Headrest device

• US 5,131,720 A
• Filed: 09/25/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Nemoto, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US07/587,724
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 297/410, 297/391, 297/409
• US Class Current: 297/410
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors

Abstract

A headrest device having a cantilevert-type headrest body, wherein the headrest body is supported by one stay in a cantilever way, which enables height adjustment of teh headrest body and prevents the headrest body against rotation by virtue of a rotation preventive means provided on the stay.

Claims

1. A headrest device of a cantilever type, which is fixedly mounted to a frame in a seat back of a seat, with a headrest body being supported on a top of said seat back in a cantilever way, said headrest comprising:

a generally L-shaped stay formed to support said headrest body;

a stay rotation-preventive means for preventing said stay against rotation, said means being fixedly provided at said stay in such a manner as to extend laterally of said stay in a direction transversing said seat back;

a guide means for supporting and guiding said stay and stay rotation-preventive means in a vertically slidable manner, wherein said guide means has provided at its one side, a guide rail for slidably receiving and guiding said stay, and further extends from said guide rail to a direction transversing said seat back;

said guide means being fixed to said frame in said seat back;

said stay rotation-preventive means being supported slidably by said guide means at a location distant from said guide rail;

an operation means for causing vertical sliding movement of said stay, and

a drive means for actuating said operation means for effecting said vertical movement of said stay.

2. The headrest device according to claim 1, wherein said L-shaped formation of said stay is effected by bending a tube material into an inverted L shaped configuration, thereby defining a horizontal stay part and a vertical stay part therein, wherein said headrest body is provided at said horizontal stay part of said stay, and wherein at a lower half area of said vertical stay part, after fixedly provided said stay rotation preventive means and a slide plate which is slidable along said guide means.

3. The headrest device according to claim 1, wherein said rotation preventive means comprises a guide rod which is bent formed into a generally square configuration, and wherein said guide rod is supported by said guide means in a vertically slidable manner.

4. The headrest device according to claim 3 wherein, said guide rod is supported via a support member on a base plate in a manner slidable through said support member, wherein, upon said base plate, is mounted a limit switch such that said limit switch is disposed inwardly of said guide rod, wherein said limit switch is electrically connected via a lead wire to a power supply source, and wherein, when said headrest body reaches an upper limit level, said limit switch is depressed by one horizontal rod section of said guide rod to cease upward movement of said headrest, while when said headrest body reaches a lower limit level, said limit switch is depressed by other horizontal rod section of said guide rod.

5. The headrest device according to claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a base plate fixed on said frame of said seat back, wherein said guide rail of said guide means is fixed on said base plate, and wherein a slide plate is slidably fitted in said guide rail, said slide plate being further fixed to a lower part of the stay.

6. The headrest device according to claim 5, wherein said operation means comprises a lead screw and a lead screw nut, and wherein said lead screw is provided at a lower separate part of said guide rail, which is formed separately from said guide rail in said base plate, and said lead screw nut is in a threaded engagement with said lead screw, and fixed to a lower end of said stay, whereby said lead screw nut is caused to move vertically by a rotation of said lead screw to thereby produce vertical movement of said stay.

7. The headrest device according to claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a geared motor which is mounted at a lower area of said seat back, and wherein said motor is operatively connected to said operation means via a torque cable.