Headrest

Abstract

The headrest has a head box, the head box is provided for carrying the cushion of the headrest, the headrest has two carrying bores in the head box, the carrying bores can be accessed from the lower side of the head box, the headrest has two carrying rods, the carrying rods are matched with the respective carrying bores, the carrying rods are placed in the respective carrying bores of the head box with the head box sections, and the respective anchoring sections of the carrying rods are provided for arranging the headrest on the vehicle part, especially the vehicle seat, wherein the shape locking is made between the head box section of each carrying rod and the respectively relevant carrying bore, the shape locking prevents the rotation of the head box around the longitudinal axis of the head box section of the carrying rod, and wherein the shape locking is made by the cross section profile congruence between the carrying rod cross section and the carrying bore cross section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a headrest for a vehicle, the headrest having a head box configured to support a cushion for the headrest, the headrest having two support holes in the head box accessible from the underside of the head box, the headrest having two support rods associated with each support hole, the support rods being inserted into each support hole in the head box section, and the corresponding anchoring sections of the support holes being configured for arranging the headrest on vehicle components, particularly vehicle seats, wherein a form-locking engagement is created between the head box section of each support rod and the respective associated support hole, the form-locking engagement preventing the head box from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the head box section of the support rod. Background Technology

[0002] Headrests for vehicles, especially for vehicle seats, are well known in the prior art. The applicant's EP2 511 127 B1 can be used as a reference.

[0003] Headrests fastened to vehicle seats are used to prevent passengers' heads from being exposed to centrifugal force in the event of a vehicle accident and to avoid or minimize injury, especially to the cervical spine.

[0004] The headrest consists of a so-called head box, also known as a cushion carrier, and is typically formed from a plastic injection molded part. There are usually two blind-hole-like openings in the head box, each accommodating a support rod. The head box, thus secured to the support rods—after being cushioned and covered—is then placed on the vehicle seat. For this purpose, the vehicle seat also has drilled holes into which the free ends of the support rods are inserted.

[0005] Typically, the headrest's head box is supported in a manner that allows it to move vertically along the longitudinal axis, so that different head positions of passengers in terms of their height can be taken into account.

[0006] One method already tested in the prior art is to implement vertical mobility of the headrest in a way that minimizes friction. To this end, a tubular sliding element made of POM plastic is inserted into the head box, the sliding element forming a corresponding receiving portion for the support rod. In addition, the support rod is typically provided with a lubricant—usually oil—to enable simple height adjustment of the head box.

[0007] To lock the headrest at a specific height, the sections of the support rod located within the head box have spaced-apart slots that are pressed into the support rod. Spring tabs are typically arranged within the head box, engaging with slots corresponding to the selected height and thus holding the headrest in the designated height position.

[0008] In an ideal geometric configuration, during an accident, the passenger's head impacts the headrest orthogonally and centrally, causing the resulting thrust to be evenly absorbed by the load-bearing rods and discharged through the seat. In vehicles with common seating arrangements, the passenger is oriented towards the front of the vehicle, and the ideal direction of impact with the headrest corresponds to a parallel motion relative to the vehicle's longitudinal central axis.

[0009] However, in reality, in the event of an accident, various factors often result in a passenger's head striking the headrest not in the ideal direction and not in the ideal orientation. The direction of impact is rarely perpendicular to the impact surface or the headrest cushion. The head also rarely strikes the headrest centrally.

[0010] All deviations from the ideal situation imply a torsional effect on the headbox, which leads to the torsion of the headrest and thus results in limited protection.

[0011] To prevent torsion, the sliding element typically has two opposing slots: the support rods are positioned within the sliding element in the head box. A split pin is inserted into each support rod, which is guided within the slot of the sliding element; thus, torsion of the headrest around the support rods is ideally prevented, but at least strongly limited.

[0012] Even though the basic construction of headrests in the prior art—as mentioned above—has been proven in many respects, headrests are complex to manufacture. Furthermore, the reuse of different material compositions is questionable, as the disposal of headrests requires complex separation, specifically a disassembly process for removing the POM sliding elements. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The objective of this invention is to provide a headrest with a simpler construction that still meets all aspects of safety requirements.

[0014] This task is solved by a headrest with features described later, especially those with characteristic features described later, which, according to these features, creates shape locking by ensuring the cross-sectional profile congruence between the cross-sectional cross-section of the bearing rod and the cross-sectional cross-section of the bearing borehole.

[0015] If, according to the present invention, the form-locking between the support rod (especially primarily the head box section of the support rod) and the support bore is manufactured through the cross-sectional profile of the support rod and the support bore, the step of inserting the end pin, i.e., the additional component, can be omitted. In defining the term "cross-section," the indentations commonly found in support rods used for headrests, used for, for example, height fixation, should be disregarded. These indentations, due to their function, orientation, and direction, cannot create the form-locking between the support rod and the support bore, which is necessary to prevent torsion.

[0016] The prerequisite for shape locking of a cross-sectional profile is that the cross-sectional profile is different from a circular cross-section.

[0017] The present invention preferably has an oval, and especially elliptical, cross-sectional profile for the bearing rod and the bearing bore. However, other axial grooves on the side of the bearing rod and interlocking axial tabs on the side of the bearing bore can be considered.

[0018] In this configuration, the support rod and the support borehole are designed to form abutment surfaces that allow the support rod to be stably supported within the support borehole.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bearing bore is constructed directly from the headrest's head box and, in particular, in a manner without intermediate components. That is to say, the present invention eliminates separate sliding elements, such as those known in the prior art in the form of POM sliding elements. This advantageously ensures that, when recycling the headrest, it is not necessary to complexly separate the individual (plastic) components of the head box. Furthermore, by eliminating intermediate components forming the bearing bore, the manufacture and assembly of the headrest are significantly simplified.

[0020] In addition, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the present invention provides that the bearing borehole has at least one, preferably at least three tabs on its inner periphery, the tabs being arranged in a manner that is evenly distributed on the periphery and extending along the long axis relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing borehole.

[0021] First, this type of connector ensures that the contact area between the support rod and the support bore is minimized, thus reducing friction between the headrest and the support rod, especially with a height-adjustable headrest. Consequently, the headrest is arranged in a way that allows it to move along the longitudinal axis of the support rod, and the height adjustment of the headrest can be designed to be particularly simple and comfortable for the user.

[0022] With at least three tabs arranged preferably evenly distributed on the inner periphery of the bearing borehole, it is ensured that the bearing rod is centered and held in the bearing borehole.

[0023] The following embodiment is particularly preferred: in this embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the oval, especially elliptical, cross-sectional profile of the bearing rod is oriented parallel to the ideal head impact direction, that is, orthogonally to the vertical plane formed by the head box section of the bearing rod.

[0024] The orientation of the load-bearing rod takes into account that an oval or elliptical shape has the greatest force absorption capacity at the apex of its major axis. This allows manufacturers to utilize the geometry to provide a significantly more stable load-bearing rod—compared to existing technologies and, in particular, load-bearing rods with circular cross-sections—with the same material thickness. Alternatively, the same stability can be ensured with a reduced wall thickness of a sleeve-shaped load-bearing rod compared to existing technologies, resulting in less material usage and corresponding resource savings. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Furthermore, additional advantages of the invention are illustrated in the following description of one embodiment, which also contributes to a better understanding of the invention. The accompanying drawings show:

[0026] Figure 1 A first perspective exploded view of the right side of the headrest according to the invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 2 The left side of the headrest is shown. Figure 1 The view,

[0028] Figure 3 The lower side of the headrest is shown according to... Figure 1 Perspective view,

[0029] Figure 4 Showing according to Figure 1 A perspective view of a headrest in its assembled form.

[0030] Figure 5 The basis for showing the headrest Figure 4 The sectional view of section line AA in the middle.

[0031] Figure 6 Showing according to Figure 1 Bottom view of the headrest's head box.

[0032] Figure 7 Showing according to Figure 1 Side view of the headrest's support rod.

[0033] Figure 8 The basis for showing the bearing rod Figure 7 The sectional view of section line BB in the middle.

[0034] Figure 9 The basis for showing the bearing rod Figure 7 The sectional view of section line CC in the figure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] exist Figure 1 In the present invention, the headrest is provided with reference numeral 10 throughout.

[0036] First, the headrest 10 includes a head box 11. This is typically a plastic injection-molded part—possibly composed of several separate components, sometimes referred to as a cushion carrier. In the case of the headrest being installed in a vehicle, the head box 11 carries—not shown here—a cushioning material, which is then surrounded by a cover. That is, the head box 11 itself is generally not visible to the passenger.

[0037] In addition, the headrest 10 includes two support rods 12, which can be divided into a head box section 13 and an anchoring section 14. The head box section 13 is a portion of the support rod that is fitted to the head box 11 and, as will be shown later, at least partially inserted therein and holds the head box 11 on the support rod 12. The anchoring section 14 is for insertion into a vehicle seat (not shown) and thus positions the headrest 10 on the vehicle seat.

[0038] exist Figure 1 In the perspective side view shown, safety embossing 15 is shown on each support bar 12 and on the head box section 13. This safety embossing 15 works in conjunction with a pull-out safety device (not shown in more detail) in the head box and prevents the head box 11 from being removed from the support bar 12 when the headrest 10 is height-adjustable.

[0039] Then, Figure 1 A locking lever 16 is also shown, by which a locking spring, not shown further and not of essential importance to the invention, can be released. These locking springs are arranged within the head box and work in conjunction with the locking embossing 17 of the support lever 12 to secure the height-adjustable head box 11 at a defined height position. The locking lever 16 is inserted into a locking channel 18, which is covered by a press-button (not shown) for actuating the locking lever 16.

[0040] The support rod 12 is implemented in a curved manner between the head box section 13 and the anchoring section 14, such that the head box section 13 and the anchoring section 14 of each support rod are at an angle to each other. In this way, the tilt of the vehicle seat back can be taken into account by the anchoring section 14, and the head box can be guaranteed to be substantially vertically oriented even in the case of a tilted seat.

[0041] Figure 2 In the direction of Figure 1 The view showing the left side of the headrest, which is not visible in the center, is shown according to... Figure 1 10. Headrest.

[0042] exist Figure 2 The image shows, in particular, the locking embossing 17 of the head box section 13 of the support rod 12, the function of which has been briefly summarized above.

[0043] Furthermore, pull-out embossing 19 of the support rod 12 can be seen, which is located in the area of ​​the anchoring section 14. These pull-out embossing 19 protect the support rod 12 in the vehicle seat (not shown further) from accidental pull-out.

[0044] Figure 3 Showing according to Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the lower side of the headrest 10. From this exploded perspective view, it can be seen that the head box 11 has a bearing hole 20 on its lower side, which is constructed to accommodate the respective head box sections 13.

[0045] Figure 6 The head box 11 is shown according to Figure 3 The bottom view is shown by arrow VI in the diagram. Here, it can be seen that the support bore 20 is oval, particularly elliptical, and is constructed directly from the head box 11 itself. The support bore 20 has tabs 21 on its inner periphery. These tabs 21 are placed in the support bore in a manner parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head box section 13 of the corresponding support rod 12, i.e., in the pushing direction of the support rod 12. By means of these tabs 21 (which are advantageous but not essential for the invention), the contact surfaces between the support rod 12 (or more precisely, the head box section 13 of the support rod) and the support bore 20 can be minimized. This reduces static friction between the head box 11 and the support rod 12, improving comfort during height adjustment, i.e., when moving the head box 11 along the support rod 12. It is not excluded that, in addition to or instead of the tabs 12, a friction-reducing oiled portion may be provided for the head box section 13 of the support rod 12.

[0046] Figure 4 Showing according to Figures 1 to 3 The headrest 10 is in its assembled state. The support rod 12, with its head box section 13, is first inserted into the support bore 20, and there it is locked in a defined height position in the head box 11 by the combined action of the locking embossing and the spring element placed in the head box 11. If a cushion and cover, which are not shown here and are carried by the head box, are added, the headrest can be mounted on the vehicle seat via the anchoring section.

[0047] Figure 7 The support rod 12 is shown in the side view. Here, the locking embossing 17 in the head box section 13 and the pull-out embossing 19 in the anchoring section 14 of the support rod 12 are shown again. According to... Figure 9 As shown in, according to Figure 8 The sectional view along section line CC shows that the bearing rod 12, especially the head box section 13, has a cross-sectional profile different from that of a circular cross-section. (See also...) Figure 6As can be seen, the support rod 12 is accommodated in the oval, and especially elliptical, cross-sectional profile of the support borehole 20, such that the support borehole 20 and the support rod 12 have mutually congruent, elliptical cross-sectional profiles. Since the diameters of the support rod 12 and the support borehole 20 are mutually matched, the cross-sectional profiles achieve a shape-locking effect between the support rod 12 and the support borehole 20, preventing the support rod 12 from rotating within the support borehole 20. With the support rod 12 positioned within the support borehole 20, the head box 11 cannot twist around the support rod 12. Of course, this shape-locking effect can also be achieved using other cross-sectional profiles, as long as these profiles differ from a circular cross-section. It is also possible to introduce a groove extending axially relative to the support rod 12 into the head box section 13, the groove extending from the free end of the head box section—the end to be inserted into the support borehole 20—into the anchoring section 14. In this case, it is necessary to arrange an engagement boss (not shown further) in the bearing bore 20, which is shape-locked into the aforementioned groove and thereby achieves a correspondence of the cross-sectional profiles of each other, which creates a shape lock between the head box 11 and the bearing rod 12.

[0048] besides, Figure 9 A view showing the safety embossing 15 introduced into the head box section 13 of the support rod 12. According to... Figure 9 The cross-sectional view also shows the embossed pattern 17 of the locking mechanism.

[0049] Figure 8 The basis for showing the bearing rod 12 is shown. Figure 7 A sectional view of section line BB in the diagram. Additionally, a sectional view for section line BB is shown. Figure 9 The situation has already been described.

[0050] Figure 5 The assembly of the headrest is shown. Figure 4 The cross-sectional view is shown by section line AA. Here, the corresponding head box section 13 of the support rod 12 is inserted into the corresponding support bore 20. The congruent elliptical cross sections act in a common shape locking manner and prevent the head box 11 from twisting about the longitudinal axis of the head box section 13 of the support rod 12.

[0051] The headrest has a front side V facing the passenger, which is configured as a contact surface for the passenger's head. The contact surface A points substantially parallel to a vertical plane E that extends through the longitudinal axis of the headrest section 13 of the support rod 12. Here, varying degrees of obvious anatomical fit of the contact surface A are intentionally disregarded. Ideally, the passenger's head is strictly vertical and centered at Z (see...). Figure 4The impact struck the headbox 11. The ideal direction was achieved through... Figure 5 The directional arrow X is indicated in the diagram. In this case, no torque is generated on the head box 11.

[0052] However, this ideal situation rarely occurs. Typically, the head impacts the contact surface A at an angle and laterally offset from the center Z, thereby applying torque to the headrest 11. This torque is absorbed and intercepted by the form-locking between the support rod 12 or primarily by the support rod 11 and the support bore 20, so that the headrest 10 only yields to the impact energy elastically through the padding to the extent that it avoids injury, and ideally only by the padding itself, without ever engaging in torsional movements that contradict its protective purpose.

[0053] Figure 5 It is also shown that the particularly preferred elliptical cross-sectional profile of the bearing rod 12 and the bearing bore 20 has a special orientation. The longitudinal axis L of the ellipse, that is, the axis L passing through the farthest vertices of the ellipse, is orthogonal to the vertical plane E, that is, parallel to the ideal impact direction X.

[0054] In this way, the static properties of the ellipse are optimally utilized. The oval shape has the greatest force absorption capacity in the region at the apex of its major axis, making it particularly stable in that orientation. Therefore, compared to the existing support rod 12 with a circular cross-sectional profile, higher stability can be achieved with the same material thickness for the sleeve-shaped support rod 12. If increased stability is not required, the same stability can be achieved with a smaller wall thickness, i.e., reduced material usage. This offers significant advantages in terms of weight, resource consumption, and production.

[0055] The accompanying drawings also show that the headrest 10 according to the invention can eliminate the need for separate sliding elements, such as POM sliders known in the prior art, without sacrificing functionality. In summary, the present invention discloses a novel headrest 10 that solves many problems in the prior art. First, the headrest provides an alternative method for achieving form-locking between the support rod 12 and the support bore 20. Instead of guiding separate pins through the support rod and inserting these pins into the slots of the support bore 20, the support rod 12 and the support bore 20 are provided with identical cross-sectional profiles to achieve form-locking. In this way, complex steps in manufacturing the headrest 10 are eliminated.

[0056] Furthermore, this invention proposes to construct a structure that carries the 20 drilled parts directly through the head box without using a separate sliding element. This simplifies the assembly of the head box 11. It eliminates the need to assemble a separate sliding element in a separate working step.

[0057] In addition, the head box 11 is not made of components made of different plastics. This facilitates the reuse of the head box 11 because the head box is "single-type" and there is no need to separately disassemble the additional sliding components made of "heterogeneous plastics" before recycling.

[0058] The particularly preferred oval, and especially elliptical, cross-sectional profile of the support rod 12 and the support borehole 20 allows for the manufacture of a more stable support rod 12 with the same material usage, or a support rod 12 with the same stability as that known in the prior art with a circular cross-section, while using less material. In particular, resource usage can be reduced while maintaining the same stability.

[0059] List of reference numerals

[0060] 10 headrests

[0061] 11 Head Box

[0062] 12 load-bearing rods

[0063] 13 Head Box Section

[0064] 14 Anchorage Section

[0065] 15 Safety Embossing

[0066] 16 Locking lever

[0067] 17. Embossed Lock

[0068] 18 Locked Channel

[0069] 19. Pull out the embossed pattern.

[0070] 20 Load-bearing borehole

[0071] 21 stitching

[0072] V front side

[0073] A. Surface against

[0074] E Vertical plane

[0075] Z Center

[0076] X Ideal impact direction

[0077] L longitudinal axis

Claims

1. Headrest for vehicles (10). - It has a head box (11) which is configured as a cushion for supporting the headrest (10). It has two support holes (20) in the head box (11), which can be accessed from the underside of the head box (11). - It has two support rods (12), each of which is associated with a support bore (20). The support rods are inserted into the support bores (20) of the head box (11) via head box sections (13), and the corresponding anchoring sections (14) of the support rods are configured for arranging the headrest (10) on the vehicle component, wherein, - A form-locking mechanism is created between the head box section (13) of each support rod (12) and the corresponding support bore (20), the form-locking mechanism preventing the head box (11) from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the head box section (13) of the support rod (12). Its features are, - The shape lock is achieved by ensuring the cross-sectional profile is identical between the cross-sectional cross-section of the bearing rod and the cross-sectional cross-section of the bearing borehole.

2. The headrest (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The corresponding anchoring section (14) of the support rod is configured for arranging the headrest (10) on the vehicle seat.

3. The headrest (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support rod (12) has a cross-section that is different from a circular shape.

4. The headrest (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The bearing bore (20) is constructed directly from the head box (11) and, in particular, in a manner without intermediate components.

5. The headrest (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bearing rod (12) and the bearing bore (20) have an oval cross-sectional profile.

6. The headrest (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bearing rod (12) and the bearing bore (20) have an elliptical cross-sectional profile.

7. The headrest (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The bearing bore (20) has at least one tab (21) on its inner periphery, the tab being arranged in a manner that is evenly distributed on the periphery and extending along the long axis relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing bore.

8. The headrest (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bearing borehole (20) has at least three tabs (21) on its inner periphery, the tabs being arranged in a manner that is evenly distributed on the periphery and extending along the long axis relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing borehole.

9. The headrest (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The head box (11) is arranged in a way that allows it to move along the longitudinal axis of the support rod.

10. The headrest (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The longitudinal axis (L) of the oval cross-sectional profile of the support rod (12) is oriented parallel to the ideal head impact direction, i.e., orthogonal to the vertical plane formed by the head box section (13) of the support rod (12).

11. The headrest (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The longitudinal axis (L) of the elliptical cross-sectional profile of the support rod (12) is oriented parallel to the ideal head impact direction, i.e., orthogonal to the vertical plane formed by the head box section (13) of the support rod (12).

Images