Chairs and seats – Headrest – Occupant attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-04-03
Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Headrest
Occupant attached
C297S216120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209959
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a headrest to be used in means of transport such as automobiles intended for use on public roads, or aeroplanes.
Such a headrest is generally known and is used, for example in automobiles, aeroplanes and other means of transport such as space wagons, busses and the like. They have also been known to be applied in trains or subways. With all these means of transport there is a possibility that in the event of crashes or collisions an injury is sustained, the gravity of which has been recognized and acknowledged for some years. Said injury is the so-called whiplash occurring during a collision, when the head of the respecting occupant of the vehicle is moved back and forth in respect of the body. This causes a so-called acceleration/deceleration trauma of the cervical spinal column. Said injury occurs in particular when a body-fixating belt is worn. The complaints accompanying whiplash often give rise to long term absenteeism resulting from the many possible physical and psychological complaints, which include chronic fatigue. One thing and another may lead to partial and sometimes full disablement, in any case to long term incapacity for work.
DE-U-29,516,661 discloses an anti-whiplash provision to be used in a racing car. In this provision a band is attached to the helmet of the driver, which band is connected with a rotatable spool for winding and unwinding in the interior of the racing car, behind the head of the driver. The spool is provided with stopping means for blocking further rotation of the spool during accelerated unwinding of the band.
DE-U-9,001,789 discloses an anti-whiplash provision to be used with a child's seat. This involves a band construction which is applied around the child's head, and which band is coupled with a further band coming out of the back of the child's seat.
The French patent application FR-A-2,721,880 discloses an anti-whiplash provision comprising a headband which is coupled to a headrest by means of a band for fastening.
DE-A-4 306 555 discloses an anti-whiplash provision which is also designed as a headband coupled with the headrest of a seat.
In FR-A-2 316 102 a similar headrest is proposed, comprising attachment means for a headband to be positioned around the head above the eyes and ears of the user, which fastening means comprise a ring suitable for the headband to be passed through, wherein the fastening means comprise a band attached in the interior of the headrest, extending through an opening in the headrest's upholstery, with the ring being fastened to the band at the exterior of the headrest. This band material is pliable but strong.
The disadvantage of the headrest known from FR-A2 316 102 is that the ring forms a loose connection with the headband which may cause that the protection afforded by the headrest is less effective in preventing whiplash than desired. This particularly is the case when the connection between the ring and the headband has shifted from its central position behind the user's head at the moment the impact giving rise to the whiplash occurs. A certain twist of the head may than occur resulting in a whiplash despite the use of a headrest which is aimed to avoid such. The invention seeks to avoid this problem.
According to the invention the headband is provided with a flap which at a first end is attached to the headband and at the other end is provided with a first press-stud part for engaging a second press-stud part affixed on or in the headband. This provides a simple manner for detachably fastening the headband to the ring. Appropriately, the headband itself is not closed but forms an elongated band having a first and a second end which may be joined, for example by means of Velcro, a buckle or other fastening means.
The fact that from time to time the headband can be detached for cleaning, and that a headband can be applied made from a material or of a length or colour to concur with the user's wishes, is a further advantage which can only stimulate the use of the provision according to the invention. The material must be sufficiently strong to withstand the sudden enormous forces that may come to bear on it.
As a rule the headrest comprises an interior which is covered by upholstery. It is advantageous to provide the upholstery around the opening in the headrest with a metal edging whose maximum dimension is smaller than the diameter of the ring. This last measure ensures that the ring which is present at the exterior of the headrest, will not disappear into the interior of the headrest when the headband is detached. Of course, the band inside of the headrest, to which the ring is attached, can still smoothly slide in and out of the headrest.
The safety afforded by using the provision according to the invention is further served by the fact that in the proximity of the opening, the upholstery of the headrest inclines inwards. This measure means that the ring itself, which serves for the feed-through of the head band, will not give rise to injuries as it can be accommodated in the thus formed hollow, while at the same time the head of the user may contact the headrest even with considerable pressure, without touching said ring.
The attachment means for the headband may possibly form a stiff joint with the headrest or the interior of the headrest. However, it is preferred that the fastening means be equipped such that during use, they check decelerations or accelerations of the headband in relation to the headrest, while permitting uniform movements of the headband. A suitable embodiment of the above is characterized in that the fastening means comprise a rotatable spool for winding and unwinding the band attached to said spool in the interior of the headrest, and in that the spool is provided with stopping means which block further rotation of the spool during accelerated unwinding of the band.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4339151 (1982-07-01), Riggs
patent: 4707031 (1987-11-01), Meistrell
patent: 5081714 (1992-01-01), Liu
patent: 2316102 (1977-01-01), None
patent: 2721880 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 06156185 (1994-06-01), None
Brown Peter R.
Van Derwall Robert J.
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