Vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus

• US 6,147,596 A
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Toshiharu, Tsuchiya, Yasunobu, Isezaki, Yoshiya, Takeuchi, Toru, Nagata, Sadao, Ido, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/225,703
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/425.5, 340/990, 381/86, 455/352, 455/151.1, 455/346, 379/58, 379/40, 379/59, 345/173
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus having a personal computer function. The apparatus is equipped with a control panel tiltable manually through a tilting link mechanism provided to cover a record medium insertion opening of a reproducing apparatus body. Further, the apparatus is provided with a click sensation mechanism for providing a click sensation when the control panel is tilted to a record medium ejecting position, and further provided with a connecting member for establishing a connection between the control panel and the supporting plate and being released from its connecting condition when the supporting plate is moved to a connection release enabling position. With this apparatus, a record medium can be inserted and ejected safely and with certainty, and the control panel can be detached from the supporting plate in a safe condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function comprising a control panel tiltable manually through a tilting link mechanism and placed in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body to cover a record medium insertion opening of said reproducing apparatus body, wherein a record medium is controlled so as to be automatically elected from said reproducing apparatus body when said control panel is tilted to a deepest tilting position.

2. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 1, further comprising at least one key member having a predetermined function and placed on a control panel in a front panel of a reproducing apparatus body.

3. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 2, wherein said key member is a start key for operating said personal computer function, said start key being comprised of a fixed section and an input section positioned to be recessed from said fixed section.

4. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 3, wherein said key member is a Mayday key for issuing information on the occurrence of an emergency situation, said Mayday key being located at a recess position of a body case of said control panel.

5. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 1, which further comprises an insertion section for a compact flash card being provided in the vicinity of said control panel.

6. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 5, wherein said control panel is horizontally elongated and said insertion section for a compact flash card is provided in a vertically elongated space in said front surface of said reproducing apparatus body and adjacent to said horizontally elongated control panel.

7. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function according to claim 1, which further comprises an insertion section for a compact flash card provided in the vicinity of said insertion opening.

8. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus as defined in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a holding member for holding an inserted compact flash card is provided in the interior of said insertion section.

9. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a click sensation mechanism for providing a click sensation when said control panel is tilted to a record medium ejecting position.

10. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a record medium eject switch which appears to be pressable when said control panel is tilted to a record medium ejecting position.

11. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function, comprising:

a control panel tiltable manually through a tilting link mechanism and placed in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body to cover a record medium insertion opening of said reproducing apparatus body, with a record medium being controlled so as to be automatically ejected from said reproducing apparatus body when said control panel is tilted to a deepest tilting position; and

at least one key member having a predetermined function and placed on said control panel in said front surface of said reproducing apparatus body, said key member being a key selected from a group consisting of a start key for operating said personal computer function, including a fixed section and an input section positioned to be recessed from said fixed position, and a Mayday key for issuing information on the occurrence of an emergency situation and located at a recess position of a body case of said control panel.

12. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus with a personal computer function comprising:

a control panel tiltable manually through a tilting link mechanism and placed in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body to cover a record medium insertion opening of said reproducing apparatus body; and

a record medium eject switch which appears to be pressable when said control panel is tilted to a record medium ejecting position,

wherein a detection sensor is provided which detects tilting of said control panel to said record medium ejecting position, and the record medium is ejected when the detection sensor detects the record medium ejecting position and said record medium eject switch is pressed.

13. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus comprising:

a control panel tiltable manually through a tilting link mechanism and placed in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body to cover a record medium insertion opening;

a click sensation mechanism providing a click sensation when said control panel is tilted to a record medium ejecting position;

a record medium eject switch which appears to be pressable when said control panel is tilted to said record medium ejecting position; and

a detection sensor which detects tilting of said control panel to said record medium ejecting position,

wherein a record medium is ejected when said detection sensor detects said record medium ejecting position and said record medium eject switch is pressed.

14. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus in which a supporting plate is tiltable to cover a record medium insertion opening in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body and a control panel is detachably fitted through a connecting member to said supporting plate, said connecting member being releasable from its connecting condition only when said supporting plate is moved to a connection release enabling position, wherein said connection release enabling position is a position at which said control panel stands up.

15. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus in which a supporting plate is tiltable to cover a record medium insertion opening in a front surface of a reproducing apparatus body and a control panel is detachably fitted through a connecting member to said supporting plate, said connecting member being releasable from its connecting condition only when said supporting plate is moved to a connection release enabling position, wherein said connecting member is comprised of a claw member placed on said supporting plate to detachably engage said control panel and a release lever for biasing said claw member provided on said reproducing apparatus body in a detaching direction, and said release lever biases said claw member in said detaching direction only when said supporting plate is moved to said connection release enabling position and a claw member release key on said control panel is pressed.

16. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said claw release key is equipped with a rod whereby said release lever is pressable.

17. A vehicle-mounted record medium reproducing apparatus as defined in claim 15 or 16, wherein said connection release enabling position is a position at which said control panel stands up.