Motor vehicle seat headrest

Abstract

The invention relates to a headrest (1) for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising a secondary body (4) mounted to slide longitudinally on a main body (3) and a locking device for said secondary body comprising a latch (5) mounted to slide vertically on said main body between a locked position, where it cooperates with a rack (6), and an unlocked position, said rack having a plurality of grooves (22) having a rear face (23) inclined with respect to the vertical and a front face (24) substantially vertical, said latch having a locking portion (19) of a shape complementary to that of said grooves, so that said latch, when in the locked position, fits snugly into the groove (22) in which it is engaged. Figure 3A

Description

Title of the invention: Headrest for a motor vehicle seat

[0001] The invention relates to a headrest for a motor vehicle seat.

[0002] It is known to produce a headrest for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising: • a mounting frame on a back of said seat, • a main body mounted on said frame, • a secondary body mounted to slide longitudinally on said main body, so that said secondary body can adopt a plurality of longitudinal adjustment positions, said secondary body being provided with a wall for receiving the head of an occupant of said seat, • a device for locking said secondary body in the chosen adjustment position, said device comprising a latch mounted to slide vertically on said main body between a locking position, where it cooperates with a locking rack extending longitudinally on said secondary body, and an unlocking position, where it moves away from said rack to release the sliding of said secondary body, said device further comprising a spring means for actuating said latch in locking and a means for actuating said latch in unlocking against said spring means, said rack having a plurality of similar grooves succeeding one another longitudinally, said grooves having a rear face inclined relative to the vertical, so as to be in relief, and a substantially vertical front face,so that the sliding of said secondary body forward is possible without having to unlock said device and that said sliding is blocked backward.

[0003] With such an arrangement, the seat occupant simply pulls the secondary body forward to advance its adjustment position.

[0004] On the other hand, it is necessary to actuate the locking device in unlocking mode in order to be able to push the secondary body backwards, the blocking of said body in rearward sliding in the absence of voluntary unlocking being dictated by safety considerations, the headrest having to remain blocked in its longitudinal adjustment position in the event of the occupant's head hitting its receiving wall.

[0005] According to known embodiments, the latch has parallel and substantially vertical front and rear faces.

[0006] However, with such an arrangement, the user actuating the secondary body in traction may experience a sensation of imprecise positioning of said body in the chosen adjustment position, which gives an impression of poor quality of the headrest.

[0007] The invention aims to overcome this drawback.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes a headrest for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising: • a mounting frame on a back of said seat, • a main body mounted on said frame, • a secondary body mounted to slide longitudinally on said main body, so that said secondary body can adopt a plurality of longitudinal adjustment positions, said secondary body being provided with a wall for receiving the head of an occupant of said seat, • a device for locking said secondary body in the chosen adjustment position, said device comprising a latch mounted to slide vertically on said main body between a locking position, where it cooperates with a locking rack extending longitudinally on said secondary body, and an unlocking position, where it moves away from said rack to release the sliding of said secondary body, said device further comprising a spring means for actuating said latch in locking and a means for actuating said latch in unlocking against said spring means, said rack having a plurality of similar grooves succeeding one another longitudinally, said grooves having a rear face inclined relative to the vertical, so as to be in relief, and a substantially vertical front face,so that the sliding of said secondary body forwards is possible without having to unlock said device and so that said sliding is blocked backwards,

[0009] said latch having a locking part of a shape complementary to that of said grooves, so that said latch placed in the locking position fits snugly into the groove in which it is engaged.

[0010] In this description, the terms of positioning in space (longitudinal, transverse, vertical, upper, lower, front, rear, etc.) are taken with reference to the headrest arranged in the vehicle in use, said vehicle extending longitudinally along its length (X axis), transversely along its width (Y axis) and vertically along its height (Z axis).

[0011] With the proposed arrangement, the user actuating the secondary body in traction feels, due to the adjustment of the shape of the locking part of the latch to that of the grooves, a sensation of precise positioning of said body in the chosen adjustment position, which gives an impression of optimal quality of the headrest.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given with reference to the attached figures, in which:

[0013] [Fig.l] is a schematic semi-exploded view in partial perspective of a headrest according to one embodiment,

[0014] [Fig.2] is a close-up schematic detail view of [Fig.l] from another angle from the point of view,

[0015] [Fig.3A] is a partial schematic view along a first vertical longitudinal section of the headrest of the preceding figures, the locking device being activated in locking in cooperation with two racks,

[0016] [Fig.3B] is a partial schematic view along a second vertical longitudinal section of the headrest of the preceding figures, the locking device being activated in locking in cooperation with two locking notches of the secondary body at the end of its forward travel.

[0017] With reference to the figures, a headrest 1 for a motor vehicle seat is described, said headrest comprising: • a frame 2 for mounting on a back of said seat, • a main body 3 - in particular made of molded plastic material - mounted on said frame, • a secondary body 4 - in particular made of molded plastic material - mounted to slide longitudinally on said main body, so that said secondary body can adopt a plurality of longitudinal adjustment positions, said secondary body being provided with a wall 21 for receiving the head of an occupant of said seat, • a device for locking said secondary body in the chosen adjustment position, said device comprising a latch 5 mounted to slide vertically on said main body between a locking position, where it cooperates with a locking rack 6 extending longitudinally on said secondary body, and an unlocking position, where it moves away from said rack to release the sliding of said secondary body, said device further comprising a spring means 7 for actuating said latch in locking and a means for actuating said latch in unlocking against said spring means, said rack having a plurality of similar grooves 22 succeeding one another longitudinally, said grooves having a rear face 23 inclined relative to the vertical, so as to be tapered, and a substantially vertical front face 24,so that the sliding of said secondary body forward is possible without having to unlock said device and that said sliding is blocked backward,

[0018] said latch having a locking part 19 of a shape complementary to that of said grooves, so that said latch placed in the locking position fits snugly into the groove 22 in which it is engaged.

[0019] In other words, when the latch 5 is fitted into a groove 22, a front face 25 of the locking part 19 comes into adjusted contact with the front face 24 of said groove and a rear face 26 of said locking part comes into adjusted contact with the rear face 23 of said groove.

[0020] According to the embodiment shown, the frame 2 comprises two parallel metal rods 11.

[0021] According to the embodiment shown, the headrest 1 comprises two latches 5 each cooperating with a respective rack 6, which makes it possible to reinforce the locking.

[0022] According to the embodiment shown, the latches 5 are in the general form of plates sliding against each other in two opposite vertical directions.

[0023] According to the embodiment shown, a rack 6 is arranged on a guide member 17a, 17b for sliding the secondary body 4 on the main body 3.

[0024] According to the embodiment shown, the guide member 17a, 17b is in the form of a tenon secured to the secondary body 4, said tenon sliding in a mortise 18a, 18b provided in the main body 3.

[0025] According to the embodiment shown, the headrest 1 comprises an upper tenon 17a and a lower tenon 17b each sliding in a respective upper mortise 18a and lower mortise 18b.

[0026] According to the embodiment shown, the locking part 19 is arranged in the middle zone of the latch 5 observed in view in a longitudinal direction, said headrest further comprising two notches 30 for locking the secondary body 4 at the end of its forward travel, said notches being arranged on said secondary body laterally on either side and behind the rack 6, said latch being provided with two additional locking parts 25 arranged laterally on either side of the locking part 19 so as to be inserted respectively into each of said notches when said secondary body is arranged at the end of its forward travel, said notches each having a front face 26 and a rear face 27 which are substantially vertical, said rear face blocking any forward movement of said secondary body at the end of its travel.

[0027] In a variant not shown, the headrest 1 being seen in a longitudinal direction, it could be provided to arrange on the secondary body 4, for a given latch 5, a notch 30 in the middle zone and two racks 6 extending laterally on either side of said notches and cooperating with two locking parts 19 provided on said latch.

[0028] According to the embodiment shown: • the latch 5 is provided with two rails 9 arranged laterally on either side, said rails extending longitudinally - and projecting vertically along the realization represented -, • said rails cooperate in sliding with two respective reciprocal rails 10 - in the form of grooves according to the embodiment shown - provided on the secondary body 4,

[0029] so as to block said latch in rotation along a vertical axis during the adjustment actuation of said secondary body.

[0030] According to the embodiment shown, the latch 5 is provided with an additional rail 28 arranged in the middle zone of said latch observed in view in a longitudinal direction, said additional rail - in the form of a groove according to the embodiment shown - extending longitudinally, said additional rail cooperating in sliding with a reciprocal additional rail 29 - projecting vertically according to the embodiment shown - provided on the secondary body 4, so as to block said latch in rotation about a vertical axis during actuation in adjustment of said secondary body.

[0031] Such an arrangement makes it possible, when applied in combination with the presence of side rails 9, to provide reinforcement of the rotational locking of the latch 5.

[0032] In a manner not shown, the main body 3 can be slidably mounted on the frame 2 so as to be able to adopt a plurality of vertical adjustment positions, said headrest comprising a device for locking said main body in the chosen adjustment position.

[0033] According to an embodiment not shown, the locking device of the main body 3 comprises: • a plurality of locking notches arranged axially on at least one of the rods 11 (the term “axially” being considered with reference to the extension axis of said rod) so as to define a notched rod, • at least one locking projection mounted to move relative to said main body between a locking position, where said projection is inserted into one of said notches, and an unlocking position, where said projection is withdrawn from said notch in order to release the sliding of said body.

[0034] In a manner not shown, the locking devices of the main body 3 and secondary body 4 can be actuated in unlocking by a common actuating means, said means comprising for example an actuating button - for example in the form of a push button - of a crosspiece mounted on said main body in transverse sliding and cooperating with said devices.

Claims

Claims

1. Headrest (1) for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising: • a frame (2) for mounting on a back of said seat, • a main body (3) mounted on said frame, • a secondary body (4) mounted to slide longitudinally on said main body, so that said secondary body can adopt a plurality of longitudinal adjustment positions, said secondary body being provided with a wall (21) for receiving the head of an occupant of said seat, • a device for locking said secondary body in the chosen adjustment position, said device comprising a latch (5) mounted to slide vertically on said main body between a locking position, where it cooperates with a locking rack (6) extending longitudinally on said secondary body, and an unlocking position, where it moves away from said rack to release the sliding of said secondary body,said device further comprising a spring means (7) for actuating said latch in locking and a means for actuating said latch in unlocking against said spring means, said rack having a plurality of similar grooves (22) succeeding one another longitudinally, said grooves having a rear face (23) inclined relative to the vertical, so as to be in relief, and a front face (24) substantially vertical, so that the sliding of said secondary body forwards is possible without having to unlock said device and that said sliding is blocked backwards, said headrest being characterized in that said latch has a locking part (19) of a shape complementary to that of said grooves, so that said latch placed in the locking position fits snugly into the groove (22) in which it is engaged.,

2. Headrest according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two latches (5) each cooperating with a respective rack (6).

3. Headrest according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a rack (6) is arranged on a guide member (17a, 17b) for sliding the secondary body (4) on the main body (3).

4. Headrest according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the guide member (17a, 17b) is in the form of a tenon secured to the secondary body (4), said tenon sliding in a mortise (18a, 18b) provided in the main body (3).

5. Headrest according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises an upper tenon (17a) and a lower tenon (17b) each sliding in a respective upper (18a) and lower (18b) mortise.

6. Headrest according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking portion (19) is arranged in the middle zone of the latch (5) observed in view in a longitudinal direction, said headrest further comprising two notches (30) for locking the secondary body (4) at the end of its forward travel, said notches being arranged on said secondary body laterally on either side and behind the rack (6), said latch being provided with two additional locking portions (25) arranged laterally on either side of the locking portion (19) so as to be inserted respectively into each of said notches when said secondary body is arranged at the end of its forward travel, said notches each having a front face (26) and a rear face (27) which are substantially vertical, said rear face blocking any forward movement of said secondary body at the end of its travel.

7. Headrest according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: • the latch (5) is provided with two rails (9) arranged laterally on either side, said rails extending longitudinally, • said rails cooperate in sliding with two respective reciprocal rails (10) provided on the secondary body (4), so as to block said latch in rotation about a vertical axis when said secondary body is actuated for adjustment.

8. A headrest according to any preceding claim, ca- characterized in that the latch (5) is provided with an additional rail (28) arranged in the middle zone of said latch observed in view in a longitudinal direction, said additional rail extending longitudinally, said additional rail cooperating in sliding with a reciprocal additional rail (29) provided on the secondary body (4), so as to block said latch in rotation along a vertical axis during actuation in adjustment of said secondary body.

Images