Headrest Support Assembly for Simultaneous Vertical and Forward Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headrests for reclining seats lack the ability to move forward when a user leans their head forward, limiting comfort and support for taller individuals in reclined positions, as they are typically manually activated and only move up and down or fore and aft independently.
Innovation Solution
A retractable headrest support assembly with a headrest frame mounted on a support bracket, featuring guide tracks with vertical and curved channels, and rollers that allow simultaneous upward and forward movement when actuated, and reverse movement when retracted, enabling full adjustment within the seat back.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the headrest is designed to move only up and down in conventional reclining seats, then the structure is simple and manually controllable, but the headrest cannot move forward to provide support when the user leans their head forward in a reclined position
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest mechanism transitions from a static or simply vertically adjustable design to a dynamic system that can simultaneously move in multiple directions (up/down and forward/aft). The guide tracks with curved channels enable the headrest to follow a complex motion path, allowing it to adapt its position to match the user's head movements during reclining, thereby resolving the contradiction between movement versatility and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a forward/aft movement dimension to the traditional up/down headrest adjustment. By incorporating guide tracks with both vertical and curved channels, the headrest gains the ability to move in two dimensions simultaneously, providing comprehensive head support in reclined positions without requiring overly complex mechanical systems.
2Shape
If the headrest is lengthened to fit within the seat back for aesthetic purposes, then the appearance is improved with uniform flat or rounded top surfaces, but the headrest loses the ability to move forward to support the user's head
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is designed with dynamic positioning capability through guide tracks that allow simultaneous vertical and horizontal movement. This enables the headrest to maintain its aesthetic integration within the seat back while still providing full adjustability to support the user's head in various reclined positions, resolving the contradiction between appearance and functionality.
3Ease of operation
If manually activated headrests are used that move up and down independently, then the mechanism is simple to operate, but the headrest cannot move simultaneously in up/down and fore/aft positions to provide comprehensive support
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the vertical and horizontal adjustment functions into a single integrated mechanism. The guide tracks with curved channels allow the headrest to move simultaneously in both up/down and forward/aft directions through one coordinated action, combining multiple adjustment capabilities while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest support assembly capable of moving a headrest simultaneously in an up/down and fore/aft position. The headrest support assembly is located in a seat back and includes a headrest frame mounted on a support bracket, the support bracket includes a first and second guide track spaced apart from one another. Each guide track defines a substantially vertical first channel and a curved second channel therein. A first and second support pillar is mounted to the headrest frame. These first and second support pillars are located adjacent to the first and second guide track, respectively. A first and second guide roller is located on each of the first and second support pillars. The first guide roller is positioned within the first channel and the second guide roller is positioned within the second channel of the respective guide tracks.