Head restraint assembly

• US 6,607,242 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Maue, H. Winston, Otero, Luis, Estrada, Gabriel, Castelo, Mercedes, Blanco, Ernesto E., Fowler, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, ERIKA P
• Application Number:
  US10/015,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.1, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/216.17, 297/391, 297/396, 297/408, 297/409, 297/410
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A head restraint assembly includes a curved support member for upwardly and forwardly deploying a headrest. The support member is selectively locked and unlocked to alternately maintain the headrest in a retracted position or deploy the headrest. A vehicle impact sensor signals the release of the support member when a vehicle impact is sensed. The headrest is deployed quickly and effectively until it reaches its potential full deployment, or until an occupant'"'"'s head contacts the headrest.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat and headrest assembly, comprising:

a seat back;

a headrest moveably supported with respect to the seat back on a pair of curved guide tubes, said guide tubes movable along a plurality of guide elements, wherein the headrest is movable between a retracted position closely adjacent to the seat back, and an extended position extending away from the seat back and forwardly toward the head of a seated occupant; and

wherein the headrest has a deployment mechanism biasing the headrest in an upward direction for deploying the headrest from the retracted position to the extended position, and includes a locking device for selectively locking at least one of the guide tubes in order to allow the headrest to move in a desired vertical position, said locking device being disengageable in the event of a vehicle impact to allow rapid movement of the headrest to the extended position.

2. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a friction lock having first and second lock plates pivotally connected at a closed end and biased away from each other at an open end by a compression spring, each lock plate having an aperture formed therethrough for receiving one of the guide tubes.

3. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a ratchet mechanism including a spring loaded pawl capable of cooperating with teeth formed in one of the guide tubes.

4. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, further comprising a solenoid operatively connected to the locking device for selectively locking and disengaging the locking device.

5. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 4, further comprising a vehicle impact sensor electrically connected to the solenoid for signaling the solenoid to disengage the locking device when a vehicle impact is sensed.

6. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 4, further comprising an occupant sensor disposed within the headrest and electrically connected to the solenoid for signaling the solenoid to lock the locking device when the occupant'"'"'s head contacts the headrest.

7. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein each guide tube comprises a hollow outer tube and a solid bar disposed within the outer tube for adjusting the headrest to the height of the occupant'"'"'s head.

8. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, further comprising a brace for connecting the curved guide tubes.

9. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 8, wherein the deployment mechanism includes a tension spring disposed between the brace and an object within the seat.

10. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 8, further comprising a motor for continuously tensioning a cable connected to the brace until the headrest is returned to the retracted position.

11. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 10, wherein the motor further comprises a clutch for removing the tension from the cable during deployment of the headrest.

12. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployment mechanism includes a compression spring disposed within a spring housing at one end of one of the guide tubes.

13. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the guide elements comprise rollers.

14. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the occupant sensor includes a photographic cable.

15. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 1, wherein the occupant sensor includes an electronic sensor.

16. A vehicle seat and headrest assembly, comprising:

a seat back;

a headrest movable between a retracted position closely adjacent to the seat back, and a deployed position extending away from the seat back and forwardly toward the head of a seated occupant;

first and second curved support tubes connected to each other by a brace and connected to the headrest for supporting the headrest and moving it between the retracted position and the deployed position;

a plurality of guide elements for supporting the support tubes and for piloting their movement while they move the headrest;

a tension spring having a first end connected to a portion of the seat and a second end connected to the brace for moving the support tubes to deploy the head rest; and

a friction lock for selectively locking the first support tube thereby stopping movement of the headrest, and releasing the first support tube thereby facilitating movement of the headrest.

17. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 16, further comprising a solenoid operatively connected to the friction lock for controlling the locking and releasing of the first support tube.

18. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 17, further comprising a vehicle impact sensor electrically connected to the solenoid for signaling the solenoid to operate the friction lock to release the first support tube when a vehicle impact is sensed.

19. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 16, further comprising a cable disposed between the brace and a motor capable of tensioning the cable for returning the headrest to the retracted position after deployment.

20. The head restraint assembly of claim 19, wherein the motor further comprises a clutch for selectively allowing the motor to provide rotational resistance when tensioning the cable and to freewheel during deployment of the headrest.

21. A vehicle seat and headrest assembly, comprising:

a seat back;

a headrest capable of being deployed upward and toward an occupant from a retracted position to a deployed position;

a curved support member connected to the headrest for supporting the headrest and for selectively moving the headrest between the retracted and the deployed positions;

a plurality of guide elements for carrying the support member and for piloting its movement during movement of the headrest;

a spring deployment mechanism for deploying the headrest;

a friction lock having a closed position for locking the support member thereby stopping deployment of the headrest, and an open position for releasing the support member thereby facilitating deployment of the headrest;

a solenoid operatively connected to the friction lock for selectively opening and closing the friction lock;

a vehicle impact sensor electrically connected to the solenoid for signaling the solenoid to open the friction lock when a vehicle impact is sensed; and

an occupant sensor electrically connected to the solenoid and disposed within the headrest for signaling the solenoid to close the friction lock when the occupant'"'"'s head contacts the headrest.

22. The vehicle seat and headrest assembly of claim 21, wherein the guide elements comprise ball bearings.