Foldable head rest assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688172-B2
Application number	US-201314761131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2013
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a foldable head rest assembly ( 1 ) for a vehicle comprising a bracket ( 3 ), an armature ( 5 ) for carrying a head rest, a locking mechanism ( 33 ) and a release mechanism, wherein the armature comprises a first arm, which is mounted to the bracket by an armature shaft ( 17 ) and pivotable with respect to the bracket about a first axis ( 18 ) between an upright position and a folded position, wherein the first axis is defined by the armature shaft, wherein the locking mechanism ( 33 ) prevents pivoting of the armature from the upright position to the folded position and wherein the release mechanism ( 49 ) can move the locking mechanism from a locked position to an unlocked position, characterized in that an abutment surface ( 34 ) of the first arm abuts a locking shaft ( 31 ) in the upright position, the locking shaft extending along a second axis that extends parallel to and spaced apart from the first axis, and the release mechanism is mounted to the locking shaft ( 31 ) and pivotable about the second axis ( 32 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A foldable head rest assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a bracket, an armature for carrying a head rest, a locking mechanism and a release mechanism,
wherein the armature comprises a first arm, which is mounted to the bracket by an armature shaft and pivotable with respect to the bracket about a first axis between an upright position and a folded position,
wherein the first axis is defined by the armature shaft,
wherein the locking mechanism in at least one locked position engages with the first arm of the armature, thereby preventing pivoting of the armature from the upright position to the folded position, and in at least one unlocked position does not prevent pivoting of the armature, and
wherein the release mechanism can move the locking mechanism from the at least one locked position to the at least one unlocked position,
wherein an abutment surface of the first arm abuts a locking shaft in the upright position, the locking shaft being mounted to the bracket and defining a second axis, wherein the second axis extends parallel to the first axis and spaced apart from the first axis, and
the release mechanism is mounted to the locking shaft and pivotable about the second axis.

2. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises a first mounting mechanism for mounting the armature shaft and the locking shaft to the bracket.

3. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first mounting mechanism comprises a first wall and a second wall,
wherein each one of the first wall and the second wall has an aperture for receiving the armature shaft and another aperture for receiving the locking shaft,
wherein the first arm is received between the first wall and the second wall of the first mounting mechanism, and
wherein the first mounting mechanism is formed from a single folded sheet of metal.

4. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the locking mechanism is received between the first wall and the second wall, of the first mounting mechanism.

5. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lever mounted to the locking shaft and pivotable about the second axis,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one locked position such that a retaining surface of the lever can engage with a locking surface of the respective arm thereby preventing a pivoting of the armature away from the locking shaft,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one unlocked position such that the armature can be pivoted from the upright position to the folded position and
wherein the locking surface is formed from one of a locking element and a rivet attached to the respective arm.

6. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the head rest assembly comprises a second arm and a second locking mechanism,
wherein the second arm is mounted to the bracket by the armature shaft and pivotable with respect to the bracket about the first axis between an upright position and a folded position,
wherein an abutment surface of the second arm abuts the locking shaft in the upright position,
wherein the second locking mechanism in at least one locked position engages with the second arm of the armature thereby preventing pivoting of the armature from the upright position to the folded position, and in at least one unlocked position does not prevent pivoting of the armature,
wherein the release mechanism moves the second locking mechanism from the at least one locked position to the at least one unlocked position.

7. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the head rest assembly further comprises a second mounting mechanism for mounting the armature shaft and the locking shaft to the bracket,
wherein the second mounting mechanism comprises a first wall and a second wall,
wherein each one of the first wall and the second wall has an aperture for receiving the armature shaft and another aperture for receiving the locking shaft,
wherein the second arm is received between the first wall and the second wall of the second mounting mechanism and
wherein the second mounting mechanism is formed from a single folded sheet of metal.

8. The foldable head rest assembly ROM according to claim 7 , wherein the second locking mechanism is received between the first wall and the second wall of the second mounting mechanism.

9. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lever mounted to the locking shaft and pivotable about the second axis,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one locked position such that a retaining surface of the lever can engage with a locking surface of the respective arm thereby preventing a pivoting of the armature away from the locking shaft,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one unlocked position such that the armature can be pivoted from the upright position to the folded position and
wherein the locking surface is formed from one of a locking element and a rivet attached to the respective arm.

10. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the lever comprises a cam surface, the cam surface being adapted to engage with the respective arm of the armature when the armature is pivoted from the folded position to the upright position such that the lever is pivoted to the at least one unlocked position.

11. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the distance of the retaining surface of the lever is delimited by a first end and a second end,
wherein the distance of the retaining surface from the second axis increases from the first end towards the second end and the second end is formed as a nose, wherein the nose and the retaining surface form a recess for receiving the locking surface of the respective arm.

12. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the release mechanism by a finger and receptacle connection, wherein a finger is attached to one of the locking mechanism and the release mechanism and a receptacle is provided on the other of the locking mechanism and the release mechanism, and
wherein the finger engages with the receptacle for transmitting any pivoting of the release mechanism about the second axis onto the locking mechanism.

13. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 wherein the release mechanism comprises a sleeve receiving the locking shaft.

14. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the release mechanism comprises an elastic element for biasing the release mechanism towards moving the locking mechanism into a locked position.

15. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one elastic element for biasing the armature towards a folded position.

16. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the bracket is adapted to be mounted to a back rest of a vehicle seat.

17. The foldable head rest assembly according to claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lever mounted to the locking shaft and pivotable about the second axis,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one locked position such that a retaining surface of the lever can engage with a locking surface of the respective arm thereby preventing a pivoting of the armature away from the locking shaft,
wherein the lever can be pivoted to at least one unlocked position such that the armature can be pivoted from the upright position

Assignees

• Kongsberg Automotive Ab

Inventors

• Nilsson Erik
• Kvarnström Anders

Classifications

• B60N2/4855 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/4858

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/856 Primary

  movable to an inoperative or stowed position · CPC title

• B60N2/859 Primary

  specially adapted for rear seats · CPC title