Adjustable belt guide and headrest

A vehicle seat having an adjustable belt guide and headrest apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a first track assembly disposed fixedly relative to a seat back portion of said vehicle seat;
• a second track assembly slidably engaged with and movable relative to said first track assembly, said second track assembly having an uppermost end portion;
• said uppermost end portion including a shoulder belt guide member and a headrest frame member extending generally transversely therefrom so as to be positioned over said seat back portion;
• a shoulder belt disposed partially within said seat back portion such that a portion of said shoulder belt extends through said shoulder belt guide member;
• gear drive means coupled to said second track assembly for driving said second track assembly slidably longitudinally relative to said first track assembly;
• and
• reversible motor means for driving said gear drive means in first and second rotational directions such that said second track assembly is driven longitudinally relative to said first track assembly to vertically adjust and simultaneously position said shoulder belt guide member and said headrest frame member relative to said seat back portion in response to operator control of said motor means.

A vehicle seat having a shoulder belt, a seat back portion, and an adjustable shoulder belt guide and headrest apparatus disposed within said seat back portion, said apparatus comprising:

• a first pair of elongated track members forming a first track assembly and disposed fixedly within said seat back portion;
• a second pair of elongated track members forming a second track assembly moveable longitudinally and slidably relative to said first track assembly;
• a threaded drive rod fixedly secured to and between said second pair of elongated track members;
• first gear means disposed fixedly relative to said first track assembly and meshingly engaged with said threaded drive rod;
• second gear means coupled to said first gear means;
• and
• a reversible DC motor having an output shaft, said output shaft being coupled to said second gear means such that said motor drives said second gear means in first and second rotational directions, to thereby cause said first gear means to drive said threaded drive rod and said first track assembly longitudinally such that said shoulder belt guide and said headrest apparatus are concurrently adjustably positioned relative to said seat back portion to thereby adjustably position said shoulder belt.

A vehicle seat having a seat bottom assembly, a seat back frame, a hinge mechanism connecting the seat back frame to the seat bottom assembly, and a seat belt system including a retractor assembly mounted to one of the seat back frame or the seat bottom assembly and having a shoulder belt emanating therefrom that is adapted to be routed through a shoulder belt guide over the shoulder and across the upper torso of an occupant, the improvement comprising:

• an elongated reinforcement member affixed to said seat back frame along a lateral side thereof and connected at its lower end to said hinge mechanism;
• a track assembly having a first track member affixed to said reinforcement member and a second track member engaged with said first track member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said first track member;
• a headrest assembly including said shoulder belt guide mounted to the upper end of said second track member;
• and
• operative means for moving said second track member relative to said first track member for adjusting the vertical position of said headrest assembly relative to said seat back frame.