Structure of electric equipment for vehicle

• US 6,163,079 A
• Filed: 07/23/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takashi, Miyazaki, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/121,542
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/247, 439/248, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10, 361/641, 361/647, 361/643, 361/78.1, 361/35
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J

Abstract

The invention enables an electronic system, which is conveniently operated by a user, to be easily installed in a vehicle, such as an automobile, etc. A structure of electric equipment for a vehicle is provided, wherein vehicle-side connectors are disposed in a plurality of places in the vehicle. Constituent elements of an electronic system used in the vehicle are partly combined with a detachable connector capable of being connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors to thereby form a detachable unit. Electronic system constituent elements in the detachable unit and electronic system constituent elements provided in the vehicle body are connected to each other to construct a new electronic system when the detachable connection is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors. As a result, a user'"'"'s favorite detachable unit can be used in a user'"'"'s favorite position.

Claims

1. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a signal line;

an electronic system used in the vehicle including at least one vehicle-side constituent element and at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in the vehicle, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being connected to the signal line; and

at least one detachable unit that includes the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined with a detachable connector capable of being connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors;

wherein the signal line distributes communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and each one of the multiple vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system and the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system are connected to each other through the signal line to form the electronic system when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

2. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detachable unit includes multiple detachable units, each of the multiple detachable units having a different detachable unit-side constituent element of a different electronic system.

3. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further including a power line provided in the vehicle, wherein each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors is connected to the power line and the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element in the detachable unit is supplied with electric power from the power line when the detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

4. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further including a multiplex signal processing device provided in the at least one detachable unit so that the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system is multiplex-communicated with the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system through the multiplex signal processing device.

5. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further including a unit housing that receives the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system and the at least one detachable connector, and a housing insertion portion provided at each location where the vehicle-side connectors are disposed in the vehicle so that the unit housing can be inserted in the housing insertion portion so that the detachable connector and any one of the vehicle-side connectors are connected to each other by insertion of the unit housing into the housing insertion portion.

9. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further including a vehicle-side housing, the vehicle-side housing comprising at least one of said multiple vehicle-side connectors and the vehicle-side housing being capable of supporting said at least one detachable unit.

10. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle-side housing is movable between at least two positions.

11. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the detachable connector is automatically connected to the vehicle-side connector of the vehicle-side housing when the at least one detachable unit is supported by the vehicle-side housing.

6. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a signal line;

an electronic system used in the vehicle including at least one vehicle-side constituent element and at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

a vehicle-side connector disposed in a specific place in the vehicle, the vehicle-side connector being connected to the signal line; and

multiple types of detachable units, each detachable unit including the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined with at least one detachable connector capable of being connected to the vehicle-side connector;

wherein the signal line transmits communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and one of the multiple types of detachable units that is connected to the vehicle-side connector; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system and the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system are connected to each other through the signal line to form the electronic system when the at least one detachable connector of one of the multiple types of detachable units and the vehicle-side connector are connected to each other.

7. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 6, further including a multiplex signal processing device provided in the at least one detachable unit so that the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system is multiplex-communicated with the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system through the multiplex signal processing device.

12. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 6, further including a vehicle-side housing, the vehicle-side housing comprising said vehicle-side connector and the vehicle-side housing being capable of supporting at least one of said detachable units.

13. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle-side housing is movable between at least two positions.

14. The electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the detachable connector is automatically connected to the vehicle-side connector of the vehicle-side housing when the at least one detachable unit is supported by the vehicle-side housing.

8. A detachable unit for vehicle electric equipment, comprising:

at least one vehicle-side constituent element;

at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

a vehicle-side connector disposed in the vehicle, the vehicle-side connector being connected to a signal line; and

a detachable housing receiving therein;

a detachable connector capable of being connected to the vehicle-side connector,

the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element, and

a multiplex signal processing device that performs multiplex communications through the signal line between the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element and the at least one vehicle-side constituent element when the detachable connector and the vehicle-side connector are connected to each other;

wherein the signal line transmits communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and one of the detachable unit-side constituent element which is connected to the vehicle-side connector.

15. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a signal line;

an electronic system used in the vehicle including at least one vehicle-side constituent element and at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in the vehicle, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being connected to the signal line; and

at least one detachable unit that includes the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined with a detachable connector capable of being connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors;

wherein the signal line distributes communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and each one of the multiple vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system and the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system are capable of communicating with each other through the signal line to form the electronic system when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

16. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a signal line;

an electronic system used in the vehicle including at least one vehicle-side constituent element and at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in the vehicle, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being connected to the signal line; and

at least one detachable unit that includes the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined with a detachable connector capable of being connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors;

wherein the signal line distributes communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and each one of the multiple vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system controls the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system through the signal line when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

17. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a power line;

a signal line;

an electronic system used in the vehicle including at least one vehicle-side constituent element and at least one detachable unit-side constituent element;

multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in the vehicle, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being connected to the power line and to the signal line; and

at least one detachable unit that includes the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined with a detachable connector capable of being connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors;

wherein the signal line distributes communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and each one of the multiple vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system is powered through the power line when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system and the at least one vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system are connected to each other through the signal line to form the electronic system when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

18. An electric equipment apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a signal line;

at least one vehicle-side constituent element of an electronic system used in the vehicle;

multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in the vehicle, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being connected to the signal line, each of the multiple vehicle-side connectors being capable of being connected to a detachable connector of at least one detachable unit that includes at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system combined;

wherein the signal line distributes communications signals between the vehicle-side constituent element and each one of the multiple vehicle-side connectors; and

wherein the vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system is capable of forming the electronic system with the at least one detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system when the at least one detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.

19. A detachable unit of an electronic system, comprising:

a detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system;

a detachable connector capable of being connected to multiple vehicle-side connectors disposed in a plurality of locations in a vehicle, the vehicle-side connectors being connected to a vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system through a signal line;

wherein the detachable unit-side constituent element of the electronic system is capable of forming the electronic system with the vehicle-side constituent element of the electronic system when the detachable connector is connected to any one of the vehicle-side connectors.