Folding head restraint mechanism

• US 20070096515A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Jammalamadaka, Sai, Dalian, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/844 Release mechanisms, e.g. buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/856 movable to an inoperative or stowed position

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat bottom attached to a seat back with a moveable head restraint attached to the seat back. Characteristically, the head restraint is movable from a raised to a lowered position and vice versa. The head restraint of this embodiment when in the raised position is able to withstand impacts that meet or exceed the specifications of FMVSS201.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly disposable in a vehicle, the seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back attached to the seat bottom;

a head restraint attached to the seat back including a head restraint body having a front side and a back side, a first pivot shaft, and a second pivot shaft, such that the head restraint body is moveable from a raised position to a lowered position with concurrent movement of the first shaft about the second shaft;

a first locking face in communication with the seat back; and

an actuator associated with the head restraint for enabling movement of the head restraint body from the raised position to the lowered position, the actuator including a lock lever in communication with the first shaft, the locking lever having a second locking face and a pivot region such that the first locking face contacts the second locking face when the head restraint is in the raised position thereby locking the head restraint in the raised position, wherein the pivot region and the second locking face are oriented to define a lock angle sufficient to resist movement from the raised position to the lowered position during impact upon the head restraint body from the back side with a ball having a mass of about 6.8 kg and a diameter of about 165 mm moving at a speed of about 15 miles per hour.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the pivot angle is from about 2 to about 7 degrees.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the pivot region and the second locking face are oriented to define a lock point distance is from about 6 mm to about 14 mm.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the second pivot shaft contacts a pair of powder metal bearings, the powder metal bearings allowing movement about the second pivot shaft when the head restraint body moves from the raised position to the lowered position.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the head restraint body includes a head restraint frame and a bracket attached to the head rest frame wherein the first pivot shaft is attached to the head restraint frame.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the lock lever is mounted upon the bracket.

7. The seat assembly of claim 6 further comprising a dump spring in communication with the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft, the dump spring providing a force that acts to move the head restraint from the raised to the lowered position.

8. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the head restraint further comprises two head rest posts that attach to the seat back and to the second pivot shaft.

9. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the seat back includes a track having a longitudinal track guide adapted to receive the two head rest posts such that the head restraint is moveably attached to the track.

10. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuator is accessible by an occupant of the front seat when the seat assembly is installed in the vehicle.

11. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuator further comprises a strap such that when the head restraint body from is in the raised position, the strap allows a vehicle occupant to pull the head restraint body from the raised position to the lowered position.

12. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuator includes a knob or push button.

13. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the head restraint body pivots forward when the head restraint body moves from the raised position toward the lowered position.

14. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat bottom includes a seat bottom frame and a cushion supported by the seat bottom frame and the seat back includes a seat back frame and a cushion mounter thereon.

17. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the head restraint body includes a head restraint frame and a bracket attached to the head rest frame wherein the first pivot shaft is attached to the head restraint frame, wherein the lock lever is mounted upon the bracket.

18. The seat assembly of claim 17 further comprising a dump spring in communication with the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft, the dump spring providing a force that acts to move the head restraint from the raised to the lowered position.

19. The seat assembly of claim 18 wherein the head restraint further comprises two head rest posts that attach to the seat back and to the second pivot shaft and wherein the seat back includes a track having a longitudinal track axis adapted to receive the two head rest posts such that the head restraint is moveably attached to the track.

15. A vehicle seat assembly disposable in a vehicle rearward of a front seat, the seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back attached to the seat bottom;

a head restraint attached to the seat back including a head restraint body having a front side and a back side, a first pivot shaft, and a second pivot shaft, such that the head restraint body is moveable from a raised position to a lowered position with concurrent movement of the first shaft about the second shaft;

a first locking face in communication with the seat back; and

an actuator associated with the head restraint for enabling movement of the head restraint body from the raised position to the lowered position, the actuator including a lock lever in communication with the first shaft, the locking lever having a second locking face and a pivot region such that the first locking face contacts the second locking face when the head restraint is in the raised position thereby locking the head restraint in the raised position, wherein the pivot region and the second locking face are oriented to define a lock angle from 2 to about 7 degrees and a lock point distance is from 6 mm to about 14 mm.

16. The seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the second pivot shaft contacts a pair of powder metal bearings, the powder metal bearings allowing movement about the second pivot shaft when the head restraint body moves from the raised position to the lowered position

20. A vehicle seat assembly disposable in a vehicle rearward of a front seat, the seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back attached to the seat bottom;

a head restraint attached to the seat back including a head restraint body having a front side and a back side, a first pivot shaft, and a second pivot shaft, such that the head restraint body is moveable from a raised position to a lowered position with concurrent movement of the first shaft about the second shaft, the second pivot shaft contacting a pair of powder metal bearings, the powder metal bearings allowing movement about the second pivot shaft when the head restraint body moves from the raised position to the lowered position;

a first locking face in communication with the seat back; and

an actuator associated with the head restraint for enabling movement of the head restraint body from the raised position to the lowered position, the actuator including a lock lever in communication with the first shaft, the locking lever having a second locking face and a pivot region such that the first locking face contacts the second locking face when the head restraint is moved from the lowered to the raised position thereby locking the head restraint in the raised position, wherein the pivot region and the second locking face are oriented to define a lock angle from 2 to about 7 degrees and a lock point distance is from 6 mm to about 14 mm.