Assembly and method for display device mounting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9360895-B2
Application number	US-201314103647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2013
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

An assembly for mounting a display device in a vehicle. The assembly includes a mounting plate having opposite edges, a front surface extending therebetween, and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The mounting plate is mountable to the vehicle with the front surface of the mounting plate facing outward. The assembly includes a first locking mechanism disposed proximate one edge of the mounting plate and a second locking mechanism disposed proximate the other edge. Each locking mechanism includes a jaw extending over the front surface of the mounting plate and pivotable between closed and open positions. Each jaw includes a resiliently deformable biasing member connected to the jaw and biasing the jaw towards the closed position. The assembly includes an electrical connector attached to the mounting plate. The electrical connector has an opening for mating with another connector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for mounting a display device in a vehicle in which the display device has a rear surface, the assembly comprising:
a mounting plate including opposite edges, a front surface extending therebetween, and a rear surface opposite the front surface in which the mounting plate is mountable to the vehicle with the front surface facing outward;
a first locking mechanism disposed proximate one edge of the mounting plate and a second locking mechanism disposed proximate the other edge of the mounting plate, each locking mechanism including:
a jaw extending over the front surface of the mounting plate and pivotable between closed and open positions;
a resiliently deformable biasing member connected to the jaw and biasing the jaw towards the closed position; and
a release tab projecting from each jaw and when the release tab is pressed in a direction opposite the biasing direction of the jaw, the jaw pivots toward the open position,

an electrical connector having an opening for mating with another connector, the electrical connector being attached to the mounting plate with the opening of the connector exposed;
a bracket structure disposed on the rear surface of the display device, the bracket structure including a first edge engageable by one of the jaws and a second edge engageable by the other jaw when the rear surface of the display device is pressed against the front surface of the mounting plate;
the mounting plate includes a blocking tab projecting upward in front of the release tab when the jaws engage the bracket structure, and
said another connector disposed on the display device at a position that said another connector mates with the electrical connector when the jaws engage the edges of the bracket structure.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one guide structure, the guide structure including a pin extending from one of the mounting plate and the display device and a recess disposed on the other of the mounting plate and the recess in which the recess receives the guide pin therein when said another connector mates with the electrical connector.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket structure includes a pair of brackets in which one bracket forms said first edge of said bracket structure and the other bracket forms said second edge of said bracket structure.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , furthering comprising a release tool including a bent member insertable between the blocking tab and the release tab when the jaws engage the bracket structure for pressing the release tab.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each locking mechanism includes a hinge attached to the rear surface of the mounting plate in which the jaw rotatably mounts via the hinge for providing pivotable movement of the jaw between the closed and open positions.

6. A method for releasably mounting a display device in a vehicle in which the display device includes a rear surface, the method comprising:
providing a mounting plate including opposite edges, a front surface extending therebetween, and a rear surface opposite the front surface;
attaching first and second locking mechanisms to the mounting plate opposing one another, with each locking mechanism including a jaw extending over the front surface of the mounting plate and pivotable between closed and open positions and biased to resiliently remain in the closed position;
providing on the mounting plate an electrical connector having an opening for mating with another connector and wiring for connecting to a power source, with the opening of the connector exposed from the front surface of the mounting plate;
securing the mounting plate to the vehicle with the wiring of the electrical connector connected to a power source in the vehicle;
providing a bracket structure on the rear surface of the display device, with the bracket structure including a pair of edges with one edge being engageable by the jaw of one of the locking mechanisms, and the other edge engageable by the jaw of the other locking mechanism;
providing on each of said jaws a release tab for releasing the jaw from engaging its respective edge of the bracket structure when the release tab is pressed;
providing on said mounting plate a blocking tab extending between the release tab and the display device when each jaw engages its respective edge of the bracket structure;
mounting the display device to the vehicle by pressing said one edge against the jaw of said one of the locking mechanisms and said other edge against the jaw of said other locking mechanism until each jaw engages its respective edge of the bracket structure; and
providing on the display device said another connector and mating said another connector with the electrical connector during said mounting the display device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said providing on the display device includes fixing said another connector on the display device at a position opposing the opening of the electrical connector when each jaw is engaging its respective edge of the bracket structure such that said another connector is received in the opening of the electrical connector and mates therewith.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing a guide pin on one of the mounting plate and the display device and providing a recess on the other of the mounting plate and the display device in which the guide pin is received in the recess when each jaw engages its respective edge of the bracket structure.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
providing a release tool including an L-shaped member; and
inserting the L-shaped member between the blocking tab and the release tab for releasing a jaw from engagement of its respective edge of the bracket structure to dismount the display device after it has been mounted.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said providing a bracket structure includes fixing a pair of brackets on the display device.

11. An assembly for mounting a display device in a vehicle in which the display device has a rear surface, the assembly comprising:
a mounting plate including a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface in which the mounting plate is mountable to the vehicle with the front surface facing outward;
a locking mechanism supported by the mounting plate, the locking mechanism including:
a jaw movable between latched and unlatched positions with the jaw biased to remain in the latched position;
a release tab projecting from the locking mechanism which when the release tab is depressed, moves the jaw to the unlatched position;

an electrical connector having an opening for mating with another connector, the electrical connector being attached to the mounting plate with the opening of the connector exposed;
a bracket structure disposed on the rear surface of the display device, the bracket structure including an edge that is engaged by the jaw when the rear surface of the display device is placed in an engagement position by pressing the rear surface of the display device against the front surface of the mounting plate with the edge of the bracket structure pressing against the jaw to move the jaw to the unlatched position and when the display device reaches the engagement position, the jaw returns to the latched position due to bias thereof and engages the edge of the bracket structure;
said another connector disposed on the display device at a position that said another connector mates with the electrical connector when the display device is moved into the engagement position; and
a blocking tab projecting from the mounting plate in front of the release tab when the jaw engages the edge of the bracke

Assignees

• Panasonic Avionics Corp

Inventors

• Shah Shrenik
• Chou Chi-Wei

Classifications

• B64D11/00151

  Permanently mounted seat back monitors · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• H05K7/12

  Resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure · CPC title

• G06F1/1679 Primary

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title