SLIDING KEY FOB

• US 20100123549A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lickfelt, Brian K., Choi, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.640
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/02 Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/004 using portable personal devices hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10

Abstract

A slide actuated key fob includes a housing having a transmitter disposed therein and at least one slide actuated button disposed on the housing. The transmitter sends an actuating signal when the at least one slide actuated button is slidably moved in a first direction and subsequently depressed in a second direction.

Claims

1. A slide actuated key fob, comprising:

a housing having a transmitter disposed therein;

at least one slide actuated button disposed on said housing, said transmitter sending an actuating signal when said at least one slide actuated button is slidably moved in a first direction and subsequently depressed in a second direction.

2. The slide actuated key fob of claim 1 wherein said first and second direction are approximately normal relative to one another.

3. The slide actuated key fob of claim 2 wherein said first direction is generally along an outside contour of said housing and said second direction in into said housing.

4. The slide actuated key fob of claim 1 wherein said at least one slide actuated button is slidably movable in said first direction from a nonactuating rest position to an intermediate nonactuating position and movable in said second direction from said intermediate nonactuating position to a depressed, actuating position, said at least one slide actuated button urged toward said intermediate nonactuating position when moved therefrom in said second direction and urged toward said nonactuating rest position when moved therefrom in said first direction.

5. The slide actuated key fob of claim 4 further including a bias mechanism that urges said at least one slide actuated button toward said nonactuating rest position when moved therefrom in said first direction.

6. The slide actuated key fob of claim 4 wherein said at least one slide actuated button is prevented from moving in said second direction toward said depressed, actuating position until first moved to said intermediate nonactuating position.

7. The slide actuated key fob of claim 1 wherein said housing has a micro-switch and a controller disposed therein, said micro-switch positioned so that said at least one button actuates said micro-switch when sufficiently depressed in said second direction, said controller operatively connected to said micro-switch and said transmitter, and said controller directing said transmitter to send said actuating signal when said micro-switch is actuated by said at least one slide actuated button.

8. The slide actuated key fob of claim 1 wherein said at least one slide actuated button is a first button that corresponds to powered operation of a first vehicle closure on an associated vehicle and a second button that corresponds to powered operation of a second vehicle closure on the associated vehicle.

9. The slide actuated key fob of claim 1 further including at least another slide actuated button that is movable in only a single direction, said transmitter sending another actuating signal when said at least another slide actuated button is depressed in said single direction.

10. The slide actuated key fob of claim 9 wherein said at least another slide actuated button is a first button that corresponds to locking of passenger doors on an associated vehicle and a second button that corresponds to unlocking of said passenger doors on the associated vehicle.

11. A key fob for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing having a slide actuated button disposed thereon; and

a transmitter disposed in said housing for transmitting actuating signals to an associated vehicle, said transmitter sending an actuation signal only when said slide actuated button is first moved along a first axis on a face of said housing and then moved along a second axis into said housing.

12. The key fob of claim 11 wherein sliding movement along said first axis from a first rest position to a second intermediate position is guided by at least one track, a biasing mechanism urges said slide actuated button toward said first rest position.

13. The key fob of claim 12 wherein said slide actuated button is only movable along said second axis into said housing after said slide actuated button is moved along said first axis from said first rest position to said second intermediate position.

14. The key fob of claim 13 wherein sufficient movement along said second axis into said housing actuates a micro-switch disposed on said housing.

15. The key fob of claim 11 wherein said slide actuated button corresponds to a remote opening function of a powered vehicle closure.

16. A key fob, comprising:

a housing;

at least one slide actuated button disposed on said housing, said at least one slide actuated button sequentially slid in a first direction and then depressed in second direction; and

a transmitter disposed in said housing for sending an actuating signal when said at least one slide actuated button is depressed sufficiently in said second direction after having been slid in the first direction.

17. The key fob of claim 16 wherein said at least one slide actuated button is prevented from being depressed in said second direction before being slidably moved in said first direction to an intermediate actuating position.

18. The key fob of claim 16 further including a biasing mechanism urging said at least one slide actuated button away from said intermediate actuating position back toward an initial rest position along said first axis.

19. The key fob of claim 16 wherein said first direction is disposed along a face of said housing and said second direction is approximately normal relative to said first direction.

20. The key fob of claim 16 wherein a micro-switch is disposed on said housing that is actuated when said at least one slide actuated button is depressed sufficiently in said second direction.