Overhead system attachable to a rail assembly in a vehicle and method for installing same

• US 20060097537A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Schedivy, George C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,219,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/37.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• 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 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position

Abstract

An overhead system for use in a vehicle, comprises a bracket mounted on at least two rails of a vehicle rail assembly, wherein the at least two rails are positioned on a headliner of the vehicle, and a console mounted to the bracket, wherein the console includes a front-side portion, a back-side portion, a left-side portion and a right-side portion, and a plurality of notches are positioned on the front-side and back-side portions for fitting around the at least two rails.

Claims

1. An overhead system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket mounted on at least two rails of a vehicle rail assembly, wherein the at least two rails are positioned on a headliner of the vehicle; and

a console mounted to the bracket, wherein;

the console includes a front-side portion, a back-side portion, a left-side portion and a right-side portion; and

a plurality of notches are positioned on the front-side and back-side portions for fitting around the at least two rails.

2. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least two rails are aligned parallel with each other and a majority of the bracket is positioned between the at least two rails.

3. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a first portion for fitting in a space between a first rail of the at least two rails and the headliner and a second portion for fitting in a space between a second rail of the at least two rails and the headliner.

4. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a stepped configuration for varying the height of the bracket.

5. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, wherein a height of one or more of the left-side, right-side, front-side and back-side portions is varied according to a contour of the headliner.

6. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one notch of the plurality of notches has a greater depth than the remaining notches of the plurality of notches.

7. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a console bracket attached to the console, wherein the console is mounted to the bracket using the console bracket.

8. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console bracket is coupled to the bracket using a plurality of fasteners.

9. The overhead system as recited in claim 8, wherein the console bracket includes a plurality of holes aligning with a plurality holes in the bracket to receive the plurality of fasteners.

10. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console bracket is attached to the console using at least one fastener.

11. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console bracket is molded to the console.

12. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console bracket is attached to the console using an adhesive.

13. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console bracket is coupled to the bracket using an adhesive.

14. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, wherein the console includes an open section in the center of the console and the console bracket is positioned in the open section.

15. The overhead system as recited in claim 14, wherein the console bracket is recessed from at least one of a top and bottom surface of the console.

16. The overhead system as recited in claim 14, wherein the console bracket is T-shaped.

17. The overhead system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an entertainment system mounted to the console.

18. The overhead system as recited in claim 7, further comprising an entertainment system mounted to the console via the console bracket.

19. The overhead system as recited in claim 18, wherein the entertainment system is fixed to the console bracket using at least one fastener.

20. The overhead system as recited in claim 19, wherein the entertainment system includes at least one hole aligned with a hole in the console bracket for receiving the at least one fastener.

21. The overhead system as recited in claim 18, wherein a border is positioned between the entertainment system and the front, back, left and right-side portions of the console.

22. The overhead system as recited in claim 18, wherein the entertainment system includes a screen for displaying a video program.

23. A bracket for mounting an article to a vehicle rail assembly, the bracket comprising:

a first portion for fitting in a space between a first rail of the rail assembly and a vehicle headliner; and

a second portion for fitting in a space between a second rail of the rail assembly and the vehicle headliner, wherein;

the first and second rails are positioned on the vehicle headliner and are aligned parallel with each other; and

a majority of the bracket is positioned between the first and second rails.

24. The bracket as recited in claim 23, wherein the bracket includes a stepped configuration for varying the height of the bracket.

25. The bracket as recited in claim 23, wherein the article is a console including a plurality of notches for fitting around the first and second rails.

26. The bracket as recited in claim 23, wherein the article is coupled to the bracket using at least one fastener.

27. The bracket as recited in claim 26, wherein the bracket includes at least one hole aligning with a hole in the article to receive the at least one fastener.

28. A method for installing an overhead system in a vehicle, comprising:

mounting a bracket on at least two rails of a vehicle rail assembly, wherein the at least two rails are positioned on a headliner of the vehicle; and

mounting a console to the bracket, wherein;

the console includes a front-side portion, a back-side portion, a left-side portion and a right-side portion; and

a plurality of notches are positioned on the front-side and back-side portions for fitting around the at least two rails.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least two rails are aligned parallel with each other and a majority of the bracket is positioned between the at least two rails.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein mounting the bracket comprises:

fitting a first portion of the bracket in a space between a first rail of the at least two rails and the headliner; and

fitting a second portion of the bracket in a space between a second rail of the at least two rails and the headliner.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the bracket includes a stepped configuration for varying the height of the bracket.

32. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein a height of one or more of the left-side, right-side, front-side and back-side portions is varied according to a contour of the headliner.

33. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein at least one notch of the plurality of notches has a greater depth than the remaining notches of the plurality of notches.

34. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising fixing a console bracket to the console for coupling the console to the bracket.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein coupling the console to the bracket comprises:

aligning a plurality of holes in the console bracket with a plurality holes in the bracket; and

positioning a fastener through each set of aligned holes.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising mounting an entertainment system to the console.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein mounting the entertainment system comprises:

aligning at least one hole in the entertainment system with a hole in the console bracket; and

positioning at least one fastener through the aligned holes.