Motor vehicle seat headrest

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat headrest (1), comprising two loudspeakers (5), each with a circular diaphragm (6), mounted on a support (7) and housed in two compartments (8). The support comprises two housings (9) in which each loudspeaker is mounted. Each housing has a front wall with a multi-perforated area (10) extending opposite the corresponding diaphragm. The block (3) extends in front of the housing. A single cylindrical duct (11) is formed in the block opposite the multi-perforated area. The duct has a diameter of less than 35 mm and is free of filler material. The cover (4) covers the duct and has, opposite the duct, a circular air-permeable area (12) with a diameter similar to that of the duct. Figure 2

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 metal frame for connecting said headrest to a backrest of said seat, • a headrest cushion for an occupant of said seat, said cushion being attached to said frame, said cushion comprising a padding block and a cover fitted under tension on said block, • a sound transmission device comprising two loudspeakers each equipped with a circular diaphragm, said loudspeakers being mounted on a support attached to said frame and being housed in two housings provided laterally on either side in said block, so as to allow a stereo effect.

[0003] According to a known embodiment, in order to allow transmission to a seat occupant of the sound from the loudspeakers, it is provided to make in the padding block conduits extending from said loudspeakers to the headrest which is provided to be permeable to air opposite said conduits, so as to allow passage of sound through said headrest.

[0004] Such an embodiment requires filling the ducts with an elastically compressible filling material - for example based on soft foam - in order to ensure occupant comfort and a good visual appearance of the cushion in relation to said ducts, said material also having air permeability in order to allow sound transmission.

[0005] Alternatively, it may be provided to make a multi-perforation in the block opposite the loudspeakers to ensure the comfort and sound transmission mentioned above.

[0006] These designs result in a more complex design of the headrest and also a degradation of sound transmission, as the filling material or the multi-perforation made in the block does not allow for maximized sound transmission.

[0007] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes a headrest for a motor vehicle seat, said headrest comprising: • a metal frame for connecting said headrest to a backrest of said seat, • a headrest cushion for an occupant of said seat, said cushion being attached to said frame, said cushion comprising a padding block and a cover fitted under tension on said block, • a sound transmission device comprising two loudspeakers, each equipped with a circular diaphragm, said loudspeakers being mounted on a support integral with said frame and housed in two compartments provided laterally on either side of said block,

[0009] said headrest further having the following characteristics: • said support comprises two box-shaped parts in which each of said loudspeakers is mounted, • Each of said housings is provided with a front panel having a multi-perforated area extending opposite said corresponding membrane, • said block extends in front of said housing, a single cylindrical conduit being provided in said block opposite said multi-perforated area so as to allow the transmission of sound through said block, said conduit having a diameter of less than 35 mm and being free of filler material, • said cap covers said conduit and presents opposite said conduit a circular air-permeable zone of diameter similar to that of said conduit, so as to allow sound to pass through said cap.

[0010] In this description, the terms of positioning in space (front, rear, horizontal, transverse, lateral, ...) are taken with reference to the vehicle in which the headrest is located.

[0011] With such an arrangement, employing conduits with a small diameter, an occupant of the seat resting his head on the cushion opposite said conduits does not perceive their presence by touch, and this is all the more so as the headgear is fitted under tension on the block.

[0012] In addition, the presence of the small diameter conduits is visually imperceptible, which is aesthetically advantageous.

[0013] Finally, the presence of a single conduit without filling material opposite the corresponding loudspeaker allows for maximum sound transmission, unlike what occurs in the presence of filling material or multi-perforations provided in the block opposite said loudspeaker, such arrangements partially obstructing said sound transmission.

[0014] As will be seen later, the arrangement proposed within the framework of the invention is particularly suitable in the case of small loudspeakers - therefore easy to install in the volume of a headrest cushion padding block - having a membrane of small diameter - in particular less than 35 mm.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0016] [Fig. 1] is a schematic exploded perspective view of a headrest according to one embodiment,

[0017] [Fig.2] is a schematic detail horizontal cross-sectional view of the headrest represented in [Fig.1].

[0018] With reference to the figures, a headrest 1 of a motor vehicle seat is described, said headrest comprising: • a metal frame 2 for connecting said headrest to a backrest of said seat, • a headrest cushion for an occupant of said seat, said cushion being fixed to said frame, said cushion comprising a block 3 - in particular made of soft foam - of padding and a cover 4 fitted under tension on said block, • a sound transmission device comprising two loudspeakers 5 each provided with a circular diaphragm 6, said loudspeakers being mounted on a support 7 - in particular made of molded plastic material - integral with said frame and being housed in two compartments 8 provided laterally on either side of said block,

[0019] said headrest further having the following characteristics: • said support comprises two box-shaped parts 9 in which each of said loudspeakers is mounted, • Each of said housings is provided with a front wall having a multi-perforated area 10 extending opposite said corresponding membrane, • said block extends in front of said housing, a single cylindrical conduit 11 being provided in said block opposite said multi-perforated area so as to allow the transmission of sound through said block, said conduit having a diameter of less than 35 mm and being free of filler material, • said cap covers said duct and presents opposite said duct a circular air-permeable zone 12 of diameter similar to that of said duct, so as to allow sound to pass through said cap.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the perforations of the multi-perforated zone 10 occupy a total area representing 70 to 90% of the area of ​​said zone.

[0021] According to one embodiment, laterally on either side of the headrest 1: • the diaphragm 6 of a loudspeaker 5 has a diameter of less than 35 mm, • the multi-perforated area 10 is circular and has a diameter similar to that of said membrane, so that the sound from said loudspeaker 5 can be transmitted in a maximized manner, • the conduit 11 has a diameter similar to that of said membrane.

[0022] Such an arrangement using small loudspeakers 5, having a membrane 6 of small diameter, allows optimal sound propagation from a loudspeaker 5 to the corresponding permeable zone 12.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the membranes 6 have a diameter greater than 15 mm, so as to allow a sound emission of sufficient volume.

[0024] According to various embodiments, a loudspeaker 5 is: • either previously mounted in a sealed housing 18, sealed at the front by the membrane 6, said housing itself being mounted in the casing 9, according to the embodiment shown, • either directly mounted in the housing 9, according to an embodiment not shown.

[0025] According to the embodiment shown, the housings 9 have a rear opening arranged opposite the multi-perforated area 10, in order to allow the mounting of the loudspeakers 5 inside said housings, said opening being closed by a cover 13 making a tight seal.

[0026] According to the embodiment shown, the cover 13 has a peripheral trench 14 receiving the periphery of the opening, so as to optimize the sealing of the closure.

[0027] It is also possible to screw the cover 3 on, and also to optimize the sealing of the opening by means of glue.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the housings 9 are overmolded by a block 3 based on molded soft foam, said foam being prevented from penetrating said housings due to the sealing described above.

[0029] Alternatively, the housings 9 are simply inserted into slots 8 provided in the block 3.

[0030] According to one embodiment, a conduit 11 extends over a minimum length 17 of 5 mm so as to prevent contact between the cover 4 and the multi-perforated area 10 in the event of the head of an occupant of the seat being pressed down.

[0031] According to one embodiment, a conduit 11 extends over a maximum length 17 of 25 mm.

[0032] According to the embodiment shown, the frame 2 comprises two parallel metal rods 15 extending vertically, the support 7 comprising a transverse spacer 16 fixed - for example by fitting and / or by screws according to the embodiment shown - to said rods, the housings 9 being arranged on either side of said spacer.

[0033] According to various realizations: • The cover 4 is made of an air-permeable material - for example, fabric with a soft foam underlayer bonded by spot welding or by peripheral stitching – so that the permeable zone 12 is of the same nature as the rest of said headgear, according to the embodiment shown, • or said headgear is made of airtight material – by example in leather -, the said permeable zone being obtained by multi-perforation of the said headgear, according to an embodiment not shown.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the support 7 and the cover 13 have radii greater than 5.5 mm, so as not to present any danger to the occupants of the vehicle.

[0035] It is envisaged in particular that a support 7 shall be made from impact-resistant plastic material, such as a glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide.

Claims

Demands

1. Motor vehicle seat headrest (1), said headrest comprising: • a metal frame (2) for connecting said headrest to a backrest of said seat, • a headrest cushion for an occupant of said seat, said cushion being fixed to said frame, said cushion comprising a block (3) of padding and a cover (4) fitted under tension onto said block, • a sound transmission device comprising two loudspeakers (5), each equipped with a circular diaphragm (6), said loudspeakers being mounted on a support (7) integral with said frame and housed in two compartments (8) provided laterally on either side of said block, said headrest being characterized in that: • said support comprises two box-shaped parts (9) in which each of said loudspeakers is mounted, • Each of said housings is provided with a front wall having a multi-perforated area (10) extending opposite said corresponding membrane, • said block extends in front of said housing, a single cylindrical conduit (11) being provided in said block opposite said multi-perforated area so as to permit the transmission of sound through said block, said conduit having a diameter of less than 35 mm and being free of filler material, • said cap covers said conduit and presents opposite said conduit a circular air-permeable zone (12) of diameter similar to that of said conduit, so as to allow passage of sound through said cap.

2. Headrest (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that laterally on either side of said headrest: • the diaphragm (6) of a loudspeaker (5) has a diameter of less than 35 mm, • the multi-perforated area (10) is circular and has a diameter similar to that of said membrane, so that the sound from said loudspeaker (5) can be transmitted in a maximized manner, • the conduit (11) has a diameter similar to that of said membrane.

3. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membranes (6) have a diameter greater than 15 mm, so as to allow sound emission of sufficient volume.

4. Headrest according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a loudspeaker (5) is: • either previously mounted in a sealed box (18), closed at the front by the diaphragm (6), said box itself being mounted in the housing (9), • or directly mounted in the housing (9).

5. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housings (9) have a rear opening arranged opposite the multi-perforated area (10), in order to allow the mounting of the loudspeakers (5) inside said housings, said opening being closed by a cover (13) providing a watertight seal.

6. Headrest (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the cover (13) has a peripheral trench (14) receiving the periphery of the opening, so as to optimize the sealing of the closure.

7. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a conduit (11) extends over a minimum length (17) of 5 mm, so as to prevent contact between the cover (4) and the multi-perforated area (10) in the event of the head of a seat occupant resting on it.

8. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (2) comprises two parallel metal rods (15) extending vertically, the support comprising a transverse spacer (16) fixed to said rods, the housings (9) being arranged on either side of said spacer.

9. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: • the cover (4) is made of air-permeable material, so that the permeable area (12) is of the same nature as the rest of said cover, • or said cover is made of air-impermeable material, said permeable area being obtained by multi-perforation of said cover.

10. Headrest (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (7) and the cover (13) have radii greater than 5.5 mm, so as not to present a danger to the occupants of the vehicle.

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