Stowable seat mounted display screen

• US 7,040,699 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Anness, Timothy W, Curran, Thomas, Jasinski, Lawrence II
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US10/733,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.04, 297/188.05, 297/188.15, 297/188.16, 297/217.3, 348/827, 348/837, 248917-923, 248/278.1, 248/286.1
• 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 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 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 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0089 around three axes, i.e. universally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support

Abstract

A display assembly stowably mounted on a vehicle seatback, the display assembly comprising: a support arm having a seat end and a display end, and a viewing screen, where the seat end of the support arm is pivotably connected to the vehicle seatback; and the display screen is rotatably connected to the display end of said seat arm.

Claims

1. A display assembly mounted on a vehicle seatback having a seating surface and a rear surface formed on an opposite side of the seatback from the seating surface, the display assembly comprising:

a support arm having a seat end connected to said rear surface of said vehicle seatback and a display end extending from said seat end; and

a display screen connected to said display end of said support arm and positioned by said support arm to face away from said rear surface of said vehicle seatback when said display screen is in an in-use position;

wherein said display screen pivots and rotates about said display end and said seat end pivots relative to said rear surface of said vehicle seatback to selectively stow said display screen in a housing positioned on said vehicle seatback.

2. The display assembly of claim 1, where said support arm has a telescoping section located between said display end and said seat end.

3. The display assembly of claim 1, where viewing angle for said display screen is adjusted by pivoting and rotating said display screen about said seat end and said display end of said support arm.

4. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is flexibly connected to said display end via a connector that provides at least 300 degrees of rotation in any axis.

5. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first universal joint connecting said seat end to said vehicle seat back; and

a second universal joint connecting said display end to said display screen.

6. The display assembly of claim 5, where said first universal joint and said second universal joint are configured to permit said display screen to move fore and aft.

7. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen has an edge to edge aspect ratio of 4:

3.

8. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen has an edge to edge aspect ratio of 16:

9.

9. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is a touch sensitive screen.

10. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is a liquid crystal display.

11. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is a digital light projection display.

12. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is a liquid crystal on silicon display.

13. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen is a plasma display.

14. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen has a diagonal measurement ≧

12 inches.

15. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen has a diagonal measurement ≧

17 inches.

16. The display assembly of claim 1, where said display screen has a diagonal measurement ≧

21 inches.