Vehicle seat with headrest comprising nuchal and lateral supports

1. A vehicle seat having a headrest connected to the vehicle seat by rods, wherein:

the headrest has a center pad and two side pads adjoining the center pad to the right and left of the center pad;

the side pads are pivotable about a swivel axis through intermediate angular positions, from a swiveled-back supporting position into a swiveled-forward resting position; and

the center pad has a variable pad hardness which varies with the angular position of the side pads.

2. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the side pads cooperate with the center pad to vary the pad hardness as they are swiveled.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the angle of the headrest relative to the backrest is adjustable about a transverse-running swivel axis disposed in its upper region facing away from the vehicle seat.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the headrest has a carrier plate bearing the center pad and the side pads.

5. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the center pad has a pad core and a pad cover, the pad cover being fastened in two cover mountings disposed on both sides of the center pad and directly adjoining the pad core.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the tension of the pad cover varies the pad hardness of the center pad since the tightened pad cover hardens the surface of the center pad and the slackened pad cover softens the surface of the center pad.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the side pads as they are swiveled forward, reduce the tension of the pad cover since the side pads press the cover mountings toward the center of the center pad.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the headrest has a carrier plate bearing the center pad and the side pads.

11. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the angle of the headrest relative to the backrest is adjustable about a transverse-running swivel axis disposed in its upper region facing away from the vehicle seat.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the headrest has a carrier plate bearing the center pad and the side pads.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the headrest has a carrier plate bearing the center pad and the side pads.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the carrier plate at its end facing away from the backrest is pivotably connected to the rods by a bearing and is configured such that it can be swiveled about this bearing in order to adjust the headrest angle.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the center pad has a pad core and a pad cover, the pad cover being fastened in two cover mountings disposed on both sides of the center pad and directly adjoining the pad core.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the tension of the pad cover varies the pad hardness of the center pad since the tightened pad cover hardens the surface of the center pad and the slackened pad cover softens the surface of the center pad.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the side pads as they are swiveled forward, reduce the tension of the pad cover since the side pads press the cover mountings toward the center of the center pad.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the center pad has a pad core and a pad cover, the pad cover being fastened in two cover mountings disposed on both sides of the center pad and directly adjoining the pad core.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the tension of the pad cover varies the pad hardness of the center pad since the tightened pad cover hardens the surface of the center pad and the slackened pad cover softens the surface of the center pad.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the side pads as they are swiveled forward, reduce the tension of the pad cover since the side pads press the cover mountings toward the center of the center pad.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the center pad has a pad core and a pad cover, the pad cover being fastened in two cover mountings disposed on both sides of the center pad and directly adjoining the pad core.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the tension of the pad cover varies the pad hardness of the center pad since the tightened pad cover hardens the surface of the center pad and the slackened pad cover softens the surface of the center pad.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

28. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

29. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the side pads as they are swiveled forward, reduce the tension of the pad cover since the side pads press the cover mountings toward the center of the center pad.

30. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

31. The vehicle as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

32. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the cover mountings are configured as U-shaped clamp rails, the clamp rails being respectively rotatable about a rotation axis disposed approximately parallel to the carrier plate and running along the outer contour of the center pad.

33. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the side pads have a swivel axis disposed to run through the rotation axis of the cover mountings.

34. A vehicle seat assembly, including a headrest comprising:

a center pad, and

side pads adjoining the center pad at opposite lateral sides thereof, said side pads being pivotable about a swivel axis through intermediate angular positions, between a swiveled-back head support position and a swiveled-forward head rest position,

wherein said center pad and side pads are configured to vary the hardness of the center pad as a function of the angular position of the side pads.

35. An assembly according to claim 34 , wherein said center pad and side pads are configured to increase the hardness of the center pad when the side pads are moved from the rest position to the support position.

36. As assembly according to claim 35 , wherein the hardness of the center pad is controlled by varying tension on a center pad cover which is operably connected with the side pads.