Backrest for a vehicle seat

• US 7,134,717 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Thunnissen, Jan, Kraemer, Bernd, Hartlaub, Silvio
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Assistant Examiner(s): D'Adamo, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/489,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20040239160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/838 Tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

The backrest of a vehicle seat having a headrest, which may be displaced from an in-use position to a safety position by the effect of a force generation device, and which is fixed, by means of retaining elements extending into the backrest. The retaining elements may be displaced relative to the backrest, under the effect of the force generating device, by means of at least one connector guide, from a connector into a connector side block. The connector slide block is preferably lockable in the connector on the displacement from the in-use position to the safety position. One embodiment includes a rectangular connector slide block which performs a turning movement on the displacement, as a result of which the radial extent of the above relative to the connector is increased thus locking the connector slide block in the connector with a positive or non-positive fit.

Claims

1. A backrest (1) including a frame structure (2) and a force-generating device (11) for a vehicle seat, having a head restraint (3) which can be adjusted from an in-use position into a safety position under action of the force-generating device (11) which is effective in an accident situation, said head restraint being connected to the backrest via retaining elements protruding into the backrest, the retaining elements being displaceable relative to the backrest (1) under the action of the force-generating device (11) by a pair of slotted-guide mechanisms, each of the slotted-guide mechanisms comprising:

a slotted guide;

(14) and a sliding block (15) guided in the latter, wherein the sliding block (15), when displaced from the in-use position into the safety position, executes a rotational movement enabling the sliding block to be locked in one of a frictional and form-fitting manner in the slotted guide (14), wherein the retaining elements have at least two guide rods (5) which are guided in a longitudinally displaceable and fixable manner in guide sleeves (6), the guide sleeves being connected to each other via a strut (9) and the force-generating device (11) engaging, on one end, on the strut and, at another end, on the frame structure (2) of the backrest (1).

2. The backrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding block is configured in a rectangle cross-section.

3. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slotted guide (14) can be deformed by the edges of the sliding block (15) in a manner of a catch when the safety position is reached.

4. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slotted guide (14) has, in the direction of displacement, a first section (20.1) which runs essentially vertically and is adjoined at the top by a second section (20.2) which runs obliquely relative to the first section (20.1).

5. The backrest as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second section (20.2) is aligned to the rear relative to the first section (20.1).

6. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slotted guide (14) tapers in the direction of displacement.

7. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slotted-guide mechanism has a convex slotted guide (14) and the sliding block (15) supported in the slotted guide in at least two locations spaced apart from each other.

8. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retaining elements can be displaced through the frame structure by a leadthrough and the slotted-guide mechanism, which is spaced apart from the leadthrough, in the backrest (1), the slotted guide (14) selectively running obliquely, relative to a straight line (G) connecting the sliding block (15) to the leadthrough in the in-use position.

9. The backrest as claimed in claim 8, wherein the leadthrough is configured above the slotted-guide mechanism and the slotted guide (14) runs aligned to the rear relative to the straight line (G).

10. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retaining elements can be displaced via said two slotted-guide mechanisms in the backrest each having said sliding block, with said slotted guides running obliquely, at least in some regions, relative to a straight line (G) connecting the two sliding blocks in the in-use position, and spaced apart from each other and directed counter to each other.

11. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the force-generating device (11) comprises a compressed-gas store.

12. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the force-generating device (11) comprises a pyrotechnic igniting charge (21).

13. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slotted guides (14) of each of the slotted-guide mechanisms are connected to the frame structure (2) of the backrest (1) and the sliding blocks (15) are connected to the retaining elements.

14. The backrest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the force-generating device (11) comprises a spring element, which can be locked under pretension by means of a locking device (10).

15. The backrest as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking device (10) can be released by a pyrotechnic activator (18).

16. The backrest as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking device (10) can be released by an electromagnetic activator.

17. The backrest as claimed in claim 14, wherein the spring element is one of a tension spring (12) and a compression spring (22).

18. A backrest (1) including a frame structure (2) and a force-generating device (11) for a vehicle seat, having a head restraint (3) which can be adjusted from an in-use position into a safety position under action of the force-generating device (11) which is effective in an accident situation, said head restraint being connected to the backrest via retaining elements protruding into the backrest, the retaining elements being displaceable relative to the backrest (1) under the action of the force-generating device (11) by a slotted-guide mechanism, the slotted-guide mechanism comprising:

a slotted guide;

(14) and a sliding block (15) guided in the latter, wherein the sliding block (15), when displaced from the in-use position into the safety position, executes a rotational movement enabling the sliding block to be locked in one of a frictional and form-fitting manner in the slotted guide (14), wherein the retaining elements comprise at least two guide rods (5) which are connected to each other via a strut (9), the force-generating device (11) engaging, at one end, on the strut and, at another end, on the frame structure (2) of the backrest (1).

19. The backrest as claimed in claim 18 wherein the force-generating device (11) comprises a spring element, which can be locked under pretension by means of a locking device (10).

20. The backrest as claimed in claim 19, wherein the spring element is one of a tension spring (12) and a compression spring (22).

21. The backrest as claimed in claim 19, wherein the locking device (10) can be released by a pyrotechnic activator (18).

22. The backrest as claimed in claim 19, wherein the locking device (10) can be released by an electromagnetic activator.