Active material actuated headrest assemblies
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A headrest assembly for a seat, comprising:
- a body portion having at least one padded surface positioned in substantial alignment with a seated occupant'"'"'s head; and
an active material in operative communication with the at least one padded surface of the body portion, the active material being operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein a space between the occupant'"'"'s head and the at least one padded surface decreases and/or a compliance property of the headrest changes with the change in the at least one attribute of the active material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A headrest assembly for a seat includes a body portion having at least one padded surface positioned in substantial alignment with a seated occupant'"'"'s head; and an active material in operative communication with the at least one padded surface of the body portion, the active material being operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein a space between the occupant'"'"'s head and the at least one padded surface decreases with the change in the at least one attribute of the active material.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A headrest assembly for a seat, comprising:
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a body portion having at least one padded surface positioned in substantial alignment with a seated occupant'"'"'s head; and
an active material in operative communication with the at least one padded surface of the body portion, the active material being operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein a space between the occupant'"'"'s head and the at least one padded surface decreases and/or a compliance property of the headrest changes with the change in the at least one attribute of the active material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A headrest assembly for a seat, comprising at least one support post extending upwardly from the seat;
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a headrest body attached to the at least one support post;
a padded portion in pivotal communication with the headrest body and substantially aligned with a seated occupant'"'"'s head; and
an active material actuator in a cooperative relationship with the padded portion, wherein the active material actuator is adapted to move the padded portion forward and/or upward relative to the headrest body upon receipt of an activation signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A process for reducing a space between a headrest and an occupant'"'"'s head and/or changing the compliance of the headrest, the process comprising:
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activating an active material based actuator disposed within a headrest supported by at least one support post projecting from a seat; and
moving a padded surface forward relative to the at least one support post upon activating the active material based actuator and reducing the space between the headrest and the occupant'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. The process of 19, wherein moving the padded surface forward relative to the at least one support post upon activating the active material based actuator and reducing the space between the headrest and the occupant'"'"'s head is motion limited upon contact of the padded surface an the occupant'"'"'s head.
Specification