Dial system for a steering wheel of an automobile

• US 20070082713A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrex Technology Company Limited (Best Elite Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sunrex Technology Company Limited (Best Elite Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Tsai, Huo-Lu
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

A dial system for steering wheel of an automobile is divided into two portions electrically connected by a cable and each includes a first casing and a dial set received in the first housing. The dial set includes a number button partially extending the first housing for being operated. A circuit board is received in the first housing for wirelessly transmitting signals when the buttons are operated. A second housing is mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board. A battery seat with battery is laterally inserted into the space for providing power to the circuit board. A clamp is mounted to a bottom of the second housing and clamps the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation.

Claims

1. A dial system for steering wheel of an automobile divided into a main dial and a secondary dial electrically connected by a cable,

the main dial comprising:

a first casing including a longitudinal opening and multiple openings defined therein;

a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a number button secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first casing;

a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including multiple button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the longitudinal number button such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed, a bluetooth chip electrically disposed on the circuit board and a bluetooth transmitter is electrically mounted on a bottom of the circuit board for wirelessly transmitting signals to the mobile phone when the button switches are operated;

a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board;

a battery seat with a battery laterally inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing, the battery electrically connected to the circuit board for providing power to the circuit board when the battery seat inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing; and

a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation; and

the secondary dial comprising;

a first casing including a longitudinal opening and multiple openings defined therein;

a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a number button secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first casing;

a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including multiple button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the longitudinal number button such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed;

a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board; and

a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation.

2. The dial system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the main dial and the secondary dial includes a microphone and a speaker electrically mounted on the circuit board of the at least one of the main dial and the secondary dial.

3. The dial system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first housing comprises multiple stubs extending therefrom and extending through the metal plate, a stopper having multiple stubs defined to securely receive the multiple stubs after extending through the metal plate to hold the metal plate in place.

4. The dial system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bluetooth transmitter transmits the signal, which is received from the microphone, to the mobile phone.

5. The dial system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamp includes a curved first portion and a curved second portion each having a fixing plate laterally extending from one side thereof and abutting each other and corresponding to the shape of the steering wheel, each fixing plate having a hole defined therein and aligning with each other, the bluetooth transmitter extending through the hole in each of the fixing plates after the dial system being assembled.

6. A dial system for steering wheel of an automobile divided into a main dial and a secondary dial electrically connected by a wireless transmission interface,

the main dial comprising:

a first casing including a longitudinal opening and multiple openings defined therein;

a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a number button secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first casing;

a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including multiple button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the longitudinal number button such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed, a receiver electrically mounted on the circuit board of the main dial for receiving the signal from the secondary dial, a bluetooth chip electrically disposed on the circuit board and a bluetooth transmitter is electrically mounted on a bottom of the circuit board for wirelessly transmitting signals to the mobile phone when the button switches are operated;

a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board;

a battery seat with a battery laterally inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing, the battery electrically connected to the circuit board for providing power to the circuit board when the battery seat inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing; and

a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation; and

the secondary dial comprising;

a first casing including a longitudinal opening and multiple openings defined therein;

a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a number button secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first casing;

a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including multiple button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the longitudinal number button such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed, the circuit board of the secondary dial including a wireless transmitter for transmitting signal to the main dial;

a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board;

a battery seat with a battery laterally inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing, the battery electrically connected to the circuit board for providing power to the circuit board when the battery seat inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing; and

a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation.

7. The dial system as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the main dial and the secondary dial includes a microphone and a speaker electrically mounted on the circuit board of the at least one of the main dial and the secondary dial.

8. The dial system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first housing comprises multiple stubs extending therefrom and extending through the metal plate, a stopper having multiple stubs defined to securely receive the multiple stubs after extending through the metal plate to hold the metal plate in place.

9. The dial system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bluetooth transmitter transmits the signal, which is received from the microphone, to the mobile phone.

10. The dial system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clamp includes a curved first portion and a curved second portion each having a fixing plate laterally extending from one side thereof and abutting each other and corresponding to the shape of the steering wheel, each fixing plate having a hole defined therein and aligning with each other, the bluetooth transmitter extending through the hole in each of the fixing plates after the dial system being assembled.