Headrest for vehicles

Claim 1

A headrest device intended for mounting to the ceiling of a vehicle in association with the position of a vehicle seat and above the same for preventing injury to an occupant of the vehicle occupying such seat upon impact of an external object with the vehicle, the headrest device comprising: a ceiling mounting bracket adapted to be mounted to the ceiling of the vehicle above the vehicle seat and with respect to the head of an occupant of the vehicle, a slot extending through said ceiling mounting plate, and pivot boss means mounted on said mounting plate in association with said slot; a telescopic shaft having a base end section and a terminal end section telescopically interconnected, such sections disposed concentrically about a common axis and adapted for axial reciprocal movement into and out of each other between a collapsed position and an extended position, said base section having a top end portion disposed furthest from said terminal end section, said base top end portion received in said ceiling plate slot and pivotally secured relative thereto adjacent said pivot boss members providing swinging movement of said telescopic shaft between forward and rearward positions in a plane extending through the longitudinal axis of said slot and taken normal to the plane of said slot itself; a segment gear affixed centrally thereof to said top end of said base section and projecting outwardly therefrom, said segment gear having an arcuate concave outer surface with gear teeth disposed longitudinally therealong; a head engaging portion affixed to the terminal end section of said telescopic shaft and adapted for engagement with the head of an occupant of the seat in a manner to cradle the head for the comfort of the occupant as well as to cradle the head should the vehicle be struck by an external object with the occupant's head being thrust backward during the impact; and a reversable direct current electric motor having a gear mounted on the shaft thereof, said gear in engagement with said teethed portion of said segment gear to effect the reciprocal movement of said segment gear relative to said motor upon energization of said motor from a suitable source of electrical energy; whereby said motor effects the swinging movement of said telescopic shaft and associated head engaging portion relative to said ceiling mounting plate for adjustment thereof, and said telescopic shaft provides for the vertical adjustment of said head engaging portion relative to said ceiling mounting plate.