Furniture member powered headrest rotation and release system

• US 8,702,173 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Inventors: Adams, Chad E., LaPointe, Larry P., Marshall, Richard E., Harwood, Eric B., Cole, Eugene O. II
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/902,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 297408-410, 297/403, 297/85.M
• US Class Current: 297/408
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/036 the parts including a head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036

Abstract

A powered headrest operating system includes a headrest connected to a seatback frame using rotational pins. An actuation mechanism rotatably connected to the seatback frame has a power actuated member connected to the headrest operating between retracted and extended positions to rotate the headrest from a fully retracted to a forward rotated position about an axis of rotation of the rotational pins. A release system rotatably connecting the headrest to the actuation mechanism retains the headrest at any forward rotated position while the actuation mechanism returns the power actuated member from the extended to the retracted positions if the headrest encounters an object blocking return to the retracted position. A biasing member connected to the seatback frame and the headrest creating a biasing force during headrest rotation away from the retracted position operates without actuation mechanism operating force to bias the headrest frame assembly toward the retracted position.

Claims

1. A furniture member powered headrest operating system, comprising:

a headrest frame assembly rotatably connected to a furniture member seatback frame; and

an actuation mechanism connected to the seatback frame, the actuation mechanism having a power actuated member connected to the headrest frame assembly operating to rotate the headrest frame assembly between a fully retracted to a fully forward rotated position;

a biasing member connected to the furniture member seatback frame and the headrest frame assembly defining a biasing member axis of connection displaced with respect to a frame assembly axis of rotation to induce rotation of the headrest frame assembly from a biasing force of the biasing member, wherein the biasing force is created during rotation of the headrest frame assembly away from the fully retracted position and operates to bias the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position without an operating force of the actuation mechanism; and

the seatback frame further including first and second seatback side members, the headrest frame including first and second rotational pins each rotatable connected to one of the first or second seatback side members, the first and second rotational pins defining a frame assembly axis of rotation.

2. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism further includes:

an actuator;

a receiver; and

an axially displaceable member extendable and retractable with respect to the receiver in response to actuator operation, the axially displaceable member rotatably connected to the headrest frame assembly.

3. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 2, further including;

at least one connecting bracket connected to the headrest frame assembly; and

a rotational pin rotatably connecting the at least one connecting bracket to the axially displaceable member such that a fully extended position of the axially displaceable member corresponds to the fully forward rotated position of the headrest frame assembly.

5. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism further includes an electrical actuator remotely controlled by an occupant of the furniture member.

4. A furniture member powered headrest operating system, comprising:

a headrest frame assembly rotatably connected to a furniture member seatback frame; and

an actuation mechanism connected to the seatback frame, the actuation mechanism having a power actuated member connected to the headrest frame assembly operating to rotate the headrest frame assembly between a fully retracted to a fully forward rotated position;

a biasing member connected to the furniture member seatback frame and the headrest frame assembly, wherein a biasing force is created during rotation of the headrest frame assembly away from the fully retracted position which operates to bias the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position without an operating force of the actuation mechanism; and

a release system rotatably connecting the headrest frame assembly to the actuation mechanism operating to permit rotation of the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position back to the fully retracted position by only a biasing force of the biasing member, wherein the release system includes;

a pin connecting bracket connected to the headrest frame assembly;

a semi-circular slot created in the pin connecting bracket; and

a pin connected to the power actuated member of the actuation mechanism and slidably received in the semi-circular slot, wherein the pin contacts a first slot end wall of the semi-circular slot during rotation of the headrest from the fully retracted to the fully forward rotated positions, the pin slidably displaced toward a second slot end wall of the semi-circular slot during rotation from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position if the headrest frame assembly encounters an object.

6. A furniture member powered headrest operating system, comprising:

a headrest frame assembly rotatably connected to a furniture member seatback frame; and

an actuation mechanism connected to the seatback frame, the actuation mechanism having a power actuated member connected to the headrest frame assembly operating to rotate the headrest frame assembly between a fully retracted to a fully forward rotated position;

a biasing member connected to the furniture member seatback frame and the headrest frame assembly, wherein a biasing force is created during rotation of the headrest frame assembly away from the fully retracted position which operates to bias the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position without an operating force of the actuation mechanism;

a mechanism mounting bracket fixedly connected to the furniture member seatback frame; and

a mechanism mounting pin rotatably connecting the actuation mechanism to the mechanism mounting bracket such that the actuation mechanism is rotatable with respect to the mechanism mounting pin during rotation of the headrest frame assembly.

7. A furniture member powered headrest operating system, comprising:

a headrest frame assembly rotatably connected to a furniture member seatback frame using first and second rotational pins;

an actuation mechanism rotatably connected to the seatback frame, the actuation mechanism having a power actuated member connected to the headrest frame assembly operating between a retracted to an extended position to rotate the headrest frame assembly from a fully retracted to a fully forward rotated position about a frame assembly axis of rotation defined by the first and second rotational pins; and

a release system rotatably connecting the headrest frame assembly to the actuation mechanism permitting the headrest frame assembly to be retained at any forward rotated position while the actuation mechanism returns the power actuated member from the extended to the retracted positions if the headrest frame assembly encounters an object blocking return to the fully retracted position.

8. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 7, wherein the release system further includes:

first and second connecting arms connected to the headrest frame assembly; and

a pin rotatably connecting the power actuated member to the first and second connecting arms.

9. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 8, wherein the release system further includes:

a semi-circular slot created in each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin extending through the semi-circular slot of both the first and second connecting arms; and

a first slot end wall of the semi-circular slot of each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin contacting the first slot end wall during a powered extension of the power actuated member, operating to positively rotate the headrest frame assembly from the fully retracted toward the fully forward rotated position.

10. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 9, wherein the release system further includes a second slot end wall of the semi-circular slot of each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin slidably moving toward the second slot end wall during a powered retraction of the power actuated member when the headrest frame assembly encounters the object.

11. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 7, further including a biasing member connected to the furniture member seatback frame and the headrest frame assembly, a biasing force created during rotation of the headrest frame assembly away from the fully retracted position operating without an operating force of the actuation mechanism to bias the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position.

12. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 7, further including:

a mechanism mounting bracket fixedly connected to the furniture member seatback frame; and

a mechanism mounting pin rotatably connecting the actuation mechanism to the mechanism mounting bracket such that the actuation mechanism is rotatable with respect to the mechanism mounting pin during rotation of the headrest frame assembly;

wherein the actuation mechanism is in contact with a bracket base of the mechanism mounting bracket when the headrest frame assembly is positioned in the fully retracted position, and a clearance gap is created between the actuation mechanism and the bracket base when the headrest frame is positioned in the fully forward rotated position.

13. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 7, wherein the headrest frame assembly is rotatable in a first direction during rotation toward the fully forward rotation position and the actuation mechanism is rotatable in an opposite second direction during rotation of the headrest frame assembly toward the fully forward rotation position.

14. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 7, wherein the headrest frame assembly further includes a plurality of both cross and side members connected to each other, the cross and side members each including:

polymeric support ribs;

polymeric support frames oriented perpendicular to the support ribs; and

polymeric panels positioned between and supported by the support ribs and the support frames.

15. A furniture member powered headrest operating system, comprising:

a headrest frame assembly rotatably connected to a furniture member seatback frame using first and second rotational pins; and

an actuation mechanism rotatably connected to the seatback frame, the actuation mechanism having a power actuated member connected to the headrest frame assembly operating from a retracted to an extended position to positively rotate the headrest frame assembly from a fully retracted to a fully forward rotated position;

a biasing member connected to the furniture member seatback frame and the headrest frame assembly, a biasing force created during rotation of the headrest frame assembly away from the fully retracted position operating without an operating force of the actuation mechanism to bias the headrest frame assembly from the fully forward rotated position to the fully retracted position; and

a release system rotatably connecting the headrest frame assembly to the actuation mechanism permitting the headrest frame assembly to be retained at any forward rotated position while the actuation mechanism returns the power actuated member from the extended to the retracted positions if the headrest frame assembly encounters an object blocking return to the fully retracted position.

16. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 15, wherein the release system includes:

first and second connecting joints connected to the headrest frame assembly having the first rotational pin extending from the first connecting joint and the second rotational pin connected to the second connecting joint;

first and second connecting arms extending from the actuation mechanism; and

a pin rotatably connecting the power actuated member to the first and second connecting arms.

17. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 16, further including a semi-circular slot created in each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin extending through the semi-circular slot of both the first and second connecting arms.

18. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 17, further including a first slot end wall of the semi-circular slot of each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin contacting the first slot end wall during a powered extension of the power actuated member and operating to positively rotate the headrest frame assembly from the fully retracted toward the fully forward rotated position.

19. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 18, further including a second slot end wall of the semi-circular slot of each of the first and second connecting arms, the pin slidably moving toward the second slot end wall during a powered retraction of the power actuated member when the headrest frame assembly encounters the object.

20. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 17, wherein an arc of curvature of the semi-circular slot is defined by a radius of curvature extending from a centerline of the pin extending through the semi-circular slot of both the first and second connecting arms.

21. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 15, further including a mechanism mounting bracket fixedly connected to the furniture member seatback frame.

22. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 21, wherein the actuator mechanism further includes:

a housing supporting a receiver which slidably supports the power actuated member; and

at least one mounting arm extending from the housing.

23. The furniture member powered headrest operating system of claim 22, further including a mechanism mounting pin rotatably connecting the at least one mounting arm to the mechanism mounting bracket such that the actuation mechanism is rotatable with respect to the mechanism mounting pin during rotation of the headrest frame assembly.