Headrest assembly for vehicle seat, vehicle and control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, a vehicle and a control method. The headrest assembly comprises a base, a headrest body with a sensor matrix, a first driving device, a second driving device and a controller. The first driving device is arranged in the base, and the output end of the first driving device is connected to the headrest body; the second driving device is connected with the base and the backrest of the seat and can drive the base to ascend and descend relative to the backrest of the seat; the sensor matrix is configured to be capable of feeding back current position information of the head of the user when the head of the user leans against, and the controller is connected to the sensor matrix and the first driving device and is configured to be capable of adjusting the rotating angle of the headrest body relative to the base according to the current position information. Height adjustment and multi-angle rotation of the headrest body can be achieved, the supporting accuracy is improved, the head of a user can be continuously supported in different sitting postures of the user, and the riding comfort is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle seat headrest technology, specifically to a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, a vehicle, and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] Car headrests are an important component of car seats. Their main function is to provide support for the occupant's head and reduce the relative movement of the head and chest during frontal or rear-end collisions or bumps, thus protecting the neck. Common headrests are usually connected to the seat back via a fixed rod, and their height adjustment is limited, often requiring manual plug-and-play adjustment by the occupant.

[0003] As people increasingly prioritize comfort, headrests with advanced technology offer not only height adjustment but also fore-and-aft adjustment, and can be configured both manually and automatically. However, their adjustment range and flexibility are limited, making it difficult to meet the diverse head support needs of different passengers in various sitting positions.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a car headrest that can adaptively adjust according to the position of the passenger's head in order to improve the accuracy of head support and riding comfort. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, this application provides a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, a vehicle, and a control method, aiming to solve the problem that the limited adjustment range and flexibility of the headrest in the prior art makes it difficult to meet the diverse head support needs of different passengers in different sitting positions, thereby improving the accuracy of head support and riding comfort.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat is provided, comprising: a base for connecting to the backrest of the seat; a headrest body having a sensor matrix configured to provide current position information of the user's head when the user's head rests against the base; a first drive device disposed within the base, the output of which is connected to the headrest body for driving the headrest body to rotate relative to the base; a second drive device connecting the base and the backrest of the seat, the second drive device being configured to drive the base to rise and fall relative to the backrest of the seat; and a controller disposed within the base and connected to the sensor matrix and the first drive device, the controller being configured to adjust the rotation angle of the headrest body relative to the base according to the current position information.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the sensor matrix includes multiple sensor units arranged in an array on the side of the headrest body away from the base, for acquiring detection information at different positions of the headrest body as current position information; the controller is configured to determine the relative position of the user's head on the headrest body based on the current position information, so as to control the headrest body to rotate to uniformly fit the user's head; wherein, the sensor unit is a pressure sensor, and the current position information includes pressure information at different positions of the headrest body; or, the sensor unit is a temperature sensor, and the current position information includes temperature information at different positions of the headrest body.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the first driving device includes a spherical gear, a retainer, a spherical gear drive mechanism, and a support rod. The retainer has a spherical cavity inside, and the spherical gear is rotatably confined within the spherical cavity. The spherical cavity has an opening on the side facing the headrest body. One end of the support rod is fixed to the spherical gear, and the other end extends out of the opening and is connected to the headrest body. The spherical gear drive mechanism is fixed inside the retainer and acts on the radial position of the spherical gear, driving the spherical gear to rotate so as to drive the headrest body to rotate relative to the base.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the second driving device includes: an upper guide rail supported below a base; a lower guide rail fixed to the backrest of a seat; a linkage assembly including a first link and a second link hinged to each other, the two ends of the first link being rotatably connected to the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail respectively, and the two ends of the second link being rotatably connected to the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail respectively; wherein, the upper guide rail is provided with a first slot, and one end of the first link is rotatably slidably connected to the upper guide rail through the first slot; the lower guide rail is provided with a second slot, and one end of the second link is rotatably slidably connected to the lower guide rail through the second slot, and the second slot corresponds to the first slot in the height direction; and a linear drive mechanism fixed to the lower guide rail, the output end of which acts on one of the upper guide rail, the first link, and the second link to drive the upper guide rail to move in the height direction.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the headrest body includes: a skeleton portion, the skeleton portion including a plurality of silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers distributed in a grid pattern, the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers being configured to change their curvature according to the application of voltage; the plurality of silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers being connected to a controller via wires, the controller being further configured to adjust the arc curvature of the skeleton portion by controlling the power supply voltage of the skeleton portion; and a pillowcase portion, the pillowcase portion covering the skeleton portion, and a sensor matrix distributed on the main surface of the skeleton portion and acting on the side of the pillowcase portion away from the base.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the mesh gaps of the skeleton portion form a receiving groove for accommodating the sensor matrix, and the sensor units of the sensor matrix are disposed in the receiving groove.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, including a seat disposed within the vehicle and a headrest assembly for the vehicle seat of any of the above embodiments mounted on the seat, wherein a controller for the headrest assembly is communicatively connected to a domain controller of the vehicle, and the controller is configured to control the operation of the headrest assembly according to control commands sent by the domain controller.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the vehicle further includes an image recognition module disposed inside the vehicle, the image recognition module being used to acquire head image information of a target user; a domain controller is connected to the image recognition module and is configured to determine the spatial position of the user's head relative to the seat based on the head image information; the controller is configured to control the position of the headrest body to adjust to the spatial position of the user's head in response to a first scene instruction; wherein, the first scene instruction is an instruction issued by the user entering the vehicle and sitting on the seat.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, when the headrest assembly includes the skeleton portion as described in the above embodiments, the controller is further configured to: after responding to a first scene command, determine whether the target user is in a sleeping state in response to a second scene command; if so, control the curvature of the skeleton portion to adjust so that at least a portion of the headrest body fits the neck curve of the target user; wherein, the second scene command is a command issued by the vehicle while it is in motion.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, a control method for a headrest assembly is provided, applied to a headrest assembly including the skeleton part in the above embodiments or a vehicle; the method includes: acquiring the longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle; when the longitudinal deceleration is detected to be greater than a preset threshold, controlling the arc curvature of the skeleton part to be adjusted so that the left and right sides of the headrest body fit with the left and right sides of the user's head, and controlling the arc curvature of the skeleton part to be adjusted so that the lower side of the headrest body fits with the user's neck.

[0016] This application integrates a sensor matrix within the headrest body, enabling real-time feedback of the user's head position when resting against the seat, thus achieving precise perception of head posture. Based on this, the controller can drive a first drive device to adjust the rotation angle of the headrest body relative to the base, allowing the headrest body to dynamically adapt to changes in head position. Simultaneously, a second drive device can raise and lower the base relative to the seat back, expanding the vertical adjustment range of the headrest body. This not only improves the headrest's adjustment flexibility and enhances support precision but also provides continuous head support under different sitting postures, effectively improving seating comfort.

[0017] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of the embodiments of this application and to implement them in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of this application more obvious and understandable, specific implementation methods of this application are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A connection diagram of the headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the headrest body according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4 A connection diagram of the headrest body according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first driving device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second driving device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 7 This illustration shows a scenario where the headrest assembly described in this application is installed in a vehicle; Figure 8 A connection diagram of the controller described in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers: 1-Base, 2-Headrest body, 21-Sensor matrix, 211-Sensor unit, 212-Vitality sensor, 22-Skeleton, 221-Silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer, 222-Receiving groove, 23-Pillowcase. 3-First drive unit, 31-Cage, 32-Spherical gear, 33-Spherical tooth drive mechanism, 34-Support rod, 4-Second drive device, 41-Upper guide rail, 411-First strip groove, 42-Lower guide rail, 421-Second strip groove, 43-Linkage assembly, 431-First link, 432-Second link, 44-Linear drive mechanism 5-Controller 100 - Headrest assembly, 200 - Seat, 300 - Domain controller, 400 - Image recognition module z - height direction, y - left and right direction, x - front and back direction.

[0021] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0023] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0024] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the technical features involved in the various embodiments described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0025] It should also be noted that in the description of this application, x, y, and z are three mutually perpendicular directions in a three-dimensional coordinate system, while the terms "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. Specifically, the x-direction is the front-back direction, with the x-axis pointing in the direction of "front," and vice versa; the y-direction is the left-right direction, with the y-axis pointing in the direction of "left," and vice versa; and the z-direction is the height direction, with the z-axis pointing in the direction of "up," and vice versa. It is understood that the above-mentioned terms indicating orientation or positional relationship are only for the convenience of describing the technical solution of this application and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment provides a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, including a base 1, a headrest body 2, a first drive device 3, a second drive device 4, and a controller 5. The base 1 is connected to the backrest of the seat 200. The headrest body 2 is provided with a sensor matrix 21, which is configured to provide feedback on the current position information of the user's head when the user's head is against the backrest. The first drive device 3 is located inside the base 1, and its output end extends out of the base 1 and is connected to the headrest body 2, for driving the headrest body 2 to rotate relative to the base 1. The base 1 is connected to the backrest of the seat 200 through the second drive device 4, which is configured to drive the base 1 to rise and fall relative to the backrest of the seat 200. The controller 5 is located inside the base 1 and is connected to the sensor matrix 21 and the first drive device 3, respectively, and the controller 5 is configured to adjust the rotation angle of the headrest body 2 relative to the base 1 according to the current position information.

[0027] In this way, by integrating a sensor matrix 21 into the headrest body 2, the current position information of the user's head when it is resting against the seat can be fed back in real time, achieving accurate perception of head posture. Based on this, the controller 5 can drive the first drive device 3 to adjust the rotation angle of the headrest body 2 relative to the base 1 according to the current position information, so that the headrest body 2 can dynamically adapt to changes in head position. At the same time, the second drive device 4 can drive the base 1 to rise and fall relative to the backrest of the seat 200, expanding the vertical adjustment range of the headrest body 2. This design improves the problem of insufficient headrest adjustment flexibility, enhances support accuracy, and can continuously support the user's head in different sitting postures, effectively improving riding comfort.

[0028] Specifically, the base 1 serves as the mounting and load-bearing foundation for the entire headrest assembly 100. It can be made of high-strength engineering plastic through one-piece injection molding or aluminum alloy die casting to balance lightweight and rigidity requirements. The interior of the base 1 is a closed or semi-closed accommodating space for the installation of internal components. The bottom of the base 1 is adapted to the upper opening of the backrest of the seat 200 and can be connected to the backrest of the seat 200 by insertion.

[0029] The headrest body 2 is a functional component that directly contacts the user's head. Its outline is an ergonomically designed arc-shaped block structure. Its rear side (the side closest to the base 1) is connected to the base 1 via the first driving device 3, and its front side is shaped into a preset curved surface adapted to the curvature of the back of the head. The headrest body 2 has an internal cavity to accommodate the sensor matrix 21 and wiring channels. The outer layer is made of a flexible cushioning material (such as polyurethane) and covered with a pillow surface made of a skin-friendly material (such as polyvinyl chloride composite artificial leather) to combine high elasticity, wear resistance, and skin-friendliness. The sensor matrix 21 is a spatially distributed array of multiple sensor units 211. Its arrangement density can be set according to accuracy requirements (such as the multiple sensor units 211 arranged in 3 rows and 5 columns in this embodiment), as long as it can ensure sufficient resolution of changes in detection parameters in the head contact area. No limitation is made here. It is understood that the sensor unit 211 of the sensor matrix 21 can be, but is not limited to, pressure sensors or temperature sensors, and can output spatial coordinate information representing the contact position based on the local deformation or thermal radiation generated when the user's head is in contact with the pillow. The spatial coordinate information can be the azimuth angle and radial distance in a two-dimensional polar coordinate system with the geometric center of the headrest body 2 as the origin, so as to provide feedback on the current position information of the user's head when the user's head is in contact with the pillow.

[0030] The first drive device 3 is disposed inside the base 1, and its output end passes through the front wall of the base 1 and is rigidly connected to the headrest body 2, forming an actuator for the headrest body 2 to perform pitch (around the y-axis), left and right yaw (around the z-axis), or multi-axis compound rotation around the base 1. It can be understood that the first drive device 3 can be a combination of a rotary motor, a harmonic reducer, and a universal joint drive shaft, or it can be a linear motor driving a linkage mechanism to achieve angle conversion, or it can be achieved by a set of 32 spherical gears driven by a stepper motor. No restrictions are placed here and will not be elaborated further.

[0031] The second drive device 4 is located between the base 1 and the backrest of the seat 200. It can use structures including but not limited to a fork-arm linkage mechanism, an electric push rod, or a lead screw lifting module to drive the base 1 to rise and fall relative to the backrest of the seat 200. It can drive the base 1 and the headrest body 2 to move along the height direction (i.e., the z-axis direction) of the backrest of the seat 200 to achieve height adjustment.

[0032] The controller 5 can be an embedded microcontroller unit, which is connected to the sensor matrix 21 and the first drive device 3 through wires. By performing coordinate mapping and weighted filtering on the current position information input by the sensor matrix 21, the controller calculates the rotation angle required to make the front surface of the headrest body 2 fit the curvature of the back of the user's head best according to the preset mapping relationship. Then, the controller generates the corresponding drive signal and sends it to the first drive device 3, thereby driving the first drive device 3 to perform the angle adjustment of the headrest body 2.

[0033] Based on the above scheme, when the user sits down and naturally leans their head against the headrest body 2, the sensor matrix 21 detects the parameter changes in the head contact area and uploads this current position information to the controller 5. The controller 5 calculates the rotation angle required to achieve optimal contact between the front surface of the headrest body 2 and the curvature of the back of the user's head based on the current position information, and drives the first drive device 3 to rotate the headrest body 2 around the base 1 by the corresponding angle. During this process, the second drive device 4 can simultaneously or stepwise adjust the height of the base 1 so that the headrest is positioned at a height that matches the user's head. In this way, the headrest body 2 can actively contact the user's head in a forward-leaning, side-leaning, or forward-leaning-side-leaning combined posture, eliminating the initial contact gap between the user's head and the headrest body 2, forming a uniform pressure distribution, thereby improving the accuracy of support and the comfort of riding.

[0034] It is understood that the second drive device 4 can also be connected to the controller 5, and the height position of the base 1 relative to the back of the seat 200 can be adjusted by the controller 5. The second drive device 4 and the first drive device 3 can be functionally independent, that is, the height of the base 1 can remain unchanged during the angle adjustment of the headrest body 2, or the first drive device 3 can be operated separately to perform angle adjustment after the height adjustment is completed. Alternatively, the controller 5 can coordinate the timing and priority to achieve collaborative work.

[0035] To specify the method by which the sensor matrix 21 acquires the current position information of the user's head, in some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the sensor matrix 21 includes multiple sensor units 211, which are arrayed on the side of the headrest body 2 away from the base 1. These sensor units 211 are used to acquire detection information at different positions of the headrest body 2 as current position information. The controller 5 is configured to determine the relative position of the user's head on the headrest body 2 based on the current position information, thereby controlling the headrest body 2 to rotate to uniformly fit the user's head. Specifically, sensor units 211 are pressure sensors, and the current position information includes pressure information at different positions of the headrest body 2; and / or, sensor units 211 are temperature sensors, and the current position information includes temperature information at different positions of the headrest body 2. By combining pressure-type and / or temperature-type sensing methods, the relative position of the user's head on the support surface of the headrest body 2 can be identified more accurately, driving the headrest body 2 to complete adaptive rotation. This allows the support surface to dynamically match the head contour, alleviating the support disengagement problem caused by changes in sitting posture or sleep position shifts, and improving physiological comfort and posture stability during long-term sitting.

[0036] Specifically, the aforementioned multiple sensor units 211 are arranged in an array on the side of the headrest body 2 away from the base 1. This means that the sensing surfaces of the sensor units 211 face the user's head and are arranged in a predetermined geometric shape to form a rectangular, hexagonal, or circular grid array (in this embodiment, it is a 3-row × 5-column distribution). The entire array covers the effective support area of ​​the headrest body facing the user's head, that is, the curved surface area located behind the foremost contour line of the headrest body 2 and in direct contact with the human head. The sensor units 211 can be installed by arranging positioning grooves in the inner lining of the pillowcase of the headrest body 2 and embedding them into the positioning grooves. They can also be connected to the controller 5 via a flexible printed circuit board or conductive leads to complete the installation of the sensor units 211. In this way, the sensor matrix 21 can acquire the pressure distribution or temperature distribution within the array distribution area to characterize the pressure or temperature information of the user's head and the headrest body 2 at different positions within the array distribution area. After receiving the corresponding array distribution information, the controller 5 can calculate the approximate coverage area of ​​the user's head, that is, determine the relative position of the user's head on the headrest body 2. Then, based on the calculated relative position of the head, it outputs a displacement vector to drive the first drive device 3 to adjust the pitch angle and left and right yaw angle of the headrest body 2, so that the normal of the overall support surface of the headrest body 2 is as perpendicular as possible to the average normal of the head contact surface, thereby achieving a uniform fit between the headrest body 2 and the user's head.

[0037] It is understandable that the calculation method of the controller 5 after receiving the corresponding array distribution information, when using a pressure sensor, can be as follows: Multiple sensor units 211 with continuous responses and amplitudes greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., 0.5 N) can be identified, and their weighted centroid coordinates can be calculated. These coordinates represent the positional offset of the head contact center relative to the coordinate system of the headrest body 2. When using a temperature sensor, the heat source contour can be determined based on the temperature difference (e.g., ≥0.5 ℃) between adjacent sensor units 211. Then, the center coordinates of the heat source contour can be obtained by fitting an elliptical envelope. These coordinates represent the position of the head contact center relative to the coordinate system of the headrest body 2. Both methods can provide feedback on the approximate orientation and coverage area of ​​the user's head relative to the headrest body 2, and can be used individually or in combination depending on specific needs.

[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the first driving device 3 includes a spherical gear 32, a retainer 31, a spherical gear drive mechanism 33, and a support rod 34. The retainer 31 has a spherical cavity inside, and the spherical gear 32 is rotatably confined in the spherical cavity. The spherical cavity has an opening on the side facing the headrest body 2. One end of the support rod 34 is fixed to the spherical gear 32, and the other end extends out of the opening and is connected to the headrest body 2. The spherical gear drive mechanism 33 is fixed inside the retainer 31 and acts on the radial position of the spherical gear 32. By driving the spherical gear 32 to rotate, it drives the headrest body 2 to rotate relative to the base 1. Thus, based on the clearance fit constraint between the inner wall of the retainer 31 and the surface of the spherical gear 32, the spherical gear 32 has rotational freedom around any axis passing through the center of the sphere within the spherical cavity. Under the drive of the spherical gear drive mechanism 33, it allows the support rod 34 to drive the headrest body 2 to rotate around the x, y, and z axes in three-dimensional space, realizing continuous and stepless pitch and yaw within the ±30 degree range covered by the opening, thereby meeting the changing needs of head support angle (such as forward tilt, backward tilt, side tilt, and torsion) under different sitting postures.

[0039] It is understood that the specific structure of the ball gear drive mechanism 33 and the transmission method for multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment of the ball gear 32 in the first drive device 3 composed of the ball gear 32, the cage 31, the ball gear drive mechanism 33 and the support rod 34 can refer to the mechanical structure of the robot ball joint in the prior art. No restrictions are imposed here and will not be elaborated further.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 6As shown, the second driving device 4 includes an upper guide rail 41, a lower guide rail 42, a connecting rod assembly 43, and a linear drive mechanism 44. The upper guide rail 41 is supported below the base 1, and the lower guide rail 42 is fixed to the backrest of the seat 200. The connecting rod assembly 43 includes a first connecting rod 431 and a second connecting rod 432 hinged to each other. The two ends of the first connecting rod 431 are rotatably connected to the upper guide rail 41 and the lower guide rail 42, respectively, and the two ends of the second connecting rod 432 are also rotatably connected to the upper guide rail 41 and the lower guide rail 42, respectively. The upper guide rail 41 is provided with a first strip groove 411, and the first connecting rod 432... One end of rod 431 is rotatably slidably connected to upper guide rail 41 via first strip groove 411; lower guide rail 42 is provided with second strip groove 421, one end of second connecting rod 432 is rotatably slidably connected to lower guide rail 42 via second strip groove 421, and second strip groove 421 corresponds to first strip groove 411 in the height direction (i.e. z-axis direction); linear drive mechanism 44 is fixed to lower guide rail 42, and its output end acts on one of upper guide rail 41, first connecting rod 431 and second connecting rod 432 to drive upper guide rail 41 to move along the height direction z. In this way, the above structures work together to form a fork-arm lifting device. Based on the coordinated operation of the linear drive mechanism 44 and the cross linkage, and combined with the limiting and guiding functions of the first strip groove 411 and the second strip groove 421, it can provide stable, low-friction, and large-stroke height adjustment capability within a limited space. This enables the second drive device 4 to have high load-bearing capacity, long-cycle motion reliability, and a certain degree of impact resistance stability, thereby supporting the effective positioning of the base 1 and the headrest body 2 in the height direction z.

[0041] It is understood that the aforementioned linear drive mechanism 44 can employ a DC electric push rod, a ball screw mechanism driven by a motor, or a gear and rack mechanism driven by a motor and worm gear, etc.; when its output end acts on the upper guide rail 41, its linear motion direction is parallel to the height direction z, and it can directly push the upper guide rail 41 to move up and down along the height direction z; when its output end acts on the first connecting rod 431 or the second connecting rod 432, its linear motion direction is parallel to the length direction of the first slot 411 or the second slot 421 (e.g., (y-axis direction) By pushing / pulling the first connecting rod 431 along the first strip groove 411 or the second connecting rod 432 along the second strip groove 421, the first connecting rod 431 is driven to rotate around its lower hinge point or the second connecting rod 432 is driven to rotate around its upper hinge point. This movement is transmitted to the other connecting rod through the cross hinge point, forcing the sliding hinge point of the other connecting rod to slide synchronously in the other strip groove, so that the upper guide rail 41 can be raised or lowered along the height direction z, thereby driving the base 1 to move up and down along the height direction z.

[0042] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the headrest body 2 includes a frame portion 22 and a pillowcase portion 23. The frame portion 22 includes a plurality of silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 arranged in a grid pattern. The silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 are configured to change their curvature according to the applied voltage. The plurality of silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 are connected to a controller 5 via wires. The controller 5 is also configured to adjust the arc curvature of the frame portion 22 by controlling the power supply voltage of the frame portion 22. The pillowcase portion 23 covers the frame portion 22, and the sensor matrix 21 is distributed on the main surface of the frame portion 22 and acts on the side of the pillowcase portion 23 away from the base 1. In this way, the controller 5 can dynamically adjust the output voltage amplitude and distribution pattern according to the input signal, thereby controlling the arc curvature of the frame portion 22 in the whole and local areas, so that the headrest body 2 can bend and deform in the whole or local areas. On the one hand, it can improve the dynamic fit of the headrest body 2 relative to the user's head and neck, and improve the comfort of the headrest during long-term use. On the other hand, it can provide a variety of different deformation modes to meet the usage needs of diverse scenarios.

[0043] Specifically, the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 is a dielectric elastomer composed of silicone rubber-based nanocomposite materials. When an electric field is applied to it, polarization charges will appear at the interface between the dielectric elastomer and the conductive particles. Due to the attraction between opposite polarization charges at different interfaces and the repulsion between like polarization charges on the same surface, the dielectric elastomer is compressed along the direction of the electric field, and its area increases in the direction perpendicular to the electric field, thereby realizing the electro-driven effect of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. Based on this, the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 can change its curvature according to the applied voltage, and the direction and degree of curvature depend on the voltage polarity, amplitude, and loading time. Generally, the degree of bending deformation of the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 is proportional to the magnitude of the applied voltage.

[0044] The silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 are distributed in a grid-like cross pattern, meaning that multiple silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 extend along at least two orthogonal or oblique directions and physically intersect to form a grid-like fabric-like configuration. In this embodiment, several silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 are arranged alternately in the transverse and longitudinal directions and intersected and fixed. The intersection points can also be connected and fixed by hot-melt bonding or micro-riveting, so that adjacent silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 provide a coupling and transmission effect when deformed, ensuring that the arc-shaped support surface of the skeleton part 22, both as a whole and in some local areas, is smooth and continuous.

[0045] The structure of the pillowcase 23 can refer to the outer structure of the headrest body 2 described above. For example, it is made of flexible cushioning material (such as polyurethane) and covered with a pillow surface made of skin-friendly material (such as polyvinyl chloride composite artificial leather), which has high elasticity, wear resistance and skin-friendliness. The frame 22 is completely covered by the pillowcase 23. When the frame 22 deforms, it drives the pillowcase 23 to deform synchronously. Since the sensor matrix 21 is distributed on the main surface of the frame 22 and acts on the side of the pillowcase 23 away from the base 1, when the controller 5 receives the current position information from the sensor matrix 21, it can analyze the current position information of the user's head in the main surface area of ​​the frame 22, and generate differentiated voltage commands for the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 in each area of ​​the frame 22. This causes the frame 22 to drive the pillowcase 23 to deform in a targeted manner, thereby improving the dynamic fit of the head and neck, pressure uniformity and long-term use comfort under different sitting postures.

[0046] Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned pressure and temperature sensors, the sensor units 211 of the sensor matrix 21 may also include biosignature sensors 212, such as piezoelectric ceramic sensors, piezoelectric thin film sensors, heart rate sensors, or respiratory sensors. The biosignature sensors 212 detect the user's vital signs and determine whether the user is asleep. When the user is asleep, the controller 5 can increase the driving voltage of the lower region of the skeleton 22, causing the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 arranged longitudinally in the skeleton 22 to contract and deform, thereby generating an inward corrective force on the lower region to form an inwardly concave and then upwardly rebounding arc-shaped support surface in the lower region of the skeleton 22, thereby conforming to the curve of the user's neck.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the mesh gaps of the skeleton part 22 form a receiving groove 222 for accommodating the sensor matrix 21, and the sensor units 211 of the sensor matrix 21 are placed in the receiving groove 222. In this way, the sensor matrix 21 can be stably embedded, accurately positioned and reliably acquired without compromising the structural integrity and surface continuity of the headrest body 2. This effectively avoids problems such as abrupt tactile sensation and delayed deformation response caused by the sensor matrix 21 being too close to the pillowcase part 23.

[0048] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, including a seat 200 disposed in the vehicle and a headrest assembly 100 for the vehicle seat of any of the above embodiments mounted on the seat 200, wherein a controller 5 of the headrest assembly 100 is communicatively connected to a domain controller 300 of the vehicle, and the controller 5 is configured to control the operation of the headrest assembly 100 according to control commands sent by the domain controller 300.

[0049] Specifically, the controller 5 in this embodiment can be connected to the domain controller 300 of the vehicle (such as the cockpit domain controller 300 or the body domain controller 300) through the CAN bus, and can act in response to voice instructions, touch screen operations of the user or instructions issued by the autonomous driving system, and be resolved into control signals for the headrest body 2 and each driving device; among them, when the control signal output by the controller 5 acts on the headrest body 2, the arc curvature of the skeleton part 22 can be adjusted; when the control signal output by the controller 5 acts on the first driving device 3, the start, stop, steering and rotation speed of the ball tooth driving mechanism 33 can be controlled; when the control signal output by the controller 5 acts on the second driving device 4, the start, stop, movement direction and moving speed of the linear driving mechanism 44 can be controlled. In this way, the controller 5 can serve as a communication bridge between the headrest assembly 100 and the vehicle system, convert abstract instructions into specific action sequences, realize scenario-based linkage control, and thus improve the intelligent level and user experience of the headrest assembly 100.

[0050] It can be understood that for other structures and working principles of the headrest assembly 100, please refer to the above description of the embodiment of the headrest assembly 100; for other structures of the vehicle, please refer to the prior art; since the headrest assembly 100 has the above technical effects, the vehicle with the headrest assembly 100 should also have corresponding technical effects, which will not be elaborated here.

[0051] When the user first enters the vehicle and takes a seat, the headrest is in the default or last memorized position, and cannot immediately adapt to the height, sitting posture and initial spatial position of the head of the current target user, which is likely to cause support delay and insufficient fitting degree. The user needs to manually adjust or wait for the system to respond slowly, affecting the usability and human-computer interaction experience. In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the vehicle also includes an image recognition module 400 installed inside the vehicle. The image recognition module 400 is used to acquire head image information of the target user. The domain controller 300 is connected to the image recognition module 400 and is configured to determine the spatial position of the user's head relative to the seat 200 based on the head image information. The controller 5 is configured to control the headrest body 2 to adjust its position to the spatial position of the user's head in response to a first scene command. The first scene command is the command issued when the user enters the vehicle and sits on the seat 200. In this way, when the user completes the sitting action, the image recognition module 400 can acquire the head image information of the target user and determine the spatial position of the user's head relative to the seat 200. The controller 5 then drives the second drive device 4 to adjust the height of the base 1 and the first drive device 3 to adjust the angle of the headrest body 2, so that the headrest body 2 moves in advance to the support area that matches the spatial position of the user's head. Thus, the headrest assembly 100 is pre-positioned in space before the user's head touches the headrest, improving the responsiveness of the headrest assembly 100 and the human-computer interaction experience.

[0052] Specifically, the image recognition module 400 can employ a camera module installed at the front of the vehicle's roof or inside the A-pillar. Its field of view can cover the front seat area, ensuring that the user's face and head contours can be completely captured regardless of the seat 200's position in the fore-and-aft direction (i.e., the x-axis direction). The head image information includes the coordinates of facial key points (such as the center of the eyes, the tip of the nose, and the angle of the jaw), the Euler angles of the head posture (pitch angle, yaw angle, and roll angle), and the pixel position of the head image frame in the image coordinate system. Based on preset calibration parameters, the domain controller 300 maps the feature points in the image coordinate system to the vehicle coordinate system. Furthermore, by combining the seat 200 slide rail position signal and backrest tilt angle sensor data, it can calculate the three-dimensional coordinates and orientation of the user's head centroid in the seat 200 coordinate system, thereby determining the spatial position of the user's head relative to the seat 200.

[0053] The first scenario command can be determined by the door closing signal, the seat 200 pressure sensor signal (such as being continuously greater than a preset threshold), and the seat 200 position stabilization signal (such as the seat 200 slide rail position and backrest angle not changing within a unit time). The domain controller 300 can confirm the first scenario command of the user entering the vehicle and sitting on the seat 200 by receiving the above signals obtained from the door status switch, the seat 200 pressure sensor, the seat 200 position sensor, and the backrest angle sensor.

[0054] The controller 5 receives the first scene command and the target spatial position command (the control command determined by the domain controller 300 based on the spatial position information of the user's head relative to the seat 200, including the height value in the z-direction and the rotation angle around the x / y / z axes) issued by the domain controller 300. It then activates the second drive device 4 to perform a lifting action and the first drive device 3 to perform a rotation action, causing the geometric center point of the headrest body 2 to approach the spatial position coordinates of the user's head in the coordinate system of the seat 200. In this way, the headrest body 2 can move to the support area matching the spatial position of the user's head before the user's head rests against the headrest, improving the responsiveness of the headrest assembly 100 and the human-computer interaction experience.

[0055] Furthermore, when the headrest assembly 100 includes the skeleton part 22 in the above embodiment, the controller 5 is further configured to: after responding to the first scene command, determine whether the target user is in a sleeping state in response to the second scene command; if so, control the arc curvature of the skeleton part 22 to adjust so that at least a portion of the headrest body 2 fits the neck curve of the target user; wherein, the second scene command is a command issued by the vehicle while it is in motion.

[0056] Specifically, the second scenario command can be issued by the domain controller 300 when it detects that the vehicle is in motion. The domain controller 300 can obtain the vehicle speed through the vehicle's wheel speed sensors. This speed reflects the vehicle's current motion state, and based on this speed information, it can determine whether the vehicle is in motion (e.g., if the speed is not zero, it is determined that the vehicle is in motion). At the same time, the domain controller 300 can detect the target user's head posture through the image recognition module 400 and determine whether the target user is asleep through facial recognition. It can also combine or separately detect the target user's physiological state through the biometric sensors 212 (such as heart rate sensors, breathing sensors, etc.) set in the seat 200 / headrest, thereby determining whether the target user is asleep.

[0057] After the controller 5 responds to the first scene command and controls the position of the headrest body 2 to be adjusted to the spatial position of the user's head, it responds to the second scene command and determines whether the target user is asleep. If it is determined that the target user is asleep, the controller 5 controls the arc curvature of the skeleton part 22 to be adjusted so that at least a part of the headrest body 2 fits the neck curve of the target user. For example, at least part of the aforementioned area can be defined as the lower middle area of ​​the headrest body 2 (such as the area within 1 / 3 of the height of the lower side of the headrest body 2, centered at ±80mm in the horizontal x-axis direction). The controller 5 applies a differential voltage (such as 150V higher than the surrounding area) to the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 in this area, causing the longitudinally arranged silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 in this area to contract and deform, thereby driving the lower middle area of ​​the skeleton part 22 to sink downward and then rebound upward, so as to form an upwardly lifting arc-shaped support surface in the lower middle area of ​​the headrest body 2, thereby improving the fit between the lower middle area of ​​the headrest body 2 and the user's neck curve, and suppressing the phenomenon of head slippage and neck suspension caused by the user's slight adjustment of body position during sleep.

[0058] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, a control method for a headrest assembly 100 is provided. This method, applied to a headrest assembly 100 including the frame portion 22 in the above embodiments or to a vehicle, includes the following steps: S100: Obtain the longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle; Among them, the longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle refers to the negative acceleration component generated by the vehicle along the x-axis (the length direction of the vehicle). It can be obtained by directly measuring the deceleration sensor, or by acquiring the brake pedal opening in real time from the vehicle domain controller 300 and using a lookup table method to establish a mapping between the brake pedal opening and the target deceleration.

[0059] S200: When the longitudinal deceleration is detected to be greater than the preset threshold, the arc curvature of the frame part 22 is adjusted so that the left and right sides of the headrest body 2 (i.e., the y-axis direction) are in contact with the left and right sides of the user's head, and the arc curvature of the frame part 22 is adjusted so that the lower part of the headrest body 2 is in contact with the user's neck.

[0060] The preset threshold is the calibrated critical deceleration value, ranging from 2.5g to 4g (i.e., 24.5 to 39.2 m / s²). In this embodiment, the preset threshold is 3g (29.4 m / s²). When the detected longitudinal deceleration is greater than the preset threshold of 3g, the controller 5 applies a high-voltage pulse signal (e.g., 600V) to the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 in the frame 22 corresponding to the left and right sides of the headrest body 2. This causes the transversely arranged silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers 221 in this area to contract and deform, forming an inwardly concave arc (e.g., 15° arc) in the middle region of the frame 22. This, in turn, drives the left and right sides of the headrest body 2 to move forward, causing the left and right sides of the headrest body 2 to shift. The side areas fit and cover the left and right sides of the user's head; at the same time, the controller 5 applies another independent high voltage pulse signal (such as 500V) to the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 in the frame part 22 corresponding to the lower side area of ​​the headrest body 2, causing the longitudinally arranged silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomer 221 in this area to contract and deform, driving it to produce a composite deformation of downward concavity and upward rebound, forming a support arc surface (such as 10° arc) that conforms to the physiological curvature of the back of the human neck, so that the lower side area of ​​the headrest body 2 fits against the user's neck.

[0061] Through the above steps, the coordinated deformation of the left and right sides and the lower side of the headrest body 2 can form a wrap-around support for the user's head in the event of emergency braking, limiting the head tilt angle (e.g., less than 15°), effectively preventing excessive stretching of the user's neck and whiplash injury.

[0062] It is understood that, in this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "assembly," "connection," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0063] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. "A plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. The terms "some embodiments," "exemplarily," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application.

[0064] The illustrative expressions of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described herein, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0065] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can modify, substitute, and vary the above embodiments within the scope of this application. Therefore, any changes or modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of this application should fall within the scope of this patent application.

Claims

1. A headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, characterized in that, include: A base for connecting to the backrest of the seat; The headrest body is equipped with a sensor matrix, which is configured to provide feedback on the current position information of the user's head when the head rests against the pillow. A first driving device is disposed in the base, and its output end is connected to the headrest body for driving the headrest body to rotate relative to the base. A second drive device is provided, wherein the base is connected to the back of the seat via the second drive device, and the second drive device is configured to drive the base to rise and fall relative to the back of the seat; as well as A controller is located within the base and is connected to the sensor matrix and the first drive device, respectively. The controller is configured to adjust the rotation angle of the headrest body relative to the base based on the current position information.

2. The headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor matrix includes multiple sensor units, which are arranged in an array on the side of the headrest body away from the base, and are used to acquire detection information at different positions of the headrest body as the current position information. The controller is configured to determine the relative position of the user's head on the headrest body based on the current position information, so as to control the headrest body to rotate to uniformly fit the user's head; wherein, The sensor unit is a pressure sensor, and the current position information includes pressure information at different positions of the headrest body; and / or, The sensor unit is a temperature sensor, and the current location information includes temperature information at different locations on the headrest body.

3. The headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving device includes a spherical gear, a cage, a spherical gear drive mechanism, and a support rod. The cage has a spherical cavity inside, and the spherical gear is rotatably confined within the spherical cavity. The spherical cavity has an opening on the side facing the headrest body. One end of the support rod is fixed to the spherical gear, and the other end extends out of the opening and is connected to the headrest body. The spherical gear drive mechanism is fixed inside the cage and acts on the radial position of the spherical gear, driving the spherical gear to rotate so as to cause the headrest body to rotate relative to the base.

4. The headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second driving device includes: An upper guide rail is provided, which is supported below the base. The lower guide rail is fixed to the back of the seat; A linkage assembly includes a first link and a second link hinged to each other. The two ends of the first link are rotatably connected to an upper guide rail and a lower guide rail, respectively. The two ends of the second link are also rotatably connected to the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail, respectively. The upper guide rail has a first slot, and one end of the first link is rotatably slidably connected to the upper guide rail via the first slot. The lower guide rail has a second slot, and one end of the second link is rotatably slidably connected to the lower guide rail via the second slot. The second slot corresponds to the first slot in the height direction. A linear drive mechanism is fixed to the lower guide rail, and its output end acts on one of the upper guide rail, the first connecting rod, and the second connecting rod to drive the upper guide rail to move along the height direction.

5. The headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The headrest body includes: A skeleton portion comprising a plurality of silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers arranged in a grid-like cross-section, the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers being configured to change their curvature according to the application of voltage; the plurality of the silicone rubber-based dielectric elastomers being connected to a controller via wires, the controller being further configured to adjust the arcuate curvature of the skeleton portion by controlling the supply voltage of the skeleton portion; and The pillowcase portion covers the frame portion, and the sensor matrix is ​​distributed on the main surface of the frame portion and acts on the side of the pillowcase portion away from the base.

6. The headrest assembly for a vehicle seat according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mesh gaps of the skeleton portion form a receiving groove for accommodating the sensor matrix, and the sensor units of the sensor matrix are placed in the receiving groove.

7. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes a seat disposed within the vehicle and a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat as described in any one of claims 1-6, mounted on the seat, wherein, The controller of the headrest assembly is communicatively connected to the domain controller of the vehicle, and the controller is configured to control the operation of the headrest assembly according to control commands sent by the domain controller.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes an image recognition module disposed inside the vehicle, the image recognition module being used to acquire head image information of a target user; the domain controller is connected to the image recognition module and is configured to determine the spatial position of the user's head relative to the seat based on the head image information; the controller is configured to control the position of the headrest body to adjust to the spatial position of the user's head in response to a first scene command; wherein... The first scenario instruction is issued by the user upon entering the vehicle and sitting in the seat.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, In the case that the headrest assembly includes the skeletal portion as described in claim 5 or 6, the controller is further configured to: After responding to the first scenario instruction, the system determines whether the target user is in a sleep state in response to the second scenario instruction. If so, the arc curvature of the skeleton is adjusted so that at least a portion of the headrest body conforms to the neck curve of the target user; wherein, The second scenario command is the command issued by the vehicle while it is in motion.

10. A control method for a headrest assembly, applied to a headrest assembly for a vehicle seat as described in claims 5-6 or a vehicle as described in claim 9; characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the vehicle's longitudinal deceleration; When the longitudinal deceleration is detected to be greater than a preset threshold, the curvature of the skeleton is adjusted so that the left and right sides of the headrest body fit with the left and right sides of the user's head, and the curvature of the skeleton is adjusted so that the lower part of the headrest body fits with the user's neck.

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