WO2010002291A1

WO2010002291A1 - Monitor holder for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2010002291A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/000420
Authority: WO
Inventors: Annika Hermansen
Original assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar Ab
Priority date: 2008-07-01
Filing date: 2008-07-01
Publication date: 2010-01-07
Also published as: CN102076526A; EP2307239A4; EP2307239A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitor holder for a vehicle, which holder (10) comprises a bracket (14) for attachment to the vehicle frame. The holder also comprises a strap (16) for connecting the monitor (13) to the bracket (14), which strap is continuously adjustable in length.

Description

MONITOR HOLDER FOR A VEHICLE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a monitor holder for a vehicle, which holder comprises a bracket for attachment to the vehicle frame.

BACKGROUND ART

Many vehicles like long-haul trucks, tourist buses and campers are equipped with TV or computer monitors for entertainment. Often these monitors are installed by owners long after the vehicles have been delivered. Thus, the original equipment manufacturer has no control over these types of installations.

TV or computer monitors are available in many different sizes. The weight of a flat-screen TV-monitor may be in the range of 2 - 8 kilos. Often a wall mounted holder suitable for home application is used for installation. Even if the monitor holder is of a sturdy construction, the attachment of the monitor to the holder may be less sturdy. The interface between a holder bracket and the monitor often comprises a few screws attached to a plastic monitor frame. It is obvious that a monitor coming loose in a heavy braking or a crash situation may cause severe damages.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a monitor holder which is adaptable to different monitor sizes and which may offer a more secure interface between holder bracket and monitor. This object is solved the above problems by means of an improved monitor holder, as claimed in claim 1.

Alternative preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the depending claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the following text, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. These schematic drawings are used for illustration only and do not in any way limit the scope of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a monitor holder according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the monitor holder in accordance with Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a side view of the monitor holder according to Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4-6 shows the parts forming the adjustable strap.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The monitor holder 10 shown in figures 1-3 is suitable for mounting a TV or computer monitor of the flat-screen type inside a vehicle, for example a long- haul truck, a bus, a camper, a plane or a sea vessel.

The holder in the disclosed embodiment comprises a base plate 11 with three bolt holes 11a for bolts 12 (see Fig. 3) for attachment to the vehicle frame (not shown in the drawings). However, any type of base plate 11 suitable for adapting the monitor 13 (schematically shown in Fig. 1 with dotted lines) holder 10 to a specific vehicle may be used for installation. A bracket 14 is secured to the base plate by suitable means, for example bracket hooks 15. The bracket to base plate interface may also be designed for adjustability of monitor angle.

The bracket 14 is provided with four metal straps 16 each comprising two strap segments 17, 18 continuously adjustably interconnected via a worm gear clamp 19. The first strap segment 17 of each strap 16 is provided with the worm gear 19. The first strap segment 17 forms a loop around a pressed out loop portion 20 of the bracket 14. Thus, the straps 16 are pivotally connected to the bracket 14 for allowing adaptation to different monitor sizes. Further adaptation is provided by adjusting the length of the straps via the worm gear connection between the two strap segments 17, 18. Instead of the worm gear clamp 19 shown in this embodiment of the invention, it would be possible to use any other suitable type of tensioner, for example a turnbuckle.

The outer end of each strap 16, opposite to the bracket 14, is provided with a loop 21 for reaching around one of the corner edges of the monitor 13. The loop 21 is rigid and made of a metal material, for example a metal rod. The rigid loop 21 is angled away from a flat plane and pivotally connected to the strap segment 18 to provide adjustability in angle to the plane of the monitor to admit monitors of varying depth. As shown in Fig. 5, the second strap segment 18 is provided with a threading 18a for cooperation with the worm gear clamp 19.

When installing the monitor holder 10 in a vehicle, first the base plate 11 without the bracket 14 is mounted in pre-arranged fix points in the vehicle frame, and then the bracket 14 is positioned at the centre of the back of the monitor with four screws and with the respective hook 21 at the respective corner of the monitor. Subsequently, the straps 16 are tensioned sequentially, so that the monitor is fixed firmly to the bracket 14. Finally the bracket is attached to the base plate via the bracket hooks 15 and locking screws.

The above described holder in accordance with the invention provides for a secure and adaptable attachment solution for monitors of different sizes inside vehicles. The invention is not limited to the above described embodiments; instead several modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A monitor holder for a vehicle, said holder (10) comprising a bracket (14) for attachment to the vehicle frame, characterized in a strap (16) for connecting the monitor (13) to the bracket (14), which strap is continuously adjustable in length.

2. A monitor holder according to claim 1 , characterized in that the strap (16) is a metal band.

3. A monitor holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the strap (16) comprises two strap segments (17, 18) adjustably interconnected via a worm gear clamp (19).

4. A monitor holder according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the strap (16) is pivotally connected to the bracket (14).

5. A monitor holder according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the end of the strap (16), opposite to the bracket (14), is provided with a loop (21) for reaching around one of the corner edges of the monitor (13).

6. A monitor holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the loop (21) is rigid and made of a metal material.

7. A monitor holder according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the loop (21) is pivotally connected to the strap (16).