GB2325403A - Head restraint for vehicle seat - Google Patents

Head restraint for vehicle seat Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2325403A
GB2325403A GB9710676A GB9710676A GB2325403A GB 2325403 A GB2325403 A GB 2325403A GB 9710676 A GB9710676 A GB 9710676A GB 9710676 A GB9710676 A GB 9710676A GB 2325403 A GB2325403 A GB 2325403A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
support
vehicle seat
aperture
axis
seat assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9710676A
Other versions
GB9710676D0 (en
Inventor
Duncan James Taylor
Shaun Francis O'halloran
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9710676A priority Critical patent/GB2325403A/en
Publication of GB9710676D0 publication Critical patent/GB9710676D0/en
Publication of GB2325403A publication Critical patent/GB2325403A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/80—Head-rests
    • B60N2/806—Head-rests movable or adjustable
    • B60N2/874—Head-rests movable or adjustable movable to an inoperative or stowed position
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/80—Head-rests
    • B60N2/806—Head-rests movable or adjustable
    • B60N2/838—Tiltable

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)

Abstract

A head restraint assembly 1 has a head support 12 pivotally connected by a pair of spaced apart arcuate support rods 11A about a substantially horizontal transverse pivot axis. Each of the support rods 11A extends through a respective aperture 14. The linear distance of the aperture 14 from the pivot axis being the same as the radius of curvature of the rods 11A along at least a portion of their length.

Description

A Vehicle Seat and a Head Restraint Assemblv therefor This invention relates to a vehicle seat and in particular to a head restraint assembly having a movable head support.
It is known to provide a motor vehicle rear seat with a movable head restraint that can be moved with respect to the seat to which it is attached.
Such a prior art head restraint assembly comprises of a head support from which two support rods extend for engagement with a backrest of the seat to which the head restraint is attached. A support frame is fixed within the head support to attach it to the upper ends of the two support rods and means are provided for holding the head support in a predetermined position.
Such an arrangement has the disadvantage that the head support that when the seat is not occupied the head support unnecessarily reduces rearward visibility.
It has therefore been proposed for example in GB-A-2,106,380 to provide a head restraint assembly in which the head support is pivotally connected to the structure of the motor vehicle so as to allow it to be rotated into a stored position in which rearward visibility is not obstructed by the presence of the head support.
It is a disadvantage with this type of construction that a large aperture has to be provided in the exterior covering of the seat to allow for the pivotal movement of the head support. Such a large aperture is difficult to seal in a cost effective manner and detracts from the aesthetic quality of the seat assembly.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved head restraint assembly for a motor vehicle.
According to the invention there is provided a vehicle seat and a head restraint assembly therefor, the seat having a base portion and a backrest portion to which is attached the head restraint assembly, the head restraint assembly comprising of a head support movably connected to the backrest portion of the seat by means of at least one support to allow movement of the head support relative to the backrest portion between a retracted position and an extended position, the or each support being pivotally connected to a support frame located within said backrest portion to provide for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis and extending therefrom through an aperture in an upper edge of said backrest portion wherein the or each support is of an arcuate form having a radius for at least a portion of its length that is equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation.
The head restraint assembly may have two supports in the form of support rods engaged with respective apertures in the backrest portion each of the support rods being of an arcuate form and having a radius for at least a portion of its length that is equal to the linear distance of the respective aperture from said axis of rotation.
Each aperture may be defined by a passageway in a guide member, each passageway having an axis that is arranged at a tangent to a cylinder having a longitudinal axis arranged co-incident to the pivot axis of the head support.
Preferably each passageway may be a cylindrical bore.
The or each guide member may be a plastic guide member.
The or each support rod may be made from steel.
Each support rod may have a radially outwardly extending limb portion and a peripherally extending arm portion.
The length of the limb portion may be substantially equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation.
The arm portion may have a first portion of constant radius equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation and a second portion that is of a greater or lesser radius than the radius of the first portion.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Fig. 1 is a front view of part of a seat for a motor vehicle showing a head restraint assembly according to the invention; Fig.2 is a geometric representation of part of a head restraint assembly according to the invention; Fig.3 is a view in the direction of arrow A on Fig.1 showing the head support in a retracted position; and Fig.4 is a view in the direction of arrow A on Fig.1 showing the head support in an extended position.
With reference to Figs.1 to 4 there is shown a head restraint assembly 1 having a head support 12 movable connected to a support frame 8 located within a backrest portion 9 of a vehicle seat by means of a support in the form of two depending support rods 11A, 11B forming part of a U-shaped support member 11.
The support member 11 is pivotally connected to the support frame 8 by means of two spaced apart collar members 6, 5. There being a first collar member 6 having an annular body 6B rotatably supported upon a transverse portion 3 of the support frame 8 and a second collar member having an annular body 7B rotatably supported by the transverse portion 3 of the frame 8. Each of the collar members 6, 7 has a neck portion 6A into which is engaged a respective one of the depending support rods 11A, 11B.
The head support 12 is therefore rotatable about a transverse pivot axis 0 O. Each of the support rods 11A, 11B has a radially outwardly extending limb portion 11L and a peripherally extending arm portion 11C. The arm portion 11C extends away form the limb portion 11L through an aperture 15 in the form of a passageway defined by a cylindrical bore in a plastic guide member 14.
The passageway 15 has a longitudinal axis Y-Y arranged at a tangent to a cylinder of radius RY that has a longitudinal axis co-incident with the pivot axis 0-0.
The arm portion 11C has a first portion OB to OA of a constant radius R1 equal to the linear distance RY of the axis Y-Y of the passageway from said pivot axis 0-0 and a second portion OA-OD that is of an arcuate form of greater diameter than the first portion such that at the position D the radial distance OD is equal to Rl+'x' where xis the radial distance of the centre line of the support rods 11A, 11B at that position from the uniform radius R1.
With particular reference to Figure 3 the head support 12 is shown in its retracted or normal in use position. In this position a passenger sitting on the seat has their neck supported by the head support 12 and in the event of an accident in which the head of a passenger is forced back against the head support 12 the increasing radius of the support rods 11A, 11B as they approach the head support 12 restrict rearward movement of the head support 12 due to interference with the outer surface of the passageway 15.
When the head support 12 is not required it can be pivoted forwardly about the axis 0-0 into an extended position as shown in Fig.4. As the arm portion 11C of the support rods 11A, 11B is of the same affective radius as the linear distance of the passageway 15 from the pivot axis 0-0 the support rods 11A, 11B extend smoothly out of the plastic guide members 14 with little or no interference therebetween.
In the extended position as shown in Figure 4 the head support 12 is folded forward and no longer obstructs the rearward vision over the top of the backrest 9.
It will therefore be appreciated that a fold-forward head restraint assembly according to the invention requires merely a small aperture 15 in the upper edge of the seat backrest to allow for the ingress or egress of the support rods 11A, 11B into and out from the backrest.

Claims (10)

1. A vehicle seat and a head restraint assembly therefor, the seat having a base portion and backrest portion to which is attached the head restraint assembly, the head restraint assembly comprising of a head support movably connected to the backrest portion of the seat by means of at least one support to allow movement of the head support relative to the backrest portion between a retracted position and an extended position, the or each support being pivotally connected to a support frame located within said backrest portion to provide for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis and extending therefrom through an aperture in an upper edge of said backrest portion wherein the or each support is of an arcuate form having a radius for at least a portion of its length that is equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation.
2. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the head restraint assembly has two supports in the form of support rods engaged with respective apertures in the backrest portion, each of the support rods being of an arcuate form and having a radius for at least a portion of its length that is equal to the linear distance of the respective aperture from said axis of rotation.
3. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or in Claim 2 in which each aperture is defined by a passageway in a guide member, each passageway having an axis that is arranged at a tangent to a cylinder having a longitudinal axis arranged co-incident to the pivot axis of the head support.
4. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 3 in which each passageway is a cylindrical bore.
A A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 3 or in Claim 4 in which the or each guide member is a plastic guide member.
6. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the or each support rod is made from steel.
7. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim in which each support rod has a radially outwardly extending limb portion and a peripherally extending arm portion.
8. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 7 in which the length of the limb portion is substantially equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation.
9. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in Claim 7 or in Claim 8 in which the arm portion has a first portion of constant radius equal to the linear distance of the aperture from said axis of rotation and a second portion that is of a greater or lesser radius that the radius of the first portion.
10. A vehicle seat assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB9710676A 1997-05-24 1997-05-24 Head restraint for vehicle seat Withdrawn GB2325403A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9710676A GB2325403A (en) 1997-05-24 1997-05-24 Head restraint for vehicle seat

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9710676A GB2325403A (en) 1997-05-24 1997-05-24 Head restraint for vehicle seat

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9710676D0 GB9710676D0 (en) 1997-07-16
GB2325403A true GB2325403A (en) 1998-11-25

Family

ID=10812950

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9710676A Withdrawn GB2325403A (en) 1997-05-24 1997-05-24 Head restraint for vehicle seat

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2325403A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10157322A1 (en) * 2001-11-23 2003-06-26 Grammer Ag Head rest for motor vehicle seat, has support arms both support rest and facilitate rest adjustment
WO2006041359A1 (en) * 2004-09-07 2006-04-20 Kongsberg Automotive Ab Foldable head restraint for motor vehicle

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4596403A (en) * 1983-09-10 1986-06-24 Daimler-Benz Ag Motor car head restraint having at least one bearing arm
US4711494A (en) * 1986-02-22 1987-12-08 General Motors Corporation Foldable headrest for vehicle rear seat
US4834456A (en) * 1986-12-11 1989-05-30 Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co. Headrest adjusting arrangement, particularly in a motor vehicle

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4596403A (en) * 1983-09-10 1986-06-24 Daimler-Benz Ag Motor car head restraint having at least one bearing arm
US4711494A (en) * 1986-02-22 1987-12-08 General Motors Corporation Foldable headrest for vehicle rear seat
US4834456A (en) * 1986-12-11 1989-05-30 Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co. Headrest adjusting arrangement, particularly in a motor vehicle

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10157322A1 (en) * 2001-11-23 2003-06-26 Grammer Ag Head rest for motor vehicle seat, has support arms both support rest and facilitate rest adjustment
DE10157322B4 (en) * 2001-11-23 2004-08-26 Grammer Ag Headrests for vehicle seats
WO2006041359A1 (en) * 2004-09-07 2006-04-20 Kongsberg Automotive Ab Foldable head restraint for motor vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9710676D0 (en) 1997-07-16

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)