US20050012374A1 - Universal head restraint assembly for motor vehicle seats - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable head restraint assembly and method for enabling a head restraint pad (18) to be adjustably and lockably positioned with respect to a motor vehicle seatback (14) so that the head restraint pad remains in an adjusted position during a crash sequence after being set by a user. Associated with the head restraint pad (18) is a pair of posts (20). A tubular bushing subassembly (22) is mounted within the seatback (14). It has an inside bore (54) sized for receiving one of the at least one posts (20). The tubular bushing subassembly (22) has an upper separable portion (26a) with a customizable head (36), and a universal lower portion (26b).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/386,591 filed Mar. 12, 2003, to issue on Jun. 1, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,846, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a universal head restraint assembly in motor vehicle seats for use with a head restraint pad that is lockably positioned with respect to a motor vehicle seatback.
• 2. Background Art
• Motor vehicle seats typically include a head restraint pad mounted to the seat for comfort and safety of the passenger. The head restraint pad is mounted on one or two posts which are inserted into guide sleeves affixed to the seat. The posts typically include retainer notches which allow the head restraint pad to be vertically adjustable.
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,642 to Hoover Universal, Inc., discloses a head restraint guide assembly having a bushing installed within the seatback for receiving the head restraint pad posts. The head restraint bushing includes extending legs with ramp surfaces so that when the bushing is inserted within the seatback, the legs are resiliently deflected and become locked into place when the installed position is reached. The head restraint post passes through the bushing and has a number of notches which provide detents. A detent lug carried by the bushing engages the detent notches and is resiliently biased against the post. The detent notches are provided with cam surfaces, enabling the head restraint to be raised and lowered to and past the detent positions. The lowermost notch forms a retainer notch with a radial wall which prevents complete removal of the head restraint. A leaf spring actuator can be depressed from outside of the seatback and acts on the detent lug to deflect it out of engagement with the detent notches, thereby enabling withdrawal of the head restraint assembly. In order to remove the head restraint post, a downward force must be applied to the actuator by a tool such as a screwdriver, causing the lug to move out of engagement with the retainer notch.
• U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,077 discloses a head restraint assembly for a motor vehicle. It is commonly owned with the present application and is incorporated herein by reference. That reference discloses actuator springs within a button subassembly that may become over-stressed because their deflection is relatively unconstrained over repeated use.
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,276 discloses a locking headrest support assembly that includes two tines in the manner of a fork that extend from a sleeve. One tine is provided with a prong which is intended to prevent the extraction of the sleeve from a hole in the back of a vehicle seat. That tine is also provided with a locator rib which orients the sleeve in the proper direction within the hole in the vehicle seat. The other tine is provided with a side rib which provides the sleeve be tight fit in the hole in the vehicle seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• One objective of the present invention is to commonize one or more components of a head restraint assembly by providing some universal components in the assembly that the original equipment manufacturer or tier one supplier may place in a vehicle seatback, while other components in the assembly can be customized. The latter components can be variously shaped so that they can conform with the style of vehicle seat.
• Another objective of the invention is to provide a means to satisfy requirements mandated by a regulatory authority.
• According to the present invention, an improved head restraint assembly is provided for enabling a head restraint pad to be lockably positioned with respect to a motor vehicle seatback. The head restraint pad includes at least one post connected to and supporting the head restraint pad. A tubular bushing subassembly is mounted to the seat and has an inside bore sized for receiving the at least one post. The tubular bushing subassembly has a lower universal portion and a separable upper customizable portion. The lower portion is seated within the sleeve that is received within the vehicle seatback. The upper portion of the tubular bushing subassembly has a head outside the seat.
• The invention thus allows portions of the head restraint assembly to be commonized. This has the attribute of reducing tooling costs, which would otherwise be required to manufacture an entire subassembly when in fact the installer merely wishes to alter the appearance of the head of the upper portion (e.g., circular, oval, rectangular or square-shaped) as desired, to be in harmony with the style of vehicle seatback. Thus, the lower portion can be commonized among many vehicle platforms. It remains relatively unchanged.
• The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle seat of the type having a separate adjustable head restraint assembly;
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tubular button subassembly of the head restraint assembly according to the present invention; and
• FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the head restraint assembly according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of amotor vehicle seat10 having abottom cushion12 and aseatback14. A head restraint assembly16 including apad18 is supported by theseatback14. The assembly includes thepad18 and a pair of downwardly extendingmounting posts20.
• FIG. 2 illustrates various details of the head restraint assembly16. The head restraint assembly16 enables thepad18 to be moved inwardly and outwardly in relation to themotor vehicle seat10. Inserted into asleeve28 in the seatback is atubular bushing subassembly22, preferably made of plastic. Onetubular bushing subassembly22 is provided for eachpost20. Eachtubular bushing subassembly22 has aninside bore24 for receiving apost20.
• Thebushing subassembly22 further includes ahead36 formed at the upper end thereof which engages the outside of theseatback14 when mounted to theseat10.
• Theseatback14 receives asleeve28 having an opening30 that is larger than thetubular bushing subassembly22 for receiving at least a portion thereof (FIG. 2).
• Additional detail of thetubular bushing subassembly22 will now be discussed with particular reference toFIG. 2. Thetubular bushing subassembly22 has a loweruniversal portion26band a separable customizableupper portion26a. Thelower portion26band a part of theupper portion26aare seated within thesleeve28 that is received within thevehicle seatback20.
• Theupper portion26aof thetubular bushing subassembly22 is detachably received by thelower portion26b. Accordingly, theupper portion26aincludes a lower portion-receiving section100 and a means for registration106.
• In order to secure thetubular bushing subassembly22 in relation to theseatback14, thesleeve28 is provided with abore54 extending from opening30 and terminating at a length shorter than the length of thetubular bushing subassembly22.
• Thelower portion26bof thetubular bushing subassembly22 further defines alatch member58 that is moveable between a latched position and a biased unlatched position. Thelatch58 includes aramp surface60 and aradial shoulder62. Upon assembly, when thelower portion26bis inserted into thebore54, theramp surface60 engages thebore54 until theradial shoulder62 engages a notched surface (not shown) within thebore54.
• Next, theupper portion26aof thebushing subassembly22 is moved into registration with thelower portion26b. To secure theportions26a,26b, an inter-portion latching mechanism104 is provided proximate an upper end of thelower portion26b. The latching mechanism104 is received within an inner diameter of theupper portion26bof thebushing subassembly22.
• After theupper portion26ahas been secured in relationship to thelower portion26bto form an integratedtubular bushing subassembly22, thepost20 can be inserted into thebore24, thereby locking thelatch member58 and latching mechanism104 into the latched positions and thereby anchoring thetubular bushing subassembly22 into thesleeve28 and seat back14.
• In use, thebushing subassembly22 may be removed from thesleeve28 by first removing thepost20 from thebore24, causing thelatch58 to revert to the biased unlatched position. This allows the bushing subassembly to be removed from the seat frame if desired.
• If desired, registration of the upper andlower portions26a,26bcan be assured by providing a means for registration106 therebetween. Thus, the disclosed design includes a detent provided in the lower or upper portion to assure registration of the upper andlower portions26a,26bas an example of the means for registration106. In practice, the means for registration106 include a protrusion from thelower portion26bthat is received within a detent defined within theupper portion26a, or vice versa.
• In order to assure that thetubular bushing subassembly22 is inserted intobore54 in the same orientation upon repeated insertion, anorientation locator projection64 is formed on theupper portion26aof thetubular bushing subassembly22. Thelocator projection64 is insertable into aslot portion66 that is provided on thesleeve28. Additionally, in order to assure that thebushing subassembly22 is snugly fit into thebore54, at least onerib68 of theupper portion26amay be provided for localized, yet circumferentially distributed frictional engagement with the seat frame bore54.
• Thebushing subassembly22 preferably comprises a plurality oflongitudinal ribs71 withinbore24 in order to facilitate ready insertion thereof during the manufacturing and assembly process. The number and spacing of theribs71 depends on several factors, including the length and curvature of thepost20. Without theribs71, thepost20 might occasionally bind or rattle within thebore24 due to manufacturing tolerances. With theribs71, thebore24 is made slightly larger than thepost20. Theribs71 thus contact the mounting post to equalize and maintain efforts between thebushing22 and the mounting post.
• Accordingly, there has been disclosed a solution to various requests that portions of the head restraint assembly be commonized. These generally are represented by thelower portion26bof thebushing subassembly22. This has the attribute of reducing tooling costs, would otherwise be required to manufacture an entire subassembly when in fact the installer merely wishes to alter the appearance of thehead36 of theupper portion26a(e.g., circular, oval, hexagonal, rectangular or square-shaped) as desired, to be in harmony with the style of vehicle seatback. One benefit of the invention is that thelower portion26bcan be commonized among many vehicle platforms. It remains relatively unchanged.
• There thus has been disclosed abushing subassembly22 with upper andlower portions26a,26bthat are separable. In use, theupper portion26aslides onto thelower portion26buntil an inter-portion latching mechanism104 and the means for registration106 engage.
• Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, an improved head restraint assembly for motor vehicle seats that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages as set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the following claims.

Claims (15)

1. An adjustable head restraint assembly for enabling a head restraint pad to be lockably positioned with respect to a motor vehicle seatback, the assembly comprising:

at least one post extending from and supporting the head restraint pad to permit the pad to be locked in one of several height positions in relation to the seatback;

a tubular bushing subassembly mounted at least partially within the seatback and having an inside bore sized for receiving one of the at least one posts, the tubular bushing subassembly having an upper separable portion with a customizable head, and a universal lower portion.

2. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a latching mechanism and a means for registration.

3. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the lower portion includes a latching mechanism that is received within an inner diameter of the upper portion of the bushing subassembly.

4. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, further including an orientation locator projection formed on the upper portion of the tubular bushing subassembly.

5. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a head having a shape selected from the group consisting of circular, oval, hexagonal, rectangular and square.

6. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, further including an inter-portion latching mechanism.

7. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, further including means for registration.

8. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the upper separable portion includes a means for registration comprising a detent.

9. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the upper separable portion receives a protrusion that extends from the lower portion.

10. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a protrusion.

11. The head restraint assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the lower portion includes a detent that receives the protrusion.

12. A method of attaching a head restraint assembly having a head restraint pad to a seatback, comprising the steps of:

moving an upper portion including a detent of a tubular bushing subassembly into registration with a lower portion of the tubular subassembly to form an integrated tubular bushing subassembly; and

inserting the integrated tubular bushing subassembly into a vehicle seatback.

13. A method of attaching a head restraint assembly having a head restraint pad to a seatback, comprising the steps of:

inserting a lower portion of a tubular bushing subassembly into a vehicle seatback;

moving an upper portion of the tubular bushing subassembly into registration with the lower portion thereof;

engaging a latching mechanism so that the upper and lower portions become secured in relation to each other; and

inserting a post into within the tubular bushing subassembly.

14. The method ofclaim 13 further comprising a step of:

locking the lower portion of the tubular bushing assembly in relation to the vehicle seatback.

15. The method ofclaim 14 further comprising the step of:

engaging a latching mechanism upon insertion of the post so that the lower and upper portions of the tubular bushing assembly are latched together.

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