Adjustable torque hinge assembly for headrests

1. A headrest comprising:

a structural support surface comprising a front side and a rear side; and

a torque hinge comprising

a lower hinge assembly comprising an articulating base;

an upper hinge assembly comprising a shaft receptacle;

a ball joint comprising a ball portion connected to a shaft; and

a plate assembly fitted over the shaft;

wherein the ball portion is positioned between the articulating base and the shaft receptacle, and the shaft extends through an opening in the shaft receptacle;

wherein the shaft is coupled to the rear side of the structural support surface by a fastener inserted from the front side of the structural support surface;

wherein the plate assembly comprises a stowed position portion and a deployed position portion; and

wherein the stowed position portion comprises a recess contoured to position the lower hinge assembly and the upper hinge assembly at a stowed angle.

2. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the articulating base and the shaft receptacle are coupled to one another by a connector comprising a stop screw.

3. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is coupled to the structural support surface, and the plate assembly limits a rotational arc of the lower hinge assembly and the upper hinge assembly relative to the shaft.

4. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the stowed angle ranges from −5 to +7 degrees relative to a neutral position in which the lower hinge assembly and the upper hinge assembly are positioned substantially perpendicular to the shaft.

5. The headrest of claim 1 , wherein the deployed position portion comprises a recess contoured to position the lower hinge assembly and the upper hinge assembly at a deployed angle.

6. The headrest of claim 5 , wherein the deployed angle ranges from 0 to +22 degrees relative to a neutral position in which the lower hinge assembly and the upper hinge assembly are positioned substantially perpendicular to the shaft.

7. A headrest comprising:

a structural support surface; and

a torque hinge comprising

a rotatable portion;

a ball joint comprising a ball portion connected to a shaft, wherein the ball portion is positioned within the rotatable portion; and

a plate assembly fitted over the shaft;

wherein the shaft is coupled to the structural support surface, and the plate assembly limits a rotational arc of the rotatable portion relative to the shaft; and

wherein the rotatable portion comprises a lower hinge assembly comprising an articulating base and an upper hinge assembly comprising a shaft receptacle.

8. The headrest of claim 7 , wherein the ball portion is positioned between the articulating base and the shaft receptacle.

9. The headrest of claim 8 , wherein the articulating base and the shaft receptacle are coupled to one another by a connector comprising a stop screw.

10. The headrest of claim 7 , wherein the plate assembly comprises a stowed position portion and a deployed position portion.

11. The headrest of claim 10 , wherein the stowed position portion comprises a recess contoured to position the rotatable portion at a stowed angle.

12. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the stowed angle ranges from −5 to +7 degrees relative to a neutral position in which the rotatable portion is positioned substantially perpendicular to the shaft.

13. The headrest of claim 10 , wherein the deployed position portion comprises a recess contoured to position the rotatable portion at a deployed angle.

14. The headrest of claim 13 , wherein the deployed angle ranges from 0 to +22 degrees relative to a neutral position in which the rotatable portion is positioned substantially perpendicular to the shaft.