the welding region of each of the frames, and its surrounding area is improved by using a fixing method applied between the frames. Thus, it becomes possible that rigidity of the side frame 11 is further improved. In addition, the welding region means a welding mark, more specifically welding beads.

(34) A more detailed explanation concerning the welding region will be given. Two welding regions are present on each of one end side and the other end side of the seat cushion frame 1, and the two welding regions are present at the positions separated from each other in the front to back direction of the seat cushion frame 1. As shown in FIG. 4, one of the two welding regions (hereinafter, referred to as the first welding region B1) is situated at the same position as that of the first recess 11k in the front to back direction.

(35) More precisely, the first welding region B1 is situated more on the inner side than the bottom portion 11n of the first recess 11k in the width direction, and is formed along the bottom portion 11n (that is, formed to be extended long in the front to back direction). In this way, if the first welding region B1 is formed long in the front to back direction along the bottom portion 11n, it becomes possible that the length of the first welding region B1 is acquired in the front to back direction. Consequently, rigidity of the first welding region B1 and its surrounding area is increased, and rigidity for mounting the side frame 11 to the pan frame 12 is further improved.

(36) Further, in the present embodiment, the first welding region B1 is formed within the existence range of the portion of the flange 11b where the first recess 11k is positioned in the front to back direction. In other words, the first recess 11k is longer in length than the first welding region B1 in the front to back direction. In addition, the length of the first recess 11k means an opening width of the first recess 11k, that is, a distance between the outer ends in the width direction of the inclined portion 11m.

(37) As described above, a region protruding in front of the first welding region B1 and another region protruding behind the first welding region B1 are present at the portion of the flange 11b where the first recess 11k is positioned in the front to back direction. In this way, the load acting toward the side frame 11 from the pan frame 12 is dispersed by providing the regions protruding from the first welding region in front of and behind the first recess 11k so that it becomes possible that concentration of the load to the first welding region B1 is suppressed.

(38) In addition, as a configuration which is different from the present embodiment, a configuration may be employed in which the first recess 11k in the front to back direction of the seat cushion frame 1 is shorter in length than the first welding region B1. In the case of such a configuration, it becomes possible to produce the effect by which rigidity is improved via formation of the welding region in place of the effect of suppressing the concentration of the load to the first welding region B1 by making the length of the first welding region B1 to be longer than the length of the first recess 11k.

(39) The other welding region (hereinafter, referred to as the second welding region B2) of the two welding regions is positioned behind the first welding region B1 in the flange 11b in the front to back direction as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In the present embodiment, the second welding region B2 is positioned more or less behind the mounting portion of the connecting pipe 16 as a connecting member in the side frame 11 in the front to back direction.

(40) In addition, as to the position where the second welding region B2 is formed, it is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, and for example, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, it may be the position situated directly above the portion where the connecting pipe 16 is mounted in the side frame 11 in the front to back direction. In the case of such a position, rigidity of the second welding region B2 and its surrounding area is further improved.

(41) Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the boundary position (the position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4) between the rear end portion of the first recess 11k and the front end portion of the second recess 11s is present between the first welding region B1 and the second welding region B2 in the front to back direction of the seat cushion frame 1. Herein, rigidity tends to be lowered at the rear end portion of the first recess 11k in the side frame 11. Thus, in the present embodiment, it becomes possible that lowering of rigidity at the rear end portion of the first recess 11k is suppressed by putting the rear end portion of the first recess 11k between the portions exhibiting high rigidity where the welding regions B1 and B2 are formed, in the front to back direction.

(42) In the present embodiment, the connecting pipe 16 and the side frame 11 are joined to each other via welding, and, as described before, two joining regions are present along the outer peripheral surface of the connecting pipe 16. Of these, the joining region situated on the upper side (hereinafter, referred to as the first joining region R1) is positioned on the same side as that of the first recess 11k in relation to the connecting pipe 16. That is, in the present embodiment, at least a part of the joining region where the connecting pipe 16 and the side frame 11 are joined is positioned on the same side as that of the first recess 11k in relation to the connecting pipe 16. In this way, in the side frame 11, the first recess 11k and the first joining region R1 which contribute to improving rigidity are both positioned on the same side in relation to the connecting pipe 16 so that rigidity of the first recess 11k and its surrounding area is further improved.

(43) The position relationship between the first joining region R1 and the first recess 11k will be described in more detail, referring to FIG. 3. A virtual plane (the surface indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) passing through the first recess 11k among virtual planes passing through the center of the connecting pipe 16, as viewed from the width direction of the seat cushion frame 1, always passes through the first joining region R1 and a joining region paired with the first joining region R1 (hereinafter, referred to as a second joining region R2). Herein, the virtual plane passing through the first recess 11k means a virtual plane passing by any of the portions in the first recess 11k (specifically, the inclined portion 11m and the bottom portion 11n).

(44) In the present embodiment, according to the position relationship as described above, it is possible to further improve rigidity of the side frame 11. Specifically, the joining regions R1 and R2 where the connecting pipe 16 and the side frame 11 are joined are present in the region expanding along the virtual plane passing through the center of the connecting pipe 16, and the first recess 11k. In this way, rigidity of the region expanding along the above-described virtual plane is improved by making the first joining region R1 and the second joining region R2 present in the region expanding along the virtual plane passing through the center of the connecting pipe 16, and the first recess 11k in the side frame 11.

(45) Moreover, in cases where each of the joining regions R1 and R2 where the connecting pipe 16 and the side frame 11 are joined comes close to the welding region (precisely, the second welding region B2) where the side frame 11 and the pan frame 12 are welded, rigidity is furthermore improved. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, at least a part of each of the joining regions R1 and R2 is positioned above the center position of the connecting pipe 16 in the up-and-down direction.

(46) According to the configuration having been given by the above-described explanation, in the seat cushion frame 1 according to the present embodiment, rigidity of the side frame 11, specifically, rigidity of the portion welded to the pan frame 12 is secured. From this result, the side frame 11 is fixed at the both end portions in the width direction of the pan frame 12, and it becomes possible that such a fixing state is securely held.

TABLE OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(47) S Seat cushion 1 Seat cushion frame 2a Cushion pad 2b Cover material 11 Side frame 11a Convex portion 11b Flange 11c Side wall 11k First recess 11m Inclined portion 11n Bottom portion 11s Second recess 11t Inclined portion 11u Bottom portion 11p Protruding portion 12 Pan frame 12a Front end portion 13 Member pipe 14 S spring 15 S spring 16 Connecting pipe B1 First welding region B2 Second welding region R1 First joining region R2 Second joining region