Overhead End-Zone Display Bracket for Stable Multi-Orientation Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle display systems are designed for standard forward-facing seating arrangements and fail to accommodate non-traditional seating layouts, such as those found in autonomous vehicles where passengers may face rearward or sideways.
Innovation Solution
An overhead end zone display system is introduced, featuring a roof strut with an upwardly facing channel and a display mounting assembly that includes upper and lower brackets sandwiching the roof strut. This system allows for displays to be mounted in an overhead position, facing both forward and rearward, and is designed to reduce vibration and movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If displays are mounted on the front dashboard or rear seat portions, then the display system works well for forward-facing seating arrangements, but it fails to accommodate non-traditional seating layouts such as rearward-facing or sideways seating in autonomous vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the display mounting location from the traditional horizontal plane (dashboard or rear seat) to the vertical overhead plane of the vehicle. By mounting displays on the vehicle ceiling in end zones, the system creates a three-dimensional viewing solution that serves multiple seating orientations simultaneously, transforming a two-dimensional mounting problem into a three-dimensional solution space.
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead display system serves multiple functions: it provides viewing for forward-facing passengers, rearward-facing passengers, and sideways-facing passengers simultaneously. A single mounting structure in the overhead end zone can serve diverse seating configurations that would traditionally require separate display systems positioned at different locations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If displays are mounted overhead to accommodate non-traditional seating, then versatility for various seating orientations is improved, but vibration and movement of the display increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple structural elements into an integrated mounting system: the vehicle ceiling structure, overhead support brackets, and display housing are merged into a single rigid assembly. This consolidation creates a unified structural system that resists vibration and movement more effectively than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved or contoured mounting surfaces and angled support structures that follow the natural curvature of the vehicle ceiling. This curved geometry distributes mechanical stresses more evenly across the mounting points, reducing vibration transmission to the display unit compared to flat, rigid mounting surfaces.
3Ease of operation
If displays are positioned overhead in end zones, then clear viewing is provided for passengers in various orientations, but the mounting structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into distinct modular segments: overhead support brackets, attachment flanges, and display housing components. Each segment can be independently positioned and adjusted, allowing the complex overhead mounting task to be broken down into simpler, manageable assembly steps that improve ease of installation and viewing accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
For a vehicle interior compartment defined by a vehicle floor, opposing sidewalls, a forward end and a rearward end, and a vehicle ceiling covering at least part of the compartment, an end zone overhead display structure includes bulkhead forming attachment elements coupled to a roof strut spanning from sidewall to sidewall of the vehicle roof. The display structure includes an open box-like upper bracket and an open box-like lower bracket coupled together with the roof strut interposed to provide an assembly that reduces unwanted motion, rotation or vibration of the display assembly.