SEAT CORE MEMBER, SEAT PORTION, AND SEAT

Abstract

A seat core member of a seat portion provided with the seat core member made of a hard synthetic resin foam and a cushion layer made of a soft synthetic resin foam and covering the seat core member is provided, and the seat core member includes a plurality of ridges extending in a rising direction of the seat core member in a rising portion of the seat core member being in contact with the cushion layer and opposing to calves of a body is formed.

Claims

1. A seat core member comprising: a plurality of ridges that extend in a rising direction of the seat core member in a rising portion of the seat core member being in contact with a cushion layer and opposing to calves of a body, in the seat core member of a seat portion provided with the seat core member including a hard synthetic resin foam and the cushion layer including a soft synthetic resin foam and covering the seat core member.

2. The seat core member according to claim 1, wherein the ridges are respectively formed in parallel, and a length of each of the ridges in the rising direction of the seat core member is at least ten times or more a width of the ridge.

3. The seat core member according to claim 1, wherein each of the ridges extends in the rising direction of the seat core member as a continuous ridge.

4. The seat core member according to claim 1, wherein the ridges have a height of 0.1 to 3 mm, a width of 0.1 to 1 mm, a groove width of 0.5 to 4 mm, and a ridge pitch of 1 to 5 mm.

5.-8. (canceled)

9. The seat core member according to claim 4, wherein the ridges have a height of 0.2 to 2 mm, a width of 0.2 to 1 mm, a groove width of 0.5 to 2 mm, and a ridge pitch of 1 to 3 mm.

10. The seat core member according to claim 1, wherein the hard synthetic resin foam that forms the seat core member is at least one of the group consisting of a polypropylene-based resin foam, a polyethylene-based resin foam, and a polystyrene-based resin foam.

11. The seat core member according claim 10, wherein the hard synthetic resin foam that forms the seat core member is a polypropylene-based resin foam.

12. The seat core member according to claim 11, wherein the polypropylene-based resin foam has an apparent density of 0.01 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3.

13. The seat core member according to claim 1, wherein the soft synthetic resin foam that forms the cushion layer is a polyurethane-based resin foam.

14. The seat core member according to claim 13, wherein the polyurethane-based resin foam has an apparent density of 0.01 to 0.1 g/cm.sup.3.

15. A seat portion comprising: a seat core member according to claim 1; and a cushion layer including a soft synthetic resin foam and covering the seat core member.

16. The seat portion according to claim 15 wherein the soft synthetic resin foam that forms the cushion layer is a polyurethane-based resin foam.

17. The seat core member according to claim 16, wherein the polyurethane-based resin foam has an apparent density of 0.01 to 0.1 g/cm.sup.3.

18. A seat comprising: a seat portion according to claim 15; and a backrest portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view conceptually illustrating an entire seat formed using an embodiment of a seat core member according to the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a conceptual perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a seat core member according to the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a conceptual partially enlarged perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a rising portion of a seat core member according to the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a conceptual cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of ridges provided in a seat core member according to the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of embossments of various uneven shapes (molds) evaluated rubbing sounds.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating embossments and evaluation results of various uneven shapes (molds) evaluated the rubbing sound.

EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0047] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a seat core member, a seat portion, and a seat according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The seat core member may include a member for fixing a seat to a vehicle body, a member for fixing a cover, and the like, but it does not relate to the essence of the present invention, so that explanation thereon is omitted in this specification. In addition, the cover means a member that covers the top surface or the entire surface of a seat portion according to design choice.

[0048] FIG. 1 is a conceptual side cross-sectional view of a seat formed using a seat core member according to the present invention. A seat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a type in which a backrest portion 2 and a seat portion 3 are separated. Hereinafter, the separated type of seat will be described, but the present invention can be applied to a type of seat in which the backrest portion 2 and the seat portion 3 are not separated.

[0049] The seat portion 3 includes a seat core member 4 formed of a hard material in order to maintain a shape of the seat portion 3 and fixed to a vehicle body (not illustrated), and a cushion layer 5 formed of a material of a relatively soft material functioning as a cushioning material between the body and the seat core member 4, and a top surface thereof is further covered with a cover (not illustrated), if necessary.

[0050] When the passenger sits on a horizontal portion 6 located at an upper portion of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, a rising portion 7 of the seat core member 4 in a front direction of the vehicle body faces the passenger's calves via the cushion layer 5. When a person sits on or leaves the seat portion 3 or when the cushion layer 5 elastically deforms so as to exert a cushioning effect, the horizontal portion 6 sinks in a vertical direction and returns. In a case where the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 do not adhere to each other, the cushion layer 5 relatively moves in the vertical direction with respect to a corner portion 8 of the seat core member in accordance with this deformation. Due to this movement, in the rising portion 7, sliding occurs on the contact surface between the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4, so that rubbing sound may be generated.

[0051] A hard synthetic resin foam is used for the above seat core member 4 in the present invention. This is because the shape of the seat core member 4 can be maintained and reduce the weight. Examples of the hard synthetic resin foam include a polypropylene-based resin foam, a polyethylene-based resin foam, a polystyrene-based resin foam, and the like, and any of these may be used. Among these, the polypropylene-based resin foam is preferable because the polypropylene-based resin foam is excellent in heat resistance and mechanical strength, particularly compression set properties.

[0052] In a case where a polypropylene-based resin foam is used for the seat core member 4, the apparent density is preferably 0.01 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3, more preferably 0.015 to 0.4 g/cm.sup.3, and particularly preferably from 0.02 to 0.3 g/cm.sup.3. The apparent density of the polypropylene-based resin foam is set to be within the above range, so that it is possible to provide the seat core member which is excellent in rigidity and shape retaining property and unlikely to sag for long-term use. Although the polypropylene-based resin foam may be either a foamed particle molded article or extruded form, since the foamed particle molded article has a dense and smooth skin layer on the entire surface thereof, it is preferable because waste is less generated and strength can be improved so that chipping and cracking are unlikely to occur.

[0053] For the material of the cushion layer 5, a polyurethane-based resin foam which is generally used for a cushion pad is preferable. The apparent density thereof is preferably 0.01 to 0.1 g/cm.sup.3, and more preferably 0.02 to 0.08 g/cm.sup.3. By forming the cushion layer 5 from the polyurethane-based resin foam having such an apparent density, it is possible to constitute a seat that imparts a resilient and comfortable seating feeling.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a conceptual perspective view of the seat core member 4 according to the present invention described above. FIG. 3 is a conceptual partially enlarged perspective view of the rising portion 7 of the seat core member 4.

[0055] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the seat core member 4 is provided with a plurality of ridges 10 in a rising direction 9 on the rising portion 7 of a peripheral surface thereof. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to have an anti-submarine structure, a recessed portion 11 descending rearward (that is, rising forward) is formed in a portion of the seat core member 4 where the hip of the body abuts.

[0056] Generally, it is considered that the rubbing sound caused by the sliding movement of the seat core member and the cushion layer as described above occurs due to the occurrence of the stick-slip phenomenon due to the relative movement of the seat core member and the cushion layer. Specifically, when two objects such as the seat core member and the cushion layer relatively move, the two objects are elastically deformed in a state where the contact surfaces of the two objects are fixed due to the frictional force. When the restoring force of two objects due to the deformation exceeds the frictional force, the two objects restore the original shape. The vibration phenomenon caused by repeating these is the stick-slip phenomenon. It is considered that the rubbing sound is generated by such vibration. It is considered that the stick-slip phenomenon is a cause of abnormal noise such as chattering sound in polishing, or the like.

[0057] In a case of the present invention, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, in the rising portion 7 of the seat core member 4 being in contact with the cushion layer 5, the plurality of ridges 10 extending in the rising direction 9 of the seat core member 4 are disposed, so that the effect of reducing a rubbing sound is obtained. Although the mechanism by which the effect can be obtained is not certain, it can be considered as follows.

[0058] In the present invention, the extension direction of the ridges 10 is the rising direction 9 of the seat core member 4. In addition, the direction of the relative movement of the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4, which occurs when a person is seated, or the like, is the rising direction 9 of the seat core member 4. Therefore, the extension direction of the ridge 10 and the direction of the relative movement of the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 coincide with each other. The portion where the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 are in contact with each other is the tip end of the ridge 10, which is a linear region extending in the rising direction 9 of the seat core member 4, so that sliding between the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 in the rising direction 9 is promoted. As a result, even if the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 move relatively in the rising direction 9, it is considered that the ridge 10 is unlikely to be elastically deformed and the stick-slip phenomenon hardly occurs so that the rubbing sound is reduced.

[0059] In addition, as described above, it is considered that the sliding of the cushion layer 5 and the seat core member 4 in the rising direction 9 is promoted, so that it is possible to prevent twisting of the cushion layer 5 and lateral shift in the vehicle width direction.

[0060] FIG. 4 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of the ridge 10. Each of the ridges 10 has a tip end having a semicircular arc shape in cross-section, and a plurality of the ridges 10 are formed in parallel in the rising portion 7 at the same interval. The tip end of the ridge 10 is not limited to a semicircular arc shape, and the cross-section of the ridge may be a triangle, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a semicircle with a truncated tip end, or the like. From the viewpoint of sufficient strength at the base portion and reducing the contact area with the cushion layer 5, it is preferable that the tip end of the ridge 10 is formed to be tapered. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the ridge 10 may be formed as a single continuous ridge on the rising portion 7 of the seat core member 4, but the ridge 10 may be formed in an intermittent ridge which is a ridge disconnected in the middle. Even in a case where the ridge 10 is formed as the intermittent ridge, it is necessary that the length of the ridge in the rising direction of the seat core member is sufficiently longer than the width of the ridge. The length of each of the ridges in the rising direction of the seat core member is preferably at least 10 times the width of the ridge, and more preferably 20 times or more.

[0061] As a specific dimension of the ridge 10, it is preferable that the height h of the ridge is 0.1 to 3 mm, the width w1 of the ridge is 0.1 to 1 mm, the groove width w2 is 0.5 to 4 mm, and the ridge pitch p is 1 to 5 mm, and it is more preferable that the height h of the ridges is 0.2 to mm, the width w1 of the ridges is 0.2 mm to 1 mm, the groove width w2 is 0.5 to 2 mm, and the ridge pitch p is 1 to 3 mm. The dimensions of the ridge are set to be in the above range, so that the strength of the ridge is maintained, vibration of the ridge itself is less likely to occur, the contact area with the cushion layer 5 is reduced, and generation of rubbing sound can be effectively suppressed.

[0062] Regarding the portion where the ridge 10 is provided, it is indispensable to provide the ridge 10 in the rising portion 7 of the seat core member 4, but it is preferable that the ridge is appropriately provided toward the sliding direction in a portion which comes in contact with the cushion layer 5 and there is a possibility of occurrence of rubbing sound due to sliding between the seat core member 4 and the cushion layer 5.

EXAMPLES

[0063] Polypropylene-based resin foamed particles (manufactured by JSP Corporation, EPP-block, expansion ratio: 30 times) were filled in a mold having a length of 500 mm, a width of 300 mm, and a thickness of 60 mm and subjected to in-mold molding by steam heating. A portion of the surface of the mold has a detachable structure and by exchange of adapter provided various uneven shapes on the surface, the surface of the foam was shaped into embossments of various uneven patterns illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0064] The embossment of the uneven pattern on the surface of the foamed body had approximately the following dimensions. For dimensions of the uneven pattern, each dimension of the uneven shape of the mold was arbitrarily measured at 30 points, and the arithmetic average value of the measured values was used.

[0065] Mesh embossment: protrusion height is 0.4 mm, groove width (a) is 0.8 mm, protrusion width (b) is 1 mm, and groove pitch (c) is 2 mm

[0066] Stripe pattern: protrusion height is 0.4 mm, groove width (d) is 0.8 mm, longitudinal length of groove (e) is 3 mm, and groove pitch (f) is 4 mm

[0067] Rhombus embossment: protrusion height is 0.4 mm, groove width is 0.8 mm, protrusion width (i) is 1.2 mm, and ridge pitch (j) is 2 mm

[0068] Dot embossment: dot height is 0.2 mm, dot diameter (k) is 1.2 mm, and dot pitch is 2 mm

[0069] Dot embossment (high): dot height is 0.4 mm, dot diameter (k) is 1.2 mm, and dot pitch (m) is 2 mm

[0070] Vertical embossment (present invention): ridge height (h) is 0.4 mm, ridge width (w1) is 0.4 mm, groove width (w2) is 1.0 mm, and ridge pitch (p) is 1.4 mm

[0071] The molded product was dried in an oven at 60 C. for 12 hours or more, and after moisture was removed sufficiently, the molded product was used for rubbing sound evaluation test. The urethane cushion was obtained by purchasing a commercially available vehicle seat and cutting the pad portion (density: 0.045 g/cm.sup.3) to 100 mm 100 mm50 mm. A skin surface was left on at least one surface of the 100 mm100 mm surface.

[0072] The urethane cushion (skin surface side) cut into 100 mm100 mm50 mm was pressed against the above-described foam test piece with a load of 392 N, and moved against the surface of the foamed body with embossment by various molds of uneven pattern illustrated in FIG. 6 at a speed of 200 mm/sec in a direction corresponding to the vertical direction (vertical direction of rising portion) in FIG. 6. The rubbing sounds generated at that time were respectively evaluated.

[0073] Evaluation of no embossment was evaluated as XX, although the occurrence of rubbing sound was reduced more than no embossment, a case where the rubbing sound still occurred was evaluated as X, and a case where the occurrence of rubbing sound was effectively suppressed was evaluated as O. As illustrated in FIG. 6. the evaluation result of the dot embossment (high) was XX of the same evaluation as no embossment. The evaluation results of the mesh embossment, stripe pattern, rhombus embossment, and dot embossment were X. The evaluation result of the vertical embossment corresponding to the present invention was O.

[0074] That is, the effect of reducing the rubbing sound was observed most in a case provided with the ridge of the seat core member according to the present invention.

[0075] The above description merely illustrates a specific preferred embodiment for the purpose of explanation and illustration of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes many further changes and modifications within the scope not deviating from the essence thereof.

[0076] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-54432) filed on Mar. 18, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. In addition, all references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0077] According to the seat core member of the present invention, by providing a plurality of ridges extending in the rising direction of the seat core member in the rising portion of the seat core member opposed to the calves of the body, when a passenger sits on the seat portion, or when the cushion layer deforms by exerting the cushioning effect, vertical sliding between the seat core member and the cushion layer in the rising portion of the seat portion is promoted, and the occurrence of rubbing sound caused by the sliding of the contact surface can be effectively reduced without impairing the cushioning property of the cushion layer. Therefore, the seat core member can be widely used as the seat core member used for automobile seats, and the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0078] 1 Seat

[0079] 2 Backrest portion

[0080] 3 Seat portion

[0081] 4 Seat core member

[0082] 5 Cushion layer

[0083] 6 Horizontal portion

[0084] 7 Rising portion

[0085] 8 Corner portion

[0086] 9 Rising direction

[0087] 10 Ridge

[0088] 11 Recessed portion