ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE HEAD RESTRAINT

• US 20130049429A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Yetukuri, Arjun, Hein, David A., Locke, Gerald S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/408
• 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 2/806 movable or adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/856 movable to an inoperative or stowed position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/859 specially adapted for rear seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/874 movable to an inoperative or stowed position B60N2/832, B60N2/856 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use

Abstract

A vehicle seat with an adjustable head restraint assembly is provided with a controller configured to receive an instruction signal to actuate a head restraint from a use position to a stowed position. A detection signal indicates whether an object is within a predetermined range of the head restraint. A stow signal is transmitted to an actuator to actuate the head restraint to the stowed position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is not within the predetermined range of the head restraint. A use signal is transmitted to the actuator to maintain the head restraint in the use position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

Claims

1. A vehicle head restraint controller configured to:

receive an instruction signal to actuate a head restraint from a use position to a stowed position;

receive a detection signal regarding whether an object is within a predetermined range of the head restraint;

transmit a stow signal to an actuator to actuate the head restraint to the stowed position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is not within the predetermined range of the head restraint; and

transmit a use signal to the actuator to maintain the head restraint in the use position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

2. The vehicle head restraint controller of claim 1 being further configured to:

receive a detection signal regarding whether an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint while the actuator is actuating the head restraint from the use position to the stowed position; and

transmit a use signal to the actuator to actuate the head restraint to the use position in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

3. The vehicle head restraint controller of claim 1 being further configured to:

receive a detection signal regarding whether an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint after the actuator has actuated the head restraint from the use position to the stowed position; and

transmit a use signal to the actuator to actuate the head restraint to the use position in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

4. A head restraint assembly comprising:

a support adapted to be mounted proximate to a vehicle seat back;

an actuator mounted to the support;

a head restraint supported upon the support and operatively connected to the actuator; and

a vehicle head restraint controller according to claim 1.

5. The head restraint assembly of claim 4 further comprising a sensor in the head restraint for detecting whether an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

6. The head restraint assembly of claim 5 wherein the predetermined range of the head restraint comprises a range of travel of the head restraint from the use position to the stowed position.

7. The head restraint assembly of claim 5 wherein the predetermined range of the head restraint comprises a predetermined range of positions wherein the head restraint is ineffective for supporting a head of an occupant.

8. The head restraint assembly of claim 7 wherein the predetermined range is oriented proximate to a bottom surface of the head restraint.

9. The head restraint assembly of claim 7 wherein the predetermined range is oriented proximate to a top surface of the head restraint.

10. The head restraint assembly of claim 5 wherein the predetermined range of the head restraint comprises an increasing distance between the head restraint and a detected object.

11. The head restraint assembly of claim 5 wherein the predetermined range of the head restraint comprises a decreasing distance between the head restraint and a detected object.

12. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back extending from the seat bottom; and

a head restraint assembly according to claim 4.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12 wherein the head restraint extends upright in the use position and is pivoted relative to the seat back in the stowed position.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the head restraint is pivoted forward in the stowed position.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 further comprising a sensor oriented in an occupant contact surface of the head restraint for detecting whether an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the head restraint is pivoted rearward in the stowed position.

17. A vehicle head restraint controller configured to:

receive a detection signal indicative of an object being within a predetermined range of a folded head restraint; and

transmit a use signal to an actuator to actuate the folded head restraint to a use position in response to the detection signal.

18. The vehicle head restraint controller of claim 17 being further configured to:

receive an instruction signal indicative of a desire to actuate the head restraint from the use position to a folded position;

receive the detection signal regarding whether an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint;

transmit a fold signal to the actuator to actuate the head restraint to the stowed position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is not within the predetermined range of the head restraint; and

transmit a use signal to the actuator to maintain the head restraint in the use position in response to the instruction signal and in response to the detection signal indicating that an object is within the predetermined range of the head restraint.

19. A vehicle head restraint assembly comprising:

a head restraint adapted to be mounted to a vehicle proximate to a seat back, the head restraint having a head contact surface for supporting a head of an occupant;

an actuator cooperating with the head restraint and the vehicle for actuating the head restraint to a stowed position; and

an object detection sensor oriented in the a surface of the head restraint other than the head contact surface for detecting the presence of an object proximate to the head restraint.

20. The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 19 wherein the head restraint has a lower surface facing the seat back in a use position of the head restraint;

wherein the lower surface faces forward in the stowed position; and

wherein the object detection sensor is oriented in the lower surface of the head restraint for detecting the presence of an object proximate to the lower surface.