Vehicle Seat Headrest Frame Assembly with Rotating Crossbar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat headrest designs, particularly for third-row seating, face challenges in structural integrity when using a thinner headrest with a locking mechanism and crossbar placed within the seatback, failing to withstand prescribed loads due to increased torque, and obstruct rearward visibility and storage efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A frame assembly for a vehicle seat with a headrest frame, support poles, and a seatback frame featuring a crossbar that is rotatable and secured to the seatback, incorporating a locking mechanism with a slide shaft to enhance structural integrity and allow for folding without obstructing rearward visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a thinner headrest is used for third-row seating, then packaging efficiency and cargo space are improved, but structural integrity deteriorates due to increased torque on the locking mechanism and crossbar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the locking mechanism from the headrest assembly to the seatback frame, changing the spatial dimension where the locking function is implemented. This allows the headrest to be thinner while maintaining structural integrity through the seatback-mounted locking mechanism that operates on the crossbar extending between outer brackets of the seatback frame.
2Volume of moving object
If the locking mechanism and crossbar are placed within the seatback for thinner headrest, then headrest thickness is reduced, but structural strength deteriorates due to longer lever arm increasing torque
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is extracted from the headrest assembly and integrated into the seatback frame structure. This separation allows the locking mechanism to utilize the stronger seatback frame for mounting while the headrest itself can be minimized in thickness, effectively decoupling the locking function from the headrest's structural requirements.
3Device complexity
If an integrated headrest is used, then structural simplicity is improved, but rearward visibility is obstructed and seatback folding is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is designed as a moveable assembly that can rotate between an upright position for use and a folded position against the seatback. The crossbar rotates within outer brackets of the seatback frame, allowing the headrest to be dynamic rather than fixed, enabling both visibility improvement and seatback folding capability while maintaining structural support through the locking mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A frame assembly for a vehicle seat includes a headrest frame including at least one support pole extending downwardly from the headrest frame and a seatback frame having a central body and a pair of outer brackets extending outwardly from the central body in spaced relationship to one another. A crossbar extends between and is rotatable relative to the pair of outer brackets. The at least one support pole is secured to the crossbar for facilitating concurrent rotation of the headrest frame with the crossbar. A locking mechanism is operably interconnected with the crossbar. An actuator is movable from a first actuator position to a second actuator position to engage the locking mechanism and move the locking mechanism from a locked condition to an unlocked condition. A slide shaft extends between the pair of outer brackets and supports the actuator during movement between the first and second actuator positions.