US20070052266A1

US20070052266A1 - Adjustable headrest bracket

Info

Publication number: US20070052266A1
Application number: US11/396,979
Authority: US
Inventors: Fa-Yu Chu
Original assignee: ASIASONIC INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL Co Ltd
Current assignee: ASIASONIC INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-09-08
Filing date: 2006-04-03
Publication date: 2007-03-08
Also published as: DE202006005583U1; TWI256926B; TW200709966A

Abstract

An adjustable headrest bracket includes a base and a coupling member located on the base. The coupling member has two coupling ends to couple with two separated headrest brackets. Each of the headrest brackets has an insertion end insertable into a vehicle seat and a hinge end coupled on the coupling end. Each of the headrest brackets forms a swivel path about the hinge end and a horizontal moving path relative to the coupling member. Thereby the interval of the headrest brackets can be adjusted to be inserted into different types of vehicle seats.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a headrest bracket and particularly to an adjustable headrest bracket adaptable to a wide variety of vehicle seats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The vehicle industry is thriving and the interior design of the vehicles is versatile these days. Vehicle seats also have many different selections. Nowadays many headrests or vehicle seats adopt various designs to accommodate audiovisual equipment to provide desired entertainments for users. The conventional headrest bracket as shown in FIG. 1 generally has a fixed interval to mate a selected headrest. For different types of seats, new molds have to be made to fabricate the corresponding headrest brackets. Such an approach is not convenient or economic effective.
To remedy the aforesaid problem, adjustable headrest brackets have been developed that have an adjustable interval to facilitate installation on the vehicle seats. One example is R.O.C. patent publication No. 372507 entitled “Adjustable vehicle headrest” as shown in FIG. 2. It mainly includes a double-screw axle, two clipping members, two movable insertion rods and screws. The movable insertion rods are fastened by the screws. The double-screw axle is coupled with two ends of the two movable insertion rods. Applying the principle of fastening or unfastening of the coupled male and female screw threads, an adjustable nut on the double-screw axle can be moved via a wrench to adjust the interval of the two movable insertion rods. Its structure is complicated and a hand tool such as the wrench has to be used to do adjustment. Installation, disassembly and adjustment are difficult.
The conventional headrests mentioned above cannot be adapted easily to different types of vehicle seats. Adjusting the interval of the insertion rods is especially difficult. How to make the headrest bracket modularized to reduce fabrication cost is an issue remained to be overcome in the industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid disadvantages. The present invention provides an adjustable headrest bracket installable on the headrest of a vehicle seat. It has a base and a coupling member located on the base. The coupling member has two coupling ends to couple with two separated headrest brackets. Each of the headrest brackets has an insertion end insertable into a vehicle seat and a hinge end coupling with the coupling end. The headrest bracket forms a swivel path about the hinge end and a horizontal moving path relative to the coupling end. The interval of the two headrest brackets can be altered easily without using any hand tool and installed on a vehicle seat.
Another object of the invention is to protect a power cord and signal line of a display panel. The base holds a display panel. The headrest bracket has a threading zone to allow the power cord and signal line to be threaded through. Hence the power cord and signal line are not exposed. Wiring of the power cord and signal line is more convenient.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic views of conventional techniques.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic views of the present invention in operating conditions.
FIG. 6A is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6B is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic views of still another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4, the headrest 1 of the invention is installed on a vehicle seat 5. It has a base 10 and headrest brackets 22 formed by a structure 20. The base 10 has a housing space on one side to hold a display panel 30. The base 10 is fastened to a hollow coupling member 21 through a fastening element 40 that has coupling holes 212 on two ends. The fastening element 40 runs through a fastening hole 211 formed on the coupling member 21 to be fastened to the base 10 (the coupling member may also be integrally formed on the base 10). The coupling holes 212 aim to hold the two headrest brackets 22. Each of the headrest brackets 22 is bent to form a hinge end 221 and an insertion end 222. The insertion end 222 is inserted into a mating insertion hole 50 on the vehicle seat 5 that is formed to install the headrest 1. The hinge end 221 is inserted into the coupling hole 212 (or encases the coupling hole 212) to form a tight coupling. Thereby the headrest bracket 22 forms a swivel path about the hinge end 221 and a horizontal moving path relative to the coupling member 21. The swivel path allows the headrest 1 to be turned and adjusted at an inclined angle to rest a user's head in a comfortable manner.
Referring to FIG. 4, the base 10 has confining holes 11 to allow the brackets 22 to pass through and limit the turning angle of the headrest 1, and also define the maximum and minimum horizontal moving distance. The horizontal moving distance varies according to the interval specification of the insertion hole 50 of the vehicle seat 5 of different vehicles. Hence the brackets 22 can be adjusted at a suitable distance to facilitate insertion.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, when in use, depending on the interval specification of the insertion holes 50 on the vehicle seat 5, the distance of the two headrest brackets 22 can be adjusted to facilitate insertion without using any tools. As shown in the drawings, the coupling member 21 and the headrest brackets 22 are coupled together, and the hinge end 221 can be moved horizontally in the coupling hole 212 relative to the coupling member 21 to increase or decrease the distance of the insertion ends 222. The confining holes 11 limit the distance within a suitable range. Hence the adjustable headrest brackets 22 of the invention can be adapted to the interval of the insertion holes 50 of any type of the vehicle seat 5 without using tools. It is simple and easy.
Refer to FIGS. 6A and 6B for an embodiment of the invention. A coupling duct 23 is provided with an outer diameter mating the size of the insertion hole 50 of varying vehicles to facilitate insertion and a mating inner diameter to hold the insertion end 222 of the headrest bracket 22. Such a structure allows the headrest 1 to be mounted onto the vehicle seat 5. The coupling duct 23 or the headrest bracket 22 further has an anchor rib 231 on an upper rim to latch on the confining hole 11. Because of the anchor rib 231, the headrest 1 can be adjusted and moved up and down through the coupling relationship of the insertion end 222 and the coupling duct 23.
The invention further provides another feature, namely provides a protection means for a power cord and single line 31 of the display panel 30. Referring to FIG. 4 again, the headrest bracket structure 20 of the invention has a threading zone 24 to allow the power cord and signal line 31 to thread through. The threading zone 24 is located on the insertion end 222 which has two openings 2221 and 2222 at one end and at the bending portion. The two openings 2221 and 2222 communicate with each other in the hollow space. The power cord and signal sine 31 of the display panel 30 thread through one opening 2221 into the threading zone 24 and thread out through another opening 2222 so that they are protected by the headrest bracket 22 without exposing to prevent damage.
Refer to FIG. 7 for another embodiment of the invention. The coupling member 21 is hollow and has a threading opening 213. The headrest brackets 22 also are hollow and have respectively openings 2211 and 2222 on the hinge end 221 and insertion end 222 to form a threading zone 24. The hollow interior of the coupling member 21 communicates with the interior of the headrest brackets 22. The power cord and signal line 31 of the display panel 30 enter the threading zone through the threading opening 213 and exit through the opening 2222.
Refer to FIG. 8 for yet another embodiment of the invention. The coupling member 21 has removable anchor plates 214 on two sides to limit the interval of the headrest brackets 22. The anchor plates 214 are linked by a connection portion 215, or the anchor plates 214 are connected to the coupling member 21 through the connection portion 215. A selected number of the anchor plates 214 may be removed from the connection portion 215 to adjust the interval of the two headrest brackets 22 to mate the interval of the insertion holes 50 of the vehicle seat 5. Such a design can provide a wider range of horizontal moving path to suit various types of vehicle seats 5.
Refer to FIGS. 9A and 9B for still another embodiment of the invention. The coupling member 21 includes two coupling sleeves 21′ located on the base 10 to hold the headrest brackets 22. The coupling sleeves 21′ can be integrally formed on the base 10 or two independent coupling sleeves 21′ installed in the base 10. The two coupling sleeves 21′ are spaced from each other at a distance to allow the headrest brackets 22 to be installed thereon at a minimum interval. According to the interval of the insertion holes 50, the insertion direction of the headrest brackets 22 can be changed on the coupling sleeves 21′. The coupling sleeves 21′ may also have removable anchor plates 214 to achieve the function previously discussed.
In the embodiments set forth above, the headrest brackets 22 may also have latch notches 224 formed thereon corresponding to the insertion holes 50 to adjust the elevation of the headrest 1 according to user's requirement. The headrest brackets 22 can be moved in the insertion holes 50 and latched on the latch notches 224 at a desired elevation. This technique is known in the art, hence details are omitted.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable headrest bracket used on a headrest of a vehicle seat that has a display panel to be inserted in a corresponding insertion hole on the vehicle seat, comprising:

a base which is located in the headrest and holds the display panel;

a coupling member located on the base; and

two separated headrest brackets each having a hinge end coupled with the coupling member and an insertion end coupled with the vehicle seat, and forming a swivel path about the hinge end and a horizontal moving path relative to the coupling member.

2. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the coupling member is integrally formed on the base.

3. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein each of the headrest brackets has a bending portion to divide the insertion end and the hinge end.

4. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the coupling member has two coupling ends to couple with the two hinge ends of the headrest brackets.

5. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 4, wherein each of the coupling ends has a coupling hole to receive the hinge end.

6. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 4, wherein the hinge end is a hinge hole, the coupling member being inserted into the hinge hole.

7. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the base has a confining hole on one side corresponding to the vehicle seat to limit the range of the horizontal moving path and the swivel path.

8. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein each of the headrest brackets is coupled with a coupling duct which has an outer diameter corresponding to the insertion hole of the vehicle seat.

9. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 8, wherein the coupling duct has an anchor rib on an upper rim of the outer diameter.

10. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the headrest brackets are hollow and have respectively two openings to allow a power cord and signal line of the display panel to thread through.

11. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 10, wherein the coupling duct has a threading zone communicating with the openings of the headrest brackets and a threading opening communicating with the threading zone to receive the power cord and signal line.

12. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the coupling member has a plurality of anchor plates connected by a connection portion, the anchor plates being removable to allow the headrest brackets to mate the interval of the insertion hole of the vehicle seat.

13. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 1, wherein the coupling member includes two coupling sleeves located on the base.

14. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 13, wherein the coupling sleeves are integrally formed on the base.

15. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 13, wherein the coupling sleeves are spaced from each other at a distance such that the headrest brackets are held between them at a minimum interval.

16. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 13, wherein the coupling sleeves have a plurality of anchor plates connected by a connection portion, the anchor plates being removable to allow the headrest brackets to mate the interval of the insertion hole of the vehicle seat.

17. The adjustable headrest bracket of claim 13, wherein the headrest brackets are hollow and have respectively two openings to allow a power cord and signal line of the display panel to thread through.