Modular vehicle electronic system

• US 5,040,990 A
• Filed: 06/08/1990
• Issued: 08/20/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suman, Michael J., Watjer, Sheldon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/535,337
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/35, 439/36, 439/43, 439/49, 439/53, 296/37.7, 307/10.1, 361/352, 361/395, 361/393
• US Class Current: 439/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/08 Short-circuiting members for bridging contacts in a counterpart

Abstract

A modular interchangeable electronic system for providing a number of different options for a vehicle which can be selectively plugged into a base unit. The base unit can receive or be replaced by selected optional units which interface with vehicle controls or provide desired control or display functions.

Claims

1. A vehicle accessory system comprising a base module mounted to a vehicle, said base module including a first accessory and further including first electrical connecting means and further including first electrical connecting means to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, said base module further including means for receiving a select one of a plurality of accessory modules;

and

at least one accessory module including means for mechanically coupling said accessory module to said base module and further including second electrical connecting means for coupling said accessory module to said first electrical connecting means and wherein said means for electrically coupling said first electrical connecting means to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system comprises first conductors coupled to said first electrical connecting means, second electrical conductors coupled to said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, and means for selectively coupling said first electrical conductors to said second electrical conductors to interface with a selected one of said accessory modules such that said means for selectively coupling interconnects selected ones of said first conductors to selected ones of said second conductors for selectively changing said first and second conductors which are interconnected to be when different accessory modules are received in said base module.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said system includes a plurality of accessory modules.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for selectively coupling includes a universal connector having first terminals coupled to said first electrical conductors and second terminals coupled to said second electrical conductors and a plurality of programming connectors with one of said programming connectors associated with each one of said accessory modules for interconnecting selected first and second terminals whereby at least one first terminal can be coupled to different second terminals by changing said programming connectors.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said universal connector comprises a socket including said first terminals and said second terminals, and said programing connectors comprise a plurality of plugs for selectively coupling selected ones of said first terminals to selected ones of said second terminals using a plug unique to a selected said accessory module.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein a first said accessory module comprises light means.

6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein said base module is mounted to the roof area of the vehicle.

7. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one accessory module is a compass module.

8. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one accessory module is a garage door opening module.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one accessory module is a systems check module.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one accessory module is a door-lock control module.

11. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one accessory module is a 2-wheel/4-wheel drive control and display module.

12. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for selectively coupling couples said first connecting means to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system in accordance with a control or display option of a selected accessory module.

13. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for coupling said first electrical connector to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system further includes a ribbon-like substrate of insulating material including a plurality of spaced generally parallel conductors mounted therein, said substrate mounted to extend across a module receiving recess in the vehicle, and wherein said base module is shaped to be mounted in said recess and includes contact means for engaging at least predetermined ones of said spaced conductors.

14. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein said substrate includes elongated grooves for receiving inlaid conductors and wherein said contact means comprises spring contacts which extend into said grooves to contact said conductors.

15. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein said substrate includes a plurality of openings for exposing sections of said conductors and wherein said contact means comprises spring clips aligned with said openings to engage said conductors when said module is mounted within said recess.

16. A vehicle accessory system comprising:

a base module for attaching to the vehicle for receiving a selected one of a plurality of accessory modules and including a first electrical connector having conductors;

at least one accessory module including means for connecting to the first electrical connector; and

a selective electrical connector coupled between the first electrical connector and the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system including the vehicle'"'"'s fuse box and conductors, said selective connector for selectively providing a plurality of connections between the first electrical connector and the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system including the vehicle'"'"'s fuse box for selectively coupling at least one conductor of said first electrical connector to different conductors of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system according to display or control options of the plurality of accessory modules.

17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said base module further includes a light means for illuminating the interior of the vehicle.

18. The system in claim 16 wherein the selective connector provides a respective unique connection for each of the plurality of the accessory modules.

19. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said plurality of accessory modules comprise a compass module, a garage door opening module, a systems check module, a door-lock control module or a 2-wheel/4-wheel drive control and display module.

20. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein one of said conductors of said first electrical connector is switchingly connected to the vehicle'"'"'s fuse box by said selective connector.

21. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said selective connector connects some of the conductors of said first electrical connector to some of the conductors of said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, and the conductors of said first electrical connector connected to the conductors of said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system can be changed by said selective connector to program said system for different selected accessory modules.

22. A vehicle accessory system comprising:

a base mounted to a vehicle, said base including means for receiving an accessory module, said means for receiving including a first electrical connecting means for coupling to said accessory module and means for coupling said first electrical connecting means to said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system;

at least one accessory module adapted to be inserted into said means for receiving and adapted to be coupled to said first electrical connecting means; and

a programming means including first terminals coupled to the first electrical connecting means and second terminals coupled to said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, said programming means programming a connection between said first and second terminals by selectively interconnecting different ones of said first and second terminals whereby different ones of said first and second terminals can be interconnected when different respective accessory modules are received in said base.

23. The accessory system as defined in claim 22 wherein said programming means includes a socket including said terminals and a respective plug for each of said different respective accessory modules, whereby a respective plug is inserted into said socket to connect a respective said accessory module to said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system.

24. The accessory system as defined in claim 23 wherein said programming means can connect at least one of said first terminals to different ones of said second terminals for coupling said different accessory modules to different vehicle electrical circuits.

25. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said means for coupling said first electrical connector to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system includes a ribbon-like substrate of insulating material including a plurality of spaced generally parallel conductors mounted therein, said substrate mounted to extend across a module receiving recess in the vehicle, and wherein said base module is shaped to be mounted in said recess and includes contract means for engaging at least predetermined ones of said spaced conductors.

26. The system as defined in claim 25 wherein said substrate includes elongated grooves for receiving inlaid conductors and wherein said contact means comprises spring contacts which extend into said grooves to contact said conductors.

27. The system as defined in claim 25 wherein said substrate includes a plurality of openings for exposing sections of said conductors and wherein said contact means comprises spring clips aligned with said openings to engage said conductors when said module is mounted within said recess.