Adjustable Vehicle Headrest with Friction Hinges and Leaf Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headrests for passenger vehicles primarily focus on safety rather than providing comfort and adjustability, lacking features for optimal support and ease of use in various seating environments.
Innovation Solution
A fully adjustable headrest with slide means for height adjustment, novel friction hinges with detent features for angular orientation of side support panels, and a resistance imparting assembly using a T-shaped leaf spring for maintaining desired positions, allowing for comfortable lateral support and easy installation on vehicle seats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If headrests are designed primarily for safety with vertical adjustment only, then safety protection is improved, but comfort and adjustability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is divided into multiple independent support panels (central vertical panel and lateral panels) that can be adjusted separately. Each panel can be positioned independently to provide both safety support and comfort, resolving the contradiction between safety protection and comfort adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest incorporates multiple adjustment mechanisms including vertical sliding, angular pivoting, and lateral panel movement. These dynamic adjustments allow the headrest to adapt to different user needs while maintaining safety protection, transforming a static safety device into a dynamically adjustable comfort system.
2Ease of operation
If multiple adjustment mechanisms are added for comfort, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple adjustment functions (vertical sliding, angular pivoting, lateral panel movement) are combined into an integrated assembly where components serve multiple purposes. The support panels themselves act as both structural elements and adjustable components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction hinge assemblies and detent mechanisms are designed to automatically lock and hold positions without requiring additional fastening actions. The system self-regulates through friction and mechanical detents, providing easy adjustment while minimizing the need for complex control mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If friction hinges with detent features are used for angular positioning, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The detent features use simple, inexpensive mechanical elements that provide precise angular positioning through discrete locking positions. These simple detent mechanisms achieve positioning precision without requiring complex electronic or hydraulic systems, maintaining cost-effectiveness while improving angular positioning accuracy.
4Ease of operation
If T-shaped leaf spring is used for resistance, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The T-shaped leaf spring uses changes in geometric parameters (the T-shape configuration) to provide the desired resistance characteristics. This simple geometric modification to a standard leaf spring design achieves the required mechanical properties without introducing complex manufacturing processes or additional components.
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 solution provides greater ease of adjustability, comfort, and support to users, while being lightweight, inexpensive to produce, and maintain, enhancing the overall seating experience in both passenger vehicles and furniture.
Implementation Method 1
a friction hinge assembly (22) that pivotally connects each side support panel (20, 24) to the centrally located head support panel (18) by a shaft (42) having a band (44) rotatably carried thereby, the friction between the band and shaft surfaces providing resistance to rotation
Implementation Method 2
a detent feature that selectively locks the side support panels into predetermined angular orientations, including a detent element (50) on the band that is engageable with selected ones of a pair of circumferentially spaced flats (42a, 42b) on the shaft
Implementation Method 3
a T-shaped leaf spring that provides resistance to vertical movement of the headrest assembly
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable headrest that provides both support and comfort to the user and one that can be used in connection with various types of passenger vehicles. The headrest includes slide mechanisms for permitting easy height adjustment of the headrest and also includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the headrest forwardly and rearwardly. Further, the headrest includes easily adjustable, wing-like, side-support members that are pivotally connected to a centrally located, vertically adjustable head support member by means of specially designed hinges.