Auto-adjust vehicle headrest

• US 20070267909A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Truckenbrodt, Gerd, Hoss, Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/410
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors

Abstract

A headrest has a generally stationary support, a headrest body having a forwardly directed front face and positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body, and a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support. A drive can vertically shift the body relative to the support. A sensor assembly has at least three horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the front face. A controller connected to the electrodes and to the drive means detects a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body and displaces the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head.

Claims

1. A headrest comprising:

a generally stationary support;

a headrest body positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body;

a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support;

drive means for vertically shifting the body relative to the support;

a sensor assembly having at least three horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the body; and

control means connected to the electrodes and to the drive means for detecting a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body and displacing the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head.

2. The headrest defined in claim 1 wherein the electrodes include an upper electrode, a center electrode, and a lower electrode.

3. The headrest defined in claim 2 wherein the sensor assembly further includes a mount secured to the body, the electrodes being fixed to the mount.

4. The headrest defined in claim 3 wherein the mount is a flexible dielectric sheet and the electrodes are elongated foils laminated to the sheet.

5. The headrest defined in claim 4 wherein the headrest body is generally rigid, the headrest further comprising a flexible cover surrounding the body with the mount and electrodes between the cover and the body.

6. The headrest defined in claim 5, further comprising a cushion between the cover and the electrodes.

7. The headrest defined in claim 5, further comprising a cushion between the body and the electrodes.

8. The headrest defined in claim 2 wherein each of the electrodes extends over at least one quarter of a horizontal length of the headrest.

9. The headrest defined in claim 2 wherein each of the electrodes extends over at least one half of a horizontal length of the headrest.

10. The headrest defined in claim 2 wherein the control means operates by applying a voltage between the center electrode and one of the upper and lower electrodes and then applying a voltage between the center electrode and the other of the upper and lower electrodes.

11. The headrest defined in claim 10 wherein the voltage is applied as an alternating current.

12. The headrest defined in claim 11 wherein the control means includes

comparator means for comparing a dielectric constant between the upper electrode and the center electrode with a dielectric constant between the lower electrode and the center electrode.

13. The headrest defined in claim 1 wherein the control means is mounted on the body.

14. The headrest defined in claim 1 wherein the guide means includes a support rod extending between the body and the support.

15. The headrest defined in claim 14 wherein the rod is fixed in the body and slidable in the support, the drive means including an actuator mounted in the support and operatively connected to the rod.

16. The headrest defined in claim 14, further comprising

electrical feed and control lines extending through the rod between the electrode assembly, control means, and drive means.

17. The headrest defined in claim 1 wherein the support is a seat back of a vehicle.

18. The headrest defined in claim 1 further comprising

an electrical shield between the electrodes and the body.

19. The headrest defined in claim 18 wherein the shield is a vertical conductive sheet mounted on the body rearward of the electrodes.

20. The headrest defined in claim 1, further comprising

a dielectric cover overlying the electrodes and between the electrodes and the user'"'"'s head.