Retractable pop-up head rest usable with a vehicle passenger seat

• US 5,484,189 A
• Filed: 06/24/1994
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Patterson
• Original Assignee: James Patterson
• Inventors: Patterson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US08/264,875
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/410, 297/408, 297/404, 297/391, 297/353
• US Class Current: 297/410
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable

Abstract

A retractable pop-up head rest assembly is provided which is usable with a vehicle passenger seat. A head rest is mounted for vertical movement from a normally retracted position adjacent the seat to an extended operative position. The vertical movement of the head rest is provided by an elongated shaft which slidable relative to the seat and carries the head rest and is movable therewith. The shaft is mounted for rocking movement by a gap formed in the seat. The spring is mounted below the head rest for resiliently urging the head rest to move vertically from the retracted position towards the extended operative position. A trigger member is mounted below the head rest for restraining the vertical upward movement of the shaft from the retracted position. The shaft is rockably movable between a first position and a second position. The trigger member also restrains the rocking movement of the shaft from the first position to the second position and is operable in response to a predetermined amount force being exerted thereon caused by the rapid deceleration of the vehicle so as to permit the shaft to rock from the first position to the second position thereby causing the spring to urge the shaft from the retracted position towards the operative position.

Claims

1. A retractable pop-up head rest assembly for use with a vehicle passenger seat comprising:

a head rest mounted for vertical movement from a normally retracted position adjacent the seat to an extended operative position;

the vertical movement provided by an elongated shaft 26 slidable relative to an elongated hollow outer shell and carrying said head rest and movable therewith, said shaft being mounted for rocking movement within a gap formed in the seat;

biasing means mounted below said head rest for resiliently urging said head rest to move vertically from said retracted position towards said extended operative position;

vertical restraining means mounted below said head rest for restraining the vertical upward movement of said shaft from said retracted position;

said shaft being rockably movable between a first position where said vertical restraining means restrains said shaft from upward vertical movement and a second position where said shaft is caused to move vertically upwardly by said biasing means;

horizontal restraining means mounted below said head rest for restraining the rocking movement of said shaft from said first position to said second position and operable in response to a predetermined amount of force being exerted thereon caused by the rapid deceleration of the vehicle so as to permit said shaft to rock from said first position to said second position thereby causing said biasing means to urge said shaft from said retracted position towards said operative position.

2. The head rest assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting means mounted below said head rest for adjusting the amount of predetermined force required to be exerted on said horizontal restraining means so as to permit said shaft to rock from said first position towards said second position.

3. The head rest assembly according to claim 2, wherein said adjusting means includes an adjustable trigger member operatively connected to said shaft and extending outwardly therefrom and transverse thereto and engageable with said vertical retaining means and said horizontal restraining means, said trigger member being movable with said elongated shaft, and said biasing measure in a spring.

4. The head rest assembly according to claim 3, wherein said trigger member is threadedly engaged with said shaft and has a slot engageable with a driver for rotating said trigger member.

5. The head rest assembly according to claim 4, wherein said vertical restraining means includes a downwardly extending member and said trigger member, said trigger member being mounted for movement between an engaged position where said trigger member is in abutting engagement with said downwardly extending member when said shaft is in said retracted position and a released position where movement of said trigger member is uninhibited by said downwardly extending member.

6. The head rest assembly according to claim 5, wherein said horizontal restraining means includes said downwardly extending member and said trigger member, said trigger member being mounted for movement between an engaged position where said trigger member is in cooperative engagement with said downwardly extending member when said shaft is in said retracted position and a released position where movement of said trigger member is uninhibited by said downwardly extending member.

7. The head rest assembly according to claim 6, wherein said downwardly extending portion extends within said outer shell.

8. The head rest assembly according to claim 7, wherein said outside shell has a first pair of opposed longitudinal recesses and a second pair of opposed longitudinal recesses, each of said leg portions mounted for vertical sliding movement and for rocking movement in a respective one of said first pair of opposed recesses.

9. The head rest assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a holding plate fixedly securable to said outer shell, said holding plate having an opening formed therein through which said shaft extends.

10. The head rest assembly according to claim 9, further comprising, a portion of said shaft being slidably mounted in said outer shell for telescoping movement therein, said outer shell having a forward wall which is disposed at an angle relative to a rear wall thereof.

11. The head rest assembly according to claim 9, wherein opening in said holding plate is larger than the outer periphery of shaft so as to define a gap therebetween thereby allowing said rocking movement.

12. The head rest assembly according to claim 9, wherein said shaft is of an elongated H-configuration in cross-section and has a pair of opposed leg portions and a span portion connecting said leg portions.

13. The head rest assembly according to claim 9, wherein said opening in said holding plate conforms to the shape of said outer shell.

14. The head rest assembly according to claim 9, wherein said opening in said holding plate is of a rectangular shape and the diameter of said spring is larger than the horizontal distance between said second pair of recesses.

15. The head rest assembly according to claim 14, wherein the upward movement of said shaft into said extended position is halted when said spring upper portion is brought into abutting relation with said holding plate.

16. The head rest assembly according to claim 5, wherein said downwardly extending member blocks the vertical upward movement of said adjustable trigger so as to prevent said shaft from moving from said retracted position towards said released position.

17. The head rest assembly according to claim 16, wherein said outer shell includes a spring stop fixedly mounted to a lower end thereof and said shaft has a longitudinal slot having an upper surface formed therein, said spring having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being engaged with said upper surface of said longitudinal slot and said lower portion engaged with said spring stop.

18. The head rest assembly according to claim 3, wherein said adjustable trigger member has an angled portion engaged with said downwardly extending member.

19. The head rest assembly according to claim 18, wherein said angled portion extends into one of said second pair of opposed recesses and opposed portions of said spring extend into each of said second pair of opposed recesses.

20. The head rest assembly according to claim 1, wherein said biasing means is a spring.

21. A retractable pop-up head rest assembly for a vehicle passenger seat, comprising:

a head rest mounted for vertical movement from a normally retracted position adjacent the seat to an extended operative position;

the vertical movement provided by an elongated shaft slidable relative an elongated hollow outer shell and carrying said head rest and movable therewith, said shaft being mounted for rocking movement within a gap formed in the seat;

biasing means mounted below said head rest for resiliently urging said head rest to move vertically from said retracted position towards said extended operative position;

vertical restraining means mounted below said head rest for restraining the vertical upward movement of said shaft from said retracted position;

said shaft being rockably movable between a first position where said vertical restraining means restrains said shaft from upward vertical movement and a second position where said shaft is caused to move vertically upwardly by said biasing means;

horizontal restraining means mounted below said head rest for restraining the rocking movement of said shaft from said first position to said second position and operable in response to a predetermined amount of force being exerted thereon caused by the rapid deceleration of the vehicle so as to permit said shaft to rock from said first position to said second position thereby causing said biasing means to urge said shaft from said retracted position towards said operative position.