Abstract:
A headrest ( 400 ) is provided for a vehicle. The head rest ( 400 ) includes a front part ( 200 ) and a back part ( 100 ) with integrated lateral parts ( 104 ). The front part ( 200 ) and the back part ( 100 ) with integrated lateral parts ( 104 ) are formed in a complementary manner such that when they are assembled together, a closed space is formed in which a U-shaped curved support rod ( 300 ) can be inserted.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a United States National Phase Application of International Application PCT/EP2016/050834, filed Jan. 15, 2016, and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Application 10 2015 200 553.4, filed Jan. 15, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a head rest for a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    No head rest is known in the prior art which can be produced with the application of a pour-in-place technique and with simultaneous fastening to a supporting rod for fastening to a back rest of a vehicle seat within one method step, the production costs at the same time being lowered and safety standards being maintained. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a head rest for a vehicle, which head rest can be produced with the application of a pour-in-place technique and with simultaneous fastening to a supporting rod for fastening to a back rest of a vehicle seat within one method step, the production costs at the same time being lowered and safety standards being maintained. 
         [0005]    The object of the present invention is achieved by way of a head rest, the head rest comprising a front part and a rear part with integrated side parts, the front part and the rear part with integrated side parts being shaped in a complementary manner such that, after assembly, they together form a closed space, into which a supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape can be received. 
         [0006]    Here, the head rest according to the invention has the advantage in comparison with the prior art that process steps can be saved during the production, with the result that the production costs can be lowered, maintenance of safety standards not being dispensed with. 
         [0007]    It is provided in a further embodiment that the rear part with the integrated side parts has laterally inwardly inclined edges, onto which hooks are attached which are configured to enter into a first plug-like connection with first punched portions which are made on the lateral edges of the front part, the inwardly inclined edges of the rear part with the integrated side parts enclosing the lateral edges of the front part in a positively locking manner, a part of the hooks being configured, furthermore, to enter into a second plug-like connection with second punched portions in the supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape. 
         [0008]    This has the advantage that the head rest according to the invention can be “plugged together” by way of simple pressing together of the front and rear part, the plug-in connections which are formed ensuring firm cohesion of the two-piece head rest. 
         [0009]    It is provided in a further embodiment that the front part comprises a tailored trim part which comprises a cover. 
         [0010]    This has the advantage that merely the front part has to be tailored during the production. A tailored cover part need merely be fastened to the front side of the front part by means of the hooks, without seams being required. 
         [0011]    It is provided in a further embodiment that the rear part with the integrated side parts is an injection molded part, the injection molded part comprising a plastic. 
         [0012]    This has the advantage that the rear side and the sides of the head rest can be produced by means of injection molding processes as a contiguous or single-piece structural part and with the use of any desired plastically deformable plastics. 
         [0013]    In a further embodiment, along its respective axis, each of the hooks has a tapering tip which is configured to be received by the first and second punched portions. 
         [0014]    This advantageously achieves a situation where the hooks of the rear part are anchored fixedly in the punched portions of the front part and in the punched portions of the supporting rod in an immediate and irreversible manner by way of merely being pressed together. 
         [0015]    In a further embodiment, a foam can be filled into the closed space, the foam being a hard foam and/or a soft foam. 
         [0016]    By way of an introduction of foams, such as polyurethane, the interior space of the head rest can advantageously be filled and, as a result, can impart shape retention and stability to the head rest, which is essential for maintaining the safety standards. 
         [0017]    In a further embodiment, the supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape is arranged in the closed space between the front part and the rear part with the integrated side parts in such a way that the shortest rod section of the supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape runs largely parallel to the upper edge of the rear part with the integrated side parts and to the upper edge of the front part. 
         [0018]    As a result, the processes of the assembly of the head rest and the process of the attachment of the head rest to a supporting rod for mounting on the back rest of a vehicle seat can advantageously be combined into a single process. 
         [0019]    In a further embodiment, the invention relates to a method for producing a head rest, a front part, a rear part with integrated side parts, and a supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape being assembled together within the context of a pour-in-place process in one method step, by means of hooks which are positioned on inwardly inclined edges of the rear part with the integrated side parts, the front part and the rear part with the integrated side parts being joined together in an integrally joined manner, a closed space being produced, in which the supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape is positioned and is fastened to the upper edge of the rear part by means of a part of the hooks, a foam being injected into the closed space through an injection hole, the rear part being an injection molded part which comprises a plastic, an identical funnel being used for the production of the injection molded part and for the injection of the foam. 
         [0020]    Further details, features and advantages of the invention result from the drawings, and from the following description of preferred embodiments using the drawings. Here, the drawings illustrate merely exemplary embodiments of the invention which do not restrict the essential concept of the invention. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    In the drawings: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the rear part with integrated side parts; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the outer front side of the front part; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a supporting rod which is curved in a U-shape; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the head rest according to the invention after assembly of the front part and the rear part; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the head rest rear part in the assembled state; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a view showing an original injection mold of the rear part; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a plan view showing the front side of the head rest front part, in the assembled state; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8 a    shows an outer view from the side of a further embodiment of the head rest according to the invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 8 b    shows an enlarged outer and inner view from the side of said embodiment of the head rest according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows the rear part  100  with integrated side parts  104   a  and  104   b  of the head rest  400  according to the invention, with a view into the interior space which is defined by the rear side  102  and the integrated sides  104   a  and  104   b . During the production process, the rear part  100  is formed by way of two distal deformations which point in the same direction, in such a way that a single structural part forms the rear side  102  and the two sides  104   a  and  104   b  of a head rest  400 . A plastically deformable plastic may be suitable as production material for the rear part  100  according to the invention. On its rear side  102  and on its two sides  104   a  and  104   b , the rear part  100  has edges  110  which are curved inward into the interior space and on which hooks  106  which face the interior space are situated. In one embodiment, the hooks  106  in each case have a tapering tip. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows the front part  200  of the head rest  400  according to the invention with a view of its outer front side  208 . The outer front side  208  of the front part  200  has a concave inner curve, with the result that the lateral edges of the front side  208  are directed toward the front and the upper edge  206  is directed toward the rear. In said embodiment, the front part  200  is formed in such a way that the bottom  202  of the head rest  400  is also formed by the front part  200 . The edges  210  of the front part  200  have first punched portions  204  which are configured to receive the hooks  106  of the rear part  100 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows a supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape and has two limbs  304  and  306  and a short section rod  302  which lies in between. Second punched portions  406  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) are made on the limbs  304  and  306  and on the short section rod  302 , which second punched portions  406  are configured to receive the hooks  106  of the rear part  100 , in order thus to produce a fixed connection between the rear part and the supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows the head rest  400  according to the invention after the front part  200  and the rear part  100  and the supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape are assembled together. The front part  200  and the rear part  100  are jammed with one another or into one another in a positively locking manner at the edges, the sides  104  of the head rest  400  being formed by the rear part  100 . The limbs  304  and  306  of the supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape protrude out of the space which is formed by the front part  200  and the rear part  100 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows the head rest  400  according to the invention with a view of the rear part  100  in the assembled state. The rear part  100  forms a hard shell in the rear region of the head rest  400 , which hard shell comprises both the rear side  100  and the sides  104  of the head rest  400 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 6  shows an original injection mold of the rear part  100  from the side, the rear part  100  being mounted on the supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape. The supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape is mounted onto the back rest  404  of a vehicle seat. Second punched portions  406  are made on the supporting rod  300  which is curved in a U-shape. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  shows the head rest  400  according to the invention which is assembled and is mounted onto the back rest  404  of a vehicle seat, with a plan view of the front side  208  of the front part  200 . Here, the front side  208  of the front part  200  is formed by a tailored cover. 
         [0038]      FIG. 8 a    shows an outer view from the side of a further embodiment of the head rest according to the invention. In the embodiment which is shown in  FIG. 8 , the front part  200  and the rear part  100  and, in particular, the bottom of the head rest have a characteristic form which is modified in comparison with those in the preceding figures. The supporting rod  300  likewise has different relative positioning in relation to the front part  200  and the rear part  100 , the supporting rod  300  being arranged such that it is mounted dorsally to a more pronounced extent and running in parallel substantially in the immediate vicinity of the rear part  100 . As a consequence, the supporting rod  300  does not necessarily have to be of U-shaped form in said embodiment. 
         [0039]      FIG. 8 b    shows an enlarged outer and inner view from the side of said embodiment of the head rest according to the invention. A foam (“rigid foam”), for example polyurethane, is filled into the interior space which is formed by the front part  200  and the rear part  100 , which foam replaces the inserts which are known in the prior art and are made from expanded polypropylene or plastic. As a result, the supporting rod  300  which does not necessarily have to be of U-shaped form can be fixed in the foam of the interior space with the application of a pour-in-place technique or with the application, for example, of an analogous through hole reflow technique (“pin-in-paste”). Moreover, padding which is otherwise customary can be replaced by a two-piece plastic part, consisting of a blank cut holder frame  404  and a rear covering  506 , the blank cut holder frame  504  corresponding to the front part  200  and the rear covering  506  corresponding to the rear part  100 . 
         [0040]    The front part  200  comprises a tailored cover  502 . The tailored cover  502  is fastened to the front part  200  merely by means of the hooks  106 , without seams being required. The hooks  106  are formed from the front part  200  and can be of pin-like form. The front part  200  and/or the integrated hooks  106  can be formed in one piece from a thermoplastic. The rear part  100  can also be produced from a plastic. The feel and the comfort of the head rest can be optimized by way of a lamination which is integrated into the blank cut of the cover with the thermoplastic front part  200 . Self-skinning is avoided as a result. The weight and the volume of the head rest can be reduced, without comfort and safety being forfeited. Esthetic requirements can also be met by way of the use of a cover for the front part  200  which is adapted to the cover of the remaining seat and, for example, a grained surface of the rear part  100 . 
         [0041]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.