Arrangement of headrest in seat

• US 5,145,233 A
• Filed: 10/22/1991
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bank of Oklahoma NA (BOK Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Nagashima, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US07/780,368
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 297/403, 297/408, 297/396, 297/391
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/856 movable to an inoperative or stowed position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/874 movable to an inoperative or stowed position B60N2/832, B60N2/856 take precedence

Abstract

An arrangement of a headrest in a seat wherein the headrest is displaceable rotatively about a shaft between a vertical use and horizontal non-use positions, and a drive mechanism is disposed at one end side of the shaft while a stopper is fixed on another end of same shaft, and wherein an elastic means is disposed at a point wherein such stopper is to be brought to contact with the elastic means.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a headrest in a seat, comprising:

a crank-like shaft which extends transversely of a seat back of said seat and is disposed at an upper part of said seat back, such that both ends of said shaft are rotatably secured to a seat back frame provided within said seat back;

a drive mechainsm for causing said shaft to be rotated so as to displace said headrest between a vertical use position and a horizontal non-use position, said drive mechanism being disposed at one lateral side of said seat back frame and being operatively connected with a one end part of said shaft;

a stopper means provided fixedly at another free end part of said shaft which is disposed at another lateral side of said back frame without said drive mechanism being provided thereat;

a bearing bracket fixed on said another lateral side of said seat back frame, on which bearing bracket is rotatably supported said another free end part of said shaft; and

an elastic means provided fixedly in said bearing bracket in such a manner as to resiliently receive one side surface of said stopper means when said headrest is located at said non-use position;

wherein said headrest at said non-use position is supported stably by virtue of said drive mechanism at said one lateral side of said seat back frame and both said stopper and elastic means at said another lateral side of said seat back frame.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing bracket is provided with a limit means against which another side surface of said stopper means is to be contacted, to thereby limit further backward rotation of said headrest beyond said vertical use position.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism comprises a link member fixed to said one end part of said shaft, said link member extending therefrom in a direction orthogonal to an axis of said shaft, a connecting rod whose one end is pivotally connected to said link member and whose another end is formed with a rack gear, and a pinion gear in mesh with said rack gear, which pinion gear is to be rotated by a motor, and wherein there is provided a second bearing bracket for rotatably supporting said one end part of said shaft, said second bearing bracket having, provided therein, an elastic means against which said link member is to be contacted.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing bracket is securely mounted on a support bracket which is fixed on said another lateral side of said seat back frame.