Patent ID: 7871115

Claim:
A video system for selective mounting within a cradle secured to a ceiling of an automobile, comprising: a video housing in which a video monitor and a video source are mounted; a base secured to the video housing in a manner that permits rotation of the video housing, the video housing includes a mounting bracket and the base includes a mounting bracket for use in pivotally coupling the video housing to the base; a motorized first hinge connecting the base to the video housing for facilitating pivotal movement between the video housing and the base between a use position and a storage position, the first hinge includes a pivot pin having a first end and a second end and extends between, and is coupled to, the mounting bracket of the video housing and the mounting bracket of the base, the second end of the pivot pin is fixedly coupled to the mounting bracket of the base, wherein the second end of the pivot pin is fixedly coupled to the mounting bracket of the base via a break-away clutch assembly; and a drive motor assembly is mounted to the video housing, the drive motor assembly includes a drive shaft having a distal end, the distal end of the drive shaft is secured to a distal tip at the first end of the pivot pin permitting rotational motion to be imparted by the drive motor assembly to be transferred to the video housing.