Headrest apparatus

• US 4,744,601 A
• Filed: 04/29/1987
• Issued: 05/17/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Sogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Cubic Engineering
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Motoyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US07/044,901
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216, 297/391, 297/410, 297/DIG. 3, 297/DIG. 2, 5/441, 5/450, 5/451
• US Class Current: 297/391
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/80 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/02 Molded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/909 Flowable viscous, e.g. gel material containing

Abstract

A headrest apparatus comprising at least one support member mounted on a seat, a high cushioning elastic base provided on said support member, a low cushioning elastic support wall provided on said elastic base, an empty room formed in front of said elastic support wall, a head resting part formed at the front side of this empty room and a gel material layer formed by filling said empty room with gel material, wherein a load to be applied to said head resting part is applied to said gel material layer.

Claims

1. A headrest apparatus comprising

a. a support mechanism provided with at least one support member which is uprightly fixed to a seat and a pillow member securing means, and

b. a pillow member provided with a high cushioning elastic base part which is mounted on said support member, a low cushioning elastic support wall having a higher resistance to deformation than said elastic base part and which is provided in front of this elastic base part, an empty space formed in front of this elastic support wall, a head resting part formed on the front surface of this empty space, and a gel material layer which is formed by filling said empty room with gel material, wherein a load to be applied to said head resting part is applied to said gel material layer.

2. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support member is fixed to said seat to be vertically shiftable.

3. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow member is secured on the support mechanism with said pillow member securing means so that an angle of the head resting part of said pillow member to the support member can be varied.

4. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the penetration value of said gel material layer is 50 to 200.

5. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein gel material which forms said gel material layer is silicone gel.

6. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said silicone gel contains a number of fine hollow particles.

7. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said fine hollow particles have diameter of 5 to 300μ

, respectively.

8. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said head resting part is made of a part of sheet material which integrally covers said gel material layer and said elastic base part.

9. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gel material layer is formed with block members sealed with gel material.

10. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said block members are balls which cover gel material with an external covering layer.

11. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said block members are cylindrical members which cover gel material with an external covering layer.

12. A headrest apparatus comprising

a. a support mechanism provided with at least one support member which is uprightly fixed to a seat and a pillow member securing means,

b. a high cushioning elastic base part which is fitted to said support member,

c. a head receiving member which is coupled to the front part of said elastic base part, said head receiving member comprising

(i) a low cushioning elastic support wall having a higher resistance to deformation than said elastic base part and located at said elastic base part side,

(ii) an elastic layer which covers said elastic support wall and forms an empty space in front of said elastic support wall, and

(iii) a gel material layer formed by filling said empty space with gel material, and

d. a head resting part formed at the front surface of said head receiving member, wherein a load applied to said head resting part is applied to said gel material layer through the elastic layer of said head receiving member.

13. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said support member is fixed to said seat to be vertically shiftable.

14. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said pillow member is secured on a support mechanism with said pillow member securing means so that the angle of the head resting part of said pillow member to the support member can be varied.

15. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the penetration value of said gel material layer is 50 to 200.

16. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the gel material which forms said gel material layer is silicone gel.

17. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said silicone gel contains a number of fine hollow particles.

18. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein said fine hollow particles are particles having a diameter of 5 to 300μ

.

19. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said head resting part is made of a part of sheet material which integrally covers said head receiving member and said elastic base part.

20. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said gel material layer is made of block members sealed with gel material.

21. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein said block members are balls which cover gel material with an external covering layer.

22. A headrest apparatus in accordance with claim 20, wherein said block members are cylindrical members which cover gel material with an external covering layer.