Vehicle occupants head-protecting device in accidents.

p0001The invention relates to a device for protecting the head of occupants in case of accidents, which is formed in a first end position as a headrest that has an upholstery topper.

p0002It is known to arrange in each case a pad at headrests in vehicles in front of a normal cushion body which is filled with a gaseous medium. The cushion is connected by a sleeve with the cushion body into a unit. The gas-filled cushion is provided with a pressure relief valve escapes through the case of an impact of a head on the pillow, after exceeding a certain load limit gas. With this apparatus, both the impact of the head is alleviated can be achieved as well as an exhaustion of the impact energy to the pillow largely to eliminate the back spin of the head (DE-OS 23 62 452) in an accident.

p0003Also known is a device for increasing the safety of the occupants of vehicles with a pneumatic effective cushioning which is attached as an air bag protective element to the body or to the extended frameworks of the seat backs. The air bag protective elements are preferably inflated only at risk. They are located behind the heads and adapted to the head shape. The air bag protective elements to prevent kinking of the heads to the sides or rear in case of accidents and a protective boundary around the head form (DE-OS 15 55 142).

p0004The invention has the object of providing a device of the type described in the opening develop in such a way that an improved protection is achieved even in front of or acting on the sides of the vehicle collision and during the subsequent vehicle movements.

p0005The object is achieved in that when force is applied to the front of the vehicle facing the middle of the headrest, two inside the upholstery coating pivotally ängeordnete lever from its first end position, carrying along the pad coating can be pivoted in the second end position, in which the lever and the upholstery topper form at least surrounding the rear part and the two sides of the head helmet.

p0006The device is automatically actuated when a collision to the rear of the vehicle by the back spin of the head. However, it is also possible for the device to be operated intentionally by the head is pressed to the rear. Such voluntary action is appropriate before a collision, when the risk of collision is detected. When z. B. a vehicle approaches from the side at high speed, the head can be pressed into the padding cover, whereby the headrest is reshaped to a helmet that protects the head in the event of collision or loss. In front of a frontal collision, it is also appropriate to push the head in the cushion, thereby flip the helmet.

p0007Preferably, the headrest to the backrest of the respective seat occupant, said the helmet formed by forming the headrest is detached from the passenger seat. The helmet provides good protection for all kinds of accidents. In particular, in the follow movements of the vehicle according to the direct collision, for example when rolling over, crashes on steep slopes and in multiple collisions, a much better protection is achieved against head injuries. This protection can not or have only to an insufficient extent, the above-mentioned known devices.

p0008A suitable embodiment consists in that arranged in the upholstery topper two levers, which are the outlines of the head correspondingly curved. around two mutually parallel axes are pivotable in that the levers at their ends facing each other have two of the front side of the vehicle facing the actuation member and that the lever with the padding cover surrounding spread apart in an end position, and facing in the other end position, leaving an oval arc each other are. This embodiment is characterized by its simple construction. They can be manufactured economically, therefore.

p0009In a favorable embodiment it is provided that the levers are each connected to a shaft which is displaceably arranged in a connected to the backrest of the relevant vehicle seat guide track extending only over a part of the displacement path of the shaft. After the forming of the head restraint in the helmet is released, the connection between the helmet and back in this embodiment, in a simple manner.

p0010In a preferred embodiment, the lever to the helmet halves are extended in the second end position the rear part, the sides and the top of the head surround. Thus, a large part of the head in case of accidents is protected.

p0011Conveniently, the two levers in the second end are locked together by snap elements. The helmet provides a self-contained unit, the external stresses oppose a great resistance. The compound can be subsequently easily dissolved again.

p0012In a favorable embodiment the levers are connected to springs, through which bias the levers are held in their first end position.

p0013The invention is described in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in a drawing, au; which further features and advantages.

p0014Show it:<ul><li>Fig. 1 shows a cross section through a device for protecting the head of vehicle occupants in case of accident, which is formed in its first end position as a headrest,</li><li>Fig. 2 is a section taken along lines 1-1 of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,</li><li>Fig. 3 shows a cross section through a device for protecting the head of vehicle occupants in case of accident, which is formed in its second end position as a helmet,</li><li>Fig. 4 is a side view of a helmet designed as in their second end device for protecting the head of the vehicle occupants and</li><li>Fig. 5 is a top view of a trained as a headrest in its first end position device for protecting the head of the vehicle occupant.</li></ul>

p0015A device 10 for protection of the head of vehicle occupants in case of accident is fixed in its first end position as a headrest 12 on the backrest 14 of a vehicle seat. Inside the device 10 there are two levers same structure 16, 18, which are pivotable about vertical axes 20th The two axes 20 are arranged parallel at a distance to each other. The levers 16, 18 are surrounded by an upholstery topper 22nd In Fig. 1, the lever 16, 18 is illustrated in its first end position, in which they are spread apart. In this position, pull the levers 16, 18 the padding cover 22 to the outside, so that it has the shape of the head restraint 12th

p0016The levers 16, 18 each consist of a prolonged lever arm 2 and a shorter lever arm 26, the shorter lever arms 26 are located between the two axles 20, the longer lever arms 24 are curved and adapted to the outline of a head on one half of the head. The shorter lever arms 26 are equipped with actuating ends 28th The actuating ends 28 are formed curved and project into the first end position of the levers 16, 18 in the direction of the front side of the vehicle. By bending the shorter lever arms 26, the actuator ends are 28 looking in the direction of the front of the vehicle, in front of the axis 20 between the actuating member 28 extends in the first end of the lever 16, 18 is a free space 30. The actuating member 28 are behind the padding cover 22 approximately in the center 32 of the headrest 12. the shorter lever arms 26 of the levers 16, 18 are connected to shafts 34 which are perpendicular. On the shafts 34, the levers 16, 18 and thus also the shafts 20 and the padding cover 22 are secured to a plate 36 which is rigidly connected to the backrest fourteenth

p0017The shafts 34 are held in non-illustrated guide tracks that are located in projecting from the plate 36 holders 38th The cross-section of the guide tracks are tuned to the remote ends 42 of the shafts. The unspecified ends of the axles 20 are held in a frame 40 at a distance from each other.

p0018The levers 16, 18 are pivoted from its illustrated in FIG. 1, first end position into a second end position, which is shown in Fig. 3. In the second end position, the actuator ends are facing 28 and touching each other. By the pivoting of the longer lever arms 24 are at a shorter distance from one another, while the shorter lever arms 26 are moved about the axes 20 a little to the rear. The two levers 16, 18 form an oval arc in the second end position. 16, 18 This surround the lever the head of a vehicle occupant from the rear and sides. The composed of resiliently elastic material padding cover 22 conforms to the specified by the levers 16, 18 form, and forms with the levers 16, 18 in their second end position of a helmet 44, which surrounds the head of the vehicle occupant, at least at the sides and back. Due to the pivoting of the lever 16, 18 in their second end position, the distance between the rear and the front end of the device 10 extends, so that a helmet is generated 44 from a relatively flat head restraint 12, which largely covers the head at the sides.

p0019When pivoting the levers 16, 18, the axes keep 20 their relative positions. The shafts 34 are moved on the other hand parallel to the axis along the tracks in the holders 38th However, the tracks do not extend along the entire path of displacement of the shafts 34 between the two end positions of the lever 16, 18. In the second end position of the lever 16, 18 are the shafts 34 free. This means that the re-formed to the helmet 44 the device 10 is no longer connected to the backrest fourteenth

p0020The levers 16, 18 are preferably held by the elasticity of the cushioning coating 22 in its first end position in which the pad cover 22 has its smallest dimension. But it is also possible by means of springs 45, which are biased, the lever 16 to keep 18 in its first end position in which the device 10 a head restraint forms 12th

p0021To lock the two levers 16, 18 in its second end position snap elements 46 are expediently provided, which engage each other. The snap-action elements 46 may be preferably located at the ends of the shorter lever arms 26th For example, the snap-elements are designed in the manner of a pushbutton. In the second end position of the levers 16, 18 the snap elements 46 maintain a fixed connection of the lever 16, 18 with each other upright, so that the helmet 44 retains its shape.

p0022The levers 16, 18 are preferably made from a tough plastic formbestandigen. Appropriately, the levers are magnified 16 to 18 helmet halves 48, which in its second end position the Re; surrounded by the sides, rear and above. A derarnger, composed of two halves 48 helmet helmet, which is provided with the pad cover 22 is shown in Fig. 4.

p0023FIG. 5 shows the apparatus 10 from above. The padding cover 22 jumps up stronger than before down toward the front of the vehicle. Below, only the side parts 50 of the pad coating 22 are pulled forward, while the padding cover 22 is pulled in the region of the neck of the vehicle occupant to the rear. In this way, can be in the second end of the lever 16, 18 cover the 22 Polsteruberzug a large Kcpfflache.

p0024When pressed at the center 32, the levers 16 are, 18 from its first end position moved to the second and locked therein. This is formed from the headrest 12, a helmet 44 which is no longer connected to the backrest of the vehicle seat. The operation can be carried out during the return of the head spinning due to a collision to the rear of the vehicle. It is also possible and useful in an impending accident, to press his head against the middle 32 to 12 convert the headrest in the helmet 44th The helmet 44 protects its wearer not only as the known protective devices in an impact to the rear of the vehicle, but even with timely actuation of an accident for a side collision or a collision from the front. After the first impact of the head of the vehicle occupant during the subsequent movements of the vehicle remains protected. For example, injuries from rollover of the vehicle. Rollover, crash mitigated or prevented on embankments or in Mehrfachkarambolagen.

p0025The conversion of the headrest 12 in the helmet 44 is triggered by the arranged in the interior of the cushion coating mechanism 22 upon actuation in the middle of the 32nd