Safety headrest for a motor vehicle

• US 6,983,996 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Svantesson, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US10/471,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20040245833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/391, 297/396, 297/404, 297/408, 297/409, 297/216.14
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 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 vehicle seat (1) as a head-rest (5) which is mounted for movement about a horizontal axis defined by a bar (7) depending arms (12) extend downwardly into the back of the seat and carry a pressure plate (13) at a position behind the torso of the occupant of the seat so that pressure applied to the pressure plate (13) will cause the head-rest (5) to move forwardly. The pressure plate (13) is pivotally connected (14, 15, 16, 17) to the arms (12) to enable the arrangement to pivot to the maximum extent in a situation where the rear part of the seat is rigid, for example if the seat is a rear seat in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle seat, the safety arrangement comprising a head-rest, means to mount the head-rest for pivotal movement about a first predetermined horizontal axis adjacent the support part of a back-rest of the seat, and depending means adapted to extend downwardly within the back-rest of the seat beneath the first predetermined axis, and which carry a pressure plate to be located within the back-rest at a position behind a torso of an occupant of the seat, so that pressure applied to the pressure plate will cause the head-rest to move, characterized by the rear of the back-rest having a rigid panel and the pressure plate being pivotally connected to the depending means such that continuing pressure applied to the pressure plate after the pressure plate strikes the rigid panel causes the pressure plate to pivot relative to the depending means.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the depending means comprise parallel arms.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the pressure plate is provided with an integral locating element extending upwardly above a second axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the depending means, the locating element being releasably connected to the depending means.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the locating element is connected to the depending means by means of at least one spring clip.

5. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the locating element is connected to the depending means by means of at least one frangible element.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a locating element is arranged in association with the pressure plate and the depending means in a position above a second axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the depending means.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the locating element is deformable.

8. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the means to mount the head-rest comprise a substantially horizontal bar adapted to be mounted, by means of bearings, on a frame within the back-rest of the seat, an axis of the horizontal bar being the said first predetermined axis, the head-rest being connected to the bar.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the depending means are connected to and depend from the bar.

10. A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle, the safety arrangement comprising:

a head-rest;

a substantially horizontal bar rotatably mountable in an upper part of a back-rest of a seat, the head-rest mounted to the substantially horizontal bar such that the head-rest can be pivotally moved about the substantially horizontal bar;

at least one depending arm extending downwardly from the substantially horizontal bar, the at least one depending arm capable of being positioned within the back-rest of the seat; and

a pressure plate for placement behind a torso of an occupant of the seat, characterized by the at least one depending arm being pivotally connected to the pressure plate such that pressure applied to the pressure plate will cause the head-rest to move, and the rear of the back-rest having a rigid panel such that continuing pressure applied to the pressure plate after the pressure plate strikes the rigid panel causes the pressure plate to pivot relative to the at least one depending arm.

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the at least one depending arm comprises two parallel arms.

12. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the pressure plate has an integral locating element extending upwardly above an axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the at least one depending arm, the locating element being releasably connected to the at least one depending arm.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the locating element is connected to the at least one depending arm by at least one spring clip.

14. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the locating element is connected to the at least one depending arm by at least one frangible element.

15. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a locating element is arranged in association with the pressure plate and the at least one depending arm in a position above an axis about which the pressure plate is pivotally connected to the at least one depending arm.

16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the locating element is deformable.

17. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the substantially horizontal bar is mountable, through the use of bearings, on a frame within the back-rest of the seat.