Bar actuator for retractable headrest

Details Bar actuator for retractable headrest Bar actuator for retractable headrest

2002-05-15

2004-03-23

Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3636)

Chairs and seats

Headrest interconnected with back for relative concurrent...

C297S378120, C297S410000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06709051

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to seat for motor vehicles, and relates more specifically to a bar actuator for a retractable headrest of a motor vehicle seat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many motor vehicles, particularly sport utility vehicles and minivans, are equipped with rear seats that can be moved from a seating configuration, in which passengers can sit in the seat, to a so-called “load floor” configuration where the back support of the seat is folded downwardly to assume a horizontal orientation and thereby facilitate cargo stowage in the van. Typically, locking mechanisms are provided for holding the seat in the seating configuration, and the locking mechanisms can be released to permit moving the seat to the load floor configuration.
Various arrangement have been proposed for retracting a headrest of the seat in order to provide the seat with a more compact profile when folded. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,942 shows a vehicle seat assembly with an adjustable headrest. The headrest is coupled to a lower seatback latch such that upon rotation of the headrest to a stored position, the lower seatback latch is released, enabling the seatback to then be rotated to its stored position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a motor vehicle seat frame assembly for moving a headrest between an extended position and a retracted position as the frame assembly pivots. The frame assembly comprises a seatback frame operatively engaged with the headrest, and a bar having first and second ends. The seatback frame is pivotable from a use position about a first pivot that is fixed with respect to the vehicle. The first end of the bar is pivotably connected to a second pivot that is fixed with respect to the vehicle, and the second end of the bar is attached to the headrest such that the headrest moves from the extended position toward the retracted position as the seatback frame is pivoted from the use position.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly of the type described above which can be moved to a seating configuration and to a load floor configuration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the type described above that presents a retractable headrest.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the type described above that facilitates the storage of relatively compact rear seats of the motor vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the type described above which is easy to use and cost-effective.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.


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