Headrest for vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a headrest for vehicles, which can fixedly support the passenger's head including the mandible in an automobile crash, thereby preventing hyper-flexion of the neck. The headrest comprises a pair of support rods fitted at the top of a backrest of an automotive vehicle seat, first and second cushion units rotatably fitted at the top of the respective support rods, respectively, at least one elastic member for elastically connecting the first and second cushion units, jaw-restraint portions formed at opposite sides of the first and second cushion units, respectively, and stoppers for keeping the support rods in an immobilized state after the first and second cushion units are rotated to a predetermined degree. By using the headrest of the present invention, it is possible to minimize injury to the neck of the passenger. Especially, the present invention can effectively protect the passenger's neck, which is further endangered when the passenger wears a safety belt, and thus can secure the greatest safety of the passenger.

1 . A headrest for a vehicle comprising: 
 a pair of support rods fitted at the top of a backrest of an automotive vehicle seat;    first and second cushion units rotatably fitted at the top of the respective support rods, respectively;    at least one elastic member for elastically connecting the first and second cushion units;    jaw-restraint portions formed at opposite sides of the first and second cushion units, respectively; and    stoppers for keeping the support rods in an immobilized state after the first and second cushion units are rotated to a predetermined degree.    
   
   
       2 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cushion units include: 
 a pair of symmetrical seating portions, respectively, formed at positions corresponding to the passenger's occipital bone; and    a pair of auxiliary cushion members located below the respective seating portions for supporting the bottom of the occipital bone.    
   
   
       3 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of the stoppers includes: 
 a case provided inside one of the first and second cushion units;    a latch protruding at one end thereof out of the case so as to come into contact with the outer periphery of an associated one of the support rods;    a spring disposed inside the case so as to elastically support the other end of the latch;    a fixing groove defined at the outer periphery of the support rod for allowing the latch to be lockably engaged therein as a result of rotation of the corresponding cushion unit; and    a pulling member for pulling out the latch inserted in the fixing groove.    
   
   
       4 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the pulling member has: 
 a wire connected at one end thereof to the other end of the latch, the other end of the wire protruding out of the corresponding cushion unit; and    a pull grip provided at the outwardly-protruded end of the wire.    
   
   
       5 . A headrest for a vehicle comprising: 
 first and second cushion units rotatably fitted at the top of a pair of support rods, respectively, the support rods being fitted at the top of a backrest of an automotive vehicle seat, the first and second cushion units having jaw-restraint portions formed at opposite sides thereof, respectively;    impact sensors for detecting shock applied to the vehicle in an automobile crash, and outputting signals;    pressure sensors for detecting shock caused as the passenger's head collides against the first and second cushion units, and outputting signals;    a control unit for receiving the signals from the impact sensor and the pressure sensors, and outputting a control signal for causing rotation of the first and second cushion units;    driving units for rotating the first and second cushion units according to the control signal; and    stoppers for keeping the first and second cushion units in an immobilized state after they are rotated by a predetermined degree.    
   
   
       6 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each of the stoppers includes: 
 a first detector positioned just inside the outer periphery of one of the support rods;    a second detector positioned just inside the inner periphery of a sleeve, which surrounds the support rod, so as to correspond to the first detector; and    a locking member adapted to support the lateral surface of the support rod according to a signal generated when positions of the first and second detectors coincide with each other as a result of rotation of the first and second cushion units.    
   
   
       7 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each of the driving units includes: 
 a servo-motor fixed inside one of the first and second cushion units, and adapted to be driven by the control signal; and    a power-transmission member for transmitting a rotating force of the servo-motor to the support rod.    
   
   
       8 . A headrest for a vehicle comprising: 
 first and second cushion units rotatably fitted at the top of a pair of support rods, respectively, the support rods being fitted at the top of a backrest of an automotive vehicle seat, the first and second cushion units having jaw-restraint portions formed at opposite sides thereof, respectively;    impact sensors for detecting shock applied to the vehicle in an automobile crash, and outputting signals;    a distance adjustment unit for maintaining a constant distance between the passenger's head and the first and second cushion units;    a control unit for receiving the signals from the impact sensor, and outputting a control signal for causing pivotal rotation of the first and second cushion units;    driving units for pivotably rotating the first and second cushion units according to the control signal; and    stoppers for keeping the first and second cushion units in an immobilized state after they are pivotably rotated by a predetermined degree.    
   
   
       9 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the distance adjustment unit includes: 
 a distance sensor for detecting a distance between the passenger's occipital bone and the first and second cushion units, and outputting a signal;    the control unit for detecting the signal from the distance sensor, and outputting a control signal if the detected distance exceeds a predetermined value, thereby allowing the first and second cushion units to be spaced apart from the passenger's head by a distance within a range of the predetermined value; and    a position adjustor for adjusting positions of the first and second cushion units according to the control signal from the control unit.    
   
   
       10 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle comprises: 
 a seat sensor for detecting the presence of the passenger on the seat, and outputting a signal; and    a switch for turning on/off a power source of the distance adjustment unit according to the signal from the seat sensor.    
   
   
       11 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each of the stoppers includes: 
 a case provided inside one of the first and second cushion units;    a latch protruding at one end thereof out of the case so as to come into contact with the outer periphery of an associated one of the support rods;    a spring disposed inside the case so as to elastically support the other end of the latch;    a fixing groove defined at the outer periphery of the support rod for allowing the latch to be lockably engaged therein as a result of rotation of the corresponding cushion unit; and    a pulling member for pulling out the latch inserted in the fixing groove.    
   
   
       12 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein each of the driving units includes: 
 a servo-motor fixed inside one of the first and second cushion units, and adapted to be driven by the control signal; and    a power-transmission member for transmitting a rotating force of the servo-motor to the support rod.    
   
   
       13 . The headrest as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle comprises: 
 a seat sensor for detecting the presence of the passenger on the seat, and outputting a signal; and    a switch for turning on/off a power source of the distance adjustment unit according to the signal from the seat sensor.