Abstract:
An entertainment system includes a video system mounted within a vehicle headrest, the headrest including a headrest body and a first downwardly extending extension arm including a passage therethrough. The video system includes a housing with a video monitor mounted therein. A cable is selectively secured to the video system and extends therefrom through the first extension arm.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to a vehicle entertainment system. More particularly, the invention relates to an automobile entertainment system employing a quick service disconnect mechanism for facilitating repair and installation of the automobile entertainment system within a headrest of an automobile.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Entertainment systems for automobiles are well known. As such, many advances have been made in the development of entertainment systems that make the otherwise tedious task of riding in an automobile more bearable. In addition to the development of overhead systems pioneered by the present inventor, systems that mount within the headrest of an automobile have also been developed.  
         [0005]     These headrest entertainment systems allow multiple individuals to view a variety of different video screens within the same vehicle. However, and as those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate, it is sometimes necessary to repair the entertainment systems. As such, a need exists for a system permitting the convenient removal of the entertainment system from the headrest for repair thereof without the complete disassembly of the system. The present invention provides such a system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system including a video system mounted within a vehicle headrest, the headrest including a headrest body and a first downwardly extending extension arm including a passage therethrough. The video system includes a housing with a video monitor mounted therein. A cable is selectively secured to the video system and extends therefrom through the first extension arm.  
         [0007]     It is also an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the cable includes a male connector shaped and dimensioned for selective attachment to a female connector formed in the video system.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the video system includes a video source.  
         [0009]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the video source is a DVD player.  
         [0010]     It is also an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the video monitor is pivotally mounted within the housing and a stop member is positioned for selectively controlling movement of the video monitor relative to the housing.  
         [0011]     It is also another object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the housing is selectively mounted within the headrest body.  
         [0012]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system wherein the video system includes a television receiver and antenna.  
         [0013]     Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred, but non-limiting, embodiment of the subject invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.  1  is a front perspective view of an automobile entertainment system in accordance with the present invention.  
       [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the housing of the video system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3, 4 ,  5  and  6  are views of entertainment systems in accordance with alternate embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIGS. 7, 8  and  9  are various views of the housing employed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10, 11 ,  12  and  13  are perspective views showing detachment of the video system from a headrest in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 14  is a schematic showing wiring of the present entertainment system.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     The detailed embodiments of the present invention ate disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention.  
         [0020]     With reference to the various figures, an automobile entertainment system  10  is disclosed. The automobile entertainment system  10  is composed of a series of video and audio components integrated within an automobile. Although the system is described herein for use within an automobile, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the system could be employed in a variety of vehicles, for example, boats or planes, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In particular, the entertainment system  10  includes a video system  12  mounted within a standard headrest  14  of an automobile. The video system  12  generally includes a video monitor  16  for presenting video content and a video source  18  integrated therewith.  
         [0021]     In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the video monitor  16  is a TFT LCD screen. However, it is contemplated that other monitor constructions, for example, plasma, Ultra High Definition VGA, touch screen VGA, organic LED, fabric based monitors (e.g., flexible TFT), etc., may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0022]     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the video source  18  is a DVD player coupled to the video monitor  16  for the transmission of video content thereto. That is, the DVD player  18  (or other video source) is integrated within the same video housing  20  as the video monitor  16 . However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the video source may take a variety of forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention; for example, and not limited to, satellite video systems and Bluetooth wireless based systems.  
         [0023]     The housing  20  includes a recess  22  shaped and dimensioned for accommodating the video monitor  16 . The video system  12  is mounted along the rear portion of the headrest  14  such that an individual sitting in the rear seat of the automobile may watch the material presented on the video monitor  16  without disturbing the driver of the automobile.  
         [0024]     The video monitor  16 , DVD player  18  and associated control components are mounted within the housing  20 . As those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate, the video monitor  16  is mounted for viewing via the recess  22  in the housing  20 . With regard to the DVD player  18 , it is integrally molded within the housing  20  and positioned for insertion of the DVDs within a slot  24  behind the video monitor  16 . By mounting the DVD player  18  in this way, a stable structure is developed that is well adapted for the automobile environment. It is also contemplated that a hard drive  23  video source may also be integrated with the video monitor  16 . As those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate, the hard drive  23  will include inputs for receiving video content and output for transmitting video content to the video monitor  16 , both of which are well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0025]     While the DVD player  18  is disclosed as being a slot-loaded design with insertion behind the video monitor, the DVD player could take a variety of other forms while still being integrated with the video monitor. With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the DVD player  118  may be positioned beneath the pivotally mounted video monitor  116 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the DVD player  218  may be integrated with the video monitor  216  and facilitate access via a side loading slot  224 .  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the DVD player  318  is integrated within the underside of the video monitor and the DVD is snapped into the DVD player  318  when the monitor  316  is pivoted upward.  
         [0027]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 7  through  9 , the housing  20  for the present video system  12  is disclosed. The housing  20  includes a recess  22  in which the video monitor  16 , that is, the video monitor housing  21 , is pivotally mounted. More specifically, the recess  22  is a generally rectangular shell in which the video monitor housing  21  is mounted. The recess  22  includes a top wall  26  and a bottom wall  28  connected by first and second sidewalls  30 ,  32 . The recess  22  also includes a rear wall  34 .  
         [0028]     The first and second sidewalls  30 ,  32  are respectively provided with bearing slots  36 ,  38  shaped and dimensioned for receiving lateral posts  40 ,  42  extending from the sides of the video monitor housing  21 . The lateral posts  40 ,  42  are preferably positioned adjacent the base of the video monitor housing  21  and the bearing slots  36 ,  38  are similarly positioned for receiving the posts  40 ,  42 . In this way, the lateral posts  40 ,  42  are mounted within the bearing slots  36 ,  38  permitting controlled pivoting of the video monitor housing  21  within the recess  22 .  
         [0029]     The controlled movement of the video monitor housing  21  within the recess  22  is limited by the inclusion of a stop member  44  positioned between the video monitor housing  21  and the second sidewall  32 . The stop member  44  limits movement to approximately  30  degrees of forward rotation. However, the stop member  44  may be moved between an obstruction position and a release position to permit selective full forward rotation of the video monitor housing  21  relative to the housing  20 . When the stop member  44  is moved in this way, the video monitor housing  21  may be rotated fully forward making the recess  22  fully accessible for reasons that will be discussed below in greater detail.  
         [0030]     The housing  20  is mounted within a headrest recess  46  shaped and dimensioned for receiving the housing  20  such that it is flush with the surface of the headrest  14 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, four screws  48  are used in screwing the housing  20  within the headrest recess  46 , and securing the housing  20  and video monitor  16  to the headrest. In addition, and in accordance with a preferred embodiment, a broadcast television receiver  50  is integrated with the video monitor  16  and/or the headrest  14 . More particularly, and with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 8  through  9 , the housing  20  is provided with a television receiver rear recess  52  shaped and dimensioned for receiving a television receiver  50 . The television receiver  50  may, therefore, be wired for use in conjunction with the video monitor  16  in a manner known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0031]     The television receiver  50  is further provided with an antenna  54 . The antenna  54  is electrically connected to the television receiver  50  for the transmission of over-the-air signals. The antenna  54  is substantially U-shaped and is wrapped about the housing  20 . While a U-shaped antenna wrapped about the housing is disclosed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the antenna may be oriented within a variety of locations within the headrest without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0032]     Although a traditional television receiver is disclosed above in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the video system may be modified to include satellite television reception or digital television reception without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0033]     As briefly mentioned above, the video system  12  is mounted within the headrest  14 . As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the video system  12  is provided with inputs and outputs for audio and video. A multi-wire cable  56  extends from the output of the video system  12 . The wires making up the multi-wire cable  56  include those for a power supply and the left and right audio outputs used in providing audio to an alternate audio system, for example, a wireless RF transmitter (not shown) used in transmitting sound to the vehicle audio system. The video system  12  is electrically connected to the remainder of the automobile  11  and a wireless RF transmitter (not shown) via electrical communication lines of the multi-wire cable  56  extending through the extension arm  58  of the headrest  14  and the back of the vehicle seat  60 . For example, a power source wire and audio output wires are respectively connected to the video system  12  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0034]     In order to facilitate ease of installation, and with reference to  FIGS. 10 through 14 , the multiple wires required for the power source and audio outputs are maintained within the single multi-wire cable  56 . The multiple wires are passed through a single extension arm  58  of the headrest  14  with the chosen extension arm functioning as a conduit for running the multi-wire cable  56  from the video system  12  to the remainder of the automobile  11 .  
         [0035]     The multi-wire cable  56  includes a male jack  66  at its first end  68 . The male jack  66  is in communication, with the electrical components (for example, power supply and audio outputs) of the video system  12  and is adapted for selective attachment to a female jack  70  formed in the back wall  72  of the housing  20 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, traditional jacks are employed and a variety of jack structures may be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In this way, the video system  12 , and particularly, the housing  20 , is readily detached from the external wiring of the system  10  in a manner permitting ready detachment and attachment of the video system  12  when one needs to remove the housing  20  from the headrest  14  for repair or replacement thereof  
         [0036]     More particularly, when one wishes to remove the housing  20 , and consequently the video monitor  16  and DVD player  18 , the video monitor  16  is first rotated forward and the stop member  44  is moved to the release position permitting full forward rotation of the video monitor  16 . The video monitor  16  may, therefore, be fully rotated forward, exposing the four screws  48  holding it within the headrest recess  46 . Once the four screws  48  are removed, the housing  20  may be lifted from within the headrest recess  46 , the male jack  66  of the multiwire cable  56  removed from the back wall  72  of the video system  12  and the entire video system  12  withdrawn for repair or replacement.  
         [0037]     Passage of the multi-wire cable through the headrest extension arm and the back of the vehicle seat is described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No.  10 / 920 , 431 , entitled “Automobile Entertainment System”, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0038]     Control of the video system  12 , including the video monitor  16 , DVD player  18  and other components of the video system  12 , is facilitated by the provision of control buttons  74  along the outer surface of the video system  12 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control buttons  12  take the form of a multifunction controller permitting movement of a cursor shown upon various interfaces displayed upon the video monitor  16 . In addition, conventional control buttons may also be provided for control of traditional functions. In addition to the provision of manual control buttons, the video system may further include a remote control (not shown) such that an individual need not actually touch the video system to control the video content or the volume generated by the video system. Once again, and as those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate, a variety of remote control systems may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0039]     The present video system  12  is provided with the ability to offer a variety of functionalities. These functionalities may be hardwired or programmed within the video system or the functionalities may be added in a modular manner via an expansion slot  76  provided within the video system  12 . Contemplated functionalities include, but are not limited to satellite radio (for example, Serius, XM, Pictel phone satellite television (for example, DirecTV), GPS guidance systems, quick release battery packs, memory cards, wireless internet access (for example, Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, digital video recorders, digital video reception and recording, digital video inputs, video conferencing, cellular digital, cellular digital with a camera, USB capabilities, Blue sphere, hot swap hard drive, satellite video import card, wireless video import card, etc.  
         [0040]     While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.