Abstract:
A head rest assembly that extends when the seat back is deployed into an upright position, and retract when moved into a down or stowed position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates to head rests for seats, and more particularly, to head rests that automatically move upon movement of the seat back. 
         [0006]    2. Related Art 
         [0007]    Head rests for seats may be adjustable or not adjustable. For adjustable head rests, the rest may move up and down, back and forth, or both. Within the area of adjustable head rests, for seating where the seats are arranged in rows, it is sometimes desirable for the head rest to move into a default position upon the movement of the seat back. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention is a head rest assembly on that is capable of telescoping and tilting, and is also able to assume a default position upon the raising of a seat back from a down or flat position into a deployed position. Specifically, as the seat back is pulled into an up or deployed position, the head rest assembly is extended. Once the seat back is locked into a deployed position, the head rest assembly may further be adjusted telescopically up-down, and rotated. 
         [0009]    From a deployed position, the seat may be lowered into a down or stowed position. As the seat back travels to the down position, the head rest assembly retracts into the seat. 
         [0010]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention will become more filly understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is an engineering drawing of the present invention in multiple views; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an elevated view of the present invention attached to a seat frame, and operably connected to a lumbar support; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an elevated view of the present invention as in  FIG. 2 , with the addition of seat padding over the left half of the seat; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a night side view of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a night side view of the invention shown in  FIG. 2  of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged elevated view of a portion of the head rest assembly shown in  FIG. 2 , showing a Bowden cable operably connected to move the assembly; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged detailed rear view of the top portion of the head rest assembly; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged top view of the top portion of the head rest assembly; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is an elevated view of the head rest assembly in it fully extended position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , as the seat frame is being pulled to an seated position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , where the seat frame has achieved its deployed position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , showing additional seat padding; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a top elevated view of the embodiment of  FIG. 12 , but with a partial cutaway view of the padding around the head rest assembly; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a side elevated view with half of the seat padding cut away; 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a further side elevated view with half of the seat padding cut away; 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a side view of the head rest assembly of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is side view of the head rest assembly of  FIG. 16 , without seat padding; 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  is an elevated view of the head rest assembly of the present invention, without the seat frame. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0031]    A seat frame  100  holds both a lumbar support assembly shown generally at  102 , and a headrest assembly shown generally at  150 . The lumbar support assembly  102  may be a movable lumbar suspension assembly as seen in  FIGS. 1-5 ,  9 - 12 , and  14 - 15 . 
         [0032]    Headrest assembly  150  is mounted to seat frame  100 , as best seen in  FIGS. 1-6 , and  9 - 17 . As seen in all the Figures, but best seen in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  18 , headrest assembly  150  comprises a bracket  151 , a Bowden cable  152 , a pair of springs  154 , a first slide member  156 , a second slide member  158 , a headrest frame bar  164  and an upper headrest assembly shown generally at  162 . First and second slide members  156 ,  158  are attached to C-bracket  160 . 
         [0033]    In operation, and referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  12  and  16 , seat  101  begins in an upright position ( FIG. 4 ). When it becomes desirable to move the seat  101  to the down or stowed position, the seat back is moved to a down position seen in  FIGS. 12 and 16 . One end of Bowden cable  152  is attached to a fixed point on the floor or bottom seat frame. As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the other end of Bowden cable  152  has its conduit  153 A attached to bracket  151 , and its wire  153 B attached to first slide member  156 . Accordingly, during downward movement, Bowden cable wire is pulled due to the fixed distal connection, resulting in a tension that pulls first slide member  156  towards bracket  151 . As first slide member  156  is moved towards bracket  151 , second slide member  158  which is releasably and slidably connected to first slide member  156 , also moves down towards bracket  151 . It should be noted at this time that springs  154  provide bias for spacing first slide member  156  from bracket  151 . Accordingly, the entire headrest assembly  150  is moved into seat  101 . 
         [0034]    Similarly, from an initially stowed position, as the seat  101  is moved into a deployed position, wire  153 B of Bowden cable  152  is lengthened, and first slide member  156  is moved outward away from bracket  151 . 
         [0035]    As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.