GB2395699A

GB2395699A - Support console

Info

Publication number: GB2395699A
Application number: GB0227449A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marc Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-26
Filing date: 2002-11-26
Publication date: 2004-06-02
Also published as: GB0227449D0

Abstract

A support console for mounting an electronic device in a vehicle having restraining seatbelts. The console comprises support rails adapted to locate on a vehicle seat, a platform (11) supported by the rails (14,15), locating means (17) adapted to cooperate with a seatbelt (41), and an electrical power supply (32). The electronic device (13) may be positioned on the platform and the locating means may consist of recesses into which a seatbelt may be removably located to restrain the movement of the console.

Description

1 2395699

Support Console The present invention relates to a support console for mounting an electronic device for use in a vehicle.

5 The use of electronic equipment in vehicles such as cars and buses is becoming more and more widespread. Such electrical equipment can include games consoles, lap top PCs, portable DVD players, and other equipment, and it is often important that such equipment is suitably arranged for use by passengers in the vehicle. It has previously been suggested that such 10 equipment may be built into the vehicle, for example with any viewing screen being located in a seat back, and the device being directly connected to the vehicle's power system. Whilst such an inbuilt system is advantageous, it requires a significant capital outlay and is permanently mounted in the vehicle so can only be used by a person in the vehicle.

15 Many people possess portable equipment that could be used in a car, such as laptop PCs and the like, but it is difficult, uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous to simply try to use such equipment on one's lap or otherwise loose in the car.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to alleviate these 20 problems and provide a means by which portable electrical devices may be conveniently and safely used in vehicles without permanently installing them therein. According to the present invention there is provided a support console for mounting an electronic device in a vehicle having retraining seatbelts, said 25 console comprising: support rails adapted to locate on a vehicle seat, a

- 2 plafform supported by the rails and upon which the electronic device may be positioned, locating means adapted to cooperate with a seatbelt to restrain the movement of the console, and an electrical power supply.

The console may preferably further include a sound reproduction 5 system that is adapted to receive input from the electronic device and is powered by the power supply. Such a sound reproduction system could include one or more components selected from speakers, amplifiers, headphone jacks, volume controls etc. The support rails may take a variety of forms, as long as they support 10 the platform in a stable way at a height suitable for the use of the electronic device by a person travailing in the vehicle. Indeed the rails could be a single structure adapted to provide a stable support means. It is preferred that the support rails comprises a pair of horizontally elongate elements attached to the edge regions of the underside of the platform. The rails might take the s form of side walls extending down from the platform.

The locating means must be able to cooperate with a normal seatbelt in the vehicle. A variety of means for ensuring good cooperation between the seatbelt and the console are possible, and they should each ensure that the console is securely located, but may be installed and removed from the 20 vehicle as is convenient. Preferably, the locating means comprise recesses into which a portion of a seatbelt may be removably located. Such recesses would hold the belt when tensioned or when in normal use, but would permit removal of the belt when deliberately slackened. The recoil or adjustment mechanism on the seatbelt could be used to shorten the length of the belt to

- 3 ensure suitable location in such recesses. Latching mechanisms could also be used to ensure correct retention of the belt in the recesses.

The elongate legs may extend in a horizontal direction from beneath the platform, and the locating means may be formed by upward projections 5 from such extensions legs. Such projections might be curved or otherwise shaped, and would in use define the recesses into which the seatbelt could be located. The electrical power supply may be adapted to power the electrical device, for example to ensure that the battery life of that product does not limit to the period during which the device may be used. To achieve this, the electrical power supply may further include a socket into which a power lead for supplying current to the electrical device may be connected. Alternatively or in addition the power supply may include a flying lead adapted for connection into a power socket on the electrical device.

5 The power supply may include an electrical power storage device such as a battery. It may instead, or in addition, include means for connection to an external power system such as the electrical system of the vehicle. The current supplied into the power supply from such an external system may be distributed directly to the device or it may be used to charge the battery for 20 subsequent or ongoing use of the device when connection to an external power supply is not possible.

The console needs to be able to conveniently and securely support the electrical device during normal use of the vehicle. When driving it is possible that external forces might have an effect upon the electrical device and it 25 might be moved about on the platform or possibly totally forced therefrom.

- 4 Lateral movement or slippage on the platform may be prevented or reduced by providing the platform with a depression into which the electrical device locates. In addition to, or instead of, this the upper surface of the platform may be provided with friction enhancing means to prevent sliding of the device 5 thereon. Fixing means to releasably attach the electrical device to the platform may also be provided to restrain any dangerous movement of the device in an emergency situation such as a collision.

Support consoles according to the present invention may be intended for use either directly on an empty seat or on a seat that is being occupied. A 10 console that can be used in an occupied seat will be adapted to locate over the legs of a person sitting in the vehicle seat, with the support rails ensuring that the platform does not rest on or too close to the person's legs, such that they can operate the device and remain comfortably seated. When located over the legs of a person sitting in a seat, the console may be adapted to 15 engage with a seatbelt that the person is wearing.

The power supply and sound reproduction system when present may be conveniently located within or beneath the platform or otherwise out of sight. Access to items such as sockets, headphone jacks and volume controls would remain convenient, by appropriate positioning.

20 In order that it may be better understood, but by way of example only, one embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to he accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 25 Figure 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1;

- 5 Figure 3 is an underside view of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2; and, Figure 4 is a partially cut away view of the embodiment of the previous Figures in place in a car.

5 All figures show the same embodiment and so this embodiment will be described with reference to all Figures, with particular attention drawn to specific ones as appropriate. The support console, generally indicated 10, comprises a generally horizontal platform 11, in the upper surface of which is formed a shallow depression 12. As can best be seen in Figure 4, an 10 electrical device in the form of a laptop computer 13, locates upon the platform within this shallow depression 12.

The platform 11 when in a car is supported above a vehicle seat, and is supported thereon by support rails 14 and 15. These rails extend horizontally from beneath the platform 11 and upward curved projections 16 are formed 15 thereon. These upward curved projections 16 form forward facing recesses (generally indicated 17) into which a vehicle seatbelt (shown only in Figure 4) will locate. In this embodiment a bracing member in the form of a strut 19 extends between the rearward end of the support rails 14 and 15 to enhance structural integrity. This bracing member is not always required and would be 20 omitted in an embodiment intended to locate over the legs of a passenger sitting upon the seat.

The lower edges 22 of the rails 14 and 15 are generally rectilinear for stable location on a generally flat car seat. Obviously, if the console is intended to locate upon a seat of more contoured profile, the rails could be 25 shaped accordingly.

- 6 At the rearward, and consequently passenger-facing, edge of the platform 11 there is provided a sloping panel 25. The console is provided with a sound reproduction system, and speakers 26 forming part of this system are located on the sloping panel 25. Further, a volume control 27, headphone 5 jacks 28, and a power switch 29 also forming part of such a sound reproduction system are also attached to or extend through the front panel 25.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3 the console has a flying lead 30 which can be used to connect to the power input socket of the electrical device located on the platform 11. A different flying lead could also be 10 provided to connect the sound reproduction system to an audio output jack on the device.

A power supply including a battery is shown in Figure 3 and is generally numbered 32. This supplies power to the sound reproduction system and can also be used to power the electrical device. Connection of 15 this power supply to the car's electrical system, perhaps by connection to a standard 12-volt electrical lighter socket is also possible, but connection means are not shown in this embodiment.

On the underside view shown in Figure 3, the wiring extending between the various electrical components of the sound reproduction system and 20 power supply is not fully shown but would be arranged in a standard configuration. As can be seen in Figure 3 further cross bracing is provided at the forward facing end of the device beneath the platform 11. This cross bracing takes the form of a second strut 33 and a third strut 34 extending between the 25 rails 14 and 15.

In Figure 4, the support console 10 is shown positioned on the middle seat 40 of the rear seats of a car. A seatbelt 41 is connected across the rails 14 and 15 and locates within the recesses 17 formed behind the upward projections 16. The console is therefore held down against the seat 40 and 5 back against the rear of that seat. A laptop computer 13 is located within the shallow depression 12 on the platform 11. The computer is positioned such that the screen is visible and the keyboard is accessible to a passenger travelling in either one or both of the two other rear seats of the vehicle.

A portion of the rail 14 is shown cut away to reveal the power supply 10 unit 32 beneath the platform 11.

The support console thereby provides a stable platform upon which an electrical device, in particular one in the form of a laptop computer or game console, may be supported for use by passengers travailing within the car.

Whilst in this embodiment the device is shown for attachment to a seat 15 adjacent a user, by appropriate configuration it would be easily possible to locate the device over the legs of a person travailing within the car and consequently present the laptop computer, or other electrical device, in a convenient position above the lap of that user. Struts 19, 33 and 34 could be removed to facilitate this.

20 The power supply means provided within the console can be used to power the sound reproduction system such that a better audio effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the power supply means may be used to supplement or replace the usual power supply arrangement of the electrical device.

Although not shown in the embodiments of the present invention 25 depicted in the Figures, the console may be further provided with means to

- 8 connect to the vehicle's power supply. This can be used either to charge any batteries provided within the console's own power supply or to replace or augment that power supply as appropriate.

Claims

1. A support console for mounting an electronic device in a vehicle having retraining seatbelts, said console comprising: support rails adapted to locate 5 on a vehicle seat, a platform supported by the rails and upon which the electronic device may be positioned, locating means adapted to cooperate with a seatbelt to restrain the movement of the console, and an electrical power supply.

2. A support console as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply is 10 adapted to supply power to the electrical device.

3. A support console as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the locating means comprise recesses into which a seatbelt may be removably located.

4. A support console as claimed in any if claims 1 to 3, wherein the support rails extend horizontally from beneath the platform and the locating 15 means are formed by upward projections from the extensions of the support rails.

5. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical power supply includes a socket into which a power lead from the electrical device may be connected.

20

6. A support console as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the power supply includes a flying lead adapted for connection into a power socket of the electrical device.

7. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply includes a battery.

- 10

8. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply includes means for connection to the electrical system of the vehicle.

9. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein 5 the platform is provided with a depression into which the electrical device locates to prevent lateral movement.

10. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the upper surface of the platform is provided with friction enhancing means to prevent sliding of the device thereon.

10

11. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further comprises fixing means to releasably attach the electrical device to the platform.

12. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further comprises a sound reproduction system adapted to receive input from 15 the electronic device and powered by the power supply.

13. A support console as claimed in claim 12, in which the sound reproduction system includes one or more components selected from speakers, amplifiers, headphone jacks and volume controls,

14. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is 20 adapted to locate over the legs of a person sitting in the vehicle seat such that they can operate the device, with the support rails ensuring that the platform is high enough that it does not rest on the person's legs.

15. A support console as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, which is adapted to locate on a vehicle seat adjacent a person such that they may operate the 25 device.

16. A support console as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply and sound reproduction system if present are located within or beneath the platform.

17. A support console as claimed in claim 1, and substantially as herein 5 described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.