Seat back entertainment system

• US 8,141,948 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Capapano, Edward, Cowles, William, L'Henaff, Jean-Jacques, Koontz, III, Theodore W., Macholz, Jeffrey, Paladino, Michael J., Cassellia, James
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US12/117,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/188.04, 297/283.3, 297/223
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A seat back entertainment system includes a seat panel connected to a frame of a vehicle seat. A video unit provides a video signal. A display device is mounted to the seat panel. The display device displays the video signal provided by the video unit. One or more compartments formed in the seat panel.

Claims

1. A seat back entertainment system, comprising:

a seat panel connected directly to a structural frame of a vehicle seat;

a video unit for providing a video signal;

a display device mounted to the seat panel, the display device displaying the video signal provided by the video unit; and

one or more compartments formed in the seat panel,

wherein the video unit includes a slot-loading optical disc drive that is oriented nearly vertically with respect to the seat panel,

wherein the display device is rotatable connected to the seat panel such that the display device flips out from a cavity in the seat panel into a viewing position and flips back into the cavity of the seat panel when not in the viewing position, and

wherein the slot-loading optical disc drive is located within the seat panel and below the cavity of the display device such that a loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive faces into the cavity of the display device so that the cavity of the display device forms a space for receiving an optical disc that has been ejected from the loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive when the display device is in the viewing position.

2. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the video unit includes connectors for receiving video input from an external media player.

3. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the video unit comprises a personal media player (PMP) dock for receiving a PMP and communicating a video signal from the PMP to the display device.

4. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the video unit includes a media player.

5. The seat back entertainment system of claim 4, wherein the media player is an optical disc playback device.

6. The seat back entertainment system of claim 4, wherein the media player includes one or more ports for receiving media stored on an external USB device or a memory card.

7. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1 wherein the one or more compartments include one or more pockets or nettings.

8. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the display device folds down or slides into the seat panel when not in use.

9. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the display device is rotatably mounted to the seat panel.

10. The seat back entertainment system of claim 1,

wherein the seat panel is a replacement seat panel shaped to accommodate a single make and model of vehicle, and

wherein the seat panel is shaped to directly connect to the structural frame of the vehicle seat after an original-equipment seat back panel has been removed from the vehicle seat.

11. A method for installing a seatback entertainment system, comprising:

removing an original seat back panel from a vehicle seat and exposing a structural frame of the vehicle seat;

attaching an entertainment system seat panel directly to the exposed structural frame of the vehicle seat, wherein the entertainment system seat panel includes;

a video unit for providing a video signal;

a display device mounted to the entertainment system seat panel, the display device displaying the video signal provided by the video unit; and

one or more compartments formed in the entertainment system panel,

wherein the video unit includes a slot-loading optical disc drive that is oriented nearly vertically with respect to the seat panel,

wherein the display device is rotatable connected to the seat panel such that the display device flips out from a cavity in the seat panel into a viewing position and flips back into the cavity of the seat panel when not in the viewing position, and

wherein the slot-loading optical disc drive is located within the seat panel and below the cavity of the display device such that a loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive faces into the cavity of the display device so that the cavity of the display device forms a space for receiving an optical disc that has been ejected from the loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive when the display device is in the viewing position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the entertainment system seat panel is selected from a plurality of available entertainment system seat panels according to a make and model of the vehicle, wherein each of the available entertainment system seat panels is shaped to accommodate a single make and model of vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the video unit includes connectors for receiving video input from an external media player.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the video unit comprises a personal media player (PMP) dock for receiving a PMP and communicating a video signal from the PMP to the display device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the display device folds down or slides into the seat panel when not in use.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the display device is rotatably mounted to the seat panel.

17. A vehicle seat panel for connecting a seat back entertainment system to a vehicle seat, comprising:

a rotatable hinge for connecting to a display device;

a cavity for housing a video unit for providing a video signal to the display device; and

one or more compartments formed in the seat panel,

wherein the cavity for housing the video unit is configured to accept a slot-loading optical disc drive that is oriented nearly vertically with respect to the seat panel,

wherein the display device is rotatable connected to the seat panel such that the display device flips out from a cavity in the seat panel into a viewing position and flips back into the cavity of the seat panel when not in the viewing position, and

wherein the slot-loading optical disc drive is located within the seat panel and below the cavity of the display device such that a loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive faces into the cavity of the display device so that the cavity of the display device forms a space for receiving an optical disc that has been ejected from the loading slot of the slot-loading optical disc drive when the display device is in the viewing position.

18. The vehicle seat panel of claim 17,

wherein the seat panel is shaped to accommodate a single make and model of vehicle, and

wherein the seat panel is shaped to directly connect to a structural frame of the vehicle seat after an original-equipment seat back panel has been removed from the vehicle seat.