Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates generally to headrests for seats. More particularly, the invention concerns a fully adjustable headrest for use in connection with furniture and with passenger vehicles such as aircraft, trains and busses. 
         [0006]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
         [0007]    Various types of headrests for use in passenger vehicles have been suggested in the past. As the general rule, these headrests are designed primarily to satisfy safety aspects rather than to provide a comfortable seating posture. Typically, the prior art vehicle headrests comprise only a vertically adjustable head support panel designed to provide protection against injury in the event of an accident. However, some vehicle headrests have also been provided with lateral headrest elements. Exemplary of such a headrest is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,091 issued to Rech et al. 
         [0008]    Even more complex headrests have been designed for use in military aircraft and, more particularly in military aircraft for use in conjunction with ejection seats. Typical of this class of headrest design are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,243 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,899, 961 both issued to Herndon. Another such headrest design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,662 issued to McDonald et al. 
         [0009]    In addition to the development of headrests for use in military aircraft, significant advances have been made in recent years in the design of headrests for use in commercial aircraft. Exemplary of such headrests are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,250,716, 6,467,846, 6,666,517, 7,040,705, 7264,313 and 7,364,239 issued to Clough. 
         [0010]    As will become clear from the discussion that follows, the headrest of the present invention represents a substantial improvement over the prior art headrests and provides significantly greater ease of adjustability and therefore greater support and comfort to the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of one form of the seat headrest apparatus of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the seat headrest apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a greatly enlarged, generally perspective, exploded view of the area designated in  FIG. 1  as  3 - 3 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a greatly enlarged, generally perspective, exploded view of the area designated in  FIG. 3  as  4 - 4  showing the construction of one form of the friction detent hinge of the seat headrest apparatus. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  is a greatly enlarged view taken along lines  4 A-  4 A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4B  is a view similar to  FIG. 4A , but showing the friction detent hinge moved from a first, at rest position, to a second position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4C  is a view similar to  FIG. 4B , but showing the friction detent hinge moved from the second position to a third position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a generally perspective, exploded rear view of the seat headrest shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a generally perspective, exploded rear view of the seat headrest shown in  FIG. 5  illustrating the upward movement of the headrest relative to the elongated guide of the apparatus. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a generally perspective, exploded rear view of the seat headrest shown in  FIG. 6  illustrating the manner of interconnection of the seat connector plate of the apparatus to the elongated guide. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front view of an alternate form of seat headrest apparatus of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a rear view of the alternate form of seat headrest apparatus of the invention shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a generally perspective, exploded rear view of the alternate form of seat headrest shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a front view of the alternate form of seat headrest apparatus of the invention shown in  FIG. 8  showing the headrest assembly pivoted forwardly relative to the elongated guide of the apparatus. 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view taken along lines  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable headrest that provides both support and comfort to the user and can be used in connection with furniture including household and office furniture and also in connection with various types of passenger vehicles. 
         [0027]    Another object of the invention is to provide a headrest of the aforementioned character that includes slide means for permitting easy height adjustment of the headrest and also includes a friction imparting assembly for holding the headrest in a desired elevated position. 
         [0028]    Another object of the invention is to provide easily adjustable, wing like, side support panels that are pivotally connected to a centrally located, vertically adjustable head support panel by means of novel friction hinges that include detent features that permit the wing like side support panels of the headrest to be locked into predetermined angular orientations. 
         [0029]    Another object of the invention is to provide a seat connector that can be readily connected to a vehicle seat. 
         [0030]    Another object of the invention is to provide a headrest construction of the class described that is of a simple construction and one that can be inexpensively produced and maintained. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one form of the seat headrest of the invention is there illustrated and generally designated by the numeral  14 . The seat headrest here comprises a support assembly  16  that includes a first, centrally disposed head support panel  18 , a second side panel  20  that is connected to panel  18  by a novel friction hinge assembly  22  and a third side panel  24  that is connected to central panel  18  by a novel friction hinge assembly  22 . To reduce the overall weight of the headrest, central head support panel  18 , as well as side panels  20  and  24 , are each provided with a multiplicity of weight reduction apertures  25 . 
         [0032]    As will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, side panels  20  and  24  are pivotally movable from an at rest position wherein they are substantially coplanar with the central head support panel  18  to selected angularly extending forward positions. When side panels  20  and  24  are pivoted into selected angularly forward positions, they can provide a comfortable lateral support to the passenger&#39;s head. As best seen in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 5  of the drawings, support assembly  16  is connected to a mounting assemblage  26  that here comprises an elongated guide  28  and a connector plate  30  that can be connected to a seat “S” by any suitable means such as suitable connectors  33  ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ). Elongated guide  28  includes oppositely disposed guide rails  28   a  that are adapted to be rollably engaged by two sets of transversely spaced apart roller assemblies  38  that are mounted on central head support panel  18 . The roller assemblies  38 , each of which are of identical construction, include grooved rollers  38   a  that roll along guide rails  28   a  so that the headrest assembly  16  can be adjustably moved upwardly and downwardly so as to enable the desired adjustment in the height of the assembly. A transversely extending connector member  40  spans the spaced apart rollers in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 5  and defines a guide channel  41  within which guide  28  is disposed (see also  FIG. 6 ). To reduce the overall weight of the assembly, connector plate  30  is provided with a multiplicity of weight reduction apertures  31 . 
         [0033]    Forming an important aspect of the headrest assembly of this latest form of the invention is a resistance imparting assembly for imparting resistance to the movement of headrest assembly  16  upwardly and downwardly relative to guide  28 . In the present form of the invention, this novel resistance imparting assembly comprises a uniquely configured, generally T-shaped leaf spring designated in the drawings by the numeral  43 . As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , spring  43  includes a transverse connector portion  43   a  that is affixed to central head support panel  18  and a downwardly extending, curved central portion  43   b  that extends into channel  41 . When the headrest assembly  16  is mounted on guide  28  in the manner shown in  FIG. 5 , the curved central portion  43   b  of the spring will be yieldably deformed so that it is brought into pressural engagement with the guide. With this construction, as the headrest assembly is moved upwardly and downwardly, the central portion  43   b  of the spring will frictionally engage the surface of the guide  28  and will yieldably resist sliding movement of headrest assembly  16  relative to the guide. 
         [0034]    Referring particularly to  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings, the friction hinge assemblies  22  of this embodiment of the invention can be seen to comprise an elongated, generally cylindrical shaped shaft  42  and first and second bands  44  and  46  that are rotatably carried by shaft  42  (see  FIG. 3 ). Importantly, shaft  42  is provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced detents, or flats  42   a  and  42   b  ( FIGS. 4 and 4A ). As used herein, the term “detent” means a device for positioning and holding one part in relation to another in a manner such that the device can be released by force applied to one of the parts. 
         [0035]    First and second bands  44  and  46  of each of the hinge assemblies  22  are connected to central panel  18  by suitable connectors “C”, while one of the shafts  42  of the hinge assemblies  22  is connected to the side panel  20  and the other of the shafts is connected to the side panel  24 . As best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, the shafts  42  are connected to the side panels by means of connector leaves  48  and suitable connectors  49 . 
         [0036]    Importantly, band  44  of each of the hinge assemblies is provided with a detent engaging segment, or flat  50  that, as the band is rotated, is engageable with a selected one of the detents  42   a  and  42   b  of shaft  42  to prevent rotation of the band relative to the shaft. This novel detent feature of the friction hinges allows the user to feel the hinge snap into position when the hinge is rotated to a certain angle. More particularly, when the band is rotated around the shaft to the point where the detent engaging segment aligns with the detent on the shaft, the hinge snaps into place giving the user a positive indication that the hinge is in a selected position. The strength and feel of the detent feature is dependent on various factors including the depth of the flat on both the shaft and the band, the size of the shaft, the thickness of the band material, the hardness on both the shaft and the band, the type of grease used, the type of surface treatment done on the shaft and the band and the amount of interference between the shaft and the band. Hinge assemblies  22  are readily commercially available from Hanaya Inc. of Ponte Vedra, Fla. 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4A  of the drawings, when the central panel  18  and the side panels are disposed in an at rest, coplanar configuration, the flat  50  on the band  44  resides in engagement with the cylindrical surface of the shaft  42 . It is to be noted that  FIGS. 4A through 4C  of the drawings show only part of central panel  18  and side panel  24  and illustrate only the angular adjustment of side panel  24 . However, it is to be understood that the angular adjustment of side panel  20  is accomplished in exactly the same manner as the angular adjustment of side panel  24 . Referring particularly to  FIG. 4A , when the side panel  24 , along with shaft  42  is rotated approximately 30 degrees into the position shown in  FIG. 4B , flat  50  on the band  44  will snap into engagement with detent, or flat  42   a  on the shaft  42 , thereby locking the side panel into the angularly inwardly extending position. Further rotation of the side panel, along with shaft  42 , will cause the flat  50  to move out of engagement with detent  42   a  and into the position shown in  FIG. 4C . In this position, the flat  50  on the band will snap into engagement with detent, or flat  42   b  provided on shaft thereby locking the side panel into the approximately 90 degree angularly inwardly extending position shown in  FIG. 4C . 
         [0038]    Referring next to  FIGS. 8 through 12 , an alternate form of seat headrest of the invention is there illustrated and generally designated by the numeral  54 . This alternate form of the seat headrest is similar in many respects that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7  and like numbers are used in  FIGS. 8 through 12  to identify like components. Seat headrest  54  here comprises a support assembly  56  that includes a central head support member  58 , a first lateral, or side panel  20  that is connected to member  58  by a novel friction hinge  22  and a second lateral, or side panel  24  that is connected to central member  58  by a novel friction hinge  22 . As before, to reduce the weight of the central head support member  58 , and side panels  20  and  24 , each is provided with a multiplicity of weight reduction apertures  25 . 
         [0039]    As in the earlier described embodiment of the invention, side panels  20  and  24  are pivotally movable from an at rest position wherein they are substantially coplanar with the central head support member  58  to selected angularly extending forward positions. Angular movement of side panels  20  and  24  is accomplished substantially identical manner to that described in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
         [0040]    The primary difference between this latest embodiment of the invention and that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7  resides in the fact that support assembly  56  is pivotally connected to a mounting assembly  60  that is of a slightly different construction from mounting assembly  26 ( FIG. 10 ). More particularly, support assembly  56  is pivotally connected to mounting assembly  60  by a conventional, generally commercially available tilt hinge assembly  62  that includes a first leaf  62   a  that is connected to the front surface of head support member  58  (see  FIG. 8 ) and a second connector assembly  62   b  that is connected to the rear surface of the central panel (see  FIG. 10 ). Tilt hinge assembly  62  includes a shaft  63   a  and a pair of bands  63   b.    
         [0041]    Second connector assembly  62   b  is, connected to a connector member  64  which forms a part of mounting assembly  60  (see  FIG. 10 ). As indicated in  FIG. 10 , connector member  64  is connected to a connector member  66  which is, in turn, connected to an elongated guide  68 . Guide  68  is of similar construction to guide  28  and can be connected to a seat “S” by any suitable means. Elongated guide  68  includes oppositely disposed guide rails  68   a  that are adapted to be rollably engaged by two pairs of spaced apart roller assemblies  38  that are mounted on central head support member  58 . The roller assemblies  38 , each of which are of identical construction, include grooved rollers  38   a  that roll along guide rails  68   a  so that the headrest assembly  56  can be adjustably moved upwardly and downwardly so as to enable the desired adjustment in the height of the assembly. A connector member  40  spans the spaced apart rollers and defines a channel  71  within which guide  68  is disposed (see also  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0042]    Forming an important aspect of the headrest assembly of this latest form of the invention is a resistance imparting spring for imparting resistance to the movement of headrest assembly  56  upwardly and downwardly relative to guide  68 . As before, this novel resistance imparting spring comprises a uniquely configured leaf spring  43  that includes a transverse connector portion  43   a  that is affixed to connector member  66  and a downwardly extending central portion  43   b  that extends into channel  41 . When the headrest assembly  56  is mounted on guide  68  in the manner shown in the drawings, the central portion  43   b  of the spring will be yieldably deformed so that it is brought into pressural engagement with the guide. With this construction, as the headrest assembly is moved upwardly and downwardly, the central portion  43   b  of the spring will frictionally engage the surface of the guide  68  and will yieldably resist sliding movement of headrest assembly  56  relative to the guide. As before, guide  68  is connected to a connector member  30  which is connected to seat “S” in the manner illustrated  FIG. 12 . 
         [0043]    Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 7