GB2336303A

GB2336303A - Headrest

Info

Publication number: GB2336303A
Application number: GB9905025A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Dawson; Joanne Hill
Original assignee: MAGNA SEATING SYSTEMS GmbH
Current assignee: MAGNA SEATING SYSTEMS GmbH
Priority date: 1998-03-04
Filing date: 1999-03-04
Publication date: 1999-10-20
Also published as: GB9905025D0; DE19909883A1

Abstract

A headrest (14; 15) is secured independently of the seat (8; 11) in a motor vehicle (1) so as to be pivotable about a pivot bearing (16) mounted in the body of the vehicle, so that it can be moved from a stowed position into a position of use. Preferably, the pivot bearing (16) is secured in the roof structure (3) of the motor vehicle (1), so that the headrest (14; 15) is pivotable downwards from a substantially horizontal stowed position Into the position of use. Thus, the is easy to handle, does not obstruct the handling and use of the spare or folding seat (11) and is removable from the line of vision when the seat is not in use.

Description

1 Headrest 2336303 The present invention relates to a headrest for the

occupant of a vehicle seat. The seat may be both a fixed seat or a spare seat removable from the vehicle, or a collapsible folding seat.

In the case of fixed seats it is occasionally desirable to be able to remove the headrests from the field of vision of the internal rear-view mirror when they are not occupied. In the case of folding seats there is the problem that fixed headrests increase the space requirement and are an obstruction when folding down the back of the folding seat. In the case of removable spare seats it is not possible, for a number of reasons, for the headrest, required on grounds of safety, to be attached to the bacIcrest in a fixed or removable manner as is generally customary, or to be integrated in the back of the seat. In addition, the smallest possible fitting dimensions and weight are aimed for in extra seats of this type, so that they can be set up and dismantled easily and without undue effort. The frames and upholstery of sew of this type are therefore kept to the minimum, and in many cases the space and the strength of construction are not sufficient for attaching headrests.

In addition, extra or folding seats are in many cases arranged as closely as possible to the fixed or foldable rear wall of the vehicle, so as to make the most use of the internal space available. With seats gmged in this way it is also structurally difficult to provide a headrest integrated in the baclerest. In addition, headrests of this type would permanently restrict the vision towards the rear, even if the seat or seats were not occupied.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide, for the purpose indicated, a headrest by which the aforesaid drawbacks can be avoided. The headrest should be 2 easy to handle, should not obstruct the handling and use of the spare or folding seat and should be removable from the line of vision when the seat is not m use.

The invention provides a headrest as claimed in Claim 1.

Although it may seem illogical for a component required for sitting to be separated completely from the seat itself, the advantages achieved thereby are considerable. When the spare or folding seat is not in use or dismantled or folded down, the headrest can simply be pivoted out of the interior of the vehicle and thus also out of the line of vision of the rear-view mirror. In this way, spare seats can be made quite light and folding seats require less structural space for folding down.

Preferably, the pivot bearing is mounted in the roof structure of the vehicle, so that the headrest is pivotable downwards from a substantially horizontal stowed position into a position of use. Structural changes need then be made only in the roof panel, which is a separate component and for structural reasons is generally provided with reinforcements required for securing the pivot bearings.

In many vehicles, for example large delivery vehicles with a raised roof, it is preferable to mount the pivot bearing substantially vertically in a side wall, so that the headrest may be moved from a substantially vertical stowed position into the position of use.

Preferably, the headrest is pivotable forwards in order to reach the stowed position so as to be orientated substantially in the direction of travel of the vehicle. A stop, which defines the end position and which absorbs forces arising in the event of a collision, may be provided for the headrest in the position of use.

Preferably, the headrest is heldfirmly in the stowed position and in the position of use by means of a retaining device comprising a spring member. In this way, if the pivot bearing is constructed in the form of a fitting secured in the vehicle, it is advan- tageous to provide a spring-loaded locking bolt as the retaining device and recesses for receiving the locking bolt, the locking bolt and the recess being arranged in the headrest and the fitting, respectively, or vice versa. In this way, two recesses can easily be provided for the two positions. This allows the pivot bearing and the retaining device to be simplified structurally and the outlay in manufacture and costs to be reduced.

In principle, the locking bolt may be arranged either in the headrest or in the fitting, but in an advantageous design with manual operation the recesses are formed in the fitting and the locking bolt is formed in the headrest, a lever for disengaging the locking bolt being provided in the headrest. If the lever is arranged on the rear of the headrest, it is also easily accessible in the stowed position. With remote control, whether with a Bowden cable or by magnetic means, it is preferable to arrange the locking bolt in the fitting.

Although a headrest according to the invention may be made very light, in the case of a pivot bearing secured in the roof structure of the motor vehicle it is convenient to provide a compensating device acting upon the headrest so as to aid lifting. A compensating device of this type may be constructed as a separate spring or may be integrated in the retaining device, in which case use can be made of the spring thereof.

In a de-luxe embodiment an actuating device may be provided by means of which the locking is automatically released when the spare seat is moved out of its position of use into its stowed position or when the spare seat is removed from the motor vehicle, preferably with an electrically or electronically controlled drive.

In an elegant design, in the stowed position the headrest is situated in a recess in the roof structure or in the side wall of the motor vehicle or in the interior trim thereof. In this way, the headrest may be moved out of the way completely, and vision inside the interior is not adversely affected, particularly when the side of the headrest facing the passenger compartment in the stowed position is arranged substantially flush with the surroundings of the recess.

4 For the rearmost seats of vehicles with a tailgate the pivot bearings may be arranged immediately in front of the tailgate of the motor vehicle as viewed in the direction of travel, so that if necessary the tailgate can form an additional support for the headrest.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal section through a vehicle with headrests according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic horizontal longitudinal section through a vehicle with headrests according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of a headrest according to the invention; Fig. 4 shows the detail 1V in Fig. 3 in section and enlarged, and Fig. 5 shows the detail V in Fig. 4 in section.

Part of a vehicle provided with headrests according to the invention is shown in Fig. 1. A floor 2, a roof 3, a lateral wall 4 and a tailgate 5 are shown. The direction of travel is indicated by arrow 6.

The part of the vehicle with the driver's seat has been omitted, A seat 8 of a second row of seats is shown which is a comfortable fixed seat and comprises a seat surface 9 and a baclwest 10. A folding seat 11 is arranged therebehind in a third seat row; this could equally well be a seat removable out of the vehicle in an easier manner. It also comprises a seat surface 12 and a backrest 13.

A headrest 14 is arranged in the roof 3 above the seat 8, and a headrest 15 is arranged above the folding seat 11. Both headrests are shown in the stowed position. They are each mounted in a pivot bearing 16 secured in the roof 3 and are pivotable downwards and to the rear into a position of use 14' indicated in broken lines. In the stowed position the headrests 14, 15 are accommodate within recesses 17 in the roof 3, so as to produce a flush roof lining. In the position of use 14' the headrests are in the correct position in relation to the perspective backrest, but without being connected thereto in any way.

Fig. 2 shows a an embodiment in a horizontal section through the same vehicle. This embodiment differs from that of Fig. 1 only in that the headrests 24, 25 are articulated in vertical pivot bearings 26 which are arranged substantially vertically on the side wall 4, for which purpose recesses 27 are also provided in the side wall 4. The headrests 24, 25 in the stowed position are indicated in continuous lines, and are moved into the position of use by being pivoted in a horizontal plane towards the rear about the vertical pivot bearings 26.

In Fig. 3 the headrest is shown in a view in continuous lines in the position of use. The recess 17 in the roof 3 is shown, the pivot bearing 16 being secured to a roof support (not shown) at the rear edge 19 of the recess 17. A retaining device 18, in this embodiment, coincides with the pivot bearing 16.

The retaining device 18 and the pivot bearing 16 are shown in detail in Fig. 4. A fitting 30 is secured to the roof 3 (see Fig. 3) and comprises a pivot shaft 31 (see also Fig. 5). The pivot shaft 31 projects on both sides out of the fitting 30 and on each side engages a lug 32 of the support frame 33 (indicated only in outline) of the headrest. Between the two lugs 32 the support fi=e 33 comprises a locking-bolt guide 34 in which a locking bolt 35 associated with the retaining device 18 is slidable in a radial direction with respect to the pivot shaft 31 and is acted upon by a spring 37 in the direction towards the pivot shaft 31. Two recesses 36, 36% into which the locking bolt 35 optionally engages under the action of the spring 37, are provided in the fitting 30. In this case the recess 36 corresponds to the position of use and the recess 36' to the stowed position, with the support frame 33 pivoted upwards. The fitting 30 forms a stop 38 against which the support fi-ame 33 rests in the position of use, so that it absorbs 6 the forces to be expected in the event of a collision.

The headrest 14 is pivoted upwards against the force of gravity, on account of which a counterbalancing device is desirable. This device may comprise a leg spring or a spiral spring (not shown) attached separately and acting in the upward pivoting direction. Preferably, however, it is integrated in the retaining device 18. For this purpose, the fitting between the two recesses 36, 36, which is normally cylindrical with the pivot shaft 31 as an axis, is constructed in the form of a ramp with a radius decreasing in the clockwise direction, so that the spring 37 may assist during the upward pivoting of the headrest 14.

lle locking bolt 35 comprises a transverse pin 40 which engages in a handle 41. The handle 41 is guided in the rear wall 42 of the headrest 14. If the handle 41 consists of an elastic plastics material, it can be provided with ribs 43 which support it with respect to the support frame 33 and at the same time exert a spring action.

In a further de-luxe development the locking bolt 35 may be extended downwards to form the armature of a solenoid 45 (indicated only in outline). Within the scope of the invention a reversal of the movement can also take place. In this case the locking bolt 35 would be in the fitting 30 and, being stationary in the roof in this way, would be easier to supply with electric current, and the recesses 36 would be formed in the support frame 33.

In order to pivot the headrest 14 from the position of use shown in Fig. 4 into the rest position, the handle 41 is moved downwards, or the solenoid 45 (either by pushing a button or by connexion to a control appliance which registers the dismantling or folding-down of individual seats) is moved downwards. In this way, the retaining device is released and the headrest can be pivoted upwards until the locking bolt 35 engages in the recess 36.

7

Claims

Claims:

1. A headrest for the occupant of a vehicle seat, wherein the headrest is mounted independently of the seat in the vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot bearing attached to the vehicle from a stowed position into a position of use.

2. A headrest according to Claim 1, wherein the pivot bearing is mounted in the roof of the vehicle, so that the headrest may be pivoted downwards from a substantially horizontal stowed position into the position of use.

A headrest according to Claim 1, wherein the pivot bearing is mounted in a side wall of the vehicle, so that the headrest may be pivoted from a substantially vertical stowed position into the position of use.

4. A headrest according to Claim 1, wherein the headrest is pivotable forwards in the stowed position so as to be orientated substantially in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

5. A headrest according to Claim 1, wherein the headrest it is held firmly in the stowed position and in the position of use by means of a retaining device comprising a spring member.

6. A headrest according to Claim 5, wherein the pivot bearing is a fiffing secured in the vehicle, and the retaining device comprises a spring-loaded locking bolt and recesses, for receiving the locking bolt, the locking bolt and the recesses being arranged in the headrest and in the fitting, respectively, or vice versa.

7. A headrest according to Claim 5, wherein the recesses are in the fitting and the locking bolt is in the headrest a handle for disengaging the locking bolt being provided in the headrest.

8 8. A headrest according to Claim 2, wherein a compensating device is provided acting upon the headrest so as to facilitate lifting thereof.

9. A headrest according to Claim 5, wherein an actuating device is provided, by means of which the locking bolt is automatically released when the seat is moved out of the position of use into the stowed position or is removed from the motor vehicle.

10. A headrest according to Claim 9, wherein the actuating device comprises an electrically or electronically controlled drive.

11. A headrest according to Claim 1, wherein in the stowed position the headrest is situated in a recess in the roof structure or in the side wall of the vehicle.

12. A headrest according to Claim 11, wherein the side of the headrest facing the passenger compartment in the stowed position is arranged substantially flush with the surroundings of the recess.

13. A headrest according to Claim 1 for a vehicle with a tailgate, wherein the pivot bearing is arranged immediately in front of the tailgate of the vehicle as viewed in the direction of travel, so that if necessary the tailgate can form an additional support for the headrest.

14. A headrest for a vehicle seat substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.