HEAD RESTRAINT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

A head restraint (14) has a headrest (16) and at least one guide tube (18) that can be latched to a backrest structure of a motor vehicle seat for movable guidance of the headrest (16) in the direction of travel. An actuating rod (30) is mounted rotatably in the guide tube (18) and an unlocking slide (40) can be moved axially by rotating the actuating rod (30). In an actuating position, the unlocking slide (40) moves a latching element (58) into an unlatched position, and, in a rest position, the latching element (58) occupies a latched position. An actuating bar (24) is guided in the headrest (16) for rotating the actuating rod (30). The guide tube (18) is supported axially without tilting, and protectively accommodates a latching mechanism (59) that is easy to actuate from outside so that the head restraint (14) can be adjusted in a simple manner.

Claims

1. A head restraint for a motor vehicle seat, comprising: a headrest for resting on a head; at least one guide tube that can be latched to a backrest structure of the motor vehicle seat for movable guidance of the headrest in the direction of travel; an actuating rod mounted rotatably in the guide tube; an unlocking slide axially moveable in the guide tube between a rest position and an actuating position by rotation of the actuating rod in the guide tube, wherein, in the actuating position, the unlocking slide moves a latching element into an unlatched position, in which the latching element releases latching of the guide tube to the backrest structure, and, in the rest position, the latching element occupies a latched position, in which the latching element latches the guide tube to the backrest structure; and an actuating bar, guided in the headrest, for rotating the actuating rod.

2. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the unlocking slide rests on the actuating rod via an oblique plane extending in a circumferential direction and facing in an axial direction, the unlocking slide being coupled to the guide tube to prevent relative rotation but allows relative axial movement by means of a stud guided in a groove.

3. The head restraint of claim 2, wherein the latching element has a latching nose for blocking a movement of the guide tube relative to the latching tube, the latching nose engaging in the latched position in the guide tube and in a latching tube connected fixedly to the backrest structure.

4. The head restraint of claim 1, further comprising a latching tube that can be connected in a fixed manner to the backrest structure to produce latching to the latching element, the guide tube being guided in the latching tube to prevent relative rotation while allowing relative axial movement..

5. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the latching element comprises: a latching spring that is elastic in the radial direction, and a spring arm coupled to the actuating rod, wherein, in the actuating position, the unlocking slide presses the spring arm radially in and counter to a spring force of the latching element.

6. The head restraint of claim 5, wherein the unlocking slide has a contact surface that faces radially in and can be placed against the spring arm, the contact surface defining a funnel shape extending oblique to an axial direction.

7. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the actuating rod has a retention pin that enters the unlocking slide in an axial direction, the latching element being secured by the retention pin.

8. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the actuating bar has toothing that meshes with at least one gearwheel secured to the actuating rod for conjoint rotation.

9. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the actuating bar is connected to a button recessed into the headrest.

10. The head restraint of claim 1, wherein the actuating bar engages on the headrest via a return spring.

11. A motor vehicle seat for a motor vehicle having a backrest, a backrest structure that reinforces the backrest, and the head restraint of claim 1 connected to the backrest structure in a manner that allows adjustment in the direction of travel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of part of a motor vehicle seat.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded view of part of a head restraint of the motor vehicle seat from FIG. 1.

[0022] FIG. 3: shows a schematic section through part of a latching mechanism of the head restraint from FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The motor vehicle seat 10, shown in FIG. 1, for a motor vehicle has a backrest 12 with a reinforcing backrest structure, relative to which a head restraint 14 can be adjusted by an adjustment travel 15 in the direction of travel X. For this purpose, the head restraint 14 has a headrest 16 that is guided movably on the backrest structure by guide tubes 18. A vehicle occupant can press a button 20 partially recessed into the headrest 16 to cancel latching of the headrest 16 to the backrest structure, thereby moving an actuating bar 24 counter to the spring force of a return spring 22 connected to the headrest 16. The actuating bar 24 has toothing 26 that meshes simultaneously with two gearwheels 28 on different guide tubes 18.

[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the respective gearwheel 28 is fixed to an actuating rod 30 that is mounted rotatably in the guide tube 18. The actuating rod 30 has a spur 32 that projects radially out and is guided rotatably in a circumferentially extending first groove 34 in the guide tube 18, but is blocked in an axial direction. The end of the actuating rod 30 remote from the gearwheel 28 has an oblique plane 36 that extends in a spiral, faces in an axial direction and can slide along a corresponding oblique plane 38 on an unlocking slide 40. The unlocking slide 40 is guided to be axially movable but fixed against relative rotation in an axially extending second groove 44 in the guide tube 18 by means of a stud 42 projecting in a radial direction. The stud 42 can be radially inwardly flexible, thus allowing the unlocking slide 40 to be clipped into the guide tube 18.

[0025] The guide tube 18 is inserted into a latching tube 46 fixed to the backrest structure and is guided in an axial direction in a manner substantially free from tilting. The guide tube 18 has a pin 48 that projects radially out and is flexible in a radial direction by means of a projecting tab 50. The pin 48 can be clipped into a third groove 52 in the latching tube 46 to be axially movable but fixed against relative rotation. The latching tube 46 has plural latching grooves 54 that extend in a circumferential direction and into which a latching nose 56 of a latching element 58 can engage depending on the axial position of the guide tube 18 relative to the latching tube 46. The actuating rod 30, the unlocking slide 40 and the latching element 58 form a latching mechanism 59 that is protected in the guide tube 18 and can latch the guide tube 18 to the latching tube 46.

[0026] The latching element 58 has at least one spring arm 60 that can be clipped to a retention pin 66 of the actuating rod 30 via a fastening opening 62. The spring arm 60 is connected radially on the inside to the fastening opening 62 and radially on the outside to the latching nose 56. The spring arm 60 extends at least in part obliquely to a center line 68, with a component in a radial direction and a component in an axial direction. When the actuating rod 30 is rotated by the actuating bar 24 and the unlocking slide 40 is moved axially by the oblique planes 36, 38 sliding one upon the other, a substantially funnel-shaped contact surface 70 can strike against the at least one spring arm 60, preferably at least one pair of spring arms 60 situated opposite one another in a radial direction, and can bend the spring arm 60 elastically radially inwards, thereby cancelling latching of the guide tube 18 to the latching tube 46.

[0027] When force is no longer being introduced into the latching mechanism 59 via the actuating bar 24, the return spring 22 moves the actuating bar 24 and the actuating rod 30 back into the original starting position. Moreover, the spring force of the spring arms 60 of the latching element 58 can press the unlocking slide 40 back towards the actuating rod 30, ensuring that the oblique planes 36, 38 remain in contact. The latching nose 56 thereby also is moved radially out. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the latching nose 56 can engage into one of the latching grooves 54 in the latching tube 46 through a partially circumferential aperture 68 in the guide tube 18 and can thereby latch the guide tube 18 to the latching tube 46 in a desired position of the headrest 16 relative to the backrest 12.