Powered head restraint electrical connector

• US 9,566,884 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Line, Johnathan Andrew, Kondrad, Marcos Silva, Billardello, Nicholas Alphonse, Lyons, David Frederick Jr., Hosbach, Christian J., Yan-rush, Yalie
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US14/257,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• 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 2/897 with sleeves located in the back-rest for guiding the rods of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A powered head restraint includes a base bracket with elongate supports that are configured to easily engage a seatback guide during vehicle assembly and to provide an electrical connection for adjustment actuation of the head restraint. A first electrical connector is fixedly attached to the elongate support of the head restraint. A second electrical connector is operably connected to an upper portion of the seatback such that engagement of the elongate support with a support guide occurs simultaneously with engagement of the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a seatback having a support guide;

a head restraint having an elongate support operably connected to the support guide of the seatback;

a bracket fixedly coupled to and extending substantially transversely from the elongate support and defining an aperture therethrough;

a first electrical connector removably coupled in the aperture;

a sleeve operably connected with the support guide and defining a receiving slot disposed adjacently to the support guide;

a second electrical connector removably coupled in the receiving slot and operably coupled to the first electrical connector, wherein engagement of the elongate support with the support guide provides for simultaneous engagement of the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector in assembly; and

a trim enclosure disposed rearwardly of the first and second electrical connectors.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the sleeve is disposed within the seatback.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector and second electrical connector interface above the seatback.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is supported by a brace that is operably coupled to the support guide.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is operably coupled to the bracket and the second electrical connector is operably coupled to the sleeve.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a flange disposed on the first electrical connector, the flange configured to limit downward movement of the first electrical connector relative to the bracket.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 6, further comprising:

an engagement projection on the first electrical connector, wherein the engagement projection releasably couples to a bottom surface of the bracket to limit upward movement of the first electrical connector.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a flange on the second electrical connector, the flange configured to limit upward movement of the second electrical connector relative to the sleeve.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

an engagement projection on the second electrical connector, wherein the engagement projection couples to a top surface of the sleeve to limit downward movement of the second electrical connector.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiving slot is disposed upwardly of the support guide.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second electrical connector mating surfaces having substantially rectangular configurations disposed on the first and second electrical connectors respectively.

12. A vehicle seatback comprising:

a head restraint having an elongate support including first and second vertical portions connected to a support guide that defines a seatback aperture;

a first electrical connector coupled to a bracket fixedly connected to the first vertical portion and extending away from the second vertical portion; and

a sleeve connected with the support guide having a receiving slot disposed adjacently to the seatback aperture and including a second electrical connector therein.

13. The vehicle seatback of claim 12, wherein engagement of the elongate support with the support guide provides for simultaneous engagement of the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector in assembly.

14. The vehicle seatback of claim 12, further comprising:

an attachment assembly on the sleeve and a corresponding mating assembly on the electrical connector for coupling the second electrical connector to the sleeve.

19. The vehicle seatback of claim 12, wherein the first and second electrical connectors contain mating terminals.

20. The vehicle seatback of claim 12, wherein the first electrical connector includes a flange to retain the first electrical connector within the aperture.

15. The method of assembling a vehicle seatback comprising:

forming a seatback;

coupling a support guide to a top portion of a seatback;

attaching a sleeve to the support guide;

fixing an elongate support to a head restraint;

coupling a bracket to an intermediate portion of the elongate support;

attaching a first electrical connector to the bracket;

attaching a second electrical connector to the sleeve;

sliding the elongate support into the support guide causing the first and second electrical connectors to electronically couple externally from the support guide; and

enclosing the first and second electrical connectors within a trim enclosure disposed on a rear area of the head restraint.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserting a first electrical connector into the bracket step further comprises:

sliding the first electrical connector through an aperture in the bracket until a flange on the first electrical connector contacts a top surface of the bracket and a projection on the first electrical connector releasably abuts a bottom surface of the bracket.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein inserting a second electrical connector into the sleeve step further comprises:

sliding the second electrical connector through an aperture in the sleeve until a flange on the second electrical connector contacts a bottom surface of the sleeve and a projection on the second electrical connector releasably abuts a top surface of the sleeve.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of coupling a first bracket to the elongate support further comprises welding the bracket to the elongated head restraint member.