Digital video disc vehicle television

• US 6,339,455 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ervin R. Pilarczyk, William L. Allan
• Inventors: Pilarczyk, Ervin R., Allan, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Jerry A.
• Application Number:
  US09/474,582
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 348/836, 348/837, 312/7.2, 312/248, 312/223.1, 296/37.7, 296/37.8, 379/110, 352/132, 250/221, 361/685
• US Class Current: 348/837
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position

Abstract

A digital-video-disc vehicle television has a thin ceiling-mountable TV housing (1) having a front edge (2) from which a preferably flat TV screen (3) pivots adjustably downward from a stowage space (4) and having a rear edge (5) with a digital video disc (DVD) slot (6). The TV housing is preferably oval-shaped with a major length of about fifteen inches and a major width of about eight inches. Thickness is about one-to-three inches, depending on type and plurality of components it uses. Intermediate the stowage space and the DVD slot are dome lights (9) that preferably are adjustable for reading and a rearward-facing control panel (7) that preferably has pushbutton control and is backlit. Audiovisual signaling (18, 19) is received selectively from remote or in-vehicle broadcasting sources and from the DVD player (15) and transmitted to a speaker (14) and to the TV screen as controlled by a control unit (17). An FM transmitter (20) is employed to enhance sound received from audio characteristics of the audiovisual signaling and transmitted to the speaker.

Claims

1. A digital-video-disc vehicle television comprising:

an overhead TV housing having a front edge from which a thin TV screen is pivotal adjustably from a stowage space and having a rear edge with a disc slot for a digital video disc;

an audiovisual receiver, a power source, a speaker, a DVD player and a control unit intermediate the stowage space and the disc slot;

audiovisual signaling being receivable from remote broadcasting sources by the audiovisual receiver;

player audiovisual signaling being receivable from the digital video disc by the DVD player;

audio characteristics of the broadcast audiovisual signaling and audio characteristics of the player audiovisual signaling being directed to the speaker by the control unit selectively;

visual characteristics of the broadcast audiovisual signaling and visual characteristics of the player audiovisual signaling being directed to the thin TV screen by the control unit selectively;

a control panel positioned proximate the control unit;

the control panel having predetermined finger-operative control members in predetermined control communication with predetermined features of the control unit;

the overhead TV housing having a predetermined thickness from a top overhead base to an overhead bottom;

the overhead TV housing having a predetermined length from the front edge to the disc slot; and

the overhead TV housing having a predetermined side-to-side width.

2. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the length of the overhead TV housing is proximate a sum of a front-to-rear length of the stowage space, a front-to-rear length the DVD player, a front-to-rear length of a pivot support for the TV screen proximate the front edge of the overhead TV screen, a front-to-rear length of a control space for the control unit, and end-wall thicknesses of the overhead TV housing.

3. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 2, wherein:

the side-to-side width of the overhead TV housing is a sum of a side-to-side width of the stowage space and side-wall thicknesses of the overhead TV housing; and

the side-to-side width of the overhead TV housing being at least as great as a side-to-side width of the DVD player.

4. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 3, wherein:

the length of the overhead TV housing is approximately fifteen inches; and

the width of the overhead TV housing is approximately eight inches.

5. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 3, wherein:

the overhead TV housing has rounded corners.

6. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 5, wherein:

the overhead TV housing has rounded sides and rounded ends.

7. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 6, wherein:

the overhead TV housing is substantially oval-shaped.

8. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 3, wherein:

the TV screen and the stowage space have side-to-side widths that are substantially greater than a side-to-side width of the DVD player.

9. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 8, wherein:

the overhead TV housing has an approximately teardrop shape with arcuately blended sides, ends and corners.

10. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the thickness of the overhead TV housing at its thickest portion is a sum of a top-to-bottom thickness of the DVD player, a predetermined space for the control unit and thickness of a top wall and a bottom wall of the overhead TV housing.

11. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the TV screen is flat.

12. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the TV screen is a TFT color monitor with an active matrix.

13. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the TV screen has a predetermined shape for design preferences.

14. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit includes electric circuitry intermediate the control unit and electrically operative components of the digital-video-disc television.

15. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit has an FM transmitter for FM processing of the audio characteristics that are transmitted to a vehicle component.

16. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the control panel includes a panel wall that faces rearwardly intermediate the stowage space and the disc slot.

17. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 16, wherein:

the control panel is backlit.

18. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the power source includes an electrical conveyance of electrical current intermediate the control unit and vehicle electrics.

19. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1, wherein:

the power source includes an electrical storage battery with an electrical conveyance intermediate the control unit and the electrical storage battery.

20. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 1 and further comprising:

at least one electric light positioned proximate a bottom surface of the overhead TV housing.

21. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 20, wherein:

the electric light has brightness that is adjustable between a high reading-light brightness and a dim brightness.

22. The digital-video-disc vehicle television of claim 20, wherein:

electrical current for powering the electric light is routed from the control unit to the electric light.