Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

• US 5,927,804 A
• Filed: 02/11/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Cuevas, Jess A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US09/022,095
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 297/61, 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/406, 297/408
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• 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

An apparatus (10) comprises a vehicle seat (12) including a frame (20) and a headrest (14). A linkage (16) is connected between the frame (20) and the headrest (14) to move the headrest (14) relative to the frame (20) in a forward direction. The linkage (16) is actuatable under the influence of a rear-end vehicle crash force applied to the linkage (16) by an occupant of the seat (12). The apparatus (10) further comprises a motor (70) which is connected to the linkage (16) to actuate the linkage (16). The motor (70) is actuated in response to a frontal vehicle crash condition.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a vehicle seat including a frame and a headrest;

a linkage connected between said frame and said headrest to move said headrest relative to said frame in a forward direction, said linkage being actuatable under the influence of a rear-end vehicle crash force applied to said linkage by an occupant of said seat;

a motor connected to said linkage to actuate said linkage; and

means for actuating said motor in response to a frontal vehicle crash condition.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor comprises a piston, a pyrotechnic source of energy for moving said piston, and an output member operatively connected between said piston and said linkage.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said piston is part of a seat belt pretensioner which imparts tension to seat belt webbing in response to movement of said piston.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said pretensioner comprises a gear which rotates a seat belt retractor spool in response to movement of said piston, said output member being rotatable with said gear.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said linkage comprises a flexible coupling between said output member and a rotatable part of said linkage.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said flexible coupling comprises a cable.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said linkage comprises an upper bearing supporting said headrest for pivotal movement against the bias of a spring, a lower member supported for rotation under the influence of said motor, and a vertically extending actuator structure interconnecting said headrest and said lower member so as to pivot said headrest upon rotation of said lower member.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said actuator structure is connected to said headrest so as to pivot said headrest under the influence of said rear-end vehicle crash force.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said actuator structure comprises a pair of vertically extending straps and an actuator panel suspended by and between said straps.