System and method for actuation of a head restraint

• US 20070114810A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, David, Yetukuri, Arjun, Jammalamadaka, Sai
• Granted Patent: US 7,556,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/65.10
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0226 User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0278 using sensors external to the seat for measurements in relation to the seat adjustment, e.g. for identifying the presence of obstacles or the appropriateness of the occupants position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/832 movable to an inoperative or stowed position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/856 movable to an inoperative or stowed position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/10 Wired data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data

Abstract

A system and method for remote actuation of a vehicle head restraint includes an actuator arrangement configured to effect movement of a head restraint from a raised position to a lowered position. A sensor defines a first area, and is configured to output signals to the actuator arrangement to facilitate movement of the head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position when an object comes within a predetermined distance of the first area. The sensor is disposed proximate a rearview mirror in the vehicle such that a user can simultaneously view the head restraint in the mirror and the first area. Remote actuation systems using infrared sensor assemblies such infrared proximity sensors are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for remote actuation of at least one vehicle head restraint movable from a respective raised position to a respective lowered position, the system comprising:

a first head restraint;

a first actuator arrangement configured to effect movement of the first head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position; and

a first infrared sensor assembly having an infrared emitter and an infrared detector, the first infrared sensor assembly defining a first target area such that output signals are sent to the first actuator arrangement to facilitate movement of the first head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position when an object comes within a predetermined distance of the first target area.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the object must be within the first target area for a predetermined period of time before movement of the headrest is actuated.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first infrared sensor assembly is disposed proximate to a rearview mirror such that a user can simultaneously view the first head restraint in the mirror and the first area.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first infrared assembly is an infrared proximity sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first infrared sensor assembly defines one or more additional target areas.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor that disables movement of the first head restraint when a user is adjusting the rearview mirror.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle seat occupant sensor that senses the presence of an occupant in a first seat that includes the first head restraint so that the first head restraint is not movable from the raised to the lowered positions.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an occupant sensor disabling switch.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a component that configures the system for wireless communication with the first actuator arrangement.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication utilizes a radio frequency signal.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more additional head restraints; and

one or more additional actuator arrangements, each of the actuator arrangements being configured to effect movement of a respective head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first infrared sensor assembly defines one or more additional target areas and configured to output signals to the one or more additional actuator arrangements, to independently facilitate movement of each of the one or more additional head restraints from its respective raised position to its lowered position when an object comes within a predetermined distance of the one of the one or more target areas.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

one or more additional infrared sensor assemblies configured to be independently actuated by the user, each of the sensor assemblies independently comprising an infrared emitter and an infrared detector and defining one or more target areas.

15. A system for remote actuation of at least one vehicle head restraint movable from a respective raised position to a respective lowered position, the vehicle including a rearview mirror, the system comprising:

a first head restraint;

a first actuator arrangement configured to effect movement of the first head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position; and

a first sensor defining a first area and configured to output signals to the first actuator arrangement to facilitate movement of the first head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position when an object comes within a predetermined distance of the first area, the first sensor being disposed such that a user can simultaneously view the first head restraint in the mirror while activating the first sensor.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first sensor is disposed proximate to the mirror such that a user can simultaneously view the first head restraint in the mirror and the first area.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first sensor is operable to move the first head restraint if the object is within the predetermined distance for a first predetermined period of time.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first sensor is operable to move the first head restraint if the first sensor is activated at least two successive times within a second predetermined period of time.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more additional head restraints;

one or more additional actuator arrangements configured to independently effect movement of the one or more additional head restraints from a raised position to a lowered position; and

one or more additional sensors, each sensor of the one or more additional sensors defining one or more additional areas and configured to output signals to the one or more additional actuator arrangements to facilitate movement of the each of the one or more additional head restraints from its raised position to its lowered position when an object comes within a predetermined distance of one area of the one or more additional areas, the one or more additional sensors being disposed proximate the mirror such that the user can simultaneously view the one or more additional head restraints in the mirror and the one or more additional areas.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising one or more indicators to indicate which head restraint is being moved from raised to lowered positions.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the one or more indicators include a component selected from the group consisting of light crystal displays mounted on the mirror proximate to the image of the head restraint being moved, a light source mounted on the mirror proximate to the image of the head restraint being moved, a light source mounted on the mirror such that at least a portion of the image of the head restraint being moved is illuminated, a light source integrated into the head restraint being moved, a sound source integrated into the head restraint being moved, a sound source capable of providing verbal indication of which head restraint is being moved, and combinations thereof.

22. A method for remote actuation of at least one vehicle head restraint from a respective raised position to a respective lowered position, the vehicle including a sensor and an actuator arrangement for each of the at least one head restraints to facilitate movement of a respective head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position, the vehicle further including a rearview mirror, the method comprising:

viewing an image of a first head restraint at a first location in the mirror; and

disposing an object within a predetermined distance of the first location to actuate a first one of the sensors, thereby sending a signal from the first sensor to a first one of the actuator arrangements to effect movement of the first head restraint from its raised position to its lowered position.