Metal working – Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for... – Carriage stop mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-11
2001-02-27
Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3624)
Metal working
Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for...
Carriage stop mechanism
C297S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192565
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject invention relates to automotive seat assemblies which include adjustable or retractable headrests.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Front and rear seats in many passenger vehicles, such as automobiles, include respective headrests which provide added comfort for a passenger. In addition to the comfort feature, the headrests also provide a safety feature. Namely, the headrests provide needed head support during rear end collisions which reduces the likelihood of whiplash type injuries. Headrests are typically mounted to a top portion of a seat back as either an integral part of the seat back or as a separate unit mounted to the seat back. The separable headrests usually include some type of height adjustment mechanism. One of the deficiencies which occurs when having a headrest includes obstructed views for the driver and/or passengers. Another deficiency occurs when the seat is folded downwardly to provide added storage space. Specifically, the headrest protruding from the top portion of the seat back extends the length of the seat back; therefore, the amount of available storage space is reduced.
The prior art has contemplated some solutions to these deficiencies. One relatively simple solution is to remove the headrest from the seat back when views are obstructed and/or the seat back is folded downwardly. This however creates another problem of what to do with the loose headrest. Another solution relates to having the headrest move to a position behind the seat back. An example of this type of headrest is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,680. Some difficulties encountered with these designs are that the height adjustment means may be exposed and the headrest is still occupying a portion of the needed cargo space.
Hence, there is a need for a headrest design which can provide adequate support for a passenger and yet be retracted to improve the viewing area and increase the available storage space.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
An automotive seat assembly comprising a seat cushion and a seat back, having top and bottom portions, pivotally mounted to the seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a folded position. A headrest is mounted to the top portion of the seat back and moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position. The seat assembly is characterized by a control mechanism mounted between the seat back and the headrest for automatically moving the headrest between the deployed and retracted positions in response to the pivotal movement of the seat back between the seating and folded positions. The subject invention is also characterized by a cavity formed within the top portion of the seat back for selectively housing the headrest. The control mechanism moves the headrest between the deployed position with the headrest substantially disposed outside of the cavity and the retracted position with the headrest substantially disposed within the cavity.
Accordingly, the headrest of the subject invention can provide adequate support for a passenger and be retracted to improve the viewing area and increase the available storage space in a vehicle. The headrest may be retracted automatically in response to the movement of the seat back or may be retracted by a separate actuation device. Further, the headrest may be retracted into the cavity in the seat back or behind, beside, or in front of the seat back.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3316013 (1967-04-01), Abel et al.
patent: 4350389 (1982-09-01), Parsson et al.
patent: 4657297 (1987-04-01), Ishibashi
patent: 4700989 (1987-10-01), Ercilla
patent: 4762367 (1988-08-01), Denton
patent: 4935680 (1990-06-01), Sugiyama
patent: 5346277 (1994-09-01), Holobaugh et al.
patent: 5605377 (1997-02-01), Tame
patent: 5671965 (1997-09-01), O'Connor
patent: 5681079 (1997-10-01), Robinson
patent: 5738411 (1998-04-01), Sutton et al.
patent: 5918940 (1999-07-01), Wakamatsu et al.
patent: 19727097 (1998-02-01), None
patent: 29723240 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 2432855 (1980-03-01), None
patent: 2318285 (1998-04-01), None
PCT Search Report 99/00084.
Barfield Anthony D.
Howard & Howard
Magna Interior Systems Inc.
LandOfFree
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