Display retract mechanism

A display unit for a vehicle interior, the display unit comprising:

• a housing coupled with a portion of the vehicle interior, the housing including a recessed portion;
• a display panel pivotally coupled with the housing for retraction into the recessed portion;
• a link including a first end coupled with the display panel, a generally L-shaped body having a first body portion extending from the first end in a first direction parallel with a display surface of the display panel, and a second body portion extending in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the first direction, the second body portion terminating in a second end spaced away from the display surface of the display panel;
• a gas spring coupled between the second end and the housing, the gas spring including a cylinder, a rod and a bias that urges the rod to extend from the cylinder;
• and
• a drive apparatus coupled to the display panel for overcoming the bias to pivot the display panel from a retracted position to a deployed position,
• wherein the bias causes the gas spring to exert a retraction force on the link for pivoting the rigid display from the deployed position to the retracted position in the recess, the rod being fully extended from the cylinder when the rigid display is oriented in the retracted position.

A retraction mechanism for moving a rigid display to a normally-retracted position within a recess defined in a surface, the mechanism comprising:

• a pivot shaft coupling the rigid display with the recess;
• a link including a first end coupled with the rigid display, and a second end extending generally perpendicularly away from a display surface of the rigid display;
• and
• a gas spring coupled between the recess and the second end, the gas spring including a cylinder, a rod and a bias that urges the rod to extend from the cylinder, the bias causing the gas spring to exert a retraction force on the link for pivoting the rigid display from a deployed position to the normally-retracted position within the recess, the rod being fully extended from the cylinder when the rigid display is oriented in the normally-retracted position.