Vehicle seat having active head restraint

• US 8,894,144 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Humer, Mladen, Yetukuri, Nagarjun, Locke, Gerald, Smallwood, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/860,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14
• US Class Current: 297/216.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/838 Tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly having a seatback frame, an upper armature that is movable relative to the seatback frame and a head restraint mounted on the upper armature. A linkage assembly operatively interconnects the upper armature and an impact body such that movement of the impact body relative to the seatback frame acts on the linkage assembly to move the upper armature relative to the seatback frame to cause the head restraint to move toward the occupant. The linkage assembly includes a linkage and a coupler movably connected to the linkage. The coupler includes a first member movably connected to the seatback frame and a second member movably connected to the first member at a location below the upper end of the impact body.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly for receiving an occupant, the seat assembly comprising:

a seatback frame;

an upper cross bar that is movable relative to the seatback frame;

a head restraint mounted on the upper cross bar;

an impact body that is movable relative to the seatback frame;

a linkage assembly operatively associated with the upper cross bar and the impact body such that movement of the impact body relative to the seatback frame acts on the linkage assembly to move the upper cross bar relative to the seatback frame to thereby cause the head restraint to move upward and forward toward the occupant, the linkage assembly including a linkage movably connected to the seatback frame, a first coupler member movably connected to the linkage, and a second coupler member movably connected to the first coupler member and movably connected to the seatback frame;

an additional linkage assembly operatively associated with the upper cross bar and the impact body, the additional linkage assembly including an additional linkage movably connected to the seatback frame, an additional first coupler member movably connected to the additional linkage, and an additional second coupler member movably connected to the additional first coupler member and movably connected to the seatback frame;

the linkage being pivotally connected to the seatback frame at a first location, directly connected to the upper cross bar at a second location, and pivotally connected to the first coupler member at a third location, and the additional linkage being pivotally connected to the seatback frame at a fourth location, directly connected to the upper cross bar at a fifth location, and pivotally connected to the additional first coupler member at a sixth location, and wherein the first, second, and third locations are spaced apart from each other, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth locations are spaced apart from each other;

a lumbar support linkage extending laterally behind the impact body and pivotally connected to the linkage assembly at a seventh location and pivotally connected to the additional linkage assembly at an eighth location, wherein the seventh location is spaced apart from the first, second, and third locations, and the eighth location is spaced apart from the fourth, fifth, and sixth locations; and

at least one biasing member operatively connected to the seatback frame and at least one of the linkage assembly and the additional linkage assembly to bias the head restraint to an upright position.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the linkage and the second coupler member are each pivotally connected to the seatback frame, the first coupler member comprises an upper coupler member, and the second coupler member comprises a lower coupler member.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pair of posts spaced on the cross bar and extending above the cross bar.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the linkage is pivotally connected to the upper cross bar at the second location, and the additional linkage is pivotally connected to the upper cross bar at the fifth location.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one biasing member comprises:

a biasing member operatively connected to the seatback frame and the linkage assembly; and

an additional biasing member operatively connected to the seatback frame and the additional linkage.

6. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seatback frame comprising;

a pair of side frame members disposed in an upright orientation and spaced horizontally relative to one another,

an upper cross member extending horizontally between the pair of side frame members, and

a lower cross member extending horizontally between the pair of side frame members;

an active head restraint system operatively supported by the seatback, the active head restraint system comprising;

an upper armature moveably mounted to the seatback frame and disposed proximate the upper cross member of the seatback frame, the upper armature comprising;

a cross bar disposed horizontally,

multiple posts spaced on the cross bar and extending upright therefrom, and

a plurality of linkages mounted to opposite ends of the cross bar, each linkage being pivotally mounted to the seatback frame at a first pivot point,

a head restraint mounted to an upper end of each post of the upper armature to be disposed proximate to a head and neck area of an occupant, such that movement of the cross bar consequently moves the posts and the head restraint from an upright position toward the head and neck area of the occupant at an operative position, and

a lower armature disposed below and operatively attached to the linkages, the lower armature being operable to move rearward, and to act upon the linkages to transfer forces to the upper armature in response to a predetermined force from the occupant on the lower armature, to move the head restraint toward the head and the neck of the occupant, the lower armature comprising;

an impact body oriented generally upright, the impact body including an upper end disposed proximate to a lumbar area of the occupant and a lower end disposed proximate to a pelvic area of the occupant, the impact body being moveable in relation to the seatback frame such that force from the occupant generated during a rear end collision is transferred from the impact body to the lower armature as the impact body is moved rearward,

a lower armature linkage operatively mounted to the impact body capable of transferring force generated during the rear end collision into the lower armature linkage, the lower armature linkage comprising a middle section disposed behind the impact body and extending generally perpendicular to each of the side frame members, and two end sections, each end section extending forward from the middle section, and

a plurality of couplers interconnecting the lower armature and the upper armature capable of transferring force from the lower armature to the upper armature, the couplers being operable to move at least partially rearward in response to the predetermined force applied to the impact body to act on the upper armature to move the head restraint toward the occupant, each coupler disposed adjacent to a respective side frame member, each coupler being operably connected to one of the end sections of the lower armature linkage at a first operable point, each coupler comprising;

an elongate upper member pivotally mounted to the respective linkage of the upper armature at a second pivot point, and

a lower member pivotally mounted to the respective side frame member at a third pivot point, and pivotally mounted to the upper member at a fourth pivot point; and

a plurality of biasing members operatively mounted to the active head restraint system and the seatback frame to bias the upper armature toward the upright position in absence of the predetermined force.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the lower armature further comprises a lumbar support mechanism disposed proximate to the lumbar area.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the upper armature is pivotal relative to the seatback frame.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the plurality of biasing members comprise a plurality of coiled extension springs;

and

wherein the active head restraint system further comprises a pair of L-shaped brackets, wherein each coiled extension spring is mounted to one of the pair of brackets.

10. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the impact body is generally planar.

11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the impact body is formed from a flexible material for occupant comfort.