US6192565B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automotive seat assembly having a rectractable headrest
Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc
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Filing: 1999-02-11
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Granted: 2001-02-27
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Expires: 2019-02-11
Abstract
Abstract An automotive seat including a seat cushion and a seat back. The seat back pivots relative to the seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a folded position. A headrest is mounted to the seat back and is moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position. The seat assembly is characterized by a control mechanism mounted between the seat back and the headrest for automatically moving the headrest between the deployed and retracted positions in response to the pivotal movement of the seat back between the seating and folded positions. The subject invention is also characterized by a cavity formed within the seat back for selectively housing the headrest. The control mechanism moves the headrest between the deployed position with the headrest disposed completely outside the cavity and the retracted position with the headrest disposed within the cavity.
Inventors
- 👤 Omar D. Tame
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:48
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/24; B60N2/32; B60N2/36; B60N2/02; B60N2/20; B60N2/206; B60N2/30; B60N2/3002; B60N2/3004; B60N2/3009; B60N2/3011; B60N2/3013; B60N2/80; B60N2/806; B60N2/809; B60N2/829; B60N2/832; B60N2/874
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
An automotive seat assembly comprising; a seat cushion, a seat back, having top and bottom portions, said bottom portion being pivotally mounted to said seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a folded position, a mounting plate movably mounted to said top portion of said seat back, a headrest mounted to said mounting plate and moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, said top portion of said seat back defining a cavity for selectively housing said headrest such that said headrest is substantially disposed outside of said cavity when said headrest is in said deployed position and said seat back is in said seating position, and said headrest is substantially disposed within said cavity when said headrest is in said retracted position and said seat back is in said folded position, a biasing device disposed between said mounting plate and said seat back for continuously biasing said headrest toward said deployed position, an actuation device mounted between said bottom portion of said seat back and said mounting plate, and said actuation device including an actuation lever pivotally mounted to said top portion of said seat back and coupled to said mounting plate for automatically moving said headrest toward said retracted position disposed within said cavity in response to said pivotal movement of said seat back toward said folded position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
An automotive seat assembly comprising; a seat cushion, a seat back, having top and bottom portions, said bottom portion being pivotally mounted to said seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a folded position, a mounting plate movably mounted to said top portion of said seat back, a headrest mounted to said mounting plate and moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, said top portion of said seat back defining a cavity for selectively housing said headrest such that said headrest is substantially disposed outside of said cavity when said headrest is in said deployed position and said seat back is in said seating position, and said headrest is substantially disposed within said cavity when said headrest is in said retracted position and said seat back is in said folded position, a biasing device disposed between said mounting plate and said seat back for continuously biasing said headrest toward said deployed position, an actuation device mounted between said bottom portion of said seat back and said mounting plate, and said actuation device including an actuation lever pivotally mounted to said top portion of said seat back and coupled to said mounting plate for automatically moving said headrest toward said retracted position disposed within said cavity in response to said pivotal movement of said seat back toward said folded position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including at least one socket formed within said mounting plate and at least one guide post extending outwardly from said socket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said control mechanism further includes at least one hollow support tube mounted within said cavity and extending upwardly toward said top portion of said seat back.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said guide post slideably engages said support tube for supporting said headrest and guiding said headrest between said retracted and deployed positions relative to said cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said guide post has a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said socket such that said support tube may also extend into said socket when said headrest is moved into said retracted position within said cavity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said biasing device is a coil spring disposed around said support tube with a first end engaging said cavity of said seat back and a second end engaging said mounting plate such that said mounting plate and said headrest are continuously biased toward said deployed position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a limit pin extending from said mounting plate and slideably engaging said lever such that said lever is movably mounted to said mounting plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lever includes an integral slot with said limit pin slideably disposed within said slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said actuation device further includes a remote control cable having a first end mounted to said lever and a second end mounted to said bottom portion of said seat back such that said pivotal movement of said seat back toward said folded position tensions said cable to move said lever and said mounting plate toward said retracted position against said biasing force of said biasing device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
156 words
An automotive seat assembly comprising; a seat cushion, a seat back having top and bottom portions, a headrest mounted to said top portion of said seat back and moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, a control mechanism mounted between said seat back and said headrest for moving said headrest between said deployed and retracted positions, said top portion of said seat back defining a cavity formed therein for selectively housing said headrest, said control mechanism moving said headrest between said deployed position with said headrest substantially disposed outside of said cavity and said retracted position with said headrest substantially disposed within said cavity, and said control mechanism including at least one support tube and a biasing device each mounted within said cavity between said headrest and said seat back, said support tube guiding said headrest between said deployed and retracted positions and said biasing device continuously biasing said headrest toward said deployed position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
156 words
An automotive seat assembly comprising; a seat cushion, a seat back having top and bottom portions, a headrest mounted to said top portion of said seat back and moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, a control mechanism mounted between said seat back and said headrest for moving said headrest between said deployed and retracted positions, said top portion of said seat back defining a cavity formed therein for selectively housing said headrest, said control mechanism moving said headrest between said deployed position with said headrest substantially disposed outside of said cavity and said retracted position with said headrest substantially disposed within said cavity, and said control mechanism including at least one support tube and a biasing device each mounted within said cavity between said headrest and said seat back, said support tube guiding said headrest between said deployed and retracted positions and said biasing device continuously biasing said headrest toward said deployed position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said control mechanism further includes a moveable mounting plate with said headrest fixedly secured to said mounting plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said control mechanism further includes an actuation device mounted between said seat back and said mounting plate for selectively moving said mounting plate and said headrest toward said retracted position and into said cavity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said seat back is pivotally mounted to said seat cushion for movement between a seating position and a folded position wherein said control mechanism automatically moves said headrest between said deployed and retracted positions in response to said pivotal movement of said seat back between said seating and folded positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 13 further including at least one socket formed within said mounting plate and at least one guide post extending outwardly from said socket.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said guide post slideably engages said support tube for supporting said headrest and guiding said headrest between said retracted and deployed positions relative to said cavity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said biasing device is a coil spring disposed around said support tube with a first end engaging said cavity of said seat back and a second end engaging said mounting plate such that said mounting plate and said headrest are continuously biased toward said deployed position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said actuation device further includes an actuation lever pivotally mounted to said seat back.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 17 further including a limit pin extending from said mounting plate and slideably engaging said lever such that said lever is movably mounted to said mounting plate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said lever includes an integral slot with said limit pin slideably disposed within said slot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
75 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said actuation device further includes a remote control cable having a first end mounted to said lever and a second end mounted to said bottom portion of said seat back such that said pivotal movement of said seat back toward said folded position tensions said cable to move said lever and said mounting plate toward said retracted position against said biasing force of said biasing device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-27 | 2004-08-28 | 2005-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-27 | 2008-08-28 | 2009-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-27 | 2012-08-28 | 2013-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |