Positioning system for a vehicle head restraint

A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising:

• one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is moveable relative to a seat by the one or more head restraint actuators;
• one or more force sensors positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the head of an occupant and a front surface of the head restraint;
• and
• one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators and the one or more force sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:
• continually monitor the one or more force sensors for the generalized contact force;
• compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force both include one or more force components, wherein the maximum contact force is a default value that is determined based on a population average across a representative slice of a customer base of the vehicle, and wherein the default value of the maximum contact force is overridden by a bespoke setting that is selected by a customer, and wherein the bespoke setting is determined based on settings of the occupant;
• and
• in response to determining the one or more force components of the generalized contact force is greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust a fore-aft position of the head restraint in the aft direction until the generalized contact force is equal to or less than the maximum contact force or the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls within a fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint, whichever happens first, and wherein the fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint is defined relative to a position of the head of the occupant.

A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising:

• one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is moveable relative to a seat by the one or more head restraint actuators;
• one or more proximity sensors positioned oriented to detect a fore-aft distance of a head of an occupant relative to the head restraint;
• one or more force sensors positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the head of the occupant and a front surface of the head restraint;
• and
• one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators, the one or more proximity sensors, and the one or more force sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:
• continually monitor the one or more proximity sensors for the fore-aft distance;
• determine a fore-aft position of the head restraint based on the fore-aft distance;
• compare the fore-aft position of the head restraint with a fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint, wherein the fore-aft bounding range is defined relative to a position of the head of the occupant, wherein a length of the fore-aft bounding range extends between a lower bounding value and an upper bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint and the upper bounding value is dynamically updated based on a plurality of head restraint positioning factors, and wherein the plurality of head restraint positioning factors are indicative of the risk associated with the vehicle deviating from a normal, controlled vehicle trajectory;
• in response to determining the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls outside the fore-aft bounding range, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint to fall within the fore-aft bounding range, wherein the maximum contact force is a default value that is determined based on a population average across a representative slice of a customer base of the vehicle, and wherein the default value of the maximum contact force is overridden by a bespoke setting that is selected by a customer, and wherein the bespoke setting is determined based on settings of the occupant;
• compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force both include one or more force components;
• and
• in response to determining the one or more force components of the generalized contact force is greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint in the aft direction until the generalized contact force is equal to or less than the maximum contact force or the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls within the fore-aft bounding range, whichever happens first.