Chairs and seats – Crash seat – Force-absorbing means incorporated into headrest area
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2001-04-10
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)
Chairs and seats
Crash seat
Force-absorbing means incorporated into headrest area
C297S216100, C297S391000, C297S220000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213548
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant during a vehicle crash event and, more particularly, to an actuatable headrest apparatus which may be actuated to help protect a vehicle occupant during a vehicle crash event.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to help protect a vehicle occupant, a vehicle is equipped with one or more actuatable vehicle protection devices. Certain vehicle occupant protection devices are head and neck protection devices which help protect the head and neck of a vehicle occupant in a rear impact. It is known to construct such protection devices as part of a vehicle seat.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,572 to Bisland discloses an automatic headrest and neck protector as part of a vehicle seat in which a plate is raised behind the head and neck of the vehicle occupant to prevent sudden backward movement of the occupant's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,185 to Schmutz et al. discloses an actuatable headrest device that includes a rollover bar which is extended beyond the upper end of a backrest of a seat to help protect an occupant of the seat during a vehicle rollover condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,885 to Grossmann discloses a seat having an integrated headrest with an air bladder. The air bladder is inflated by a remotely located air pump upon actuation of a manual switch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a vehicle headrest apparatus for a vehicle seat. The headrest apparatus includes first and second relatively movable cushion portions and an outer covering for the cushion portions. The outer covering has a head engaging portion for engaging the head of an occupant of the vehicle seat. The headrest apparatus further includes actuatable means located within the outer covering which, when actuated during a vehicle crash event, effects movement of the head engaging portion of the outer covering and one of said cushion portions relative to the other cushion portion in a direction toward the head of the occupant of the vehicle seat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3420572 (1969-01-01), Bisland
patent: 3680912 (1972-08-01), Matsuura
patent: 3804458 (1974-04-01), Jannoni
patent: 3838870 (1974-10-01), Hug
patent: 4278291 (1981-07-01), Asai
patent: 4657304 (1987-04-01), Heesch et al.
patent: 4693515 (1987-09-01), Russo et al.
patent: 4762367 (1988-08-01), Denton
patent: 4856848 (1989-08-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 4883243 (1989-11-01), Herndon
patent: 4890885 (1990-01-01), Grossmann
patent: 5110185 (1992-05-01), Schmutz et al.
patent: 5290091 (1994-03-01), Dellanno et al.
patent: 5738412 (1998-04-01), Aufere et al.
patent: 5772280 (1998-06-01), Massara
patent: 5820211 (1998-10-01), Heilig et al.
patent: 5842738 (1998-12-01), Knoll et al.
patent: 5882071 (1999-03-01), Fohl
patent: 5884968 (1999-03-01), Massara
patent: 5904405 (1999-05-01), Wu
patent: 5934750 (1999-08-01), Fohl
Co-pending U.S. Patent appln. Ser. No. 08/800,023, filed Feb. 13, 1997, entitled “Vehicle Seat”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,750.
Al-Amin Ahmad K.
Cuevas Jess A.
Elqadah Wael S.
O'Loughlin John P.
Shirk Bryan W.
Cuomo Peter M.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
White Rodney B.
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