SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE MOUNTED DISPLAY

• US 20150282346A1
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prophet Signs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prophet Signs, Inc.
• Inventors: Ganim, Sam M., Cecil, Lon
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/227 Electroluminescent displays for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/048 Advertisement panels on sides, front or back of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/005 Signs associated with a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/203 specially adapted to be attached to a transparent surface, e.g. the window of a car
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/20 for adjustably mounting
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/22 for rotatably or swingably mounting, e.g. for boards adapted to be rotated by the wind
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

A display panel assembly includes a display panel including an array of LED (Light Emitting Diode) pixels, and includes a support assembly configured to hold the display panel near the rear window of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the support assembly for holding the display panel in the vehicle includes a first strap and a first hinge. The first hinge includes: a first flap having a first hole; a pivot; and a second flap having a second hole and a third hole. The first strap includes a fourth hole and a fifth hole located at a hinge end of the strap, and a sixth hole located at a cross beam end of the strap.

Claims

1. A support assembly for holding a display panel in a vehicle, the support assembly comprising:

a first hinge; and

a first strap fastened to the first hinge.

2. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the first hinge includes:

a first flap having a first hole,

a pivot, and

a second flap having a second hole and a third hole.

3. The support assembly of claim 2, wherein the first strap includes:

a fourth hole and a fifth hole located at a hinge end of the strap, and

a sixth hole located at a cross beam end of the strap.

4. The support assembly of claim 3, wherein the second hole of the second flap is fastened by a first fastener to the fourth hole of the first strap, and wherein the third hole of the second flap is fastened by a second fastener to the fifth hole of the first strap.

5. The support assembly of claim 4, wherein the first strap is made of metal, and wherein the first strap has an approximately 90 degree bend near the hinge end of the first strap.

6. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein the first fastener is a first rivet and the second fastener is a second rivet.

7. The support assembly of claim 6, further comprising:

a second strap substantially identical to the first strap; and

a second hinge substantially identical to the first hinge, and

wherein the second strap and the second hinge are fastened together in the same fashion as the first strap and the first hinge.

8. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the first strap is a strip of metal.

9. The support assembly of claim 8,

wherein the first hinge includes a first flap, a pivot, and a second flap,

wherein the first strap includes a hinge end and a cross beam end, and

wherein the first strap is fastened the second flap.

10. The support assembly of claim 9, wherein the strip of metal is stainless steel.

11. The support assembly of claim 9, wherein the strip of metal is grade 316 stainless steel.

12. The support assembly of claim 9, wherein the strip of metal has the following dimensions:

a length between 8 inches and 16 inches, inclusively,

a width between half of an inch and 4 inches, inclusively, and

a thickness between 14 gauge and 20 gauge, inclusively.

13. A display assembly for displaying messages out of a rear window of a vehicle, the display assembly comprising:

a display panel; and

a support assembly configured to support the display panel.

14. The display assembly of claim 13, wherein the support assembly includes:

a first hinge including;

a first flap having a first hole,

a pivot, and

a second flap having a second hole and a third hole, and

a first strap including;

a fourth hole and a fifth hole located at a hinge end of the first strap, and

sixth hole located at a cross beam end of the first strap, and

wherein the second hole of the second flap is fastened by a first fastener to the fourth hole of the first strap, and wherein the third hole of the second flap is fastened by a second fastener to the fifth hole of the first strap.

15. The display assembly of claim 14, wherein the first strap is made of metal.

16. The display assembly of claim 14,

wherein the first strap has an approximately 90 degree bend near the hinge end of the first strap;

wherein a horizontal strap portion of the first strap rests on top of a vehicle horizontal surface;

and wherein a second vertical strap portion of the strap is located behind a rear seat of the vehicle and is fastened to a cross beam by at least one vertical strap portion fastener passing through the strap, through a car vertical surface, and into the crossbeam.

17. The display assembly of claim 16,

wherein the first strap is grade 316 stainless steel, and

wherein the first strap has the following dimensions:

a length between 8 inches and 16 inches, inclusively,

a width between half of an inch and 4 inches, inclusively, and

a thickness between 14 gauge and 20 gauge, inclusively.

18. A display panel assembly for displaying a message outwards through a rear window of a vehicle, the display panel assembly comprising:

a display panel including an array of LED (Light Emitting Diode) pixels; and

a support assembly configured to hold the display panel near the rear window of the vehicle.

19. The display assembly of claim 18, wherein the support assembly includes a strap configured to:

attach to a bottom of the display panel; and

flex after attachment such that the display panel may be;

tilted,

slid under a lip of a roof, and

un-tilted to catch against the lip of the roof.

20. The display panel of claim 18, wherein the display panel includes a virtual rear window configured to display an image towards an interior of the vehicle such that a passenger of the vehicle may view the image.

21. A custom windshield comprising:

a horizontal windshield portion; and

a vertical windshield portion adjacent to the horizontal windshield portion,

wherein the custom windshield is configured to enclose additional internal volume in a vehicle relative to a standard internal volume enclosed by a standard vehicle windshield.

22. The custom windshield of claim 21, further comprising:

bumps extending downward from the horizontal windshield portion, wherein the bumps are configured to prevent a display panel from moving backwards or forwards.