Backrest for a vehicle seat

• US 6,390,549 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burani Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Mayer, Christian, Schüszler, Oana, Orizaris, Vasilios, Reitinger, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DORSEY, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/595,939
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/216.15, 297/216.16
• US Class Current: 297/216.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A backrest for a vehicle seat, having a head restraint and backrest padding, and having a supporting element which is intended for the seat occupant'"'"'s back and, is compliant, at least in the upper backrest region, in such a manner that the seat occupant'"'"'s back is able to shift rearwards relative to the head restraint in the event of a rear-end collision of the vehicle. The supporting element is formed by a shaped cushion that is integrated in the backrest padding in the upper backrest region, and filled with a gaseous medium, in particular air. In the event of a collision this supporting element can suddenly be deflated.

Claims

1. A backrest for a vehicle seat, comprising:

a head restraint,

backrest padding, and

a supporting element which is intended for a back of a seat occupant and, just in the case of a rear-end collision of the vehicle, the supporting element is yieldable, at least in an upper backrest region, in such a manner that at least the upper back of the seat occupant is able to shift rearwards relative to the head restraint,

wherein the supporting element is formed by a shaped cushion which is integrated in the backrest padding in the upper backrest region, is filled with a gaseous medium and with the rear-end collision can suddenly be deflated.

2. The backrest according to claim 1, wherein a contour surface, which is present behind the shaped cushion, of the padding front surface facing the seat occupant is designed in such a manner that when the shaped cushion is deflated, the contour, together with the head-restraint front surface, forms an optimum supporting surface for the head and body of the seat occupant.

3. The backrest according to claim 2, wherein a stiffness of the contour and a stiffness of the head restraint are matched to each other in such a manner that with further shifting back of the seat occupant during the rear-end collision, a substantially parallel movement of the head and body of the seat occupant is ensured.

4. The backrest according to claim 3, wherein an energy-dissipating, irreversibly deformable supporting structure is arranged behind the shaped cushion.

5. The backrest according to claim 1, wherein in order to deflate the shaped cushion, a tear-open seam which splits open in the event of a rear-end impact is provided in the shaped cushion.

6. The backrest according to claim 5, wherein a sensor sensing a rear-end collision is provided, which sensor pulls open the tear-open seam when a specified acceleration value is exceeded.

7. The backrest according to claim 1,

wherein in order to deflate the shaped cushion, a valve is connected to the shaped cushion, and

wherein an acceleration meter, sensing a rear-end collision, and a control device are provided, the control device opening the valve when a specified acceleration value is exceeded.

8. The backrest according to claim 7, wherein the valve outlet is connected to a vacuum.

9. The backrest according to claim 7,

wherein the valve is a multiway valve having at least three valve connections, a first connection forming a valve outlet, a second connection being connected to the shaped cushion, and a third connection being connected to a compressed-medium store, and

wherein when a manual filling button is actuated, the control device transfers the valve into a valve position leading to the filling of the shaped cushion.

10. The backrest according to claim 1, wherein a second shaped cushion is integrated in a lumbar region of the backrest padding, which shaped cushion is filled with a gaseous medium and is deflated in a defined manner in the event of the rear-end collision.

11. The backrest according to claim 10, wherein provision is made of a multiway valve having at least three valve connections, a first connection forming a valve outlet, a second connection being connected to the shaped cushion, and a third connection being connected to the compressed-medium store, and also of a control device which is connected to an acceleration meter and to a manual filling button, is intended for the valve and switches over the valve to eliminating air from the shaped cushion, when a specified measured value of the acceleration meter is exceeded, and switches the valve over to filling the shaped cushion, when the filling button is actuated.

12. The backrest according to claim 10, wherein the control device and the valve are combined in a control unit.

13. The backrest according to claim 1, wherein air is used as the gaseous medium.

14. The backrest according to claim 1, wherein the head restraint is designed as a crash-active head restraint which, in the event of rear-end collision, by moving forwards at least one part of the head restraint at least minimizes a gap present between a back of the head of the seat occupant and the front surface of the head restraint.

15. The backrest according to claim 14, wherein the movement is brought about by way of a pneumatic device integrated in the head restraint, and the gaseous medium emerging from the shaped cushion in the event of rear-end collision is used in order to actuate the pneumatic device.

16. A backrest according to claim 1, wherein the shaped cushion is at a front surface of the vehicle seat.