Anti-theft system for a radio receiver used particularly in a motor vehicle

• US 5,054,119 A
• Filed: 06/09/1989
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marie-Christine Rolland
• Original Assignee: Marie-Christine Rolland
• Inventors: Rolland, Marie-Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopr, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavouel, Lisa D.
• Application Number:
  US07/381,645
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 455/186, 455/41, 455/346, 455/347, 455/348, 455/349, 455/345, 361/400, 361/422, 361/425, 333/24 C
• US Class Current: 455/346
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0098 using electric or electronic means, e.g. alarms, codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/08 Constructional details, e.g. cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/084 with removable front panel
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 11/02 with vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for receiving radio-waves used in a motor vehicle. The system is characterized in that it comprises an amplification unit (3) presenting a housing (5) of a removable tuner control part (4) which, when introduced in the housing (5) is electrically connected to the amplification unit (3) in order to make the reception system operative. The present invention applies particularly to the protection against theft of car radios.

Claims

1. A radio receiving system used in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an amplifying unit for amplifying audio signals, fixed, in an inviolable manner, to a rear face of a dashboard of the vehicle and a tuner control unit for controlling the acquisition and the selection of radio waves, said tuner control unit being removably secured to said amplifying unit, the system further including means for electrically connecting said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit including a casing being in the shape of a flat parallelepiped and being approximately equal in size to a credit card, said amplifying unit including a housing having an opening that is complementary in shape to the shape of the tuner control unit, said tuner control unit being insertable through a rectangular opening in the dashboard and into said amplifying unit housing opening to electrically connect said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit includes a part which carries control elements for searching for particular radio wave frequencies and for selecting radio waves and a device for displaying the status of the radio system, when said tuner control unit is inserted into said amplifying unit said part of said tuner control unit extends from said amplifying unit so as to be visibly external thereto, said electrical connecting means comprising first and second connecting elements, said first connecting elements being provided directly on the casing of the tuner control unit side by side at the rearwards part of the casing opposite to the external visible part, said second connecting elements being provided within the amplifying unit housing such that said second connecting elements faces said first connecting elements when said tuner control unit is inserted in said amplifying unit housing opening to transmit signals between said tuner control and amplifying units, said first and second connecting elements form a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting high frequency signals coming from an antenna to high frequency circuits of the tuner control unit, a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting low frequency signals from the tuner control unit to a low frequency amplifier of the amplifying unit, an electromagnetic coupling-type connection for the power supply of the tuner control unit, said capacitive-type connection for transmitting high frequency signals comprises two capacitors each formed of two metal plates disposed opposite to each other when the tuner control unit is positioned inside said amplifying unit housing, one of said capacitors being positioned in said amplifying unit and the other of said capacitors being positioned in said tuner control unit, said capacitors being separated by a plate made from a dielectric material and fixed to the tuner control unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display device is of the liquid crystal type and the control elements are keys of the touch contact type.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the amplifying unit further comprises two housings for receiving respectively one analog or digital cassette and one laser reading disc.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electrical connecting means comprises plugging means having one connector at the bottom of the casing including a certain number of resilient metallic contact strips forming said second connecting elements and, located on the upper face of the tuner control unit rearwards thereof, a certain number of contact plugs forming said first connecting elements cooperating respectively with the metallic strips.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the visible part of the tuner control unit rests on a pedestal made of hard rubber and fixed to the front face of the stationary part of the vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein a secret code is memorized in the tuner control unit and is compared to another secret code memorized in the amplifying unit and wherein the putting in operation of the system is validated in case of matching of the two secret codes, the comparison occurring as soon as the amplifying unit is supplied.

7. A radio receiving system used in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an amplifying unit for amplifying audio signals, fixed, in an inviolable manner, to a rear face of a dashboard of the vehicle and a tuner control unit for controlling the acquisition and the selection of radio waves, said tuner control unit being removably secured to said amplifying unit, the system further including means for electrically connecting said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit including a casing being in the shape of a flat parallelepiped and being approximately equal in size to a credit card, said amplifying unit including a housing having an opening that is complementary in shape to the shape of the tuner control unit, said tuner control unit being insertable through a rectangular opening in the dashboard and into said amplifying unit housing opening to electrically connect said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit includes a part which carries control elements for searching for particular radio wave frequencies and for selecting radio waves and a device for displaying the status of the radio system, when said tuner control unit is inserted into said amplifying unit said part of said tuner control unit extends from said amplifying unit so as to be visibly external thereto, said electrical connecting means comprising first and second connecting elements, said first connecting elements being provided directly on the casing of the tuner control unit side by side at the rearwards part of the casing opposite to the external visible part, said second connecting elements being provided within the amplifying unit housing such that said second connecting elements faces said first connecting elements when said tuner control unit is inserted in said amplifying unit housing opening to transmit signals between said tuner control and amplifying units, said first and second connecting elements form a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting high frequency signals coming from an antenna to high frequency circuits of the tuner control unit;

a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting low frequency signals from the tuner control unit to a low frequency amplifier of the amplifying unit; and

an electromagnetic coupling-type connection for the power supply of the tuner control unit, said capacitive-type connection for transmitting high frequency signals comprises three capacitors for each stereophonic channel and one for return of current and each comprising two metallic plates disposed opposite to each other in the inserted position of the control unit inside said amplifying unit housing, located respectively in the amplifying unit and in the tuner control unit and separated by a plate made of a dielectric material and fixed to the plate of the tuner control unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said capacitive-type connection for transmitting low frequency signals comprises at least three capacitors for each stereophonic channel and one for return of current and each comprising two metallic plates disposed opposite to each other in the inserted position of the tuner control unit inside housing, located respectively in the amplifying unit and in the tuner control unit, and separated by a plate made of a dielectric material with fixed to the plate of the tuner control unit.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said dielectric material has a relative permittivity of about 500 to about 2000.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a mechanical device released at the time of the insertion of the tuner control unit into the housing for pressing the rear part of the tuner control unit in order to perfectly ensure said connections.

11. The system according to claim 7, further comprising an element for controlling the ejection of the tuner control unit out of the housing.

12. A radio receiving system used in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an amplifying unit for amplifying audio signals, fixed, in an inviolable manner, to a rear face of a dashboard of the vehicle and a tuner control unit for controlling the acquisition and the selection of radio waves, said tuner control unit being removably secured to said amplifying unit, the system further including means for electrically connecting said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit including a casing being in the shape of a flat parallelepiped and being approximately equal in size to a credit card, said amplifying unit including a housing having an opening that is complementary in shape to the shape of the tuner control unit, said tuner control unit being insertable through a rectangular opening in the dashboard and into said amplifying unit housing opening to electrically connect said tuner control unit to said amplifying unit, said tuner control unit includes a part which carries control elements for searching for particular radio wave frequencies and for selecting radio waves and a device for displaying the status of the radio system, when said tuner control unit is inserted into said amplifying unit said part of said tuner control unit extends from said amplifying unit so as to be visibly external thereto, said electrical connecting means comprising first and second connecting elements, said first connecting elements being provided directly on the casing of the tuner control unit side by side at the rearwards part of the casing opposite to the external visible part, said second connecting elements being provided within the amplifying unit housing such that said second connecting elements faces said first connecting elements when said tuner control unit is inserted in said amplifying unit housing opening to transmit signals between said tuner control and amplifying units, said first and second connecting elements form a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting high frequency signals coming from an antenna to high frequency circuits of the tuner control unit;

a capacitive coupling-type connection for transmitting low frequency signals from the tuner control unit to a low frequency amplifier of the amplifying unit; and

an electromagnetic coupling-type connection for the power supply of the tuner control unit, said electromagnetic coupling-type connecting comprising two coupled windings located respectively in the amplifying unit at an output of a direct current-alternating current convertor and in the tuner control unit.