US RE44,432 E1 · Headrest on a vehicle seat

Abstract

On a vertically adjustable headrest provided on a backrest of a vehicle seat, a perpendicularly extending center part is arranged on a front side. On the two lateral edges of the center part, a supporting part is pivotally connected in each case by way of a film hinge, which supporting parts can be swivelled toward lateral edges of the headrest. A holding bow is provided on each supporting part. A leg spring, which itself is inserted into the headrest, reaches around the holding bow. The holding bow interacts with the leg spring such that, in the event of a vehicle crash, the supporting parts are displaced into the inoperative position by the mere action of the vehicle occupant's head. Furthermore, one control element respectively can also be applied to the end section of the supporting part, by way of which control element, the supporting part is swivelled in a sensor-controlled manner into the inoperative position in the event of a vehicle crash.

Claims26

Dependent claims

Headrest on a vehicle seat having two lateral supporting parts which can be displaced between an inoperative position and a tilted-out position and which, in the inoperative position, extend approximately in a transverse vehicle plane, while, in the tilted-out position, they enclose, together with a longitudinal vehicle plane, an acute angle which is open toward a front side of a vehicle,

wherein the two supporting parts are connected such with the headrest that, in the event of a vehicle crash, they are automatically displaced by one of a mere action of the vehicle occupant's head and a control element into the inoperative position.

A method of adjusting a headrest of a vehicle, the headrest having two lateral supporting parts which can be displaced between an inoperative position and a tilted-out position and which, in the inoperative position, extend approximately in a transverse vehicle plane, while, in the tilted-out position, they enclose, together with a longitudinal vehicle plane, an acute angle which is open toward a front side of a vehicle, comprising:

situating the lateral supporting parts in the inoperative position with substantially the entirety of the supporting parts in a front-side recess of the headrest in an approximately surface-flush manner, an upper edge of the recess being formed by an upper free end section of the headrest,
wherein the supporting parts are pivotally connected at a center area of the headrest and are displaced into the inoperative position from the tilted-out position by moving the supporting parts in a direction toward a lateral edge of the headrest
automatically displacing the two supporting parts from the tilted-out position to the inoperative position in the event of a vehicle crash by one of a mere action of the vehicle occupant's head and a control element.

A vehicle headrest assembly comprising:

a central headrest part,
a pair of lateral headrest support parts disposed at respective lateral sides of the central headrest part,
a lateral headrest support holding structure operable to hold the lateral headrest support parts between a tilted-out operative position for normal driving and an inoperative position, wherein in the tilted-out position the support parts enclose, together with a longitudinal vehicle plane, an acute angle which is open toward a front side of the vehicle, and wherein in the inoperative position the support parts extend approximately in a transverse vehicle plane, and
control means operable to move the support parts from the operative to the inoperative position in an event of a vehicle impending crash condition,
wherein the lateral headrest support holding structure includes a holding bow which is movably disposed at a headrest frame lateral support parts, when in the inoperative position, are situated with substantially the entirety of the supporting parts in a front-side recess of the headrest in an approximately surface-flush manner in an approximately surface-flush manner, an upper edge of the recess being formed by an upper free end section of the headrest part, and the supporting parts are pivotally connected at a center area of the headrest and are displaced into the inoperative position from the tilted-out position by moving the supporting parts in a direction toward a lateral edge of the headrest.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Headrest on a vehicle seat

Life of this patent

Headrest on a vehicle seat

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26