Folding head restraint mechanism

1. A head restraint assembly comprising:

a mounting subassembly comprising:

a first support post;

a second support post;

a cross member having a first end attached to the first support post and a second end attached to the second support post the cross member forming a first pivot axis extending lengthwise laterally between the first and second support posts; and

a latch rigidly attached to the cross member, and

a locking plate having a planar face that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the locking plate positionable at a first plate position for engaging the latch on the planar face of the locking plate and at a second plate position for releasing the latch, the locking plate being movable from the first plate position to the second plate position by pivoting about a pivot point on a second pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis intersecting the locking plate proximate to a corner of the locking plate wherein the second pivot axis is centrally located in a lateral direction relative to the mounting subassembly, an actuation mechanism engages the locking plate on an actuation end of the locking plate distal from the second pivot axis, and a locking plate biasing member is attached to the locking plate at a location between the corner and the actuation end of the locking plate; and

a structural shell supported by the mounting subassembly, the structural shell pivotable about the first pivot axis when the locking plate is in the second plate position.

2. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a head restraint biasing member that acts to move the head restraint assembly from a first head restraint position to a second head restraint position when the locking plate is in the second plate position; and

a locking plate biasing member that acts to move the locking plate into the first plate position.

3. The head restraint assembly of claim 2 wherein the head restraint biasing member is a biasing spring.

4. The head restraint assembly of claim 2 wherein the locking plate biasing member is a biasing spring.

5. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently hollow or includes hollow sections.

6. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently solid or include solid sections.

7. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 further comprising a damping mechanism that damps movement of the structural shell when pivoting from an upright position to a folded position.

8. The head restraint assembly of claim 1 further comprising a user operated button assembly wherein operation of the button assembly causes pivoting of the locking plate.

9. A head restraint assembly comprising:

a mounting subassembly comprising:

a first support post;

a second support post;

a cross member having a first end attached to the first support post and a second end attached to the second support post the cross member forming a first pivot axis extending lengthwise laterally between the first and second support posts; and

a latch rigidly attached to the cross member, and

a locking plate having a planar face that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the locking plate positionable at a first plate position for engaging the latch on the planar face of the locking plate and at a second plate position for releasing the latch, the locking plate being movable from the first plate position to the second plate position by pivoting about a pivot point on a second pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis intersecting the locking plate proximate to a corner of the locking plate wherein the second pivot axis is centrally located in a lateral direction relative to the mounting subassembly, an actuation mechanism engages the locking plate on an actuation end of the locking plate distal from the second pivot axis, and a locking plate biasing member is attached to the locking plate at a location between the corner and the actuation end of the locking plate;

a structural shell supported by the mounting subassembly, the structural shell pivotable about the first pivot axis when the locking plate is in the second plate position;

a locking plate biasing member that acts to move the locking plate into the first plate position; and

a damping mechanism that damps movement of the structural shell when pivoting from an upright position to a folded position.

10. The head restraint assembly of claim 9 further comprising a head restraint biasing member that acts to move the head restraint assembly from a first head restraint position to a second head restraint position when the locking plate is in the second plate position.

11. The head restraint assembly of claim 9 wherein the locking plate biasing member is a spring.

12. The head restraint assembly of claim 9 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently hollow or includes hollow sections.

13. The head restraint assembly of claim 9 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently solid or include solid sections.

14. The head restraint assembly of claim 9 further comprising a user operated button assembly wherein operation of the button assembly causes pivoting of the locking plate.

15. A head restraint assembly comprising:

a mounting subassembly comprising:

a first support post;

a second support post;

a cross member having a first end attached to the first support post and a second end attached to the second support post the cross member forming a first pivot axis extending lengthwise laterally between the first and second support posts; and

a latch rigidly attached to the cross member, and

a locking plate having a planar face that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the locking plate positionable at a first plate position for engaging the latch on the planar face of the locking plate and at a second plate position for releasing the latch, the locking plate being movable from the first plate position to the second plate position by pivoting about a pivot point on a second pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis intersecting the locking plate proximate to a corner of the locking plate, wherein the second pivot axis is centrally located in a lateral direction relative to the mounting subassembly, an actuation mechanism engages the locking plate on an actuation end of the locking plate distal from the second pivot axis, and a locking plate biasing member is attached to the locking plate at a location between the corner and the actuation end of the locking plate;

a structural shell supported by the mounting subassembly, the structural shell pivotable about the first pivot axis when the locking plate is in the second plate position;

a head restraint biasing spring that acts to move the head restraint assembly from a first head restraint position to a second head restraint position when the locking plate is in the second plate position; and

a locking plate biasing spring that acts to move the locking plate into the first plate position.

16. The head restraint assembly of claim 15 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently hollow or includes hollow sections.

17. The head restraint assembly of claim 15 wherein the first support post, the second support post, and the cross member are each independently solid or include solid sections.

18. The head restraint assembly of claim 15 further comprising a damping mechanism that damps movement of the structural shell when pivoting from an upright position to a folded position.

19. The head restraint assembly of claim 14 further comprising a user operated button assembly wherein operation of the button assembly causes pivoting of the locking plate.