REMOTE CONTROL DOCK SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090251868A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hirota, Hideyuki, Ikunami, Takahiro, Dutter, Jason Alexander, Wecker, Eric Joshua, STROHMAIER, JASON MICHAEL, Ambrose, Aaron Michael, Feit, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/747
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7075 including discrete retainer

Abstract

A vehicle entertainment system and method to prevent a mechanical connection between certain components of an entertainment system for a vehicle can include an entertainment system housing containing a plurality of entertainment components and a remote control module. The remote control module can include a user interface on a surface of the remote control module. In addition, the remote control module can be configured to prevent secure mounting of the remote control module to the entertainment system housing when the remote control module is not the appropriate remote control module for the particular vehicle entertainment system.

Claims

1. A method to prevent a mechanical connection between certain components of an entertainment system for a vehicle comprising:

providing a housing containing a plurality of entertainment components;

providing a remote control module including a user interface on a surface of the remote control module; and

preventing secure mounting of the remote control module to the housing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein preventing secure mounting comprises:

providing the housing with a lock member;

providing the remote control module with a lock engaging member;

placing the lock engaging member proximate the lock member; and

preventing contact of the lock engaging member with the lock member when the lock engaging member is placed proximate the lock member.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein preventing contact comprises:

providing an interference member extending from the housing;

engaging the interference member with a portion of the remote control module spaced from the lock engaging member before the lock engaging member contacts the lock member; and

maintaining the lock engaging member at a distance spaced from the lock member while the portion of the remote control module engages the interference member.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein preventing contact comprises:

providing the remote control module with a module width and a module length;

providing the housing with a docking surface that defines a docking recess in the housing, wherein the docking recess has a length and a width substantially equal to the module length and the module width, respectively; and

providing an interference member extending from the housing and into the docking recess;

engaging the interference member with a first portion of the remote control module spaced from the lock engaging member before the lock engaging member contacts the lock member;

engaging a portion of the docking surface spaced from the interference member with a second portion of the remote control module that is spaced from the first portion by a distance that is less than one of the width and the length of the remote control module before the lock engaging member contacts the lock member; and

maintaining the lock engaging member at a distance spaced from the lock member when the remote control module engages the interference member and the portion of the docking surface.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein maintaining the lock engaging member comprises creating an interference fit between the portion of the docking surface, the interference member and the remote control module.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein engaging a portion of the docking surface comprises engaging a portion of the docking surface opposing the interference member;

and

wherein creating the interference fit comprises spacing the interference member from the portion of the docking recess opposite the interference member at a distance measured parallel to one of the width and the length of the docking recess that is less than the one of the length and the width of the docking recess.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

providing the lock member with a pin biased to extend into the docking recess; and

providing a lock recess in a surface of the remote control module and a lock detent in a surface of the lock recess; and

wherein maintaining the lock engaging member at a distance includes maintaining the lock detent spaced at a distance from the lock pin.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising providing the remote control module with a recess at a position such that the portion of the remote control module that engages the interference member is intermediate the recess and the lock engaging member.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising providing the remote control module with a recess at a position intermediate the portion of the remote control module that engages the interference member and the lock engaging member.

10. A method for mounting a removable remote control module to an entertainment system of a vehicle, the entertainment system including a housing and a recess in the housing defining a docking surface to removably receive the remote control module when the remote control module is mounted to the housing, the method comprising:

providing the housing with a lock pin movably mounted and biased to protrude through the docking surface, and a locator rib extending from the docking surface at a location spaced a first distance (D1) from an end of the lock pin;

providing the remote control module with an outer surface, a lock pin detent formed in the outer surface, and a locator rib recess in the outer surface spaced from the lock pin detent at a second distance (D2);

orienting the remote control module so that the locator rib recess faces the locator rib;

inserting the remote control module into the recess in the housing while facing the locator rib recess toward the locator rib;

while inserting the remote control module, permitting, through cooperative interaction of the outer surface of the remote control module with the docking surface, alignment of the locator rib recess with the locator rib and alignment of the lock pin detent with the lock pin when the second distance (D2) equals the first distance (D1);

while inserting the remote control module, preventing, through cooperative interaction of the outer surface of the remote control module with the docking surface, alignment of the locator rib recess with the locator rib and alignment of the lock pin detent with the lock pin when the second distance (D2) does not equal the first distance (D1);

biasing the lock pin into secure engagement with the lock pin detent and mounting the remote control module securely in the housing recess when permitting alignment between the lock pin detent and the lock pin; and

disallowing secure engagement of the lock pin detent with the lock pin when preventing alignment between the lock pin detent and the lock pin.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein preventing alignment includes:

engaging the locator rib with the outer surface of the remote control module at a position spaced from the locator rib recess; and

engaging a portion of the outer surface the remote control module with another portion of the docking surface such that engagement of the outer surface by the locator rib and the docking surface cooperates to block further insertion of the remote control module into the recess of the housing.

12. An entertainment system for a vehicle comprising:

a housing including a docking surface recessed in the housing, a lock pin movably mounted in the housing and extending from the docking surface, and a locator rib that extends from the docking surface and being spaced from the lock pin by 3.7 mm; and

a removable remote control module that has an outer surface configured and dimensioned to mate with the housing when the remote control module is mounted in the housing, the outer surface includes a locator rib recess that is configured to receive the locator rib, and a lock pin detent that is configured to receive the lock pin when the remote control module is mounted in the housing, the locator rib recess being spaced from the lock pin detent by a distance of 2.1 mm.

13. The entertainment system according to claim 12, wherein the housing further includes an additional lock pin movably mounted in the housing and extending from the docking surface, and an additional locator rib extending from the docking surface and spaced from the additional lock pin by 3.7 mm;

and

the remote control module further includes an additional locator rib recess configured to receive the additional locator rib, and an additional lock pin detent configured to receive the additional lock pin when the remote control module is mounted in the housing, the additional locator rib recess being spaced from the additional lock pin detent by a distance of 2.1 mm.

14. The entertainment system according to claim 12, wherein the housing further includes an additional locator rib spaced from the locator rib by a distance of 132 mm;

and

the remote control module further includes an additional locator rib recess spaced from the locator rib recess by a distance of 120.5 mm.

15. A removable remote control module for an entertainment system of a vehicle, comprising:

a remote housing that includes a first face and a second face;

a locator rib recess and a lock pin detent formed in the first face, wherein the locator rib recess is spaced from the lock pin detent by a distance D, wherein D is one of 2.7 mm and 6.3 m; and

a plurality of user interface buttons movably mounted in the remote housing along the second face of the remote housing.

16. The removable remote control module according to claim 15, further comprising an additional locator rib recess and an additional lock pin recess formed in the first face, wherein the additional locator rib recess is spaced from the additional lock pin recess by a distance Dadd, wherein Dadd is one of 2.7 mm and 6.3 mm.

17. The removable remote control module according to claim 15, further comprising an additional locator rib recess formed in the first face and spaced from the locator rib recess by a distance Dadd2, wherein Dadd2 is one of 120.5 mm and 112.3 mm.