Unlocking mechanism for inclinable headrest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327627-B2
Application number	US-201313753154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2013
Priority date	Jan 29, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

An unlocking mechanism of inclinable headrest includes a push button having a connecting element and an internal frame having a cylindrical element defining a through-bore in which the push button is slidably accommodated. Provided within the internal frame is a slidable lever element having one end operatively connected with a lock gear for locking the headrest and another end having a connecting hole in which the connecting element of the push button is resiliently inserted and engaged. The slidable lever element is slidably supported by a guide element so that the connecting hole thereof is retained at a location corresponding to the through-bore of the cylindrical element. Hence, in assembly, simple insertion by a worker of the push button in the cylindrical element results in quick and precise connection of the push button's connecting element with the slidable lever element's connecting hole invisibly disposed in the headrest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unlocking mechanism provided in a headrest, said headrest including:
a covering element; and
an inclination adjustment mechanism operable for adjustment of inclination of the headrest, said inclination adjustment mechanism including a stationary gear and a lock gear movable for engagement with and disengagement from said stationary gear,
said unlocking mechanism comprising:
a three-dimensional frame provided within the headrest, said three-dimensional frame having an inner surface facing an inside thereof and an outer surface facing an outside thereof said inclination adjustment mechanism disposed within said three-dimensional frame;
a cylindrical element formed integrally with said three-dimensional frame so as to project outwardly from said outer surface of the three-dimensional frame, said cylindrical element having a through-bore defined therein, said through-bore communicating between the inside of the three-dimensional frame and the outside thereof;
a guide element formed in said inner surface of said three-dimensional frame so as to project inwardly of the three-dimensional frame; wherein said covering element is affixed on said three-dimensional frame, such that said through-bore of said cylindrical element opens in the covering element;
a lever element disposed within said three-dimensional frame and operatively connected with said lock gear, said lever element including:
an elongated guide hole element defined therein;
a connecting portion aligned with said cylindrical element; and

a connecting hole defined in said connecting portion;
said lever element being at said elongated guide hole element slidably engaged with said guide element, thereby maintaining said connecting hole of the lever element in a coaxial relation with said through-bore of said cylindrical element;
a push button including a connecting element formed to project outwardly therefrom, said connecting element including a resilient anchor region having an outer shape slightly larger than said connecting hole of said lever element, said resilient anchor region being capable of being resiliently squeezed to pass through said connecting hole and also capable of resilient recovery of the shape thereof subsequent to being resiliently squeezed and passed through the connecting hole;
said push button being slidably accommodated in said cylindrical element and securely connected at the connecting element thereof with said connecting portion of said lever element by being slidingly inserted in said through-bore of the cylindrical element such that said resilient anchor region of the push button is resiliently squeezed in and passed through said connecting hole of said lever element and subsequently recovers said shape thereof resiliently, so that said connecting element of the push button is securely connected via said resilient anchor region thereof with said connecting portion of the lever element; and
said push button being normally exposed partially in said cylindrical element as well as in said covering element.

2. The unlocking mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connecting element of said push button further includes a rod portion projecting outwardly therefrom, wherein said resilient anchor region of the push button is a resilient conical anchor region defined in a free end of said rod portion,
wherein said push button is slidingly accommodated in said cylindrical element, with said resilient conical anchor region thereof being disposed at a point corresponding to said connecting hole of said lever element, and
wherein said resilient conical anchor region has a maximum outer diameter larger than a diameter of said connecting hole of said lever element to an extent of allowing resilient squeezing and passage of the resilient conical anchor region in and through said connecting hole of said lever element and eventually allowing resilient recovery of the resilient conical anchor region to have said maximum outer diameter, so that said connecting element of said push button is anchoringly and securely connected, via the resilient conical anchor region thereof, with said connecting portion of said lever element.

3. The unlocking mechanism claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connecting portion of said lever element includes a free end region in which said connecting hole is defined, said free end region having an inwardly facing surface facing inwardly of said three-dimensional frame element and an outwardly facing surface opposite to said inwardly facing surface,
wherein said connecting element of said push button extends outwardly along a central axis of the push button,
wherein said connecting element includes:
a resilient conical anchor region which corresponds to said resilient anchor region, and
a detent region, wherein said resilient conical anchor region is defined in a free end of said connecting element,
wherein said push button is slidingly accommodated in said cylindrical element, with said resilient conical anchor region thereof being disposed in a coaxial relation with said connecting hole of said lever element, and wherein said resilient conical anchor region has a maximum outer diameter larger than a diameter of said connecting hole of said connecting portion to an extent of allowing resilient squeeze and insertion of said resilient conical anchor region in and through said connecting hole of said lever element and eventually allowing resilient recovery of the resilient conical anchor region to have said maximum outer diameter, so that said connecting element of said push button is anchoringly engaged, at the resilient conical anchor region thereof, with said inwardly facing surface of said free end region of said connecting portion of said lever element, while said detent region of the push button is contacted with said outwardly facing surface of said free end region of said connecting portion.

4. The unlocking mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein said push button has an outer peripheral surface, wherein said cylindrical element has an inner circumferential surface defining said through-bore thereof, and wherein said outer peripheral surface of the push button is in a close and slidable contact on said inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical element.

5. The unlocking mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said lever element comprises:
a first lever portion in which said connecting portion and said connecting hole of the lever element are defined; and
a second lever portion operatively connected with said lock gear,
wherein said elongated guide hole element comprises:
a first elongated guide hole defined in said first lever portion; and
a second elongated guide hole defined in said second lever portion, wherein said guide element comprises a first guide element and a second guide element, both of which are formed in said inner surface of said three-dimensional frame so as to project inwardly thereof,
wherein said first elongated guide hole of said first lever portion is slidably supported by said first guide element at a first predetermined position so as to be prevented against dislocation from said first predetermined position, and
wherein said second elongated guide hole of said second lever portion is slidably supported by said second guide element at a second predetermined position so as to be prevented against dislocation from said second predetermined position, whereupon said connecting hole of said lever element is positively maintained in a coaxial relation with said through-bore of said cylindrical element.

6. The unlocking mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said three-dimensional frame is formed from a synthetic resin material.

7. The unlocking mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said three-d

Assignees

• Tobata Hideo
• Yoshiga Takayuki
• Sodeno Yutaka
• Tachi S Co

Inventors

• Tobata Hideo
• Yoshiga Takayuki
• Sodeno Yutaka

Classifications

• B60N2/4847 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/4844

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/847 Primary

  with stepwise positioning · CPC title

• B60N2/844

  Release mechanisms, e.g. buttons · CPC title