Headrest for a vehicle

• US 8,616,633 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Truckenbrodt, Gerd, Beil, Udo, Muenster, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Tania
• Application Number:
  US12/613,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 297/391, 297/404, 297/216.12
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/865 providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A headrest (10) for a vehicle seat has at least one base (11), such as a support rod or the like. A main body (12) is held on the base (11). A support part (13) having a head support surface (44) can move relative to the main body (12) forward in the forward direction (x) toward the back of the head of the vehicle occupant and back in the rearward direction (z).

The main body (12) is movable on the base (11) and can be shifted by at least one rotatable transmission element (K1; 28, 30) in the forward direction (x) and in the rearward direction (z). At the same time, the support part, which moveable in the same direction with the main body (12) in the forward direction (x) and the rearward direction (z), is pivoted on the same rotatable transmission element (K1; 28, 30).

Claims

1. A headrest for a vehicle seat, the headrest comprising:

a base fixed to the seat;

a main body shiftable horizontally forward and rearward relative to the base;

a support part shiftable horizontally forward and rearward relative to the base and to the main body and engageable with a back of a head of an occupant of the seat;

a pair of levers having first ends pivoted on the base at horizontally spaced parallel axes and second ends spaced from the first ends;

pivots between the main body and locations on the levers between the respective first and second ends coupling the main body to the base for horizontally forward and rearward shifting the main body relative to the base on rotation of the levers on the base in forward and rearward directions; and

respective pivots between the second ends and the support part coupling the support part to the main body for horizontally shifting the support part codirectionally with the main body on rotation of the levers on the base in the forward and rearward directions.

2. The headrest according to claim 1 wherein the pivots form a coupling mechanism having four parts.

3. The headrest according to claim 2 wherein the four-part coupling mechanism is a parallelogrammatic linkage with two levers and two coupling links.

4. The headrest defined in claim 1 wherein the base has a horizontal extension on which the first ends are pivoted, the support part has a horizontal extension on which the second ends are pivoted, and the main body has a horizontal extension vertically between the extensions of the base and support part and on which the locations of the levers are pivoted.

5. A headrest for a vehicle seat, the headrest comprising:

a base;

a main body having a first extension projecting in a forward direction toward the back of a head of a vehicle occupant and forming a first coupling link;

levers supporting the main body on the base for movement in the forward direction and back in an opposite rearward direction and centrally pivoted on the extension; and

a support part having a head support surface, pivoted on the levers so as to be movable in the same direction as the main body relative to the main body in the forward direction and in the rearward direction, and having a second extension protecting rearward and forming a second coupling link carrying pivots each on an end of a respective lever extending away from the extension of the base.

6. The headrest according to claim 5 wherein the two levers are generally vertical and are pivoted on the extension of the base.

7. The headrest according to claim 5 wherein the two levers extend downward from and are pivotally suspended on the extension of the base.

8. The headrest according to claim 7 wherein axes defined by the pivots of the levers and the coupling links extend horizontally and parallel to one another.

9. The headrest defined in claim 5, wherein the main body is generally forwardly cup-shaped and forms a cavity in a retracted position with the support part shifted in the rearward direction into engagement against the main body, the cavity in the retracted position containing the levers.