Headrest Mount Latch That Stays Engaged During Rod Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting assemblies for vehicle headrests often fail to securely maintain the mounting rods in place during vehicle impacts, as the rotation of the support rods relative to their longitudinal axis causes the latch assembly to lose engagement.
Innovation Solution
The mounting assembly features a latch assembly with a movable latch element that is designed to remain engaged with the retaining structure of the mounting rod even when the rod rotates, utilizing driving surfaces and mating surfaces to ensure continuous force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the latch assembly is provided on only one side of the support rod, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the latch assembly loses engagement when the rod rotates
Solution Approach 1:
The latch element is designed to be movable relative to the seat, enabling it to rotate together with the mounting rod when rotation occurs. This dynamic adaptation maintains continuous engagement between the latch formation and retaining structure despite rod rotation, resolving the reliability issue while keeping the single-sided configuration simple
Solution Approach 2:
The movable latch element acts as an intermediary between the rotating mounting rod and the fixed seat structure. By allowing the latch element to rotate with the rod, it mediates the rotational movement and maintains continuous force transmission, preventing unintentional release while preserving structural simplicity
2Reliability
If the latch element is made movable to rotate with the mounting rod, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch element is designed to be movable relative to the seat, enabling it to rotate together with the mounting rod when rotation occurs. This dynamic adaptation maintains continuous engagement between the latch formation and retaining structure despite rod rotation, resolving the reliability issue while keeping the single-sided configuration simple
Solution Approach 2:
The movable latch element serves multiple functions: it maintains latching engagement during normal operation, rotates with the rod during rotation events, and continuously transmits forces. This multi-functionality achieves high reliability without requiring complex additional components or mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, the invention relates to a mounting assembly for a headrest with at least one mounting rod (13a, 13b) having at least one retaining structure (17) that can be mounted on a vehicle seat by at least one mounting assembly (19a, 19b) having a respective seat (14), wherein the seat (14) forms a passage (25) for supporting and guiding the mounting rod (13a, 13b), wherein the mounting assembly (19a, 19b) has a latch assembly (15) that releasably latches the mounting rod (13a, 13b) can be releasably latched in at least one position relative to the seat (14), wherein the latch assembly (15) has at least one latch element (16) that is movable between a latching position and a release position and has a latch formation (21) that can be releasably engaged with at least one retaining structure (22) of the mounting rod (13a, 13b) to prevent movement of the mounting rod in at least one direction (p1, p2) along the passage (25).The particularity is that the latch formation (21) has at least one mating surface (32, 33) that cooperates with a driving surface (34, 35) of the retaining structure (17) in such a way that when rotating the mounting rod (13a) about a longitudinal central axis (m) relative to at least one rotational direction (u1, u2), in particular relative to two opposite rotational directions (u1, u2), the latch element (16) is entrained.