Patent Abstract:
A passenger headrest is platform deployable and stowable from a passenger seat. The platform operates as a rear headrest and is pivoted to a forward position to serve as a forward leaning face-headrest. The headrest includes a headrest platform that is attached to an adjustable post made of tubular construction and having a plurality of holes. The adjustable post is concentrically dimensioned to be slidably received by a tubular bar. The tubular bar has a set of holes and is pivotably attached to the passenger seat. A first connector secures the adjustable post and tubular bar to each other. The headrest is pivotable through a range of motion adjusted by a passenger, wherein the passenger selects an inclination angle. The inclination angle used by the passenger is established via a second connector that secures the tubular bar to the seat.

Full Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application is a divisional application and therefore claims priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/989,851, filed Nov. 19, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,733. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a headrest and, more particularly, to a passenger seat headrest platform. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In contrast to passengers seated in a first class section of an airplane, train, bus, or other transport vehicles, passengers seated in economy class are more squeezed for space. This results in a more crowded and fatiguing trip for those passengers riding in economy class sections of airplanes, trains, buses, or other transport vehicles. Unlike first class, cramped economy class passengers do not have space to rest their heads in comfort or stretch to relax. Tired passengers in economy class often, sometimes unintentionally, rest their heads on the shoulder of adjacent passengers and fall asleep. A surprise awakening then occurs as the adjacent passenger nudges the sleeping passenger. 
     Given these cramped conditions, an economy class passenger can only bend forward to rest his or her head. Food trays, which drop from the back sections of forward seats, are deployed at lap level and are too low for resting one&#39;s head. Furthermore, the hard surfaces of food trays makes it difficult to comfortably rest one&#39;s head. 
     Cramped passengers need a means to sleep or rest in relative comfort while in a sitting position. Such a comfort level would be achieved similarly as when a person sits at a desk, leans forward, and rests his or her head and arms on the desk&#39;s surface. Thus, there is an unmet need in the art to provide passengers a similar option that allows them to slightly lean forward, and then place their heads and arms onto a padded rest deployed in a position higher than is possible with drop down, lap-deployed food trays, and at a passenger-selected inclination angle and height. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Three embodiments of the invention permit passengers to slightly lean forward and place their heads and arms onto a padded headrest deployed in a position higher than is possible with a drop down, lap-deployed food trays. Two embodiments allow the passenger to use a deployed padded headrest without being affected by the seatback recline adjustments made by a passenger sitting in forward seat. In another embodiment the deployed padded headrest is susceptible to seatback recline interference caused by a passenger seated in forward seat who proceeds to make seatback recline adjustments. 
     An embodiment not susceptible to recline interference is the sleep bar. The sleep bar serves as a back-of-the-neck headrest and a forward face-headrest. When in a neutral or undeployed position, the sleep bar is in a stowed position, essentially collinear with and secured into the passengers seat. In the stowed position, the sleep bar serves as a cushioned back-of-the-neck headrest for the passenger. 
     The sleep bar is a passenger headrest that is platform deployable and stowable from a passenger seat. The platform operates as a rear headrest and is pivoted to a forward position to serve as a forward leaning face-headrest. The headrest includes a headrest platform that is attached to an adjustable post made of tubular construction and having a plurality of holes. The adjustable post is concentrically dimensioned to be slidably received by a tubular bar. The tubular bar has a set of holes and is pivotably attached to the passenger seat. A first connector secures the adjustable post and tubular bar to each other. The headrest is pivotable through a range of motion adjusted by a passenger, wherein the passenger selects an inclination angle. The inclination angle used by the passenger is established via a second connector that secures the tubular bar to the seat. 
     When the sleep bar is moved forward from its stowed undeployed position, it can be pivoted to a comfortable inclination angle and elevation adjusted to the preferred height as desired by the passenger. It is then secured by various locking connectors (to secure the adjusted height) or clamping connectors (to secure the adjusted inclination angle) by the passenger to establish the passenger&#39;s preferred deployed position for the headrest platform. In the deployed position, the passenger slightly leans forward and rests his or her forehead or side of the head on the cushioned sleep bar headrest platform. 
     The cushioned sleep bar platform offers several advantages. It is integral to the passenger&#39;s seat and its stowed and deployed position is controlled specifically by the passenger. The passenger has the option to convert the sleep bar&#39;s back-of-the-neck headrest function to a forehead headrest function simply by deploying the sleep bar to a forward angle-adjusted and height-adjusted position. The cushioned sleep bar&#39;s inclination angle position is not affected by nearby forward sitting passengers as it is deployed from the seat of a sitting passenger who makes the inclination angle and height adjustments. 
     Another embodiment of the invention not susceptible to seatback recline interference is a single-toggle padded food tray which is deployed from the seatback of a forward sitting passenger. The single-toggle padded food tray provides two functions. One function is to provide a hard food-serving surface deployed at lap-level, the other function is to provide a forward face-padded headrest deployed at a passenger selected height and inclination angle similar in function to the sleep bar. The single-toggle padded food tray, though deployed from the rear seatback of a forward sitting passenger seat, is not affected by seatback recline interference because it pivots from a stationary section of the forward sitting passenger seat. 
     An embodiment that is susceptible to seatback recline interference is a dual-toggle padded food tray that is also deployed from the moveable seatback of a forward passenger seat. As with the single-toggle invention, the dual-toggle invention also provides a lap-level food-serving surface and a forward leaning chest-to-head level padded surface for face resting. Because the dual-toggle embodiment deploys from the non-stationary forward seatback, it is susceptible to seatback recline interference. The height and inclination angle selected by the passenger will vary slightly with the seat recline adjustments made by the forward seated passenger. Nevertheless, the dual-toggle invention offers many of the same advantages as the single-toggle invention and the sleep bar invention that are not susceptible to seatback recline interference. In the deployed position the dual-toggle provides a cushioned head-resting surface that can be initially adjusted to a passenger-preferred angle of inclination and height, and also provides a lap-level hard food-serving surface. 
     As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing summary, all embodiments of the invention provide a forward head-resting surface that can be adjusted to a passenger preferred height and inclination angle. Embodiments of the invention are readily ascertained from the following drawings and detailed descriptions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
     FIG. 1A is a side view of a passenger seat with sleep bar deployed in the forward face resting position with the sleep bar surface unfolded in a secured position; 
     FIG. 1B is a top view of passenger seat with sleep bar deployed in the forward face resting position with the sleep bar surface unfolded in a secured position; 
     FIG. 2A is a front view of passenger seat with sleep bar in stowed and folded closed position for back-of-the-neck or rear head resting position; 
     FIG. 2B is a side view of the passenger seat showing the folded sleep bar in the stowed (rear headrest) and deployed (face headrest) position; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the passenger seat with sleep bar in the stowed and folded position; 
     FIG. 4A is a sleep bar assembly in folded rear headrest position; 
     FIG. 4B is a sleep bar height positioning locking mechanism; 
     FIG. 5 is an underside of sleep bar headrest platform in the open and locked position; 
     FIGS. 6A-D depict the operation of the single-toggle padded food tray; 
     FIG. 6A is an angled view of the stowed, single-toggle padded food tray with padded surface facing outward; 
     FIG. 6B is the deployed single-toggle padded food tray with hard surface facing up; 
     FIG. 6C depicts the lateral movement of the single-toggle padded food tray with hard surface face up, horizontal and lap-level; 
     FIG. 6D depicts pivotal movement of single-toggle padded food tray with padded surface pivoted into the top position; 
     FIG. 6E is the single-toggle padded food tray with the padded surface in the face up position being positioned for face head resting as selected by the passenger; 
     FIG. 7A is a side view that more closely shows the single-toggle padded food tray subjected to lateral movement; 
     FIG. 7B is a side view that more closely shows the single-toggle padded food tray subjected to pivotal movement; 
     FIGS. 8A,  8 B, and  8 C depicts the mechanical positioning of the extended bar stop into the single-toggle padded food tray slide cavity; 
     FIG. 9 depicts the tray arm to tray leg assembly which prevents forward sitting passenger recline tilt interference; 
     FIG. 10A displays the angular device positioning mechanism of the single-toggle padded food tray; 
     FIG. 10B depicts a magnified portion of the angular device positioning mechanism; 
     FIG. 11 shows the dual-toggle padded food tray in a stowed position in the seatback of tiltable seat; 
     FIG. 12 displays dual-toggle padded food tray in a lap level horizontal position showing the lateral movement of the tray; 
     FIG. 13 depicts an exploded view of the dual-toggle padded food tray in relation to seatback; 
     FIG. 14 more details of the internal structures of the comfort pad secured to the vertically stowed food tray; and 
     FIGS. 15A,  15 B, and  15 C depicts the deployment of the comfort pad of the dual-toggle padded food tray assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment free of forward seated passenger recline interference is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. A sleep bar  10  serves as a rearward and face-ward padded headrest. Operational utility of the sleep bar  10  is depicted in FIG.  1 A. Here a sleeping passenger in passenger seat  12  is able to sleep in a forward headresting position A—A on a deployed sleep bar platform  14 . The position of the sleep bar  10  is totally under control by the passenger. Extension or height is controlled by adjustable post  16  that slides along inner post  17 . The angle of the sleep bar is adjusted through a pivoting point  18 . FIG. 1B shows the top view of the operational utility of the sleep bar. Here the passenger is resting on the sleep bar platform  14  that is deployed in a forward head resting position A—A and held in position by adjustable post  16  and a clamping means near point  18 . The plurality of configurations for the sleep bar  10  is depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B. 
     FIG. 2A shows a view of the passenger seat  12  with the stowed sleep bar  10 . Headrest  22  is on the top of the passenger seat  12 . The folded headrest platform  22  is stowed in a vertical position parallel to the spine of the passenger seat  12 . The folded headrest platform  22  is supported by adjustable post  16  secured by a locking means to inner post  17 . The inner post  17  resides aft to armrest  24 . FIG. 2B is a side view that represents possible configurations, angles, and adjustment extensions or heights from the folded stowed position  22  to the deployed position  14  depicted inside armrest  24 . The folded platform  22  is in pillow configuration to the passenger seat  12 . Vertical headrest  22  is attached to adjustable post  16  that is secured to inner bar  17 . The forward angle of the sleep bar  10  is controlled through pivot point  18  in which the vertical sleep bar  10  is unfolded at position  14  in the forward position to any angle preferred by the seated passenger. 
     The relation of the folded sleep bar  10  to other components of the seat  12  is described in rear view FIG. 3. A conventional food tray  32  with leg supports  34  is shown in a stowed position. Here the folded headrest platform  22  rests on top of the passenger seat  12  secured by adjustable post  16 . Inner bar  17  is internal to armrest  24  and is turned along pivoting axis  36 . 
     Adjustment of height of the sleep bar is shown in FIG.  4 A. In adjustable post  16  resides a plurality of positioning holes  42  which are linearly aligned. Similarly, there resides near the upper end on inner bar  17  a securing hole  45 . As adjustable post  16  slides along inner post  17  the bar height is locked into position as the positioning holes  42  of adjustable post  16  aligns with components of a positioning post locking mechanism (not shown), near view line B—B, and the upper end hole of inner bar  17 . Inner bar  17  has a pivot hole  46  wherein inner bar  17  is secured to the passenger seat via a bolt or equivalent connector. 
     FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of axial view B—B showing a depiction of the positioning post locking mechanism  49 . The extension or height of the sleep bar  10  is affected as the hollow adjustable post  16  is slid along hollow, inner post  17 , causing an alignment of positioning holes  42  with securing hole  45 . When this alignment occurs, a spring-loaded cylinder  47  pushes a positioning peg  48  through the aligned securing hole of inner bar  17  and positioning hole  42  of outer positioning post  16 . The positioning peg  48  is flanged to prevent its expulsion from the positioning post locking mechanism  49 . Once the sleep bar  10  is adjusted to a passenger-preferred height, it is pivoted into an angled position for forward sleeping. 
     FIG. 5 shows how the sleep bar  10  is unfolded. Along pivoting access  52  the two halves of the platform pads  55  are opened and reveal two hidden positioning switches,  56  and  57 , which are used to secure the two padded halves  55  into a locked open and unfolded position. Positioning switches  56  and  57  are pivoted into an engaged position  58  and  59 . Positioning switch  56  rotates in recess  53  and positioning switch  59  rotates in recess  54 . The unfolded deployed sleep bar  10  is shown attached to positioning post  16 . 
     Another embodiment of the invention independent of forward passenger recline interference is the single-toggle padded food tray  62  which contains a hard food-serving surface and a padded, pillow like surface  66 . The single toggle padded food tray is secured into a recess of a seatback with a toggle latch  61  engaged against a catch of the food tray. The toggle latch  61  can be rotated to engage or disengage the catch of the food tray. As shown in FIG. 6A, seat  60  contains a stowed single-toggle padded food tray  62  secured by a toggle  61  and tray legs  63 . As shown, the padded surface  66  is stowed vertically, secured by toggle  61  engaged against the food tray latch (not shown). As toggle  61  is rotated as indicated in FIG. 6B, a conventional food tray is pivoted about tray legs  63  downward to lap level with the hard surface  64  face up in a deployed position. In side view FIG. 6C, the hard surface  64  is face up and the padded surface  66  is face down. As lateral motion is applied to the single-toggle padded food tray  62  towards the passenger, tray arm  67  is partially revealed. Then, as depicted in FIG. 6D, the single-toggle padded food tray is rotated until it reaches a tray stop. Padded surface  66  is now in an angled and upwardly deployed position for use by the passenger. Finally, as depicted in FIG. 6E, the passenger preferred angle of rotation for using the single-toggle padded food tray  62  is then secured with the padded surface  66  face up. The tray  62  latch  65  displaced from toggle  61 . 
     FIGS. 7A and 7B depict how the single-toggle padded food tray  62  is subjected to horizontal and pivotal motion. In FIG. 7A, depressing catch  71  allows passenger to extend lateral movement of tray  62 , revealing tray arm  67 . The single-toggle padded food tray  62  is pulled toward the passenger along tray arm  67  that is attached to tray legs  63  via the tray arm pivots  70 . As the passenger continues to pull the single-toggle padded food tray closer to the passenger as shown in FIG. 7B, tray forearms  73  are partially revealed. The remainders of the tray forearms  73  are still inside the single-toggle padded food tray slide cavity as indicated by the dashed lines. The passenger is then able to pivot the single-toggle padded food tray  62  about the forearm pivot  72  attached to tray arm  67 , which is in turn connected to the tray legs  63  via the tray arm pivots  70 . The pivotal rotation continues until the beveled tray stop surface  74  of the tray forearm  73  engages against the upper ridge of tray arm  67 , located above latch  71 . 
     FIGS. 8A,  8 B, and  8 C describe the mechanical relationship of how the extended bar stop  81  fits into the single-toggle padded food tray slide cavity. In FIG. 8A, the extended bar stop  81  includes the tray arm  67  in linear alignment with the tray forearm  74  connected via the forearm pivot  72 . On the tray forearm  73  resides a tray catch  82 . In FIG. 8B, the extended bar stop  81  is then inserted into the single toggle padded food tray&#39;s  62  tray slide cavity  86  whereupon the tray catch  82  engages into cavity clip  84 . Padded surface  66  is shown face down. FIG. 8C shows a partial cross-sectional view of the single-toggle padded food tray  62  wherein the tray slide cavity  86  contains the cavity clip  84  located on the side of the slide cavity  86  which is in turn interior to the food service tray  62 . The cushioned comfort pad  66  is shown facing downward. 
     FIG. 9 depicts how the tray arm to tray leg assembly is prevented from forward sitting passenger recline tilt interference. To the tray leg  63  is attached the tray arm  67  which has an arm follower pin  90  which slides within pin slot cavity  91 . Tray arm  67  is secured to the companion tray arm via an interconnecting tie rod  94  that is secured to the tray arm  67  with a tie rod securing screw  95  engaged at each end of the tie rod  94  inserted through each companion tray arm  67 . Tray legs  67  are distally connected to bottom of forward passenger seat separated from the tilting seatback. The pivotal motion of tray arm  67  about the tray leg  63  occurs when following pin  90  slides within pin slot cavity  91  as the tray arm  67  is pivoted about tray arm pivot  70 . 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B displays the angular device positioning mechanism  99  of the single-toggle padded food tray. FIG. 10A depicts the arrangements of parts of the complete positioning mechanism  99  wherein ray arm  67  with latch  82  is shown articulated to tray forearm  73  via forearm pivot  72 . On tray forearm  73  is tray catch  62 . As shown in FIG. 10B, the pivotal motion of tray forearm  73  is stopped as the beveled tray stop surface  74  engages against the upper ridge of tray arm  67 . 
     Another embodiment similar to the single-toggle padded food tray is the dual-toggle padded food tray. The dual-toggle padded food tray is similarly a comfort padded food tray and food tray assembly, which is attached to the forward passenger seatback via a tray leg pivot. Though the dual-toggle padded food tray offers similar service tray and sleeping surface functionality, because it is pivotally deployed directly from the forward sitting passenger seatback, the dual-toggle padded food tray is subject to recline tilt interference. 
     FIG. 11 shows the dual-toggle padded food tray  114  in a stowed position in the seatback of forward sitting passenger seat  110  where the padded surface  116  is facing outward. In the stowed position are visible two toggle latches. The upper toggle latch is the food tray toggle latch  112  secured by food tray toggle catch  113  and the lower toggle latch is the comfort pad toggle latch  118  secured by catch  124 . Dual-toggle padded food tray  114  is secured by pivoting about tray legs  120 . 
     In FIG. 12, the food service tray  114  from seatback  110  is shown in a deployed position through pivots. As toggle latch  112  is pivoted clear from catch  113 , the food service tray  114  falls with gravity to lap level as it pivots through tray pivots  128  securing tray bayonets  122  to tray legs  120 . Tray legs  120  are attached to tiltable seatback  110  via seatback and tray leg pivots  111 . 
     FIG. 13 depicts an exploded view of the dual-toggle padded food tray  114  in seatback  110 . Internal structures include slots  132 , hinge  134 , and pivot link  136 . Toggles  112  and  118  are shown in an engaged vertical position. Dual-toggle padded food tray  114  is shown directly projecting from tray bayonets  122 , which in turn are connected to tray legs  120 . Padded surface  116  contains two spring-loaded slide pins  130 , located at the top end of padded comfort rest  116 . 
     FIG. 14 depicts more details of the internal structures of the padded surface  116  wherein two spring-loaded pins  130  are shown for reference. The planar design of the pivot link  136  imparts stability to the padded-surface when deployed to prevent wobbling and is secured to the internal side via a comfort pad hinge  140 . 
     FIGS. 15A,  15 B, and  15 C depict the deployment of the outward facing comfort pad of the dual-toggle padded food tray  114  from seatback  110  to a passenger use position. In a side view shown in FIG. 15A, the dual-toggle padded food tray  114  is stowed into seatback  110  with padded surface  116  facing outward towards the passenger. As shown in side view of FIG. 15B, as lower toggle latch  118  is rotated, the comfort pad  116  falls downward with gravity with the spring-loaded pivots  130  sliding in slots  132 . The angled comfort pad  116  is then secured via the pivot link  136 . Pivot link  136  is shown secured to tray  114  with padded surface  116  angled face up. FIG. 15C shows an angular view where the comfort pad is secured in a face-resting position from seatback  110 . 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1