WO2000069668A2

WO2000069668A2 - Tiltable headrest

Info

Publication number: WO2000069668A2
Application number: PCT/ZA2000/000073
Authority: WO
Inventors: Trevor Albertus Ambrose
Original assignee: Trevor Albertus Ambrose
Priority date: 1999-05-17
Filing date: 2000-04-17
Publication date: 2000-11-23
Also published as: ZA993372B; AU4715500A; WO2000069668A3

Abstract

The invention provides a headrest (10) for a seat. The headrest (10) includes a U-shaped cushion (14) and attaching means (16) for attaching the headrest (10) to a top portion of a backrest (18) of the seat.

Description

A HEADREST

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a headrest for a seat and to a seat which includes a headrest.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a headrest which includes a U-shaped cushion and attaching means for attaching it to a top portion of a backrest of a seat.

The U-shaped of the cushion may be shaped and dimensioned to fit around the neck or head of a person, with clearance. The cushion may be shaped around a U-shaped frame which includes an elongate transverse member connected to the attaching means, and two laterally spaced limbs extending from the elongate transverse member.

The U-shaped cushion may be pivotally mounted to the attachment means allowing the cushion to pivot about a laterally extending pivot axis, such that the open end of the cushion can face to the front of the seat in use. The headrest may include pivot locking means for locking the cushion against pivoting about the pivot axis away from a desired pivotal position. The cushion may be capable of pivoting or rotating through 360°. The pivot locking means may include an arcuate member non-rotatably connected to the cushion and having spaced recesses in its periphery, and a displaceable locking member engageable in the spaced recesses selectively to lock the cushion in the desired pivotal position.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a seat which includes a headrest as hereinbefore described.

The attaching means of the headrest may include at least one leg slidably engageable in spigot-and-socket fashion in an associated socket provided in the backrest of the seat, thus rendering a spacing between the cushion of the headrest and the backrest of the seat adjustable.

Typically, the attaching means includes two legs, each leg being slidably engageable in an associated socket provided in the backrest, the legs respectively being connected to opposed ends of the elongate transverse member of the U-shaped frame. The seat may include slide locking means for locking the or each leg in position in its associated socket, thereby to set the spacing between the cushion of the headrest and the backrest of the seat.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

Description of the invention

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a seat in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of a headrest of the seat of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a front view of a cushion of the headrest of Figure 2;

Figure 4 shoes a top view of the cushion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a side view of the cushion of Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows a part-sectional front view of attaching means of the headrest of Figure 2; and Figure 7 shows a part-sectional side view of the attaching means of

Figure 6.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 refers generally to a headrest for a seat 12.

The headrest 10 includes a U-shaped cushion 14 and attaching means 16 for attaching the headrest 10 to a top portion of a backrest 18 of the seat 12.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings, the cushion 14 is shaped and dimensioned to fit around the neck of a person with clearance. More particularly, a recess 20 is provided between two limb portions 22 of the cushion 14. The cushion 14 has a concave rear surface 24 and a concave front surface 26, as shown in Figure 4. Bottom portions of the limb portions 22 each taper towards free ends 28, as can be seen in Figure 5.

The cushion 14 may be covered with upholstery material to match the seat 12.

The cushion 14 is shaped around a U-shaped frame 30 (shown in broken lines in Figures 3 and 4). The frame 30 includes an elongate transverse rod or member 32, and two laterally spaced limbs 34 extending from the rod 32. The U-shaped frame 30 provides structural strength to the cushion 14. Referring to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, the rod 32 is mounted for rotation about a laterally extending pivot axis 38. The cushion 14 may thus be pivoted or rotated through 360°. The headrest 10 further includes pivot locking means in the form of an arcuate member 40 non-rotatably connected to the cushion 14 via the rod 32 and having spaced recesses 42 in its periphery, and a displaceable locking member in the form of a square pin 44 engageable in the recesses 42, selectively to lock the cushion 14 against pivoting about the pivot axis 38 away from a desired pivotal position.

The rod 32 and the arcuate member 40 are integrally formed. An enlarged end 33 of the rod 32 and the arcuate member 40 are housed in cavities 36 inside two laterally spaced housings 46. Each housing includes a round rubber H-ring 48 where the rod 32 enters the housing 46, to seal the cavities 36. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the enlarged end 33 of the rod 32 is disposed in a rolling element bearing 50. A lubricant (not shown) e.g. grease may be provided in the cavities 36 to lubricate the arcuate member 40 and the bearing 50.

The pin 44 is vertically mounted adjacent bias means in the form of a coil spring 52 for biasing the pin 44 towards the arcuate member 40. The pin 44 includes a laterally extending handle 54 for manual manipulation of the pin 44. The pin 44 includes a shank 56 mounted for axial displacement inside a square rubber H-ring 58. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the shank 56 of the pin 44 has a thickness of approximately 3mm and an enlarged head of the pin 44 is bevelled at approximately 60°. The casing 46 has a side wall thickness of 3mm. The arcuate member 40 has a diameter of approximately 18mm with 14 recesses 42 of approximately 3mm depth. The handle 54 is approximately 3mm thick, 10mm wide and 16mm long with an edge bevelled at approximately 45°.

The components of the attaching means 16 are typically made from stainless steel.

Referring to Figures 1 , 2, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the attaching means 16 may includes two legs 60 slidably engageable in spigot- and-socket fashion in associated sockets 62 provided in the backrest 18. The slidable engagement of the legs 60 in the sockets 62 renders a spacing between the cushion 14 and the backrest 18 adjustable. The legs 60 are connected to opposed ends of the rod 32 via the housings 46. The legs 60 and the housings 46 are integrally formed.

The seat 12 includes slide locking means (not shown) for locking each leg 60 in its associated socket 62, thereby to set the spacing between the cushion 14 and the backrest 18. In use, a user pivots the cushion 14 about the pivot axis 38 as shown by the arrows 64 in Figure 1 , after having disengaged the pin 44 from the arcuate member 40 by pushing the pin 44 down. The user may, for example, pivot the cushion between a downward position, as shown in Figure 1 , when lateral support of his head is not required, and a forward position, with the free ends 28 facing the front of the seat as shown in broken lines in Figure 1 , when lateral support of the user's head is required e.g. when he or she wants to sleep. The user further adjust the spacing between the cushion 14 and the backrest 18 by sliding the headrest in the direction of the arrows 66 as shown in Figure 1.

The headrest 10 of the invention, as illustrated, holds the advantage of offering lateral support to the head of a user when he wants to sleep, thus providing comfort, preventing stiffness and avoiding personal injury resulting from lateral movement of the user's head while unconscious. The headrest 10 further holds the advantage of being compact and fully adjustable, the cushion 14 being rotatable through 360°.

The invention may advantageously be used on the passenger seats of aeroplanes, motor cars, buses and the like.

Claims

1. A headrest which includes a U-shaped cushion and attaching means for attaching it to a top portion of a backrest of a seat.

2. A headrest as claimed in Claim 1 in which the U-shape of the cushion is shaped and dimensioned to fit around the neck or head of a person, with clearance.

3. A headrest as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the cushion is shaped around a U-shaped frame which includes an elongate transverse member connected to the attaching means, and two laterally spaced limbs extending from the elongate transverse member.

4. A headrest as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the U-shaped cushion is pivotally mounted to the attaching means, allowing the cushion to pivot about a laterally extending pivot axis.

5. A headrest as claimed in Claim 4 which includes pivot locking means for locking the cushion against pivoting about the pivot axis, away from a desired pivotal position, and in which the cushion can pivot or rotate through 360°.

6. A headrest as claimed in Claim 5 in which the pivot locking means includes an arcuate member non-rotatably connected to the cushion and having spaced recessed in its periphery, and a displaceable locking member engageable in the spaced recesses selectively to lock the cushion in the desired pivotal position.

7. A seat which includes a headrest as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

8. A seat as claimed in Claim 7, in which the attaching means of the headrest includes at least one leg slidably engageable in spigot-and-socket fashion in an associated socket provided in the backrest of the seat, thus rendering a spacing between the cushion of the headrest and the backrest of the seat adjustable.

9. A seat as claimed in Claim 8, in as far as it is dependent on Claim 3, in which the attaching means includes two legs, each leg being slidably enageable in an associated socket provided in the backrest, the legs respectively being connected to opposed ends of the elongate transverse member of the U- shaped frame.

0. A seat as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, which includes slide locking means for locking the or each leg in position in its associated socket thereby to set the spacing between the cushion of the headrest and the backrest of the seat.

11. A headrest for a seat as claimed in Claim 1 , substantially as herein described and illustrated.

12. A seat as claimed in Claim 7, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

13. A new headrest for a seat or a new seat, substantially as herein described.