Auto-adjust vehicle headrest
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A headrest comprising:
- a generally stationary support;
a headrest body positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body;
a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support;
drive means for vertically shifting the body relative to the support;
a sensor assembly having at least three horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the body, each of the electrodes extending over at least one quarter of a horizontal length of the headrest; and
control means connected to the electrodes and to the drive means for generating an electric field forward of the electrodes, sensing the capacitance between adjacent electrodes, determining from changes in the sensed capacitance a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body from changes in the field and displacing the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head.
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Abstract
A headrest has a generally stationary support, a headrest body having a forwardly directed front face and positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body, and a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support. A drive can vertically shift the body relative to the support. A sensor assembly has at least three horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the front face. A controller connected to the electrodes and to the drive means detects a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body and displaces the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A headrest comprising:
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a generally stationary support; a headrest body positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body; a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support; drive means for vertically shifting the body relative to the support; a sensor assembly having at least three horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the body, each of the electrodes extending over at least one quarter of a horizontal length of the headrest; and control means connected to the electrodes and to the drive means for generating an electric field forward of the electrodes, sensing the capacitance between adjacent electrodes, determining from changes in the sensed capacitance a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body from changes in the field and displacing the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A headrest comprising:
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a generally stationary support; a headrest body positioned such that a head of a user seated in front of the support is generally level with the body; a vertical shield on the body; a guide securing the body to the support for vertical movement relative to the support; drive means for vertically shifting the body relative to the support; upper, center, and lower horizontally elongated and vertically spaced electrodes carried on the body forward of the shield plate; a dielectric cover covering the electrodes and preventing direct contact of the user'"'"'s head with the electrodes; and control means connected to the electrodes and to the drive means for applying alternating current to the electrodes to create an electric field forward of the electrodes and of the shield, sensing the capacitance between adjacent electrodes, determining from changes in the sensed capacitance a vertical position of the user'"'"'s head relative to the body from changes in the field, and displacing the body so as to centrally align with the user'"'"'s head.
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Specification