# US 8,465,098 B2 · Adjustable head restraint assembly for vehicle seats > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,098 B2 - Document ID: US8465098B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/165,356 - Filed: 2011-06-21 - Published: 2012-12-27 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-21 - Assignees: Lear Corporation - Applicants: Arjun Yetukuri; Scott Andrew Willard - Inventors: Arjun Yetukuri; Scott Andrew Willard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465098B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/856: movable to an inoperative or stowed position - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle head restraint assembly includes a head restraint support adapted to be mounted to a seat back frame. A transverse shaft is pivotally mounted to the support. A post is connected to the shaft for supporting a head restraint. A biasing member is connected to the support and the shaft for biasing the post to a collapsed position. An eccentric projection extends from a central region of the shaft. A latching mechanism is provided on the support and oriented within a path of rotation of the projection to engage the projection and maintain the head restraint in an upright position. Retraction of the latching mechanism permits the biasing member to pivot the head restraint to the collapsed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle head restraint assembly comprising: a support adapted to be mounted proximate to a seat back frame; a transverse shaft pivotally mounted to the support; at least one post connected to the transverse shaft for extending from the seat back frame; a head restraint mounted to the at least one post; a biasing member connected to the support and the transverse shaft for biasing the at least one post to a collapsed position of the head restraint; an eccentric projection extending from a central region of the transverse shaft; and a latching mechanism provided on the head restraint support and oriented within a path of rotation of the eccentric projection to engage the eccentric projection and maintain the head restraint in an upright position, wherein retraction of the latching mechanism permits the biasing member to pivot the head restraint to the collapsed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein an input force to actuate the latching mechanism is provided generally parallel to the transverse shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the eccentric projection comprises a portion of the transverse shaft that is offset from a pivot axis of the transverse shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pair of U-bolts for mounting the head restraint support to an upper cross member of the seat back frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the biasing member biases the at least one post to the collapsed position in a rearward direction of the seat back frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the latching mechanism comprises: an actuator bar mounted to the head restraint support for translation in a linear direction for a first position and a second position, the actuator bar having at least one inclined slot formed therethrough; a biasing member for urging the actuator bar to the first position; and a latch mounted to the head restraint support for translation in a linear direction perpendicular to that of the actuator bar, the latch cooperating with the inclined slot for being oriented at an extended position at the first position of the actuator bar and for translation to a retracted position when the actuator bar is translated to the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 6 wherein the latch has an inclined surface so that when the latch is in the extended position, movement of the head restraint from the collapsed position to the upright position causes the eccentric projection to contact the leading edge of the latch, thereby translating the latch to the retracted position until the head restraint reaches the upright position, whereby the eccentric projection permits the latch to return to the extended position for maintaining the head restraint in the upright position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A vehicle seat assembly comprising: a seat back frame with an upper cross member; a head restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the head restraint support is mounted to the upper cross member; and a cover for enclosing the head restraint support. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat assembly of claim 8 further comprising a pair of weld studs extending from the cross member and received within a corresponding pair of apertures in the head restraint support for mounting the head restraint to the upper cross member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat assembly of claim 8 further comprising a cable assembly for actuating the latching mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the cable assembly is actuated by a tilt mechanism of the seat back frame. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the latching mechanism comprises: an actuator bar mounted to the head restraint support for translation in a linear direction for a first position and a second position, the actuator bar having at least one inclined slot formed therethrough; a biasing member for urging the actuator bar to the first position; a latch mounted to the head restraint support for translation in a linear direction perpendicular to that of the actuator bar, the latch cooperating with the inclined slot for being oriented at an extended position at the first position of the actuator bar and for translation to a retracted position when the actuator bar is translated to the second position; and a cable assembly connected to the actuator bar for translating the actuator bar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the head restraint support comprises a housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 13 wherein the housing comprises a pair of stampings interconnected to enclose the latching mechanism. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 14 wherein the latching mechanism comprises: an actuator bar mounted to one of the pair of stampings for translation in a linear direction for a first position and a second position, the actuator bar having at least one inclined slot formed therethrough; a biasing member for urging the actuator bar to the first position; and a latch mounted to the housing for translation in a linear direction perpendicular to that of the actuator bar, the latch cooperating with the inclined slot for being oriented at an extended position at the first position of the actuator bar and for translation to a retracted position when the actuator bar is translated to the second position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 15 wherein the latch is engaged with an upright slot in one of the pair of housings and the inclined slot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 16 wherein the latch is formed from a unitary wire. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle head restraint assembly of claim 16 wherein the latch is engaged with a slot formed through the other of the pair of housings for translation therethrough. ### Claim 19 A vehicle head restraint assembly comprising: a support adapted to be mounted proximate to a seat back frame; a transverse shaft pivotally mounted to the support; at least one post connected to the transverse shaft for extending from the seat back frame; a head restraint mounted to the at least one post; a biasing member connected to the support and the transverse shaft for biasing the at least one post to a collapsed position of the head restraint; an eccentric projection extending from the transverse shaft; and a latching mechanism provided on the head restraint support and oriented within a path of rotation of the eccentric projection to engage the eccentric projection and maintain the head restraint in an upright position, wherein retraction of the latching mechanism permits the biasing member to pivot the head restraint to the collapsed position, and wherein an input force to actuate the latching mechanism is provided generally parallel to the transverse shaft. ### Claim 20 A vehicle head restraint assembly comprising: a support adapted to be mounted proximate to a seat back frame; a transverse shaft pivotally mounted to the support with a portion of the transverse shaft offset from a pivot axis of the shaft; at least one post formed integrally with the transverse shaft for extending from the seat back frame; a head restraint mounted to the at least one post; a biasing member connected to the support and the transverse shaft for biasing the at least one post to a collapsed position of the head restraint; and a latching mechanism provided on the support and oriented within a path of rotation of the transverse shaft offset portion to engage the offset portion and maintain the head restraint in an upright position, wherein retraction of the latching mechanism permits the biasing member to pivot the head restraint to the collapsed position.