VDU workstation in a vehicle

• US 5,359,349 A
• Filed: 01/22/1991
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Mutschler, Jurgen, Jambor, Arno, Seidenfaden, Gerd, Seeger, Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US07/643,938
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 341/21, 341/22, 297/146, 297/191, 312/7.2, 312/194, 248/917-924, 340/711, 358/254, 400/680, 345/168, 345/169, 345/156, 345/905
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0276 for rear passenger use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A Video Display Unit ("VDU") workstation is matched to the specific safety requirements in a motor vehicle. In its working position, the configuration of the VDU workstation is adapted to be changed, in the event of an accident, by repositioning individual components in response to an impact-specific force in such a way that, inter alia, its extension in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is reduced. When not in use, the VDU workstation can be lowered in a stowage recess of a supporting part mounted, for example in the back rest of a vehicle seat.

Claims

1. Video display unit workstation in a vehicle comprising a video display unit, a keyboard arranged on an operating part, and a computing unit connecting said video display unit and said keyboard to one another electrically, said video display unit and keyboard being supported by a base part which, in an operating position of the video display unit workstation, projects approximately horizontally from a supporting part and extends in the direction of a user seat, said video display unit being moveable from an upright reading position into a flat storage position, wherein;

in said operating position, the base part extends over only a part of the video display unit workstation in the direction of the user seat, and the operating part containing the keyboard adjoins the base part, extending away from the latter in the direction of the user seat;

said base part is displacable as a unit together with, and in fixed spacial relationship to, said operating part and said video display unit between a stowed position and said operating position, from which said video display unit is movable into said upright reading position;

said operating part is adapted to be displaced in a defined manner which is one of;

below the base part and at least partially into the base part, in response to an impact-specific horizontal or vertical force when said video display unit workstation is in the operating position, whereby the overall extension of said base part and operating part in the direction of the user can be shortened as a whole; and

said video display unit is adapted to be superposed on the base part when an impact specific force is applied thereto.

2. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein said base part and operating part are connected to form a normally rigid unit, with a predetermined separating zone disposed between both of said parts, said separating zone including guide faces constructed on the base part and on the operating part, and being adapted to separate and displace the operating part in a defined manner below the base part, whereby the mutual interaction of said guide faces in the course of a separation of the base and operating part, causes the defined displacement of the operating part below the base part.

3. Video display unit workstation to claim 1, wherein base part and operating part are connected to form a normally rigid unit, with coupling means connecting both of said parts and being adapted to bring about an articulated or guided displacement of the operating part in a predetermined manner below the base part;

and wherein said displacement comprises a translatory movement of said operating part away from said operator into a position which substantially corresponds to said storage position.

4. Video display unit workstation according to claim 3, wherein one or more of said articulating, engaging or connecting means are of energy-absorbing design.

5. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein a hand rest is mounted at the front of keyboard, which hand rest is manufactured essentially from an elastic or plastically deformable material, in particular a foam material.

6. Video display unit workstation according to claim 5 wherein the hand rest has a separating zone dividing it into two parts, and articulating or engaging connecting means are provided which keep said two parts of the hand rest in an essentially level configuration adjacent to one another, such connecting means being adapted only to permit a downwards displacement of the part of the hand rest on the user side when an impact-specific horizontal and/or vertical force applied thereto.

7. Video display unit workstation according to claim 6, wherein one or more said articulating, engaging connecting means are of energy-absorbing design.

8. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the base part has an end of oblique construction pointing towards the user, said end being adapted to bring about a sliding super positioning of the video display unit, previously resting on the operating part, and of the base part when at least one impact-specific horizontal force is received.

9. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the base part is design to be rounded off and without salient edges.

10. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the base part is designed to be deformable in a predetermined manner under the effect of the absorption of energy.

11. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the video display unit is constructed in such a way that it can be used as a table surface.

12. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein a viewing face of the video display unit is covered with a tough film having sufficient tensile strength to hold splinters together, and further adapted to act as a reflection-reducing medium.

13. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the video display unit has a circumferentially rounded-off upholstered or soft frame.

14. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard is designed as one of:

an integral membrane keyboard or with individual keys, the key heads of which consist predominantly of soft rubber.

15. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein the computer unit is arranged in a location which is spatially remote from the operating part bearing the keyboard, and from the video display unit.

16. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein a storage device, belonging to the computing unit, for a mobile storage medium, is provided spatially remote from the operating part and the video display unit, in space accessible to the user.

17. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein when the video display unit is positioned on the operating part the video display unit workstation can be lowered by means of a suitable bearing or guiding of at least its base part in a stowage recess of the supporting part.

18. Video display unit workstation according to claim 17, wherein the supporting part is a vehicle seat and the stowage recess is arranged in the rear shell of the back rest of the vehicle seat.

19. Video display unit workstation according to claim 1, wherein said video display unit is detachable from the base part for the purpose of superposing the base part and video display unit on top of one another.

20. Video display unit workstation in a vehicle comprising a video display unit, a keyboard arranged on an operating part, and a computing unit connecting said video display unit and said keyboard to one another electrically, said video display unit and keyboard being supported by a base part which, in an operating position of the video display unit workstation, projects approximately horizontally from a supporting part and extends in the direction of a user seat, said video display unit being moveable from an upright reading position into a flat storage position, wherein;

in said operating position, the base part extends over only a part of the video display unit workstation in the direction of the user seat, and the operating part containing the keyboard adjoins the base part, extending away from the latter in the direction of the user seat;

said operating part is adapted to be displaced in a defined manner which is one of;

below the base part and at least partially into the base part, in response to an impact-specific horizontal or vertical force when said video display unit workstation is in the operating position, whereby the overall extension of said base part and operating part in the direction of the user can be shortened as a whole; and

said video display unit is adapted to be superposed on the base part when an impact specific force is applied thereto.