Garage door radio control transmitter assembly

• US 3,936,833 A
• Filed: 06/12/1974
• Issued: 02/03/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bush, Walter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US05/478,640
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 340/171 R, 343/225, 174/17 CT, 339/176 R, 325/111, 325/114, 325/117, 325/119, 325/105, 325/182, 325/492, 49/25
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/03 Constructional details, e.g. casings, housings

Abstract

An assembly is provided which is particularly suited for use as a mounting means for supporting a garage door radio control transmitter within a motor vehicle. The assembly consists of the garage door radio control transmitter and a housing therefor provided in the dashboard of the vehicle. The assembly is designed to be operable to permit the transmitter to be used either when supported in the aforesaid housing or when removed therefrom. The transmitter comprises an enclosure within which suitable electrical circuitry embodying conventional construction is housed operable to produce a signal which in turn is effective to actuate control mechanism for causing a garage door to open and close. The enclosure which is substantially rectangular in configuration is provided with a pair of end walls, one of which has mounted thereon terminal means operable for connecting the transmitter in electrical circuit relation with a suitable externally located electrical power supply. The other of the pair of end walls has embodied thereon switch means operable for selectively providing the transmitter with an ON or an OFF operating state. In addition, on one of the side walls of the enclosure there is provided contact means operable for connecting the transmitter in electrical circuit relation with antenna means when the transmitter is positioned in the aforesaid housing thereby to improve the characteristics of the signal transmitted from the transmitter. A disconnect switch is also provided on one of the side walls of the enclosure operable for automatically disconnecting the internal power supply of the transmitter when the latter is inserted into the housing and thereby connected in electrical circuit relation with an external power supply. The housing formed in the dashboard of the vehicle is defined by a top and a bottom wall, a pair of suitably spaced side walls, an open end wall and a closed end wall. Terminal means are suitably mounted on the closed end wall of the housing so as to be capable of being cooperatively associated with the terminal means of the transmitter when the latter is received in the housing through the open end wall thereof. Moreover, camming means are supported on one of the side walls of the housing so as to be suitably located thereon thereby to be effective when the transmitter is being inserted into the housing to actuate the disconnect switch of the transmitter. Also, one of the side walls of the housing is provided with antenna contact means engageable with the contact means of the transmitter so as to be effective to complete an electrical circuit therethrough between an antenna with which the vehicle is provided and the signal producing electrical circuitry of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A garage door radio control transmitter assembly for use with a motor vehicle having an instrument panel comprising:

a. a garage door radio control transmitter having a first operating condition and a second operating condition, said transmitter embodying electrical cirrcuitry operable when said transmitter is in said first operating condition to produce and transmit a signal receivable by a cooperating receiver located in spaced relation to said transmitter, said transmitter being operable to be powered selectively from an internal electrical power supply and an external electrical power supply;

b. switch means connected in electrical circuit relation with the electrical circuitry of said transmitter and mounted on said transmitter so as to be externally accessible, said switch means having an actuated position and an unactuated position, said switch means being operable when in said actuated position thereof to effect the establishment of said first operating condition of said transmitter and being operable when in said unactuated position thereof to effect the establishment of said second operating condition of said transmitter;

c. disconnect means connected in electrical circuit relation with the electrical circuitry of said transmitter and mounted on said transmitter so as to be externally accessible, said disconnect means having an unactuated position and an actuated position, said disconnect means being operable when in said unactuated position thereof to permit said transmitter to derive electrical power from the internal electrical power supply and being operable when in said actuated position thereof to disconnect the electrical circuitry of said transmitter from the internal electrical power supply;

d. first terminal means connected in electrical circuit relation with the electrical circuitry of said transmitter and mounted on said transmitteer so as to be externally accessible, said first terminal means being operable for establishing an electrical connection between the electrical circuitry of said transmitter and the external electrical power supply;

e. a housing formed on the instrument panel of the motor vehicle, said housing comprising a multiplicity of wall members interconnected together to form a receptacle having one open wall, said housing having internal dimensions greater than the external dimensions of said transmitter and having an internal configuration conforming to the external configuration of said transmitter to permit said transmitter to be inserted into said housing through said open wall;

f. second terminal means mounted on one of said multiplicity of wall members of said housing in the path of movement of said first terminal means of said transmitter and connectible to said first terminal means of said transmitter when said transmitter is inserted into said housing to effect an electrical circuit connection between said first and second terminal means;

g. conductor means having one end thereof connected in electrical circuit relation with said second terminal means and the other end thereof connected in electrical circuit relation in the electrical system of the motor vehicle, said conductor means being operable for connecting the electrical circuitry of said transmitter in electrical circuit relation with the external electrical power supply consisting of the electrical system of the motor vehicle through the interconnection of said first and second terminal means when said transmitter is inserted into said housing; and

h. actuator means supported on one of said multiplicity of wall members of said housing in the path of movement of said disconnect means on said transmitter for engagement therewith when said transmitter is inserted into the housing, said actuator means being operable to automatically cause said disconnect means through the engagement therewith to occupy said actuated position thereof and thereby automatically effect a disconnection of the electrical circuitry of said transmitter from the internal electrical power supply as said transmitter is being inserted into said housing.

2. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes an open front end wall, a closed rear end wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls with said pair of side walls being formed integrally with said closed rear end wall and said top and bottom walls.

3. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second terminal means includes a pair of male plugs mounted on said closed rear end wall of said housing so as to project into the interior of said housing.

4. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first terminal means comprises a pair of receptacles formed in one side of said transmitter operable for receiving therewithin said pair of male plugs.

5. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said transmitter has a slot formed in a side thereof extending longitudinally therein and having a length less than the length of said side, and said disconnect means being supported on said transmitter in juxtaposed relation to said slot for movement between said unactuated position wherein said disconnect means extends into said slot and said actuated position wherein said disconnect means is removed from said slot.

6. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuator means comprises camming means mounted on one of said pair of side walls of said housing so as to project into the interior thereof.

7. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said transmitter further includes a contact member supported in said slot in spaced relation to said disconnect means operatively connected to the electrical circuitry housed within said transmitter for receiving the output therefrom.

8. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said housing further includes antenna contact means operatively connected to the antenna of the motor vehicle supported on one of said pair of side walls of said housing for engagement with said contact member when said transmitter is received in said housing.

9. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said pair of side walls of said housing terminates at the end thereof adjoining said open front end wall in an outwardly extending flange.

10. The garage door radio control transmitter assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said switch means is mounted on the front face of said transmitter, the flange means are provided on said front face of said transmitter operable to provide protection for said switch means, said flange means cooperating with said longitudinally extending flanges of said housing to provide a stop means, said stop means operating through the engagement of said flange means with said longitudinally extending flanges of said housing when said transmitter is inserted into said housing to limit the extent to which said transmitter projects into said housing.