Bearing for use in sliding head restraint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707872-B2
Application number	US-201414515385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Jun 29, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to bearings, guide sleeves and head restraint assemblies for automobiles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head restraint preassembly comprising:
a first guide sleeve comprising:
a generally cylindrical sidewall; and
an elongated finger extending from the generally cylindrical sidewall,
wherein the elongated finger is adjustable between a first position defining a first angle, A 1 , with respect to a central axis of the generally cylindrical sidewall, and a second position defining a second angle, A 2 , with respect to the central axis of the generally cylindrical sidewall, wherein A 2 is different than A 1 , wherein the elongated finger comprises a composite material including a low friction material coupled to a substrate, wherein the elongated finger comprises an end portion comprising an arcuate edge and wherein an innermost surface of said elongate finger is disposed within an inner diameter of said generally cylindrical sidewall in said first position.

2. The head restraint preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first guide sleeve comprises a plurality of elongated fingers.

3. The head restraint preassembly of claim 2 , wherein each elongated finger has an innermost surface, the innermost surfaces of the elongated fingers defining a best fit circle, and wherein a diameter of the best fit circle is less than an inner diameter of the generally cylindrical sidewall.

4. The head restraint preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the elongated finger defines a maximum axial gap distance, as measured in an axial direction between the elongated finger and the generally cylindrical sidewall, and a maximum circumferential gap distance, as measured in a circumferential direction between the elongated finger and the generally cylindrical sidewall, and wherein the maximum axial gap distance is different from the maximum circumferential gap distance.

5. The head restraint preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the elongated finger has a first and second opposite sides and a third side disposed between the first and second sides, and wherein the elongated finger is disconnected from the generally cylindrical sidewall along at least a portion of the first and second opposite sides and the entire third side.

6. The head restraint preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the generally cylindrical sidewall comprises a composite material including a low friction material coupled to a substrate.

7. A head restraint preassembly comprising:
a head restraint comprising a body and a first and second posts extending from the body, the first post having a smooth outer surface;
a first guide sleeve adapted to engage the first post; and
a second guide sleeve adapted to engage the second post,
wherein first guide sleeve comprises a generally cylindrical sidewall and an elongated finger extending from the generally cylindrical sidewall, and wherein the elongated finger is partially disconnected from the generally cylindrical sidewall wherein the elongated finger comprises an end portion comprising an arcuate edge and wherein an innermost surface of said elongate finger is disposed within an inner diameter of said generally cylindrical sidewall in an unassembled position.

8. The head restraint preassembly of claim 7 , wherein the elongated finger is adjustable between a first position defining a first angle, A 1 , with respect to a central axis of the generally cylindrical sidewall, and a second position defining a second angle, A 2 , with respect to the central axis of the generally cylindrical sidewall, and wherein A 2 is different than A 1 .

9. The head restraint preassembly of claim 7 , wherein the elongated finger has a first and second opposite sides and a third side disposed between the first and second sides, and wherein the elongated finger is disconnected from the generally cylindrical sidewall along at least a portion of the first and second opposite sides and the entire third side.

10. A head restraint preassembly comprising:
a first guide sleeve comprising: a generally cylindrical sidewall;
a first elongate finger extending from the generally cylindrical sidewall and partially disconnected therefrom;
and a second elongate finger extending from the generally cylindrical sidewall and partially disconnected therefrom, wherein the first and second elongate fingers are in a same circumferential row, and wherein the first and second elongate finger are rotationally offset from each other by an angle of less than 180°, and wherein an innermost surface of said elongate finger is disposed within an inner diameter of said generally cylindrical sidewall prior to installation of a post into the first guide sleeve.

11. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of said first and second elongate fingers comprises a first and second opposite sides, and wherein the at least one of said first and second elongated fingers is at least partially disconnected from the generally cylindrical sidewall along the first and second opposite sides.

12. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one of said first and second elongate fingers further comprises a third side disposed between the first and second sides, and wherein the elongated finger is disconnected from the generally cylindrical sidewall along the third side.

13. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 12 , wherein the disconnection formed on the first, second and third sides of the at least one of said first and second elongate fingers is continuous.

14. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said first and second elongate fingers is canted relative to a central axis of the first guide sleeve.

15. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said first and second elongate fingers have an innermost surface, the innermost surfaces of the elongated fingers defining a best fit circle, and wherein a diameter of the best fit circle is less than an inner diameter of the generally cylindrical sidewall.

16. The head restraint guide preassembly according to claim 10 , further comprising a support member disposed radially outside of the generally cylindrical sidewall.

17. The head restraint guide preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein said first elongated finger extends from the generally cylindrical sidewall in a first direction, and wherein said second elongated finger extends from the generally cylindrical sidewall in a direction different from the first direction.

18. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of said first and second elongate fingers has an initial angle, as measured with respect to the generally cylindrical sidewall prior to installation of a post into the first guide sleeve, and is adapted to move to a final angle, as measured with respect to the generally cylindrical sidewall after installation of the post, and wherein the initial angle is different than the final angle.

19. The head restraint preassembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first guide sleeve comprises a composite material including a low friction material coupled to a substrate.

Assignees

• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp

Inventors

• Hagan Timothy J
• Sanchez Abe
• Haines Paul
• Jessler Heiko
• Murphy Brandon S
• Dimartino Vincent
• Echikson Chloe
• Hundertmark Mirko

Classifications

• F16C29/10

  Arrangements for locking the bearings · CPC title

• F16C2326/08

  Vehicle seats, e.g. in linear movable seats · CPC title

• F16D1/0835

  due to the elasticity of the ring or sleeve · CPC title

• F16C33/201

  Composition of the plastic · CPC title

• F16C29/002

  Elastic or yielding linear bearings or bearing supports · CPC title