Connectors for speakers disposed in headrests

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802519-B2
Application number	US-201615071784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2016
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

The technology can be embodied in a headrest that includes an enclosure that includes one or more acoustic transducers. The headrest includes a bar for mounting on a backrest of the seat, such that the mounted headrest is movable with respect to the backrest to different positions over an adjustable range. The bar includes one or more wires each of which is coupled to an electrical contact at one end, and an acoustic transducer at an opposite end, the one or more wires disposed within a hollow interior portion of the bar. The bar also includes an opening for permitting an electrical connection to be established between an electrical connector coupled to an external source, and the electrical contact coupled to the one or more wires. The connection is maintained over the adjustable range of the headrest by a mechanical bias on either the electrical connector or the electrical contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising:
an enclosure for supporting the head of an occupant of the vehicle seat, the enclosure including one or more acoustic transducers; and
a bar for mounting the headrest on a backrest of the seat, such that the mounted headrest is movable with respect to the backrest to different positions over an adjustable range, the bar comprising:
one or more wires each of which is coupled to an electrical contact at one end and one of the acoustic transducers at an opposite end, the one or more wires disposed within a hollow interior portion of the bar, and
an opening for permitting an electrical connection to be established between i) an electrical connector coupled to an external source and ii) the electrical contact coupled to the one or more wires, the connection being maintained over the adjustable range of the headrest by a mechanical bias on either the electrical connector or the electrical contact.

2. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the opening is at one end of the bar.

3. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the opening is disposed on a sidewall of the bar.

4. The headrest of claim 3 , wherein the opening is configured to receive the electrical contact in a locking configuration.

5. The headrest of claim 3 , wherein the opening is configured such that at least a portion of the electrical contact touches the connector through the opening over the adjustable range of the headrest.

6. The headrest of claim 3 , wherein the electrical connector includes a leaf-spring that causes the connector to maintain physical touch with the electrical contact over the adjustable range of the headrest.

7. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact comprises a non-conducting portion that provides an electrically insulated barrier between the electrical contact and the bar.

8. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the external source comprises a power source configured to provide operating power to the acoustic transducers.

9. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the external source comprises a source of an audio signal.

10. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector comprises a spring-loaded structure disposed within the hollow interior portion, the spring-loaded structure causing the electrical connector to maintain physical touch with the electrical contact over the adjustable range of the headrest.

11. A seat comprising:
a headrest comprising an enclosure for receiving one or more acoustic transducers;
an electrical connector disposed within a portion of the seat, the electrical connector coupled to an external source associated with the one or more acoustic transducers;
an electrical contact coupled to one or more wires connected to the one or more acoustic transducers;
a backrest comprising a receptacle for receiving a portion of the headrest, such that the headrest is movable with respect to the backrest to different positions over an adjustable range, the receptacle comprising a sleeve that includes an opening for permitting a connection to be established between the electrical connector and the electrical contact; and
a bar configured to be inserted into the receptacle for mounting the headrest on the backrest, the bar comprising:
a channel for receiving the one or more wires connected to the acoustic transducers, and
a slot on a sidewall of the bar for permitting the connection to be established between the electrical connector and the electrical contact, the connection being maintained over the adjustable range of the headrest by a mechanical bias on either the electrical connector or the electrical contact.

12. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the slot is configured to receive the electrical contact in a locking configuration.

13. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the electrical contact comprises a non-conducting portion that provides an electrically insulated barrier between the electrical contact and the bar.

14. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the slot is configured such that at least a portion of the electrical contact touches the connector through the slot over the adjustable range of the headrest.

15. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connector is disposed in the receptacle.

16. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connector is disposed in the bar.

17. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connector includes a leaf-spring that causes the connector to maintain physical touch with the electrical contact over the adjustable range of the headrest.

18. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the external source comprises a power source configured to provide operating power to the acoustic transducers.

19. The seat of claim 11 , wherein the external source comprises a source of an audio signal.

20. A seat comprising:
a headrest comprising one or more acoustic transducers; and
a backrest comprising a receptacle for receiving a portion of the headrest, such that the headrest is movable with respect to the backrest to different positions over an adjustable range,
wherein the headrest further includes:
an enclosure for receiving the one or more acoustic transducers, and
a bar configured to be inserted into the receptacle for mounting the headrest on the backrest, the bar comprising:
a hollow interior portion forming a channel for receiving one or more wires connected to the acoustic transducers, and
a spring-loaded structure disposed within the hollow interior portion, the spring-loaded structure causing an electrical connector to maintain electrical contact with the one or more wires over the adjustable range of the headrest.

21. The seat of claim 20 , wherein the electrical connector is coupled to an external source of power.

22. The seat of claim 20 , wherein the electrical connector is coupled to a source of an audio signal for the one or more acoustic transducers.

23. The seat of claim 20 , wherein an upper portion of the bar is coupled to the enclosure, and the spring loaded structure is disposed in an opposite, lower portion of the bar.

24. The seat of claim 20 , wherein the electrical contact comprises a non-conducting portion that provides an electrically insulated barrier between the electrical contact and the bar.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Subat Bradford Kyle
• Dunn Jr Charles E
• Oswald Charles
• Heiden Kurt Mathew

Classifications

• B60R2011/0017

  Head-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/897

  with sleeves located in the back-rest for guiding the rods of the head-rest · CPC title

• B60N2/809

  vertically slidable · CPC title

• H04R1/025

  Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture · CPC title

• B60N2/64 Primary

  Back-rests {or cushions (B60N2/2222 takes precedence)} · CPC title