Power head restraint with flexible closeout cover member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144322-B2
Application number	US-201615335674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 27, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a headrest assembly having an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a fore and aft position of a headrest bun. A cover member is disposed below the headrest assembly and includes a plate member engaged with the adjustment mechanism that is operable between deployed and retracted positions. The plate member is moved towards the deployed position as the headrest bun is driven outwardly by the adjustment mechanism. First and second extendable members include first ends coupled to the plate member and second ends coupled to side members of a frame assembly. The extendable connectors include outwardly extending body portions that contort to retract the plate member as the headrest bun is driven inwardly by the adjustment mechanism.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a seatback having an upper portion;
an adjustable headrest assembly supported on the upper portion of the seatback, the adjustable headrest assembly having a headrest bun and an adjustment mechanism comprising an actuator and a linkage system for adjusting the headrest bun between extended and retracted positions, wherein a spacing is defined between the headrest bun and a portion of the adjustment mechanism; and
a flexible cover member disposed on the seatback and having a plate member coupled to a frame assembly by first and second extendable members, wherein the portion of the adjustment mechanism abuts an inner surface of the plate member to move the plate member towards a deployed position within the spacing as the headrest bun is driven towards the extended position, and further wherein the first and second extendable members are operable between at-rest and extended positions and move to the extended position as the plate member moves to the deployed position.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , including:
a trim component disposed on the upper portion of the seatback having a relief portion, wherein the flexible cover member is coupled to the trim component at the relief portion thereof.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the frame assembly of the flexible cover member includes a lower portion which interconnects first and second upwardly extending side members.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3 , wherein the frame assembly includes one or more mounting slots disposed through the first and second upwardly extending side members.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4 , wherein the frame assembly includes one or more mounting slots disposed on the lower portion of the frame assembly.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 5 , wherein the trim component includes one or more clips extending outwardly therefrom, and further wherein the one or more clips are received in the one or more slots of one of the first and second upwardly extending side members and the lower portion of the frame assembly to releasably couple the flexible cover member to the trim component.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second extendable members are flexibly resilient and biased towards the at-rest position, and further wherein the first and second extendable members urge the plate member towards a retracted position.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 7 , wherein an outer surface of the plate member is substantially flush with an outer surface of the trim component when the plate member is in the retracted position.

9. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a headrest assembly coupled to a seatback having an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a headrest bun between extended and retracted positions; and
a flexible cover member disposed on the seatback having a plate member coupled to a substantially rigid frame assembly by first and second extendable members, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an actuator and a linkage system to move the plate member towards a deployed position.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 9 , wherein the flexible cover member is free of contact with the headrest bun in both the extended and retracted positions of the headrest bun.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 9 , including:
a trim component disposed on an upper portion of the seatback having a relief portion, wherein the flexible cover member is coupled to the trim component at the relief portion thereof.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11 , wherein the frame assembly of the flexible cover member includes a lower portion which interconnects first and second upwardly extending side members.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12 , wherein the frame assembly includes one or more mounting slots disposed through the first and second upwardly extending side members.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 , wherein the frame assembly includes one or more mounting slots disposed on the lower portion of the frame assembly.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 , wherein the trim component includes one or more clips extending outwardly therefrom, and further wherein the one or more clips are received in the one or more slots of one of the first and second upwardly extending side members and the lower portion of the frame assembly to releasably couple the flexible cover member to the trim component.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 11 , wherein the first and second extendable members are flexibly resilient and biased towards the at-rest position, and further wherein the first and second extendable members urge the plate member towards a retracted position.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the plate member is substantially flush with an outer surface of the trim component when the plate member is in the retracted position.

18. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a headrest assembly coupled to a seatback having an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a headrest bun between extended and retracted positions; and
a flexible cover member disposed on the seatback having a plate member coupled to a U-shaped frame assembly by first and second extendable members, wherein a portion of the adjustment mechanism directly abuts an inner surface of the plate member to move the plate member towards a deployed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Hosbach Christian J
• Casey Carol
• Godin Keith Allen
• Andree David

Classifications

• B60N2/865 Primary

  providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head · CPC title

• B60N2/58 Primary

  Seat coverings · CPC title

• B60N2/862

  with means for maintaining a desired position when the seat-back is adjusted, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms · CPC title

• B60N2/6009

  covering more than only the seat · CPC title