Hinge mechanism for a monitor of an overhead console

• US 7,021,728 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Shah, Sachin, Donovan, Jeffrey M., Quinno, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/350,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 312/7.2, 312/223.1, 312/245, 312/248, 163/58, 163/59, 163/61, 162/86, 162/77, 348/837, 296/37.5, 296/37.8
• US Class Current: 312/7.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring

Abstract

The hinge assembly includes a housing and a monitor bezel for supporting a video monitor. The bezel is pivotally mounted on the housing about a pivot axis. A friction member is attached to one of the housing and the bezel and positioned and in sliding contact with a contact surface of the other of the housing and the bezel. The friction member is radially spaced apart from the pivot axis. A bias member biases the friction member against the contact surface. The pivoting of the bezel about the pivot axis causes the friction member to slide along the contact surface.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for a vehicle entertainment assembly comprising:

a housing;

a monitor bezel for supporting a video monitor, said bezel pivotally mounted on said housing about a pivot axis;

a friction member attached to one of said housing and said bezel and positioned in sliding contact with a contact surface of the other of said housing and said bezel, said friction member being radially spaced apart from said pivot axis; and

a bias member biasing said friction member against said contact surface, wherein pivoting of said bezel about said pivot axis causes said friction member to slide along said contact surface; and

a spring biasing said bezel from a first position to a second position relative to said housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said friction member and said bias member are mounted on a pin slidably disposed in an arcuate slot formed in said one of said housing and said bezel, and further including a washer disposed about said pin, said washer defining the friction member and having surfaces abutting said contact surface of said housing.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bias member is adjustable to alter the force exerted on said friction member.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said spring is a wave spring.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said spring is a coil spring.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said bezel is pivotally mounted on said housing about a pivot pin extending along said pivot axis, and wherein said coil spring is disposed about said pin.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said spring includes an end tang disposed in arcuate slots formed in said bezel and said housing.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bezel is movable to a third position such that said second spring does not exert a biasing force against said bezel and said housing.

9. An adjustable vehicle interior panel assembly comprising;

a housing;

a bezel pivotally mounted on said housing about a pivot axis, said bezel including an arcuate slot spaced from said pivot axis;

a pivot assembly including a pin extending from one of said housing and said bezel along said pivot axis, said pin extending in a hole formed in the other of said housing and said bezel to provide a pivot attachment of said bezel relative to said housing;

a slide assembly including a second pin extending from said bezel and disposed in said arcuate slot, said slide assembly further including a friction member connected to said second pin and positioned in sliding contact with a contact surface of said other of said housing and said bezel; and

a bias member biasing said friction member against said contact surface in a direction parallel to said pivot axis.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said bias member is adjustable to alter the force exerted on said friction member.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said bias member is a spring.

12. The assembly of claim 9 further including a second spring biasing said bezel from a first position to a second position relative to said housing.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said spring is a coil spring disposed about said pin.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein said spring includes an end tang disposed in arcuate slots formed in said bezel and said housing.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said bezel is movable to a third position such that said second spring does not exert a biasing force against said bezel and said housing.

16. A vehicle entertainment assembly comprising:

a housing having a recess;

a bezel supporting a video monitor, said bezel pivotally mounted relative to said housing, said bezel movable between a stored position generally disposed in said recess, and an intermediate position such that said recess is at least partially exposed to enable a user to readily grasp and manually move said bezel to a selected deployed position for viewing said monitor;

a friction member frictionally mounting said bezel relative to said housing such that said friction member holds said bezel at any position between said intermediate position and said deployed position;

a latch for selectively securing said bezel in said stored position; and

a spring which upon release of said latch automatically moves said bezel from said stored position to said intermediate position.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein frictional engagement caused by said friction member is in effect between said stored and deployed positions of said bezel, and wherein said spring overcomes a frictional force of said friction member when moving said bezel from said stored position to said intermediate position upon release of said latch.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein said spring does not exert a biasing force to assist movement of said bezel from said intermediate position to said deployed position.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein said bezel includes a first arcuate slot radially spaced from said pivot axis, and wherein said housing includes a second arcuate slot radially spaced from said pivot axis by the same distance as the first arcuate slot, said spring having a first portion connected to said bezel, and a second portion disposed in said first and second arcuate slots, and wherein when said bezel is between said stored and intermediate positions said second portion exerts a force against said housing, and when said bezel is between said intermediate and deployed positions said second portion exerts a force against said bezel.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein said bezel has a rear surface facing an interior of the vehicle when said bezel is in said stored position, and a front surface having said video monitor thereon facing said recess when said bezel is in said stored position, and wherein when said bezel is in said intermediate position the user can simultaneously grasp said front and rear surfaces to manually move said bezel to the selected deployed position for viewing the monitor.