Seat for a means of transport

• US 6,390,558 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Risch, Peter, Fischer, Harald, Malsch, Heiko
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/728,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 297/61, 297/410, 297/378.12
• US Class Current: 297/410
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/832 movable to an inoperative or stowed position

Abstract

A seat for a means of transport, in particular a vehicle seat, comprising a seat part, a backrest, a backrest adjustment system (1) which connects the backrest to the seat part and which permits a forward pivoting of the backrest onto the seat part, a height adjustable headrest which is displaceably guided via at least one guide rod (10) in an associated guide receiver (11) in the backrest, and retaining means (30, 31) which are effective between at least one guide rod (10) and the associated guide receiver (11) and through which the guide rod (10) is releasably fixable at different heights against displacement, wherein, for avoiding a collision of the headrest with the vehicle roof, the guide receiver (11) for the guide rod (10) is formed so as to be retractable together with the guide rod (10) opposite to the extension direction (VI) of the headrest inwards into the backrest into a recessed position and back out again while the guide rod (10) is arrested by the retaining means (30, 31) relative to the guide receiver (11); and wherein means are provided through which an automatic inward movement of the guide receiver (11) is caused by the forward pivoting of the backrest and an automatic outward movement of the guide receiver (11) back into its original position is caused when the backrest is pivoted back.

Claims

1. A seat for a means of transport, in particular a vehicle seat, comprising a seat part, a backrest, a backrest adjustment system which connects the backrest to the seat part and which permits a forward pivoting of the backrest onto the seat part, a height adjustable headrest which is displaceably guided via at least one guide rod in an associated guide receiver in the backrest, and retaining means which are effective between at least one guide rod and the associated guide receiver and through which the guide rod is releasably fixable at different heights against displacement, characterised in that the guide receiver for the guide rod is formed so as to be retractable together with the guide rod opposite to an extension direction of the headrest inwards into the backrest into a recessed position and back out again while the guide rod is arrested by the retaining means relative to the guide receiver;

and in that means are provided through which an automatic inward movement of the guide receiver is caused by the forward pivoting of the backrest and an automatic outward movement of the guide receiver back into its original position is caused when the backrest is pivoted back.

2. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that at least one force deflection system having a flexible force transmission element is active between the backrest adjustment system and the guide receiver for the retraction and/or extension of the guide receiver.

3. A seat in accordance with claim 2 characterised in that the force transmission element acts on the guide receiver in the extension direction;

and in that an elastic return device is provided which acts on the guide receiver in the retraction direction.

4. A seat in accordance with claim 2 characterised in that at least one Bowden cable is provided as the force deflection system.

5. A seat in accordance with claim 4 characterised in that one end of the inner cable of a Bowden cable is fixed to a stationary backrest part and the associated end of its sleeve is fixed to the guide receiver, or vice versa.

6. A seat in accordance with claim 5 characterised in that one end of the sleeve of a Bowden cable is fixed to a stationary part of the backrest adjustment system and the associated end of its inner cable is fixed to a part of the backrest adjustment system movable with the backrest when it is pivoted forwardly, with this end of the inner cable being attached to the movable part of the backrest adjustment system such that the Bowden cable is relieved when the backrest is pivoted forwardly.

7. A seat in accordance with claim 6 characterised in that the end of the inner cable at the backrest adjustment system side is attached to a slide block which is displaceably guided between two end positions in a slide track arranged on a stationary part of the backrest adjustment system;

and in that the slide block is moved between its two end positions by a part of the backrest adjustment system moved when the backrest is pivoted forwardly.

8. A seat in accordance with claim 7 characterised in that a pressure element is arranged on the moved part of the backrest adjustment system, said pressure element holding the slide block in its end position, in which the Bowden cable is stressed, when the backrest is in the upright position, and successively releasing the slide block when the backrest is pivoted forwardly so that it can move into its other end position.

9. A seat in accordance with claim 6 characterised in that a multiplier ratio is selected such that a relatively small angle of forward pivoting of the backrest already results in the full retraction movement of a headrest, even of a fully extended headrest.

10. A seat in accordance with claim 9 characterised in that the small angle is about 15 degrees or less.

11. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that a path multiplier is arranged between the backrest adjustment system and the guide receiver, said path multipiler translating a small pivot angle of the backrest into a large path of the guide receiver for the headrest.

12. A seat in accordance with claim 11 characterised in that the multiplier ratio is selected such that it changes with the pivot angle of the backrest.

13. A seat in accordance with claim 11 characterised in that two Bowden cables are provided whose one end is in each case fixed to the path multiplier and whose other end is fixed to the guide receiver or the backrest adjustment system.

14. A seat in accordance with claim 13 characterised in that a transmission is provided as the path multiplier and comprises two coaxially journalled rotating wheels which are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner and which have different diameters, with the one end of the inner cables of the two Bowden cables being respectively fixed in place on the periphery of the wheels such that the inner cables of the two Bowden cables can be wound onto and off the rotating wheels in opposite directions.

15. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that a spring actuator is provided between the backrest adjustment system and the guide receiver.

16. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that a sleeve fixable in the backrest is provided in which the guide receiver is displaceably guided.

17. A seat in accordance with claim 16 characterised in that one end of the sleeve of a Bowden cable acts on the guide receiver and the associated end of the inner cable of said Bowden cable acts on the sleeve;

and in that a spring is active between the sleeve and the guide receiver, said spring loading the guide receiver in the retraction direction.

18. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that an abutment is provided for the lower end of the guide rod, said abutment limiting the retraction movement of the guide rod and thus of the guide receiver.

19. A seat in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that when the guide receiver is retracted, the headrest is automatically adjustable to a minimum height relative thereto.

20. A seat in accordance with claim 19 characterised in that the guide receiver can be extended out of the backrest as part of an active head support system together with the guide rod in the event of a rear-end impact and into such a position that the headrest is brought into a forwardly and upwardly displaced position.

21. A seat in accordance with claim 20 charaterised in that the guide receiver can be extended out of the backrest by outward movement of the sleeve.