MONITOR-MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR A LAND VEHICLE HEADREST

Abstract

A monitor-mounting system for a headrest of a land vehicle includes a bushing subsystem constructed to be coupled to the headrest; and a monitor-mounting plate constructed to be coupled to the bushing subsystem. The monitor-mounting region extends outwardly of the headrest and is constructed for fixedly receiving a monitor. The headrest is constructed with dual posts and dual post guides, and the bushing system is constructed with dual bushings, each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual post guides, or to a corresponding one of the posts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/257,780, filed Nov. 3, 2009 and entitled “Monitor Mount for an Automobile Headrest” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/257,777, filed Nov. 3, 2009 and entitled “Monitor Mount for an Automobile Headrest”, which are both incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to monitor mounting systems for land vehicle headrests and, more particularly, to monitor mounting systems constructed to be coupled to OEM headrest post guides and headrest posts.

BACKGROUND

Land vehicle entertainment systems have been popular for many years and, in recent years there has been a growing demand for monitor systems that can be mounted inside the back of a vehicle headrest. Conventional systems involve modifying the headrest so that a monitor, typically one with a DVD player built into the housing of the monitor, can be fitted into a recess formed in the back of the headrest. These systems require substantial changes to the headrest so that the monitor can be fitted into it, or they require complete substitution of the original headrest with one that contains a monitor in a back region of the substitute headrest. In conventional systems, the monitor is constructed to pivot so that it reveals a slot for insertion of a DVD. Examples of such conventional systems can be seen on the Internet at www.qualitymobilevideo.com/headrest-monitors.aspx.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention after it has been coupled to the post guides of a vehicle headrest.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, that also shows how the invention looks with the vehicle posts and post guides in position in a vehicle seat and vehicle headrest.

FIG. 3 is a back view of a vehicle seat and headrest after the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 has been coupled to the headrest post guides.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the bushing system of the embodiment in FIG. 1, with a locking member shown in position to be slid into a channel of the bushing system.

FIGS. 7-10 are isometric views of the back of a vehicle seat after the embodiment in FIG. 1 has been coupled to the headrest post guides, and after a monitor has been coupled to the monitor-mounting region of the monitor-mounting plate.

FIG. 11 is an exploded, isometric view of a monitor after it has been coupled to the monitor-mounting region of the monitor-mounting plate (headrest posts not depicted), that illustrates a back cover system for the monitor.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are bottom views of the monitor and monitor-mounting system shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, and another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention that is constructed to be coupled to a headrest post (not depicted).

FIG. 17 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the bushing system component of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As will be described below with reference to the drawings, the invention includes a monitor-mounting system that can be used to attach a monitor to a land vehicle headrest without having to change the component of that headrest that is designed to provide a body for resting the passenger's or driver's head against. As used herein, a vehicle headrest includes a body at a top region of the headrest, with dual posts that extend downwardly from the body through post guides that are positioned in a vehicle seat. These components of a headrest are not part of the invention, but are shown, for example, in FIGS. 2-3 and 7-8.

Preliminary to discussing further details of the invention, it should be understood that the monitor-mounting system can be used with any suitable monitor, such as a suitable LCD monitor, with integrated DVD player. Such LCD monitors, with suitable wiring for connecting to a vehicle power system can be obtained from Rosen Entertainment Systems of Corona, Calif. A version of the invention may be obtained from Rosen Entertainment Systems and it is marketed under the trademark AV7700.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the invention is shown after the bushing subsystem has been coupled around the outside of the post guides of a conventional vehicle headrest. The vehicle headrest is constructed with dual posts and dual post guides like the single post and guide shown in FIG. 1. The bushing system is constructed with dual bushings, or bushing halves, like those shown and described in connection with FIG. 5 below, with each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual post guides.

FIGS. 4-6 show details of the monitor-mounting system, which includes a bushing subsystem (shown best in FIG. 5 as the two bushing halves that are shown in an exploded view away from a fragmentary section of a conventional headrest post that is positioned through a conventional post guide. The bushing subsystem is constructed to be coupled to the headrest. In this embodiment, that coupling occurs by bringing the two bushing halves together around each post guide, one of which is depicted in FIG. 5, and under the cap of the post guide which is shown as the topmost region of that post guide.

Still referring to FIG. 5, a monitor-mounting plate (shown exploded from the conventional headrest post and post guide) is constructed to be coupled to the bushing subsystem, and it includes dual forks and a monitor-mounting region (the region shown at the far rights that includes a flat, horizontal section and an upright section with holes formed therein for receiving suitable fasteners that attach a monitor (undepicted) to that upright region. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-5, the monitor-mounting plate extends outwardly of the headrest and is constructed for fixedly receiving a monitor via the monitor-mounting region.

A locking piece (also referred to as a locking metal piece) is also shown in FIGS. 4-6, and it is used to lock the monitor-mounting plate in position after the forks have been moved into the channels formed in the bushing halves. By placing the monitor-mounting plate in those channels, the bushing halves are held together. By placing the shown locking metal piece through the channel of the bushing halves shown best in FIG. 6, the monitor-mounting plate is secured and capable of holding a monitor in a desired position for viewing by vehicle back seat passengers (undepicted).

Concerning materials for the inventions, any suitable material may be used, including metal and composite materials.

FIGS. 7-10 show illustrations of the monitor-mounting system of the invention after being coupled to a conventional vehicle headrest and after the monitor-mounting region of the monitor-mounting plate has been fastened to a monitor.

FIGS. 11-13 show additional illustrations of a monitor after it has been attached to the invention, but without showing the conventional headrest posts and post guides.

FIGS. 14-15 show two more embodiments of the invention, with FIG. 14 showing another exploded view of one of them. That view shows dual bushing halves with interior surfaces that have been formed to match the outer surface of a conventional headrest post guide. Those bushing halves have bodies that are formed with an oval shape. Referring to FIG. 15, the oval-shaped embodiment is shown with another embodiment that is square shaped. In each of the embodiments shown in FIG. 15, the locking metal piece is shown partially extending into the corresponding channels of the bushing halves to illustrate that they slide into place.

FIGS. 16-19 show an embodiment of the invention that is also designed for use with the conventional headrest described above, only that this embodiment includes a bushing subsystem that is constructed with dual bushings, or bushing halves, each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual posts. As shown in FIG. 18, this embodiment also includes a bushing subsystem, shown to the right of a monitor-mounting plate. That plate includes a U-shaped end that can be moved into the channels of the bushing halves. A locking piece can be slid into a corresponding channel after the monitor-mounting plate is slid into position through the channels of the bushing halves. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-19 can be constructed with bushing halves that have any desired size, such as 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 12.7 mm, and 14 mm. It is intended that the monitor-mounting plate remain the same size for all versions of this embodiment. This embodiment attaches to the conventional headrest post, as opposed to the post guide, as the other embodiments discussed above do.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A monitor-mounting system for a headrest of a land vehicle, comprising:

a bushing subsystem constructed to be coupled to the headrest; and

a monitor-mounting plate constructed to be coupled to the bushing subsystem, and including monitor-mounting region that extends outwardly of the headrest and is constructed for fixedly receiving a monitor.

2. The monitor-mounting system of claim 1, wherein the headrest is constructed with dual posts and dual post guides, and wherein the bushing system is constructed with dual bushings, each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual post guides.

3. The monitor-mounting system of claim 1, wherein the headrest is constructed with dual posts and dual post guides, and wherein the bushing system is constructed with dual bushings, each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual posts.