Vehicle pivotal headrest

• US 5,378,043 A
• Filed: 06/01/1993
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Humer, Mladen, Viano, David C., Neely, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/069,317
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 297/391, 297/399, 297/404, 297/405, 297/408-410, 297/216.1, 297/216.12
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/838 Tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A vehicle seat and headrest arrangement is provided including a seat bun frame having fore and aft ends, a seatback frame joined to the bun frame adjacent the aft end of the bun frame, and a headrest pivotally attached with the seatback frame along a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the fore and aft direction whereby, upon a rear vehicle impact, the headrest moves in a forward direction toward the head of a vehicle seat occupant.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat and headrest arrangement comprising:

a seat bun frame having fore and aft ends;

a seatback frame joined to the bun frame means adjacent the aft end of the bun frame; and

a headrest pivotally attached with the seatback frame along a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the fore and aft direction whereby, upon a rear impact of a vehicle in which the arrangement is mounted, the pivotal attachment allows the headrest to move in a forward direction toward the head of an occupant of the vehicle seat, wherein the headrest has a cushion portion and an impact target operatively associated with the cushion portion and pivotally associated with the seatback frame, wherein a force upon the impact target causes the headrest to rotate forwardly.

2. An arrangement as described in claim 1 further comprising a spring operatively associated with the seatback frame biasing the headrest against pivotal movement.

3. An arrangement as described in claim 2 wherein the spring elastically biases the headrest against pivotal movement up to a predetermined limit and thereafter plastically deforms.

4. An arrangement as described in claim 1 wherein the headrest effectively extends upwardly upon its pivotal movement toward the head of a seat occupant.

5. An arrangement as described in claim 8 wherein the headrest is connected with a post, and the headrest extends rearwardly of the pivotal axis of the headrest.

6. An arrangement as described in claim 1 wherein the headrest cushion portion is separated from the seatback frame by a post.

7. An arrangement as described in claim 6 wherein the post is positionably held by a clamp having a generally fixed pivotal axis with a cross member of the seatback frame.

8. An arrangement as described in claim 6 having said impact target operatively associated with at least one cam guide member.

9. An arrangement as described in claim 6 further including the seatback frame having a cross member and wherein the post is operatively associated with the impact target and a cam guide to direct the impact target and wherein the post has a pivotal axis with respect to the cross member which is non-fixed with respect to the post upon impact upon the impact target, causing the headrest to pivot forwardly and extend upwardly.

10. A vehicle seat and head rest arrangement comprising:

a seat bun frame having fore and aft ends;

a seatback frame joined to the bun frame adjacent the aft end of the bun frame;

a headrest pivotally attached with the seatback frame along a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to fore and aft direction; and

a target pivotally mounted to the seatback along a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the fore and aft direction underneath the headrest and operatively associated with the headrest wherein rearward loading of the target causes the headrest to pivot forwardly.

11. A method of providing a headrest for a vehicle seat having a seatback frame connected to an aft end of a fore and aft seat bun frame, the method comprising:

pivotally attaching a headrest which is operatively associated with an impact target, with a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the fore and aft direction of the seat; and

upon a rear impact of a vehicle in which the vehicle seat is mounted, contacting the impact target, thereby pivoting the headrest forward to contact a head of a seat occupant.

12. A method as described in claim 11 further comprising extending the headrest upwardly.