Backrest with backrest extension for vehicle seats

Abstract

Backrest extension (2) for a backrest (1) of a vehicle seat, comprising a head section (3) and a retaining device (4), characterized in that the retaining device (4) is a substantially U-shaped tube element (15) which is at least partially encased in an integral foam mass (22) to form the head section (3) and is thus inseparably connected.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an extendable backrest extension for a backrest of a vehicle seat, comprising a headrest and a holding device, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Backrest extensions, consisting of a headrest and a support mechanism, currently require numerous components. For example, support mechanisms in the form of tubular elements are first connected to a hard plastic part, which then has to be inserted into a hard shell component of the headrest and screwed into place. This hard shell component, together with the support mechanism, is then fitted with padding, which may have a cover. Such assemblies are currently composed of seven parts and require time-consuming and costly assembly.

[0003] Therefore, the object of the invention is to equip vehicle seats with a backrest in such a way that they have an extendable backrest extension with a headrest and a holding device, which can be manufactured simply and cost-effectively.

[0004] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0005] An extendable backrest extension for a vehicle seat backrest, in which the backrest extension comprises a headrest and a retaining device, is characterized by the fact that the retaining device is an essentially U-shaped tubular element which is at least partially encased in an integral foam mass to form the headrest and is thus inseparably connected.

[0006] This backrest extension consists of just two parts: a U-shaped tube and an integral foam insert that forms the headrest with a cushion. This design effectively fulfills two essential functions: firstly, the comfort provided by the integral foam insert, which acts as padding for the driver's back; and secondly, the secure attachment via a simple U-shaped tube that engages with the backrest, providing support to both the backrest and the vehicle seat.

[0007] Preferably, the open ends of the U-shaped tube element are arranged so that they can be moved vertically along the top of the backrest. Consequently, the backrest extension can be moved up and down to provide the appropriate comfortable back support for taller or shorter individuals.

[0008] For this purpose, it is advantageous if the open ends are inserted into designated openings on the top of the backrest. These openings can be equipped with backrest-mounted guide sleeves to ensure the stability of the tubular element against the backrest structure and its top surface, even under strong impacts. This also minimizes wear and tear, even after many years of use of the backrest extension.

[0009] At the open ends of the U-shaped tube element, locking elements or sections are arranged on the outside, into which locking elements located on the backrest side can engage. This allows the backrest extension to be easily pulled up and pushed down relative to the backrest and simultaneously locked into the desired height position.

[0010] Viewed in a side cross-section, the headrest has an essentially L-shaped profile, with a long L-shaped section extending downwards from top to bottom, partially along the front of the backrest, and a shorter L-shaped section running from back to front. This means that the headrest features this short L-shaped section at the top, extending downwards in such a way that any gap that forms between the top of the backrest and the upper part of the headrest, where the tubular element extends when the backrest extension is pulled upwards, is covered from the front. This has the advantage of both visually concealing the tubular element and providing additional support in the back area, thus improving seating comfort.

[0011] Preferably, a connecting section of the U-shaped tube element opens into the rear of the short L-shaped leg section and is encased in foam in this area. Thus, the actual head section, which is formed from the integral foam material, is placed on or connected to the tube element in its rear area. The resulting gap, viewed in cross-section, between the tube element and the long, front-mounted L-shaped leg section can be used to accommodate parts of the upper part of the backrest when the backrest extension is fully retracted, i.e., lowered.

[0012] In the rear section of the short L-shaped leg, a recess in the integral foam serves as a handle. This allows for the simple, cost- and time-free integration of a handle for raising or lowering the headrest relative to the backrest.

[0013] Preferably, the headboard can have image and / or text elements embedded in the integral foam on the front side, which can be easily and quickly replaced depending on the insert used in the foam mold. In this way, for example, a logo and the scar pattern of the headboard can be added to the front of the headboard without any additional time expenditure.

[0014] Further advantageous embodiments and uses will become apparent from the following description of the figures. These show: Fig. 1 in a side view a backrest with a backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 2 a front view of the backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 3 a side view of the backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 4 a partially cut-open form the interior area of ​​the backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 5 a top view of the backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 6 a bottom view of the backrest extension according to the invention; Fig. 7 a front view of the backrest extension according to the invention with a section line shown; and Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view of the backrest extension according to the invention along the in Fig. Line 7 shown.

[0015] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a side view of a backrest with the backrest extension according to the invention. The backrest 1 has a backrest extension part 2 on its upper surface and on its front surface in the upper area, which consists of a head section 3 and retaining devices 4.

[0016] The retaining device 4 can be moved upwards or downwards in the vertical direction 5 relative to the backrest 1.

[0017] For this purpose, the retaining device 4, in the form of two rods which may be tubular in design, opens into a top surface 1a of the backrest 1 by means of openings 6 which are arranged on the top surface 1a of the backrest 1. Advantageously, these openings 6 have guide sleeves 7 on the backrest side in order to stabilize the tubular retaining devices 4 against the backrest 1.

[0018] The headrest is designed in an essentially L-shape. This L is composed of a long L-shaped leg section 8 and a short L-shaped leg section 9. The resulting inverted L shape of the headrest allows the long L-shaped leg section 8 to seamlessly integrate into the upholstery of the backrest, extending almost integrally from top to bottom. This ensures a high level of seating comfort. There is no separate headrest from the backrest 1, which typically has a gap between the actual headrest and the top of the backrest. Instead, in this case, the long L-shaped leg section 8 covers the support device 4, which may be tubular. This provides additional support for the driver's back and neck.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a front view of the backrest extension or backrest extension part according to the invention. In this front view, the headrest 3 is provided with a logo 10 on its front surface 3a. This logo 10 can be created by an insert in the mold used for the foaming process for the headrest and can be quickly replaced. Thus, during the foaming process of the headrest 3 for the overmolding of the holding device 4, a logo or a word and / or image element 10 is simultaneously created on the front of the headrest without requiring any additional time. Naturally, the insert for the word and / or image element, whether positive or negative, can be replaced at any time, allowing for quick replacement of this word and / or image element 10 for a subsequent production run.

[0020] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a side view of the backrest extension according to the invention. This view clearly illustrates the L-shape of the head section. It consists of the long L-shaped leg section 8 extending downwards and the short L-shaped leg section 9 extending from back to front.

[0021] In the rear area 9a of the short L-shaped leg section 9, the retaining device 4 is preferably attached in such a way that it is surrounded by an integral foam mass of the head section in this area.

[0022] In Fig. Figure 4 shows a partially open view of the backrest extension according to the invention. This view illustrates the design of the retaining device 4. It is depicted as a U-shaped tubular element 15, which has a left-hand leg section 16a and a right-hand leg section 16b. These leg sections 16a and 16b are equipped on their undersides with open ends 17a and 17b, which are intended to engage with the backrest 1, which is not shown in detail here.

[0023] An integral foam mass 22 forms the entire area of ​​the headboard in such a way that only the lower ends 17a and 17b protrude from the finished foam mass 22, as is the case, for example, in Fig. 2 is shown.

[0024] The U-shaped pipe element 15 also has a horizontally extending section 18 on its upper side, which transitions into the leg sections 16a and 16b by means of curved sections 19a and 19b. Such a pipe can be bent quickly and easily in one piece without requiring welding or similar work.

[0025] The upper section 18 of the pipe element 15 is embedded in the integral foam mass or surrounded by it in the area 20.

[0026] A handle element 21 is designed such that it merely represents a depression or a recess, elongated in shape when viewed in the width direction, as is also the case, for example, in Fig. 6 can be seen.

[0027] In Fig. Figure 5 shows a top view of the backrest extension according to the invention. This illustration shows the grain, which is intentionally created during the foaming process, on the surface of the headrest. This can, for example, imitate a leather effect. The headrest 3 has a top surface 3b.

[0028] In Fig. Figure 6 shows an underside of the backrest extension according to the invention. It consists of the head section 3 with an underside 3c and the open ends 17a and 17b of the tubular element 15 that terminate on the underside. The recessed handle 21 in the foam mass 22 can also be seen in this illustration.

[0029] In Fig. Figure 7 shows another front view of the backrest extension according to the invention, in which a line 30 can be seen, along which a cross-section according to Fig. 8 is considered.

[0030] In Fig. Figure 8 is the cross-sectional view along line 30 of Fig. Figure 7 shows that the pipe element sections 16a and 16b, preferably facing each other, have locking elements 31 integrated into these pipe elements. These locking element sections 31 can be shaped differently and arranged at different intervals to ensure reliable locking of the backrest extension in the vertical direction 5 relative to the backrest 2 by means of locking elements, which are not shown in detail here.

[0031] The head section 3 again has the L-shape with sections 8 and 9 and shows a back side 3d.

[0032] Section 18 of the U-shaped tubular element, as shown in Fig. The cross-sectional view, as shown in Figure 4, is also visible in this cross-sectional view.

[0033] All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed to be essential to the invention, provided that they are novel individually or in combination compared to the prior art. Reference symbol list 1 backrest 1a Top of the backrest 2 Backrest extension / backrest extension part 3 Headboard 3a Front of the headboard 3b Top of the headboard 4 Holding device 5 Altitude direction 6 openings 7 guide sleeves 8 Long L-shaped leg section 9 Short L-shaped leg section 9a Posterior part of the short L-shaped leg section 10 Logo / word and / or image element 15 U-shaped pipe element 16a Left thigh section 16b Right thigh section 17a Open end / Lower end 17b Open end / Lower end 18 Horizontal section / Top section 19a arc section 19b arc section Area 20 21 Handle element 22 Integral foam compound / foam compound 30 Cross-sectional line 31 locking elements / locking element sections

Claims

[1] Backrest extension (2) for a backrest (1) of a vehicle seat, comprising a headrest (3) and a retaining device (4), characterized by , that the holding device (4) is an essentially U-shaped tube element (15) which is at least partially encased in an integral foam mass (22) to form the head part (3) and is thus inseparably connected. [2] Backrest extension (2) according to claim 1, characterized by , that open ends (17a, 17b) of the U-shaped tube element (15) are movable in the vertical direction (5) and can be stored on a top side (1a) of the backrest (1). [3] Backrest extension (2) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the open ends (17a, 17b) are inserted into openings (6) on the top (1a) of the backrest (1). [4] Backrest extension (2) according to claim 3, characterized by , that the openings (6) are equipped with backrest-fixed guide sleeves (7). [5] Backrest extension (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that in the area of ​​the open ends (17a, 17b) of the U-shaped tube element (15) grid element sections (31) are arranged on the outside, into which locking elements arranged on the backrest side can engage. [6] Backrest extension (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the head section (3) in the lateral cross-section (30) has an essentially L-shaped profile (8, 9) such that a long L-shaped leg section (8) extends from top to bottom in parts along the front of the backrest and a short L-shaped leg section (9) runs from back to front. [7] Backrest extension (2) according to claim 6, characterized by , that in the rear area (9a) of the short L-shaped leg section (9) a U-shaped section (18, 19a, 19b) of the U-shaped pipe element (15) enters and is foamed in this area (9a). [8] Backrest extension (2) according to claim 7, characterized by , that in the rear area (9a) of the short L-shaped leg section (9) a recess is arranged on its rear side (3d) as a handle element (21) in the integral foam mass (22). [9] Backrest extension (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the head section (3) has image and / or word elements (10) embedded in the integral foam mass (22) on the front.

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