Safety headrest for a motor vehicle

• US 20040245833A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Svantesson, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 6,983,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A vehicle seat (1) as a head-rest (5) which is mounted for movement about a horizontal axis defined by a bar (7) depending arms (12) extend downwardly into the back of the seat and carry a pressure plate (13) at a position behind the torso of the occupant of the seat so that pressure applied to the pressure plate (13) will cause the head-rest (5) to move forwardly. The pressure plate (13) is pivotally connected (14, 15, 16, 17) to the arms (12) to enable the arrangement to pivot to the maximum extent in a situation where the rear part of the seat is rigid, for example if the seat is a rear seat in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. :

A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle, the safety arrangement comprising a head-rest, means to mount the head-rest for pivotal movement about a first predetermined horizontal axis adjacent an upper part of a back-rest of a seat, and depending means adapted to extend downwardly within the back-rest of the seat beneath the first predetermined axis, and which carry a pressure plate to be located within the back-rest at a position behind a torso of an occupant of the seat, so that pressure applied to the pressure plate will cause the head-rest to move, the pressure plate being pivotally connected to the depending means.

2. :

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the depending means comprise parallel arms.

3. :

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the pressure plate is provided with an integral locating element extending upwardly above a second axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the depending means, the locating element being releasably connected to the depending means.

4. :

An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the locating element is connected to the depending means by means of at least one spring clip.

5. :

An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the locating element is connected to the depending means by means of at least one frangible element.

6. :

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a locating element is arranged in association with the pressure plate and the depending means in a position above a second axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the depending means.

7. :

An arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the locating element is deformable.

8. :

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the means to mount the head-rest comprise a substantially horizontal bar adapted to be mounted, by means of bearings, on a frame within the back-rest of the seat, an axis of the horizontal bar being the said first predetermined axis, the head-rest being connected to the bar.

9. :

An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the depending means are connected to and depend from the bar.

10. :

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a rear of the back-rest is provided with a rigid panel.

11. :

A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle, the safety arrangement comprising;

a head-rest;

a substantially horizontal bar rotatably mountable in an upper part of a back-rest of a seat, the head-rest mounted to the substantially horizontal bar such that the head-rest can be pivotally moved about the substantially horizontal bar;

at least one depending arm extending downwardly from the substantially horizontal bar, the at least one depending arm capable of being positioned within the back-rest of the seat; and

a pressure plate for placement behind a torso of an occupant of the seat, the at least one depending arm pivotally connected to the pressure plate such that pressure applied to the pressure plate will cause the head-rest to move.

12. :

An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the at least one depending arm comprises two parallel arms.

13. :

An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the pressure plate has an integral locating element extending upwardly above an axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the at least one depending arm, the locating element being releasably connected to the at least one depending arm.

14. :

An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the locating element is connected to the at least one depending arm by at least one spring clip.

15. :

An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the locating element is connected to the at least one depending arm by at least one frangible element.

16. :

An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a locating element is arranged in association with the pressure plate and the at least one depending arm in a position above an axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the at least one depending arm.

17. :

An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the locating element is deformable.

18. :

An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the substantially horizontal bar is mountable, through the use of bearings, on a frame within the back-rest of the seat.

19. :

An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a rear of the back-rest is provided with a rigid panel.