Tilting Head Rest Cover Structure to Prevent Slot Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing head rest devices for vehicle seats face issues with smooth tilting due to misalignment of closure members with vertical slots when the covering member moves relative to the seat back, leading to interference and an awkward appearance.

Innovation Solution

A head rest device design that includes a tilting mechanism fixedly connected to the seat back, a stay integrally connected to the head rest body, and a cover with a slot and closure member that prevents interference, ensuring smooth rotation of the stay even if the covering member moves relative to the seat back, and minimizes noise through a skin member covering the closure member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the covering member is provided with vertical openings and closure members to cover the slots, then the appearance of the seat back is improved, but the closure members may move relative to the stays when the covering member moves, causing interference and preventing smooth tilting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappearance of seat backVSAvoidsmooth tilting of head rest body

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member is extracted from the covering member and transferred to the head rest device. This separation ensures that the closure member remains fixed relative to the stay during tilting, while the covering member can move independently without causing misalignment or interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into independent components: the covering member attached to the seat back, the head rest device with its own closure member, and the stay. This segmentation allows each component to move or function independently without interfering with others, resolving the alignment issue during tilting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Shape

If the closure members are provided on the covering member to cover the vertical slots, then the appearance is improved, but the closure members can be ridden up by the stays when the covering member moves, leading to an awkward appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappearance of covering memberVSAvoidrelative position of closure member and stay

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member is extracted from the covering member structure and reattached to the head rest device. This ensures that the closure member's position is stabilized relative to the stay, preventing it from being ridden up during tilting operations while maintaining the aesthetic appearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of attaching the closure member to the covering member (which moves), the closure member is attached to the head rest device (which moves with the stay). This inversion of the attachment relationship stabilizes the relative position between the closure member and stay during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS7819481B2Head rest devices

Publication Date: 2010.10.26 TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK

AI summary

A head rest device that is incorporated into a seat back includes a head rest body, a stay that is integrally connected to the head rest body, a tilting mechanism that is fixedly connected to the seat back and is arranged and constructed to tilt the stay relative to the seat back, and a cover that is capable of covering the tilting mechanism. The cover includes a slot that is arranged and shaped to not prevent the stay from tilting. The cover includes a closure member that is arranged and constructed to cover the slot.