Neck rest for the back rest of automobile seats, in particular rear seats

[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority from, German Application Number 103 34 551.5, filed Jul. 30, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0002] The invention relates to a neck rest for the back rest of automobile seats.

[0003] Neck rests for automobile seats are usually composed of a supporting portion and an upholstering portion. The supporting portion is accommodated by head supporting rods in sockets of the back rest. The socket is usually composed of sleeves. It is known to latch the head supporting rods into engagement with the sleeves at different height positions. However, it is also known to adjust the head supporting rods in height by means of an appropriate adjusting mechanism.

[0004] It is also known to provide the back rests of rear seats with neck rests in the rear of an automobile. An action as a neck rest requires that the rest has to present a certain height for the person sitting on the seat. This possibly can constitute an obstacle to the driver's vision while backing the vehicle up. Likewise, view to the rear by means of the interior driving mirror is impaired by high neck rests at the seat back of the rear seat.

[0005] It is the object of the invention to provide a neck rest for the seat backs of automobiles which can be selectively reduced in its height to make possible a better view to the rear.

[0006] The inventive neck rest is composed of two portions, i.e. a guiding portion and a supporting portion. The supporting portion is arranged above the guiding portion and is variable in height relative thereto. According to the invention, the guiding portion has a horizontal section and a deforming portion which joins it and partially extends upwards. The deforming portion, along with the horizontal portion, defines an accommodating channel. The supporting portion has guiding rods which are mounted on a horizontal holding portion. The guiding rods are guided vertically in the hollow neck rest rods. Furthermore, the supporting portion has a downwardly extending portion which carries an upholstering portion. The deformable portion with the upholstering portion and the accommodating channel are formed so as to cause the deformable portion to be received more of less by the accommodating channel in dependence on the height of the supporting portion.

[0007] The deformable portion forms some type of louvre which can be retracted partially or completely into the accommodating channel of the guiding portion. To this end, the accommodating channel is configured so as to naturally receive the upholstering portion as well.

[0008] According to an aspect of the invention, the holding portion and guiding portion substantially are of a rigid shape and are made of a relatively solid plastic, for example. According to another aspect of the invention, the deformable portion has an elastic portion which is connected to the upholstering portion and deforms upon displacement into the guiding portion.

[0009] Alternatively, the deformable portion can be composed of individual linked elements which are also moved into the accommodating channel in a louvre-like manner.

[0010] However, the essential thing is that the deformable portion, when in an extracted position, generates sufficient supporting forces if the person sitting on the seat hits his/her head rearwards against the neck rest because of an abrupt acceleration of the vehicle.

[0011] The supporting portion can be directly adjusted in height by hand, the guiding rods being locatable in different latch positions in the neck rest rods, for example. Alternatively, a suitable actuation device can be provided to displace the supporting portion. The purpose can be served by an appropriate electromagnetic actuation means, for example. It is also imaginable to effect an adjustment of the supporting portion in height via a pulling cable which is actuated from the driver side.

[0012] The inventive neck rest makes it possible to bring the neck rest to a low height, particularly on the rear seat, in order that the view to the rear be less impaired while backing the vehicle up or while looking into the interior driving mirror.

[0016] The neck rest 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a guiding portion 12 and a supporting portion 14. The guiding portion 12 is provided with a horizontal portion 16 and a deforming portion 18 which is partially bent upwards, joins the horizontal portion 16, and extends approximately vertically at the end (“horizontal” and “vertical” mean the orientation of the designated portions when the neck rest is mounted on the back rest of an automobile seat that is not shown). The horizontal portion 16 has connected thereto neck rest rods 20 which are pushed into a socket (not shown) of a back (not shown) of an automobile seat. Sockets of this type in the form of neck rest sleeves or the like are generally known. Their configuration can be such as to receive the rods 20 merely in one position or also in various height positions, e.g. via respective latch positions of the rods 20 and sockets.

[0017] The guiding portion 12 defines an accommodating channel 22.

[0018] The supporting portion 14 has an upper horizontal holding section 24 which is of a relatively rigid design and has guiding rods 26 mounted at its underside. The guiding rods 26 are received by the hollow neck rest rods 20 (FIG. 2). Via an arc-shaped portion 28, the horizontal holding section 24 is joined by an elastically deformable portion 30 which engages the upper end of the accommodating channel 22. The deformable portion 30, for example, is an elastic strap of metal of plastic which can be guided within the accommodating channel 22 by providing the walls of the accommodating channel 22 with appropriate guide grooves (not shown). The deformable portion 30 accommodates an appropriate supporting pad which is not shown for reasons of simplicity here. It serves for absorbing the shock forces which occur when the head of the person sitting on the seat which is not shown strikes against the neck rest because of an abrupt acceleration.

[0019] The supporting portion 14 can be adjusted in its height and be moved downwards with respect to the guiding portion 12. This causes the guiding rods 26 to move into the head rest rods 20 and latch positions (not shown) can be predetermined between these rods to maintain a relative position occupied between the components 12 and 14. The most downwardly lowered position is shown in FIG. 2. It has received therein the portion 30 substantially in the accommodating channel 22 of the guiding portion 12. While the portion 30 is pushed into the accommodating channel 22 it will deform elastically. If it is necessary to push the lower end of the portion 30 into the accommodating channel 22 so far that this end has to be moved rightwards beyond the guiding rods 26 the lower end of the deformable portion 30 requires to be fitted with appropriate recesses to allow the adjustment described.

[0020] As mentioned before the guiding rods 26 can be latched in the neck rest rods 20 at different height positions. However, it is also perceivable to vary the height of the supporting portions 14, using an adjustment mechanism. This is outlined by a adjustment cable (Bowden control cable) 30a which is connected to the guiding rods 26 and is operated by an actuation means 32. The actuation means 32 can be an electric drive, for example. It is also imaginable to perform a manual operation from the driver's seat by shifting a lever (not shown) or the like.

[0021] In the Figures, the guiding portion is shown extending across the entire width of the neck rest. However, it can also extend over some part of its width only and can be arranged in place centrally, for example. While a strip of the supporting portion, i.e. portion 30, which is guided in the guiding portion undergoes deformation the remaining portions laterally therefrom unavoidably will be deformed as well so that a reduction in the height of the neck rest is achieved in any case.