US 12,662,033 B2Granted

Head restraint guide

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsDan Negrut, Anthony Saleh

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Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat back frame and a head restraint assembly supported on the seatback frame within a head restraint guide, the head restraint guide includes a cylindrical tubular body adapted to receive a support post of the head restraint assembly therein, and an integrated snap-finger extending radially inward and adapted to engage a notch formed within the support post, wherein upon insertion of the support post into the head restraint guide, the integrated snap-finger is adapted to flex radially outward allowing the support post to slide into the head restraint guide, and when the notch within the support post reaches the integrated snap-finger, the integrated snap-finger engages the notch, wherein, engagement of the integrated snap finger with the notch allows further insertion of the support post into the head restraint guide and prevents removal of the support post from the head restraint guide.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat back frame;
a head restraint assembly supported on the seatback frame within a head restraint guide, the head restraint guide including:
a cylindrical tubular body adapted to receive a support post of the head restraint assembly therein;
and
an integrated snap-finger formed within a side wall of the cylindrical tubular body and extending radially inward and adapted to engage a notch formed within the support post of the head restraint assembly, wherein:
upon insertion of the support post into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide, the integrated snap-finger is adapted to flex radially outward allowing the support post to slide into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide;
and
when the notch within the support post of the head restraint assembly reaches the integrated snap-finger, the integrated snap-finger engages the notch, wherein, engagement of the integrated snap finger with the notch allows further insertion of the support post into the head restraint guide and prevents removal of the support post from the head restraint guide;
and
a circular opening at a top of the cylindrical tubular body;
a decorative flange extending radially outward from the top of the cylindrical tubular body;
and
a key-way formed within an inner radial edge of the flange, the key-way adapted to allow insertion of a tool between an inner surface of the cylindrical tubular body and an outer surface of the support post of the head restraint assembly, wherein insertion of the tool flexes the integrated snap-finger radially outward, disengaging the integrated snap-finger from the notch in the support post and allowing selective removal of the head restraint assembly from the head restraint guide.

10 more elements

A head restraint guide adapted to support a head restraint assembly within a seat back frame of a vehicle seat, comprising:

a cylindrical tubular body adapted to receive a support post of the head restraint assembly therein;
and
an integrated snap-finger formed within a side wall of the cylindrical tubular body and extending radially inward and adapted to engage a notch formed within the support post of the head restraint assembly, wherein:
upon insertion of the support post into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide, the integrated snap-finger is adapted to flex radially outward allowing the support post to slide into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide;
and
when the notch within the support post of the head restraint assembly reaches the integrated snap-finger, the integrated snap-finger engages the notch, wherein, engagement of the integrated snap finger with the notch allows further insertion of the support post into the head restraint guide and prevents removal of the support post from the head restraint guide;
and
a circular opening at a top of the cylindrical tubular body;
a decorative flange extending radially outward from the top of the cylindrical tubular body;
and
a key-way formed within an inner radial edge of the flange, the key-way adapted to allow insertion of a tool between an inner surface of the cylindrical tubular body and an outer surface of the support post of the head restraint assembly, wherein insertion of the tool flexes the integrated snap-finger radially outward, disengaging the integrated snap-finger from the notch in the support post and allowing selective removal of the head restraint assembly from the head restraint guide.

8 more elements

A vehicle having a vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat back frame;
a head restraint assembly supported on the seatback frame within a head restraint guide, the head restraint guide including:
a cylindrical tubular body adapted to receive a support post of the head restraint assembly therein;
an integrated snap-finger formed within a side wall of the cylindrical tubular body and extending radially inward and adapted to engage a notch formed within the support post of the head restraint assembly, the notch within the support post of the head restraint assembly including a flat upward facing surface and a ramped surface, and the integrated snap-finger of the head restraint guide including a flat downward facing surface and a ramped surface, wherein:
upon insertion of the support post into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide, the integrated snap-finger is adapted to flex radially outward allowing the support post to slide into the cylindrical tubular body of the head restraint guide;
when the notch within the support post of the head restraint assembly reaches the integrated snap-finger, the integrated snap-finger engages the notch;
the flat upward facing surface of the notch engages the flat downward facing surface of the integrated snap-finger, wherein the integrated snap-finger provides a positive stop preventing the support post of the head restraint assembly from being pulled upward and out of the head restraint guide;
and
the ramped surface of the notch engages the ramped surface of the integrated snap-finger, wherein further movement of the support post of the head restraint assembly into the head restraint guide flexes the integrated snap-finger radially outward allowing the support post to be inserted further into the head restraint guide;
a circular opening at a top of the cylindrical tubular body;
a decorative flange extending radially outward from the top of the cylindrical tubular body;
a key-way formed within an inner radial edge of the flange, the key-way adapted to allow insertion of a tool between an inner surface of the cylindrical tubular body and an outer surface of the support post of the head restraint assembly, wherein insertion of the tool flexes the integrated snap-finger radially outward, disengaging the integrated snap-finger from the notch in the support post and allowing selective removal of the head restraint assembly from the head restraint guide;
a plurality of stand-off ribs extending longitudinally along and radially outward from an outer surface of the cylindrical tubular body, each of the plurality of stand-off ribs including a downward facing surface adapted to support the head restraint guide on the seat back frame and establish a height of the head restraint guide relative to the seat back frame;
at least one locking nub extending radially outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical tubular body and being positioned below the downward facing surfaces of the plurality of stand-off ribs, the locking nub including a downward facing ramped surface adapted to allow the head restraint guide to be pushed into an orifice within the seat back frame, wherein once the head restraint guide is pushed into the orifice within the seat back frame and the downward surface of each of the plurality of stand-off ribs contact the seat back frame, an inner edge of the orifice within the seat back frame is captured between the downward facing surface of each of the plurality of stand-off ribs and an upward facing surface of the locking nub, thereby securing the head restraint guide in position within the seat back frame;
and
at least one error-proofing feature extending outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical tubular body, the at least one error proofing feature adapted to fit within a corresponding error-proofing notch formed within the inner edge of the orifice within the seat back frame and adapted to prevent insertion of the head restraint guide into the orifice within the seat back frame in an incorrect orientation;
and
wherein, the head restraint guide, including the cylindrical tubular body, the decorative flange, the plurality of stand-off ribs, the at least one locking nub and the integrated snap-finger, is unitarily formed from a composite material, wherein flexing of the integrated snap-finger during insertion and removal of the support post of the head restraint assembly does not plastically deform the head restraint guide.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.