Patent Application
20140193142
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to British Patent Application No. 1300456.9 filed on Jan. 10, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
This disclosure relates to an entertainment apparatus, and more particularly to an entertainment apparatus for use by a passenger in a vehicle.
Rear seat entertainment systems for cars (automobiles) typically include a monitor with a monitor screen, the angle of which is often adjustable, mounted to the rear of a more forward seat for viewing by a passenger seated behind that seat. The monitor may be mounted in the seat-back itself, in a headrest for that seat or otherwise mounted to the back of the seat, to the back of the headrest or from posts mounting the headrest.
Particularly when used in motor vehicles, passengers desire to use the rear seat entertainment system to play music or films. For this reason rear seat entertainment systems have been developed that can play optically-readable discs, such as CDs, DVDs or Blu-Ray® Discs, often of varying format selected by the passenger. In motor vehicles, an entertainment system typically includes an opening on the top, in the front face or in a side to receive said disc.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an entertainment apparatus includes a casing having a top edge region, a bottom edge region and two side edge regions interconnecting the top and bottom edge regions. The top edge region, the bottom edge region, and the two side edge regions frame and define a front side of the entertainment apparatus, and the front side includes a monitor screen. The entertainment apparatus is adapted to play an optically-readable disc, and includes an opening in the bottom edge region of the casing for receiving and ejecting the optically-readable disc in a substantially vertical plane. The entertainment apparatus is adapted to be mounted to a more forward seat of a vehicle for use by a passenger when seated behind the more forward seat of the vehicle.
The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The expression “mounted to a more forward seat of a vehicle” (e.g., a front seat of a vehicle) as used herein is intended to encompass all or any of these possibilities. Similar such entertainment systems are incorporated in the seat backs of aircraft passenger seats and in the seat-backs on some railway passenger seats and seats in long distance coach transport vehicles, and this disclosure extends to these applications as well as to cars (automobiles).
An entertainment apparatus employed in a moving vehicle is subjected to acceleration forces and vibration and any mechanism associated with the loading, playing and ejection of optically-readable discs in such an apparatus should be capable of withstanding such operating conditions.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an entertainment apparatus for a passenger of a vehicle is provided with a casing having a top edge region, a bottom edge region and two respective side edge regions interconnecting the top and bottom edge regions, the four such edge regions framing and defining a front side of the entertainment apparatus, and the front side being provided with a monitor screen. The apparatus is adapted to play optically-readable discs, and is provided with an opening in the said bottom edge region of its casing for receiving and ejecting said optically-readable discs in a generally vertical plane. The apparatus is further adapted to be mounted to a more forward seat of a vehicle for use by said passenger when seated behind the said more forward seat of the vehicle.
A frictional disc holder is associated with said opening, the frictional disc holder including two members adapted to receive an optically-readable disc therebetween and to apply friction to a said disc when so received. The friction is sufficient to prevent the disc from falling out of the opening under the effect of gravity, but is insufficient to cause damage to a said disc or to prevent a said disc from being manually pushed past said members either for receipt in disc playing mechanism mounted within the said casing or to remove said disc from the apparatus upon ejection.
The said two members may be cut from a sheet of flexible material. The sheet of flexible material may be stamped from natural rubber or substitutes such as, for example, thermoplastic elastomer or from a sheet of foamed latex. Alternatively the two members may be shaped elastomeric members made from injection moulded thermoplastics.
The members, which may include a pair of wheels, may be spring loaded against each other. The wheels may be made from injection moulded thermoplastic elastomer or coated therewith, and at least one of the said wheels may be mounted on a spring arm. The wheels are positioned on either side of the opening, and may be positioned within the entertainment apparatus. The spring arms may be formed of, for example, steel.
The entertainment apparatus may incorporate speakers or be coupled by cable or wirelessly to external speakers mounted in the vehicle. Alternatively, the entertainment apparatus may include a connection suitable for use with headphones.
The casing of the entertainment apparatus may include a control panel for operating the entertainment apparatus. Alternatively, the monitor screen may incorporate touchscreen technology for operating the entertainment apparatus. The entertainment apparatus may be controlled from a remote control operated by the passenger or remote control buttons provided in the passenger's seat, in either case linked by, for example, cable, infra-red or wirelessly to the entertainment apparatus proper.
The disc playing mechanism is suitably supported within the casing of the entertainment apparatus by a frame. The frame may also be used as part of a fitting assembly adapted to fit the entertainment apparatus as a whole to the back of the more forward seat of the vehicle or its headrest, thereby providing an enhanced vibration proof mounting for the apparatus. The frame may be manufactured from, for example, folded steel.
The entertainment apparatus may adopt a slim profile with the disc playing mechanism located immediately behind the monitor screen (e.g., a flat LED, OLED or LCD screen) so that the entertainment apparatus may be mounted flat against the seat back or headrest back or partially inset into the seat back or headrest back while leaving the monitor screen and disc opening exposed.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an entertainment apparatus 1 for a passenger of a vehicle includes a casing 2. The casing 2 has a top edge region 3, a bottom edge region 4 and two respective side edge regions 5 interconnecting the top and bottom edge regions 3 and 4. The four edge regions frame and define a front side 6. As shown in
A monitor screen 10 together with a touchscreen panel 11 and associated screen protector 12 (see
The monitor screen 10 may be a flat LED, OLED or LCD screen so that the apparatus may adopt a slim profile. Mounted within the casing 2, directly behind the screen 10, is a disc playing mechanism 15 (see
The members 17 are suitably shaped and positioned to guide a disc 13 towards an open mouth 19 of the disc playing mechanism 15 as illustrated in
In the arrangement illustrated in
The two members 20 may be cut from a sheet of flexible material 21, the two edges of the material 21 abutting when no disc is present, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the frictional disc holder 18 includes a pair of wheels 23 spring loaded against each other as shown in
The entertainment apparatus 1 may incorporate speakers or be coupled by cable or wirelessly to external speakers mounted in the vehicle. Alternatively, as shown in
The entertainment apparatus may include a control panel for operating the entertainment apparatus. Alternatively, as shown in the exploded view of
The mechanical and electronic components of the disc playing mechanism 15 are suitably supported inside the casing 2 of the entertainment apparatus 1 by a frame 27. The frame 27 may also be used as part of a fitting assembly 28 adapted to fit the entertainment apparatus to the rear of a more forward seat of the vehicle, thereby providing an enhanced vibration proof mounting for the apparatus. The frame 27 may be formed of folded steel and associated with drawing bars 29 to which the frame 27 is bolted. The drawing bars 29 extend through an opening in the rear moulding 9 of casing 2 for insertion into cooperating receptacles fixed in the back of a vehicle seat or of a headrest therefore.
A cover 30 may be used to cover screws 31 employed to connect the front and rear mouldings 7 and 9 to each other.
Shorter passengers, such as children, seated in a rear passenger seat of a vehicle, may find it easier to insert an optically-readable disc into or remove an ejected disc from an entertainment apparatus when the opening for the disc is provided in a bottom region of the casing of the entertainment apparatus, in accordance with the exemplary embodiments. Provision of a suitable frictional disc holder associated within the opening for the disc in the casing ensures that a disc cannot simply fall out of the entertainment apparatus under its own weight. In addition, with the disc opening in the bottom edge region of the casing, there is less risk of dust and dirt reaching the disc playing mechanism.
Having described exemplary embodiments for an entertainment apparatus, it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Having thus described the invention with the details and particularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desired protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1300456.9 | Jan 2013 | GB | national |
