Headrest-mounted entertainment systems

• US 7,758,117 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Chung Lung Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Chung Lung
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer; Laurie K
• Application Number:
  US12/103,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.1, 297/217.3, 297/188.04, 297/188.05, 348/837, 348/838
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0078 Quick-disconnect two-parts mounting means

Abstract

In certain embodiments, an entertainment system includes a housing configured to be mounted to a headrest. The housing can define a first hinge portion, a base wall, and one or more sidewalls. The housing can include a lock portion. In some embodiments, the system includes a screen assembly including a viewing screen. The screen assembly can define a second hinge portion that cooperates with the first hinge portion to pivotally couple the screen assembly with the housing. The screen assembly can further define an arm movable relative to the viewing screen. The arm can be configured to interact with the lock portion to retain the screen assembly in a stowed configuration in which the screen assembly is substantially prevented from moving away from the base wall of the housing. The arm further can be configured to be actuated to permit rotation of the screen assembly away from the base wall of the housing. In some embodiments, the system includes a headrest configured to be installed in a vehicle.

Claims

1. A mobile entertainment system comprising:

a headrest configured to be installed in a vehicle;

a housing mounted to the headrest, the housing defining a first hinge portion and a first lock portion, the first lock portion having a first surface; and

a screen assembly including a viewing screen, the screen assembly defining a second hinge portion that cooperates with the first hinge portion to pivotally couple the screen assembly with the housing, the screen assembly further defining a second lock portion that comprises a manual interface, the second lock portion cooperating with the first lock portion to selectively secure the screen assembly in substantially fixed relation to the housing, the second lock portion having a second surface,

wherein the first surface interferes with the second surface to prevent rotation of the screen assembly relative to the housing when the screen assembly is in a stowed position, and

wherein the manual interface is configured to move in a direction substantially parallel to a plane defined by the viewing screen in order to overcome interference of the first and second surfaces, thereby permitting the screen assembly to be rotated to a deployed position.

2. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the manual interface comprises at least one surface configured to be touched by a user in order to actuate the second lock portion.

3. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the screen assembly comprises a casing, the manual interface being integrally formed with the casing.

4. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the manual interface is configured to be displaced toward a center of the viewing screen to overcome interference of the first and second surfaces.

5. The mobile entertainment system of claim 4, wherein the headrest defines a front surface and a back surface, the headrest configured such that the front surface substantially faces a direction of forward travel and the back surface substantially faces a direction of rearward travel when the headrest is installed in the vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the housing and at least a portion of the screen assembly are recessed relative to the back surface of the headrest.

6. The mobile entertainment system of claim 5, wherein the screen assembly is substantially flush with or recessed relative to the back surface of the headrest when the screen assembly is in the stowed configuration.

7. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the headrest defines a front surface and a back surface, the headrest configured such that the front surface substantially faces a direction of forward travel and the back surface substantially faces a direction of rearward travel when the headrest is installed in the vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the housing and at least a portion of the screen assembly are recessed relative to the back surface of the headrest.

8. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the screen assembly comprises a media reader.

9. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the second lock portion comprises a deformable arm.

10. The mobile entertainment system of claim 9, wherein the arm is configured to rotate away from an outer edge of the housing to overcome interference of the first and second surfaces.

11. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second lock portions defines one or more openings and the other of the first and second lock portions defines one or more protrusions sized and shaped to be received within the one or more openings when the screen assembly is in the stowed position.

12. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge and the screen assembly defines a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, the first and second hinge portions being located at the first edge of the housing and the first edge of the screen assembly, respectively, the first and second lock portions being located at the second edge of the housing and the second edge of the screen assembly, respectively.

13. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge portions are at a top edge of the screen assembly.

14. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge portions are at a bottom edge of the screen assembly.

15. The mobile entertainment system of claim 1, further comprising a motion limiting device configured to prevent the screen assembly from rotating relative to the housing by more than a predetermined amount.

16. An entertainment system comprising:

a headrest configured to be installed in a vehicle;

a housing mounted to the headrest, the housing defining a first hinge portion, a base wall, and one or more sidewalls, the housing including a lock portion; and

a screen assembly including a viewing screen, the screen assembly defining a second hinge portion that cooperates with the first hinge portion to pivotally couple the screen assembly with the housing, the screen assembly further defining an arm movable relative to the viewing screen, the arm configured to interact with the lock portion to retain the screen assembly in a stowed configuration in which the screen assembly is substantially prevented from moving away from the base wall of the housing, the arm further configured to be actuated to permit rotation of the screen assembly away from the base wall of the housing.

17. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein one of the one or more sidewalls of the housing defines the lock portion.

18. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the screen assembly comprises a casing about the viewing screen, the arm being integrally formed with the casing.

19. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the arm is in a resting state when the screen assembly is in a stowed orientation, the arm being configured to be deformed to a displaced state to permit the screen assembly to rotate relative to the housing.

20. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the lock portion defines a first interference surface and the arm defines a second interference surface configured to abut the first interference surface, the screen assembly being substantially fixed relative to the housing when the second interference surface abuts the first interference surface.

21. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the arm defines one or more protrusions configured to displace the arm toward the viewing screen as the screen assembly is transitioned from a deployed configuration to a stowed configuration.

22. The mobile entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the housing defines a cavity recessed relative to a back surface of the headrest, the cavity sized and shaped to receive substantially all of the viewing screen when the screen assembly is in a stowed configuration.

23. An entertainment system comprising:

a headrest configured to be installed in a vehicle such that a front surface thereof substantially faces a direction of forward travel of the vehicle and a back surface thereof substantially faces a direction of rearward travel of the vehicle;

a housing secured to the headrest, the housing defining a first hinge portion and a first lock portion, the housing further defining a base wall recessed relative to the back surface of the headrest, the housing further defining one or more sidewalls that cooperate with the base wall to define a cavity within the headrest; and

a screen assembly including a viewing screen, the screen assembly defining a second hinge portion that cooperates with the first hinge portion to pivotally couple the screen assembly with the housing, the screen assembly further defining a second lock portion, the first and second lock portions cooperating to secure the screen assembly in substantially fixed relation to the housing when in a first state, the first and second lock portions permitting rotation of the screen assembly relative to the housing when in a second state,

wherein one or more of the first and second lock portions are configured to be actuated without rotating the viewing screen relative to the housing, thereby transitioning the first and second lock portions from the first state to the second state.

24. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the screen assembly is in a first orientation relative to the housing when the first and second lock portions are in the first state, the screen assembly remaining in the first orientation when the first and second lock portions are moved to the second state.

25. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the second lock portion comprises a deformable latch.

26. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the latch is configured to be rotated toward the viewing screen to transition the first and second lock portions from the first state to the second state.

27. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the viewing screen is substantially flush with or recessed relative to the back surface of the headrest when in a stowed position.

28. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein one or more of the first and second lock portions are at a top edge of the housing.

29. The entertainment system of claim 23, wherein one or more of the first and second lock portions are at a bottom edge of the housing.