Lightweight Headrest With Fiber Assembly And Foam Padding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headrests with high-density foam padding elements are heavy, making assembly labor-intensive and limiting the positioning of the stay within the foam padding due to the dense low-repulsive foam layer.
Innovation Solution
A headrest design that adjusts the thickness of a fiber assembly to reduce the use of heavy foam padding, allowing for increased positioning freedom of the stay and a lightweight structure while maintaining safety and comfort, achieved by integrating a thermally-fusible synthetic resin fiber assembly with the trim cover element and injecting a liquid foaming agent to form an integral foam padding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a headrest is designed with a fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple and cost is low, but it cannot adapt to different users and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest incorporates a movable adjustment mechanism that allows the headrest to be positioned at different locations along the seat back. This dynamic positioning capability enables the headrest to adapt to different users and seating positions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through standardized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest is divided into separate components including the headrest shell, adjustment mechanism, and mounting structure. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies manufacturing while enabling adaptability through the modular adjustment system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a headrest uses complex adjustment mechanisms, then adaptability to different users is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest adjustment mechanism is designed to be manually operated by the user without requiring external assistance or complex electronic controls. This self-service approach simplifies manufacturing while providing adequate adjustability for different users through straightforward mechanical means.
3Ease of manufacture
If a headrest is designed for easy cleaning, then maintenance is simplified, but structural complexity may increase due to removable components
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest shell is designed as a separate removable component from the mounting structure, allowing the shell to be easily detached for cleaning or replacement. This segmentation facilitates maintenance while the overall integration remains simple through standardized connection interfaces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design results in a lightweight headrest that provides a comfortable and safe contact area for passengers while allowing precise positioning of the stay, reducing assembly labor and enhancing the positioning flexibility of the stay within the foam padding.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a liquid foaming agent, such as a liquid urethan foaming agent, in the trim cover element; and curing the liquid foaming agent to create an increased mass of a foam padding element having a normal-repulsive elasticity
Implementation Method 2
A headrest design that adjusts the thickness of a fiber assembly to reduce the use of heavy foam padding, allowing for increased positioning freedom of the stay and a lightweight structure while maintaining safety and comfort, achieved by integrating a thermally-fusible synthetic resin fiber assembly with the trim cover element
Data Source
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AI summary
[Purpose] To provide a headrest which realizes its light weight, while insuring that a safety and a comfortable touch is provided to an area of the headrest on which a head of a passenger is to be contacted. [Means for Achieving the Purpose] According to a headrest 1, within a three-dimensional bag-like trim cover element 2, a fiber assembly 10 is disposed on a front side of a foam padding P, whereas the foam padding P is disposed on a rear side of the headrest. This arrangement not only provides a safety and a comfortable touch to an area of the headrest on which a passenger's head is to be contacted, but also realizes a light weight of the headrest in contrast to a conventional headrest which has a normal foam padding or low-repulsive elastic element disposed on an area thereof on which a passenger's head is to be contacted, This light weight of the headrest 1 allows a worker to smoothly handle and assembly the headrest with small labor. Further, a thickness of the fiber assembly 10 can be set to a desired degree in the forward and rearward directions of the headrest, thereby providing an increased freedom for positioning a stay 4 in the foam padding P.