The present invention relates to a lumbar support device which presses a back of a seated person and supports a good posture of the seated person.
Some vehicle seats have lumbar support devices.
As an example of those lumbar support devices, there is the following structure.
On a seat back frame, a pair of big wires, which is formed by curving spring materials and extends in a vertical direction, is provided.
Further, on both sides of a curved plate for pressing a back of a seated person, guides are provided. The respective guides are engaged with the big wires, and the curved plate is able to move in the vertical direction along the big wires. The curved plate is able to rise and fail to a predetermined position of the big wires.
Furthermore, the interval between two positions of the curved plate in the vertical direction is changed by a driving unit, whereby the degree of curvature of the curved plate is changed and the amount of pressure to be applied to the back of the seated person is changed (see Patent Literature 1, for example).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-523105 (FIG. 2)
However, in the lumbar support device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, if the curved plate is largely curved, twist between the guides of the curved plate and the big wires increases. That is, there is a problem that a large force is required to largely curve the curved plate and thus the size of the driving unit increases.
The present invention was made in view of the above described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lumbar support device in which a driving unit is not to be large.
In order to achieve at least one of the above described objects, a lumbar support device reflecting an aspect of the present invention is characterized by including a seat back frame, which has a horizontal portion extending in a horizontal direction and is provided on a seat back for supporting a back of a seated person; a curved plate, which is provided with a hinge portion to be rotatably engaged with the horizontal portion at one end portion; and a driving mechanism, which is provided on the seat back frame and is connected to the other end portion of the curved plate and which makes the other end portion approach and separate from the one end portion to change the degree of curvature of the curved plate.
Other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and embodiments for carrying out the invention, described below.
According to the present invention, a lumbar support device in which a driving unit is not to be large is provided.
Other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and embodiments for carrying out the invention, described below.
First, a seat back of a seat equipped with a lumbar support device of an embodiment will be described using
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The big wire 7 of the present embodiment includes left and right upper vertical-extending portions 7a and 7b which are positioned on the upper side, left and right middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d which are positioned in the middle of the vertical direction, and left and right lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i which are positioned on the lower side. The left and right upper vertical-extending portions 7a and 7b, the left and right middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d, and the left and right lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i is respectively disposed so as to be line symmetry. A right-and-left interval between the middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d is narrower than a right-and-left interval between the upper vertical-extending portions 7a and 7b. A right-and-left interval between the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i is narrower than a right-and-left interval between the middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d.
The lower end portions of the upper vertical-extending portions 7a and 7b and the upper end portions of the middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d are respectively connected by inclined portions 7e and 7f. The lower end portion of the vertically extending lower portion 7h and the lower end portion of the vertically extending lower portion 7i are connected by a bridge portion 7g.
Further, the lower end portions of the middle vertical-extending portions 7c and 7d and the upper end portions of the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i are respectively connected by horizontal portions 7j and 7k extending in the horizontal direction.
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The fishmouth spring 13 includes rising portions 13c and 13d, base-portion facing portions 13e and 13f, torsion arm portions 13g and 13h, and a mounting portion 13i. The rising portions 13c and 13d extends upward from end portions of the base portions 13a and 13b on the right frame (1a) side and the left frame (1b) side of the seat back frame 1. The base-portion facing portions 13e and 13f bend from the leading end portions of the rising portions 13c and 13d and extend toward the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i of the big wire 7. The torsion arm portions 13g and 13h bend from the leading end portions of the base-portion facing portions 13e and 13f and extend toward the bridge portion 7g of the big wire 7. The mounting portion 13i forms a bridge between the leading end portions of the torsion arm portions 13g and 13h and extends along the bridge portion 7g of the big wire 7.
Further, at the central portion of the mounting portion 13i, arm portions 13k and 13l are formed to intersect with the extension direction of the mounting portion 13i, and a step portion 13j is formed to form a bridge between the leading end portions of the arm portions 13k and 13l.
That is, in the fishmouth spring 13, the base portions 13a and 13b, the rising portions 13c and 13d, and the base-portion facing portions 13e and 13f serve as fixed base end portions of the torsion arm portions 13g and 13h, and the mounting portion 13i corresponds to the leading end portions of the torsion arm portions 13g and 13h.
Next, mounting of the base plate 11, the big wire 7, and the fishmouth spring 13 will be described using
At each of the left and right side portions of the base plate 11, two side swage portions 11a (the total number of side swage portions is four) are formed to extend in the horizontal direction. The side swage portions 11a are swaged so as to be wrapped around the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i of the big wire 7. As a result, the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i of the big wire 7 are mounted on the base plate 11.
At the lower portion of the base plate 11, two lower swage portions 11b are formed to extend downward. The lower swage portions 11b are swaged so as to be wrapped around the bridge portion 7g of the big wire 7 and the mounting portion 13i of the fishmouth spring 13. As a result, the bridge portion 7g of the big wire 7 and the mounting portion 13i of the fishmouth spring 13 are mounted on the base plate 11.
On the front side of the lower vertical-extending portions 7h and 7i of the big wire 7 of the seat back, a curved plate 23 made of a resin substantially in a plate shape is disposed. The degree of curvature of the curved plate 23 can be changed by the driving mechanism 9.
Next, using
The hinge portion 23b includes a main hinge body 23a which extends in the width direction of the seat back and a cantilever-like retaining portion 23f. The main hinge bodies 23e include grooves 23d having openings into which the horizontal portions 7j and 7k of the big wire (the seat back frame) 7 are inserted. The retaining portions 23f have elasticity. The retaining portions 23f protrude from the main hinge bodies 23e and face the openings of the grooves 23d with a space interposed therebetween.
In the present embodiment, the intervals between a surface of the retaining portions 23f, which faces the main hinge bodies 23e, and the openings of the grooves 23d of the main hinge bodies 23e are set to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the big wire 7 (the thickness in the vertical direction). Further, at the leading end portions of the retaining portions 23f, convex portions 23g are formed to protrude toward the main hinge bodies 23e such that the intervals between the leading end portions and the main hinge bodies 23e become less than the diameter of the big wire 7 (the thickness in the vertical direction).
If the horizontal portions 7j and 7k of the big wire 7 are pressed against the leading end portions of the retaining portions 23f of the hinge portions 23b and the leading end portions of the retaining portions 23f are curved upward, the intervals between the convex portions 23g and the main hinge bodies 23e become equal to or greater than the diameter of the big wire 7. Then, the horizontal portions 7j and 7k of the big wire 7 can be inserted into the grooves 23d, so that it is possible to mount the hinge portions 23b of the curved plate 23 on the horizontal portions 7j and 7k of the big wire 7.
Also, in a natural state where any force does not act on the leading ends of the retaining portions 23f, the intervals between the convex portions 23b of the retaining portions 23f and the main hinge bodies 23e are less than the diameter of the big wire 7 (the thickness in the vertical direction). Therefore, the horizontal portions 7j and 7k of the big wire 7 are prohibited from leaving from the grooves 23d to the outside.
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A threaded rod 63 having a male thread formed at the outer surface is disposed in a space between the first upstanding wall portion 51 and the second upstanding wall portion 53 and is screwed to the nut member provided in the gear box 59. A washer 52 is fit to a portion of the threaded rod 63 protruding outward from the gear box 59 and a stopper nut 54 is screwed.
Also, at the center of the lower portion of the base plate 11, a convex portion 58, which is able to support the pelvis of a seated person, is formed by the first upstanding wall portion 51, the second upstanding wall portion 53, and the bridge portion 56 and protrudes toward the front surface of the seat back.
At the central portion of the lower portion of the curved plate 23, a cutout 23h is formed to prevent interference with the convex portion 58 of the base plate 11. At the lower portion of the curved plate 23 except for the cutout 23h, a mounting portion 23i is formed over the entire area of the curved plate 23 in the width direction.
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Therefore, the threaded rod 63 is prohibited from rotating around the axis of the threaded rod 63 and can relatively move along the axis with respect to the motor 61. If the motor 61 is driven, the nut member in the gear box 59 rotates. The threaded rod 63 screwed to the nut member moves in the axial direction with respect to the motor 61, and the rod 65 fit in the threaded rod 63 moves along the first guide hole 51a and the second guide hole 53a. As a result, the lower portion of the curved plate 23 also moves along the first guide hole 51a and the second guide hole 53a.
In the present embodiment, the driving mechanism 9 includes the gear box 59 which has the nut member, the motor 61 which rotates the nut member provided inside the gear box 59, the threaded rod 63 which is screwed to the nut member provided inside the gear box 59, the rod 65 which connects the threaded rod 63 and the lower portion of the curved plate 23, and the second guide hole 53a of the second upstanding wall portion 53 and the first guide hole 51a of the first upstanding wall portion 51 through which the rod 65 is inserted.
Next, using
On the back surface of the curved plate 23, two belt-like reinforcing plates 101 extending in the vertical direction are provided. At the lower portions of the reinforcing plates 101, rectangular holes 101a are formed. At the lower portion of the curved plate 23, convex portions 231 are formed to be fit into the holes 101a of the reinforcing plates 101. Further, at the lower portion of the curved plate 23, there are formed holding convex portions 23o which are composed of base portions 23m which face the lower end surfaces of the reinforcing plates 101 and bent portions 23n which are bent from the leading end portions of the base portions 23m and face the upper surfaces of the lower portions of the reinforcing plates 101.
The lower portions of the reinforcing plates 101 are held on the curved plate 23 by the convex portions 231, which are engaged with the holes 101a of the reinforcing plates 101, and the holding convex portions 23o.
Further, on the back surface of the curved plate 23, two guides 23p and one guide 23q, as non-interference portions, are formed to cover the peripheral surfaces of the reinforcing plates 101 with spaces interposed therebetween and allow the reinforcing plates 101 to move in the vertical direction with respect to the curved plate 23.
Next, using
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If the motor 61 is rotated in one direction from that state, the nut member in the gear box 59 rotates in one direction, and the threaded rod 63 rises as shown in
Also, if the motor 61 is rotated in the other direction from the state shown in
Also, when the curved plate 23 is curved, the mounting portion 23i of the curved plate 23 is sliding-contact with the base plate 11. In the present embodiment, as shown in
Also, the convex portion 58 of the base plate 11 of the present embodiment serves as a pelvis supporting portion which supports a pelvis of the seated person when the lower portion of the curved plate 23 rises.
According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain the following advantages.
(1) Unlike the above described embodiment, in a case where the upper portion of the curved plate 23 is fixed to the big wire 7, if a force is applied to the lower portion of the curved plate 23, the force is transmitted to the big wire 7 via the fixing portions of the big wire 7 fixing the upper portion of the curved plate 23. Therefore, twist occurs at the big wire 7. In order to resist a reaction force caused by the twist of the big wire 7, the driving mechanism 9 is required to apply a large force to the curved plate 23. For this reason, the size of the driving mechanism 9 increases.
However, according to the lumbar support device of the present embodiment described above, the upper portion of the curved plate 23 is rotatably supported on the big wire 7. Further, since the curved plate 23 can be curved between the upper portion and the lower portion, even if a force is applied to the lower portion of the curved plate 23, the force is difficult to be transmitted to the big wire 7 supporting the upper portion of the curved plate 23. Therefore, in order to curve the curved plate 23, the driving mechanism 9 is not required to apply a large force to the curved plate 23. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the driving mechanism 9.
(2) Since the hinge portions 23b of the curved plate 23 are formed integrally with the curved plate 23, it is possible to implement the hinge portions by a simple configuration.
(3) Since the retaining portions 23f having elasticity are formed, it is possible to prevent the hinge portions 23b from leaving from the big wire 7, and it is easy to mount the big wire 7 to the hinge portions 23b.
(4) Since the connection between the rod 65 of the driving mechanism 9 and the curved plate 23 is a hinge connection, during curving of the curved plate 23, twist at the connection portion of the driving mechanism 9 and the curved plate 23 does not occur, and a smooth operation is achieved.
(5) Since the driving mechanism 9 which converts a rotational motion into a linear motion is configured by the threaded rod 63 and the nut member, the size of the driving unit is reduced.
Additionally, the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiment. The above described embodiment uses the curved plate 23 whose upper portion is rotatably supported on the seat back frame 1 and whose lower portion is able to move in the vertical direction such that the curved plate is deformed in a direction to press the back of a seated person. However, it also is possible to use a curved plate whose lower portion is rotatably supported on the seat back frame 1 and whose upper portion is able to move in the vertical direction such that the curved plate is deformed in a direction to press the back of a seated person.
Also, the above described embodiment uses the motor 61 as the driving mechanism 9. However, the driving mechanism may be manual.
Further, the sliding contact surface 23r of the curved plate 23 and the base plate 11 may be in line contact with each other.
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application (Application No. 2012-245718) filed with the Japan Patent Office on Nov. 7, 2012, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012-245718 | Nov 2012 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2013/079663 | 11/1/2013 | WO | 00 |