Head Rest Release Mechanism

Abstract

The invention is a head rest actuation system which is activated by forces acting upon a seat back or devices within a seat back. Forces acting upon a seat back or lumbar devices within a seat back are transmitted to a head rest and provide and actuating force therefor.

1 . A head rest actuation system comprising: 
 a seat back pivotable between an upright position and a folded horizontal position;    a first Bowden cable having a conduit and a wire;    a head rest having an operative position and a folded position;    wherein an end of the first Bowden cable wire is fixed to a point remote from the seat back;    wherein tension in the first Bowden cable wire is increased when said seat back pivots from the upright position to the folded horizontal position; and    wherein the increase in the tension of the first Bowden cable wire actuates the head rest from the operative position to the folded position.    
     
     
         2 . An actuation system according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a cable terminal connected to said first Bowden cable;    a cable termination block disposed in said cable terminal, said cable termination block having a first end and a second end, said cable termination block at one of said first end and said second end being connected to said first Bowden cable;    a second Bowden cable connected to the other one of said first end and said second end of said cable termination block, said second Bowden cable being further connected to a head rest actuation mechanism.    
     
     
         3 . A head rest actuation system comprising: 
 a seat;    a lumbar support basket;    a Bowden cable having a wire and a conduit;    a head rest;    an actuator in operative communication with the Bowden cable wire such that when the actuator increases tension in the Bowden cable wire, the lumbar support basket is pulled towards an occupant of the seat; and    wherein a force applied against the lumbar support basket causes the Bowden cable to actuate the head rest towards the head of the occupant of the seat.    
     
     
         4 . A head rest actuation system comprising: 
 a head rest;    a guide wire;    a lumbar support basket slidably connected to the guide wire;    a Bowden cable having a wire and a conduit;    wherein a force applied to the lumbar support basket creates tension in the Bowden cable wire; and    wherein the tension in the Bowden cable wire provides an actuating force to the head rest.    
     
     
         5 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a hinge wire slidably connected to the guide wire, wherein a lower portion of the lumbar support basket is slidably connected to the hinge wire;    a kickstand wire hingedly connected to the hinge wire and slidably connected to the guide wire;    a spring fixed on a first end at the sliding connection of the kickstand wire and the guide wire and fixed at a second end at the sliding connection of the hinge wire and the guide wire;    wherein the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal fixed with respect to the sliding connection of the hinge wire and the guide wire; and    wherein the Bowden cable wire has a terminal fixed with respect to the sliding connection of the kickstand wire and the guide wire.    
     
     
         6 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a hinge wire hingedly attached to the guide wire, wherein a lower portion of the lumbar support basket is slidably connected to the hinge wire;    a substantially arcuate spring having a midpoint slidably attached to the hinge wire, a first end attached to a first slider, and a second end attached to a second slider;    wherein the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal attached to the first slider and the Bowden cable wire has a terminal attached to the second slider.    
     
     
         7 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a housing;    a torsion spring having a center and an outer portion, wherein the center is attached to the housing and the outer portion is attached to a lower portion of the guide wire;    wherein the Bowden cable wire has a terminal attached to the housing and the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal attached to the lower portion of the guide wire.    
     
     
         8 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a torsion spring having a center and an outer portion, wherein the center is fixed with respect to a seat frame;    a cam rotating substantially about the center of the torsion spring and having a first and second end; wherein the first end is attached to a lower portion of the guide wire and the second end is attached to the outer portion of the torsion spring;    wherein the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal attached to the guide wire and the Bowden cable wire has a terminal attached to the second end of the cam.    
     
     
         9 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a hinge wire hingedly connected to the guide wire and hingedly connected to a slider;    a kickstand wire hingedly attached to the guide wire;    a housing having a channel, wherein the kickstand wire is hingedly attached to the housing and the slider is slidingly engaged in the channel;    wherein the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal fixed with respect to the slider and the Bowden cable wire has a terminal fixed with respect to the housing.    
     
     
         10 . The actuation system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a substantially arcuate spring fixed to a lower portion of the guide wire at a midsection of the spring, fixed to a first slider at a first end of the spring, and fixed to a second slider at a second end of the spring;    a frame crossmember having a first and second channel, wherein the first slider is sliding engaged in the first channel and the second slider is slidingly engaged in the second channel;    wherein the Bowden cable conduit has a terminal fixed with respect to the first slider and the Bowden cable wire has a terminal fixed with respect to the second slider.    
     
     
         11 . A head rest actuation system comprising: 
 a head rest actuator;    a lumbar support bladder filled with a fluid having a passageway to the head rest actuator, wherein an increase in the pressure of the fluid provides and actuating force to the head rest actuator.