Headrest

• US 4,733,913 A
• Filed: 12/11/1985
• Issued: 03/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ikeda Kinzokukuogyo Company Limited, Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ikeda Kinzokukuogyo Company Limited, Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Tateyama, Tomoyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/807,601
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 297/408, 297/409, 297/391, 297/356
• US Class Current: 297/409
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/847 with stepwise positioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/865 providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head

Abstract

A headrest whose position can be adjusted by moving its body forward and backward in relation to a support stay comprising the headrest body located above the support stay which is planted in the upper portion of the seat back of a seat, a support means located between the headrest body and the support stay to support the headrest body movable in relation to the support stay, a lock mechanism located between the support stay and the support means to freely swing the support means, corresponding to the movement of the headrest body in a direction, but limit the swinging movement of the support means against the movement of the headrest in another direction, and a lock release mechanism for releasing the lock mechanism when the headrest body is at the stop end of its moving stroke.

Claims

1. A headrest whose position can be adjusted by moving its body forward and rearward in a horizontal plane in relation to a seat back of a seat comprising:

a support stay in an upper portion of the seat back of the seat;

a headrest body located at an upper portion of the support stay;

a link mechanism including a first forward swing link member and a second rear swing link member located between the headrest body and a support means for supporting the headrest body swingably in relation to the support stay;

a lock mechanism located inside the headrest body, between the support stay and the support means for allowing said support means to freely swing in accordance with movement of the headrest body in one direction and to limit swinging movement of the support means against movement in another direction of the headrest body, said lock mechanism including a sector having a plurality of teeth provided on one of the swing link members, said lock mechanism utilizing a pivot shaft of the attached swing link member for its rotation center, and a click member movably attached to one of the support stay and headrest body, the click member having a click engageable with the teeth of the sector;

a lock release mechanism for releasing the lock mechanism when the headrest body is at a stop end of a moving stroke; and

a bracket fixed to the headrest body through a headrest frame on which the upper portions of the forward and rear swing link members are pivoted, respectively;

wherein base portions of the link members are pivoted on the upper end of the support stay and are erected parallel to each other from the upper end of the support stay; and

the sector of the lock mechanism is integrally formed on one of the forward and rear swing link members.

2. A headrest according to claim 1 wherein the click member is adapted to freely follow that movement of the sector which corresponds to the forward movement of the headrest body, but limit that movement of the sector which corresponds to the backward movement of the headrest body.

3. A headrest according to claim 1 wherein the click member is pivoted on the support stay together with the other swing link member which is not formed integral with the sector.

4. A headrest according to claim 3 wherein the lock mechanism further comprises a release member formed on the swing link member, to which the sector is fixed, to release the click member from the sector, and a holder means for holding the click member after the click member has been released.

5. A headrest according to claim 4 wherein the release member comprises a pushing portion formed continuous from the last one of the teeth of the sector and on the swing link member to which the sector is fixed.

6. A headrest according to claim 5 wherein the holder means is pivoted together with the other swing link member on a side opposite to the sector.

7. A headrest according to claim 6 wherein a returning means is mounted on a bracket fixed to the headrest body.