Head rest device for vehicles

• US 6,302,485 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Satoshi, Nakane, Hidetoshi, Takeda, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/635,483
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 297/408, 297/403, 297/391, 297/404
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/874 movable to an inoperative or stowed position B60N2/832, B60N2/856 take precedence

Abstract

A head rest device for a vehicle seat includes a head rest body against which is to be rested a head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat, a stay member supporting the head rest body and fixed to a seat back frame of a seat back of the vehicle seat, a stopper member fixed to the stay member and having a stopper portion, a rotating element rotatably supported on the stay member, and an operating member for operating the head rest body between a used position and a non-used position. The operating member is slidable relative to the rotating element and includes an operating lever manually operated to change the head rest body position and a locking element engageable with the stopper portion of the stopper member. A spring member has one end engaging the stopper member and the other end engaging the rotating element so that rotation of the rotating element is permitted by the release of the engagement between the locking element and the stopper portion of the stopper member by the slideable movement of the operating member.

Claims

1. A head rest device on a vehicle seat comprising:

a head rest body;

a stay member on which is mounted the head rest body, the stay member being fixed to a seat back frame of a seat back of the vehicle seat;

a stopper member fixed to the stay member and having a stopper portion;

a rotating member rotatably mounted on the stay member and supporting the head rest body;

an operating member slidably engaged with the rotating member and having a locking mechanism engageable with the stopper portion of the stopper member;

a spring member having one end in engagement with the stopper member and another end in engagement with the rotating member, the rotating member being rotatable upon release of engagement between the locking mechanism and the stopper portion of the stopper member by sliding movement of the operating member.

2. A head rest device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of locking elements, one of the locking elements being engageable with one surface of the stopper portion of the stopper member and the other of the locking elements is engageable with an opposite surface of the stopper portion of the stopper member.

3. A head rest device according to claim 2, wherein the operating member includes a pair of elongated holes, and including a pair of pins extending from the rotating member, each of the pins being positioned in one of the elongated holes.

4. A head rest device according to claim 3, wherein the spring member is a torsion bar engageable with the rotating member, an engaging point of the torsion bar with the rotating member being changeable depending on a position of the rotating member.

5. A head rest device according to claim 4, wherein the torsion bar engages a leg portion of the stopper member.

6. A head rest device according to claim 5, wherein the head rest body is movable between an upright position and a folded position, one of the locking elements contacting the leg portion of the stopper member and the other locking element contacting the stopper portion when the head rest body is in the folded position.

7. A head rest device according to claim 1, wherein the spring member is a torsion bar engageable with the rotating member, an engaging point of the torsion bar with the rotating member being changeable depending on a position of the rotating member.

8. A head rest device according to claim 7, wherein the torsion bar engages a leg portion of the stopper member.

9. A head rest device mountable on a seat back of a vehicle seat comprising:

a head rest body;

a stay member adapted to be fixed at a seat back of a vehicle seat;

a rotating member on which is supported the head rest body, the rotating member being rotatably mounted on the stay member to permit the head rest body to be rotated between an upright position and folded position;

a stopper member fixed to the stay member; and

a locking mechanism slidably engaged with the rotating member for movement between a first position in which the locking mechanism engages the stopper member to prevent the head rest body from rotating and a second position in which the locking mechanism is disengaged from the stopper member to permit the head rest body to rotate between the upright and folded positions.

10. A head rest device according to claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of locking elements, one of the locking elements being engageable with one surface of the stopper member and the other of the locking elements being engageable with an opposite surface of the stopper member.

11. A head rest device according to claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of elongated holes, and including a pair of pins extending from the rotating member, each of the pins being positioned in one of the elongated holes.

12. A head rest device according to claim 9, including a spring member having one end in engagement with the stopper member and an opposite end in engagement with the rotating member.

13. A head rest device according to claim 12, wherein the spring member is a torsion bar, an engaging point of the torsion bar with the rotating member varying as the head rest body rotates between the upright and folded positions.

14. A head rest device according to claim 13, wherein the torsion bar engages a leg portion of the stopper member.

15. A head rest device according to claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of locking elements, one of the locking elements contacting the leg portion of the stopper member when the head rest body is in the folded position and the other locking element contacting a stopper portion of the stopper member when the head rest body is in the folded position.

16. A head rest device mountable on a seat back of a vehicle seat comprising:

a head rest body;

a rotating member on which is supported the head rest body;

a stay member adapted to be fixed at a seat back of a vehicle seat, the rotating member being rotatably mounted on the stay member to permit the head rest body to be rotated between an upright position and folded position;

a stopper member fixed to the stay member;

a locking mechanism movably mounted on the rotating member for movement between a first position in which the locking mechanism engages the stopper member to prevent the head rest body from rotating and a second position in which the locking mechanism is disengaged from the stopper member to permit the head rest body to rotate between the upright and folded positions; and

a torsion bar engaging the stopper member and the rotating member, the torsion bar slidably engaging the rotating member so that the torsion bar engages the rotating member at an engaging point that varies as the head rest body rotates between the upright and folded positions.

17. A head rest device according to claim 16, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of locking elements, one of the locking elements being engageable with one surface of the stopper member and the other of the locking elements being engageable with an opposite surface of the stopper member.

18. A head rest device according to claim 16, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pair of elongated holes, and including a pair of pins extending from the rotating member, each of the pins being positioned in one of the elongated holes.