CZ194098A3 - Head rest - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present invention there is disclosed a head rest including a hollow telescopic strut (3) and walls (1, 2) being coupled with each other and arranged parallel to each other, from which the front wall (1) is provided at its side edge with a hinged wing (4) that is forced into a developed position by a springing element. In the starting position, both the wings (4) are tilted into the position between the walls (1, 2) and the telescopic strut (3) is in retracted position. The cavity of said telescopic strut (3) accommodates an activating cartridge (7). Outer surface of the wings (4) is provided with a cushion (11) made of a squeezable material, which fills up the space extending between the wings (4) and adjacent surfaces of the rear wall (2) when the wings are in tilted position. The front wall (1) is provided on side edges with strips (5) forming a bearing surface for the wings (4) when being in tilted up position.

Description

HEADREST

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a head restraint for a driver of a motor vehicle having a front yielding head support supported on a rigid carcass.

and the passenger layer for

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Efforts to increase the safety of the vehicle occupants in the event of an accident bring good results in protecting the body of persons. This is due to both the rigid structure of the vehicle cab and special equipment, in particular the retractable belts with locking devices and pyrotechnic pretensioners, equipped with a load limiter with a deformation member, reducing the impact load and, above all, safety airbags. Both the driver and his passengers are relatively well protected in the event of impacts in the direction of the vehicle's axis, either front or rear. The problem is still the side impacts and also the so-called offset impacts, ie impacts whose direction goes outside the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Despite the long deformation distance, there is always a significant movement in the opposite direction due to the elastic deformation. While the body is held by the seat belts, there is a sharp, uncontrollable backward movement of the head, which has considerable free space around it. The return movement of the head then often results in an impact to the central door pillar. The described mechanism of head movement is dangerous in itself, without hitting the rigid parts of the vehicle, since it causes extreme stress on the cervical vertebrae. Their severe injury often results in the death of a crashed vehicle crew member. The problem of free movement of the head does not solve the existing headrests, consisting of upholstered rigid skeleton, fixed

no side or other airbags, as there is nothing in the space between the occupants sitting side by side in the vehicle to restrict the movement of the head. At the same time, the vehicles of the so-called lower middle class and cars of lower classes are equipped with airbags only minimally and mostly at the cost of an extra charge. This also applies to the driver, not to mention the front passenger, or the passengers in the other seats. The protection against side and oíset impact in these vehicles is solved by the maximum rigidity of the frame and body, other known elements of passive safety, except safety belts, are generally missing.

The purpose of the invention is to reduce the risk of head injury and, in particular, cervical spine injury in the case of uncontrolled head movement after impact, while also making this solution applicable to lower and middle category vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned purpose is achieved by a head restraint for a driver and a passenger of a motor vehicle having a front flexible layer attached to a rigid carcass, in the embodiment according to the invention, characterized in that the rigid carcass consists of a hollow telescopic strut connected and wherein the front wall is provided at each side edge thereof with a pivotable wing which is pushed into the deployed position by a spring element. In the initial position, the two wings of the front wall are folded to the position between the two walls and the telescopic strut is in the retracted position. The activation pyropatron is stored in the cavity of the telescopic strut. Further, according to the present invention, the telescopic strut comprises at least two parts, the telescopic strut in which the other parts thereof are inserted, being rigidly connected to the rear wall and having at least one exhaust opening. An even better effect is achieved by part of the strut that is ··· · · • 0 · 0

connected to the front wall, it is connected to it by means of a releasable connection. Also according to the invention, the outer surface of the wings is provided with a cushion of compliant material which, when the wings are in the downward position, fills the proetor between them and adjacent surfaces of the rear wall. The exhaust openings formed in the strut may be covered by a collar of flexible material surrounding the respective strut part. The flexible material is preferably expanded polystyrene. Further, according to the present invention, the front wall is provided at the side edges with strips for abutting the wings in the tilted position.

The advantage of this solution is that during a collision of a vehicle in a collision or similar accident, when other vehicle protection systems, such as safety air bags, are activated, the pyropatron is also activated. space for any movement, including lateral movement, of the head of the person whose seat is equipped with the head restraint. The head, which is thrown in the direction of impact in the event of an accident, now has a reduced space to return to its original position, but the head restraint is not fixed in the new position. On the contrary, the slow retraction of the telescopic strut dampens and regulates the violent backward movement of the head. The great risk of severe or fatal injuries to the spine is thus greatly reduced.

Ezshlad-gbrázkž ,, in the drawings

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically illustrates the internal configuration of the frame of a new head restraint when viewed from above; in a fully deployed state, again in plan view, and FIG. 3 is a detail of the elastic attachment of the wings of the front wall.

££ iklad prgygdsni

As shown in Figs. 2a and 3, the head restraint of the present invention is provided with a skeleton based on a front wall 1 and a rear wall Z connected to each other by a telescopic strut. forming the bearing surface of the wing 1 in the activated, deployed position. The front wall 1 is further coupled to each wing 4 by means of at least one spring element which pushes the wing 4 into the deployed position. In Fig. 3, this spring element is a coil spring 10. In the initial, starting position, when the strut 2 is retracted, the two wings 1 are lowered to a position between the two walls 1,2. and in this position held by a stop 6 on the rear wall 2 ·

The telescopic strut 2 is hollow and its activation pyropatron Z is stored in its cavity. The cross-section of the individual strut parts 2, or their number, is not essential, two hollow parts of any cross-section are sufficient. In the exemplary embodiment, a total of three truncated cone-shaped panels are shown, although the bevel is only a few degrees, but does not allow complete extension of the panels and loosening of both walls 1,2 · The first strut panel 2 into which the other two panels is inserted the rear wall 2 and is provided with three exhaust openings 2, covered by a collar 2 of compliant material surrounding the first panel. The last, third part of the strut 2 is connected to the end wall 2 by means of the known means of detachable connection, so that after each activation of the support the first wall 1 can be removed from the strut 3 and a new pyropatron can be inserted into its cavity.

Each wing 4 has on its front surface, as viewed in its unfolded state, a padding 12 of flexible material which, when the wings 4 are folded down, fills the space between them and the adjacent surfaces of the rear wall 2. A suitable flexible material, also for collar 2, e.g. polystyrene.

The carcass thus formed is provided with upholstery of a pliable material with a coating, preferably of the same material as the inner coating of the vehicle. The upholstery of the backrest can be solved by any conventional means. The condition is that it does not limit the swing of the wings 1 of the front wall 1. It can advantageously be closed with Velcro fasteners.

The individual dimensions of the head restraint and their ratio to each other may be essentially arbitrary, but with respect to the interior of the vehicle it must be possible to function as a head restraint. The following width-to-height to depth-to-depth ratio of -3: 2: 1 is recommended.

The head restraint operates as follows. In the event of a collision in a collision or similar accident, when other vehicle protection systems, such as safety air bags, are activated, the pyropatron Z is also activated. The pressure of the resulting gas expands the strut 2 and the head restraint represented by its front wall 1, moves forward, thereby reducing the space for any movement, including lateral movement, of the head of the person whose seat is equipped with the head restraint. The head, which is thrown in the direction of impact in the event of an accident, now has a reduced space to return to its original position, but the head restraint is not fixed in the new position. By retracting the head and pressing it on the head of the head restraint, the strut 2 is retracted, but the still accumulated gas, the escape of which is limited by the size of the exhaust openings, prevents rapid strut back movement. In this way, the retraction of the head is inhibited by the retraction of the telescopic strut 2. The cushions 11 help to maintain the position of the head on the head restraint and thus prevent accidental movement of the head in the reverse direction.

Industrial applicability

The head restraint is intended for motor vehicles of various types, especially for passenger cars.

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Claims (7)

PATENTOVÉ Claims A head restraint for a driver and a passenger of a motor vehicle, having a flexible head restraint layer attached to a rigid carcass, characterized in that the rigid carcass consists of a hollow telescopic strut (3) connected and substantially parallel to each other, of which the front wall (1) is provided at each side edge with a pivotable wing (4), pushed to its deployed position by a spring element, in the initial position the two wings (4) being tilted to a position between the two walls (1,2), the strut (3) is in the retracted position and the activation pyropatron (7) is received in its cavity. Head restraint according to claim 1, characterized in that the telescopic strut (3) consists of at least two parts, wherein the strut part into which the other strut parts are inserted is rigidly connected to the rear wall (2) and is provided with at least one exhaust port (8). Head restraint according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the strut part connected to the front wall (2) is connected thereto by means of a releasable connection. Head restraint according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface of the wings (4) is provided with a cushion (11) of flexible material which fills the space between them and adjacent surfaces of the rear wall (2) when the wings (4) are folded. Head restraint according to claim 1, characterized in that the front wall (1) is provided at the side edges with strips (5) for abutting the wings (4) in the tilted position. Head restraint according to claim 2, characterized in that the clearance openings (8) are covered by a collar (9) of a flexible material which surrounds the part of the strut (3) adjacent to the rear wall (2). Head restraint according to claim 4 and / or 5, characterized in that the flexible material is expanded polystyrene.