INSERT FOR VEHICLE SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT

• US 20080164730A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Watson, Joseph, Orzelski, Zbigniew J.
• Application Number:
  US11/620,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/80 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/897 with sleeves located in the back-rest for guiding the rods of the head-rest

Abstract

An insert for a head restraint for a vehicle seat is disclosed with a body formed from a structural material that is sized to be inserted within a foam layer of a head restraint bun. The body is adapted to be mounted to a seat back of the vehicle seat. The body has a contact surface for receiving a head of an occupant, with a central depression for providing an increased contact area to the head of the occupant. In another embodiment, an insert is provided with a body to be inserted within a foam layer of a head restraint bun of a head restraint. The body has a front head contact surface and a forward inclined recess formed in a rear side to receive an armature of a vehicle seat and to prevent disassembly.

Claims

1. An insert for a head restraint for a vehicle seat comprising a body formed from a structural material, the body being sized to be inserted within a foam layer of a head restraint bun, the body being adapted to be mounted to a seat back of a vehicle seat, the body having a head contact surface for receiving a head of an occupant, and the body having a central depression formed in the head contact surface for providing an increased contact area to the head of the occupant.

2. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the head contact surface further comprises a forward facing head contact surface and an upward facing head contact surface, and wherein the body has a recess formed in a rear side of the body opposed from the forward facing head contact surface, the recess having a transverse region for receiving a transverse portion of an armature, the recess transverse region being inclined in a forward direction for retention of the armature during occupant imparted loads from the forward or rearward directions.

3. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the depression is generally arcuate.

4. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the depression has a radius of approximately eighty-two and one half millimeters.

5. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the insert is formed from foam.

6. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the insert is formed from expanded polypropylene.

7. A head restraint for a vehicle seat comprising:

the head restraint insert of claim 1; and

a foam layer disposed about the insert for providing a head restraint bun collectively with the insert, the foam layer being formed of a material that is softer than the insert for providing padding and comfort to the head of the occupant, whereby application of a predetermined impact load to the foam layer compresses the foam layer and imparts the impact load to the insert.

8. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back extending from the seat bottom;

an armature mounted to the seat back; and

the head restraint of claim 7, wherein the head restraint is mounted to the armature.

9. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the head contact surface is forward facing.

10. The head restraint insert of claim 9 wherein the head contact surface has a width and a height and the depression bisects the width.

11. The head restraint insert of claim 10 wherein the depression extends along the height of the head contact surface.

12. The head restraint insert of claim 1 wherein the head contact surface is upward facing.

13. The head restraint insert of claim 12 wherein the head contact surface has a width and a thickness and the depression bisects the width.

14. The head restraint insert of claim 13 wherein the depression extends along the thickness of the head contact surface.

15. An insert for a head restraint for a vehicle seat comprising a body formed from a structural material, the body being sized to be inserted within a foam layer of a head restraint bun, the body having a front head contact surface for receiving a head of an occupant, and the body having a recess formed in a rear side of the body opposed from the front head contact surface, the recess having a transverse region for receiving a transverse portion of an armature, the recess transverse region being inclined in a forward direction for retention of the armature during occupant imparted loads from the forward or rearward directions.

16. The head restraint insert of claim 15 wherein the recess is sized to receive with an interference fit an armature of a vehicle seat for mounting the insert to the vehicle seat.

17. A head restraint comprising:

an armature adapted to be mounted to a vehicle seat, the armature having a transverse portion;

the head restraint insert of claim 16 wherein the recess transverse region is mounted upon the armature transverse portion; and

a foam layer disposed about the insert for providing a head restraint bun collectively with the insert, the foam layer being formed of a material that is softer than the insert for providing padding and comfort to the head of the occupant.

18. A method for forming a head restraint comprising:

molding a head restraint insert from a structural material with a head contact surface and a depression in the head contact surface for providing an increased contact area to a head of an occupant and with a forward inclined recess in a back surface of the insert for retaining the insert upon an armature;

forming a tubular armature;

inserting the armature into the recess; and

insert-molding a soft foam about the head restraint insert and a portion of the armature.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

bending a transverse portion into the tubular armature; and

inserting the armature transverse portion into the transverse region of the head restraint insert recess with an interference fit.

20. A head restraint formed from the method of claim 18.