Backrest for a vehicle seat

• US 7,794,012 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piotr Szablewski
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
• Inventors: Szablewski, Piotr
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/899,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20080111407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/80 Head-rests

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a backrest for vehicle seat, with a head support (1) which is adjustable in terms of height with respect to the backrest, and with a sensor arranged in the head support (1) and intended for detecting the position of the head of a person sitting on the vehicle seat in relation to the head support (1) and for indicating an adjusted end position, in the head support (1) at least two sensors being arranged, designed as capacitive proximity sensors (5, 14), which indicate the position of the head support (1) with respect to the head (P) as a function of the detected capacitances which are to be found as a capacitance on the electrodes formed by the head (P) and one of the at least two proximity sensors (5, 14) each.

Claims

1. A backrest with head support for a vehicle seat, comprising:

a substantially upright backrest;

a head support mounted in the backrest and adjustable in height to an end position with respect to the backrest;

at least two capacitive proximity sensors arranged in the head support for detecting the position of the head of a person sitting in the vehicle seat in relation to the head support; and

an indicator responsive to proximity signals from the proximity sensors dependent on the proximity of the person'"'"'s head to the headrest;

wherein each proximity sensor comprises an electrode in the head support that generates an electric field,

wherein each proximity sensor detects a distinct capacitance of its electrode in relation to the head, and

wherein the two proximity sensors produce an indication of the position of the head support with respect to the head as a function of said detected distinct capacitances.

2. The backrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two capacitive proximity sensors detect an adjustment of the head support by a variation in the capacitance.

3. The backrest as claimed in claim 2, including at least one drive responsive to proximity signals from the proximity sensors commensurate with the proximity of the person'"'"'s head to the headrest, for adjusting the height of the headrest to said end position dependent on said proximity signals.

4. The backrest as claimed in claim 3, including a control connected to the at least one drive.

5. The backrest as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control has a calibration unit and the calibration unit is connected to a device for detecting an unlocking of the vehicle, and a reference capacitance can be detected for use in indicating the position of the head support with respect to the head, when the vehicle is unlocked.

6. The backrest as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control has signal treatment and signal processing electronics.

7. The backrest as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control has a calibration unit.

8. The backrest as claimed in claim 6, including a device for compensating the respective capacitors by means of a temperature characteristic curve.

9. The backrest as claimed in claim 6, wherein the calibration unit is configured for determining the capacitance of a capacitor formed by the at least two proximity sensors when an unlocking of the vehicle is detected.

10. The backrest as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least two capacitive proximity sensors each have an electrode, which electrodes together form a field image copying a head portion.

11. The backrest as claimed in claim 10, including a control for at least one drive, which compares detected capacitances as actual quantities with at least one respective predeterminable desired quantity of the capacitance for an adjusted end position.

12. The backrest as claimed in claim 1, including at least one drive responsive to proximity signals from the proximity sensors commensurate with the proximity of the person'"'"'s head to the headrest, for adjusting the height of the headrest to said end position dependent on said proximity signals.

13. The backrest as claimed in claim 12, including a control connected to the at least one drive.

14. The backrest as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control has signal treatment and signal processing electronics.

15. The backrest as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control has a calibration unit.

16. The backrest as claimed in claim 15, wherein the calibration unit is connected to a device for detecting an unlocking of the vehicle, and a reference capacitance can be detected for use in indicating the position of the head support with respect to the head, when the vehicle is unlocked.

17. The backrest as claimed in claim 12, including a control for at least one drive, which compares detected capacitances as actual quantities with at least one respective predeterminable desired quantity of the capacitance for an adjusted end position.

18. The backrest as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive can be actuated by means of a control which triggers a selectable search run of the head support.

19. The backrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two capacitive proximity sensors each have an electrode, which electrodes together form a field image copying a head portion.

20. The backrest as claimed in claim 19, including a control for at least one drive, which compares detected capacitances as actual quantities with at least one respective predeterminable desired quantity of the capacitance for an adjusted end position.

21. The backrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein each proximity sensor contains only one electrode.