Vehicle Headrest Section Rotation Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing headrest designs for vehicle seats are either complex, inefficient, or lack smooth operation in transitioning from a working position to a safety position during accidents, often requiring significant force and lacking in stability and ease of mounting.

Innovation Solution

A headrest design featuring a drive device with a relative movement between sections that rotates about a parallel axis, utilizing rolling bearings and oblique surfaces to facilitate smooth displacement, along with a blocking device for safety, and a spring mechanism for comfort adjustments, ensuring stable and efficient movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a spring-loaded piston/cylinder arrangement is used as a drive device, then the headrest can achieve displacement in the event of an accident, but the device becomes complex and requires significant force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheadrest displacement reliabilityVSAvoiddrive device complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The headrest is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) that can move relative to each other. The first section is mounted on the second section, allowing independent movement of each segment during accident deployment, which simplifies the overall drive mechanism while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a spring-loaded piston to push the headrest forward, the invention uses a rotating mechanism where rotational movement is converted to translational movement through oblique surfaces. This inverted approach reduces the force required and simplifies the drive device structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If sections are moved in a telescopic manner, then the headrest can achieve safety position displacement, but the operation becomes rough and mounting becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety position achievementVSAvoidsection movement smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A rolling bearing is introduced between the first section and the second section to enable smooth rotational movement. The rolling bearing converts sliding friction into rolling friction, ensuring smooth operation of the section movement while maintaining reliable displacement to the safety position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting of the first section on the second section is designed to allow dynamic rotational movement during accident deployment. This dynamic mounting, combined with the rolling bearing, ensures smooth operation while achieving the required safety position displacement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a rolling bearing is provided in the region of the bearing surfaces, then smooth-running of the first section is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirst section smooth-runningVSAvoidmounting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling bearing is integrated into the mounting structure of the first section on the second section. By merging the bearing function with the mounting structure, the invention achieves smooth-running of the first section while minimizing the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 achieves a smooth-running, stable, and effective transition of the headrest sections during accidents while allowing for comfortable adjustments, ensuring safety and ease of operation in all modes.

Implementation Method 1

a rolling bearing is provided in the region of the first and second bearing surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 2

the first section has at least one first oblique surface and the second section has at least one second oblique surface, which, with a relative movement of the second section about the rotational axis, effect a movement of the first section in the direction of displacement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical advantage through oblique surfaces: Wedge

Implementation Method 3

a spring mechanism for comfort adjustments

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentUS8882193B2Head rest for a vehicle

Publication Date: 2014.11.11 ADIENT US LLC

AI summary

A head rest for a vehicle seat includes: at least one first section that is oriented towards the head of the seat occupant, a second section, and a third section, wherein the second section is arranged essentially between the first and third sections. In the event of an accident, the first section can be displaced in the direction of displacement, due to the effect of a relative displacement of the second section from a working position into a safety position in the direction of the head of the seat occupant. The relative movement of the sections is a rotation about an essentially parallel rotational axis in the direction of displacement. A mounting of the first section in relation to the second section is provided during the relative displacement about the rotational axis. The first section comprises a first bearing surface and the second section comprises a second bearing surface.