Entertainment system mountable in a vehicle and methods for mounting and displaying same

• US 8,520,152 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Caltabiano, Joseph C., Schedivy, George C., Tranchina, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHAMAN, MOHAMMED S
• Application Number:
  US12/862,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 348/837
• US Class Current: 348/837
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0003 inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/645 Mounting of picture tube on chassis or in housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/655 Construction or mounting of chassis, e.g. for varying the elevation of the tube

Abstract

A media system for a vehicle comprises a housing mounted to an overhead portion of the vehicle, and a media unit that is capable of being coupled to the housing, wherein the housing includes a receiving portion that pivots with respect to the housing and receives the media unit in the receiving portion.

Claims

1. A media system for a vehicle, the media system comprising:

a housing mounted to an overhead portion of the vehicle; and

a media unit capable of being coupled to the housing, wherein;

the housing includes a receiving portion that pivots with respect to the housing and receives the media unit therein;

the receiving portion pivots between a closed position and open positions where the receiving portion is at an angle with respect to the housing;

the media unit comprises a first electrical connector positioned therein, a front side having a display, a rear side opposing the front side of the media unit, a left side extending from the front side of the media unit to the rear side of the media unit, and a right side extending from the front side of the media unit to the rear side of the media unit;

the receiving portion comprises a second electrical connector mounted thereto, and the second electrical connector mates with the first electrical connector;

the receiving portion comprises a bottom side, a left side extending from the bottom side, a right side extending from the bottom side, and a rear side extending from the bottom side and extending from the left side of the receiving portion to the right side of the receiving portion;

the left, right and rear sides of the receiving portion partially surround the left, right and rear sides of the media unit, and a portion of the rear side of the media unit is not covered by the receiving portion, while the media unit is mounted to the receiving portion;

the left side of the receiving portion comprises a first inward fold, the right side of the receiving portion comprises a second inward fold, the left side of the media unit comprises a first groove, the right side of the media unit comprises a second groove, the rear side of the media unit comprises a flexible member, and the rear side of the receiving portion comprises an opening; and

the receiving portion is configured to secure the media unit via the first inward fold engaging the first groove, the second inward fold engaging the second groove, and the flexible member fitting into the opening.

2. The media system according to claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted to a ceiling of the vehicle.

3. The media system according to claim 1, wherein the media unit comprises a media player and the display is configured to display video from the media player.

4. The media system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is pivotably coupled to the housing a hinge.

5. The media system of claim 1, wherein:

the left side of the receiving portion comprises a first edge connected to the rear side of the receiving portion, and a second edge, opposing the first edge, comprising the first inward fold; and

the right side of the receiving portion comprises a first edge connected to the rear side of the receiving portion, and a second edge, opposing the first edge, comprising the second inward fold,

wherein a length of the first inward fold and a length of the first groove are about equal, and a length of the second inward fold and a length of the second groove are about equal.

6. The media system of claim 1, wherein:

the media unit comprises a top side extending from the front side of the media unit to the rear side of the media unit, and extending from the left side of the media unit to the right side of the media unit; and

the flexible member is configured to flex toward an inside of the media unit while the top side of the media unit is moved toward the bottom side of the receiving portion, and flex out through the opening upon the top side of the media unit making contact with the bottom side of the receiving portion.