U.S. patent application number 11/301037 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for pole guide for a headrest of an automobile.
Invention is credited to Cheong Myung Hong.
Application Number | 20070132297 11/301037 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38138585 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070132297 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hong; Cheong Myung |
June 14, 2007 |
Pole guide for a headrest of an automobile
Abstract
The present invention provides a pole guide for a headrest of an
automobile, which does not deform in high temperatures in welding
in its manufacturing process, so that both side ends of the pole
guide do not gape or warp at a joint thereof. The pole guide is
obtained by pressing and forming a flat panel (31) on progressive
dies, and the flat panel (31) is vertically provided with a fixing
groove (32) at a upper part of a top end thereof, and provided with
coupling elements (33) at both opposing side ends thereof to be
engaged with each other.
Inventors: |
Hong; Cheong Myung;
(Goyang-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MADSON & AUSTIN;GATEWAY TOWER WEST
SUITE 900
15 WEST SOUTH TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84101
US
|
Family ID: |
38138585 |
Appl. No.: |
11/301037 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/391 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/809 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/391 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/36 20060101
A47C007/36 |
Claims
1. A pole guide for a headrest of an automobile, which is obtained
by pressing and forming a flat panel on progressive dies to allow
both side ends of the flat panel to be connected to each other,
wherein the flat panel is vertically provided with a fixing groove
at a upper part of a top end thereof, to which a holder for
adjusting height of the headrest is fitted, and the flat panel is
provided with coupling elements at both opposing side ends thereof
to be engaged with each other, so that the flat panel cannot be
separated, nor gape or warp at a joint of the opposing side
ends.
2. The pole guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling
elements comprise prominences and depressions, which are
respectively provided at both opposing side ends of the flat
panel.
3. The pole guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein auxiliary
depressions are provided on both sides of a neck portion of the
prominence of the coupling elements, and auxiliary prominences are
provided on both sides of an inlet of the depression of the
coupling elements.
4. The pole guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flat panel is
formed in shape of a square pillar.
5. The pole guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flat panel is
formed in shape of a square pillar.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a pole guide for use in
securing a headrest in a seat of an automobile, and more
particularly to a pole guide for a headrest of an automobile, which
does not deform in high temperatures in welding in its
manufacturing process, so that both side ends of the pole guide do
not gape or warp at a joint thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In general, a headrest is mounted on top of a car seat to
relieve the fatigue of a driver or passenger and to protect head
from rear impacts in case of accidents. It can be adjusted in its
height to fit to the body of the driver or the passenger.
[0003] Such a headrest includes poles in its bottom surface, to be
slidably connected to respective pole guides provided in a seat of
a car. The height of the headrest can be adjusted by sliding the
poles.
[0004] The pole guides are vertically provided in a frame of the
seat, which is a basic structure of the car seat, and fixed on the
frame by welding.
[0005] Such pole guides for the headrest were conventionally made
of a flat panel of metal. The flat panel was pressed on progressive
dies and bent to allow both side ends of the panel to contact with
each other, so that they could fit onto the poles.
[0006] When the pole guides were vertically provided in the seat
frame and fixed thereon by welding, however, the pole guides could
deform by the heat in high temperatures directly applied thereto
during welding. As a result, both side ends of the pole guides
could split open or warp.
[0007] That is, since both side ends of the pole guide were simply
in contact with each other, the pole guide could be easily deformed
while welding.
[0008] In this case, for example, the poles of the headrest could
not be fitted to the pole guides or could not be properly operated
or adjusted, and thus percent defective could increase in
manufacturing process.
[0009] Further, since the flat panel was made of metal, the elastic
force to restore to the original shape could be horizontally
applied to the pole guide, and as a result the pole guide could
gape or warp at the joint of both side ends thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a pole guide, which can be secured on a seat frame of an
automobile by welding with stability and accuracy.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole
guide, which does not gape or warp at a joint of side ends thereof
even under the elastic force applied thereon horizontally and the
heat in high temperatures in welding.
[0012] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
pole guide enabling the headrest to operate accurately, i.e.,
enabling the pole of the headrest to move up and down smoothly and
accurately in the pole guide according to the operation of a
user.
[0013] In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention
provides a pole guide for a headrest of an automobile, which is
obtained by pressing and forming a flat panel on progressive dies
to allow both side ends of the flat panel to be connected to each
other, wherein the flat panel is vertically provided with a fixing
groove at a upper part of a top end thereof, to which a holder for
adjusting height of the headrest is fitted, and the flat panel is
provided with coupling elements at both opposing side ends thereof
to be engaged with each other, so that the flat panel cannot be
separated, nor gape or warp at a joint of the opposing side
ends.
[0014] Therefore, when such a pole guide is fixed on the seat frame
of a car by welding, since the coupling elements of the pole guide
are engaged with each other at both opposing ends of the flat
panel, the coupling state does not release easily even under the
elastic force applied in the horizontal direction.
[0015] Further, even if the heat in high temperatures is directly
applied to the pole guide, since the coupling elements do not
release the engagement state easily, the pole guide is not
influenced by thermal deformation.
[0016] Thus, the pole of the headrest can be easily fitted into the
pole guide, so that the user can freely adjust the height of the
headrest with stability by operating the holder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention, wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state where
a pole guide of the present invention is applied to a car seat of
an automobile;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pole guide according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pole guide according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a font view showing the pole guide of the present
invention in a deployed state;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a process of
forming the pole guide of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where the pole
guide of the present invention is fixed on a seat frame by welding;
and
[0024] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the pole guide of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to preferred
embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0026] In FIG. 1, a pole guide (30), a holder (21) for adjusting
height of a headrest (20) and the headrest (20) are sequentially
assembled. Poles (40) are protruded from a bottom surface of the
headrest (20).
[0027] The pole guide (30) is fixed on a seat frame (11) of a car
seat by welding. FIG. 6 shows that the pole guide (30) in the shape
of a square pillar is welded on the seat frame (11).
[0028] Usually two pole guides (30) are fixed by welding on the
seat frame (11), and the poles (40) are respectively fitted into
the pole guides (30).
[0029] The headrest (20) can freely move up and down by means of
the holder (21), and the height of the headrest (20) can be
adjusted.
[0030] The pole guide (30) of the present invention is manufactured
by pressing and forming a flat panel (31) on progressive dies to
allow both side ends of the flat panel (31) to be connected to each
other.
[0031] While FIG. 3 shows that the pole guide (30) is formed in the
shape of a cylinder, FIG. 2 shows that the pole guide (30) is
formed in the shape of the square pillar. This square pillar shape
serves to enlarge a welding area of the pole guide (30) onto the
seat frame (11) and to prevent the pole guide (30)'s trembling, so
that the pole guide (30) can be secured on the seat frame (11) with
reliability and percent defective in the welding process can be
decreased.
[0032] The pole guide (30) in the form of a cylinder as shown in
FIG. 3 facilitates the pole (40) to be fitted thereinto, since the
pole (40) is usually shaped in the form of a rod.
[0033] According to usage or purpose of use, the shape of the pole
guide (30) can be determined.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 4, the flat panel (31) is vertically
provided with a fixing groove (32) at a upper part of a top end
thereof, to which the holder (21) for adjusting the height of the
headrest (20) is fitted.
[0035] The flat panel (31) is further provided with coupling
elements (33) at both opposing side ends thereof to be engaged with
each other, so that the flat panel (31) cannot be separated, nor
gape or warp at a joint of the opposing side ends.
[0036] The process of forming the pole guide (30) in the shape of
the square pillar or cylinder will be described in more detail
hereunder, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0037] Firstly, the flat panel (31) should be prepared to have the
fixing groove (32) and the coupling elements (33).
[0038] The fixing groove (32) is formed vertically at the top upper
part of the flat panel (31).
[0039] The coupling elements (33) comprise prominences (34) and
depressions (35), which are respectively provided at both opposing
side ends of the flat panel (31).
[0040] Then, the flat panel (31) is pressed on progressive dies,
and bent to form the square pillar shape as in FIG. 5 or curved to
form the cylinder shape as in FIG. 3.
[0041] Then, the prominences (34) and the depressions (35) are
connected by engagement with each other.
[0042] Each of the prominences (34) and the depressions (35)
opposing each other at both side ends of the flat panel (31) is
formed in the shape of circle.
[0043] The prominences (34) have neck portions with smaller width
than the central diameter thereof, and the depressions (35) have
inlets with smaller width than the central diameter thereof, so
that the prominences (34) and the depressions (35) can be smoothly
assembled and cannot be easily separated even under the influence
of the elastic force in the horizontal direction.
[0044] Further, even if the heat in high temperatures is directly
applied on the pole guide (30) during the welding process, as the
structure of the coupling elements (33) renders the pole guide (30)
to be endurable, the coupling elements (33) do not gape or warp by
thermal deformation.
[0045] Thus, the pole (40) of the headrest (20) can easily fit into
the pole guide (30) with stability.
[0046] Meanwhile, auxiliary depressions (36) are provided on both
sides of the neck portion of the prominence (34) of the coupling
elements (33), and auxiliary prominences (37) are provided on both
sides of the inlet of the depression (35) of the coupling elements
(33).
[0047] The auxiliary depressions (36) and auxiliary prominences
(37) serve to secure the coupling between the prominences (34) and
the depressions (35). They are formed in the shape of a half
circle, so that they can be easily and smoothly assembled and
cannot be easily separated.
[0048] Therefore, even if the elastic force is applied to the pole
guide (30) in the horizontal direction or if the pole guide (30) is
not accurately secured on the seat frame (11), the pole guide (30)
can keep its coupling state.
[0049] When the headrest (20) is fitted in the pole guide (30)
through the pole (40), the holder (21) for adjusting the height of
the headrest (20), which has been connected to the fixing groove
(32) of the pole guide (30), can be manipulated by a user to allow
the headrest (20) to fit to the body of the user.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 7, an inlet (38) of the pole guide (30) is
preferably curved outward so that the pole (40) can be guided
easily into the pole guide (30) and the holder (21) can be smoothly
operated.
[0051] As described above, according to the present invention, the
pole guide can be secured with stability and accuracy on a seat
frame of an automobile by welding.
[0052] Further, according to the present invention, the pole guide
does not gape or warp at a joint of side ends thereof even under
the elastic force applied thereon horizontally and the heat in high
temperatures in welding.
[0053] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the pole
guide enables the headrest to operate accurately, i.e., enables the
pole of the headrest to move up and down smoothly and accurately in
the pole guide by the operation of a user.
[0054] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the present invention
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The
present invention covers the modifications and variations provided
they come within the scope of the appended claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *