Motor vehicle seat headrest
By molding the racks into the spacer, the manufacturing complexity of motor vehicle seat headrests is reduced, enabling secure and efficient height adjustment without additional components.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2024000365
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-01-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-01-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for manufacturing motor vehicle seat headrests with height adjustment mechanisms are complex due to stamped racks in the arms or require additional components like molded plastic racks, complicating production.
The racks are produced by molding the spacer, which integrates with the tubular metal arms, eliminating the need for stamped racks and additional components, and features elastically deformable harpoons and locking elements for secure attachment.
This method simplifies the manufacturing process by integrating racks through molding, ensuring secure and efficient height adjustment of the headrest cushion.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Motor vehicle seat headrest
[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat headrest.
[0002] It is known to produce a motor vehicle seat headrest, said headrest comprising: • a connecting frame to a backrest of said seat, said frame comprising two parallel tubular metal arms connecting to said backrest, each of said arms being integral with a respective rack extending along said arm, said arms having two respective upper ends, said frame further comprising a transverse spacer of molded plastic material connecting said upper ends together, • a main housing mounted on said frame, sliding along said arms, said housing supporting, directly or indirectly, a headrest cushion, • an electric geared motor mounted securely to said main housing, said geared motor rotating two pinions each meshing with a respective rack, so as to allow height adjustment of said housing, and therefore of said cushion.
[0003] According to a known embodiment, the racks are made in the arms, in particular by stamping, which leads to a complexity in the manufacture of the headrest.
[0004] Alternatively, molded plastic racks can be added to the arms. This results in a multiplication of the headrest components and additional manufacturing operations, particularly for attaching said racks to said arms, which complicates the production of the headrest.
[0005] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.
[0006] To this end, the invention proposes a headrest for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising: • a connecting frame to a backrest of said seat, said frame comprising two parallel tubular metal arms connecting to said backrest, each of said arms being integral with a respective rack extending along said arm, said arms having two respective upper ends, said frame further comprising a transverse spacer of molded plastic material connecting said upper ends together, • a main housing mounted on said frame by sliding along said arms, said housing supporting, directly or indirectly, a headrest cushion, • an electric geared motor mounted rigidly to said main housing, said geared motor rotating two pinions, each meshing with a respective rack, so as to allow height adjustment of said housing,
[0007] the racks being made from molding of said spacer.
[0008] In this description, the terms of positioning in space (top, bottom, longitudinal, transverse, superior, lateral, ...) are taken with reference to a headrest mounted in the vehicle in use situation, said vehicle extending longitudinally along its length (X), transversely along its width (Y) and vertically along its height (Z).
[0009] The terms of circular positioning (diametrically, radially, ...), for their part, are considered relative to the axis of extension of a branch.
[0010] With the proposed arrangement, the racks are produced by molding the spacer, which avoids having to make them by stamping in the arms or by adding specific racks made of molded plastic material.
[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0012] [Fig-1] is a schematic partial perspective view of a headrest according to a realization,
[0013] [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view of the spacer provided with racks implemented in the construction of [Fig.1],
[0014] [Fig.3] is a schematic detail cross-sectional view of the headrest shown in [Fig. 1], illustrating the fixing of the spacer to a branch of said headrest according to one embodiment,
[0015] [Fig.4] is a schematic cross-sectional view of the headrest shown in [Fig.1] illustrating the assembly according to an implementation of a harness of electrical power supply cables for the geared motor of said headrest.
[0016] With reference to the figures, a headrest 1 of a motor vehicle seat is described, said headrest comprising: • a connecting frame to a backrest of said seat, said frame comprising two parallel tubular metal arms 2 connecting to said backrest, each of said arms being integral with a respective rack 3 extending along said arm, said arms having two respective upper ends 4, said frame further comprising a transverse spacer 5 made of molded plastic material connecting said upper ends, • a main housing 6 - in particular made of molded plastic material - mounted on said frame by sliding along said arms, said housing supporting, directly or indirectly, a headrest cushion not shown, • an electric geared motor 7 mounted rigidly to said main housing, said geared motor rotating two pinions 8 each meshing with a respective rack 3, so as to allow height adjustment of said housing,
[0017] the racks 3 being produced by molding said spacer.
[0018] According to the embodiment shown, the spacer has downward-projecting lateral parts 9, said lateral parts fitting into the upper ends 4 of the arms 2.
[0019] According to the embodiment shown, the racks 3 have in radial section, at the level of their contact interface along the branches 2, a semi-circular shape following that of said branches.
[0020] According to the embodiment shown, each of the lateral parts 9 has two diametrically opposed harpoons 10, said harpoons being elastically deformable so as to be able to be brought together, the free ends of said harpoons forming hooks 11 projecting radially outwards, the inner diameter of the corresponding arm 2 being dimensioned so that the fitting of said lateral part into the upper end 4 of said arm is done with temporary bringing said harpoons together and then elastic return to their nominal position allowing insertion of said hooks into two respective orifices 12 provided in said upper end.
[0021] According to the embodiment shown, the spacer 5 is provided with two locking elements 13 which are inserted respectively between the harpoons 10 of each of the lateral parts 9, so as to lock them in their nominal position and to prevent the hooks 11 from being released from the holes 12.
[0022] According to the embodiment shown, the spacer 5 is provided with a metallic reinforcement 14 in the general shape of an inverted U, the middle part 15 of said reinforcement fitting together in a locked manner on said spacer, the extreme parts of said reinforcement forming the locking elements 13.
[0023] According to an unrepresented variant, the blocking elements 13 are: • in the form of metal or plastic anchors forced in, • or in the form of a screw.
[0024] According to the embodiment shown: • at least one locking element 13 is tubular, the headrest 1 further comprising a wiring harness 16 for the electrical supply of the geared motor 7 inserted into said element, • The reinforcement 14 includes at least one opening 17 for the passage of said beam.
[0025] According to an embodiment not shown, the main housing 6 may have a space for housing the spacer 5, said housing extending vertically to allow said spacer to slide within said housing during its adjustment.
[0026] According to an embodiment not shown, the headrest 1 may further include an auxiliary housing mounted to slide longitudinally on the main housing 6, the cushion being mounted on said auxiliary housing - therefore indirectly on said main housing - so as to be able to be adjusted further longitudinally.
Claims
Demands
1. A motor vehicle seat headrest (1), said headrest comprising: • a frame for connecting to a backrest of said seat, said frame comprising two parallel tubular metal arms (2) for connecting to said backrest, each of said arms being integral with a respective rack (3) extending along said arm, said arms having two respective upper ends (4), said frame further comprising a transverse spacer (5) of molded plastic material connecting said upper ends together, • a main housing (6) mounted on said frame by sliding along said arms, said housing supporting, directly or indirectly, a headrest cushion, • an electric geared motor (7) integrally mounted to said main housing, said geared motor rotating two pinions (8) each meshing with a respective rack,in order to allow height adjustment of the said housing, said headrest being characterized in that the racks (3) are molded from said spacer.
2. Headrest according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer (5) has downward projecting lateral parts (9), said lateral parts fitting into the upper ends (4) of the arms (2).
3. Headrest according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the lateral parts (9) has two diametrically opposed harpoons (10), said harpoons being elastically deformable so as to be able to be brought closer together, the free ends of said harpoons forming hooks (11) projecting radially outwards, the inner diameter of the corresponding arm (2) being dimensioned so that the fitting of said lateral part into the upper end (4) of said arm is achieved with a temporary bringing of said harpoons together and then an elastic return to their nominal position allowing insertion said hooks in two respective orifices (12) provided in said upper end.
4. Headrest according to claim 3, characterized in that the spacer (5) is provided with two locking elements (13) which are inserted respectively between the harpoons (10) of each of the lateral parts (9), so as to lock them in their nominal position and to prevent the hooks (11) from being released from the holes (12).
5. Headrest according to claim 4, characterized in that the spacer (5) is provided with a metallic reinforcement (14) in the general shape of an inverted U, the middle part (15) of said reinforcement fitting together in a locked manner on said spacer, the extreme parts of said reinforcement forming the locking elements (13).
6. Headrest according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking elements (13) are: • in the form of metal or plastic material pegs pressed in by force, • or in the form of screws.
7. Headrest according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that: • at least one locking element (13) is tubular, said headrest further comprising a bundle of cables (16) for the electrical supply of the geared motor (7) inserted into said element, • the reinforcement (14) comprises at least one opening (17) for the passage of said bundle.