Angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of headrest display
An angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display, comprising an external housing having an opening at the outer side thereof, a cavity being formed and two sleeves being symmetrically arranged at both sides thereof, a spring element being provided at a top and a bottom side of the cavities, the spring element having a first projecting rib longitudinally extending at an internal side thereof; an internal housing having a front and a rear portion with an internal room for installing a display, a groove and two positioning sleeves corresponding to the cavities of the external housing being disposed at both sides of the internal housing, the internal housing further having a plurality of second projecting ribs at a position corresponding to the spring element; and a left link element and a right link element formed in a symmetric manner and received within the cavities of the external housing, respectively. Each of the left and right link elements includes an external and internal link portion both of which are locked on the external and internal housings, respectively, for a pivotal connection. And the joining end is limited to the lowest point so that a room is reserved to install the display in the small headrest. Moreover, the contact at both sides includes a plurality of engaging and positioning points to allow for a precise angle-adjustment and to protect from loosening due to the rocking action when driving. Accordingly, an optimal view angle can be achieved.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display, and more particularly to a housing that is adapted to the headrest in an automobile to allow for a fine adjustment of the view angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the recent years, miniaturization features the developments of the display. The LCD displays have been widely installed in the automobiles. If the display is mounted at the front side of the automobile, it usually mounted on the top of the front panel of the car or embedded therein. The display is pulled out when used. If the display is installed in the area of the rear seat, it will be usually installed at the center handrail of the front seat or under the roof, and the display can be pulled out of the roof when used.
If the display is installed under the roof for the rear seat passengers, the rearview mirror can't provide the driver with a complete view of the area behind the vehicle when driving. If the display is installed at the center handrail of the front seat, it will make the limited space of the rear seat even smaller.
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The applicant of the invention discloses a similar apparatus titled “VIEW ANGLE ADJUSTABLE DETACHABLE DISPLAY ASSEMBLY” in US 20050140845. It teaches a display installed at the rear side of the headrest of the front seat. When the display is used by the rear seat passenger, it doesn't occupy much space and won't affect the view of the area behind the vehicle via the rear-view mirror. This prior art comprises mainly an external housing, an internal housing and a display. Meanwhile, it is characterized in that the internal housing can be turned at an angle within the external housing. Moreover, the display can be removed out of the internal housing. However, the assembly and the space arrangement of the internal and external housings leave still much to be desired. Accordingly, the dimensions of the external housing can't be reduced for the installation of the display on a smaller headrest in a European automobile. In addition, means for adjusting the view angle by turning the internal housing is too simple. After use for a certain period, the mechanism is easily loosened, thereby affecting the angle-adjusting precision and lowering the service life of this apparatus.
In view of the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention conducted extensive experiments and tests to overcome the shortcomings and to achieve the installation of the housing on the rear side of a small type headrest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA primary object of the invention to provide an angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display that can be embedded in a rear side of a headrest and allow for a convenient adjustment of the display upward or downward for achieving an optimal view angle.
Another object of the present invention to provide an angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display that includes a plurality of positioning mechanisms to allow for an accurate adjustment of the view angle. In addition, the apparatus won't be loosened after used for a certain period or when driving on an uneven road, thereby prolonging the service life of the apparatus.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, an angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display comprises:
a) an external housing having an opening at the outer side thereof, a cavity being formed and two sleeves being symmetrically arranged at both sides thereof, a spring element being provided at a top and a bottom side of the cavities, the spring element having a first projecting rib longitudinally extending at an internal side thereof;
b) an internal housing having a front and a rear portion with an internal room for installing a display, a groove and two positioning sleeves corresponding to the cavities of the external housing being disposed at both sides of the internal housing, the internal housing further having a plurality of second projecting ribs at a position corresponding to the spring element; and
c) a left link element and a right link element formed in a symmetric manner and received within the cavities of the external housing, respectively. Each of the left and right link elements includes an external and an internal link portion both of which are locked on the external and internal housings, respectively, for a pivotal connection. And the joining end is limited to the lowest point so that a room is reserved to install the display in the small headrest.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGS
Referring to
As shown in
an external housing 50 having an opening at the outer side thereof, a cavity being formed and two sleeves being symmetrically arranged at both sides thereof, a spring element 53 being provided at a top and a bottom side of the cavities 51, the spring element 53 having a first projecting rib 531 longitudinally extending at an internal side of the spring element 53 (see
an internal housing 60 consisting of a front and a rear portion 61, 62, a recess 63 being formed in the front portion 61 for accepting the LCD display 40 (not shown in
a left link element 70L and a right link element 70R formed in a symmetric manner and received within the cavities 51 of the external housing 50, respectively, each of the left and right link elements 70L, 70R having an external link portion 71 and an internal link portion 72.
Since the left link element 70L and the right link element 70R have the same structure except that their opposite symmetric positions are different, only the left link element 70L is selected for further description with reference to
The external link portion 71 includes a wider strip 711 with a sleeve 712 outwardly projecting in the middle thereof. A plurality of axial insertion slots 713 is formed on the inner wall of the sleeve 712 while the outer wall of the sleeve 712 includes two first connection pieces 714 each with one fixing hole 7141 at one end thereof. The fixing holes 7141 correspond to the sleeves 52 of the external housing 50; therefore, the external link portion 71 can be fixed on the external housing 50 by screws 73, as shown in
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Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display, comprising:
- a) an external housing having an opening at the outer side thereof, a cavity being formed and two sleeves being symmetrically arranged at both sides thereof, a spring element being provided at a top and a bottom side of the cavities, the spring element having a first projecting rib longitudinally extending at an internal side thereof;
- b) an internal housing having a front and a rear portion with an internal room for installing a display, a groove and two positioning sleeves corresponding to the cavities of the external housing being disposed at both sides of the internal housing, the internal housing further having a plurality of second projecting ribs at a position corresponding to the spring element; and
- c) a left link element and a right link element formed in a symmetric manner and received within the cavities of the external housing, respectively, and each of the left and right link elements including; i) an external link portion having a wider strip with a sleeve outwardly projecting in the middle thereof, a plurality of axial insertion slots being formed on the inner wall of the sleeve, the outer wall of the sleeve including two first connection pieces each with one fixing hole at one end thereof, the fixing holes corresponding to the sleeves of the external housing such that the external link portion can be fixed on the external housing by screws, a plurality of third projecting ribs being disposed at a top and a bottom end of the inner side of the wider strip of the external link portion; and ii) an internal link portion having a narrower strip with an external protrusion extending outwardly, the external protrusion including a plurality of tongues that are correspondingly engaged into the axial insertion slots of the external link portion wherein, by turning the tongues at a certain angle, the internal link portion is pivotally secured to the external side of the axial insertion slots, and wherein the narrower strip is turned to an upright position such that it rests on an internal side of the wider strip, and wherein a fourth projecting ribs corresponding to the third projecting ribs of the wider strip is longitudinally formed on an external side of the internal link portion, and wherein the narrower strip further includes a second connecting piece perpendicularly extending from an internal side thereof, and wherein a fixing hole is formed in the second connecting piece, and wherein the second connecting pieces corresponding to the positioning sleeves of the internal housing are fixed by screws on the internal housing.
2. The angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of second projecting ribs is disposed at both sides of the internal housing in such a fan type that the external side is wide and the internal side narrow, and wherein the gaps between every two adjacent second projecting ribs are adapted to lock the first projecting rib of the spring element in place.
3. The angle-adjusting apparatus for a housing of a headrest display as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of third projecting ribs is disposed at a top and a bottom end of the internal side of the external link portion in such a fan type that the external side is wide and the internal side narrow, and wherein the gaps between every two adjacent third projecting ribs are adapted to correspondingly lock the fourth projecting rib of the narrower strip in place.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 12, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 15, 2007
Inventor: Fu-Ruei Huang (PingJen City)
Application Number: 11/223,040
International Classification: A47C 7/72 (20060101);