Device for vehicle for supporting and massaging passenger's neck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11951062-B2
Application number	US-202117142049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2021
Priority date	Jul 29, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A device configured for a vehicle for supporting and massaging a neck of a passenger is provided. The device is configured such that a neck support pad is integrally formed on a lower end portion of a headrest to hold up and support the neck of a passenger, and a massage device is mounted in the neck support pad to massage the neck of the passenger, thus stably supporting and massaging the neck of the passenger sitting on a seat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for supporting and massaging a neck of a passenger, the device comprising:
a neck support pad integrally formed on a lower end portion of a headrest to support the neck of the passenger;
a skeleton frame including a front frame that has guide holes on first and second sides of the front frame, a rear frame which is mounted behind the front frame to be spaced from the front frame, and wing-out frames that are rotatably mounted on the first and second sides of the front frame, the skeleton frame mounted in the neck support pad;
at least a main air cell mounted on a front of the front frame to be expanded or contracted, for supporting a rear portion of the neck of the passenger;
at least a side air cell mounted on a front of each of the wing-out frames to be expanded or contracted, for supporting a side portion of the neck of the passenger;
a lifting and driving device mounted on the rear frame to be driven when a massage mode is selected; and
a massage ball connected to the lifting and driving device to selectively protrude forwards through each of the guide holes of the front frame, and lifted when the lifting and driving device is driven to massage the neck of the passenger.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lifting and driving device includes:
a lift rail mounted on the rear frame;
a lift bar inserted and fastened to the lift rail to be lifted along the lift rail;
a first motor mounted on a rear surface of the lift rail;
a friction roller mounted on an output shaft of the first motor;
a wire connected at first and second end portions thereof to upper and lower portions of the lift bar, respectively, while being in friction contact with the friction roller; and
a support bracket mounted on first and second end portions of the lift bar to be connected to the massage ball.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the lifting and driving device further includes:
a solenoid mounted on the support bracket; and
a plunger connected between the solenoid and the massage ball to transmit a linear moving force of the solenoid to the massage ball in a response to the selected massage mode.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein a guide roller is attached to each of the upper and lower end portions of the lift rail to guide circulation of the wire.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein a second motor is mounted on a front end portion of the plunger to selectively rotate the massage ball, and a rotation shaft of the second motor is connected to the massage ball.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein hollow hinge end portions are formed on first and second end portions of the front frame, and a hinge pin is mounted on an internal end portion of each of the wing-out frames to be inserted into the hollow hinge end portions.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein a motor is connected to the hinge pin to adjust an angle of each of the wing-out frames.

8. The device of claim 1 , further including:
a stay mounted on the rear frame to be inserted into and fastened to a seatback;
a guide frame mounted on a lower portion of the stay;
a motor mounted on a rear surface of the rear frame; and
a lead screw connected to an output shaft of the motor, and fastened to the guide frame to be rotatable at a same place.

9. A system for supporting and massaging a neck of a passenger, the system comprising:
a neck support pad integrally formed on a lower end portion of a headrest to support the neck of the passenger;
a skeleton frame including a front frame that has guide holes on first and second sides of the front frame, a rear frame which is mounted behind the front frame to be spaced from the front frame, and wing-out frames that are rotatably mounted on the first and second sides of the front frame, the skeleton frame mounted in the neck support pad;
at least a main air cell mounted on a front of the front frame to be expanded or contracted, for supporting a rear portion of the neck of the passenger;
at least a side air cell mounted on a front of each of the wing-out frames to be expanded or contracted, thus supporting a side portion of the neck of the passenger;
a lifting and driving device mounted on the rear frame to be driven when a massage mode is selected;
a massage ball connected to the lifting and driving device to selectively protrude forwards through each of the guide holes of the front frame, and lifted when the lifting and driving device is driven to massage the neck of the passenger;
an input portion through which the passenger selects whether to massage or not and selects the massage mode;
a heart-rate measuring portion mounted at a predetermined position in a vehicle to monitor a heart rate of the passenger sitting on a seat;
a body measuring portion mounted at a predetermined position in the vehicle to measure a body size of the passenger; and
a controller configured of executing one of a plurality of modes depending on an input signal of the input portion, a monitoring signal of the heart-rate measuring portion, and a measurement signal of the body measuring portion, wherein the plurality of modes include the massage mode.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the input portion includes a touch screen which is connected to the controller and mounted at a predetermined position in the vehicle to display a menu through which the passenger selects whether to massage or not and selects one of the plurality of modes and to transmit a signal of the selected mode to the controller.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the input signal selected by the passenger itself touching the menu displayed on the touch screen, and then to apply a current signal to the lifting and driving device connected to the controller to execute the selected massage mode in a response to the selected input signal.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modes includes:
the massage mode, in which the controller performs massaging of the neck of the passenger via the lifting and driving device and the massage ball;
a sleep mode, in which the controller is configured to expand the at least a main air cell and the at least a side air cell; and
a reading and movie watching mode, in which the controller is configured to turn on the at least a main air cell.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the heart-rate measuring portion includes a heart-rate sensing radar which is mounted at a predetermined position in the vehicle to monitor a fatigue degree of the passenger sitting on the seat and then to output a monitoring signal of the fatigue degree to the controller.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the monitoring signal of the heart-rate detecting radar, to compare a heart rate of the passenger and a normal heart rate, and then to display a massage recommending message for reducing fatigue of the passenger on the touch screen, when a difference between the heart rate of the passenger and the normal heart rate is equal to or greater than a reference value.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the body measuring portion includes a camera which is mounted at a predetermined position in the vehicle to monitor a position of the neck of the passenger which is to be massaged and then to output a monitored position to the controller.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to receive an image signal of the camera, to compare a height of a head region of the passenger and a height of the neck support pad, and then to apply a current signal to the lifting and driving device to lift the neck s

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Lee Baek Hee
• Chung Gyu Ho
• Lee Jong Hun
• Lee Yo Seob
• Park Hyun Kyu
• Kwak Min Hyuk

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60N2210/24

  Cameras · CPC title