Headrest wire harness routing guide assembly

• US 8,556,342 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tache, Oscar, Matsumura, Ryuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US12/978,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.4, 297/217.3, 297/410
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/897 with sleeves located in the back-rest for guiding the rods of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD

Abstract

A wire harness guide for routing a wire harness through a seat back of a vehicle seat includes a guide tube and an attachment member. The guide tube has a first end that defines a first opening, and a second end that is spaced apart from the first end and defines a second opening. A guide passage extends through the guide tube from the first opening to the second opening, and the wire harness enters the guide passage at the first opening and exits the guide passage at the second opening. The attachment member is connected to the guide tube and is connectable to the seat back.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly, comprising:

a seat back having a top end, a bottom end, and an exit aperture that is located at the bottom end of the seat back;

a guide tube having a first end defining a first opening, a second end that is spaced apart from the first end, the second end defining a second opening, and a guide passage that extends through the guide tube from the first opening to the second opening for guiding a wire harness therethrough; and

an attachment member that is connected to the seat back for supporting the guide tube with respect to the seat back, wherein the first end of the guide tube is connected to the attachment member and the guide tube extends downward from the attachment member to the exit aperture of the seat back.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat back includes a seat frame member that is located at the top end of the seat back, the attachment member is attached to the seat frame member of the seat back, and the attachment member supports the guide tube such that the second opening of the guide tube is positioned adjacent to the exit aperture of the seat back.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the attachment member extends into the first end of the guide tube and is in engagement with the guide tube for connecting the first end of the guide tube to the attachment member.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member includes a base portion that is connected to the guide tube, a first attachment portion located at a first side of the base portion, and a second attachment portion located at a second side of the base portion.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 4, wherein the attachment portions of the attachment member are each configured to wrap around a seat frame member of the seat back.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 4, wherein the guide tube includes an attachment projection that extends outward from the guide tube at the first end thereof, wherein the attachment projection is connected to the base portion of the attachment member.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member includes an attachment flange that is rigidly connectable to a seat frame member of the seat back.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member is a hook that is connectable to a seat frame member of the seat back.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member and the guide tube define a unitary body.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment member is a mounting bracket that is coupled to the guide tube.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a harness guide member that is directly coupled to the mounting bracket and having a retention portion, wherein the guide tube is coupled to the harness guide member via engagement with the retention portion.

12. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a frame member;

a seat back that is supported by the frame member, the seat back having a top end, a bottom end, and an exit aperture that is located at the bottom end of the seat back;

a headrest;

an electrical component that is disposed within the headrest;

a headrest rod that supports the headrest with respect to the seat back, wherein a first end of the headrest rod is disposed within the headrest, and a second end of the headrest rod is disposed outside the headrest and is receivable within the seat back at the top end of the seat back;

a harness guide including a guide tube and an attachment member that is connected to the guide tube and to the seat back, the guide tube having a first end defining a first opening, a second end that is spaced apart from the first end and is positioned proximate to the exit aperture of the seat back, the second end defining a second opening, and a guide passage that extends through the guide tube from the first opening to the second opening; and

a wire harness that is connected to the electrical component, wherein the wire harness enters the headrest rod at a location that is proximate to the first end of the headrest rod, exits the headrest rod at a location that is proximate to the second end of the headrest rod, and extends through the guide passage of the guide tube to the exit aperture of the seat back.

13. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 12, wherein the guide tube is connected to the frame member of the seat back of the vehicle seat and the first end of the guide tube is positioned proximate to the frame member.

14. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13, wherein the seat back includes a foam structure having a guide tube receiving portion formed therein, and the guide tube is received within the guide tube receiving portion of the foam structure.

15. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13, wherein the attachment member is coupled to the frame member of the seat back.

16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the seat back includes a sleeve that is attached to the frame member, and the headrest rod is received in the sleeve for relative movement of the headrest rod with respect to the frame member between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the second end of the headrest rod extends into the guide passage when the headrest is in the retracted position.

17. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the attachment member is a mounting bracket that is coupled to the guide tube.

18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17, further comprising:

a harness guide member that is directly coupled to the mounting bracket and having a retention portion, wherein the guide tube is coupled to the harness guide member via engagement with the retention portion.

19. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the attachment member includes a base portion and an attachment portion that extends from the base portion.

20. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the attachment portion and the guide tube define a unitary body.

21. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the attachment portion includes an attachment flange that is rigidly connectable to the frame member of the seat back.

22. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the attachment portion is a hook.

23. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the attachment member includes a first attachment portion that is connected to a first side of the base portion and a second attachment portion that is connected to a second side of the base portion, wherein the first and second attachment portions are configured to wrap around the frame member of the seat back.

24. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the guide tube includes an attachment projection that extends outward from the guide tube adjacent to the first end thereof and is attached to the base portion.

25. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a frame member;

a sleeve that is attached to the frame member;

a seat back that is supported by the frame member;

a headrest;

an electrical component that is disposed within the headrest;

a headrest rod that is disposed within the sleeve and supports the headrest with respect to the seat back for movement between an extended position and a retracted position;

a harness guide including a guide tube and an attachment member that is connected to the guide tube and to the seat back, the guide tube defining a guide passage that extends through the guide tube from a first end of the guide tube to a second end of the guide tube, wherein the sleeve is attached to a first side of the frame member, and the attachment member is attached to a second side of the frame member that is opposite the first side; and

a wire harness that is connected to the electrical component, wherein the wire harness extends through the headrest rod and extends through the guide passage of the guide tube.