US20020175254A1

US20020175254A1 - Adjustable monitor bracket

Info

Publication number: US20020175254A1
Application number: US09/863,333
Authority: US
Inventors: Hsiao-Feng Lee
Original assignee: GAIN ASSOCIATES Inc
Current assignee: GAIN ASSOCIATES Inc
Priority date: 2001-05-24
Filing date: 2001-05-24
Publication date: 2002-11-28

Abstract

An adjustable monitor bracket is composed of a fixed bar and an adjustable bar pivotally mounted on the fixed bar. The fixed bar has two blocks attached to a backrest of a seat in an automobile. The adjustable bar has a tray formed at a distal end thereof and a rotary seat received in the tray. A fastener is assembled on the rotary seat and a monitor is secured on the fastener. The rotary seat is able to be turned about a vertical axis, and the fastener is able to be pivoted about a horizontal axis. By turning the adjustable bar, the rotary seat and the fastener, a user can adjust a distance and an angle between the monitor and a passenger wishing to conveniently view the monitor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to an adjustable monitor bracket, and more particularly to a monitor bracket which is assembled on a backrest of a front seat in an automobile.

2. Description of Related Art

A lot of automobiles now have LCD monitors assembled therein and which are used for displaying automobile information such as speed, temperature, etc., or playing a movie. The monitors generally are assembled on the back of headrests of front seats in the automobiles. However, the installation of the conventional monitor has the following disadvantages:

1. The monitor in use will generate a lot of heat, and as the monitor is completely covered in the headrest the heat cannot be dissipated quickly and safely.

2. The monitor is unable to be adjusted, so that it is very inconvenient for some passengers to watch the displayed information.

Therefore, the invention provides an adjustable monitor bracket to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a monitor bracket which is able to be adjusted to facilitate a user to conveniently watch a monitor installed thereon.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a monitor bracket which is detachably assembled in an automobile.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a monitor bracket which is conveniently assembled in the automobile.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable bracket in accordance with the invention; [0012]
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the adjustable bracket; and [0013]
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the bracket assembled on a backrest.[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an adjustable bracket in accordance with the invention is composed of a fixed bar ([0015] 10) and a movable bar (20) pivotally mounted on the fixed bar (10). The fixed bar (10) has two T-shaped blocks (16, 18) provided at a side thereof for being engaged on a backrest of a seat, and the movable bar (20) has a tray (24) formed at a first end thereof and a fastener (242) provided on the tray (24).
The fixed bar ([0016] 10) has a first aperture (12) defined through a first end thereof and the adjustable bar (20) has a second aperture (22) defined through a second end thereof to correspond to the first aperture (12). A bolt (30) is inserted through the first aperture (12) and the second aperture (22) and engaged with a nut (32) to pivotally mount the adjustable bar (20) on the fixed bar (10). Washers (34) are respectively provided between the fixed bar (10) and the adjustable bar (20) and between the nut (32) and the adjustable bar (20). A plurality of thread holes (14) is defined at the side where the T-shaped blocks (16, 18) are provided. The first T-shaped block (16) has a first opening (160) defined therethrough, and two hooks (162, 164) respectively formed at two sides thereof, wherein the first hook (162) is larger than the second hook (164). The second T-shaped block (18) has a second opening (180) defined therethrough, and two wings (182, 184) respectively formed at two sides thereof, wherein the first wing (182) is thicker than the second wing (184). In this embodiment, the second opening (180) is a slot longitudinally defined. As shown in FIG. 3, two poles (44)) extend between a backrest (40) and a headrest (42) of a seat. The T-shaped blocks (16,18) respectively clamp the poles (44) by screws (19) correspondingly inserted through the first opening (160) and the second opening (180),and engaging in the thread holes (14) of the fixed bar (10).
Referring back to FIG. 2, the tray ([0017] 24) has a rotary seat (240) received therein and is able to be turned about a vertical axis. The fastener (242) is assembled on the rotary seat (240) and is able to be pivoted about a horizontal axis. A fastening screw (244), by which a monitor (50) is secured on the adjustable bar (20), as shown in FIG. 3, is provided in the fastener (242).
Furthermore, a stop ([0018] 60) is provided on the fixed bar (10) and adjacent the pivot point of the fixed bar (10) and the adjustable bar (20) to prevent the adjustable bar (20) from turning beyond the limited position.
Moreover, the adjustable bar ([0019] 20) has a layer of rubber (not numbered) mounted thereon to provide a protection for the passenger from possible sharp edges of the adjustable bar (20). A user can turn the adjustable bar (20) about the fixed bar (10) to adjust a distance between the monitor (50) and the user, and can turn the rotary seat (240) about the tray (24) and/or turn the fastener (242) about the rotary seat (240) to adjust an angle between the monitor (50) and the user.
From the above description, it is noted that the invention has the following advantages: [0020]
1. Because there are the plurality of thread holes ([0021] 14) defined in the fixed bar (10), when the distance between the poles (44) varies between different automobiles, the T-shaped blocks (16, 18) can be secured on the fixed bar (10) at corresponding positions by engaging the screws (19) with various ones of the thread holes (14).
2. Because the second opening ([0022] 180) of the second T-shaped block (18) is a slot, the distance between the T-shaped blocks (16, 18) can be accurately adjusted further.
3. The T-shaped blocks ([0023] 16, 18) respectively have various hooks (162, 164) and wings (182, 184), so they can match various poles (44) with different diameters.
4. When the car is in an emergency braking situation and a passenger is thrown forward, the adjustable bar ([0024] 20) is pivoted inward by the force of the moving passenger to cushion the impact and so protect the passenger and the monitor (50).
5. The monitor bracket is able to be detached from the backrest without damaging any other equipment in the automobile and refitted in another automobile, such as when an owner changes vehicles.. [0025]
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. [0026]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable monitor bracket for a monitor (50) secured on a backrest (40) of a seat in an automobile, the adjustable monitor bracket comprising:

a fixed bar (10) secured on the backrest; and

an adjustable bar (20) pivotally mounted on the fixed bar (10) at a pivot point thereof, the adjustable bar (20) having a tray (24) formed at a first end thereof and a fastener (242) provided on the tray;

whereby, the monitor (50) is secured on the fastener (242) and can be adjusted by the adjustable bar (20) being moved relative to the fixed bar. 2. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed bar (10) has two blocks (16, 18) provided at a side thereof and respectively attached to poles (44) on the backrest (40).

3. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixed bar (10) has a plurality of thread holes (14) defined at the side where the blocks (16, 18) are provided, and two screws (19) are respectively inserted through the blocks (16, 18) and engaged with the thread holes (14) to fasten the blocks (16, 18) to the fixed bar (10).

4. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first block (16) is T-shaped, and has a first opening (160) defined therethrough and two hooks (162, 164) respectively formed at two sides thereof, and one of the screws (19) is inserted through the first opening (160).

5. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first hook (162) of the first block (16) is larger than the second hook (164) of the first block (16).

6. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second block (18) is T-shaped, and has a second opening (160) defined therethrough and two wings (182, 184) respectively formed at two side thereof, the other screw (19) is inserted through the second opening (180).

7. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first wing (182) of the second block (18) is thicker than the second wing (184) of the second block (18).

8. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second opening (180) is a slot longitudinally defined along the second block (18).

9. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed bar (10) has a first aperture (12) defined at a first end thereof, the adjustable bar (20) has a second aperture (22) defmed at a second end thereof, and a bolt (30) is inserted through the first aperture (12) and the second aperture (22) and engaged with a nut (32) to pivotally mount the adjustable bar (20) on the fixed bar (10).

10. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 9 further comprising washers (34) provided between the fixed bar (10) and the adjustable bar (20), and between the nut (32) and the adjustable bar (20).

11. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray (24) has a rotary seat (240) received therein and the rotary seat is able to be turned about a vertical axis.

12. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fastener (242) is pivotally mounted on the rotary seat (240) and is able to be turned about a horizontal axis.

13. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener (242) has a fastening screw (244) by which the monitor (50) is secured to the adjustable bar (20).

14. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fastener (242) has a fastening screw (244) by which the monitor (50) is secured to the adjustable bar (20).

15. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a stop (60) provided on the fixed bar (10) and adjacent the pivot point of the fixed bar (10) and the adjustable bar (20).

16. The adjustable monitor bracket as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a layer of rubber mounted on the adjustable bar (20).