U.S. patent application number 11/553551 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-01 for head restraint.
This patent application is currently assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. Invention is credited to Zbigniew J. Orzelski.
Application Number | 20080100116 11/553551 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39329257 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080100116 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Orzelski; Zbigniew J. |
May 1, 2008 |
HEAD RESTRAINT
Abstract
A head restraint assembly for use with a vehicle seat, the head
restraint assembly having a head restraint armature that is adapted
to be attached to a seat back, including two spaced apart support
posts, a cushion surrounding the head restraint armature and a
strap that is affixed to the head restraint armature, the strap
extending between the two spaced apart support posts. The strap is
also surrounded by the cushion.
Inventors: |
Orzelski; Zbigniew J.;
(Bloomfield Hills, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C./FGTL
1000 TOWN CENTER, 22ND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075-1238
US
|
Assignee: |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Family ID: |
39329257 |
Appl. No.: |
11/553551 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/391 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/80 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/391 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/36 20060101
A47C007/36 |
Claims
1. A head restraint assembly for use with a vehicle seat, the head
restraint assembly comprising: a head restraint armature adapted to
be attached to a seat back, the head restraint armature including
two spaced apart support posts; a cushion surrounding the head
restraint armature; and a strap affixed to the head restraint
armature, the strap extending between the two spaced apart support
posts, and the strap being surrounded by the cushion.
2. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the strap defines
a closed loop having opposing sides and wherein the strap is
affixed to the head restraint armature such that the strap wraps
around at least a portion of each support post.
3. The head restraint assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of
the support posts has a notch and wherein the strap has a
protrusion that cooperates with the notch to secure the strap.
4. The head restraint assembly of claim 2 wherein the armature
includes an adjoining portion that adjoins the two spaced apart
support posts, and wherein the strap has a saddle portion extending
between the opposing sides of the strap, an underside of the saddle
portion resting against a top portion of the adjoining portion of
the armature when the strap is affixed to the head restraint
armature.
5. The head restraint assembly of claim 4 wherein the saddle
portion includes a protrusion that holds the strap in place on the
armature.
6. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the strap is made
from a material comprising plastic.
7. The head restraint assembly of claim 6 wherein the plastic
comprises polypropylene.
8. The head restraint assembly of claim 6 wherein the plastic
comprises glass filled polypropylene.
9. The head restraint assembly of claim 8 wherein the ratio of
polypropylene to glass is approximately 4 to 1.
10. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the strap is in
the general shape of a crescent when viewed from above a top
portion of the strap prior to mounting the strap to the two support
posts, and wherein the strap is in tension when the strap is
mounted to the two support posts.
11. The head restraint assembly of claim 10 wherein the strap is
oriented so as to be concave with respect to a front portion of the
cushion.
12. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the strap has a
thickness of approximately 2 mm.
13. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the armature
includes an adjoining portion that adjoins the two support posts
and wherein a top portion of the strap is positioned approximately
50 mm below the adjoining portion.
14. A strap for use with a vehicle seat head restraint assembly
having an armature, the armature having two spaced apart support
posts and an adjoining portion that adjoins the two support posts,
the strap comprising: a band generally defining a closed loop
having opposing sides, the band being made from a material
comprising plastic, the band having a protrusion, the band being
mountable to the two posts and the band being securable on the head
restraint assembly by cooperation of the protrusion with the
armature.
15. The strap of claim 14 wherein the band has a saddle portion
extending between a top portion of the opposing sides of the
band.
16. The strap of claim 15 wherein the protrusion is disposed on the
saddle portion, the protrusion being capable of cooperation with
the adjoining portion to secure the band to the adjoining portion
when the band is mounted to the two posts.
17. The strap of claim 16 wherein the band is made from a material
comprising polypropylene.
18. The strap of claim 16 wherein the band is made from a material
comprising glass filled polypropylene wherein the ratio of
polypropylene to glass is 4 to 1.
19. A strap in combination with an automotive seat head restraint
assembly comprising: a head restraint assembly having two posts
that are substantially upright, substantially rigid, spaced apart
and oriented along substantially parallel axes, and a rigid joining
member that is oriented substantially transverse to the two posts,
the rigid joining member rigidly connecting the two posts; a band
generally defining a closed loop having opposing sides, the band
being made from a material comprising plastic, the band having a
top portion and an integral saddle portion extending between the
top portion of the opposing sides of the band, the band being
mounted to the head restraint assembly such that the band wraps
around a portion of each of the two posts and the saddle portion
wraps around a portion of the rigid joining member, the saddle
portion including a plurality of protrusions that cooperate with
the rigid joining member to hold the band in place on the rigid
joining member; and a foam cushion having a front portion, the foam
cushion enveloping the band and the rigid joining member.
20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the band is generally in
the shape of a crescent when viewed from above the top portion
prior to mounting the band to the head restraint assembly, wherein
the band is placed in tension when the band is mounted to the two
posts, and wherein the band and the extension are made from a
material comprising glass filled polypropylene wherein the ratio of
polypropylene to glass is 4 to 1.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to head restraint assemblies for use
with vehicle seat assemblies.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Because of concern for the safety of vehicle occupants,
vehicles have traditionally been the subject of extensive
government regulation. Such regulations set forth standards with
which the vehicle and/or its components must comply. One component
that has been the subject of regulation is the vehicle head
restraint assembly.
[0005] FMVSS-202a prescribes a minimum "backset retention" for a
head restraint assembly. The backset retention test prescribed by
FMVSS-202a requires that a head restraint assembly be able to
withstand a specified level of force without experiencing a greater
than a specified displacement. Current head restraint assemblies
having only a head restraint armature and a foam cushion may be
unable to satisfy the requirements of FMVSS-202a because of the
deformation experienced by the foam cushion upon the application of
the specified force. Applicants' invention presents a solution to
this potential problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Under the invention, a new head restraint assembly for use
with a vehicle seat is provided. In a first embodiment, a head
restraint armature that is adapted to be attached to a seat back is
provided. The head restraint armature includes two spaced apart
support posts. A cushion is provided surrounding the head restraint
armature. Additionally, a strap is affixed to the head restraint
armature. The strap extends between the two spaced apart support
posts and is surrounded by the cushion.
[0007] In at least one implementation of the first embodiment, the
strap defines a closed loop having opposing sides. The strap is
affixed to the head restraint armature such that the strap wraps
around at least a portion of each support post. In at least another
implementation, at least one of the support posts has a notch and
the strap has a protrusion that cooperates with the notch to secure
the strap.
[0008] In at least another implementation of the first embodiment,
the armature includes an adjoining portion that adjoins the two
spaced apart support posts and the strap has a saddle portion
extending between the opposing sides of the strap. In at least one
variation of this implementation, an underside of the saddle
portion rests against a top portion of the adjoining portion of the
armature when the strap is affixed to the head restraint armature.
In at least another variation of this implementation, the saddle
portion includes a protrusion that holds the strap in place on the
armature.
[0009] In at least another implementation of the first embodiment,
the strap is made from a material comprising plastic. In at least
one such implementation, the plastic comprises polypropylene. In at
least one variation of this implementation, the plastic comprises
glass filled polypropylene. In at least another variation of this
implementation, the ratio of polypropylene to glass is
approximately 4 to 1.
[0010] In at least another implementation of the first embodiment,
the strap is in the general shape of a crescent when viewed from
above a top portion of the strap prior to mounting the strap to the
support posts. In this implementation, the strap is in tension when
the strap is mounted to the two support posts. In at least one
variation of this implementation, the strap is orientated so as to
be concave with respect to a front portion of the cushion.
[0011] In at least another implementation of the first embodiment,
the strap has a thickness of approximately two millimeters.
[0012] In at least another implementation of the first embodiment,
the armature includes an adjoining portion that adjoins the two
support posts and a top portion of the strap is positioned
approximately 50 millimeters below the adjoining portion.
[0013] In a second embodiment, a strap is provided for use with a
vehicle seat head restraint assembly having an armature, the
armature having two spaced apart support posts and an adjoining
portion that adjoins the two support posts. The strap comprises a
band generally defining a closed loop having opposing sides. The
band also has a protrusion. In this embodiment, the band is
mountable to the two posts and securable to the head restraint
assembly by cooperation of the protrusion with a notch in the
armature.
[0014] In at least one implementation of the second embodiment, the
band has a saddle portion extending between a top portion of the
opposing sides of the band. In a variation of this implementation,
the protrusion is disposed on the saddle portion, the protrusion
being capable of cooperating with the adjoining portion to secure
the band to the adjoining portion when the band is mounted to the
two posts. In at least one variation of this implementation, the
band is made from a material comprising polypropylene. In a further
variation, the band is made from a material comprising glass filled
polypropylene wherein the ratio of polypropylene to glass is 4 to
1.
[0015] In a third embodiment, a strap in combination with an
automotive seat head restraint assembly is provided. In this
embodiment, the combination comprises a head restraint assembly
having two posts that are substantially upright, rigid, spaced
apart and oriented along substantially parallel axes and a rigid
joining member that is oriented substantially traverse to the two
posts, the rigid joining member rigidly connecting the two posts.
The combination further comprises a band generally defining a
closed loop having opposing sides, the band being made from a
material comprising plastic, the band having a top portion and an
integral saddle portion extending between the top portion of the
opposing sides of the band. The band is mounted to the head
restraint assembly such that the band wraps around a portion of
each of the two posts and the saddle portion wraps around a portion
of the rigid joining member. The saddle portion includes a
plurality of protrusions that cooperate with the rigid joining
member to hold the band in place on the rigid joining member. In
this embodiment, a foam cushion having a front portion envelops
both the band and the rigid joining member.
[0016] In at least one implementation of the third embodiment, the
band is generally in the shape of a crescent when viewed from above
the top portion prior to mounting the band to the head restraint
assembly. In this implementation, the band is placed in tension
when the band is mounted to the two posts. In this implementation,
the band and the extension are made from a material comprising
glass filled polypropylene with a ratio of polypropylene to glass
is 4 to 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of a
headrest assembly made in accordance with the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head restraint armature
and a head restraint strap of the head restraint assembly of FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the head restraint strap of
FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the head restraint
strap of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the head restraint strap of FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
a head restraint strap made in accordance with the present
invention; and
[0023] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of
FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0024] Reference will now be made in detail to the illustrated
embodiments of the present invention which constitute the best
modes of practicing the invention presently known to the inventor.
The following descriptions are merely exemplary in nature and are
in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or
uses. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Therefore,
specific details disclosed therein are not to be interpreted as
limiting, but merely as a representative basis for any aspect of
the invention and/or as a representative basis for teaching one
skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
[0025] As best shown in FIG. 1, at least one embodiment of the
present invention includes a head restraint assembly 10 for use
with a seat assembly (not shown) mounted to a vehicle (not shown).
While head restraint assembly 10 may be used in any vehicle
including boats, airplanes, and trains, in a preferred embodiment,
head restraint assembly 10 is used in an automobile. As illustrated
in FIG. 1, head restraint assembly 10 comprises a head restraint
armature 12, a strap or band 14, and a cushion 16. Head restraint
assembly 10 may be mounted to an automobile seat assembly and
positioned behind the head of an occupant.
[0026] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, head restraint
armature 12 provides structural support to head restraint assembly
10. Head restraint armature 12 can be made from any rigid material,
such as metal, that is resilient to the application of forces such
as those exerted by an occupant's head during a rear end collision.
Metals suitable for use in the head restraint armature 12 include
carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and in a preferred
embodiment, high strength low alloy steel.
[0027] Head restraint armature 12 includes two support posts 18,
20. In the illustrated embodiment, the two support posts 18, 20 are
spaced apart and are substantially parallel to one another. The
head restraint assembly 10 may be mounted to a vehicle seat back by
inserting a portion of the support posts 18, 20 within cavities in
the vehicle seat back (not shown). In some embodiments, the
portions of support posts 18, 20 that are received within a vehicle
seat back may have notches that cooperate with the vehicle seat
back to allow the head restraint assembly to be adjustable up and
down with respect to the vehicle seat back. In other embodiments,
the head restraint assembly 10 is not adjustable. In some
embodiments, head restraint assembly 10 is bolted, welded, and/or
otherwise affixed to the seat back.
[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the support posts 18, 20
extend upward into the cushion 16 and support cushion 16 on the
vehicle seat assembly. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support posts
18, 20 are connected by an adjoining portion 22. In the illustrated
embodiment, adjoining portion 22 is integral with the two support
posts 18, 20. In other embodiments, the adjoining portion 22 may be
connected to the support posts, 18, 20, with nuts, bolts, a weld,
or any other mechanism or method effective to rigidly connect the
two support posts, 18, 20 to each other.
[0029] As illustrated, strap 14 is a closed loop (this is best
illustrated in FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the strap 14 is
affixed to the head restraint armature 12 such that it wraps around
a portion of the two support posts 18, 20. In the embodiment of the
strap 14 illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, a saddle portion 24 extends
upward from, and adjoins, opposing sides of strap 14. In the
illustrated embodiment, saddle portion 24 is integral with strap
14. In other embodiments, the saddle portion 24 may be made
separately from strap 14 and then attached to strap 14 using epoxy,
fasteners or any other mechanism or method effective to join the
saddle portion 24 to strap 14.
[0030] The strap 14 may be made from a material comprising plastic.
The plastic material may comprise polypropylene. The plastic
material may comprise glass filled polypropylene. In a preferred
embodiment, the strap is made from a material comprising glass
filled polypropylene wherein the ratio of polypropylene to glass is
4 to 1. The strap 14 may be manufactured by a variety of processes
including extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, bonding, or
fastening to form a strap.
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 1, cushion 16 envelops the head
restraint armature 12 and the strap 14. The cushion 16 may be made
from any material effective to cushion an occupant's head and is
preferably made from a foam. In a preferred embodiment, the strap
14 is positioned on the head restraint armature 12 and the assembly
is then placed in a mold into which foam is introduced. The loop
configuration of strap 14 permits the foam to flow freely
throughout the mold including the area between the opposing sides
of the strap 14. The foam in the mold envelops a portion of the two
support posts 18, 20, the adjoining portion 22 and the strap 14. In
a preferred embodiment the foam is a polyurethane foam. In other
embodiments, the foam may be expandable polypropylene or expandable
polyethylene.
[0032] FIG. 2 depicts a head restraint armature 12 and the strap 14
of FIG. 1 without the cushion 16. As shown in FIG. 2, strap 14
wraps around both support posts 18, 20. Protrusions 26 are disposed
on the saddle portion 24 of strap 14. In other embodiments,
protrusions may be disposed along other portions of the strap 14.
Protrusions 26 (as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4) hold strap 14
in position on the head restraint armature 12 by cooperating with
the adjoining portion 22. Protrusions 26 form a physical
obstruction that contacts the adjoining portion 22 when strap 14 is
mounted on head restraint armature 12 and that hold strap 14 on
head restraint armature 12 in a snap fit or inference fit. In some
embodiments, protrusions 26 may snugly and securely hold strap 14
in position on head restraint armature 12. In other embodiments,
protrusions 26 may be configured to loosely hold strap 14 in
position on head restraint armature 12. Protrusion 26 may be
integrally molded into saddle portion 24 or may be separately
manufactured and attached by any means effective to secure
protrusions 26 to the saddle portion 24.
[0033] As best illustrated in FIG. 3, saddle portion 24 extends
upwardly from opposite sides of the strap 14 to join opposing sides
of strap 14. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the saddle
portion 24 is centered on the strap 14. In other embodiments, the
saddle portion 24 may be off center. In other embodiments, the
saddle portion 24 may join opposing but not opposite sides of strap
14. In other embodiments, the strap 14 may have a plurality of
saddle portions 24.
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the strap 14. This view
best shows the configuration of protrusions 26 as protruding
inwardly from opposite sides of the saddle portion 24. As the strap
14 is positioned over the head restraint armature 12, the adjoining
portion 22 would protrude through the interior portion of the strap
14, until it comes into contact with protrusions 26. At that time,
additional force may be needed to permit the adjoining portion 22
to push past the protrusions 26, thereby allowing the strap 14 to
be properly seated and restrained on the head restraint armature
12.
[0035] With the strap 14 mounted on the head restraint armature 12
and embedded within the cushion 16, the strap 14 is positioned in
the path of an occupant's head as it moves rearward during a rear
end collision. In this position, the strap 14 may transfer some of
the forces exerted during a collision from the cushion 16 to the
head restraint armature 12. In a preferred embodiment, the top
portion 28 of the strap 14 is positioned approximately 50
millimeters below the bottom portion 34 of the adjoining portion
22(illustrated as distance D in FIG. 2).
[0036] In a preferred embodiment, there is a bend through the
approximate center of the strap 14 such that, when viewed from
above, the strap 14 is in the general shape of a crescent. (See
FIG. 5.) The bend in the center of strap 14 has the effect of
moving the far ends 30, 32 of the strap 14 closer together. The far
ends 30, 32 must be stretched slightly apart to allow the strap 14
to be positioned on the head restraint armature 12, which has the
effect of slightly stretching and/or straightening strap 14 as it
is placed over the head restraint armature 12. This stretching
and/or straightening causes the strap 14 to undergo tension. The
angle of the strap 14 has the effect of enhancing the strap's 14
ability to transfer forces from the cushion 16 to the head
restraint armature 12 during a collision. In a preferred
embodiment, the crescent shaped strap 14 will be placed on the head
restraint armature 12 such that the strap 14 is concave with
respect to a front portion of the cushion 16.
[0037] While the strap 14 may have any suitable thickness, in a
preferred embodiment, the strap 14 will have a thickness T (see
FIG. 5) of between 1.85 and 2.15 millimeters and in a most
preferred embodiment, the strap 14 will have a thickness T of
approximately 2 millimeters.
[0038] An alternative embodiment of strap 14 is shown in FIGS. 6
and 7. In this embodiment, the strap 14 does not have the saddle
portion 24. Rather, the head restraint armature 12 has at least one
notch 36 at an upper part of the head restraint armature 12 that
cooperates with the protrusions 26 of the strap 14 to retain the
strap 14 in position on the head restraint armature 12. This
configuration is best shown in FIG. 7. When attaching the
embodiment of the strap 14 depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the head
restraint armature 12, the strap 14 is placed over the top of the
head restraint armature 12 and pushed downward until protrusion 26
snaps into notch 36. The notch 36 may be located at any point
around the perimeter of the head restraint armature 12 that comes
into contact with the strap 14, and is preferably located at an
outboard position to facilitate assembly.
[0039] This invention has many advantages and attributes. Some
embodiments of the present invention may completely satisfy the
requirements of FMVSS-202a while other embodiments may simply
provide added strength and resistance.
[0040] While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been
described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this
invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and
embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the
following claims.
* * * * *