Abstract: A retractable headrest assembly for a seat includes a headrest assembly mounted on a top portion of a seatback for pivotal movement between use and retracted positions about a first axis, and a retracting mechanism for toggling the headrest assembly to either of the use and retracted positions. The retracting mechanism includes a first shaft member defining the first axis and coupled with a seatback frame, embedded in the seatback, and a biasing element for urging the headrest assembly rearwardly about the first axis.

Abstract: The distance between the inner sides of side frames 42 and 43 composing a seat frame 40 is arranged to be wider than distance between the outer sides of the side frames 32 and 33, and a front end frame 41 of the seat frame 40 is arranged to be positioned outside an upper end frame 31 of the back frame 30 when the back frame and the seat frame come close upon folding so that the back frame 30 is surrounded by each of side frames 42, 43 and the front end frame 41, thereby enabling the seat to fold in such a manner that the back frame is placed in the inside of these frames composing the seat frame when the seat is folded. Accordingly, the thickness of the whole seat can be substantially the same as the seat cushion or the seat back alone, when the seat is folded. Thus, space for baggage in a vehicle can be increased, when the seat is folded.

Abstract: A seat member 10 of the present invention is provided with a belt member 200 in the back side of each cushioning member, in which the belt member is held by engaging with an appropriate portion of a back frame 30 at its one end and with an appropriate portion of a seat frame 40 at the other end, is disposed in the vicinity of, at least, either right or left side of a sitting person in a direction along the longitudinal cross-section, and is designed to have the length in the overlapping area with the above-described cushioning members shorter than the length along an expanded state of the cushioning members in the same area and is designed to be made of a material having a higher stiffness than those of respective cushioning members. By disposing the belt member 200, when a person takes a seat, it becomes possible to support the waist of sitting person since a portion corresponding to the belt member is relatively bulged out.

Abstract: A weight adjusting mechanism is mounted in a suspension seat and includes a lower frame and an upper frame vertically movably mounted on the lower frame via a link mechanism. The upper and lower frames have respective permanent magnets mounted thereon with like magnetic poles opposed to each other. An operation member is pivotally mounted on the upper frame, and a metal spring connected to the link mechanism is also connected to the operation member to produce a lifting force of the upper frame. Weight adjustment is conducted by changing an elastic force of the metal spring.

Abstract: A suspension unit includes a lower frame, an upper frame vertically movably mounted on the lower frame, and two link mechanisms disposed on respective sides of the upper and lower frames for connecting them to each other. Each of the two link mechanisms includes a parallel link mechanism having two arms extending generally parallel to each other and a pantograph-shaped link mechanism having a plurality of arms. The suspension unit further includes two permanent magnets each fixedly mounted on one of the upper and lower frames with like magnetic poles opposed to each other, a metallic spring engaged with one of the pantograph-shaped link mechanisms, and a shock absorber engaged with the other of the pantograph-shaped link mechanisms that has spring properties. With such construction, vibration below a predetermined amplitude is absorbed by the spring properties of the other of the pantograph-shaped link mechanisms with the shock absorber not operated.

Abstract: A vibration mechanism having a magnetic spring includes a lower frame, an upper frame vertically movably mounted on the lower frame via a plurality of link mechanisms, and at least two permanent magnets mounted on the lower frame and the upper frame, respectively, with the same magnetic poles opposed to each other. A plurality of springs are connected to the link mechanisms to produce a lifting force of the upper frame. The total spring constant of the permanent magnets and the springs is partially set to a negative value or substantially zero.