Detachable display unit for portable video player device

Abstract

A video player assembly comprises a video player device and a video display unit detachable from the video player device. The video player device includes a casing provided with at least one support slot formed thereon. In turn, the video display unit includes a video display panel including a viewing surface provided with a display screen and a base member pivotally mounted to the video display panel. The base member is detachably disposed within the display support slot of the player casing thereby forming a selectively releasable collection between the player casing and the video display panel. The video display panel is rotatable relative to the base member so that the video display panel has a deployed position and a stowed position. The video display unit may be removed from the video player device and independently supported by the base member on any substantially flat surface.

1 . A video player assembly comprising: 
 a video player device having a player casing provided with at least one display support slot formed thereon; and    a video display unit including: 
 a video display panel including a viewing surface provided with a display screen; and  
 a base member mounted to said video display panel, said base member being disposed within said at least one display support slot of said player casing thereby forming a selectively releasable connection between said player casing and said video display panel;  
 said video display member being pivotally mounted to said base member for pivoting between a stowed position wherein said video display panel is substantially parallel to a top panel of said video player device and a deployed position wherein said video display panel projects outwardly from said top panel of said video player device with said display screen in a disposition which is viewable by a user of said video player assembly.  
   
   
   
       2 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said player casing includes a rear panel substantially orthogonal to said top panel, said at least one display support slot is formed adjacent to said rear panel of said player casing.  
   
   
       3 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said rear panel of said player casing has two extensions each forming a support slot provided to receive said base member of said video display unit therein to support the video display panel.  
   
   
       4 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said base member of said video display unit includes a stand portion and a pair of hinge portions formed at opposite ends of said stand portion; said hinge portions provided for pivotally mounting said video display panel to said base member through a continuous resistance device.  
   
   
       5 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein opposite end portions of said stand portion of said base member are disposed in said support slots formed in said extensions of said rear panel of said player casing.  
   
   
       6 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 5 , further including a locking mechanism provided to relesably positively secure said base member of said video display unit to said casing of said video player device.  
   
   
       7 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said locking mechanism includes at least one release lever provided with a locking tab that engages a complementary locking recess formed in said base member of said video display unit to positively connect said player casing to said base member of said video display unit.  
   
   
       8 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said release lever is formed as a flexible cantilever formed integrally with said rear panel of said player casing and extending along said rear panel of said player casing to facilitate bending of said release lever into said player casing to remove said locking tab from said locking recess in said base member of said video display unit and release said video display unit from said video player device.  
   
   
       9 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said release lever has a ribbed button surface adapted to be pressed upon to release said locking tab from said complementary locking recess in said base member.  
   
   
       10 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said base member of said video display unit has an opening therethrough formed to provide an access to said button surface of said release lever when said video display unit is attached to said video player device.  
   
   
       11 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said top panel of said player casing is provided with a plurality of control buttons for operating said video player device.  
   
   
       12 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said video display panel pivots at least 180° relative to said player casing of said video player device.  
   
   
       13 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said base member is adjusted relative to said video display panel to an angular position allowing said base member to independently support said video display panel on a substantially flat surface.  
   
   
       14 . The video player assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said video player device is electrically connected to said video display unit thereby permitting communication of audio and video signals between said video player device and said video display panel.