Rear seat entertainment bracket with swivel ball positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960828-B2
Application number	US-201816181973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An entertainment bracket for a seat of a motor vehicle includes a mount disposed on the seat, the mount having a headrest bracket and a screen support. The headrest bracket extends from a substantially planar headrest attachment portion rearwards to the screen support, the screen support connected at an angle to the headrest attachment portion and including a first portion of a swivel ball joint. A human machine interface (HMI) bracket supports an HMI and includes a second portion of the swivel ball joint connected to the first portion of the swivel ball joint, the first portion and the second portion of the swivel ball joint allowing the HMI bracket to articulate through a range of motion relative to the headrest bracket. A covering component is disposed overtop the headrest attachment portion and forms a substantially smooth, continuous exterior surface of the entertainment bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An entertainment bracket for a seat of a motor vehicle comprising:
a mount disposed on the seat, the mount having a headrest bracket and a screen support;
the headrest bracket extending from a substantially planar headrest attachment portion rearwards relative to a front of the seat to the screen support, the screen support connected at an angle to the headrest attachment portion and including a first portion of a swivel ball joint, the first portion of the swivel ball joint formed unitarily with the headrest attachment portion;
a human machine interface (HMI) bracket supporting an HMI, the HMI bracket including a second portion of the swivel ball joint connected to the first portion of the swivel ball joint, the first portion and the second portion of the swivel ball joint allowing the HMI bracket to articulate through a range of motion relative to the headrest bracket; and
a covering component disposed overtop the headrest attachment portion and forming a substantially smooth, continuous exterior surface of the entertainment bracket, wherein the headrest attachment portion includes a plurality of slots shaped and sized to accept and surround a headrest post of a headrest fitted to the seat, and wherein the plurality of slots extends from a forward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion to a curved terminus disposed slightly before a rearward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion,
wherein a bushing is disposed in each of the plurality of slots, the bushing held in place by a clip having first attachment features sized and shaped to fit into receiving features formed through the headrest attachment portion, and second attachment features sized and shaped to extend over, hook onto, and at least partially surround and form an interference fit engagement with the forward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion, and wherein the headrest bracket further comprises a conduit guide, the conduit guide extending through the first portion and the second portion of the swivel ball joint, electrical wiring extending from a power source or a data source through the conduit guide and to the HMI, and wherein the HMI is supported on the HMI bracket by a plurality of attachment members comprising one or more of: bolts, screws, nuts, magnets, and clips.

2. The entertainment bracket of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots has a substantially hooked shape extending outwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion.

3. The entertainment bracket of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots has a substantially angled shape extending outwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion.

4. The entertainment bracket of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots has a substantially linear shape extending shape extending at an angle outwards and rearwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion and the forward-facing edge.

5. The entertainment bracket of claim 1 wherein the bushing, the clip, and the plurality of slots engage with the headrest posts of the seat and limit motion of the mount relative to the seat.

6. The entertainment bracket of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the swivel ball joint further comprises a pin, the second portion of the swivel ball joint further comprises a channel, and wherein when the first portion and the second portion are interconnected, a range of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion is limited by movement of the pin within the channel.

7. The entertainment bracket of claim 6 wherein the range of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion is approximately 15° to approximately 90° in a rotational direction, and about 15° to about 20° in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction.

8. An entertainment bracket for a seat of a motor vehicle comprising:
a mount disposed on the seat, the mount having a headrest bracket and a screen support;
the headrest bracket having a conduit guide, the conduit guide extending through a first portion and a second portion of a swivel ball joint, electrical wiring extending from a power source or a data source through the conduit guide and to a human-machine interface (HMI), the headrest bracket extending from a substantially planar headrest attachment portion rearwards relative to a front of the seat to the screen support, the headrest attachment portion including a plurality of slots shaped and sized to accept and at least partially surround a headrest post of a headrest fitted to the seat, the plurality of slots extending from a forward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion to a curved terminus disposed slightly before a rearward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion, and the screen support connected at an angle to the headrest attachment portion and including a first portion of a swivel ball joint, the first portion of the swivel ball joint formed unitarily with the headrest attachment portion;
a bushing disposed in each of the plurality of slots, the bushing held in place by a clip having first attachment features sized and shaped to fit into receiving features formed in the headrest attachment portion, and second attachment features sized and shaped to extend over, hook onto, and at least partially surround and form an interference fit engagement with the forward-facing edge of the headrest attachment portion;
an HMI bracket supporting the HMI, the HMI bracket including a second portion of the swivel ball joint connected to the first portion of the swivel ball joint, the first portion and the second portion of the swivel ball joint allowing the HMI bracket to articulate through a range of motion relative to the headrest bracket; and
a covering component disposed overtop the headrest attachment portion and forming a substantially smooth, continuous exterior surface of the entertainment bracket.

9. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots comprises a substantially hooked shape extending outwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion.

10. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots comprises a substantially angled shape extending outwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion.

11. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of slots comprises a substantially linear shape extending shape extending at an angle outwards and rearwards relative to a centerline of the headrest attachment portion and the forward-facing edge.

12. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein the bushing, the clip, and the plurality of slots engage with the headrest posts of the seat and limit motion of the mount relative to the seat.

13. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein the first portion of the swivel ball joint further comprises a pin, the second portion of the swivel ball joint further comprises a channel, and wherein when the first portion and the second portion are interconnected, a range of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion is limited by movement of the pin within the channel.

14. The entertainment bracket of claim 13 wherein the range of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion is approximately 15° to approximately 90° in a rotational direction, and about 15° to about 20° in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction.

15. The entertainment bracket of claim 8 wherein the HMI is a mobile device provided by an occupant of the motor vehicle and connected to the HMI br

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Smith Stephen L
• Zaranek Wendy
• Wakely Bryan R

Classifications

• B60R11/0235 Primary

  of flat type, e.g. LCD · CPC title

• B60R2011/0017

  Head-rests · CPC title

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60R2011/007

  using magnetic means · CPC title

• B60R2011/0089

  around three axes, i.e. universally mounted · CPC title