Headrest control apparatus for vehicle and method of controlling headrest control apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,448,677 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iyoda, Motomi, Sakai, Morio, Mori, Masaki, Ookawa, Tatsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/657,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands

Abstract

A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a headrest rear portion; a headrest front portion movable relative to the headrest rear portion between a first position and a second position; driving means for moving the headrest front portion relative to the headrest rear portion and controlling means controlling the driving means to move the headrest front portion towards the second position when a proximity of an object from a rear of the vehicle is detected and stop a movement of the headrest front portion towards the second position when the head detecting circuit detects the one of a proximity of the head towards, and a contact of the head with, the headrest front portion. The controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the headrest front portion moves towards the second position.

Claims

1. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a headrest rear portion supported by a seatback;

a headrest front portion movable relative to the headrest rear portion between a first position, at which the headrest front portion is in contact with the headrest rear portion, and a second position, at which the headrest front portion is frontward distant from the headrest rear portion;

a motor-operated driving device for moving the headrest front portion relative to the headrest rear portion between the first position and the second position;

a head detecting sensor provided at the headrest front portion and outputting a predetermined detection signal when a head of an occupant is proximate to the headrest front portion or when the head of the occupant is in contact with the headrest front portion;

a head detecting circuit detecting one of a proximity of the head towards, and a contact of the head with, the headrest front portion based upon the detection signal of the head detecting sensor;

a controlling device controlling the driving device to move the headrest front portion towards the second position when a proximity of an object from a rear of the vehicle is detected and to stop a movement of the headrest front portion towards the second position when the head detecting circuit detects the one of a proximity of the head towards, and a contact of the head with, the headrest front portion, the controlling device operating the head detecting circuit only when the headrest front portion moves towards the second position.

2. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the head detecting sensor is a capacitive sensor detecting capacitance, the head detecting circuit is a capacitance detecting circuit detecting the proximity of the head towards the headrest front portion based upon a detection signal of the capacitive sensor.

3. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

object detecting means for detecting the proximity of the object from the rear of the vehicle,

wherein the controlling means controls, based upon a detection signal of the object detecting means, the driving means to move the headrest front portion towards the second position prior to a vehicle rear impact with the object.

4. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the controlling means detects an impact possibility of the vehicle with the object based upon the detection signal of the object detecting means.

5. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the proximity of the object from the rear of the vehicle is detected.

6. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the driving means starts moving the headrest front portion towards the second position.

7. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means stops operating the head detecting circuit based upon a detection signal of the head detecting circuit at a time of detection of the proximity of the head of the occupant towards the headrest front portion.

8. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means stops operating the head detecting circuit when the headrest front portion reaches the second position.

9. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

object detecting means for detecting the proximity of the object from the rear of the vehicle,

wherein the controlling means controls, based upon a detection signal of the object detecting means, the driving means to move the headrest front portion towards the second position prior to a vehicle rear impact with the object.

10. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the proximity of the object from the rear of the vehicle is detected.

11. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means operates the head detecting circuit when the driving means starts moving the headrest front portion towards the second position.

12. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means stops operating the head detecting circuit based upon a detection signal of the head detecting circuit at a time of detection of the proximity of the head of the occupant towards the headrest front portion.

13. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means stops operating the head detecting circuit when the headrest front portion reaches the second position.

14. A headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a filter portion having a plurality of lowpass filters, each of which has a different cutoff frequency, and inputted with a detection signal of the head detecting circuit,

wherein the lowpass filter to be employed by the controlling means is shifted among the plural lowpass filters of the filter portion from one having a high cutoff frequency to a next one having a low cutoff frequency since a start of an operation of the head detecting circuit.

15. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a headrest movement step of driving a motor for moving a headrest front portion, which is movable between a first position and a second position, towards the second position when a proximity of an object from a rear of the vehicle is detected, the first position at which the headrest front portion is in contact with a headrest rear portion supported by a seatback of the vehicle, and the second position at which the headrest front portion is distant from the headrest rear portion;

a headrest stop step of stopping a movement of the headrest front portion towards the second position when a proximity of the head of the occupant towards the headrest front portion is detected; and

a circuit operation step of operating a head detecting circuit of a head detecting sensor provided at the headrest front portion only when the headrest front portion moves towards the second position.

16. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, in the circuit operation step, the head detecting circuit is operated when an impact possibility of the vehicle is detected.

17. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, in the circuit operation step, the head detecting circuit is operated when the proximity of the object from the rear of the vehicle is detected.

18. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, in the circuit operation step, the head detecting circuit is operated when the headrest front portion starts moving towards the second position.

19. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, further comprising:

a circuit stop step of stopping an operation of the head detecting circuit when the proximity of the head of the occupant towards the headrest front portion is detected.

20. A method of controlling a headrest control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, further comprising:

a circuit stop step of stopping an operation of the head detecting circuit when the headrest front portion reaches the second position.