VIBRATION DAMPING DEVICE AND VEHICLE SEAT PROVIDED WITH THE VIBRATION DAMPING DEVICE
20180111525 ยท 2018-04-26
Inventors
- Yoshitaka Sasaki (Yokohama-shi, JP)
- Yuji Tokiwa (Yokohama-shi, JP)
- Katsuji Goto (Yokohama-shi, JP)
- Yoshinori Otake (Yokohama-shi, JP)
- Masakazu Ando (Yokohama-shi, JP)
Cpc classification
F16F2234/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B60N2/544
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16F2232/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16F2222/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
Abstract
A vibration damping device comprises: a spindle member through which a shaft portion is inserted, the spindle member being movable along a length direction of the shaft portion; a first coil spring disposed between the spindle member and one end portion of the shaft portion in the length direction, the one end portion of the shaft portion being inserted through the first coil spring, and the first coil spring urging the spindle member toward a side of another end portion of the shaft portion in the length direction; and a second coil spring disposed between the another end portion of the shaft portion and the spindle member, the another end portion of the shaft portion being inserted through the second coil spring, and the second coil spring urging the spindle member toward a side of the one end portion of the shaft portion.
Claims
1. A vibration damping device comprising: a spindle member through which a shaft portion is inserted, the spindle member being movable along a length direction of the shaft portion; a first coil spring disposed between the spindle member and one end portion of the shaft portion in the length direction, the one end portion of the shaft portion being inserted through the first coil spring, and the first coil spring urging the spindle member toward a side of another end portion of the shaft portion in the length direction; and a second coil spring disposed between the another end portion of the shaft portion and the spindle member, the another end portion of the shaft portion being inserted through the second coil spring, and the second coil spring urging the spindle member toward a side of the one end portion of the shaft portion.
2. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein an outer side of the shaft portion is covered with a collar member fabricated of resin, the collar member being disposed between: the shaft portion and the spindle member, the first coil spring and the second coil spring.
3. A vehicle seat comprising a seat main body that includes: a sitting portion on which a vehicle occupant sits; a seat back that supports an upper body of the vehicle occupant sitting on the sitting portion; and a headrest that is provided at an upper side of the seat back and supports a head area of the vehicle occupant, wherein the vibration damping device according to claim 1 is provided at the seat back or the headrest.
4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein a spring constant K.sub.1 of the first coil spring and a spring constant K.sub.2 of the second coil spring are set such that a natural oscillation frequency of the spindle member is the same as a resonance frequency of the seat main body.
5. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the vibration damping device is provided at an upper end side of a seat back frame that structures a framework of the seat back.
6. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the vibration damping device is arranged along a seat width direction.
7. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the vibration damping device is arranged along a seat front-and-rear direction.
8. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the vibration damping device is arranged to include components in a seat width direction, a seat front-and-rear direction and a seat up-and-down direction.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
[0040]
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0054] Herebelow, a vehicle seat 10 according to a present exemplary embodiment is described using the attached drawings. The arrow FR that is shown where appropriate in the drawings indicates a front direction of the vehicle seat (a direction in which a seat occupant faces), the arrow UP indicates an upper direction of the vehicle seat, an arrow RH indicates a right direction of the vehicle seat and an arrow LH indicates a left direction of the vehicle seat. Herebelow, where descriptions are given simply using the directions front, rear, up, down, left and right, unless otherwise specified, these represent front and rear of the vehicle seat, up and down of the vehicle seat, and left and right of the vehicle seat when facing in a progress direction.
[0055] Structure of the Vehicle Seat
[0056] First, the structure of the vehicle seat according to the exemplary embodiment is described.
[0057] As shown in
[0058] The seat cushion 12 is formed of, for example, a foam body such as a urethane pad or the like, and is fixed to a cushion frame 18, which is shown in
[0059] As shown in
[0060] Similarly to the seat cushion 12, the seat back 14 is formed of, for example, a foam body such as a urethane pad or the like. The seat back 14 is fixed to the seat back frame 28 shown in
[0061]
[0062] In the present exemplary embodiment, as shown in
[0063] Structure of Vibration Damping Device
[0064] Now, the structure of the vibration damping device 34 is described.
[0065] As shown in
[0066] The outer side of the shaft portion 38 is covered with a circular tube-shaped collar 44 fabricated of resin. One end portion 44A of the length direction of the collar 44 is abutted against the head portion 40 of the stepped bolt 36. The collar 44 is formed to be a little shorter than the shaft portion 38. The collar 44 is specified such that, in the state in which the shaft portion 38 is covered with the collar 44, the male thread portion 42 of the stepped bolt 36 is exposed to the exterior.
[0067] At the outer side of the shaft portion 38 and the collar 44, a coil spring (a first coil spring) 48, a spindle member 50, and a coil spring (a second coil spring) 52 are arranged in this order along the length direction of the collar 44 from the side at which the one end portion 38A of the shaft portion 38 is disposed (the side at which the head portion 40 of the stepped bolt 36 is disposed). The coil spring 48, the spindle member 50 and the coil spring 52 are each formed of metal. The spindle member 50 is formed in a circular rod shape. The shaft portion 38 of the stepped bolt 36 and the collar 44 are inserted through the axial centers of the coil spring 48, the spindle member 50 and the coil spring 52.
[0068] In other words, the collar 44 is disposed between the shaft portion 38 and the coil spring 48, spindle member 50 and coil spring 52. One end portion 48A of the coil spring 48 abuts against the head portion 40 of the stepped bolt 36, and another end portion 48B of the coil spring 48 abuts against one end 50A of the spindle member 50. Another end 50B of the spindle member 50 abuts against one end portion 52A of the coil spring 52.
[0069] As described above, the male thread portion 42 of the stepped bolt 36 is specified so as to be exposed to the exterior. A female thread portion 46A is formed at a provisional retention member 46 with an annular shape. Accordingly, the provisional retention member 46 can be screwed onto the male thread portion 42 of the stepped bolt 36. Another end portion 44B of the length direction of the collar 44 and another end portion 52B of the coil spring 52 abut against this provisional retention member 46. Thus, the collar 44 and the coil spring 52 are retained on the shaft portion 38.
[0070] In the state in which the coil spring 48, the spindle member 50 and the coil spring 52 are disposed at the outer side of the shaft portion 38 and the collar 44 as described above, the coil spring 48, the spindle member 50 and the coil spring 52 are movable along the length direction relative to the collar 44.
[0071] The spindle member 50 is urged toward the side at which the another end portion 38B of the shaft portion 38 is disposed (the side at which the male thread portion 42 of the stepped bolt 36 is disposed) by the coil spring 48, and is urged toward the side at which the one end portion 38A of the shaft portion 38 is disposed by the coil spring 52. That is, resilient energies (urging forces) are stored in the coil spring 48 and the coil spring 52. As a result, the spindle member 50 is disposed at a substantially central region of the length direction of the shaft portion 38.
[0072] In the present exemplary embodiment, a spring constant K.sub.1 of the coil spring 48 and a spring constant K.sub.2 of the coil spring 52 are set such that a natural oscillation frequency of the spindle member 50 is the same as a resonance frequency of the vehicle seat 10.
[0073] Operation and Effects of the Vehicle Seat
[0074] Now, operation and effects of the vehicle seat according to the present exemplary embodiment are described.
[0075] As shown in
[0076] Consequently, when the spindle member 50 is moved toward the side of the shaft portion 38 at which the one end portion 38A is disposed by a vibration of the vehicle seat 10 (an external vibration), the coil spring 48 is compressed while the coil spring 52 is extended, and when the spindle member 50 is moved toward the side of the shaft portion 38 at which the another end portion 38B is disposed, the coil spring 48 is extended while the coil spring 52 is compressed.
[0077] Therefore, when the spindle member 50 moves, respective resilient energies (urging forces) are stored in the coil spring 48 and the coil spring 52, and the spindle member 50 is reciprocatingly moved along the length direction of the shaft portion 38 by urging forces from the coil spring 48 and the coil spring 52. In other words, vibration energy from vibrations of the vehicle seat 10 is converted into kinetic energy of the spindle member 50 moving. As a result, the vibration energy is absorbed and the vibrations of the vehicle seat 10 are damped.
[0078] In the present exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in
[0079] In specific terms, the spring constant K.sub.1 of the coil spring 48 and the spring constant K.sub.2 of the coil spring 52 are set such that the natural oscillation frequency of the spindle member 50 is the same as the resonance frequency of the vehicle seat 10. For example, in free vibration, if the mass of the spindle member 50 is represented by M and a spring constant of the spindle member 50 is represented by K, a frequency f of the spindle member 50 (the natural oscillation frequency) is found from Expression (1). In the present exemplary embodiment, because the vibration is forced vibration, a natural oscillation frequency f of the spindle member 50 is found from Expression (2). That is, the spring constant K.sub.1 of the coil spring 48 and the spring constant K.sub.2 of the coil spring 52 are specified such that the natural oscillation frequency f of the spindle member 50 is set to the resonance frequency of the vehicle seat 10 (see
[0080] Therefore, during vibrations of the vehicle seat 10 (see
[0081] In the present exemplary embodiment, as shown in
[0082] In the present exemplary embodiment, the coil spring 48, the spindle member 50 and the coil spring 52 are movable along the length direction of the shaft portion 38. That is, the coil spring 48, spindle member 50 and coil spring 52 have freedom of movement in one direction. Therefore, the natural oscillation frequency of the vibration damping device 34 according to the present exemplary embodiment may be set easily.
[0083] In the present exemplary embodiment, the collar 44 is disposed between the shaft portion 38 and the coil spring 48, spindle member 50 and coil spring 52. Therefore, even though the shaft portion 38, coil spring 48, spindle member 50 and coil spring 52 that are fabricated of metal are employed, the shaft portion 38 does not make direct contact with the coil spring 48, spindle member 50 and coil spring 52.
[0084] As a result, the generation of noises by the metal members interfering with one another may be prevented. In addition, because the spindle member 50 and coil springs 48 and 52 structuring the vibration damping device 34 are each formed of metal, the effects of temperature are less than in, for example, a structure in which these components are formed of resin.
[0085] As shown in
[0086] Accordingly, in the present exemplary embodiment the vibration damping device 34 is provided at the side of the seat back frame 28 of the vehicle seat 10 at which the upper end 28A is disposed. In the vehicle seat 10, because the vibration damping device 34 is provided at the seat back 14 or headrest 16 at which vibrations are larger, vibration energy of the vehicle seat 10 may be absorbed effectively and the damping effect to damp the vehicle seat 10 may be improved.
[0087] In the present exemplary embodiment, as described above, the vibration damping device 34 is provided at the side of the seat back frame 28 of the vehicle seat 10 at which the upper end 28A is disposed. The external profile of the seat back 14 is larger than that of the headrest 16 or the seat cushion 12, and is larger than the external profile of the seat back frame 28 forming the framework by a corresponding amount. Therefore, because the vibration damping device 34 is disposed at the seat back frame 28, space for disposition of the vibration damping device 34 may be satisfactorily assured.
[0088] In the present exemplary embodiment, the vibration damping device 34 is arranged along the seat width direction of the vehicle seat 10 at the side of the seat back frame 28 at which the upper end 28A is disposed. Therefore, the vibration damping device 34 may damp vibrations of the vehicle seat 10 in the seat width direction.
[0089] Variant Examples of the Present Exemplary Embodiment
[0090] In the present exemplary embodiment, as shown in
[0091] As described above, the upper frame 27 and lower frame 25 of the seat back frame 28 are fastened at the fastening region 31 via the bolts 33. The vibration damping device 34 includes the stepped bolt 36 as shown in
[0092] The graph in
[0093] A structure in which one of the vibration damping device 34 is provided at the side of the seat back frame 28 of the vehicle seat 10 at which the upper end 28A is disposed (area B), as shown in
[0094] For comparison, a structure in which one of the vibration damping device 35 is provided at the lower portion side of the seat back frame 28 (area A), as shown in
[0095] As can be seen from the graph of
[0096] As further examples,
[0097] As can be seen from the graph of
[0098] As described above, in the present exemplary embodiment, the vibration damping device 34 is arranged along the seat width direction of the vehicle seat 10 at the side of the seat back frame 28 at which the upper end 28A is disposed, but this arrangement direction is not a limitation.
[0099] For example, as shown in
[0100] In this structure, a bracket 32 for the arrangement of the vibration damping device 34 in the seat front-and-rear direction of the vehicle seat 10 is welded to the seat back frame 28. Thus, the orientation of the vibration damping device 34 may be easily specified by changing the orientation of the bracket 32.
[0101] As shown in
[0102] Although not shown in the drawings, a plural number of the vibration damping device 34 arranged in different directions may be disposed at the seat back frame 28. These plural vibration damping devices 34 may be specified so as to have different natural oscillation frequencies from one another. For example,
[0103] In the exemplary embodiment described above, an example is described in which the vehicle seat 10 at which the vibration damping device 34 of the present invention is disposed acts as a vibrating member, but the vibrating member is not limited thus. For example, although not shown in the drawings, the vibration damping device 34 may be disposed in a washing machine.
[0104] Hereabove, examples of an embodiment of the present invention have been described. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited by these descriptions and it will be clear that numerous modifications beyond these descriptions may be embodied within a technical scope not departing from the gist of the invention.