Fold-Forward Seat Headrest Locking for Behind-Seat Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headrests obstruct access to areas behind the seat, such as storage compartments or controls, in vehicles or aircraft, necessitating a design that improves access without requiring the user to move from their seated position.
Innovation Solution
A headrest with a pivotally attached upper frame part that can be folded or pivoted forward, featuring a locking mechanism with a spring-loaded push button to unlock and lock the frame parts, allowing easy access to the area behind the seat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the headrest is provided to support the user's head for comfort and safety, then user comfort and safety are improved, but access to the area behind the seat is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is designed with a pivotable upper frame part that can rotate between a head-supporting position and a folded position. This dynamic configuration allows the headrest to adapt its shape and position, providing head support when needed and clearing the path to the storage area when access is required, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining head support function and enabling access to the area behind the seat
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest is divided into a lower frame part that remains fixed to the seat back and an upper frame part that can pivot independently. This segmentation allows the lower portion to continue providing structural support and headrest function while the upper portion can be moved separately to clear the access path, resolving the contradiction between maintaining head support and enabling access
2Ease of operation
If the upper frame part is made pivotally attached to allow folding, then access to the area behind the seat is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the locking mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism incorporates a spring-loaded locking pin that automatically engages with a slot in the pivot arm when the upper frame part is in the headrest position, providing self-locking functionality without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems. This self-service approach enables reliable locking while minimizing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A shaft extending through the pivot arm and lower frame part defines a pivot axis and serves as an intermediary element that facilitates the pivotal movement while the locking pin, connected to the shaft, provides the locking function. This intermediary shaft simplifies the overall mechanism by combining the pivot function and locking function through a single structural element
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A seat headrest comprising: a headrest frame (11) having: a lower frame part (12) configured to be attached to a seat back; an upper frame part (14) pivotally attached to the lower frame part to be moveable between a fully open position and a folded position; a pivot arm (50) connected at a first end (51) to the upper frame part and pivotally connected at a second end (52) to the lower frame part; and a locking mechanism (40) to releasably lock the upper frame part relative to the lower frame part in the fully open position; wherein the locking mechanism comprises a shaft (42) extending through the pivot arm and the lower frame part to define a pivot axis about which the pivot arm pivots relative to the lower frame part, and wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a locking pin (41) configured to extend through the lower frame part, the pivot arm and the upper frame part to lock the pivot arm and upper frame part with respect to the lower frame part when the upper frame part is in a first, fully open, position relative to the lower frame part, and wherein actuation of the locking mechanism by a pushing action of a user causes movement of the locking pin out of engagement with the pivot arm and the upper frame part to permit pivotal movement of the arm relative to the lower frame part about the pivot axis.