Patent ID: 8172319

Claim:
An actuator of an active headrest apparatus for a vehicle, which is operably connected to a headrest assembly and selectively allows a headrest of the headrest assembly to pop out forwards when a vehicle collision occurs, the actuator comprising: a housing installed on a seatback frame and formed with a guide groove; an operating plate elastically supported over the housing, wherein upon the vehicle collision, a force from a seat occupant bears against the operating plate; an operating bracket arranged between the housing and the operating plate and having a guide projection slidably inserted into the guide groove of the housing; and an operating wire unit connecting the operating bracket with the headrest assembly, wherein the operating wire unit includes an operating wire and an operating wire retainer to slidably receive the operating wire therein; wherein the operating bracket includes: a first operating bracket, to which one end portion of the operating wire is fixed; and a second operating bracket, to which one end portion of the operating wire retainer is fixed so as to move the first and second operating brackets in opposite directions each other while the first and second operating brackets are pressed or released by the operating plate; wherein the guide groove comprises a pair of guide grooves formed in either end portion of the housing, to receive guide projections of the first and second operating brackets respectively, and wherein each pair of the guide grooves formed in one end portion of the housing is formed to extend outwards with a downward inclination in an opposite direction with each pair of the guide grooves formed in the other end portion of the housing with respect to a movement direction of operating plate.