Adjustable vehicle head restraint assembly for a vehicle seat

• US 8,157,328 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Brunner, Stefan, Frank, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US12/548,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 297/403, 297/408, 297/410
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/844 Release mechanisms, e.g. buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/847 with stepwise positioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/856 movable to an inoperative or stowed position

Abstract

A vehicle head restraint system for a vehicle seat has a support rod with a lateral portion. A head restraint is moveable relative to the lateral portion in a fore/aft direction. A first locking plate and a second locking plate are each moveably mounted to the head restraint to engage the support rod to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod. A rotary link is pivotally connected to the head restraint and interconnects the first and second locking plates. A biasing member is mounted to at least one of the first and second locking plates to bias the head restraint towards a retracted position. An actuator on the head restraint moves one of the first and second locking plates. The rotary link moves the other of the first and second locking plates for disengaging the first and second locking plates from the support rod.

Claims

1. A vehicle head restraint system for a vehicle seat comprising:

a support rod adapted to be mounted to a vehicle proximate to the vehicle seat, the support rod having a lateral portion;

a head restraint moveable relative to the lateral portion in a fore/aft direction;

a first locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint to engage the support rod to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of an intermediate position and an extended position;

a second locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint to engage the support rod to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of the intermediate position and the extended position;

a rotary link pivotally connected to the head restraint and interconnecting the first locking plate and the second locking plate;

a biasing member mounted between the support rod and at least one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate to bias the head restraint towards a retracted position; and

an actuator provided on the head restraint to move one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate such that the rotary link moves the other of the first locking plate and the second locking plate for disengaging the first and second locking plates from the support rod so that the biasing member biases the head restraint towards the retracted position.

2. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 1 wherein the support rod further comprises:

a first locking tab to engage with the first locking plate; and

a second locking tab to engage with the second locking plate.

3. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 2 wherein the first locking plate has at least one notch formed therein such that the first locking tab is sized to be received therein;

and

wherein the second locking plate has at least one notch formed therein such that the second locking tab is sized to be received therein.

4. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 2 wherein the first locking tab is provided on a first upright portion of the support rod and the second locking tab is provided on a second upright portion of the support rod.

5. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 4 wherein the first upright portion and the second upright portion are provided at opposing ends of the lateral portion of the support rod.

6. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 1 wherein the actuator further comprises a single push button that is mechanically actuatable such that a second actuator is not required.

7. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 6 wherein the push button is provided on an external surface of the head restraint.

8. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 7 wherein the push button is connected to the first locking plate such that actuation of the push button moves the first locking plate to disengage from the support rod and pivots the rotary link to move the second locking plate from engagement with the support rod.

9. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 1 wherein the actuator further comprises an electrical actuator such that the electrical actuator is remotely actuatable.

10. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 9 wherein the electrical actuator is provided within the head restraint and is connected to the second plate such that the such that actuation of the electrical actuator moves the second locking plate to disengage from the support rod and rotates the rotary link to move the first locking plate from engagement with the support rod.

11. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 1 further comprising a biasing member provided between the first locking plate and the second locking plate to bias the first locking plate and the second locking plate apart.

12. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 1 wherein the head restraint further comprises a first guide member to guide motion of the first locking plate.

13. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 12 wherein the first guide member cooperates with an aperture formed in the first locking plate to guide motion of the first locking plate.

14. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 12 wherein the head restraint further comprises a second guide member to guide motion of the second locking plate.

15. The vehicle head restraint system of claim 14 wherein the second guide member cooperates with an aperture formed in the second locking plate to guide motion of the second locking plate.

16. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat back adapted to be pivotally mounted within a vehicle;

a support rod mounted to the seat back, the support rod having a lateral portion;

a head restraint moveable relative to the lateral portion in a fore/aft direction;

a first locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint to engage the support rod to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of an intermediate position and an extended position;

a second locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint to engage the support rod to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of the intermediate position and the extended position;

a rotary link pivotally connected to the head restraint and interconnecting the first locking plate and the second locking plate;

a biasing member mounted between the support rod and at least one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate to bias the head restraint towards a retracted position; and

an actuator provided on the head restraint to move one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate such that the rotary link moves the other of the first locking plate and the second locking plate for disengaging the first and second locking plates from the support rod so that the biasing member biases the head restraint towards the retracted position.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 16 wherein the seat back is adapted to be pivotally mounted within the vehicle such that the head restraint is moveable from the intermediate position to the retracted position as the seat back pivots.

18. The vehicle seat of claim 16 wherein the support rod further comprises:

a first locking tab to engage with the first locking plate; and

a second locking tab to engage with the second locking plate.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 18 wherein the first locking plate has at least one notch formed therein such that the first locking tab is sized to be received therein;

and

wherein the second locking plate has at least one notch formed therein such that the second locking tab is sized to be received therein.

20. A vehicle head restraint system for a vehicle seat comprising:

a support rod adapted to be mounted to a vehicle proximate to the vehicle seat, the support rod having a lateral portion and having a first locking tab and a second locking tab;

a head restraint moveable relative to the lateral portion in a fore/aft direction, the head restraint having a first guide member and a second guide member formed therein;

a first locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint and having a plurality of notches formed therein for engaging the first locking tab to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of an intermediate position and an extended position, the first locking plate having an aperture formed therein to receive the first guide member;

a second locking plate movably mounted to the head restraint and having a plurality of notches formed therein for engaging the second locking tab to lock the head restraint relative to the support rod in one of the intermediate position and the extended position, the second locking plate having an aperture formed therein sized to receive the .second guide member;

a rotary link pivotally connected to the head restraint and interconnecting the first locking plate and the second locking plate;

a first biasing member mounted between the support rod and at least one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate to bias the head restraint towards a retracted position; and

an actuator provided on the head restraint to move one of the first locking plate and the second locking plate such that the rotary link moves the other of the first locking plate and the second locking plate for disengaging the first and second locking plates from the first and second locking tabs so that the biasing member biases the head restraint towards the retracted position.