Articulating headrest assembly

Abstract

A headrest assembly that is rotatable to various positions includes a support defining a horizontal axis. A shell is rotatably mounted to the support. Notches are disposed on the support, and each notch is associated with one of the positions. A lever is mounted to the shell and has a locking portion rotatable about the pivot axis and partially disposed in one of the notches to prevent movement of the shell. An actuator is mounted to the shell and rotates the locking portion of the lever about a pivot axis in a direction transverse to the horizontal axis. The actuator moves the locking portion out of one of the notches to allow the shell to rotate about the horizontal axis. Furthermore, the actuator moves the locking portion into one of the notches to prevent the shell from rotating about the horizontal axis.

1 . A headrest assembly rotatable to a plurality of positions, said headrest assembly comprising: 
 a support defining a horizontal axis;    a shell rotatably mounted to said support about said horizontal axis;    a plurality of notches defined by said support and each associated with one of the plurality of positions about said horizontal axis;    a lever mounted to said shell about a pivot axis and having a locking portion rotatable about said pivot axis and partially disposed in one of said plurality of notches for locking said shell in one of the plurality of positions to prevent movement of said shell about said horizontal axis; and    an actuator mounted to said shell and abutting said lever to rotate said locking portion of said lever about said pivot axis in a direction transverse to said horizontal axis for moving said locking portion out of one of said plurality of notches to allow said shell to rotate about said horizontal axis when said actuator is actuated and for moving said locking portion into one of said plurality of notches to prevent said shell from rotating about said horizontal axis when said actuator is deactivated.    
   
   
       2 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lever further includes a contact portion in direct contact with said actuator.  
   
   
       3 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said contact portion is integrally formed with said locking portion.  
   
   
       4 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said lever defines said pivot axis between said locking portion and said contact portion.  
   
   
       5 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lever has a substantially L-shaped configuration and wherein said locking portion is integrally formed with said lever.  
   
   
       6 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said actuator is mounted to said shell parallel to said horizontal axis to abut said lever.  
   
   
       7 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said locking portion is parallel to said horizontal axis when said actuator is actuated.  
   
   
       8 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said locking portion is transverse relative to said horizontal axis when said actuator is deactivated.  
   
   
       9 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further including a lever spring extending between said lever and said support for biasing said lever into one of said plurality of notches and prevent said shell from rotating about said horizontal axis.  
   
   
       10 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further including at least one post integrally formed with and extending perpendicularly from said support through said shell.  
   
   
       11 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said actuator includes a collar extending through said shell and a plunger disposed in said collar.  
   
   
       12 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said actuator further includes a plurality of retaining clips disposed on said plunger and engaging said collar for holding said plunger in said collar.  
   
   
       13 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said plunger includes a tab engaging said collar for preventing said plunger from rotating relative to said collar to align said plurality of retaining clips into engagement with said collar.  
   
   
       14 . A headrest assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said actuator further includes an actuator spring disposed about said plunger in said collar for biasing said plunger away from said lever.  
   
   
       15 . An actuator for use with a headrest assembly rotatable to a plurality of positions about a horizontal axis, the headrest assembly having a support, a shell rotatably mounted to the support, a plurality of notches disposed on the support and each associated with one of the plurality of positions, and a lever mounted to the shell and defining a pivot axis and having a locking portion rotatable about the pivot axis and partially disposed in one of the plurality of notches, said actuator comprising: 
 a collar;    a plunger extending through said collar for moving the locking portion out of one of the plurality of notches to allow the headrest assembly to rotate about the horizontal axis and for moving the locking portion into one of the plurality of notches to prevent the headrest assembly from rotating about the horizontal axis; and    a plurality of retaining clips disposed on said plunger and engaging said collar for holding said plunger inside said collar.    
   
   
       16 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 15  wherein said plunger includes a shaft and an end cap disposed on said shaft for rotating the locking portion of the lever about the pivot axis in a direction transverse to the horizontal axis for moving the locking portion out of one of the plurality of notches and for moving the locking portion into one of the plurality of notches to prevent the shell from rotating relative to the horizontal axis.  
   
   
       17 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said wherein said plurality of retaining clips are integrally formed with said shaft.  
   
   
       18 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said tab is integrally formed with said shaft.  
   
   
       19 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 16  further including an actuator spring disposed about said shaft in said collar for biasing said plunger away from the lever.  
   
   
       20 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said shaft is integrally formed with said end cap.  
   
   
       21 . An actuator as set forth in  claim 15  wherein said plunger includes a tab engaging said collar for preventing said plunger from rotating relative to said collar to align said plurality of retaining clips into engagement with said collar.