Vehicle headrest apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle headrest apparatus comprising:
- a headrest unit including left and right headrest members dividing the headrest unit approximately midway in a transverse direction and a mounting member swingably coupling the left and right headrest members to an upper end part of a seatback by the mounting member, the left and right headrest members being adapted to support a seated passenger;
a head restraining member operatively coupled to the left and right headrest members and movable upward and frontward in a deployment direction;
a swing/pushup force applying device applying an urging force to the left and right headrest members, the urging force swinging the left and right headrest members upward and frontward in the deployment direction of the head restraining member during deployment of the left and right headrest members;
an auxiliary force adding device applying an auxiliary urging force to the left and right headrest members in the deployment direction of the head restraining member during deployment of the left and right headrest members;
a lock device operatively coupled to the left and right headrest members, the lock device holding the left and right headrest members in an initial storage position against the urging force applied by the swing/pushup force applying device and the auxiliary urging force applied by the auxiliary force adding device; and
a controller operatively coupled to the lock device, the controller releasing the lock device upon detecting a rear-end collision.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle headrest apparatus has a headrest unit mounted to an upper end of a seatback. The headrest unit has a headrest members with a head restraining member configured to be tensioned to restrain a passenger'"'"'s head upon a rear-end collision. The headrest unit quickly and reliably restrains a seated passenger'"'"'s head during a rear-end collision without utilizing the inertia force of the passenger'"'"'s body by detecting the rear-end collision and pushing the headrest unit only outward in the forward direction of the vehicle. The headrest unit also has a swing/pushup device that to pushes the headrest members upwardly and forwardly. An auxiliary swing force adding device applies an auxiliary spring force in the deployment direction of the headrest members to increase the deployment speed of the headrest members and shorten the amount of time required to achieve initial contact between the passenger'"'"'s head H and the head restraining member.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A vehicle headrest apparatus comprising:
-
a headrest unit including left and right headrest members dividing the headrest unit approximately midway in a transverse direction and a mounting member swingably coupling the left and right headrest members to an upper end part of a seatback by the mounting member, the left and right headrest members being adapted to support a seated passenger; a head restraining member operatively coupled to the left and right headrest members and movable upward and frontward in a deployment direction; a swing/pushup force applying device applying an urging force to the left and right headrest members, the urging force swinging the left and right headrest members upward and frontward in the deployment direction of the head restraining member during deployment of the left and right headrest members; an auxiliary force adding device applying an auxiliary urging force to the left and right headrest members in the deployment direction of the head restraining member during deployment of the left and right headrest members; a lock device operatively coupled to the left and right headrest members, the lock device holding the left and right headrest members in an initial storage position against the urging force applied by the swing/pushup force applying device and the auxiliary urging force applied by the auxiliary force adding device; and a controller operatively coupled to the lock device, the controller releasing the lock device upon detecting a rear-end collision. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A vehicle headrest apparatus comprising:
-
headrest support means for mounting to an upper end part of a seatback and adapted to support a seated passenger'"'"'s head; headrest deployment means swingably coupled to the headrest support means between initial storage positions and fully swung forward states; head restraining means for supporting the passenger'"'"'s head when a rear end collision occurs, the head restraining means being coupled between the headrest deployment means; swing/pushup force applying means for applying an urging force to the headrest deployment means, the urging force moves the head restraining means upward and frontward in a deployment direction of the head restraining means during deployment of the headrest deployment means; auxiliary force adding device means for applying an auxiliary urging force to the headrest deployment means in the deployment direction of the head restraining means during deployment of the headrest deployment means; lock means for holding the headrest deployment means in the initial storage positions against the urging force applied by the swing/pushup force applying means and the auxiliary urging force applied by the auxiliary force adding means; and control means for releasing the lock device upon detecting a rear-end collision.
-
Specification