Headrest system and method of adjusting a headrest

• US 9,365,140 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SchUkra Berndorf GmbH (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Schukra Geraetebau GmbH (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Falster, Frank, Junker, Klaus, Maierhofer, Gunter, Wanke, Jrgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US14/421,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20150203007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 297/400, 297/391, 297/410, 297/216.12, 297/408, 297/402
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0226 User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/821 with continuous positioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/865 providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/885 provided with side-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/894 with rods solidly attached to the back-rest

Abstract

A headrest system comprises a headrest, a bracket to which the headrest is mounted and an actuator. The actuator is configured to displace at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction which is transverse to a longitudinal member of the bracket. The actuator comprises a spindle transmission and a power drive coupled to the spindle transmission. The spindle transmission comprises a spindle and a spindle nut engaged with the spindle. The power drive is arranged in a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest.

Claims

1. A headrest system comprising:

a headrest;

a bracket having a longitudinal member for mounting the headrest to a seat; and

an actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction,

wherein the actuator comprises a first spindle transmission and a power drive coupled to the first spindle transmission, the first spindle transmission including a spindle and a first spindle nut engaged with the spindle, the power drive arranged in a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest, the first spindle nut arranged within the cavity, and the spindle arranged within the cavity such that a longitudinal axis of the spindle is orthogonal to the displacement direction, and

wherein the actuator further comprises a second spindle transmission, the second spindle transmission including a second spindle nut.

2. The headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a worm, and wherein both the first spindle transmission and the second spindle transmission are coupled to the worm.

3. The headrest system according to claim 1, further comprising

a first actuation member coupled to a first coupling portion of the first spindle transmission, and

a second actuation member coupled to a second coupling portion of the second spindle transmission, the actuator configured such that a first displacement of the first coupling portion and a second displacement of the second coupling portion have equal magnitudes and opposite directions.

4. The headrest system of claim 3, wherein the first actuation member and the second actuation member include at least one lever which is pivotably mounted.

5. The headrest system of claim 4, wherein a pivot axis of a first lever of the at least one lever is provided on the first coupling portion of the first spindle transmission.

6. The headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the spindle is mounted so as to rotate upon actuation of the power drive.

7. The headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the first spindle nut and the second spindle nut are mounted so as to rotate upon actuation of the power drive.

8. The headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the spindle is a first spindle, and wherein the actuator comprises a second spindle, the second spindle nut being engaged with the second spindle.

9. The headrest system according to claim 8, wherein an external thread of the first spindle and an external thread of the second spindle have equal pitch and equal helicity.

10. The headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the first spindle nut is engaged with a first portion of the spindle which has a first external thread having a first helicity, and the second spindle nut is engaged with a second portion of the spindle which has a second external thread having a second helicity opposite to the first helicity.

11. A seat comprising:

a backrest; and

a headrest system according to claim 1, wherein the bracket of the headrest system is attached to the backrest.

12. A headrest system comprising:

a headrest;

a bracket having a longitudinal member for mounting the headrest to a seat; and

an actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal member,

wherein the actuator comprises a spindle transmission and a power drive coupled to the spindle transmission, the spindle transmission including a spindle and a spindle nut engaged with the spindle, the power drive arranged in a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest,

wherein the power drive includes a motor, and

wherein the actuator has a two-stage worm transmission coupled between the motor and the spindle transmission.

13. A method of adjusting a headrest mounted to a seat via a bracket, the bracket having a longitudinal member, the method comprising:

activating a power drive arranged in a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest to drive a spindle transmission through a two-stage worm transmission coupled between a motor of the power drive and the spindle transmission, the spindle transmission including a spindle and a spindle nut engaged with the spindle,

wherein the spindle transmission displaces at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction which is arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal member.

14. A method of adjusting a headrest mounted to a seat via a bracket, the bracket having a longitudinal member, the method comprising:

activating a power drive arranged in a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest to drive a first spindle transmission and a second spindle transmission, the first spindle transmission including a spindle and a first spindle nut engaged with the spindle, the second spindle transmission including a second spindle nut,

wherein the first spindle transmission displaces at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction, the spindle arranged within the cavity such that a longitudinal axis of the spindle is orthogonal to the displacement direction.

15. A headrest system comprising:

a headrest;

a bracket having a longitudinal member for mounting the headrest to a seat; and

an actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the headrest relative to the bracket in a displacement direction,

wherein the actuator comprises a spindle transmission and a power drive coupled to the spindle transmission, the power drive comprising at least one speed reduction stage, the spindle transmission including a spindle and a spindle nut engaged with the spindle, the spindle arranged within a cavity defined within an outer shell of the headrest such that a longitudinal axis of the spindle is orthogonal to the displacement direction, the spindle nut arranged within the cavity, the spindle having an external helical thread and the spindle nut having an internal helical thread engaged with the external helical thread of the spindle.