Articulated headrest
OwnerRichard W. O'Connorinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An articulated headrest. In one embodiment, an apparatus include a base portion and a headrest portion, and the headrest portion is coupled to the base portion by an articulation mechanism which moves the headrest substantially along an arc defined with respect to a pivot point outside the headrest portion and the base portion. In some embodiments, the pivot point may approximate the cervicothoracic junction of a user. In some embodiments, the headrest portion may be used to maintain the a user's head in a substantially neutral position. In some embodiments, the headrest portion may be deployed in the event of a crash condition and/or may articulate in response to reclining a seat back. In one embodiment, a portable or pillow version may articulate a headrest portion with respect to a base portion to provide head support.
Claims14
An apparatus comprising:
- a head support portion;
- a base portion comprising a seat back portion pivotable between a generally upright position and a reclined position, said seat back portion having a front side adapted to engage a user;
- an articulation mechanism coupling said head support portion to said seat back portion, said articulation mechanism to move said head support portion relative to said seat back portion approximately along an arc defined with respect to a pivot point which is entirely forward of said front side of said seat back portion in said upright position, said articulation mechanism to move said head support portion from a first head support portion position to a second head support position, wherein the head support portion is spaced away from the seat back portion in the second head support position, wherein said articulation mechanism is to position the head support portion approximately along the arc in a position to maintain a user's head in a substantially neutral position, and wherein said articulation mechanism is to articulate said head support portion to a new neutral position in response to reclining the seat back portion.
An apparatus comprising:
- a base portion comprising a seat back portion;
- a headrest portion;
- means for articulating said headrest portion to pivot said headrest portion relative to said seat back portion about a pivot point entirely outside of a volume including both the headrest portion and the base portion and outside any mechanism of the apparatus, the means for articulating also moving said headrest portion to an articulated forward position providing a gap between the seat back portion and the headrest portion, wherein said means for articulating is responsive to movement of said seat back portion.
An apparatus comprising:
- a seat portion comprising a seat back portion and a seat base portion, said seat back portion having a front side adapted to engage a user and being pivotable to a generally upright position and a reclined position;
- an articulated headrest portion;
- an articulation mechanism mechanically coupling the articulated headrest portion to the seat back portion, said articulation mechanism to pivot said articulated headrest portion with respect to the seat back portion about a pivot point that is a remote pivot point that lies entirely outside of the seat portion, the articulated headrest portion and all mechanisms movably coupling the articulated headrest portion to the seat portion and is entirely forward of a plane of said seat back portion in said generally upright position, said articulated headrest portion being articulated to a forward position providing a spacing between said seat back portion and said articulated headrest portion in response to reclining the seat back portion relative to said seat base portion.
An apparatus comprising:
- a base portion comprising a seat back portion;
- a headrest portion coupled to said seat back portion by a stem that extends into said seat back portion;
- a headrest pivot, said headrest pivot pivotally coupling said headrest portion to said stem;
- means for articulating said headrest portion to pivot said headrest portion relative to said seat back portion about a pivot point entirely outside of a volume including both the headrest portion and the base portion and outside any mechanism of the apparatus, the means for articulating also moving said headrest portion to an articulated forward position providing a gap between the seat back portion and the headrest portion, said means for articulating said headrest portion comprising:
- a headrest extension mechanism to extend said entire headrest portion outwardly with respect to said seat back portion by moving said stem;
- a headrest rotation mechanism coupled to rotate said stem to which the headrest portion is coupled to move said entire headrest portion forwardly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.